Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Episode 69 – Andrew

As they set out from Count Fillmore’s estate in the morning, the sun was already dipping toward the west by the time they crossed two high mountain passes.

The view from the pass was like a painting come to life.

Of course, it meant nothing to Karon.

In truth, Karon’s attention was focused on something else, though Hinshan remained unaware of this.

“We’ll reach our destination by tomorrow. How about spending the night in that village down there?”

Hinshan pointed down to a fairly large village, with smoke rising here and there in the distance.

Had it been just the two of them, they might have pushed on toward the capital, but Karon was concerned about Andrew, sitting behind him.

The child’s face looked pale and quite gaunt, likely from not eating properly.

“All right.”

Whether he had caught onto Hinshan’s intention or was lost in other thoughts, Karon nodded lightly.

Had they kept to the original plan, they would have already reached the capital by now, but a detour through the Fillmore territory had altered their course.

They would have to stay in an unplanned village.

Of course, Karon had no complaints about the decision.

He probably would have followed Karon into the pits of hell if necessary.

As they entered the village, it seemed the day’s work was done, with villagers returning one by one.

“It’s a lively place.”

“So it seems.”

People could be seen stopping by shops to buy food or pick up necessary supplies before heading home.

At the market, people were selling produce from that day’s harvest or animals they’d hunted.

As they strolled through the village, Karon suddenly stopped his horse and dismounted.

Andrew followed, while Hinshan, still on horseback, watched them carefully, keeping an eye on the surroundings.

‘What’s he up to…?’

Hinshan’s brows furrowed slightly.

Karon was heading toward a blacksmith’s shop. Though the sun was setting, the heat inside was still intense.

“What can I do for you, young man?”

The blacksmith, who seemed to be the owner, approached, wiping his sweat with a towel slung over his shoulder.

Andrew hid behind Karon, who silently pointed toward something.

“Ah, you’ve come to see the daggers! How about this one? It’s well-made, sharp, and just the right length.”

The blacksmith took out the sleekest dagger, but Karon shook his head slightly, emphasizing his original choice with another gesture.

“That dagger? The blade is a bit dull, and the length is awkward, so it might be hard to use. But if that’s the one you want, I’ll give it to you at a bargain!”

The blacksmith happily handed the dagger over to Karon.

“Quiet young man, aren’t you? Haha!”

After paying for the dagger and its sheath, Karon immediately handed it to Andrew.

At first, Andrew flinched, then grabbed the dagger quickly as if it were a precious gift.

“Oh.”

For the first time, he opened his mouth with a pleased smile, as if he had been given a toy.

Though his expression was subtle, it was there.

“There’s an inn just up ahead. Let’s head there.”

Hinshan, who had been observing silently, spoke up, seeing that they were done.

The three of them headed straight for the inn, leaving their horses at the stable before entering the bustling tavern on the first floor.

Inside, a few villagers who had finished their work were enjoying a lively meal.

“Soup and bread, some boiled meat and vegetables… and a bottle of wine.”

When the server came to take their order, Hinshan paused briefly, then listed each item.

It was more than he would usually order, but he had Andrew in mind.

As if proving his point, Andrew began eating hurriedly as soon as the food arrived, instinctively glancing at the other two from time to time.

Then Karon asked abruptly.

“Did you find out where they went?”

Hinshan smiled faintly, sipping the wine, then answered respectfully.

“Yes. It seems they escaped by ship from Wattsbell Port on the northeastern edge of the empire, heading toward the magic nation of Kolima.”

“Kolima?”

Karon’s eyebrows twitched slightly.

“Yes. Beyond the Altun Mountains to the empire’s north is the kingdom of Tamaule, and beside it is Kolima, the magical nation. Due to the rugged mountains and monsters, travel is primarily by sea.”

“Hm…”

Karon recalled a conversation he’d had with the Demon Mask.

Whether it was mere coincidence or connected to the Blue Raven Gang was uncertain.

But one thing was clear: going to Kolima would allow him to accomplish two tasks at once.

“What’s Kolima like?”

“About a hundred years ago, it was a nation that dominated the continent with its magic, taking a significant portion of territory from Tamaule and the empire. But as mana began to thin across the continent, mages gradually disappeared.”

“….”

“It’s now nearly deserted of mages, and its territory has greatly diminished. Naturally, relations with the empire aren’t great, but it’s not openly hostile, either.”

Karon listened to his words in silence.

“Kolima’s magical engineering is highly advanced, so they have many useful items. The empire also benefits from trade with Kolima, given its technological advancement. And…”

Hinshan continued his explanation, allowing Andrew to finish his meal at ease.

The next morning at dawn.

“Ugh…”

Hinshan awoke to the faint sound of clanging metal, realizing that Karon and Andrew were no longer in the room.

He sat up on the edge of his bed, gathering his thoughts.

“Did I sleep that soundly? I didn’t sense either of them leaving.”

Since the only other room available had been a large shared room, they’d essentially slept in beds side by side.

Yet he hadn’t noticed when they left.

While it made sense for Karon, who tended to be almost invisible, he should have at least sensed Andrew’s presence.

Shaking his head, Hinshan dressed and headed out to the inn’s back area.

From the outdoor terrace on the second floor, he looked down at the courtyard and spotted Karon and Andrew.

Karon was making light, stabbing motions with his dagger, and Andrew was mimicking him exactly.

“What on earth am I watching?”

Hinshan rubbed his eyes, watching the scene unfold below.

Andrew followed Karon’s movements with precision, replicating his every move.

As he observed, Hinshan noticed that every technique Karon was teaching targeted vital points for maximum lethality.

Moreover, Andrew’s movements were remarkably swift, almost competent enough to handle regular people already.

“Is this really okay…?”

At most, Andrew was around ten years old—far too young to be learning how to kill.

Hinshan shook his head, then went downstairs to order breakfast.

About thirty minutes later, while sipping coffee after his meal, Hinshan greeted the two as they came down, ready to leave.

Waiting for them, the table was set with soup, bread, bacon, and jam.

Andrew’s face had a bit more color than yesterday.

Karon ate in silence, and Andrew mimicked his every move, right down to his manner of eating.

Watching them quietly, Hinshan couldn’t help but be struck by how alike they seemed in temperament.

“Anyone would think they were brothers.”

Finishing his last sip, Hinshan rose and said, “I’ll get the horses ready. Take your time coming down.”

With a polite nod, he stepped outside to prepare the horses, loading the bags so they could depart as soon as Karon was ready.

A moment later, Karon and Andrew came out, and the three of them quickly set off toward the capital.

—

A dim, damp underground fighting arena.

Torches installed sporadically barely illuminated the surroundings.

“Ugh… Aaargh!”

A man’s agonized screams echoed through the arena.

The man, gripping a black sword, writhed in pain, veins in his arm darkening as they seemed to pulse with the weapon’s sinister aura.

From the audience seats, a group watched intently.

Among them were the leader of the Blue Raven Gang and his subordinates.

Big Stone, a muscular man; Rockhill, wielding a massive sword; and Ragoon, a bespectacled young man known as the brains of the organization.

“Boss, it seems like another failure. We should stop before it’s too late.”

Ragoon adjusted his glasses, observing the man in the arena and speaking to the leader.

“Hm…”

The leader sighed in frustration.

This was already the fifth attempt, each time using only members with minimal resistance to the artifact’s energy, yet none had succeeded.

The Black Blade continued to devour the user’s mind as though it were sustenance.

At that moment, a dark red energy erupted from the blade, swirling around the host’s body.

Veins bulged across the man’s body, and his eyes became bloodshot, entirely overtaken by the demonic weapon.

If they delayed any longer, he would likely lose all control and go berserk.

“Boss!”

“Dispose of him.”

At the leader’s command, Rockhill leaped into the arena, swinging his massive sword and severing the man’s arm that held the Black Blade in a single, clean motion.

Splat!

With a sickening thud, the man collapsed, blood gushing from every wound, his life swiftly draining away.

Just like that, the demonic energy vanished.

The Black Blade lay silent, as though nothing had happened.

“Damn thing.”

Rockhill muttered disdainfully, prying the Black Blade from the severed hand with his sword.

“How did that boy manage to use this weapon?”

He thought back to the boy he had fought a year ago.

Not only had the boy wielded the Black Blade effortlessly, but he had also seemed to merge with it seamlessly, as if it were part of him.

Initially, Rockhill hadn’t thought much of him, but as more and more people died, his curiosity about the boy’s identity grew.

Moments later, the iron doors opened, and a few people entered to carry out the now-cold corpse.

The arena floor was stained red with blood.

“This has become pointless, Boss.”

Rockhill, leaping back up to the second floor, wore a weary expression as Ragoon addressed the leader with a serious tone.

“What if we had the priestess try? She might still be young, but she should be able to neutralize a single weapon.”

“Not yet. We can’t put her through the ritual before she reaches adulthood. Don’t forget how we brought her here.”

Ragoon replied calmly, though Rockhill raised his voice in frustration.

“Then what? Should we just seal it away? Are we really going to give up?”

“If we can’t use it ourselves… it’s better to destroy it than let it fall into another’s hands.”

Ragoon’s expression hardened, emphasizing the word “destroy.”

Listening to their exchange, the leader nodded as if making a decision.

“You’re both right, in a way. For now, seal the blade and focus on finding individuals immune to demonic energy. Rockhill, take your men and search for these people. Ragoon, focus on locating the ritual scroll to unseal the weapon. I expect a report in one week.”

With that, he turned his back.

Big Stone followed him out without a word, and the underground arena was left in an eerie, chilling silence.

TL NOTE: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES