Chapter 113: Fragment (2)
Chapter 113: Fragment (2)
Toma Rhapsody.
He was the youngest son of House Rhapsody. Unlike his father, who stood at the pinnacle of the world, or his brothers, who had already achieved greatness, he was nothing more than a spoiled young master.
Toma Rhapsody, a constant source of trouble within his family’s estate, had staged a rebellion of his own one day. He had abandoned the six Free Cities, where he enjoyed absolute power, to participate in a game called the Infinite Duel—a pastime played by the lowly wretches of the Western Continent’s Iron Kingdom. On his way back from that duel, the precious young master had been subjected to a most dishonorable ambush. In the process, his mind was irreparably shattered, and Joseph, the loyal servant who had cared for him since childhood, met a gruesome end.
Toma Rhapsody had never forgotten that day for a single moment.
He remembered the helplessness that stung him to his core, and he remembered the violence that had crushed both him and Joseph. He even remembered the smell of blood. He remembered the exact temperature of the blood flowing from Joseph’s dying body. Thus, to Toma Rhapsody, who remembered everything, the sword of the fighter before him felt... wrong.
“Uh…”
That was not the sword that had defiled his honor.
It was not the blade that had severed Joseph’s head from his torso and brought his life to a miserable end. As he watched the execution being carried out by his brother, Toma Rhapsody felt an unbearable headache. At the same time, watching the swordplay unfolding from the fighter’s fingertips, a thought struck him: It isn’t unfamiliar. In fact, it’s almost intimate. As if I’ve experienced it—as if I’ve been struck by it myself.
‘Stop running.’
But the fighter’s sword that Toma’s body remembered did not inspire resentment. Rather, it felt welcoming, ecstatic, and even thrilling.
Why were these emotions stirring within him?
Why?
‘You have no idea how boring it is dealing with these things, do you?’
Why did unknown memories surface every time he saw that blade?
‘I was truly surprised this time. To think you would run away without a word and even participate in the Infinite Duel where the lowly gather.’
What was this memory?
Was the nightmare that tormented him the truth?
Or was this unbearable memory the truth?
‘So, did you enjoy yourself?’
His head felt like it was going to split open.
‘Was there no meaning in coming here?’
‘That’s not it.’
He saw Joseph. He saw the old man who had always stayed by his side like a shadow. He saw himself lying on an uncomfortable bed, and he saw the warm milk Joseph handed him. As always, the milk was heated to a pleasant, perfect temperature. It was too vivid to be a lie, too real to be a hallucination. Toma Rhapsody’s eyes began to bulge.
He remembered the moments he had prattled on like a child. Toma Rhapsody’s fragmented memories and his ruthlessly torn soul were being reassembled. The dull, vacant haze in his eyes cleared, finding its light once more. They were no longer the eyes of a corpse, but the eyes of a boy.
‘It was a meaningful rebellion, then.’
‘Yeah, Father was right.’
A precious moment came to mind.
A moment that must never be forgotten.
A moment he had forgotten until now…
‘You’ve become an adult.’
The spoiled young master opened his eyes.
“Brother.”
It wasn’t the Sword Demon Liam.
The one who broke him wasn’t some insignificant fighter. That man wasn’t the culprit behind all of this. The sword that had sliced through his soul and mocked Joseph while butchering him wasn’t this one. He finally remembered.
“Brother, you can’t. Wait…”
Toma Rhapsody realized the truth.
The soul destroyed by the sword… was being restored to its original form by the sword.
Having finally regained his senses, Toma Rhapsody saw the injustice unfolding before him. But even as he cried out, his brother could not hear his voice. The knights nearby weren't paying attention to him either. The duel was in full swing. At this rate, an innocent man would lose his life to his brother’s sword. Not the one who deserved punishment, but an innocent man would be judged. Toma Rhapsody could not let that happen.
Even if he was a spoiled brat, the blood of greatness flowed through his veins. And a descendant who inherited a great bloodline must fulfill their duty. The duty of a noble scion.
“…”
Sword clashed against sword.
Steel and waves intertwined.
Toma Rhapsody soon realized what he had to do. The moment he realized it, there was no hesitation.
“…I have a confession to make.”
Toma Rhapsody looked up at the sky. At the cloudless, blue sky.
“Gods, are you listening?”
* * *
The First Steel.
A movement resembling a vertical slash. It was a motion closer to a blacksmith swinging a hammer than a traditional strike. Uniquely, it could be swung while imbued with Mystery, and no matter how one defended, it delivered a shock that crushed with overwhelming force. It was an unstoppable attack.
The name of the First Steel was Forging. A word referring to the process of constantly hammering iron to create a magnificent blade. I didn’t know why it was given such a name. Was it because Liam was half-dwarf? Perhaps. Maybe Liam had been a blacksmith before he ever picked up a sword.
Fitting the name Forging, the name of the Second Steel was Polishing. The process of smoothing the surface of the hammered iron to finally turn a lump of metal into a weapon.
The Caravan techniques contained within the fragment ended right there. But I didn’t feel they were lacking at all. No, not at all.
“Whew—”
I took a breath.
It smelled of blood mixed with earth. Breathing in the scent of struggle, I lowered my stance. Maintaining the posture after a vertical slash, with the tip of the sword pointing toward the ground, I changed my grip. I twisted my wrist and pushed the blunt end of the hilt, forcing the tip of the blade to dig into the earth. Like driving a tombstone deep into the ground. It was an alien movement for swordsmanship, but it was the correct one.
As my breath settled, my flames gathered toward me. It was the preparation to swing the Second Steel. If it was this, even Edan Rhapsody would find it difficult to parry effortlessly. With his wings lost to my Mystery, it would be nearly impossible for him to take my sword with only what he had left. Perhaps he would have to bring out more wings or tap into the Authority of a Sword Expert. If so, I wouldn’t just be holding out for ten seconds; I could even claim a complete victory. Because he would have violated the conditions of the duel.
“…”
But the moment I met Edan Rhapsody’s eyes, I was certain that wouldn’t happen. That man was the type who would sooner die while keeping the conditions of the duel than choose dishonor. He was a man who resembled my departed neighbor more than his own brother. He resembled an honorable knight—the loyal Sir Petel.
‘What are you going to show me?’
The world slowed down.
In that slowed world, Edan Rhapsody’s hand trembled. It was a movement familiar to me as well. A thrusting motion. But it wasn’t a basic thrust. It was the technique of the Spiral Sword passed down through the Rhapsody family. An invisible, unstoppable, violent thrust. A technique that symbolized House Rhapsody, pulverizing everything without a trace. The trump card I had faced once before in the Infinite Duel.
“Consider this an honor.”
In the slowed world, Edan Rhapsody’s voice was clear. It sounded as if it were being delivered directly into my mind rather than spoken aloud. Following the voice, I even heard the sound of crashing waves—the flow of the free sea that no one could defy. After the sound of the waves spread, a streak of light flashed from Edan Rhapsody’s fingertips.
As the streak of light flashed, my sword moved in response. It was the finest movement I could perform at my level. Every muscle in my body screamed, and my heart pounded as if it would burst. In a black-and-white world that had lost its color, even the two men vanished. All that remained in the world were two swords.
Crunch.
The sword buried in the ground dug up the earth as it was swung upward. A mound of dirt flew, followed by the flames that had gathered around me, pouring out like a whirlwind. The waves that had obscured my vision were erased by the flames.
「To create a perfect sword, the process of polishing is vital. You must strip away the surface perfectly, ensuring there are no rough or uneven spots. Make it absolutely smooth.」
I drew a single line from bottom to top.
Beyond the line I drew stood Edan Rhapsody. As my sword path was completed, the things surrounding Edan Rhapsody began to break. The paths of the sea that dominated the arena were stripped away, his wings were stripped away, and even the second heart that made his sword special was stripped away. Like stripping the rough exterior of a blade. Like a blacksmith polishing iron.
Thus, what was fully revealed was a single man. A man holding nothing more than a pathetic stick of wood instead of a sword. But even the man finally revealed was a being far too great for the current me. I knew it instinctively. My fangs could not reach Edan Rhapsody. But Edan Rhapsody’s fangs could reach me.
With a sharp sound, blood splattered. Where was I wounded? I didn’t know. Perhaps an arm or a leg had fallen off. Perhaps my heart had already been pierced, making it irreversible. But I felt no pain. All my senses were already focused on this moment. My heartbeat sounded thunderous. My heart was still beating. The sword was still in my hand. If so, I couldn't stop.
I took a step forward.
I swung the Second Steel once more. This movement, which began with a line drawn from bottom to top, did not stop once it started. From top to bottom, from left to right—it could be swung freely in all directions. This sword continued until everything about the enemy was stripped away. All Paths were connected. As long as the wings of steel led me, the path of steel led me, and the heart of steel continued to beat, the polishing would not stop. Not until the goal was achieved.
A loud clang rang out.
My sword was bending in an unintended direction. An infinite number of thrusts overwhelmed my body. Now, my vision was completely stained red. Nevertheless, I walked on without rest. Something caught on my shoulder. Looking ahead, Edan Rhapsody’s eyes were close. His shoulder and mine had collided. I swung my sword without hesitation. Edan Rhapsody didn’t even dodge. Why?
“Ah.”
The blade of the sword I held was gone.
I had been swinging the sword repeatedly while holding only the hilt, having lost the blade. I didn’t know when the blade had snapped. If it was gone, I just had to grab another. Since devouring multiple swords, I always carried other blades on my person. I would just grab a dagger that resembled a fang. Thinking that, I moved my hand toward my thigh. That was when my legs gave out. With a thud, I fell to my knees. It wasn't that I was trying to surrender. There was simply no strength left in my legs. It wasn't a matter of willpower, but a physical failure.
With a clatter, the daggers equipped on my thighs spilled onto the ground. I couldn't curl my body to grab a dagger. Then I would have to use my fingernails. I would have to use my teeth. Even if I had to scratch, even if I had to bite, I had to continue the fight. I had to fight until my heart stopped.
I reached out.
I grabbed Edan Rhapsody by the collar. The moment I tried to pull him, I was the one who was pulled instead. Heaven and earth flipped. With a thud, my body was slammed into the ground. A terrible pain, as if I had fallen from a cliff, surged through my entire body. In the inverted world, I saw Edan Rhapsody’s face. His mouth moved.
“You are a persistent one. Madly so.”
“…Ugh, ah.”
“Insignificant fighter, stop now.”
Drip.
A hot liquid fell and touched my cheek.
“You have already achieved a great feat.”
The liquid that touched my cheek was blood. The place the blood fell from was Edan Rhapsody’s face.
“You may take pride in this.”
Edan Rhapsody’s face was ruined. His noble face was covered in blood. Specifically, the left side of his face.
“In the last ten years, you are the first to wound me.”
Edan Rhapsody’s left eye was gone. A long red line was carved there.
“Father was right. The world is wide.”
“…”
“It seems I’ll only be able to see half the world from now on.”
The sunlight was hot today as well.
Taking the falling drops of blood, I gasped for air. Edan Rhapsody didn’t take his eyes off me, speaking with his characteristic expressionless face. In a dry voice.
“It seems you were right after all.”
“…”
“It seems you truly never defiled the honor of Rhapsody. You didn't murder our loyal servant, and you haven't committed any crime you need to take responsibility for. Is this why you asked me to bring Toma? For this, did you accept such an unreasonable duel? For this picture?”
Edan Rhapsody gave a slight tilt of his chin.
Gasping for breath, I looked in the direction he indicated. There were the knights, there were my residents, and there was the spoiled young master, Toma Rhapsody.
Toma Rhapsody was floating in the air.
Around the floating Toma Rhapsody, characters made of light were inscribed. They were characters in a format I had never seen before, but strangely, I could understand their meaning. As the light arrived, the numerous knights, the uneducated country residents, the legion of the great family—everyone, without exception, was bowing their heads. It was only natural.
For the characters of light read as follows:
「The descendant of a great family must pay the price.」
「Toma Rhapsody made a false oath under the names of the Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods.」
.
.
.
「Remember.」
「With great power comes great responsibility.」
.
.
.
「Responsibility shall be demanded.」
「A responsibility befitting the sin.」
The Nine Goddesses and the Seven Chief Gods.
The gods had made their appearance, according to the laws and duties.
And that proved my innocence.
“Young swordsman.”
“…”
“As Edan Rhapsody, the second son of Rhapsody, I wish to hear your name.”
“…Why?”
The plan had succeeded. Everything had been overturned.
But Edan Rhapsody didn’t look the least bit frustrated. On the contrary, he was smiling.
“Because for some reason, I feel like you will leave your name in history.”
Amidst the total mess, Edan Rhapsody said something I had heard once before. I couldn't tell if the cold appearance he had shown earlier was his true face, or if the face smiling now was his real self. In my dazed state, I was simply glad for the familiar question.
And so, I spoke with a voice that had gone completely hoarse.
“…Arhan.”
“…”
My name.
“Arhan… Caravan.”
Even my family name, which the world had forgotten.