A sword that emits such sharp Qi that just looking at it feels like your fingers might get cut off.
A weapon adorned with jewels. A treasure imbued with magic. Among all the rare and precious divine weapons piled up there, that iron sword was just sitting there all alone. And that’s exactly why it caught attention.
Among the divine swords, what stood out was an iron sword that looked like it could be bought at any blacksmith’s shop.
It wasn’t made of any special material, and when you tapped it with your finger, it was just iron. No matter how you looked at it, this iron sword didn’t seem like a royal treasure but rather like a cheap mass-produced item you’d find at a local blacksmith’s stall.
If you put a regular crow among a flock of white herons, it stands out. This iron sword wouldn’t stand out in a market, but here, it was oddly conspicuous.
So, it looked like something you’d want to touch out of curiosity. If that so-called “swordsman without a master” had intended this, then his mind must have been sharp.
‘A more ordinary sword than I thought… Ugh.’
Roka, who was gripping the hilt and trying to pull the sword out, frowned. It wasn’t even deeply embedded in the ground, just slightly stuck in the scabbard, but no matter how much force she applied, it didn’t budge.
The sword didn’t even twitch and remained firmly in place. Roka, now determined, put more strength into it, but the sword just stood there silently, observing her.
Yes, when Roka held the sword, the sword also looked at her.
Tap.Someone poked Roka’s neck with a finger. Startled, the wolf quickly turned around to see a man with a wide-brimmed hat smiling at her.
Roka’s eyes widened as she looked at the man’s face. Her pupils didn’t capture his face. She could see his eyes, nose, and mouth, but they didn’t come together to form a face.
His features were blurred, as if obscured by a pale mist. Roka couldn’t even tell what she was looking at.
-Why are you trying to grab that sword?
Person? Ghost? Whatever it was, it spoke kindly.
-From what I see, a saber suits you better than a sword.
“Who…?”
-I’m the owner of the sword you’re trying to pull out. To be precise, just a part of its will.
The figure, who introduced itself as the sword’s will, bowed.
-My name is Heron. Perhaps you could say it’s fate that we’ve met like this.
“The swordsman without a master? But…”
-It’s been a while since I’ve been called that. Almost five hundred years. Yes, that much time has passed. Eldrin. That guy must have been buried long ago too.
The name of the first emperor had just come out of his mouth.
But he clearly had the right to say it. Five hundred years ago, when various nations were scattered across the continent, this swordsman helped the first emperor bring order to the land.
Known as the swordsman without a master, even the first emperor treated him as a friend and companion, not a subordinate.
If anything, they were partners, never in a master-servant relationship.
“If it’s five hundred years ago, shouldn’t you be dead by now…? Unless you’re an elf or a dragon…”
-Kid. When you reach my level, you’ll naturally understand why. Many have tried to pull this sword, but the reason I wanted to meet you is simply…
In a few strides, he was suddenly right next to the sword. As if lifting a cotton ball, he effortlessly pulled the sword out. The sword that wouldn’t budge for Roka was now casually swung through the air in his hand.
-You had the minimum qualifications to wield this sword. What I look for isn’t talent, nor desperation. Just one thing: whether you have the heart to protect someone.
This isn’t a sacred sword made by gods, nor a demonic sword forged by devils.
But if it’s something that threatens humanity, whether it’s holy or evil, this sword can cut through it all. It’s a sword forged from the heart of a human, shaped by human will.
“The heart to protect…”
-But as I said earlier, a saber suits you better than a sword.
The greatest swordsman, who forged this sword with his heart, declared. In his eyes, Roka didn’t suit a sword at all.
Roka, annoyed, retorted.
“Why? You’ve never even seen me wield a sword.”
-What is a sword? It’s a weapon of balance. A sword, in truth, is inferior to other weapons if you try to use it for just one purpose.
-It’s worse than a spear for thrusting, worse than a hammer for striking. An axe is much better for chopping. So why do people think of swords first when they think of weapons?
It’s because the power of magic can compensate for its shortcomings.
If thrusting is weaker than a spear? Strengthen it with magic.
If chopping is weaker than an axe? No problem. Pour in magic, and it’s solved.
If you can use enough magic, a sword can become an incredibly versatile weapon. Thrusting, slashing, striking—it can embody strength, softness, and sharpness all at once.
“Because of… magic?”
-Yes. That’s why, when using a sword, you must always maintain composure. Even if a spear tip is right in front of your throat, your heart must not waver. Even if provoked, you must remain calm. Even if bloodlust boils within, you must act rationally to be a good swordsman.
That versatility is a tremendous advantage, but for the wielder, it’s not always a good thing.
-Instead, you must always be calculating. How will you respond to your opponent now? Will you thrust, slash, or strike from the side? The more options a weapon gives you, the more choices you have.
Roka made a puzzled expression.
-Do you like calculating like this? From what I see, it doesn’t seem like it.
“But the swordsmen I’ve seen didn’t do that. They just pushed through with strength…”
Ardein von Illumina used a sword, but her style was completely different from what Heron described. Wasn’t her combat style all about overwhelming force and explosive power with the Dragon Form Technique?
The swordsman without a master laughed at that. She had chosen the wrong weapon.
A saber suits explosive power better than a sword. Of course, you can use a sword explosively if you want. But if that’s all you do, then you’ve completely misunderstood the sword.
A sword is the most human-like weapon, with its versatility and adaptability being its strengths. If you’re going to focus on one aspect, wouldn’t it be better to learn a weapon specialized in that from the start?
-From what I see, you’d probably like this.
Heron casually lifted the sword vertically. At that moment, an immense amount of magical power flowed into the sword from the sky, and as the sword came down, it scorched the world.
For a moment, everything turned blue. All the treasures in the area were enveloped in blue magical power, losing their luster, and the bright blue light filled the vault. All this magical power brushed past their bodies without destroying anything.
But if he had wanted to, he certainly could have.
Every time the magical power, far surpassing what Roka possessed, brushed past her, her body trembled, and her ears perked up. The fur on her tail stood on end, sharp and alert.
Mobilizing this much magical power was already a tremendous feat, but controlling every strand of it perfectly without destroying anything was even more impressive. Destruction is easy. But using magical power to strike without causing destruction is a level beyond difficult.
-You don’t need calculations. Don’t you want to counter force with force, crush your opponent with overwhelming power? Smashing down and destroying those who stand in your way seems to be your style. Then a saber is perfect for you. Preferably a large one, like a nodachi.
“How… do you do that? Teach me. You can do it with a sword too, right?”
Roka’s eyes sparkled as she saw this power. This was it. This was the power she wanted.
If she had this kind of technique, she wouldn’t even need to use the Power of the Sun. With just her own strength, she could have split the little princess Kamira in half. With this kind of power, what would be so hard about protecting her master?
-You don’t have a master, do you?
Heron smiled wryly. This isn’t a technique; it’s a state of being. When you reach this level, you can do it naturally.
It seemed like he needed to explain the basics to this kid. The fact that she couldn’t even understand what he had done made it even more necessary.
-But that might be for the better. Having no master means having no preconceptions.
Sometimes, watching the sunset as the sun sets.
Sometimes, watching the crashing waves and the blowing mountain breeze.
The swordsman without a master, who learned the sword by taking nature as his teacher, looked at this successor who also had no master.
The child’s tribe had no proper tradition. The Princess Ardein, who took over and taught the child, had only a short time to teach and only explained the most basic things.
The third master, who appeared after the princess, smiled at Roka. He immediately saw what Roka needed most.
What this child needed now wasn’t some profound enlightenment but the basics and fundamentals. It was an important time to understand where she was and where she needed to go.
-Child. In this world, there are third-tier, second-tier, and first-tier. Where do you think your level is?
People in the world talk about experts and masters, but those terms didn’t resonate with him. The swordsman without a master, who learned the sword from nature, had created his own system of levels.
“I think I’m at least second-tier.”
-Third-tier. Don’t overestimate yourself.
This system of levels doesn’t strictly divide absolute strength.
A third-tier could be stronger than a second-tier, and a second-tier could surpass a first-tier. Theoretically, nothing is impossible. But that’s just theory, and usually, the higher the level, the stronger one is.
-How strong you think you are, I don’t know…
In his view, third-tier means only being able to draw upon your own strength.
-Even if your power is enough to cover the sky, compared to the whole world, it’s still infinitely small. If you can’t draw upon that power, no matter how strong you are, you’re still third-tier.
