The Arrival of the Sword
The Sea God's core was a priceless treasure. The moment it was consumed, it allowed the user to claim the immense yin energy stored within as their own. After all, the sea was the mother of all life, and women embodied the very concept of yin. Much like the evil spirit essence that Sera and Yuria had once devoured, the core granted an enormous surge of mana—or aura—the instant it was eaten. Yet if one thought about it, that alone felt somewhat disappointing.
It was a trophy earned by slaying a god who could freely command the oceans. To think the only reward was a modest boost in energy reserves? That felt undeniably lacking. Many people throughout the ages had shared this exact sentiment. They dreamed of killing gods and seizing their divine power for themselves. One primitive tribe had even succeeded through shamanistic rituals.
"Water Shield!"
The moment Sera clutched her necklace and shouted, water materialized around her body. She had summoned it without a single incantation. Staring at the liquid swirling protectively around her, Sera began to overreact with exaggerated shock.
"No way! This much water manipulation in a place with no water at all!?"
"Having fun?" Kyle asked dryly. "If you're going to keep acting like that."
"It's fun! Insanely fun! It's a Force ability, a Force ability!"
A short while later, after withdrawing her mana and deactivating the power, Sera gazed at her necklace with sparkling eyes. It was exactly what she had described earlier—the "Vessel for Containing Gods" crafted by that ancient primitive tribe. She had gotten her hands on a relic from a long-vanished people.
"Where did you even find that?"
"This? They're buried in specific spots throughout the desert region. I dug one up from there."
Claiming she had plenty of other items besides this one, Sera revealed that every accessory she wore was an artifact possessing special abilities. They were the kind of hidden pieces players called "opportunities" in the game. Kyle let out an impressed whistle as he looked at her.
"When the hell did you collect all that..."
"I'm the one who's shocked by you. Weren't you the guy who left saying he wouldn't bother gathering any more opportunities? When did you pick all these up?"
Sera fiddled with her necklace as if she found Kyle far more mysterious. The Sea God's core embedded in its end glittered with a brilliant blue light.
The artifacts Sera had obtained were incredibly valuable on their own, but they displayed even greater power when combined with other items. Naturally, objects capable of granting such immense strength weren't easy to come by. If anyone could have obtained them effortlessly, they would have been unearthed long ago, and Sera would never have gotten her hands on them.
"That one came from killing the Sea God."
"...The Sea God? You mean like Poseidon?"
"No, it was some kind of fish."
"A fish... So something on the Leviathan side? Tell me the details."
At Sera's urging, Kyle began explaining everything in detail. He had planned to ask her about it from the start anyway. He told her about traveling to the Emerald Count Territory, how the beach had been blockaded, the reason behind the blockade, his battle against the Sea God sealing the waters, and how he had ultimately defeated it. After hearing the full story, Sera stared at him in utter disbelief.
"So in the end, you were the one who started the fight?"
"That fish dared to interfere with a human's plans. It got what it deserved."
"What nonsense... More importantly, the Sea God of the Emerald Count Territory—how exactly did you manage to kill it?"
"Huh?"
"In the game, it was a monster you couldn't even fight, let alone defeat."
Ah. So that was why. Kyle finally understood why the Sea God's appearance hadn't remained in his memories. Indeed, if he had tried to face it in a proper battle, he would have gone through hell. The city's residents worshipped the Sea God as their guardian deity. Instead of helping Kyle fight it, they had practically radiated hostility at the mere idea. The only reason he had succeeded was by attacking from afar and provoking the creature into assaulting the city. If he had tried to hunt a peaceful Sea God, he couldn't even imagine what tactics would have been required.
"It was an NPC that created beautiful rainbows over the sea in the Emerald Count Territory and helped raise the heroine's affection... How on earth did you end up killing something like that?"
"It just sort of happened?"
"You really don't have a shred of humanity, do you..."
"More importantly, the dragon I gave Arthur. Has it hatched yet?"
"What? Really!?"
Sera, who had been scolding Kyle for his actions, immediately forgot the previous topic. Her eyes lit up like stars. Watching her, Kyle realized she wasn't so different from him after all. Neither of them truly saw this world as real.
Far from the Dairos Empire, in the Kingdom of Frezia. Inside a grand mansion located there, a man with one arm missing sat frowning deeply.
"Ugh...!"
"Endure it. No whining."
"Whining? Whiiining? Where do you get off calling my surgery sloppy—ngh!"
"Sloppy? You wanna die for real?"
The girl who had been glaring fiercely at the man finally pulled her hands away, signaling she was finished. The man moved his formerly severed arm, testing whether the operation had been successful. True to her reputation as the most skilled with her hands among their comrades, the arm that had been cut off by a sword was already moving somewhat.
"...It's still a little stiff."
"That can't be helped. Too much time had passed. Rehabilitation is going to take a while."
"What a pain."
As the man began his rehabilitation by clenching and unclenching his fist, a large man who had been watching from the side let out a booming laugh.
"Bwahaha! That's why I told you to just use a prosthetic, Kayness."
"Shut up. What could I possibly trust about a prosthetic? Hephaestus."
"Hmm, doubting my craftsmanship, are you?"
"A prosthetic is still premature. I didn't reach master level by relying on some mechanical toy."
At Kayness's cutting words, Hephaestus—who had recommended the prosthetic—nodded in understanding. He had absolute confidence that the prosthetic arm he created was a treasure that could rival a master's own flesh, but masters were prideful creatures by nature. They disliked depending on mere machines. If the arm had been completely destroyed, that would be one thing, but he had managed to recover his original arm. Hephaestus inwardly regretted that whoever had severed Kayness's arm hadn't burned it to ash.
"Surgery's done, right? Then I'll be on my way."
"Thanks, Aruki."
"Don't go around losing like an idiot. It's embarrassing."
Having finished fixing Kayness's arm, Aruki left those words behind as she exited the mansion. Unlike Kayness, who operated without any official identity, she worked as a renowned physician in this kingdom and was constantly busy. When one considered that the funds she and the other members earned became the organization's operating capital, interfering with her work was equivalent to hindering the Sacred Weapons themselves. If their leader ever found out, there would be hell to pay. Kayness promised to be careful as he saw her off.
"So? Who was it?"
"...Didn't the Staff tell you?"
"I was busy working."
"It was the new 'Sword' candidate... or it was supposed to be."
"Was?"
"Obviously. You think I'd accept the bastard who left my arm like this?"
Kayness lifted his severed left arm as he spoke. Though it creaked as it rose, the limb looked far too lifelike for having just been reattached. Yet it moved with a dullness that made it hard to believe it belonged to a master. Watching this, Hephaestus let out a low groan and shook his head.
"I seem to remember you smashing the heads of three guys right before coming here?"
"...That's different from you, who actually wanted to join. That guy didn't even have the slightest intention of joining the organization. The way he looked at me, it was obvious he was planning to hand me over to the empire's knights."
"You said he uses a sword. If he got close enough to cut off the arm of an archer like you but couldn't take your head, does that mean his skills aren't that impressive?"
At the question, Kayness pressed his lips tightly together. He was too embarrassed to speak. For an archer who wielded a bow to have his arm severed at range by a swordsman... When Kayness remained silent, Hephaestus realized there was more to the story. He nodded as if he understood and stood up.
"Speaking of which, I was wondering where that 'Sword' fellow was rushing off to in such a hurry..."
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Before you arrived, the 'Sword' came to me asking for weapon maintenance. I finished it quickly and handed it over, and he immediately headed somewhere."
Now that the mystery was solved, Hephaestus wore a satisfied expression.
"Looking at it now, it seems he went to meet the new sword candidate."
"—Then I should go as well."
"Haha, worried your prey might be stolen? When your rehabilitation hasn't even finished?"
"Consider it part of my rehabilitation."
Kayness stood up immediately and began gathering his things. He would kill Kyle with his own hands—the one who had humiliated him. At the same time, he was driven by the uneasy feeling that one member alone might not be enough to defeat him.
After classes ended, Kyle stopped in his tracks as a man blocked his path. The stranger had a refreshing, bold appearance and half-lidded eyes that gazed at him intently.
"You're Kyle, right?"
"...Who are you?"
Kyle tensed slightly as he observed the man. The stranger extended his hand and answered with a bright smile.
"Schwarz. I came a long way just to meet you."
Feeling the energy radiating from the outstretched hand and the man's entire body, Kyle became certain. This person was a master. And every master who had come looking for him had always brought trouble in their wake. His instincts began sounding the alarm that the man before him would be no exception.