The Genius Son-in-law of the Swordmaster Household—Blessed by Authority Chapter 93

Deserted Island Attack (5)

― SHRAAAAANG!!

Tens of thousands of petal blades poured down like a torrential rain toward the two demons.

"What, what is that...?"

"Shit! It's coming this way!"

The demon leader readjusted his grip on his sword, which was wreathed in blood-red enhanced energy.

"B-boss, you've got to dodge!"

"No! You can't dodge it!"

That was not the kind of attack you could avoid.

No matter how fast you move your body, you can't dodge a rainstorm under a roofless sky.

"If you dodge, it'll be too late! Get behind me, fast!"

The demon leader stood in front to protect his subordinate.

― KWAAAAAANG!!

Then, he raised the might of his blood-red enhanced energy to its peak.

"Let's see what you've got!"

He swung his sword at the oncoming shower of blades.

― KAGAGAGAGAGANG!!!

Tens of thousands of blade fragments clashed with the red enhanced energy.

Sparks exploded viciously in all directions.

"Krrrhh...!!"

― KAGAGAGAGANG!!

'This is absurdly heavy...!'

It felt as though he was standing against a raging waterfall with only a single blade.

― KAGAGAGAGANG!!

A single slip in controlling his enhanced energy would shatter his sword, and if he relaxed his grip, he could lose his weapon entirely.

'D-dammit...!!'

The demon leader squeezed his sword with enough force to burst his palm.

'Where the hell...! Where did something like this come from all of a sudden!?'

Even for himself, a Master, this was an attack hardly manageable.

'This must be...!'

It looked like magic, but it wasn't.

If it had been magic, he could have sensed the casting beforehand.

'It's Sword Spirit Release!'

A secret art of official Hisperion swordsmen who have received a special sword from the Sword Lake.

'But...!'

The might of Sword Spirit Release is usually proportional to the wielder's talent.

'So what the hell is this power...!?'

The crushing weight of the tiny blade waves was truly overwhelming.

It felt as though his grip could tear apart at any moment.

Given this level of power, the sword was surely bestowed upon someone with Master-rank talent.

'Did someone with Master-rank talent appear here!?'

It couldn't be a cadet.

Sure, there were a handful of cadets with the talent to reach the Master rank, but—

This exam didn't allow them to bring their named swords from the Sword Selection Ceremony.

Moreover, to handle Sword Spirit Release so masterfully, one would need to bond with the sword for a long time.

Considering the young age of the cadets, even handling Sword Spirit Release this well would be difficult.

So,

'The one attacking us must be an instructor!'

But then,

'Was there an instructor with Master-rank talent!?'

No.

That couldn't be.

'I spent so long preparing for this operation!'

If there really were someone of that talent, the demon leader would not have let it pass.

He would've been marked as a priority threat and contingency plans would have been made.

'Then...! Who the hell is it...!?'

Just who unleashed such a monstrous attack!

It couldn't be a cadet—and not an instructor—!

Who did I overlook in this deserted island!?

― BULGE!

The demon leader strained his eyes.

― KAGAGAGAGANG!!

'Who are you!?'

The one who unleashed Sword Spirit Release must be right behind this storm of blades.

A massive flow of energy was emanating from behind.

The demon leader glared with wide eyes, searching through the gaps between flaming blade fragments.

― KAGAGAGAGANG!!

"...!"

He was in a much more obvious spot than expected.

'Right close by!'

Just fifty paces behind the tsunami of blades.

As if to prove he was the caster, he held his sword high over his head.

'But...!'

The demon leader's brow furrowed.

'Is... is that a boy?'

The sparks distorted his vision, but even a glimpse showed it was definitely not an adult's silhouette.

Still short and frail—a child, not fully grown.

'A cadet!'

A mere child was behind this brutal attack!?

Barely a teenager...!

Using Sword Spirit Release at this level!?

'N-no way!'

Right then.

'What!?'

As lightning flashed, he spotted a massive black greatsword suddenly gripped in the boy's hand.

'What else is that!?'

Just a moment ago, he'd only held one sword.

Where had that ridiculously huge weapon appeared from!?

― BUUUUNG!

The boy swung the monolithic greatsword and hurled it at the demon leader.

― WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The massive blade spun in a circle like a boomerang toward the demon leader.

'What?'

Seeing such a crude, absurd throwing attack made the demon leader smirk.

'Idiot! Giving me such a fine shield!'

The demon leader readied his left hand.

'I'll catch that greatsword!'

If he caught it at the right moment—

He could use the greatsword as a shield to break through this blade storm.

'And then!'

He'd rush at the boy and slice off both his arms in a single blow—so he couldn't use Sword Spirit Release anymore.

― WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH! WHOOSH!

The black greatsword flew close right in front of him.

"Thanks, brat!"

The demon leader swiftly grabbed Vladiark with his left hand.

― SNATCH!

The greatsword's handle fit perfectly into the demon leader's hand.

It was perfect timing, a perfect catch.

'Then immediately...!'

He planned to infuse enhanced energy into the blade and force through the silver blades—

― SHUAAAAAA!!

"Ggh, ggh!?"

Pain racked the demon leader's entire body, as if his mana circuits were being shredded.

"Gg... GAAAAAAAH!"

Simultaneously—

Vladiark began ravenously devouring the demon leader's enhanced energy.

Tentacles sprouted from Vladiark's blade, wriggling grotesquely as they sucked up every bit of his Master's power.

"B-boss!?"

His subordinate recoiled in horror at the sight.

― SHRAAAAANG!!

"KRAAAAH!!"

The panicked subordinate was instantly shredded into bloody pulp by Flostilla's blade tsunami.

The moment the leader's stance failed, his protective shield vanished.

― PAAAAAAAANG!!

In an instant, both demons were dead.

― CRACK! CRACK!

Vladiark's tentacles writhed like a living beast, devouring the scattered flesh of the demons.

The once-billowing silver petals of Flostilla dispersed and vanished like fireflies.

"Wh-what is...!"

Yuria, who had been watching the entire scene in a daze, took an involuntary step back.

'T-that just now...'

Dellen's secret art.

It was definitely Flostilla's Sword Spirit Release.

'Why is Flostilla here!?'

Yuria didn't know what had happened to Flostilla.

She'd been confined beneath the Heavenly Sword Palace when Darkan and Aris had spoken of giving Flostilla to Ian as a reward.

'Don't tell me Theo sent another assassin? Even stealing nanny's sword!?'

Naturally, she misunderstood.

'What a ruthless beast! Villain!'

The tension welled up inside her.

'And what is that...!'

Yuria stared at Vladiark.

Wriggling and greedily sucking up the demons' corpses with its tentacles.

'A-a monster...!'

Yuria didn't recognize Ian's greatsword.

She'd seen it many times before, but Vladiark's appearance changed dramatically with the amount of aura it devoured—and seeing it writhing so excitedly with tentacles was a first.

As Yuria involuntarily stepped back, tense—

"Miss Yuria!"

A voice instantly eased her tension.

"I-Ian!?"

A flush of relief lit up Yuria's face.

"Ha, ha!"

Just hearing Ian's voice made all her tension disappear at once.

― SLUMP!

Yuria's legs gave out beneath her and she sat right down.

"So it was you! Ian Greysel... Haah..."

She breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Flostilla gripped in Ian's hand.

'Ah...! Then that, too!'

She finally recognized Vladiark.

'That was Ian's greatsword... Wow, I didn't know it could turn into something like that.'

Vladiark had now cleaned up all the demons and, as if savoring the meal, was wriggling its tentacles.

Honestly, it looked a bit grotesque.

'... It doesn't really suit Ian, though... Why did the Sword Lake bestow that sword to him?'

Still,

Both blade and master being monsters—at least that was a point they had in common.

To have so overwhelmingly shredded a Master-rank demon in an instant—

And the demon hadn't even been alone—he had a capable subordinate.

'He's gotten so much stronger these last few months. Ian Greysel.'

When Ian fought late-stage Swordmaster Dellen—

It hadn't felt this overwhelming.

He'd had to use every single technique, risking his life.

He'd even blocked Dellen's blade with his own body.

But now—

'He didn't spill a drop of blood, yet he overwhelmed a Master-rank demon.'

Even the subordinate, who seemed competent, had been instantly shredded by Ian's Flostilla.

'The only thing different from before...'

Was that Ian now wielded two named swords, and that only a few months had passed.

'Can one really become this much stronger in just a few months, with two swords...?'

Even Yuria, praised as a genius and chosen by the Divine Sword, couldn't have so thoroughly defeated two demons with Genesis in hand.

If anything, she would probably have lost.

'But Ian...'

How had he gotten so strong, so quickly?

"Miss Yuria!"

Ian crashed through the bushes to reach her.

"Yes! Here! I'm here!"

"Ha, ha..."

Ian let out a breath of relief, seeing that Yuria was unharmed.

"I'm glad I wasn't too late. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"Not at all! Thanks to you."

"Even a small wound should never go untreated. Any sprains or scrapes?"

Seeing Ian's serious, worried face made Yuria chuckle without realizing it.

"Pfft, you worry too much. I'm fine. Really."

― SNAP!

Yuria stood, spinning and showing off every part of her body.

There were some dirt stains, but not a spot of blood.

"You really saved my life, Ian."

She'd truly thought it was over when the demon unleashed his enhanced energy.

"Once again, I owe you. ... But."

Yuria glanced at Flostilla.

"So you're the one who received it."

When the master of a named sword from the Sword Lake dies, the sword's fate is decided by the Heavenly Sword Lord.

Her father must have gifted Flostilla to Ian.

"Ah..."

Ian quickly sheathed Flostilla.

"I'm sorry, miss. I tried not to let you see it."

"Huh? Why?"

Flostilla was the sword of the wet nurse who'd betrayed Yuria.

So it must bring up painful memories.

"... It must feel unpleasant. I wasn't thoughtful enough."

He'd been so anxious seeing the demon ready enhanced energy that, in his haste, he'd used any measure—even Flostilla.

"Oh. Oh, come on, is that all?"

Yuria brushed it off with a wave of her hand.

"Forget it~ Don't worry about me. Why hide a good sword? It'd be worse if you didn't use it because of me. It suits you, anyway."

Yuria tapped Ian on the shoulder.

"And—"

She grinned mischievously.

"I'm actually glad you're the new owner."

... It was once the sword of the person who protected me. But it suits you, too.

If someone else had received Flostilla, I might have felt upset.

But Ian receiving it felt perfectly fine.

"... Is that so?"

"Yeah. So use it however you wish. Show it to me often, okay?"

"Understood. Thank you."

"What's there to thank me for...? I'm the one who owes you."

― CHUCK!

Yuria rested a hand on her hip with a smile.

"How many debts are you planning to hang on me, Ian Greysel?"

"... There's no need for that."

"How can you say that between people? You've saved my life twice now."

"I didn't come hoping for anything in return. I'd say it a thousand times over."

"..."

Yuria's heart fluttered a little.

"Hmph...! That's just talk."

"I mean it."

"T-then could you swear it by mana?"

"Of course. Do you have a scroll? I'll do it right now."

"W-wait! You'll really do it, so I can't even joke!"

― Thump. Thump.

"..."

Yuria glanced sideways at Ian.

'This guy really... when he acts like this...'

He really seems to like me.

He acts like I'm the only one he cares about.

'Honestly.'

If he didn't like me, could he come to save me, every time?

Twice, even? Even revealing his hidden strength?

And he always tries to prove himself, swearing by mana.

If he didn't like me, none of it would make sense.

But...

'It's confusing...!'

She still lacked decisive proof that Ian liked her.

'He's never confessed, after all...'

And the fact that she wasn't the only girl he took care of bothered her the most.

But right now, he seemed to have come to save her before anyone else.

'Ugh...!'

How could the heart be this complicated and desperate?

It wasn't just now—Yuria had been suffering for months, agonizing over Ian's feelings.

'Aagh! I can't stand it any longer! I'm going crazy over this!'

So, she decided to ask directly.

"H-hey, Ian?"

Do you like me?

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

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