Chapter 21 A Foothold to Be Stronger
After clearing away the shattered pieces of the potion for bing a woman, Darling presented another bottle to Kraush.
This one is a different version of the transformation potion. The effectsts for a week, and its a special custom-made product that wont be detected by magic or doping tests.
Considering what had been destroyed just moments ago, Kraush assumed this wouldnt be the same kind of potion. He examined the contents of the bottle he received.
Is this for disguising my identity?
You can just register as amoner from the kingdom.
It should have been this way from the start.
By the way, I imagined this appearance when I thought of what your character would look like as a kid.
Though Darling was spouting nonsense, Kraush took it in stride.
It seemed the potion could be useful for the martial arts tournament.
This works out well.
He needed to absorb more of the power of world erosion to use his extreme blood poisoning technique.
Thewless area between the kingdom and the Empire, where world erosion was frequent, would be a good ce to visit and absorb this power when time permitted.
Above all, are you confident you can rank within the top three?
Darling asked this with a subtle smile.
Until recently, Kraush had been known as the half-penny of the Balheim.
Asking someone like him to ce within the top three in a grand martial arts tournament held by the Empire seemed preposterous.
Of course, that was if Kraush had remained his former self.
The participants in the martial arts tournament are all guys who havent yet secured a spot at the Raheln Academy.
Those who had already confirmed a ce at Raheln Academy wouldnt need to participate, as they were preparing for the exams put forth by the Academy.
It was unfortunate that this meant there would be almost no one who had made a contract with a god among the contestants.
After all, there arent that many who have contracted with gods.
Its just that the Balheim is exceptionally outstanding; in normal families, only about one in five have a contract with a god.
Therefore, Kraush had even more reason to aim for the Academy.
Because thats where all the kids with skills are gathered.
And most importantly.
Ill be 14 years old when the tournament is held.
The martial arts tournament in which Kraush would participate was for boys under 15 years of age.
Kraush was still only 14.
I wont lose to kids.
No matter how talented they are, they can still be ovee by a gap in experience.
After all, even Anicks had been overpowered by Kraush.
Apart from someone of Charlottes talents, Kraush was confident he could beat anyone in the Skyborne Generation.
Well, Im still technically a kid too, of course. But Ill soon turn 16. Im not a child anymore.
Lately, Darling had started applying slightly heavier eye makeup, asserting her adulthood with a twinkle in her eye.
Kraush simply pitied the gesture.
Only children like to think of themselves as grown-ups.
In that sense, Darling was still a child.
Thats enough. Time for you to go.
Aw, I was hoping to hang out more since Im already here.
Youre almost an adult, shouldnt be mixing with kids.
Are you taking advantage of that now?
While Darling resisted leaving and Kraush urged her out, they argued back and forth.
In the midst of their exchange, the door to the room crept open.
As Kraush turned his head at the sound, Bianca stood there.
She appeared to have just woken up, with one side of her hair slightly pressed down, and after a brief look at the two, she muttered to herself.
An affair?
Where had she learned such a term?
Kraush quietly resolved to have a word with the chatty maidservant who had been by Biancas side.
On the Balheim training grounds.
Kraush stood still, sword in hand, opposite Crimson Garden.
Though his eyes were closed, Kraush was sensing far more information through his body than through his eyes alone.
The sixth sense he had honed through secret techniques.
While still rudimentary in attainment, the quantity of information perceived was overwhelmingly more than before.
Suddenly, Kraush felt a presence to his left.
Ching!
Without warning, his sword swiftly intercepted something at that spot.
What appeared there was a de of wind.
Astoundingly, Kraushs sword had preemptively secured the spot even before the wind de was formed.
If the sword hadnt moved before the wind des appearance, it would have been unable to block it in the first ce.
Simultaneously, a sense of impending threat reached him from his waist.
Kraushs sword once again preemptively filled the gap, nullifying the wind de.
The movement was almost akin to precognition.
Ching, ching, ching, ching!
And it continued in session.
Kraushs sword repeatedly upied the space faster than the wind des could manifest.
However, Kraush was enduring a state worse than when he would have been struck by the attack.
His breathing was erratic, and his arms were shaking more violently than ever before.
The sweat dripping from his entire body seemed to be leading him swiftly toward exhaustion.
Thats enough.
Crimson Gardens voice rang out just as the wind des ceased.
Cough!
Kraush gasped for air and tumbled to the ground.
Gasp, gasp, gasp.
Desperately trying to supply his lungs with oxygen, Kraush opened his mouth as wide as he could.
Watching him struggle, Crimson Garden let out a faint chuckle.
Is this the sixth sense you spoke of? Interesting. The experiences youve umted thus far havebined with your swordsmanship to create something quite fascinating.
What Kraush had just demonstrated was elevating his sixth sense to its limits to read his opponents intent in advance and counter with the realm of blunt swordsmanship.
Originally a sword technique even geniuses would find difficult to wield, Crimson Garden had noticed that Kraush, through the course of his training, was surprisingly well-suited to the blunt sword.
The prerequisites for the blunt sword are twofold: first, have no fear, and second, perfectly grasp the opponents intent. Those two things are even more crucial than the sword technique itself. And thats the domain that can only be built upon with experience, not talent.
Crimson Garden chuckled and casually poked Kraushs head with her foot.
You are remarkably exceptional in that regard. Your innate intuition for understanding your opponents intentions, whenbined with the sixth sense, is producing something akin to precognition.
The only thing Kraush was born with was his sharp intuition.
The endless experience of grappling with world erosion alongside the Skyborne Generation.
Plus the sixth sense he had recently mastered.
It was the merging of these three elements that allowed Kraush to barely enter the threshold of blunt swordsmanship.
It was indeed a tremendous skill, but Kraush faced one ring problem.
But my body is in terrible shape. Whats the use of being able to foresee every attack? My physique simply cant keep up.
The essence of blunt swordsmanship is to anticipate and control the opponents moves, to the point of achieving spatial domination.
To the opponent, it might seem slow, but the blunt sword systematically overtakes all the opponents intentions.
In the end, the opponent can only watch powerlessly as the sword tightens its approach.
That is blunt swordsmanship.
However, all of this is meaningless if you cannot actually block the attacks.
As proof, Kraush found himself in this pitiful state from using excessive muscle to block the wind des.
His foresight wasnt matched by his bodys capability.
This must be the gap that talent creates.
Kraush was born with little to no physical prowess.
At least the Balheim bloodline granted him a sturdier body and slightly better recovery capabilities than average.
But even that was on amon level, something geniuses would naturally already possess.
Disastrous.
Crimson Garden brieflymented, and Kraush, trembling arms and all, raised his head.
One more time.
You just dont know when to quit, do you?
Kraushs fierce blue eyes sparkled vividly.
With his experience, secret techniques, skills, and even the addition of world erosion, this was all he could achieve.
If it were others, they would likely recognize their limits at this point and break down, but Kraushs will remained unyielding.
Watching this, Crimson Garden couldnt help but let slip an impressedugh.
Thats why I took you on as my disciple.
She may have begun as a contract teacher, promising to grant him immortality.
But increasingly, Crimson Garden was growing fond of Kraush.
To her, talent was entirely meaningless.
All she needed was a fierce heart capable of enduring her training.
With that alone, she could make Kraush the strongest.
But thats enough for today.
What?
Didnt you say so yourself? You have to leave today for the martial arts tournament to keep on schedule.
Upon hearing that the training would be concluding, Kraush, whose face had sourly contorted, quickly snapped back to reality.
Indeed, today was the departure day, just as she had said.
Training is important, but to me, an elixires first for you. Theres nothing like it for transforming your pathetic body into something human.
Hearing that, Kraush had no choice but to rise from his spot.
His legs and arms were still shaking, but he toughed it out.
Damn, I need to get ready quickly.
Realizing he had spent too much time in training, Kraush hastened his pace.
He quickly got dressed and washed up, then went to the prepared carriage.
Lord Kraush.
At that moment, Kraush found himself facing Alloid, who was waiting in front of the carriage.
The day Darling brought the color-changing potion, Kraush immediately passed it on to Alloid.
Initially puzzled, Alloid realized it was the cure for his daughters color-changing disease and took leave to visit her.
And the next day.
Alloid came to find Kraush, knelt before him, and with tears streaming down, expressed his gratitude.
He who had cherished his daughter so dearly that he contemted betraying his master to save her was now so fulfilled by her recovery that he could die without regrets.
Dont die.
And to him, Kraush had said,
I saved your daughters life. Alloid, you are not to die until I allow it. That much I can demand as payment, right?
Once he heard what followed, Alloid bowed his head before Kraush.
He deeply engraved in his heart who must be his master for the rest of his life.
That settles it.
Kraush felt that he could now forget the day from his past when Alloid died by poison.
He had cured Alloids daughter not just for the mans sake, but also because he wanted to erase a scene from his own memories.
Just the disappearance of his lifes first betrayal made Kraush feel much more at ease.
While Im gone, take good care of the Green Pine Pavilion.
Yes, I will ensure that no one enters, even if it is the Lord himself.
Hearing his firm promise, Kraush allowed himself a wry smile.
That was enough in terms of loyalty.
Leaving Alloid behind, Kraush approached the carriage.
There, in front of the carriage, Kraush faced a familiar figure.
The white-haired girl.
Bianca Hardenhartz.
She stood primly, holding a single bag in her hand.
Lord Kraush.
As always, she called his name in a regted tone.
The reason she held a bag today was simple.
She was returning to Hardenhartz.
Her return to Hardenhartz was at the behest of Kraush.
She was to procure one of the two ingredients Darling had mentioned, the White Snow Hot Yang Spore.
Given her status, she would likely be able to acquire it without much trouble.
You rarely go home, so feel free to take a good rest there if you want.
After all, his own return wouldnt happen anytime soon.
Yet Bianca shook her head.
Ill be back soon.
Back soon.
To her, the Green Pine Pavilion had also be her home.
Noticing the meaning behind her words, Kraush couldnt help but let out a wryugh.
Her treatment in Hardenhartz wasnt very good.
Being cursed lowered her value as a noble.
And then there was himself, of Balheim, worth the least due tocking talent.
In a way, Green Pine Pavilion might be the one ce where Bianca could truly rx, just as much as Kraush could.
Kraush raised his hand and stroked Biancas head once.
Her pure white hair followed the movement of his hand, feeling gratifying to the touch.
Ill alsoe back soon.
Unaware that he had recently be soft only towards Bianca, Kraush made that remark.
In the meantime, Bianca opened her bag.
Out came a lunchbox.
Wandering around yesterday, and you prepared this?
Who said to make it?
Eli did.
That figured.
It seemed Biancas personal maid, Eli, had been chattering to her about something.
He had told her to be tight-lipped, to no avail it seemed.
Ill enjoy it.
Despite the circumstances, Kraush epted it because it was made by Bianca.
And it was timely, given his hunger from training.
Have a safe trip.
Biancas departure was scheduled after Kraushs.
Looking at her seeing him off, Kraush said he would return and boarded the carriage.
As the carriage started to rumble and move, Kraush peered through the window at Bianca standing quietly.
I suppose I wont be seeing that face every day for a while.
Looking so forlorn. You like that child that much, do you?
At that moment, Crimson Garden appeared by the window and quipped.
Its like having a sibling I never had. I guess thats why Im just uneasy.
It wasnt the same as beforethe rtionship with Bianca had gotten better.
And there was quite a bit of personal guilt.
Tsk, tsk, to call your fiancee a little sister just to see how you would address her after having a child of your own.
If you spout nonsense, Ill pluck every feather you have.
Giggle, as if you could catch me.
Crimson Garden preened, deliberately looking defenseless, and Kraush could only click his tongue in response.
Instead, he opened the lunchbox.
Inside were sandwiches and a colorful sd.
Typical of Bianca, it felt efficiently packed with practical items.
How nice.
After taking a bite of the sandwich, Kraush remembered Biancas fondness for sweets.
On the way back from the Empire, he should buy some imperial-style chocte for her.