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Chapter 200

Chapter 200: Hidden Motives (1)

***

That night, there was a heavy silence in the Silva’s campsite.

The soldiers and knights stood still, barely breathing, watching the two Silvas.

It was a stark contrast to the lively chatter coming from the Apple Kingdom’s campsite a short distance away.

“…”

Javier Silva and Joshua Silva sat facing each other with a campfire between them.

Both of them had been staring at the campfire in silence for some time.

“We lost.”

Javier finally broke the silence. His voice was heavy and gloomy.

“It was shocking. He was so powerful that I can’t believe you both are High Class.”

Joshua simply nodded without saying a word. Javier continued speaking.

“The more I think about it, the more I can’t believe it. I thought he was a madman when he grabbed that branch… but he actually beat you with it.”

A long silence followed his words.

The knights on guard watched Javier with tense faces. They were afraid that Javier would lash out at Joshua at any moment.

Suddenly, Javier broke into a wide grin.

“It seems you’ve finally found a talent that suits you.”

“I see that you think so too, Father.”

Joshua nodded in agreement.

“I thought it was an exaggeration when I only heard rumors… but when I fought him myself, it was all true. It was worth coming all this way to meet him.”

“That’s right. But no matter how much I think about it, I can’t understand it. How did he take me down with a branch? And he can also parry aura with just a mere branch. I don’t know how he did it.”

“Surely you can do it too, Father?”

Javier’s expression darkened slightly as Joshua asked him.

“Strictly speaking, it’s not that I can’t do it, but it’s just not a good fit for me. Didn’t I tell you last time? The Master Class all have different specialized techniques.”

“Yes, I remember.”

“Damien is able to do it because he has a great talent for swordsmanship. But again, it’s not that I can’t do it. It’s just not a good fit for me.”

Joshua nodded as if he understood.

“Speaking of which, I remember hearing that the Imperial Supreme Sword uses a similar swordsmanship style.”

“So you’re saying Damien has… Imperial Supreme Sword-level talent?”

Joshua’s eyes lit up with anticipation.

The Imperial Supreme Sword was one of the Swordmasters who symbolized the Empire and stood at the peak of the humanity.

“Maybe even more so. Didn’t that cheeky little bitch say that he reached the High-Class level in less than a year? Even the Imperial Supreme Sword couldn’t do that.”

Joshua’s expression twisted as he thought of Veronica.

She was a rude woman who had paid no attention to him even though he had been quite interested in her.

“As it should be, treasures should be held by those who are worthy of them. No matter how much I think about it, that talent is too precious for someone like Damien Haksen to have.”

“So… you’re thinking of stealing it?”

Javier nodded in response to Joshua’s question.

“The Gormark mountain range is just a little further ahead. It’s a shortcut to the Empire, but it’s such a dangerous place that even the most people don’t go through it.”

“It sounds like the perfect place to solve a difficult problem.”

“Yes, I’ll take care of those bastards there. I’ll subdue Damien and you…”

“I know what you mean without you even having to say it.”

Joshua said as he placed his sword on his lap.

“You want me to pierce his heart with this demonic sword.”

The sword that Joshua used in the duel was, on the surface, nothing more than a flashy weapon.

However, this sword had a secret: it was a demonic sword.

Killing someone with this demonic sword would allow the wielder to absorb their soul.

The owner of the demonic sword could use all the abilities of the souls they absorbed as if they were their own, even their talents.

“I’m always grateful to you, Father. My life has changed for the better since you gave me this demonic sword.”

Joshua looked at the demonic sword with a loving gaze.

Originally, Joshua had little more than no talent.

So everyone doubted whether he was really Javier Silva’s child.

[Tl;DR- Javier was cucked.]

It was during this time of humiliation that Javier Silva acquired this demonic sword and gave it to Joshua.

Joshua began to kill knights who had achieved great feats with this demonic sword, absorbing their souls and talents one by one.

After that, Joshua was no longer called trash but a genius.

“It’s fortunate that I found a soul to replenish just before the souls absorbed by the demonic sword were worn out.”

A secret that only those who have used the demonic sword know.

The souls absorbed by the demonic sword gradually wear out and eventually disappear.

Since the talent can no longer be borrowed if the soul disappears, it was necessary to replace the soul at an appropriate time.

“Your life has changed? What nonsense is that?”

At that moment, Javier’s expression turned grim.

“You are the son of Javier Silva. You are a chosen one.”

Javier Silva was originally an unnoticed knight.

Born as a bastard into a weak lineage.

He was treated as an unwanted child by his father, and scorned by his siblings.

But Javier Silva had talent. Talent surpassing genius.

When Javier Silva ascended to the Master Class, everyone took notice. His father, his siblings, even the king himself.

At that moment, Javier Silva realized. He was a chosen one by the gods.

So when Joshua had no talent, Javier denied reality.

There was no way his son, a chosen one, could be so inept.

Therefore, he didn’t doubt that it was the world at fault.

“You’ve just reclaimed what was rightfully yours. So, never speak of such things again.”

“…I understand.”

Joshua nodded solemnly. Only then did Javier smile contentedly.

“Egg, are you listening?”

“Yes, please go ahead.”

A nearby knight answered promptly.

His cheeks are etched with deep scars that furrow his brow.

Even from a distance, it’s clear this is no ordinary knight. An aura of undeniable charisma seems to emanate from him.

“Tell the knights to take a break for now. We might be facing giants soon.”

“Understood.”

Knight replied bowing his head respectfully.

“If you can absorb Damien Haksen’s talent, even winning the Helian Tournament will be a breeze.”

Joshua’s eyes light up.

“The glory of victory… the thought alone fills me with anticipation!”

“Don’t get too excited. It’s only what you deserve, after all.”

“By the way, please let me kill that bitch; I’d love to rip her spoiled tongue out with my own hands.”

“If that’s what you desire, then so be it.”

Father and son erupt in hearty laughter, lost in their conversation.

Javier Silva didn’t notice, perhaps because he was so engrossed in conversation with his son.

He doesn’t realize someone is eavesdropping on their every word, hidden behind a nearby wagon.

“So that’s their plan,”

A low voice murmurs. It’s Damien Hansen.

***

As the night deepened, Damien stealthily infiltrated the campsite of the Silva family. His objective was to uncover the duo’s true intentions.

The campsite was bustling with knights and the Master Class Javier Silva himself, but they posed no obstacle to Damien.

During his days as a Death Knight, he was constantly under the threat of assassination. Not only the Empire but also the Holy Order dispatched assassins to eliminate him.

Among those who sought his life were numerous Master Class assassins. One of them stood out in particular – a man known only as Phantom.

Even Master Class assassins were no match for Phantom, and such was his notoriety that the Empire had designated him as an Extreme-Danger Individual.

Damien never learned why Phantom had targeted him.

However, Phantom lived up to his reputation and he had managed to infiltrate Dorugo’s legion, getting dangerously close to Damien.

But right before he could shatter Damien’s core, Damien’s keen senses detected his presence, and he awoke to end Phantom’s life.

Phantom had achieved the Master Class level known as ‘Ghost Shadow’. Ghost Shadow allowed one to manipulate their body like a phantom, masking their presence and slipping through narrow gaps.

Damien had yet to reach the Master Class, so he couldn’t fully transform his body into a phantom like Phantom. However, it was enough to deceive Javier Silva’s senses.

‘So, he planned to kill me with a demonic sword and steal my talent.’

Stealing something as vague as talent? It sounded absurd.

But Damien knew better. It was possible if the demonic sword was created by a Marquis-rank demon.

Moreover, Damien was already aware of the existence of a talent-absorbing demonic sword.

‘I heard it was one of the Weapon Master’s most prized swords. How did it end up in Javier’s hands?’

He was the Giant Evil of Pandemonium. The man who could control ‘all’ weapons in existence. The Weapon Master could even control demonic swords. A demonic sword that would normally lead its wielder to ruin turned into a docile lamb in the Weapon Master’s hands.

‘Did he receive it directly? If so, it means he’s been in contact with the dark mages since then.’

As Damien suspected, it was clear that Javier Silva was currently involved with the dark mages.

‘Motherfucker! He betrayed the Eastern Alliance for a sword like that?’

Damien suppressed his anger. If his emotions ran high, his Ghost Shadow would falter, and he risked being discovered by Javier.

‘So, he planned to kill me in the Gormark Mountains.’

No matter how powerful a Master Class was, they couldn’t simply kill a foreign noble on a whim.

If they did, they might lose their lives at the hands of the Empire, which claimed to be an impartial mediator.

‘The other knights can be handled by Michael and Veronica.’

There were a few strong-looking knights, but they were ultimately just Middle Class.

The two of them should be able to handle them. After all, those two were geniuses even Damien acknowledged.

‘The problem is Javier.’

Damien still felt it was a burden to fight a Master Class. But he couldn’t let the man who indirectly caused his family’s death go unpunished.

‘And above all, that bastard is after me.’

Damien still remembered.

Damien still remembered Javier Silva’s ravenous gaze upon him after their duel.

Back then, he couldn’t quite decipher the meaning behind that look. But now, he understood.

From Javier’s perspective, Damien was nothing more than a treasure chest overflowing with riches.

He would go to any lengths to eliminate Damien and plunder his talent.

‘But it’s not like I don’t have a chance.’

Damien touched his wrist. The faintly glowing powers of Gluttony and Wrath etched into his skin pulsated with power.

‘You betrayed humanity… so I’ll carry out my vow and put you to death.’

Damien’s eyes gleamed coldly in the darkness.

***