The Crusaders.
They were an army gathered under the banner of the Order of the Cross. Driven by the grand ambition of uniting the Southern Continent through a Holy War, this force was more powerful than any other in the region. In truth, that was only natural; there were no other groups in the Southern Continent that could even be called an “army.”
Throughout its long history, the Southern Continent had been a land of peace. Its people, who regarded harmony and reconciliation as the highest virtues, did not desire conflict. Looking at the bloody examples of the outside world, the people of the South believed that organizing an army would only shatter their long-standing tranquility. They believed the only way to preserve peace was for no army to exist at all. If no weapons were pointed at one another, there would be no reason for strife.
Having survived the most terrible era—the Age of War—the Southern Continent believed they were right. They had witnessed the ruin of those who conscripted endless armies just to seize one more scrap of land. The end of greed and conflict was always destruction. Even after suffering near-total devastation, the Southern Continent refused to maintain a standing military. They believed salvation could only be attained through forgiveness, harmony, and faithful prayer.
However, there was one thing the Southern Continent did not know.
Peace is maintained by force.
The world is not as beautiful as they imagined, nor does it operate according to the doctrines recorded in their edited scriptures. The peace proclaimed by the powerful and the peace cried out by the weak carry different weights. A being without the strength to protect itself cannot prepare for the ruin that will inevitably come.
The Order of the Cross was the first to realize this.
The Vatican predicted that if another era of chaos arrived, the Southern Continent would not just suffer—it would be utterly annihilated. To prepare for that destruction, they had to cultivate strength. The Southern Continent had to be forged into one. The Order of the Cross was the perfect fit for that role. They would not lead through the laughable doctrine of forgiveness and harmony, but through the rational doctrine that sin must be met with punishment and that those who commit sins must pay the price.
Of course, there were other reasons besides the grand cause of protection. There were the profits that would fall into their hands once they seized this massive landmass, the formidable power they would grasp, and the authority they would enjoy from on high. The Vatican did not consider this wicked greed. Even in the doctrines spoken by the Son of Sin and Punishment, there were passages stating that faith must be rewarded and that those who achieve great deeds must receive proper compensation. Their actions were strictly in accordance with their own doctrine.
And so, the Crusaders’ Holy War began.
Everyone crumbled before the swords, spears, and shields of the Crusaders. Part of the reason was that no nation here possessed a proper military, but the decisive factor was help from the outside world. Their assistance allowed the Crusaders to reign as an invincible army. It was support from the continental Great Powers, who saw the Order’s ambition as an opportunity to expand their own influence into the Southern Continent.
While intoxicated by these sweet victories, the Crusaders also harbored a chilling thought. Even with the meager support provided by the Great Powers, the Crusaders had become incredibly strong. If so, just how vast was the gap between the Great Powers—who could send such support without a second thought—and the Southern Continent? Joy and fear coexisted.
And at this moment.
“A-Aaaagh!”
Their fear became reality.
“A ghost… it’s a ghost…”
“Where?! Where is he coming from?!”
Death arrived in the form of a 「Sword Runner.」
*
Crusaders.
They bore a grand name, but in reality, they weren’t much different from the knights of the Iron Kingdom. The only difference was that instead of forming a Mana Heart and training in the sword, they relied on the protection of Holy Power to swing heavy maces.
To an ordinary civilian, they looked like monsters. Their thick iron plate armor deflected most blades, arrows were useless against them, and the maces they swung could easily shatter a man’s skull. To those who had lived in peace, the sight of a human head exploding was terrifying. Truly terrifying.
But when stripped down, they were full of holes.
Mystery of muscle reinforcement, reaction speed enhancement, and the like.
The knights of the Iron Kingdom are, on average, 「Sword Walkers.」 Those who have reached the level of a Sword Walker perform exquisite swordsmanship with the ability to see the 「Path,」 finding the most efficient trajectory at every moment. However, the Crusaders cannot do that. They lack enlightenment in martial arts.
They possessed physical abilities comparable to the superhuman strength that was the exclusive domain of Sword Walkers, but what did raw physical ability matter? No matter how powerful an attack was, it was meaningless if it didn’t hit. It might be different if they were fighting a giant monster, but when facing another human or an expert, accuracy was everything. There was no technique in the Crusaders’ maces. There was no way I would be hit by a mace swung in such a wide, clumsy arc. Their attacks were slow, sloppy, and lacked a proper point of impact. A needle would be more threatening than that—a 「Needle」 that was small and frail but could accurately pierce a vital point.
『They called me the Sewing Gypsy.』
With a sharp pht , a small hole was punched through the Crusader’s armor. It was an insignificant-looking hole, but a human body can collapse from even a single small puncture. A golden light swirled around the Crusader’s body as he staggered, losing his balance. My Doubt saw through the nature of that mystery.
Healing light. Like a Monk’s.
Overall physical enhancement and self-healing.
Was this the extent of the power the Crusaders possessed? The more I fought them, the more they felt like a budget version of a Monk. Helen, the gladiator I fought in the Arena, was several times stronger than these men. Helen didn’t scream pathetically just because a few holes were poked in her body. If anything, the look in her eyes only grew sharper.
“Heretic!”
With a shlick sound, I sliced through the Crusader’s helmet and head in one motion. Immediately after the stroke ended and one life returned to the earth, a woman in pitch-black priestess robes charged at me. A red light gathered in her hands. It was an ominous glow, yet she charged recklessly, shrouded only in that crimson light. I thrust my sword without hesitation. However, I felt no resistance at the tip of my blade. It was as if I had stabbed flowing water.
“One who has sinned cannot touch me! Unholy, wicked things cannot harm us Inquisitors! We are the punishment, the absolute justice!”
So she charged in believing in that?
It seemed to be a spiritual ability—a petty trick that turned her body into an ethereal form, making it impossible to hit her without a power related to ‘Mysteries.’ Certainly, with such a talent, she could have reigned like an absolute being in the Southern Continent.
However.
“I can harm you, though.”
In front of me, it was nothing more than a cheap trick.
“…!”
The Flame of Doubt opened its eyes. In the next instant, the flames leaped onto the charging woman, and the light gathered in her hands vanished. The woman let out a confused “Uh—” and didn’t even see my blade. With a thud , her head went rolling.
They’re just a rabble.
If you possess a Mystery yourself, shouldn’t you naturally consider the possibility that your opponent might also possess one? Why don’t they harbor natural doubt while fighting? As I furrowed my brows, a metallic clank echoed nearby. I turned my head to find a chunk of iron fastened to my wrist. A chain was coiled at the end of the iron.
“Got you!”
What is this now?
I hadn’t felt any presence at all.
Liam provided the explanation in my stead.
「The miracles of the followers of the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods—which convert faith into Holy Power—do not require a preparatory movement. Furthermore, fitting for the name ‘miracle,’ they do not miss.」
“That’s too unfair.”
「In exchange, their power is weak. You feel it too, don’t you?」
Weak power—he was right.
“Crusaders, judge that sinner! Now!”
The chain pulled taut, trying to seal my movements. But to be honest, the strength of the chain was pathetic. It didn’t even match the strength of Sancho pulling with all his might. It felt like I could snap it just by flicking my wrist.
“You shall not escape the Chains of Punishment! Now, hurry!”
Of course, I didn’t do that.
Because…
“Now is the chance…”
I had to make use of this.
『Let us fly once more.』
With a clack , the chain vanished. In the next moment, a blue world unfolded, and the Authority of liberation permeated my entire body. In the frozen world, I saw the charging Crusaders and the face of the priest, who was smiling brightly as if he had already won. I moved leisurely and alone within the stopped world. My blade halved the bodies of the Crusaders and split their helmets. Even though bone and flesh were separated, no blood sprayed. In the frozen world, I was moving faster than a drop of blood.
Better to leave one alive.
After drawing line after line in the frozen world, I stopped in front of the priest, who was still smiling. Soon, the blue world returned to normal. In the next instant, the sound of blades cutting through flesh erupted, and red blood exploded like fountains. The bodies of the Crusaders and the Inquisitor, marked with red linear slashes, were hideously severed and sent flying in all directions. Everyone except the priest died in the blink of an eye, without even a scream.
“Uh…”
The smiling expression on the priest’s face froze.
With an indifferent expression, I returned my sword to its sheath.
I wouldn’t kill this one. I needed at least one person to go back to the Order of the Cross and spread stories about me to build my fame. To faithfully fulfill my contract with the Black Archipelago, it was better for my reputation to spread as quickly and widely as possible.
Of course.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Pull out that cross over there and restore the statue to its original state.”
You have to fix your mistakes before you leave.
*
The Order of the Cross members staying in the port city of Vicente all withdrew that day. Actually, the word “all” didn’t quite fit. I had killed everyone except for one of their priests.
The priest, who had pulled out the cross with trembling hands and stitched back the head torn from the statue of the Sun, fled from Vicente with a face pale as a ghost. The residents of Vicente stared intently at the priest’s retreating back, but surprisingly, not a single person hurled insults or mocked him. They simply kept their mouths shut, closed their eyes, and offered prayers.
I couldn’t tell if their prayers were thanks sent to the Sun, a memorial for those who died, or their own way of thanking me.
With the withdrawal of the Crusaders, the port city of Vicente regained its peace. The residents, who had lost their motivation, began to smile again. Seeing the bustling atmosphere, I felt a genuine sense of pride.
“You did well, Lord.”
“Ah, yes.”
“But you were a bit aggressive. I didn’t expect you to kill everyone except for one… Still, I’m glad you left at least one alive. Now the Order of the Cross will know of your existence. The rumors will spread quickly. And they’ll spread quite grandly, too. If the Order describes the person who slaughtered their entire Crusade as a nobody, then they become nobodies themselves.”
He was right.
Anyway, as the ruined city was being rebuilt, Zeppelin Gold became very busy.
“I have come to help you all!”
Zeppelin Gold went around Vicente, making his voice heard. He said he planned to rebuild the city first to instill a good image. After that, he intended to conduct business here or look for investment opportunities. The port city of Vicente was the face of the Southern Continent. As long as the Southern Continent didn’t vanish from the map, this place was bound to keep developing. While Zeppelin Gold was busy running around, I, on the contrary, became idle.
And someone came to find the idle me.
“…Thank you for saving us.”
In front of the statue of the Sun.
It was the priest I had saved. Oren, the Priest of the Sun.
“You said you were a Caravan.”
Unlike before, when he looked like a beggar, he was now dressed neatly and respectably. For some reason, I could even feel a sense of holiness from his spotless robes.
“I have lived my whole life only in Vicente, and since I don’t know much about the outside world, I don’t know about the Caravans. I don’t know if that is your name, your family, the name of a swordsmanship school, or a specific region.”
“…”
“But I will never forget. Until the moment I close my eyes, I will not forget that this port city of Vicente owes a debt of gratitude to the Caravan. I do not have much, and those who are grateful to you also have little in their hands right now. It is sad that thanking you with words is all we can do.”
“No. That is enough.”
Truly, that was enough. I was also doing this to get what I was owed from Zeppelin Gold.
Oren expressed his gratitude several times and even took out some old jewelry, saying he would give me what little he had. My heart felt heavy at the sight, so I had no choice but to take the jewelry and stuff it into my pocket. Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable if I kept refusing? It was a choice for the sake of both of us.
「How thrifty. Truly thrifty.」
“Thank you for the compliment.”
「…」
I heard later that Oren, the Priest of the Sun, went around spreading a new teaching: that one must find the answer themselves in the face of a crisis; that one must cultivate the strength to overcome a crisis themselves; that it is not right to just pray helplessly; that it is no different from begging for salvation and miracles from the gods we serve…
It was a doctrine different from the existing one.
Nevertheless, Oren’s teachings permeated the residents of Vicente perfectly. The residents here had already experienced disgrace and suffered from unreasonable violence. It was also said that the name ‘Caravan’ was always mentioned in those teachings.
As the port city of Vicente was being restored and changed, I was no longer idle. It wasn’t that I had received a special mission from Zeppelin Gold. He had told me to stay here for a while and enjoy sightseeing or relax.
There was only one reason I became busy.
「The swords of the great families that the world calls the Five Families were all created by modeling the world. For example, the swordsmanship of the Rhapsody family you faced was born from an admiration for the infinitely vast sea.」
“The sea, huh.”
「And the Steel of the Caravan that I created was modeled after a blade that does not break under any circumstances. To be precise, the Steel of the Caravan sought to resemble the Sword itself.」
“What does that mean? A swordsmanship that sought to resemble the sword.”
「In my era, such a thing as swordsmanship did not exist. The seven races simply swung swords, spears, and shields haphazardly, fighting by instinct. In the first place, swords weren’t even common. At the time, swords were merely symbolic blades that looked good on monarchs. Broadly speaking, they were closer to ornaments like earrings or necklaces than weapons.」
Master, as promised… began to teach me the Sword of the Caravan.
「Young descendant, do you know the other name for the Steel of the Caravan?」
“I don’t know.”
「The First Sword.」
The true Sword of the Caravan.
「Take pride in being a descendant of the Caravan, young descendant. Every sword that exists in the world ultimately has the Caravan as its root. All existing swordsmanship, swordsmanship forgotten by the flow of history, and swordsmanship that will be born in the distant future—all those swords ultimately derived from the Steel of the Caravan. And a derivative can never defeat the original.」
Master grinned.
「I guarantee it. Once your Steel is complete, no swordsman will be able to oppose you. Not even that Swordmaster Carlos you hate so much.」
“…”
「Then, for now, I shall teach you one more verse of the sword.」
A little… viciously.
「The Third Steel. Its name is Polished Light.」
