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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Ruby
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Yuma walked toward the outdoor training ground.
When Yuma appeared, the knights gathered at the outdoor training ground turned their attention toward him.
And every one of them showed proper respect to Yuma.
Yuma carefully observed Bell, who was engaged in combat practice, exchanging sword strikes intensely with her opponent.
Bell’s opponent was her father, Luke.
Clash!
Clang!
Luke and Bell’s swords collided countless times.
The friction sound of blade against blade resonated through the air.
Yuma watched their practice from a distance.
Bell’s father Luke, who shared the same blue hair as her and was the head of the White night clan, expressed slight admiration each time he parried Bell’s sword.
He already knew from their previous match that she had truly reached the level of Grand Sword Master.
Back then, he could feel her growing stronger in very short intervals during their exchange of blows.
Today was no different.
Both their swords were wrapped in bright blue aura blades.
This was a trust possible precisely because they were father and daughter.
They had strong faith that such attacks wouldn’t cause serious harm to each other.
Luke’s build was overwhelmingly larger compared to Bell’s.
The advantage coming from that overwhelming physique was certainly significant.
The power behind the massive greatsword Luke wielded was inevitably substantial.
Thanks to Luke’s consideration, they could maintain somewhat equal concentration of sword energy, but the difference in physical power was enormous.
So after a prolonged exchange of offense and defense, Bell’s body was pushed backward.
Crash!
However, as soon as she was pushed back, she elegantly twisted her ankle and body, immediately launching herself forward like a bullet.
Only when their agreed-upon time of 15 minutes ended did she lower her right arm holding the sword.
Bell, who had been completely focused on the practice match, only then noticed that Yuma had been watching their duel from the middle.
“Yuma…”
Bell opened her pink eyes wide as she looked at Yuma.
Luke also spoke.
Luke’s blue eyes gazed intently at Yuma.
“I observed the battle three days ago, Grand Duke. It was truly remarkable prowess. Enough to make me feel powerless.”
Luke’s words carried respect.
It was respect for Yuma who had demonstrated the martial might to suppress the evil god Barbatos.
Yuma faced Luke in return.
He had much to say.
To Luke not as a subordinate, but as Bell’s father.
Yuma made a gesture with his chin.
Pointing to a space adjacent to the training ground that resembled a rest area.
“Count Luke, let’s have a talk.”
Luke’s eyes flashed with interest.
“Understood.”
Before heading to the rest area, Yuma looked at Bell.
“Don’t overdo it. Take breaks while practicing, as you might strain your body.”
Yuma walked toward the rest area without waiting for Bell’s response.
Luke followed behind him.
“…Don’t overdo it?”
Bell puffed up both her cheeks and pouted her lips.
“Yuma always pushes himself too hard.”
Bell had felt somewhat betrayed since three days ago.
When he killed Incrinew, the attack Incrinew used was far from martial arts, so she couldn’t grasp how powerful Yuma’s strength truly was.
When he killed the Great Demon King previously, she thought it might have been within reach if she swung her sword desperately until her dying breath.
But this time, the way he defeated the god Barbatos was too overwhelming.
Bell had etched Barbatos’s movements into her eyes and mind.
And she had imagined countless scenarios.
Battles between herself and Barbatos who had descended upon this land three days ago.
And the result of those imaginary battles was always her death.
She would have died instantly from Barbatos’s first strike.
No matter how many hypothetical scenarios she ran through, no matter how many abilities she had at her disposal, the result never changed.
Even if she somehow managed to dodge the first punch, she would have died from the shower of formless sword strikes that rained down on this world as his second attack.
Barbatos’s third attack with his palm and fourth attack with his sword form meant certain death without question.
Yet Yuma had broken through everything and ultimately slain that god of battle who could rightfully be called the incarnation of martial prowess.
Yuma.
It was Yuma who told Bell that she could definitely reach his level of power.
However, Yuma widened the gap with each passing day.
The distance that had opened up this time seemed so far that she could never reach it even if she desperately flailed her hands her entire life.
That’s why she felt so frustrated.
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Yuma and the head of the White night clan, Luke, sat side by side in the rest area.
The White night clan now belonged to one of the families protecting the Astes Empire.
Bridgette had bestowed the title of Count upon Luke based on his achievements during the recent demon realm invasion.
According to Astes’s laws, it was the highest title that could be granted based on contributions from a single war.
Luke didn’t refuse the title, knowing that he could only safely protect his clan members by fully establishing himself as a member of an imperial family.
Luke Count, head of the White night clan, gazed at Yuma.
“I heard that the one who appeared three days ago was a god.”
Yuma nodded.
“Do you believe that?”
Luke grinned.
“Well, I have to believe it, what else can I do? I have a responsibility to believe everything the Grand Duke says as long as it’s not completely insane. My entire clan is indebted to the Grand Duke.”
Because it was Yuma who killed [King of the Giant Race – Ades], a demigod-level being who was the cause of the covenant that prevented all members of the White night clan from taking even a single step outside the White night territory, thereby freeing the clan from the shackles they had borne their entire lives.
At least as long as Yuma lives and breathes, all members of the clan would consider him their benefactor.
Luke continued speaking.
“And having seen him myself, there’s no reason not to believe he was a god. The abilities and power he displayed were certainly worthy of being called divine.”
Yuma felt that there was no need to provide unnecessary additional explanations to Luke.
Luke continued.
“You say there are more of them?”
“Probably six more remain. Their subordinates might also descend, so the situation is uncertain. Barbatos clearly came targeting me, but separately, it seems he initially intended to blow away half of this world’s continent.”
According to what the status window had shown, that was the case.
There would be no reason for the status window to lie about such matters.
“…That means dark clouds could hang not only over the Geheurgen continent but all continents of this world.”
“Yes.”
Yuma felt the need to gradually get to the main point.
“I’m thinking of taking Bell and Cloney, along with other individuals with abundant growth potential, to the Celestial Realm.”
“The Celestial Realm?”
Luke already knew that apostles from the Celestial Realm had a history of invading to kidnap his daughter.
After all, the reason he left his assigned territory and came to the imperial palace was because he heard the news that Bell had fought with an apostle from the Celestial Realm.
“Their attitude changed after I defeated the evil god.”
Luke immediately understood Yuma’s words. Indeed, that spectacle was sufficient to change attitudes.
“I learned from the apostle who came down that there’s a significant possibility it could help with training. I don’t plan to enter without any precautions. Safety will be guaranteed.”
Luke slowly nodded.
“But if you’ve come to seek permission to take Bell, there’s really no need to ask me like this. It doesn’t seem like the Grand Duke would put my daughter in danger.”
Luke’s trust in Yuma had already been firmly established through past events.
“It might be a month or two. I’d appreciate if you would protect the empire well during that time.”
Luke immediately responded to Yuma’s words.
“Of course, this is now the land where my family resides.”
That was the conclusion.
That he would be temporarily leaving the empire.
‘I should check if measures can be taken to continue monitoring the empire’s situation from the Celestial Realm.’
Having finished what he needed to say, Yuma came back outside the rest area.
He saw Bell persistently swinging her sword despite clearly having been told to rest a little.
Yuma approached Bell.
Swoosh!
Despite Yuma’s approach, Bell stubbornly continued swinging her sword.
“In a few days, we’re going to the Celestial Realm. Rather than searching for a place with clear growth potential on this continent, going to the Celestial Realm seems to have a higher probability.”
Whoosh!
Bell stopped her movement abruptly after swinging her sword one more time after Yuma finished speaking.
Thud.
“…You were lying when you said I could become as strong as my lord.”
Bell’s cheeks puffed up on both sides.
“It’s not a lie.”
Yuma was consistently sincere.
If defeating this world’s final boss required parrying, that would be strange, wouldn’t it?
A fence.
Yuma had long decided to serve as a strong fence to make Bell and Cloney powerful.
“You just need to not give up.”
Even if reality flowed completely differently from his thoughts, he intended to maintain that role as much as possible.
“I’ll block anyone who tries to harm you, so all you need to do is not give up.”
Bell’s puffed-up cheeks deflated.
It wasn’t that she was convinced.
She still didn’t believe even the slightest bit that her level could reach Yuma’s standard.
It was just that her sulkiness had been resolved by Yuma’s soothing words spoken in the same tone as always.
“…I understand.”
Bell began swinging her sword again.
Four days later, the archangel Garenmon descended from the Celestial Realm and announced that preparations for their entry into the
Celestial Realm were complete.
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