Prologue: Why Did I Devote My Life to Swordsmanship?

It was a question I'd heard at the seventh campsite after setting out for the Demon King's Castle.

I stared silently at the elf across the campfire.

"How did you know I trained in swordsmanship?"

"Your stance, the way you look at things, the calluses on your palms, and that sharp aura. Were you one of his disciples too?"

"……."

At the tip of her finger sat the middle-aged man who had been my master and idol.

The unparalleled genius who had reached the pinnacle in both sword and magic.

The lord of the world's greatest family.

He had personally trained disciples to save humanity and was now leading the expedition toward the Demon King's Castle.

Seated beside him were knights and mages who had surpassed the Wall.

Yet for some reason, she was showing interest in me.

"I'm just a porter now. That's all in the past. I heard you're a High Elf with the Elf King as your master. Why are you curious about me?"

"Does curiosity need a reason? What's your name?"

"Tiberian. No ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠family name."

"Tell me, Tiberian."

"……."

I'd known for days that she was staring right through me.

And for the last two days, she'd been lingering near my campfire.

It didn't seem like I could brush her off or dodge anymore.

"Yeah, that's right. I was the Allmaster's disciple too. I learned swordsmanship."

"I knew it. What made you choose that path?"

"Nothing special. I just wanted revenge."

I muttered as I poked at the fire with a stick.

Memories from the past flashed by like a panorama.

"Demons turned my village to ashes. They killed my only blood kin, my little brother. So I picked up the sword at his grave, vowing revenge. Need more explanation?"

"Couldn't you have tried something else? Like magic, maybe……."

"Do you know what it feels like to cut down a demon?"

Her expression stiffened slightly at my retort.

A bitter smile escaped me unbidden.

"Guess not. Then I can't explain it."

The tangible satisfaction of slaying your enemy with your own hands.

It was the only way to break free from nightmares.

Back then, there were ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠no other options.

"But you never made it into the expedition proper. Why? No talent for swordsmanship?"

"……."

I considered calling out her rudeness but let it slide—too much hassle.

And truthfully, she wasn't entirely wrong.

"I was called a genius once. Top of every intermediate training course."

Thanks to my Leap Ability trait, which let me master any knowledge swiftly.

The Allmaster had even planned to put me at the vanguard.

Or so it seemed—

"You couldn't surpass the Wall."

"Right. Just couldn't do it. Not quite genius level…… more like prodigy, I guess."

The threshold of 7-star, what people called the Noble Wall.

A limit that required both effort and talent to overcome.

Only by crossing it could one sense the spirit of the sword and take the first step toward the 9-star realm of Swordmaster…….

Unfortunately, it was never granted to me.

"Or maybe I was just mediocre. Pushed as hard as I could, but stalled at 6-star. That's why I couldn't join the expedition. Got left behind."

Silence fell for a moment.

I thought her interest had finally waned, but no.

The elf was still gazing at me with sparkling eyes.

"That's weird. Why's a dropout like you still here?"

"……."

"Porters aren't even allowed weapons, I heard. No reason for you to suffer all the way to the Demon King's Castle……."

"What's your name again?"

I cut her off abruptly with a question.

She looked sheepish.

"Didn't expect you not to know. Iphril."

"Alright, Iphril. Here's some advice: poke at someone's sore spots wrong, and you might get stabbed. Be extra careful with humans who've trained the sword."

"Oh? Sorry. I didn't mean……."

Iphril apologized with a flushed face, and I nodded vaguely.

The reason I'd volunteered as a porter to stick with the expedition was simple.

"I want to see the Demon King erased from the world. I may not fight on the battlefield, but I can witness his fall. That's enough for me."

"……."

"Chat's gone on long enough. Sate your curiosity about humans with the expedition folks from now on. Elites like them will be way more fun than a failed porter. Night."

I issued my dismissal and rolled over to sleep.

But the next evening—

"Tiberian, sorry about yesterday. Let me apologize again."

The elf showed up at my campfire once more.

Then she dropped something outrageous.

"I want to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠teach you magic."

"Teach me what?"

A proposal that would upend my fate entirely.

No—a story that would one day reshape the world's course.

"You have tremendous magical talent latent within you. That's why I kept prying about why you chose swordsmanship."

"What nonsense is this all of a sudden……."

"It's not nonsense. My Intuition has never been wrong. Just study 30 minutes a day. With your Leap Ability, you'll master the basics in no time. What do you say?"

"……."

The expedition's journey proceeded smoothly.

As expected.

It was humanity's finest, made up of disciples the Allmaster had painstakingly trained.

Ulfrik's exploits in particular were dazzling.

He advanced at the vanguard, tearing through demon legions to prove his legendary fame.

Thanks to that, I could study magic without hitches.

"Alright, today I'll teach you about the circulatory nature of mana."

"……."

Days hauling luggage, nights slipping into the woods for elf-taught magic—an odd routine.

I figured she'd call it quits after a few days.

But things took a strange turn.

On the third day of my magic lessons—

Whoosh!

A deep blue flame bloomed in my palm.

Proof of a Mana Heart forged in just three days.

But what seized my attention was something else.

A strange phenomenon floating before my eyes.

Unfamiliar runes shimmered before me, the first I'd ever seen.

Yet I could grasp their meaning.

As I understood it—

A sentence rippling like it was alive.

In that instant, Iphril gripped my forearm tightly, her eyes gleaming.

"Something's appearing, right? What do you see? Tell me quick!"

"Says some eye has opened."

"Be precise. What eye?"

"……Transcendental Eye."

The elf's pupils dilated sharply.

She clapped a hand over her mouth in shock.

"T-Transcendent Eye? That's the power of the 'Third Superman' from the Dark Ages! An eye that pierces through all magical phenomena!"

"Good thing?"

"Good? It's phenomenal! No wonder you wouldn't know—it's only recorded in elven history. A mythic ability. You're practically born for magic."

I was stunned.

Born for magic?

"Me……?"

"Wasted on swordsmanship, though. Sigh, words fail me."

My lifelong sword training dismissed in one breath—I couldn't even retort.

Scratching my cheek, I stared at the sentence.

'This is supposed to be amazing?'

As a total beginner, it was hard to feel the hype.

But one thing was crystal clear.

'I can totally see how this flame works.'

The azure blaze dancing in my palm.

I instantly grasped how each mana particle interacted.

Iphril elaborated.

"The Transcendental Eye is your magical intuition and sense itself. Put simply, it's the ability to unconsciously comprehend and insight into all magical phenomena."

"Just by looking?"

"Exactly. Oh, your Leap Ability might even derive from it. Similar in comprehension and insight."

On the fifteenth day of magic study.

I conjured and launched a small fireball.

Then it hit me.

'If only I'd known my true talent from the start.'

No—even a few years earlier.

I could've abandoned the sword for magic.

Might've stood shoulder-to-shoulder with that master.

The final night.

The Demon King's Castle loomed far off.

Expedition members prepared for the last battle.

I gazed at the starry sky; Iphril stuck by my side as if it were natural.

"What'll you do after the war?"

"Raid every casino on the continent with my magic."

"Joking, right……?"

"Of course. I'll seek higher magic. Obviously."

She smiled faintly at my answer.

Eye contact with her no longer felt awkward.

Over the year-plus, we'd grown close.

"Iphril, one thing I've wondered."

"What?"

"Why insist on teaching me magic? You could've just thought, 'What a fool wasting talent,' and moved on. You practically forced it."

"Oh, that……."

Iphril smiled ambiguously, glancing back.

Then whispered so softly.

"It felt like committing a sin against the goddess just letting you sit there."

"What sin?"

"Letting human magic rot into a mess, maybe?"

I nearly burst out laughing.

She meant Ulfrik.

Or rather, the hero's magic.

"The Allmaster's a great human, sure. His swordsmanship—you might never catch him in a century."

"Rude for once."

"But true. His swordplay transcends perfection."

Spot on.

Watching Ulfrik endlessly cleave demons felt like beholding a war god incarnate.

Even reborn, I doubted I'd reach that realm.

But—

"His magic doesn't measure up. In mana wielding, you're far superior, Tiberian."

"……."

"I know you think the same. Be honest—just us."

Hanging with me had made Iphril bolder.

I nodded slightly.

"Yeah, overstepping, but his magic feels lacking now. Immense power, but full of gaps."

His disciples' magic was even worse.

Flaws galore—given a bit more time, I could've surpassed them all.

"After the war, in the new era, magic will matter more. Talented mages like you will shine."

"Yeah, contributing to a better world would be meaningful."

Sincere.

Iphril beamed.

"Tiberian, you have great talent and equal nobility. Relentless drive too. Never lose that mindset."

"Impossible without you."

I meant to thank her.

But she clapped and suddenly handed something over.

The green ring she always wore dearly.

"Come to the Elf Forest someday. I have new stories to share. Outsiders need this to breach the barrier."

"Can't we talk here if there's something?"

"No. Not now. Later."

"……?"

What did she want to say?

Regrettably, my question went unanswered.

The expedition met a fate worse than defeat.

The hero who vanquished the Demon King became another, slaughtering them all—the worst ending imaginable.

At the end of endless darkness.

I lay in a warm, cozy embrace.

But my ears rang.

People around chattered deafeningly.

'What the hell is going on?'

Smack!

Pain like fire on my butt snapped my eyes open.

A wail burst out against my will.

"Mother's heartbeat is dropping!"

"Call more healers! Hurry!"

In the chaos, I barely opened my eyes to blurry tapestries adorning the room.

Squinting, I tilted my head.

The soaring silver phoenix emblem was all too familiar.

'Ulfrik?'

No doubt.

It was on that man's cloak.

It took ages to grasp the situation.

Or rather, to accept it.

A new name and life granted.

Hard to accept it wasn't a dream.

'Reincarnation…….'

After eons.

I'd been reborn as a descendant of my loathsome old master.