Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race-Chapter 154 - The Imprisoned Sword God, The Unrestrained Demon King

Chapter 154 - 154 - The Imprisoned Sword God, The Unrestrained Demon King

POV: Gall Farion

I am the strongest. I am the fastest.

Until I face Orsted again, I will never lose a single battle.

That's how I became the Sword God.

I had a theory about the Sword God Style during my youth: be the fastest.

Any other technique in that style was merely support and not worth mentioning. That's how I lived my life.

After meeting the Dragon God, and being humiliated and defeated by that man's absolute power, I finally decided to put that theory into practice.

I still learned various techniques from other styles, to understand my enemy's weapons, but in battle, I would always use the Sword God Style first.

I became strong. Strong enough that at some point people began calling me the strongest swordsman of my generation.

I traveled the world, accepted disciples, and "built" the current Sword God Style, which came to be regarded as the strongest style.

But even having come this far, I still knew. I knew I could not defeat the Dragon God.

He was truly a being from another world. Even having promised myself I would become the strongest in the world... where did I stray from that path?

Right. It was when I became the Sword God.

In a way, that was good.

I had no one to blame but myself. I created my own chains.

I guided disciples, built a school, got married, and even had a daughter. All those things were chains I forged myself.

When did my will weaken so much? I couldn't say exactly at what point I began to think there was no point in going further.

It's strange to say this to anyone not at my level, but... only when you reach that level of strength do you understand how far Orsted went.

Maybe that was it? I didn't believe I could reach him? Or I was afraid? Or I could have gone further but held myself back with unnecessary things?

I stopped thinking about those things a long time ago. Not because I found an answer, but because I didn't have the courage to face the truth.

It wasn't hard not to think about it. As Sword God, I had much to do.

In a way, I really was the strongest.

Maybe the people around me fed me that false hope. I defeated everyone else with ease.

I taught my disciples with the goal that one day one of them would surpass me: Ghislaine, Timothy, Clint. But none of them had the essential thing: ambition.

The ambition to give everything for the sword. The ambition I myself could not stay true to.

I firmly believed that was the only way to become the strongest: "give everything for the sword," without distractions.

That was until I met my most promising disciple... Rygar Adoldia.

One day, we were talking about the Longsword of Light. I said these exact words:

"The Longsword of Light is the main technique of the Sword God Style. Practitioners of other styles might even see it as our secret technique. However, there are those who understand its essence better than others. There are the Sword Saints, the Sword Kings, the Sword Emperors, and the Sword God. But at the core, we all do the same thing. Some are stronger and others weaker. What do you think is the difference between them?"

Rygar looked at me deeply before saying:

"There isn't just one reason. It's a matter of obsession, talent, and understanding. At its core, this is a technique created to cut 'anything the user wants to cut.' You need to understand the Touki, understand its form and its nuances. But that alone isn't enough. If two swordsmen trained, one with talent and the other without, the talented one would naturally surpass the other. If the untalented one had obsession, he would surpass the talented one. But if the talented one also had obsession, he would surpass the untalented one even if the latter were obsessed. It's an extremely fine line between logic and will. That is understanding."

I pondered that answer for a very, very long time. If that had come from anyone else, I probably wouldn't have given it much importance.

But that boy... he had become a Sword Saint at eight, and a Sword King at twelve. And in the two and a half years he'd been here, he progressed even faster... I could see him catching up to me with the naked eye.

One day, the thought of killing him right there crossed my mind. But I liked the boy. He admired my strength and respected my teachings.

He was the husband of my first disciple, Ghislaine Dedoldia, whom I taught and raised from the age of ten. And he... also wanted to kill the Dragon God.

What was I doing in the meantime?

As I watched the snow fall, sitting on my veranda, I realized I had spent the entire night staring into nothingness.

It had only been a few days since the Immortal Demon King Badigadi had arrived at the Sanctuary of the Sword and put on a show.

The icy breeze didn't bother me, but kept me awake, freezing my thoughts at a slow pace. A voice sounded beside me:

"Father!"

I turned slowly, already knowing who it was.

"What is it, Nina?"

My daughter. As talented as I am. In recent years, absolutely dedicated.

Although I believed for the wrong reasons... it was still working. Even if it wouldn't take her to the top, her progress was evident.

Nina spoke, irritated, with her arms crossed:

"I said I'm going to the dojo! Aren't you coming?"

I thought for a moment. Right. He would be there. Training like a madman. A feral beast in his pursuit of power.

I smiled subtly thinking of my abnormal disciple.

"I will do a solo session," I answered calmly.

"Inform the others at the dojo. Ask guidance from the Emperors if necessary."

Nina looked shocked. And rightly so. Since she was born, I couldn't recall a single day when I told her I would train alone.

She stood silent beside me, looking at me seriously. I knew she wanted to say something.

"Speak," I said simply.

Nina took a deep breath and spoke directly:

"Father, what do you think about me joining the Legion of Iron when I become a Sword King?"

My mind raced. 'Hm? Why does she want to join the Legion of Iron? Did Rygar seduce her?'

Thoughts sprang up all at once, in silent chaos. But on the outside, I remained serious.

"Why?" I asked.

Nina then began to speak, firmly:

"You always told me that no one becomes truly strong without real battles. You traveled the world when you were young, fought all kinds of opponents, and became strong. I feel that staying at the Sanctuary won't take me as far as I hope to go."

She looked at me intently, trying to see what I was thinking. But I hid everything very well. She continued:

"I have already decided to go, but I would still like to know what you think about it."

We were silent. I stared into her eyes. She held her gaze firmly. Surely, I had things to say... but I only murmured, uninterested:

"Do as you wish..."

I stood up. My cloak billowed in the morning wind. That's when an idea struck me.

"I will return in three or four days, and when I do, I will choose some members and appoint a new Sword King among them. Inform everyone."

And without another word, I walked out of the Sanctuary, toward the mountains...

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In a hidden cave at the heart of the mountains, the silence contrasted brutally with the chaotic scene outside.

The terrain looked like it had been the battlefield of colossal beasts.

Shattered rocks, uprooted trees, and deep craters marked the ground like scars left by a force beyond common understanding.

The residual energy in the air carried a suffocating weight, as if a calamity had been summoned and left its mark there.

Inside the cave, however, the atmosphere was different.

The smell of roasted meat filled the space, a large chunk of meat slowly turning over an improvised fire.

Seated around it were three unusual figures: a six-armed demon, imposing and unadorned; a man of the beast race, with penetrating eyes and a calm expression; and a little human girl with auburn hair, vibrant and curious.

"Bwahahahahahah!" Badigadi laughed with his whole body, a beer mug in one hand and a meat skewer in the other. "Of course! If it were you, even taming a dragon and stealing dragon eggs wouldn't be impossible!"

Aisha, sitting beside Rygar with her eyes shining with enthusiasm, quickly agreed:

"Exactly! The Master will even tame the Dragon King one day, just like Laplace in the legends!"

Rygar only gave a bitter smile as he took a sip of beer.

"It's not as easy as it looks..."

Badigadi shook his head, still with a broad grin.

"Still, it's impressive! The only one I've seen tame dragons besides you was Laplace himself!"

Rygar fell silent for a moment, his thoughts wandering.

"What was he like?" he asked.

Badigadi leaned back and laughed even heartier. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

"Strong as a monster! He almost completely destroyed my body once, Hahahahaha! I thought I was truly dead that time!"

Since Rygar had defeated Badigadi in combat a few days earlier, the Demon King decided to stay at the Sanctuary of the Sword for a while.

He said there were interesting people there, and he was curious.

He continued exploring the place freely, with no one daring to stop him. After all, except for Rygar, Gall Farion, Ghislaine, and Reida, there was no one who could effectively face him in combat.

Reida, in turn, avoided any contact with Badigadi.

It was clear she disliked his presence, perhaps due to old prejudices against the demon race.

But since no one else seemed to care specifically, she simply kept her distance.

Rygar, on the other hand, saw in Badigadi's presence a rare opportunity and approached him to learn more.

Their conversations ranged from combat techniques and stories of the demon continent to the rulers of the demon races.

Finally, Rygar reached the topic that had intrigued him for days:

"All right, I can't see you with my Demon Eye. Why does that happen?"

Badigadi furrowed his brow, confused for a moment, until he snapped his fingers.

"Huh? Aaah! I get it! Actually, I never mentioned it, hahahahaha!"

He took a bite of meat before continuing:

"I took a special potion a long time ago. It gave me immunity to those eyes! No prediction, no intention reading or crap like that. Hahaha!"

Rygar's interest was piqued. While Aisha continued manipulating the fire with precision, slowly roasting the meat over the flames, he turned to Badigadi with an attentive look.

"Do you still have that potion? Or any sample of it?" he asked.

Badigadi scratched his head for a moment, his brow slightly furrowed, as if digging through memories buried under centuries of life.

"Hmmm... It seemed very unique, I know almost nothing about it. I think I found it at the bottom of a labyrinth... or maybe at the bottom of a mountain? Hahaha! It's been so long I can't even remember the details!"

Rygar sighed inwardly. It was a pity.

"I understand... It really is a pity."

After a moment, he raised his gaze once more. "Tell me... you're immune to all demon eyes, right? Even those of the Demon Empress Kishirika Kishirisu?"

Badigadi puffed out his chest proudly.

"Even hers!"

Rygar observed him with a sharp look.

"Since you're immune to them... maybe you know how to transplant them into another person?"

"Huh? No, I don't know anything that complicated! But... my fiancée could help with that!"

"Your fiancée?"

"Yes! The Demon Empress we're talking about!"

Rygar raised his eyebrows, surprised.

"She's your fiancée?!"

Badigadi laughed his classic thunderous laugh:

"Bwaahhahaha! But of course!"

Still surprised, Rygar murmured:

"I see..."

Badigadi noticed the silence and added:

"Once, Kishirika said that transplanting the magic eyes was very simple! It only involved knowing how to control and manipulate others' mana! Creating the eyes was what really took work!"

Rygar absorbed this information in silence, his eyes slightly narrowed. 'Control others' mana...? Is that feasible?'

He soon shook his head, convinced. 'No, if someone did it, then it's definitely feasible.'

The conversation extended. Rygar touched on other subjects with Badigadi, ranging from trivial matters to more serious issues.

At one point, he invited the Demon King to the Legion of Iron, but the latter declined outright, with a wide smile on his face.

"I don't want to be tied to an organization. I prefer to wander around, as I have for the past hundreds of years! And besides, I'm already the King of the Biegoya province," he said with conviction.

Even with the refusal, Rygar insisted on discussing possible partnerships with the demon continent.

Meanwhile, Aisha finally finished roasting the meat completely. The smell filled the cave, and the three sat down to eat.

Rygar had been studying Badigadi throughout their entire conversation.

He soon understood: despite the ancient title of Demon King of Wisdom and power, the Demon King was a person of simple thought.

Honest, straightforward, almost childlike in certain aspects.

The conversation veered back to demon eyes. While casually commenting about Kishirika, Rygar ended up discovering that she had already been revived.

"She came back recently! But she's still quite small! Hahaha!"

That too was relevant information, and Rygar registered it in silence.

After a few more exchanges, Aisha stood up and left the cave to restore the terrain that Badigadi and I had destroyed in our earlier fight.

She liked doing that because she said it was a great way to practice.

That's when Rygar looked at Badigadi more seriously. His voice lowered, but his tone was firm:

"Badi... You've lived for thousands of years, right?"

The Demon King crossed his arms, still chewing.

"Although I don't know the exact number, it's definitely been thousands of years!" he answered proudly.

Rygar leaned back against the cave wall, crossing his arms as well.

"Then tell me... Have you ever heard of someone called Hitogami?"

The air seemed to shift slightly.

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