The Greatest Warrior of All Time Returns

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

Chapter 22

Crash!!!

With a chilling screech resembling the sound of hard metal being forcibly scraped, Leon slid behind the creature with an agile movement.

Meanwhile, Void Gluttony, partially dissipated and swirling with black mist, twisted its body in apparent satisfaction and let out a sinister grin.

It seemed to say, "This won't kill me."

"The blade's all worn out."

Though it wasn't as fine as the first-generation Blacknight Sword, it had been a well-forged weapon.

Thanks to the manifestation of sword energy, he thought the blade wouldn't break. But no matter how perfectly sword energy is applied, when the opponent is that tough, damage to the blade is inevitable.

And he didn’t have a sword with special features like self-repair.

Swoosh...

Leon picked up the second-generation Blacknight Sword, which he had initially thrown away.

"Guess I’ll have to break through the wall one more time." * * * Leon turned his head to assess his surroundings.

Collapsed houses and fallen people.

While many were still alive, the number of the dead was substantial.

Melissa, who had been barely conscious earlier, was now completely still, as if she had fainted.

Judging by her severe injuries, it was clear she needed urgent treatment.

It was fortunate this area wasn’t densely populated.

Repulsion Field.

Void Gluttony’s signature ability, allowing it to convert everything it consumed into energy, creating a massive repulsion field.

For those with resistance beyond master-level strength, the flow itself could be neutralized, but for anyone below that level, it was nothing short of hell.

To be honest, Leon had no idea why this monster was here.

The key point was that the sky had turned red with something called the Red Moon, and a Red eye-like moon had risen.

"Librarian."

[Confirmed.]

"This Red Moon—do creatures like this just randomly pop up because of it?"

A catastrophic monster like this, appearing in the middle of a populated domain as soon as the Red Moon rose?

This wasn’t a normal situation.

[The Red Moon follows an inexplicable and irregular flow. However, based on current observations, it’s likely that the core of the monster derived from the Red Moon had already infiltrated this domain.]

"You're saying that thing came from the core? I don’t even need to guess the culprit."

Tyvel Cascadia.

Even in death, still causing problems.

Taking a short breath, Leon realized he needed to eliminate the creature quickly.

For now, it was alone.

But the Void Gluttony he knew could create countless replicas of itself.

It hadn’t consumed much yet, so it was manageable now, but the scene in the Hall of Swords, where goblins had been devoured and turned into a nightmare, was something he never wanted to relive.

"I managed to pierce through as an Expert, but I can’t kill this thing with normal swordsmanship. Hmm... breaking through the Swordmaster barrier right now seems risky..."

If he messed up, his body could suffer permanent damage—absolutely not an option.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

[Generally, Void Gluttony entities are vulnerable to sword auras and above. They are also somewhat weak to magic. I recommend retrieving the memories of the Third Hall.]

"Can that be done in a short time?"

[It would require considerable time to secure.]

"Then forget it. Let’s break through the wall again."

[Continuous advancement in realms places immense strain on both body and soul.]

"Better than recalling memories."

Leon drew all the explosive currents surging around him into his body.

With that, the smooth flow of sword energy vanished.

"Hoo..."

After taking a short breath, Leon opened his eyes.

The creature, sensing something ominous, rushed toward him in a panic.

Its massive maw gaped wide open as if it intended to swallow him whole in one bite.

And just as the creature was about to close its mouth—

Explosive energy surged out of Leon’s body once more.

Even though he had expended a massive amount of energy earlier to destroy the mansion, this much was sufficient.

[Overdrive]

[Awakening]

* * *

[Progressing toward Swordmaster Awakening.]

[Failed.]

[Entering Unstable Awakening State.]

What is the difference between sword energy and sword aura?

Simply the size?

If that were the case, there would be no reason for Swordmasters to be considered strategic weapons.

An Expert deals with the domain of will.

A Swordmaster, on the other hand, wields the domain of intent.

It is the realm where one infuses their intent into their sword, transcending mere physicality to sever even the bonds of mana.

Back when Leon was still an Aura User, he had imitated something similar to sword energy.

However, for an Expert to mimic sword aura, the difficulty was incomparably higher, and its power far greater.

Void Gluttony’s mouth split into four parts, its maw fully open, ready to devour Leon in one gulp.

The intent to consume him whole was unmistakable.

[If consumed by Void Gluttony, death will not be merciful. Be warned.]

‘Been there, done that.’

Through forced awakening, Leon’s intent fused with the sword energy.

It resembled the crude sword energy he had imitated as an Aura User, but its inner structure was entirely different.

The origin of his earlier mimicry was, in fact, this very state.

"Do you know what this is? Honestly, neither do I."

To those who had dedicated their lives to the sword, what Leon was doing now would defy all conventional understanding of swordsmanship.

But Leon couldn’t care less.

There were countless instances where one had to draw power beyond their limits to survive.

Crunch!!!

The creature’s gaping mouth finally clamped shut.

It had seemingly swallowed Leon whole.

Just before its mouth closed, Leon's sword moved in an instant.

It was a counterattack technique he had long been familiar with: [One-Horned Flash Strike] .

However, even though it was the same [One-Horned Flash Strike] , the power, speed, and intent contained within the technique were entirely different when wielded by an Aura User compared to when used by an Expert or during his Enlightened state.

Slash… Craaaack!!!

Dark crimson sword scars appeared all over the massive body of the creature that had swallowed Leon.

Sensing something was wrong, the creature flailed, but its body had already ceased responding to its will.

Before long, its body was shredded to pieces by the sword aura and scattered apart.

Leon, who had been consumed by the creature, emerged calmly, shaking off the dark liquid clinging to his sword.

Intent.

Sword Aura.

The realm where one imbues their will and interferes with the laws of nature.

Around Leon, a dark lotus-like pattern was vividly etched into the air.

Despite the sword appearing light and swift, the aftermath it left behind was overwhelming.

The enormous lotus-shaped pattern of sword scars radiating from Leon spanned dozens of meters, and the buildings struck by the scars were cleanly sliced apart as if by a sharp blade cutting through tofu.

Around the lotus-shaped mark, countless deep scars also remained.

Even though Leon had focused the brunt of the impact on Void Gluttony, the aftermath had affected the entire surrounding area.

However, Void Gluttony was not entirely dead.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

A fragment resembling an eye wriggled on the ground as if trying to escape.

Leon stepped forward deliberately and raised his sword with a chilling precision.

"Persistent bastard."

Stab!!

At that moment, the sound of someone’s footsteps echoed as the second-generation Blacknight Sword in Leon’s hand shattered into pieces.

The second-generation Blacknght Sword was destroyed.

The recoil of the [Enlightened] state was far greater than the indiscriminate release of aura he had previously employed.

[That was an incredibly close call.]

“This was relatively spacious timing, if anything.”

Afterward, he held the unconscious Melissa in his arms and spoke.

“You’re a step late, Sword Saint. What an inconvenient time to show up.”

The presence before him carried an overwhelming aura, one that gathered immense power within its body.

Having surpassed the threshold and unlocked the Enlightened state, there was no way Leon wouldn’t have noticed the Sword Saint’s presence.

“Hmm... Are you uninjured?”

What was the intent behind that question?

Leon suspected the Sword Saint might have known from the beginning.

“You seem to have known this monster would appear.”

At his words, the eyes of Bagmut, standing beside the Sword Saint, widened slightly.

Even so, they refrained from pressing further, as Melissa’s condition was more urgent than any interrogation.

“It seems we have much to discuss. However, this doesn’t seem to be the right time for such a conversation. Would it be acceptable to postpone it?”

The Sword Saint and his companion were not so dull as to miss the deadly aura emanating from Leon’s gaze.

“Elder.”

“It’s understandable to draw such conclusions. Very well, Leon, let’s do as you say. It seems there is much to discuss on both sides.”

“Then.”

Leon launched a signal flare while carrying the unconscious Melissa on his back and returned to the mansion.

Her injuries were severe.

She was still breathing, but had they been a moment later, she wouldn’t have survived.

“This is infuriating.”

Though this was instigated by Tyvel Cascadia, the issue extended beyond just him.

Void Gluttony’s appearance was a clear act of hostility.

The presence of the Red Moon was something Leon hadn’t accounted for in his plans.

Realizing that he had nearly lost Melissa made his blood boil, something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Why am I always on the receiving end of things?”

When she wakes, he planned to teach her swordsmanship suited to her abilities.

Though he couldn’t teach her the techniques he used, he had discarded plenty of sword techniques and cultivation methods in the past.

Traditions or not, they wouldn’t matter if she were to die.

The internal conflict with Tyvel Cascadia and the subsequent appearances of Void Gluttony and the Red Moon had turned the entire county upside down.

It was a situation severe enough to potentially topple the entire county.

The primary issue was the people Tyvel had bribed.

After Leon’s father passed away, his uncle Tyvel had bribed everyone from the county’s guards to businessmen and even the family’s retainers in an attempt to claim the title of Count.

Leon intended to execute those who crossed the line while exiling the rest.

“Librarian.”

[Confirmed.]

“The Red Moon—is it the same sky I saw in Labyrinthos?”

[It is similar, but different.]

“How so?”

[The Red Moon in Labyrinthos is not a real phenomenon.]

In other words, the Red Moon he saw in Labyrinthos was merely an illusion.

The one he encountered now was real.

“I thought it looked like an eye.”

[Detailed information is locked and cannot be disclosed. You must uncover it yourself.]

“I wasn’t expecting much anyway. Then let me ask you another question.”

[Confirmed.]

“The encroachment of the Red Moon—where and when does it manifest?”

This was the most critical issue.

Void Gluttony was, in a sense, akin to a calamity.

If Leon’s assumptions were correct, this wouldn’t be the end of it.

If such events occurred across the continent, it would plunge the entire land into chaos.

[Even the Red Moon cannot encroach indiscriminately. It is expected to remain dormant for the time being.]

“That Red Moon—I’m the only one who can see it, right?”

[That is correct.]

“Does that mean anything?”

Void Gluttony was indeed dangerous, but if it had been the Sword Saint Osberg, he would have easily defeated it.

However, if the issue could be resolved so easily, there would be no need for warnings about the Red Moon.

It wasn’t as if others couldn’t see the monsters that appeared when the sky turned red.

[When the Red Moon begins its encroachment, hostile entities manifest to attack living beings.]

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]