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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
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Chapter 65: Ancient Dungeon (1)
Under the dim sky, the sharp sound of steel resonated.
"You need to put more strength in your wrist."
"Like this, sir?"
Following Daniel's guidance, Hamel stiffened his wrist.
But Daniel firmly shook his head and pushed back against the interlocked swords.
"No."
Clang!
With the metallic sound, Hamel was pushed back.
He shook his hand, his wrist throbbing from receiving the blow.
"That just strains your wrist. It's because you're taking the full force of the blow with just your wrist."
"This is difficult."
Hamel muttered calmly.
It was the second day of their journey to Sturnhelm.
Hamel was camping in a forest a little distance from the road. After their meal, with some free time, Hamel was training with Daniel.
More accurately, he was receiving swordsmanship instruction. The difference in their swordsmanship skills was significant.
"Let's try again."
Just as Hamel was readjusting his sword...
"Um..."
Rupert, who had been watching their training with a curious gaze, approached hesitantly and asked,
"Lord Hamel, may I join you?"
"I'm fine with it, as long as Sir Daniel is okay with it."
Since he was the one receiving the instruction, Hamel deferred the answer to Daniel.
Rupert suddenly asked with a puzzled expression,
"Isn't Sir Daniel your knight? Why do you need his permission...?"
"No. Sir Daniel is my colleague and swordsmanship teacher, before he is my knight."
At Hamel's firm answer, Rupert flinched and slowly nodded.
Then he turned to Daniel and asked,
"I would like to ask for your guidance as well. May I join you?"
"Hmm..."
Daniel crossed his arms and looked at Rupert, a playful expression on his face. Hamel, watching Daniel, subtly shook his head.
Rupert was someone more accustomed to giving orders than asking for favors.
He probably had never asked for anything in his life from someone he considered beneath him.
Even this much was quite an improvement.
Perhaps understanding Hamel's meaning, Daniel chuckled and nodded.
"Alright."
"...Thank you!"
Rupert, genuinely pleased, picked up his sword and stood beside Hamel.
As Hamel thought, Rupert didn't seem arrogant or malicious. He was simply inexperienced.
'He's like a child.'
It wasn't an impression one would usually have of someone older, but it was quite common for Hamel, who was often called an old soul.
"Then let me explain again. What we're going to learn now is parrying. Have you heard of it?"
At Daniel's question, Rupert nodded confidently.
"Of course. That's basic, isn't it?"
Parrying was a technique to deflect an opponent's attack.
It was fundamentally performed with a two-handed sword and a shield, and there were even auxiliary daggers designed for parrying.
It was a technique learned by anyone who wielded a sword.
"Oh, it's basic, is it?"
Daniel's lips curled into a smile for a moment, then...
Whoosh
He swung his sword towards Rupert.
"...!"
Startled, Rupert couldn't even scream, and gritted his teeth as he blocked the attack.
He managed to block the attack by a hair's breadth, but stumbled and fell backwards.
The next moment...
Swish!
Daniel's sword was held to the fallen Rupert's neck.
"Seems like you're not very good at it."
"Ugh... What's the point of doing that without warning? Parrying is all about timing..."
"Yes, timing is the most crucial aspect of the technique."
Daniel cut off Rupert, who was red-faced and shouting in anger.
Then he coldly retorted,
"But what kind of lunatic would announce their attack before striking?"
"..."
Rupert was speechless. Daniel shrugged and continued.
"If the term 'parrying' seems simple, let me rephrase it. What I'm going to teach you is my unique technique called 'Grafting'. And that is..."
As Daniel continued his explanation, Hamel swung his sword.
Without even looking, Daniel extended his own sword.
Clink!
It wasn't the sound of swords clashing. It was like the sound of a glass bead rolling on a steel plate that echoed in their ears.
As a result, Hamel was forced to swing his sword in a completely different direction than he initially intended.
And...
Daniel's sword, having deflected Hamel's, was now pointed at Hamel's neck.
"I can counterattack anytime, in any situation."
"...!"
Rupert's jaw dropped at the display of such high-level skill.
He quickly approached Daniel and pleaded,
"Quickly, teach me that!"
"Oh, come on."
Daniel was dumbfounded for a moment.
"First, you need to observe your opponent's movements. To do that..."
Daniel began to teach Rupert the detailed techniques.
How much time had passed since the lesson began?
Clink!
The sound of a glass bead rolling.
The same sound that came from Daniel's sword now came from Rupert's.
"I did it!"
He succeeded in perfectly deflecting the attack.
Although he was told when the attack was coming, it was by no means an easy task.
"That's fast. You have talent."
"...!!"
Daniel smiled, offering genuine praise.
Rupert struggled to contain his grin. He seemed very pleased to be acknowledged.
"On the other hand, Hamel..."
Daniel turned and swung his sword towards Hamel.
Clang!
With a harsh metallic sound, Hamel was pushed back.
"You still have a long way to go."
"...I see."
Hamel slowly nodded.
He had the least experience in swordsmanship among the three of them, so it couldn't be helped.
"I'm done for today. I'm getting tired."
"Thank you for your time. I'll continue practicing."
Hamel nodded and adjusted his sword. He then assumed his stance and continued practicing.
Rupert stood beside him, watching Hamel's training for a long time.
Then, before he knew it, Rupert muttered,
"Ah, you shouldn't do it like that..."
"...?"
Hearing that, Hamel stopped his sword with a flinch and looked back at Rupert.
Rupert blushed and hurriedly waved his hands.
"No... that is. I apologize, Lord Hamel. I didn't mean to give you unsolicited advice, it's just..."
Rupert was embarrassed.
Hadn't he witnessed Hamel's strength firsthand in Lonely Ridge? If Hamel fought seriously, he could defeat Rupert in the blink of an eye.
But now, he was acting as if he knew better just because he had learned one new sword technique.
How ridiculous he must seem.
As Rupert was berating himself for his hastiness, Hamel tilted his head and asked,
"Then how should I do it?"
It was a pure question, devoid of any emotion.
Flustered, Rupert asked...
"Um... well, doesn't that bother you?"
"...?"
Hamel looked at Rupert with an expression that showed he had no idea what Rupert was talking about.
"I'm weaker than you, and..."
"Is that a problem?"
Rupert couldn't answer Hamel's question.
The attitude of seeking knowledge from someone weaker than oneself.
No, whether someone is weak or strong isn't important in the first place.
Whether it's a beggar on the street or a renowned scholar of the Empire, if there's something to learn, one should learn it.
There's no shame in asking someone for knowledge.
Shame lies in looking down on someone and refusing to learn despite recognizing your own shortcomings.
Rupert was deeply impressed. He wanted to be even more like the man in front of him.
Hamel, who had been quietly observing Rupert, shrugged and said,
"So, how should I do it?"
"Ah, well..."
Rupert, delighted, approached Hamel and began to teach him about the sword.
The training continued late into the night.
Despite that, Hamel, who couldn't master Grafting, finally put down his sword.
The moon had already risen high in the sky.
Looking at the moon, which was now tilting towards the west, Hamel shook his head.
"Let's rest now. Thank you for your help."
"It was my honor."
Rupert had taught Hamel swordsmanship, but he had learned something even more valuable.
As Rupert smiled with satisfaction...
Rustle!
There was a sound of movement in the bushes in the distance.
Hamel seemed to have already noticed it and was readjusting his grip on his sword.
"Help... me."
A rough breathing sound and a voice pleading for help could be heard.
Hamel and Rupert slowly approached the direction of the voice.
There, they found a wounded man.
A man in armor, wounded in the side, was moving while clutching his wound with his hand.
Seeing this, Hamel immediately approached him and used Azure Flame.
The Azure flame healed the man's wound.
The man's eyes widened in surprise.
"...A priest?"
"Yes, I am a priest. And who are..."
Hamel couldn't finish his sentence.
The man suddenly drew a dagger from his bosom and lunged at him.
Caught off guard by the sudden attack, Rupert couldn't react.
But Hamel was different.
Clink!
The dagger, drawn in an instant, smoothly deflected the man's dagger.
With the sound of a glass bead rolling, the man's dagger stabbed at the air.
It was the perfect Grafting , just like what Daniel had shown him earlier.
And the next moment...
Crack!
Hamel's elbow, moving like a slide, struck the man's nose.
"...Ugh!"
The man's nose seemed to break and bend, blood gushing out.
Unable to withstand the pain, he dropped his dagger and fell.
Seeing that, Rupert breathed a sigh of relief.
To think that Hamel succeeded in Grafting in actual combat, even though he couldn't master it during practice.
It was truly amazing.
But the admiration was short-lived, as a question suddenly arose in Rupert's mind.
'That was fortunate. But...'
Could he have blocked that surprise attack himself?
No, it would have been difficult.
Rupert suddenly felt anxious about the gap that had widened between him and Hamel in such a short time. Inferiority complex crept in.
'As I thought, I...'
Just as such negative thoughts were filling his mind...
"Sir Rupert, could you please bring some rope from the campsite..."
Hamel was about to speak, twisting the man's arm to restrain him, when...
"...God is great."
The man muttered solemnly and bit down on something with a crunching sound.
Gulp!
Then, he suddenly vomited black blood and slumped down, his head hanging low.
"..."
Hamel checked the man's pulse.
Then, he slowly shook his head and said,
"...We won't need the rope."
The man had bitten a poison capsule and taken his own life.
***
"This is..."
Hamel trailed off as he examined the man's body.
The beast's mark engraved on his neck.
It was the same mark that David had.
After a moment of contemplation, Hamel seemed to have organized his thoughts and raised his head.
"Let's retrace the path this man took."
"Hmm."
"Alright."
Daniel and Lena nodded as always.
Ono, as usual, raised an objection.
"Do we really have to? I think getting to Sturnhelm is more urgent right now."
"No. We came all the way here following David's trail in the first place."
Hamel had made up his mind.
Now that the mark had been found, they needed to investigate the situation before moving on.
The more impatient they were, the more they needed to take a detour.
A stone tower built carefully, step by step, wouldn't crumble.
"Sir Rupert..."
"I'll go with you!"
Rupert quickly replied to Hamel's words.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
Rupert also felt the need to understand what this mark signified.
After quickly packing up their campsite, Hamel and his party began their pursuit.
It was a dark night, but tracking wasn't difficult.
The man had bled all the way here.
Relying on the faint moonlight, they followed the blood trail up the mountain for quite a while.
"Why is there something like this here...?"
Hamel muttered under his breath.
A steep rocky cliff.
Hidden beneath it, among the bushes and trees, was a small door.
And there, a palm print stained with still-fresh blood.
"Do you know what this is?"
Daniel asked. Hamel, who had been silently examining the door, muttered with a strange expression,
"This is a workshop... no, a dungeon."
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismal]
[Proofreader - Max]
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