C794
"What do you mean by a level that only I can reach?"
Raon leaned forward and swallowed hard. While he didn't understand the full meaning of a level only he could reach, Rector's expectation was palpable, making his heart race.
"It means you can take another step on the true path of the Ten Thousand Swords you're traversing."
Rector raised his finger and traced the shape of a sword in the air.
"Your grandfather and I also pursued the Ten Thousand Swords, but we never reached the true form. The path you're traversing is like a new world that even we haven't explored."
He let out a dejected laugh, saying that both he and Glenn were still a few steps away from the true Ten Thousand Swords.
"Before..."
Raon nodded slightly, looking up.
"The Head of House said something similar."
Glenn, like Rector, had advised him that the path of the Ten Thousand Swords he was traversing was unlike any other, and that he should learn and face as many sword techniques and martial arts as possible. Using that advice as a springboard, he had trained with the entire Light Wind division, leading to significant martial arts achievements not only for himself but for all the swordsmen.
"It seems he was thinking the same thing as me."
Rector smiled deeply and said he had expected as much.
"Even the first leader of the Holy Sword Alliance pursued the true Ten Thousand Swords, but it seems he failed in the end. You're traversing an unprecedented path."
He nodded gently, as if to say he believed in Raon.
"Unprecedented..."
Raon pressed his lips as he looked towards his left chest, where the Fire Ring swirled.
«That might not be true.»
Every time he saw the swordsmanship of the Zieghart ancestor in his memories, it felt like looking at himself in a mirror. He thought that perhaps he had traversed the path of the true Ten Thousand Swords before anyone else.
'But...'
What kind of person was our ancestor? He increasingly felt curious about the identity of the First Patriarch Zieghart, who wandered the entire continent as if it were his own backyard, hid seeds for the future in places unknown to anyone, and fought unknown enemies.
'That strength is especially peculiar.'
The appearance of the First Patriarch Zieghart he had seen was extremely young. At that age, Transcendence. The fact that the First Patriarch displayed power on par with the current Glenn didn't seem human.
-Hmph! He likes the word unprecedented!
Wrath frowned as if he was displeased.
-If this king had picked up a sword, I would have devoured all those Ten Thousand Swords or dumplings or whatever!
"They're not dumplings..."
-Ah, now that I say it, I suddenly want dumplings. Bring them immediately!
He waved his chubby hand, indicating he was hungry.
"Sigh..."
Raon sighed and shook his head. These days, all conversations with that guy ended up being about food. He was so tired of it that he didn't even want to respond anymore.
"No need to feel burdened."
Rector smiled gently, seemingly interpreting Raon's sigh as a feeling of pressure.
"As I said, the Holy Sword Alliance swordsmen each follow their own path with the sword. Even if their martial prowess weakens or they are ridiculed, they don't change their beliefs. Simply clashing swords with them will give you something to gain."
He gestured with his hand, saying not to overthink learning, but to fight with the mentality of seeing small milestones.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Raon immediately bowed his head, feeling that Rector was giving sincere advice.
-Is there no mint chocolate path? This king could traverse it as much as he wanted...
'Please shut up!'
Raon was shooing away Wrath, who was muttering, when he made eye contact with the people waiting outside the mansion. The swordsmen who had challenged Burren, Martha, and Runaan were staring at him like predators.
'A challenge...'
Now that he thought about it, it had been quite a while since he had become a challenger and requested a duel with someone. It might be fun to fight again, setting aside status and level.
"But in this challenge letter, there's a name written, but I don't know who it is..."
Burren tilted his head and said he didn't know who to choose.
"The problem isn't the name, but the skill. I don't know how strong this guy is! And why did they write the challenge on a leaf!"
Martha gritted her teeth as she looked at the leaf with the challenger's name written on it.
"I..."
Runaan held a challenge letter with the name Kisar written on it, as if it didn't matter who it was.
—Ah, I didn't mention it.
Mustan clapped his hands and held up one of the challenge letters.
"These cut marks are called sword lines and are an indicator of the martial prowess of the Holy Sword Alliance swordsmen."
He pointed to the cut marks written after the challenger's name, licking his lips.
"One line is basic, two lines are lower-level mid-expert, three lines are upper-level peak expert. And so on."
Mustan smiled and said it wasn't difficult to understand.
"So, this means Kisar, who sent this challenge letter, has skills from upper-level to Master level."
He shrugged and told them to choose challengers based on the cut marks.
"I have one more question."
Burren raised his hand as he examined the challenge letter he had been sent.
"There are many swordsmen with five lines challenging me. Does that mean they're all upper Masters?"
"There are many swordsmen in the Holy Sword Alliance who don't participate in external activities. They are eccentrics who focus solely on their own training."
Mustan gestured with his hand, saying there were people scattered around who had no interest in power struggles.
"And you leave them alone?"
"They earn their living. They farm, chop wood, do paperwork."
"An upper Master level... farming?"
"There are even Grand Masters who often do laundry."
He nodded, saying it wasn't unusual in the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Think of them as the Elders' Council of other factions."
Mustan moistened his lips and said that, anyway, they weren't swords that could be used externally.
"But if someone attacks us, they will feel the true terror of the Holy Sword Alliance."
"Did the previous Holy Sword Alliance leader allow this?"
"That person didn't care about anything other than his own swordsmanship and the swordsmen he found interesting."
He laughed, as if saying, Don't you know that from seeing the previous Holy Sword Alliance Leader?
"Mmm..."
Burren let out a sigh as he looked out the window, still not understanding.
—But you, why are you speaking informally while using honorifics for Raon?
Martha frowned as she looked at Mustan.
—Because he is Lord Raon. You are not Lord Raon.
Mustan tilted his head as if to say, isn't that enough?
"Ugh..."
Martha seemed to have nothing to say, biting her lips before leaning back on the sofa.
"He's not wrong."
Burren chuckled, rubbing his chin.
"I've already decided. I want to fight that person."
After thinking carefully, he picked up the challenge letter from a swordsman named Repan with five sword lines.
"I'll take this one!"
Martha also crumpled a challenge letter from a swordsman with five sword lines in her hand.
“Before accepting the challenge, take this first.”
Mustan handed out badges engraved with a single sword to Burren, Rector, and Runaan.
"From now on, you are one-sword-line swordsmen. Of course, if you defeat a five-line swordsman, you can obtain that status immediately."
He gestured with his hand, as if saying, do your best.
"Fine. I'll have six lines before I leave here."
Martha shouted that she would reach the Grand Master level, gripping the hilt of her sword.
"It's okay to lose, so try challenging yourself in different ways. You must find a path suitable for you to reach the peak of the Master level and finally surpass the Grand Master wall."
Raon nodded, giving the advice that Burren, Martha, and Runaan needed most at that moment.
"I won't lose! Absolutely not!"
Martha wrinkled her nose, saying she wouldn't suffer a single defeat.
"Right. That's how it should be."
Burren nodded and said he would consider dozens of defeats here.
"Doing my best."
Runaan nodded slightly, as if to say she would find a balance between Burren and Martha.
"Umm, excuse me..."
Dorian, who had been quiet until now, raised two challenge letters with trembling hands.
"Why do I have six lines?"
He blinked rapidly, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Six lines means Grand Master, right?"
"Oh!"
Mustan softly clapped his hands as he looked at the name engraved on the challenge letter.
"This person rarely issues challenges. This is a good opportunity!"
He nodded, saying he would accept the duel without hesitation.
"Ugh..."
Dorian waved his hands and shouted that he refused outright.
-It's embarrassing to have a coward as my subordinate…
Wrath sighed, saying his cowardly nature hadn't disappeared yet.
"But he's improved compared to before."
Raon chuckled. If it had been the previous Dorian, he would have already fled to Zieghart. The fact that he stayed there was an improvement in itself.
"In the Holy Sword Alliance's 'regular duels', using killing intent is prohibited. You won't die, so do it."
Mustan grabbed Dorian by the scruff of his neck and told him he wouldn't die.
"Six lines? Why did it fall to you?"
"It's a good opportunity. Stop complaining and get ready."
"I'm jealous..."
Martha, Burren, and Runaan licked their lips, seemingly envious of Dorian, who had received a challenge from a Grand Master.
"If you're jealous, why don't the squad leaders do it? I'll really die!"
"Shut up!"
Dorian groaned and struggled, but Mustan didn't let go.
—What will you do, Lord Raon?
Mustan carefully bowed his head to Raon, unlike when he was shouting at Dorian.
"I'll talk a little more with my grandfather before heading out."
"Understood."
He bowed deeply before turning around.
"Everyone outside. I'll guide you to the challengers."
Mustan bowed to Raon and Rector before leading the others outside.
"Lord Raon! Young Master! Hey!"
Dorian kept calling Raon's name, but he didn't look back once.
—So, what did you want to tell me?
Rector turned his gaze to Raon after laughing at Dorian's crumpled expression.
"Could you tell me where this place is?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked at the now calm exterior.
"It's the secret home of the Holy Sword Alliance, passed down from the first Holy Sword Alliance Leader."
"That person created this place?"
"I'm not sure about that."
He shook his head and said he had only heard about it from the previous Holy Sword Alliance leader.
"Then, how long has the Holy Sword Alliance existed?"
A new question arose as he thought there might be a connection between Zieghart's First Patriarch and the Holy Sword Alliance.
"As far as I know, it's been over 500 years."
"500 years..."
500 years meant it had nothing to do with Zieghart's First Patriarch. Just as he was about to sigh, thinking it was different from his expectations, Rector continued speaking.
"However, I've heard that the origins of the Holy Sword Alliance existed even a thousand years ago."
Rector shook his head and said that if traced back to its origins, they might be over a thousand years old.
"A thousand years..."
Raon swallowed with difficulty as he looked at Rector. It seemed increasingly possible that the blond man he had seen in the cave was actually Zieghart's First Patriarch.
"But why are you suddenly curious about the Holy Sword Alliance?"
"Just curious."
"Ahem!"
Rector suddenly blushed, seemingly thinking of something.
"Right! Right! If you have questions, ask more! I'll tell you everything!"
He extended his hand and told him he could ask anything he wanted.
"Uh, I don't have any more..."
Raon shook his head and looked at Rector. He had no information to base further questions on, so there was nothing else to ask.
"Mmm..."
Rector sighed disappointedly and slumped his shoulders. Seeing this, Raon felt he should ask at least one more question.
—Grandfather! Where is the person you said reached Transcendence before?
"Are you planning to challenge him?"
"No, I will eventually, but I just want to know beforehand."
Raon calmly shook his head. He planned to fight other swordsmen to hone his senses before challenging him for the final time.
—Then there's no need to know now. You couldn't meet him even if you wanted to.
Rector lowered his brows and said he wasn't someone who could be easily seen. It seemed he had settled in a quiet place and was only training.
"I understand. Then I'll go too."
Raon stood up from the sofa, turning his wrist.
"Alright. As I said, focus on learning, not winning. You're sure to gain a lot."
"Yes."
After bowing to Rector, he left his mansion. There were no people around, as if everyone had gone to watch the duels of Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
'I'm curious about the First Patriarch's identity, but...'
Raon licked his lips as he followed the sound of clashing metal coming from the mountain.
'Now my training comes first. I'll request a duel with everyone I meet...'
-Food comes first!
Suddenly, Wrath interjected and shouted that they should eat.
'Read the room! I'm making a decision!'
-You're the worst at reading the room, inhuman human!
Raon argued with Wrath as he walked through the seemingly empty city.
* * *
It hadn't been long since a fierce battle had ended, as evidenced by the churned earth emitting a grey vapor. Two elderly men, bleeding from their heads and stomachs, lay sprawled on it.
"Did you see it? The Alliance leader has returned..."
The red-haired elder slightly raised his head.
"Yes. He brought guests. Each one..."
The black-haired elder narrowed his eyes.
"Were strong. No, I should say they will become strong."
"At that age, it's alright to say they're strong. Although they were disguised, they were just children."
The red-haired elder shook his head, telling him to look carefully.
"That chubby kid is a bit ambiguous, but it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them all geniuses. However, among them..."
"Right. There was a monster who devoured geniuses."
The black-haired elder cut off the red-haired elder's words and exhaled sharply.
"Those below can't recognize it, but the Grand Master is upper-level or above."
His lips trembled, as if he still couldn't believe it.
"I felt the same, so it must be safe."
The red-haired elder nodded, letting out a hollow laugh.
"I'll challenge that kid first..."
"I should cross swords first..."
The two elders spoke defiantly at the same time, then stopped abruptly.
"You lost to me! Back off!"
"Who lost? You lost! Clinging and crying!"
The black-haired elder and the red-haired elder stared at each other and stood up.
"Then, shall we settle this once and for all today?"
"Fine! Let's determine who the winner and loser is here!"
The black-haired elder raised his sword upwards and the red-haired elder lowered his sword. The earth rumbled and the river began to boil and bubble as the two swordsmen raised their auras as if they were going to fight again. Just as the black-haired elder and the red-haired elder were about to attack each other with astral rings on their sword blades...
A tall figure appeared in the air, grabbed the black-haired elder and the red-haired elder by their necks, and threw them directly into the river. The movement was so exquisite that the red-haired elder and the black-haired elder couldn't even resist and fell into the river water.
"What a racket. How long are you going to keep fighting..."
The tall man with long, white hair stared at the black-haired elder and the red-haired elder for a while before descending the mountain.
"Tch!"
The red-haired elder clicked his tongue as he watched the tall man slowly disappear.
"How long is that damn guy going to keep getting stronger?! We didn't even realize he appeared!"
"He's said to be the Holy Sword Alliance's greatest talent. Though the previous Alliance leader didn't recognize him."
The black-haired elder chuckled and shook his head.
"That guy isn't strong as a swordsman, but as a martial artist, so it can't be helped."
The red-haired elder snorted, as if he was displeased.
"Still, I didn't expect him to surpass the Transcendence wall so quickly."
"Right. It's a damn world where only talent matters!"
"Anyway, where's that guy going?"
—Probably to steal food. He comes once a month because he's too lazy to work, right?
"How can a guy like that..."
The two elders didn't bother getting up from the river, as if they had lost the will to fight. The tall man who had thrown the elders walked towards the city, staggering like a scarecrow. As he calmly walked towards a restaurant, a young man appeared from between the alleys.
"Ah."
Black hair, black eyes. Although he had an unfamiliar face and sword line, he possessed a formidable aura that made it impossible to gauge his age.
"You're a swordsman, right? Would you accept my challenge?"
His eyes gleamed with fighting spirit, as if requesting a duel.
-
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