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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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Chapter 163: A Formidable Opponent
Crunch!
With a horrifying sound, Knut's massive hand crushed a man's skull like a brittle shell.
"Kyaaak!"
Those who witnessed the headless body collapse in a heap wet themselves in terror.
"A m-monster..."
"Blame your own recklessness for crawling into the jaws of this beast," Knut growled in a low, menacing voice.
"He's too strong, damn it!"
"I’ve never heard of someone like this—"
They had long since lost their will to fight, overwhelmed by the oppressive aura emanating from the giant—a presence more akin to a tiger than a human.
And then there was his hand, dripping with blood, brain matter, and flesh. Even the most hardened assassins of the underworld couldn’t help but feel their courage waver at the sight.
"Surrendering is pointless. There is no mercy for intruders."
Knut Eisenach.
The beast that prowled the nights of Grunewald had pronounced death upon the invaders.
Wham! Splat!
A fist, as heavy as an iron ball, shattered the heads of the survivors like watermelons.
Thud!
Headless corpses collapsed in unison. Knut indifferently glanced at the pile of bodies, paying no heed to the silent reverence of the dead, before turning away.
"Pile the corpses at the foot of the hill."
"Yes."
The heap of shattered skulls and lifeless bodies would serve as a grim warning to any who dared trespass.
"It seems more and more are salivating over our spirit medicines."
Medicinal herbs, or the finest-grade potions crafted by Balthazar himself—the wolves coveting the rights to distribute these treasures were everywhere in the dark alleys of Grunewald.
"Individually, they’re nothing but weak insects."
Knut’s gaze deepened.
"But if they join forces and attack us simultaneously, we’d be overwhelmed."
It had been seven years since they were exiled and forced to flee. Perhaps it was time to move their base again.
"Brother."
Knut looked up at the voice of his cousin, Tara, who had been observing the battle.
"Tara. Do you have something to say?"
"Yes."
Though young, Tara had been ordered by Balthazar to grow accustomed to real combat and slaughter, and so she never missed these occasions.
"The attacks have been increasing lately."
"I’ve noticed that too."
"Is it time to move our base?"
"...It’s a shame to leave a place we’ve fortified for so long."
Knut crossed his arms, his monstrous muscles rippling.
"It seems our secrets are leaking out."
"But you want to wait until we hear from Allen, right?"
Knut nodded.
"Correct. But it might not be easy to receive a handwritten letter from Auntie."
"...Her heart must still be deeply wounded."
"Yes, but—"
Knut smiled faintly.
"Rumors about Allen keep reaching us. They say he’s already gained the favor of the Black Serpent Duke and the clan elders."
"...It seems he’s really changed."
The two of them suddenly looked up, recalling the gentle and somewhat frail Allen of their childhood.
There, in the distance, stood the grand and majestic Grunewald Castle, its lights still burning late into the night.
"He must be there. Allen, and Auntie too."
"It’s strange, isn’t it? So close, yet so far."
Knut, the tiger driven from the mountains, gazed at the castle’s radiant splendor illuminating the city.
Somewhere within those walls were Allenvert and Lusatia. They were so close, yet meeting them felt impossibly distant.
"Allenvert."
Knut repeated his cousin’s name.
"Was Zizek truly sent by you? And who is this man named Karzan?"
There were still many mysteries.
"The once frail Allenvert has reached into the underworld, creating loyal followers and sending people to find us. I can’t help but feel proud."
Though it was hard to believe, it was also a story he desperately wanted to believe.
"You weren’t simply hiding for seven years. Were you quietly sharpening your blade of vengeance, waiting for the right moment to rise?"
Knut turned to Tara and asked, "Tara, do you know about bamboo shoots?"
"Of course. They’re the sprouts of bamboo, right?"
Tara wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth.
"When they’re tender, you cut them and boil them. They have a great texture."
"Right."
Knut chuckled.
"But you know, bamboo shoots stay buried for years before suddenly sprouting and growing rapidly."
The clever Tara quickly grasped Knut’s meaning.
"Allen might be like that bamboo shoot."
"Exactly."
Tara added with a slightly dazed expression, "Though it’s a bit of a cute comparison."
"...Cute?"
* * *
If the mark of the 4th tier is the glow of aura in the eyes and the emission of sword energy, then the mark of the 5th tier is 'intimidation.'
'It’s the ability to emit one’s mana externally without the need for a medium like a sword or fist, to intimidate and overwhelm the enemy.'
Thus, a master of the 5th tier could crush the will of a weaker opponent without even lifting a finger.
Even during my first encounter with Verdzig, I had to expend significant mental energy to resist his oppressive aura.
'Mana control at the 5th tier goes beyond mere observation, granting tangible physical and coercive force.'
What I had learned from Ulbhild was a technique of thinly spreading sensory mana to detect something, with the purpose being purely observational.
'But I’ve already experienced realms beyond that.'
The image of Verdzig, spreading his mana like fog to intimidate his enemies, came to mind.
And then there was my father, lifting fish from a pond along with the water, allowing them to swim peacefully.
'The level they’ve reached is something I can only dream of catching up to, even now.'
Even my current 5th tier is merely the first step compared to their mastery.
But how joyous it is to know there’s still infinite room to learn and grow.
'And in the process of walking that path—'
How convenient it is to have someone’s back to follow.
'In my past life, Karzan reached the 5th tier through instinct and countless trials and errors.'
Combining the experiences of my past life with the lessons of this one, I’ve reached this level so quickly and precisely.
'Moreover—'
There’s something even better.
The power of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, with its structure of seven interlinked stars, has incorporated the dantian, making it easier to control the stubborn energies hidden within.
'If I had been any slower, my dantian would have melted away without a trace.'
The thought sends a chill down my spine.
The energies, driven out by the power of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique, had coiled around my dantian, slowly preparing to dissolve it.
"Those to will continue to torment your meridians. They might even hinder your progress at some point. If you’re not careful, your energy channels could become blocked and twisted, leading to mana deviation."
Ulbhild’s warning echoes in my mind. Back then, I responded like this—
"I plan to take the spirit medicine as often as possible to keep the flow open. My meridians are like a river constantly sprouting weeds right now."
If that's the case, what I did might be akin to gathering those weeds in one place and letting them rot.
'If I hadn’t absorbed the mana of the Nepherus at the right time...'
Their greed might have consumed and melted my dantian instead.
If that had happened, my dantian would have been like a shattered jar. I don’t even want to imagine how devastating the damage would have been.
'I was lucky.'
And you bastards were unlucky.
The energies that had pooled in my dantian were now diluted and mixed with the power of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, floating throughout my body.
But just as moss struggles to cling in a strong current, those energies had lost their dominance and were scattered, rendered powerless.
'However, they’re like impurities mixed into molten metal, making it difficult to extract and use them carelessly.'
You’ll have to wait. Someday, I’ll subjugate all of you and make you mine.
'And...'
I observed the new aura I had drawn out using the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique.
It was on a completely different level from before. It was like a flame burning fiercely with oil. The absolute amount of mana hadn’t increased or decreased, but the power of the aura had clearly intensified.
'There are two reasons.'
First, because I reached the 5th tier, and second, because the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique is inherently a superior version of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique.
'Normally, energies cultivated from different techniques don’t mix, but...'
The 12th stage energy of the Eternal Ocean Chain Technique was seamlessly integrated into the 2nd stage energy of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique. This is likely because the latter was designed as an advanced martial art from the start.
'It’s still rough, but if I refine it properly, I can unleash even greater power.'
Because of this, the way I draw out my energy has slightly changed, but considering Vitenfeld’s arrangements, adjusting to it shouldn’t be too difficult.
'Even as I am now, I could probably sweep through a fourth rate organization like the Black Night Society on my own.'
The overflowing power, vitality, and sense of omnipotence exhilarated me. I feel like calling someone out and beating them up right now.
But calm down, Allenvert. There are things you need to do first.
'First, I should wash up.'
Perhaps because my body, having reached the 5th tier, was expelling waste, I was emitting a foul odor.
"Peter, Olivier! Is anyone outside?"
Before I could even finish speaking, Jeffrey opened the door. I didn’t call him, so this is awkward.
"Young Master!"
"Oh, Jeffrey. Were you standing guard outside?"
"I was taking shifts. But more importantly—"
Jeffrey seemed to have noticed the change in me.
"Congratulations, Young Master."
"Hehe. Can you tell?"
"You’ve reached the 5th tier, haven’t you?"
"Correct."
I pointed at Jeffrey.
"Now we’re finally on equal footing. How about a spar after all this time?"
Jeffrey sighed.
"If you’re going to do it, at least use the fancy term 'duel.'"
"My apologies."
"By the way."
Jeffrey pinched his nose.
"It’s late, and the smell is quite strong. How about taking a bath first?"
"Hmm. This is unexpected."
I teased him.
"Are you scared?"
Jeffrey flared up.
"...Let’s head to the training grounds right now."
* * *
I unleashed everything I had against Jeffrey: the new energy from the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique, my body that had ascended to the 5th tier, and all three techniques of the Azure Sea Moon Shadow Swordsmanship.
The result.
"...Wow, was that the third technique you created, Young Master?"
Even Jeffrey, who had been defending like an iron wall against all my moves, had no choice but to raise his hand in surrender when I used the final technique, Moon Dance.
"How was it?"
"I can’t handle this."
Jeffrey admitted defeat.
"I managed to block up to the Shadow Flowing Phantom Sword, but I almost dislocated my shoulder trying to withstand the Lonely Wave Yearning Moon."
"You still blocked it, though."
"If this were a real fight, I’d have been finished with the next move."
Jeffrey clicked his tongue.
"Especially that Moon Dance technique... it’s in a league of its own. If you don’t know it, you’re guaranteed to get hit."
"It’s a technique that stays true to the essence of what a sword technique should be."
I smirked as I retrieved my sword.
"Even Harold lost a strand of hair to this move, so don’t beat yourself up too much."
"Ah, really?"
"Yes. And now that I’ve reached the 5th tier, the techniques I’ve unleashed are even stronger. Losing isn’t something to be ashamed of."
Moreover, using the energy of the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique made the execution of my techniques more explosive and fluid. It’s no wonder Jeffrey couldn’t keep up.
"Anyway, it’s a complicated feeling. I knew you’d surpass me someday, but I didn’t expect it to be this soon."
I understood Jeffrey’s feelings. Beyond the relationship between a vassal and his lord, as a martial artist, it must be a complex emotion.
"I’m looking forward to seeing how my sister reacts tomorrow."
After all, I’ve reached the 5th tier in a single day.
"By the way, about Barclava."
"Yes?"
"Is he planning to train alone?"
"That seems to be the case."
"Stubborn as always."
I clicked my tongue.
"If he gets beaten up by the youngest of the Valkenhain clan, wouldn’t that be a disgrace?"
"Hmm, Young Master."
Jeffrey looked surprised.
"You’re actually worried about your younger brother."
"Of course."
He’s still my brother. If anyone’s going to beat him, it should be me, right?
'Anyway.'
In these three days, I’ve reached the 5th tier, mastered the Seven Stars of the Black Sea Technique—a peerless martial art—and created a new technique, Moon Dance. This is what they mean by a "remarkable improvement."
'My body is itching for action.'
I need a stage to unleash this power.
'But not here.'
The battlefield I desire lies in the realm of the underworld, where men kill and are killed.
'And I have some business to take care of.'
Somehow, I have a feeling that tonight, I’ll be staining my hands with blood.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Pot]
[Proofreader - Kawaii]
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