Chapter 382
“I’ll have to try a different approach. Use your power to activate my potential.”
Chris looked surprised.
This was the method he had used on Jupien and Yulian before.
But Chris shook his head firmly.
“No. This isn’t a method for you. It’s impossible for you.”
Evan’s potential was, without a doubt, the highest caliber on the continent.
So what if they artificially pushed it even further?
“The backlash would be unbearable.”
The reason Chris could activate Jupien and Yulian’s potential was that their talents were relatively ordinary.
That meant the side effects were less severe.
“You’d be better off focusing on tactics to beat the Sword King. Judging by your current swordsmanship, you don’t even need to reach the upper eighth rank to have a chance.”
“If the Sword King is all I have to worry about, maybe. But the enemies you’ll face from now on aren’t on that level, are they?” Evan’s gaze burned with intensity.
“The mysterious Maga, the minions of Gehenna, the Demon Emperor of the Magic Empire… maybe even the Celestial Realm. When I fight them, I want to be strong enough to stand by your side. I can’t stay like this.”
He had to reach the ninth rank.
Only then would he earn the right to fight alongside Chris.
“I feel the same way. Please, make me stronger too.”
It was Lanya!
She crossed her arms and lifted her chin arrogantly.
“Of course, I’m not doing this for you. I just don’t like sitting around doing nothing as a genius mage. Besides, I want to show you my greatness.”
“Lanya, didn’t you swear to repay the kindness Christian showed you? Even if it costs your life?”
“Ah, my shoes! Didn’t you say that was a secret, you damn brother!!”
“What’s there to be embarrassed about? Christian is like a light. Feeling grateful is only natural.”
“Shut up!!”
Lanya glared at Christian with a flushed face, stomping her foot.
“Anyway, activate that potential thing for me too.”
“No, I said no.”
Chris shook his head, flustered.
He couldn’t imagine how dangerous it would be if these two—geniuses of the highest order—used this method.
“I won’t allow you to die or become wrecks. You’re my most precious ‘suckers.’”
Evan frowned as he read Chris’s thoughts through his spiritual insight.
“Worrying about us again? Being that kind is a sickness.”
“…No, I’m just afraid of losing my precious suckers.”
Chris shook his head firmly.
“No way. We’re not discussing this anymore.”
But then—
“Aren’t you underestimating us?”
Lanya shot Chris a glare, clearly displeased.
“I know what you’re worried about. Of course, artificially activating potential causes severe backlash. So what?”
“!!”
“Do you really think we can’t overcome that? How little do you think of us?”
Chris fell silent.
Yeah, come to think of it, that was true.
These two weren’t the ones he should be worrying about.
They were heroes who had performed countless miracles in their past lives.
“They survived all kinds of deadly crises.”
Compared to the dangers they had faced as heroes, activating their potential was nothing.
“…You really think you can do it?”
“See, Lanya? Christian’s so kind. He’s worried about us and doesn’t know what to do.”
“Hmph, yeah. Some people are just unlucky to the end. Why is his heart so kind? It doesn’t suit him.”
Chris made a reluctant face.
“No, I’m just a greedy fool worried about my precious assets… Damn it, whatever.”
He sighed deeply.
“But promise me one thing. You’ll succeed safely, no matter what.”
“You really are…”
“Enough! Fine, let’s get started!”
Chris quickly cut Evan off.
Using his power, he activated Evan’s potential, and the first buds of a miracle began to bloom.
Two weeks later.
Chris waited anxiously for Evan and Lanya.
“Damn it, they kicked me out. Those guys.”
Originally, Chris had planned to stay by their side to intervene immediately if anything went wrong.
But—
“You’re in the way.”
Lanya frowned.
“Yeah, thanks for the concern, but you don’t have to be so considerate. Leave it to us.”
Evan spoke kindly but looked secretly annoyed, so Chris had no choice but to step away.
“What are you so nervous about?”
“Ruina, aren’t you worried?”
“She’ll handle it. Both of them are monsters.”
Ruina answered nonchalantly.
But as the duel day approached and still no news came, even the worrier changed her tune.
“Ahhh! Something must have happened!”
“…You said you trust them.”
“I don’t know!! What do we do? The Sword Family’s guys are gathering outside!”
Chris sighed.
He felt it was no use.
“This isn’t good. Something’s definitely wrong.”
They were Chris’s followers.
Even from afar, he could roughly sense their condition.
Evan’s state had been precarious for some time.
He was clearly facing a major crisis.
“I can’t let this continue. I have to stop it by force if necessary.”
Just as he made up his mind and stood up—
Suddenly, the state Chris sensed in Evan’s soul changed.
“What’s this?”
Chris’s expression stiffened.
There was nothing.
Only silence, as if the flickering light that had barely held on had gone out.
“No way?! No!!”
He jumped up.
At that moment, another strange thing happened.
The extinguished flame flickered faintly back to life.
“He’s still alive!”
Chris rushed over.
As long as there was breath, there was hope.
He was running toward the training ground at full speed.
But then he stopped dead in his tracks.
Evan was walking out.
“…You?”
“Came running again because you were worried? If you’re that kind, you’re a real mama’s boy, Christian.”
He looked haggard, but there didn’t seem to be any serious problem.
Enough to joke around.
“He’s changed.”
Chris swallowed hard.
He was so shocked he couldn’t even argue with Evan’s teasing.
He had grown stronger.
No, it wasn’t just that.
His vessel was still at the lower eighth rank.
But his enlightenment—
His worldview had been established.
He had succeeded in gaining enlightenment equivalent to the upper eighth rank even without completing his vessel!
“This is exactly what I expected.”
If it were just that, Chris wouldn’t be so surprised.
He looked at Evan in disbelief.
The worldview Evan had gained was completely different from his past life.
“I can’t even guess the depth of this worldview.”
It was so deep and profound that even Chris couldn’t comprehend it.
Evan had achieved a level of accomplishment incomparable to his previous life.
The fateful duel approached.
All the knights of the Sword Family lined up at the agreed location.
“Form up! Stand ready!”
“Sir!”
Each knight radiated fierce energy.
They were the strongest force of the alliance’s most prestigious family, but Chris saw through their weaknesses.
“Their morale isn’t high. Most of the knights are probably rooting for Evan.”
The atmosphere wasn’t bad.
“Evan must win.”
Chris’s eyes darkened as he thought.
“Only then can we stand against the corrupted Holy Lords and the mysterious Maga.”
Yes, the Sword Family wasn’t the real problem.
The Holy Assembly of fallen Holy Lords and the mysterious Maga were the true enemies.
“They’re probably watching this duel too.”
If Evan lost, they would seize the opportunity to launch a full-scale attack.
On the other hand—
“If Evan wins, it’s our turn. The Sword Family’s forces will be on our side. We’ll be able to take on the Holy Lords and the Maga.”
In other words, everything depended on the outcome of this duel.
“It’s okay. Evan will win.”
He wasn’t the same Evan as before.
Chris watched the duel with a somewhat calm heart.
But when Evan stepped into the arena—
Chris’s eyes widened in shock.
An unexpected event occurred.
“Just one family head isn’t enough. The elders will join in too.”
Evan flicked his sword and said something insane.
“As the rightful heir of the Meyer family, I will give you all a proper lesson.”
“Crazy?!”
Chris swallowed a curse.
“What the hell is he doing all of a sudden?”
Everyone else reacted the same way.
Whispers spread.
“Why is the young master acting like this?”
“Did he lose his mind while he was exiled?”
Everyone thought he’d gone mad.
“Hahaha! You’re the one who’s lost your mind!”
A middle-aged man with a stern expression stepped forward.
He was the Sword King, head of the Sword Family.
Evan’s uncle and the one who had ruined his life.
But Evan’s eyes, when looking at his enemy, were calm.
The Sword King raised an eyebrow.
“Meeting your uncle after so long, you’re so arrogant. Seeing you now, your brother in the afterlife must be lamenting.”
“Is that your final will, uncle?”
“…What?”
“Today, this place will be your grave. You should prepare your last words.”
“!!”
Evan turned his gaze to the Sword Family.
“I, Evan, the rightful heir of the Meyer family, hereby declare that I will punish the villain who unlawfully seized our family’s power with the judgment of the sword.”
It was the Sword Family’s tradition.
To punish the guilty through a sword duel.
In other words, Evan had just declared in front of everyone that he would kill the Sword King.
“Hah, you really have lost your mind. Fine. It is this uncle’s duty to punish his nephew’s wrongdoing. Don’t resent my sword.”
Flash!
A fierce momentum swept through the arena.
With a sharp clatter of metal, a silver shadow engulfed the dueling ground.
The Domain of Dominion.
The Veil of Blades.
The very power that had crowned him the Sword King.
“To unleash the Domain of Dominion right away?”
“He’s planning to kill Young Master Evan in one swift strike.”
The faces of Evan’s supporters darkened.
In truth, no one had expected Evan to win this duel.
They had only hoped he would put up a decent fight.
“We have to step in! We must protect the young master’s life!”
As the few remaining elders backing Evan clenched their teeth and reached for their swords, something happened that no one anticipated.
Shing.
The sound of a blade slicing through the air, followed by a spray of blood.
But it wasn’t Evan’s blood.
It was the Sword King’s.
“??”
For a moment, the arena fell into stunned silence.
No one could quite grasp what had just happened.
What? Why is the Sword King bleeding from his shoulder?
The Sword King had been on the offensive.
Countless spirit blades erupted from the Veil of Blades, surging toward Evan.
Everyone braced for Evan to be torn apart, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation.
Then suddenly, blood spattered from the Sword King’s shoulder.
Only then did they see Evan gripping his sword.
“You bastard! What trick are you pulling?”
The Sword King growled and unleashed the Veil of Blades once more.
But the result was the same.
Slash!
Blood spattered again.