Genius.
It was the only word that truly defined the girl, Seol-yoon.
“This girl is special.”
That title allowed her black hair and black eyes to be seen as a mark of distinction rather than a defect on this unfamiliar continent. From the very first moment she gripped a sword, the girl knew: as long as she held this blade, she could be special.
“We got lucky. To pick up such a glittering raw diamond from the gutter.”
It wasn’t arrogance. It was fact.
“Come with us, Seol-yoon. With your talent, you can live a new life. In the Iron Kingdom, those born with talent are always treated well.”
“…….”
“Whether it’s one of the Three Great Academies or the Knights of the City of Blades, you can enter wherever you wish. People who have heard of your talent are already on their way. They are all renowned swordsmen of the Iron Kingdom, and they all wish to take you as their disciple.”
Seol-yoon’s talent had rewritten her destiny.
“In the Iron Kingdom, all are equal under strength. That is the kind of place this is.”
“…….”
“The fact that you were a commoner from a ruined peninsula, or a prisoner sold into the slave market by the soldiers of the ‘Great Land,’ does not matter. Because this is the Iron Kingdom.”
But the thing was…
“So, stop paying attention to that gutter and follow us.”
“…….”
“They cannot go with you. We need wolves. Not sheep.”
If she hadn’t possessed that talent…
If Seol-yoon hadn’t held a sword…
What would have become of her?
“Sister, don’t worry about us. Just go.”
She didn’t even need to think deeply about it.
“Don’t look back. Just go, Sis.”
“It’s okay, Sister.”
At the final moment, as she was being sold to a stranger in a strange land, Seol-yoon saw with her own eyes the future that would have awaited her if she lacked talent.
“…….”
Children only a year or two younger than Seol-yoon were locked in rusted iron cages. The caged children were displayed like livestock, wearing collars. Each child, their faces cast in shadow, had a price tag around their neck. Seol-yoon couldn’t read the script of this land, but she understood the numbers. The value of these children, whose potential should have been limitless, was far too low.
“We’re really okay.”
It was lower than the price of the bundles of wheat bread she had seen on the way here. Lower than the price of an old cow.
“Remember the stories you told us? We all believe in them.”
Seol-yoon, who had escaped that fate alone, found herself unable to look away from those children.
“We’ll go to paradise first and wait for you.”
“…….”
“So you have to come see us someday. You have to become an Immortal and find us in paradise. You can do it, Sister. Yes, if it’s you…”
In their final moments, the children smiled brightly.
Seol-yoon parted from them while they still wore those joyful expressions.
And a short while later, Seol-yoon saw those children with black hair and black eyes again in the back alleys of the Steel City.
The children were dead, looking as if they were merely fast asleep.
Every single one of them.
* * *
After the details of the “War Duel” were announced, countless fighters showed intense interest. No one questioned why a war from the Eastern Continent was chosen as the theme. The logic of the Arena always prioritized “entertainment” above all else. To the audience, the theme was interesting enough that any minor controversies were quickly buried.
Furthermore, the “Conquest War” was a conflict the Iron Kingdom had actually participated in. In fact, it was only natural; it was rare for the Iron Kingdom not to intervene in any large-scale war on the continent. There was even a maxim left by the ancients:
Where there is war, there is always Steel.
True to that proverb, the Iron Kingdom had insisted on participating in the war on the Eastern Continent. It was the Iron Kingdom’s Steel Legion that had delivered the final blow to the peninsula already ravaged by the legions of the “Great Land.” Trampling the desolate earth, the soldiers of the Iron Kingdom captured prisoners as if they were enjoying a hunt and plundered the treasures of the burning royal palace to their hearts’ content. One of those treasures was the Dragon’s Artifact.
Though it was of low value among the spoils taken from the Conquest War, the Arena had provided it with a narrative to increase its worth. Breathing life into a story—that was the greatest specialty of the Arena’s planners.
Talk of the upcoming War Duel was everywhere in the Steel City. There were those who anticipated it, those who worried, and those who didn’t think much of it at all. However, there were some whose complexions were particularly grim.
“It is not a ruined peninsula. It is Han. Call it by its proper name, you Western Noses.”
“…….”
“Call it the Han Peninsula. Unless you wish to leave this world by the sword of a defeated soldier who has lost his country.”
Those with black hair and black eyes—the swordsmen from the Eastern Continent—were radiating a terrifying aura. A few drunkards who spat out insulting words were actually killed on the spot. Because headless corpses were rolling in the middle of the city, the Ferma city guard had to move busily.
And then.
“……I’ll be back a day before the War Duel begins.”
Seol-yoon was also among those who were enraged.
“…….”
After hearing the details of the War Duel and declaring her intent to win, Seol-yoon immediately vanished. She disappeared somewhere, carrying nothing but a single sword. The last time I saw Seol-yoon’s face, it was like ice. It was as cold as a frost-laden winter, looking as if it might shatter if touched.
But I couldn’t stop her.
「Your expression was even worse than that, young descendant.」
Because I understood her feelings better than anyone.
Because I knew all too well the feeling of swinging a sword in rage, held captive by the past. So, I let Seol-yoon go. Watching her departing back, Liam spoke.
「Leave that girl be and look after yourself.」
“Is it really okay to just leave her?”
「Of course it’s okay. Have you forgotten how I evaluated that girl?」
Liam looked at me, his eyebrows twitching.
「That girl is a Genius, young descendant.」
“…….”
「As you know, I do not tell lies regarding the sword. Therefore, the talent I read in that girl is unmistakably that of a genius.」
Liam’s voice became distinct.
「You do not know how terrifying and violent a Genius’s talent truly is. That is why you utter such ridiculous nonsense as asking if it’s okay to leave her be.」
Liam’s eyes turned toward me.
「I guarantee it, young descendant. Before this duel even begins, that girl will surpass your realm. You will realize, to your very core, just how unreasonable the talent bestowed by the heavens upon those called Geniuses truly is. To your very core.」
“……Does that mean, perhaps.”
「Yes.」
Liam nodded.
「That girl will soon spread her wings. It means she will become a ‘Sword Runner.’」
In my experience, Liam was never wrong about such things.
And so, the eve that had arrived in the Steel City was passing by.
* * *
The atmosphere in the Steel City, Ferma, was heated.
Neither the random killings committed by wandering swordsmen from the East nor the scuffles between the heavily intoxicated could dampen the fervor.
Amidst the heat that did not cool even at night, a guest visited my lodgings.
“You’ve healed quickly, Descendant of Steel. As expected, the legends were not wrong. They say the Heart of Steel hardens again quickly no matter how much it is hammered. Like a blade that tempers instantly when cooled after being thrust into a hot fire.”
Thud—
A beer mug was placed on the table.
Beyond the mug was a group of dwarves with magnificent beards. And at the center of the group was Dwight. Yes, this terrifying dwarf was my guest.
“What brings you all the way here?”
“Well. To see the end of the duel we couldn’t finish back then?”
“Then I suppose I must die. Will you give me time to leave a will?”
“Puhuhu, I can’t even tell a joke. How can you make such a joke without even a change in your expression? I’m starting to suspect your facial skin is made of steel as well.”
Ah.
Have I now come to possess a Face of Steel like my Master?
I couldn’t help but lament inwardly at Dwight’s joking remark.
“Enough with the jests. I’ll explain why I’ve come here.”
“What is it?”
“All the dwarves who visited the Steel City as fighters, including myself, will be leaving now. Only the young dwarves who came to sell goods and the dwarf craftsmen will remain.”
Dwight took a refreshing gulp of beer. A loud Kaaah— followed.
“Descendant of Steel, I will not be returning to this Steel City. I am a general with a duty to protect the Dwarf Kingdom, and if I am away for too long, the harshness of the Sky Mountain Range will tear down our walls in an instant.”
“…….”
“Furthermore, if I stay here for long, I will surely attract the attention of that monster.”
“If you mean the monster…”
“The Iron Prince’s executioner.”
Swordmaster Carlos.
Dwight mentioned him.
“That monster is a madman who would use a meeting with you as a pretext to crawl into our Dwarf Kingdom and slaughter every dwarf over the age of eighteen. Neither our walls, our weapons, nor the tactics established over our long history work against him. That is what a Swordmaster is.”
“……I suppose so. Since a Swordmaster can only be killed by another Swordmaster.”
“So, pathetically enough, I am running away. Because I am afraid.”
Dwight looked at me with resentful eyes.
“But no matter how much I fear him, I cannot simply leave like this. Now that I have confirmed the Descendant of Steel is alive and well, I have decided to offer you some meager assistance.”
“Meager assistance?”
At my question, Dwight tapped the shoulder of the dwarf sitting next to him.
“In my heart, I want to give you every weapon stored in the ‘Golden Treasury.’ The swords used by legendary figures would explosively increase the power of the Descendant of Steel.”
“…….”
“There are weapons there used by your ancestors as well. We are keeping the weapons of the ‘Caravans’ who enjoyed the Age of Glory.”
“……!”
“However, the ‘Golden Treasury’ is too far away. Moreover, there are circumstances that prevent us from opening it right now. The greedy Master of the Sky is watching us dwarves.”
“If you mean the Master of the Sky.”
“Dragons.”
Dragons.
Dwight’s voice trembled as he spoke those two syllables.
“If we were to open the ‘Golden Treasury’ before those who covet every precious thing in the world, their breath would incinerate us dwarves. And they would seize all our wealth and pile it in their nests. So, not yet.”
“…….”
“That is why, as I said, I can only offer meager assistance.”
With that, the dwarf who had been moving hurriedly beside Dwight pulled out a large bundle. As the heavy bundle hit the floor, a thud echoed. I looked at the bundle, then at Dwight, my eyes asking what this was.
The answer came soon.
“I felt it while we were clashing. The weapons the Descendant of Steel uses are far too primitive.”
“…….”
“Even these are poor compared to our true masterpieces, but they are still much better than what you are using now. So, choose to your heart’s content.”
Inside the bundle was a staggering number of weapons. It wasn’t just weapons—armor, boots, gauntlets… every kind of equipment was there. And they were clearly top-quality goods.
“Are you just giving me these precious things?”
It was an incredible windfall. The weapons Daisy had gifted me were good, but they couldn’t compare to these. Dwight, nodding as I looked on with sparkling eyes, said:
“These are nothing. I can give you as many as you want.”
The dwarf’s generosity was immense. Even I, with no expertise in armaments, could tell these were no ordinary weapons. The armor glowing bluish with a mithril coating, the longswords with chilling sharpness—they were all magnificent masterpieces. As I marveled at the array of equipment, Dwight spoke.
“In addition, I will send word to my dwarf craftsmen. Go to any smithy, give them Dwight’s name, and say, ‘I have come to collect the debt of steel.’ They will perform any task for you without charge.”
This was exceptionally powerful help. With the money I currently had, I could hardly buy a discarded steel ingot, let alone a dwarf-made sword. But Dwight continued, looking as if this was truly nothing.
“Descendant of Steel.”
“Yes.”
“The power you possess is greater than you imagine. Someday, even weapons made by dwarf craftsmen will be unable to withstand your strength. A time will come when the blade is ruined in a single swing, boots are crushed in a single step, and armor is torn in a single leap.”
“…….”
“When that time comes, seek me out at the Sky Mountain Range. I will be waiting in the Dwarf Kingdom.”
Dwight spoke with a resolute face.
“When that time comes, I will personally open the lock of the ‘Golden Treasury’ for you.”
* * *
After making that distant promise, Dwight and the other dwarves departed. I returned to the inn to carefully select the equipment I needed from what they had left behind. Before leaving, Dwight had given me some quite useful information.
“It seems many strongmen of other races are also leaving as we depart. Perhaps the next duel won’t be as terrifying as the Racial Duel. Well, though the Descendant of Steel certainly made his presence known even then. Most of the fighters in the War Duel will be greedy men.”
“…….”
“But do not let your guard down. Those blinded by greed are sometimes scarier than the demons that come at night, and more persistent than the beastmen encountered in the mountains. Steel your heart.”
I accepted Dwight’s final advice. I had no intention of letting my guard down.
Even if the out-of-spec powerhouses had left, I was still just an average fighter in the “Infinite Duel.” The reason the Steel City shouted my name was because they valued the bravery with which I fought without retreating, not because they were captivated by my skill or martial prowess.
So, what I had to do was the same as usual.
Not letting my guard down. Doubting everything and walking the best path to victory. No matter who the opponent was.
As I steadied my heart once more, the eve was gradually coming to an end. The start of the War Duel was drawing near.
It was then.
「Young descendant.」
Liam muttered as he watched the sun rising at dawn.
「You had better be especially careful this time.」
His tone was heavy with significance.
「The swords are coming. Ten swords.」
* * *
With the Infinite Duel being held, the number of people gathering in the Steel City, Ferma, surged. Especially since the “Racial Duel” had been so interesting, more people wanted to watch the second event, the “War Duel,” in person. As people gathered, merchants also flocked to sell them goods. Naturally, where people gather, money follows. Following that absolute logic, many things converged on the Steel City.
And, during such times, it was only natural that bandits would also gather. The bandits swarming the Iron Kingdom heard the rumors like ghosts, and as a result, a massive number of thugs formed groups near the Steel City and on the paths leading to it.
“Do we really have to rob them, Boss?”
“Why?”
“They have no luggage, and they aren’t in a carriage. They look broke at a glance; let’s just let them pass and aim for the next one. I heard there are many merchant caravans.”
Among those who had formed such groups was a notorious criminal.
“You idiot. Can’t you tell they’re high-born just by looking? Do you know how much ransom we can get if we catch people like that? Robbing merchant carriages is dangerous. Who knows what kind of mercenaries those rich bastards hired? I heard some crazy ones even hired a witch from the Sky Empire for their trade this time.”
“Hick, a witch?”
“Yeah. So just listen to me. Have you ever seen ‘Butcher’ Pen fail?”
“Khahaha, that’s true. I’ll trust you, Boss!”
Butcher Pen. A notorious criminal who had used his cunning brain to annihilate not only civilians but even knight orders. At this moment, Pen was full of confidence.
In his mind, a scene of making a huge fortune was already unfolding. Other bandits who only robbed small caravans would shout Pen’s name, and his infamy would spread even more fiercely throughout the Iron Kingdom—such happy fantasies…
“Stop right there! You fearless fools!”
Lost in his happy fantasies, Pen blocked the path of two men while holding his beloved giant double-edged axe. Two people with no carriage and no notable luggage. Even to Pen’s eyes, which could sense Mana, no danger was felt from the two men. They looked like complete civilians.
They were like damnably arrogant nobles. How dare they walk a distant forest path without even a single escort knight?
“Get on your knees and face the ground! You have become the targets of ‘Butcher’ Pen. If you don’t do anything stupid, I’ll at least spare your lives, kehehe! Provided the ransom is sufficient!”
Pen was laughing, spitting as he spoke. But the two men did not move even though Pen blocked their way; they just stood there, staring blankly. Pen thought they were frozen in fear.
Yes.
“Just how many times has this been?”
At least until the man standing on the right took off the thick hood covering his head and face.
“There are so many insects gnawing away at the dignity of the Iron Kingdom. I have seen enough of the blood of people like you to be sick of it, yet there are still some left.”
As the man’s hood was removed, his hidden hair was revealed. The revealed hair took on color under the cool moonlight. Under the pitch-black night sky, ash-gray hair fluttered.
“It is because we did not take a carriage. Furthermore, you didn’t even ride a horse because you wanted to feel the atmosphere of the night. If two men walk such a mountain path, an ambush by bandits is only natural.”
“I see. But what does it matter? The air is good, so even a dark man like that is a fine view. This is a fun situation I can’t usually enjoy, so isn’t this also a unique journey, a form of play?”
Ash-gray.
Witnessing the color of that hair, Pen froze like ice. It was only natural. In Pen’s eyes, that color did not look like ash. It didn’t even look like gray.
“Ah, I must have already missed the first event. But what does it matter? A more beautiful dance than that is about to unfold before my eyes.”
Because in the Iron Kingdom of Chervil, that hair was known only as the color of Iron. The symbol of Steel Blood, signifying the master of this Iron Kingdom.
“Uh, uuh. Uh. Uh.”
At that moment, Pen’s thoughts were paralyzed. His mind stalled, Pen instinctively looked at the man beside the one who had revealed his face—a man covering his body in rags. Only then could Pen see the man’s power. A power that hadn’t been felt at all from a distance. But the moment he came close, a presence more distinct than anything in the world was felt.
The moment he recognized that presence, the man no longer looked like a man in Pen’s eyes.
“You.”
There was a sword there.
“You’re over eighteen. Unlucky for you.”
Ten swords.
