“…This is driving me crazy.”
More than a few days had passed since Leniyar had fully recovered. Considering the harsh environment of Hoarfrost Gorge, these weren’t the kind of injuries that should have healed in just a day or two.
However, the body of a swordsman, trained to the extreme, healed at a pace far beyond that of an ordinary person. Moreover, the private tent Khan had arranged for her provided a comfort that was hard to believe existed in Hoarfrost Gorge.
So, everything seemed well.
In Hoarfrost Gorge, there was no one who could match her strength, making escape easy if she wanted. Escaping wouldn’t be an issue; in fact, if she put her mind to it, she could accomplish much more than just escaping…
“Then why am I just sitting here…?”
Despite knowing this, Leniyar quietly remained confined in the tent. It wasn’t because she was without a sword. She could easily overpower anyone to get hold of any weapon and fight at full strength.
It wasn’t because she feared traversing Hoarfrost Gorge and the snow-capped mountains alone. Although she had relied on spirit magic for convenience, Leniyar was confident she could navigate the way back alone.
‘It’s just… I don’t have the will for it…’
It felt as if the core of her motivation had burned out, leaving her with no spark of determination. This peculiar sense of lethargy drained all her enthusiasm. Leniyar, for the first time in a long while, had stopped training with her sword. Even during her drugged haze at Paradise Bank, she had never ceased her training.
“Is anyone there?”
Just as Leniyar was pondering over her sudden lack of drive, the now familiar voice called from outside the tent. She allowed her visitor to enter.
“Ahem. Excuse me, coming in.”
From the entrance of the tent, Alejandro, the long-armed, bald man, cautiously peeked inside with his eyes slightly squinted. Leniyar, knowing why he was doing this, teased him.
“You look like a criminal, yet you’re such a prude? I’ve never even said anything.”
“It’s not because I’m embarrassed! I’m worried you’ll stab me later!”
“You’re cuter than you look. If you don’t like it, tell that bastard to get me some clothes that fit. These are too uncomfortable to wear.”
Leniyar scowled as she tugged at the tight-fitting clothes.
Due to her height and well-toned muscles, even compared to many men, the women’s garments were too small and uncomfortable. Maya, the original owner, boasted a robust frame amongst women in Midland, yet even her clothes were insufficient for Leniyar.
“Or you could give me yours. They seem like they might fit.”
“…I’ll bring some later.”
“Do that. So, why are you here now?”
“This time, I’m here on an errand for our witch. She needs verification of something and has requested your presence at the lord’s quarters.”
“Why can’t that pretty little thing come here herself?”
Alejandro gulped and put on as pitiful a face as he could manage.
“Please, have mercy. If you and the witch start clashing, it’s my back that’ll suffer. Besides, the witch is busy with some research for the lord….”
“Hmmm….”
“Could you possibly… help us out?”
As Leniyar’s silence stretched, the sly smile on her face grew, making Alejandro’s face turn paler.
“Well, alright. I have nothing better to do anyway, so going over there won’t be a problem.”
“Really? Thank you, Sword Demon! You’re a lifesaver…!”
Alejandro bowed deeply, nearly kissing the ground in gratitude, while Leniyar merely nodded, urging him to lead the way with a flick of her head, the enigmatic smile never leaving her face.
“Yes. I’ll escort you promptly!”
For the first time since regaining her senses, Leniyar stepped outside the tent and scoffed at the attention she received. The emotions in the gazes were varied, predominantly curiosity and a touch of wariness.
Though most appeared curious, one particular gaze was impossible to ignore.
“Seems like he’s about to have a breakthrough soon….”
“Pardon? What did you say?”
“Nothing, just talking to myself. Keep leading the way.”
Leniyar chuckled as she glanced at the person who had been training and felt the intense gaze on her, only to burst into laughter.
‘Looks like she hasn’t realized it herself. Her talent seems average, but her foundation is solid… well, it’s up to her to figure it out.’
Had she encountered her back at Sword Mountain, she might have offered some guidance, but there was no reason to do so here. Ignoring the sharp stare, Leniyar followed Alejandro to Khan’s quarters.
“You’re here. You came more willingly than I expected.”
“I’m not here for you. I’m just fulfilling his request.”
“That’s true. But it’s still surprising. You chased him all the way here intending to kill him. What changed?”
Leniyar didn’t immediately answer.
Instead, she wiped the smile off her face and stared at Ludmilla. Ludmilla didn’t avert her gaze, and the two held eye contact in silence, with only Alejandro looking nervously between them.
“Well, alright.”
Surprisingly, it was Leniyar who broke the silence.
“What do you want to know? We’re not exactly keen on each other, so let’s finish this quickly.”
“You really seem different. Alright, let’s get down to business then. It’s not as major as you might think.”
Ludmilla had been researching the few invaluable manuscripts left in Hoarfrost Gorge, and through that research, she had stumbled upon a puzzling question.
In the current situation, the only person who could potentially answer that question was the Sword Demon standing before her. As a senior member of Sword Mountain, one of the prominent external forces alongside the Pantheon Church and the Magic Tower, and a direct disciple of its head, she should have the necessary knowledge…
“Do you know about the ancient imperial prince who is said to have founded the ancient swordsmanship techniques?”
“I’m aware. Valken, that old man, hammered it into my ears enough times. Personally, I think it’s a load of nonsense. Honestly, if there were a single person who created all those ancient sword techniques passed down to this day, the noisy nobles in the imperial family would boast about it constantly.”
“That’s the story I’m interested in. What did your master tell you?”
“… You sure have strange curiosities.”
Leniyar delved into her memories.
Most of the tedious lectures had gone in one ear and out the other, leaving little in her mind. However, the important bits had stuck.
“Stuff like stopping the invasion of giants with a single sword, clipping the wings of an ancient dragon, half-killing and driving away a demon prince… mostly ridiculous stories. Ah, there was one more thing.”
Obsessively eradicating beings from the Void?
***
“Grr…! What are you doing all of a sudden—!”
Khan, who had tried to maximize his distance using ‘Leap’, gritted his teeth and swung Draupnir with all his might. Despite being a full-powered strike, the opponent easily pinned him down to the ground with a mere finger.
A shock akin to his internal organs being turned inside out washed over him. But seeing the red line aiming for his heart next, he couldn’t just lie there.
Crack-crack-crack─!
The ground where he had just been lying was literally torn apart and obliterated. If he hadn’t used Leap again to escape, he couldn’t help but imagine the spine-chilling fate of being completely obliterated with not even a corpse left behind.
『Oh, you dodged that?』
The echoing voice typical of a transcendent filled the space. Despite the casual tone, Khan couldn’t relax and urgently shouted.
“What the hell are you doing!”
『Well, nowadays it seems the continent knows nothing. But back in my day, the common sense was to kill anything associated with the Void. Even the stubborn dragon bastards kept to that rule.』
“So! What do you mean I’m associated with the Void…!”
The attack came before Khan even had the chance to use ‘Karyan’s Eye’ to sense the intent. It was as if Karyan was demonstrating that he was the original, effortlessly neutralizing the newly acquired S-rank skill, leaving Khan absolutely powerless against him.
『When you stepped into the sealing grounds earlier, you reacted. What did you sense at that moment? Did you feel the mental waves sent by the void beast, even though it’s already dead?』
Khan sighed internally, realizing Karyan hadn’t missed even the slightest reaction. He swung his sword to meet the dazzling blade swooping through the air.
Clang!
Once again, the force sent him crashing far away.
『It seems you haven’t figured it out yet, so I’ll tell you. The mental waves sent by a void entity can’t be detected by transcendent beings unless, like me, they are mortals who have mastered chaos to reach transcendence. Even then, I can only sense the beginnings of a psychic wave. But you?』
The impact of being plastered into the ground with near-80 strength stats reverberated through his body.
『You reacted very sensitively to those mental waves. Such a reaction is impossible unless you are also a minion of the void. Do you still intend to deny it?』
“I’m telling you. I don’t know anything about it…!”
Gritting his teeth and forcing himself to his feet, Khan’s muscles trembled violently. To counter the approaching blade, he activated Surging Strength.
『Is that the power the void bestowed upon you? That’s quite the formidable strength for a mere mortal. Even a giant’s descendant would be hard-pressed to believe it.』
“Stop rambling─!”
It was frustrating enough to be suddenly attacked, but being accused of being a void minion was too much. Even a saint would have difficulty tolerating it. Justifying his anger, Khan unleashed the full force he held in his grip towards Karyan’s sword.
Boom─!
While it was indeed powerful, the energy infused in the hovering blade wasn’t beyond the capabilities of a Khan empowered by Surging Strength. Successfully repelling the blade for the first time, Khan used his augmented strength to launch himself.
“Void minion! My ass!”
Khan deactivated Karyan’s Eye. It wasn’t likely to work against its original user, and confronting a God within their sanctuary was inherently futile.
‘He’s not trying to kill me after all.’
If Karyan genuinely wanted him dead, he wouldn’t have given him the chance to even attempt an escape. But no matter what, Khan aimed to land at least one blow.
‘Even if it’s just a small scratch…!’
Using Leap powered by Surging Strength, he accelerated beyond his limits.
He channeled all the power of his greatsword technique into a full-force strike, confident that not even the Great Warrior could easily withstand it. Just as Khan was about to connect, Karyan extended a finger.
“You’ve passed the test. Your brute-force charge is at least as good as my descendants. This, I admit.”
Before Khan could even voice his confusion about Karyan’s strange declaration, an unforeseen blow knocked him unconscious.
“To be honest, I’m still uncertain. Mortalia. I don’t truly understand the significance of the things you asked me to do.”
Karyan caught Khan’s unconscious body as it fell in midair, pulling something out from his tunic.
“Even now, as a God, I find it hard to grasp your claim that ‘this world is fake.’, but regardless…”
A promise is a promise.
“And above all, I like this kid’s eyes. Unlike my own descendants, who seemed to be born without fear, this one has plenty of fear and innocence. Yet, when it comes to fighting, he doesn’t hesitate. That, to me, is true bravery.”
Karyan placed a marble-sized orb on Khan’s forehead. The orb slowly absorbed into his skin, eventually disappearing completely.
“Well, you’re in for a rough time. Most people are when they get involved with that woman.”
With a wave of his hand, Karyan sent Khan’s body drifting out of the sealing grounds. Alone again on the terrain created by a corpse, he slumped to the ground.
“He seems to be struggling enough as it is. I gave him a gift. The rest is up to him.”
***
『Act 3, Proof of Valor』
─Additional Achievement Reward: Mark of Valor