Chapter 5: Transformation (5)

Yuri took the sword from Johann as if snatching it and advanced toward the square.

Amid the sudden turn of events, doubts and questions erupted from all around.

"What the hell is going on? What do you mean by a deal?"

"So, Yuri is taking the test, right? What's this about?"

The relationship between Johann and Yuri.

Whether Yuri had the qualifications to take the test in Yuram.

Various questions mixed into the confused murmurs, creating a chaotic atmosphere.

However, the most bewildered were the Irons family, who had prepared this stage.

"…Who is that child?"

Ashraf, with a tense expression, asked the vassals, who were busy looking at each other.

Although the Irons had rapidly expanded their influence in the borderlands, their population was nearly 20,000.

Even if the vassals were responsible for administration, it was impossible for them to know every single inhabitant.

After exchanging glances, the oldest vassal stepped forward.

"Perhaps one of the refugees we accepted. I will find out and report back before the day ends."

"Do so."

Ashraf nodded, but his tense expression did not ease.

After all, this was a stage he had intentionally prepared for today.

Yet, the attention that should have been on Gunter was being diverted to Johann.

Look at it now.

"Wasn't that person here to see our young master?"

"Is that so? He came to see that boy instead of our young master?"

Already, people were gossiping about Johann choosing a commoner boy over Gunter.

"Hmm…"

Ashraf let out a low groan, expressing his discomfort.

His gaze fell on Johann.

'Johann Redner.'

Why was he showing interest in such an ordinary boy instead of his own son?

'What exactly… did you see in that boy?'

Unable to shake off the rising questions, Ashraf's gaze remained fixed on Johann.

Meanwhile, Gunter, standing beside his father, was lost in his own thoughts.

'Who is he?'

A face that looked to be around his age.

No, rather, he looked even younger due to his small build.

Gunter's face, filled with curiosity, showed disappointment as he observed Yuri.

'He doesn't seem to have trained his body, does he?'

Even through his tattered clothes, there was no sign of physical training.

At best, his body might be more balanced than other children his age.

Yet, the man called Ming used his once-in-a-lifetime Dragon Token for this boy.

An incomprehensible choice.

The Black Swordsmen had the same doubts.

"Hmm…"

The leader of the 8th Black Swordsmen squad looked at Yuri, who was standing in the center of the square, relaxing his shoulders.

'I can't understand. Did the Dragon Sword use his Dragon Token for such a boy?'

One of the few strong warriors recognized by his master.

He had hoped for a promising talent, but the boy who received Johann's recommendation fell far short of his expectations.

Physical development.

Gait.

Breathing.

There was no sign of training in any of these.

Moreover,

'I can't even sense any mana.'

With his acknowledged 7th Rank strength, he should have been able to detect the residual mana of an 8th or 9th Rank expert unless they deliberately hid it.

'This boy can't be that strong.'

That meant this boy had not accumulated any mana, the foundation of martial arts.

This was a serious issue.

Without a doubt, among the thousands of talents who had passed the Yuram qualification test over the past 50 years, there was not a single one who had not learned martial arts.

'The Dragon Sword must know this.'

Yet, he used the Dragon Token, which means Johann saw something he did not.

'What it is, I will find out now.'

The 8th squad leader nodded.

"Begin."

At the leader's command, the squad member who had faced Gunter stepped forward and shouted.

"Those who wish to take the test, step forward."

A dull voice replied.

"I'm already here, aren't I?"

"…State your name."

"Yuri Holland."

The Black Swordsman's brow twitched slightly at Yuri's lack of tension.

But regaining his composure, the Black Swordsman announced in a loud voice.

"From this moment, under the laws established by the great sword, the Yuram qualification test, with the presence of the 8th Black Swordsmen squad, begins! The test will be completed through a one-to-one exchange. Enter whenever you are ready."

The method was no different from Gunter's test, and after announcing it, the Black Swordsman drew his sword and waited, looking relaxed as if daring Yuri to come.

Seeing this, Yuri also drew Johann's sword.

Swoosh.

The blade, a mix of silver and black, emerged from the scabbard.

Johann's sword was a narrow-bladed dao, similar to the Black Swordsman's.

The only difference was that the tip of the straight blade was slightly curved.

This style of sword was said to have been brought to the central continent by the descendants of the ancient Easterners.

Even at a glance, Johann's sword was clearly a fine blade.

Yuri's impression of holding it was simple.

"It's heavy."

Not just the weight of the sword, but the weight of his heart was also heavy.

The weight Yuri felt was fear.

'How long has it been since I last pointed a sharp blade at someone?'

Yuri had not touched a sword since becoming aware of the curse.

He feared that holding a sharp blade would summon another monster.

He feared being consumed by the curse.

To live a little longer, he naturally distanced himself from swords.

It had been over seven years.

Holding a sword again, the day he first summoned a monster naturally came to mind.

The feel of the kitchen knife in his hand.

[AAAAAAH!]

The scream that seemed to tear through his ears.

[Swish]

The red liquid that stained his retinas.

The fragments of the vivid memory made Yuri's pupils tremble, but he soon regained his composure.

Yuri tightened his grip on the sword and spoke to the Black Swordsman.

"Warning."

"…?"

"I can't control my strength. You better survive on your own."

Gunter's warning, which seemed like a joke, made the Black Swordsman's brow twist.

His eyes filled with disbelief.

Yuri sighed slightly at the Black Swordsman's attitude, which seemed to ignore his warning.

'I warned you. If anyone dies, it's not my fault.'

With that, Yuri rationalized his actions, threw the scabbard aside, and held the sword with both hands.

The tip of the sword wobbled heavily, showing that he could barely handle its weight.

People began to murmur.

"Tsk, he can't even hold a sword properly?"

"How can he pass the Yuram test like that?"

Ignoring the murmurs, Yuri took a long, deep breath.

Sigh, sigh.

As he repeated the deep breaths, Yuri's mind focused on the sword, and the surrounding noise faded away.

It felt as if only he and the sword existed in the world.

At the same time, his senses rapidly expanded.

It felt as if everything around him was being directly projected into his brain.

The gazes from behind.

The pointing fingers.

Every detail within a few meters was read, and time seemed to slow down.

'This isn't enough.'

Normally, he would have stopped here.

Until now, this level of focus had been enough to overcome many obstacles.

But now, his opponent was the famous Black Swordsman.

He couldn't just dip his toe in.

He had to dive in headfirst.

'Let's go!'

Yuri sharpened his mind.

At the same time, he felt his consciousness being pulled into the sword.

'Gah!'

A sensation he hadn't felt in seven years.

Soon, a floating sensation, as if his body was submerged in water, sent shivers down his spine.

'Really terrifying!'

The feeling of drifting in an endless sea, alone and exposed.

This terrifying sensation was why Yuri had avoided holding a sword.

He feared he might lose his identity while drifting endlessly.

'Snap out of it!'

Yuri regained his composure.

This was just the beginning.

'Here it comes!'

And as if it was a signal,

-Grumble…

A beast's growl echoed in one corner of Yuri's consciousness.

'That thing… is coming!'

-Grumble!

With another growl, a dark shadow approached Yuri in the vast sea of nothingness, like a giant whale rising from the depths.

Whoosh!

The shadow, rapidly growing in size, engulfed Yuri, who was drifting in the vast sea.

And at that moment, a change began in the real world.

"What? It's getting darker, isn't it?"

"Is it going to rain?"

The surroundings, which had become noticeably darker compared to a moment ago.

That was the beginning.

Squish.

The shadows at Yuri's feet began to ripple.

At first, it was a minor change, but as the shadows climbed up his body, everything changed rapidly.

"Huh?!"

"Th-That?!"

The shadows, climbing up Yuri's body, rose vertically and expanded.

0.01 seconds.

In an instant, the dark aura swelled to the size of a house, making it seem to the ordinary eye as if it had appeared suddenly.

And.

Grumble.

Two holes appeared in the dark shadow.

The two holes, resembling eyes, scanned the surroundings and curved into a crescent moon shape.

Grumble.

A large hole, presumed to be a mouth, also appeared, tearing open on both sides.

Kyaah!

A wicked smile, felt as a sound even though there was no sound.

"Th-That!"

"Huh?!"

People were shocked by the appearance of what looked like a ghost, demon, or evil spirit.

"Th-That! What is that? A g-ghost?!"

"It's a m-monster!"

"It's a demon, a demon has appeared!"

Shocked cries erupted from all around.

People, terrified, took a step back.

But those who were most shocked were those who realized what the dark shape Yuri had created was.

'Th-That is?!'

'It's impossible!'

The 8th squad leader and Ashraf Irons.

These strong warriors, who had reached 7th Rank through accumulated experience, immediately recognized what the shape above Yuri's head was.

'It's not a demon! It's not just a demon!'

The dark shape floating above Yuri's head was not something that could be described with such a low-level term.

It was a dream and a goal for those who walked the path of the sword.

The 8th squad leader and Ashraf simultaneously let out a cry of shock.

"A-Avatar?!"

"Avatar?!"

Avatar (化身).

Or known by various names such as "Transcendent Form," "Idea," "Mental Manifestation," "Avatar," and more.

Additionally, the forms of these avatars varied widely.

For some, it was the shape of a sword.

For others, a giant beast.

For some, a beautiful flower.

There was no fixed form for an avatar, and not much was known about it.

Still, the reason Ashraf and the 8th squad leader were so shocked was simple.

The established fact about avatars.

The presence or absence of an avatar was the criterion that distinguished 9th Rank from a Master.

In reality, only those called Masters could manifest an avatar.

'Unbelievable!'

'It's impossible, this… this can't be possible…'

Many geniuses who trained their entire lives could not surpass the avatar stage and died at 9th Rank.

And yet, a common boy who hadn't even accumulated mana was manifesting an avatar, a Master's exclusive domain?

It was something unimaginable… no, something that couldn't happen.

But to deny it, the thing that appeared before them was clearly an avatar.

A clear piece of evidence.

The gap between their common knowledge and the reality before their eyes left them confused.

Then they realized.

Why they hadn't recognized the boy's special qualities.

And why Johann had used a precious Dragon Token to make the boy take the Yuram test.

'He recognized it!'

Johann, who had reached the rank of Master.

As someone who had reached the same level of avatar, he must have recognized what the boy, Yuri Holland, possessed.

Meanwhile, the corners of Johann's mouth twisted as he watched the avatar Yuri had manifested.

"Kkk, phhhh!"

Excitement, joy, satisfaction, pleasure, ecstasy, and a streak of madness.

"Finally…"

Occasionally, very rarely, there are beings who are born with talents beyond common sense.

Talents that even if a normal person were to be reborn dozens or hundreds of times, they could not possess.

Mutants who are born with the pinnacle of absurdity, a level that others cannot reach even with a lifetime of effort.

A prime example of this is the Sword Lord Luke Ryder, the ruler of the world.

A talent that would never appear again in this world.

Everyone believed this.

That no one with the talent of a Sword Lord would be born.

That such a thing was impossible.

But it existed.

In a distant corner of the continent, a monster with talent on par with the Sword Lord.

"A monster…"

Johann's eyes gleamed, and his mouth stretched into a ferocious smile.

"He has shed his human guise!"

With Johann's muttering as the trigger,

Kyaah!

The dark monster created by Yuri lunged at the Black Swordsman.