章 292: Gate Crasher (2)
".. hmm."
Khun looked at the man in black.
Carl Lindsay. It was a pretty old name. A genius who once shook the world, and then became an idiot who fell after his meeting with Ignet.
Right, people didn't expect much after something like that. They just handed out ridicule, contempt and sarcasm.
'I am someone who understands it.'
One might ask, how do you get so frustrated with just one defeat?
However, that was a normal man's thoughts. Geniuses on the other hand, thought differently.
He must have felt it the moment they met.
How far apart they were, and he must have been right about it to some extent. But when he was defeated, he must've felt like his future had been decided.
He must've felt the gap that could never be caught up to.
Even if they tried for one year or ten…He must've realized that the difference in talent could never be matched with just hard work.
'The real talent, potential and future of Ignet which he couldn't see…'
What made Carl Lindsay even worse was the fact that he too was a genius with brilliant talent.
He had the eye to recognize the true worth of other people.
'That is why being stupid is sometimes good.'
Khun smiled at the thought.
Right. He was a fool, so he didn't give up.
Just like with Ian and Khun, Carl didn't immediately notice the true difference between him and his opponent either.
And now decades had passed. Time that Carl Lindsay would have given up…time that Khun would not have stupidly wasted.
But…
Such foolish feelings overpower common sense.
Only an idiot who wanted to win over life can think about the possibility and chance of achieving a miracle that had a 0.0001% chance of coming true.
Like Khun did.
And like Judith.
Like many unknown swordsmen who were still walking a dark path.
"I will congratulate you for coming back into the race again. But…"
Carl Lindsay… no.
Seeing the man who abandoned the Lindsay name, Khun smiled.
He felt it.
Just like him who gave up everything to defeat Ian, this child too gave up everything that was precious to him so that he could come here.
He could tell just by looking at him.
He didn't have such feelings before, but now that he was over 100, maybe this was what Ian called 'the Eye'.
However, not everything was to his liking.
"Why me?"
"…"
"Your opponent wasn't me but Ignet, right? This isn't the Holy Kingdom. You should move fast. Meet my disciple on the way and teach her a few tricks. Ah, you might not know who she is, right? Judith. She's not as talented as you, but she is good…"
"I need guidance."
Whoop!
A strong energy emanated from his sword.
It wasn't energy.
It was something more sharper and suffocating. Something that shouldn't be revealed when asking for guidance.
Killing intent.
Khun who felt it went still, and then laughed as he asked.
"Do you plan to kill me?"
"I am ready to put my life on the line for it."
"Are you capable of that?"
"I am not the same as before."
"Ah, right. You looked easy-going. Well…then I am the warm up match before you hit Ignet… haha."
Khun smirked.
It wasn't funny. There was anger and bitterness in his words too. Normally he wasn't the talkative kind, but that wasn't the case these days.
He wondered why this man wanted his life.
However, he knew that the man was speaking the truth.
After a long pause, he raised his head.
He pushed up his chest.
He now had a serious expression. The atmosphere around him was different from what he usually had with his disciple.
Carl felt it too.
The energy was so densely spread…sharp like an awl which could break in at any moment!
And he raised his sword to stop it.
Kang!
He suddenly heard the sound of the ground caving in, and he couldn't see Khun anymore.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Pung!
"…!"
The sound of collisions in succession.
The ground which was somehow still intact, sank, and the rocks which looked hard, collapsed.
Carl focused, trying to sense where the man was. He extended his five senses and inspected around.
He couldn't see though.
Nor could he feel.
He was fighting the fastest swordsman who could move at incredible speeds, and it was as if Khun had already crossed the human limit!
Khun's voice could be heard despite that.
"I know what you are afraid of."
"…"
"It will be difficult, painful and scary. There will be times when you want to run away just from the thought of facing the other person. But don't go back. And I am not the one you should take it up with, it is Ignet."
He expanded his senses again.
Enough to hear the sound of dust falling down…enough to count the grains of sand.
However, he still couldn't follow Khun's movement.
He swung the sword with a stiff expression.
Swish!
Puak!
A black aura created a wind and lifted up the dust.
However, it was a failure. Instead of Khun he cut down a tree.
Khun's voice was still audible.
He clenched his teeth at the noise.
"You worked so hard. I know that. Although it is true that you are still lacking, it doesn't mean that you don't have a chance of winning. You are at a point where you can do it."
"What if you lose? What if you lose again? With her personality, she will accept the match any number of times that you visit her, so…"
"…!"
Carl's eyes widened.
He could now hear the voice from all around him.
But Carl knew that it wasn't like that. Khun wasn't in front of him. The reason was unknown, but he could feel it clearly, the tip of Khun's sword was coming at him from behind.
He felt a clear feeling, as if the old man was looking down at him from above.
He turned. In a rapid movement, he prevented the opponent's attack.
But he was too late.
Khun's sword had reached his abdomen.
Looking at him, who stood still, the old man finished his speech.
"… now get lost, kid."
"…"
"Ah! I want to know one thing. Why did you want my life? Tell me and go."
Silence.
For quite some time.
The rising dust settled, and the wind carried some away, yet the youngster and the old man just stood there and looked at each other.
No one wanted to speak first.
It was Khun who ended it, but it wasn't his intention.
"Cough!"
He coughed out blood again.
Khun's form was shaken at it as his heart shuddered.
The tip of his sword shook and the eyes of the young man who saw that, moved.
Woong!
Carl swung his sword.
Khun also swung his sword. No…he tried to do it, but he couldn't.
Clench!
The dark aura from Carl's black sword was binding Khun's weapon.
This was no ordinary aura.
It was different and stronger than before.
He couldn't pull his sword away from the bindings of that dark aura. It was like a giant tree that had been rooted in the ground for a hundred years.
The old man smiled looking at the young one...into Carl's black eyes.
In them, he saw his own weakened image.
The sword swung over Khun's body as he was staring blankly at it.
Clash!
Kwakwakwa!
Khun flew away poorly and crashed into his home.
Looking at the wood, stones and other items, he exhaled.
He wasn't cut, however.
At the last moment before the sword came down, Khun let go of his sword and blocked Carl's sword with both palms.
Thanks to that, Carl's hand holding the sword was hurt
But…
Shhh!
The wound healed in a couple of breaths.
Carl looked down at it with a complicated gaze and looked at the ruined place.
In the dust, a form which looked like it had a strong physique was approaching him.
'He's on the verge of death.'
Khun was known to be one of the three great swordsmen on the continent.
However, it was just because of his speed and nothing else about him was great. Considering the amount of aura between himself and the opponent, even if Khun defended, his upper body must have been severely hurt.
Carl's prediction wasn't wrong.
He swung his sword.
And removed the dust around the opponent.
It didn't feel nice. The left hand now had no fingers, and his right arm was not looking too good either.
Yet, he held the sword. There was no way Carl could defeat him.
This wasn't even the end of their match.
As he was approaching, Khun stopped, and blood poured out from his mouth.
Cough!
It kept pouring out, and it was coming out endlessly to the point where Carl wondered how a human could have so much blood.
But the surprising thing was, Khun didn't have a bad expression.
"Uh, a little refreshed. It's very refreshing. Like…"
"…"
"It seems like something which had been blocked for a long time has opened."
Khun stumbled. He staggered and looked up. Carl only looked at him with tense eyes.
He was a mess.
His skin was pale, and his energy was diminished. His white clothes were now red, and his aura could barely be felt.
Even his body seemed small.
Yet, he didn't look weak.
Like…
'It isn't that his power decreased, but it's more like it's become…lighter.'
"Carl Lindsay. No…Carl."
Hearing Khun's voice, Carl took a step back.
And came forward again. It was because he didn't like the fact that he had unconsciously retreated.
The old man didn't care.
Khun smiled showing his blood red teeth and said.
"Enough with the bad things now."
"…"
"You can still do it. It isn't too late. Get rid of those filthy ones and start over. I guarantee that because I became a Master at the age of 70. You can do it too."
"…"
Pang!
He didn't listen.
Carl lowered Khun's sword which was still with him.
And then crushed it with his foot which had aura on it, and then took his stance.
"Huhuhu," Khun laughed.
Unlike before, now it had a bitter and sad feeling.
"I can't help it now," Carl Lindsay said.
He really couldn't.
Even when he was puzzled by the unfamiliar appearance.
Even when he doubted that he was stronger than he thought.
Before he knew everything, he wished that he hadn't crossed the line.
It didn't seem possible now. It was impossible to go back.
As Khun stood there, watching Carl, he thought, 'Then, I'll just do it myself.'
'Phew. Breathe out. Forget the taste of iron in your mouth along with the pain and just keep moving.'
Extend the left arm to the side.
And then the right to the other side.
He could barely feel his right hand now, and yet the sense of the sword he had used for so long could still be felt.
It felt lighter than before.
He thought that it was possible for him to move faster too.
To the right of Khun, who muttered inwardly, a new sword came.
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