What is the quick-wittedness of the Fourth Sword?
It was akin to the acceleration of thought.
After absorbing the information scattered around, one selectively chooses the most efficient and rational action.
The process of bypassing unnecessary information and determining what is needed required clear thinking.
As this sped up, the ability to visualize the shape of the fight also became extraordinary.
Encrid found this more enjoyable than when he learned other sword techniques.
Even if the sword twisted like a snake and struck softly, the essence was that a blade was still a blade.
It was the Fluid Sword, the Flowing Sword.
The beauty lay in the counterattack, and it was a swordsmanship that had meaning only when that was achieved.
Learning this was equally enjoyable.
How about the Lightning Thrust?
How could the process of acquiring the will to accelerate in the 'moment' not be exhilarating?
The process of learning is always bound to be enjoyable.
The same goes for the Crushing Sword.
It began as a way to endure a Knight's sword and was a sword technique that started with Ragna's question.
How does one cut through a lightning strike?
The answer found through the process of questioning was to stare at the lightning and avoid it before it struck.
In other words, to thrust your sword before the opponent could swing theirs.
In that case, the sword you thrust forward would become a lightning rod.
Though you can't cut through lightning, you can deflect it.
In fact, Encrid even proved this.
A Knight's sword was no different from the natural calamity that is lightning.
The Snake, the Lightning, the Crushing.
The process of mastering these three types of swordsmanship was different, but the form of joy was similar.
All of them were techniques trained into the body with a single purpose.
In that respect, the Correct Sword Technique, the Trapping Sword, was somewhat different.
'You can integrate other techniques.'
His calculations and thinking were stimulated, and his focus surged like never before.
If the first three sword techniques were like dots, then this new sword, beginning with the Correct Sword Technique, was like an unbroken line.
He glimpsed hidden intentions in the spaces between the rushing ghouls.
As extreme focus permeated the Correct Sword Technique, it felt as though he could see a step ahead into the future.
To counter what he could see, he could use the Snake Sword.
To act according to his intention, he could crush the opponent.
If he wanted to shatter the opponent's intentions from the very beginning, he could thrust first.
'Ah.'
Encrid marveled inwardly.
The Trapping Sword is a sword that follows precise calculations.
And within that, techniques are layered.
Even after devising the Trapping Sword, there was still a sense of lacking.
Now, he knew exactly what that lack was.
"You can only improve if you recognize what's missing."
He recalled the advice of a certain mercenary.
And so, Encrid did just that.
He recognized it.
He stared directly at it.
What was lacking?
Now that the form was there, it was time to fill it with substance.
The Snake Sword had the essence of twisting and countering.
The Lightning Thrust had the essence of preparing the entire body, starting from the feet, to strike a single point.
The Crushing Sword had the essence of Intimidation, filling its core.
Therefore, the Correct Sword Technique and the Trapping Sword needed something similar.
The core didn't necessarily have to come from another sword technique.
There was no need to create an entirely new sword technique.
The key was that it required something at its core.
'That's it.'
The realization brought joy.
And that joy filled him with euphoria.
What could be more enjoyable than this?
Under the pitch-black night sky, void of a single star, he swung his sword to glimpse the starlight.
Even though countless days had passed, the light still had not appeared.
Yet Encrid didn't know what it meant to tire.
He simply swung his sword.
Even when he couldn't see ahead, even when he walked paths that were not paths, he never stopped moving.
He walked and kept walking.
He forgot what it meant to tire and continued his steps.
And so, he kept swinging his sword.
What was it like when the curse of today was given?
There was no particular need to verbally resist the ferryman who sang songs of despair.
He had no fear of living through today again.
So once more, he swung his sword.
How could this not be thrilling?
Now, he could see the starlight, the path was opening, and even though he was no longer repeating 'today', moments of realization still came to him.
And that brought him immense joy.
"Well, aren't you excited?"
"At least you're not drooling, thank goodness, brother."
"The Wandering Teresa will help you."
"What help? There doesn't seem to be any room for you to butt in."
Starting with Rem, voices chimed in one by one from behind.
Only Sinar remained silent, absorbed in watching.
That man's sword was changing in real time.
The sensitive senses of the Fairy picked up on every single shift.
No, the moment Sinar felt the changes, she heightened her awareness even further.
Of course, anyone watching from the side wouldn't have a clue.
It would simply appear that she was observing.
But Sinar was fully utilizing her Fairy instincts, which allowed her to sense and learn.
Encrid filtered out the unnecessary information from what he was hearing.
Listening to their chatter wasn't necessary at the moment.
It wasn't something he needed to choose to focus on.
More important now were the sounds of the ghouls stepping on the ground.
And so Encrid did just that.
He sorted out the sounds around him and focused only on the essential ones.
Pop!
Thud!
Thump!
The sound of feet hitting the ground as something leapt.
Crack, snap, crunch.
The sound of branches breaking.
Guooaaargh!
The grotesque wail of a ghoul, as if vomiting out something from its insides.
Scholars who study monsters say that ghouls produce their characteristic wails because of the stomach acid burning inside them.
The only thing that soothes that acid is human flesh.
That's why ghouls eat people.
Some monsters favor human flesh, but some are simply born that way.
But that wasn't important information right now.
It was dismissed in passing.
The accelerated pattern of thought absorbed something new.
Among the ghouls noisily blocking his path, a sinister killing intent mixed into the air.
But unlike the others, this intent was silent.
It was the opposite of the other ghouls.
The creature moved stealthily, settling on a thick branch above Encrid's head.
The branch lightly sank under its weight with a faint crack, but with the ghoul pack charging right at him, there was no reason to spare any attention to what was above his head.
Encrid gripped a silver longsword in his right hand and held Ember in his left.
Then, he filled the Trapping Sword with its essence.
Whish, thud, swish, stab, swoosh, crack, slash, thud.
It was rhythm.
The blade danced in perfect rhythm.
The silver longsword slashed, cut, and cleaved.
Ember stabbed and withdrew.
The two swords sang a single melody in unison.
The Trapping Sword used this rhythm as its core, trapping the enemy within its frame.
Within that frame, the ghoul horde were merely moths rushing toward their deaths.
"Oh."
Rem muttered in a small gasp of admiration.
Dunbachel, in the meantime, subtly lifted her head.
Something had rung an alarm in her instincts.
Audin and Rem didn't even bother to look up, but starting with Dunbachel, Teresa too raised her head halfway.
Is there something there?
Teresa also felt a sense of unease.
Encrid appeared absorbed in swinging his two swords.
The rhythmic sounds of tearing flesh and echoing noise filled the air in quick succession.
"Above..."
Teresa shouted reflexively but then stopped.
Whoosh—something dropped from above.
It was a creature about half the size of a typical ghoul.
Although it had the same grayish body, its right arm was abnormally long, and the claws on that arm were twice as long and sharp as those of other ghouls.
It looked as though four nails, sharp as spikes, had grown out of it.
No sooner had its form registered in their eyes than it vanished.
The moment it appeared, it lashed out with spike-like claws, leaving an afterimage in its wake.
The creature dashed down from the branch, and Encrid—who had been swinging his silver longsword in precise rhythm—sped up by just half a beat, slashing vertically with perfect timing.
He drew a vertical circle with his sword, using his head as the axis.
Thwack!
The blade split the charging, strangely shaped ghoul diagonally.
A silver line sliced through its head, down its torso, and between its legs.
At the same time as he swung the sword, Encrid sidestepped.
Even the sound of his feet pushing off the ground and landing was in rhythm with the fight.
'He already knew.'
Teresa closed her mouth.
He was ahead of her.
Come to think of it, Rem and Audin had also known, and it seemed the Captain was aware of it too.
So she said nothing further.
Encrid wasn't lost in his swordplay, drooling mindlessly.
He was calculating and recalculating, all the while adding to his understanding that there was no need to be strictly bound by calculations.
'What if I can't calculate?'
He could trust his instincts.
He had the weapons for it.
The Sense of Evasion, layered with intent, would suffice.
More than twenty ghouls were rushing at him, and a dangerous strike came down from above like a deadly dagger.
For an ordinary soldier, it would have been certain death.
The fact that these ghouls were using diversion tactics would have overwhelmed ordinary people, but neither Encrid nor his companions had been 'ordinary' for a long time.
Watching Encrid's fight, Dunbachel couldn't contain herself any longer.
"I can't stand this!"
She erupted first.
With the sharp sense of smell characteristic of her beast-like nature, she caught the scent of hidden ghouls within the forest.
Charging out, she moved to Encrid's left.
"Aren't you going to stop her?"
Teresa watched and asked.
Her tone was calm, but there was a hint of impatience, though it was unclear why.
Encrid split the last ghoul's head slowly, in a beat two counts behind, and answered while swinging his sword.
Thwack.
The ghoul's skull cap flew into the air.
"What?"
Encrid's voice rang out.
"Isn't Dunbachel jumping in?"
"Were you just planning to watch?"
It was a misunderstanding.
She thought Encrid had claimed all the prey for himself, saying he would cut down everything, but that wasn't the case.
Encrid was simply enjoying himself, reveling in the thrill of the fight.
Now, he was filled with satisfaction.
And Dunbachel charging into the fray?
It was unexpected, but it didn't matter.
"More are coming."
Sinar said.
Even in the dense, malevolent forest, the Fairy's senses were sharp.
She detected the enemies before Encrid did.
In terms of detection ability, no one—neither Rem nor anyone else—could compare to her.
"Well then."
Teresa stepped forward as well.
Her blood boiled, making it hard to stand idly by.
Was it the blood of her half-Giant ancestry, or simply her identity as Teresa?
There was no time to seek answers.
So she ignored it.
A large tree blocked her view, and she swung her sword without hesitation.
Wham!
Crack!
The sword embedded itself in the middle of the tree.
Teresa realized the tree was tougher than she had expected.
Though not as strong as iron, it was compressed and incredibly dense.
So, she applied more strength.
"Hup."
With a shout, her arm muscles swelled with a cracking sound, and the tree finally split.
As the tree began to tilt forward, Teresa struck it with her shield, redirecting its fall.
Boom!
With a loud crash, the massive tree, three times her size, tipped forward in a new direction—toward the rushing ghouls.
"May the Lord watch over you."
Teresa recited a prayer as she watched the tree fall.
"You have been granted a chance to reflect under his gaze."
Audin finished the prayer.
He had always liked the prayers Teresa chanted.
Teresa didn't hide the heat rising within her as she glanced at Encrid.
Her sharp fangs gleamed in her smile.
It was a physical change that had emerged as she trained the blood of her half-Giant ancestry.
Her fangs were sharp.
She then swung her arms like a windmill.
With sword and shield in hand, Teresa crushed, slashed, and broke the charging ghouls.
"Hahaha!"
Teresa's laughter echoed loudly through the forest.
"Weren't we supposed to be doing a stealth mission?"
"If that Gray Ghoul hears that laugh and decides to charge at us, great. If it runs away, even better."
Encrid responded to Rem's comment.
He was right.
If it came out to fight, they'd save time searching for it.
If it fled, they wouldn't have to fight it in its fortified environment.
Either way, it was good.
"That's a valid point."
Rem nodded.
Disliking the effort of thinking and being foolish were two different things.
Rem understood Encrid's words well.
"But it won't go exactly as Brother Captain intends."
Audin chuckled softly from behind, as usual.
And he, too, was right.
Where Dunbachel had charged in, there were plenty of ghouls with long claws like the assassin ghoul from earlier.
On Teresa's side, she was facing a ghoul nearly one and a half times the size of the others.
Its gray flesh was tougher than that of normal ghouls.
'It usually takes two or three spearmen to handle a single ghoul.'
But the ones inhabiting this forest were even more troublesome.
Considering the diversion tactic from earlier, even a well-trained platoon would have had to suffer critical damage.
Encrid and his companions weren't a Knightly order, but they had combat strength on par with one, allowing them to fight like this.
"It's not boring, so that's good, isn't it?"
At Encrid's words, Rem nodded again.
"That's also true."
Rem, feeling restless, stepped forward.
Whiiiiish!
He pulled out a sling and began twirling it above his head.
Soon, ghouls lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity, or even ones that could be called Commander-class ghouls, along with an odd ghoul with yellow eyes, sprang out—but to no avail.
Thwack!
Thwack!
Thwack!
Thwack!
Thwack!
Stones that had been lying on the ground became Rem's weapons, along with his uncanny skill.
Three of his slings broke, and the stones he had hurled shattered the ghouls' heads without mercy.
Encrid didn't stop walking.
Yet, he felt a faint sense of unease.
'A trap?'
It was just an instinct, but it felt that way.
At that moment, Sinar approached from the side.
"Something feels off, my fiance."
Why does she never forget to use the word 'fiance'?
Encrid thought as he replied.
"It's this way."
The Fairy's sharp senses and his own instincts pointed to the same place.
There, they would find the ugly ghoul who ruled as the King of this area.
Encrid's steps headed in that direction.
He could subtly sense the enemy's intention.
'They're opening a path for me.'
The intention was subtle, but the desire was clear.
Looking closely, he could see it plainly.
Instead of highly dangerous ghouls, there were regular ghouls in his path.
These were still tough, with skin so thick and nimble bodies that it would take five or six spearmen to handle one.
But, compared to the stronger ghouls, they were weaker, and he could clearly see that these were gathering in one spot.
The whole ghoul horde seemed to be herding him in that direction.
They were deliberately creating an opening, subtly urging him to go.
"How ridiculous."
Rem muttered from behind, clearly having noticed as well.
"It seems our ghoul brother is quite eager to meet the Father."
Audin quietly pronounced his death sentence.
Without replying, Encrid continued walking.
Soon, he arrived at his destination.
It was a clearing, where the enemy's intention was laid bare.
Over a hundred pairs of yellow eyes surrounded the area, serving as the undeniable proof.