Chapter 42
Ch. 42 .｡.:✧ The Sword Immortal's Memories - 1 ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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It was a dim and shadowy place.
But there was just enough light scattered here and there that I didn’t have to rely solely on my other senses like a blind man..
‘Where… where am I?’
Confusion turned to intrigue, then to a growing certainty.
“That’s…”
I walked towards a massive boulder bathed in a faint light.
It was gigantic, a monolith that several grown men couldn’t encircle.
Something was embedded in it.
My eyes widened.
‘…A sword. And an ancient one, at that.’
It was just a single, seemingly ordinary sword.
Its blade was dull, caked with dirt and dust.
But it drew me in, just like the obsidian wall.
I felt a tremor run through me as I instinctively climbed onto the boulder.
Thud!
I stood at the center, reached out, and—
Shing—drew the sword.
‘It slid out smoothly, as if oiled…’
Fwoosh-
My vision went black.
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I was experiencing the memories of the Sword Immortal.
The thought struck me with absolute certainty.
[Your bone structure and talent are those of a genius.]
A voice echoed in my mind.
The one whose vision I was sharing had the body of a young boy.
The young Sword Immortal, presumably.
“…”
The face of the person speaking was obscured, blurred like a fog-covered landscape, impossible to distinguish.
The voice continued, its tone instructive,
[…Your mental fortitude is also worthy of being called the best under heaven.]
The blurry figure stood and walked in a circle, then suddenly asked,
[What do you think is the difference between ‘best’ and ‘strongest’?]
“…?”
The unexpected question made the young me tilt my head in confusion.
“Aren’t they… the same thing?”
[Wrong! They are similar, but there’s a crucial difference.]
The figure continued, offering an analogy.
[Let’s say there’s a spear that can pierce anything and a shield that can block anything. If you could only have one, which would you choose?]
“…”
It was a novel question.
Not which weapon would win in a fight, but which one would you possess.
The young Sword Immortal – I – hesitated, unable to answer.
The figure chuckled.
[It’s not an easy question… But given time to consider, I’d choose the spear that can pierce anything, nine times out of ten.]
“…Why?”
[A shield is just a shield.]
The figure paused, gazing at the distant scenery.
[A shield can’t do anything until it’s attacked. Even if it’s the strongest shield in existence, there’s no way to prove it without an external force acting upon it.]
However,
[A spear is different. Even if it’s a slightly inferior spear, I’d still choose it over a shield. The advantage of striking first is that significant. Even if you can’t defeat your opponent, the key difference lies in being proactive versus reactive.]
“…Hmm.”
I understood, but not completely.
Something was missing.
I narrowed my eyes, focusing intently on the figure’s words.
[Talent and bone structure are simply a matter of efficiency. And time is a consumable resource. Investing the same amount of time will yield different results depending on one’s talent… Of course, there are differences in cultivation techniques and enhancement methods, but those are ultimately secondary.]
“…But you can’t become a Transcendent Master with something like the Three Calamities Sword Technique, can you?”
[…The Three Calamities Sword Technique? Hahaha. While crude, it still contains the essence of a Grandmaster’s teachings. Even if its origins are humble, there might be a rare individual who can unlock its hidden potential and achieve transcendence.]
“…!”
[Do you think that’s absurd? Heh. I’ll prove it to you soon enough… Anyway, putting aside the differences in results achieved due to varying talents and the same investment of time,]
The figure paused for dramatic effect.
[The gap in talent isn’t as significant as you think. What truly matters is the potential of one’s mindset.]
“…What do you mean?”
[As I said before, the spear is the strongest, and the shield is the best. The spear is proactive and has the advantage of the first strike, but it always draws blood and can’t gather allies. The shield is reactive and lacks the first-strike advantage, but it protects others and can thus attract followers.]
The figure continued, gazing into the void.
[Talent is the same. Even if you’re exceptionally talented, you might become the best, like a shield, but achieving true strength is a different matter… Of course, this doesn’t mean that those without talent have a chance. Without talent, reaching higher realms is a pipe dream.]
“…”
The best, but not the strongest…
It was a thought-provoking statement.
The figure smiled enigmatically, then glanced at the young me.
[But you’re a different case. Someone like you can’t become the best, but you can become the strongest.]
“What’s the difference…?”
[I’ve explained it this far, and you still don’t understand? Tsk. Fine. I’ll explain it later.]
Swish!
The figure conjured a sword out of thin air, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.
[Pick up the sword.]
“…!”
The figure murmured,
[From now on, I’ll put you through trials that will make you wish you were dead.]
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The fragmented memories of the Sword Immortal began to flow rapidly, shifting abruptly to a different time.
“Ugh…!”
The first opponent was a nameless bandit from the Green Forest Bandits.
The bandit stroked his scruffy beard, with his eyes unfocused.
[This was the first enemy I faced after leaving the mountain. A ruffian who knew how to wield an axe.]
“…This should be an easy win.”
[Hehehe… Is that what you think?]
The figure stepped down from the rock and approached me.
The young me flinched, but the figure swiftly struck my pressure points.
“…Ugh.”
[I’ve sealed your internal energy. You won’t be able to use it. Your physical abilities will also be somewhat diminished.]
“…?!”
[Now, defeat that bandit.]
“…”
I – the young Sword Immortal – cursed inwardly.
This was too much, even for a master.
What kind of training was this?
Sealing my internal energy and crippling my physical strength before sending me to fight a bandit?
‘This is… suicide.’
Eighty percent of a martial artist’s strength came from their internal energy.
Even a master of external martial arts couldn’t defeat someone skilled in internal energy cultivation.
And I firmly believed that.
Without internal energy, I was no different from an ordinary person.
Well, maybe slightly stronger, since I trained every day.
Whoosh!
“…!”
A gust of wind grazed my ear.
I barely managed to dodge the bandit’s axe.
I swallowed hard.
This was real.
A bandit was trying to kill me.
‘Well… nothing to lose.’
As I braced myself, the bandit swung his axe again, aiming for my head.
I sidestepped and drew my sword.
Clang!
Metal screeched against metal.
It was a pure contest of strength.
I couldn’t use my internal energy, so I had to rely on brute force.
‘Ugh… this is tiring.’
The bandit was strong, much stronger than me physically.
If I could use even a fraction of my internal energy, I could easily defeat him.
But right now, I was just an ordinary swordsman.
Crack!
I created some distance, carefully controlling my breathing as I retreated.
I was completely immersed in the fight.
Whoosh!
The bandit leaped into the air, roaring as he swung his axe with terrifying force.
I strained every muscle to block the attack.
And then, a phrase flashed through my mind.
[A shield is a reactive tool. A spear, on the other hand, can take the initiative.]
‘…Is that it?’
I understood.
I stopped focusing solely on defense.
The bandit tilted his head, as if confused by the change in my stance.
He seemed to possess a faint trace of … intelligence.
‘There’s no point in just defending.’
“Huuu…”
I took a deep breath.
I decided to trust myself.
A purely defensive approach was pointless.
‘I’m weaker than him physically.’
I glanced at the bandit.
He was sneering at me, with his nostrils flaring.
I smiled wryly and adjusted my stance.
‘But my experience, my training, my countless hours of practice… they far surpass his.’
It was simple.
How much real combat experience could a bandit possibly have?
They used their strength to prey on unarmed civilians, not to fight skilled martial artists.
‘Master said this was his first opponent after leaving the mountain.’
I didn’t know how strong my master was back then, but one thing was certain: I was in better shape now than he was then.
‘He wouldn’t have put me up against this bandit if he thought I couldn’t win.’
I felt a surge of confidence.
I abandoned my reliance on internal energy.
The bandit couldn’t use his either.
Crack!
I switched from defense to offense and took the initiative.
I leaped forward and swung my sword menacingly.
The bandit countered with his axe, but I pressed my attack.
‘Victory depends on your mindset…’
I controlled my breathing, unleashing a flurry of attacks, each strike following a crude, almost instinctive, curve.
It wasn’t elegant like a celestial sword technique, nor was it swift like a divine movement technique.
But I was stronger.
I just needed to hold onto that conviction.
Swish…!
“Ah.”
I’d severed the bandit’s arm and held my sword to his throat.
Only then did ‘I’ realize that I had won, and let out a slow breath.
“I won…”
I ran a hand through my hair in relief.
Fwoosh-
The scene vanished.
The image of the Sword Immortal training with his master disappeared, and his memories fast-forwarded once again.
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