Chapter 73

Chapter 73. In Search of the Demon Sword (5)

The cave where the bloody mist had disappeared.

Standing in the center of the eerily silent cave, I clicked my tongue in frustration.

“Well… I’ll check how much stronger I’ve become later.”

Now was the time to inspect the spoils I had obtained (though it was surprisingly easy to get them).

“Let’s see.”

I lifted the demon sword, which gleamed with a sinister crimson light.

The massive energy I had felt when it was first unsealed was no longer present.

‘Guess it’s out of blood.’

I lightly cut my palm with the sword.

The flowing blood dripped down the blade and seeped into the sword.

Gurgle, gurgle!

The sword trembled and bubbled.

The energy emanating from the blood-soaked blade grew stronger.

“That’s it.”

Although the consciousness of Veskal sealed within the sword had completely vanished, the power it contained remained intact.

“Haah.”

As I gripped the sword with my bleeding hand, a thrilling surge of power spread throughout my body.

The effect of the Demon Sword Veskal.

In exchange for the user’s ‘blood,’ it granted immense power, revitalizing my entire being.

‘Feels similar to when I received Iris’s blessing.’

I could feel my basic strength, stamina, and reflexes all significantly enhanced.

‘Well, maintaining this state continuously consumes blood, but…’

It’s not called a demon sword for nothing.

If one gets drunk on the power it provides and swings it recklessly, they could drain all their blood in an instant and die.

‘Of course.’

That wasn’t a concern for me.

“With this, I don’t have to worry about not being able to use the Holy Mark Amplifier anymore.”

The buff from the demon sword didn’t increase the amount of magic power itself, but since my body was strengthened, I could conserve magic power, effectively giving me extra magic power for free.

In other words.

It wasn’t an artifact that increased magic power but one that allowed me to use less of it.

‘And it’s not just about conserving magic power.’

I held the sword horizontally and raised my arm high.

With a sharp motion, I brought the sword down with full force.

Berald Martial Arts.

Sword Breaking.

Crash!

The sword, without any magic power, shattered into two pieces, scattering blood-red fragments on the ground.

“The durability is still just average.”

Compared to the standard iron swords given to candidates, its durability wasn’t particularly impressive.

For something called a ‘demon sword,’ its durability was lacking.

Gurgle, gurgle.

As I felt the blood draining from my body, the shattered sword regenerated perfectly.

“That’s it.”

Another advantage of the Demon Sword Veskal.

No matter how much it’s broken or shattered, as long as it’s supplied with blood, it can be infinitely regenerated.

‘In a way, it’s similar to me.’

Feeling a strange sense of kinship (?) with the sword that had instantly returned to its original form, I stifled a laugh.

“Anyway, now I don’t have to worry about the sword breaking during combat.”

For a hero, the durability of their weapon is more important than one might think.

In battles where mountains crumble and the earth splits, it’s common for weapons to break under the impact.

‘Like when I fought the alligator monsters, my sword broke midway.’

It’s a good thing I’ve trained in martial arts; otherwise, if it were someone else, their combat power would have dropped by half the moment their weapon broke.

“It’s about time to head back.”

I gripped the sword in reverse and stabbed my palm.

The sword didn’t pierce through but instead melted into my blood, absorbed into my body.

“Convenient, as expected.”

Being able to store the sword within my ‘blood’ without needing to carry it separately was another small advantage of the demon sword.

“……”

Before leaving the cave.

I looked around the secret space, devastated by the aftermath of battle, and recalled memories of my past life.

Specifically, the memories of my comrades from my mercenary days who had died here.

-Damn it! I’ll handle this, everyone else, run!

The captain, who had a foul temper but would risk his life for his team.

-Hey! Rabbit brat! Stop dawdling and move your ass!

The vice-captain who gave me the dishonorable nickname ‘Rabbit Han.’

-P-Please… I don’t want to die… Ugh!

The squad leader, the only woman in our mercenary group, who had captured the hearts of all the members.

I offered a silent tribute to them, even though their names were now hard to remember.

Even if it was a past life.

Even if these were just faded memories that only I held.

“Thank you.”

Because of you.

I am here.

* * *

Day 2 of the ruins exploration.

Following yesterday, the party continued to move through the ruins (avoiding the secret passage) and hunted monsters.

Even though the danger level of the ruins wasn’t particularly high, after two consecutive days of forced marches with camping, the party members were far from tired—they were even more energetic than before.

‘They must have felt it too.’

The exhilaration of getting in sync with each battle.

The thrill of communicating with just a glance and every small movement meshing perfectly like gears.

This pleasure, only felt when moving as a ‘party,’ is something one can never understand without experiencing it.

“Alright, let’s stop here for today.”

“Huh? We’re stopping already? I was just starting to get warmed up!”

Berald, showing his fists as if he could keep going.

“I’m fine with continuing too.”

“Me too. This is my first time being in a party and syncing up like this… It’s more fun than I thought.”

“Ahem. Well, it wasn’t a bad experience.”

Following Berald, Yuren, Iris, and Camila also expressed their desire to continue.

I stifled a laugh and shook my head.

“This is enough. It seems like everyone’s already in sync.”

Perhaps it was because their individual skills were so outstanding.

Even though it was only the second day of the ruins exploration, they had grown significantly compared to the beginning.

‘This is what makes teaching so rewarding.’

Seeing them grasp ten things after being taught one, and a hundred after being taught ten, made me think, ‘Ah, so this is the joy of teaching.’

I wanted to continue the forced march, feeling this newfound joy.

“But right now, you’re too hyped up to feel tired. Once you rest, the fatigue will hit you hard.”

Back when I was training my body, Berald once said.

Exercise is as much about resting as it is about working hard.

And he added one more thing.

But since you recover quickly anyway, you probably don’t need to rest.

‘Thinking about it now, that brat really pisses me off.’

Even so, who in their right mind would make someone do 500 pull-ups, 1,000 push-ups, and 1,000 squats a day?

‘Deep breaths. Calm down.’

I pushed away the nightmare-like memories of that time and continued.

“Let’s end the ruins exploration here and head back.”

“Hmm. If you say so, brother… Alright.”

“But didn’t we apply for an overnight stay until tomorrow? Are we going back to school today?”

“No, we’ll go back to school tomorrow.”

I lifted a heavy pouch and grinned.

“Let’s stop by a decent inn on the way back and have a drink.”

Inside the pouch, swollen like ripe fruit, were the magic stones we had collected over the past two days of hunting monsters.

Most of them were mass-producible low-grade stones, so they wouldn’t fetch a high price, but it was enough to toast to a successful exploration.

“Hahaha! That’s our brother! Always thinking ahead!”

“Well… I guess. It would feel a bit off to go back to school right after finishing the exploration.”

“Mr. Dale! I want the ramen you made as a side dish!”

Yuren, Berald, and Iris nodded eagerly at the suggestion of having a drink on the way back.

“Ha! Where did you get such a crazy idea!”

In the midst of the excitement.

The saintess candidate (from the Holy Kingdom) poured cold water on the mood.

She placed her hands on her hips and declared with a determined expression.

“Listen well! Mental discipline is physical discipline! Just because we successfully completed the exploration doesn’t mean we should immediately toast to it… It makes the mind lax…”

“A cold beer in a frosted mug.”

“……”

“Freshly fried chicken and perfectly grilled sausages.”

“Guh, guh!”

“Crispy dried squid with peanuts…”

“You! Can’t you shut your mouth!”

Camila shouted, turning her head away.

She avoided eye contact and cleared her throat.

“W-Well, I can’t let the saintess’s escort go alone. I’ll join you.”

“Wipe the drool off your mouth first.”

“Ugh!”

Anyway.

After getting Camila’s agreement, we left the ‘Cave of Red Tears’ and returned to Valhalla City.

After booking rooms at an inn in the city (Yuren got a private room again), we gathered at the attached tavern and raised our glasses.

“Cheers!”

“Ahhh! Beer after a fight is the best!”

“Ugh. I wanted to eat the ramen Mr. Dale made.”

“Hey, I can’t make ramen at a tavern.”

“But still!”

“Guh…! I-I won’t succumb to temptation…!”

“She’s at it again. Iris, put some chicken in Camila’s mouth.”

“Hehe. Leave it to me, Mr. Dale.”

Iris shoved a chicken leg into Camila’s mouth.

“Guh…! T-That’s too big… Hah!”

“Hey.”

“Ah… So tender and salty… Ahh. Such a heavenly taste…”

“Um, are you eating chicken?”

“Guh… I-I clearly said no… Ahh. I… I can’t resist anymore.”

“Hey, you.”

Who talks like that while eating chicken?

* * *

After the rowdy drinking session.

We got up to head back to our rooms.

Then.

Berald had an idea and snapped his fingers.

“Ah, brother! By the way, there’s a 24-hour bathhouse right next to this inn!”

“Oh, really?”

We had taken a quick shower after unpacking at the inn.

But it couldn’t compare to soaking in a hot bath.

“Shall we go soak before bed?”

“Hehe. Sounds good! Ah, of course, Yuren, you’re coming too.”

“Obviously, man.”

Berald and I turned our gaze to Yuren.

“Eh… Me? I-I’m not really into bathhouses…”

Yuren shook his head in a panic.

“Hey, you’re skipping this too?”

He used a personal tent, booked a private room at the inn.

And now he’s skipping the bathhouse too?

‘Even if he’s a noble brat, there’s a limit!’

If I don’t straighten him out now, Yuren will keep living like a clueless noble brat!

“Hey, once you get in the hot water, you’ll change your mind.”

“S-Sorry! But the bathhouse is really…!”

“Hey! Yuren! Haven’t you heard that male bonding blossoms in the bathhouse?”

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

Who even said that?

“I just made it up.”

“……”

“Anyway!”

Thud!

Berald grabbed Yuren’s arm and dragged him toward the bathhouse.

“You can’t skip this as a man!”

“Right!!!”

“W-Wait! Ahhh!”

I grabbed Yuren’s other arm and pulled along with Berald.

“Hey, what’s with your strength…! N-No! Stop! AHHHH!”

And so, Yuren was dragged into the bathhouse by Berald and me.