Dungeon Predator (WN)

It wasn't that hard to find the 100 Fighters. They were in the mining city, Barto, to resupply and rest.

"Mr. Dion. Please take this." Kang Oh passed him the S-rank sword.

"Oh." Dion's eyes sparkled. He examined the sword, stroked it, and sported a satisfied expression. He was happy to be able to add a dragon weapon to his collection.

"Don't you have something for me?"

'Mad Wind's Sword! Where do I learn it?'

"Get a boat from Citin Port, and ask them to take you to Mokomoko Island," Dion said.

"And then?"

"There's a village there. Find a man called Sven. He'll teach you Mad Wind's Sword."

"Sven..." Kang Oh could swear he'd heard that name somewhere before. Then, he struck his palm with his fist.

"Are you referring to Duke Sven Covillea?"

Kang Oh had tons of miscellaneous knowledge in his head. This included Arth's famous figures too.

Sven Covillea! He was called the Sword Duke!

The Covillea family was the only line of dukes in the old Altein Empire, which was toppled by the people's revolution. And Sven was the head of the family!

But during the people's revolution, Sven abandoned his title as duke, and became a hero for standing on the side of the people!

"He retired a long time ago. He'll be surprised that you still know him."

"How can I not know the Sword Duke?"

"Don't call him that. He doesn't like that title of his."

"Understood. So has Lord Sven been in Mokomoko Island this entire time?"

"I don't know the details. I know that after the empire's collapse, he roamed around the continent, and eventually settled there in his later years."

"Mm."

"Don't be rude. Even Lord Valan is like a gentle lamb in front of him."

'Valan becomes a gentle lamb?'

"Is he that scary?"

"Not at all. But even Lord Valan shows him respect."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Get going."

"Yes."

Going from the Phamas Mountains to Citin Port didn't take that long.

The seagulls flew above the port, which was built along the vast expanse of the eastern sea. His nose was filled with the smell of sea.

"I'd like to go to Mokomoko Island." Kang Oh approached a group of seamen.

"Mokomoko Island?"

"Hey, Jack. Didn't you say you had business there?" The old fisherman asked the intimidating man.

"Yes. I have to deliver them some medicine."

"Take this young man with you."

"Alright. Please follow me." Jack led him to a small wooden ship that was tied down.

"Get in."

Kang Oh got in without complaint.

"Will it take a long time?"

"The wind is good, so it should only take about 30 minutes." Jacques untied the ship and opened the sail.

Whoosh!

The ship followed the wind and the waves across the sea.

* * *

Mokomoko Island was a small, crescent moon shaped island. There were trees behind the sandy beach, and behind those trees lay several wooden houses.

"How long will you be here?" Jack asked once Kang Oh got off.

"I'm not sure. But I have a return scroll, so you don't have to worry about me."

"Understood." Jack carried a giant crate from his ship and left in a hurry.

Kang Oh approached a husband and wife couple that were laying on the beach.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for someone called Sven."

"Lord Sven? Follow the beach. There'll be a house at the end. That's where he'll be," the middle-aged man said.

"Thank you."

Kang Oh walked across the beach, leaving footprints in the sand. It wasn't that large of an island, so he reached the house rather quickly.

'That must be it.'

There was only one house at the end of the beach, so there was no reason to be confused.

"Lord Sven, are you inside?" Kang Oh said respectfully.

Then, the door opened and a chubby, kind-looking old man came out.

"Who are you?"

"Are you Lord Sven?"

"I'm Sven, yes."

"Hello, my name is Kang Oh." Kang Oh bowed his head.

"It's nice to meet you. Would you like to come in?"

"Thank you."

It was cozy inside, but it wasn't shabby by any means. On the contrary, it gave a warm, comfortable feeling.

"Sit down."

"Thank you."

Kang Oh sat down in an old chair while Sven prepared tea. However, there was a teacup half empty on the table already.

"Did you have a prior guest?" Kang Oh asked.

"They just left."

"Ah, I see." Kang Oh nodded his head, and carefully examined Sven.

'He doesn't look like the Sword Duke.'

Indeed, he felt nothing like the Sword Duke. He was more like a neighborhood grandpa.

"Drink." Sven passed him a brown tea cup.

"Thank you."

Kang Oh took a sip of the tea, and felt a pleasant smell spreading through his mouth.

"It's tea made from a special herb that only grows here."

"The smell is amazing." Kang Oh smiled.

"Be sure to drink lots of tea. Tea is really helpful for those who wield the darkness like you."

Kang Oh widened his eyes. 'Those who wield the darkness?'

"Do you know what I am?" Kang Oh asked. He was wearing simple clothes. Both of his demon swords were inside his inventory too.

'So how...?'

"It's not so surprising. I sensed your demon swords' energy, so I assumed that you were a Demonic Swordsman. And I've sensed one of them before. It's the sword that that child, Valan, used once before."

'To think there was someone who'd call Valan a child!'

"That's right. I am Master Valan's... successor candidate?"

"Successor candidate?"

"Yes. I inherited his sword, but he says I'm not his successor yet."

"That's just like him."

"But I didn't come to see you for him. Lord Sven..."

"Just call me grandpa. I'll speak comfortably too."

"Yes, Grandpa." Kang Oh followed his request.

"If Valan didn't tell you, how did you know where to find me?"

"Dion told me."

"Aha, that child. Is he doing well?"

"Yes. He's doing quite well."

'Probably?'

"Do you know Burkan?" Kang Oh asked.

"Ah, that little rascal?"

'To think the Invincible Gladiator would be called a 'little rascal'.'

"He's my blood brother."

"Hoh. Did he get married yet? Does he have children?"

"No, not yet. He's an old bachelor. However, he's going to get married soon I hear."

"That's good news." Sven beamed. He seemed to like hearing about people he'd known for a long time.

For some reason, Kang Oh's heart became warm. This is probably how he'd feel if he had a grandparent too.

"So what did you come here for?"

"I came here to learn the secret technique, Mad Wind's Sword. Could you please teach it to me, Grandpa?"

"Sure, why not. That's not a problem."

"Thank you!" Kang Oh clasped Sven's hands. 'To think someone like you exists. You're completely different from Valan.'

"Umph." Sven stood up and picked up the wooden sword in the corner. "Follow me."

"Yes, Grandpa." Kang Oh followed him like a little puppy dog.

There was a small bamboo forest behind his house.

Swish.

The sea breeze blew, causing the bamboo trees to gently shake.

"Doesn't the wind feel nice?" Sven asked.

"It does." Kang Oh smiled.

"The wind blows endlessly. It doesn't stop. Whether it blows quick or slow is irrelevant. Mad Wind's Sword is the same. It never stops."

Kang Oh pricked his ears and listened.

"I'll show you, so watch carefully." Sven raised his wooden sword. It was an extremely smooth and natural motion.

'As expected of the Sword Duke!'

He softly extended his sword. It was as gentle as the wind itself!

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

Each time his sword was swung, his blade became quicker and let out a more dangerous sound.

At some point, he could barely track the movement of Sven's sword, and it no longer made a single sound. Nevertheless, Kang Oh concentrated and tried to see the movements. Eventually, he was unable to see the blade. It was just that fast.

'It's like he's using Transcendent Blade repeatedly!' Kang Oh was absolutely shocked.

"You saw it?" Sven stopped and said.

"I saw about half of it."

"You saw a lot."

"Why does your sword keep getting faster?" Kang Oh asked.

"Because it becomes free."

Kang Oh couldn't understand what he was saying. 'What are you talking about?'

"You'll understand after you use it." Sven smiled mischievously.

Then, a system message popped up.

[You have learned the Swordsman secret technique, Mad Wind's Sword (Active/Skill).]

[It starts at beginner-rank.]

"Huh?"

'What's going on?'

"You can use it now too."

"Ah, thank you. But what happened?"

"It's something called Pass Down... Well, just keep that in mind."

'What's with this grandpa. He's so cool!'

This was completely uncharted territory for him. He admired Sven. However, he felt somewhat anxious at the same time.

"Why are you being so good to me?"

"Is that so wrong?"

"Well, it's just that..."

"I just wanted to." In other words, he was genuinely being kind.

"I won't forget what you did for me."

"Eh, it wasn't that big of a deal. Just get going."

"Excuse me?"

"You have nothing else to do here. Go on."

"No, I'll stay longer. I'm not busy."

"If you leave, then I'll be able to rest comfortably. It's been a while since I swung a sword, so my body aches." Sven rubbed his shoulder.

"I can massage it for you."

"I'm fine. Just go."

He was being so persistent, so Kang Oh couldn't stay any longer. Ultimately, Kang Oh nodded his head.

"I'll come back later."

"Alright, sure."

Kang Oh ripped a return scroll, and Sven smiled kindly as his goodbye.

Once Kang Oh left, Sven turned around and said, "You can come out now."

Swoosh.

Someone fell from the top of a tree. It was Valan.

Valan had been Sven's prior guest. But when Kang Oh showed up, he immediately hid himself.

"Why are you hiding? From what I hear, he's your successor."

"He's not my successor yet. He's just a candidate! And if I didn't hide, then you'd treat me like a child in front of him. My authority would completely crumble."

"Tch, tch. If only your personality was half as good as your swordsmanship." Sven clicked his tongue.

"What's wrong with me?"

"You're ill-tempered and crazy."

"Nothing I can do about that. That's me in nutshell." Valan agreed meekly.

"Tch, tch."

"Haha." Valan laughed. "But is it really ok to pass on Mad Wind's Sword that easily?" Valan asked.

"It seemed like he needed it. It felt like he recently got possessed by a demon."

"He did."

'What kind of Demonic Swordsman lets themselves get possessed by their demon sword!?' That was the main reason why Valan wanted the demon sword back.

"A Demonic Swordsman always has to be careful not to be consumed by the darkness they wield. I wanted to give him strength, so that he won't be possessed in the future," Sven explained, his face still as kind as always.

"You're too kind, Master."

"That's why I accepted someone like you."

"That's true." Valan grinned.

"Then try changing that personality of yours."

"Why? I'm strong, while the world is weak. That means the world has no choice but to accept me as is," Valan said arrogantly.

"You still think so barbarically. Forget it, come inside."

"Yes."

The two walked side by side.

Would people know?

That one was the previous strongest man, and the other was the current strongest man?