Chapter 237 : How Have You Been?

CLANG! CLANG-CLANG! BOOM!

A loud roar echoed through the snow-covered forest.

As sword and sword clashed, a sound of tearing air was produced, and the earth that received the shock rumbled.

The trees, with snow piled high on their heads, trembled and had no choice but to shed their white clothes.

CRACK! RUMBLE!

Occasionally, a stray sword strike would cause the trees to let out a mournful death cry and fall.

Hartz, holding a yellow aura, engaged with the demon who wielded both fire and ice.

The white, frozen sword and the sword engulfed in a yellow aura clashed several times, showing off their power.

Pure white cold and a yellowish-yellow aura sparked like fire.

Occasionally, blue flames would pour out from the demon's non-sword-wielding hand, aiming for an opening, but each time, the ice magic extending from Sorrow's left hand would nullify it.

Sizzle!

As ice and flame met, a large amount of steam rose.

Not only sword and sword, but also flame and ice were frequently clashing in mid-air.

Sorrow couldn't believe his eyes.

Wielding the powers of opposing elements at the same time?

'Impossible!'

Hartz shouted irritably as he deflected the sword.

"Shit, what are you going to do if it's impossible!"

The demon, hearing those words, retreated slightly, then let out a strange laugh and charged again.

"Heehee!"

The white sword and the yellow sword became entangled in the air once again.

Then, at some point, Sorrow's left hand glowed blue.

At that, the demon's eyes flashed, and he quickly kicked Sorrow's left hand.

THWACK!

The ice magic he was casting flew off in a strange direction and mangled an innocent tree.

KWAGAGAGAK!

The tree, pierced by dozens of ice thorns, finally fell with a cracking sound.

"...!"

Not only Sorrow, but Hartz also jumped back with a surprised face.

'What was that?'

Hartz asked.

'He's reading our attacks. Since a while ago.'

Sorrow replied.

He watched the demon with his blue eyes.

It was as if he knew how they would attack and was dealing with it.

It was as if he knew all their habitual attacks, their order, and their habits.

'He's reading our attacks?'

If the man could predict their attacks.

They had to make an unpredictable attack. Even to themselves.

Hartz said.

'Sorrow, get out. I'll take him.'

'...Understood.'

The blue light in his left eye faded, and soon both eyes were dyed yellow.

Hartz said.

"Hey, demon. Sorry to keep you waiting. Let's do this properly."

"Shall we?"

The blue flame that had been burning in the man's left hand died down, and the white, frozen sword returned to its black color.

Then, he put the sword into the scabbard on his back.

"...?"

Hartz watched with a question mark floating above his head.

"What are you doing?"

The man drew another sword from his waist.

It was a sword that contrasted with the black sword he had been wielding just a moment ago.

A shining silver sword slipped smoothly out of its scabbard.

However, it was broken in half and didn't look very practical.

The man grinned and said.

To be precise, his expression was not visible because of the black mist covering his face, but for some reason, it felt like he was smiling.

"I have a separate sword for magical beasts."

Hartz chuckled.

"You madman."

A moment later, that laughter died down.

This was because a strange light slowly filled the man's half-sword, and it soon became a complete sword.

It was, so to speak, like moonlight.

Subtle and cold.

A chillingly silent sword.

He could guess that a massive power was churning within it.

He could tell at a glance that it was an extraordinary aura.

It was a dark red aura, then a sparkling aura like a star, then a white, frozen sword, and now a new aura.

Not only that, but what about the blue flame pouring from his non-sword-wielding hand and the black spears raining down like rain?

He couldn't feel a single bit of mana from any of it.

'What in the world is that power...'

It was an unknown power he had never seen before in his life.

The man flicked the faintly glowing sword at the speechless Hartz.

"Come, beast."

At those words, he flinched again.

'Beast...'

There were several names the man used to call him.

'Psychopath, blockhead, beast...'

They were all words that a specific person used to call him.

That guy he could never see again.

That incredibly foolish guy who had thrown himself off a cliff with a magical beast to save some country girl he had never seen before.

The guy he had resolved to beat to a pulp for three days and three nights if he met him in the afterlife.

He had been beating the magical beasts here instead because he couldn't beat that guy...

'No way?'

No, that was impossible.

The man had clearly fallen from the Mist Cliff with a magical beast.

Hadn't he confirmed the traces himself?

There was no one who could survive a fall from the Mist Cliff.

Then, who in the world was this madman who had appeared before him?

"Huuuu..."

Hartz let out a long breath and chased away the distracting thoughts that were cluttering his mind.

He straightened the sword in his heart.

At that, the yellow aura that had been flickering wildly like a burning fire gradually calmed down.

Soon, it settled into a thin but solid line, like a quiet stream flowing down the blade.

Hartz's bright yellow eyes flashed.

The color of his eyes had deepened.

"You. Who are you."

"Me?"

The man took a step forward, got into a stance, and then raised the sword he was holding at an angle and said.

"Guess."

The next moment, the two swordsmen charged at each other.

* * *

Hartz sharpened his senses.

He was like a single, well-honed, sharp blade.

His eyes and ears only took in the opponent's stance, sword, and breath.

He forgot everything.

And, he projected his entire being onto the opponent before him.

In that state, Hartz let his sword loose freely.

That was all, but his sword had changed.

It was as if he had shed a layer of skin.

It had become one step faster, and more free.

It was rough and ferocious.

It was as if a fierce beast was randomly swinging its sharp claws and charging to sink its teeth in.

He was not bound by form or style, and there was no calculation of the next move in his head.

There was only retreat and advance, and only instinct and intuition controlled his actions.

It was as if killing intent itself had manifested as a person and was wielding a sword.

It was nothing more and nothing less than a beast hunting its prey.

It was the manifestation of the true Beast Sword.

The opponent could no longer afford to deflect his sword.

He too, completely immersed in the fight, swung his faintly glowing sword silently.

It was a silent sword.

Every time the swords clashed, the air would burst, and for a moment, the sound would disappear.

At some point, the snow stopped falling around them.

The two men swung their swords relentlessly.

They didn't care if the ground split or innocent trees fell in their fight.

It was as if the two of them were in a different world.

Then, at some point.

Hartz's Beast Sword flashed up from below.

The opponent, who had detected the sharp killing intent, immediately pulled back and raised his head slightly.

It was a minimal movement, dodging to the very limit.

But what he had overlooked was.

Even if he dodged the sword strike, he was wearing a mask made of black mist on his face.

Fwoosh!

The black mist that had covered his face for a moment was swept away by the Beast Sword, revealing his face.

Hartz's bright yellow eyes, which had been watching his opponent sharply like a beast's, captured the scene.

"Huh?"

For a moment, his concentration broke, and the sharply upturned corners of his eyes drooped.

It was not intentional.

Hartz was just swinging his sword as his instincts led him.

But the moment he saw that unfamiliar yet familiar face.

His body froze.

Even though it was a dangerous moment when his opponent, who had minimally dodged his attack, was about to counterattack.

"You, Ashu—"

Thwack!

Hartz was hit by his opponent's kick and once again flew horizontally, knocking down trees in his path.

Ashuban watched Hartz for a moment, then belatedly fumbled with his own face.

"Ah... did he see?"

This was troublesome.

He had covered his face in the first place because he wanted to fight the guy with all his might, without holding back.

"You... you... what are you?"

Ashuban looked to where the sound had come from.

Hartz, who had been sent flying by the kick, was staring at him with a dazed expression from a distance.

"Ashuban? Is that you?"

The finger pointing at him was trembling slightly.

Even though he had been kicked twice, he looked fine.

Ashuban clicked his tongue and grumbled.

"I thought something would break. You're damn sturdy."

Hartz slowly approached Ashuban, as if stumbling.

He muttered in disbelief.

"No, that can't be. I confirmed myself that he fell from the cliff."

Ashuban shouted back.

"You psychopath. Still can't grasp the situation? I crawled up from hell to get my revenge on you. Stop talking nonsense and come at me, you idiot."

"What?"

As he spoke, his anger flared up again.

"Do I still look like a pathetic man who came back after getting beaten by a kid? Say it again, say it again. You son of a bitch."

"..."

"What are you doing? Laugh again like you did then. Laugh."

"..."

"Why aren't you laughing? I said laugh. Ah, you can't laugh now? It's not funny? Then why did you laugh then? Was I funny?"

"..."

"Why aren't you laughing now? Am I not funny now? Did you change your mind after getting kicked a couple of times? You beast-like bastard. You only listen after getting beaten, don't you?"

Hartz, who had been slowly approaching, stopped at a certain distance.

Then, he stared at Ashuban, who had miraculously returned alive.

"Hey."

"What, you idiot."

"Why are your eyes like that?"

"What's wrong with my eyes?"

"They're so damn red."

"So what. You want me to make your eyes red too?"

Hartz chuckled.

"Idiot."

Then, he threw his head back and laughed loudly, his shoulders shaking.

"Hahahahahaha!"

Ashuban clicked his tongue and watched.

"Ugh, that madman. See, Master? I told you he's not an ordinary madman."

"Hahahahahaha!"

"..."

"Hahahahahaha!"

Ashuban, unable to watch any longer, threw a stone.

"You're so damn loud. Stop laughing."

"Alright."

Hartz, who had stopped laughing abruptly, looked at Ashuban.

"What are you looking at?"

"How have you been?"

"Can't you tell by looking? I've been doing damn well."

"How did you survive?"

"Well."

"When did you come back to Maia?"

"Not long ago."

"I see. Ah, Sorrow has something to say."

"Switch, then."

Hartz's eye color changed.

From bright yellow to a chillingly bright blue.

"Ashuban. Is it really you?"

"I told you it is."

"How did you survive?"

"I didn't survive, I died once and was resurrected. You ignorant fool."

"...???"

"Anything else you want to ask?"

"How did you get so strong? And what is that power?"

"That's none of your business."

"..."

Ashuban aimed his sword again and said, "If you're curious, find out by clashing with me directly. I've been through hell and back to kick your ass with all my might."

At that, Hartz also raised his sword to face him.

"That's touching."

The two eyes, now dyed different colors, looked at Ashuban.

The red, yellow, and blue eyes exchanged glances.

Soon, the men, with smiles as varied as their eye colors, were about to charge at each other when.

Rumble, rumble, rumble...

The ground began to tremble slightly.

"What is it? Sorrow, did you use some large-scale magic?"

At Ashuban's question, Sorrow shook his head.

"As if I would use such an inefficient magic."

"Then what is this?"

The vibration was gradually getting stronger.

It had already grown to a point where a normal person could feel it.

Rumble, rumble, rumble—

Before anyone could say anything, they turned their heads toward the sound.

In the distance, the tall trees of the forest were falling one by one like toothpicks, and a huge flow was rushing toward them.

Hazy snow powder rose like dust.

From a distance, it looked like a huge wave.

Sorrow shouted.

"It's the monster wave!"

"What? Already?"

"Run!"

"You son of a bitch."

The two men quickly shot their bodies in the opposite direction.

(End of Chapter)

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