Yeah, if all he did was get beaten up, he wouldn't be Rem.
Who knows what might happen if he finds his true sorcery, but for now, he can still keep up.
Come on, Captain, it'll be fun, right?
Rem had spoken with his axe, and Encrid had to answer.
He gripped the Aker and took his stance.
Encrid had been obsessively replaying his past battles since fighting the Giant and the sorcerer. It was a habit. That was the conclusion he came to.
Every fight felt like something was missing. None of them were fully satisfying.
'Disappointing.'
The Giant was only strong. The sorcerer wasn't a swordsman.
He felt a bit of joy, even some exhilaration. The revelations he gained gave him a thrill.
But that was all carried over from before.
So it'd be a lie to say he didn't want to cross swords with a true rival.
The Giant's strength was threatening, but his technique was terrible.
Being strong is an advantage, sure, but that's not everything.
Timing and precision are more important than raw strength. There's a huge difference between a precise strike delivered with proper posture and a wild, reckless swing.
The art of cornering your opponent with the right stance.
That's the Correct Sword Technique.
Encrid had added his time and effort to the Correct Sword Technique he learned from the possessed sword, Tutor, and further refined with experience from Luagarne.
It was the sword to corner Rem.
A blow to the crown, a sweeping strike, a diagonal cut, a horizontal cut from above, a spinning slash with the Middle Sword Technique.
Every motion conveyed a single message.
He'll stab with one hand.
That would be the final, most important attack in this game of wits.
Rem was prepared. Naturally. Why would he fall for something he could see coming?
While Encrid pressed his attack with proper form, he mixed in a deception.
It was the Deceptive Sword.
The Illusion Sword Technique.
Encrid used all his movements in this game of wits to create a single illusion.
He made it seem like he would stab with one hand, then suddenly closed the distance. In an instant, he sprang forward, and seeing him close the gap, Rem swung the fist holding his axe.
Encrid gripped the ricasso with his left hand for half-swording, bringing the blade forward.
If he left it like that, Rem would end up punching the blade.
Tilting the angle to break the sword with a punch? Rem could do that, but his opponent was Encrid, and the sword in his hand was a possessed blade.
Instead of punching the blade, Rem twisted his wrist and brought his axe blade to meet it.
The sword and axe blades clashed, tangling and separating repeatedly.
Ting-ting-ting-ting.
The two metal weapons met, sparks of joy crackling in the air.
In that brief moment, Encrid released the ricasso and extended his fingers to poke Rem in the eyes.
It was the Valaf-Style Martial Arts move, Blinding Strike.
A motion aimed at exploiting the opponent's opening, executed with half a beat faster than before.
Even so, Rem tilted his head back to avoid it.
The tip of Encrid's fingers grazed Rem's chin, drawing blood, and a few strands of his gray beard flew into the air.
Rem's skin had torn slightly from the brush with Encrid's fingers.
Rem immediately raised his foot for a kick, which Encrid blocked with his knee.
Whack!
They exchanged blows and then backed away, but Encrid quickly followed up with a vertical slash.
Ayul, watching from behind Rem, thought it looked like two blue streaks of light falling from the sky.
Encrid's eyes had made the strike appear like an illusion.
It was a downward slash with the Middle Sword Technique, putting all his strength into it. It was also a Knight's strike.
The entire fight had been leading up to this one move.
Originally, their sparring was done with about eight-tenths of their strength.
If they both went all out, it would be dangerous for both of them.
But now, they were both so absorbed in the fight that they unconsciously used all of their strength. In an instant, they became serious, putting everything they had into it.
Seeing the rushing sword, Rem lifted his axe to counter.
It seemed like brute force against brute force. But just before their weapons collided, Rem's wrist softly twisted.
He deflected the sword strike from the Middle Sword Technique with the edge of his axe, directing it to the side.
It was the Fluid Sword Technique. The flowing sword.
The two of them stopped in their tracks.
Encrid stood with Aker held diagonally, while Rem held his axe near his chest.
If they continued fighting, one of them could die.
It was that brutal of a spar. Could this even be called sparring?
Juol, without realizing it, held his breath, then exhaled with a puff.
Despite the savagery of their fight, both of them smiled.
"How about that?"
Rem asked.
"I was serious."
A faint smile appeared on Encrid's usually expressionless face.
"Damn, that was fun."
Rem chuckled.
He didn't need to say it, it was obvious. The Captain's expression always changed when he was truly having fun, but it seemed like he didn't realize it himself.
The fact that he could smile like a child receiving a gift meant that he still had some innocence left in him.
"You're both crazy."
Juol said as he watched.
"I almost had a heart attack."
Ayul added in amazement.
"That's a bit scary."
Rem responded in the middle of it, and Dunbachel silently nodded her head.
That's just the kind of people they were.
Luagarne shivered once more. These days, it seemed like she was watching Encrid just to be surprised.
'He's grown terrifyingly.'
Now that Rem had prepared himself and fought seriously, Encrid's current skill became even more apparent.
'And he will keep growing.'
It was the first time Luagarne had seen Encrid not hitting a limit but rather showing signs of growth. Unless her ability to sense talent was broken, that was certain.
Why did she feel that way? Luagarne realized something.
It came naturally as she watched Encrid smile.
'That smile.'
A smile, joy, exhilaration.
Encrid was chasing his dream. And he enjoyed the process. That's why he never stopped.
That smile, that joy—seeing it suddenly drove the realization into Luagarne's mind.
"If we fight like this again, I might lose a child, so let's wait until I find my sorcery. Also, I need to change my axe."
Rem said, holding up his axe. After fighting seriously, it was full of cracks, looking like it might break if tapped. Encrid nodded.
If they fought like this again, one of them might actually die.
"Alright."
He responded, and without hesitation, they packed up their camp. It was time to travel again.
On the way, they encountered monsters and saw unusual landscapes.
"This is where a black meteorite fell. From here southward, they call it the land where the horizon touches the earth."
It was Rem, Juol, or Ayul who would step forward to explain along the way.
Since monsters were no longer a match for them, their journey along the Path of Grime felt more like a sightseeing tour.
It was only natural, given that they had asymmetrical power on their side, including Encrid and Rem.
The land where the horizon touches was mostly dry, barren ground. There were occasional large trees, rocks, and hills, but mostly it was just wide-open space.
It was so vast that if you had good eyesight, you could probably tell what the distant moving dots were.
Though it looked desolate, the sunlight and wind combined to make it feel peaceful.
As they continued, they arrived at a place they had fought before.
"This is called the Sand Barrier Canyon. It's said that if you pass through here, you'll reach the River of No Return. You know the river of sand means desert, right?"
He'd heard deserts were lands of nothing but sand. He'd never been there before.
"That's the one place Frogs should avoid the most."
Luagarne had been feeling uncomfortable with the dryness for some time. Yet she endured it well.
Given how well she fought even while hearing the heartbeat of her opponent, it seemed that, among the Frogs, Luagarne had the greatest patience.
There were some Frogs who would go berserk and lose control if their chest armor got dasorcererd, but Luagarne generally remained calm unless she was facing cultists.
Juol said it was difficult to sightsee in the desert.
"Once you enter, everyone gets lost and dies."
Ayul added.
Encrid said he didn't feel like going in either.
Although they had fought here just a few days ago, there were no signs of the battle left.
Even the Giant's corpse seemed to have been disposed of somewhere.
The canyon extended deep inside. As they passed through the entrance where the bodies had been cleared, they could see caves dotting the high walls on one side.
They had to crane their necks up to see the sheer cliffs, which were filled with what looked like cave entrances.
"It's a sacred site."
Juol remarked.
This was a sacred site in the west. It was both a symbol of sorcery and a place that served as a substitute for a cemetery.
So if someone asked if they could feel any holy presence, well, it was hard to say.
It was certainly impressive.
All those caves, and even the occasional animals climbing the cliffs.
Were those monkeys? No, they looked like bears.
"They're Bear Monkeys."
Juol explained further.
He said they were animals somewhere between a bear and a monkey.
He wondered why such creatures existed, but…
"They're sacred animals. You can't harm them."
In other words, even if you were starving to death, you couldn't eat them.
They had pointy ears, round bodies, and looked rather slow.
Maybe because humans didn't harm them, a Bear Monkey approached and left something behind.
It was a red fruit that, when split open, was full of tiny seeds like a pomegranate.
"It's an Elixir. It tastes sour but sweet and delicious. Since we've been given a gift, we should give one in return."
Juol said as he offered up some Lucky Fish chips and snacks made from ground grains. The Bear Monkey, cautiously eyeing them, came closer and took the offering.
It seemed like they weren't entirely without caution, judging by the way they kept rolling their eyes in our direction.
"Cannibals will attack Bear Monkeys too, but judging by the reaction, it doesn't seem like they're hiding here."
"You mean those who ran away last time?"
"Yeah, they're probably still being hunted. A group of hunters is after them, so they'll be caught soon enough. The west is vast, but there's nowhere to hide."
Encrid remembered stabbing the last one in the back with a dagger.
Considering the spot he hit, the guy wouldn't be able to move easily.
Was sorcery as good at healing as Divine Power?
If so, he might be able to walk, but otherwise, he would be crippled.
He had struck accurately around the spine.
Unless he had some kind of relic like the bandaged armor Encrid wore himself,
it would have been a serious injury.
Yet somehow, the man had managed to stay on the run.
He hadn't been captured or killed yet.
Just that fact alone showed he wasn't an ordinary person. Then again, his skill had been quite impressive too.
"Let's go."
Their journey on the Path of Grime wasn't over yet.
They continued on, chatting, sparring, cooking, and even playing games like throwing Dunbachel into the lake.
Most of the time, they rode on velopters, and the land felt much larger compared to the continent.
There were no mountain ranges in the way to block their view.
Then, suddenly, ghouls appeared out of nowhere.
It happened while they were riding west.
Growl!
Ghouls, creatures you don't often see in the west, were a symbol of the Demon Realm.
Dunbachel stepped forward.
The curved blade at her waist flashed out and instantly severed the ghoul's neck.
Thud.
Black blood spilled from the severed neck, and the head rolled across the ground like a dry straw doll. After a few more ghouls appeared, Ayul spoke in a grave tone.
"Rem, from here on, this is forbidden territory."
"I know."
"That means we can't go any further."
"I know."
Even so, Rem kept walking. As he did, he said,
"I told you, let's walk the Path of Grime for real."
The legendary hero Grime had left behind didn't end in happiness. He had found the Demon Realm and died fighting the monsters that came from it. The end was more tragic than joyful, but that tragedy made it great.
"There's a Demon Realm in the west too."
Rem said.
The Demon Realm spreads across the entire continent. The largest one is said to be in the south, but it's not the only one. It's just a story that's been passed down.
"And some Demon Realms have names too."
Rem knew more than Encrid.
He had seen it when he underwent his coming-of-age ceremony in the west.
It was a secret known only to a few. During his coming-of-age, Rem had approached the border of the Demon Realm and seen what lay beyond.
"This Demon Realm is called Silence."
He said, stopping in his tracks with a grin.
"Wanna take a look?"
Nod.
Encrid nodded without hesitation.
He would wield his sword to protect those behind him. That was his dream. One of the obstacles in his path was the Demon Realm.
It was also the Demon Realm's resident, Balrog, that had killed Oara.
"Ayul, it'll be fine. You know why it's called Silence, right?"
Juol, after thinking for a moment, tried to calm Ayul. She reluctantly nodded.
They had been riding velopters for over twenty days.
They hadn't been going full speed, but they had been moving fast. Their destination was the Demon Realm.
As they pressed on, the ochre-colored earth gradually turned black.
It wasn't just black, it was dull and started to smell like blood.
Growl!
Ghouls occasionally appeared, along with mutated ratmen. But there weren't many of them. For something called the Demon Realm, the numbers were unusually low.
The grassland around them disappeared entirely, and a low ridge blocked their path ahead.
It was low, but stretched far to the left and right, and it was completely black. They climbed the ridge. Once they got this far, even Ayul stopped saying much.
Some people from the west believed that stepping foot here meant death, but those in the know understood.
There was no such curse. Going further in might have harmful effects, but this wasn't even the entrance.
It was only the area near the Demon Realm. The real Demon Realm lay beyond the black mist.
From the ridge, they could see a faint glimmer among the dark surroundings.
It was a gray tree. A symbol of the Demon Realm.
Its shape was grotesque.
The branches and leaves formed a wild, chaotic figure resembling a disheveled woman.
The rocks resembled human hearts, colored a dull, dark red. The wind blew, but it wasn't the refreshing breeze from earlier, it was heavy and oppressive.
The Gray Forest of the Demon Realm was the curse that had descended upon the city of Oara.
That curse had been cut and severed by the Knight Oara.
And now, before them, stood the curse that had fallen upon the west.
Black mist spread to the left and right, limiting their visibility.
"Only twice has something emerged from this place, and both times, the west was almost destroyed."
Rem said. It was a story from long ago.
"Bora Demon was one of them. From a sorcery perspective, they say names without power aren't threatening, so they gave it such a name for that reason."
Wasn't Bora Demon's curse one cast by the Fortune-teller Tribe?
Encrid saw a certain intensity in Rem's eyes.
It was the resolve to end that Demon Realm. There must have been a reason.
"Did someone you know or a family member get caught up in it?"
Maybe when the Bora Demon appeared, it had happened.
And a dying father might have said: Run away, don't fight, leave the Demon Realm alone.
The people of the western continent wouldn't try to do anything about the Demon Realm. Messing with it would only lead to death.
That must not have sat well with Rem.
A father's killer, a family's killer, perhaps.
Rem scoffed at the idea and said,
"What are you talking about? I just don't like having it as a neighbor."
He acted like it was no big deal.
"That's it?"
Encrid asked again.
"What else is there?"
Living so far away from your neighbors didn't seem quite right.
But that was just a typical Rem answer.
He didn't like it.
Encrid felt the same way.
"We're not here to charge in right now, so hold yourself back."
"What?"
"You were thinking about charging in, weren't you?"
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because?"
"Me?"
"Yeah."
"Look, you get a little crazy whenever you see the Demon Realm or monsters, just like how that Frog over there loses it when she sees cultists."
Rem's eyes, looking at Encrid like he was insane, were rather annoying.
"If you charge in now, it's suicide. Get a grip. If I have to, I'll restrain you by force. Ayul, get ready."
Rem was serious, and Encrid couldn't help but curse.
"You son of a…"
"It's a stupid way to die! Get a grip."
Encrid couldn't hold back and swung the Aker.
Even in a place like the Demon Realm's forbidden zone, the two of them tussled for a while. But they didn't take it too seriously.
The sparring only stopped when Encrid landed a punch to Rem's side.
Since they hadn't used sorcery, Encrid had the upper hand. The two of them, sweaty, suddenly burst into laughter.
It had all been a joke, after all.
The Demon Realm or whatever else would eventually be wiped out, but there was no need to risk their lives just yet.
In any case, they were crazy.
"We'll come back here next time."
"Yeah, let's finish things then."
"Let's do that."
The two stood up, and Ayul cautiously surveyed the west. She was starting to think they might have lost their minds.
Talking about taking care of the Demon Realm and then laughing. It was ridiculous.
Juol's heart was pounding.
What they had shown was so utterly absurd that it left him in awe.
But his heart was racing.
His anticipation soared. He was beginning to understand why so many people gathered around a hero like Encrid.
Was it because he was a great fighter?
There were plenty of good fighters. Even Rem was one, and in the past, there were warriors in the west too.
Was it because he was handsome?
No, that wasn't it either.
His ambition was different, and the way he pursued his dreams was different. In other words, his attitude toward life was dazzling.
That was the kind of person he was, so naturally, people flocked to him.
That realization moved Juol. Without realizing it, he cried.
"If you're scared, just pee yourself. That's better than crying. Why are you crying?"
Rem teased him.
Juol cried and then burst into laughter.
It was because everything they said felt like it had already come true.
"Is it contagious?"
Rem muttered with genuine concern.
[T/L: Please support me AND read further chapters here: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans.]
[T/L: Subscribe for a membership on my Ko-Fi page and receive 15 extra chapters upon joining, along with daily updates of one chapter.]
[Additional Info: If anyone is facing the issue of payment on Ko-Fi, please contact me on revengerscans1@gmail.com]