Winter

A Hidden Skill I had only ever known existed, unlocked the moment I acquired the Supreme Sword Saint class.

The message meant I could finally use it. That every condition for its appearance had been satisfied.

But none of those words registered in my eyes.

……Ah.

Of course they didn't. The Northern Sky Ice Sword had reclaimed its true form, then been elevated even further by Ultimate Twilight — and the majesty of the blade that resulted left me utterly overwhelmed. It existed on a plane entirely apart from every Unique-grade weapon I had ever forged.

Serengeti's Complete Revival

Winter.

A sword as pure white as its name. Transparent as ice, a winter that would never melt. Simply looking at it was dazzling enough — but if its appearance had been all there was, I would not have been this thoroughly overpowered.

Ultimate Twilight. A rune upon which the constellation of a radiant hero had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠inscribed its own dignity.

Something that, merely by being etched into another object, could elevate that object's rank to the transcendent. Even I had never seen a rune like this before. And the result it had produced was every bit as alien.

A Collection that activated the moment you obtained at least two Unique-grade items. And among them, a combination that raised all penetration rates was the finest Collection of all. One of the reasons I had piled seven Unique-grade pieces onto Wilhelm during the Great Expedition had been precisely this — the Collection.

The more Unique-grade items you gather, the more Collection names and effects multiply exponentially.

Some Collections completed with two pieces; others required five. The greater the number of pieces in a combination, the more the effects multiplied. But because the requirement was Unique-grade gear, the vast majority of people had no idea Collections even existed.

Even that, though, was secondary.

I took Winter in hand.

And then—

Looking at Winter's abilities, I shut my mouth all over again.

As the person who had crafted more Unique-grade items than anyone else in Pangenia, I could say this with absolute certainty.

It was the best. Peerless. Endgame gear. I genuinely wondered whether finding a better sword than this was even possible. It was superior even to the Path of Light that Wilhelm had once wielded. Granted, Path of Light packed enormous bonus damage against the demonic attribute — but outside of fighting demonkin, Winter was clearly the superior blade.

Fifty percent penalty reduction. That almost certainly means skill and item penalties.

Darkification, for example. Using Darkification left you vulnerable to bonus damage from light and holy attacks — and even that would be cut in half. Every effect that slapped a penalty onto something I needed to use.

If I can halve the penalties, there are quite a few combinations worth attempting.

Dangerous Honor, the Covenant of Blue Blood set gear — just off the top of my head, I could name more than five hazardous equipment combinations.

And above all else—

……I can raise Sword Mastery all the way to Level 35.

Releasing the mastery cap by a full five levels was something only Winter could do. Even Skullcrusher had only managed two. Calling it insane wasn't enough. It was simply beautiful. Not a single option was wasted.

Supreme Sword.

So there was no reason to just stand here, was there?

I swung the blade.

Supreme Sword Saint. The name born when Sword Saint Ryleigh and the Supreme Dragon became one. Hidden within that name was a Hidden Skill. I had known only that it existed — never what it actually was.

Whoosh—!

I thrust the sword into empty air, and winter came to the desert.

And then—

CRAAAAACK.

A vast dark space tore open above me. Similar to Sword Saint Gracia's Thousand Sword Domain — yet so enormous that comparison itself was meaningless.

Aria.

She stared at the suddenly transformed Northern Sky Ice Sword, her eyes trembling hard.

That's…… the Northern Sky Ice Sword's true form?

She could scarcely believe it. As if the contract she had made meant nothing at all, the completely remade Northern Sky Ice Sword now recognized that man — Randolph — as its master. How was any of this possible? And the sword's new appearance was…… so intoxicatingly beautiful.

What…… are you?

The one who had transformed the Northern Sky Ice Sword. She could not begin to grasp Randolph's true identity. A human who had created Sword Gang — a king of the blade. Simultaneously, the Corpse Crow, one of Kramdel's Five Lords. He had even seized the Northern Sky Ice Sword that the White King himself had sealed, as though it had always been his.

How hard had she worked to forge a contract with that sword? And yet what rose in her first was not hollowness, but awe.

……Ah.

Because she had seen it.

Whoooooosh—!

Winter arrived in the desert without warning. A fierce blizzard howled — a cold so sharp even she felt she might take frostbite. But that was not all.

Above Randolph's head—

CRAAAAACK!

A black domain surged upward as though something had bitten a hole in the sky. Looking at it filled her with a chill and a terror she could not name. That was something no experience she had ever lived through could explain. Far more dangerous, and so wondrous that comparison itself failed—

"……I shouldn't summon this here."

But the moment something tried to emerge through the black domain, Randolph shook his head. Too dangerous, he had judged. The black domain sealed its mouth shut once more.

Thud!

In that instant, strength fled Aria's legs for reasons she could not name, and she sank to the ground. She could not put into precise words what she had just seen and felt.

This human is…… far too dangerous.

What she knew for certain was that Randolph was an existence of overwhelming peril. And yet she could not defy him. The moment the thought of resistance arose, it vanished. In its place, a desire to follow took root. The contract she had made with the Northern Sky Ice Sword. That contract had seized her by the ankle.

Then he looked at her and spoke.

"Aria. From this day forward, you will forever keep silent about my true identity. You will not show even the slightest hint of it. Understood?"

"……Yes."

The answer came out on its own — an answer of absolute humility. To show this kind of deference to a human. And yet she felt no resentment. The fact that she felt no resentment made her resent it all the more.

"Tell the White King that the Fifth Lord has taken control of Faisalmer."

"What do you intend to do…… from here?"

He would not deliver the message to the White King himself. He was sending her. Because even though she had seen his true form, she could never betray him while bound. And so she was curious. What would he do after sending her to the White King?

He shrugged.

"I will ascend the Rift Tower. Once you've delivered the report, join me with the other Lords."

"Pardon?"

"The Rift Tower requires five people to enter together. Coming in with the other Lords would be perfect, wouldn't it?"

"……With the other Lords?"

"Yes. Both the White King and the Black King will try to climb the Rift Tower. They won't be able to ascend themselves, but they'll send their proxies."

"……?"

At Randolph's absolute certainty, Aria tilted her head. But she could ask nothing further. Her mouth would not open. Her body had likely responded to Randolph's will that she stop bothering him with questions.

Aria was certain now.

I've been bound……

A complete binding so thorough that neither her body nor her mind was her own to command. As though she were some piece of equipment or a tool. Aria shuddered.

……

But even that was forcibly stopped in an instant.

One of the entry conditions for the Rift Tower was that five people enter together. With no way of knowing what waited inside, I first needed a properly assembled party.

Seia is locked in.

Seia could support the wounded with reliable holy power. Through blessings, she could also reinforce the body. Factoring in dangerous situations, Saintess Seia was essential.

Isabella and Serengeti together would make a solid picture.

Forcibly swapping positions, then binding the target. The potential of that two-person combo was almost beyond words. If I wanted to bring Isabella, Serengeti was mandatory. Which meant, first of all, I had to wake Serengeti.

"……I'm still not mentally prepared……"

Knight's Garden. Inside the castle of House Marquis Weiser, Hudson spoke with a strained expression. I clapped him once ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the shoulder.

"I can lift the curse now."

This was the right moment. Winter had raised all my stats, and with them, my holy power. Right now, I felt I could erase the curse completely.

"But…… won't Serengeti find my appearance strange?"

"You are you, Hudson."

"That's…… true, but…… the way I look……"

"That form is also you. Serengeti will understand."

"R-right. She will, won't she?"

Hudson swallowed hard. A natural reaction. His transformation still hadn't worn off. He still wore Serengeti's exact appearance. The first time Marquis Weiser had seen him, the man had nearly fainted — that said everything.

Once he learned it was Hudson and not Serengeti, the disappointment hit hard.

He had even shed tears thinking Serengeti had woken — how deep must that letdown have cut? But now it was time for the real Serengeti to open her eyes.

Hudson asked, a storm of emotions in his gaze.

"Serengeti…… can finally wake completely?"

"Most likely."

I wouldn't know until I tried. Then Hudson slowly dropped to one knee before me.

"P-please. Wake Serengeti."

"Stand up. I was going to do it anyway."

Hudson's loyalty was beyond question now. And Serengeti's curse was not his fault. As I continued to look at him, Hudson rose from his place with hesitant steps.

Hoo.

After that, I slowly turned my gaze to Serengeti and drew a deep breath.

The knight who had taken a curse in my place. It had been too late. It had taken far too long. So now — it was time for her to wake.

Master stared at the Rift Tower standing before him.

A majestic black tower soared high into the sky — so vast its peak was nowhere ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in sight. There must have been dozens, even hundreds, of entrances.

"The Black King desires the conquest of this tower."

But there was no time to be overwhelmed by its scale. Master turned beside him with a sour expression. The companions he had brought to meet the five-person party requirement were not human.

"Laktusha. If you fail this time as well, I will kill you myself."

"……That will not happen."

Damn monster bastards. He never imagined a day would come when he would form a party with creatures like these.