A Dream Where All is Sword
Am I going crazy?
No matter that he'd lived obsessed with swords in his past life, died loving them, and even now in reincarnation still loved them—dreaming of replacing everything in the world with blades? Rocks were swords. Fire was swords. Raindrops were swords. Trees were swords. Ice was swords. Lightning was swords. And then the sky and earth, the seas all blending into one chaotic swirl.
Was there a sword in that too?
He wasn't sure. The dream he'd just had wasn't some random nonsense; it foreshadowed his spirit root's awakening. Unlike ordinary dreams, everything in it was vivid and sharp, refusing to fade with time.
So Kyle remembered the dream perfectly, but the ending was hazy. Everything mixing into chaos. He'd stared at it, reached out a hand...
Reached out a hand. And then? He'd woken up.
Had he grasped something?
No idea. His memory cut off right after extending his hand. Sitting up in bed, Kyle pondered deeply.
He'd already heard about the visions from Arian, Erica, and Julius. Arian's had been a ship of winds, Erica's a field of ice flowers, Julius's a downpour of lightning bolts.
They'd gazed at them blankly before waking. Though the forms differed, one thing stayed constant: from start to finish, a ship of winds, a field of ice flowers, a rain of lightning.
But Kyle's vision had shifted endlessly, and he'd even reached out himself. Structurally, it differed from what he'd heard. And from every vision in the books he'd read too.
Was this really just a crazy dream?
The concepts of spirit roots and visions were foreign, and having lived and died in a world without them, Kyle couldn't be certain.
What if he failed to awaken his spirit root? Even then, he was confident he could wield mana like in his past life. But if everyone else awakened theirs and he didn't, Arian would be heartbroken.
Huh?
As worry crept in, a faint vibration twitched in his lower abdomen. Focusing on it, he sensed a presence beyond the tremor.
Lower abdomen.
Something existed in what this era called the lower dantian. Kyle closed his eyes and scanned inward. It sounded absurd, but with past-life experience amplified by elixirs, he could feel even his organs' movements if he tried.
Spirit root...
A new 'sense' had opened, absent until yesterday. Through it, he felt the lower dantian clearly.
It wasn't a physical organ so much as a sudden 'hole' in his body. Since it wasn't real, it caused no physical discomfort.
A hole for what? He knew the answer: mana. Those who awakened spirit roots sensed the world's mana, drew it in via breathing techniques, refined it, and stored it in their dantian. Filling the hole.
Fill this hole with a certain amount of mana, and it spreads through connected circuits.
The Sword Ghost's era had danced on death's edge forging heart cores, but this was this era's mana method.
"Spirit root..."
Murmuring softly, Kyle extended the sense outward. His skin tingled briefly, then he perceived things previously undetectable.
He opened his eyes.
Flows invisible to the eye now appeared. Bluish particles mingled in the morning breeze slipping through the window. Standing to light the lamp, he felt faint ripples in its glow. With a low sigh of awe, Kyle approached the window.
The Rose Mansion's garden lay below. Without touching the ground, his awakened spirit root sensed the massive mana currents embedded in the earth. Not just the earth, though.
Mana flowed through the entire unfolded world. This was inside the Sword Tower, gift of the Dragon King. Everything here was woven of magic, and Kyle's spirit root felt and saw those flows clearly.
"Ha."
Kyle let out a hollow chuckle.
So there's vision like this too.
He'd used mana in his past life, but never sensed or seen its flows so distinctly. Opening the window, he inhaled deeply, consciously trying to breathe mana—but it didn't cling to the air.
That's why cultivation methods are needed.
Nodding, Kyle closed the window. A question arose.
So, what is my spirit root?
Arian, who saw the ship of winds, had wind spirit root. Erica, the ice flowers, had ice. Julius, the lightning storm, had lightning.
But Kyle had seen them all. No tales or books mentioned such a case, and pondering alone wouldn't yield answers.
No need to brood solo. Kyle spun toward the door.
"Kyle!"
Arian stood there the moment he opened it. She'd clearly waited all night without sleep. Rushing over, she grabbed his shoulders.
"You're up? How's your body? Anywhere hurt? Fever? Head okay?"
Questions poured like rapid fire. Kyle gave a wry smile.
"Mom, calm down. I'm fine."
"Fine? Really? The dream? Did you dream?"
More questions. Worry and anticipation swirled in her eyes.
"Yeah, I did."
"What'd you see? Lightning? It was lightning, right?"
Arian was convinced her son had awakened lightning spirit root. Not just from last night's thunder-affinity feast, but the many lightning elixirs Julius had gifted him over the years. It wasn't just her hope.
"No, not lightning."
Against expectations, he shook his head. Arian's face stiffened briefly, but she quickly smiled brightly.
"Then what did you see in the dream? Wind? Or... like your dad, did you see wind?"
"Uh, it's kinda complicated to explain."
Kyle scratched his head.
"I saw everything."
"Everything...?"
"Fire, water, lightning flashing... ice too. Just all of it."
Arian's eyes went blank. She couldn't grasp what her son meant.
Kyle felt the same. Wearing an awkward smile, he slipped from her embrace.
"Let's go. Grandpa's waiting."
Arian blinked dazedly at her oddly unperturbed son's back.
*
The Sword Tower's first-floor grand hall buzzed with pureblood Alastors despite the early hour.
The reason? Obviously Kyle.
Five years ago, he'd returned suddenly with Arian, basking in Julius's favor. He'd treated the Sword Apex Hall like his playground, 'playing' with the family head, or sat in the Sword Garden communing with Baal's spirit when not.
Nothing ordinary about the kid from one to ten. Until now, he could be dismissed as an unawakened brat—but not from today.
"What spirit root will it be?"
Barkas spoke, arms crossed, cold eyes fixed on the elevator.
"High chance of lightning."
Third son Jerard replied, twisting his long auburn hair snake-like eyes glinting coldly.
"Most elixirs Grandpa sent the nephew in five years were thunder-related. After gorging on that much, failing to awaken lightning would be laughable."
"I'd love for that laughable thing to happen."
Barkas spat. He naturally despised Kyle. His son's humiliation five years ago played a part, but the real reason was Julius's favoritism.
The already prodigious nephew, doted on excessively. If he awakened the same lightning spirit root as Julius?
Julius would teach him lightning cultivation and sword arts, and if satisfied, even pass down his own.
Among Julius's children, some had lightning: eldest daughter Katarina, fourth son Dante, sixth Serros.
To Barkas, those three were closest to heir. But this overlooked nephew might enter the race.
And they weren't even half as favored at his age...
Minding a much younger nephew bruised pride, but Barkas had wary of Kyle since his son's beating.
The talent was real. No Julius child lacked sword genius, but none matched Kyle's absurdity. Rumor had it he'd mastered the Great Library's grade-5 swordsmanship a year ago, manifesting forms without mana.
Absurd.
"Your face is too fierce, Barkas."
Eldest Kartan spoke, calm eyes on him.
"It's your young nephew's birthday. And perhaps the day a great blessing is born to the Alastor family."
"Not worried, brother?"
Barkas burst out.
"You know he's no ordinary nephew. If that kid awakens top-grade lightning... don't get complacent as eldest."
"Talent atop talent makes him Alastor's blessing."
Chill entered Kartan's gaze.
"And I've never rested easy as eldest. It's not automatic heirship... especially with so many siblings eyeing the seat besides the nephew."
"Heh. Wonder how long you'll play the nice guy. Or are you so grand you don't see a child as rival?"
"You're too narrow-minded, Barkas Alastor. Daring put personal ambition over Alastor pride."
"Isn't my attitude fitting Alastor? The strong are right. Strength isn't just force—it's surviving and winning."
Barkas sneered mockingly.
"That's why Grandpa dislikes your lack of venom. But I'm different."
"Different how? Planning to crush the nephew?"
"Hmph, even I wouldn't go mad."
But he could teach manners. And if needed—truly if—Barkas's lip twitched.
The elevator doors opened.
What?
Barkas half-expected Kyle's lightning awakening, Arian bursting out joyfully hand-in-hand.
But something was off. Arian looked puzzled, and the nephew—whom he'd barely spoken to in five years—was calm, not excited.
"Happy birthday, Kyle."
Kartan approached first, eyes warm unlike his glare at Barkas.
"Thanks, Uncle Kartan."
Kyle smiled brightly. Five years in the Sword Tower—vast, relatives distant—he'd met Kartan rarely, but the man always greeted him smiling first.
Who knew his true feelings. Still, Kyle rather liked Kartan. Better than hostility from Barkas, scheming Jerard, or gruff Dante.
Though his children didn't care for Kyle.
"What dream did you have?"
"Not sure."
"Not sure...?"
"Yeah. I awakened, but don't know what it is. Asking Grandpa."
"Hm... possible."
Kartan paused, then nodded. Prodigy or not, just ten years old. Spirit root awakening could confuse any child, mixing dream details.
—Though unusually calm for that. Kartan stepped aside.
"The family head awaits in Sword Apex Hall with Elder Nelia. They'll interpret your vision and judge the spirit root."
Nelia, Great Library librarian, was Julius's sister. Sword-shy from youth, drawn to magic and acknowledging her brother's talent, she'd become Gladiheim's chief mage and magic legion commander.
"Got it."
Kyle replied maturely, heading off. Arian followed, still mulling his words blankly.
The Sword Apex Hall doors opened as they approached.
"You're here."
Julius rose from the jade throne. Kindly smiling Nelia approached first, leisurely.
"Happy birthday, dear."
"Thank you."
"Did you have a good drea—"
Nelia halted. Her kindly smile vanished, head tilting puzzled.
"Dear, your aura... it's peculiar."
The master mage keenly sensed his spirit root. Julius paused beside her, eyes narrowing.
"Lightning spirit root... no, not quite."
He muttered.
"No... wrong. I feel lightning spirit root...?"
"Precisely, family head."
Nelia composed herself.
"You feel the lightning spirit root as well. Right?"
"..."
Julius's eyes shook. He sensed not just lightning from Kyle. Other spirit roots too.
But pinpointing them was hard.
"Multiple spirit roots awakened?"
He murmured. Not always singular. Rare, but multiples happened.
"I sense so too... but no need to guess. That's why I'm here for clear verification."
Raising her hand, space parted smoothly. A large crystal emerged, hovering.
"Dear, this is a resonance crystal."
She caressed it; blue waves swirled inside.
"It resonates with your awakened spirit root, manifesting its form. But first, tell us your dream."
"I saw the world."
Kyle answered steadily.
"Wastelands and rock mountains, lava, snow, rain. Seas, skies, sun, forests, winds."
"..."
"They repeated, then swirled entangled at the end."
"What does that... mean?"
"Looking back, it wasn't the world. It was swords."
Approaching the crystal, Kyle said.
"Swords dwelled in everything I saw. That's the dream."
Before speechless Nelia and Julius, Kyle reached for the crystal.
"Honestly, I don't know what crazy dream it was either. I'm curious too."
His hand touched the crystal.