Second Life of a Dragon Raising Hunter

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Chapter 31

“Of course I knew Sister Claire used to be an adventurer. However, she was rather tight-lipped about her adventures.”

“Y-You mean, you’re close with a dragon?!”

“Yep, is that really so strange? Yeon-woo is friends with them too, right, Shar?”

“Yep! Shar is… friends with Yeon-woo!”

“Hehe, how adorable. I’ve never seen such a young dragon before.”

I let out a sigh of relief. I was going to say ‘Dad’, but good job, Shar!

[Um, but Dad. Is it really just that the Sister is a former adventurer…?]

‘I thought that too, but if she’s met a dragon, it doesn’t seem likely…’

[Yes, the quality and quantity of her aura, as well as her physical conditioning, are all extraordinarily high. Even if you include Kim Hyun-soo or Yuri, she wouldn’t fall behind.]

‘Is that so…?’

I mean, if that’s the case, she must have some decent savings, then why was the orphanage in such shabby condition?

“Um, my personal assets are tied up. I can use what I transferred beforehand, but I can’t access the rest.”

“Sister, can you read minds too…?”

“Nope, your expression just gave it away. Now, let’s get those clothes off, Yeon-woo.”

With that, Claire set Shar aside and opened a pink plastic container that she received from Namgung Seong.

Ah, she’s going to apply medicine. I casually took off my shirt and began peeling away the bandages. Ugh, that stings.

The wind tickles the wounds. To be honest, the sizable wounds were only on my abdomen and right arm. The abdomen was stabbed quite deeply, and the right arm had a lot of cuts.

“This is good medicine.”

“Yeah, it was given to me by that idiot. They said it was expensive.”

“Hehe, having a good friend who gives you stuff like that is quite nice.”

It felt somewhat weird for Claire’s cold and damp fingertips to glide along my skin, to be honest. It was slightly awkward to feel her concern, just like months ago when she tended to my wounds.

“It is upsetting to be injured, but it’s a relief that you’re doing what you want, Yeon-woo. Do you know how worried I was that I might have filled your head with useless dreams?”

“Ah… the dreams we used to talk about when we were kids. I’ve been dreaming about them a bit more frequently lately.”

“Oh my, is that so? By the way, Shar, did you know? Young Yeon-woo said they would become a hero.”

“Wh—!? Yeon-woo said that?! Tell me, tell me!”

“Stop it! That’s not the point!”

“Alright, alright. I’ll tell you later, so come visit me when you have time, Shar.”

“I’ll definitely ask you, Sister!!”

While we were having this trivial chat, Claire seemed to finish applying the medicine and snapped the lid of the container shut. Though more than half of it was gone after applying all over, there should still be enough left.

As Claire shoved the medicine container into her pocket, she peered into the refrigerator and said, “There’s nothing here. I was going to make something delicious.”

“Since you have culinary skills, that’s understandable.”

“Academy fare isn’t that bad, but as a mother, I want to give you a homemade meal in times like this.”

“I’d feel bad asking you to cook after coming from far away… and if that’s the case, you should have contacted me before coming.”

“I’m not against it. Anyway, Yeon-woo, it’s your fault…”

Claire, who hesitated for a moment, suddenly hardened her expression and reached out to something. In her hand was a golden longsword that definitely hadn’t been there before.

What the heck is that…!?

Just looking at it emanated an unusual presence. And knowing that she was aiming it at a familiar face made it all the more shocking.

“It’s not exactly joyful to see an uninvited guest after a reunion, Yuri.”

“It’s not uninvited; they’re a full-blooded human! What brings you to a place like this, Claire? What happened to your hundred years of hermitage?”

“It’s a bond of the heart we’ve formed. If you hadn’t shown up, none of this would have happened.”

“Master, why are you here…?”

Yuri, who had crossed her arms, raised both hands above her head. Claire smirked as she flicked her hand in the air, causing the longsword to vanish as if it melted into the atmosphere.

What was that!?

“It’s been quite a while, but you haven’t changed much, if at all. You seem even younger?”

“That’s not something an old ram should say, right? Why has nothing changed even after dozens of years?”

“What’s with that old man tone? Is that your concept?”

“I’m just old. It’s not a hobby to live like I’m not aged, unlike elves.”

Claire narrowed her eyes and glared at Yuri. “Are you saying I’m old right now?”

“Um, can someone explain what’s going on here? Do you two know each other?”

The two exchanged glances for a moment before Yuri spoke up. “Back when I was young, I visited to learn swordsmanship. At that time, Claire was the Elven Swordmaster.”

“Yuri was just a brat back then. Let’s see, you were about fifty years old then.”

“That makes you plenty old in human terms.”

“Didn’t I tell you not to call me that, Yuri?”

“Still desperately wanting to look young for an elf, huh?”

I can’t keep up with this conversation….

Seeing me staring in disbelief, Yuri chimed in, “So, since this has happened, why not ask Claire for a one-on-one lesson?”

“…Huh?”

“Wait a moment, Yuri. Are you really suggesting that even knowing I’ve been in hermitage?”

“Why not? A little observation should be fine. It seems like you’ve figured out how to at least take a downward cut out there. Besides, you look like you have some suitable concerns.”

“Oh my, is that so?”

The sister’s eyes sparkled as she looked at me. This is troublesome. I don’t know how Yuri found out, but I did have doubts about my combat style, and Sister loved to meddle in others’ affairs more than anyone.

Come to think of it, Claire had looked at my sword before. I’d completely forgotten since it was so long ago.

“Well, fine. I don’t know how much Yeon-woo can keep up, but just by watching should help. Um, do you have a training ground?”

“I’ll lend you the one I use for personal training. It’s been a while since I witnessed the Swordmaster’s sword.”

As they spoke, Claire and Yuri walked out of the living room. I stood there dumbstruck in the back.

What about the dorm’s security system? What’s with the sister’s sword? And what’s the deal with her having connections with a dragon? What the heck is a swordmaster? Countless thoughts spun in my head that I couldn’t voice.

Shar, floating above me, spoke up.

[Ah, Dad, are you okay? You look really dizzy….]

‘Honestly, I don’t understand anything that’s going on right now…’

I slapped my cheeks to gain focus. No idea how this chance came about, but if I could learn even a bit from the sister, my combat style could undergo tremendous growth in both technique and swordsmanship!

Just as I was about to chase after them, Shar held me back.

What is it, Shar!

[Dad, get dressed before you go out!!]

Right, I was still half-clothed.

*

In Yuri’s personal training room, a space that resembled plains, Yuri and Claire stood facing each other. Choi Yeon-woo observed from a distance.

“I can’t remember the last time I swung a sword against another person. Can I count on you, Yuri?”

“Me? You’re asking me?”

The two exchanged brief quips.

───Taang!!

The atmosphere ripped apart in an instant. Without even finishing their sentence, they charged at each other, causing space to buckle under their combined force. The golden longsword and dark longsword clashed.

“Whoa.”

[I’ll provide a barrier. Dad, just focus on watching.]

‘Thanks, Shar.’

A shimmering golden wall appeared before me, with a fierce wind slicing through it. Amidst it all, the golden and dark swords continued their fierce clash and entanglement.

What the heck is going on….

Despite the bewilderment, I forced myself to focus my gaze, eager to take in the scene. It’s not every day you get to witness masters duel like this.

Overall, it seemed Yuri was pressing Claire hard. It wasn’t about Claire lacking skill or anything. It felt like confronting a giant fortress with her fighting style.

With a long grip, she sometimes switched to two hands, sweeping away the dark sword with her wide blade. Like the drops of rain gliding off the tip of a leaf, Claire gracefully endured Yuri’s attacks with her delicate frame.

But Yuri didn’t hold back in returning the blows either. It was likely because she understood Claire’s style well.

The resonating sound of steel continuously echoed through the air. Swift strikes from Yuri were met with Claire’s solid, fortress-like defenses. The wider blade caught the dark sword while Claire swiftly pushed back against Yuri, resting her forearm on the opposite side.

Yuri, pushed back without warning, quickly regained her stance, and Claire seized the moment to grip her sword firmly with both hands and strike down.

As the green mana swirling around the golden blade clashed with the colorless mana, the air exploded.

Boom!!

The ground shattered. A massive crater now marked the spot where Yuri had been standing, drawing exasperated breath from her. Yeon-woo stared in awe at the spectacle.

‘Aura Weapon…!’

“Every time I see it, that swordsmanship doesn’t suit her at all.”

“What gives, huh?!”

With the golden sword held vertically at her side, Claire charged forward.

Yeon-woo exclaimed his admiration for what seemed like the umpteenth time. Just where does such strength come from, which feels completely unmatched by her appearance?

If I had to express it, it was as if she were an ancient tree standing sturdy against the earth. Thinking like that, it does align with the image of an elf. Elves supposedly have the World Tree in their land.

On the other hand, Yuri demonstrated a rather challenging-to-define combat style. It felt like she was strictly focused on the basics. Blocking, dodging, cutting, thrusting. While her visible techniques and impacts felt somewhat inferior to Claire’s, there was a sense of steady and solid gaining of advantage.

“Wow….”

[This is amazing. Both of them.]

“Right? You can’t even reference it because it’s on a whole other level. I might be able to observe and learn from the Master, but honestly, it’s hard to even see due to the Aura Weapon.”

Even if I had witnessed something like this, it wasn’t like I had the talent to seclude myself in some kind of epiphany. If that were the case, I wouldn’t have felt limitations back when wielding a spear instead of a sword.

However, I understood that I had to imprint this in my mind. Learning how to respond when faced with such a formidable opponent was incredibly important information.

It seems that, considering this wasn’t just an ordinary duel, things got a bit heated, huh?

Yuri thought as she faced down the green energy barreling toward her.

Hmm, it’s always impressive. An opponent who makes accurate judgments is undoubtedly troublesome to face.

In a way, the ultimate swordswoman was ageless. If I had to name someone who embodied omnipotence, I would choose Claire Wigder without a second thought.

The title of Swordmaster, which could only be grasped by the strongest among countless swordsmen, was undeniably no hollow boast.

In fact, the woman before me had secured that title before even reaching a hundred years in age, and there hadn’t been a successor to inherit it until she decided to give it up. She was truly one of the greatest geniuses in the long history of elves.

In the elven nation, the Great Tree Country, there are few visitors. Many wish to visit, but due to its notorious closure, securing a pass is exceedingly difficult.

Instead of following the convoluted procedures, Yuri displayed her strength. By showcasing her sword and stating she had come seeking instruction from the Swordmaster, her request was granted. She was able to enter surprisingly quickly as she had won against the swordsman dispatched from the royal palace.

And then, she witnessed, descending from the branches of the World Tree, the golden-haired elf, the embodiment of elven might, wielding the dual-purpose sword, Aurum.

As the golden Claire approached, leaping through the air as if leaping over a five-meter crater, Yuri saw a flash of that past.

Unable to retreat any further, she raised her sword in response. The blades clashed, sending a powerful shock through her body. She directed the impact into the ground using her aura.

Bang!!

With an explosive sound, the ground beneath Yuri’s feet caved in.

Claire gracefully withdrew her Aurum with a smooth motion.

“Shall we call it quits for now?”

“After wrecking the training ground like this, it would be best to agree. If we start fighting seriously, I won’t just be protecting my disciple; everything will be blown away. Let’s wrap it up here.”

The auras entwined around their swords diminished as both turned away from each other.

(To be continued in the next episode)