Illusion Sword Master

＜ The Road to Strength Has No End (4) ﹥

Roland strengthened his lower body with his aura and stomped the ground.

─ Boom!

His body shot towards me like a cannonball, his sword imbued with Sword Aura radiating a blue glow.

I also wrapped my sword with mana to counterattack.

Through long training, my physical body had become incredibly sturdy, unmatched by any ordinary magician.

However, it was still not enough to block the knight’s assault, which was empowered by the aura.

“Khwuk.”

The moment our swords clashed, it felt like my body would be blown away.

I wrapped my body with mana.

By applying more gravity to my lower body to fix my center, I activated my mana, and my feet firmly stuck to the ground.

This was the so-called “Eitan-style Full-body Defense”.

─ Chae-ae-ae-aheng!

Although I couldn’t completely block the impact and left a long line on the ground, I didn’t lose my balance.

Normally, if I had taken a hit like that, my muscles would have torn and my bones would have broken, but thanks to Professor Dars’ training, I had learned how to minimize the aftereffects.

“Still, the pace is too fast.”

Rolan didn’t give me any respite and continued his attack.

The rapid succession of attacks, each one powerful enough to numb my hands.

“Was Rolan this strong?”

I had thought I would be at a disadvantage due to the limitations on weapons and magic, but Rolan’s skills exceeded my expectations.

In similar situations, I had fought against Deimbert’s self-made sword, but Rolan’s level was far superior.

If I only considered the power, it wouldn’t reach the level of the Black Magic-wielding Orc tribe leader, Bushaku, but in terms of speed and swordsmanship, Rolan was a much more formidable opponent.

“No, maybe it’s natural.”

Rolan was already a skilled knight heading towards mastery when I first met him.

Given his personality, where he would gladly jump into hell if it was necessary, he must have crossed countless rivers and increased his skills.

─ Chae-ae-ae-aheng!

Rolan swung his sword with even more powerful force than before.

A sword strike aiming from below.

I barely blocked his attack, but the impact sent my sword-fighting stance crashing down.

The tip of his sword, which had found an opening, was aiming at me.

It would reach me faster than I could recover my stance.

I activated my mana once again.

The imagined sensation was like a giant hand pulling me away.

─ Shuuk!

My body, affected by the mana, flew to the side, and Rolan’s sword pierced the air.

This technique was called “Eitan-style Teleport”.

For a moment, Rolan’s eyes showed surprise.

The concept of using one’s body as a medium to cast magic was unfamiliar, and the mana-based martial arts had an excellent effect in catching the opponent off guard.

Without any preparatory movements, it was possible to defy the ordinary laws of physics.

I fixed my body in mid-air from the sideways dodging stance.

From that state, I immediately activated my mana again.

Whirr. I quickly rotated my body 360 degrees with a diagonal slash, aiming for Rolan’s upper body.

The compressed mana wave, infused with my body’s weight and reinforced with the power of my muscles. The centrifugal force of the rotation added to the impact, striking with a single blow.

I had just turned my thoughts into action, but I hadn’t yet given it a name.

The effect was enormous.

“Whoa!”

Roland, who had blocked my attack with all his might, took a step back.

“Ugh…”

The strain on my waist caused a sharp pain.

If I hadn’t developed extraordinary core muscles through rigorous training, I would have been rendered combat-ineffective by now.

“I need to hold back.”

Anyway, this was a hard-won opportunity.

If I let it slip away, I would never have a chance to gain the upper hand against Roland. I couldn’t let my momentum falter, so I continued my attack.

“I’m not necessarily determined to win…”

It wasn’t a hopeful prospect, but Roland was here to help me with my training. If I didn’t give it my all, it would be a waste.

So, after dozens of exchanges, the flow of the battle finally shifted in Roland’s favor.

I had used all my strength to resist, but it was no use.

Roland seemed more tired than before, but he showed no signs of slowing down. The aura emanating from him only grew stronger.

On the other hand, my entire body was screaming in agony, my limbs trembling with exhaustion.

I was still in the process of establishing the concept of Mana Body and cultivating it.

Compared to a knight who could wield aura with ease, I was no match in terms of power or speed.

“It’s almost over,” Roland said, sheathing his sword.

“Phew… phew… That’s enough. I can’t do any more.”

I thought he was being considerate and stopping the spar, but that wasn’t the case.

“One more exchange to finish it off.”

Roland took a stance, his face set in determination.

─ Whoa…

Mana began to gather around his sword. Blue particles congregated and dispersed, following the shape of the blade, and then…

In an instant, the mana erupted in a dazzling flash, taking the shape of the sword’s blade.

The Master’s symbol, the Aura Blade.

Although the blade’s shape was still incomplete, the aura emanating from it was far more powerful than before.

“Whoa… just touching that would be fatal.”

I suppressed my fear and raised my sword to face him.

The Aura Blade was a weapon capable of inflicting damage on even the strongest foes, the ultimate single-target destructive power.

To survive in this twisted fate, I too had to pursue that realm. I couldn’t afford to miss this opportunity to experience its destructive power.

I gathered all my remaining strength.

I coated my entire body with mana, as if donning armor, and compressed mana into my sword at the same time.

─ Zzzt…

The crude sword, not made of dwarven steel, couldn’t withstand the compression of mana and began to crack.

My body couldn’t withstand the mana and began to show adverse effects.

The rampaging mana spread around me, causing the ground to crack little by little.

Roland and I charged at each other simultaneously.

It was a moment just before we clashed swords.

I transferred all my strength and mana to the sword, unleashing a powerful slash.

─ Whoaaa!

The light of the aura enveloped my field of vision.

A loud noise echoed.

I saw the ground in front of me.

No, I saw the sky.

The ground, the sky, the ground, the sky…

It was only later that I realized I was rolling around on the ground, but by then, I was already plastered against one wall.

“Ugh, I knew it would end like this.”

I had exhausted all my stamina with that one blow, so I just lay there.

Roland, who had sent me flying, stood still, lost in thought.

He discovered me enjoying the coolness of the ground and rushed over to offer me a hand.

“Ethan! Are you okay?”

I rejected his hand.

I didn’t even have the energy to get up.

“It’s no wonder. I didn’t take a direct hit, but I did clash with the aura blade. I’m not a knight… *sigh*…”

“*Sigh*… You’re right, you’re a mage. You had incredible skills, and I almost forgot. You’re truly amazing.”

He lifted me up.

I could tell his praise was genuine, not just a victor’s condescension.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it? I managed to hold out against Roland with just one sword.”

“That’s not just it. If we had excluded other factors and only focused on swordsmanship, I would have lost.”

“That’s an exaggeration, isn’t it? I’m confident in my sword skills, but they can’t compare to those of a knight like Roland.”

“No, you’re underestimating your abilities. You have a tendency to belittle yourself.”

It was embarrassing to receive such praise from the person who had knocked me down.

“On the other hand, I feel a pang of regret. If you had taken the path of a knight, you would have become the youngest swordmaster…”

What’s the point of becoming a swordmaster if you can’t even wield the aura?

Roland’s praise seemed sincere, but to me, it was just a ridiculous sound.

“Thank you. I gained a lot of insight from this match.”

Suddenly, he bowed his head to me.

“What insight are you talking about? Rather than that, please lift your head first.”

“It’s embarrassing. After I learned to control the aura, I became lazy with my sword training.”

Roland let out a wry smile.

“I guess I knew in my head that I had to become one with the sword, but deep down, I thought of it as just a tool to cut down enemies. A knight has to put more into their sword than just the aura.”

His words were abstract, so they didn’t resonate with me.

However, there was a certain conviction in Roland’s eyes.

“Why did I feel that way when I clashed swords with you?

I couldn’t even imagine.

“I’m sorry, but I’ll leave first. I need to think about what I’ve been holding onto, and return to my roots.”

Roland muttered to himself, seemingly possessed, and left the room.

“Well, if I was of any help, that’s good.”

Although I was a bit disappointed, I chose to think positively.

Roland was the source of chaos that had entangled my fate every time we met, but he was still a good person.

At the very least, we had a bond strong enough to feel awkward when we received bad news.

“Take care.”

I sincerely wished for his success.

#

[His Majesty the Third Prince has summoned me. It seems I’ll be assigned a mission soon, so I’ll take this opportunity to test my newfound understanding.]

The next day, Roland left the mansion with a rather refreshed expression.

[Ethan, as the assistant instructor of the Dark Magic Department and a senior mage, is in charge of educating the children!]

Professor Dars, who had obtained sufficient practical data through our duel, also focused on his research, locking himself in his laboratory.

As a result of the duel’s aftermath, my job became taking care of the children in the mansion.

“Now I’m just babysitting, right?”

Although I had lost another chance to take a break, I didn’t feel too bad.

It turned out that teaching had its own charm.

“There must have been a reason why Professor Dars couldn’t focus.”

I watched the children moving around, each holding a sword, and nodded in agreement.

They were indeed precious jewels, just as he had said.

Not only did they have talent, but they also had strong willpower, having overcome their terrible past of being kidnapped and imprisoned by the Dark Mage.

“Okay, let’s try this once.”

I held up two swords in mid-air, each drawing a different trajectory.

It was an advanced form of training, like drawing a square with one hand and a circle with the other.

“Ugh…this is too hard.”

“Aah! Why can’t I do it?”

It was simple for me, but for the children who didn’t have the same extraordinary magical talent as I did, it was a challenging task.

Everyone failed, except for one girl who succeeded.

“Well done, Cherzia. I couldn’t even do half of what you did at your age.”

Back then, I didn’t even know how to use magic.

“Ah, no! This is nothing!”

Cherzia blushed and turned her head, still drawing a stable trajectory with her sword.

“She’s a genius.”

Cherzia’s skills were unparalleled among the children.

I had felt it before, but her ability to read and follow the flow of mana was beyond exceptional, bordering on the supernatural.

It was as if I was looking at a future great mage.

“I also owe her a debt of gratitude for saving my life. Building a relationship with her will ensure a worry-free old age.”

I had such a thought in that moment.

“I’ll wait for that day to come.”

I realized that my life wasn’t peaceful enough to prepare for old age, so I gave up quickly.

“Alright, kids, I’ll teach you the essence of magic swordsmanship, so gather around.”

I decided to teach them various things, making it fun for them.

In reality, magic swordsmanship was just a waste of effort. If you had magical talent, it was better to provide firepower support from a safe distance.

So, I focused on teaching them aerial sword techniques.

“It’s still good to learn this, you can use it to escape later.”

Although it was an advanced technique, it was difficult for anyone except Cherizia to even mimic it. However, I patiently taught the kids for several days and helped them master the technique.

#

“Sigh. What have I done?”

Several days passed.

I had to have doubts about my decision.

Kids were always eager for new games and lacked resistance to stimuli.

Now that they had discovered the fun aerial sword technique, it was no surprise that they were causing a ruckus.

─ Bang!

─ Boom!

─ Crash!

As a result, a new game called “Inspector Race” became popular among the kids who could roughly mimic the aerial sword technique.

The furniture in the mansion was destroyed.

“What’s the point of growing up like this?”

It wasn’t even my house, anyway.

Professor Dars would handle the aftermath.

I leisurely unfolded the latest issue of “Weekly Impelium”.

“Special Report: The 427th Class of the Imperial War Academy’s Magic Department. Those who dreamed of the empire’s future have become the empire’s present.”

The front-page article featured my classmates.

“The 427th class, known as the Golden Class, but the student who stood out the most was Inspector Etan.”

It started with me, of course.

I somehow managed to deal with the gold collector, Bushaku…

And the mage, Maktobre…

And so on, until I achieved great things, purging corruption and training elite soldiers…

“There are three geniuses besides Etan who are making a name for themselves on the front lines. They are known as the Trinity of the 427th class: Sera Zephir, Roem Karlen, and Menka Admin.”

As I skimmed through the familiar stories, I saw some familiar names.

“Sera Zephir: Following in her father, Duke Zephir’s footsteps, she is active on the western front, wiping out orcs near the front lines and earning achievements. Her purple lightning can destroy an entire orc squad. She also contributed greatly to the defeat of Bushaku with Inspector Etan’s support.”

It seemed she was doing well after returning to the western front.

There was an illustration of her unleashing lightning at the bottom of the article.

The drawing skills themselves were not bad, but it seemed like propaganda, typical of this newspaper…

She was depicted as a strong, muscular woman who could easily defeat an orc in a wrestling match.

“This is too much. She’s actually much more delicate and pretty.”

“Roem Karlen: As the eldest son of the esteemed Karlen Earl family, he is known for his magical prowess and strong sense of duty. After being assigned to the eastern front, he used barrier magic to protect the crumbling castle walls, allowing soldiers to survive even when other mages retreated.”

Roem was always overflowing with a sense of duty.

It was a quality necessary for a true noble, but it could also make life tedious.

As expected, it was tough going.

It seemed that the publisher preferred flower boys, and unlike Sera, Roem’s illustrations were neatly drawn without any dramatic exaggeration.

「Menka Admin: Although the news from the southern front is not well-known due to its closed nature, the rumor of her, a magician, standing at the forefront every day and burning her magic, has reached the imperial capital.」

After being deployed to the front lines, Menka was going wild, just like a battle maniac.

However, the illustration of Menka was strange.

Not because of dramatic exaggeration like Sera’s.

One eye was covered with an eyepatch, and a hook was attached to the end of one arm instead of a hand.

The southern front was a fiercer battlefield than the western front.

If she had fought recklessly like before, it would be no wonder if she suffered a serious injury.

“Ugh, be careful.”

It’s natural for people to get hurt or die in war.

But hearing about the injury of a close acquaintance weighed heavily on my mind.

And, as if on cue, the Third Prince summoned me right after that.

＜ The Road to Strengthening Has No End (4) ﹥ END