The Sword Genius of the Magic Empire - Chapter 67



Only Noblemtl

Episode 67. The Second Coming (4)

Black.

It was a familiar word to Enoch himself. But at the same time, it was also an extremely awkward word to hear from others.

Tantalus, who was still standing on the high platform of the basement, observed Enoch and smiled dryly.

“Surprisingly, you have a dull expression?”

Enoch replied briefly.

“Your confidant, you said Persona.”

The last time I faced Persona, I had guided her to her inner world where the swordsmanship was. And I still remember her reaction when she faced the best sword.

[In the past… But, why in this inner world…?]

Enoch said calmly.

“The Persona I met before seemed to know about the Sword Mastery, so there’s no way you wouldn’t know.”

Of course, it’s her direct superior, the Destructor. It would be even stranger if Tantalus didn’t know that.

“You’re pretty quick-witted. That’s right.”

As expected, Tantalus responded willingly.

“In the Book of Gnosis that Persona obtained, there were records of the swordsmanship on some of the pages.”

Enoch’s eyes narrowed slightly when he heard that.

“The Book of Gnosis”

A forbidden book left behind by a black magician belonging to the old-generation underworld.

Previously, the head of the underworld in the northeastern city of Elseid. It was also something that ‘Omen’ had directly mentioned.

‘There was a record of the sword there?’

It was a strange thing.

Even if you look through the history of the empire, there is absolutely no record of Jechoi Sword, or any sword masters that may have existed in the past.

But there is a record of the Jechoi Sword in the artifact of the black magician that the empire strictly prohibited?

Tantalus continued speaking as if he found it amusing.

“Even though it is such a great book of Gnosis, I only have a few pages of the manuscript that I can read. And even those don’t contain much about the sword.”

He said with a slightly exaggerated laugh.

“But, among those, I remember the ‘Sword Saint related to the past Suin tribe’ even though I don’t like it.”

I could tell right away.

Tantalus was talking about the last swordsman of the empire. It was a story about him who was active in the distant past.

“Even if you don’t like it, you end up remembering it?”

“Okay. I don’t know where to start with this, but I think you’ll understand if I start with this.”

Tantalus’ green eyes twitched once.

“Enoch, do you know? In the past, before wizards appeared, the ‘Sword Saints’ were said to have been the strongest beings who surpassed humans.”

Tantalus said, flicking the ash from his cigar.

“However, the state of swordsmanship is a state that only a very small number of people can reach. It is a transcendent state that most people cannot reach even if they devote their entire lives to it.”

The cigarette ash fell to the floor, making a small sound.

“On the other hand, ‘magic’, which appeared in the world at some point, was an extremely useful discipline that was easy to manifest and could be applied and developed in other fields.”

He glanced at Enoch’s sword and said,

“Therefore, as magic developed over the generations, there gradually became fewer and fewer people willing to take the arduous path of becoming a swordsman.”

“Are there no longer any people walking the path of the Black Sword?”

“From here on out, it’s my speculation, but there are two reasons.”

Tantalus held up two fingers.

“First of all, ironically, from the moment a person manifests ‘unique mana’, which is a projection of their true self, they become unable to use magic. In other words, it is impossible for one person to have both swordsmanship and magicianship. They have to choose one of the two paths.”

He said, folding his second finger.

“Furthermore, the decisive factor there was the fact that magic was a subject that most people could manifest more easily and quickly, and it also had a wide range of applications. The path of the ‘Sword Master’ faded away as it was pushed aside by that easy path.”

Tantalus added with a low laugh.

“To put it simply, it means that the cost-effectiveness is poor.”

He put his hands into the pockets of his white coat.

“Rather than spending your whole life trying endlessly to become a swordsman, which only a select few can achieve, it would be a much more sensible and reasonable choice to invest in learning ‘magic’ that is easy for anyone to learn and powerful.”

“gist.”

Enoch cut him off calmly. Tantalus chuckled, seeming to like that attitude.

“Okay. Get to the point.”

He said, holding the cigar upright.

“But at this point, aren’t you curious? Then, in an empire where magic developed with the flow of time, what was the last person to reach the realm of a swordsman like?”

Tantalus spoke as if he were raising an interesting question.

“Are those who have reached the realm of swordsmanship after such arduous efforts really just products of an older generation that have been eliminated by magicians who have developed over the generations?”

“well.”

Enoch replied calmly.

Tantalus answered with a grin.

“I found the answer in the Book of Gnosis. Enoch. According to the records, the last swordsman of the empire was nothing short of a mythical monster.”

“A mythical monster?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

Tantalus said with a hearty laugh.

“His activities were truly remarkable. With just one sword, he swept away the demonic forces at the forefront, and single-handedly subdued dozens of level 5 or higher magicians who had invaded his territory. He even fought against the ‘level 1 magicians’ of the time…”

He said that much and shrugged.

“… What. There are such ridiculous records left in the forbidden books, so how could you not remember them?”

Oh, right.

Enoch nodded silently.

I know his activities just by seeing them with my own eyes.

There aren’t any munchkins that are that ridiculous.

But aside from that fact, there were other points in his speech that were truly noteworthy.

‘I still don’t know what the ‘Book of Gnosis’ is, but it seems to contain quite a bit of detail about swordsmanship.’

Enoch licked his lips inwardly.

There is a need to learn more about the abnormalities related to blackness.

But unfortunately, time was slowly passing by.

At this moment, mana was flowing into Tantalus’ large magic circle, preparing to activate.

There was no more delay here.

“But, I don’t understand.”

Enoch said, slowly grasping the sword.

The blue-black light projected onto the sword shone on his body.

“Considering all the talk about the dangers of the Black Sword, you don’t seem to be that wary of me.”

“Of course.”

Tantalus replied with obvious sneer.

“Objectively, if you were a swordsman from the past, I wouldn’t know. You are no threat to me. Enoch Elseid.”

The guy looked down from the stage and said:

“According to the records left by Gnosis, the realm of the swordsman is the manifestation of the inherent mana that contains the will that has permeated life. Therefore, the inherent mana is shaped into a phenomenon that resembles the will of the owner.”

Enoch paused for a moment.

It certainly wasn’t a wrong statement.

Because that was the mana of my best sword.

The unique mana he showed was the form of flame.

Then, it probably means that the mana of other swordsmen also has its own form.

Tantalus continued speaking.

“But, the unique mana you project onto your sword hasn’t taken its original form yet?”

He pointed to the mana embedded in Enoch’s sword.

Enoch’s unique mana, with its cold, dark blue light, quietly drives away the darkness of the basement.

“Don’t you know yet, Enoch?”

Tantalus said with a cold glint in his eyes.

“The fact that the mana projected onto your sword has not yet taken on such a form is the clearest evidence that your swordsmanship is still incomplete.”

Tantalus’ words echoed loudly.

But Enoch just smiled faintly.

“It seems like you don’t understand what I mean.”

“What do you mean?”

Enoch spoke, scanning the magic circle that filled the air.

“To build and activate such a large magic circle all by yourself, you must have consumed a lot of mana.”

Tantalus’ eyes slightly distorted.

Enoch added, hitting the nail on the head.

“Even at level 10, it’s enough to deplete mana.”

Even a powerful 10th-grade wizard is not exempt from the risk of running out of mana. Tantalus is currently constructing a large magic circle, so he is probably not in perfect condition.

This fact was also the decisive reason why Enoch initially judged that he could take on the guy on his own.

“Certainly, I’m not in a condition to do anything like grabbing someone.”

He also seemed to admit it obediently.

“But if you really thought I was going into the experiment without any preparation, it would be quite disappointing.

In that moment, Tantalus stretched out one arm and deployed mana.

A green magic circle was formed, wrapping around the cylindrical surface of a test tube in the room like a glowing ring.

“I’ll show you something good.”

As soon as he finished speaking.

Inside the test tube where the green magic circle spread out, something large that had been trapped motionless began to stir.

Chaenggrang!

The next moment, the test tube in the basement shattered into pieces, and a huge, black, gleaming hand burst through the glass.

The size of the palm alone is as large as the upper half of my body.

The beast’s soft roar vibrated inside the test tube and shook the air in the darkness of the basement.

-Krrrrr… … .

Tantalus looked at it and laughed.

“The exiled Suin tribe are useful in many ways.”

The owner of the giant grip finally completely shattered the trapped test tube with a loud noise.

The green liquid that had been filling the test tube burst out and scattered in all directions on the floor.

A heavy step was taken, making a loud noise that shook the entire basement.

“As expected of the Suin tribe, their bodies held up pretty well even after undergoing the latest modifications to the test subjects.”

Tantalus introduced himself in a slightly raised voice.

“It’s an elite test subject. It’s a pretty decent toy.”

A gigantic test subject demon that must be at least 6 meters tall.

Huge muscles and beastly horns sprouting from the head.

Judging by those characteristics, it seems like they created the test subjects using the outcasts of the Suin tribe as material, just like the guy said.

‘That look.’

A slight sense of unease crossed Enoch’s mind at the sight.

A special demon seen at the Nemesis entrance exam hall.

‘Obviously, it’s similar.’

The special trick of the first test site.

A figure resembling ‘Baphomet’.

However, it is about twice as large.

The sense of oppression felt was also much stronger.

“As the materials are what they are, the specs are comparable to a wizard who has reached the 10th level in close combat.”

Tantalus took his cigar out of his mouth and said:

“Of course, these kids’ toys are still far from enough for my ‘plan’….”

He aimed his cigar at Enoch.

“At least it’s more than enough plaything for you.”

-Kiririririk!

The test subject let out a roar that shook the ground, then rushed forward and threw a huge fist.

A dull, piercing sound cut through the air, piercing my eardrums.

Phew!

Enoch responded by turning his sword once and jumping forward.

The blue-black mana projected onto the sword left a dazzling trail, and a powerful circular sword strike unfolded.

Type 2, wheel.

Crunch!

The blade slashed at the bastard’s entire arm and neck.

The sure sensation of cutting through flesh and bone was felt by Enoch’s fingertips through the sword’s handle.

I cut off the neck, which is the universal weakness of all living things.

It would have definitely been suffocating damage.

“… … ?”

But before he could even cut off the bastard’s neck and land.

Enoch’s eyes widened as he caught sight of something.

Gulp-

The arm and head of the guy who had been cut off by the sword were writhing and regenerating almost simultaneously with their being cut off.

This is ridiculous.

‘Let’s say the arm is like that. Even the severed neck can be regenerated?’

Enoch readjusted his sword as he looked at the head of the creature that had regenerated with a slimy sound again.

I had a similar opponent a while ago.

A tentacle man who was under Persona’s command.

But this time, it’s a guy with a completely different level of regenerative power that can’t even be compared to that.

‘Even if you cut off its head, it will grow back?’

As long as that regenerative ability exists, it’s as if there’s no other weakness that can kill it.

Literally semi-immortal.

“Please, play until you get tired of it. That is, until I finish this experiment.”

The guy looked down and spoke leisurely.

Enoch took up his sword.

No matter how much you cut it, it doesn’t die and instead recovers.

To win against this ridiculous guy…

-Kiriririririk!

at that time.

The test subject roared loudly and charged again.

The guy who approached me with explosive speed threw a punch.

Enoch immediately spins his body around to dodge.

At the same time, he raised his sword and cut off the bastard’s left arm.

The test subject, who had been running wildly, throwing punches, let out a painful scream and took a few more steps past Enoch.

The left arm of the test subject, cut by the sword, fell to the basement floor with a clattering sound.

But Tantalus glanced at it and laughed.

“It’s no use. Direct.”

Tantalus, who saw Enoch’s meaningless fight, laughed and blew out cigar smoke.

“You must have seen it regenerate even after being decapitated. After all, amputated limbs regenerate quickly.”

Tantalus turned away and took up his cigar to complete the large magic circle again.

“Well, if it’s a monster like the last swordsman of the empire recorded in the Book of Gnosis, then I don’t know. What can you, a mere swordsman who is not yet fully formed, do…”

And that was when he noticed something strange.

-Kiriririririk!

The screams of the demon, still soaked in pain, continued to resonate, shaking the entire basement.

Only then did Tantalus realize that something was strange.

‘…what?’

The demon still cries miserably in a terrible voice, in pain from having his arm cut off by a sword.

‘According to the specs, it’s time for playback to finish already?’

It was definitely weird.

The arm of the test subject that was cut off by Enoch’s sword has, for some reason, not regenerated at all.

‘What the heck?’

When Tantalus sensed something strange, he quickly turned his head towards Enoch.

Whoosh whoosh!

Above the eye of Tantalus.

A dance of red flames was reflected.

His pupils dilated greatly when he saw that.

Tantalus found himself unconsciously mumbling empty words from his lips.

“Flame… …?”

In the darkness, a bright red flame flickered.

A fierce flame was burning from Enoch’s sword.

The flames wrapped around the one-handed sword were burning so fiercely that it seemed as if they would drive away all the darkness underground.

Tantalus frowned when he saw that.

‘It was clearly wrapped in dark blue mana at first. But then suddenly it became a sword engulfed in fire?’

As soon as he saw the sword’s flames, he realized what was causing his test subject to not regenerate.

‘The part cut by the sword is burned by the flames!’

The cut area made by a sword wrapped in fire.

The wound on the cross-section was burned by the intense flames, and the subject’s regenerative powers were lost.

“No way. The improved demon beast would have sufficient resistance to fire magic of level 10 or higher…”

At that moment, it seemed like I realized something.

Tantalus’ eyes opened wide.

“no way.”

He muttered slowly and astonishedly.

“That flame, it’s not just a simple flame…!”

As Tantalus was mumbling absentmindedly, Enoch’s cold voice rang in his ears.

“Did you say it was an unfinished sword?”

Suddenly, Tantalus’ eyes widened as he looked in that direction.

Beyond the flickering flames, Enoch’s dark blue eyes were looking at him coldly.

“Maybe so.”

Certainly, Enoch himself may still be incomplete as a swordsman.

However, the mana projected onto the sword now was not his own mana.

Mana that ripples in the shape of flames.

Enoch silently lifted the sword engulfed in flames.

It’s not familiar, but it definitely felt like it.

Mana once projected onto the sword of the last swordsman of the empire.

It was his will to live a life that was endlessly like fire.

Enoch smiled faintly.

Because up until now, memories have been inherited from the world of impermanence.

Because I experienced the mana that was imbued with the life of a swordsman in the past.

I could understand his sword, even if only a little.

“…no way.”

Meanwhile, Tantalus gritted his teeth and bit into his cigar.

“That flame, the prophecy of… …!”

Before he could finish his words, he quickly put down his cigar and exhaled.

Crackling.

Thick, gray-green cigarette smoke filled the air.

Smoke spread out, billowing low in all directions.

Reacting to the mana contained in the cigar’s smoke, the test tubes throughout the basement began to vibrate violently.

Chaenggang, chaenggrang!

In an instant, countless test subjects all over the underground began to move, breaking the glass of their test tubes.

An army of demon slayer test subjects.

A low metallic rumble that seemed to tear at one’s eardrums.

Creatures that are twisted and hideously distorted, as if they are in deep despair.

In the darkness, their strange eyes glowed green and glared at Enoch.

Alone, facing Tantalus and the army of test subjects that filled the darkness of the underground.

Enoch just smiled faintly and took hold of his sword.

The sword flames once ignited by the last swordsman of the empire burned fiercely once again, driving away the darkness.

“Just looking at the reaction.”

He lifted the sword he had been hanging from to the side.

“I think you know more about that ‘prophecy’.”

In the dark.

With a long flaming sword hanging in one hand.

Enoch said, walking forward slowly.

“……yes?”