WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
Chapter 276: The Fifth Energy (1)
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“Hmm, at this rate, I should arrive in about a week at most...”
A man strolled leisurely across the plains of the central continent.
He was dressed far too flamboyantly to be called a traveler.
Three golden necklaces hung around his neck.
Fine clothes made from luxurious fabric and decorated with exquisite embroidery.
And on his left wrist was a Dwarf-made wristwatch worth more than everything else combined.
It was John Drew, Aienmarc’s finest sword instructor.
Of course, traveling dressed like this was extremely dangerous.
Security in the central continent was relatively good, but that did not mean there were no criminals.
Besides, what was the continent’s situation like these days?
Monsters had grown vicious beyond reason.
Beasts had multiplied until their numbers rivaled those of the past, and Demonoids controlled them.
That ominous atmosphere had sharply reduced the number of travelers moving between cities, while merchants were desperate to hire skilled mercenaries.
But...
‘Someone of my skill has nothing to worry about. Of course not.’
John Drew grinned.
Of course, he had not traveled without an escort. There was always a chance of the unexpected, after all.
Still, what he trusted most was his own skill. That was the greatest change in him from before.
Flashy tricks that made up for the gap in talent.
Overwhelming tactical exchanges that ignored the total amount of Aura.
That was right.
Now that he had finally completed John Drew-style swordsmanship, the pathetic version of himself who had cared only about others’ opinions was nothing more than a thing of the past.
His fondness for flashy accessories had not changed, though.
‘Airen Farreira... What sort of reaction will he have?’
The reason he was heading for Farreira territory, far from Aienmarc, the paradise of gladiators, was simple.
He wanted to tell Airen about his realization.
It was strange.
He had loved money and obsessed over it more than anyone else.
So why was he no longer like that?
Why was he traveling well over a month to reach Farreira territory without receiving any payment?
John Drew let out a quiet laugh.
He had not understood at first, but he did now.
‘The person who recognized me more than anyone else.’
The person who had made better use of his swordsmanship than anyone else.
The person who had offered more heartfelt admiration for his swordsmanship than anyone else.
That was a gift worth more than gold.
Thinking of Airen’s face, John Drew nodded and muttered.
“He is already a Master, but there must still be something I can help him with... Hmm?”
That was when it happened.
A commotion reached John Drew’s ears. He turned his head to the side and frowned.
“Sounds like bandits. Let’s go.”
“Yes, sir!”
Ordinary mercenaries would not have been eager to involve themselves in a fight unrelated to them.
But most of those traveling with John Drew were practically his disciples, having received swordsmanship advice from him.
Those who had received help from someone else were bound to be more willing to help others.
They spurred their horses and rushed toward the battlefield. The swords they had already drawn gleamed coldly in the sunlight.
But they never had a chance to swing them.
Shhk-
“Argh!”
Shhk-
“Guaaah!”
One strike, then another.
Each time the sword swung, bandits fell like bundles of straw.
Nearly ten people had collapsed. They were no match at all.
In less than a minute, the man who had been attacked annihilated the entire bandit group.
Yet no one in John Drew’s party was surprised by that.
Something else had surprised them.
A clear white radiance shining from the blade.
After confirming the Aura Sword and then the man’s face, John Drew finally spoke as though he had just recognized him.
“Zet Frost, the 101st-ranked swordsman!”
“I am no longer 101st.”
“Ah, right.”
With an awkward smile, John Drew approached and held out his hand.
Zet did the same. They shook hands firmly and exchanged greetings.
“John, it has been a long time.”
“Indeed. Has it been... ten years? But what brings you here...?”
“Hmm, I was on my way to Farreira territory.”
“Farreira? You too?”
Zet naturally joined the group, and John Drew looked startled to learn of his destination.
The two quickly exchanged various stories, then nodded.
They were both going to see Airen for the same reason.
John Drew took a sip of water and spoke.
“Well, that young man certainly has a charm that draws people in.”
“You are right.”
Zet Frost nodded.
After watching Brett Lloyd and Judith spar, Zet had returned to his home.
But it had continued to weigh on him that he had left without seeing Airen.
Airen’s passion and effort, talent for the sword, and indescribable charm kept lingering in Zet’s mind.
Was it to find inspiration?
To find a clue that would help him overcome the wall he had encountered again?
Those were certainly part of the reason.
But...
“I simply wanted to see him again after a long time.”
“Hmm, that is true. Come to think of it, that may be the biggest reason for me as well.”
John Drew agreed.
At the same time, his shoulders gradually rose.
He realized that his present circumstances looked quite impressive.
‘Chatting comfortably with a Sword Master while heading toward another Sword Master!’
John Drew cared less about others’ opinions than before and had come to face his own strengths honestly.
But he had not completely abandoned his old tendencies.
He still wanted to look impressive rather than insignificant, and he felt elated by the current situation, casually associating with such remarkable people.
He glanced back.
His companions were watching him admiringly.
John Drew raised his shoulders a little higher, lowered his voice slightly, and said,
“Then, shall we go?”
* * *
After joining Sword Master Zet Frost, John Drew’s manner became somewhat more confident.
His voice grew deeper when ordering food at shops, and he tried harder to seem important when introducing himself at city gate inspections.
Some people actually recognized him.
He was not as famous as Zet Frost, but he had a reputation of his own. His reputation had grown further since several Experts he had recently taught began mentioning his name.
“As expected of Instructor John Drew! I never imagined you would be so famous even in the central continent...”
“Amazing. You truly are amazing!”
“Ha ha, it is nothing. Instructor Zet Frost is certainly impressive, but a nobody like me...”
Though he spoke modestly, he could not hide how pleased he was.
That was why he could not help but have some expectations when they reached Farreira territory.
A small country in the central continent.
And a territory that held no more than a barony.
Surely the arrival of someone as important as himself would cause quite a stir?
...Thinking that now felt embarrassing, because the inspection ended quickly and efficiently.
“Pass.”
“...”
“What is the matter?”
“No, um... It is nothing.”
Looking at the gatekeeper’s dry expression, as though asking if there was a problem, John Drew passed through the gate.
Then he looked back, only to discover that Zet Frost had received similar treatment.
‘What is going on?’
John Drew was bewildered.
Setting himself aside, Zet Frost was famous on an entirely different level.
Zet had drawn the continent’s attention even before becoming a Master, so John Drew could not understand the gatekeeper’s reaction at all.
What was going on?
How could that gatekeeper treat Zet and him as plainly as ordinary wandering knights?
As he walked with those thoughts in mind, a commotion broke out near the gate.
“W-What is that?”
Startled, John Drew turned around again.
What was it?
What had happened to make the gatekeeper and the people nearby fuss so much?
As he strained his eyes, two enormous figures emerged through the crowd.
John Drew’s expression turned to shock.
“...”
“...”
One was familiar, while the other was not.
But he immediately knew who the latter was as well.
A towering height well over two meters, a chest as broad as a massive tree trunk, an enormous axe that radiated overwhelming pressure, and an aura so intense that all of that seemed unimportant by comparison.
Great Warrior Karakum.
As he stared blankly at the arrival of the orcs’ greatest hero, Kubharu called out.
“Instructor John Drew, Sir Zet Frost!”
“Ah, ah! Kubharu! It has been a long time!”
“...It has indeed.”
John Drew and Zet Frost exchanged greetings with Kubharu, who approached with a welcoming expression.
But neither could relax.
With Karakum standing behind Kubharu like a boulder, it was difficult to get the words out properly.
Fortunately, Kubharu was easygoing enough to dispel that atmosphere.
“Ha ha, that is quite a coincidence. We came to see Airen as well.”
Not long after Airen’s group left Durkali, Kubharu and Karakum also left the tribe and began traveling.
It was not because of a possible faction dispute.
They simply thought it would be meaningful for the father and son, reunited after so long, to spend time together.
“As we wandered from place to place, we eventually reached Hale Kingdom. Since we had come this far, we thought it would be good to stop by.”
“Ah, I-I see...”
John Drew nodded and responded to Kubharu, but all his attention was on Karakum.
There was no way to tell what Karakum was thinking.
But Karakum’s heavy gaze, enough to make anyone’s heart turn cold, shifted between John Drew and Zet Frost...
“W-Well, we are here! I-I would like to see Airen quickly.”
“Hmm, I feel the same.”
Having gathered his thoughts, John Drew pointed toward the lord’s manor. Zet Frost hastily nodded as well.
One was a formidable Expert and the other had reached the level of a Sword Master, but neither found it easy to endure Karakum’s presence.
They had never longed for Airen’s reassuring face as much as they did now.
And if the two of them felt that way, there was no need to mention the rest of the group.
“L-Lord Karakum? Do you mean Karakum, the Great Chieftain of Durkali?”
“Not anymore. My son, Tarakhan, is the chieftain now.”
“Ah... Understood. I will escort you.”
“No, there is no need.”
In an instant, the main figure of the group had changed.
John Drew felt somewhat strange about that, but there were other matters that concerned him more.
First were the attitudes of House Farreira’s servants.
Even with a figure as monumental as Great Warrior Karakum appearing, they remained so calm. He could not understand it.
‘They are not entirely unflustered, of course, but their reaction is far more restrained than I expected. How?’
Even if they served Airen Farreira, an extraordinary young lord who had reached the level of a Master in his early twenties... Was this really a normal reaction?
But something puzzled John Drew even more than that.
Karakum’s attitude.
Without waiting for a servant’s guidance, Karakum strode forward. An intense energy radiated from his body, strong enough to make the air shimmer.
What was going on?
Why was that monstrous man advancing in a combat stance, holding the axe he had carried on his back?
The answer came soon enough.
Whoosh!
Whooosh-!
Boom!
“Ghk!”
“Whew...”
“...”
“...”
Were they only just past twenty?
Two fresh-faced young people were swinging their swords in the middle of the training grounds. John Drew’s eyes widened at the sight.
Normally, he would have found junior swordsmen working hard endearing.
But he could not do that now.
Vwooom-
Vwoooom-
Radiant Aura Swords flared from the blue-haired young man’s sword and the silver-haired young woman’s sword.
But someone else drew his attention even more strongly.
“...”
“...”
Another silver-haired swordsman had been silently watching the two Sword Masters spar.
He walked toward Karakum.
Karakum did the same.
The orc hero moved as though no one else existed, radiating an oppressive presence with every step.
The moment the two towering figures of their age faced one another from three meters apart, John Drew swallowed hard.
‘...Maybe I didn’t belong here?’
Zet Frost.
Brett Lloyd.
Illia Lindsay.
Joshua Lindsay.
Great Warrior Karakum.
Crushed beneath the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Masters, John Drew looked utterly unimpressive as he nervously glanced around.
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