The Son-In-Law of the Magician Is a Transcendent Sword Master - Chapter 37

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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 37

Barg.

Before my regression, he was quite a famous figure in the mercenary world.

Barg’s name became widely known partly due to his exceptional skills, but more so because of his cruel nature.

‘They say he fell into madness and killed his parents and sister.’

It’s a story that anyone who had a foot in the mercenary world would hear at least once. Though it’s considered a taboo subject to the man himself.

‘A lackey of the Black Mages.’

Before my regression, I clashed with Barg countless times on the battlefield.

Since he was a minion of the Archmage King, I truly encountered him to a sickening degree. I clearly remember the sticky killing intent that Barg would emanate.

Back then, I couldn’t settle the score.

But now that I’ve returned to the past, things are different.

“Reagan… just how do you plan to fight such a mercenary.”

However, Brock and the other branch family mages looked like they couldn’t understand.

They seemed thoroughly frightened by Barg’s tales of valor they heard through Calus.

“Think about it carefully. That bastard is guarding the barrier’s core anyway. We have to take him down somehow to proceed to the next step.”

Of course, even if we held out like this, the Rune Surveillance Unit led by Valen would break through the barrier, but I didn’t want to waste any more time.

There’s no telling what those bastards might do when cornered. They might harm the hostages or destroy evidence and flee.

Most importantly, I wanted to use this opportunity to definitively cut off one of the Archmage King’s limbs named Barg.

“That mercenary! He’s slaughtered dozens of people!”

“What’s the big deal about that. Mercenaries who’ve had their share of blade work have taken heads in the triple digits.”

Because that’s what I did in my previous life.

If the guy here now was Barg from my later years, I too would have looked for another method.

But I’ve regressed, and Barg is a twenty-two-year-old brat.

I don’t know exactly what level Barg is at this point. But since it would be before his prime, he probably hasn’t reached Sword Master yet.

If that’s the case, he’s worth fighting.

“Brock, don’t worry. I’m not thinking of making you guys fight that bastard.”

“What?”

No matter how young Barg might be, it’s obvious he’d slaughter 3rd Circle mages with just a graze. So I had no intention of putting these guys in front of Barg.

“You guys block the passages.”

“Passages?”

“Right. Collapse and block all the pathways leading to the chamber where that bastard is. So he can’t escape, and reinforcements can’t help him either.”

It would have been impossible in the open field, but fortunately, this place is a mine. An abandoned mine that’s been deserted for a long time at that.

While coming through the narrow passages to get here, I confirmed that the ground had weakened and cracks had formed in various places.

“H-how… you want us to collapse the cave…?”

“Are you idiots? You call yourselves Benheim’s rune mages and don’t know how to do that?”

A rune character appeared above my palm.

Hagalaz (ᚺ).

The rune of destruction.

“It might be difficult for one person, but there are seventeen Benheim mages here. If you combine your power, collapsing one or two passages would be nothing.”

“Th-that’s… true, but…”

Brock nodded hesitantly with a somewhat anxious expression.

“After collapsing the passages… and isolating that mercenary… what will you do then…?”

“I’ll fight that bastard.”

“…”

“You guys stay back quietly. If you butt in unnecessarily, you’ll just die for nothing.”

Brock’s expression relaxed a bit at my explanation.

He probably judged it was much better than fighting Barg directly.

“No objections, right? Then everyone to your positions.”

“You.”

Just then, the girl who had been quietly listening to our conversation from the corner spoke up. It was the girl we had just brought out from the prison.

“You’re planning to fight that mercenary alone?”

“That’s right.”

Gray eyes stared at me intently.

“You’ll die.”

The girl said matter-of-factly.

Her tone was as calm as her colorless impression suggested.

“Is that so. Thanks for the kind words.”

I brushed it off appropriately and covered Benheim’s treasured sword hanging at my waist with the hem of my robe.

Since the girl was still looking at me, I felt awkwardly embarrassed and added:

“But you know what. I already experienced it once so I know, but death isn’t really a big deal.”

Confusion appeared in the girl’s eyes for the first time. I shrugged my shoulders.

“And I have no intention of dying.”

* * *

Deep in the abandoned mine, a vast chamber.

With his back to the dark red magic stone serving as the barrier’s core, Barg sat perched on a rocky ledge, chewing on his boredom.

“…Making a living is tough.”

The dim and humid air.

The moldy smell that stung his nose.

Barg let out a deep sigh. He was thoroughly displeased with being stuck in such a damp place, standing guard for some Black Mage runts.

He had taken on this commission because the pay was generous, but if he had known it would be like this, it would have been better to sell his blade to other bastards.

Given his reputation, he couldn’t take legitimate commissions, but at least he wouldn’t have been stuck in such a suffocating place.

“Damn it.”

Barg irritably spat on the ground.

As he was trying to ease his boredom, one of the Black Mages approached from the darkness.

“Lord Barg.”

“What.”

“There’s been no contact from Gerkin’s side. Even though the scheduled time has passed…”

“What?”

Barg frowned.

Gerkin of the Black Crows mercenary group. Though he was a greedy pig of a man, he was good at carrying out assigned tasks. Since he had never botched a job before, it was Barg who had introduced this commission to Gerkin, who was struggling with financial difficulties.

For such a Gerkin to have no contact was clearly suspicious.

“Did something happen? Try checking with the guys in Rodel.”

“The thing is… we can’t reach our comrades in Rodel either.”

Barg frowned.

“…Come to think of it, today was when that bastard Gerkin was supposed to send the goods.”

“That’s correct.”

“Did you check on those goods?”

“I understand they were brought in through the passage a little while ago.”

“Sending only goods without any contact… Can’t you bastards feel that this whole situation is going strangely?”

Barg’s instincts were telling him.

That rats had crawled in.

Just as he was thinking this and about to get up.

Rumble——!

Suddenly the ground shook.

Dust poured down from the ceiling.

“E-earthquake…!?”

The Black Mage looked around in panic.

“No, it’s not an earthquake.”

Barg shook his head.

Not a simple natural disaster, but artificial vibration. He could feel the mana waves surrounding this chamber.

Crash!

With a thunderous roar, the ceiling of the entrance passageway collapsed.

One of the black mages who had been reporting to him just moments ago was crushed under the pile of rocks without even being able to scream.

Following that, the support beams of the opposite passageway crumbled, and dirt filled both passages.

“So they’re isolating us first to cut off reinforcements. Not bad. For little rats, they used their heads a bit.”

Barg chuckled and rose from his stone seat.

He then took a small breath and spread his ki sense widely.

There were multiple presences. Most of them were weak.

At best, they were minion level.

They were rabble who hadn’t even received proper training.

“…Pathetic.”

Barg twisted his lips.

Did they think they could tie him down with just these small fries?

Step, step.

Just as that thought crossed his mind, someone walked down from atop the collapsed pile of stones.

A gray-haired boy.

Though he still had a youthful appearance, his eyes alone were calmly settled.

“Are you the leader of these little rats?”

Barg asked with a chin gesture.

The boy looked around and tilted his head.

“Leader? You don’t mean me, do you?”

“Who else would it be if not you?”

“Well. Wouldn’t the term ‘little rats’ suit you guys who live hiding in tunnels like this better?”

At the boy’s retort, Barg burst into laughter.

For a provocation, it was utterly childish.

He wasn’t naive enough to fall for such word games.

“You, where were you sent from?”

“Well. Where could it be. Why don’t you try guessing?”

The boy was overflowing with composure, far from being intimidated even with the murderous Barg before him.

That point was extremely unpleasant for Barg.

“Well, whatever. They’re all going to die anyway.”

Barg drew the long sword he carried on his back.

The massive blade with a body as tall as the boy reflected the red light of the barrier stones, glowing ominously.

“Die.”

As soon as the words ended, Barg kicked off the ground.

Explosive speed bursting from his large frame.

Barg closed the distance in an instant and swung his long sword.

Not many swordsmen had withstood his single strike until now.

Moreover, his opponent wasn’t even a swordsman but a mage. And a youngster who hadn’t even reached adulthood.

There was no need to use aura. The guy would be split in half by his long sword without even having time to cast magic.

It was the moment Barg was certain of this.

—Clang!

Sparks flew with a sharp metallic sound.

Barg’s sword path was bizarrely deflected in midair. Crack. Finally, the long sword struck the ground. Barg’s eyes widened. Before he knew it, the boy in front of him had drawn a sword from his waist and deflected Barg’s strike.

“You, were you a swordsman?”

He was caught off guard. He had thought the boy was definitely a mage since he wore robes, but was he actually a swordsman?

Barg was genuinely impressed. Though it was just one exchange, the boy had received his sword. The trick of hiding his sword under his robes and continuing provocations to divert attention away from it was quite excellent too.

“Not bad for a youngster.”

“Well. Your swordwork is rather simple, you see.”

“Heh. Arrogant brat.”

As soon as he retrieved the long sword stuck in the ground, he swung it horizontally again.

He had learned that the guy was a fairly decent swordsman. In that case, he would just give it his all.

“Then can you block this too?”

Just before touching the boy’s sword, Barg’s long sword turned red.

Aura. The technique of radiating mana to envelop one’s sword.

A sword without aura could never block a sword with aura. So he vividly pictured the scene where that old sword would be cut like tofu and the boy’s head would fly through the air.

Crack!

However, this time too, the long sword cut through empty air.

This time, even Barg couldn’t help but be shocked.

“You… don’t tell me you’re an aura user?”

A bluish light rising from the boy’s blade. A crystallization of mana. This was none other than aura.

To perform one’s role as a swordsman, one had to know how to use aura. The criterion for judging talent as a swordsman was manifesting aura before reaching adulthood.

Just like that boy who now held his sword high before his eyes.

“You, what’s your name?”

“Reagan.”

“I see, Reagan. How truly unfortunate.”

Barg smiled bitterly and rested his long sword on his shoulder.

“To be born with outstanding talent yet meet an early death.”

“Are you talking about yourself?”

“…”

Barg’s eyes narrowed.

“You really are an unlikable fellow.”

Barg kicked off the ground again.

The long sword imbued with red aura drew a semicircle, aiming for Reagan’s vital points. Clang. It was blocked again.

He was lucky. Judging so, Barg continued to swing his sword. Crack! This time it went a bit deeper, but Reagan’s sword deflected the blade away.

Barg grimaced. Purely defensive. It was quite an insult as a swordsman.

Right. He would finish it within three more exchanges. He would clearly show this pathetic youngster that there were levels beyond levels.

“…”

However.

When three exchanges became ten, and ten became thirty, Barg couldn’t help but harbor doubts.

‘This guy… what exactly is he?’

Clearly his strength, the length of his sword, and even the density of his aura were all superior. Yet Barg’s long sword never managed to graze Reagan’s body.

Every time Barg swung his sword, Reagan’s sword was already positioned in its path. It was clearly strange. He was definitely the one who swung first, yet the guy was always faster.

Rather than fast, he ‘appeared’. The guy’s sword would suddenly pop out without proper preparatory movements and ‘insert itself’ into Barg’s sword path.

It was an incomprehensible phenomenon. He couldn’t gauge the nature of the swordwork at all. No matter how he thought about it, he could only conclude that his swordwork was completely seen through by that boy’s eyes.

‘Am I… being read…?’

At this point, he had no choice but to acknowledge it.

That boy’s sword didn’t match his age. It was precocious. It was an extremely fast sword. It didn’t assume sword fighting with opponents at all. It was a sword that refused dialogue.

Cold sweat ran down Barg’s back. Where on earth had he learned such swordwork?

He had met various renowned swordsmen until now, but he had never once seen a school that employed this type of swordwork.

“You, where the hell did you come from!”

Barg stepped back and asked.

This boy had something about him. He was definitely from a considerable family. He didn’t want to create unnecessary trouble by killing him carelessly. It was a question he asked based on that judgment.

However, the youngster before him answered without changing his expression one bit.

“You don’t need to know. You’re going to die here anyway.”

“…”

A face that was certain of his own victory.

Grind. Barg’s teeth gnashed.

“Fine. Before I kill you, I’ll cut off that smart tongue of yours first.”

“Tongue?”

Instead of being intimidated by Barg’s threat, Reagan let out a bitter laugh and continued speaking.

“Why? Like your sister who you beat to death when you went mad?”

In that moment, Barg’s thoughts came to a complete halt.

“…What did you say?”

“You killed them because they were too noisy, didn’t you? Your parents and sister. Cut out their tongues too. Crushed their limbs. And burned them alive in the end.”

Reagan’s eyes filled with mockery.

“Still can’t break your mad dog habits and playing lapdog for the Black Mages. You’re worse than a beast.”

Snap.

The sound of reason breaking echoed in Barg’s mind.

It was Barg’s reverse scale that no one knew about, and no one should ever know about.

“…Do you want to die?”

Explosive aura erupted from Barg’s body.

Reason had fled. All that remained was pure killing intent to tear apart the bastard before his eyes.

“…Aaaahhh!”

Barg roared as he brought down his long sword.

Until now, Barg had been employing the forms of swordsmanship. However, the sword he wielded this time lacked any concept of technique.

A brutally simple attack that crushed with overwhelming power, speed, and aura density.

But that was precisely Barg’s strongest weapon.

If the bastard could read his sword path, he would make it impossible to respond by rendering that prediction itself meaningless.

Clang!

A sharp metallic sound.

Reagan seemed flustered by the sudden change in sword technique. When his sword clashed directly with Barg’s, unable to overcome the difference in power, he was helplessly pushed back.

‘This ends your little tricks.’

He raised his long sword toward Reagan’s defenseless upper body.

Kill him. As Barg swung his sword with that single thought, something entered his vision.

———.

A concentration of blue mana had formed in Reagan’s left hand at some point.

The mana transformed into the shape of a thin thread, then took the form of a sword in an instant.

Barg’s eyes widened.

A sword made of magic. Why would a swordsman who uses aura be casting magic?

No, that wasn’t what mattered.

Barg knew of one family that used this type of magic.

“…Rucen?”

Barg’s eyes wavered.

Could it be that House Rucen had stepped forward to deal with the Black Mages?

If so, did that mean Rucen’s mage corps was here?

As various thoughts arose, he met eyes with Reagan. Those crescent-shaped blue eyes. The bastard was smiling.

It was eerie.

He had the advantage. He had to finish the bastard for certain.

Right. He just needed to bring down his long sword.

‘Just bring it down….’

Suddenly.

The thought came to him that he shouldn’t swing his sword.

Those blue eyes, that mouth curved in an arc, the mana sword forming in his left hand—they were all variables.

He realized the identity of the unease he’d felt while crossing swords with Reagan.

The bastard hadn’t revealed all his moves.

An opponent full of variables. An unknown enemy. Was swinging his sword here and now truly the right decision?

“Kuk.”

His bewilderment created a fatal opening.

Reagan didn’t miss that gap.

Though he swung his sword belatedly, it was already too late. The mana sword created in Reagan’s left hand deflected Barg’s long sword aside.

“Kuk!”

Having disregarded defense to push forward with brute force, now that his attack had missed, it was Barg’s upper body that had become defenseless instead.

In an instant, Reagan lowered his stance and penetrated into Barg’s guard. He couldn’t respond. The bastard’s right hand touched Barg’s abdomen.

———.

A burning sensation spread from the abdomen where the palm touched.

Two rings of light.

Two characters rose from within the rings. The condensed characters began spewing forth mana.

Though Barg had no expertise in magic, he knew of a mage family that used ancient characters.

Like Rucen, which used magic to create swords, it was one of the greatest pillars of the Imperial Magic Order.

It was….

“…Benheim…?”

Kaboom!

With an explosive sound, his vision went dark.

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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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