CHAPTER 45: 045 [DECEPTIVE SWORDSMEN]

Euralia, Guild Headquarters.

As dusk neared, heralding the approach of night, the guild headquarters, resembling a grand temple, was bustling with crowds.

People gathered around the bulletin board, absorbed in the parchment papers posted there, transforming the scene into a bustling marketplace with their loud chatter.

Many parchments were posted on the bulletin board, but right then, the one in the middle that seemed to even boast about the guild itself captured the attention of everyone present.

The parchment clearly detailed the following content:

...

[Reiger Brillhaut]

Affiliation: Loki’s Kin

Race: Human

Age: 17

Profession: Adventurer

Reached Floor: 17th

Confirmed Achievements: This adventurer solo defeated the floor master Goliath on the 17th layer, underwent a month-long trial, and was officially elevated to Lv.4, granted the title——[Deceptive Swordsmen].

...

The parchments posted on the bulletin board were officially verified by the guild and publicly declared the adventurer’s information.

The titles decided upon at the great council of gods and finally proclaimed, were now being flaunted by the guild, displayed right before everyone’s eyes.

And this time, the people were particularly focused on the most dazzling and intriguing individual, discussing the parchment in the center of the bulletin board without hesitation.

"Is this Reiger Brillhaut the newcomer from Loki’s Kin that’s been the talk of the town?"

"He, he really upgraded to Lv.4 in just one month?"

"And he defeated the floor master alone? Are you kidding me?"

"This is a message authenticated and released by the guild itself, where could there be any falsehood?"

"Doesn’t that mean all those rumours we’ve heard were true? Wasn’t this newcomer from Loki’s Kin just a freshly blessed Lv.1 a little over a month ago?"

"Can someone really elevate from Lv.1 to Lv.4 in just over a month.....?"

"Even the Sword Princess took a year to upgrade the first time, and he did it in just over a month, and for several levels at once?"

"I find it hard to believe....."

Adventurers, filled with excitement, doubt, astonishment, bewilderment, envy, and disbelief, chattered endlessly, turning the entire guild hall into a chaotic mess, irrepressible even by the loud shouts of the guild staff, and even showing signs of escalating further.

"He’s here!"

Only at that moment, when an adventurer near the door shouted, did the crowd fall silent.

A figure walked in from outside, heading straight towards the notice board.

"Is that Reiger Brillhaut?"

"That newcomer from Loki’s Kin....."

"Still calling him a newcomer?"

"He’s now Lv.4 and has an official title."

The crowd murmured in hushed tones, unwittingly parting to make way.

Reiger moved through the path opened by the crowd and approached the bulletin board, spotting the parchment bearing his information.

"[Deceptive Swordsmen]?"

Seeing his title, Reiger’s expression grew subtly complex.

"Loki that guy, all mysterious, had me come to see my own title, even looking so smug, you’d think it was some impressive title, and then this.....?"

Reiger failed to see what was so good about this title and didn’t understand how it was related to him.

To be called a swordsman was understandable; he did consider himself a swordsman, having developed capabilities akin to a "Swordsman," which was unarguable.

But where was he "Deceptive"?

Reiger’s swordsmanship, learned from the Sword Princess, was very orthodox, hardly related to anything deceptive.

Were the gods considering him a person full of tricks?

Reiger was somewhat puzzled.

However, he knew that this title was actually quite decent.

If his memory served correctly, then nearly all titles that emerged from this so-called great council of gods were intended as a challenge to one’s sense of shame.

Because the gods possess an advanced vision and love entertainment, the titles they bestow are generally considered cool by the people below, but modern individuals would find them embarrassingly over the top.

Thinking of Loki, even terms like ’Versailles’ had erupted, which shows how ahead the gods’ perceptions were in this world.

If it weren’t for Loki holding them back, preventing the gods from frivolously playing with concepts, he might now be dubbed [Sword Saint of the Wind] or [Gale Sword Emperor].

In comparison, this so-called [Deceptive Swordsmen] was infinitely better.

"Speaking of which, isn’t Loki supposedly the god of lies and cunning in mythology?"

Reiger suddenly realized.

Could it be that the "Deceptive" in his title came from that?

Because he is the child of an Evil God adept in cunning, thus given the title [Deceptive Swordsmen]?

"Fine then."

Reiger begrudgingly accepted this interpretation.

Noticing that the surrounding people were observing him, sizing him up, and even that a portion of adventurers aimed to approach him and say something, Reiger turned and walked away.

From the reactions around him, it was clear that only a minority truly admired him; most adventurers harbored doubts and envy towards him, evidently not bearing good intentions.

This was only expected.

Whereas others had spent years, even decades, to reach the levels he had, Reiger had effortlessly reached them in just over a month, challenging the darker aspects of human nature—it was understandable.

Reiger wanted to avoid unnecessary complications, didn’t want to provide a vent for others’ frustrations, and had no inclination to showcase his abilities publicly; thus, he simply turned and left the guild headquarters, taking a shortcut through a secluded alleyway back to the ’Inn of Dusk’.

However, just then, something unexpected happened.

"————!"

Reiger suddenly stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brows.

A feeling as if he were being watched crawled into his heart, sending a chill up the back of his neck.

"Who’s there?"

Reiger stood silently in place, only speaking in a cold voice after a moment.

"Hmph."

The next second, a cold snort sounded in the dark alley.

Only then did Reiger swiftly turn around to face a shadow.

From within that shadow, a figure cloaked entirely in black appeared silently.

"Are you the ’Deceptive Swordsman’?"

The voice of the newcomer carried a heavy dose of displeasure and even loathing as it sounded.

"..."

Reiger didn’t respond, merely placing his hand on the sword at his waist and gazing at the newcomer.

This behavior made the newcomer’s voice even more displeased and filled with disgust.

"I’m speaking to you. Is this how all members of the Loki clan are, not even understanding the most basic manners?"

These words were met only by Reiger’s cold gaze.

"Manners are reserved for those who themselves are mannered." Reiger spoke expressionlessly, "Do you think you’re being polite?"

"Oh?" The figure in black sneered, "You have a sharp tongue. I just wonder if the sword you’re preparing to draw is just as sharp?"

Saying this, the figure in black raised a hand.

"Swoosh!"

"Swoosh!"

"Swoosh!"

In a flash, from all directions, shadows leaped down from the walls, surrounding Reiger.

They too were cloaked in black, their faces indiscernible.

However, the moment they landed, these cloaked attackers charged towards Reiger, launching an attack on him.

"Clang!"

Reiger immediately drew his sword.

The attackers in black also closed in instantly, with some staying back, while the rest drew weapons from beneath their cloaks, moving to strike Reiger.

In that moment, all sorts of weapons like knives, spears, swords, and halberds were either raised or swung down at Reiger from every angle.

This all-encompassing attack left no gap for Reiger, making it almost impossible for him to dodge; he could only choose to parry.

This also told Reiger that these attackers were not a disorganized mob.

Seeing their seamless, coordinated assault, it was clear that these individuals had fought together for several years, having developed sufficient team dynamics.

Their strength was also remarkable, certainly not that of ordinary adventurers.

Lv.2, Tier 3 Adventurers?

No! These individuals were at least Lv.3, Tier 2 Adventurers!

With this thought flashing through his mind, Reiger moved.

"Whoosh!"

Accompanied by a whooshing wind, Reiger’s figure blurred as he moved swiftly to stand before one of the attackers who hadn’t yet closed in, his sword slashing fiercely in a flash of silver, uncompromisingly striking out.

"Clang!"

The black-cloaked figure was taken aback, hurriedly raising their weapon to block the direct slash, but was repelled by the astonishing force carried by the blade.

Reiger felt no pity but instead accelerated again, leaving behind the attacker he had just repelled, and rushed towards another person.

"Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!" "Clang!".....

In no time, a series of clashing sounds mixed together.

Turning into a gust of wind, Reiger moved at extreme speed, his figure flickering ghostlike back and forth, his rapier frequently slashing out, causing sword flashes to forcibly strike the attackers, knocking back those who attempted to block with their weapons.

Though it sounds complex, this entire process took less than two seconds.

In those two seconds, Reiger had, with his astonishing speed and sword skill, not only broken the attackers’ coordination but also forced them all to retreat.

"What!?"

"He is strong!"

"This must be a joke, right?"

"Is this still Lv.4...!?"

The attackers were all shocked.

Not just them, even the leader, who had been leaning against the wall and standing in the shadow with crossed arms, narrowed his eyes and smacked his lips in irritation.

"Damn it, this guy isn’t some freshly advanced Lv.4."

This was clearly a veteran of Lv.4, someone who could even rival the top-tier elites.

Among the attackers surrounding Reiger, there were also several high-level Lv.4 experts.

Yet, these combined forces had been aggressively repelled in a single exchange?

"Attack!"

The leader in the shadows spoke irritably.

"I want to see just how capable this guy really is."

Upon hearing this, the attackers suppressed their astonishment and charged at Reiger again.

Seeing this, a cold light flashed in Reiger’s eyes.