How a Two-Life Scoundrel Lives - Chapter 73
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 73】
“What, were you training?”
“How could that be.”
Maranello smiled brightly.
“I was waiting for Young Master to come.”
“You were waiting for me?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“Why.”
Carlisle made an expression that showed he couldn’t understand at all.
“I’m not the type of person who would train diligently.”
“Of course that’s true, but.”
Maranello smiled warmly.
“I expected you wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
“You expected that?”
Startled, Carlisle was surprised.
Just how far ahead did this cunning old man see…
“It’s common for soldiers returning from the battlefield to have trouble sleeping.”
“Common?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Maranello smiled bitterly.
“Even though you’ve survived countless brushes with death and returned home, the comfortable bed and cozy house probably feel even more uncomfortable.”
“Is that why I was tossing and turning?”
“Yes, Young Master.”
“The reason is.”
“On the battlefield, you constantly feel the threat of death. Your mind and body are always tense, so even when you sleep, you can’t sleep deeply. Except when you’re so exhausted that you collapse from fatigue.”
“I think that might have been the case.”
“But what about the battlefield? Someone is always shouting, the smell of blood, sweat, and excrement fills the air, and people are dying left and right before your eyes. But what about home?”
“It’s comfortable. Quiet. And there’s no stench.”
“Yes, that’s right. That’s why Young Master couldn’t sleep.”
“So… because it suddenly became too comfortable, I actually feel uncomfortable with that? Me?”
“That’s correct.”
“How ironic. I returned to a safe place but feel discomfort instead.”
“Why do you think people are called creatures of adaptation? Hehe. You’ll be fine in a few days. Though it would be a problem if you don’t get better.”
“What if I don’t get better?”
“You’ll gradually go insane. You won’t be able to sleep, you’ll have nightmares frequently, and the faces of dead comrades will haunt your dreams. Eventually, you’ll be unable to distinguish between nightmares and reality and go mad.”
“It gets that bad?”
“Yes.”
Maranello’s nodding figure looked somehow bitter, so Carlisle didn’t ask any more questions.
“However, you need not worry. Young Master is a member of House Sigmund. You were born with strong mental fortitude and physique.”
“I don’t know about that. Since I can’t sleep anyway, I’ll just train. If my body gets a bit tired, I’ll probably fall asleep.”
“That’s a good idea.”
Maranello smiled brightly.
“I need to organize my thoughts for a moment.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Carlisle plopped down in the training ground, sat cross-legged, and quietly fell into meditation.
Before training, he felt the need to review the battles he’d fought and examine the new abilities he’d gained.
‘Thrust, Slash. That’s all I know about swordsmanship. But I never felt my swordsmanship was lacking. It was strength and mana that were insufficient.’
Perhaps thanks to [Weapon Master], an ability that raised proficiency with any weapon he wielded, his swordsmanship had developed considerably.
Even without specific training, his swordsmanship seemed to improve just from experiencing real combat on the battlefield.
‘And…’
Carlisle reflected on the skills he possessed.
‘The abilities I gained through the Soul Pacifying Sword… Weapon Master, Silent One’s Devotion, World Opening, Loyal Heart, Desperate One’s Wish, One Against a Thousand, Mutual Prosperity.’
Suddenly, memories of The Dead came to mind.
The hero who had protected Dekaron from the barbarian invasion in the past, the people who had made wishes at the fountain, the Nameless Knight who had stood alone against enemies for the retreat of Allied Forces, and even Gwen.
Carlisle recalled their final moments and reflected on the meaning of each skill.
It felt like something he should do.
The more he understood their will… their resentment left in this world, the more complete each skill seemed to become.
After organizing the skills obtained through the Soul Pacifying Sword, he finally organized in his mind the Blood Mark Awakening, the ability contained in House Sigmund’s bloodline.
‘Berserker State. Not only does it consume mana, but it also drains stamina tremendously. And the Underworld King’s ability is… what exactly?’
Carlisle couldn’t understand the [Blade Hell] he had cast at all.
The moment he cast [Blade Hell], he felt like he wasn’t himself, and his memory of it was hazy too.
‘Well, I’ll figure out what kind of trait Underworld King is eventually.’
Since Carlisle wasn’t the type to delve deeply into things, he stopped thinking about it there.
Ding!
Then a notification window appeared.
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
Race: Human
Age: 23
Status: Noble
Grade: ★★★☆
Occupation: Soldier (Private)
Rank: Private (Promotion to Second Lieutenant Pending)
Trait: Underworld King
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
Race: Human
Age: 23
Status: Noble
Grade: ★★★☆
Occupation: Soldier (Private)
Rank: Private (Promotion to Second Lieutenant Pending)
Trait: Underworld King
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
Race: Human
Age: 23
Status: Noble
Grade: ★★★☆
Occupation: Soldier (Private)
Rank: Private (Promotion to Second Lieutenant Pending)
Trait: Underworld King
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
Race: Human
Age: 23
Status: Noble
Grade: ★★★☆
Occupation: Soldier (Private)
Rank: Private (Promotion to Second Lieutenant pending)
Trait: Underworld King
[Carlisle van Sigmund]
Race: Human
Age: 23
Status: Noble
Grade: ★★★☆
Occupation: Soldier (Private)
Rank: Private (Promotion to Second Lieutenant pending)
Trait: Underworld King
‘3.5 star grade.’
The grading system in the game [Overlord] was distinguished by stars rather than levels.
The more stars, the higher the grade, and it went without saying that meant greater strength.
Of course, grades weren’t absolute—with compatibility, various variables, and luck added in, it was entirely possible for a 3-star character to defeat a 5-star character.
Though if the grade difference was 3 levels or more, winning would be nearly impossible.
‘Well, not bad.’
Carlisle casually waved his hand to dismiss the notification window and stood up.
“Have you finished your meditation, Young Master?”
“Yeah.”
“Then…”
“Let’s begin.”
Carlisle drew his wooden sword.
“Come at me.”
Maranello grinned and picked up his feather duster.
* * *
The sparring session was closer to a one-sided beating disguised as training.
Thwack, crack!
“Urgh!”
A groan burst from Carlisle’s lips.
Despite being struck with just a feather duster in short, chopping motions, the destructive power was tremendous.
Not only did bruises form, but even grazing the feather duster’s plumes would tear his clothes and split his skin, causing blood to stream down.
‘So this is what a gap in ability means.’
Carlisle felt the wall between them as he watched Maranello leisurely swinging his feather duster.
But it was only natural.
As Carlisle recalled, Maranello was a mighty 9-star powerhouse.
If not for unavoidable circumstances forcing his retirement, Maranello might have even broken through to 10 stars—he was that much of a monster.
If Maranello set his mind to it, sweeping away Dark Mage Crowley and the entire Butcher Tribe would be child’s play.
In other words, Carlisle, being merely 3-star grade, was no match for him.
“Young Master, you’ve truly improved a great deal.”
“Are you mocking me?”
“How could I possibly do such a thing?”
Maranello put on a serious expression as if the very idea was absurd.
“You exceed my expectations.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, Young Master. Honestly, I’m quite surprised.”
“Hmm.”
“Please don’t be too impatient.”
“Impatient, my ass.”
Carlisle let out a derisive snort.
“Since I’m training anyway, I might as well do it earnestly. It’s not like I’m obsessed with becoming strong.”
“Hehe.”
“Still, it’s pretty annoying to just get beaten one-sidedly. Ugh.”
Carlisle used his wooden sword as a cane to pull himself up.
His left thigh, which had taken a hit from Maranello moments ago, was trembling with spasms.
“Here I come.”
“Yes, come at me.”
The sparring resumed.
Thwack, crack!
“Urgh!”
Carlisle continued getting pummeled without managing a single proper counterattack.
‘I need to land at least one hit. Ugh.’
However, Maranello’s swordsmanship was truly impenetrable, showing no opening for Carlisle’s sword to slip through.
After being knocked down, beaten, and rolled around several times.
‘Just once, just one time…’
It was when Carlisle was desperately watching for an opening in Maranello’s defense.
[Notification: 【Yearning】 skill has been activated!]
[Notification: Luck increased by 150%!]
[Notification: Critical hit chance increased by 15%!]
[Notification: 【Yearning】 skill has been activated!]
[Notification: Luck increased by 150%!]
[Notification: Critical hit chance increased by 15%!]
[Notification: 【Yearning】 skill has been activated!]
[Notification: Luck increased by 150%!]
[Notification: Critical hit chance increased by 15%!]
[Notification: 【Yearning】 skill has been activated!]
[Notification: Luck increased by 150%!]
[Notification: Critical hit chance increased by 15%!]
[Notification: 【Yearning】 skill has been activated!]
[Notification: Luck increased by 150%!]
[Notification: Critical hit chance increased by 15%!]
As if responding to Carlisle’s will, [Yearning] activated.
‘Huh?’
There was no time to be surprised.
Whoosh!
Maranello’s feather duster was flying toward his face.
‘Screw it, whatever.’
Carlisle swung his wooden sword with all his might.
BOOM!
With a thunderous roar like an exploding bomb, Carlisle’s wooden sword shot toward the center of Maranello’s chest.
Soul Severing Sword, Loyal Heart.
It was a thrust enhanced by [Yearning].
Thud. Carlisle’s wooden sword barely grazed past Maranello’s side.
Though it wasn’t a fatal blow, if it had been a real sword, it would have been a counterattack worth expecting some damage from.
“…!”
Maranello, startled, quickly stepped back and asked.
“Young Master? What was that just now? Heh heh heh.”
“Well.”
Carlisle spoke as if he couldn’t believe it himself.
This was absolutely not intentional.
[Loyal Heart] and [Yearning] had combined and a completely different technique had emerged on its own.
Ding!
A notification window appeared before Carlisle’s eyes.
[Sonic Loyalty]
[Sonic Loyalty]
A thrust that evolved to be more threatening by adding 【Yearning】’s critical hit probability to 【Loyal Heart】.
It is characterized by the sword momentarily breaking the sound barrier, causing a thunderous roar to echo.
Skill Level: 1
Combination Formula: Loyal Heart + Yearning
[Sonic Loyalty]
A thrust that evolved to be more threatening by adding 【Yearning】’s critical hit probability to 【Loyal Heart】.
It is characterized by the sword momentarily breaking the sound barrier, causing a thunderous roar to echo.
Skill Level: 1
Combination Formula: Loyal Heart + Yearning
[Sonic Loyalty]
A thrust that evolved to be more threatening by adding 【Yearning】’s critical hit probability to 【Loyal Heart】.
It is characterized by the sword momentarily breaking the sound barrier, causing a thunderous roar to echo.
Skill Level: 1
Combination Formula: Loyal Heart + Yearning
[Sonic Loyalty]
A thrust that evolved to be more threatening by adding 【Yearning】’s critical hit probability to 【Loyal Heart】.
It is characterized by the sword momentarily breaking the sound barrier, causing a thunderous roar to echo.
Skill Level: 1
Combination Formula: Loyal Heart + Yearning
[Sonic Loyalty]
A thrust that evolved to be more threatening by adding 【Yearning】’s critical hit probability to 【Loyal Heart】.
It is characterized by the sword momentarily breaking the sound barrier, causing a thunderous roar to echo.
Skill Level: 1
Combination Formula: Loyal Heart + Yearning
‘So combination was possible?’
Carlisle was quite surprised that the abilities he had gained through the Soul Severing Sword had merged into one to become a completely different technique.
If that’s the case…
‘Would Sonic Genesis Slash work too?’
Carlisle was curious whether [Yearning]’s effect could also be added to [World Opening], which was a slash, instead of [Loyal Heart], which was a thrust.
‘Should I try it again?’
Carlisle swung his wooden sword horizontally from left to right.
Boom!
A thunderous roar echoed as the wooden sword cut through the air and broke the sound barrier.
“This works too.”
“Don’t tell me… did you just create that?”
“Yeah.”
Carlisle nodded at Maranello’s question.
“I tried it just in case.”
“Heh heh.”
Maranello let out a hollow laugh.
To think that someone who had been continuously pushed back and taking a one-sided beating would suddenly develop a super-speed sword form on the spot…
‘Could the second Young Master also be a genius?’
Maranello thought that Carlisle might also possess tremendous talent like the eldest Selena and youngest Frey.
Otherwise, there would be no way to create a necessary sword form on the spot.
* * *
Carlisle was able to get a good night’s sleep thanks to his sparring with Maranello.
Though he called it a good night’s sleep, it was closer to collapsing from exhaustion.
Since he had been almost one-sidedly beaten by Maranello from early evening until dawn, it was natural for Carlisle to pass out.
“Young Master, Young Master.”
“Don’t wake me up. I’m tired.”
Carlisle slowly opened his eyes at Evangeline’s call.
Seeing the sun high in the sky, it was clear that he had only been asleep for a few hours.
“I think you should get up.”
“Why.”
“His Grace the Grand Duke has returned.”
“What does that have to do with me.”
“…”
Evangeline was left speechless by Carlisle’s answer that he would blatantly commit filial impiety.
How could that not be related…
“Shouldn’t you at least pay your respects?”
“Too bothersome.”
Carlisle pulled the blanket over himself as if everything was too troublesome.
“If he’s really curious, he can call for me or come find me himself…”
Just then.
Click, the door opened and Maranello appeared.
“Young Master, His Grace the Grand Duke is looking for you.”
“Seriously, don’t you ever sleep, Maranello?”
Carlisle irritably threw off his blanket and scowled deeply.
“Didn’t we stay up all night together? How can you be so fine?”
“Well, you got beaten up while I just lack a bit of sleep, so isn’t that natural? And originally, old people don’t sleep much. Heh heh heh.”
“Ugh.”
Carlisle sighed deeply and said.
“Fine, tell him I’ll be right there. Let me wash up first.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Right after Maranello scurried away.
“Is the butler gone?”
“Yes.”
As soon as Carlisle heard Evangeline’s answer, he hastily threw on some clothes and headed to the window.
Then he leaped from the window.
“Kyaaah!”
A scream burst from the startled Evangeline’s mouth.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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