2nd Rank Has Returned

Chapter 93

Troubles of Love-4

when was it

Yes, it was in the 12th duel.

That was the first day I hit Arya on target.

After intentionally inserting the sword, he lured the attack, pretending to hold the blade, and deflecting the blade toward the shoulder with a headbutt. Of course, there would be a wound on the shoulder, but it was also possible to strike a counterattack with the hands that were closed after that.

And Arya, who was hit with sugar as it was, went out completely as planned.

I added there

[‘What do you think? The first kiss you had with the floor?’]

After that, he was beaten to death, but the sense of success for the first time still remained in his hands.

In the 28th duel, the swordsman did not get pushed, and he was able to give and receive about ten times.

In the 40th, even without a plan, it reached the level of allowing the sword to rub.

It seemed that he was getting closer to Ariaspil.

He also showed hope that he would be able to win at least once if he went on like this.

‘I won.’

And that glimmer of hope was completely shattered and shattered through a one-on-one defeat.

From a common sense, it was normal to win at least once.

The opponent was a descendant of a warrior with the most outstanding talent in the world, despite all ages.

‘…how can you fight like that…? What the hell… how…?!’

Thinking about it now, it was a pointless question. It was no different from asking a dragon how a crow could fly so fast.

‘You can try. Someday I will…’

In that moment, he really exploded.

As he got older, Ariaspil became stronger, colder, and more mature.

But because he was like a child who always walked in place.

Because it didn’t seem like there was any growth.

Because I don’t want to admit my inferiority.

I forcefully pulled out my pride and burst out.

‘What do you know…’

When I think about it, Aria and I were too young at the time.

‘What do you know!’

To the extent that such remarkable growth seems very small.

‘…Leo…?’

‘Do you know the situation without a father since birth? Have you ever wondered if your mother was from Changgwan? Or have you ever thought that your bloodline might be mixed there?’

stop it. Don’t say any more.

‘Have you ever lived alone without any help outside? Have you ever been almost raped by a giant you thought was a colleague? Do you have any memories of betraying a friend you trusted?’

I knew it too. It’s not Arya’s fault.

‘And do you know what it feels like to lose every time you wield a weapon with your nails falling out, your hands being covered in calluses, and being ridiculed every time?’

…more than that…

‘It’s all unfair…! Family, money, fame, and… talent…’

I can’t forgive you anymore…

‘What do you know…! Without ever losing anything…!’

Yeah, I never lost anything.

That was also true for me.

An arrogant child who thinks that his own sorrow is the biggest wound.

‘…okay. Sorry.’

A bastard with a sense of inferiority to the point of being angry even at the apology of a friend and colleague, that was the essence of me.

‘…Shut up…’

I had to shut up.

‘If you’re a human, get angry…!’

If you were a human, you had to hold back your anger.

If I had, at least I wouldn’t have regretted it that way.

***

“…So, who wins or loses?”

The story of Leo’s first love was coming to a climax. Even Arya, who was burning with jealousy, was already immersed in the story. If you think about it, it is also your own experience that did not happen, so there will be a sense of being instinctively drawn to it.

“If I had won, I wouldn’t have been here, would I?”

“…that…that’s right…”

It must have been a very natural thing to say, but to Leo, it was not at all natural.

A place I couldn’t return to because I couldn’t win.

He was standing in a position where he couldn’t come because he was weak and lacking.

“Luckily, I pushed it a few times. Still, I didn’t reach him.”

If she barely headed up, she flew more. As if Leo’s growth was multiplied by Arya’s own abilities.

“Eventually I left. Then I came here. Isn’t that a funny story? so…”

Leonardo spoke too deeply without knowing it. This story wasn’t good in many ways, so I ended up asking for dating advice…

“What happened to that person? Are you still in contact?”

＜aunt! You were so excited…!＞

Chris couldn’t write a story like this. Apart from Rios, Chris couldn’t write a story like this kind of novel.

Rios also wanted to hear the end of this story, so he didn’t stop it.

“It would be nice if that was the case, but unfortunately, first love never ends well.”

***

After that, it was a wandering life again. It was difficult to be in the capital, so I went back and forth to train in various regions.

Starting from the frigid northern regions, the barren and deserted western regions, and various coastal regions to the islands, he made a pilgrimage without exception.

Along the way, he met the same warriors, wanderers, and indigenous people of the region to gain various knowledge, and in exchange for accommodation and meals, he also accumulated combat experience by handling the gates and monsters of the region.

I heard from Lumine before, but the places he was traveling to now were the areas where the first hero who remained in the legend was tested by the holy sword and went on an adventure to defeat the demon king and the demon king army.

It was not intentional, but on the other hand, I felt the life of a hero for a moment, so I reflected on my life with Arya again.

It must have been since then.

that made me write the letter.

Hundreds of barrels spent over the years. A letter that is also a diary of a journey, all filled with different contents and greetings.

A reply never came, though.

After the pilgrimage was over, Leo went to the East for a while.

After all, there was no regret in the empire.

Rather, if he could learn the martial arts of the East and combine it with his current technology, he thought that if he could make up for the abilities he lacked, then Suzy would be right.

‘…Did you see it?’

In the East, he had become a well-known collaborator. There was an old man who came from the West, but a black haired Sura, that mongrel.

He asked him for a secret weapon and showed him three swordsmanship.

‘Samjae swordsmanship, these three types contain the secrets of all swordsmanship.’

It was natural. There is no such thing as a sword technique without horizontal cutting, vertical cutting, or stabbing. If we go with such logic, isn’t it different from knowing all the tricks of mathematics with only addition and subtraction?

‘hahahahaha, you’re right. Affiliate from the West.’

The old man smiled broadly, as his intelligence seemed to be affirming his will.

‘Do what you say. Knowing the basics is just a beginner. However, practicing this basic is the uninhabited person who has reached the root.’

And what he showed is the deepening of the basics and the deepening of the heart that burns the last remaining souls.

An enchanting sight like looking at a kaleidoscope, the grain of the pursuit was symmetrical with the aria, but the emotions of the same kind are flooding in.

the young man asked. The tone was polite.

‘Why… are you showing me such swordsmanship?’

He did not succumb to trivial emotions such as fear or intimidation.

Sincere respect, the young swordsman showed respect to the swordsman who showed the basics and fundamentals.

‘Because I saw you in you. I hope this experience will be put to a meaningful place.’

As I learned later, the old man was a martial artist who had lost his hometown in a war between factions.

But if there is a difference between him and himself.

He himself was in that he had left his hometown.

However, the swordsmanship he showed was not to be used in vain.

Because I still have a hometown to return to.

Significant learning was possible only through actions, not knowledge.

The story itself is simple.

A swordsmanship that is faithful to the basics of force, direction, angle, and speed.

So it was difficult.

‘As if to become a good man, one must do good deeds.’ The same abstract trick.

Although it was real, it was a training that seemed to become an illusion the moment it got closer to its essence.

It made me feel like I was watching Arya.

‘…okay. That’s how it tastes when cooked.’

After that, he went into the mountains and wielded only his weapons.

Come to think of it, he always focused on practice, and he did not have a solid image of theory and technology.

Because I thought that the ultimate skill was the realm of talent.

In fact, he couldn’t create a unique skill like Chris or other famous knights, let alone Arya.

However, if you change your mind, Samjae swordsmanship is a very basic swordsmanship.

If it’s not enough to find the root from the basics.

As if going back, we find the source in the foundation.

Not just swordsmanship.

All martial arts are connected.

An applied special move that goes beyond just swordsmanship and can be applied to all skills you have already mastered, such as fighting, spearmanship, archery, and cancer techniques.

The beginning was a swordsmanship.

Starting with Samjae Swordsmanship, the martial arts of cold weapons are connected in turn. As long as it was a technology that used the body, overlapping parts were inevitable.

Select only that part and divide the columns in turn, increasing versatility and usability.

The resulting ten types of basic skills.

There are four types of cutting, hal (割), cham (斬), main (誅), and small (斫).

There are two types of stabbing, chung (衝) and chuck (刺).

There are two types of Chigi: Ta (打) and Gyek (擊).

There are two types of throwing methods: throwing (投) and firing (射).

After mastering all these ten skills, you descend from the mountain.

When he returned to the Empire with such satisfaction.

Reinhardt was doomed.

***

“He died. long ago.”

Recalling old memories, Leonardo told Chris (and the eavesdroppers) an adapted story.

“…dead…?”

＜…this is… maybe…＞

‘…to die…’

Everything was intuitive here. This is a memory that Leo will never forget.

“…I ignored all the letters, and there was no communication.”

No matter how much I contacted, there was no response.

Only then did I find out it’s not that it hasn’t been done

It was impossible.

“When I went to visit the mercenary corps, the mercenary corps itself was completely destroyed.”

Reinhardt wasn’t the only one. Most of the empire was in ruins as if facing great war and disaster.

It didn’t even feel like hell or purgatory, but I couldn’t think of it as a splendid empire at the time I was there.

And when Reinhardt arrived, he had a hell of a nightmare illusion that his face would be contorted with blood.

“…the mercenaries…”

“It was common in this industry.”

What I later found out was that suddenly, in the Empire, a huge gate had opened in the sky. The time was about a few months before his arrival, and even that was not accurate.

Even those who survived seeing it were all crazy.

When I entered Reinhardt’s mansion, the first thing I saw were no servants, let alone knights.

‘…Leonardo…are you?’

‘…Sirica-sama.’

As if all the splendid days had passed, Molgolo Silica, who was very shy, greeted her.

‘…Sorry. The house has become very shabby…?’

There were no words to deny.

Reinhardt’s home was as quiet as an abandoned abandoned house, and there were no servants, let alone knights, in the knight’s family.

‘…Where’s Arya?’

It didn’t matter that much.

If it were only for her, if only I could see Aria again…

‘…Arya… is already dead.’

…I couldn’t say anything.

It felt like the world was broken.

A sense that the unsuspecting laws were shattered, the order we believed in burned down, and the truth we had been relying on collapsed.

‘…Arya wanted you to live. So… never…’

Reinhardt’s active duty soldiers removed the gate’s monsters from the front line to protect their own honor and the family’s honor.

And Ariaspil eliminated the culprit behind the gate, and closed the gate by burning himself with the holy sword.

Reinhardt’s remnants were only some of the quarters and senate in the rear or rear.

And what I found out was.

Arya had never seen my letter.

It was caused by media control, as claimed by the Senate.

Originally, Zeron Reinhardt had minimal control, but since then, after passing away from old age, the Senate has committed countless atrocities out of anxiety.

Media control was the biggest mistake among them.

Silica asked Reinhardt to come out, saying that it would be the chess horses of the old people.

And the rest was as I had told the sage.

When Silica later committed suicide, she annihilated all the Senators.

He continued to be pursued by the empire and collateral.

It was easy to commit suicide on the spot.

It was so easy, and the thing I wanted the most was death.

In the eternal night, when neither light nor hope disappeared, all I wanted was to fall asleep endlessly.

The reason for surviving in that eternal darkness was simple.

Because Arya wanted to live herself.

Because she threw herself for this damn world.

So it survived.