Chapter 330
Chapter 330
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: A Single Sword
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"The moment the seven strands of light are grasped in one hand..."
A man muttered lowly as he steadied his ragged breathing.
That mystical voice retained its original timbre even amidst the disrupted breaths—
"Thereby, a new path of light shall unfold..."
His resolute will followed the light unyieldingly.
The First Hero, Lindal.
He straightened his posture.
Along with the seven swords that aligned with his will.
"Lu-Rah."
The being called upon thought to itself.
A mortal uttering its name.
No matter how many times, it was a sight that never grew familiar.
Sometimes, such thoughts arose.
-Lindal.
If he were seen not as human, but as something else entirely—
Then perhaps it all made sense.
Lu-Rah met his gaze as if drawn in.
Even the pure radiance filling the space seemed to shine more intensely thanks to his silver eyes.
The First Hero steadied his breath once more and spoke.
"Tell me. Where am I right now?"
Lu-Rah's gaze, fixed on the First Hero, slowly shifted upward.
Woooong—
There, seven swords floated.
Holy swords.
Seven swords that even wielding a single one was no easy feat—they now moved in unison under one will.
The seven swords aligned in midair appeared, at a glance, like one massive blade.
"The moment the seven strands of light are grasped in one hand, thereby a new path of light shall unfold."
With the First Hero's addendum, the impression given by the seven holy swords sharpened further.
At this very moment.
The seven strands of light were indeed grasped in one man's hand, transforming into a single massive beam.
"Has the prophecy been fulfilled?"
The First Hero infused his voice with unwavering resolve.
"Am I... standing there right now?"
Yet.
Unlike his steadfast will, a faint tremor entered his voice.
"At the beginning of the newly unfolding path of light..."
Lu-Rah watched him silently, offering no answer.
Woooong—
The resonance of the holy swords, and the light it birthed, grew ever stronger.
"..."
Likewise.
The tremor emanating from the hero intensified as well.
And then—
"..."
The pillar of light, seeming to stretch endlessly to the world's edge, collapsed.
The powerless holy swords clattered to the ground.
Thud.
The hero dropped to his knees.
A posture of defeat.
"...Ha!"
Yet, a spotless smile rose on his face.
"Does this mean... I've failed?"
Despite the crushing fatigue compounded by the pain of failure, not a shadow of doubt marred the hero.
-Yes.
Thus, Lu-Rah trusted him and spoke the truth.
-Even you could not reach it.
The First Hero Lindal.
He had failed to reach the path of light.
The gateway to a new era spoken of in the prophecy did not open to his touch.
"Well."
The hero, ever ready to rise again, finally released all tension.
And spoke in a relaxed tone.
"That's a problem. I was in perfect condition this time. I don't think I could have done any better."
-Will you give up?
"..."
A brief silence. Then laughter.
"No. Even so, there must be something more I can do. Right, Lu-Rah?"
The hero rose before even hearing a reply.
The bearing of one already assured.
"For now, one thing is clear."
He delicately gathered the scattered holy swords from the floor.
"My approach wasn't wrong. I could definitely feel it. Inside me—the sensation of all those holy swords becoming one."
The moment the seven strands of light are grasped in one hand, thereby a new path of light shall unfold.
The hero reaffirmed the prophecy like a vow.
"Yet I failed. What I got wrong—or rather, what I lacked was probably..."
The hero looked down at his hand.
And then.
His hand clenched tightly.
-Aren't you getting impatient?
Lu-Rah regarded the hero and spoke.
-You know it well. No—you know it better than anyone. That your time is running out. Perhaps... this may be your final chance.
"It's fine. Even if it comes to that, it'll just be my failure."
The hero replied without hesitation.
He lifted his head, staring straight ahead.
As if beholding something far in the distance.
"Surely. Someone who can achieve what I couldn't will appear."
-...
Unlike the certain Lindal, Lu-Rah revealed deep doubt.
-Someone who surpasses even you?
"Of course."
No hesitation this time either.
"As long as there is tomorrow. Nothing is impossible. That's why we fight to protect tomorrow, isn't it?"
-...
Lu-Rah ultimately could not respond to the hero's words.
For he saw what Lu-Rah could not.
Thus, Lu-Rah—
...
...
...
-...!
Suddenly, his mind, lost in reverie, snapped awake.
Thump!
Thump!
Thump!
To that intense sensation transmitted beyond space.
His gaze crossed the vast space of light, directed somewhere.
-Unbelievable... has it truly... been achieved...?
The being praised in ancient times under the name of the Spirit King.
The one who forged holy swords with immense will.
Lu-Rah.
At this moment, he could clearly feel it.
Under one will—
The seven holy swords had become one.
The figure of light.
Its face trembled faintly.
With a dim yet vivid smile.
Lu-Rah stared into the distance.
Beyond space—
Beyond time—
Thus—
"As long as there is tomorrow. Nothing is impossible. That's why we fight to protect tomorrow, isn't it?"
Past memories unfolded before his eyes as if reality.
At that time.
Lu-Rah had been unable to reply to Lindal's words.
For he could not see what Lindal saw.
Now, it was different.
-Lindal... were you seeing this...?
The First Hero gazed into the distance.
The spirit of light gazed into the distance.
Their gazes, holding the same sight, turned toward each other simultaneously.
They spoke in unison.
"The moment the seven strands of light are grasped in one hand, thereby a new path of light shall unfold."
-The moment the seven strands of light are grasped in one hand, thereby a new path of light shall unfold.
Lu-Rah stepped forward, leaving the lingering afterimage of the past behind.
To witness the true form of the endless tomorrow that the First Hero had protected until the very end.
-Clack, clack clack clack! Clack clack clack!
The roaring eight-armed demon swordsman greeted him.
Fresh blood beaded at the tips of the arms sprouting from its back.
The holy swords were gripped in those wing-like three pairs of arms.
-...Eh?
-W-Wait! What the hell is going on!!!
He had come to confirm the holy swords unified by the hero's will—
Only to witness the demon swordsman's evolution unfolding before him.
Lu-Rah, momentarily stunned by the shock, cried out urgently.
-In the end, the demon sword caused trouble!?
Reaching a logical conclusion, Lu-Rah glared at the demon sword in Rishir's hand.
The moment he tried to intervene between them—
"No!!!"
Elisicia urgently stopped him.
Thus, he reflexively checked Elisicia's form.
-...!
Confirming Elisicia and the holy swords, Lu-Rah showed great agitation.
Overwhelmed by something, he froze and no longer tried to restrain Rishir.
"Ah, over there...!"
Following Posena's cry, all gazes concentrated on one spot.
Woooooong—
The seven holy swords in the demon swordsman's hand.
Their forms were gradually crumbling.
Like clay before being shaped.
"Ah...!"
Someone gasped.
For the seven holy swords, turned to light, were converging into one within the hero's hand.
"Finally—"
Someone murmured.
The holy swords began closing their eyes one by one.
Light seeped between their gently shutting lids.
The faint seven shards of light, unified in the hero's hand, began expanding endlessly.
And so.
The moment all holy swords were about to be swallowed by the overflowing light—
"Wait...!"
The expansion of light halted abruptly.
The consciousnesses of the holy swords, merging with it, returned to normal.
-What...!
Lu-Rah couldn't comprehend for a moment.
Did the hero stop midway!?
"Why!?"
The holy swords, grasping the situation, showed confusion.
-Surely you didn't run out of strength midway!?
Lu-Rah recalled the First Hero's failure and fell into despair.
But—
Fortunate, perhaps.
"No."
Rishir denied it.
He had strength enough to complete the ritual.
-Then why...!?
No one understood Rishir's actions.
"You—"
Even the beast.
"..."
Rishir's answer.
His hesitating fingertips reached toward the holy swords.
He recalled the sight within the expanding light.
The holy swords closing their eyes, entrusting themselves to the light.
And—
The holy swords slowly fading within that light.
Rishir voiced his doubt like spitting out a lump.
"Once this ritual ends, what happens to you all?"
"Such..."
Rishir's eyes shook violently.
The truth he'd heard from Lu-Rah was that shocking.
Elisicia. Posena.
And—
Rishir confirmed each holy sword before speaking in a trembling voice.
"To fulfill the prophecy—to birth the true holy sword—you all must sacrifice yourselves?"
"But...!"
"Hero."
A voice restraining Rishir, choked with emotion.
Elisicia of the Ideal Holy Sword.
She looked at Rishir and said,
"We are prepared. Do what you must."
Her form, accepting her fate, was inorganic as the steel of a blade.
But.
Rishir read the emotions she couldn't fully erase in her eyes.
"Jane."
"...!"
At that name, she visibly wavered.
"Does he... know this?"
"He—"
Elisicia, trying to coldly deny their bond, bowed her head, unable to continue.
The process repeated several times.
"..."
The names of their masters invoked.
The holy swords couldn't fully hide their agitation.
From sudden parting to eternal farewell.
Yet.
What could be done?
No other way existed.
"Hero."
Posena of the Discernment Holy Sword.
The reticent girl infused resolve into her tearful face.
"Please. Honor our resolve—"
"..."
Rishir's briefly opened mouth closed again.
He belatedly realized how cruel his actions were to them.
"You—"
Thus, Rishir's final gaze fell on the beast.
She seemed to have much to say, lips working, but ultimately summed it with a faint smile.
"..."
Rishir squeezed his eyes shut.
"Damn it."
He spat through gritted teeth.
And—picked up the holy swords once more.
Then the process repeated.
The manifested demon swordsman.
Holy swords bound by one will.
Expanding light.
And—
The holy swords fusing into one within that forge of light.
-Hero.
In the light swallowing all, a voice reached Rishir.
Perhaps the will of them all.
-Remember us.
"..."
Rishir's breath trembled greatly.
The light's expansion peaked.
In the hottest furnace of light—
All holy swords began fusing into one.
To be reborn as a single sword.
...
...
...
"..."
The light faded—
Rishir arduously lifted his eyelids.
To accept reality.
To advance into tomorrow.
Accepting the desolation of the empty scene where all had vanished—
"Gaaaaaaah!!! Rishir!!! Why did you only call me now!!! I thought you'd forgotten me forever!!! Not that you would, of course!!!"
The place bustled.
To the original seven holy swords that remained—
One new holy sword had been added.
A single sword.
"Hey, Zarac!!! What the hell are you—"
Elisicia's shout spoke for everyone's feelings.