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Chapter 562: Mountain of Swords (1)

The Sword Mountain.

A special ability that can only be obtained by unlocking the second collection effect of the Weapon Catalog.

Once this ability is gained, you can summon all weapons registered in the Catalog and make them pour down from the sky, exactly as Alden was witnessing now.

—That’s…!

As a scion of a noble house, Alden recognized the Weapon Catalog’s “Sword Mountain” and quickly leapt backward to avoid the shower of blades.

The spot where he had just been standing was immediately filled with dozens of swords, spears, and axes crashing down, creating a deafening roar.

KWAKWAKWAK!

—Y-you… who are you…?

Possessing a Weapon Catalog itself was proof of one’s inner strength, so Alden hurriedly searched for any “clues”, a crest, an insignia, anything that could identify the opponent’s house or faction.

But his opponent was even quicker on the uptake.

—Miras, perhaps?

—…What?

—Judging from that reaction, I was right. I was confused for a second because you only have three arms.

The opponent gave a chilling smile as he looked at Alden.

Only then was Alden Miras able to calmly take in his opponent’s appearance.

Dry, gray skin and a gaunt frame.

But the heavy armor he wore was of exceptional quality, and more than anything, his eyes radiated an intense pride, the unmistakable pride of noble blood.

—I am Alden Miras, heir to the Miras family.

—Oh?

The opponent’s amused expression deepened at his introduction, making Alden’s displeasure show.

—Is it not your turn to state your name?

In this universe, exchanging names was considered a basic courtesy between equals, especially among nobles.

And at last—

Swoosh.

The gray-skinned swordsman pressed his curved sword to his chest and grinned playfully.

—To meet a renowned Miras in a place like this… what an amusing coincidence.

And then, his name was finally revealed.

—My name is Venura Garn.

—Garn…?

—A member of the Twelve Sword Council, and the Second Sword of the Garn family.

Venura Garn.

As he introduced himself, he twisted one shoulder inward, revealing the cloak draped across it, and there, a long cross-shaped sword emblem shimmered.

—Ah.

Seeing that, Alden finally believed it.

It truly was that Garn, one of the galaxy’s most battle-loving noble families, known far and wide for their obsession with duels.

—By the way, why do you only have three arms? It’s disappointing, I meet a Miras at last, and there are only three toys to play with.

—As rumored, you’re incredibly rude.

—Not rude, strong.

—……

At such brazen arrogance, Alden clenched his eyes shut.

He’d endured far too much rudeness today already.

Yet ironically, he also felt a strange sense of relief.

Because—

—If you’re so strong, then take care of him for me.

—…What?

Just as Venura tilted his head at Alden’s words, an ominous presence erupted from afar.

SWAEEEEEET!

Someone was charging toward them like a bullet.

—Another one, huh.

To Venura, who didn’t even consider the weak as existent, this new arrival was at least worthy of being acknowledged as “the other one.”

But when the distance closed to about fifteen meters, the attacker displayed an impossible burst of speed.

PAZIT!

Lightning sparked beneath his feet, moving faster than Venura’s perception could follow.

It was none other than Yeongwoo’s Lightning Step.

CHWIAAAAK!

Instantly transforming into a bolt of lightning, Yeongwoo closed the gap and threw a punch without hesitation.

HWAEAAAAT!

Straight at Venura Garn’s gray face.

—……!

The moment Venura sensed the attack, his head snapped violently to the side.

PAAAAAK!

Yeongwoo’s fist shattered his jawbone into four pieces.

PUDEUK!

With a cracking sound like breaking stone, black blood spurted from Venura’s mouth, and over it came Yeongwoo’s rough voice.

“Hey, you bastard… don’t tell me you’ve got a Weapon Catalog too?”

But Venura Garn didn’t answer.

Instead, he darted back.

TATAT!

A swift retreat, befitting one from a dueling clan.

Then, tightening his grip on the curved blade, he finally seemed to understand.

—So that’s why Miras was just standing there like a fool.

His speech was garbled, half his jaw was gone, yet his killing intent grew sharper, his eyes gleaming like drawn blades.

—Who are you? Judging by your manners, you’ve no trace of refinement.

Rudeness, of course, is relative, and now that Venura had met someone even more uncouth than himself, he sounded almost civilized.

Yeongwoo licked the end of his Bastard and sucked his own poisonous blood from it.

“Tsk. You highborn types never stop whining about ‘refinement.’”

—…What?

“Once you’ve had your face smashed in, refinement doesn’t mean shit. So if you want to keep yours, win first.”

—How dare yo—

Before Venura could finish, Yeongwoo lunged without warning.

“HIIYAAAH!”

With a strange yell, no less.

Lady Kanaph, who had wisely taken cover behind Aratubank earlier, screamed out.

—Y-you idiot! You don’t even have a shield right now!

She was worried for Yeongwoo, her last lifeline, so to speak.

But Alden Miras was worried for Venura Garn instead.

—You fool! That man is Venura Garn, not only bearing the crest of his house, but backed by the Twelve Sword Council!

“What? What’s the Twelve Sword Council?”

And right as Yeongwoo asked that—

HWAEAAAAEK!

His Bastard drew a huge arc through the air, crashing toward Venura.

A palpable chill spread, the aura of demonic energy that only true warriors could sense.

And, most terrifying of all—

—This…!

The Bastard’s unique trait: Contempt for the weak.

Any weapon below Mythic grade was ignored, as if it didn’t exist.

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【Contempt for the weak】

|This sword's attack can only be blocked with mythic or higher equipment.

Venura, realizing the incoming strike would simply cut through his curved sword, dropped his upper body back in a deep arch.

HWAEAT!

His form bent almost perfectly backward.

“What the hell? You a gymnast or something?”

Even Yeongwoo had to admit Venura’s movements were impressive, not just strange, but remarkably effective.

SWIRL!

Like a spring recoiling, Venura flipped backward and escaped the strike, staring intently at Yeongwoo’s sword.

Then, after a short moment, he muttered,

—A Mythic weapon… here, of all places.

“You saying you don’t have one?”

—……

Realizing that a normal conversation was impossible, Venura turned his gaze toward Alden Miras instead.

—What the hell is that thing?

Alden looked back at Yeongwoo.

It was an unspoken question, Should I tell him your name?

“Man, why are you noble brats so inefficient? You could just ask me directly, you know.”

Then Yeongwoo adjusted his grip on the Bastard and pointed toward the sky.

SWASH!

“I am Jeong Yeongwoo, head of House Renaissance!”

—Renaissance…?

Venura’s expression said he’d never heard of it.

Naturally, Yeongwoo’s pride took a hit, but since it wasn’t the first time, he let it go.

“I already heard your name. Now tell me, what the hell is this Twelve Sword Council thing?”

Before chopping off or dismembering someone, one should at least know their background, that was Yeongwoo’s logic.

Alden finally explained.

—It’s a coalition of the strongest swordmasters of the Delpo Galaxy.

“What? The strongest swordmasters? Then why didn’t I get an invitation?”

—……

“I mean it. I’m not even sure that guy’s better than me. Hell, I was fighting one-armed just now.”

That was true, though he held the Bastard, Yeongwoo was missing an arm after cutting off Aratari’s limbs earlier.

But Venura still refused to acknowledge his prowess.

—That’s because your name isn’t known throughout the galaxy.

“What? You bastard, if I’d been that famous, you’d already be a corpse.”

—A Mythic weapon in unworthy hands.

SWOOSH.

Venura let his curved sword droop to the ground, shifting into a new stance.

Despite their last terrifying exchange, he clearly intended to continue.

“Gotta admire your guts.”

Even against a Mythic weapon, he showed no sign of fear, proving his reputation as a top swordsman wasn’t undeserved.

After all, winning this fight meant obtaining a Mythic weapon.

So Yeongwoo—

Swoosh.

Bent down and picked up a purple arm lying on the ground.

It was one of the Aratari’s limbs he had cut off earlier.

—W-what are you doing…?

Venura’s instincts screamed caution, while Yeongwoo—

SWAEET!

—sliced off the spikes sprouting from his severed left shoulder and pressed the Aratari’s arm against the stump.

PUH-UK!

Then, as if coming to life, the limp purple arm twitched and began to fuse with Yeongwoo’s shoulder.

—Ugh…

Alden Miras recoiled in horror, stepping back.

Venura, on the other hand, twitched his brow several times but didn’t move.

—An Aratari…?

Confusion.

He had fought countless duelists, but never encountered a creature whose body could be assembled, especially with mismatched flesh and skin color.

KURRUP!

Thanks to the Aratari’s natural regeneration, it didn’t take long before Yeongwoo could freely move the purple arm.

TDEUP!

“If it were me, I’d have attacked while I was still transforming… see, this is why noble guys never win.”

With a villainous grin, Yeongwoo flexed his new left arm while Venura’s gaze flicked upward, ready to summon the Sword Mountain again.

As another Sword Mountain wielder, Yeongwoo immediately noticed.

“Alright then, let’s begin. I’ll let you taste the power of a great species.”

Bragging about Aratari’s “Great Species,” which he’d never even seen, Yeongwoo smirked, while Venura’s expression grew more complex.

—You said your house was… Renaissance?

“Yeah. Figured you might as well remember it.”

But Venura’s reply wasn’t what Yeongwoo expected.

—Then I’ll be sure to deliver your corpse personally. I’m curious what kind of house breeds someone like you.

“You talk too much for a guy who’s about to lose an arm.”

With that, Yeongwoo lifted the Bastard high, and Venura, as if on cue, shouted,

—Summon Sword Mountain…!

And Yeongwoo, pointing his purple finger at the sky, yelled back,

“Come forth! One hundred forty-nine Sword Mountain!”

—What!?

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