Conquering the Academy with Just a Sashimi Knife (Novel) - Chapter 115 - Spear Saint Richard de Muir (2)

Chapter 115 – Spear Saint Richard de Muir (2)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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It had already been forty years since Siegfried von Nibelung came to be called the strongest man in humanity.

He had approached the principles of the sword early on, and even from a young age it was hard for him to find a worthy opponent.

There had been a few who challenged him. After several battles, they all ended up bowing in submission. The Sword Emperor was a born genius.

However, under the exalted heavens, there was no such thing as absolute unmatched supremacy. Even the Sword Emperor, who was called the strongest, had a rival.

* * *

“……”

The Sword Emperor and the Spear Saint faced one another with the oval round table between them. The fighting spirit pouring from the two made the air boil hot.

The politicians with their foreheads planted on the floor. Cold sweat ran up their backs in reverse, soaking their hair.

The Sword Emperor gripped the hilt with a sharp twist and spoke. The sword tip was aimed keenly at the Spear Saint.

‘I knew the brains in that de Muir skull of yours were nothing but udon noodles, but I didn’t know you had lost your fear to this extent. You dare attack the country where I was staying, and the official residence at that!’

“Kuhahahahahahahahaha!”

At the Sword Emperor’s shout, the Spear Saint burst into loud laughter once more. His booming laughter made the round table tremble. Along with the bodies of those currently suffering through wonsan bombing.

“For a man of House de Muir to be lectured about “fear.” A moment ago too, when you said you’d make me into a woman, and now this. Looks like mixing with little brats at the academy has made you more playful, Nibelung.”

“To think you are so ignorant you can’t distinguish between a joke and sincerity.”

The Sword Emperor muttered. At that sneering remark drawn from the depths, the Spear Saint slammed the butt of his weapon down on the floor.

“Nibelung, you bastard!”

Blood trickled from the ears of Gaines, who was standing right beside the Spear Saint. From a single shout, his eardrums had ruptured. Gaines bit his lower lip.

‘Can this truly be called the same species of human.’

The Sword Emperor, who had reached the summit through technique. And the man who matched him through nothing but muscle and brute strength.

The Spear Saint was a domineering man who carried the creed that `technique is something only the weak use.`

Among primates, was there anyone who could compare to this man in pure `strength`? As far as Gaines knew, there was no one.

The Spear Saint’s upper body leaned forward. The muscles armed across his whole body writhed as though alive.

He gave off the savage momentum of someone about to spring out at any moment. Yet the Spear Saint dropped back into his chair again with a heavy thud. The instant he sat down, the floor vibrated.

Resting his chin on his hand, the Spear Saint spoke.

“I didn’t come all the way here just to trade barbs. I’ll state only the main point. If you speak nothing but the truth, I’ll go back quietly.”

“……”

“Everyone already knows that Agor, commander of the Fifth Demon Legion, is dead, so let’s skip over that.”

“!!!!”

At that one casually thrown line, shock spread across every face. Only the Sword Emperor frowned in silence. The Spear Saint scratched his head roughly.

“…What, did none of you know? It’s already a rumor that’s spread as far as it can within the Hero Association. Is it because Switzerland is a neutral country? News really does travel slowly here.”

The Hero Association. The institution that managed heroes across the world.

In reality, they also spread agents everywhere to scrape together information. It was a means of watching and restraining famous heroes.

A group at the cutting edge of intelligence gathering. To put it simply, their role was roughly similar to that of the CIA during the Cold War era.

Most heroes disliked the Association for that very shadiness. What hero would happily accept a group whose job was to dig into their backs?

Still, there were some heroes, albeit only a few, who openly showed a pro-Association disposition.

And the leading figure among them was the Spear Saint. He was the strongest candidate for the next head of the Hero Association.

An earthquake struck Gaines’s pupils.

‘The Fifth Legion Commander died……?’

For a legion-class demon to descend was a violation of the First Human-Demon Armistice.

For them to descend, they needed a sacrifice to open a route between the demon realm and the human world. And they also needed a vessel capable of being possessed by a legion commander.

It was because those conditions were so difficult that the balance of power between humanity and the demon race could be maintained.

No, in the first place, that devil was dead? Even with the full roster of the Seven Star Heroes, they had barely managed to kill the Sixth Legion Commander Basmon. The result had been the deaths of three of the Seven Stars.

So who in the world had killed Agor, who was worse than even that?

Paying it no mind, the Spear Saint continued.

“Well, it was a fact that would come out eventually, so think of this as simply finding out now. What’s important isn’t that.”

The Spear Saint raised the point of his spear toward the Sword Emperor.

“We’ve found out as far as the fact that you were involved in Agor’s death, but there is one thing I absolutely cannot understand. As everyone knows, it is common sense, no, simply the natural order, that a single hero cannot defeat a legion commander.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

The Sword Emperor answered curtly. The Spear Saint’s eyes widened, and he put one name into his mouth.

“Kang Geom-ma.”

“……!”

“That brat they call the Sashimi Sword Saint. The Association seems to think his connection to Agor’s death runs deep. What do you think of that?”

At the mere mention of that name, strength entered the Sword Emperor’s grip on the hilt.

Fwoosh.

A sea-green aura blazed along the blade. It was sword aura.

The sword aura the Sword Emperor produced instantly forced back the Spear Saint’s fighting spirit.

‘Can this bastard Nibelung truly be the same man who returned after losing an arm?!’

The Spear Saint had no choice but to be greatly astonished.

Just moments before, he had thought that with the Sword Emperor missing an arm, he himself would now hold the advantage. And yet the man before him seemed more intact than ever.

The absurdity of it lasted only for a moment. The Spear Saint bared his gums in a savage grin.

‘Nibelung. You’ve grown another step.’

The Sword Emperor had never liked the Spear Saint. Whenever the man pestered him for sparring and dragged him into matters with his barbaric nature, the Sword Emperor felt his lifespan shortening.

Yet conversely, the Spear Saint held him in high regard. More than pride, there was a man’s reverence there. A straightness that never surrendered to complacency.

Indeed, the very man among men who had crushed him down and seized the title `strongest of humanity.`

Whoooosh.

Though they were indoors, an artificial wind began to stir. The sturdy men in the middle of wonsan bombing all collapsed at once.

“S-Sword Emperor!”

Gaines’s voice trembled. The Sword Emperor had flared his aura toward the Spear Saint. He was displaying unmistakable hostility.

A battle between two of the Seven Stars. The meaning of that was simple and clear.

War between Switzerland and France.

This very scene was no different from its opening act.

The Spear Saint, on the other hand, dragged his smile even wider. He hoisted the shaft of his spear and slammed it hard into the ground.

Crack. The floor split. The earth trembled and the wind reversed itself. The Spear Saint laughed aloud.

“Kuhahahahahahaha. You’ve become a proper man, haven’t you!”

“You came to my homeland and caused trouble, so I will cut out that tongue before you leave.”

The Sword Emperor took on a posture to launch his body forward. He himself knew this would be an excessive response.

There was a high probability it would become an international problem. But now that that mouth had spoken his name, it was no longer a situation where he could weigh consequences.

The Sword Emperor regarded Kang Geom-ma’s value as humanity’s hope. Rather than let him become a target of the Association, he would cut down the Spear Saint right here.

He had no intention of killing him, and could not kill him either. Even back when both of his arms had still been intact, the Spear Saint had been his equal rival.

And now, with only one arm, the best he could do was keep that bastard’s feet tied down. He might not be able to strike the neck, but if he used aura, the ankles were still a viable target.

Just as the Sword Emperor was about to stamp forward, the Spear Saint suddenly let go of his spear shaft.

Chaaang!

The moment the spear blade struck the floor, a great metallic crash rang out.

…!

At that heavy sound, the air that had escalated in an instant subsided. Raising both hands, the Spear Saint opened his mouth.

“You’ve grown older and lost your composure. It’s good that you’ve become more hot-blooded, but this isn’t like you.”

With a snicker, the Spear Saint continued.

“Judging by how overreactive you’re being, you seem to cherish that little brat quite a bit. Well, seeing you go this far, I don’t feel like pressing the issue any further.”

Having said that, the Spear Saint picked up his weapon. Then he strode toward the door.

Before long, the Spear Saint stopped beside the Sword Emperor’s shoulder. In a rough but friendly tone, he said.

“Honestly, I am curious about this fellow called Kang Geom-ma. The fact that you shield him so fiercely, and the fact that my niece Rachel is so deeply smitten with him, there must surely be a reason.”

“……”

“I do find myself wondering what sort of face you would make if Kang Geom-ma became the husband of my niece.”

“What are you talking about?!”

“Kuhahahahaha, anyway, take care! And give my regards to Media and that twin of hers too!”

Without even turning around, the Spear Saint merely waved one hand in the air.

The Sword Emperor stared helplessly at his retreating back for quite some time.

Gaines called out to him carefully.

“…Sword Emperor, are you all right?”

“I have shown an ugly side of myself. My apologies.”

“N-no, not at all……. If you had not come, Sword Emperor, our ministers and assembly leaders would have all gone bald in a neat circle by now.”

Gaines made a joke. Thanks to that, the heated atmosphere eased somewhat. The Sword Emperor smiled faintly.

“Gaines, it seems you too have some loyalty in your character after all.”

“Haha, perhaps once one passes forty, a little courage naturally forms.”

Awkwardly scratching the back of his head, Gaines. The Sword Emperor stared fixedly at him.

Gaines was a politician who pursued practical gain. The reason he had not told the Spear Saint anything could not possibly had been some pure sense of loyalty.

That the reason he had kept his mouth shut was not for the Sword Emperor’s sake, but so as not to place a burden on Kang Geom-ma.

The Sword Emperor understood that immediately.

‘…So this means the era of old men like us has gone, is that it.’

The Sword Emperor smiled bitterly. But what could he .

You could not condemn a politician for judging the future and being skilled with calculation. Knowing that, he had no choice but to pretend not to know.

“Sword Emperor, might you happen to have time next week? I would very much like to finally share that dinner with you which you mentioned before.”

The Sword Emperor looked quietly at Gaines. What he wanted was to meet `Kang Geom-ma.`

And for him to be so obvious about it just after such a conversation had ended, it was rather shameless.

In a tone that showed he was not pleased in the slightest, the Sword Emperor replied.

“I don’t think I’ll have time that day.”

“…But I haven’t even said which day of the week it is.”

“I’m busy all of next week.”

“W-wait!”

Gaines stretched out an arm. The Sword Emperor did not turn around.

The older one grew, the more likely one was to hold a grudge.

* * *

The following day.

Twenty minutes until the time I had promised to meet Abel.

After rummaging through clothes, wondering what I should wear, I soon picked up the academy tracksuit.

Since I had packed as lightly as possible, I did not have many clothes in the first place. And there was no need to dress with any particular formality.

‘…That aside, where exactly is it that she suddenly wants us to go?’

I had nodded to the abrupt proposal for now. But the true purpose behind it remained unclear.

Things between Abel and me were awkward. Dinner was probably only an excuse, and she likely had some other intention.

It already left me feeling a bit uneasy inside because it felt like I had interfered with things between her and Leon back on Avalon Island.

I let out a sigh inwardly, then soon shook my head.

“Well, we’re going to be living together for the next few weeks anyway, so it’d be better if we got along.”

Above all, I wanted to use this chance to build a good relationship with her.

There was no real reason to be at odds with her, and there was also a very personal reason.

‘The Undead Dungeon.’

A dungeon located around the Alps mountain range.

Its difficulty was D-rank, the very lowest. It was even lower than that Buffalo Dungeon from before.

Accordingly, even the minimum entry conditions were different.

Ordinarily, a dungeon required four people as the minimum party size, but for a D-rank, three people were enough.

However, despite its low difficulty, the Undead Dungeon was unpopular. No, to be more exact, there were no heroes who went looking for it.

The biggest reason was that the demonic beasts that appeared there were walking corpses, Liches, and the clear rewards were poor too.

It was a shabby little dungeon that looked completely useless. But inside it slept an S-rank demonic beast referred to as a calamity.

The Lich King, Draugr.

King of the Liches who commanded an immortal army. Back in the game days, what was particularly famous was not Draugr himself, but the magic staff he wielded.

‘Was its name Reaper’s Wand?’

Translated directly, it would be `the Grim Reaper’s Staff.` Players shortened it and called it `Reaper Wand.`

A magic weapon with a name that clung easily to the tongue. That was right. It was intentional.

For reference, they said S-rank demonic beasts wielded magic staffs……

But since those calamities only appeared far too late in the story, I also lacked information there.

The only reason I even knew this much was because Reaper’s Wand was catchy and famous.

…By this point, I was deeply regretting not stubbornly sticking with `Miracle’s Blessing M.`

If I had just shut my eyes and kept playing back then, my life in this other world would have gone a lot more smoothly.

No, in the first place, I never should have played that damned game.

Now that I thought about it, wasn’t it my first master, that very man, who had casually recommended I start Miracle’s Blessing M? And then wasn’t he the one who promptly quit it himself?

‘Damn it.’

Anyway, in order to enter the Undead Dungeon, I needed to form a team.

Of course, I planned on facing the Lich King alone, but before getting there, I needed reliable allies to help break through the path.

And if that ally was Abel, who according to the proper storyline would have been the `top student,` then so much the better. Because I had once been a player, I trusted her ability and talent deeply.

By the time I was lost in stray thoughts, the clock had drawn close to exactly four o’clock.

Only then did I kick off from the bed. Then I selected my shoes.

I considered wearing slippers, then gave up. Even so, I felt that would be a bit much. In the end, I put on the running shoes with the three stripes.

Tracksuit and running shoes. It was an outfit perfectly satisfactory for a casual outing.

And so I left the room and headed toward the front gate.

Even though it was still five minutes before the promised time, Abel was already there waiting first.

Step.

The closer I got, the clearer Abel’s outline became. And before I realized it, I found myself in admiration.

“Wow-.”

Wrapped in a tennis skirt, with a lightly applied touch of makeup.

Blended together with the magnificent scenery of Switzerland, she looked like a single painting.

She was already outstanding even without dressing up, but once she put in just a little effort, she looked no less than a goddess.

While I stared blankly, Abel turned her head this way.

At once, her eyes widened round.

“…You, don’t tell me you came out dressed like that?”

Having nothing in particular to say in reply, I merely nodded.

“These are the only clothes I have.”

“N-no, I mean, even so……”