The Strongest Villain Sets Out: Reincarnated into a Merit-Based Clan, I Become the World's Strongest Swordsman - Chapter 7: Holy Relic

Crunch crunch crunch.

Walking steadily up the mountain path while treading on the accumulated snow.

Along the way, I killed every monster that appeared.

Eight years since my reincarnation. This was my first time encountering monsters, but my heart didn’t waver even a millimeter.

I calmly assessed the monsters’ movements while piercing their vital points.

I didn’t even need to use aura anymore. For weak individuals, I could brute force my way through with physical ability alone.

[Hehe. I know what you are feeling right now~]

“What are you talking about?”

[It’s simple! You must be wondering why your physical abilities are so high!]

“Not really.”

[Why not?! Normally you’d be curious?!]

“I have a good idea why.”

It’s true that at first, like Lilith said, I was surprised I could defeat monsters without using aura. Even if I was a Salvatore, defeating monsters at eight years old was abnormal.

However, I quickly realized it was due to Lilith’s influence. By contracting with her, not just my aura, but my raw physical abilities had also increased.

[Boo~. Having good intuition is annoying too.]

“I’m grateful for your power, Lilith. Thanks to it, I can become stronger at the fastest pace.”

Though I sometimes complained or acted cold, inwardly I was properly grateful to Lilith. The reason I didn’t voice it is because this wasn’t a power-up based on trust, faith, or affection.

What existed between Lilith and me was an alignment of interests. I lend a hand in Lilith’s revenge, and Lilith makes me stronger to achieve that revenge. That’s all there is to it. Therefore, I couldn’t place complete trust in her.

[Good that you understand~. …But Luka, where are you heading? You’re not looking for monsters, right?]

“Right. The key to this survival is how to avoid fighting monsters. There’s no need to waste stamina unnecessarily.”

[Then why aren’t you staying in one place or resting, but keep climbing the mountain path?]

“I’m looking for something. In this mountain range.”

[Looking for something? What’s that?]

“A cave.”

[Why a cave? Are you going to make it your base?]

“That’s part of it. But the main reason is different.”

[Mmm… stop being mysterious and tell me quickly~]

Hmph!, Lilith puffed out her cheeks and hit my back. It seems she could interfere with my body since we made a contract. Despite being just a soul.

“Yes, yes. I want something that’s dropped in that cave.”

[D-dropped? Something worth coming all the way to these snowy mountains to find?]

“You’ll definitely be surprised when you see it. After all, that dropped item is—a holy relic.”

[A h-holy relic? A holy relic is that thing, right? Tools that heroes carried.]

“That’s right. That holy relic should be dropped inside the cave.”

[How do you know that?]

“I saw it in a dream.”

[Huh?]

“Just kidding. I can’t tell you the reason. You don’t need to know either.”

[…That’s true.]

Lilith accepted this with a cheerful expression.

It was unfortunate, but I couldn’t tell her about my previous life. There’d be no point in telling her, and I didn’t think Lilith would understand anyway.

My secrets were mine. There was no merit in explaining unnecessarily. After that, I continued walking the mountain path without rest.

After a while, I could see the entrance to the cave I was looking for. I don’t know if the holy relic is actually dropped there, but I enter while being wary of monsters.

In the dim darkness, I found it. A silver necklace lying on the ground.

“Heh. You’re lucky, Lilith.”

[Could that be the holy relic Luka was aiming for?]

“Yeah. An item that once belonged to a priest who saved and guided many people.”

[Why was such a thing near your house?]

“Who knows. As far as I know, the human who had this holy relic is—look, dead.”

I picked up the necklace and proceeded further, finding a skeleton lying some distance away. Judging by the pelvis and overall size, it was a male.

[A corpse. It was this person’s item.]

“Probably. Whether this person was here because they were chased by monsters or had business in this mine—I don’t know the detailed reason. It doesn’t matter.”

It’s not my concern.

[You’re so cold. You lack humanity.]

“Is that so? …Maybe you’re right.”

To me, this world was an extension of a game. It felt real yet somehow like a fantasy too.

Maybe that’s why. Other people’s deaths weren’t particularly sad to me. As long as I was safe, that was fine, and I had discarded anything unnecessary for becoming stronger. I have to do that to survive as a member of the Salvatore family.

I will continue to follow my own path for my own sake. Even if the ending I desired wasn’t at the end of that path—

“More importantly, let’s start a fire here today and spend the night.”

[We can shelter from the snow and wind.]

“Yeah.”

Lilith was quick to understand, which helped. She didn’t pry unnecessarily either—an ideal partner.

I put the necklace around my neck and headed back the way I came. I had already brought tools for starting a fire. After that, I moved as close to the cave entrance as possible to let the smoke out.

Then, while walking, I noticed.

“!”

I stopped dead in my tracks. Lilith walking beside me noticed too.

[Oh no~. This reaction is definitely human. Could it be someone you know?]

“Impossible. During survival, no one’s interference is permitted. They’re definitely suspicious persons or—mountain bandits.”

During my training with Norn-nee-san, she told me something. That my other siblings resented my talent.

Resent was too mild a word. I should say they hate me enough to want to kill me.

She warned me that assassins would probably be sent after me from a young age. Judging from that, this situation wasn’t ordinary either. To begin with, multiple knights were conducting surveillance near this snowy mountain. Could mere bandits slip through those gaps?

It was definitely the work of insiders who knew the guard positions in advance. That way they could easily infiltrate the snowy mountain.

Plus, the fact that they came targeting my location specifically means…

“—As I thought.”

I searched through the supplied bag.

At the very bottom was an unfamiliar tool. Based on its shape and material, it’s a magic item. Probably something that transmits location information to another magic item.

[What’s that?]

“A transmitter. Something to send my location to another device.”

[Eh? Then this reaction really is…]

“Probably my family’s doing. How thoughtful of them to prepare even expensive magic items.”

I dropped the magic item on the ground and stepped on it. A crack! sound echoed through the cave.

[What will you do? Run?]

“No, it’s too late now. I’m already surrounded.”

[They targeted when you were in the cave~]

“No problem. If they’re going to attack, I’ll fight back.”

[Will you be okay? You are still only eight years old.]

“Even at eight, with Lilith’s aura I can win. I’ve been training for this.”

Grinning, I resumed walking. When I stepped outside from the cave entrance, multiple suspicious figures in black were surrounding the cave in the blizzard. Seeing me emerge from inside, the black-clad figure standing at the front spoke.

“So you’re the rumored prodigy.”

“And who hired you? What an idiot to accept my brother’s request.”

“Ho? You’re quite composed. And you understand our scheme and backing too.”

“Hmm.”

This reaction—did one of my brothers send these guys here? He didn’t deny it, and his response was smooth. The possibility is high.

“I’ll tell you upfront—if you run now, I won’t pursue. If you value your lives, get lost.”

“Haha! As expected of a Salvatore family member. An eight-year-old brat surrounded by us with that composure. Doesn’t seem like a bluff.”

“In fact, if you come at me, I’ll kill you.”

I glared at the black-clad man. The man laughed even more enjoyably, making sounds in his throat.

“Good, good! I thought this would be a boring job, but there’s room for me to enjoy myself too! Of course my answer is ‘no.’ If I kill you, I’ll get a lot of money, you know? I’ve already received the advance payment, so just die quickly.”

The man drew his sword from the sheath at his waist. I could faintly see an aura reaction from his body.

“Good grief… I don’t know whose scheme this is, but truly—how grateful.”

I could no longer suppress the beast within me. I could feel my mouth corners twisting eerily.

I couldn’t stop laughing. I was just thinking that monsters alone weren’t interesting enough. To think I’d get to experience person-to-person combat here too. Killing two birds with one stone.

I also drew my sword from its sheath. Cloaked in aura, I shouted while maintaining my carved smile.

“Do your best to become my flesh and blood!”