“Is she strong? That goes without saying.”
“……”
“You don’t understand what a Spirit King truly is. If this were a forest, or a spiritual realm manifested by a spirit user, we would have died the moment we made eye contact.”
“But this isn’t a forest, is it?”
“True. This is the Middle-world—the land of the seven races, where those with physical bodies dwell.”
Audrey narrowed her eyes.
“The Gaia standing before us now isn’t the true Spirit King. She’s merely an avatar manifested in the Middle-world by possessing an object. Compared to her true self, she’s pathetically weak.”
“……”
“But even so, she is a threat. Besides, nothing good comes from harming the Earth Spirit King. Even if you destroy that physical form, Gaia won’t die; she’ll simply wake up in the Spirit Realm where her true body resides. From that moment on, every earth spirit will follow their king’s command and turn hostile toward us. The very earth itself will reject you, Descendant of Steel.”
Audrey spoke with a heavy sigh.
「There is no need to worry about that.」
It was then that Liam spoke up.
「All five Spirit Kings hate the Caravans anyway.」
“……Pardon?”
「Just crush her and move on. There is no need for concern. If you face any retaliation or disadvantage because of this, I will step in personally. Matters of the spiritual world shall be settled in the spiritual world.」
‘I will step in personally.’
It was the first time I had ever heard Liam say such a thing.
As I stared at him in surprise, Liam maintained an indifferent expression.
「Consider it a reward.」
“……”
「A reward for upholding my dignity in front of your other ancestors all this time. So, continue to fulfill your duties and show the proper etiquette of a descendant.」
Liam gave a small smirk. I nodded and smiled back.
“At your service, Master.”
How reassuring. That’s my master for you!
“Lady Audrey.”
“What?”
“Setting everything else aside, just tell me one thing. Is that monster so strong that we can’t win even if we all jump in together?”
The answer came immediately.
“There are many factors to consider. The size of the vessel the Earth Spirit King has taken, the total amount of power she’s permitted to exert in the Middle-world, how much strength she used to tear down the walls—”
“Please, keep it simple so I can understand.”
Simple and concise. The moment I said that, Audrey’s eyebrows twitched. A moment later, she gave an answer I could work with.
“……It’s doable.”
That was all I needed to hear.
“Whew.”
I took a step forward and drew my sword.
The moment the blade was revealed, Gaia’s gaze shifted. Eyes resembling obsidian turned toward us. Then, her mountain-like body began to move. The air trembled and the ground groaned at her slightest motion. Soil piled upon Gaia’s body cascaded down like a landslide as her mouth opened.
【Do you truly intend to stand against me?】
It was a voice that didn’t match her grotesque appearance. Judging by her looks, one would expect a beastly roar, but her voice and manner of speech were every bit the noble—dignified and beautiful.
【Mortals, against me? Against the master of all the earth?】
Thump.
Gaia took a step forward.
In her hands of solid rock, she held the debris of the collapsed city wall. If she threw those fragments with that massive strength, it would be comparable to a bombardment from a heavy siege engine. I looked at Audrey.
“Can you provide magic support?”
“I haven’t fully recovered yet.”
“Does that mean you can’t?”
“Not much. Only basic magic.”
That was enough. I looked around. Seol-yoon, Tom, Audrey, and Sherizik were all looking to me.
“Let’s clear out this nuisance and get moving.”
With those words, I took a deep breath. My second heart throbbed, granting me the power of a superhuman. ‘Paths’ spread out like a spiderweb before my eyes, and then wings sprouted from my back. I moved, stepping forward into a slowed-down world.
Gaia moved in sync with me. Despite her massive size, her actions were incredibly swift. Her shoulders shifted as she wound up to hurl the wall debris. And then—
“Young Master, I shall go first.”
Thunder before the lightning strikes.
With a booming roar, Tom appeared in front of Gaia. In this moment, the old caretaker had returned to being the warrior of his prime. The sharp tip of his sword pierced Gaia’s shoulder. The mana contained in the blade erupted, and a thunderous roar echoed as shards of rock and mounds of dirt sprayed in all directions. But as the blade moved to cleave through the stone body—
【Begone.】
—it failed.
“What in the world…”
With a sharp crack , Tom’s blade shattered like glass. The moment Gaia’s hand reached out, Audrey chanted a spell and pulled Tom back. The massive hand swept through empty air.
【Metal, too, comes from the earth. That which comes from the earth cannot harm the master of all the earth. Foolish ones who do not even know such a simple truth—do you finally realize your choice was a mistake?】
Tom performed a mid-air recovery and landed on the ground. Audrey muttered under her breath.
“The compatibility is indeed terrible.”
“What was that just now?”
“The Authority of Earth. It’s the power to dismantle elements related to the earth. A sword is, in the end, a blade made by refining metal. And the root of the metal used for that blade is the earth. There’s no way metal would work against the Spirit King who rules it.”
Metal wouldn’t work. At those words, Seol-yoon’s face fell.
“……I just bought this sword, too.”
Seol-yoon, who had lost the chance to even use the sword she’d splurged on, let out a dejected sigh. But there was no time for gloom. Dismantling all metal? That meant the three swordsmen here were essentially useless. A swordsman’s power is rooted in their blade. Without it, they were stripped of their greatest strength.
“Wait, didn’t you say it was doable? How is it doable when we’re fighting someone who shreds swords? There are three swordsmen here. If metal doesn’t work, doesn’t that make Sherizik useless as a warrior too?”
“Descendant of Steel, I am strong even with my bare hands,” Sherizik grunted.
“I’m sure you are, but still. Lady Audrey, are you saying you can overwhelm the Spirit King with magic alone? Do you have some kind of ultimate witch’s move that can destroy a Spirit King in one go?”
“I have no such thing. However—” Audrey shook her head. Then she raised her hand and pointed at me. “We have you.”
“Me?”
“The Descendant of Steel.” Audrey’s eyes sparkled. “The authority held by a Spirit King is absolute, but in your blood flows an authority higher than that. The most absolute authority in all the worlds—one that the masters of elements cannot interfere with.”
“……?”
“The Authority of Steel.” My reflection was mirrored in Audrey’s eyes. “In this world, no one can take away a Caravan’s sword.”
*
Thump.
Tremendous footsteps echoed.
“Whew—”
I resumed my held breath and looked at Gaia. Her imposing approach was pure terror—a living disaster made of rock and vines. She looked like the embodiment of nature’s wrath.
Could I do it? Countless doubts swirled in my mind, but I quickly cast them aside. I could. With the blood of steel flowing through my veins, it was possible.
【Do you intend to continue?】
A path extended—a line stretching out from me. The moment the path finally touched Gaia, my wings unfurled, and I felt a powerful pull. The path dragged me forward, and I took a stance to swing my sword.
【Foolish!】
High-speed movement.
With a motion akin to teleportation, I appeared above Gaia’s shoulder. Seeing her up close, her appearance was terrifying. Clicking my tongue, I swung my sword from top to bottom.
The First Steel: Forging.
The perfected vertical slash struck between Gaia’s neck and shoulder. Simultaneously, a mystery bloomed from my body: the Flame of Doubt—my mystery that dismantles all other mysteries.
【A human with no capacity to learn, I see. Did you not feel it? That which comes from the earth cannot harm m—】
The blooming flames enveloped Gaia’s massive body. The flames that dismantle mysteries spread onto the body of the Spirit King, whose very existence was a mystery. Gaia’s body surged, and mounds of earth cascaded down. While Gaia’s obsidian eyes wavered, the resonance of the First Steel began. The heaviest sword on the continent fell in a single, devastating vertical slash.
【—e……?!】
Clang—!
A sound that belonged in a divine smithy rang out as Gaia’s body suddenly buckled. Cracks spiderwebbed into the ground, and Gaia’s left leg of rock snapped, unable to withstand the weight. The moment the leg collapsed, it returned to its original form—simple dirt.
【……What is this?】
I saw her agitation, but I didn’t stop. With the sword tip pointing down, I slashed upward.
The Second Steel: Refinement.
A linked movement that strips away all of the enemy’s defenses and pours out mystery once more. The blade cut through the air with a sharp shing . Along with it, the burning flames stripped away Gaia’s hard shell, causing it to melt.
【You!】
Gaia’s hand reached toward me. I breathed as I watched the massive hand closing in. One breath—the world slowed down, and I saw countless paths spreading like a spiderweb. Simultaneously, a voice flowed into my head.
‘The method you came up with is creative. Using the Steel Wings like that when facing a strong opponent is a powerful weapon. But, listen. That is not the original way to use the Steel Wings.’
It was the teaching I had received in the Small Land of Swords.
‘A Caravan is a being that reigns over all things. Therefore, a Caravan does not seek a sword to face the strong, but a sword that tramples and crushes everything. The Steel Wings are no different.’
My heart pounded with a thrill.
‘The Steel Wings bloomed by a Caravan are the hardest and most powerful of all wings. You must have heard it—the Steel Wings can fly the farthest. Do you know what that means?’
The slowed world reached a point where it was almost frozen.
‘Normally, a Sword Runner can only use one path. This is because their wings cannot withstand more. If you accelerate consecutively, the wings will break. It takes a long time to recover broken wings, and your original strength would be severely damaged.’
I looked at the paths spreading like a spiderweb.
‘But a Caravan is different. We can fly far. Farther than any being on this vast continent. A Caravan can use multiple paths. You understand what this means, don’t you?’
I selected the paths I would use. I marked ‘multiple’ paths, designating the desired locations. Once the designation was finished, my wings vibrated.
【Uh……】
In the next moment, I was everywhere.
Consecutive acceleration.
I slashed Gaia’s hamstrings, and without stopping, I slashed her shoulder, her chest, and her nape. To anyone watching, it would have looked as if my body had momentarily split into several. After inflicting multiple wounds on Gaia’s body, I finally soared high into the sky, far above Gaia’s head.
‘And the Steel Wings display their true power when accelerating along the Path of Steel.’
Positioned at the highest point, I looked down. The numerous paths vanished, and in their place, only a single, razor-thin line remained—a distinct line that seemed to bisect the world in two. The moment I saw that line, my wings began to tremble. The line and my body were connected.
‘A sword that no one can block.’
I felt the illusion that my hand and the sword had merged into one. It was a wondrous power, but something was still lacking. It felt as if an important part was blocked. The sword I was swinging was excellent, but I felt I could draw it even more perfectly.
The moment that thought struck me, my heart began to beat like a drum. A thrilling heartbeat echoed, and the world I was looking at accelerated while remaining slowed.
How? Only one acceleration should be possible with a single pair of wings.
I felt the blockage clear. In the slowed world, only my sword moved rapidly. In that moment, I realized—new wings had sprouted. To fill their master’s deficiency, my body had grown on its own.
【This is…… impossible.】
Two pairs of wings.
While the newly sprouted wings assisted me, my body reached from the highest point to the lowest in an instant. The sword in my hand, carrying the full force of the fall, drew a perfect, unobstructed line. A Path of Steel that no one could defy stretched from Gaia’s head to her feet.
【This cannot be.】
Gaia’s body began to crumble. Even as she collapsed, her obsidian eyes stared intently at me. Simultaneously, a massive hand reached out to crush me.
【Why does…… your blade…… threaten me?】
“Because it’s mine.”
【That is not…… true. Metal…… is not yours, it is mine. Metal…… comes from the earth. There is no way…… that which comes from the earth…… can harm me, the master of all the earth. It is impossible……】
“Seems like it can harm you just fine, though?”
To my sarcastic reply, Gaia no longer spoke in the language of humans. Instead, she howled like a beast in an unintelligible tongue—a roar that felt like it would tear my ears. I smiled as I watched Gaia finally making a sound that matched her appearance.
Why do you keep pathetically coming at me?
【Uh, ugh—】
The movement I just took was a vertical slash. And there was only one vertical slash technique I had learned.
The First Steel: Forging.
Once again, I swung the Caravan’s sword.
“Shut up and go home. Now.”
Steel strikes twice. You rock-headed bastard.
【……!】
Clang—!
With a powerful sound, Gaia’s body exploded as if crushed by a hydraulic press. Rocks and dirt sprayed in all directions, and Audrey blocked the debris with magic. A dust storm swept through. Once the air settled and the magic shield was removed, there was only a pile of dirt and rocks stacked high, as if a landslide had passed through.
The Earth Spirit King was dead. More accurately, her avatar was destroyed, and she had been sent back to her own realm.
“……You won, just like that?” Audrey asked, her voice thick with disbelief.
I felt the same way. She’d scared me half to death, talking about the Earth Spirit King and the incarnation of destruction, but when it came down to it, the fight was easier than I thought. Perhaps the rumors were exaggerated and the Earth Spirit King was actually weak. Or—
“You’ve changed.”
—I’ve become quite strong now.
*
We had defeated the Earth Spirit King, but crossing the dirt-covered area in front of us was quite a task. It was no different from rock climbing. Looking at the piled-up wall of earth, old nightmares came to mind—memories of the days when I rolled like a dog and hung from cliffs to become a Sword Beginner, and the days when I climbed steep cliffs determined to reach the Orcs’ Holy Land to devour a new sword. It seemed I had an ill-fated relationship with cliffs…….
“What are you doing? Come on.”
Fortunately, I didn’t have to climb this time. Audrey cast space magic that allowed us to cross to the other side of the debris. Audrey, flicking her fingers, had never looked more beautiful. While I felt like giving her a round of applause, Seol-yoon tilted her head.
“Arhan.”
“Yes?”
“What’s that?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, meeting Seol-yoon’s gaze.
She replied, “Your sword. Was it always like that?”
Was my sword always like that?
Hearing Seol-yoon’s words, I looked down at my blade.
“What the… what is this?”
My sword—it had changed.
