The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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The Strongest in Our Neighborhood (42)
After passing through the checkpoint at the Outer City, Laila climbed onto the city wall to watch how Jang Gain deceived the guards examining travelers.
As he reached the top, Jo Jang came running to greet him, and there was a brief commotion with someone calling for a superior, but Laila quickly suppressed the fuss and peered over the wall to look down at the road below.
‘Where is he? He must have mixed in with those merchants, so he ought to be somewhere down there…’
He cast Targeting Magic on his eyes to search for Jang Gain, but no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t spot him.
‘Even if he’s hiding his presence, once I’ve targeted him, I should be able to see him with my eyes.’
Starting from the person currently being questioned and working his way to the very end of the long queue stretching into the distance, he scanned everyone, then began searching from the beginning again—and suddenly, Jang Gain’s voice reached his ear.
—Count, didn’t we arrange for you to wait inside? What are you doing up on the wall searching for someone so intently?
“Ack! W-what? How are you—where is your voice coming from?”
Laila jumped in alarm and hurriedly looked around, but he saw no sign of Jang Gain.
“What’s the matter, Count?”
Seeing Laila’s flustered state, Jo Jang beside him gave him a puzzled look, and Laila laughed awkwardly and shook his head.
“Ah, it’s nothing. I must be tired—I’m hearing things.”
—You’re not hearing things, though.
“But where are you?”
Since Jang Gain couldn’t be found even with Targeting Magic, Laila hurried down from the wall and went to a place where the soldiers weren’t.
“Jang Gain, where are you?”
—About a hundred meters north from where you’re standing now, and you should be able to see me.
“North, understood.”
A moment later, Laila found Jang Gain and his expression turned skeptical.
“Jang Gain, when on earth did you get in—no, how did you get in? And you were speaking from so far away, yet your voice reached my ear like a whisper right beside me. How is that possible?”
“I mentioned that I know a Secret Technique for finding blind spots in vision and moving covertly through them. I used that method to slip past the guards’ eyes at the checkpoint.”
“There were six soldiers guarding the gate. What blind spot could possibly exist with so many of them watching?”
“There must be one, because here I am. And if just anyone could find such a blind spot easily, would I call it a technique? It’s a Secret Technique created after considerable trial and error. The thing is, I haven’t taken much interest in it, so I’ve only learned the basics.”
“My word, you’ve only mastered the basics, yet not even I noticed you—this is far more than a parlor trick; it’s a formidable Secret Technique.”
“Well, that’s what constitutes a minor trick by my standards.”
“But how can you whisper directly into my ear from over a hundred meters away?”
“Ah, that’s a technique called Voice Transmission. I channel my voice through my Aura—my inner energy—and send it to whoever I wish to speak to.”
“Y-you embed your voice in your Aura? How?”
“You know what a monster’s Fear is, don’t you?”
“Of course I do.”
“Think of it as doing the reverse.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“If you were a swordsman, it would be easy to explain, but since you’re a mage, it’s difficult. It’s simply one of the Secret Techniques you can use once you become very skilled at manipulating Aura. I think it’s best if you understand it to that extent.”
“I… I see.”
“By the way, where is your residence?”
“My dwelling is in the Inner City, but my funds are kept in the Research Laboratory’s vault. The Research Laboratory is about thirty minutes’ walk toward the Inner City.”
* * *
“Dimitrion.”
Dimitrion, who had been teaching swordsmanship to Egoeddan and Mogoya and Dafaron, tilted his head upon seeing Leodoson enter the Training Grounds.
“Haven’t you left yet?”
“I feel a bit reluctant to depart just like this.”
“What do you mean reluctant?”
“I don’t know when I’ll see you again, so parting without crossing swords even once would be unsatisfying, wouldn’t it?”
“You took quite a beating from Jang Gain last time—have you fully recovered from those wounds?”
“Hmm, I’ve healed completely with the help of a High-Grade Potion and the priest’s aid.”
Dimitrion chuckled softly, watching Leodoson’s face flush.
“Actually, I found it rather unsatisfying myself to let you go without crossing swords.”
“You held your own quite well against Jang Gain last time, and it seems your skill has improved considerably.”
“I only managed to endure because Jang Gain was holding back. Egoeddan.”
“Yes, master.”
“Go fetch my Chainmail.”
“Yes.”
As the servant left to retrieve the Chainmail, Leodoson frowned slightly.
“You’re going to wear Chainmail instead of full armor? Chainmail won’t hold against my blade.”
“In truth, I don’t think I need armor against you, but I’ll wear it just in case.”
“What? You learned from Jang Gain and now your arrogance reaches the heavens!”
“Whether I’m arrogant or simply justified in thinking so will be clear soon enough.”
“Insane—I can’t listen to such impertinence any longer. Put on the Chainmail at once. I’m going to smash you.”
“We’ll see who ends up smashed.”
As the servant who had been helping Dimitrion into his Chainmail withdrew, Dimitrion drew his sword and leveled it at his opponent.
“Then let’s begin.”
“Very well.”
Tap-tap-tap.
Watching Leodoson close the ten-meter distance in just three strides, Dimitrion found himself thinking of Jang Gain.
‘Jang Gain always interrupted the flow of my blade mid-strike!’
The technique of cutting off an attack’s momentum mid-flow existed in nearly every sword style. But the kind of thrust that severed the rhythm the way Jang Gain did was rarely used—one misplaced thrust could leave him fatally exposed.
With sudden precision.
Dimitrion read his opponent’s shoulder and hand movements the way Jang Gain had taught him, then drove his blade straight into Leodoson’s wrist as he swung.
Clang!
If Leodoson had been bare-handed, his wrist would have been pierced clean through. But the Gauntlet protecting his arm up to the forearm kept the blade from penetrating.
Still, Leodoson’s attack never fully materialized—his rhythm shattered. In payment for that, he was forced to desperately parry Dimitrion’s relentless thrusts.
Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang…
In a single breath, Dimitrion’s blade lanced eight times. Unable to block every strike, Leodoson’s thighs and shoulders saw their protective gear punctured, blood streaming freely.
Leodoson reflexively pushed off the ground, retreating backward, but Dimitrion gave chase without hesitation, his sword continuing its assault.
Clang, clang-clang…
‘Has Lord Leodoson grown this easy an opponent?’
As the pattern repeated—thrust several times, one strike pierces armor—Dimitrion felt something like puzzlement creeping in.
The last time they’d fought, he’d been outmatched, forced to risk his life just to sever one of his opponent’s limbs.
Now, pressing forward like this, he felt he could kill the man without difficulty.
‘Lord Leodoson’s swordplay is definitely stronger than before… yet it feels easy. Have I truly grown this strong?’
As wounds accumulated, his opponent’s movements began noticeably sluggish.
‘If I keep going, it might get cruel. I should stop here.’
The way to stop was simple. Doing exactly as Jang Gain had done to him, Dimitrion swept Leodoson’s retreating legs, launching him into the air. He crashed to the ground and tumbled across it.
Dimitrion did not pursue further. He stopped and regarded his opponent.
Leodoson rolled back onto his feet, assuming a defensive stance, only to find Dimitrion motionless at the spot where he’d swept his legs. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth nearly shattered.
“Why—why did you stop?”
“Was there a need to continue? At this margin of difference, unless it’s a fight to the death, there seems little point in crossing blades further.”
“Damn it! When I saw you and Lord Jang Gain spar before, I thought you might have surpassed me. But I never expected it would be this one-sided… Ugh!”
Dimitrion regarded the swaying Leodoson with a wry smile.
He sensed that had he never met Jang Gain, even if he’d gained real combat experience fighting monsters, he would not have won against Leodoson today.
“You mentioned heading back to Greywan today, didn’t you? You should go and get treated.”
“Is the reason you’ve grown so strong in such a short time because Lord Jang Gain instructed you?”
“Well, honestly, yes.”
“Ah! I should have met Lord Jang Gain first…”
A moment later, watching Leodoson walk away supported by his servants, Dimitrion wore the same wry smile.
* * *
Jang Gain made no attempt to hide his astonishment at the box brimming with Gold Coins.
“Where did you acquire so much money, Lady Laila?”
“Half of this is mine, and the other half belongs to my teacher.”
“Your teacher’s? Why are you keeping your teacher’s money?”
“There are times when I need to purchase rare materials beyond my own means, such as today.”
“You’re telling me your teacher entrusted this much money for that reason? I’m having trouble understanding…”
“The rare materials I purchase, I use some myself, but more often they’re needed by my teacher. Think of it simply—I buy materials my teacher needs using his money and bring them to him.”
“Ah, I see now.”
As Laila transferred the Gold Coins into a pouch and Jang Gain placed it in his prepared bag, his expression grew satisfied.
“By the way, Lord Jang Gain mentioned last time that you wanted to meet my teacher, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Let me ask him now.”
Laila withdrew from a large box a Crystal Orb roughly twice the size of any she’d shown before.
Moments later, she infused it with Mana to activate it. Light poured forth, and the form of a person materialized within.
“Teacher, it’s Laila.”
―Hah, it’s been a while. How have you been?
“Fine. How have you been faring, teacher?”
―Perfectly well. So, what brings you to contact me?
“Recently, I received the Count’s orders regarding some business with Dafaron, the Marquis, and—”
As Laila recounted her meeting with Jang Gain, the acquisition of the Zelato-rank High Demon Arm, the corpse of the mid-rank demon Colpon, and the items from the high demon’s storehouse, the light in the Crystal Orb flickered with unusual intensity.
“—and so, Lord Jang Gain has expressed interest in your Chimera, and also wishes to meet you, so I contacted you on both counts.”
―A Zelato-rank High Demon Arm, you say? Is it truly a Zelato-rank demon’s arm?
“Yes. This is a Zelato-rank demon’s arm. It’s been over two weeks since it was severed, yet as you can see, it remains perfectly alive and writhing.”
When Laila lifted the Zelato-rank High Demon Arm and brought it close to the crystal orb, an exclamation burst from her master’s lips.
―A genuine Zelato-rank demon’s arm! Wait—why do the fingers keep pointing in one direction…? Hold on, this phenomenon means the demon’s true body is nearby…― Good heavens! Laila.
“Yes, Master.”
―The owner of that hand—in other words, a high-ranking Zelato-rank demon—is not far from where you are now. You must seal the mana in that hand at once and get yourself to safety.
As Laila started in alarm at her master’s words, Jang Gain leaned closer to the crystal orb, his face appearing in its surface as he spoke.
“Just a moment, Master of Laila.”
―Hmm? You weren’t alone? Who are you?
“Master, this is Jang Gain, whom I mentioned a moment ago.”
―Ah! Jang Gain, the one who severed the high demon’s arm. You were together?
“Yes.”
“Master of Laila, you just said the owner of this hand is somewhere nearby, correct?”
―Precisely. The closer the distance, the more the fingers point toward where the body is. Since all seven fingers are pointing in the same direction, the demon can’t be more than a kilometer away—very close indeed.
“Aha! So that bat-like creature fled and is hiding somewhere in this area. Excellent. Laila, didn’t you say a Zelato-rank high demon’s corpse is worth more than ten thousand gold coins?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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