Chapter 15

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Translator: penny

Chapter: 15

Chapter Title: Tome of the Ancient Star (1)

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After the first class in Practical Combat Studies at the academy,

I headed straight for the academy library.

To claim the hidden opportunity available there.

'Tome of the Sorrowful Swordsman.'

It was a hidden opportunity one could obtain from the academy library.

I quickened my pace, exiting the building where the class had been held, and made my way to the library.

True to an academy that gathered the world's greatest talents, it had its own separate library building.

I arrived at the grand structure that looked imposing even from afar, pushed open the door, and stepped inside.

A serene atmosphere,

Perhaps because today was the opening day, there were only a few students in sight.

'Well... that's why I came as early as possible...'

No matter how tucked away in a corner the hidden opportunity I was seeking was,

Activating it was bound to draw attention, so I'd come straight here today on purpose.

I moved deeper into the library to find it.

{An old book in the corner of the library's first floor, in a spot out of most people's line of sight.}

The in-game description of the hidden opportunity's location was just that one sentence, but it was still easy to find.

An old book shoved into the bottom shelf in the darkest corner of the library where even light barely reached.

I pulled it out and brushed off the dust.

Just to be sure, I flipped it open, but it was filled with nothing but blank pages.

'This is the one.'

Normally, this hidden opportunity only became available in the game after clearing the academy branch nightmare, Bahamut.

It involved reciting a line from the tale of the old kingdom's Sword Saint, Camillas.

'But I played the game, so I knew it from the start.'

Of course, having played the game, I knew the line right from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠beginning.

I murmured it quietly.

With those words, the old tome began to emit a bright light.

The soft glow grew larger until it engulfed me, and my vision flickered in the blinding brilliance.

The bright light faded, and my vision returned.

But the place I saw through my restored sight was no longer the academy library.

It was a vast, majestic audience chamber inside a grand castle.

Creak-

A sound of rusted metal moving came from ahead, and I fixed my gaze straight forward.

A corroded suit of armor began to stir.

"Suc... cessor... are you?"

A cracked voice echoed through the space.

I knew the owner of that armor and voice.

Camillas, Sword Saint of the old kingdom that fell 500 years ago.

The brilliant yet tragic adversary of nightmares began to move once more.

"Prove... your... worth."

With those words, Sword Saint Camillas drew his sword.

Unlike his worn and rusted armor, a refined and radiant famed sword emerged from its sheath.

Those who sought the hidden opportunity Tome of the Sorrowful Swordsman

Had to prove their worthiness to inherit the will of the old kingdom's Sword Saint.

By defeating Camillas, Sword Saint of the old kingdom.

His power in life would have been utterly beyond me,

But the current Camillas had weakened over 500 years; with power at the quasi-top-tier level or above, he would be easy to take down.

'Of course, I'm not quite at quasi-top-tier yet...'

But I had one skill I'd held back until the very end, even in Practical Combat Studies, to claim this hidden opportunity.

As Defying Heaven activated, the aura emanating from me shifted dramatically.

The surrounding air began to churn in response to my mana.

Factoring in all the stats I'd gained so far, true quasi-top-tier power now dwelled within me.

"Sword Saint Camillas, I personally admire you a lot, but I don't have time. Gotta end this in one minute."

Sword Saint Camillas.

The one who wielded a sword of grief amid the battlefield's lament.

Yet out of love for his kingdom, he fought the nightmare even knowing it meant his death—

— "I am the sword of the kingdom."

Wielding a sword of love for his kingdom.

"Here I come, Camillas. Teach me your sword."

So that I may carry on

Your sword, which held all of that.

Boom-!

With a thunderous leap from the ground, I swung at Camillas.

Clang-!

The sound of clashing metal I'd heard countless times today echoed through the space.

Though my mana and physical abilities clearly surpassed his, the swords met with equal force.

Even after 500 years, bereft of flesh and most of his mana scattered away,

He squeezed out what remained to parry my blade.

Desperately, with unyielding resolve.

— "Filthy beasts with tainted blood..."

But unlike with Elina, as our exchange dragged on,

His sword was noticeably being pushed back.

It was only natural.

His body lacked substance,

And most of his mana had vanished.

— "Begone from my kingdom!"

Thus, his sword yielded to mine.

Yet without faltering, he deflected my strikes with his deficient power.

But even that exchange didn't last long.

Camillas's sword was flung aside by the heavy force of mine.

Having lost his grip, Camillas slowly sank to his knees.

"Did... I... fail...?"

— "Did I fail?"

The cutscene from the game flashed in my mind:

Camillas, who swung his sword relentlessly even as his kingdom teetered on destruction.

The star, sunk in despair, lamenting his failure and condemning his own incompetence.

"Who knows. Your sword cut down demons to the very end, but it never reached the nightmare."

The sword he swung until his last breath felled thousands, tens of thousands of demons, yet never touched the nightmare.

"Did I... fail to protect... anything?"

— "Did my sword... protect nothing...?"

"No, your sword protected the world."

But it did protect. He may have failed to save his kingdom, but he saved the world.

Sword Saint Camillas—if he hadn't cut down those demons to the end 500 years ago, Eris could never have sealed the nightmare.

"The night... mare... is dead...?"

Camillas's form was crumbling away.

His final question echoed.

"I'll kill it. With your will."

The nightmare that destroyed his kingdom still lived.

But I would end it.

With his will.

This was the duty of one who inherited Camillas's will,

And my final tribute to the ancient star I so revered.

"Splen... did."

With Camillas's last words, his body fully disintegrated.

The audience chamber-like space collapsed, and darkness ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fell before my eyes.

When light returned to my vision, I was back in the familiar academy library.

At the same moment, a familiar translucent window appeared before me.

Along with the achievement clear notification, the same old book I'd opened materialized in midair, followed by a second translucent window.

'A sub quest?'

I stared at the additional translucent window in puzzlement.

The achievement Tome of the Sorrowful Swordsman was exactly like in the game,

But this sub quest was something entirely new, not in the game.

And the success reward, the passive skill Will of the Star, was also absent from the game.

'A quest that appeared ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠after my possession...'

I'd been suspicious since the Elina's True Heart quest, but now I was certain.

Apparently, new quests had been added since my possession.

'Well, it's a monster I planned to take down anyway...'

Not a bad thing.

I'd resolved to defeat it regardless.

And if I could snag that rare passive skill as a bonus, it was killing two birds with one stone.

(It's the Chairman, Aden.)

At that moment, a voice echoed in my head.

'Hallucination...?'

As I wondered if I was hearing things from the sudden Chairman's voice, she continued in my mind.

(It's magic communication. I pinpoint your location and transmit sentences via mana directly into your head.)

'What kind of insane technique is that...?'

To locate someone and form sentences with mana to deliver them intact?

It was magic laced with ludicrous mana control.

'Right, she's a dragon.'

True to the pinnacle of magic, a dragon, she used such extraordinary spells casually.

(More importantly, Elina asked about your identity. Can you come to the Chairman's office now?)

I was briefly flustered by the Chairman's follow-up, but with the precedent already set, I quickly regained my composure.

"Can you hear me too?"

(Yes.)

"It's fine to tell Professor Elina. I'll be at the Chairman's office in five minutes."

(Got it. See you in the Chairman's office.)

I murmured my response quietly.

This Practical Combat Studies class, and my performance in the entrance exam too.

It was only natural they'd suspect my identity.

So it would be best to tell those I could trust that I was a regressor.

'Hm...?'

As I gathered the book to leave,

I spotted a sword in a worn scabbard.

It was an equipment item I'd never seen before, but it was unmistakably the same sword Camillas had wielded moments ago.

'Camillas's real sword...'

A sword harboring an ominous aura within its scabbard—the true sword of Camillas.

It wasn't ideal for me to use.

It was undoubtedly a great sword, but I already had the endgame weapon Moonlight.

'The sword of the ancient Sword Saint...'

But I didn't need to use it myself.

I already had someone in mind to give it to.

With my thoughts sorted, I picked up the sword and book and headed for the Chairman's office.

First things first, wrap things up with Professor Elina there.

'Better hurry.'

I'd said five minutes, so going now wouldn't make me late.