Chapter 295: The Last Night |
On the thirtieth day, Bai Mu and the Southern Hero arrived at Lake Klitoya.
The cold wind howled, and heavy snow fluttered about. The sound of waves came to his ears. Before his eyes was a magnificent expanse of water; looking at a glance, one could only see a white line. The feeling it gave was as if this wasn't a lake, but a sea.
It was Xiao Wei's first time seeing such scenery, and she was speechless with astonishment. The lake water beat against the rocks, transmitting the sound of waves one after another. Lake Klitoya was the largest lake in the northern nations. Although it was an inland lake, its area was larger than some small inland seas.
By the lake, there was a desolate and cold village. There were no city walls, nor guards. Due to the strong wind and big waves, no one could be seen moving around outside the houses either. But the good news was that the village hadn't been attacked by the Demon Race and temporarily maintained a peaceful atmosphere.
"Six months later, the Demon Race will come here," the Southern Hero said. "At that time, about half the villagers will die. But Frieren's party will arrive at this village after that and save the remaining people."
"What I can do is kill Schorf before they reach Endae, creating an opportunity for them to kill the Demon King." Bai Mu looked at the village below. After moving with the Southern Hero for a month, Bai Mu also understood one thing.
The future the Southern Hero foresaw was already the best result he could achieve.
If the Southern Hero persuaded the villagers here to leave the village and migrate elsewhere, the result would only be worse. In the final analysis, during such a period of war, leaving one's hometown to migrate was in itself an extremely dangerous thing. When the time came, not even half the people would be able to survive. Even if the Hero made the villagers prepare defensive measures, they couldn't resist the Demon Race that would arrive six months later.
Who would die, who would survive, these were all already predestined things for the Southern Hero. He expressionlessly gazed at those villages; his eyes couldn't tell whether it was sorrow or indifference.
"A boat... we can indeed provide a boat. But Lord Hero, you've also seen the big waves on the lake. At this time... no boatman will steer the boat for you... That would be like courting death."
"I don't need a boatman," the Southern Hero said. "Just prepare a small boat for me. I will use magic to protect the boat to the opposite shore of the lake."
The noble fell silent for a moment, then asked again: "Is a small boat really enough? Although there is no boatman, we can still prepare a medium-sized merchant ship for you before dawn. This way, you and your companions will also have more room to move around, right?"
"There is no need for that," the Southern Hero said. "The only person going to the opposite shore is me alone. Besides, if the prepared boat is too big, my magic instead won't be able to block the wind and waves. Just prepare a small fishing boat that is enough to accommodate one person."
"I understand." Seeing the Southern Hero so persistent, the noble stopped offering suggestions. "Then when will you set off?"
"At dawn tomorrow," the Southern Hero said. "I'll be troubling you guys."
"It's our honor to make your journey a bit easier. May the Goddess bless you."
The noble performed a bowing etiquette.
"I will have my retainer prepare accommodation for the three of you. Please follow him to the resting room."
The Southern Hero nodded. After a while, a white-haired old man came in front of them and led them to a wooden house near the lake. There were three rooms inside, fully equipped with bedding and candles.
The sky outside had already turned dark. The old man lit the candles and said: "I will come visit you again tomorrow morning, Lord Hero."
"Alright." The Southern Hero nodded to signal.
Only the Southern Hero, Bai Mu, and Xiao Wei were left in the house.
The Southern Hero looked at Bai Mu and said lightly: "Do you want to practice your sword, sir?"
"Of course," Bai Mu replied. "After all, this should be my last chance to spar with Lord Hero."
"I don't quite like using the word 'last'," the Southern Hero said. "Especially regarding you, sir, whom I cannot foresee."
"Treating every parting as the last meeting makes it more meaningful, doesn't it?" Bai Mu said. "I have a suggestion. For this duel, I hope Lord Hero won't just attack my sword. Treat me as a real dueling opponent you met in the arena. However... I still hope you can show a little mercy. After all, I am still completely ignorant about magic."
"Is that so... Then... let's have a real duel."
The two walked out of the room and came to the empty snowfield.
Behind them were the surging waves. Xiao Wei clenched her small fists and stood behind Bai Mu, nervously watching the two without saying a word.
She still hadn't comprehended her exclusive magic. She felt a lingering irritability in her heart, always feeling as if she could touch something, yet it was wrapped up by some invisible thing.
The Southern Hero drew a circle on the ground. Snowflakes fell, the sky was very dark, and the water surface was as deep as an abyss.
Bai Mu stood at the edge of the circle, holding his katana with both hands. The Hero also drew his swords. With two sounds of unsheathing, he drew two swords. This was his first time using twin swords in a duel. In the past, under the guise of dueling, he was actually just teaching. It wasn't until tonight that he became serious. Just by standing opposite him, Bai Mu felt a powerful oppressive force, but there was no fear in Bai Mu's eyes.
The two looked at each other in silence. Bai Mu raised the sword in his hand. Although the Hero's sword skill was a dual-blade style, his left hand wasn't his dominant hand; his control over his left hand was far inferior to his right hand. Rather than completely copying the other party's sword skills, he chose to swing his sword in his preferred posture.
He tried to find the Hero's flaws, but it could only be said that he was indeed humanity's strongest, the man who dared to rush into the Demon King's Castle alone—he couldn't find a single opening to attack.
The Hero stood in place. He once said that when facing enemies weaker than him in all aspects, he would choose to attack actively. But when facing enemies who were stronger than him in some aspects, or on par with him, he would choose to defend more often. Because when the opponent was anxious to attack, they would usually lose correct judgment and reveal flaws.
Bai Mu didn't know if the Hero treated him as a real opponent at this moment, but to Bai Mu, he actually didn't like passive defense. Giving up the initiative meant giving up the hope of survival to him. His personal style and the Hero's style were different in many aspects.
Finally, he actively attacked. The victory or defeat of a duel was only a matter of an instant.
The next second, only the crisp sound of swords clashing and the sparks struck by the slashing could be heard.
Fresh blood dripped onto the snow.
The Hero's sword pierced through Bai Mu's shoulder and lower ribs, while Bai Mu's sword also rested next to the Hero's neck. But Bai Mu's sword suddenly shattered into pieces the next second.
That katana from the Paradise was actually destroyed.
That wasn't an effect caused by sword skills; the Southern Hero unconsciously used magic to shatter Bai Mu's weapon. He instinctively used Mana because he felt that if he didn't use Mana, that blade would have cut his neck.
"That's a foul." The Hero supported Bai Mu and pulled out his sword. "I didn't expect you to go this far, sir... Is this your sword skill?"
Bai Mu smiled. His blood continuously dripped down, dyeing the animal skin coat on his body red. But he didn't feel painful at all; there was only the joy of comprehension.
[You have learned the "Nameless Sword Art".]
Over these days, he had always been thinking about how to swing a sword like the Southern Hero. The resulting answer was that it was impossible; he could never swing a sword like someone who wasn't him. So he gave up on copying the Hero's sword skills. This was his own sword skill, not defeating enemies with perfect defense and offense.
All he needed to do was survive. Just surviving was enough. Whether he got injured, lost a hand, or went blind in one eye, as long as he could survive, that was enough.