Chapter 75: Alexia's Sparks
--- Alexia ---
Waking up was absolutely dreadful.
Examining the state of my arm, I let out a sigh.
Will this leave a scar?
As I traced the cast encasing it with my fingers, I could feel the slight roughness where the edges met my skin.
Although I was partially healed with Healing Magic, it does not make miracles. The injury was bad.
Well, I was ready to face death, so I suppose a small scar in return is a bit of a blessing.
I tightened my fists in silent triumph.
'...It hurts.'
Still beats the alternative of biting the dust, though.
Surveying my surroundings, I spotted the hilt of the sword I wielded, with just a little less than half of the original blade still intact, lying nearby.
Since it was tainted with my blood, and I had already infused most of my magical power into its tip in that moment, I managed to pull it off.
But if I truly aim to stand by his side, I've got a long way to go.
---
During our training sessions, one peculiar thing about Fray caught my attention.
He never bothered swapping out his sword, not even once.
Initially, I assumed it might be a custom-made weapon, but when I asked permission and took hold of it myself, I couldn't help but conclude it was just marginally superior to an ordinary sword.
Naturally, for the son of a duke to hold this sword in such high regard, there had to be a reason.
When I asked, he chuckled as if amused by my question.
"This? It's the first ally that ever came to my aid. A special companion," he replied.
His willingness to share this information surprised me, considering he wasn't one to divulge much about himself. Nevertheless, his response left me deep in thought.
I glanced at my own sword, a realization dawning upon me.
If this one were to shatter, it would likely elicit nothing more than a fleeting thought.
The need for a replacement.
After all, a sword is but a tool, obedient to the will of its wielder.
But is this truly the answer I've been seeking?
At that moment, I grasped the disparity in our perspectives.
It's not necessarily a flaw, but it led me to question if I genuinely earned the title of a swordsman when I'm not committed to the very sword I currently wield, treating it as more than just a tool.
This marked my first spark.
The second arrived when I first saw his [Sky Slash] in action.
He apprehended a bandit merely to experiment with this ability, explaining that it was too dangerous to use against me.
Initially, I brushed off his caution, suggesting he might be overestimating the threat. Even if the potential damage is severe, couldn't he simply halt it before it caused harm?
How much protection do you think I need? I'm not that fragile.
I changed my mind once I saw what happened once he invoked his skill, though.
Radiant wings erupted from within him, their glow casting an eerie light. The wings, seemingly composed of pure energy, tore through the bandit's body mercilessly, starting from the core.
First, they shredded through his organs.
The sound of tearing flesh and the sickening squelch of ruptured organs filled the air.
As if beasts starving for more, the wings moved on to his muscles, systematically reducing them to ribbons. The bandit's once robust physique now crumbled like smoke.
That didn't seem to be enough, since the wings didn't stop until they reached the very foundation—the bones. Each bone fractured and splintered. The bandit's screams echoed in my ears as he was in such an enormous amount of pain, he kept shouting in desperation for someone to kill him.
In the face of such visceral torment, I couldn't help but gulp, a mixture of fear and awe knotting my stomach.
"Do you still want me to try it on you, mhh?"
He sent a smirk my way filled with amusement as I averted my gaze.
"...Maybe not?"
I awkwardly mustered a smile.
Please, spare me.
Gradually, a sense of gravity settled over me.
Frankly speaking, this cheat ability is OP.
I kept my gaze fixed on the scene, watching as the wings spread across the bandit's body like a lethal infection before gradually fading away, leaving behind nothing but a grotesque mass of blood and flesh.
'If only I could pull off something similar...'
While I'm honing my sword skills, there's still something missing.
Even if I manage to corner my opponent, I lack an extraordinary ability like this, capable of tearing them apart.
That's when it hit me – why not create something similar?
It might pose a challenge, but it doesn't strike me as an impossible feat.
If I infuse my sword with Magical Power and then stab my opponent...
Replicating his method of slashing at an opponent might be impossible for me since my Magical Power can't withstand being apart from my body for too long before dispersing. However, it would be a different story if the sword in my hands is thrust into an opponent.
There shouldn't be any issues then.
Once my Magical Power penetrates an opponent, I just need to circulate it and obliterate whatever stands in its path. The ideal scenario would be reaching the brain to inflict damage, but that would take too much time for my Magical Power to travel that far.
"...Say, didn't you tell me about the human body before? Can you possibly teach me more about it?"
I flashed a grin.
Sure, I could delve into books, but... well, he's right here, so why bother?
He seemed to catch onto my thoughts as he sighed.
"You really detest reading, huh?"
Yes.
"You didn't say no, so that means you're up for it, right?"
I ignored his words. I didn't want him to point that out.
"Fine..."
...Mastering this technique might demand a level of understanding of the sword far beyond what I currently possess. I've always regarded it merely as a tool, both in my subconscious and conscious mind.
Time to change that.
---
After Fray shed some light on the workings of the human body, I adjusted my approach and formulated a plan.
My best bet is to catch the opponent off guard.
First, I'd aim for the nerves and the Mana Pathways.
Depending on where the strike landed, the consequences could vary from instant death to a slower, more agonizing one.
The closer the strike lands to the heart and brain, the quicker the death would be. However, at this point, most of these ideas were mere conjectures. When I asked Fray if it was possible to test this technique on him, he shook his head solemnly.
"Even I would be at risk if you fail to control it properly. The technique you've devised is rather... ruthless and unforgiving. I admire it. Just promise me you won't try it on me," he said, giving me a thumbs up and chuckling.
Fair enough. He never unleashed his [Sky Slash] on me either, so I was asking just in case he had some kind of defense against this kind of attack, but it seems like that's not the case.
"Come on, stop joking around. Should we find another bandit to test this out on?" I suggested, considering it as the only alternative if he couldn't be the subject of my experiment.
His smirk grew wider as he rubbed his hands together, clearly entertained by the idea.
"Of course. I need quite a few specimens to test out my skills myself..."
The expression on his face would probably resemble a demon king more than a regular human being, but I've grown used to it.
"I have a feeling the news outlets will all be talking about the crime rate in this city drastically decreasing all of a sudden..."
His smirk faded.
"No, that might be bad for business. I'll have to ensure they don't publish any weird stuff..."
If the criminals caught wind of this, I'm sure they'd flee elsewhere, ruining it.
That I agree with, but...
'When did it become a business?'
I sighed. Well, I do need quite a few bandits myself to test my technique and figure out what I'm missing, so...
I suppose I'll provide the newspapers with some distraction to divert their attention from this little endeavor.
I know exactly what to feed them, hehehe....
---
Author's Note:
Stay strong, criminals.
I send you my prayers.
Akira's weirdness is rubbing off Alexia, lmao.
For Patrons, I will soon be adding a new type of content since I'm being unreliable these days with updates.
Omake.
I'll make some and release them only for them, since they don't add anything to the plot, but they explore some unsaid stuff that couldn't make it to the novel!
Also, join the discord.
Thank you.
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