The equipment Dwight had gifted me was all top-tier. From the collection, I picked out the items that would provide immediate benefits.
「They are decent enough.」
After consuming “Wildness,” my body possessed a strength that no longer belonged to a boy. However, that didn’t mean the nature of my sword had changed. From “Needle” to “Fang” and finally to “Gale,” my swordsmanship had always followed a consistent direction. A crude, boisterous sword like those of the northern barbarians or the Orcs didn’t suit me.
I sought a swift sword.
It was the best way to utilize the “Suspicion” I possessed—a method of cutting the enemy’s throat by exploiting the smallest of openings. My body had changed, but my blade still walked that same path.
「Your enlarged frame and feral strength are merely tools. It is a poor tactic to discard the weapon you originally held just because you gained something new.」
Instead of the sword Daisy had given me, I chose a longsword with superior cutting power. It was a blade forged from “Winter Steel,” a metal found only in the Sky Mountain Range. It was a violent weapon, capable of cleaving through standard iron equipment as if it were mere wood.
「Do what you do best, young descendant.」
For armor, I selected pieces made of Mithril. They weren’t as sturdy as the black iron full-plate armor Dwight wore, but they were light. I chose equipment made of materials that wouldn’t hinder my movement, eventually donning a set consisting of Mithril armor, boots, and gauntlets. They were sturdy enough to easily deflect any stray arrows.
In addition, I packed several daggers for emergency use. Like the sword I had chosen, they were also made of Winter Steel.
「They are serviceable items, but they are far too extravagant for someone of your level.」
“…Is that so?”
「Indeed. Back in my day, someone of your caliber would have been grateful just to swing around any random hunk of iron found rolling on the battlefield. You absolute dullard.」
Winter Steel was a rare and excellent material even among the many metals of the continent. While it didn’t rank among the Three Great Metals like Dwight’s black iron, it was the finest among the types of iron obtainable through ordinary means.
「Tsk. Using things like this already will only spoil your habits.」
As Liam continued his old-fogey grumbling, my preparations came to an end. I had selected all my gear, recovered my condition, and finished tempering the now-digested “Gale.” As time passed, Seol-yoon, who had left abruptly, returned.
“You’re back.”
“I promised. To come back a day early.”
The atmosphere around her had changed significantly.
「Ho-ho. After watching you grow at a snail’s pace, seeing the leap of a true genius is like a breath of fresh air.」
“….”
「Truly, it should have been that girl who inherited the Caravan bloodline, not you….」
To be honest, for once, I had no choice but to agree with Liam. In just a few days, the aura flowing from Seol-yoon had transformed. She had grown noticeably when she left the estate before, but this was incomparable. Behind Seol-yoon, who was clad in tattered rags, the faint silhouette of wings seemed to shimmer. It wasn’t perfect, but it flickered in and out of sight.
I muttered under my breath.
“…Is it normally possible to grasp a clue to becoming a ‘Sword Runner’ that quickly?”
「No. Did I not tell you? Wings are a towering wall for all swordsmen.」
“Then….”
Seol-yoon had remained at the realm of “Sword Walker” for much longer than I had. She had trained with the sword for a longer time than me. I thought it might simply be a difference in time.
「It is talent. The talent of a true genius.」
But as always, my master never lied when it came to the sword.
「A sword chosen by the heavens.」
“….”
「An unreasonable and violent talent that ordinary men can never catch, no matter how hard they chase. Geniuses are all like that, young descendant.」
Before I knew it, Seol-yoon had reached a place far beyond me.
“I’m tired, so I’m going to rest for a bit. I’ll have to use a lot of strength tomorrow.”
“Ah, yes.”
She entered the inn with a listless expression. Even after she went inside, I stood in place for a moment. I felt strange. Liam spoke to me.
「Are you envious?」
“It would be a lie to say I’m not.”
「There is no need for envy.」
Liam looked at me and smirked.
「In my era, there were countless swordsmen with talent that couldn’t even be compared to that girl. Geniuses were everywhere, and those called the geniuses among geniuses poured out like stars in the night sky.」
“….”
「But listen. The one standing at the very end was always Steel.」
Liam’s eyes sparkled.
「Take pride. The blood of Steel flowing through your body is a symbol of invincibility, proven by history and proven by me.」
The cool dawn air began to warm. The sun was slowly rising.
「In the places you will go, there will be many geniuses. Brilliant individuals who shine as bright as stars, making the light of the ordinary people around them fade. Excluding them, the rest might seem insignificant. Even you.」
“….”
「But remember. Even among the deluge of geniuses, there was always only one at the apex.」
Liam looked down at me with the sun at his back. His eyes glittered with a gaze as sharp as a blade.
「And the blood of the apex flows within you.」
*
The final day was no different from the ones before.
「You probably heard it from that dwarf, but Caravans who inherit the blood of Steel grow slowly. Because our blood literally takes on the characteristics of steel.」
As always, I ran until my breath caught in my throat.
「The blood of those from the Five Families is like nature. Like a blazing fire, it uses everything as fuel to grow its master. Like a surging wave, it greedily devours its surroundings to increase its power. Like a striking bolt of lightning, it reveals itself in a flash. But steel is only steel. It is not loud; it is silent.」
I swung my sword until my palms felt like they would burst. The calluses on my hands would never disappear now.
「For a single sword to be forged, it must endure long patience. The sword is heated, cooled sufficiently, and then heated again to be refined. Our blood is the same. It does not boil endlessly; it is heated and then cooled. After heating it white-hot once more, it must be hammered and forged with all one’s might.」
“….”
「Thus, our glory is slow. Thus, our light arrives late.」
My muscles screamed. The world turned blurry.
「But the steel born from that process never breaks.」
“…Whew.”
「No flame dares to use steel as fuel. Even if a tsunami pours down, steel is not swept away. Even if lightning strikes, steel is not scorched.」
“….”
「Grip your sword, young descendant. And become harder than anyone else.」
My heart pounded madly.
「Then the world will stand in awe of you.」
And so, the day of the “War Duel” dawned.
*
The architectural symbol of Steel City was the amphitheater known as the “Arena.”
The spectator seats of this stadium, capable of holding a massive crowd, were packed to capacity today without a single empty spot. The heat radiating from the audience and the fervor of the fighters gathered inside the amphitheater warmed the space intensely. It was scorching.
“The day of the War Duel has dawned, brave fighters!”
The announcer’s thunderous voice erupted.
“As announced beforehand, the theme of this ‘War Duel’ is the Conquest War! It is the bloodbath caused by the terrifying Conqueror of the ‘Great Land’! In previous War Duels, we always reenacted wars from distant history, so some of you with shorter educations didn’t know the wars we were recreating! Then again, would the fighters who only know how to fight and the spectators of Steel City who only love conflict have had time to study history?”
“That’s right, you son of a bitch! Everyone gathered here is just an uneducated bastard with a short resume!”
“You Arena clown! You’re no different, so why the hell are you talking shit all of a sudden?”
The voices of the announcer and the audience blended together heatedly.
“Hahaha! You’re right! I’m also blinded by combat and don’t know much about history! Last time, when the ‘Sand War’ fought against the Empire was chosen as the theme, I was honestly puzzled. What the fuck is the ‘Sand War’? I’d never heard of it in my life!”
“Wuhahaha! Yeah, that was the first time I heard of it too!”
“It’s because the Arena planners are all fucking old fogeys! I could practically see those old losers snickering in their rooms thinking that would be fun, and it made me want to puke!”
Rather aggressive words were exchanged. The Arena planners—these were words that could have offended the high-ranking officials who managed this place. But here, it wasn’t a problem at all.
“However, even an ignorant man like me and the ignorant spectators gathered here know the ‘Conquest War’! After all, isn’t it a war that ended just recently? There might even be people here who fought in that ‘Conquest War,’ and some who lost family. Because that damn Iron Kingdom conscripted so many men just to get a piece of the pie!”
Because this was the Arena.
“Today, we are going to reenact that fucking war! Specifically, in the format of an ‘Estate War’!”
At least here, as long as it was “fun,” everything was permitted.
“Does everyone remember when the Conquest War started by the Great Land began to drag on? It was the moment the conquering army of the ‘Great Land,’ which had been trampling across the vast Eastern Continent, was halted for the first time. And by a measly nation, the Fallen Peninsula, no less!”
The Fallen Peninsula.
The moment that term was mentioned, the eyes of the many fighters from the Eastern Continent changed.
“The landmass of the Fallen Peninsula was very small. The number of people living in that tiny land was also very few. That country was originally a vassal of the ‘Great Land,’ living by paying annual tribute. However, the Fallen Peninsula fought more fiercely than any other country on the Eastern Continent and held out longer than any other. This is a truly magnificent thing!”
“….”
“We at the Arena have decided to reenact that magnificent war. In the format of an Estate War.”
The announcer snapped his fingers.
With that, women wearing hooded robes appeared from outside the amphitheater. Their appearance was peculiar. They had cloth wrapped around their faces, covering everything except their eyes, and they wore thick gloves and long boots, thoroughly concealing their bodies so that not even a sliver of skin was exposed.
Seeing those women, several spectators muttered.
“…Witches.”
Beings living in the Sky Empire. They were devout religious figures serving the “Father of the Sky,” one of the Seven Chief Gods, and the most powerful magical beings among those who handled Mystery.
With the appearance of the witches, the spectator seats fell silent for a moment. Amidst the descending silence, the announcer shouted.
“For this match, the Arena has gone to great lengths to invite the Witches! To perfectly create the stage for the War Duel we have planned!”
The announcer’s eyes turned bloodshot as he spoke.
“The second event of the Infinite Duel, the ‘War Duel,’ will take place in a spiritual world created by the Witches! This is so that there are no issues even if you lose your life! In a war, it’s only right that you fight as if you’re going to kill each other, isn’t it? Isn’t this more fun!”
Entertainment. The Arena’s attitude of pursuing primal fun reeked of madness.
Of course.
“That’s right! Fuck, it’s only a real duel if you’re killing each other!”
“Wooooooo—!”
The spectators of Steel City were no different. This place had always been a theater of madness.
“Since the event has been decided as an Estate War, the fighters participating in this War Duel must choose one of two factions! The first faction is the ‘Great Land’ faction, which will take the role of the attacker! You will become members of the army led by the Great Conqueror who commanded the Eastern Continent and scattered blood across the vast land, and your goal is to tear down the city walls within the allotted time!”
“Ooh.”
“The ‘Great Land’ faction will be provided with a reenactment of the notorious conquering army of the Great Land. The Witches have created cavalrymen who know no defeat within the spiritual world!”
At those words, some spectators shouted.
“Then the balance won’t be right! Isn’t the Sky Empire the only one that can face the army of the ‘Great Land’ on open ground…?”
“These bastards have made another weird match.”
In response to those reactions, the announcer yelled.
“Listen until the end before you grumble! The second faction is the defender, the Fallen Peninsula—the Han faction! Those who choose this faction must defeat the endlessly swarming conquering army and protect the city walls! As mentioned before, those who choose the Han faction will be lent artifacts symbolizing the Dragon.”
“Hmm, even so—”
“Of course, if this were all, the balance wouldn’t be right! So, there is one more benefit for the defender faction!”
The announcer spread his arms wide and shouted.
“The person who holds the Dragon Sword of the defender faction can, a total of three times before the War Duel ends, summon the dragon that protected the Fallen Peninsula—the ‘Guardian Dragon’—for one minute!”
“….”
“Now, I believe the balance has been sufficiently adjusted with this.”
It was unconventional. Extremely unconventional. For a moment, the spectators were lost for words. But the announcer gave them no time.
“Now, fighters, please choose your respective factions—!”
And so, the curtain rose on the “War Duel.”
*
“Small Gladiator, there’s something I want to ask of you.”
While the fighters were choosing their factions, Seol-yoon approached me.
“I’m going to choose Han. I decided to do so from the moment I heard the details of this duel.”
I expected as much. I knew it from the moment I felt the rage Seol-yoon was radiating. Therefore, I had planned to choose the same faction.
However.
“You choose the ‘Great Land’.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“This duel takes place in a spiritual world. I see this match as an opportunity. A good chance for us to fight each other with our lives on the line. A chance to see the very bottom of each other’s swords.”
Seol-yoon made an unexpected proposal.
“I desperately want to win this duel. Even if it’s just a game for clowns, even if it’s a fake victory, I want to win. But just as much, I want to see your sword to the very end.”
“….”
“Not a gentlemanly spar, but your real sword. Your true fangs that only reveal themselves in extreme situations—things that don’t come out in mere sparring. I’ll never be able to see that if we fight on the same side. So, just for this once, fight me as an enemy. That is my request.”
Seol-yoon’s expression was serious.
It was a bit troubling. To fight Seol-yoon for real? Even if it was a spiritual world, to cross swords with someone I recognized as a comrade and friend with our lives on the line? It felt wrong.
I should refuse. I should tell her we should fight on the same side as always.
However.
“I’ll be honest with you.”
My heart said otherwise.
“I’ve also wanted this at least once.”
A genius. The “Black Bride” who had already handed me a defeat once before. The swordsman whom even my master praised as a talent bestowed by the heavens.
“I will do so, Seol-yoon.”
As someone who held a sword, how could I refuse?
“Instead.”
Something boiled up inside my chest.
“If I win and the ‘Great Land’ is victorious, and if the right to possess the Dragon artifact is given to me, I will not give it to you. I will keep it for myself.”
“Do as you wish.”
Perhaps Seol-yoon felt the same as me.
“If you can, that is.”
At this moment, we were not Arhan and Seol-yoon. The “Small Gladiator” and the “Black Bride”—two fighters were clashing once again in the amphitheater. As enemies seeking each other’s lives.
And.
“Now then, let the War Duel begin—!”
There was something we didn’t know until then.
“This sacred duel will be dedicated to Goddess Lefri, the guardian of justice!”
That the “Arena” was a group of madmen who would do anything for entertainment.
*
I opened my eyes inside the spiritual world created by the Witches.
Their magic was indeed as mysterious as the rumors suggested. The spiritual world was no different from the actual world. My senses were vivid, and the surrounding scenery was incredibly realistic. But there was one strange thing. It was the voice I heard inside my head.
『You have chosen the Han faction.』
『Protect the castle for the allotted time.』
…Why was my faction Han?
