novelBirth of the Dragon Sword (5)
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Chapter 90 - Birth of the Dragon Sword (5)
In three minutes, Azell used one hundredth of the power used by Seigar.
Seigar was using the ability of his superhuman body to try to regain his broken stance. His senses were accelerated to the extreme using Dragon Demon magic, and he was even using the Dragon Arts technique that he had drilled at ad nauseum. Azell moved in a relaxed manner compared to him. He was emitting mental waves through Spirit Order, and he was stimulating Seigar's senses. He was using it to bring out the response he wanted. It was as if he had the power to foresee the future. Azell took one or two step at a time as he stabbed his sword in an easygoing manner.
Just by doing that Seigar wasn't able to get up. In terms of Magical Energy, techniques dealing with senses, and the gap in insight regarding a battle... In every facet, Azell was on a different stratosphere.
Kwahng!
Suddenly, a sound of an explosion rang out, and Seigar body flew into the air. He had no sense of balance as his body spun in the air. Seigar's body struck the ground, and he rolled across the floor.
When he got up, Seigar was a total wreck. He wasn't wounded, but he was out of breath. He was dripping with sweat.
"Huhk, huhk, huh-uhk......."
Seigar's stamina was absolute. He was able to swing a large sword, while wearing heavy armor, for an extended amount of time. However, he had been continuously rolling on the floor. He hadn't be able to tell the difference between up, down, left or right. As he rolled, he had felt his Energy Pulse being blocked intermittently, and his stamina had been drained at an incredible pace. His stamina had just bottomed out right now.
'He intentionally let me up. '
If Azell had wanted to, he could have forced Seigar to roll on the ground until he had fainted. Seigar realized this fact. He knew Azell had intentionally left open an opening, so he could get out of it.
In the past, he had suffered all kinds of difficult situation as he was trained by Kairen. However, this experience was uncharted territory for Seigar.
Azell approached as Seigar sucked in air.
"You took a spanking of this magnitude, yet all you can do is try to get your breath back? You are soft as they come."
"Ooh-oohk!"
Seigar felt an unprecedented fear as he faced Azell. Seigar had lost his composure, and he unconsciously swung his sword when Azell closed the distance.
It was a strike powerful enough to split a boulder in half. However, Azell didn't dodge it.
Shweeeeeng!
'I missed?'
Seigar's eyes bulged. Azell hadn't dodged, yet he had walked inside his strike to close the distance. Seigar's attack met no resistance as it cut through the air, and his stance broke down again.
A combination of the Cloning technique, Concealment technique and the mental wave, which stimulated the senses, was used to produce this result. Azell had come into Seigar's personal space a beat late as if by magic. Azell was still unhurried as he leisurely took a step forward. Seigar's stance had been broken, so he couldn't do anything.
Too-hahk!
Azell didn't even use his sword. He struck his fist against Seigar's shoulder before he could right himself. This wasn't just a simple blow. Seigar had been forcefully righting himself, and Azell's blow was perfectly timed. It accurately severed the flow of his Energy Pulse.
Seigar was about to fall over once again. He gritted his teeth, and he used his powerful lower body to endure. Then he lashed out with his sword....
Too-kahng!
The counter came even before Seigar could swing his sword half way. Azell lightly backhanded Seigar's body with the hand holding his sword. The impact penetrated through his midsection, and the pain could be felt in his bones.
'Kuh-huhk...... !'
Seigar was having a hard time breathing, and he felt his body folding.
This was the end.
When he realized this, Seigar tried to use his Dragon Arts....
Tuhng!
As if he had been waiting for this move, Azell focused his mind. In an instant, he planted a counter.
'This... is... impossib...... !'
Seigar felt as if he was in a nightmare. It felt as if his opponent could see everything that was going on within his body, and every one of his actions were countered.
This wasn't something one could do just because one's techniques were good. Azell's extreme senses were able to read everything about Seigar. However, one needed an ungodly reflexive speed that good react to these sensory inputs.
This exchange repeated itself several time, and it was hard for Seigar to even grip his sword. However, he refused to fall. Even as he was steadily moving backwards, Seigar gritted his teeth, and he stood on his own two feet....
'This is my chance!'
After intentionally baiting a counter, Seigar leaned in to deflect the blow with his shoulder. At the same time, he jumped, and he brought down his sword with everything he had.
"That wasn't too bad. If you did this about 5 exchanges earlier, I might have given you a passing score.
Azell sounded as if he was enjoying this, and his words chilled Seigar.
As Seigar continued to receive frightening blows, he had saved his energy for a chance to attack. However, it seemed even this had been within Azell's design.
Azell countered Seigiar's sword strike head on.
Kwahng!
As the sound of an explosion rang out, Seigar flew through the air.
'I lost the hold of my sword...... !'
In a fight, he was taught to hold onto the sword no matter what. This mandate was almost like scripture to him. However, for the first time in his life, he had received such an overwhelming blow that even his steel gauntlet exploded. He lost the grip on his sword.
Koo-dahng-tahng-tahng!
Accompanying the loud sound, Seigar rolled several times across the floor before he became sprawled out on the ground.
When it quieted down, Azell asked a question.
"Would you like to continue this?"
"No... It's fine. It is my defeat."
Seigar acknowledged his defeat with a tired voice.
8
On that night, Azell was in front of a mirror, and he was letting someone handle his hair. Enora was standing on a step, and she was brushing out Azell's hair. Azell had roughly cut his hair to keep it at a reasonable length, but it seemed Enora wasn't satisfied with his haircut. She volunteered her services.
She suddenly asked him a question.
"Why were you so wicked against the prince?"
"Mmmm?"
"He isn't just any person. He is the prince. Weren't your actions a bit too much?"
"Didn't I do something similar to Boar?"
Azell thought about the time Boar requested a sparring match as he spoke. Enora thought for a brief moment before she spoke.
"... now that I think about it, you are right. You have always been reckless, sir Azell."
"What? Reckless? In what way?"
"How can you be so shameless? You treated the prince that way. No one would even think about doing what you have done. Do you know how afraid I was as I watched? If the prince became angry, he could have asked for your head! What would you do if he did that?"
"I carried out the deed, because I assessed the the prince wasn't that narrow-minded. Anyways, I wanted to avoid it if possible."
From Azell's perspective, he didn't feel the need to be considerate towards Seigar. It wasn't as if they had gone through a life and death situation alongside each other. Seigar was Kairen's student, and brother of Arrieta, nothing more, nothing less.
This was why Azell didn't want to bring unnecessary attention on himself. He didn't make himself known to Seigar. He was a bit bothered by the fact that the Dragon Demon king worshippers were targeting Seigar, but Seigar had experienced an attempted kidnapping once. Azell assumed Seigar would be careful on his own.
On top of it all, Kairen had always been a bit too eager for Azell to fight Seigar, and there was some distaste from that fact too.
Seigar had experienced bone-weary hardship, and he had seen everything with his own two eyes. However, he wasn't able to let go of his self-conceit. Why should Azell look kindly on a person like that?
Enora spoke.
"Sir Azell is really.... You look as if you aren't afraid of people in high places."
"In truth, I'm not afraid of them."
In the past, he tried to spare himself from the trouble. If he fought with a person with power and rank, it would inevitably cause harm to the people in his surrounding.
'No. That's not entirely correct either. '
When he thought about it, no one in the Nadick Empire dared to get on his nerve after the Dragon Demon war. He was someone that had access to Carlos and the emperor. Moreover, he had many friends in high places, and the people had loved him.
'Now that I think about it, if someone accused me of leading a reckless life, I have no argument against it. '
Enora worked as a maid to the royal family, so Azell's attitude shocked her.
Enora was astonished.
"Is this because you are the legendary hero?"
"Hmmm. Do you believe my story, Ms Enora?"
"Maybe?"
Enora had the eyes of a surprised bunny when Azell started talking about his own identity.
He wondered what thoughts were going through her head. Azell laughed when he had this thought.
"What kind of answer is that?"
"I don't know. If I think about it logically, it doesn't make sense. Do you know what I mean?"
"It isn't something you should try to confirm with me."
"Mmm. Is that so? Anyways.... If it is true, I would be a little bit disappointed."
"Why?"
"From the time I was young, I grew up listening to the story of hero Azell Karzark until my ears hurt."
There were a lot of heroes in history. However, how many hero had received universal praise from everyone like Azell?
Even in this era, Azell Karzark was the most well known and popular hero. Many children during the Dragon Demon war grew up hearing the tales of Azell's heroism, and many young women dreamed about him showing up in front of them like a knight in shining armor. As time passed, Azell became an idol, and his image became engraved as the epitome of a hero.
"However, sir Azell is a bit... How should I say this..."
Enora tilted her head as she thought about what to say. Then she spoke.
"You are like the brother next door."
"That's new."
Azell laughed. He had never heard himself described as the brother next door.
Enora spoke.
"It is as if the brother next door had a somewhat mysterious and secretive past. Moreover, this person had defeated a Dragon by himself. All of this just makes everything surreal. Sometimes it feels like I'm listening to a story dreamed up by a bard."
"Sometimes reality can outstrip one's imagination."
"I guess so. If it really is true, it does sound really incredible. At the same time, it feels as if it isn't that big of a deal?"
"What the heck?"
Azell couldn't help but laugh.
Enora suddenly spoke.
"Let's say it is true."
"What? Do you mean what if I am the real Azell Karzark?"
"Yes. That is my supposition."
"You should just say you don't believe me. What the heck is up with a supposition?"
"Don't be so picky about my answer. If a man shows such a behavior, he won't be popular with the ladies."
"I'll just shut up and listen to you. Please continue, miss."
"What do you think the era was like when hero Azell was alive? People were tormented by the Dragon Demon race, and there were a lot of righteous people willingly sacrifice their lives for other people. How different was that era?"
Azell put on a bitter smile at her questions.
"Unexpectedly, there isn't much of a difference. At the very least, the people are the same."
"Really?"
"Yup."
"However, if I hear about the tales describing the old times, it doesn't sound like it...."
"As time passes, they only remember the memorable events. They remember the beautiful blinding moments, and they remember the evil events that one can't look away from... However, those events didn't make up the entirety of that era."
At the time, people had to join forces to fight an enormous enemy that threatened their future. However, even in such a dire situation, people continued to fight those within the same organization for profit. There were those that tried to avoid facing death when it was time to cooperate each other. Discrimination occurred regardless of one's position.
"During that era, everyone was backed up against a wall. When people have nowhere to run, their true character is revealed."
One wouldn't know if a person was truly hideous or noble unless they reached this point. It didn't matter if a person normally acted like a crook or if that person acted with integrity. When people were driven into a corner, they sometimes chose the coward's way out. They also chose to act villainous at times. Then there was the people that were noble, and they sacrificed for others. He had seen it all play out too many times.
"There were highborns, baseborns, young, old, the weak, the strong.... It was all the same. It was an era where one's worth could only be proven only by one's actions."
Azell had seen countless people. There were those that had been abominable, and there were those that had been pure. Then there were the unsure people that had been too weak. They were like reeds that shook from the hardships of life.
'Dragon Demon worshippers... '
When he woke up in the era, the most shocking part had been the existence of the Dragon Demon king worshippers. It wasn't the fact that the remnant of the group he had fought still existed in this age. He was shocked at the fact that the Dragon Demon king had become deified as time had passed in this world. This wasn't just Dragon Demons and Dragon Majins. He couldn't understand why the 'humans' were worshipping him.
'Why do they worship him in this era? It is an evil that had ended a long time ago.... '
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