Lutus Cicero returned to the present. Some might criticize him for betraying his master over such a reason. However, who could understand the feeling of having one's earnest desire unilaterally trampled upon?
Now, standing before Darien Difert's great-grandson, Cicero was ready to take the young man's life with his own hands. Cicero was not the kind to waver or tremble with a soft heart at this moment.
His hatred had transferred. Just as he hated Sword Saint Difert, he harbored the same loathing for Luke Yeager standing before him.
There would be no hesitation in taking his life.
"…What does it matter now? I've already succeeded in plunging the knife into his back."
He had thought it would be over by then, but then Luke Yeager appeared.
"Your swordsmanship is irksome. With you gone, there will never again be a successor to the Sword Saint."
Even if he was Darien's son, it's unlikely anyone could again inherit the sword in the same way.
Lutus Cicero raised his sword. Decades of pent-up hatred glimmered on his blade.
He intended to finish off Luke Yeager and bury the memory of his ancestor's demise within these rocky cliffs.
The new red scorpion, notorious for having devoured both the Sword Saint and his descendant, would mark the end of this affair. It was finally over.
That's when it happened.
"Who says Luke Yeager is the last?"
A calm voice filled the air. A boy emerged from the entrance, his footsteps light and silent. A chill ran down Cicero's spine. He asked,
"…What became of the red scorpion?"
"It had quite the formidable gatekeeper. Took care of it along with that high priest you know."
Cicero's expression hardened. Luke Yeager looked on in shock.
"You, how did you…!"
Helmut cast a cold glance his way.
"You've managed well for someone who's been so foolish. You're in no state to do anything now, so stand back."
"Intend to interfere? Foolish. Both of you will lie down as corpses side by side!"
Cicero laughed. Luke Yeager had barely made a dent in his strength.
Lutus Cicero was formidable. He was the commander of the Palma Knights, the strongest knight in all of Basor.
Even if his opponent was the finalist of the tournament who had defeated both the high priest and the red scorpion, he didn't expect much trouble.
"Let's see who the fool really is."
Helmut drew his sword. Backlit, he seemed to shine.
Cicero noticed something familiar about the aura surrounding Helmut's sword, but dismissed it as mere intuition. What did it matter? He couldn't possibly recognize every sword.
He chuckled briefly.
"Impudent boy. Fine, I'll delay dealing with Luke Yeager. If you wish to become a corpse first, be my guest."
"Hyde!"
"Go treat your wounds."
Helmut cut him off sharply. The bleeding was severe. In his condition, he would be of no help. Besides… Helmut wanted to test something.
'My full strength.'
No need for secrecy now. Helmut's feet pressed against the ground.
Cicero did not underestimate his opponent, even if he was a mere boy. A predator doesn't hold back, even when hunting a rabbit!
Clang! Clang! Clang! In an instant, several collisions occurred. Attacks strong enough to shatter rocks.
The swords met, sending ripples of Vis through the cavern. Gugugung!
The movements were too fast to see. Luke Yeager, having stepped back to stem his bleeding, widened his eyes in surprise at their battle.
'What?'
Cicero felt the same. His expression gradually turned grave.
'This, this makes no sense…'
He couldn't believe the young boy was matching his swordplay, and the swordsmanship he was witnessing was…
Suddenly, he remembered what the boy had said upon arrival.
'Who says Luke Yeager is the last?'
Standing at a distance, Cicero's eyes widened in realization. His composure shattered. He shouted,
"Who are you? How do you use that swordsmanship?"
"A disciple of Sword Saint Darien Difert."
Helmut's voice rang clear and steady.
"The one you sent to the Demonic Beast Forest, he managed to escape and taught me his swordsmanship."
Mixing truth with lies.
"He named you as the traitor. That's why I came to Basor."
Silence followed the revelation. Luke Yeager and Lutus Cicero were speechless before the unexpected truth.
After a moment, Cicero asked,
"And what of him…?"
"He passed away recently. You'll soon follow in his footsteps."
That was the plan. Enough talk.
His eyes flashed with intent to kill. Helmut lunged towards his adversary.
He had never felt so clear-headed. The formidable opponent, the commander of the Palma Knights, drew Helmut into a strange state of immersion. He thrived in it, moving with the agility of a fish in water.
The clash was intense, sending vibrations throughout the cave. Small fragments fell like crumbs, soaking the ground.
The precise strikes aimed at vital points, the efficient trajectory of each swing, the flawless counterattacks—all perfectly mirrored the Sword Saint's prowess.
Helmut held the advantage in Vis, but Lutus Cicero compensated with his vast experience. However, the fight did not last long.
Despite the equality in skill, Cicero was unsettled. This slight disturbance in his focus gave Helmut the opening he needed.
It was just a moment. Cicero gathered his strength for a decisive push, but overexerted. When his attack missed, exposing his upper body, Helmut did not miss his chance.
With a chilling sound, Helmut's sword sliced across Cicero's abdomen, leaving a grievous wound that reached his organs. But Helmut was not unscathed.
'To the very end, such a counterattack.'
Having leaped back, Helmut inspected his left arm. A fine line ran from elbow to wrist, bleeding profusely. A significant injury, but not fatal.
In contrast, Cicero's wound was deadly. He knelt on one knee, blood pouring out like a flood. That he didn't split in two after receiving a Vis-laden sword spoke to his resilience.
"This is unbelievable."
Cicero looked at his body in disbelief, the shock overshadowing his pain.
He had been utterly defeated. Though his perturbation played a role, it was the skill of his opponent that found and exploited the small gap. There was no excuse.
"I have won."
Helmut calmly applied pressure to his wound. Cicero, being human, couldn't fight any longer with such injuries.
He was dying. Unless a very skilled mage arrived soon, there was no saving him here.
"You have indeed won."
"As the victor, I have a question."
Helmut, more direct than Luke had been, posed his question.
"Why did you betray Darien?"
It was the only chance to ask, with Cicero on the brink of death. And Helmut had earned the right to know. He had defeated Cicero, after all.
It wasn't asked out of deep concern. Just a minor curiosity.
Cicero laughed bitterly, coughing up blood. It was a painful laugh, contorting his face.
"Hah! I betrayed that old man because he disregarded me!"
Cicero vented his long-held grievances. All the pent-up malice seemed to pour out.
"That old man deserved to die! He told me directly that I lacked talent and quality, and thus couldn't inherit his swordsmanship! The humiliation I felt then! I wanted to show him what it feels like to be betrayed by someone he looked down upon!"
There was no misunderstanding. Darien must have said exactly that: lacking in talent and quality, hence unworthy of inheriting the swordsmanship.
If Darien said it, he likely didn't mince words.
But Helmut felt no sympathy.
"Darien trusted you."
That was also true.
Cicero scoffed at the notion.
"Don't make me laugh! He didn't trust me. He thought I was too insignificant to ever harm him!"
"Perhaps."
After all, Darien was arrogant.
From Helmut's perspective, there was no reason for personal animosity. Cicero's betrayal of Darien led to Helmut's meeting with the Sword Saint and his eventual escape from Parhe's Forest.
"Thank you for that. As payment, I'll end your pain."
Cicero glared as Helmut approached.
He had never regretted his actions against Darien, nor felt sorrow for his death. Instead, he felt a sense of triumph in taking over the position of commander of the Palma Knights.
But he had never had a moment's peace in over twenty years.
'In the end, it comes to this. Repaid by his disciple.'
Cicero silently accepted his death.
Helmut's sword pierced his heart. The purification magic from the high priest had lessened the impact on the shadow seed, making the act of killing bearable.
He looked emotionlessly at Cicero's body as he withdrew his sword.
Even a respected knight commander, a formidable opponent, was just a human being moved by emotions. The motive for betrayal was trivial.
'Humans are complicated.'
Helmut realized he still had much to learn about them.
"You really are…"
Luke Yeager finally spoke up from the side, looking at Helmut as if seeing something unfamiliar.
"You're the Sword Saint's disciple?"
"That's right."
Helmut nodded.
"You saved me, thanks for that, but why didn't you tell me earlier?"
The gratitude Luke felt was minimal. Although he felt some relief, as a swordsman, being saved by this boy, almost at the cost of his life, was humiliating. Moreover, as he watched the fight, the shock wore off, and Luke was left with a complex mix of emotions.
Helmut's skills were astonishing. Despite sharing the same swordsmanship, the depth of mastery was worlds apart. Helmut's strikes were a blend of power and speed, embodying the Sword Saint's technique in a way that was almost blinding.
Moreover, Helmut's movements were devoid of any superfluous actions. Unbelievably calm and smooth for a human, even in the face of such a formidable opponent as the Palma Knight Commander, Helmut remained terrifyingly composed. His skill and mental fortitude were both exceptional.
'What kind of person is this?'
Having been regarded as a prodigy himself, Luke felt the gap between them acutely. Sharing similar swordsmanship only made the difference more palpable. It was a bitter realization.
'I still have a long way to go.'
Helmut finally spoke, breaking the silence.
"Because I couldn't trust you?"
That struck a nerve with Luke, who remained silent.
"And you? Disappointing, don't you think? Didn't I tell you to be wary of him?"
"…I had no choice, given the circumstances."
Luke's response sounded almost like an excuse. His voice had lost its earlier strength.
"You should be more cautious in the future."
Helmut's tone was mocking, and Luke, having no comeback, just nodded.