Chapter 44
[Heart Eye activated.]
My eyes began scrutinizing him in detail.
[Seron (12)]
[Talents: Sword Demon, Iron Man]
[Traits: Timid, Survival Instinct]
[Favorability: 0]
‘Oh ho.’
The information floating above his head made me smile involuntarily.
Sword Demon. Iron Man.
The words attached to his talents were simple, yet they alone carried immense value.
‘Those two.’
Sword Demon: It literally means a demon of the sword.
This was a well-known talent, and I naturally knew about its traits.
Not only did it provide significant enhancements to swordsmanship, but it also erased all hesitation and distractions the moment one gripped a sword.
Essentially, holding a sword completely transformed one’s personality.
Of course, for players, it mainly provided swordsmanship enhancements, but still…
‘Anyway, with Sword Demon…’
Among sword-related talents, it was at the top tier.
And the synergy with the adjacent talent was remarkable.
Iron Man: One of the talents related to physical endurance, granting powerful enhancements to the body.
With this talent, one could develop muscles faster, heal injuries quickly, and possess physical attributes far superior to normal humans.
In combination with Sword Demon, it was a match made in heaven.
‘But the traits don’t quite align.’
It was unusual when you thought about it logically.
While ‘Survival Instinct’ synergized perfectly with Sword Demon, ‘Timid’ did not.
‘He seems like a unique one.’
From what I could tell, he would probably act timid in everyday life but become a madman the moment he held a sword.
Not bad for me.
In fact, timid individuals weren’t particularly hard to persuade.
‘Has he learned Aura Cultivation yet?’
In swordsmanship-related professions, knights were the most iconic.
The distinction between knights and soldiers was simple.
Whether they had learned sword techniques and whether they had accumulated a certain amount of aura in their bodies.
Of course, accumulating aura required training in Aura Cultivation, which wasn’t easily taught to outsiders.
He likely hadn’t learned it yet.
When I played, it wasn’t possible to obtain Aura Cultivation techniques within the arena.
‘But that Shabel Tiger… it’ll be tough.’
At the start, since it was akin to a tutorial phase, the monsters faced in the arena were usually weaklings.
That Shabel Tiger being pointed at enthusiastically by the announcer wasn’t one of those weaklings.
It was quite a strong monster.
Shabel Tiger:
Nicknamed the “Human Hunter.”
Although players were given talents early on, the actual control of the character depended on the user.
Unless you were a seasoned pro like me, most players would face game over before clearing the tutorial if they fought such a creature.
Typically, the monsters fought in the early arena stages were goblins, orcs, or even other slave gladiators.
But now, Seron was matched against a Shabel Tiger.
‘Clearly, things have gotten mixed up.’
Game and reality.
The two had intricately merged, changing many aspects of the world.
Of course, some things remained unchanged amidst the changes.
The audience began cheering enthusiastically for the boy gladiator.
“Seron!”
“Seron!”
“Show us! Rip it apart!”
“Mad Seron!”
Perhaps due to the bloody spectacle of the previous matches, the audience’s fervor was at its peak.
Seron.
The boy now receiving thunderous applause from the spectators stood trembling as he faced the snarling Shabel Tiger in the cage.
At a glance, he looked like the epitome of a timid human.
But…
‘Madness.’
Judging from the crowd’s shouts, he would likely transform entirely once the fight began.
Mad Seron.
I debated briefly whether to let the match proceed or to stop it.
‘If he possesses Sword Demon traits, he should manage even without aura.’
The Shabel Tiger was a tiger-like monster, roughly equivalent in strength to two orcs.
Two orcs were equivalent to about ten regular soldiers.
In short, it would take around ten soldiers to subdue this monster.
The decision didn’t take long.
‘If he’s the protagonist, he has to handle it.’
I wanted to see how he would perform, so I decided to observe.
Grinning, I turned to my companions.
“That’s him.”
“The person you’re looking for?”
“Yes.”
At my words, Erciel tilted her head in doubt.
“Then shouldn’t we stop this match? He looks like he’s trembling.”
“Facing a Shabel Tiger seems like a tall order…”
Their questions required only a simple answer.
I shook my head slightly and said,
“Just watch closely. You’ve been curious about why I want to recruit him, haven’t you? Let’s see if my intuition is right.”
Given his talents, he should be able to take down the Shabel Tiger.
Timid?
That trait would vanish the moment he picked up a sword, consumed entirely by his overwhelming talent.
Once my companions saw Seron’s capabilities, they would understand why I wanted to recruit him.
Most importantly…
I was curious about how he fought.
High-Rank Gladiator.
That title wasn’t handed out for free.
That sword of his must have spilled plenty of blood—whether human or monster.
If I watch this match, I’ll likely understand why someone like him was matched against such a vicious opponent.
And I’ll be able to confirm how Sword Demon works in reality.
Will he truly demonstrate the image of a demon possessed by the sword?
That’s what I want to see.
“Ladies and gentlemen! The final match is about to begin! Seron, who has earned the title of ‘Madness’ at just twelve years old, faces the Shabel Tiger, a monster nicknamed the Human Hunter! Please enjoy the spectacle!”
As the announcer finished speaking.
Clang.
The iron bars confining the Shabel Tiger slowly began to rise.
Tremble.
Even at that moment, Seron was shaking uncontrollably as if he were a patient suffering from seizures.
Sniff, sniff.
The Shabel Tiger flared its nostrils.
Lick.
Then it licked its lips.
As if it had found a particularly delicious prey.
Its sharp fangs glinted dangerously, and with an explosive burst of energy, it charged on all fours toward the boy gladiator.
A monstrous rush powered by its tremendous leg strength.
It was a moment of absolute peril.
Swish.
The trembling boy finally drew his sword.
In that instant.
His eyes and expression changed.
Gone was the fear; his face was now a blank, emotionless mask, like that of a mannequin.
Within that expressionless face was the faintest trace of a smile.
‘Now, this is interesting.’
Roar!
When the massive tiger, over 3 meters long, closed in on him, Seron finally moved.
With a single step.
He narrowly dodged the creature’s claws and, without hesitation, extended his sword.
Slash!
The arena was splattered with crimson blood.
The source was clear.
The Shabel Tiger’s massive forearm.
A long gash had been carved into it.
Leonhardt’s eyes grew heavy as he watched the scene.
I turned to him with a grin and asked, “What do you think?”
“…Now I understand why you’re interested in that boy. It’s as if he’s possessed by the sword. It’s hard to tell who’s in control—the boy or the blade.”
“Doesn’t it make you want to teach him?”
“…You’re asking me?”
“Yeah. Just look at him. He hasn’t learned proper swordsmanship at all. And judging by his inability to use aura, he probably doesn’t even know about Aura Cultivation. He’s a blank slate—it should be easy to teach him.”
“Twelve is a bit late to begin training in swordsmanship.”
“That’s a problem for ordinary humans. Geniuses like me are different. Didn’t you see for yourself?”
“…Your self-praise is impressive.”
“I’m just stating facts. Anyway, what’s your answer?”
“It would be impossible to teach him the family’s secret techniques.”
“Then just guide him with basic swordsmanship. As for cultivation techniques, I can either find them myself or ask my father for help.”
The Seltarion Family, renowned for its mastery of the sword, trained its knights in secret sword techniques and Aura Cultivation, which were not to be shared with outsiders.
Of course, the techniques taught to low-ranking knights weren’t particularly sensitive, but for someone of Leonhardt’s caliber, it was a different matter.
Knights of his standing had access to all the techniques within the Marquisate except those reserved for the family head and direct descendants.
Thus, taking on an apprentice would require the marquis’s permission.
Even so, the glint in Leonhardt’s eyes suggested he was tempted.
‘Naturally.’
That kind of talent would make even the Marquis of Remton drool.
Twelve years old.
At that age, without proper swordsmanship or cultivation techniques, to land a blow on a Shabel Tiger over three meters tall?
That alone was proof of his extraordinary potential.
A guarantee that he would soar to unimaginable heights.
“I’ll take your willingness to teach as a yes.”
“I haven’t answered yet…”
“Then try erasing that greedy look in your eyes before saying no. Just teach him the basics—you can manage that, can’t you?”
And if you guide him through advanced techniques later, all the better.
Leonhardt furrowed his brows in apparent hesitation.
Or rather, he was pretending to hesitate.
“This will benefit me too. If you train him, he’ll become loyal to me. And if I raise a talented subordinate, it’s good for me in the long run.”
“…Understood.”
‘Good boy.’
He had wanted to teach the boy anyway but was playing hard to get.
As we conversed, Seron was already perched atop the Shabel Tiger’s mangled body.
Thud! Thud!
As if the tiger’s back were a steady platform, Seron calmly stabbed his sword into its skull repeatedly.
His expression remained blank throughout.
‘Wow.’
When did he climb up there?
At any rate, this kid fights well.
If he learns proper swordsmanship and cultivation, he’ll become even more impressive.
After five or six thrusts, the Shabel Tiger’s movements slowed.
Moments later.
Its tongue lolled out, and it stopped moving entirely.
“Madness!”
“Madness!”
“Seron!”
“Seron!”
“Ah! Mad Seron! Once again, he has lived up to his reputation! At just twelve years old, he single-handedly defeated a massive Shabel Tiger! Truly remarkable!”
As the announcer roused the crowd, dozens of slaves began dragging the Shabel Tiger’s corpse away.
“Now that all the matches have concluded…”
With the day’s matches over, I had no reason to listen to the announcer anymore.
I immediately summoned the attendant waiting outside my room.
“I’d like to meet the gladiator who just fought. Wasn’t the manager here named Evan? Bring him to me.”
After handing over a tip of one gold coin, the attendant scurried off.
Slave Gladiator Seron.
It was finally time to meet him.
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