Chapter 181. The Grave of the First Ancestor (3)
Leo had a serious concern. And it was...
"Hahaha! Kid, you've improved a lot!" Tauga shouted.
Boom!
"Come on, you're not young anymore. How about taking it easy?" Caron said.
"That won't do! I need to gauge exactly how strong you've become. Alright, let me show you my ultimate technique. It's called Sky Shatter—" Tauga began, but couldn't finish his sentence.
"Here, have a taste of this instead," Caron interrupted.
Boom!
...Leo's concern was Caron, because he had grown at an alarming rate. The latter had always been someone he couldn't hope to match, but lately, his cousin's progress had gone beyond reason.
Every swing of Caron's sword shook the ground, and whirlwinds erupted from beneath his feet with a ferocity unlike anything before. Oceanwolf Sword Arts Form 6: Maelstrom had become even stronger.
And that wasn't all.
What in the world is that? Leo wondered.
Between the whirlwinds, hundreds of petals scattered, their presence spreading fog in every direction.
The fog was undoubtedly Oceanwolf Sword Arts Form 7: Sea Fog, but the petals—those were the real problem.
Wasn't that the technique used by Sir Kerra? Leo thought.
That was supposed to be an exclusive technique of the Imperial Guards, so he couldn't understand how Caron was using it. And not only that—his mastery was impeccable.
Even Leo, who wasn't well-versed in the Imperial Sword, recognized it instantly. That wasn't some half-baked imitation, it was perfected swordplay.
Caron wasn't just wielding the Oceanwolf Sword Arts anymore. He had fully integrated Imperial Sword techniques as well.
It was absurd. Blending two entirely different sword styles so seamlessly was nothing short of monstrous talent.
It carried tremendous power, but within that power was a remarkable softness. That wasn't something anyone could simply imitate.
"...What the hell happened in the last two weeks?" Leo muttered. Then, turning to Adina, he asked, "Do you know anything about this?"
"For two weeks, they didn't even step out of the Savior's grave," Adina replied. "So, no. I have no clue."
Whatever had happened in that grave, no one knew. But one thing was certain: Caron had grown to a level beyond comparison.
"He was already very hard to deal with before... but now it would be impossible," Leo said.
Fighting toe-to-toe against an 8-Star warrior without yielding...
Caron was a monster, a true monster.
Of course, Tauga was holding back, but even so, compared to their sparring match two weeks ago, Caron's growth was beyond belief.
"The way he wields his sword... It's seasoned," Adina observed, her sharp eyes locked onto the fight. "Last time, I felt as if his mana couldn't quite keep up with his swordplay. But now? He's moving freely, as if the sword is an extension of himself."
True to her beastfolk nature, Adina analyzed the duel with cold precision. Even she couldn't help but be astounded by Caron's rapid growth.
Comparing the Caron she had first met in Reben to the one before her now, it was almost hard to believe they were the same person. And that was considering the fact that even back in Reben, Caron had already possessed overwhelming strength for his age.
"...Are we sure he's human? What if he's just a polymorphed dragon?" Adina mused.
"That's possible," Leo replied with a smirk.
"Did anyone actually witness Caron's birth?" Adina asked.
"...Uh, my uncle and grandfather were there," Leo answered hesitantly.
"They could've lied," Adina pressed.
"There's no way," Leo said.
"Humans really are unpredictable creatures," Adina muttered.
A myriad of thoughts crossed both of their minds, but one thought was the same: Caron had grown to an astonishing degree. Perhaps it was only a matter of time before Caron reached the 8-Star level.
It hasn't even been that long since he became a 7-Star! Leo thought.
If Leo was being honest, he couldn't help but feel a little bitter. No matter how hard he worked to catch up, Caron only seemed to accelerate even more. At this rate, he could even shatter the record for becoming the youngest 8-Star warrior.
But that didn't make Leo feel jealous. If anything, he only felt guilty. He thought, Caron isn't even someone I can compare myself to.
Caron was always full of mischief, but he devoted himself to training with relentless determination. Leo had witnessed it more than once—Caron training relentlessly when no one was watching.
Caron had raw talent and put in relentless effort. With both of those, his growth was inevitable.
As of now, Leo just thought it was unfortunate that he was still too weak to back up Caron as his shield.
"If you get too far ahead... I won't be able to watch your back," Leo muttered to himself.
Hearing Leo mutter, Adina reached out and ruffled his hair, as if praising him for his dedication.
"We have a saying: 'When your cousin buys land, your stomach aches with envy.' But Leo, you're... kind," Adina remarked.
"If I let it get to me, that means I've already lost," Leo replied.
"So, is it like 'Don't even look at a tree you can't climb'?" Adina asked.
"I never intended to climb it in the first place," Leo replied.
He watched Caron and Tauga's duel with a bittersweet expression. The relentless exchange of blows were so fast that even his eyes struggled to keep up without pause.
"I just... I just don't want him to carry everything alone," Leo admitted. "Caron... He's lonelier than he seems."
"You're a good cousin, Leo Leston. No doubt about it—you're a good man," Adina said.
Leo's face turned red at those words.
Adina thought Leo's reaction was cute, and smiled before shifting her gaze back to the dueling ground.
The duel, which had lasted nearly thirty minutes, was finally nearing its end. The field was in ruins, but the two fighters standing in the midst of the destruction were grinning at each other.
"You have definitely learned to manage your mana far more efficiently," Tauga noted. "Now, you're actually dangerous."
"It's all thanks to you, Chieftain," Caron said.
"There's no 7-Star knight who can match you anymore. You've taken the first real step toward reaching 8-Star. I wouldn't be surprised if you achieved it soon," Tauga said.
Blood trickled from the wounds scattered across Tauga—wounds left by Caron.
But Caron was in no better shape. Kavana, his armor, bore countless tears from Tauga's spear.
And yet, both of them wore nothing but smiles. It was hard to believe they had achieved this much in just two weeks.
"This is enough, Caron Leston," Tauga said, planting his spear firmly into the ground. He looked at Caron with clear approval.
"I'd say this more than repays the debt for saving my daughter. What do you think?" Tauga asked.
"You've given me far more than I deserve," Caron replied.
"I'm glad to hear that," Tauga said as a deep smile spread across his face.
For a long moment, the two simply stood there, looking at each other in silence.
As the rush of battle slowly faded, Tauga's voice softened. "So, you're heading to the Eastern Great Forest?"
"Yes," Caron answered.
"The situation there is far worse than you think. The details... We'll discuss them over a drink. Do you like liquor?" Tauga suggested.
Caron nodded without hesitation, then said, "I never get enough of it. You'd better be ready for your liquor stash to run dry."
"Well then, let's go to my house. We have much to talk about," Tauga said.
And with that, the duel came to an end.
Caron let out a deep breath as he brushed the dust from his clothes, thinking, Not bad.
He could feel it more clearly than ever—he had grown stronger.
***
Right after the duel, Caron and Tauga sat in an office, sharing drinks. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. After spending two weeks together, they had grown fond of each other.
"You hold your liquor well. Being a good drinker is one of the qualities of a great warrior. You're already a great warrior, Caron," Tauga said.
There was a certain warmth in the way he said Caron's name. It was proof that he, too, had come to care for the latter.
"If only you could fix that damn attitude of yours, you'd be an even better warrior," Tauga added, raising his glass of liquor.
Caron grinned and lifted his own glass before replying, "Being a great warrior isn't really my goal."
"Oh? Then what is it?" Tauga asked.
"I plan to be a disgrace to my grandfather. An untamable troublemaker. How does that sound?" Caron replied.
"If I had a grandson like you, I might have bitten my tongue and ended it all. Tsk tsk. Just drink up," Tauga commented.
"Yes, sir," Caron said, then tipped back his glass, letting the liquor burn its way down his throat.
The liquor was clear. It didn't look too strong at first glance, but the moment it was in his mouth, a sharp heat spread through his throat.
"This is pretty strong," Caron said.
"We call it soju. Do you like it?" Tauga asked.
"I do," Caron answered.
"Owner, can you give me a drop too?" Guillotine asked.
At Guillotine's voice, Caron let a single drop of soju fall onto the blade. After all, Guillotine had helped him a lot over the past two weeks.
"Wow, that is good. Can you just pour me a whole glass?" Guillotine asked.
"Depending on how you behave," Caron said.
Tauga, who had been watching quietly, suddenly let out a hearty laugh. He asked, "Does your sword even crave liquor?"
"It's a handful in many ways," Caron answered.
"As expected of a cursed sword," Tauga said.
"Right?" Caron said.
"Hey, Owner! You're supposed to be on my side! That old tiger doesn't know what he's talking about!" Guillotine said.
"It is true that you are a cursed sword, though," Caron said.
"What's it saying?" Tauga asked.
"It said, 'What does that old, toothless tiger know?'" Caron answered.
"Hah! Makes me want to toss it into my village's forge," Tauga said.
He was now aware that Guillotine could speak. After all, Guillotine had been deeply involved in modifying the Ocean Dominance Arts.
"Have you thought of a name for the technique?" Tauga asked, pouring himself another drink.
He was referring to the modified Ocean Dominance Arts; at this point, it felt wrong to call it that, because too much had changed.
"Not yet. It's not as if anyone but me can use it, anyway," Caron replied.
"That's true. If anyone else tried, their mana core would break down instantly," Tauga said.
The new technique condensed mana to its absolute limit. And through that compressed mana, it drastically increased control over the flow of mana within the body.
It also maximized Guillotine's ability to absorb external mana. Now, even if someone else's mana entered his flow, Caron could dominate it completely.
"You should come up with a proper name for it," Tauga advised.
"What's the point?" Caron said.
"It's just cooler that way," Tauga said with a chuckle.
The name wasn't what was important right now. There was only one thing that concerned Caron.
"I'm just worried about what my grandfather will say when he sees it," he said.
More than anything, it was Halo's reaction that weighed on his mind. He had modified the Ocean Dominance Arts without the house head's approval.
It was serious enough to warrant a council meeting, but he had no regrets because this path would take him to an even greater position.
"You're bound to get scolded," Tauga said.
"I figured as much," Caron replied.
"I've never met Duke Halo in person, but if I had a grandson like you, I'd be very worried. A grandson with a bright future ahead of him suddenly decides to tamper with the technique? Getting angry would be the natural reaction," Tauga explained.
"But I pulled it off," Caron said.
"It was a reckless gamble with your life on the line. You even coughed up blood a few times in the process. If someone precious to you risked their life like that, wouldn't you be furious?" Tauga asked.
"Getting scolded is my field of expertise," Caron said.
"That's nothing to be proud of, you brat," Tauga said.
Of course, even Caron had something he was worried about. Halo would definitely notice what kind of modifications had been made to the Ocean Dominance Arts. After all, he had infused a part of the Imperial Guards' Loyalty Arts into it.
He... won't figure it out, will he? Caron wondered. He wasn't ready to reveal his reincarnation just yet.
At least, not to Halo.
"Let's get to business," Tauga said, placing a document on the table.
A faint trace of mana pulsed from the parchment, and the writing was in a language unfamiliar to Caron.
"A month ago, the elves of the Eastern Great Forest sent us this request for aid," Tauga said.
"So there's trouble in the Eastern Great Forest too," Caron said.
"It's no small matter. Demonic monsters are crossing over from the forest, and the elves are at war. To enter the forest, you'll have to pass through this massive gate," Tauga explained.
In some ways, this situation could be even worse than the one in the Pajar Sultanate. Caron hadn't expected this mission to be easy, but he hadn't anticipated a full-scale war.
Caron took a sip of his liquor before asking, "Who are the elves of the Eastern Great Forest fighting?"
Tauga's voice dropped to a grim tone as he answered, "The Dark Elves."
"...Ha," Caron sighed.
"I'll warn you now—right now, the Eastern Great Forest is nothing short of hell," Tauga warned.
Once again, it seemed things wouldn't go smoothly.