"What do you mean by a level only I can reach?"
Raon leaned forward and swallowed hard. Though he didn't understand the full meaning of a level only he could reach, Rector's anticipation was palpable, making his heart race.
"It means you can take another step on the true path of the Ten Thousand Swords that you're walking."
Rector raised his finger and traced the shape of a sword in the air.
"Your grandfather and I also pursued the Ten Thousand Swords, but we never achieved the true form. The path you're walking is like a new world that even we haven't explored."
He let out a deflated laugh, saying that both he and Glenn were still a few steps away from the true Ten Thousand Swords.
"Before..."
Raon nodded slightly, raising his eyes.
"The Head of House said something similar."
Glenn, like Rector, had advised him that the path of the Ten Thousand Swords he was walking was different from anyone else's, and to learn and clash with as many sword techniques and martial arts as possible. Using that advice as a stepping stone, he had sparred with the entire Light Wind division, leading to significant martial arts achievements not just for himself, but for all the swordsmen.
"It seems he was thinking the same as me."
Rector smiled deeply, saying he had expected as much.
"Even the first Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance pursued the true Ten Thousand Swords, but it seems he failed in the end. You're walking an unprecedented path."
He nodded gently, as if to say he believed in Raon.
"Unprecedented..."
Raon pressed his lips together as he looked down at his left chest where the Ring of Fire swirled.
'That might not be true.'
Every time he saw the swordsmanship of Ancestor Zieghart in his memories, it felt like looking in a mirror. He thought that perhaps he had walked the path of the true Ten Thousand Swords ahead of anyone else.
'But...'
What kind of person was our ancestor? He became increasingly curious about the identity of the First Patriarch Zieghart, who roamed the entire continent like his own backyard, hid seeds for the future in places no one knew about, and fought against unknown enemies.
'Especially that strength is peculiar.'
The appearance of the First Patriarch Zieghart that he had seen was extremely young. At that age, transcendence. The fact that the First Patriarch displayed power on par with the current Glenn didn't feel human.
-Hmph! He likes the word unprecedented!
Wrath frowned as if displeased.
-If this king had picked up a sword, I would have devoured all those Ten Thousand Swords or dumplings or whatever!
'It's not dumplings...'
-Ah, now that I mention it, I suddenly want dumplings. Bring them at once!
He wiggled his chubby hand, saying he was hungry.
"Sigh..."
Raon sighed and shook his head. These days, all conversations with that guy ended up being about food. He was so tired of it that he didn't even want to respond anymore.
"There's no need to feel burdened."
Rector smiled gently, seemingly interpreting Raon's sigh as feeling pressured.
"As I said, the Holy Sword Alliance swordsmen each pursue their own path of the sword. Even if their martial prowess weakens or they're ridiculed, they don't change their beliefs. Just clashing swords with them will give you something to gain."
He gestured with his hand, saying not to think about learning too much, but to fight with the mindset of seeing small milestones.
"I'll keep that in mind."
Raon immediately bowed his head, feeling that Rector was giving sincere advice.
-Is there no path of mint chocolate? This king could walk that as much as needed...
'Please just shut up!'
Raon was pushing away Wrath, who was mumbling, when he made eye contact with the people waiting outside the mansion. The swordsmen who had challenged Burren, Martha, and Runaan were glaring at him like predators.
'A challenge...'
Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since he had become a challenger and requested a duel with someone. It might be fun to fight again, putting aside status and level.
"But on this challenge letter, there's a name written, but I don't know who it is..."
Burren tilted his head, saying he didn't know who to choose.
"The name isn't the problem, it's the skill. I don't know how strong this guy is! And why did they write the challenge on a leaf!"
Martha gritted her teeth as she looked at the leaf with the challenger's name written on it.
"I..."
Runaan held a challenge letter with the name Kisar written on it, as if it didn't matter who it was.
"Ah, I didn't mention that."
Mustan clapped his hands and held up one of the challenge letters.
"These slash marks are called sword lines, and they're an indicator of the Holy Sword Alliance swordsmen's martial prowess."
He pointed to the slash marks written after the challenger's name, licking his lips.
"One line is basic, two lines are lower to mid Expert, three lines are upper to pinnacle Expert. It goes on like that."
Mustan smiled, saying it wasn't hard to understand.
"So, this means Kisar who sent this challenge letter has skills at the upper to pinnacle Master level."
He shrugged, telling them to choose challengers based on the slash marks.
"I have one more question."
Burren raised his hand as he examined the challenge letter sent to him.
"There are a lot of swordsmen with five lines challenging me. Does this mean they're all upper Master or above?"
"There are many swordsmen in the Holy Sword Alliance who don't engage in external activities. They're eccentrics who focus solely on their own training."
Mustan gestured with his hand, saying there were people scattered around who had no interest in power struggles at all.
"And you just leave them be?"
"They earn their keep. They farm, chop wood, do paperwork."
"An upper Master level... farming?"
"There are even Grandmasters who do laundry often."
He nodded, saying it wasn't unusual in the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Just think of them as the Council of Elders of other factions."
Mustan licked his lips, saying they weren't swords that could be used externally anyway.
"But if someone attacks us, they'll feel the true terror of the Holy Sword Alliance."
"Did the previous Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance allow this?"
"That person didn't care about anything other than their own swordsmanship and swordsmen they found interesting."
He laughed, as if to say, don't you know from seeing the previous Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance?
"Hmm..."
Burren let out a sigh as he looked out the window, still not understanding.
"But you. Why are you speaking informally to us? While using honorifics for Raon?"
Martha frowned as she looked at Mustan.
"Because he's Lord Raon. You're not Lord Raon."
Mustan tilted his head as if to say, isn't that enough?
"Ugh..."
Martha seemed to have nothing to say, chewing her lips before leaning back on the sofa.
"He's not wrong."
Burren chuckled, rubbing his chin.
"I've decided. I want to fight this person."
After careful consideration, he picked up the challenge letter from a swordsman named Repan with five sword lines.
"I'll take this one!"
Martha also crumpled a challenge letter from a swordsman with five sword lines in her hand.
"Before accepting the challenge, take this first."
Mustan handed badges engraved with a single sword to Burren, Rector, and Runaan.
"From now on, you're swordsmen with one sword line. Of course, if you defeat a swordsman with five lines, you can immediately gain that status."
He gestured with his hand, as if to say, do your best.
"Good. I'll have six lines before I leave here."
Martha shouted that she would reach Grandmaster level, gripping her sword hilt.
"It's okay to lose, so try challenging in various ways. You need to find a path suitable for yourself to reach the pinnacle of Master level, and eventually overcome the wall of Grandmaster."
Raon nodded, giving advice that Burren, Martha, and Runaan needed most at the moment.
"I won't lose! Absolutely not!"
Martha wrinkled her nose, saying she wouldn't suffer a single defeat.
"Right. That's how it should be."
Burren nodded, saying he would consider dozens of defeats here.
"Doing my best."
Runaan nodded slightly, as if to say she would strike a balance between Burren and Martha.
"Um, excuse me..."
Dorian, who had been quiet until now, raised two challenge letters with trembling hands.
"Why did I get six lines?"
He blinked rapidly, as if he couldn't believe it.
"Six lines means Grandmaster, right?"
"Oh!"
Mustan clapped his hands lightly as he looked at the name engraved on the challenge letter.
"This person rarely issues challenges. This is a good opportunity!"
He nodded, saying to accept the duel without hesitation.
"Ugh..."
Dorian waved his hands, shouting that he absolutely refused.
-It's embarrassing to have such a coward as my subordinate…
Wrath sighed, saying his cowardly nature still hadn't disappeared.
'But he's improved compared to before.'
Raon chuckled. If it had been the previous Dorian, he would have already fled to Zieghart. The fact that he remained here was an improvement in itself.
"In the Holy Sword Alliance's 'regular duels', it's forbidden to use killing intent. You won't die, so just do it."
Mustan grabbed Dorian by the scruff of his neck, saying he wouldn't die.
"Six lines? Why did it go to you!"
"It's a good opportunity. Stop complaining and get ready."
"I'm jealous..."
Martha, Burren, and Runaan licked their lips, seemingly envious of Dorian who had received a challenge from a Grandmaster.
"If you're jealous, why don't you squad leaders do it! I'll really die!"
"Shut up!"
Dorian wailed and struggled, but Mustan didn't let him go.
"What will you do, Lord Raon?"
Mustan bowed his head carefully to Raon, unlike when he was shouting at Dorian.
"I'll talk with my grandfather a bit more before going out."
"Understood."
He bowed deeply before turning around.
"Everyone out. I'll guide you to the challengers."
Mustan bowed his head to Raon and Rector before leading the others outside.
"Lord Raon! Young Master! Hey!"
Dorian kept calling Raon's name, but he didn't look back even once.
"So, what did you want to tell me?"
Rector turned his gaze to Raon after laughing at Dorian's crumpled expression.
"Could you tell me where this place is?"
Raon narrowed his eyes as he looked out at the now quiet exterior.
"It's the Holy Sword Alliance's secret house, passed down from the first Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance."
"Did that person create this place?"
"I'm not sure about that."
He shook his head, saying he only heard about it from the previous Leader of the Holy Sword Alliance.
"Then how long has the Holy Sword Alliance existed?"
A new question arose as he thought there might be a connection between the First Patriarch of Zieghart and the Holy Sword Alliance.
"As far as I know, it's been over 500 years."
"500 years..."
500 years meant it had nothing to do with the First Patriarch of Zieghart. As he was about to sigh, thinking it was different from his expectations, Rector continued speaking.
"However, I've heard that the origins of the Holy Sword Alliance existed even a thousand years ago."
Rector shook his head, saying if you trace it back to its origins, it might be over a thousand years.
"A thousand years..."
Raon swallowed dryly as he looked at Rector. It seemed increasingly possible that the blonde man he had seen in the cave might really be the First Patriarch of Zieghart.
"But why are you suddenly curious about the Holy Sword Alliance?"
"Just out of curiosity."
"Ahem!"
Rector suddenly blushed, seemingly having some thought.
"Right. Right! If you have questions, ask more! I'll tell you everything!"
He extended his hand, saying to ask as much as he wanted.
"Uh, I don't have any more..."
Raon shook his head at Rector. He didn't have any information to base further questions on, so there was nothing more to ask.
"Hmm..."
Rector sighed disappointedly and drooped his shoulders. Seeing this, Raon felt he should ask at least one more question.
"Grandfather! Where is the person you said reached transcendence before?"
"Are you planning to challenge him?"
"No. I will eventually, but I just want to know in advance."
Raon calmly shook his head. He planned to fight other swordsmen to hone his senses before challenging him last.
"Then there's no need to know now. You wouldn't be able to meet him even if you wanted to."
Rector lowered his eyebrows, saying he wasn't someone who could be easily seen. It seemed he had settled in a quiet place and was only training.
"I understand. Then I'll head out too."
Raon rose from the sofa, rotating his wrist.
"Right. As I said, focus on learning, not winning. You'll surely gain a lot."
"Yes."
After bowing to Rector, he left his mansion. There were no people around, as if they had all gone to watch the duels of Burren, Martha, and Runaan.
'I'm curious about the identity of the First Patriarch, but...'
Raon licked his lips as he followed the sound of clashing metal coming from the mountain.
'My training comes first now. I'll request a duel with everyone I meet...'
-Food comes first!
Wrath suddenly interjected, shouting to eat.
'Read the room! I'm in the middle of making a resolution!'
-You're the worst at reading the room, you inhuman human!
Raon bickered with Wrath as he walked through the seemingly empty city.
* * *
A harsh battle had ended not long ago, as evidenced by the upturned earth releasing gray steam. Two elderly men, bleeding from their heads and stomachs, lay sprawled on top of it.
"Did you see? The Alliance leader has returned..."
The red-haired old man slightly raised his head.
"Yes. He brought guests. Each one..."
The black-haired old man narrowed his eyes.
"Was strong. No, should I say they will become strong."
"At that age, it's fine to say they're strong. Though they were disguised, they were just children."
The red-haired old man shook his head, telling him to look properly.
"That chubby child is a bit ambiguous, but it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them all geniuses. However, among them..."
"Right. There was one monster that devours geniuses."
The black-haired old man cut off the red-haired old man's words and exhaled roughly.
"Those below couldn't recognize it, but Grandmaster. Upper level or above at that."
He trembled his lips, as if still not believing it.
"I felt the same, so it must be certain."
The red-haired old man nodded, letting out a hollow laugh.
"I'll challenge that child first..."
"I should cross swords first..."
The two old men spoke of challenging at the same time, then abruptly stopped.
"You lost to me! Step back!"
"Who lost? You lost! Clinging and crying!"
The black-haired old man and the red-haired old man glared at each other and stood up.
"Then shall we settle this once and for all today?"
"Good! Let's determine the winner and loser here!"
The black-haired old man raised his sword upward, and the red-haired old man tilted his sword downward. The earth rumbled and the river began to boil and bubble as the two swordsmen raised their auras as if to fight again. Just as the black-haired old man and the red-haired old man were about to charge at each other with Astral Rings on their sword blades...
A tall figure appeared in mid-air, grabbed the black-haired old man and the red-haired old man by their collars, and threw them straight into the river. The movement was so exquisite that the red-haired old man and the black-haired old man couldn't even resist and fell into the river water.
"So noisy. How long are you going to fight..."
The tall man with long white hair glared at the black-haired old man and the red-haired old man for a while before heading down the mountain.
"Tch!"
The red-haired old man clicked his tongue as he watched the tall man slowly disappear.
"How long is that damn guy going to keep getting stronger! We didn't even notice him appear!"
"He's said to be the Holy Sword Alliance's greatest talent. Though the previous Alliance leader didn't acknowledge it."
The black-haired old man chuckled and shook his head.
"That guy isn't strong as a swordsman, but as a martial artist, so it can't be helped."
The red-haired old man snorted, as if displeased.
"Still, I didn't expect him to overcome the wall of transcendence so quickly."
"Right. It's a damn world where only talent matters!"
"Where is that guy going anyway?"
"Probably to steal food. He comes down once a month because he's too lazy to work, right?"
"How can such a guy..."
The two old men didn't bother to get up from the river, as if they had lost the will to fight. The tall man who had thrown the old men walked into the city, swaying like a scarecrow. As he was quietly walking towards a restaurant, a young man appeared from between the alleys.
"Ah."
Black hair, black eyes. Though he wore an unfamiliar face with one sword line, he possessed a formidable aura that made it impossible to gauge his age.
"You're a swordsman, right? Would you accept my challenge?"
His eyes flashed with fighting spirit, as if asking for a duel.