Chapter 73: Adrias’ Advice

Chris, unable to comprehend the fact that his swordsmanship was parried with just a single move, looked at his broken training sword with an expression of disbelief. Serena, who was watching as a spectator along with Ivy, also had a surprised expression on her face. They probably couldn’t have imagined such a scene.

Well, they wouldn’t have, considering that the Unor Sword Style was one of the Empire’s renowned Five Sword Styles. It’s natural for them to be astonished after seeing such a technique being parried with a single move.

“Chris Unor.”

I called out his name with a strong voice, trying to snap him out of his daze.

“The duel isn’t over yet. I clearly mentioned it was a ‘2 versus 1’ duel. Hurry up and grab a new sword.”

However, he still seemed unable to regain his focus. Eventually, I poked at his pride.

“How long are you going to stay in place? To be shocked by just this? The name Unor is wasted on you.”

“Who do you think you are? How dare you!”

Finally, he regained his composure. No, rather, did he completely lose it?

Anyway, in response to my words, Chris, in his frenzied state, brought a new training sword.

“Yes, that’s right.”

I still couldn’t offer him the advice he needed.

Our duel had to continue.

“Serena, how long are you going to stand there and just watch? Are you here to make fun of me?”

When I mentioned Serena as well, she flinched and swallowed hard.

Then, she calmly prepared herself to join the fight.

“Yes, that’s right. Both you and Chris. Since it’s come to this, it’s a special lesson.”

I knew their potential, growth, and talents better than anyone else.

It was rare for someone like me to provide advice that suited them perfectly.

I grasped my sword tightly and spoke.

“Come at me.”

Chris and Serena rushed towards me.

Clang! Thud!

Huuu…

The clash of swords resonated.

Indeed, Serena and Chris were strong.

Fighting with just swords, without the help of magic or undead, felt somewhat precarious.

‘But still, you’re not a match for me yet.’

Merely dedicating time to training held no meaning against talent and intensity.

Although Serena and Chris wouldn’t be easily defeated in terms of talent, they were still in the process of blooming.

‘If I guide them in the right direction, they will grow quickly.’

Thunk!

Once again, the clash of swords echoed, making it difficult to even perceive that the swords were colliding.

This time, Serena was the one who struck my sword.

She, too, was misguided in her approach.

“You’re putting too much force into it.”

As I said those words, I naturally released the tension from my sword.

As a result, Serena, who was pushing forward, stumbled forward as if she was about to fall.

I swiftly kicked her away and evaded Chris’s incoming sword.

“What can you do with a sword that is neither here nor there? Is this all the Unor Sword Style has to offer?”

“Bastard!”

Furious, Chris swung his sword once again, but for some reason, his sword felt heavy.

The original Unor family’s swordsmanship was not like this.

However, Chris, feeling his limits after being unable to surpass Louis, had modified his sword on his own.

“I should show him at this point.”

A changing sword.

Among them, I recalled the Swift Sword that I used against Hasan.

With it, I could achieve a certain level of speed without exerting too much effort.

Whoosh.

The sound of mana being infused resounded as the sword flew out like an explosion.

It was a Swift Sword similar to the Unor Sword Style, but my sword truly reached the pinnacle of swiftness.

Swoosh!

“Snap…”

The sword swung at an incredible speed, striking Chris’s abdomen before he could even react.

If Chris hadn’t been activating his body with mana, his internal organs would have been severely damaged.

“Guh…”

Chris didn’t fall.

However, he seemed to be in great pain.

I took advantage of his weakened state and kicked him, causing him to collapse.

“Kuh…”

Chris struggled to stay on his feet but failed.

“Chris, you fool. With such limited skill, your sword becomes nothing more than a useless distraction when you try to force unnecessary thoughts into it. Do you understand?”

As I spoke, Serena, who had been targeting me, swung her greatsword.

However, I remained vigilant, deflecting her sword and channeling mana.

This time, I was using the Transforming Sword technique, employing a medium-sized sword.

Kwoong!

As expected, Serena was pushed back by the force and gradually lost her balance.

Taking advantage of her loss of balance, I struck her directly with my fist.

Pyeok!

As Serena was knocked back by the punch, I raised my head and spoke.

“Why do you insist on using a strength-oriented sword? I don’t understand. Are you a fool? If you had even a little bit of intelligence, you would develop by highlighting your strengths and eliminating your weaknesses. Why do you insist on facing your opponents with a strength that doesn’t even give you an advantage?”

“…Even though I don’t understand.”

Serena mumbled and readjusted her stance.

Even though she didn’t understand, I knew more about her sword than her parents did.

Serena had three older brothers who were all skilled swordsmen.

Growing up among those men, Serena had a complex about her physical limitations.

‘So she tries to use a strength-oriented sword, even if it strains her.’

But in my eyes, it was just a foolish act.

Why would she discard her strengths and choose a thorny path?

Of course, besides Chris and Louis, there were likely no opponents she couldn’t defeat among her peers.

Her talent compensated for such flaws.

But that wouldn’t last forever.

If she continued to grow in the wrong direction, her talent would eventually fade away.

‘Actually, while playing as Louis or Chris, I realized that if I don’t guide Serena’s direction along with theirs, she gets overtaken by the extras at least three times out of ten.’

Of course, she would eventually awaken and break free on her own.

But since I was already involved, I could at least play a lubricating role.

‘Serena’s strengths lie in her smooth and flexible combinations using agility and her intuitive ability to identify opponents’ weaknesses. So, she should focus on speed rather than strength.’

I wanted to guide her training direction, but I should wait until we become closer.

For now, I should put them at a slight disadvantage and observe.

This time, I made the first move towards them.

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After the messy brawl, I spoke towards Serena and Chris, who were lying on the ground.

“Hey, I have something to ask both of you.”

“Hah, what’s this out of the blue?” Serena responded with a voice full of hostility, but I didn’t allow any objections.

Their pride had been shattered, lying on the ground.

“Why did you pick up a sword?”

Perhaps it was such a sudden question that Serena and Chris remained silent, just groaning on the ground.

“I’m talking about myself. Even though I’m a magician, I don’t underestimate the sword. This isn’t something to boast about, but my skill demonstrates that fact. But even I sometimes wonder. Why did I pick up a sword? What does a sword mean to me?”

I transferred the practice sword to my left hand and slowly unsheathed Galakshur with my right hand.

The blade glistened under the faint moonlight, sharp as a whisper.

“The reason I first started using a sword was for ‘survival.’ Literally, I picked up a sword to stay alive. It might sound strange, but as a magician, my magical abilities were lacking. So I picked up a sword to survive, and thanks to that, I am still alive.”

I sheathed Galakshur and asked again.

“What about you? What led you to pick up a sword? Was it simply because of your family? Even if that’s the case, what has been the driving force that kept you from giving up? What does a sword mean to you?”

“Is that really important now?”

“Yeah, it’s extremely important. I’m not asking you to swing a sword without any thoughts. If that’s the case, it’s no different from a monster wielding a sword.”

I pointed at them with a cold gaze.

“You two picked a fight with a magician like me using a sword. I haven’t used any magic today. I’ve only fought with a sword.”

“…”

“If you feel ashamed, let go of your pride. Think about how you can defeat me. And Chris, clear your mind. Is that what the Unor family’s swordsmanship is all about? The late Lord Unor must be turning in his grave.”

“Uh… Hoo.”

For a moment, Chris seemed like he wanted to curse, but he must have realized he couldn’t outsmart me.

After all, it’s a true defeat for a swordsman to lose against a magician. What could he possibly say?

“Don’t try to find the answer right away. Take a few days to contemplate. Once you find the answer, use it as a foundation to set your direction. A sword is your life itself, isn’t it? When you’re ready to share that answer with me, then challenge me again. I’ll be ready to accept it. Today’s sparring session is over.”

That should be enough for them to figure things out on their own.

I didn’t say much, but I conveyed the essence of it all.

‘Serena needs to set aside her pride and focus on developing her strengths, while Chris needs to clear his mind and return to the fundamentals of Unor swordsmanship.’

Of course, if they don’t make progress, I can step in again.

I can offer guidance as many times as needed. After all, I know the path they should take.

Returning the practice sword, I approached Ivy.

She was looking at us with quite an interested expression.

“Thank you for making time for us today. I didn’t have anyone else to turn to, so I called for your assistance.”

“It’s no problem. Thanks to you, I had an entertaining spectacle. By the way, you’re more skilled than I thought. Were you always that proficient with a sword?”

“I’m a genius, you see. Ah, no, a prodigy. Anyway, I should be going now.”

“You unlucky bastard. Fine, get lost.”

I smiled and waved at Ivy, even with her insults.

I hope that somehow I was able to help the playable characters.

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Ivy watched Adrias’ departing figure and burst into a hollow laugh.

‘How can such a jerk exist?’

From Boloric Territory until now…

He always defied her expectations.

“I never thought he would have that level of skill,” Ivy thought to herself.

At that level, his swordsmanship was comparable to Vivianne Velocan, the runner-up in this year’s tournament.

She had thought the rumors of him nearly defeating Dianne, the tournament champion, were exaggerated, but seeing him in action proved the credibility of those stories.

‘He’s truly unique. His personality and way of thinking are so different.’

Honestly, the words he had said to the freshmen earlier left a strange impression on Ivy as well.

They made her reflect on her own skills, which had stagnated to some extent.

In fact, most swordsmen were like that. They simply knew how to swing a sword, and their thoughts about it were less prevalent.

It was like not questioning why people breathe.

‘It’s intriguing.’

Adrias Cromwell.

Even someone like Ivy, who had little interest in others, couldn’t help but be intrigued by him.

When she turned around, she saw the juniors still recovering from the mental blow.

But it was understandable.

After all, they had always lived in their own self-righteousness, and yet they couldn’t defeat a magician, especially one who used a sword.

‘Moreover, Adrias didn’t even use magic.’

She had heard that he used both swordsmanship and magic in the tournament.

It must have been a shock for the two of them to be unable to make him use magic.

“How long are you going to stay like that? It’s not like it’s your first defeat.”

Finally, when Ivy spoke up, Chris and Serena snapped out of their daze and began to move.

Then, naturally, they looked at each other’s faces, as if they had realized something.

“Perhaps… I haven’t really been giving it my all,” Ivy wondered to herself.

Serena felt a sense of realization as he listened to Adrias’s words.

Ego.

She had never thought that word suited her. In fact, that word didn’t align with her self-perception.

The reason she had failed to capitalize on her strengths was because…

‘I was escaping from reality.’

Since when had it started?

From a young age, she had focused on strength-oriented swordsmanship to avoid being overshadowed by her older brothers. But this obsession grew deeper after witnessing the talent that was Louis after coming to Monas.

Now, she realized it was a pathetic form of self-comfort.

The reason she couldn’t surpass Louis was not because she lacked talent, but because she used a sword style that was disadvantageous to herself.

It was an excuse she used to protect her ego.

‘Did I really think like that…?’

She felt a tinge of irritation towards her subconscious self.

However, this time, she had truly come to understand.

She needed to find her own strengths and become stronger.

At least strong enough not to be ashamed in front of Senior Adrias.

“I will definitely become stronger. I will definitely challenge him again.”

Yes, she couldn’t accept being defeated by a magician using a sword. It was too embarrassing to bear.

That’s how Serena, with a positive mindset, thought.

Observing this determined Serena, Chris looked at his own palm.

“…!”

His calloused hands were torn.

For nearly ten years, since he was a child, his hands had never been injured. They were as tough as iron.

‘I have too many distractions when it comes to my sword.’

Though he didn’t want to hear the words of a novice magician, Chris found himself contemplating seriously due to the sincerity and attitude of his opponent.

‘Why did I pick up the sword? What does it mean to me? What is a sword to me?’

A sword to him meant family, honor, reputation, life, and perhaps everything in his life.

‘Is that really the case?’

At some point, had he forgotten about all of that and only chased after the shadow of Louis?

Why had his sword become nothing more than a follower?

‘Adrias… he said he picked up the sword for his life.’

Had there ever been a moment when his sword was as vital as his own life?

Certainly, he had put forth desperate efforts.

But in what direction?

‘I will try again. From the beginning.’

Just like the calloused hands that were torn apart when he first learned the sword.

With a determination to return to his initial mindset, Chris looked in the direction Adrias had disappeared.

“I will definitely challenge you again, Senior Adrias.”

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