Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 6. Adaptation (1)

"Welcome back, master."

When I returned to the mansion, the servants came out to greet me.

Nodding, I took off my coat, which they hurriedly approached and accepted with both hands.

"Your dinner is late; should we prepare it?"

"No, dinner's not necessary."

"What? Oh... understood."

Strangely, even though I hadn't eaten dinner, I didn't feel very hungry. I didn't even feel tired.

Probably because Yulian's trained body went beyond ordinary.

Compared to when I was just your average man in South Korea, it's no exaggeration to say this was a world of difference.

I headed straight to the office.

I had no desire to sleep or eat, but I had a lot to think about.

First was the 'move shown by the Elder Council' today.

"I knew they sent Brother Herand to watch over me, but..."

I took the sword off my hip and placed it on the table.

A metallic clink rang gently as it made contact.

"I never imagined the Elder Council would have a hand in the induction test... Damn it!"

Don't replace my monologues with Formal Speech.

I lightly smacked my mouth with my hand.

I should have gotten used to it by now, but I'm still not accustomed to this damned formal speech.

At least, it shouldn't matter if I speak casually when I'm talking to myself.

"Hoo..."

I let out a deep sigh and resumed my thoughts.

I knew very well that the Cryphart family, who had seized control of the Elder Council, wanted to cast me out.

Yulian's past actions had been enough to make the family frown.

But I didn't expect them to reveal their intentions so quickly.

I've said it countless times, but being kicked out of the family now would be disastrous.

If the fortress that is 'Yulian' were to crumble, I'd find myself in an unbearable situation.

'That cannot happen.'

There are already too many eyes watching.

Among those I saw today, including 'Aileen de Donatien,' it's no exaggeration to say that the Empire is full of people who hold grudges against Yulian.

'It would be nice if I could solve it right away.'

Honestly, I'm in no position to think of matters concerning the Cryphart family. I wanted to postpone it as long as possible and address it later.

However, if something like today happens again... would I handle it as well then as I did now?

'At the very least, I should tweak the conditions for the induction test.'

Being part of 'Blind Eye', I'll likely take on the role of an induction test instructor several times in the future.

It seemed wise to address just this aspect.

It wouldn't sit well to have such events happen again.

"I need to have a talk while reviewing tomorrow's test results."

Having organized my thoughts, I stared at the scabbard on the table.

An item integral to the essence of the character 'Yulian'.

His pride and arrogance stemmed from this sword, the skill of swordsmanship.

A belief in one's martial prowess allows one to dominate any situation, which is why, despite making many enemies, he still had his head firmly attached.

'I need such strength too.'

A formidable force to suppress others.

I grasped the hilt of the sword.

The hard and cool feel of the metal transmitted through the leather grip, which was added for better hold, resonated in my fingertips.

Though I held the sword during the induction test, it was merely a tool to intimidate the applicants. It was a prop for performance, nothing more.

'I didn't even draw it then.'

So, this was the first time I truly drew this sword.

With a strange tension, I gradually applied force.

Srrrng─

The sound of metal scraping against metal accompanied the emergence of the blade.

The sword, basking in the moonlight and exuding a subtle radiance, was truly elegant. It almost seemed to plead to be swung.

Though it was a tool designed to take a person's life, it gave off such a feeling.

It was chilling, yet at the same time...

"It's beautiful."

The blade, softly reflecting the moonlight, was indeed beautiful.

Moreover, for reasons unknown, the path to wield the sword revealed itself to my eyes.

Could it be called the sword's path? Something like that.

'It's likely because of this.'

I roughly understood why.

It must be due to an inherent trait Yulian possessed.

▶ Trait, "Innate Swordsman"

Grade: Unique

▷ You have been familiar with the sword since birth. You were born to walk the path of the sword.

▷ You can handle anything of a 'sword' form, regardless of its type.

A unique trait of the named swordsman characters in 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉.

Characters with this trait typically excel in swordsmanship from a young age.

Naturally, Yulian, who had caught the eye of the swordmaster Hayden Reich, also possessed the 'Innate Swordsman' trait.

'However.'

Whoosh─!

As I swung the sword following the visible sword path, a sharp sound echoed through the night air.

"This isn't enough."

Yulian's swordsmanship skill was remarkable, but this level was abundant in the Empire.

There were dozens of named characters that I could think of, including the swordmaster Hayden Reich.

If you include characters that appear as supporting roles, the number could easily reach hundreds.

Despite this, a specific reason allowed this character, with his pathological mindset, to survive. It was an extraordinary strength that most characters couldn't match.

Namely, his keen insight that could dissect emotions and his overwhelming understanding of 'aura'.

"In order to wield aura, one needs to understand mana."

With this thought, I stood still and began to focus on the 'mana' residing in my heart.

Now, I possess Yulian's physique.

Even though memories are absent, everything he achieved should still be stored in this body.

If I can revive this, wielding aura shouldn't be a difficult task.

What started as a simple concept quickly bore results.

To skip to the conclusion, I could sense 'mana'.

I never imagined the 'mana' I'd only known about through settings could be sensed so easily, but in a way, it must be a talent Yulian harbored.

'To think I could sense mana so easily, perhaps that means it's possible too?'

A sense of greed arose from this discovery.

If I could sense 'mana' so readily, couldn't I similarly wield Yulian's special technique with ease?

Yulian's special move, Moonlit Sword (月光劍).

When 'aura' envelops a weapon, typically only the edge of the blade emits a gentle light.

But Yulian's aura was different.

Not just the edge but the blade itself emitted a faint bluish glow.

Seeing this, people spoke of it with awe and fear, calling it the 'Moonlit Sword'.

The sight truly appeared to be imbued with moonlight.

"Trying it wouldn't be a bad idea."

Anyway, it's one of the weapons essential for 'Yulian'.

Thus, there was a need to ascertain its functionality.

Determining the extent of its capabilities is necessary to devise a strategy.

'Whether sooner or later, it eventually needs to be demonstrated.'

Closing my eyes, I focused once more on the heart concentrated with mana.

Being well-versed in the settings of 〈Let's Kill the Demon King Now〉, I naturally understood how to employ the entity known as 'aura'.

You must transport the mana stored in the heart to 'mana vessels', the internal mana pathways.

It sounds simple when explained, but this series of processes requires precise execution to avoid becoming comatose.

If mana fails to reach the mana vessels and backlogs, it could damage major organs, including the brain.

Truly a high-risk, high-return endeavor. Hence, careful execution is crucial.

A total of 38 mana vessels exist within the body.

Six 'great blood vessels' resembling massive rivers.

32 'small blood vessels' akin to little streams.

To call it 'aura', you must activate the 'opening gate' in the heart and head's great blood vessels and the 'resting gate' from the heart to the head.

'Although I'm well-versed in the setup...'

I understand the theory.

But knowing the principles mentally and applying them in reality are separate matters.

Additionally, activating 'mana vessels' comes with significant risks.

That's why I felt trepidation.

I feared becoming like those who met a horrific end while trying to activate aura.

Yet...

'The body is showing me.'

Yulian's body whispered an instinctual sensation regarding 'aura'.

This created a link of sorts between me and this body.

The mind held 'the theory'.

The body held 'the practice'.

This was achieved even before trying.

There was no need to be scared.

I inhaled deeply and flowed mana into the great blood vessels, the 'opening gate' and 'resting gate'.

The peculiar sensation of mana flowing was indeed a fresh experience, but I soon grew accustomed to it.

Unknown power began to boil within my entire being.

'Enhancement of the body through mana.'

This also constitutes part of the 'aura'.

Yet, Yulian's body went beyond that.

The skill called 'Moonlit Sword(月光劍)', his signature move, hadn't yet revealed itself.

'Focus.'

Closing my eyes again, I started to channel my senses while gripping the sword with both hands.

"Ugh..."

Focusing mana on the 'sword' caused a reaction different from when focusing on the mana vessels—it seemed to resist.

It made sense since the 'mana vessels' are part of my anatomy, while the sword is neither part of my body nor organic.

Transferring mana through another medium entailed a degree of resistance.

It's no wonder some could perform this task without batting an eye.

That's likely why they're called monsters, leaders, and such.

After a brief period of pain seemingly scorching my body,

serenity returned as if nothing had transpired.

Had stabilization been achieved?

I opened my eyes slowly.

"... Moonlit Sword."

⇒ You have acquired a new trait, 「Moonlit Sword: Incomplete」

Before anything else, what caught my eye the most was the serene blue glow of the blade.

The claim that 'it was imbued with moonlight' wasn't mere exaggeration; it exuded an overwhelming Assertive Presence.

Undoubtedly, it was Yulian's Moonlit Sword.

The epitome of sharpness that had severed countless demons' head and Yulian's essence-contained secret technique.

Considering how smoothly the execution went, my concerns seemed unfounded.

If there was a hitch, it was this...

"Is it a crescent moon?"

The 'Moonlit Sword's' transformation covered a surprisingly small area.

Its brightness matched that of a slender crescent moon rather than a full moon.

"Haha, well..."

Still, I found it somewhat satisfactory.

Though it fell short of the real 'Moonlit Sword', this demonstrated its usability.

Moreover, it's only day one.

Expecting perfection from the start would be arrogant.

"There are still many improvements to be made... Mmm, mm! This bloody mouth... when will it ever stop?"

Slap!

Unable to contain myself, I slapped my hand against my lips.

It seems there are many aspects of this damn mouth that need fixing as well.