NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 4 - Molting (4)
Chapter 4 Molting (4)
The voice that suddenly emerged wasn’t loud, but it resonated as if it had been spoken directly into their ears.
The people in the square looked around, trying to locate the source of the voice.
Then the Black Sword Corps came to a sudden halt.
Among them, the captain of the Black Sword Corps turned pale and began to sweat profusely.
“……?!”
It was just an ordinary, elderly voice.
However, the killing intent embedded in it could not be dismissed as ordinary.
Just the killing intent in the voice alone caused the body of the Black Sword Corps captain, who had reached the 7th level of certification, to freeze.
‘Who is it?!’
The captain of the Black Sword Corps was someone who had honed his skills wandering through countless battlefields.
He forcibly relaxed his stiffened body and reached for his sword.
Creak, creak-.
His rigid body screamed in protest, but he gritted his teeth and moved his arm.
Just as he was about to grasp the sword handle.
“If you draw that, you’ll surely die.”
The voice resounded again.
This time, everyone could identify the source.
No, it was more accurate to say the owner of the voice revealed his position voluntarily.
Tap, tap-.
An odd sound of footsteps could be heard.
Tap, tap-.
As the owner of the voice moved forward, the crowd around him parted as if mesmerized.
Then the figure of the voice’s owner was revealed.
He appeared to be about 170 cm tall with a face that looked well over seventy years old.
He had dirty gray hair and a beard.
His expression was irritable, and he wore clothes that made him look like a beggar.
And there was a single sword hanging at his waist.
His appearance was peculiar in many ways, but the thing that drew the most attention was his leg.
Tap, tap-.
The strange sound of footsteps that had been heard earlier.
It was the sound of an old wooden prosthetic leg attached to the old man’s right leg.
Tap, tap-.
Strangely, the old man’s gait didn’t seem like that of someone with a prosthetic leg.
If one hadn’t seen the prosthetic leg with their own eyes, they wouldn’t have thought he had a bad leg at all.
“Who is he?”
“A beggar old man?”
People murmured at the old man’s appearance.
Meanwhile, the captain of the Black Sword Corps stiffened even more.
‘No way?!’
The first thing one does when becoming a member of the Black Sword Corps.
That is to memorize the details of the top masters on the continent.
Especially regarding the masters, even the smallest details had to be memorized, and among those masters, there was someone classified as a special case.
‘Could it be… him?!’
A challenger acknowledged by the Master of the Sword.
A being known as the master among masters.
His name flowed out of the captain’s mouth.
“Johan… Redner.”
Among those who walked the path of the sword, no, even if they didn’t, there was no one who didn’t know that name.
As if to reflect this, gasps of astonishment erupted from all around.
“Johan Redner?”
“No way… that Johan Redner?!”
While the title of master was famous, Johan Redner’s name was even more well-known than any other master.
Originating from the Cradle, he had challenged the Sword Master twice and failed both times.
He was the only one who survived despite failing in his usurpation attempts.
Because of this, he was also known by another title besides the title of master.
“The… Unbreakable Sword?!”
“The Unbreakable Sword, Johan Redner!”
The Unbreakable Sword.
With someone mentioning Johan’s title, all eyes turned to the irritable-looking old man.
Excitement spread like wildfire.
“A master! And not just any master, the Unbreakable Sword!”
“Is it really Johan Redner? Really?”
“You idiot! Didn’t you hear what the Black Sword Corps member said earlier? Would those people lie?”
“My goodness… to see the Unbreakable Sword right after the Black Sword Corps!”
“But why is a master here?”
“Isn’t it obvious? He came to see our young master!”
“Ah, so the master staying as Lord’s guest is him?!”
“Then… is it possible that our young master Gunther will become his disciple?”
“Of course! The young master is certainly qualified!”
With Johan’s sudden appearance, and that too during Gunther’s test, people eagerly speculated, excitedly chattering.
Meanwhile, Johan leisurely scanned the surroundings, seemingly unaffected by the focused attention.
Then, at the edge of the crowd, his golden eyes briefly met another’s.
‘So, you were there?’
A faint smile appeared on Johan’s lips.
In the meantime, Ashiraf, leading his retainers, approached Johan and bowed his head.
“I thought you had left.”
“I was going to. Until I saw something interesting.”
“Pardon?”
Ashiraf asked, but Johan did not answer.
Instead, he rummaged through his belongings.
“Let’s see, I think I put it around here? Hmm… there it is!”
What Johan pulled out was a black Dragon Plaque.
It was unclear whether it was black due to the passage of time or if it was originally that material.
Ashiraf’s eyes sparkled at the sight of it.
‘That is?!’
The Dragon Plaques issued by the Cradle are graded according to their material.
The highest grade of Dragon Plaque, held by those with the greatest talent, is the Platinum Dragon Plaque.
Even those are rare within a single cohort, but it’s said that there’s a grade of Dragon Plaque higher than the Platinum Dragon Plaque.
A Dragon Plaque passed down like a myth among the Cradle’s cohorts.
‘…The Black Dragon Plaque!’
Ashiraf couldn’t take his eyes off the Black Dragon Plaque he saw for the first time.
Then Johan casually tossed the precious Black Dragon Plaque to a Black Sword Corps member and spoke in a low voice.
“I, Johan Redner of the second cohort of the Cradle, request a qualification test.”
Johan’s words stirred the crowd.
“What does he mean?”
“The Unbreakable Sword is requesting a qualification test?”
“But our young master’s test is already over?”
“You idiot! It means the Unbreakable Sword is recommending someone else to the Cradle!”
“Then who?”
“…Who could it be?”
Believing there was no one other than Young Master Gunther who could receive such a recommendation from the Unbreakable Sword, people were confused.
Johan, as if mocking their confusion, pointed his finger.
“The one to take the test is… that kid.”
The direction Johan pointed.
People in a straight line from his pointing finger stepped aside in surprise.
One person, two people, three people.
Twenty people moved aside in succession.
As a human barrier split open, a boy finally appeared at the end.
A black-haired boy with golden eyes.
Yuri did not avoid Johan’s gaze.
Instead, as if finding it absurd, he pointed at his own face with his index finger and asked.
“…Me?”
“Yes, you.”
Johan chuckled, and Yuri gave him a nonchalant look.
As the unexpected situation unfolded, murmurs spread.
“That kid, isn’t he Yuri?”
“Who’s that?”
“You know, the orphan boy living outside the outer wall.”
“So… Johan Redner is recommending that kid? To the Cradle?!”
“What’s going on…….”
Despite the surrounding reactions, Yuri remained still.
Instead, he observed Johan with a wary gaze.
‘So that old man is a master?’
The fact that he was the Unbreakable Sword, known for his fame, was somewhat surprising.
But that was all.
‘…What’s this old man scheming?’
Yuri knew that acts of kindness without conditions existed.
But from experience, he knew that malicious intent disguised as kindness was far more common.
This was why he didn’t lower his guard.
He spoke cautiously.
“Why me?”
“Because I recommended you.”
“So, why did you recommend me?”
“Because I wanted to.”
“Stop joking.”
“What joke?”
“Even geniuses can fail this test. How am I supposed to pass it?”
“Puhaha. Do you really think so?”
Johan burst into laughter and looked at Yuri.
As if telling him not to joke around.
As if he knew him well.
Feeling as though his true intentions had been exposed, Yuri’s face turned cold.
His tone changed accordingly.
“Old man, do you know me? Why are you acting so familiar?”
His tone lacked any semblance of respect.
Yet Johan responded with a delighted laugh.
“Of course! I know you well!”
“……?”
“You’re a wreck! A dying wreck.”
“……?!”
Yuri’s pupils shook.
His heart pounded violently.
‘What does that old man know to say such things?’
Did he know about his condition?
Or was he just insulting him?
Many thoughts crossed his mind, but Yuri forced himself to ask calmly.
“So, you’re recommending me to the Cradle, old man?”
“That’s right.”
“I appreciate the gesture, but whether or not I take the test is my choice, right?”
A choice that others would call crazy for passing up, despite how much they desired the opportunity.
However, Johan liked Yuri’s cautiousness even more.
Constantly doubting and reassessing his situation.
That was a crucial trait for survival.
Johan burst into a joyous laugh.
“A gesture of goodwill? Do you think I’m doing this out of kindness?”
“So, you’re not?”
“I’m merely making a deal with you.”
“A deal?”
“There’s something I want to confirm through you.”
“…What is it?”
“I’ll tell you if you pass this test.”
Yuri’s gaze hardened as he immediately asked.
“Then… what do I gain from this deal?”
As if waiting for that question, Johan responded.
“You’re broken somewhere, aren’t you?”
“……?!”
Yuri’s eyes widened in shock.
‘That old man knew!’
When Johan Redner called him a wreck, it wasn’t merely an insult.
He saw through Yuri’s condition.
‘How? I’ve never told anyone!’
Seeing Yuri’s shaken eyes, Johan smiled.
“Terrible headaches and vomiting blood, and… don’t you often see yourself in your dreams? Seeing yourself as a monster, rampaging?”
The more Johan spoke, the darker Yuri’s expression grew.
A strained voice escaped Yuri’s lips.
“You… know about this curse?”
“A curse… a curse, huh. Cluck, cluck, it’s not wrong. If left as it is, ‘that thing’ would have devoured you. You’ve suspected it, haven’t you? That your life is like a candle in the wind?”
“……”
“What do you gain from this deal, you ask?”
With a deep smile, Johan made an offer Yuri couldn’t refuse.
“I’ll save you, and I’ll tell you what this curse is. If you accept this deal……”
Johan unbuckled the sword at his waist and held it out in front of him.
“Come and take this sword. Show me if you’re worth saving from this curse!”
Yuri silently stared at the sword Johan extended.
‘He’s going to save me?’
The curse that had turned him into a time bomb with a lit fuse.
Yuri had wandered the continent, not wanting to die, wanting to live, seeking a way to lift the curse.
He met countless people, believing that he would find a way if he kept searching.
But all he got was the harsh reality, not the solution to the curse.
The cold reception he received for his young age and lack of possessions, or the deceitful tongues of those trying to exploit him.
So far, he hadn’t even grasped a clue about the curse.
‘An old man I met for the first time today knows about my curse without me saying a word……’
And he said he would free him from it.
‘Can I trust him?’
It didn’t seem like a deal where he would lose.
What does that sly old man want from him?
Does he really know about the curse?
His mind was filled with questions, but his heart had already made a decision.
Yuri took a step forward with a sigh.
Step-.
“Haa….”
Despite being only fifteen years old, he had lived more fiercely than anyone else, which made him all the more desperate.
‘I want to live.’
He didn’t want to die like this.
He wanted to live longer.
Driven by that desire, he strengthened his legs.
Step-.
The first tentative step turned into a firm stride.
Step- Step.
Passing by those watching him, Yuri reached Johan.
“I’ll warn you.”
He glared at Johan as he reached out his arm.
Finally, Yuri’s pale hand touched Johan’s sword.
“You asked me to show you, so I will… but if anyone dies, I’m not responsible. It’s all on you.”
Clang.
With a heavy sound, Johan’s sword was completely handed over to Yuri.
The moment the deal was sealed.