Crisis (1)
Why is the Messiah Empire called an "empire"? There are several reasons, but it boils down to this: it's the largest territory on the continent, swimming in wealth, and boasts overwhelming military might. And that military power? It's heavily influenced by the individual strength of its people. The empire possesses no fewer than Sword Masters.
What is a Sword Master? They're the pinnacle of swordsmanship, treated not just as tactical weapons but as strategic assets—monsters in human form. Famous for slicing the earth with one swing and cleaving mountains with the next. That's why no other nation dares mess with the empire. Sword Masters are rare these days? They used to be everywhere back in the day.
└Yeah, they were.
└So why not now?
└Ash is blocking them all. She says if you're weaker than her, don't call yourself a Sword Master lol
└Wtf, she's the ceiling? lol
└lololol
└Old-school Sword Saints = modern Sword Masters
└No non-humans are Sword Masters?
└There are, but Ash wiped them all out
└She really is human? lol
That's right. In truth, Sword Masters as a rank aren't exclusive to the empire. It's just that the empire's are the strongest—by far. Ash Menesil, the empire's Sword Master and the greatest swordsman of her generation. Not only is she insanely powerful, but she's also renowned as a beauty with snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes. Her looks blossomed early, stealing countless men's hearts. So naturally, even at a young age, marriage proposals flooded in.
"I'll marry a man stronger than me!"
Fifteen-year-old Ash made her declaration. Everyone nodded in understanding. Want that beauty and that strength? Beat Ash. But only after she's an adult.
Three years passed. She came of age, full of expectations, but no man could defeat her.
Five years. Her marriageable age was pressing; people fretted, but she waited patiently.
Ten years. Her family was begging her to just get married. That's when things started feeling off.
??: She said she'd marry a man stronger than her.
From then, fifteen more years slipped by. Still, no man could beat her.
└She's an old lady now lololol
└Only cold silence in the replies
└What happens if you call Ash an old lady to her face?
└Dunno, but some kid heard her age and called her that lol
└Can't an elf or demon take her?
└No one's definitively stronger than Ash lol
└Plus humans have wild variance. Low end sucks, high end is insane
└For real, how strong is she?
Fifteen more years. Her skills kept climbing naturally, yet no challengers emerged. She'd even undergone Hwan-gol-tal-tae, preserving her twenties beauty, but she was in her thirties now. Way past marriageable age, so few men dared approach. Sure, some proposed, lured by her looks. The problem? They were all weaker.
She wouldn't bend on her last pride, her conviction. So she endured. Men understood too— a woman stronger than them was intimidating.
"This can't go on."
She couldn't wait forever. Ash took matters into her own hands, training disciples personally. Promising talents—she'd raise one to beat her. None did. They all lost to her and married other women. They were marrying young anyway, fleeing before they could rise.
"I'll share all my knowledge on the Gallery."
Sensing crisis, she poured her swordsmanship secrets into the Gallery with utmost care. Hoping for a virtuous cycle. It worked—continent-wide skill levels rose. Soon, some kingdom would produce a man stronger than her. International relations? Screw that; her marriage path was blocked.
But still, no man beat her. Instead, mass-produced Sword Masters popped up everywhere. And worst of all, just breathing made Ash stronger.
"Why? Why aren't there any? What's wrong?!"
She couldn't fathom it. After every desperate effort, no victor. Finally, examining the issue, she realized one thing too late.
"You get stronger just by breathing? No way!"
Yes. The genius hailed as a prodigy was, in truth, a calamity of another sort. Mana accumulated effortlessly in her body, naturally infusing her blade. If not obsessed with marriage, she'd have reached Grand Sword Master young with steady training. But she was already the continent's undisputed top.
No more strength needed.
"Life peaks at eighteen."
Everything felt futile. Reality crashed down. Ash abandoned all titles and secluded herself. The emperor begged her to stay, but she refused. He could use her name, but she wouldn't be a figurehead. Her mere presence stabilized the empire—that said it all.
Twenty years later, the reclusive Ash was...
"Ehehehehe."
Lying in bed, munching a banana. She giggled like an idiot. Snow-white hair in a messy bun, sloppy unemployed clothes, round glasses—she was peak NEET.
She was happily(?) scrolling the Gallery.
SMACK!!
"Ow!"
"You little brat!! I told you to go outside?!"
Endlessly lurking the Gallery earned her a spike to the back. Her iron-hard body strangely stung.
"Look at your sister! Thirty and popping out kid number five! The empire's Guard Captain—why aren't you married?!"
"M-Mom..."
It was a spanking laced with love. Rubbing her sore back, Ash eyed her mother. Wrinkled but with similar features—must've been a knockout in her prime. Ash was thirty; Mom had her at nineteen. Normal for the era.
"What can I do? No guy catches my eye..."
"Lower your standards! Who's stronger than you in this world?!"
"..."
Mom had a point. Ash was freakishly strong across all races—even elves and demons. Somewhere out there, a stronger man existed. She just couldn't find him.
"Aigoo, you're breaking my heart. Sword Master this, Sword Master that—what good is it at thirty-five unmarried?! I'm in my mid-fifties—listen to your mother!"
"B-But sis married well, right? We're nobles now."
Ash's family started as commoners. Her prowess elevated them to Countess! Considering Margrave was higher, the emperor gave the max. Her little sis was a beauty too, married well—five kids screamed happy marriage. Unlike big sis, she found her soulmate. Envy.
"So what?! The eldest is like this! At least go out and exercise!"
"I get stronger just breathing..."
"You expect me to buy that?! Out!"
"Y-Yes ma'am!!"
Kids are forever kids to parents. At Mom's yell, Ash bolted from bed, grabbed a training sword, and headed out—or pretended. Training? Too annoying. Breathing built strength; no need.
'Time to post.'
Back in bed, she logged into the Gallery. Her routine: register swordsmanship tips.
You can do it too!
Swordsmanship Lessons: Advanced Vol. 15
SwordTasteStar
Today's advanced topic: parrying.
Parrying is...
Simple. That was her day. Originally for continental uplift, now it felt like work. She used to lurk casually. But realizing her freak physique—and the world's deception—drove her deep into Gallery addiction.
└What about Iaijutsu?
└SwordTasteStar Practice that after mastering basics.
└But it's cool
└SwordTasteStar Do it after Sword Master.
└Sword Master makes anything strong lol
Idiots popped up, but she stayed polite. Why so courteous in the raw Gallery? 'Gotta avoid suspicion.'
Ash's true personality was blunt. It helped her befriend nobles despite common roots—but irrelevant now. Plus, long-time Gallery use. Novice compared to vets, but her tenure was long. Consistent activity drew eyes. Posting techniques? Suspicious.
'Better die than get exposed.'
She adopted a mild tone to deflect. Never posted pics or vids. Her writing was genius-level anyway—no issues.
"Ahh, I wanna get married."
Scratching her rock-hard abs, she muttered. Past her prime, but unyielding. Challengers? Welcome. Empire blocked them due to seclusion. Gallery as info hub kept her oblivious.
'Is this one strong?'
Scrolling revealed prospects or strength debates. Some tempted meetings, but they flamed out fast.
└Wtf, how dodge that? Lmao?
└SwordTasteStar Why can't you? Flexibility is key—you're clueless. All talk, no skill.
└Oof, burst damage lololol
Most were theory trash or lacking. But not all idiots. Some names caught her eye.
'Cheonma—how strong is she?'
Cheonma shat garbage posts everywhere. Users saw her as average. Ash did too, at first. But some posts dripped martial insight. Others scoffed; Ash didn't. She hated Cheonma more.
'This bitch made me stronger...'
Genius spots genius. Cheonma's words injected forced enlightenment. Reading them spiked Ash's mana noticeably—repeatedly. Coincidence at first, then obvious: Cheonma leaked insights carelessly. Users missed it.
'Talks like a woman for sure...'
A man? She'd hunt him down. That insight meant power. But "this lady," the tone—woman, and older. Much older.
'...Pot, kettle.'
Ash dumped sword secrets freely. Sword arts were secretive, but her accessible posts boosted everyone. Empire's rival, Iris Kingdom, benefited most—mages over knights, now caught up thanks to her "trolling."
-Fetch this SwordTasteStar immediately!!
-Your Majesty, Gallery users' identities are untraceable.
-Th... th-th...! Urk...! Ack!
-Y-Your Majesty!
Emperor raged, but couldn't arrest users. One reason she quit Guard Captain. Too obvious. Empire issues? Emperor visits—blissful peace for her.
Cheonma is a god and YasaengGrill (pic of dead dogs on floor, sword gripped tight)
This sword is invincible.
"Hm?"
Evading Mom, deep in Gallery—then a fixed-nick piqued her. Guy who woke in the forest. Seemed troll post. But snagging some Shinwol Yeongcho herb stirred chaos. Interest sparked. What kind of guy?
'Shinwol Yeongcho that good?'
Ash didn't know. No need for spirit herbs.
Later, faced cow-sized mad dogs—killed two.
'Cross-section... insanely clean.'
Surprised, her blue eyes gleamed behind glasses. Pic showed perfect cut. Even pros wobble on tofu. No shake. Claims ordinary? More intriguing.
Especially...
└SwordTasteStar Got time? Wanna learn swordsmanship? You got talent.
└Cheonma Begone! This one shall receive my personal manual! How dare you!
Cheonma showed interest. The shitposter protected him like pre-claimed territory.
'Look at this?'
Ash grinned wickedly. Made her wanna troll more. Stubborn Cheonma reacting? Irresistible. Bonus: learn about YasaengGrill. She waited for posts.
Found a cave. Enter?
YasaengGrill (dark cave mouth pic)
Getting dark, need shelter. Go in? What if bears?
└Hope a bear comes out—might be a dungeon lol
└YasaengGrill What spawns in dungeons?
└Dunno lol
└YasaengGrill Fucker
└Real-life random box lololol
Thought gimmick, but legit wild survivor. Adventurers post, but geared up—not bare like him.
└Don'tAbandonHero No torch? Not a dungeon! But throw a rock just in case!
└YasaengGrill Monster jumps out?
└Don'tAbandonHero Fight it!
└YasaengGrill Head mod acts tough lol;; Tried it.
Five minutes later.
This cave is mine now
YasaengGrill (cozy cave interior, thumbs-up pic)
I do what I want
└No one's home?
└YasaengGrill Yeah, but kinda musty
└Don'tAbandonHero Be careful! Owner might return!
└YasaengGrill Tired, gonna crash
Scored a cave for a day or so. Ash smirked. Oddly fun. Refreshing after endless crap posts. But death voids meaning. Tell him to check her posts later.
'What does he need to survive?'
Dunno. Give when asked.
No posts after—probably slept. Ash lurked. His night, empire's day—prime time. Till sunset, early evening.
Anyone help. Urgent.
"Huh?"
YasaengGrill posted. Ominous start. Ash checked the top post.
What crisis?
"Eek?!"
She gasped in shock.
Anyone help. Urgent.
(right arm riddled with holes, bleeding pic)
(mad dog boss from before, decapitated pic)
Fuck this cave had one. Bleeding out bad, help?
YasaengGrill's right arm was wrecked. Badly. Beyond holes—bone exposed. Worry over bleeding out before infection.
└Ew put a spoiler
└YasaengGrill Dying here, you say that?
└Pro? lol
└But seriously dangerous?
A dire situation unfolded.