Chapter 382

“I’ll have to use another method. Activate my potential with your authority.”

Chris looked surprised.

It was the method he had used on Jupien, Yulien, and others.

But Chris shook his head firmly.

“No. It’s not a method to be used on you. It’s impossible for you.”

Evan’s potential was, in name and reality, the best on the continent.

But what if it were to be artificially enhanced even further here?

‘He won’t be able to withstand the backlash.’

The reason he had been able to activate Jupien and Yulien’s potential was that their talents were relatively ordinary.

As such, the backlash was also less severe.

“It would be better to think of a strategy to defeat the Sword King. Seeing your current swordsmanship, it seems you have a chance of winning even if you don’t reach 8-Star (high).”

“That would be so if the Sword King were my only goal. But the enemies you will have to fight from now on are not on that level, are they?”

Evan said with an intense gaze.

“The minions of the Mystic Demonic House and Gehenna. The Demon Emperor of the Magus Empire. Perhaps even the Celestial Realm. When you fight them, I want to be by your side, lending my strength. To do that, I cannot remain as I am now.”

He had to reach 9-Star.

Only then would he earn the right to fight by Chris’s side.

“It is the same for me. Please allow me to become stronger as well.”

It was Ranya!

Ranya crossed her arms and raised her chin haughtily.

“Of course, I am not doing this for you. I just don’t like sitting on my hands as a genius mage. I also want to show you my greatness.”

“Ranya, did you not just swear to me a while ago that you would repay the grace you received from Christian? That you would repay it even if it meant sacrificing your life.”

“Aaat, you bastard! Didn’t I tell you that was a secret, you damned brother!!”

“What are you so ashamed of? Christian is a being like the light. It is only natural to feel gratitude.”

“Shut up!!”

Ranya, her face flushed red, glared at Christian, huffing and puffing.

“Anyway, do that potential activation thing to me as well.”

“No, I said no.”

Chris shook his head in bewilderment.

He couldn’t imagine how dangerous it would be if these two, the greatest geniuses on the continent, were to use this method.

‘I can never allow them to die or become crippled. You are my most precious suckers.’

Evan, once again using his mind’s eye, read Chris’s inner thoughts and frowned.

“You’re worrying about us again. Being that nice is a sickness.”

‘…No, it’s not. I’m just worried I’ll lose my suckers.’

Chris shook his head firmly.

“Anyway, absolutely not. Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

But then.

“Aren’t you looking down on us too much?”

Ranya shot a glare at Chris, as if displeased.

“I know what you’re worried about. If you artificially activate our potential, the backlash will naturally be severe. But so what?”

“!!”

“Do you think we can’t overcome that much? How much are you looking down on us?”

Chris fell silent.

Yes, now that he thought about it, that was true.

These two were not people he should be worried about.

The Heroes who had caused numerous miracles in his past life.

‘They overcame all sorts of life-threatening crises.’

Considering the crises they had faced as Heroes in the past, activating their potential might be nothing.

“…Can you really do it?”

“Look, Ranya. How kind Christian is. He can’t stop worrying about us even now, can he?”

“Hmph, I know, right. If you’re a jerk, be a jerk all the way, why is your heart so kind? It doesn’t suit you, you know?”

Chris wore a bitter expression.

‘No, I’m just a greedy person worried that something might happen to my precious property… Damn it, forget it.’

Chris let out a sharp sigh.

“Instead, make a promise. That you will succeed without fail.”

“You really are…”

“Enough! I get it, so let’s start!”

Chris hurriedly cut Evan off.

He used his authority to activate their potential, and so, the buds of a miracle began to bloom.

***

A fortnight later.

Chris was waiting for Evan and Ranya with an anxious face.

'Damn it, they kicked me out. Those bastards.'

Originally, Chris had intended to stay by Evan and Ranya's side to take immediate action should any problems arise.

-You're in the way.

But Ranya had frowned, and...

-Yes, I appreciate the thought, but there's no need for such consideration. Leave it to us.

...Evan, though he spoke kindly, seemed inwardly annoyed, leaving Chris with no choice but to leave.

"What are you so anxious about?"

"Ruina, aren't you worried?"

"They'll handle it. They're both monsters, you know."

Ruina answered nonchalantly.

However, as the day of the duel approached with no news, she, true to her fidgety nature, changed her tune.

"Aaaah! What if something happened?!"

"...I thought you believed in them?"

"I don't know!! What do we do? The swordsmanship houses are swarming outside!"

Chris let out a sigh.

This wouldn't do.

'This is not good. Something must have gone wrong.'

The two were Chris's kin.

He could roughly gauge their condition even from a distance.

For some time now, Evan's state had been precarious.

He was clearly facing a major crisis.

'No more. I have to stop them, even by force.'

The moment he made his decision and rose from his seat, Evan's state, which Chris had been sensing in his soul, changed.

'This is?'

Chris's expression hardened.

He couldn't feel anything.

Only a silence flowed, as if a flickering light had been extinguished.

'Don't tell me?! No!!'

He shot up from his seat.

At that moment, another change occurred.

The extinguished flame flickered back to life, however faint.

'He's still alive!'

He rushed out.

As long as he was breathing, he could be saved somehow.

As he was speeding towards the training grounds, Chris came to a sudden halt.

Evan was walking out.

"...You?"

"Worried about me again? You're too kind for your own good, Christian."

Though he looked haggard, he seemed to be alright.

He was even making jokes.

'He's changed.'

Chris swallowed hard.

He was so shocked he couldn't even think of a retort to Evan's silly remark.

He had gotten stronger.

No, it wasn't just that.

His vessel was still at the level of a low 8-Star.

But his enlightenment...

His worldview was established.

He had truly succeeded in attaining an enlightenment equivalent to a high 8-Star, even with an incomplete vessel!

'This much I expected.'

If it were just this, he wouldn't have been so surprised.

Chris scrutinized Evan in disbelief.

The worldview Evan had obtained was completely different from his previous life.

'I can't even fathom the depth of his worldview.'

It was a worldview so deep that even Chris couldn't comprehend it.

Evan had achieved a level of accomplishment incomparable to his previous life.

***

The fateful duel was at hand.

All the knights of the swordsmanship houses were lined up at the designated place.

"All knights, align!! Stand by!!"

"Sir!!"

The knights, each exuding a powerful aura.

It was a force befitting the strongest house in the alliance, but Chris saw through their pretense.

'Their morale isn't high. Most of the ordinary knights are probably cheering for Evan.'

The atmosphere wasn't bad.

'Evan must win.'

Chris continued his thoughts with sunken eyes.

'Only then can we stand against the Holy Masters and the Mystic Demonic House behind them.'

Yes, the swordsmanship houses were not the problem.

The Holy Assembly, a gathering of corrupt Holy Masters, and the Mystic Demonic House.

They were the real enemies.

'They're probably watching this duel as well.'

If Evan lost, they would ride that momentum and launch an all-out attack.

On the other hand...

'If Evan wins, it's our turn. The forces of the swordsmanship houses will be on our side. We can take on the Holy Masters and the Mystic Demonic House.'

In other words, everything would be decided by the outcome of this duel.

'It's alright. Evan will win.'

He was not the Evan of before.

Chris watched the duel with a somewhat relaxed mind.

However...

When Evan finally stepped into the dueling grounds, Chris's eyes widened in bewilderment.

An unexpected situation had occurred.

"Just the head of the house is boring, so have the elders come at me all at once."

Evan had said, flicking his sword.

"As the rightful heir of the Meier family, I shall bestow upon you all a proper lesson."

***

'Crazy?!'

Chris swallowed a curse.

'That bastard, what's gotten into him all of a sudden?'

Everyone had the same reaction.

A murmur went through the crowd.

'What's wrong with the young master?'

'Did something happen to his head while he was exiled?'

Everyone reacted as if he had gone mad.

"Hahaha! You've lost your mind!!"

With a loud shout, a middle-aged man with a strong impression stepped forward.

It was the head of the swordsmanship house, the Sword King.

Evan's uncle, and the very man who had ruined his life.

But Evan's eyes, looking at his sworn enemy, were merely calm.

The Sword King's eyebrow twitched.

"It's been a while since you've seen your uncle, yet you're so impudent. If your father could see you now, he would be lamenting in the afterlife."

"Are those your last words, uncle?"

"...What?"

"This place will be your grave today, so you'd best think of your last words in advance."

"!!"

Evan turned his gaze.

Towards everyone in the swordsmanship house.

"I, Evan, as the legitimate heir of the Meier family, declare that I will punish the villain who unjustly usurped our house with the judgment of the sword."

It was a unique tradition of the swordsmanship houses.

To punish a guilty party through a duel of swords.

In other words, Evan had just declared in front of everyone that he would kill the Sword King.

"Ha, you've really lost your mind. Very well. Punishing a nephew's misdeeds is also this uncle's duty. Do not resent my sword."

Fwoooosh!!

A powerful aura raged.

Clang, clang, clang. With a loud metallic sound, a silvery shadow covered the dueling ground.

Domain of Dominion.

The Curtain of Swords.

It was the power that had made him the Sword King.

"He's unleashing his Domain of Dominion already?"

"He intends to kill Young Master Evan in a single blow."

The faces of those who supported Evan darkened.

In truth, no one thought Evan would win this duel.

They had only hoped that Evan, whom they supported, would put up a decent fight.

'We have to step in!'

'We must at least protect the young master's life!'

It was when the few remaining supporters of Evan among the elders were gritting their teeth and reaching for their swords.

Something that surpassed everyone's expectations happened.

Slice.

With the sound of something being cut, blood spurted.

It was not Evan's blood.

It was the Sword King's blood.

"??"

For a moment, the arena fell silent.

No one could comprehend what had just happened.

'What? Why is the master bleeding from his shoulder?'

The Sword King had been in the middle of his attack.

Countless swords of will had shot out from the Curtain of Swords and rushed towards Evan.

Just as everyone squeezed their eyes shut, expecting him to be shattered to pieces, blood suddenly spurted from the Sword King's shoulder.

Only then did they see that Evan was holding his sword.

"You bastard! What trick did you pull?"

The Sword King growled and unleashed the Curtain of Swords again.

But it was the same.

Pshat!

Blood spurted again.