Cunning Swordsman

Orario, Guild Headquarters.

As dusk approached and night drew near, the Guild Headquarters, resembling a grand temple, was packed with crowds.

People gathered before the notice board, staring at the sheets of parchment posted there amid a noisy clamor that turned the place into a bustling marketplace.

There were many parchments posted on the notice board, but at this moment, the one that drew everyone's attention was the sheet placed right in the center, as though the Guild itself were flaunting his achievements and uniqueness.

The parchment clearly contained the following information.

Riezel Brihaut

Affiliation: Loki Familia

Race: Human

Age: 17

Occupation: Adventurer

Deepest Floor Reached: 17th Floor

Confirmed Achievement: An adventurer who defeated the Floor Master Goliath alone on the 17th Floor. Officially leveled up to Lv. 4 after one month and was granted the title—Cunning Swordsman.

The parchments posted on the notice board were adventurer information verified by the Guild and announced to the public.

The title decided at the Assembly of Gods and formally bestowed had now been openly released through the Guild, displayed for all to see.

This time, however, people were especially focused on the most dazzling and attention-grabbing individual among them. Looking at the parchment in the center of the notice board, they immediately began discussing it.

"That Riezel Brihaut is the rumored newcomer from the Loki Familia, right?"

"H-He really reached Lv. 4 in just one month?"

"And he defeated the Floor Master by himself? You've got to be kidding."

"This was personally verified and released by the Guild. How could it be fake?"

"Doesn't that mean all those rumors from before were true too? That this newcomer from the Loki Familia was only an Lv. 1 who had just received a Falna a little over a month ago?"

"Can someone really go from Lv. 1 to Lv. 4 in a little over a month?"

"Even the Sword Princess took a year to Level Up for the first time. He did it in a little over a month, and he leveled up several times in a row?"

"I don't want to believe it..."

The adventurers discussed it one after another, filled with excitement, doubt, shock, confusion, jealousy, and disbelief. The entire Guild hall became a complete mess. Even the Guild employees' loud attempts to quiet them failed to stop it, and the commotion only seemed to intensify.

"He's here!"

Only when an adventurer near the entrance shouted did the crowd finally fall silent.

Someone walked in from outside and headed straight toward the notice board.

"Is that Riezel Brihaut?"

"That newcomer from the Loki Familia..."

"You're still calling him a newcomer?"

"He's Lv. 4 now. He even has an official title."

As they lowered their voices, the crowd unconsciously parted to either side, making way for him.

Riezel walked through the path they had opened and arrived before the notice board, where he saw the parchment bearing his information.

"Cunning Swordsman?"

Seeing his title, Riezel's expression became rather subtle.

"Loki acted all mysterious and told me to come see my title, looking so pleased with herself. Anyone who didn't know better would've thought I'd been given some incredible title, but this is it?"

At any rate, Riezel could not see what was so good about that title. He did not even know how he had become associated with something like it.

Calling him a swordsman was one thing. He was indeed a swordsman, and he even had the "Swordsman" Development Ability, so he had no objection to that.

But where exactly was he "cunning"?

The sword techniques Riezel had learned from the Sword Princess were extremely orthodox. No matter how one looked at it, they had nothing to do with the word "cunning."

Or did those gods think he was a scheming sort of person?

Riezel could not quite make sense of it.

Still, he knew this title was actually not bad.

If his memory was correct, then nine out of ten titles born from the so-called Assembly of Gods existed to test people's tolerance for embarrassment.

Because the gods had an advanced perspective and loved entertainment, the titles they came up with were usually things that people of this world found cool, but modern people would find unbearably cringeworthy.

Just think of Loki—she had even thrown around terms like "Versailles" before. That alone showed how far ahead the gods' knowledge was in this world.

If Loki had not been there keeping the other gods in check and preventing them from recklessly tossing around memes, he would probably have ended up with a title like Wind Sword Saint or Gale Sword Emperor.

Compared to those, this so-called Cunning Swordsman was immeasurably better.

"Come to think of it, wasn't Loki regarded in mythology as the god of lies and trickery?"

Riezel suddenly realized.

Could the "Cunning" in his title, Cunning Swordsman, have come from that?

Because he was the child of an Evil God skilled in schemes, he had given himself the title of Cunning Swordsman?

"Fine."

Riezel reluctantly accepted that interpretation.

Seeing the people around him watching and sizing him up, with even some adventurers eyeing him as though they intended to come over and say something, Riezel turned and left.

It was clear from the reactions around him that only a small minority truly admired him. Most adventurers still regarded him with suspicion and jealousy; they clearly meant trouble.

That was only natural.

Others spent years, even decades, reaching the level Riezel had attained with ease in barely over a month. It was easy to imagine how much that challenged the uglier parts of human nature.

Riezel did not want unnecessary trouble, nor did he want to give anyone an opportunity to vent their frustration. He had even less desire to show off before others and prove his abilities, so he turned and left the guild headquarters. He then ducked into a relatively secluded alley, intending to take a shortcut back to Twilight Manor.

However, at that moment, something unexpected happened.

"—!"

Riezel abruptly stopped, his brows knitting tightly.

A sensation as though he were being watched crept over him, sending a faint chill down the back of his neck.

"Who is it?"

Riezel stood silently where he was, only speaking coldly after a moment.

"Hmph."

The next second, a cold snort sounded in the dark alley.

Riezel immediately turned and looked toward a patch of shadow.

A figure completely cloaked in black silently emerged from within it.

"Are you the Cunning Swordsman?"

A deep voice filled with intense displeasure and even disgust came from the newcomer.

"..."

Riezel gave no reply. He merely placed a hand on the sword at his waist and stared at the newcomer.

That only made the newcomer's voice more displeased, more disgusted.

"I'm asking you a question. Are all members of the Loki Familia like this, without even the most basic manners?"

Those words earned him nothing but Riezel's cold stare.

"Courtesy is reserved for those who are courteous themselves." Riezel's expression remained blank. "Do you think you've been courteous?"

"Oh?" The man in black sneered. "Your tongue is certainly sharp. I wonder if the sword you're preparing to draw is just as sharp."

As he spoke, the man in black raised one hand.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

In an instant, black shadows leapt down from the walls on all sides, landing around Riezel and surrounding him.

They too wore black robes, their faces obscured.

The moment they landed, however, these black-robed attackers charged Riezel in unison.

Clang!

Riezel immediately drew his sword.

The attackers closed in at once. Aside from a few who remained behind, the rest drew weapons from beneath their robes and attacked Riezel.

For a moment, all manner of weapons—blades, spears, swords, halberds, and more—were raised or swung down by the black-robed figures, striking at Riezel from every angle.

This all-encompassing assault left not even a gap for Riezel. There was almost nowhere for him to dodge, forcing him to parry.

And that told Riezel that these attackers were no disorganized rabble.

Judging by their seamless coordination, these people had fought together for at least several years and had developed considerable teamwork.

Their strength was formidable as well. They were certainly not ordinary adventurers.

Third Class Adventurers at Lv.2?

No! These people were at least Second Class Adventurers at Lv.3!

As that thought flashed through his mind, Riezel moved.

Whoosh!

With the howl of wind, Riezel's figure blurred. Moving with lightning speed, he rushed before a black-robed man who had yet to close in. The sharp sword in his hand erupted in silver light as he slashed without mercy.

Clang!

The black-robed man's face changed drastically. In a panic, he raised his weapon to block the incoming slash, only to be knocked backward by the tremendous force behind it.

Riezel did not find it a pity. Instead, he accelerated again, leaving behind the attacker he had sent flying with a single blow and charging toward another person nearby.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

Before long, a series of clashing sounds rang out all at once.

Riezel became a gust of wind as he darted about at extreme speed, his figure flickering back and forth like a ghost. The rapier in his hand slashed out repeatedly, sending streaks of sword light mercilessly at the attackers and knocking back every one of them who raised their weapons to block.

It sounded complicated, but in truth, the entire process had taken less than two seconds.

Within two seconds, Riezel had relied on his astonishing speed and swordsmanship to not only disrupt the attackers' coordination, but also force them all back.

"What!?"

"So strong!"

"You've got to be kidding!?"

"Is he really a Lv.4!?"

The attackers were all shocked.

Not just them—even the black-clad leader, who had been leaning against the wall in the shadows with his arms crossed, narrowed his eyes and clicked his tongue irritably.

"Damn it, what kind of newly leveled-up Lv.4 is this?"

He was clearly a seasoned Lv.4 at the upper ranks, perhaps even someone no less capable than the very strongest.

Among the attackers surrounding Riezel were several formidable Lv.4s as well.

Yet when they joined forces, they had been forcefully driven back in a single exchange?

"Get him!"

The black-clad man in the shadows spoke impatiently.

"I want to see just how capable this guy really is."

Hearing that, the attackers suppressed their shock and doubt, then charged at Riezel once more.

A cold glint flashed in Riezel's eyes.

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