273: The Greatest Expert (2)

“…”

The 101st swordsman on the continent.

No, Jet Frost, who was now a full-fledged Sword Master recalled what had happened a few days back.

Master Bratt Lloyd had reached a great height in his 20s.

Although he was a brilliant talent, he judged that he was inferior to her… Judith who was still an expert.

He remembered the surprising confrontation between the two.

After he was done thinking back, he exhaled a breath he had been holding back and mumbled.

“It has been a week already since then…”

It was vivid, what had happened.

It wasn’t something he was forced to think about. He just remembered it.

When he ate, when he walked, before he slept and even in his dreams…

It was inevitable, because the fight at that time showed unexpected results to the extent where Jet Frost started to question his own common sense.

‘Surely, I didn’t expect an Expert to defeat a Master.’

It wasn’t an impossible thing.

Although rare, it wasn’t like there wasn’t any precedent where an expert defeated a master.

There wasn’t much of a difference between those who were Masters and Experts who were at the peak of that stage.

With a good sword and understanding, and enough destructive power to handle the Aura, along with some luck… Judith’s victory made sense.

However, the fight this time wasn’t like that.

It wasn’t ‘luck’.

That was what it was like to Jet Frost, who was now a sword master.

No, not just him, it was a one-sided result that anyone could understand.

Thinking of that once again, he shook his head.

‘… Maybe, maybe I was thinking wrong about Mr. Khun all this time.’

Only geniuses of the sword can reach the Sword Master level.

However, there is a difference in talent among those geniuses too.

Some people reach that level in their 20s, and other people, like in the case of Khun, the Aura Sword only manifested when he was 70.

That was why Masters used to consider his talent as the worst in the world

But it wasn’t like that.

No, even if that was the case, no one could know it.

However, after seeing the spar a week ago, the facts became clearer.

Khun and Judith, the two swordsmen… the takeaway from that fight was that it had to be interpreted in a completely different way from the Experts-Masters power level commonly used in the continent.

‘The Aura Sword wasn’t the only way to have the ultimate sword. If there is a more efficient and powerful way than that… if only I can sharpen my sword enough to reach that extreme…’

Why is the distinction between the Expert and Master so important?

He truly thought about it.

“Perhaps even before becoming a Master, Khun was strong enough to overwhelm an ordinary Master…”

Jet Frost’s troubles deepened as his thoughts wandered.

The only goal he had was to become a Master and he had achieved it.

However, he couldn’t be satisfied with that. He was now dreaming of a higher level before he even truly realized it himself.

He was bewildered and confused by the new direction his thoughts were going in, and he was at the same time, much more delighted than the previous feelings.

“Hmm.”

As was the case, Jet Frost, who was reminded of Judith’s swordsmanship again, went stiff. Because all of a sudden, Bratt came to his mind. To be precise, the emotions and thoughts of that time came.

‘A Master lost to an Expert… it was shocking.’

On the other hand, it was an amazing and glorious thing to see an expert win over a master.

A Master who lost to an Expert must be feeling disgraceful and shameful about it.

Even if Judith and Khun couldn’t be considered as normal swordsmen, even if Bratt was someone who knew them, the emotional impact on Bratt’s mind would be a separate issue.

“… please, I hope he doesn’t get too frustrated.”

Jet Frost got up.

There were quite a few cases where geniuses who were training without any troubles, suddenly stumbled onto a rock and never got up again.

It wasn’t just something he had heard, he even saw such things.

After thinking of the blue haired swordsman, he moved on.

All he wanted to do right now was to return to his place again and swing his sword.

“How should I do this?”

“…”

“… what is with that expression?”

Looking into the eyes of the disciple who was asking a question, Khun smiled.

He couldn’t help but smile.

The strong pride and stubbornness.

It was a strange thing that Judith, who had an arrogant personality, had asked him for advice.

‘Fuck.’

Even Judith didn’t understand it herself.

She thought that she was the only one getting strong.

Her desires were simmering in her stomach as she was in her thoughts of bringing down those who were superior to her.

Using such anger and jealousy as firewood, she used her sword and received results from Khun’s teaching.

It was thanks to him that she won the battle against Bratt.

‘Then why…’

Rather than being glad, why was she feeling stuffy and uncomfortable?

She was confused.

It was confusing and flustering. Judith frowned at the unfamiliar feelings she was experiencing.

At this place, where there were many people other than Bratt who needed to be taken down, what would happen if she kept thinking of these depressing feelings?

Judith shook her head as she got up.

She was annoyed. She wanted to beat herself up, especially when she asked Khun for advice on how to comfort Bratt.

Phew, she took a deep breath and looked at her teacher.

But then a new question arose.

“… delete that previous thing.”

“Delete?”

“Yes. Instead, tell me about something else. How I would be able to get rid of these feelings and thoughts.”

“…”

“I think that is how we should move forward. Teacher did that too. So, I will throw it all away, you have been training here alone for several decades in this remote place.”

So, quickly tell me.

How do you do it?

How can that happen?

At the constant questions from his disciple, Khun smiled strangely.

However, the feeling was a little different.

If the smile before was bright, it wasn’t that bright now.

The gap was so great that even Judith, who was drunk in her emotions, could feel it. She stepped back and looked at her teacher.

‘She is right,’ Khun thought.

It was like his disciple said. He had left everything behind to get over the huge mountain called Ian.

He left his friends.

And his wife.

Other than that, he put a lot of things away and focused his mind on only one thing.

On the sword.

As someone who lacked talent… if he didn’t make enough time to swing the sword, he thought that he wouldn’t be able to keep up with Ian.

“Don’t let go of them.”

“Uh?”

“Don’t let go of your relationship.”

An unexpected answer came out of Khun’s mouth.

Judith seemed shocked at it, and he smiled.

Bittersweet.

Yet, his face was brighter than before.

The teacher, who looked at his disciple for a moment, continued to speak.

“Be moderately strong… so, if you want to become one of the 10 swordsmen of the continent, you should follow the path I walked on. It will actually be helpful. Thanks to throwing everything away, I was able to entirely focus on the sword and become one of the top three on the continent.”

“Why should I be one of the 10 top and you’re in top 3?”

“Ha, you’re complaining? I am not looking down on you. It is because the current generation is superior to ours. Am I wrong?”

“… No.”

“Right. So, I said one of the top 10. But, a greedy one like you cannot be satisfied with that.”

“Obviously…”

“So.”

Khun cut off Judith’s words and spoke with deep eyes.

“Take a different path than me. Don’t let go of your friends and your lover. Don’t let go of the bond you have with Krono, and don’t sacrifice all your ties in the future for the sake of the sword. Be greedy. But don’t let go of anything and embrace them all.”

“…”

“With your level of aspiration, not just me, but you will even have a chance to win against people like Airn and Ignet.”

Saying that, he laughed out loud.

He couldn’t help it.

Even if what he was saying was the same, sometimes the way it was conveyed changed the meaning.

For example, there was a difference between a respected leader saying ‘Live upright!’ and a drunk gambler saying it.

From that point of view, there is no one for whom those words just now would suit like it did for Khun.

“Haha, Hahaha…. Phew. I laughed after so long.”

“…”

“I am heading in. Sheath your sword or swing it. I am going in and getting some rest.”

“Ah, don’t touch my hair.”

Laughing, the teacher stroked his disciple’s head and went into his house.

Immediately after, blood gushed out from Khun’s mouth. After wiping his teeth with a cloth, he laughed again.

Do people change when they are near their death?

Suddenly, he thought of his wife, Keira Finn.

“… if I go and say sorry, what will she say?”

He didn’t know.

He would never know.

Having come this far on his selfish path, he didn’t have the courage to say that.

He coughed up blood a few more times and laughed each time. Still, he felt more relieved than before.

Rinsing his mouth with water, Khun pondered for a moment and then went out with his sword.

“… what was that you just said?. Where are you resting?”

“Haha! A swordsman only rests after his death!”

“Stop talking nonsense…”

“Hah! Ha! Ha! Die! Ian!”1

“Sigh…”

Judith shook her head again. She knew that she was unusual, but this one was a level above her.

That didn’t mean that she didn’t like him.

When it came to the sword, he was the best.

At least it was like that for her. Khun was a better teacher than Ian.

Of course, the previous words of her master was something she had to think about a little more…

‘Let’s think of it when I sleep, let’s focus on the sword for now.’

Judith took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

Several sights flashed through her mind.

Khun’s swordsmanship was different from her, but the advances were similar.

Bratt Lloyd’s swordsmanship, which was heading in a completely different direction from her.

And the swordsmanship of the black-haired swordsman who had come to this place a little before.

‘… I will also reach them.’

A spark ignited within Judith, as she remembered to not lose her dignity even when she was getting torn apart from Khun’s sword.

The blade dyed red, and the heat was enough to make the winter weather turn warm.

She wanted to go beyond Ilya.

She wanted to surpass Airn.

And Ignet as well. If Bratt fell down, she would force him to stand up and beat him again.

If she falls, she will rise up again and again.

‘Well? If this is the case, it seems that the problem I had earlier was resolved?’

Judith had a shocked expression and smiled bitterly.

She didn’t even know why, but the flame on her sword grew even stronger.

She swung her sword excited, and Khun looked at it in joy.

He too soon fell into his sword and spent some time in a trance. He surely was his disciple’s teacher.

And far from them.

“…”

There was a priest.

Now he was alone. The clown and the swordsman were following another person… Ignet.

He was a little worried about moving away from his place of influence, but it wasn’t a huge deal. Because he had protection.

And more important than everything else, was the present moment.

The priest looked at Khun.

A friend whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

The devil, who had been contemplating for a long time as to what to call him, said,

“Father.”2

It was a quiet voice which no one could hear.