Chapter 175

Chapter 176. The Giant of Sephira (1)

Two strong contenders to become the Southern Sword faced each other.

The swordsmanship genius of the renowned Garcia family, the Sword Dragon Rajis.

The knight of the unremarkable common noble Shadabon, Norman.

Judging by social status alone, the outcome seemed obvious, but Norman’s divine aura in this tournament was on par with, if not surpassing, that of the swordsmanship genius from the renowned family.

“Norman’s swordsmanship seems to change every time.”

“Moreover, he doesn’t hesitate to use big techniques.”

Even to the untrained eye of a commoner, Norman’s swordsmanship was bizarre. He didn’t stick to one style but alternated between multiple swordsmanship techniques.

If even commoners could see this, the knights watching Norman were beyond suspicious.

“Foreign swordsmanship styles are common, so if you want to learn them, it’s not impossible, but his proficiency is too high.”

“If I’m not mistaken, didn’t Sir Norman just use the Blackwood family’s secret technique, the Raging Wave? Even if it’s not perfect, it definitely looked like the Raging Wave…”

“The Shadabon family is a native Southern family… How is he using a swordsmanship similar to the Northern Browning family’s Heavenly Flower Divine Sword?”

Many knights were suspicious of Norman’s identity. Each family’s swordsmanship is strictly controlled and not shared externally. Yet Norman was using techniques from multiple families, which was beyond strange.

No one stepped forward to object because swordsmanship inherently has similar styles, making it impossible to tell if Norman’s techniques were truly the secret arts of prestigious families or his own.

Moreover, with Lord Eslow staying silent, who were they to speak up? Of course, after the tournament, the origins of his swordsmanship would surely be questioned.

Norman knew this. He knew that using various swordsmanship styles would raise suspicions.

‘It doesn’t matter. After this tournament, Norman is a name I’ll discard anyway.’

Norman planned to attack and absorb Keter after the tournament, living under his name, so he didn’t care about Norman’s future.

“……”

Norman looked at his opponent, Rajis. Even to a monster like himself, Rajis had an ugly face. He was not a likable person.

Rajis also quietly met Norman’s gaze. His eyes were familiar. They were the eyes of someone judging his appearance.

At the same time, Norman could sense a feeling of ‘disregard’ in Rajis’s inner thoughts.

“……”

“……”

Despite always hurling insults at his opponents, Norman said nothing special to Rajis.

Rajis, who would greet anyone, offered no greeting to Norman.

They simply frowned and glared at each other.

Soon, the referee raised his hand. The two turned their heads and moved to the ends of the ring.

‘I’ll finish this in an instant.’

Norman had no intention of dragging this out, whether against Rajis or anyone else. His goal was solely Keter.

“Fight!”

As soon as the referee’s words ended, Norman’s figure disappeared.

The knights, already watching Norman closely, were startled and exclaimed.

“Is that… Body Strengthening Technique?!”

“He knows how to use Body Strengthening too?!”

Though much slower than Henya’s Body Strengthening, it was enough to cover 30 meters in the blink of an eye.

Norman smirked as he looked at Rajis, who stood still, waiting.

‘I’ve figured out all of your combat style.’

Rajis’s Heavenly Seamless Swordsmanship was originally a flawless technique with no weaknesses, harmonizing all the subtleties of swordsmanship. But in this tournament, Rajis’s swordsmanship was, in a word, the ‘aesthetics of slowness.’

Clearly slower than his opponent, yet impossible to dodge or block. That was the essence of the ‘Heavy Sword.’

The Heavy Sword is particularly esoteric even among swordsmanship subtleties. Even Norman, who had absorbed the knowledge of countless martial artists, couldn’t fully grasp it.

‘It seems like a simple swordsmanship that just overwhelms with superior aura?’

That’s how Norman saw it. All of Rajis’s opponents so far had their movements restricted, and their attacks were frequently blocked as if they were conspiring with Rajis.

‘I’ll crush you with a power stronger than what you pride yourself on.’

An explosive aura surged from Norman’s body. Simultaneously, his sword was enveloped in a monstrous aura.

“If you don’t want to die, fall out of the ring!”

Confident in his victory, Norman swung a massive Aura Blade.

It wasn’t a simple swing. Dozens of Aura Blades were layered upon each other.

He even used the ultimate cutting technique, the Life-Severing Iron Slash.

A slash powerful enough to cut through even an Orichalcon shield in one strike. The overwhelming cutting force was so intense that even spectators dozens of meters away felt a sting on their skin.

But—

“Heavenly Seamless, Heavenly Return.”

Rajis’s sword gently curved and wrapped around the Life-Severing Iron Slash with an unprecedented force.

“……!”

Norman couldn’t believe the sensation in his hand.

He couldn’t control his sword. An unprecedented rotational force acted upon it, causing the sword to spin wildly.

*Clang clang clang!*

The twisted Life-Severing Iron Slash cut into the innocent ground. A deep, clear sword mark was left on the Orichalcon floor.

Norman retracted his sword to prepare for Rajis’s counterattack, but Rajis didn’t attack. He didn’t even move from his spot.

Instead, he spoke.

“You charged in so confidently. Is it over already?”

“……”

A vein popped on Norman’s forehead. To him, Rajis was just a small fence. A minor obstacle before reaching the summit, Keter.

But he had stumbled over that fence.

“Don’t get cocky just because you blocked one attack!”

Norman charged again. Though furious, he wasn’t foolish enough to use the Life-Severing Iron Slash again. Instead, he used another secret technique.

The Blackwood family’s secret technique, the Raging Wave.

A wave of countless thrusts poured toward Rajis.

‘This time, you won’t be able to deflect it!’

As Norman expected, Rajis couldn’t deflect the Raging Wave.

Because he didn’t need to.

“Heavenly Seamless, Dagger Bullet.”

Rajis unleashed a barrage of sword aura daggers, more refined than Norman’s wave of thrusts.

*Swish swish swish!*

Though Norman attacked first, he was also the one being attacked.

Norman raised his sword vertically to block the daggers, but he couldn’t stop them all. His body was torn apart in various places.

“……”

Norman glared at Rajis, now in tatters. Despite having the upper hand, Rajis still didn’t move from his spot.

“May I attack now?”

All the previous attacks weren’t even attacks. They were just defenses. Norman’s eyes bulged, on the verge of popping out, as he understood the implication.

‘If I use my true power, you’re nothing.’

Norman had to admit it.

In a human body, he couldn’t defeat Rajis.

Rajis’s Heavenly Seamless Swordsmanship was too perfect. The wall of Rajis’s composure was impenetrable.

‘If only I could use even one blade tentacle…’

No matter how infinite his aura was, there was a clear limit to the total amount and power he could use at once. Even with knowledge of many secret techniques, a human body could only use one at a time.

‘But I can’t reveal my true form either.’

Norman glanced at Eslow. Though dozens of meters away and only sneaking a peek, he still felt a chill run down his spine.

Yet, losing to someone he looked down on was something Norman’s pride couldn’t accept.

Then, something caught Norman’s eye.

‘Wait. That dull human barely moved, thinking he could provoke me?’

There’s a rule in this tournament: if you step out of the ring, you lose immediately.

And right now, Rajis was standing at the edge of the ring.

With a large stride, five steps—if he could push or throw Rajis that distance, victory would be his.

‘Heh heh heh. Humans are indeed foolish.’

Norman smiled without showing his teeth. Confidence in his imminent victory was written all over his face.

“If you block this attack too, I’ll acknowledge you.”

Norman provoked Rajis, ensuring he couldn’t dodge. Rajis responded with an expressionless face.

“I have no desire for your acknowledgment.”

“Scared?”

“Your tongue is long. I won’t dodge, so attack as you please.”

“Heh heh heh, alright.”

An explosive aura surged from Norman’s body once more.

He even threw away the sword he was holding.

Instead, he created an Aura Sword.

*Zwoom, zwoooom!*

At first, it was clearly a regular longsword, but Norman kept pouring aura into it.

Soon, it became a greatsword with a blade length of 2 meters and a width of 30 centimeters, but it didn’t stop. Norman’s sword swelled to an absurd size.

Yet, Rajis remained expressionless, but the spectators weren’t.

“Good heavens! I’ve never seen such a huge Aura Sword before!”

“Is it even going to reach that far?”

“How is he supposed to block that?!”

12 meters in length, 4 meters in width. Up close, it didn’t even look like a sword. It was as if he was swinging a mountain.

Norman, holding the colossal greatsword with both hands, shouted.

“Try blocking or deflecting this!”

*Whoooosh!*

The simple motion of swinging the sword created a sonic boom, and a shockwave erupted. The oppressive force from the immense mass seemed to crush the entire arena.

Rajis smirked.

“It’s much simpler than I thought.”

“……?!”

*Tap tap tap!*

Rajis, who hadn’t moved from his spot until now, dashed forward.

Norman, in the midst of swinging his enormous sword, couldn’t control his body.

Rajis reached Norman’s front much faster than the sword could descend to the ground.

At this point, most would surrender. With an enemy right in front of you, defenseless.

No matter how thick the Aura Armor was, a direct hit would render it useless, only turning instant death into a fatal wound.

But Norman didn’t surrender. Instead, he braced himself to receive the attack.

‘Go ahead, stab and slash all you want.’

As a slime, Norman could regenerate infinitely as long as his core wasn’t attacked. Of course, regenerating at high speed in front of others would be noticeable—

‘Luck still seems to be on my side!’

The colossal Aura Sword completely blocked everyone’s view. Even Eslow’s gaze was obstructed.

Meaning, no one could see right now.

Then, he could secretly create a blade tentacle and slash Rajis. Of course, Rajis would learn his true identity—

‘Dead men tell no tales.’

Intentional killing during a match isn’t allowed, but no one could see now. No one to stop him.

‘Come on!’

As Norman, still confident in his victory, waited for Rajis’s attack.

*Thud.*

“……?”

Instead of using his sword, Rajis grabbed Norman by the collar with his bare hands.

“Haaaaaa!”

With a loud shout, he threw Norman backward with all his might.

“……?!”

Even as he was flung through the air, Norman couldn’t understand. Why didn’t Rajis slash him and instead threw him?

But he soon realized. Where he was flying.

“W-what is this?!”

Belatedly understanding his situation, Norman was horrified.

Rajis brushed off his hands and said.

“I never intended to fight you head-on, someone whose true nature is unknown.”

Norman’s body had already left the ring. All that was left was to hit the ground, resulting in a ring-out. Rajis had no doubt about his victory.

But—

The greatest danger often lurks at the moment of victory.

*Whoosh, thud.*

Rajis looked down, feeling something strange wrapping around his ankle.

A transparent, slimy substance was tightening around his ankle.

It was Norman’s arm. Norman’s arm had stretched dozens of meters to wrap around Rajis’s ankle.

“What the…?!”

*Snap!*

Even the ever-calm Rajis couldn’t help but panic this time. His response was delayed.

In an instant, Norman pulled with tremendous force. Their positions switched.

Norman was back in the ring, and Rajis was out.

All of this happened in an instant, hidden by Norman’s colossal Aura Sword, which no one could see through.

*Fwoosh.*

The colossal Aura Sword that had blocked the spectators’ view finally disappeared. What was revealed was all too clear.

“W-what is this?”

“Sir Rajis… lost by ring-out?!”

“This can’t be!”

Rajis, fallen outside the ring.

Norman, standing confidently in the ring.

This was the reality presented to the spectators.

* * *

Rajis, who had fallen, couldn’t even get up and hung his head.

‘Even though I thought Norman might not be human, I let my guard down like this.’

No words could excuse it. Not knowing Norman’s arm could stretch, not expecting such blatant cheating.

“Sigh…”

Rajis stood up and looked at Norman in the ring. Norman, shamelessly straightening his back and shoulders, was basking in his victory.

‘Even though I want to question Sir Norman’s true nature right now…’

Rajis shook his head.

People wouldn’t believe him. After all, Norman looked perfectly human.

If he claimed Norman’s arm stretched and grabbed his ankle to switch positions, people would surely think it was an excuse.

‘It’s not knightly to resist defeat.’

Even if there was foul play, it was his fault for not preventing it. In the end, Rajis decided to accept his defeat.

The referee, who had come up to the ring, seemed to sense Rajis’s feelings and nodded before turning to Norman.

The referee, grabbing Norman’s triumphant arm, shouted.

“Rajis is out of the ring! The winner is…”

Just as Norman’s victory seemed certain.

A voice from the spectator seats echoed loudly through the arena.

“I object!”

It was a voice everyone recognized.