Osian and Sestain simultaneously gripped their sword handles.
Loraine, who had been watching the situation, pulled Lucent by the scruff of his neck.
"Huh, huuh?!"
"You idiot, why are you just standing there! If you stay here, you'll get caught up in this!"
Loraine felt a chill the moment she saw Osian and Sestain's auras.
She was certain that the moment their fight began, they would also get caught up in it.
After confirming that Loraine and Lucent had retreated, Sestain spoke.
"Well then, since there's nothing else in the way, shall we begin?"
"Were you waiting for that? How considerate."
"It's nothing. As fellow swordsmen, one must show such courtesy. However, once the sword is drawn, there won't be any more courtesy beyond that.""Don't worry. I'll be the one showing courtesy."
"Haha. What arrogant words. Well, anyone who wields a sword should be that way."
Sestain's pupils curved dangerously as he revealed his fierce aura.
"And you must take responsibility for those words."
Here it comes.
Osian felt a chill the moment he heard those words.
It wasn't fear or dread, but rather closer to the joy one feels when encountering something exciting.
That joy immediately unfolded before his eyes.
Osian kicked off the ground and jumped high from his position.
No sooner had he done so than Sestain's sword swept through the space beneath Osian's feet with a whoosh.
A heavy thung sound rang out belatedly.
It was the sound of the sword being drawn from Sestain's scabbard.
'The sword strike came first, and the sound followed after.'
In other words, Sestain's sword was faster than sound.
The streetlight behind Osian was cut down, and a sword mark was carved into the building's exterior wall.
When looking back at Sestain, he was already sheathing his sword, though it wasn't clear when he had retrieved it.
There was a click as the sword locked into its scabbard.
'It's similar to what I saw at Eldin's workshop.'
Steam hissed out from beneath Sestain's scabbard.
Steam battōjutsu - using the explosive accelerating force of compressed steam cartridges to strike with the sword.
'A modified weapon incorporating modern science. Compared to conventional cold weapons, it certainly can't help but produce a more powerful force.'
However, Sestain wasn't relying solely on his weapon's performance to fight.
This man wasn't someone who wielded his sword for show. If anything, he was closer to being 'genuine.'
Even if someone else wielded that weapon, they wouldn't achieve the same results as now.
Moreover, considering his sheathing speed was faster than his drawing speed, it was fair to say he had already reached the level of a master in handling the sword.
A faint smile formed on Osian's lips.
He had felt it from the moment he saw him carrying a sword, and especially from the moment he openly displayed his fighting spirit.
That he wanted to cross swords with him at least once.
Sestain likely felt the same way.
'All this talk about executing official duties is just superficial pretense. He's quite bellicose for his age.'
Well, that's probably why he maintained his position as an executioner at that age, and even used a sword as his weapon.
The moment they faced each other, their clash was almost fated.
Alensia was also restless because she knew this fact.
If one of them were to get seriously injured in their fight, it would be quite troublesome for her.
'Objectively speaking, Osian should be considered more dangerous.'
No matter how exceptional Osian might be, he was still ultimately a fixer.
On the other hand, his opponent Sestain was the greatest swordsman even Alensia acknowledged.
'Senior, honestly speaking, I sometimes doubt if he's even human.'
The position of executioner could only be attained by someone who was undisputedly powerful in the city.
However, while Tirna's civil servants were known for their job security, this wasn't the case for executioners.
Because it was a position where only skill could prove one's worth, if their skills became rusty or declined, they would naturally be stripped of their position.
Therefore, executioners could never become complacent if they wanted to maintain their positions.
If they showed even a little slack, they would lose their position to the next executioner candidate.
Moreover, there were aspects where effort alone wouldn't be enough, no matter how hard one tried.
The prime example of this was aging.
'Humans inevitably become duller in their reaction speed and weaker in their muscles and bones as they age.'
Unless one was a longevity species, an unusual mutant, or a combat-oriented species like the beastkin from birth, Sestain was a pure human.
And judging by his appearance, his age was certainly not young.
It was an age where he should be considering retirement regardless of his position, not just as an executioner.
'But senior has continued to maintain that position. All the way through, from the past until now. Even as new executioners appeared and retired.'
He had continued to hold his position.
If anything, as Sestain aged, he became more complete with accumulated experience and expertise.
Alensia couldn't imagine a future where Sestain would retire.
Although Osian possessed remarkable skill that didn't match his young age, he was objectively bound to fall short when compared to Sestain.
Osian was talented but still growing.
Meanwhile, Sestain was already a complete human being.
The outcome of the match was clear.
"I applaud you for dodging that. Then how about this?"
With a clicking sound, the cartridge was loaded, and Sestain's sword was drawn.
As if the first attack was merely a greeting, the aura emanating from Sestain's body grew even stronger than before.
This time, it was a strike aimed at Osian's head.
'If I don't dodge, I'll die. What an incredibly dangerous old man.'
But there was no killing intent directed at him. It was as if he thought 'dodging is natural.'
Or perhaps he thought that if someone couldn't dodge even this kind of attack and died, that was simply that.
Either way, it wasn't the thought process of a normal person.
Sestain's upward diagonal sword strike covered the space. Osian bent his waist backward.
-Rustle.
The roof of the building that the sword's trajectory swept across disappeared.
Yes, literally like erasing with an eraser, nothing remained in that spot.
"My goodness."
Loraine, who was watching the scene from a distance, exclaimed.
Sestain's sword wasn't just cutting things. Everything in its trajectory literally disappeared.
Swordsmanship that completely erases everything it touches with overwhelming physical force.
Even more frightening was Sestain, who deployed such techniques so casually.
'He's swinging the sword this powerfully yet retrieving it quickly without any recoil.'
One might think those exoskeleton gloves Sestain wore on his arms helped with that, but there was no sign of it.
It meant he was executing and controlling the battōjutsu purely with his physical abilities.
'If those exoskeleton gloves aren't just for show, how much stronger does he become when they're activated?'
Osian was thinking the same thing as Loraine.
However, while Loraine's emotion was closer to shock, Osian's was closer to curiosity.
Executioners weren't given just a title.
The moment they are officially recognized as executioners by Tirna City, they simultaneously receive one piece of equipment.
Ark Parts.
Special equipment that combines ancient technology with modern science and magic.
A personal strategic weapon that can only be used with approval from superiors.
While Alensia's Ark Parts were greaves that wrapped around her legs, Sestain's Ark Parts were those exoskeleton gloves that covered up to his forearms.
In terms of pure value and power alone, it was superior to the Tesla Arms that the military claimed to have developed.
'No, the premise is wrong. The Tesla Arms being developed by the military are nothing more than imitations modeled after these Ark Parts.'
Even when he had just arrived in this world, Tesla Arms were quite troublesome to deal with.
How powerful must the Ark Parts, which could be considered their origin, be?
Osian was deeply curious about this, but there seemed to be no way to satisfy that curiosity.
No matter how rough and reckless Sestain's personality might be, activating Ark Parts was clearly a different matter.
'Whatever the case, right now we're in the middle of crossing swords.'
Osian cleared away his idle thoughts and swung his drawn sword.
-Clang!
For the first time, Sestain's sword, swung at an invisible speed, was stopped.
"Oh? After just dodging all this time, you've finally decided to fight properly?"
"Since you showed your sword, it's only right that I show mine in return."
"That's right! Then let me see what you've got!"
Sestain's face was filled with joy. He was a fighter and warrior by nature. Osian's attitude only served to excite Sestain more.
Of course, although Osian didn't show it outwardly, he couldn't deny that he was quite fired up as well.
Osian swung his sword.
Though the powerful swing was made only once, there were 4 flashes of sword light in the air.
Sestain's eyes widened as he read those trajectories, then swung his sword in succession.
-Clanggggg!
After deflecting all of Osian's sword strikes, Sestain's sword returned to its scabbard.
With a click, the battōjutsu was prepared.
Seeing this, Osian took a large stance.
-Boom!
The ground where Sestain was standing tilted up like an uneven table.
The raised ground had a very uniform cross-section, as if drawn with a ruler.
'Could it be that the sword swing just now was aimed at this.'
The basics of swordsmanship ultimately lie in the power of the lower body. The power of swordsmanship varies greatly depending on how well both legs are planted on the ground.
Especially in the case of battōjutsu which requires a preparatory stance, its power decreases dramatically if the ground is unstable.
'This guy knows very well how to deal with someone wielding a sword.'
Though he looked like a youngster without proper experience judging by appearance alone, how could he make such seasoned responses?
Osian's choice was the model answer among answers.
This alone was enough to make his visit worthwhile.
'Good choice. But this only works on mediocre opponents.'
Instead of sliding diagonally, Sestain rather kicked off the ground and shot toward Osian like a bullet.
Simultaneously, steam exploded from the scabbard. With the drawing technique added to his flying speed, it looked like a flash of lightning.
Osian held his sword vertically.
-Clang!
Along with the heavy impact felt on the sword, Osian's body floated and flew backward.
Sestain furrowed his brows.
'Lighter than expected.'
He had definitely felt the heaviness of Osian's sword during their few exchanges.
This meant that he deliberately relaxed his body to fly backward.
Was he planning to create distance and look for an opportunity?
'I won't let that happen.'
Sestain quickly retrieved his sword and sheathed it again.
The moment he sheathed it, the battōjutsu was unleashed.
From top to bottom. The sword that swung down as if splitting a tall figure cut through the building.
-Crack.
The four-story residential building split in half as if it were firewood.
However, Osian, who had been standing on the roof, was already gone.
Sestain rolled his eyes looking for Osian. Then he felt a chilling presence behind him.
Without even turning around, Sestain swung the scabbard in his left hand.
-Clang!
An enormous pressure was applied to his arm. It was enough to make his body, trained to near-active duty despite his age, creak.
It was fortunate that the Ark Parts automatically adjusted its output to provide protection, otherwise he might have been injured.
'What kind of physical ability is this?'
From the earlier ground-stomping to this, Osian's physical abilities had already entered the realm of superhuman.
Although physical abilities don't determine the outcome of a fight, they certainly provided advantages.
"Sturdy."
Osian muttered while looking at the scabbard that had blocked his sword.
He had anticipated it would block, but he hadn't expected the scabbard to withstand this.
"People who reach this position have to use expensive equipment, you know."
He tried to push Osian away by swinging the scabbard widely, but instead, Osian's sword stuck to the scabbard like glue and wouldn't come off.
'This is...'
There was a strange attractive force in Osian's sword that flowed like water.
Like a magnet, it was holding onto his scabbard and wouldn't let go.
'Then I'll abandon it.'
Making a bold decision to abandon the scabbard, Sestain took his stance again.
He had a feeling. Sestain was about to unleash a new sword technique.
Then this side too.
A pure white light flashed over Osian's sword.
"Stop!"
At that moment, Alensia appeared between the two.
Realizing that words alone wouldn't stop them, she used the power of one leg to stomp the ground with all her might.
Rumble!
Just that alone made the surroundings shake finely as if an earthquake had occurred.
The ground split, some streetlights fell, and cracks appeared on the buildings' exterior walls.
Osian had to stop swinging his sword.
"Alensia. What are you doing?"
"Senior, please stop there as well. Everyone's too heated up. Have you forgotten our task?"
"Right. It's about transferring custody of Lucent. And aren't we in the process of that transfer right now?"
"How can you say that after seeing this situation!"
Alensia pointed at the halved building.
"Aren't we causing damage to citizens right now! Just dealing with the compensation for this will be troublesome enough!"
"That's true."
Sestain looked at Alensia with a slightly bewildered expression.
"But it seems like you just destroyed more than I did."
"..."
At those words, Osian could also look around at their surroundings.
All Sestain had done was blow away part of a building's roof, cut a streetlight, and cleanly split one mansion like firewood.
But the scene Alensia created was beyond that. To add some exaggeration, she had completely devastated the surroundings.
Water spurted from the burst sewage pipe in the cracked ground.
Objectively speaking, there was no need to compare - her damage appeared greater.
Alensia's face turned red with embarrassment as she belatedly realized the situation.