The Strongest in Our Neighborhood - Chapter 58

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

Our Neighborhood’s Strongest (58)
“If you channel Qi—that is, Aura—into a weapon, its cutting power increases several times over.”
“I understand that channeling Aura increases cutting power. But even after slaughtering hundreds of demonic beasts and magical creatures, this blade remains pristine. I confess I’m somewhat puzzled.”
“Ah! The Aura of those at higher realms is far more effective at cutting than those at lower realms. Moreover, in my case, I’ve achieved the Divine Sword Unity realm—that is, a stage where my body and weapon become one—so the weapon suffers proportionally less damage.”
“Body and weapon become one? How can a person’s body possibly merge with a metal instrument?”
As Eggman tilted his head in confusion, Jang Gain scratched his scalp.
“It’s not that they literally become one. Rather, my internal energy and the energy infused in my weapon flow as a single force… but how do I explain this?”
…….
“I’ll just show you directly. Once you see it, you’ll understand—ah, so this is what they call the realm where body and weapon become one.”
Jang Gain drew from his Pocket Dimension a short sword whose blade had suffered the least damage.
Whoooosh…….
He steadied his breathing, then synchronized the energy flowing through his body with the energy infused in the short sword, creating a unified current.
‘Weapon and person becoming one? How could metal possibly merge with a human being…….’
While Eggman was still tilting his head in bewilderment at Jang Gain’s explanation, his eyes widened as the short sword in the man’s grasp suddenly seemed to grow larger.
Distant objects appear larger as they approach, yet this short sword remained in place—and yet it was inexplicably expanding before his eyes.
‘What, what’s this?’
He blinked, wondering if he’d seen an illusion, but as he did, the short sword grew ever larger, eventually obscuring the figure of Jang Gain who held it.
For a brief moment, Jang Gain vanished from sight—only the blade remained visible.
A chill.
Then, suddenly, every hair on his body stood on end as terror seized him—that massive short sword would cleave him in half in an instant.
“Gasp!”
“This is what we call Divine Sword Unity—the realm where weapon and body become one.”
Then came Jang Gain’s voice, and the short sword had already shrunk back to its normal size, resting in his hand.
Blinking, his vision cleared at last. Jang Gain stood exactly where he had been, while he himself realized he had stumbled backward and was now sitting on the ground in terror.
“Could it be… some sort of illusion spell?”
Eggman tried to push himself up with his hands but found them trembling, his entire body shaking.
“It’s not an illusion. When my body’s energy and the energy infused in my weapon achieve unity, it produces a slight effect on you, Elder.”
“Slight? It was chilling enough to terrify me! I truly thought you were about to strike me down.”
“Would I attack you, Elder? I merely wished to demonstrate Divine Sword Unity—since it’s difficult to explain in words, I thought you might grasp it better by experiencing it.”
“Ah, I see.”
Eggman gazed at Jang Gain as though looking at a monster.
“Jang Gain! What happened? Just now there was a spine-tingling aura.”
At that moment, Dimitrion and Leodosn came rushing toward them at speed.
* * *
Dimitrion, having confirmed his superiority over Leodosn once again through a light sparring match, wore a satisfied smile—when he suddenly felt an eerie chill and started in alarm.
He rushed toward the source of that sensation and found Jang Gain standing opposite Eggman, a short sword in hand.
“Jang Gain! What happened? Just now there was a spine-tingling aura.”
“Ah, it’s nothing much. I was simply demonstrating the realm where body and weapon become one to Elder Eggman.”
“Pardon? Body and weapon become one? Such a realm exists?”
Dimitrion tilted his head and glanced at Leodosn beside him. Leodosn tilted his head as well.
“Ah, so neither of you has yet reached the Divine Sword Unity realm. Well, with a little more diligent training, you should reach it soon.”
In that instant, both their eyes brightened.
“You said you demonstrated Divine Sword Unity to Elder Eggman just now—would you show us as well?”
“Of course. Seeing it beforehand will surely aid your training greatly.”
Jang Gain pointed the short sword toward the two of them, then unified the energy flowing through his body with the energy infused in the blade, creating a single harmonious current.
‘Huh!’
‘Gasp!’
In an instant, Dimitrion and Leodosn watched in shock as the short sword expanded rapidly—Jang Gain’s form vanished entirely, leaving only the massive blade, which now emanated such overwhelming pressure that it seemed about to run them through.
Their entire bodies erupted in goosebumps, and their hands snapped to the weapon hilts at their waists—yet they barely managed to restrain themselves from drawing.
Ssssshhhhh…….
The short sword continued to swell until it transcended mere size, obscuring not just Jang Gain but everything in their vision—the sword alone existed; nothing else could be seen.
Sharp metallic sound.
Unable to bear it any longer, both men staggered backward with all their strength and drew their blades, slashing at the sword.
Whoooosh.
Yet even as they swung with force, their swords carved only empty air.
“I see from your sword draw that I startled you considerably. This is the Divine Sword Unity realm.”
Then Jang Gain’s voice sounded, and the enlarged short sword instantly returned to its original size.
Gasp! Ha, ha…….
Dimitrion breathed heavily at last, his eyes fixed on the short sword in Jang Gain’s grasp.
The man hadn’t taken a single step or even thrust the blade—what was that illusion they had just witnessed?
“Sir, is the Divine Sword Unity a martial art that can only be deployed at the Master realm?”
“The Master realm? You said Master means ‘having mastered,’ didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s not a martial art deployed at the Master realm. It would be more accurate to say it’s just one of many steps leading toward the Master realm.”
“You’re saying that Divine Sword Unity is merely one of countless steps?”
“Yes.”
“Good heavens! Just how distant is the Master realm, then?”
He’d thought that at the advanced Expert level, only two stages separated him from the Master realm—but it seemed he was sorely mistaken.
* * *
From the moment Jang Gain began showing favor toward Violet back in Houwan Village, she believed he had finally opened his heart to her.
‘I thought he was an emotionless man, but in the end he’s just like any other—susceptible to my beauty. No man alive can resist the charms of a woman as stunning as I am.’
Based on her experience, it rarely took long to turn a man who’d opened his heart into her own.
“Sir Gain, my legs are aching terribly. Would it be possible for me to ride on Sabel Tiger with you?”
Jang Gain, who had been sitting atop Sabel Tiger and summoning the Wind Spirit Silon to test various commands, regarded her with a somewhat bemused expression.
“Your legs are aching? We’ve only been walking for thirty minutes since lunch.”
“I twisted my ankle helping with the dishes by the stream earlier. It’s a bit sore.”
“Hmm, well then, there’s no help for it. Sabel, stop for a moment and crouch down so Miss Violet can climb up.”
Growl.
At Jang Gain’s command, Sabel Tiger lowered itself, and Violet quickly clambered onto its back.
It’s a truth as old as time—when bodies draw close, hearts follow.
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. A little farther ahead and we’ll reach Louta Village, where you can have your sprained ankle treated by Sai’ran. It should heal quickly. Sabel, let’s go.”
As Jang Gain lightly patted its side, Sabel Tiger began to walk again.
Growl, grrrrowl…….
They’d been walking for some time when Sabel Tiger suddenly began swishing its tail and picking up speed.
“Hmm, what’s gotten into you? Ah! The villagers of Louta have come to greet us! From the way your nostrils are flaring, I’d wager Kairin brought smoked venison?”
Grrrrowl.
Gulp.
In the next instant, Sabel Tiger’s mouth watered before it suddenly bolted up the steep incline in a single bound.
“Ahhhhh!”
Violet reflexively wrapped her arms around Jang Gain’s waist to keep from sliding off, though inwardly she was elated at this turn of events.
She’d been hoping for a moment exactly like this, and had prepared for it.
“Kyaaaaahhh…….”
But Sabel Tiger’s ascent was far faster than she’d anticipated, and the sheer speed lifted her body into the air even as she clung to Jang Gain’s waist.
‘Oh no! Too fast—too fast! I can’t—!’
In an instant, the wind lashed at her cheek, her grip slipped, her body went flying, and Sabel Tiger’s back receded rapidly below her.
“Ahhhhhhh—Help! Someone help me!”
Whooooosh…….
As she fell, she caught sight of the ground rushing up toward her at terrible speed and threw her hands up to shield her face, when suddenly a powerful wind arose that slowed her descent.
‘What? What’s happening? Am I not dead?’
As her fall slowed, she became aware of something beneath her—something supporting her.
‘The Wind Spirit! Oh! Eldom must have caught me with the Wind Spirit!’
“Th-thank you, Eldom!”
“I sensed Miss Violet would be thrown from Sabel’s back the moment he caught the scent of meat and bolted. But tell me—if you’ve contracted with the Wind Spirit, why didn’t you summon it when danger struck?”
“Oh! Everything happened so suddenly I didn’t have the presence of mind to call upon the spirit.”
As Eldom stretched out both arms to catch her as she descended, her cheeks flushed slightly.
“Quite a scare you had, I imagine?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
Smirk.
“Well done, Sabel. If things work out between you and Eldom, I’ll treat you to ten smoked deer later.”
Jang Gain glanced back with a satisfied expression and patted Sabel Tiger’s head affectionately.
Just as Violet had shown interest in him, Eldom was now showing interest in her—he’d simply orchestrated things so the two would naturally gravitate toward one another.
‘People always develop feelings of gratitude toward those who save them in their darkest hour. Next time, I should find a suitable monster that Eldom can handle.’
* * *
‘No! I thought I was the most beautiful—but it’s hard to find a single plain woman here!’
Upon seeing the women of Louta Village, Violet was momentarily stunned by their mysterious aura and breathtaking beauty.
Until now, she’d been confident in her appearance regardless of whom she met, but the moment she laid eyes on them, she felt herself grow humble.
“Miss Violet, allow me to introduce you. This is Elder Elena of our village—she has been keeping the heirlooms left by your maternal grandmother and grandfather.”
“Oh! It’s an honor to meet you. I’m Violet Millay, daughter of Siranda.”
“My, you’re the very image of Siranda as a girl. Tell me, how is she faring?”
“Yes, Mother is doing well.”
“She left to train in the secular world, caught the eye of some man, and never came back—married him instead. But no matter how married she became, how could she not visit even once while her parents grew old and passed away? Tsk, tsk.”
Violet’s face flushed at the Elder Elena’s rebuke.
“Ah, well, you see… Grandfather was so stubborn that he never granted Mother her freedom. Mother has always longed for her homeland and her parents.”
“Your grandfather refused to grant your mother her freedom? Why?”
“Grandfather believed that if Mother returned to her homeland, she would never come back.”
“Would he have confined Siranda for that reason alone? Or did he think the Druid Tribe beneath him, and that it was acceptable to restrain her as he pleased?”
Elder Elena’s words struck at the truth, and Violet’s head bowed.
“N-no, Grandfather did not hold the Druid Tribe in contempt.”

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