Chapter 11. The Beginning of Training (3)

It was a thought that anyone who had measured magic power would have at least once.

Johan Redner, the master among masters.

How strong could he be?

How much magic power could he have?

It was quite curious, but who would dare to ask an impolite person, "How much magic power do you have?"

On the other hand, the person who threw that bold question, which no one else could, was earnestly calculating in his mind.

'Let's see, if a 1st Rank Public has 1,000, then a 9th Rank Public would have about 10,000, right? But since he's a master... maybe between 50,000 and 100,000?'

If 100 magic power could produce the strength of two average adults, then 50,000 would indeed be an astronomical figure.

However, Johan's calm response far exceeded Yuris imagination and calculations.

"My magic power? Well, the last time I checked, it was over a million, I think."

Squeak—

Yuri, who was so surprised, pulled the cart to a sudden stop and turned his head with a creak.

"Wh-what? How much did you say?"

"Are your ears blocked?"

"O-one million?"

"Yep."

"Really?"

"Hey, believe me a little!"

"Are you sure it's not a lie?"

"…You brat."

Seeing Johan frown as if he were truly wronged, Yuri felt that he was telling the truth.

He sighed sincerely.

"My goodness, a million… is that even a possible figure for a human?"

To that question, Johan shrugged his shoulders proudly.

"Of course, a typical master would have about 500,000."

"…That sounds like a lot, too."

"Huh, just 500,000! I have a million!"

Seeing Johan's nose held high, Yuri couldn't help but admit it inwardly.

'Well… he must be that strong to pull off those unbelievable feats.'

The image of Johan from the other day still lingered in his mind.

The overwhelming strength that had blown away cliffs and mountains in a single day.

Because he had shown that level of power, the figure of a million magic power seemed plausible.

This only fueled his intense curiosity even more.

Yuri couldn't hold back this time either.

"Then… what about the Sword Lord? How much magic power does he have? You've fought him twice, so you must know, right?"

"…"

Yuri's question made Johan's face stiffen slightly.

He looked at Yuri, pondering.

'What about this brat?'

Would Yuri, who knew the Sword Lord's strength, still have the courage to harbor a fighting spirit?

Would he not give up out of fear before even starting?

At the same time, Johan chuckled.

'Who? This brat?'

It had been about a month since he started living with Yuri.

There was more he didn't know about the kid than what he did.

Still, there was one thing he could say for sure about Yuri.

'This kid is just like me.'

His personality was a bit of a mess.

And just like him, his messed-up personality didn't distinguish between high and low.

Johan, with a slight smile, spoke.

"The Sword Lord's magic power has never been officially measured."

"Then, there's an unofficial measurement, right?"

"Of course. And one of the few people in the world who know the Sword Lord's unofficial magic power… is me!"

"Oh! So how much is it?"

"Hehe, do you want to know? If you want to know, say, 'Respected Johan-sama, please show mercy to this lowly one!'"

"Respected Johan-sama, please show mercy to this lowly one! Please!"

"…Do you have no self-respect at all?"

"Pfft, why bother with self-respect over something like this?"

"Damn brat…"

Johan frowned at Yuri's attitude of discarding his self-respect without hesitation to get what he wanted.

'This is a bit different from me.'

If it were him, he would never have bowed so low.

Therefore, he revised his thoughts about Yuri's personality.

If he was 'a mess with principles,' then this brat was 'a mess without principles.'

"Ah, so how much! Why are you taking so long?"

Yuri's urging made Johan sigh slightly before speaking.

"The Sword Lord's magic power is estimated to be over 5 million."

"…What? I, I didn't hear that right?"

Yuri rubbed his ears, thinking there must be something wrong with his hearing.

"How… how much did you say?"

"Five million."

But Johan's identical response confirmed that there was nothing wrong with his hearing.

Instead, Yuri's lips parted slightly.

'Five million?!'

Was this even a plausible figure?

The number was so overwhelmingly large that it seemed like a lie.

However, Johan wasn't finished.

"At least 5 million magic power."

"…"

"The measuring device's limit was 5 million, and it overheated and exploded while the Sword Lord was being measured. So it's at least 5 million."

"Unbelievable…"

Yuri muttered in shock.

"Is he… human?"

Yuri's mutter was quickly picked up by Johan.

"Human? Does he seem human? If someone can lift a rock with 100 mana, the Sword Lord can split a mountain with the same amount of mana!"

"…"

"Is he just like us? Do you really think so?"

Yuri shuddered at the tone in Johan's voice.

He looked at Johan with slightly surprised eyes.

'Is the old man… trembling?'

Johan's voice, which echoed in his ears, contained a faint tremor.

"He's a monster. He doesn't weaken with age; instead, he becomes even more ferocious and stronger, a real monster!"

But it wasn't fear.

'This guy… is actually excited?'

Johan's voice trembled, but it was filled with uncontainable joy and excitement.

As if the fact that the Sword Lord was so strong was incredibly enjoyable.

The intense joy and madness in Johan's voice overwhelmed Yuri, leaving him speechless.

Seeing this, Johan smirked.

"Scared? Because the Sword Lord is too strong?"

To that question, Yuri, who had regained his composure, shook his head.

"No, it's not that I'm scared. It's just… how can I catch up to the Sword Lord's magic power? How long will it take?"

Hearing this, Johan let out a slight hollow laugh.

'Look at this brat. He's thinking about catching up?'

It would be normal for someone to not even consider catching up, but Yuri was clearly not a normal person.

Johan chuckled and said.

"Probably you won't catch up until you die. There's an unbridgeable gap between you, who have just taken your first step, and that old monster who has lived for nearly a hundred years."

"Are you talking about time?"

"Of course. The years of self-cultivation by the strongest talent in history are like an impregnable fortress. A fortress so high that a weakling can't even dream of reaching it!"

"But you said, didn't you? That magic power is a general measure of strength, but it's not everything."

"Of course. In this world, it's not uncommon for someone with 1,000 mana to be outmatched by someone with 500 mana."

"Then it's settled."

"What's settled?"

"Since it's not impossible to defeat the Sword Lord."

"…"

Johan, taken aback by Yuri's calm voice, was at a loss for words.

Seeing this, Yuri smiled.

"The Sword Lord said, didn't he? That he would give everything to the one who kills him?"

The era of the Sword Lord.

No one living in the present day would be unaware of the Sword Lord's declaration.

Many had tried to kill the Sword Lord, and a lot of blood had been shed in the world to claim the sole position of the absolute one.

But no one had succeeded in usurping the Sword Lord's throne.

On a certain day, 50 years after the Sword Lord's declaration, in the northern part of the continent.

A mere novice, who had just taken his first step, declared boldly.

"Simple and good. So, if I take out the strongest one, the whole world will be mine, right?"

"…"

Johan, who had been silent for a long time, looking at the grinning Yuri, finally chuckled and said.

"Hehe, you crazy brat."

He struck the cart with his prosthetic leg.

"Behave yourself, brat! Don't spout such nonsense until you can make Bungbungi run for seven days and eight nights without fainting!"

"…Is Bungbungi or Bongbongi the name of this damn old cart?"

"Huh, old things have spirits. Of course, you should give a name to something with a soul."

"…"

Yuri reaffirmed his resolve.

Before they reached the cradle, he would definitely, at all costs, destroy whatever Bungbungi or Bongbongi was!

While Yuri was making his determined vow, Johan struck Bungbungi again with his prosthetic leg.

Thump thump—

"Alright, I'm being generous. If you can reach Crom in two days, I'll move on to the next stage!"

"Next stage?"

"Mana initiation!"

"Really?! You mean it?"

"Huh, do you think I've been living a lie!"

"You always lie when you open your mouth!"

"This time, it's not a lie!"

Currently, it was a four-day journey from where they were to Crom.

Reducing it to two days was no easy task.

But Yuri, who had been exhausted by the tedious cart-pulling for three weeks, couldn't help but jump at Johan's offer.

"Alright! Hold on tight!"

Gritting his teeth, Yuri put all his strength into his legs, and Bungbungi shot forward quickly.

"Yahhhhhh!"

Thus began the desperate sprint.

Amidst the resounding battle cry, Johan smiled, looking at Yuri's round back.

'Crazy brat.'

A novice who hadn't even cultivated mana, declaring he would defeat the Sword Lord, was undoubtedly a crazy statement.

But if it was this kid who said it.

'It might not be just crazy talk.'

Johan's smile deepened.

* * *

The world's strongest are represented by one superhuman and 22 masters.

First, the one superhuman.

The owner of the title 'superhuman,' who had shed the guise of a human, was none other than the Sword Lord Luke Ryder.

And below him were 22 masters.

Twelve of them were from the cradle, and the enthusiasts called them the Twelve Swords.

The swords of the Sword Lord, produced by the cradle.

Of course, they were called the Sword Lord's swords, but not all of them were under his command.

Most of them acted freely on their own.

However, one person was different.

The First Sword of the Twelve Swords, Gordon Crowden.

Another title for him was the Black Dragon Blade Corps Commander.

The position responsible for all internal affairs of the cradle in place of the Sword Lord.

Thus, he was the undisputed second-in-command of the cradle.

A few minutes ago, a telegram had arrived for Gordon.

The moment he saw the words written on the small piece of paper handed to him by his adjutant, his brows twitched slightly.

Usually, Gordon didn't show much emotion, so even a slight change was very unusual.

"The Black Dragon Blade has returned?"

It meant that one of the Black Dragon Blade owners had used the blade on someone's recommendation.

Of course, what caught Gordon's attention wasn't just that.

"The owner of the returned Black Dragon Blade is Johan Redner? And the Black Dragon Blade was newly issued… to the person recommended by that Johan Redner?"

"Yes."

"Hmm…"

A low groan escaped Gordon's lips in response to the adjutant's answer.

'That Johan would use the Black Dragon Blade on someone…'

If the person who used the Black Dragon Blade wasn't Johan Redner.

And if the person recommended didn't receive the Black Dragon Blade.

This matter would have been a trivial one.

'But this is that Johan. The one the Sword Lord is paying attention to.'

Therefore, this matter couldn't be easily dismissed.

Gordon's gaze fell on the last line of the telegram.

And.

"…What?"

It had been a long time since Gordon had let out a stunned exclamation.

"Huh?!"

"Commander, what's the matter?"

Despite the adjutant's surprised exclamation, Gordon couldn't stop rereading the last line of the telegram.

[The tenth Black Dragon Blade owner, Yuri Holland, used a technique suspected to be a divine incarnation during the certification exam.]

'Divine incarnation?'

If his eyes weren't deceiving him, the word 'divine incarnation' was clearly written.

Gordon knew what it meant.

'I need to inform the Sword Lord.'

Of course, before that, he needed to verify the accuracy of the information.

Gordon gave orders to his adjutant.

"Find out where Johan Redner is and bring in the squad leader who submitted this report."

"Understood."

"And find out everything about this person."

Gordon confirmed the name written on the paper again.

"Yuri Holland. In detail."

"Understood!"

The adjutant bowed briefly and left the office, while Gordon mulled over the name Yuri Holland once more.

'Yuri Holland…'

The child who received the Black Dragon Blade on Johan's recommendation.

And a person suspected of using a divine incarnation.

If all of this was true.

'The Sword Lord would also be interested.'

The attention of the absolute one might make the cradle quite a stir.