The treasure of the Caravan family.
It was the sword wielded by the founder of the Caravan family—their greatest patriarch and the most powerful Swordmaster in history. According to what I had heard from my father, it was a blade that remained preternaturally sharp despite being forged over five hundred years ago. It was a weapon whose keen edge flashed with a brilliance that seemed capable of severing anything at a moment’s notice.
My vessel was still too small to fully melt down and absorb the sheer pride contained within that blade. Thus, what I had digested was nothing more than a fraction of a fraction of the weapon. To put it simply, I had swallowed only a fragment—a fragment of a sword whose depths I could not even begin to fathom.
“Whew…”
It felt different from anything I had experienced before.
I saw no memories within the sword. I did not witness the life of the former master who had once wielded it, nor did landscapes of the distant past unfold before me. Instead, only a fragmentary voice brushed past—not the voice of the aged Liam who had faded away, but the voice of the great Swordmaster who had once carved his name into an entire era.
「Are you disappointed?」
An incomplete fragment.
From within it, I gained no supreme swordsmanship, no absolute authority of a Swordmaster, nor any cataclysmic Mystery capable of overcoming every situation. I gained only one thing.
“No.”
Caravan.
The traces of Steel.
I had drawn just a little bit closer to the glory of the past.
Feeling the new power writhing within me, I spoke.
“…This is more than enough.”
* * *
Edan Rhapsody narrowed his eyes.
An unidentified flame had spread to the wooden stick he held. The fiercely blazing fire emitted no heat. It didn’t even feel warm, let alone hot. It was like an illusion.
Petty tricks.
Edan Rhapsody knew what this was. A Mystery. The unique Authority possessed by a swordsman who had reached the realm of a 「Sword Runner.」 It was the infinite potential manifested by those who had unfolded their own world.
A bit troublesome.
The moment Edan Rhapsody faced the flames, he recognized the Authority they held. It could be summarized in a single word: Disassembly. The flames of disassembly that incinerated everything.
The fire kindled by this lowly warrior was deconstructing everything: the three pairs of wings Edan Rhapsody had manifested, the Path of the Sea that dominated the temporary arena, and even the second heart beating within Edan’s body. Even for someone as experienced as Edan Rhapsody, this was a Mystery he had never seen or heard of. It was an unprecedented Mystery. Watching the flames gnaw away at his greatness, Edan Rhapsody muttered to himself.
A power overflowing with malice toward the world.
Just how deep must one’s resentment be to possess such fangs? Through what lens must one view the world to give birth to such a Mystery? A hollow laugh escaped him.
No wonder Toma lost.
A brief spark of interest rose within Edan Rhapsody’s heart. The blood of an idler, who eternally sought pleasure to escape boredom, began to boil. In Edan’s eyes, the dazzling potential of this insignificant fighter was clearly visible. Though currently meager, those fangs were sharp enough to one day reach him. However, his interest soon cooled.
Now was not the time.
Edan Rhapsody had come here as an avenger. Whether this was a sprout that would become a magnificent swordsman in the future or not, Edan had a duty to crush and trample this upstart who had defiled the honor of ‘Rhapsody.’ He stood here as the second son of a great family, and as the brother of a broken sibling.
“Whew.”
Edan Rhapsody excised his interest and curiosity. Once his emotions were cut away, only a single sword remained—not a man, but a cold blade performing its assigned duty.
Edan looked at the unidentified flames consuming his body. The flames, possessing the Authority of Disassembly, had already swallowed one pair of wings. These greedy flames would not stop there; they would swallow everything Edan Rhapsody had built and cast him down into the state of a mere, pathetic human. The will contained within these flames was just that vicious.
It wasn’t a desperate situation.
If Edan wished, he could easily shake off these flames. Whether it was an unprecedented Mystery or not, it was useless before the Authority of a 「Sword Expert.」 The moment he summoned and donned his armor, the Authority of Impenetrability would manifest. Then, such petty tricks would vanish instantly. Without a trace.
But I can’t do that.
However, Edan Rhapsody did not summon his armor. Had they not made a pact before the duel began? He had sworn to use only three pairs of wings. A member of the Great Five Families must strictly observe the sacred rules of a duel, even if it meant losing their life.
Furthermore…
There’s no need.
Such a restriction would have no impact on the outcome of this duel.
None at all.
“…”
Edan Rhapsody slowly raised his head.
The warrior was glaring at him, wreathed in flames. A pair of wings had sprouted from the man’s back as he stood firm. They were of a peculiar shape—different from the wings of a bird, and different from those of a butterfly. Those wings consisted of nothing but a frame. A colorless skeleton that looked like steel girders. Chilling wings that looked as if they were made by stitching blades together.
…Nothing but petty tricks.
Edan Rhapsody took a step forward as if he were taking a midday stroll through a garden. In the fleeting moment his foot left the ground and touched it again, he vanished and reappeared. It was like the teleportation of mages. The wooden stick in Edan’s hand drew a perfect trajectory. A basic thrust.
The thrust aimed for the blade of the sword held by the warrior. With this strike, Edan Rhapsody intended to snap the man’s sword. After neutralizing him, he would plant a sense of defeat deep into the man’s marrow. He would break him so he could never stand again, trample him, and strip away everything he held to perfectly destroy him. In the manner of a great family.
He would not die easily.
Edan Rhapsody intended to keep his word thoroughly. This fighter would learn the vastness of the world, and just how merciless the five pillars that ruled that world could be.
The wooden stick raced through the air.
The tip of the wood collided with the chilling steel blade. Amidst the collision, a sound different from before rang out. A Sword Cry. Hearing that clear resonance, Edan Rhapsody’s expression twisted.
“…?”
He was not swept away.
Before the wave, he did not break.
Frowning, Edan Rhapsody looked at the warrior. The man had not moved a single step. For a moment, in Edan’s eyes, the fighter looked like steel—like the immovable steel that holds its place on the edge of a beach against a rough sea.
“Ah…”
From afar, an inexplicable exclamation escaped the mouth of his pitiful younger brother, Toma Rhapsody, who was watching the duel. Edan Rhapsody could not understand why his brother was making such a sound.
Why he let out that exclamation, and why his eyes were sparkling as if he were witnessing something brilliant. Why he wore the face of a boy who had just remembered something he had long forgotten.
“Brother.”
His younger brother tried to say something.
“Brother, you mustn’t. Wait…”
But the battle’s noise was far louder than that cracked, hoarse voice.
* * *
My body is burning.
My heart is heated like the sun, and the blood flowing through my veins is like molten iron from a furnace. Even the sword in my hand is insanely hot. I can’t tell if what I’m holding is a sword or a flicker of flame. I don’t care which it is. Whether it’s a sword or a flame, for now, I must swing it.
“Hoo—”
With a single breath, the strength of a superhuman is granted. With wings sprouted, the power allowed to me is now closer to that of a Man of Iron than a superhuman.
Edan Rhapsody moved his foot.
From that minor movement, I saw the instant that was about to unfold. Doubt. My Doubt, which never missed even the smallest clue, informed me of a future that was almost like precognition.
Edan Rhapsody will spread his wings. He will arrive right in front of my nose with a movement akin to teleportation, and I will fall without even knowing what happened. Awakening as a 「Sword Runner,」 the newly awakened Mystery named the ‘Flame of Doubt’ provides no shield before a mature 「Sword Expert.」
I must bring out a different shield.
“Hup!”
The sword of the distant past that the fragment had shown me.
Forgotten history.
A forgotten era.
The greatest family established by the greatest Swordmaster. The great Authority that only the greatest bloodlines flowing through his family could manifest.
‘Wings of Steel are more powerful than any other wings.’
The traces of Steel.
The moment I thought of it, a voice flowed through my mind.
『I was born in war.』
My heart pounds. As the Heart of Steel beats, mana as hot as molten iron overflows into the steel vessels extending from it. The mana that circulated through my entire body soon headed toward the wings. Unlike ordinary wings, these were peculiar wings connected to my heart as their root. The Wings of Steel.
『A phoenix is meant to bloom from the ashes.』
The wings blooming on my back are different from ordinary wings. They are different from those of a bird, and different from those of an insect. To begin with, they have an alien appearance for something belonging to a living creature. They look as if blades have been stitched together. What is the use of these wings? No one told me. But I knew how to use them. It was engraved in the fragment, and it was engraved in the bloodline of Steel flowing through my body.
『The world threw me into the fire.』
All paths are connected.
The Authority shown by a Sword Runner’s wings is to bind the connected 「Path」 and the master of that path even more strongly. Like tying a rope and pulling from the other side, that is how they execute ultra-high-speed movement. Then, can the concept of ‘pulling’ only be used for movement? It cannot. I saw it clearly within the fragment. The potential possessed by the Wings of Steel.
『The world threw me into the fire.』
How was Steel born?
Steel was born to stand against the world.
Steel was born to stand against the era.
It was born to strike down things larger and stronger than itself. It was born to remain unbroken even when unreasonable and unacceptable trials descended. Therefore, the essence engraved in the blood of Caravan is not an ignorantly powerful strength. It is not a speed that cannot be followed by the eye. The essence of Caravan is Steel. And what is the essence of Steel? The essence is simpler than one might think.
『The world broke me and crushed me.』
Hardness.
It is not the strong who survive.
It is the survivor who is strong.
Master said:
Even after everything had collapsed.
In the end, Caravan stood firm until the very last.
『But the world could not kill me.』
The moment I remembered that, all the lines extending from me gathered into one. The lines gathered into one did not take the form of a straight line or a curve. It looked like a single point. That single point had formed on my sword. Simultaneously, the shape of my wings began to change. The wings resembling steel girders expanded greatly and rooted themselves deeply into the ground. Like a tombstone erected in a graveyard that would never move.
「Originally, that Authority isn’t meant to be used for such a purpose, but…」
With my body fixed, the sword was also fixed at the position where the point was engraved. The Authority of the wings was still active. Infinite acceleration. But that acceleration was not being triggered to move quickly. It was an acceleration occurring in all directions simultaneously. It was an acceleration performed to not back down no matter what trial descended, to perfectly hold one’s ground.
「Such an application isn’t bad either.」
And so.
The Immovable Sword was unfolded.
Unable to even flee.
I glared at Edan Rhapsody.
“Come! Edan Rhapsody!”
It’s a blur.
I can’t even predict how magnificent a sword will be unfolded.
I can’t even imagine how overwhelmingly I will be trampled.
But I stand against him.
“Because I! Will neither run! Nor back down!”
And.
“I said, come—!”
The moment Edan Rhapsody’s foot left and then touched the ground, he appeared before me.
“!”
I no longer had the luxury to speak.
Holding my breath, I thrust my sword. A thunderous clack rang out. The shockwave transmitted through the sword was insanely intense. It felt as if my head was splitting and my limbs were being pulverized. But the sword was still held in my hand. I can fight.
“—!”
I endured the crashing wave.
But I must not be relieved. A wave does not end with one. 「Rhapsody」 is not a wave, but an endless sea. A wave is merely a natural phenomenon that occurs as the sea moves. What I must face is not a wave, but the sea—a sea that could sweep someone like me away with ease.
“Ugh—”
I took a short breath.
After blocking the basic thrust, I racked my brain. Where is the next thrust? The lower body? The upper body? Or will he aim for a vital point to neutralize me at once? It’s difficult to win this kind of psychological game. It’s impossible to react after seeing Edan Rhapsody’s movements anyway. If so, I must predict. With my Doubt.
“—”
It feels like my brain is going to burn up.
But I must think.
I recalled Toma Rhapsody’s thrust. There is a difference in level, but in the end, it’s the same type of swordsmanship. Recalling the thrust he had showcased, I took a defensive stance.
Kang.
Though I couldn’t see it, I felt a scraping sensation at the tip of my sword. Did I block it? I don’t know. Rhapsody’s sword is the fastest on the continent. I shouldn’t even think about following it with my eyes. If there was a sensation, it’s only right to immediately take the next action.
Kakang.
I blocked it again.
This is close to a miracle.
The moment I blocked that much, I saw the eyes of Toma Rhapsody, the pitiful young master watching from among the crowd of knights beyond Edan Rhapsody. Light was returning to the young master’s clouded eyes. As if he were remembering a brilliant past from sometime ago. Like a noble lady remembering a forgotten lover.
There isn’t much left.
I must endure more.
Damn it. It feels like more than 10 seconds have passed.
It seems our youngest master’s memory is worse than I thought. There’s no time to curse Toma Rhapsody. Since it has already begun, there is only one way to stop it: Toma Rhapsody remembering the truth. My role is to buy time until then.
“—!”
Sword and sword collide.
The sound of breathing was loud.
I even had the illusion that time had stopped for a moment.
I could clearly see the shape of the upturned earth and the grains of sand within it. The smell of hot sweat and the warmth of the beating sun were intense. In that moment, the world reflected in my eyes lost its color. The world, stripped of all color, became black and white. In the monochrome world, the spectators and the insignificant residents I had to protect vanished. Only heaven and earth, two men, and two swords remained. Inside the humble arena, I parried the descending sword again and again.
Kagagak—!
Sparks flew.
The edges of the flying sparks seemed to connect with Edan Rhapsody’s body. To my eyes, it looked like a path. A path made of fire. A rough and harsh path of flames that no sane human would ever think of walking. The brilliantly shining path of fire was bisecting the monochrome world. Instinctively, I swung my sword along the path of fire.
The stance?
That stance was also achieved by instinct.
Not a swordsman’s technique, but a stance like a blacksmith striking iron with a hammer. A large movement full of openings. Lifting the sword high and striking down—a vertical slash. It could carry full weight and power, but much energy was wasted, and since no expert would ever fall for it, it was a movement never seen among swordsmen. There was no way a person of Edan Rhapsody’s skill would miss my opening.
However.
I chose that path.
“—”
Kkang—!
A sound like a hammer forging a sword rang out.
Edan Rhapsody blocked my sword.
Just by tilting his wooden stick diagonally. Simultaneously, his stance changed subtly. I could now tell what kind of preparatory stance that was. A thrusting motion. Where was it headed? My eye. Edan Rhapsody intended to take my sight. I couldn’t tell if it was one eye or both. Perhaps he would pierce through the eye and make a hole in my head, ending my life right there.
As expected, he did not miss this opening.
But.
“!”
What I swung was no ordinary vertical slash.
Steel.
The swordsmanship passed down through Caravan.
Among all the swords that exist on this continent.
The heaviest sword.
Jjeong—!
Following the vertical slash, an explosive sound erupted, and Edan Rhapsody’s balance broke. The ground beneath his feet cratered. With a crack , a fissure appeared in the wooden stick he held. It was as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning from a clear sky without warning.
「My young descendant.」
Edan Rhapsody’s pupils trembled.
For the first time, bewilderment was visible.
「Even without being told, you know what comes next, don’t you?」
I did not indulge in a sense of superiority.
Instead, I prepared the ‘next movement’ I had seen in the fragment.
「Show those who have forgotten history. Show them who it was that pacified the most brutal era, who stood at the pinnacle when the world was being destroyed, and who was the victor who stood until the very end even when everything collapsed.」
“…”
「Who was the zenith of the Five Families.」
The second Steel.
「Make them pay the price for daring to forget Caravan, my descendant.」
Refinement.
