“Everyone, do not be alarmed! This was no error!”
The announcer’s voice rang out, brimming with manic delight.
“This was our intention all along! Those who chose Han have been drafted into the ‘Great Land’ camp! And those who chose the ‘Great Land’ have been deployed to the Han camp! We intentionally arranged it so you would fight for the opposite side of the faction you selected—!”
A hint of stifled laughter seemed to bleed through the broadcast.
“I mean, having all the fighters from the Eastern Continent fight for Han while everyone else chooses the ‘Great Land’ to play the invaders? That’s just too cliché! It’s predictable, boring, and exactly what everyone expects! So, we decided to make things a little more interesting for you!”
Madness.
Pure madness dripped from that voice.
“To our trembling Eastern Continent fighters! Try fighting as the very conquest army of the Great Land that crushed your nations! Raze the recreation of your own motherland with your very own hands! And to the opportunists who thought they’d enjoy an easy invasion by siding with the conquerors! Show us your most pathetic, despairing faces as you face an overwhelming force! Give the audience—give us—something to enjoy!”
Right.
There was no need to be surprised.
“There is no preparation time for a War Duel. Because this is war.”
These bastards had always been insane.
“Now, go out and fight—!”
Utterly, completely insane sons of bitches.
* * *
Han.
A peninsula nation located on the fringes of the Eastern Continent.
A country that had vanished without a trace, swept away by the war of conquest ignited by the “Great Land.” The peninsula, which had disappeared into the shadows of history, was now being recreated through the mystery of the witches.
The recreation of the Han camp was a pathetic sight.
There wasn’t a single decent weapon in the barracks. There were only rusted iron swords, crude helmets, flimsy armor, and bows with slack strings. The beds were shabby things fit for slaves, and centipedes crawled across the floorboards.
Inside the neglected barracks, numerous fighters were scowling.
“Why am I in a place like this…?”
Every single one of them was a fighter who had chosen the “Great Land.” They were people who had wanted to play the role of the aggressor, enjoy a thrilling slaughter, and showcase destruction alongside the Great Land’s conquest army. Now, they were barred from their prize.
Most of the fighters looked dissatisfied. However, I didn’t have the luxury to care about their feelings. Whether the situation was shit or not, the War Duel had already begun. I had to play the hand I was dealt.
The gear I equipped beforehand is still here.
Even though I had entered the spiritual world, my equipment remained the same. The Dwarf-made gear I’d received from Dwight was still protecting my body. It was a relief. The equipment provided by Han was universally low-quality—nothing but unusable trash. If I swung one of those old iron swords, it would surely snap mid-swing; if I wore that crude armor, it would shatter before it could stop a single enemy arrow.
Furthermore, just as the conquest army was recreated for the ‘Great Land,’ a defense force has been manifested here.
Outside the barracks, there were many soldiers other than the fighters. Unlike the unmotivated participants, the faces of the Han defenders were grim, their eyes burning with intensity. These were men who knew the Great Land’s conquest army was coming, yet refused to yield. They would be reliable allies in this duel.
Moreover…
“So the factions were swapped. It’s a nasty prank, but since it’s started, I suppose I should do my best.”
“Winning from the loser’s perspective is a fun enough challenge in its own right. Didn’t Goddess Lefri say that overturning a disadvantageous fight is a magnificent thing?”
Not all the fighters were demoralized. Among them were those who, like me, accepted the situation quickly.
And then.
“You uneducated lot! Stop grumbling and gather up! Does muttering change anything?”
There was one fighter whose motivation burned noticeably brighter than the rest.
“Are we not fighters? A simple-minded breed that only knows how to fight! So shut up and get to it! There’s nothing more eyesore than a bunch of hulking men whining!”
She spoke with the bluntness of an Orc.
When I first heard it, I thought an actual Orc had shouted. However, unlike the tone, the voice was quite melodious. Though she spoke with as much force as possible, a feminine quality bled through. My intuition was right. The figure shouting from the center of the fighters was a woman.
“Besides, isn’t this a great opportunity? We get to fight the conquest army of the ‘Great Land’—one of the most invincible legions on the continent—instead of the army of Han, which is just a bunch of defeated soldiers from a fallen nation! If you call yourselves fighters, you must have dreamed of facing them at least once! And here, you don’t even have to worry about dying! You can fight to your heart’s content—!”
She had a remarkably sturdy build for a woman. Bronzed skin, minimal armor that protected only her vitals, and an excessively thick greatsword gripped in her hand. Her voluminous hair was tied up, swaying like a horse’s tail. She was the very image of a powerful warrior woman.
Those who saw her froze.
Among the fighters who heard her shout, none insulted or mocked her for being a woman. The reason was simple. Because of her sparse armor, her forearms, collarbones, and calves were clearly visible. And upon that bronzed skin, dense purple tattoos were etched. Those tattoos meant only one thing.
“…A Valkyrie.”
Valkyrie.
A title granted only to the greatest female warriors among the barbarians living in the rugged mountain ranges at the northern edge of the Iron Kingdom. Valkyries had many defining traits, but the most prominent symbol was their “blood-colored skin”—the purple tattoos etched in their traditional manner.
“A warrior woman from the North came all the way down here?”
“If a Valkyrie says it, it’s worth listening to. Besides, who knows what’ll happen if we don’t? Just look at the way she talks; those barbarians are madmen, practically no different from Orcs.”
The crowd stirred. Amidst the commotion, Liam spoke.
「A Valkyrie, eh? It’s been a while since I’ve seen one.」
“…”
「But the times really have become peaceful. In my day, ‘Valkyrie’ was a title reserved for those who had at least reached the level of a Sword Expert…」
Liam chuckled, stroking his chin.
「Regardless of their realm, they are quite entertaining warriors, young descendant.」
“…Master, whenever I get involved with the kind of people you call ‘entertaining,’ it never ends well.”
「Ho ho, but isn’t it fun?」
“…”
「Barbarian warriors are charming fighters. Sometimes, they pull off feats even more boisterous than Orcs.」
The moment I heard Liam’s words, I made up my mind.
I should stay away from her.
To think there were madmen on this continent who could be more boisterous than Orcs… My body began to tremble just imagining it.
But.
“Oh—! You there, the one in the old helmet—! Aren’t you Liam the Sword Demon!”
As always, my life never goes smoothly.
“Perfect! Come over here! I’ve watched many of your duels! Of all the fighters I’ve seen, you are the most courageous! And you fight such magnificent duels! A great warrior who never retreats, no matter the foe!”
“…Excuse me?”
“You’re wearing a helmet, but I can tell just by looking! I can tell with a single glance! Don’t be shy, come here! A man like you must be itching to fight the conquest army of the ‘Great Land,’ right? I know it without you saying a word! Great warriors naturally understand each other!”
“I’m not a great warrior.”
“How humble! But everyone here knows! Liam the Sword Demon is a great warrior!”
Goddammit.
I don’t know how she recognized me through the helmet, but the Valkyrie singled me out. She didn’t even give me a chance to respond, just poured out her own words. Her way of speaking reminded me of a certain green-skinned race whose brains were pickled in combat.
“Sword Demon Liam! Fight the swarming conquest army with me! I want to stand with you at the absolute vanguard, where we can be the first to strike the enemy! What moment could be more glorious than that!”
“No, wait…”
“If any of you other fighters object, speak up now! If there is a greater warrior than the two of us, step forward! I, Maia, the sixth Valkyrie of the Lakota Mountains, will personally verify your qualifications!”
“…”
“Hmph! I guess there are none!”
The other fighters, who had been noisy just moments ago, fell silent. They simply shut their mouths and started clapping, chanting, “Liam! Liam!”
Damn it, I was planning to watch the situation from the back before moving.
My weapon, Doubt, becomes more powerful the more time I have to read the opponent’s information. Deconstructing the enemy based on small bits of data and piercing their weakness in a single strike—that is my way of fighting. But to fight the enemy first at the absolute vanguard? That was truly unwelcome.
“I am so glad to share this glory with you! Sword Demon Liam!”
This Valkyrie, who introduced herself as Maia, laughed heartily, oblivious to my inner turmoil. Even without seeing her face behind a helmet, I could practically see her expression. It was likely a transparent, thoughtless smile. Just like those damn Orcs.
This isn’t good.
I didn’t like the way things were going. Even if I had to face the resentment of those around me, I didn’t intend to step out to the very front. I didn’t care about honor or fame, anyway. So what if the Sword Demon’s reputation plummeted and I was treated like a coward? Not my problem.
But.
「Do as the Valkyrie says, young descendant.」
Liam suggested a new path.
「It’s fine. It will be fun.」
“…”
「At your current level, that is.」
I looked at Liam’s face. Then, I realized his words weren’t a joke meant to screw with me. Liam was sincerely encouraging me to take the vanguard.
And my Master’s words were never wrong. At least, when it came to the sword.
…At my current level, huh.
* * *
“The might of the ‘Great Land,’ the Khan Empire, now seems to pierce the very heavens. Every nation of the Eastern Continent has been engulfed in flames and turned to ash, their souls sinking beneath a sea of blood. The sword-strokes of the beast-like conquerors do not discriminate between women, children, or the elderly. It is said that only death remains in their wake.”
“…”
“Now, only we remain. The only place on this continent that is not their land is this small, humble peninsula.”
Atop the city wall, the General of Han, recreated by the witches’ mystery, gave a speech in a booming voice. The General’s realm was not high. At best, he was at the beginning of the Sword Runner stage. It was a realm that hardly suited the title of General. However, the will to fight in his gaze was astonishingly fierce.
“If we fall today, our parents, our sons and daughters, and our wives will be defiled by the conquerors. And what will happen after they are defiled? They will sink beneath the sea of blood. More miserably and desperately than livestock. It is not just you. My wife, my parents, and my young daughter will suffer the same fate.”
“…”
“Therefore, we cannot lose. We must not lose.”
The General’s words continued.
“History may not remember us. The probability of us winning against the legions of the ‘Great Land,’ who know no defeat, is extremely low. But we must fight. Even if we are not remembered, even if there is no glory at the end of the struggle, we must take up our swords and spears. Because we are human. Because we are fathers, sons, and husbands.”
History is written by the winners. The history of the losers, which no one pays attention to, was being recreated here.
As the General’s speech continued, the ground began to shake. Dust clouds rose beyond the horizon. Along with the vibrating earth came the thunderous sound of galloping hooves. A swarm of warhorses clad in iron plate, and the terrifying conquest army mounted upon them, began to come into view.
“The Legion of the Sun That Never Sets has arrived.”
The General spoke plainly as he looked at the conquest army.
“Fire the fire arrows.”
That became the signal for war.
Under the pale blue sky, burning arrows fell like rain. They were arrows fired by squeezing out meager resources. However, the rain of arrows did not achieve much. A dazzling light flashed, a transparent membrane like glass appeared, and the arrows lost their strength and fell to the ground. It was a magical defense used by the conquest army.
A mysterious power that the army of Han could neither understand nor possess. However, Han had already suffered too many defeats to be afraid in the face of such mysteries. Instead of screaming in fear, they calmly drew their spears and swords.
And.
「The Great Land. A massive empire established by Khan, the fourth Swordmaster to appear on this vast continent, after he unified the Great Steppe. They learn to fight before they can even walk, and instead of studying, they learn how to ride horses and handle spears and swords. To them, war is a game.」
At the very front of those drawing their weapons were Maia the Valkyrie and I.
「The many nations living on the Eastern Continent mocked them as barbaric fools. They laughed, calling them beasts no different from Orcs. But after the first conqueror began his campaign, no one could do so anymore.」
“…”
「Because every nation in the Eastern Continent faced the War God descended to earth that day, young descendant.」
The forces of the Great Land were closing in rapidly. Truly, in an instant.
「The legions of the Great Land are powerful. At the very least, there is no legion on earth more powerful than them. Even if the Khan Empire had no Swordmaster, their conquest would have succeeded.」
“…”
「You are to face such a legion. Aren’t you looking forward to it?」
“I wonder.”
I saw the iron-clad warhorses. Looking at their faces, I breathed slowly. A short breath filled my lungs, and Mana dwelled within me abundantly. The Second Heart carved a “Path” through my body, helping me view the world with absolute clarity.
「Young descendant.」
I gripped my sword.
「You have fought many of the strong.」
I closed and opened my eyes.
「The trials that tormented you—the countless hammerings—have made you harder than before.」
“…”
「In this moment, you will realize for certain that those moments were not in vain.」
Soon, clear straight lines appeared through the gaps of the swarming legion. The lines, connected densely like a spiderweb, were incredibly vivid. I knew what they were.
The sword was showing me the path I had to take.
“Whew.”
I took a deep breath. With it, the wind dwelled within me.
「Show the conquerors of the Eastern Continent.」
With the indwelling wind, my body leaped far ahead. Right to the very noses of the charging warhorses.
「What the true apex is.」
I saw their fluttering banners. I saw the soldiers beneath the banners, their eyes widening in shock. Even in the sudden situation, the commander reacted quickly. The commander’s mouth opened, and a booming voice was about to burst forth.
“Wait—!”
But I am faster. That is only natural.
『To sweep you away suddenly, I had to become a stronger wind.』
For in this moment, I was a single gust of wind.
