Dark Fantasy Normalized – Chapter 91

All swordmasters of the age received his teachings.

The great source of the sword.

“This is different from the rumors.”

The Elder Swordsman, known as the Elder Sword, spoke.

He was currently facing a swordsman.

According to the rumors, she was a madwoman consumed by the frenzy of slaughter.

However, to the eyes of the Elder Swordsman, who had seen many swordsmen in his time, she appeared differently.

“Child. You are not a madwoman trapped in insanity, are you?”

“…”

“Those unwavering, straight eyes. Even among my disciples, only a handful possess such eyes. Each one was born with the great qualities destined to leave a mark in history.”

Child.

The Elder Sword spoke mournfully.

“How could someone born with such straight and strong will have fallen into such a path?”

It was a voice filled with affection, as if addressing his disciple.

Yet, she—

The Blue Lotus could only respond with a sharp derision.

As if deeming it a foolish question unworthy of an answer.

Sigh.

Sigh.

A shallow breath escaped from her lips, which drew a line as clear as a hook.

Drip.

Blood trickled down from her sword.

Drip.

Blood oozed from her wounds.

After taking a deep breath, she exhaled again long after.

As if savoring the thick scent of blood that clung to the air.

“…”

A rare emotion of shock appeared on the seasoned swordsman’s face.

Before long, her breathing had stabilized.

In contrast—

“Hah…! Hah…!”

The other Sword Master, Jegeum, who had dueled her up until a moment ago, was still struggling to catch his breath.

“Incredible…”

The Elder Sword completely forgot that the Blue Lotus was a Murderous Fiend and felt pure awe.

Her control and breathing techniques had reached a realm unknown even to the Elder Sword.

“How could a monster like this exist…”

Thus, she was now in a perfectly controlled state.

In the midst of blood and steel, painting death, she felt a profound sense of happiness.

Her ragged breath was not one of excitement but of fulfillment.

She was not the beast ruled by instinct and savagery as known to the world.

She was a monster driven by reason and intellect, hungering for slaughter and blood.

“Argon. Regain your stance.”

At her Master’s words, Jegeum wondered if he was about to step in.

“From now on, we will coordinate our attack.”

“…Master?”

Jegeum doubted his own ears.

He understood what coordination meant to Sword Masters, who had a pride bordering on stubbornness regarding their swords.

Though Jegeum felt a moment of discontent—

“We must. We must stop ‘that’ here.”

Seeing his Master’s expression, he had no choice but to relent.

“…Understood.”

The coordination of the greatest Sword Master and his disciple.

The expression of the Murderous Fiend finally twisted into one of discomfort.

“Hah…”

At the same time, that breath became laden with deeper fulfillment.

Even amidst this, she felt an anticipation for the forthcoming battle and slaughter.

“…”

An overwhelming disparity in power.

The roles of hunter and prey were already set.

But why was it,

A fleeting trace of fear mingled with the two hunters’ momentum.

That day.

A fierce battle that would not be recorded in history unfolded on the nameless plains.

In that battle, the Elder Sword lost an arm.

And both the Elder and Jegeum lost their most treasured Ego Sword.

During the fight, the ego contained within the Ego Sword was completely consumed by the essence of the Murderous Fiend.

One Murderous Fiend’s essence had overwhelmed theirs.

The Elder Sword described that battle, in which he lost so much, as a stroke of luck.

That Murderous Fiend would surely never be satisfied.

The Blue Lotus.

She was a monster who could only feel happiness through blood and the carnage of battle.

*

“Ah.”

A sudden squeak echoed from somewhere.

It came from Klana, who had lost her breath in an unexpected sensation.

“…!”

Klana’s already flushed face gained even more heat.

Not the joy of before, but a distinct negativity seeping through—shame, humiliation, anger, and more.

Gradually, her expression draped with poison, encompassing all that negativity.

She dedicated all her focus to control her breath.

There was no confusion.

Breath and control were her most powerful weapons.

It wasn’t just numerous strong foes who turned into mere prey at the hands of the Blue Lotus for no reason.

It wasn’t for nothing that blood and groans delighted the Murderous Fiend.

Nothing, absolutely nothing could disrupt her breath and control.

“Ah…”

That was how it should be.

Yet, amidst this steady breath, a strange restlessness surfaced within her.

It was as if she was burning with anxiety.

Her throat itched, and her body wouldn’t stay still.

Klana rose nervously, agitated by the suffocating feeling.

Her gaze unconsciously followed Ricir.

He had stepped out of the inner world to learn from Klana’s movements.

“Huh…”

Realizing this, Klana felt relieved.

During the process of overwhelming him, she understood one thing.

He was a complete novice when it came to martial arts.

His body was trained but nothing more.

The moves she demonstrated were simple, basic actions that formed the foundation of all movements.

To grasp the essence contained in those actions would take immense time for a beginner in swordsmanship.

In other words, that meant a guaranteed period of freedom from him.

While there was a possibility he might command her to ‘teach more thoroughly’ within this inner world, even there she had no concerns.

That would clearly exceed her discretion.

Her sword was not a systematic swordsmanship.

It was a summation of the senses and techniques accumulated on the path of slaughter. That was the essence of her sword, ‘Klana Style’.

Detailed instruction—

In other words, the passing down based on a systematic format was effectively impossible.

Only transmission through intuition was possible.

It meant repeating ‘again’ until it worked.

Her sword was an intricate and non-standard blade, even skilled swordsmen found it difficult to contend with.

He would soon realize this fact and drop out on his own.

“…”

Klana felt satisfied, picturing Ricir’s demoralized appearance when things didn’t go as planned.

She spent her time envisioning various scenarios related to Ricir.

Just thinking of him filled her with rage, but what could she do?

In this quiet and empty inner world, that was all she could do.

Right now, the only being connected to her was him.

Thus, there was no other choice.

Klana could think only of Ricir.

*

“Klana. Could you come out for a moment?”

It was shortly after some time had passed following the contact in the inner world.

Ricir called her to review the movements he had displayed.

To enter the Ego Sword and experience the real world.

Klana neither entered the Ego Sword nor responded to Ricir’s words.

A silent protest that, no matter what control he exhibited, she would not willingly submit.

*

Klana wore a satisfied smile.

No longer did she hear his summons.

He must have realized.

The only way to get what he wanted from her was to enter the inner world and exert control.

Klana steeled herself, preparing for the impending moment of confrontation.

She would not be played by his whims like before.

Then suddenly, Klana found herself feeling an anticipation.

Why?

It must be the excitement of revenge.

She understood this and set aside her confusion.

*

Had her intentions worked more effectively than expected?

No matter how long she waited, he did not visit the inner world.

Klana celebrated.

Alone in the quiet, empty inner world.

“…”

It was strange.

This calmness and emptiness she had previously dismissed suddenly felt suffocating.

Klana found herself feeling an inexplicable anxiety.

*

It had been two days since Ricir stayed at Raan’s mansion.

During this time, Ricir holed up in the garden of his room, focusing on sword training to master the movements Klana had shown.

He performed the movements in front of the mirror he had placed in the garden.

Astoundingly convincing movements unfolded.

Contrary to Klana’s expectations or wishes, he had grasped the essence contained within those movements.

He himself was surprised.

Did he possess such talent for the sword?

‘No way.’

If that were the case, he would have shone much earlier when he was with Bendel.

‘Perhaps it’s thanks to the power of the Ego Sword he obtained this time.’

The imagery absorbed from the Blue Lotus was, in fact, Klana’s imagery.

Having embraced that entire imagery,

Ricir gained profound understanding of the Klana style.

With Klana’s full cooperation, the inheritance of the Klana style would proceed at an astonishing speed.

*

“Hmm…”

Yet, Ricir currently found himself lost, unable to gain Klana’s cooperation.

It remained fixed in his memory as a negative recollection of the moment he exerted control over her.

She referred to herself as the Murderous Fiend.

She had tried to attack him in the inner world to seize dominance and deceived Rodan, the one who used to respect her as a master.

Ricir thought he would feel no guilt over exploiting her, an evil being, and indeed, he did not.

What he established discomfort over was the unexpected aspect.

He recalled her appearance, surrendering to commands against her will.

The strange discomfort arising from manipulating another’s personality at will.

‘Had I just threatened her, it wouldn’t be this uncomfortable…’

Thus, Ricir continued to avoid situations where he would have to come into contact with Klana in the inner world.

Of course, as long as possible.

*

Ricir again performed the movements in front of the mirror.

“Slowly…”

The action he had repeatedly analyzed no longer revealed anything new.

‘Is this the limit of self-study.’

It was time for additional instruction.

‘To minimize the coercion…’

Ricir set his policy and closed his eyes.

Before long, the inner world unfolded before him, and a familiar situation played out.

A rushing Murderous Fiend.

For some reason, the Murderous Fiend’s moves were more explosive than before.

As if desperately thirsting for something.

The disparity in power was evident.

Ricir was overwhelmed by Klana before he even got a chance to act.

The weight on his hips perfectly restricted his lower body’s movement.

The pressure on his upper body utterly controlled his arms.

‘How on earth would I deal with this person if we were to meet in reality?’

Ricir chuckled at the thought.

Just as he had vowed to avoid coercion, he had unwittingly ended up in a situation where he couldn’t escape without such.

Of course, it was only natural.

This was someone who declared herself a Murderous Fiend, possessed of a temperament so overwhelming, and the raw strength that made her a Sword Master—a formidable force.

Moreover, she was currently in a state of absolute dominion over another’s inner world.

It was arrogant to assume he could handle such an existence without the control of the inner world.

‘Should I just give up.’

That’s when Ricir intended to exert control over the inner world.

“…”

Klana’s haughty expression, as she looked down at Ricir, twisted.

“Damn it…”

After she released his arm, she stood up with unnatural movements, as if forcibly compelled.

“You cowardly bastard…”

“?”

Did I use coercion?

No, I didn’t?

Ricir was bewildered at that moment.

Klana said,

“As I’ve said repeatedly, I have nothing to teach a lowly being like you. Get lost.”

“…!”

In an instant, Ricir found himself overpowered by her fierce presence.

She looked ready to pounce at any moment, a ravenous beast.

If she were to hunger for something, it was surely the desire to kill him.

‘She seems particularly irritable today.’

If he were to exert coercion on her now, the misalignment of that action would only heighten the discomfort.

A discomfort that would definitely grow.

‘Shall I endure a bit longer.’

Let me just wait until today passes.

That’s when Ricir turned to leave the inner world.

“Wait, just a moment…!”

“?”

Klana desperately grabbed at his sleeve.

“Damn it, is this really happening again? I have no choice…”

Her mutterings sounded almost as if she were persuading herself.

Ricir tilted his head at the sight of Klana awkwardly trying to display action.

‘The control isn’t in effect, right?’