Chapter 247
Chapter Title: The Sword of the Beginning
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*Crunch-!*
Fritz’s hand crushed the skeleton’s head.
*Whoosh-*
Red threads scattered from Fritz’s body as he spun in the air like a top.
*Crash-!*
After pulverizing the unit of skeletons, Fritz adjusted his glasses.
“There are quite a few of them.”
The endless legion of undead pouring down the corridor was enough to overwhelm any onlooker.
But Fritz’s expression remained unchanged.
“Should I help if you’re having trouble?”
Chen Xia, who was following behind Fritz, asked.
“There is no need for you to step in, Senior.”
Fritz offered a faint smile.
*Fwoosh-!*
The red threads that had scattered in all directions grew taut.
It was a unique magic created by weaving Fritz’s own blood with mana.
“Blood Flame.”
*FWOOOOOSH-! RUMBLE-!*
Red flames engulfed the entire corridor.
Using the scattered red threads as a fuse, Fritz incinerated all the undead in an instant, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Watching him, Chen Xia wore a hesitant expression as she asked.
“Are you okay?”
“How was that, Senior?”
Fritz answered her question with one of his own as he adjusted his glasses again.
“Wasn’t I a little like Senior Leo?”
“In what way? No, more importantly, are you okay?”
“Senior Leo’s primary attribute is fire, is it not? So I tried to imitate it with magic. Of course, with my inadequate skills, I cannot hope to reach even the tip of his toes, but perhaps a little, just a little, I was similar to Senior Leo…”
“…Young Master Leo doesn’t really discriminate between attributes when he uses magic. But are you really okay?”
“As expected! Of Senior Leo!”
Completely ignoring Chen Xia’s concern, Fritz pulled a notebook from his coat and jotted down this new fact about Leo.
‘He seems fine.’
Despite the blood pouring from his hands, Fritz didn’t seem to pay it any mind.
It wasn’t bleeding from an injury.
As it was a magic that manipulated blood, the powerful spell’s recoil caused him to bleed profusely.
‘A mana attribute like a double-edged sword.’
He could gain overwhelming offensive power by consuming his blood, but the caster suffered considerable damage as a result.
‘An unusual first-year has arrived.’
As she thought this, Chen Xia smiled gently.
‘I wonder what kind of first-years have joined.’
Seeing Fritz naturally brought that thought to mind.
But she quickly shook it off.
‘There’s no chance I’ll be going back to Lumerne.’
With a bitter smile, Chen Xia began to walk again.
After sealing his wounds, Fritz took out a red potion from his coat and drank it.
It was an elixir made through alchemy to replenish blood.
“You said your name was Fritz, right? You seem to respect Young Master Leo a great deal.”
“It wasn’t to this extent originally. I thought he was someone worth protecting as a shadow… but I came to understand after meeting him in person.”
Fritz placed a hand on his chest as he followed Chen Xia.
“That he is a person truly worthy of respect.”
“…That’s true. Young Master Leo is an amazing person.”
“If you were to meet and speak with Senior Leo, Senior, I am certain your opinion would change.”
“Yes. That’s why I can’t meet Young Master Leo right now.”
‘If I see him now, my resolve will crumble.’
“Someday, when Young Master Leo becomes the greatest hero… I want to meet him then.”
“No. The one who will become the greatest hero is me.”
At the voice that came from beyond the darkness, Chen Xia and Fritz stopped in their tracks.
Fritz took a guarded stance, while Chen Xia let out a deep sigh.
*Step- step-*
A man in blood-soaked white clothes, Xian, emerged from the darkness.
He grinned at his fraternal twin.
“It’s been a while, Xia.”
“…It has. Xian.”
“That’s not a very welcoming face.”
Xian smiled and opened his arms.
“We’ve never been apart for this long, so I’m disappointed your reaction is so lukewarm.”
“I never wanted to see you for the rest of my life.”
Fritz flinched and glanced at Chen Xia.
‘Is this the same person?’
The gentle demeanor she had shown just moments ago was gone.
With a face as cold as ice, Chen Xia approached Xian.
“Because if we were to meet again, I’d have to kill you again.”
Though he was a traitor, he was the sibling she had spent her entire life with.
The pain she felt when she thought she had killed him with her own hands was worse than anything she had ever experienced.
She never wanted to repeat that agony.
But Xian was a monster too twisted for her to ignore that pain.
“I wanted to see you again. I had a lot of things to ask you.”
Xian wore a gentle smile.
“You, you went to Lumerne and pretended to be a hero cadet, I hear? Why would you do that?”
Xian asked as if he found it fascinating.
“You know better than anyone, don’t you? Unlike me, you’re not suited to be a hero.”
At Xian’s words, Fritz’s eyes twitched.
“You’d only get hurt more if you enrolled at Lumerne.”
Watching Xian speak with genuine concern, Xia smiled.
Having been together since they were children, she knew.
Those words weren’t meant to hurt her.
He was asking out of genuine concern for her.
‘This is the kind of person he is.’
“You speak nonsense. Senior Chen Xia is more suited to be a hero than anyone.”
“Oh?”
Xian let out a sound of admiration at Fritz’s words.
Then he chuckled.
“I doubt it. Though I wouldn’t argue if you said she’s more suited to be a shadow than anyone.”
He shrugged, dismissing Fritz’s statement.
Chen Xia didn’t deny it either.
‘There’s a difference between what you want to be and what you can be.’
She had stubbornly ignored that fact and forced her way into Lumerne.
And upon seeing the other hero cadets, she had to admit the truth: that she could never be a hero.
“Chen Xia, you can’t be a hero.”
Xian said with a serious face.
“So I hope you’ll stop hurting yourself. You’ll only make yourself miserable.”
“Thanks for the advice.”
Chen Xia raised her hand.
She wasn’t angry.
*Swoosh-*
A murderous aura emanated from Chen Xia’s body.
“But Xian, you can’t be a hero either.”
At those words, Xian let out a deep sigh.
“What a shame. I thought you, of all people, would be able to understand me.”
Xian smiled wistfully.
“You were the one who understood me best, weren’t you?”
Since they were young, the one who had been most saddened by the fact that Xian couldn’t be a hero was none other than Chen Xia.
It was a young Chen Xia who had told him more than anyone that he was suited to be a hero.
“I thought I understood you.”
All expression vanished from Chen Xia’s face.
“But I was wrong. You’re insane.”
“In the end, you’re no different from all the other commoners.”
*Whoosh-*
Chen Xia’s body disappeared.
*Shwaaa-!*
Chen Xia’s water aura swept over Xian.
Watching her, Xian swung his sword.
*FWOOOSH-!*
The wind raged.
*Boom-!*
The water aura scattered in all directions.
“Xia, you can’t beat me.”
Xian smiled as he looked at Chen Xia.
*Fwooo-*
A faint wind began to swirl.
Seeing this, Chen Xia deployed her aura.
*RUMBLE! CRAAACK-!*
A violent gale erupted from Xian’s body.
A cutting wind that destroyed everything in its path.
Fritz hastily retreated.
*Fwoosh-!*
But Chen Xia did not retreat, instead closing the distance to Xian.
At the sight of her, Xian’s eyes twitched.
Like flowing water.
Effortlessly evading Xian’s cutting wind, Chen Xia slipped into his range.
*Thump-!*
The palms of Chen Xia’s hands made contact with Xian’s chest.
*Flash-!*
For a moment, Chen Xia’s eyes flashed blue.
*BOOM-!*
Xian’s body was thrown back as if by an explosion.
Water burst in all directions like a water cannon.
She had compressed her water aura, unleashing immense hydraulic pressure all at once.
*CRASH-!*
Xian’s body smashed through a wall.
Chen Xia clutched her side, feeling a sharp pain.
She had been hit by his counterattack as he was sent flying.
“You’ve gotten stronger.”
Xian emerged from the hole in the wall, muttering in admiration.
But he soon let out a smirk.
“But you’ve lost the sharpness you used to have.”
“…”
Chen Xia glared at Xian with cold eyes.
“The you from before was far more threatening. It seems your life at Lumerne has dulled your edge.”
Xian clicked his tongue.
“See? This is what happens when you become neither one thing nor the other.”
*Swoosh-*
Chen Xia’s body vanished into the shadows.
A murderous intent flowed from Xian’s eyes at the sight.
“This is a huge disappointment. I wanted to remember your final moments as a shadow.”
*Fwoosh-!*
*FWOOOOOSH!*
‘A Hero Ability?’
Chen Xia, hidden in the shadows, widened her eyes as she saw Xian emitting an aura of fire.
“You’re not even worth remembering.”
*CRAAASH-!*
The flame aura exploded, raging violently.
Hit directly, Chen Xia was sent tumbling wretchedly across the floor.
*Sizzzzzle-*
Smoke rose from all over her body.
Her body was not only burned by the flames but also slashed by the accompanying strikes.
Looking down at Chen Xia, Xian turned away without hesitation.
He then glanced at Fritz, who had been caught in the explosion, and laughed.
“You’re alive?”
“Ugh.”
“I swore I would execute every shadow in this world.”
Fritz summoned his mana.
Watching him, Xian raised his sword and smiled.
“I’ll put you at ease now.”
*Splash-!*
The sound of a hand slapping a puddle of water echoed.
Xian paused and turned around.
His eyes twitched as he saw Chen Xia, head bowed, struggling to her feet.
“You’re alive?”
Chen Xia lifted her head.
Seeing the bloodthirsty killing intent in her eyes, Xian grinned.
“Persistent.”
Xian walked toward Chen Xia.
“But Xia, you must have felt it too, right? The overwhelming difference in our power.”
*Swoosh-!*
Aura swirled around Xian’s sword.
“It’ll be easier for you if you just give up. This is my final act of kindness as your older brother.”
*Thud-!*
“…!”
Chen Xia took a step forward.
The floor beneath her caved in.
Having compressed her aura, Chen Xia spoke in an icy voice.
“I don’t need that kind of kindness.”
*BOOM-!*
Chen Xia threw a punch.
Struck by the blow, Xian was sent flying.
*RUMBLE-!*
Crashing through a wall and collapsing to the floor, Xian grimaced.
‘This is going to take longer than I thought.’
*Clatter-*
Pushing himself up, Xian brushed the stone fragments off his body.
*Thud- thud-*
Chen Xia was approaching.
‘She should be at her limit. How is she still able to move?’
The previous attack had been Xian’s strongest, one into which he had poured everything.
‘I can’t let someone like Xia hold me back.’
Xian felt a sense of urgency.
The fact that Chen Xia, whom he thought he could kill easily, was still in a fighting stance put pressure on him.
He was trying to deny it, but he felt a sense of fear at the thought of a being named Leo who might be pursuing him.
‘I’m heading to the basement right now.’
Xian ignored Chen Xia and started running.
‘Xia will follow me. In that case, I can deal with her after I get my hands on Kyle’s sword. It won’t be too late.’
***
In the basement at the very heart of the Shan Imperial Palace.
There was a stone chamber that only the Shan imperial family could enter.
Of course, even a member of the royal family could not approach without the emperor’s permission.
But Xian reached the stone chamber without difficulty.
The Necro-King’s legion had currently invaded the Shan Imperial Palace.
The shadows guarding this place had also been dealt with by the Necro-King’s army.
‘Father and the other shadows are probably being held by Artkan.’
Of course, the Necro-King’s legion would be completely subjugated soon enough.
But it would be fine as long as he got what he wanted and escaped before then.
Xian approached the stone chamber door.
The powerful seal, passed down through generations, responded only to the blood of the imperial family.
He smeared his own blood on his hand and placed it on the door.
*RUMBLE…*
The door opened.
*Step- step-*
The room inside was a massive archive.
All of it was the unrecorded history of the shadows.
The emperors of Shan considered these records a treasure.
The achievements of the shadows.
Proof that, though unrecognized by anyone, they had existed behind the scenes of history.
But from Xian’s perspective, it was all laughable.
“It’s not like the world will ever know anyway.”
And even if it did, no one would acknowledge it.
Not unless it was recorded in the Hero Record.
People did not recognize great deeds otherwise.
The very act of leaving such records was, in the end, because they could not have their names inscribed in the Hero Record.
“A shadow is just a shadow. That’s why it has no value, Xia.”
Xian said, looking back at Chen Xia, who had followed him.
“Then why did you come to this archive?”
At Chen Xia’s question, Xian pointed to a sword hanging on the archive wall.
“For that sword.”
The only weapon among all the items here.
“They say it’s the sword of the Hero of the Beginning, Kyle.”
At Xian’s words, Chen Xia’s eyes widened.
“The sword of the Hero of the Beginning… you say?”
“That’s right! Tartaros told me. That our ancestor might have been Kyle’s disciple.”
Xian laughed at Xia’s surprise.
“I don’t know why they were reduced to mere shadows, but this is fate.”
Xian pointed to himself.
“Now that the world knows the Hero of the Beginning truly existed. It is I, the descendant of Kyle’s disciple, who will inherit the Hero Record of the Hero of the Beginning.”
“You believe what Tartaros says?”
Chen Xia looked at him as if he were absurd.
“There’s no reason not to. So, Xia.”
*Step- step-*
Xian approached the wall and drew the sword from its scabbard.
“You can die in peace. I, who have inherited Kyle’s power, will subjugate Tartaros.”
“Still spouting such nonsense…”
Xia, who was glaring at Xian with a grimace, froze as she looked at the sword.
‘Wait, that sword… I’ve definitely seen it somewhere.’
It was a sword she had seen before.
Xian didn’t seem to have noticed, but Xia had learned about that sword in her classes at Lumerne.
‘It was definitely in Heroics class…’
*Thwack-! Whoosh-!*
At that moment, an aura of wind raged.
Chen Xia urgently deployed her own aura to block the storm of power.
*BOOM-!*
“Gah!”
But she couldn’t withstand it and was sent flying into a wall.
*Thud-thud-thud-!*
Chen Xia collapsed wretchedly to the floor, and the records of the shadows rained down on top of her.
“Incredible.”
Xian looked down at the sword with a surprised expression.
“To be this sharp even after 5,000 years! And it channels aura this well.”
Even at a glance, it was a magnificent sword that could be called a divine blade without reservation.
“Is this truly a sword forged by a Divine Blacksmith?”
Xian’s body trembled with exhilaration.
*Rustle-*
Just then, Chen Xia began to push herself up.
Her body was trembling uncontrollably.
“You’re already at your limit.”
Xian approached Chen Xia with a leisurely stride.
“So why are you struggling like this?”
“…I think it’s because of something I heard over and over for the past year.”
“And what’s that?”
“To… surpass my limits.”
Watching Chen Xia smile as she took a fighting stance, Xian let out a heavy sigh.
“It seems Lumerne has ruined you.”
Xian wore a pathetic expression.
“I’ll say it again, Xia. You can’t be a hero.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you playing hero?”
Those who have dipped their feet into darkness are bound by it and cannot walk into the light.
Her hands were stained with too much blood to go toward the light.
The moment she herself thought she couldn't be a hero, the gods would never acknowledge her.
There would be no god who would acknowledge someone who didn't even acknowledge themself.
Still…
“I can still dream, can’t I?”
Seeing Chen Xia’s bright smile, Xian felt an inexplicable sense of displeasure.
It was the same clear smile Chen Xia had always worn.
But now, that smile seemed to shine so brightly.
An inexplicable wave of nausea rose at its brilliance.
“Dreams are meant to be broken. You know that well, don’t you?”
Xian raised the sword.
“Someone like you can never beat me. The only reason you barely managed to drive me to my death back then was because I was slacking in my shadow training.”
He was about to swing his sword with a sneer.
“You’re bragging about such a pathetic reason?”
A mocking voice echoed.
Chen Xia’s eyes widened.
Xian’s face contorted as he turned his head toward the entrance.
*Step- step-*
“Leo… Flove.”
“I happen to know a guy who had a ridiculously impossible dream. He’s the one who told me.”
Leo grinned at Chen Xia.
“Dreams are meant to be achieved.”