I Obtained Sword God Level Talent - Chapter 23

One more person joined our company.
Just one person, but the carriage was filled with chatter.
“What are your thoughts on personal grudges? Especially those entangled with complex cause and effect?”
“Return kindness twice over, and vengeance tenfold. That is the path I believe in. Everyone in this world, except my companions and I, is a potential enemy.”
“That’s right! Exactly! Ehahahaha!”
There was hardly any room for anyone else to interject in Frey and the old man’s conversation.
Furthermore, even though it had only been ten minutes since the old man boarded the carriage, the way he addressed Frey had already changed from the formal “young hero” to the more casual “you.” The shift to a warmer tone was an added bonus.
T h i s w as co p ied f r o m k i n g mt l . or g
“…….”
“…….”
Lancelot and Ariel exchanged puzzled looks at the unexpected guest.
They found it hard to believe that this was the first time these two had met.
Th i s w a s c o pi e d fr o m k i ng m t l . o rg
Frey and the old man seemed to get along so well that they looked more like a loving grandfather and grandson than strangers who had just met on the road.
“I used to think people from the Western Continent were cold and blunt, but seeing you, I realized how wrong I was! Ehahaha!”
“How can all societies be so different? It’s just that people here are a bit more indifferent to others and have a stronger individualistic tendency.”
“That’s right! You’re absolutely right. How could I have missed such a simple truth?”
The old man in the carriage looked at Frey with warm eyes.
His gaze, practically dripping with honey, was filled with affection for Frey. It was enough to make me jealous.
“At first, I simply asked for a ride because I needed someone to talk to, but to think I would meet such an outstanding junior! I was so engrossed in you that I forgot for a moment, but who are these two…?”
The Sword Demon let out a hearty laugh once again and glanced around.
There were other people who had been forgotten in the midst of Frey’s eloquence. It went without saying that Lancelot and Ariel were the ones in question.
“These two are Lancelot and Ariel. This friend is a swordsman, and this friend is a mage.”
“Ehehe! Such dignified appearances and bold spirits. And a mage, it’s been a while. Their mystical powers have a way of captivating people’s souls.”
“Ah, hello.”
“Ah, greetings.”
“How polite. You two will surely achieve great things in the future.”
T h is w a s c opi ed fro m k in g m t l . o r g
The two of them bowed their heads awkwardly. The old man offered them a few words of encouragement before resuming his conversation with Frey.
“It’s rare to see youngsters like you and your friends who respect their elders these days.”
“…Isn’t that all due to the culture of spoiling one’s own children?”
“That’s what I think too! Now that I see it, I understand why we get along so well! Our values! Our paths in life are quite similar!”
“Is that so? I’m honored.”
“…Huh.”
Lancelot couldn’t hide his bewilderment.
He hadn’t known Frey for very long.
But from what he had seen, Frey wasn’t particularly eloquent. Or rather… he wasn’t the type to talk much?
And yet, seeing him now, constantly engaged in conversation with this old man… it was fascinating.
“Ehehe. Since I’ve met such a likeable junior, I should be a bit honest myself.”
“Yes?”
“As you might have guessed, I’m from the Eastern Continent.”
The atmosphere in the carriage instantly became heavy. The old man, as if worried that the three of them might become frightened, spoke in a gentle tone.
“And… I come from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains, located at the edge of the Eastern Continent.”
“The Ten Thousand Great Mountains…?”
Lancelot spoke, his eyes widening as if something had clicked.
The old man nodded slowly, accepting his reaction calmly.
“That’s right. I come from the Ten Thousand Great Mountains… from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, the ultimate evil in the Eastern Continent.”
“A-A demonic cult!”
“I-Is… Is that true?!”
Lancelot and Ariel exclaimed in shock.
The Heavenly Demon Divine Cult was such a place. Its notoriety spread not only throughout the Eastern Continent but also to the Western Continent. It was a massive organization, each member a master close to the peak.
They were so infamous that there was even a saying that crying children would stop crying if they were told the demonic cultists were coming.
“…Ehehe.”
The old man chuckled softly, as if anticipating someone’s reaction.
His sharp gaze turned towards Frey. Unlike Lancelot and Ariel, who had reacted with surprise, only one person was staring blankly into space with an impassive expression.
“Are you not surprised by my origins? I hold a considerable position within the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. A position that would astound you, young man.”
The old man said, looking at Frey, as if unable to contain his rising curiosity.
“….”
Frey, listening to the old man’s voice silently, seemed lost in thought. It was a rather unusual sight, considering that he usually seemed to live by his own judgments.
“I…”
T h is w a s co p i ed f ro m k i n g m t l . o r g
Frey spoke after careful deliberation.
“I believe that the opposite of justice is not evil, but another form of justice. There’s no reason for me to fear you, sir, simply because of your affiliation.”
“……!”
…Silently. Just silently.
The old man’s eyes widened, as if they were about to pop out, as he heard Frey’s answer. His breathing even became ragged, clearly indicating that he was experiencing intense emotions.
“Huh… Ehehe! Ehehehehe! Ehahahahahaha!”
Thi s w a s c o p i ed from k i n gm t l . or g
The old man, who seemed to be savoring Frey’s words with his eyes closed, suddenly burst into laughter.
Joy? Amusement? The emotion that erupted from the old man wasn’t anything like that. His clear eyes were filled with a profound light, as if he had achieved a great enlightenment.
Stop.
The old man, stopping his laughter abruptly as if he was a machine, turned his solemn gaze towards Frey. And he spoke in a deeply serious voice,
“…Consider yourself very fortunate, young man.”
“Pardon?”
“If I wasn’t… on a mission right now, I would have captured you and taken you to the Ten Thousand Great Mountains.”
The old man’s voice, devoid of any emotion, echoed chillingly through the carriage.
But why?
Frey shook his head. And he spoke in a firm, confident voice,
T h i s w a s c o p i e d fr o m k i n g m t l. or g
“I know you wouldn’t do that.”
“…What?”
“It’s just a hunch, but even if you kidnapped me and took me to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult… if I resisted fiercely, I know you would send me back home without a fuss.”
“….”
T h is w a s c op i e d f r o m k in g m t l . o r g
The old man’s expression became grave.
“I… am the Grand Protector of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. The Sword Demon. Are you still not afraid of me?”
“Huh… Hu-huh!”
“S-Sword Demon? The Sword Demon?!”
Lancelot and Ariel, who had been watching their conversation with tense expressions, gasped in shock.
The words that had just been spoken were truly shocking. One of the greatest masters of both the Eastern and Western Continents was right in front of them!
However.
“Yes.”
Frey’s answer was extremely brief. A response filled with a resolute will, though incredibly polite.
“The person before me is a kind old man. What difference does his affiliation make?”
“Then become my disciple.”
“……!”
Were they too tired to even be shocked anymore?
The two of them just gaped at him, speechless. That’s how shocking the words they had just heard were.
“I’ll say it again. Become my disciple. I will pass down all the martial arts of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult to you. You… you could become the Heavenly Demon within ten years.”
“I apologize.”
The old man’s gaze pierced Frey, as if he was asking, “What did you just say?”
Th i s wa s c o p ied f r om k i n g m t l . or g
“Huh… Ehehe! Are you rejecting this opportunity? An opportunity that may never come again in your lifetime?”
“I’m grateful that you hold me in such high regard, sir. However… it doesn’t quite align with the future I envision.”
“Haa… Such a…”
The old man clicked his tongue, truly regretting that Frey was refusing.
He, the Sword Demon, who was at the 8th rank, could see it. Frey, currently at the 5th rank, was a gem among gems who would radiate a brilliant light in the near future.
…However, there was one unfortunate fact.
“…Ehehe.”
The old man didn’t know.
‘I can’t let myself be swayed here.’
That Frey’s true intentions were different from his.
***
As the sun began to set.
T h i s w as co p i e d f r o m ki ng m t l.org
The coachman suggested we camp out, as the next village was still quite far away. I agreed without hesitation. We had also agreed with the Sword Demon that he would spend the night with us.
Crackle! Snap!
As we prepared for camp, darkness deepened. The space, enveloped in darkness, was filled with the sound of the crackling bonfire.
While the coachman, who had received a generous tip, prepared dinner, and the Sword Demon sat by the bonfire, lost in thought,
“I’m going to go clear my head for a bit.”
I spoke in a soft voice and stood up, gazing at the night sky full of stars.
“…Okay.”
“Be careful.”
Perhaps they sensed my deep contemplation, Ariel and Lancelot nodded in response.
Swoosh.
I walked away slowly.
The darkness that had descended upon the area was thick. The forest, which would have been pitch black before, was now visible thanks to my expanded sensory perception.
After a while.
Upon finding a relatively wide clearing, I lay down on the ground without a moment’s hesitation.
The star-filled sky was reflected in my eyes. The night sky, a sight I could rarely appreciate in the tiring modern society, had a way of soothing the heart, even just by looking at it.
“….”
T hi s w a s c o pi e d f r o m k i n gm t l. o r g
Time passed.
One minute, ten minutes. And then, as thirty minutes passed.
“Young friend.”
A soft voice reached my ears.
This was it.