Academy’s Genius Swordsman - Chapter 333

#A17

“…My father has a dead person?”

【Yes. This terrible scar is the proof. He was cut into pieces with a sword and fell off a cliff.】

Darman rolled up his sleeve after hearing Ranse’s question. The flesh underneath, which was in a much more terrible state than what was visible on the outside, was revealed. Cecia covered her mouth and gagged.

“Ugh.”

【His whole body is like this. No matter how much I try, I can’t get rid of these suture marks.】

Darman clicked his tongue. Ranse waited for an opening while concentrating as much as he could. Darman, who had been silent for a moment, opened his mouth.

【But… judging from your expression, it seems like you don’t know me. Didn’t your father tell you about me? About the bloody battle that took place at the Sword Festival.】

“I don’t know. Someone like you.”

【This is disappointing. I thought we had a great match.】

“You’re not the only one who thinks that. I’ve heard a lot of stories from other people.”

Ranse raised one side of his mouth. It was intentional provocation. Of course, it was also true that there was no story about Darman among the stories of Ronan’s childhood bravery that Adeshan had told him.

【I see. That’s what you think…】

Darman’s face hardened. It seemed like he had hit a sore spot. Ranse, who had caught a momentary opening, pulled the sword hilt.

‘Now!’

The footwork that had gotten him admitted to Phileon as the top student was launched. Honestly, he was still bewildered, but he could tell two things. That the man in front of him was the culprit behind the kidnapping incident. And that he was very dangerous.

The moment the drawn blade was about to reach Darman’s neck. Clank! The sword stopped with a strong recoil.

“What the…!”

【Really, was this the best you could do?】

Darman opened his mouth with a serious expression. The blade was fixed between his index finger and thumb. Ranse tried with all his might, but the sword didn’t budge as if it had been stuck between rocks. Darman, who had been looking at Ranse and the sword alternately, smirked.

【You’re incredibly slow. Even considering your age, you’re at the level of trash compared to your father. The sneak attack you pulled off in the back alley was at least somewhat impressive.】

“Ugh… let go of this!”

【Sure.】

Suddenly, Darman let go of the fingers that were holding the blade. Ranse, who hadn’t thought he would really let go, lost his balance and staggered. At the same time, Darman stepped in and kneed him in the abdomen. Crack! Along with the sound of bones breaking, blood erupted from Ranse’s mouth.

“Ack!”

【Now, be quiet. It’ll be over soon.】

“R, Ranse!”

“Ra, Rance!”

【It’ll be ready soon, so please be patient. Our goal is a complete resurrection, not petty revenge, is it not?】

Ronan comforts Marya, who is worried about Rance, and apologizes for not being able to attend the entrance ceremony. Rance is moved by his father’s praise, but Ronan jokingly adds, “Less than me.” Rance holds back tears and follows Ronan into the house.

Rance hunched forward. Setika almost reflexively chanted the spell. A dozen wind-made spears were about to be shot at Dalman. Shhh! His figure, which had blurred for a moment, appeared behind Setika.

【Don’t interfere. On the subject of spellcasters.】

“Aaaagh!”

Dalman grabbed Setika by the hair. She screamed in pain as the magic was canceled. Rance, who had risen with the support of his sword, clenched his teeth.

“Ugh… Setika…”

【The daughter of the Great Mage is nothing special. I heard that your father stopped the falling island. Does blood really get cloudier as generations pass?】

“Don’t touch her… Anyway, your target is me!”

【Not really. This woman has business with someone. I’m talking to the eldest of Mage Ascel.】

Dalman raised his head with those words. His crimson eyes, which vaguely resembled Ronan’s, were looking at the coiled snake.

Cuckoo Cuckoo Cuckoo…! Suddenly, the snake began to move with a vibration that seemed to shake the axis. The head rising from the darkness reminded me of a mountain rising before my eyes. Finally, the snake, who looked this way, opened its mouth.

【Ah… Cel?】

【Yes. I am the master of the Demon Subjugation Castle. I have brought you the daughter of your enemy.】

【Yes… She really looks like it. Especially that hair color… The guy who took everything from me…】

The remaining eye shone brightly. Rance and Setika cringed at the eerie voice that made the hair on their bodies stand on end. Only then did the two of them realize whose wounds covered the snake’s body.

“Ah, the snake that my father said he caught in the New World…!”

Setika’s eyes widened. Marya had once said that when she was pregnant, Ascel had caught a huge snake in the New World. He said that he covered it in ice and buried it in the deep sea.

Judging by the circumstances, that snake was definitely it. Setika chuckled as she recalled Ascel nonchalantly waving his hand and saying it was nothing.

What do you mean, Dad? That’s nothing?

It was clear that Dalman had released the seal. After all, it was my father’s seal that not even a dragon could break on its own. Suddenly, the snake that had been glaring at her opened its mouth and lunged at her.

【I’ll swallow you in one gulp! Kuaak!】

“Heuk!”

Setika’s eyes widened. It was a lightning-fast movement that belied its size. She gasped, sensing her death. Dalman, who had stepped forward, blocked her, and the snake stopped.

【Dalman. What are you doing?】

[You’re strange. What are you doing?]

It was possible to see the sword blade, but it was impossible to respond. Sechica’s scream lingered in his ears. Everything he had loved was flowing before his eyes like a river.

[It will be ready soon, so please be patient. Our purpose is complete resurrection, not petty revenge, is it not?]

[Hmph… If you don’t hurry, I’ll eat you too.]

[Thank you. Let’s finish quickly and celebrate with the blood of these children.]

Darman bowed lightly. The snake that had been glaring at Sechica turned its head as if it were displeased. She opened her mouth, panting.

“…You’re trying to resurrect yourself. By absorbing the mana of these people. And you plan to get revenge on our parents.”

[Yes. That is correct.]

“But why did you only kidnap people on the outskirts of the island? If you had done it elsewhere, you might not have been caught at all.”

For her, who had a rational way of thinking, it was incomprehensible. Was there any need to risk danger by making the island a hunting ground? Darman raised an eyebrow as if surprised.

[You have a good head on your shoulders. Since you’re going to die anyway, I’ll tell you something special. The place where we gathered the sacrifices was not the outskirts of the island, but the place where the war took place.]

“War?”

[Yes. Between the detestable Allied Forces and the Order… Now that time has passed, the village has been restored, but the mana that was overflowing at that time remains intact and has accumulated in the bodies of the residents. Do you understand a little?]

“Then the reason you kidnapped the children was also…!”

Sechica was terrified as she understood the meaning of his words. They had found their prey in what had once been a war zone in order to obtain pure mana. Darman’s lips curled up.

[The quality was more important than the quantity of mana.]

“You demons. How can you do such a thing?!”

[Anyway, once we are resurrected, it will all be over. And child, if you were going to act, you should have done it well.]

Suddenly, Darman turned his head. Ranze, whose eyes met his, gritted his teeth. He had been approaching without making a sound in order to strike while Sechica was talking.

“Oh no.”

“Th, they found us!”

Sechica was terrified. At the same time, Ranze’s figure disappeared from her sight. Darman’s eyebrows twitched.

[What the…!]

It was a faster speed than the swordplay from before. He hurriedly assumed a defensive posture, but Ranze’s sword was already cutting through his body. Slash! A long, red line was drawn across Darman’s chest.

“…Damn it.”

Ranze, who was covered in blood, bit his lower lip. The blade had gone in too shallow. Enraged, Darman drew his sword.

[You damn brat!]

“Ah.”

It was a splendid unsheathing befitting the position of the former head of the Lycophos Corps. Ranze’s time slowed down. The bizarrely angled slash had once defeated even the Zipajo.

‘This is the end.’

He could see the blade, but he couldn’t respond. Cecily’s scream lingered in his ears. Everything he loved was flowing away like a river before his eyes.

His gentle mother and lovely sister. His friends with whom he used to laugh and chat, and his father, whom he still truly respected. The regret that only those facing death could feel stirred in his heart.

‘Why couldn’t I have been more honest?’

He should have been more honest and loving. Even more so if he had known it would end like this.

But it was too late now.

Lances, who had finally given up, closed his eyes. Suddenly, a pure white light burst out of his coat pocket.

[Koo-eek?!]

“Gyaaa!”

Darman flinched at the intense light that illuminated the entire subspace. It was the moment when the blinding blade was about to split Lances’s head open. Cha-chang! With a fierce metallic sound, Darman’s sword shattered into pieces.

[What the!]

Darman, who belatedly opened his eyes, raised his eyebrows. Strictly speaking, a completely white bird resembling a falcon was flapping its wings in front of him.

“Whew-rew!”

[A bird? Wait, this is…]

Darman’s face suddenly contorted. A bizarrely colored barrier spread out around the bird. The hemispherical barrier that completely covered Lances and Cecily was something he had seen many times before.

[By, the Blessing of the Star?!]

Darman was astonished. It was definitely the Blessing of the Star. The power that had been lost after the death of the giants and the priests was unfolding before his eyes. Lances’s eyes widened.

“You are…!”

He could no longer feel the sphere in his pocket. It was clear that this had broken it. Lances, who had lifted the fallen Cecily, groped and said.

“D, did it come out of here?”

“Whee-rew!”

The bird replied. It seemed to understand human speech. Darman, who had been stunned for a long time, was about to act again.

Kwaaaaaaang-!

A deafening roar, like a million sheets of paper tearing at the same time, resounded overhead. A dim light poured into the dark space.

[What the hell is this…!]

Darman, who belatedly came to his senses, looked up. And he froze in place. A starry sky spread out above the ceiling, which had opened like a pocket.

“I, it’s open! Ronan!”

In the center of it, two men with different hair colors were floating around. Acel’s tearful voice echoed. Ronan, who had found Lances and Cecily, opened his mouth.

“I found you.”

“A, Dad?!”

“Ah, Father?!”

Something was wrong. Darman, who sensed the crisis of death, was about to run away. As Ronan gripped the hilt of his sword, the color of sunset rose along the blade.

Ronan looked up at the ceiling. Next to Ascel, who was feeling relieved, a familiar monster bird was flapping its wings. Shita roared, spreading its four wings.

“Kieeee!”

“Did you do that, Ranse? Good job.”

Ronan, who smiled broadly, ruffled his son’s hair roughly. If it weren’t for Darman’s bloodstain, it would have been very difficult to pursue him. He was checking the condition of the two people.

“Wait a minute. You…”

“Why, what’s wrong?”

“Are you hurt? Let me see.”

Ronan’s eyes narrowed. His sharp gaze was fixed on the bloodstain on Ranse’s lips. When he examined his body closely, he found that two or three of his ribs were broken.

He was silent for a moment before looking back at Darman.

“…Hey. Rags.”

[Finally, you’re looking this way. But rags? Isn’t that too much…]

Darman, who had been struggling, froze. Glowing sunset-colored eyes were glaring at him.

[······!]

He couldn’t move his body even though he just made eye contact. Ronan, who had fixed the grip on his sword hilt, continued speaking.

“Did you do this?”

[Heh, heh heh…Who else could it be? By the way, the atmosphere has changed a lot, Ronan. I don’t recognize you.]

He seemed like a completely different person from when he saw him in Parjan in the past. His shoulders were heavy, burdened with life. He barely regained his composure and opened his mouth.

[But I’ve also become stronger. I’ve absorbed the abandoned relics of the Order and grown stronger. It won’t be easy to defeat us, who have joined forces with the White Lotus King here…]

He turned his gaze and was about to wink at the snake. Boom! Suddenly, a mass the size of a house fell next to Darman. It was the head of a huge, pure white snake.

[Eek…!]

Darman gasped. The head of the leader who once led the Bokmajeon had a dull expression on his face, as if he didn’t even realize his own death. Puh-wha-ah-ahk! The headless torso collapsed, spewing out fountains of blood.

“Oh my god.”

“Th, the snake…!”

Ranse and Sechika were shocked. The snake’s beheading took place as Ronan entered the subspace, but no one saw the scene. Darman’s legs gave out.

[This…this is ridiculous!]

“Th-this… this is ridiculous!”

Tears streamed down Marya’s face. The two people with their faces pressed against her chest shook. Ronan chuckled at the sight that somehow reminded him of the past.

Something was wrong. Dalman, who had sensed the crisis of death, was trying to run away. As Ronan gripped the hilt of his sword, the color of the sunset rose along the blade.

Boom! At the same time, a crimson flash covered the collapsing subspace. When Dalman blinked, he was standing right in front of Ronan’s nose.

“By the way…”

It was before Dalman could let out his last scream. As Ronan’s arm disappeared, hundreds of red lines were drawn over his body. Ronan, who had turned his sword around, grinned.

“Who are you, always nagging me?”

[That’s… impossible.]

Despair filled Dalman’s face. Ronan was forgetting his very existence. Boom-! Before he knew it, his body, which had been cut into pieces, scattered in all directions.

“Ah… Father.”

Lance muttered as if possessed. He knew his father was strong, but he didn’t know he was this strong. Ronan spat on the blood and looked up.

“You know a lot for a piece of crap… Hey, lady with the black sword, can you clean this up?”

“Sure.”

At that moment, another voice was heard. Then, a tall man landed in front of Lance. He had navy blue hair and a chiseled face. Lance’s mouth opened again when he saw the familiar face.

“Uncle…?!”

“Long time no see, Lance.”

Schlippen nodded. He had officially become the Duke of Grancia, and he was Lance’s favorite relative. Schlippen, who had been looking at Lance and Cecily in turn, smiled faintly.

“You’ve gotten braver than I thought. You’re protecting your woman even though you’re injured.”

“Y-yes?! I-it’s not like that! Cecily is just a friend!”

“What are you saying, you punk? Oh, no… that’s right! Who would date a guy like this?!”

The two of them shouted at the same time. Lance and Cecily, whose eyes met right away, blushed at the same time. Schlippen, who had turned around with a smile, raised his sword.

“Anyway, good job.”

Boom! A whirlwind that rose from the ground began to grind Dalman and the snake’s bodies without leaving a trace. While they were admiring it, a different yet familiar voice echoed once again.

“Cecily! Our daughter!”

“M-mother?”

Cecily’s eyes widened. Marya, who was supposed to be at the top, was running with her golden hair flying like a mane. In an instant, she closed the distance and hugged Cecily and Lance.

“You naughty girl. You’re grounded for a month!”

“Ack! I-I can’t breathe…!”

“Ugh. Why me…”

Marlya’s eyes filled with tears as their faces pressed together on her chest. Ronan chuckled at the sight, which somehow reminded him of the old days.

“You’ve had a good experience, my son. I’m envious.”

“F-Father, stop teasing me!”

It was a long time before they could finally break free from the suffocating embrace. At that moment, the white bird from before landed on Lances’ shoulder, gasping for air. Ronan raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm? What’s this?”

“Ah… It was born from the orb Father gave me. What on earth did you give me?

“What? It hatched?”

Ronan’s eyes widened. If his memory served him right, he had given her an Abel’s egg. He had given up on it since there had been no changes for over ten years, but it seemed to have hatched now.

The bird’s eyes, as white as snow, were the same crimson as Lances’. It was easy to tell whose dream it had drunk to be born. Ronan nodded, staring at the bird in silence.

“Live well this time, Inma.”

“Phee-ick.”

The white bird cried out as if in response. It was impossible to tell if it understood human speech. The bird immediately took flight and began playing with Shita.

Fwoosh! The darkness that had been gradually receding disappeared. Finally, beyond the vanished subspace, the moonlit sky, fields, and soldiers summoned by Schlippen came into view.

“Th-this is!”

“My, my emperor.”

The sight of the people lying in rows and the vortex reaching up to the sky filled them with awe. Only then did Ronan sigh in relief. The culprits had been dealt with, so he would leave the rest to those who knew what to do. He placed a hand on Lances’ trembling shoulder.

“Well then, let’s go too.”

****

The subspace where Lances had been kidnapped was located in the countryside on the outskirts of the empire. By the time they arrived at their house by carriage, it was already dawn.

The sunlight peeking through the gaps between the buildings illuminated the boy’s face. Lances, who had been trembling, forced himself to speak.

“Mother… did she cry a lot?”

He still couldn’t believe what had happened to him. On the one hand, he realized how unfilial he had been.

He had made Ronan and Ashel, the empire’s greatest warriors, clean up his mess because he had been carried away by a moment of emotion. Ronan nodded without hesitation.

“Of course she did. I had a hard time stopping her from crying and following after you. You know, your mother is usually so kind, but she’s really scary when she’s angry.”

“Y-yes, of course.”

“Y-yeah, of course.”

Roran comforted Marya, who was worried about Lance, and apologized for not being able to attend the entrance ceremony. Lance was touched by his father’s praise, but Roran jokingly added, “Not as good as me.” Lance followed Roran into the house, holding back tears.

“Thank you for saving me, Inma. If Erin hadn’t been home, I would have followed him without question. And I would have beaten your bruised cheek until it was a rag. Even in front of Sechika.”

“Yes. I’m sorry…”

Lance hung his head. He had nothing to say, even if he had a hundred mouths. He was walking like he was being dragged to a slaughterhouse. Roran, who had been scratching his head, opened his mouth.

“That, I’m sorry.”

“…Yes?”

“The entrance ceremony. I wanted to go too, but I didn’t have time. It was just when the missing persons case was starting. I really didn’t mean to miss it.”

Roran said with a face of regret. Lance’s eyes widened as he belatedly understood what he meant.

“Why are you suddenly talking about that… I’m fine, I really am.”

“How can you be okay? I would feel bad too. To be honest, I thought to myself. If my head gets any bigger, I won’t leave that son of a bitch Roran alone. Every night, I’d stab the pillow with my name on it, huh?”

Roran suddenly straightened up and gestured wildly into the air. Lance waved his hands anxiously.

“I didn’t do that!”

“You’re scared. Just kidding.”

“Ouch! Ugh!”

Roran chuckled. Lance’s body staggered as the rough hand patted his son’s back. Looking at his stature, he’ll be bigger than me in ten years. He smiled happily and blurted out.

“I’m proud of you. Son.”

“Yes? What did you just say…”

“I said I’m proud of you, Inma. You did a good job in a situation where your balls would have shriveled up. You’re definitely going to be a great person.”

Roran, who said so, started walking first. Lance stared blankly at his father’s back. Did I just go deaf? He’s not the kind of person who would say such things.

“…Father.”

However, apart from the embarrassment, he could feel his heart beating faster. The old feeling of being close was coming back to life.

He felt like he was going to cry. Roran, who had reached the front door, added a word.

“Of course, not as good as me.”

“Ah, I was touched, but why are you doing that?!”

“If you’re jealous, you should save the world too. Daddy’s going in.”

Lance shouted as if he couldn’t believe it. Roran chuckled and pulled the doorknob.

“Oh, really, Dad!”

The tears that were about to come out went away. Lance, who had been grumbling, strode forward as if he was going to argue about something. Of course, with a smile on his face.

The Academy’s Genius Swordsman

Really the end.

The End