Chapter 61: Gale (2)
Chapter 61: Gale (2)
You once told me.
That I was like the wind.
I agreed with those words.
My life was like a single gust of wind.
* * *
The memories surging from the sword were nothing short of violent. They shook my very being, like waves crashing against a shore. It was a struggle to push back the dense tide of emotions and recollections. I was merely a "Sword Walker," a green boy who had yet to truly understand the joys and sorrows of life.
But the former master of "Gale" had been a "Sword Runner," a seasoned Ronin who had spent his life wandering the entire continent. His voice, asserting his existence with such clarity, swallowed my heart and made my soul tremble. At this rate, I would cease to be Arhan and transform into a Ronin from the Eastern Continent. I would never be able to return.
“Out of the way!”
“Block him—!”
“Protect the wizard!”
Were those attacking now a pack of Beastmen, or were they trained soldiers invading Labyrinth City from across the desolate plains?
Was the woman sprawled on the dirt floor the wizard Dorothy, or was she a stranger who had rushed to help me in this "Race Duel"?
I couldn't tell.
The memories were swallowing my mind, dyeing my soul with the essence of the wind.
“Ugh—”
“Die… ack.”
The wizard squeezed her eyes shut.
In that moment, my body became the wind.
I thrust the lightly held sword forward, shoving aside a pouncing Beastman. As he was sent flying into the air, I swung my blade through the empty space. With a sharp shriek, the Beastman’s body twisted, and red lines were etched across his feral frame. Blood sprayed as the whirlwind created by my sword ruthlessly tore through his thick hide. A cry like a whimpering dog echoed.
With a heavy thud, the Beastman collapsed.
“Uh—”
Behind the fallen foe, more enemies charged. A new world was reflected in my eyes—a world made of "Paths." It was different from the "Path" I usually saw. This one consisted of arrows pointing in specific directions, shifting according to the movement of my sword. It was a power that could touch, disturb, and dismantle the flow of the world. This was the Mystery of "Gale."
“What the— damn it!”
“Magic? No, this is different—”
My body moved, ignoring my will.
The swordsmanship that unfolded was incomparably more powerful and exquisite than any blade I had ever swung; it was as beautiful as Seol-yoon’s. A perfect circle was drawn. With that circle as the center, the Beastmen were hoisted into the air and blown away as if caught in a cyclone.
However, the more perfectly my sword replicated the Gale, the more my consciousness faded. The world before my eyes flickered repeatedly.
Was I Arhan?
Or was I the Ronin living through a desolate era?
My head spun.
Amidst the confusion, my Master’s voice woke me.
「Do not be swept away by the wind, young descendant.」
A solemn voice.
「Have you forgotten my words?」
I saw eyes as sharp as blades.
「No Steel in this world is swept away by the wind.」
The sound of a pounding heart resonated. I heard my Master’s voice, which resembled that heavy heartbeat.
「Is the Steel you harbor lighter than that of a mere Ronin? It cannot be. Do not lose yourself.」
“…….”
「Remember, young descendant.」
That voice vibrated through my soul.
「The purpose you held the moment you first grasped a sword.」
Those were words I could not ignore.
The moment my Master’s words fell, the howling wind that had filled my head vanished as if washed away. Simultaneously, the memory of that unforgettable day flared up like a flame. No matter whose memory it was, no matter whose life it was, nothing could ever overwrite the moment etched into my soul that day.
— I will let you live. So forget today and live your life.
Helplessness.
— Resent your family.
Fear, resentment, hatred, rage, sorrow.
— If you continue the Caravan bloodline, I will find you again. No matter where you are.
Vengeance.
— Only a Swordmaster can kill a Swordmaster, Young Master.
The butler’s words, which were carved into my very bones.
The moment I heard those words, I had picked up a sword. When I first held that heavy blade with an awkward stance, I had set a purpose that was both absurd and crystal clear.
Only a Swordmaster can kill a Swordmaster.
Therefore.
I decided to become a Swordmaster.
“Whew.”
My mind cleared.
I had reclaimed myself.
Of course, that didn't mean the memories of "Gale" had disappeared. The life of the Ronin was still flowing in through the blade. But I was no longer swept away. I wasn't being carried off; I was accepting it. I faced the Gale as immovable Steel.
I was the one doing the devouring.
『For you, I became the wind.』
The Dwarf-made steel sword in my hand was now a broken, half-length blade. The hand gripping it was covered in blood, and the acrid scent of earth filled the air.
Memories surged.
The former master of "Gale."
His final memory.
『In the chilling dawn, I swept away the things that made your tomorrow fearful.』
『The Lord of Labyrinth City imprisoned me according to the city's laws.』
『You sobbed sorrowfully as you watched me locked away.』
『Thinking back, I shouldn't have done that.』
『I shouldn't have swept away the Legion; I should have swept you away instead.』
『To a world far, far away, where you would have nothing to fear.』
* * *
In the chilling dawn, as the price for driving out the Legion, I was imprisoned in the spire of Labyrinth City. The Lord had simply acted according to legal procedure. If I had wanted to fight the Legion, I should have formally requested the Lord to be enlisted in the Labyrinth City’s forces and stood forth as a single Swordsman. But I did not. I simply cut down the Legion suddenly against the backdrop of the faint daybreak.
The moonlight visible through the spire window was dim.
The curved crescent moon resembled the smile you wore. You turned me into a romantic man. The moon shining between the dark clouds looked as if the sky itself were smiling.
I do not feel lonely.
My life has always been solitary.
And you were merely a passing presence.
After you passed by, my world grew old and faded; everything except you crumbled and became meaningless.
The Lord asked if I had any regrets.
I replied that I had none.
I consider it a blessing that you were not swallowed by the grudges that fill this era of war. It is enough for me alone to be covered in red blood and to pluck the withered flowers. It is enough for me alone to never sleep peacefully, always keeping a faded sword by my pillow.
It is fine even if I never see you again.
I can live my entire life on the strength of a single moment's sweet dream.
How many souls have been swept away by my sword? How deep was the blood soaked into the wilderness, and was it justice or evil? At this moment, such things do not matter.
The world is the wind, and eventually, everything will be swept away and forgotten.
But it seems the night sky wasn't smiling at me after all.
In the chilling night, I heard a scream.
“Save me.”
It was your voice.
Hearing that sharp, echoing scream, I left the spire. The guards' watch was lax, the ropes binding me were loose, and the iron bars shattered with a single kick.
When I emerged, Labyrinth City was burning.
The chilling city walls were red with blood, and beneath the flames, I saw people who had died in the darkness. Countless lives had fallen asleep under the moonlight. The crescent moon was still bright, as if smiling at those who had fallen into eternal sleep.
“Please, save me.”
I went to you, holding my sword.
You were in a wretched state.
Your pure white silk pajamas were scorched black and torn. Your fair skin, which I had only imagined in my mind, was exposed, marked with dark bruises and red bloodstains. Your beautiful face was stained with tears. Sobbing, you were looking at me.
You were calling for me.
“…….”
I cut through the necks of the guards holding you as if harvesting grain. Every time the chilling, moonlit sword danced, bright red blood scattered. With your eyes squeezed shut, you leaned into me. Your sobbing, your flowing tears, and your trembling body were cold.
“I only… wished for today,” you spoke after calming down slightly. “I didn't wish for anything grand. I only wished for a happy today to repeat forever instead of a terrible tomorrow. But why?”
Labyrinth City fell.
It was a common ruin.
One invasion was blocked, but the second and third could not be. Beneath the chilling walls, I saw the savage soldiers running wild. Cavalrymen mounted on iron-clad horses. Their faces, erupting in gruesome laughter, were familiar.
My hometown.
The soldiers of the "Great Land."
Invaders loyal to the Great Conqueror who claimed the widest territory on this continent. They were not people the softies of Labyrinth City could stop. No matter how capable the Lord here was, how could a mere city wall stop the most powerful conqueror on earth?
Carrying you on my back, I could not flee far. The fastest Legion on the continent allowed not a single survivor. The soldiers from my homeland, mounted on horses, surrounded us. I saw a General holding a spear. He was an enemy I could not defeat. They were a Great Legion I could not blow away.
You were sobbing.
But I do not give up.
For you, I can become anything.
“I have a proposal.”
“A proposal?”
“According to the will of the Father Who Never Sleeps, I request a Sacred Trial by Combat.”
“……Are you serious?”
Trial by Combat. A tradition passed down in the "Great Land."
“Yes.”
The Father Who Never Sleeps. A duel dedicated to the Great Chief God they believed in. It was a tradition where, if one fought and defeated every enemy faced, the lives of the victors would be spared, regardless of what had happened. And at this moment, the enemies before me were a force of over ten thousand, all of them terrifyingly strong and thoroughly trained.
“You’re a madman.”
“…….”
“Do you know? In a Trial by Combat, we never kill an enemy mercifully. We will trample and burst your belly with horse hooves, spill your guts with spears, and shove what was spilled into your mouth to feed you. Because the Father Who Never Sleeps loves blood, death, and pain.”
“I know.”
“Fine, if that is what you want.”
I knew this was madness. It was a fight with no chance of victory.
But for you, I could do anything. Truly, anything.
“Liar.”
“…….”
“Don't… don't lie.”
You were wise. You knew my true intentions.
“What would change? What changes if you do such a thing?”
“…….”
“Can you really fight and win against that terrifying army?”
“One never knows.”
“No. I know. And even if you win, nothing will change.”
You wept mournfully.
“Even if we luckily survive, nothing will change. Even if we barely survive here, countless Lords will invite me again. Then I’ll be thrown onto a battlefield once more. Even if I survive there, I’ll go to another blood-stained battlefield. Until I die, until I return to the earth. That is my fate. I see it now….”
“…….”
“So, don't do something so useless. Let's just… die here. Don't think about fighting this harsh world; let's just die like this….”
Perhaps you were right.
But you do not know what I am dreaming of.
“Do not worry.”
I had made up my mind to become the wind for you.
“You… only need to remain as you are.”
A wind that can sweep away anything.
“So, just watch.”
The next day, the army of the Great Land took me to the Steel City Ferma of the Iron Kingdom. They wanted to show this grand execution to everyone to establish their authority. There was an enormous Arena there.
The spectators gathered in the Arena were all laughing boisterously. The Legion holding spears surrounded me with indifferent faces, and in a corner, you were huddled and sobbing. All I was given was crude armor and a single sword.
Everyone was mocking me.
But I saw none of it. I saw only you, sobbing. Over your tear-stained face, I overlaid the bright face I had seen once before.
— My name is Dorothy.
Do you remember? The tiny smile you wore as you whispered your lovely name.
— Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz.
That smile was what made me become a storm.
“Begin the Trial by Combat—!”
In the chilling dawn, looking at you in your white silk pajamas, do you know the purpose I set? Do you know that I decided to become not a wind swept by something, but a wind that sweeps everything away? You probably won't. Yes, forever.
“Heek!”
As the Legion’s sharp spears pierced my body, you closed your eyes. As my shoulder shattered, my knees gave out, and crimson blood flowed while my entrails spilled, you did not open your eyes. Transparent tears pooled and flowed from your eyes. I looked only at you, biting your pretty lips in agony.
Even if pointed spears broke my bones, horse hooves ruthlessly trampled my muscles, and the boos and mockery of the crowd cut me down, they could not break my soul. Because my soul was made entirely of you.
Neither the pain invading my body, nor the dust, nor the pouring blood could tear me down. My heart was infinitely calm. In that silence, the sword in my hand slowly cut through the air. As it cut, my wings shone brilliantly.
“You… told me… once.”
Bloody foam bubbled.
“That I… was like… the wind.”
I squeezed out even the smallest bit of strength. As I swung the sword, my blade broke futilely in half. The broken blade spun and hit the ground. The audience laughed.
And then.
“I… agree… with those words… too.”
The wind blew.
The gale that blew in soon gathered around my sword and became a whirlwind. The intensely swirling wind lifted your sobbing body. Just as you had once said, you became the wind.
“Because… my life… was like a single… gust of wind.”
A wind that defied the laws of nature surged upward. Realizing something was wrong too late, the Legion shouted to seize the woman. But how could a mere human catch a surging wind with their hands? Rising up, you flew far, far away. Toward the sky that wore a faded smile.
Several soldiers of the Legion raised their bows. I did not allow them to fire their arrows.
Holding the broken sword, dragging my broken body, I stabbed their throats. Blood sprayed, and a single soul seeped into the harsh wilderness. I was knocked back by the hooves of a horse panicking after losing its master. Even as I coughed up blood, I did not let go of the broken blade in my hand. A thrusting spear pierced my back. A rough kick struck my head. But I fought. I did not stop.
My eyes were fixed only on you.
“Fly… away. You must… become a wind so fast and fierce… that no one can catch you.”
Like the broken sword, my body broke and collapsed. But even as a wreck, I would never fall. Until you flew away and vanished from my sight, I would rise again and again.
“Yes… just as you said….”
Your figure gradually blurred. I couldn't tell if you were blurring because you were getting further away, or because my consciousness was failing. The sounds coming from all directions ceased. Dorothy, the Wizard of Oz, was caught in the whirlwind and flew far, far away. Toward an unknown world that no one could know….
“Like a Gale….”
Dazzling sunlight that I couldn't bear to look at decorated the sky. Whether you flew away completely, fell midway, or rose a little only to sink ridiculously, I could not know. I had to leave the outcome to the heavens.
For only the heavens know where the wind will blow.
Yes. Only the heavens….
That was the end of a certain Ronin.
.
.
.
I opened my eyes.
When I came to my senses, an incredibly intense wind flowed through the sword in my hand. I clearly understood the final secret contained within. While a subtle drowsiness settled over my body, I looked ahead. There was a fierce battlefield, and there were fighters entangled in combat.
And there was one 'very peculiar path' that I had never seen before.
「Young descendant.」
“Yes.”
What I had to do was clear.
「Sweep them away.」