Chapter 49: True master craftsman
Kurt looks at my sword with a cold expression.
“Do you intend to fight with that sword?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“By all appearances, it doesn’t appear to be a demon sword. I don’t feel like fighting against an opponent who’s only using a block of metal that doesn’t allow magic.”
“Fumu. How about this then?”
I draw a magic formation on the sword and cast Arms Strengthening <Adeshin>. The kongo iron sword wears my enormous magic power and emits a chaotic glow like a demon sword from the age of myths.
“If your sword has no magic then you can make up for it with your own magic power.”
The tournament doesn’t allow magic that can harm your opponent but <Adeshin> is an exception. When using demon swords it’s common sense that you use this magic because your power adds to the sword’s power and increases its sharpness. Because my demon sword has no magic it would disadvantageous for me not to use this spell.
Its a bit of a handicap for me though.
“Before the first game starts the organisers of the tournament have an announcement.” The owl flying overhead states.
“There were changes to the tournament rules but the were not communicated in time so I will inform you here. In this tournament <Adeshin> and other similar magics have been banned. It is also forbidden to attack in any other way other than by your sword.”
As the owl was speaking 16 men wearing official robes appeared around the stage.
“The watchmen will be closely examining the match. Severe penalties will be imposed on anyone violating the rules. Depending on the circumstances you may even be disqualified.”
I see. So that’s how it is. As long as I am banned from using <Adeshin> the kongo iron sword will be unable to break through Kurt’s magic barrier and will break. I could easily break through his barrier with my bare hands but any attack other than with a sword is also prohibited.
In other words, my chances of winning have been sealed and Kurt will break my sword with his.
It looks like they saw my sword before the match started and changed the rules to fit. I have the feeling that even if I’d brought out Venuzdonoa they have found a way to ban it.
“Yare yare. I’m impressed by the groundwork of my father.” Kurt says “Not that I’d lose against such a petty trick anyway. The result would have been the same.”
Kurt draws his demon sword.
The blade appears to be transparent, however, on a closer look, the blade is actually rippling as if made from water.
“That’s Kurts demon water sword [Eishas]…….”
“It’s impossible for him to destroy other demons swords since his blade is made from water but that doesn’t mean its sharpness is half-hearted either…..”
“That other sword is just metal so even Kurt’s sword will be able to break it in a blow or two……”
Whispers were leaking from the audience seating.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“Without further ado, the first match of the Deiruheido demon sword tournament shall commence!! Begin!!”
The owl signals the start of the match.
At that moment Kurt moved. His style of movement resembled flowing water and in the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of me and thrust out Eishas.
In one breath he moved 3 steps, then 9 and then 27 steps.
Uncountable blades of water came at me from all sides.
“It’s here! Kurt’s secret technique! Water Fang Connected Demon Thrust <Suigarenmatotsu>!!”
“It’s over!! There’s no one in this world who can doge that.”
“Serves you right mixed-blood!!”
Fumu. It’s a very tepid attack.
“…………What……..!?”
I evaded Kurt’s attacks and looked down on him.
“That’s a secret technique? My classmate is much quicker.”
“……You only dodged once……..Accept this next one…….!!”
I accept Kurts demon sword Eishas with my kongo iron sword.
The sound of a violent collision rang out.
“………..Tsu!?”
Kurt couldn’t even say anything. He just stood there with an astonished expression on his face.
It’s just a metal sword without any magic. A demon sword shouldn’t be stopped.
“Oi! Watchmen! Look properly! He must be cheating!”
“That’s right! Eishas should have cut right through that sword!”
“Cheating! It’s a foul!”
“That mixed-bloods cheating! It’s an unfair act! Disqualification! Disqualification!”
A large chorus of “Cheat! Cheat!” rang out from the audience.
The 16 watchmen carefully observe me with their demon eyes and then start to panic.
“…….What’s going on? He’s not using any magic…….”
“That’s not possible! How can he stop Eishas without any magic……?”
“There’s no magic at all!”
“There’s definitely no magic being used!”
“…..In other words that sword does have power……?”
“Idiots!! Look for it!! There’s definitely some trick to it!!”
Fumu. It’s useless so don’t bother.
What I’m using right now is Hiding Magic <Najira>. It’s a magic that hides all magic power.
Right now <Najira> is hiding <Adeshin>. Even in the age of myths, the people that could see through this were few in number so I’m sure the mazoku of now will not be able to see through it.
Without proof, they can’t call foul and with Melheys being in the unification faction they can’t push it too much or they risk a situation reversal.
“………Oi, the watchmen aren’t calling foul…….”
“So there’s no magic being used……..?”
“That sword…….. At first glance you can’t feel any magic from it but…… is it equal to Eishas?”
The thickness of the blade in front of me increases as the water flow seems to become more intense.
Kurt throws all of his magic power into Eishas but the sword in my hand doesn’t move an inch and seems to be taking is leisurely.
“…..How……to a sword without any magic……?”
“Certainly, it has no magic power.” I put strength in my arm and strongly push Kurt back. “But the thoughts of my father are packed into this blade. Don’t think you can break this blade that my father put all his heart into.”
“……What a foolish thing to say……”
I grin and start to provoke Kurt
“Don’t you understand it Kurt? A sword lovingly forged by a master craftsman has something different to magic.”
I swing my sword and Kurt is easily overpowered and thrown away.
He quickly thrust Eishas into the ground and barely managed a defensive fall.
“……What was that…….?”
“A sword of the heart………? A sword strengthened by desires……does such a thing exist?”
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Impossible. It should be impossible but how else can you explain it?”
“A phenomenon that can only be said as impossible is taking place right in front of our eyes…….!”
“……A sword not inferior to Eishas can be forged by a true master craftsman…….!? Who’s the father of that fellow!?”
Fumu. It seems to have worked well.
“Apparently I need to get serious.”
Kurt turned a gaze that was now filled with excitement my way.
“I wanted to keep this secret until the finals but let me show it now. This body that I dedicated to the sword and the land I finally arrived at. This swordsmanship. The essence of Kurt swordsmanship—”
The blade of Eishas disappears and all Kurt is left holding is the hilt.
“Fumu. This looks a bit interesting, however.”
“Kurt style swordsmanship secret move—”
Kurt puts his centre of gravity on one leg but at that moment his entire body was cut by countless sword flashes.
“….Wha……gah……”
He falls to his knees without knowing whats happened.
Kurt shoves Eishas in the ground and tries to stand back up using it as a cane.
“Any second now.”
Eishas shatters into pieces and Kurt falls flat on his face onto the stone ground before attempting to crawl towards the pieces of his demon sword.
“…..Wh…….what……happened…….? I…..lost……..?”
Kurt still doesn’t seem to understand what happened.
It was nothing special. I simply walked leisurely towards him and slowly slashed him a few times with my sword.
“……This is impossible………! I don’t care if the sword was made by a true master, that Kurt was taken down in less than a minute……!”
“In the last tournament, Kurt didn’t receive a single wound the entire time……”
“Kurt’s over 300 years old now. Where’d the terrible strength I came to see go…..?”(1)
“….He didn’t even get a chance to show off his secret move……..Their stats are too different.”
“What’s with that? Isn’t that fellow just a student at Deruzogeddo? Who is he!?”
Puzzled voices are now coming from the audience seats.
“Fumu. Damn it…….. I should have waited to see what his secret move was.”