Stacked Changes
Kwaaang!
Early morning. Isaac clashed swords with Lianna. Or rather, could it even be called clashing? Lianna was deliberately easing off just before their blades met, adjusting her strength so as not to snap Isaac's sword.
After the spar ended, Lianna approached Isaac as he wiped his sweat and asked flatly,
"When you swing your sword, you tend to fall into the Helmont family's characteristic stance."
"……."
"The Helmonts enjoy crushing with raw power, but that's not you."
"You're right."
"The sword you wield is like glasswork. Delicate and precise. There's no need to force it into the mold of a Helmont greatsword."
She almost added why, but clamped her mouth shut. She didn't want to voice that he would be leaving soon.
"No need to obsess over it."
She hoped Isaac wouldn't desperately seek the Helmonts' approval anymore. It meant nothing now.
But Isaac rejected her advice.
"I have my own goals I'm pursuing with the sword."
"Goals you're pursuing?"
"Yeah. If it looks like imitation right now, I guess that's how it seems."
"……."
Lianna could tell he was devising some method on his own, but she had no clue what it was. More than that, though, she wanted to ask something else.
How on earth did he amass knowledge to this level?
Knowledge of the sword. Even Lianna was occasionally startled during their conversations. The depth was different. If borrowing his knowledge was like drawing water from a well with a bucket—
It's no mere well.
It felt like scooping from the vast ocean itself. His knowledge flowed from him with such profound, pure clarity.
"Isaac, take a look at this."
Silberna, who had been practicing her spear nearby, wedged herself between them.
"Is this the feel you mentioned last time? Like raking fallen leaves with a rake?"
Silberna assumed her stance and swung her spear through the air. The thrust downward sliced sharply, the nearby wind responding with claw-like scars etched into the training ground.
Isaac stroked his chin, watching, then corrected her form briefly.
"A bit weak. Your weight isn't fully committed. Put more force into stomping your front foot. You stretching consistently?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Flexibility lets your whole body power the move. Especially for you—your build puts you at a disadvantage compared to others."
Lianna, listening, subtly lowered her head. She was on the advantageous side.
"Whatever works, but getting too fixated on form limits your options. Practice varying your stances across angles, and it'll serve you well."
Silberna took Isaac's advice and resumed her drills.
Impressive.
Isaac exuded the refined aura of someone who'd served as an instructor for years. Lianna personally wanted his input on her own swordplay too, but she felt she had no right to it.
"One more round."
As Isaac requested another spar, Lianna nodded and gripped her greatsword.
Considering the Sword Emperor that loomed ahead—honestly, training like this was pointless. Once the Helmont direct lineage cloaked themselves in Red Aura, it all became meaningless.
What is it?
Isaac's eyes gleamed with sharp intellect. Their steady light seemed unquenchable, even amid the fiercest storms.
A few days later.
Helmont knights lined up alongside Mallidan Wall soldiers, standing in separate ranks like they were competing to prove whose army was superior.
At the forefront of each unit stood the women who symbolized them: Lianna Helmont and Silberna Kaldias.
Their upright postures were far more solemn than the usual vibes Isaac knew from them.
Leading them all was Uldiran, mounted on a massive warhorse, spear in hand.
The wall's main gate swung open.
Cheers and encouragement rang out. Those remaining on the wall saw them off with salutes, praying they'd end the beast war.
Once Uldiran's main force departed, the interior of the wall felt desolate, eerily quiet.
"It's quiet."
Jonathan, who would stay at the wall with Isaac, murmured.
Staying behind didn't mean idling, of course.
"This is just the start."
The main force would advance, culling beasts as they went. But they couldn't slay every one, and since they were hunting the horde leader, some would slip through. No pursuit needed—those stragglers would naturally head for the wall.
Until the main force returned, defenses would tighten, most soldiers living atop the wall with scant rest.
"Did you pack blankets? I heard you need at least three. Someone'll snag 'em otherwise."
"Why would they? Just grab more from the barracks."
"For real. They say if you don't ration undies or socks tight, poof—gone."
"The Helmont knights feeding you weird rumors?"
"They said it's common at the front lines."
Isaac and Jonathan had already moved their supplies for wall living. With meals and beds here now, there was plenty to manage.
"Ugh, cold."
Sharen Helmont sidled up sneakily. She'd been excluded from the main force roster at Lianna's insistence.
The three headed to the barracks inside the wall, set up for soldiers.
Pre-laid bedding and gear. Huddled together in this spot for days felt novel to Sharen.
It smelled musty, and bunking with troops wasn't glamorous, but Sharen had grown somewhat accustomed to front-line life.
"This spot's mine!"
Sharen plopped her blanket next to Isaac's.
Jonathan had claimed the opposite side, slipping hot-water pouches under his blanket.
"This makes it way warmer. Got yours ready too."
"Thanks."
"Jonathan's got the best ideas!"
"Hehe."
Jonathan beamed at the praise. He'd clearly grilled fellow barracks soldiers for tips and prepped thoroughly.
"Man, inside the wall's freezing."
Breath fogged on exhale. Northern, sure, but indoors shouldn't be this chilly.
"It's the Mallidan Wall's nature."
Isaac explained simply as Sharen rubbed her hands.
"You know the North's cold is artificial?"
"Huh?"
"Pardon?"
Sharen and Jonathan eyed him curiously.
"The North's always been cold, but not like this. Not endless snow year-round."
But Wolfdrun Kaldias, the first head who built the wall, devised a ploy.
"He enchanted the wall to make the climate even harsher. Winter-hibernating beasts stay away, snow aids defense, and spotting beasts gets easier."
"But then we freeze too."
Sharen raised her hand like a kid in class.
Isaac answered like a grandpa spinning old tales.
"Not a problem for Wolfdrun. Blocking the enemy mattered more than their comfort."
Massive project. Teaming with the magic tower was easy—they jumped at handling such grand-scale magic.
A blend of chill and madness. The Kaldias creed: endure personal torment to halt foes.
Local villagers revere the Mallidan Wall for good reason.
"So this cold we're feeling is like the resolve of historical heroes to protect the kingdom—"
"Yaaawn. Jonathan, got snacks?"
"One bread, but it's frozen solid."
"Hey, I'm explaining!"
"Helmont teeth are tough. Gimme."
"Here."
Sharen chomped hugely into Jonathan's brick-hard bread.
"Aaaah! My tooooth!"
Face crumpling, she hurled it. It hit the wall like a flung stone.
"Lord Isaac, duty time."
"Mm."
Isaac stirred at Jonathan's call, rubbing his eyes. He'd pulled evening watch, meant to nap briefly, but slept through to shift end.
"Sharen, up."
He nudged Sharen, asleep curled in his arms. The wall's biting cold had led to them huddling like this lately.
"Mmm."
Sharen nuzzled his chest, wriggling. After repeats to wake her, she peeled away slowly.
"Feels like I just dozed off, but it's morning?"
The trio prepped for watch. Three days since the main force left.
Lightning flashes hinted they had a bead on it. Struggling? Isaac wasn't too worried.
From his past life, Silberna said it rivaled Uldiran. But now, Uldiran had Lianna and Silberna too.
The horde would dissolve easily.
Astride the wall, the three took positions, staring blankly outward.
Clouds veiled the sun; snow fell over the white expanse.
Kurung! Kuwung!
Distant thunder rumbled. It'd been frequent lately—irksome.
"Oh! I get what Sis meant now."
Sharen bounced, grinning.
"I feel the mana. For real. It's artificial."
"Yeah?"
Isaac barely sensed such things himself.
But Sharen beamed, having caught what Lianna felt.
"I felt it too! Haha!"
Even Jonathan chimed in brightly.
"What? For real? You're lying."
"No way I'd fib about this."
"Tch, whatever. Thought I was special for noticing."
"You say that?!"
Isaac yawned indifferently amid their bickering.
"Yaaawn~?"
Jonathan too? Something off. Even as a transcendent half-blood, he was human-like. Helmonts were outliers anyway.
Why notice now, when they hadn't before?
Both sensed the lightning's mana.
Not usually, but now?
Means the lightning's changed?
His thoughts bridged cautiously toward truth.
It's closer?
Enough for Sharen and Jonathan?
"Ah, more coming!"
"They're terrified."
Sharen and Jonathan pointed at beasts fleeing toward the wall.
Since the main force's outings, panicked or lured beasts swarmed like this often.
Isaac's eyes widened slowly.
In my past life... Uldiran faced it alone.
A brutal fight, hard-won by the skin of his teeth.
Now different. Lianna was there, and Silberna's skill had surged.
Would it really charge head-on against such superior force?
Amid fleeing beasts, a bloodied 3-meter humanoid stood out.
A yeti shoved its palm under the beast's foot, then flipped it skyward like upending a table.
Lightning burst from the beast like a catalyst, rocketing to the wall too fast to track. It clung there.
The yeti charred black, fate sealed.
"Beast on the wall!"
"It's clinging! Shake it off!"
Kurururung!
Lightning struck again. This time, even Isaac felt the thick mana radiating everywhere.
Just standing atop made soles tingle, like burning.
Nearby soldiers convulsed from shocks or charred black.
The beast scaled to a turret. 3 meters tall. White, rock-hard skin evoking ice. Grotesque fangs, four arms. Weapons in its back, wounds everywhere—proof it fled.
Careless.
Changes had piled up. Humanity bolstered; horde lord chose flight.
Lightning no one would've noticed—but Lianna caught it.
Silberna, fretting Isaac's safety, pushed to end the horde quick, agreeing to sortie.
Piece by piece: nothing wrong. Lianna reported true. Silberna and advisors gave sound counsel. Uldiran judged sortie optimal.
Yet, result:
"Kraaaagh!"
The horde lord—driven to flight, not fight, by the overpowering main force—reached the wall. Worst scenario complete.
Kurung! Kurung! Kurung!
Lightning poured from clear sky around it. The living calamity thumped its chest with both hands and roared.