Chapter 282: The Responsibility is Mine (Part 2)
Slash!
A flash of light plummeted vertically. As fast as lightning, as fierce as a tempest, it aimed straight for our heads. In its path, Javier barely reacted, shifting slightly to the side.
“……”
He moved just a half step to the side, a mere paper’s width away, narrowly evading the sword strike. At the same time, he extended his scabbard.
Swoosh.
It was a simple, straightforward thrust, neither swift nor rushed. To the untrained eye, it might seem too gentle, lacking any sign of special technique, the very definition of a basic move. However, to Queen Alicia, who faced Javier’s counter, the move was terrifying.
“……Gasp!”
Her eyes, wide with shock, were completely fixed on Javier’s scabbard, which now seemed to block every possible escape route. ‘It’s blocking all directions.’
It was merely a straightforward thrust of his scabbard towards her. Yet, within this simple motion, she perceived countless possibilities. She could sense, feel, and intuitively know that regardless of her counterattack…
The path of that scabbard would shift, rendering all her efforts futile. And if she chose to retreat…
“Tsck!”
The queen quickly pulled back, retracting her previously committed strike, using the momentum to her advantage.
Whoosh, whoom!
In front of her, the sword spun twice, glinting sharply. Within that glint, a red aura blossomed, stretching out into seven whip-like strands, aiming to encircle Javier’s scabbard from all directions. But, they nearly missed.
Click!
In an instant, the scabbard disappeared. As if the prior thrust was a mere illusion, the seven strands of aura fruitlessly clutched at the now-empty space.
“……!”
Queen Alicia’s gaze wavered momentarily. Then, from the left, Javier’s voice emerged, commending her swift and sharp counter, yet critiquing her overreliance on technique.
“Kuh!”
When had he moved to her side? Startled, Alicia dispersed her aura to the side.
Crash!
A powerful torrent of energy, capable of slicing through anything, swept across Javier. Yet, his expression remained calm, his movements unhurried.
“Even now, Your Majesty makes the same mistake. Were I in your position…”
Ratatatatat!
His scabbard moved leisurely, as if swatting away flies, an utterly unremarkable response that sent the seven strands of aura scattering.
Not a trace of aura graced Javier’s scabbard. His stern teaching continued, “This would have been my approach.”
Whoosh!
Suddenly, the mundane scabbard transformed, unleashing a force like a tidal wave, an unstoppable disaster trampling over space and time itself.
‘I’m going to die.’
It was a chilling realization. Was this a cut? A thrust? A strike? Such terms were inadequate to describe this attack. ‘Crushing,’ perhaps, was the closest term.
Yet, Queen Alicia didn’t falter; instead, she met the challenge with even greater ferocity.
“……Ha!”
She drew all seven strands of aura towards her, condensing them into a massive, blade-like form, clashing head-on with Javier’s overwhelming strike.
A colossal impact ensued, sending shockwaves in every direction. Amidst this, Alicia stood her ground, determined not to be overwhelmed.
To prevail, she fully unleashed her Mana Heart, extracting every ounce of strength within her. And finally, she withstood the onslaught.
“Exemplary, Your Majesty. Should you fully grasp movements driven by instinct rather than technique, you will undoubtedly advance further.”
As abruptly as it began, the turmoil ceased. The storm calmed, the tidal wave dissipated, and the overwhelming aura faded, leaving Javier smiling in the now-peaceful space, his scabbard still pointed towards her.
In that moment, Alicia realized, “……”
Ah, no matter how long I pursue this path, I will never surpass him. Is this what it feels like to encounter a genius beyond geniuses? Despite being hailed as a prodigy myself, there exists another realm of genius altogether.
‘It’s so unfair.’
Yet, she couldn’t help but smile bitterly at the thought. However, she didn’t succumb to self-pity.
‘If I can’t surpass him, I’ll at least strive to follow in his footsteps.’ Eventually, her own path would emerge. There’s no need to obsess over surpassing him; following her own path would lead her to her own answers and conclusions.
Now isn’t the time for despair or elation over the immediate differences but rather for even greater effort and perseverance.
“Dare I say, Your Majesty, growth is something you’ll achieve on your own. As for me, I shall not cease my efforts with the scabbard.”
Click!
The confrontation intensified, with Javier readily engaging the queen’s moves, internally admiring, ‘Her Majesty has already surpassed the realm of ordinary swordmasters.’
She was not this formidable when last they met, not even during the battle with the Bondragon. Assisting the queen with her intensive training recently, Javier realized her astounding rate of growth.
‘Typically, reaching Swordmaster is considered the final destination for swordsmen.’
Beyond that lies only the realm of Grandmasters, a theoretical existence. Thus, becoming a Swordmaster marks the end of a swordsman’s journey, a common perception.
Discussions about the superiority among Swordmasters usually revolve around their tenure in that rank—how long one has been a Swordmaster, how many Aura Swords they’ve wielded, and their proficiency.
But the queen before him? She was different. Like himself, she transcended common perceptions and evaluations.
‘She’s still growing, and at a remarkable pace.’
Her pure dedication to swordsmanship, her belief that her growth contributes to the military strength of the nation—perhaps these were the secrets behind her extraordinary skills.
‘I shall, with all my heart, assist Her Majesty in her growth.’
Javier resolved to support such a person, even if it meant surpassing himself, or rather, especially if she were to surpass him. That would be a truly joyous occasion.
With this resolve, he gripped his scabbard tighter, expertly parrying the queen’s sword.
Just then, a distant explosion was felt—far off, deep underground, seemingly in the direction of the vertical mine shaft overseen by Lloyd, sparking confusion and concern.
‘Explosion?’
Initially, Javier wondered if Lloyd had employed explosives for some construction necessity. However, this felt different, unfamiliar, and ominously chilling, even from a distance.
Realizing the gravity and potential danger of the situation, Javier sheathed his scabbard.
“My apologies, Your Majesty.”
“……What?”
Crack!
As Javier hastily retracted his scabbard, Alicia was forced to abruptly stop her advance.
“Apologies? What do you mean by that?”
“I must attend to an urgent matter.”
“Urgent? Attend to what?”
“Just so, Your Majesty. It seems something has befallen Lord Lloyd. I shall return and offer my apologies properly afterward. Until then.”
“Wait…!”
Her urgent call went unanswered as Javier had already sprinted off, leaving the training ground and the queen alone in bewilderment.
“What is this all about?”
She was left astonished, her training interrupted without her consent. Yet, Queen Alicia did not explode in anger or reprimand Javier’s impudence. Instead, her face was etched with worry.
‘Something concerning Lord Lloyd?’
Could it be that he sensed something she had not? Was it his Grandmaster instincts that detected the danger befalling Lloyd?
“Sir Maldini!”
Sensing that the situation was dire, she immediately called for her captain of the guard.
“By my order, declare martial law throughout the capital. All citizens are to stay in their homes or designated shelters. All royal guards and stationed troops must be on high alert.”
“……Your Majesty?”
The abrupt command took everyone by surprise, rendering the captain momentarily dumbfounded. Yet, Alicia paid no mind to such minor reactions.
“Implement it immediately. And you, lead the royal guard to the palace’s excavation site for the renovation works. Quickly.”
If a Grandmaster like Javier sensed urgency enough to rush off, it indicated a serious emergency.
Unable to sit idly by, Queen Alicia firmly commanded, then leaped towards the construction site managed by Lloyd.
Swish!
Lloyd plummeted vertically, effortlessly like bungee jumping, unrestrained like a waterfall, directly towards the bottom of the vertical shaft.
Amid this, his eyes gleamed with determination. ‘Now!’
He grasped the shovel, thrusting it forward.
Crack, crack, crack!
The shovel’s blade scraped against the shaft’s wall, sparking and slightly reducing his fall speed. Then, Lloyd extended his hand, gripping a ladder.
Thud!
His shoulder bore the sudden weight, but he ignored it. This was no time for complaints.
Utilizing the momentum, he swung towards the horizontal corridor adjacent to the ladder, landing and immediately sprinting.
“Pant! Huff! Pant!”
A chill enveloped him, the temperature plummeting in real-time. How cold was it actually here?
Below -30 degrees Celsius? -50? Perhaps even lower?
It was impossible to tell. Even with the protection of the Azrahan martial arts technique, his face and hands felt numb, especially when passing by the refrigeration unit’s entrance, where the heart of winter unleashed a storm of cold.
‘Ugh!’
Would being drenched in liquid nitrogen feel like this?
He pushed through the biting cold, delving deeper into the mine, towards the work crew at the dead end.
“Ll… Lloyd, sir? Wh… what’s… happening?”
The foreman’s face was pale with cold and fear.
Lloyd internally sighed in relief. ‘Thankfully.’
They were all alive, managing to endure.
He quickly assessed the situation, understanding how everyone survived the freezing ordeal.
‘It’s thanks to Podo.’
Podo had embraced all twenty members of the crew, using his large body and fluffy fur for protection, sparing them from freezing to death. Bolo was doing the same.
“Bolo! BaaBolo! Bolo!”
Without fur, Bolo shivered uncontrollably, clinging to Podo for warmth.
Guilt surged within Lloyd. ‘Sorry. I hesitated, even if just for a moment, because I was scared and unsure.’
That brief hesitation filled him with remorse, prompting him to comfort his companions.
“Sorry for making you wait. It’ll be okay.”
“Podo!”
“Bolo!”
“Foreman, I know this is shocking, but we need to address our current situation.”
Lloyd quickly briefed everyone, the foreman’s fear evident.
“Are… are we going to… d-die?”
“No, that won’t happen.”
“Then…?”
“We need to get out of here, quickly. If we rush, we won’t make it past the refrigeration unit safely. So, I’ll carry each of you out, one by one.”
“……”
“Don’t worry. You’ve seen me make it this far unharmed. You there, looking the worst, come here. Wrap this blanket around you, and put on this larger work suit quickly.”
Lloyd lifted a worker into his arms, activating the Azrahan technique to share his warmth.
‘Ugh.’
As he shared his warmth, his skin stung as if sliced by a knife. Yet, he pressed on, unconcerned.
‘It’s okay. Just keep enough mana to avoid frostbite. I won’t die. I have the Winter’s Blessing.’
With this belief, he endured, showing a pained smile to Podo.
“Podo?”
“Podo?”
“I’ll be back soon. Keep everyone warm till then. Bolo too.”
“Podo!”
“Bolo!”
Hearing their responses, he leaped into action. Every moment mattered for everyone’s safety.
‘I must persevere!’
As he ran, Lloyd regretted not being able to use Bolo’s volcanic explosion, realizing the risk it posed in the confined space of the mine. Such a blast could collapse the tunnel or, at the very least, harm the people inside from the shockwave.
Internal bleeding would be the least of their worries; it could be lethal.
Thus, he abandoned the idea of using Bolo’s explosive power to combat the cold.
‘There’s only this way left. Waiting for rescue is too risky.’
Determined, he pressed on, braving the refrigeration unit’s chill to reach the surface with each worker.
His efforts saved nineteen workers. Finally, returning for the twentieth, the foreman, Lloyd reached his limit just as he was passing the refrigeration unit again.
‘Just a bit more, and I’m there.’
His legs refused to cooperate, drained of strength despite the Azrahan technique’s energy conservation mode being active.
‘Please, just a little more.’
He hit his legs, begging them to move for just one more person, for Podo and Bolo too.
Each strike was accompanied by a heavy heartbeat. Perhaps it was this determination that awakened the Winter’s Heart.
Thump! Thoom!
The artifact, already agitated, resonated with Lloyd’s desperate heartbeats, recognizing his presence more acutely.
And it wondered, briefly, what unity with this human might achieve.
