Emotionless Swordsmanship Genius

Chapter 21: The Demon-Infused Sword (1)

Between the Kruger Forest and the port city of Bela, there were several small and large villages.

One of these was a small village at the edge of the forest called “Robiten.”

A few days ago, a hunter named Shunbe came across a man in the forest while hunting deer. The man was riddled with arrows and dying.

Before he passed, the man handed Shunbe a sword hidden inside his cloak. The sword was wrapped tightly in a blood-stained cloth.

His last words to Shunbe were, “Whatever you do, never wield this sword.”

Hurriedly returning home, Shunbe unwrapped the cloth and examined the sword.

Its length was somewhere between that of a long sword and a short sword.

It was a strange, unsettling weapon.

The entire blade and scabbard were black, and under the sunlight, a faint red haze seemed to emanate from it.

Staring at the sword, Shunbe felt an overwhelming desire to grip the hilt.

He resisted the urge and wrapped the sword back up in the cloth, haunted by the man’s final warning.

He considered burying it, feeling uneasy even keeping it in his house, but it seemed too valuable to simply discard. So, he decided to take it to the village blacksmith, a friend of his.

Shunbe visited the blacksmith often, as his work as a hunter frequently required the use of the forge. It wouldn’t be difficult to pass the sword off as a gift.

The blacksmith, Pointe, was hammering away diligently when Shunbe arrived.

Shunbe handed Pointe the sword, still tightly wrapped in the blood-stained cloth.

Before leaving, Shunbe told Pointe, “This sword gives me bad vibes. You should melt it down and make something else.”

After finishing his work, Pointe unwrapped the cloth to examine the sword before heading home. The black blade was unique.

At first, he thought it was nothing special, but the more he looked, the more he appreciated the craftsmanship.

There was something mysteriously captivating about it. It felt too valuable to simply melt down.

At that moment, Pointe had an idea—one that might help him clear his gambling debts.

The next day.

There was a notorious thug named Malem in Robiten village. He led a gang and came to the forge to collect a debt from Pointe.

Instead of money, Pointe handed him the sword, still wrapped in cloth.

“This sword was made by one of the greatest masters on the continent. It’s worth far more than the debt I owe. But, if you’re smart, you’ll sell it rather than use it.”

Malem, initially skeptical, unwrapped the sword and was immediately struck by its allure.

A desire to possess it overwhelmed him, and he took the sword in exchange for Pointe’s debt.

When Malem returned home, he hung the sword on the wall of his bedroom. Simply looking at it filled him with a strange excitement.

The next morning, Malem woke with an odd feeling. The first thing he saw was the sword, bathed in the morning light.

A red haze rose from the blade, and as if hypnotized, Malem reached out and gripped the hilt.

Several days passed.

* * *

“Phew, we’re finally out of the forest.”

Shong, basking in the sunlight for the first time in a while, looked around. The dense trees of the forest had kept them in shadow for days.

Surprisingly, they hadn’t encountered any Kruger wolves. The forest was vast, so perhaps it wasn’t unusual to avoid them.

The sun was slowly setting behind the western mountains.

As they exited the forest, they entered a vast plain where golden crops swayed in the wind like waves.

Even though they hadn’t traveled far north from the desert and Kruger Forest, the air felt noticeably cooler.

Shong, now tying back his messy black hair, pulled out a map to check their location and said, “There’s a small village just up ahead. Let’s stop there to exchange some money, get a room at an inn, and have a proper meal. I also really need a hot bath.”

Karon, chewing on an herb, gave a brief nod in agreement.

In truth, Karon had memorized every detail of the map from the moment Shong first opened it. But he didn’t say anything. Shong’s navigation skills made their journey easier.

By dusk, they arrived at the outskirts of a village.

As they rode in silence, Shong slowed his horse and pulled up beside Karon, asking out of the blue, “Just curious—do you even know how to handle money? Do you know how to exchange currency? It might be safer if you let me—”

“One gold coin is worth a thousand shillings. One silver coin is worth a hundred shillings. I’ll exchange just one gold coin when we get to the village. Five silver coins, and the rest in small change. Got it?”

“…”

Shong stared at Karon, his mouth agape.

Falling behind in disbelief, Shong shook his head vigorously and caught up to Karon again.

“That’s the longest sentence you’ve ever said. Maybe the longest you’ve ever spoken in your life. Think about it.”

Karon shot Shong a glare, then muttered dismissively, “Don’t worry. I’ll give you about ten gold coins.”

Shong widened his eyes in surprise and tilted his head.

“Why ten? Didn’t you get forty? What kind of math is that?”

“If you don’t want it, forget it.”

“Ah! No, no, I was just joking! Ten gold coins is plenty. Haha!”

Shong awkwardly laughed, patting Karon on the shoulder.

But then Karon’s expression suddenly shifted. Shong had learned in the past few days that even small changes in Karon’s expression carried significance.

“What’s wrong?”

Ignoring Shong, Karon spurred his horse forward. Left behind, Shong sighed deeply.

“For once, just tell me what’s going on. Wait for me! Yah!”

Shong quickly urged his horse forward, chasing after Karon, who was heading directly toward the village entrance.

‘The smell of blood is getting stronger.’

Karon’s eyes narrowed.

The air was thick, heavy with the scent of blood, the sound of people screaming, and the dull thud of something crashing.

On top of that, there was a strange, indescribable aura. It was a mix of madness, chaos, darkness, and the abyss—an unsettling combination of forces.

Yet Karon remained calm.

‘But why can I sense this?’

He couldn’t help but wonder why he was able to feel such an ominous presence.

As Karon and Shong entered the village, they were greeted by a gruesome sight. Blood splattered the ground and walls, and injured villagers were barely managing to tend to their wounds.

The streets looked as if they had been ravaged by a monster.

“Well, so much for getting some rest,” Shong muttered as he followed behind Karon, who remained expressionless.

As they rode further into the village square, they saw a group surrounding a single man. But instead of trapping him, the group itself was being slaughtered by the one they were trying to contain.

Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be the village’s militia.

At the center stood a man whose appearance was monstrous, far from human.

A dark red aura emanated from his eyes like heat waves.

His face was twisted like that of a demon, and his exposed teeth were unnaturally sharp.

He was swinging his sword wildly, drooling, and though his movements were erratic, a deadly energy radiated from him, cutting down those who approached him.

The scene was the very definition of madness.

“Block him off!”

“Drive him out of the village!”

“Don’t come closer! Aaaagh!”

Another militia member was cut down by the madman’s sword. The villagers who made up the militia were clearly outmatched.

They were no match for this maniac.

“Whew~ It’s like he’s possessed by a demon. So, what’s the plan, oh noble thief?” Shong clicked his tongue at the scene and nudged Karon with his elbow, teasing him.

But Karon’s gaze was locked on the sword the madman was wielding.

The menacing aura radiating from the madman was coming entirely from the sword in his hand.

Karon could see the flow of the corrupt energy clearly. It was the most dangerous presence he had ever sensed.

Yet, strangely, Karon’s eyes held a small spark of desire as he looked at the sword.

‘That sword must be taken.’

Karon carefully observed the madman’s movements. Despite the appearance of wild, uncontrolled swings, there was a subtle pattern to his attacks, one that would be difficult for most to notice.

“Karon!” Shong shouted, his voice filled with urgency. The madman’s rampage was growing more severe.

The dark energy he emitted spread out in all directions, decaying skin on contact and disintegrating walls and the ground.

The longer the fight dragged on, the more the militia suffered. It was clear that if this continued, even the villagers would be caught in the crossfire.

The militia was too focused on the madman to notice Karon and Shong.

Sching!

At that moment, Karon drew his sword from where it had been sheathed on his horse and leaped off in one swift motion. He sprang off the ground, dashing between the militia members.

His quick, nimble movements allowed him to reach the madman before anyone could react.

Swish!

Karon spun in the air, swinging his sword swiftly.

Clang!

A dull sound rang out instead of the sharp ring of metal. The madman had blocked Karon’s attack, and a menacing energy surged from the madman’s sword as if it were trying to consume Karon.

Karon quickly retreated, distancing himself.

“Grrrr…”

The madman’s gaze now fixated solely on Karon. Whether by his own will or the sword’s influence, he recognized Karon as the most dangerous threat.

“Who is that?”

“When did he get here?”

“Hey, look out! It’s dangerous!”

The militia finally noticed Karon and shouted out in confusion, but Karon paid no attention to them. His focus was entirely on the madman.

Tsk!

In the blink of an eye, Karon vanished again, moving so fast it seemed as though he disappeared. A streak of light pierced toward the madman’s chest, but instead of dodging, the madman swung his sword toward Karon’s shoulder, sacrificing his body in the process.

The madman was willing to risk his life to cut Karon down.

In that moment, Karon saw it—the despair and sorrow trapped within the madman’s eyes.

He was being controlled by the sword.

Karon swiftly withdrew his attack and changed direction.

Barely dodging the madman’s blade, Karon circled around, but he didn’t rush to attack again.

This wasn’t a typical battle.

The madman had no hesitation in sacrificing his body, making his attacks reckless and dangerous.

Though this was Karon’s first time facing such a situation, his mind remained calm.

The madman’s attacks were wild, but they were simple enough that Karon’s sharp instincts could easily follow them.

And soon, that would lead to a result.

Clang! Clang!

Every time Karon’s sword clashed with the madman’s, a strange sound echoed, and Karon’s blade began to corrode, eaten away by the dark red energy surrounding the madman’s weapon.

But Karon didn’t stop. In fact, he only moved faster.

Despite the strain on his muscles and the sharp pain caused by his rapid movements, it was nothing compared to the hardships he had faced before.

The militia, watching the battle, were wide-eyed.

At first, they had been concerned for Karon, but as the fight progressed, they struggled to even follow his movements. In an instant, Karon had the madman on the defensive.

Then, it happened.

Slash!

Blood sprayed from the madman’s arm as a gush of crimson streaked through the air.

Just as Karon had intended, the madman’s body had reached its limit. The strain of the sword’s power had overwhelmed him.

“Aaaagh!”

The madman let out a terrible scream. His muscles twisted, and his joints buckled, his veins bulging as if they were about to burst.

Slice!

Karon didn’t miss the opening and severed the madman’s arm, cutting off the hand that held the sword.

The hand flew off, and the madman collapsed to his knees, his head slumping forward as he lost consciousness.

Murmurs rose from the crowd around them.

What just happened?

But Karon paid no attention to the voices. He quietly walked toward the fallen sword.

The people nearby flinched and stepped back in fear. Karon might not have been a crazed man like the madman, but his presence was no less intimidating.

Karon didn’t mind. He was used to such stares by now.

Amid the crowd’s silent observation, Karon pried the severed hand off the sword and slowly reached out for the hilt.