Capítulo 102: Supreme Black Sword (2)
"Come."
Theo's voice drops, and the sword stands upright.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
(dugeun. dugeun.)
My heart beats wildly.
I strain my right hand, which holds the Stormbringer, to the limit, and look at Theo.
There's a hint of exhilaration in his expression, steadfast as ever. I couldn't help but notice the curiosity in his eyes.
I didn't even realize it was happening, but it was clear that he felt differently about me than he ever had before.
'There can be only one reason, my sense of selfishness has excited him, Theo von Reinhaber.'
A moment ago, I turned and said to him.
'Where are you going?
I haven't learned anything yet, so let us continue the spar.' It was a request that might be considered arrogant.
He agreed, and the result is the current duel.
For the record.
I told that story for three reasons.
The first is to let Theo know how strong and deep the will of a man named Nox is.
The previous Theo is, of course, one of the strongest in the world.
But that doesn't mean I have to give in to him unconditionally, or that I have to listen to his every word.
If I start to get dragged down, I'll just keep going at his pace. That's the worst option in the long run.
The second is pure curiosity.
How far can I push him in this moment?
I wanted to see if I could even touch him.
'The situation with Archduke Paimon and Marin made it more clear to me: I was unwittingly increasing my own humanity.'
It wasn't out of goodness, just a matter of emotion.
In fact, even back in the Chasers, I vowed to protect those in my circle, at least to the point of death.
It's much more real, and sometimes miserable, than the pretense of saving everyone, but it's what's best for me.
So, I wanted to make sure.
Where am I now, where is Nox?
Wandering the dark, doomed seas of nothingness?
Or is he at least a little stronger, meaning he's moving fast enough to reach the end of this game.
Theo, an absolute powerhouse, was the perfect opponent to find out.
That means he's the perfect person to test.
'And the third and final reason is… I'm actually running out of time.'
This is a sad one. In my most recent Paimon defeat, I lost over 100 days of life in one fell swoop.
The skill I used to defeat it, Limit Break, doesn't extend your life after defeating an enemy, so I now have less than a month left.
I glance at the information in the status bar, which shows the exact number of days until my death.
[The player has 27 days to live].
At this point, how many days would I spend with Theo in the name of learning from him?
That's just plain stupid.
When I first decided to return to the House, my most urgent goal was to defeat a beast strong enough to restore my health.
And to restore my life span.
That was one of my main objectives.
Therefore, I must finish the fight with him as soon as possible and head to the Chasers.
There's no reason to waste time here.
I also have a talent.
Nox von Reinhafer's two brilliant [genius] traits can cut a time-consuming process like this to an extremely short time.
"Funny you should ask for more instruction."
Theo's face had returned to expressionlessness, but the brief smile that lingered at the corners of his mouth testified to his current excitement.
It's refreshing to know that he's actually intrigued by his son.
He was nothing more than an evil man, as far as I knew.
Surprisingly, since being possessed, he's been running the family business with grace and the trust of his vassals. And though I have learned that he is leading a rebellion, he is moving cautiously.
Still, in the back of my mind, I had a deep-seated distrust of Theo von Reinhafer.
He was dangerous.
At least I thought he was.
But… I don't know if the man in front of me now is.
He may be crossing swords with his son in a rather murderous way, but he's been on the front lines all along.
I don't understand it.
Would I have looked like this in other people's eyes?
Like he was. Theo, it seemed, was playing the villain.
I raised my sword. Then I look into his unwavering eyes.
"I take it you have my permission."
Shiiiiing!
(chaeaeng!)
Without a second thought, I lunge forward and lock swords with Theo.
A father and son clashing swords.
There was too much killing energy to call it a spar, but that was also the most characteristic of the Reinhafer family.
To treat every duel like a battle.
That's why they have a life force as strong as a weed. Noble and arrogant at the same time, gritty and yearning to survive from the very bottom.
That's why they're terrifying.
The name Reinhafer.
"Let me ask you a question."
Theo lowered his sword for a moment, announcing that he had no intention of fighting.
"Why did you risk your life to cut Paimon yourself....?"
I rolled my eyes. Why the sudden mention of Paimon here?
But what he said next was even more shocking.
"Did your mother have anything to do with it?"
In that moment, I could feel my heartbeat slow to a crawl as I raced to ambush Theo.
I'd thought I'd caught him off guard for a moment, and I'd planned to jump right in and press him a little harder.
Apparently he had more questions for me than I realized.
For the record, Nox von Reinhafer's mother is mentioned in the game, but only briefly.
[Nox's mother died when he was a child, and he became increasingly violent after that].
I honestly didn't think anything of it when I saw the scene.
I didn't realize how sad it was because I didn't remember losing anyone in particular, and I didn't think it meant much because it was a game at best.
And if you ask me if it's okay to do horrible things to other people because you've been through something painful yourself, I'd say no.
But now it's a reality. You have to wonder why the story about Nox's mother is being told here.
Perhaps this story is part of Nox's character arc.
It seemed like it would have a big impact on getting to that end.
I asked out of pure curiosity.
"...What do you mean?"
Theo thought about it for a moment, then continued.
"Back in the day, during the 'Night of the Slaughter'. I know that you were the one who dealt with the tragedy that occurred on that stormy night when I was away."
"...."
"You watched your mother die at the hands of a demon... as a child, and you had to face it alone, and I knew that you had grown increasingly unhinged since then. You pretended not to remember that day, but I knew you didn't."
A night of slaughter.
The day Noah von Trinity, Celsus, and Theo von Reinhafer sealed Paimon at full power.
The worst day when tragedy cast darkness over the continent and light flickered.
Theo was telling a story.
The night of the supposed tragedy, when Nox's mother died.
I had to keep my mouth shut.
It wasn't just because the story was heavy.
It was because Theo's face was as hard as ever, as if he was missing someone. His face looks like it's breaking my heart, and I can't say anything.
A deep question creeps into my mind.
What did it mean to Theo von Reinhafer to be his wife?
To this day, he has not taken a new wife, except for Psylla, whom he has married for political reasons.
Considering other families have at least four concubines.
And considering Theo's history with women has been quite colorful, it's hard not to wonder.
'There are still many questions, and perhaps we should rethink Theo's character. And about Nox's… biological mother.'
He'd thought they hadn't had a bad relationship, at least, but maybe they'd shared a deeper love than he'd realized.
What kind of mother was she to nox, and why did she abandon him?
I don't know yet.
So for now, I focus on the simplest thing I can do.
Shiiiiing!
(chaeaeaeaeng!)
Sparks fly.
I take a hesitant step forward and unleash my swing at Theo.
Theo is unfazed and parries the blade.
It was another way for them to communicate.
"You said I was hiding my power."
"Yes."
I obediently agreed. Then, I concentrated the magic power in the air into my sword and shot it straight at Theo.
[Ebony Dawn].
Booom!
(kwaaaang!)
Ebony Dawn.
The first half of the Reinhafer Family's sword technique, The Supreme Black Sword, shot straight at its master. Theo raised his own sword, a look of anticipation on his face, as if he had seen this coming.
Shiiiiing!
(chaeaeaeaeng!)
"It's still soft."
(unripe)
Theo's words fall away, and his voice, having reached the point of no return, continues calmly.
"This is how [Ebony Dawn] is to be used."
At that moment, I felt an unbelievable surge of magic power suddenly wrap around my body like a noose.
What was that?
My instincts told me this wasn't the Ebony Dawn I was used to. This is a direct hit, or at least a serious wound.
On second thought, I twisted to avoid it, but it was too late.
"Where are you going?"
What I said to him came back to me.
It was only when Theo's deep bass voice resonated in my ears that I realized.
His attack had already landed directly on me.
Also.
"You intentionally missed the mark."
In spite of myself, my eyes take on a disrespectful, murderous look that I shouldn't have shown a lord.
A shadowy, thin line extending from my shoulder. A stream of blood coursing down it fills my vision like an eternal darkness.
A sly grin spreads across my face.
Yes, this is what it takes to make the jump worthwhile.
This is why Inner Lunatic is so brutally difficult. This is the game I love.
Isn't it?
As my mind wandered to that point, I couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Paradoxically, the most dangerous moment since I'd been possessed by this world had brought me the most pleasure. A thrill ran through my body.
I lifted my arm, which should never have been moved, already severely wounded. Then I did as he did, raising my sword. Then I slashed at it with invisible speed.
But it was a far cry from what Theo had shown me earlier.
The Stormbringer slices out a line of black, long, solid lines. It shoots directly at Theo, creating a myriad of intersecting lines.
Black and dense, as if honed to tear his foe to pieces.
The black sword shoots straight out, slicing through the enemy's entire body as fast as lightning.
[Black Sword Crescendo].
The second sword form of Reinhafer shone and shot towards Theo.
'With this, I should be able to... embarrass him a little, just a little.'
I smiled weakly. My arms became rags, but it didn't matter.
Whereas Ebony Dawn focused on the destructive power of a single blow, the Crescendo reduces this intensity to a series of cross-cutting slashes.
A technique that specializes in tearing the opponent to shreds. While it lacks the destructive power of a single strike, it is clearly a higher skill in some ways.
As I release the strike.
A beat later the status message popped up.
[The player's 'Genius' trait is in effect].
[You have acquired the 2nd form of The Supreme Black Sword, 'Black Sword Crescendo'].
[Your understanding of the 'Supreme Black Sword' skyrockets after battling a strong opponent].
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Ka-Boom!
(chaeng! chaeng! chaeng! chaeng! chaeaeng!)
The relentless barrage of blows gradually begins to build to a crescendo, like an orchestra. I can't feel my arms, but I don't stop.
I knew the best thing I could do was just enjoy the moment. I believed it.
A trance. That's how they say it in martial arts.
I realized.
That I am definitely enjoying the current situation.
"I guess you learned the second form by tracking it with your eyes… … ."
At that moment.
The voice that pulled me out of my thoughts belonged to Theo, of course. I scrambled to my feet and deflected the attack.
"I speak as your father, and as the honored patriarch of House Reinhafer."
Bam!
(chiig!)
The ground dragged, knocking my feet out of the octagonal training grounds.
My knees bend slightly.
Theo wasn't even the least bit fazed by my [Black Island Crescendo].
Instead, he blocked all of my attacks and even managed to counterattack.
He looked at me and gave me a cold sneer.
Then he walked over to me and said bluntly.
"One day, you will cut out my heart with that sword. Kill me with your own hands for failing to protect your mother, and usurp the seat of Patriarch. You will...."
It was at that moment that I lost consciousness.
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