Scratch, scratch!
"What's with this itch in my ear all of a sudden?"
As Ruin muttered to himself, scratching his ear incessantly, the mocking voice of Sword Soul echoed in his mind.
[Heh heh heh, looks like some folks are having a grand old time badmouthing you.]
"Badmouthing me?"
[Yup. There's an old saying: 'When someone talks behind your back, your ears itch.']
"Hmm, who could it be?"
Of course, Ruin didn't entirely buy into Sword Soul's words, but for a moment, his mind conjured up a list of people who might have a reason to speak ill of him.
"Serron? Palton? Or maybe someone from the Linegrime family?"
The list could go on endlessly if he kept thinking about it, so he quickly shook his head and prepared to close his eyes.
[What, meditation again? Seriously, how long are you going to keep up with this meditation nonsense?!]
"Until I die."
[What?!]
"Just kidding, relax."
With a faint smirk, Ruin resumed his meditation to further cultivate Heavenly Seamless Blade. Naturally, he kept the rest of his thoughts to himself, beyond Sword Soul's reach.
'If I don't master Heavenly Seamless Blade before I die, I'll just keep at it for life…'
And so, several months passed.
[Damn it, Ruin! When are you going to start learning actual swordsmanship?!]
Finally unable to hold back, Sword Soul lashed out in an irritated tone.
Ruin merely shrugged lightly.
"When the time comes."
[Time? What's this blasted 'time' you keep talking about?!]
"Who knows."
[Arghhh, Ruin, you infuriating brat! Why am I the one burning with impatience here? This is all for your sake! Now that you've crossed paths with me, you're destined to become the greatest swordsman on the continent and rule the world!]
"Sounds about right."
['Sounds about right,' my foot! Get up and grab a sword, now!]
Despite Sword Soul's shrill, exasperated outburst, Ruin only shrugged again, unbothered, and closed his eyes once more.
He realized there was no point in continuing the conversation. He had already made his plans long ago.
'First, I need to develop Heavenly Seamless Blade. Once it reaches at least the third star, then I'll move on to other things.'
Moreover, the teachings of Renovan, the Three-Star Sage of the Magic Tower, had provided Ruin with profound insights and immense help. Of course, Renovan hadn't taught him any of the Magic Tower's exclusive knowledge, techniques, or magic. Instead, he had shared external wisdom, perspectives on the world, and countless pearls of life's experience.
Combined with the experiences of No. 1872, Ruin had gained a foundation that allowed him to glimpse a breakthrough.
'The next stage… I'm close to achieving it.'
He had found a clue to advancing Heavenly Seamless Blade to the third star.
'Who would've thought that the key to breaking through lies in worldly experience and wisdom?'
Even for a technique as mystical and profound as Heavenly Seamless Blade, Ruin had been stunned when he uncovered this insight.
'Well, I'm grateful for it, that's for sure.'
Of course, fully integrating No. 1872's experiences and Renovan's wisdom into his current body would still take time. For now, his focus was clear:
'Make everything truly my own.'
Through meditation, he aimed to unify his body, mind, and energy into one.
[Meditation, always that blasted meditation! Please, just stop already…!]
Despite Sword Soul's anguished cries ringing in his ears, Ruin delved deeper into the serene, profound world within himself.
Several more months passed.
"I'm off."
"Take care!"
As usual, Ruin saw off his father, Kabel, and Brion as they headed out to hunt.
Thud.
Sitting cross-legged on the ground amidst the grass, Ruin closed his eyes. Fortunately, Sylvia hadn't tagged along with Brion today.
'Perfect. I can focus entirely on my training.'
With a satisfied smile, he began concentrating on reaching the next stage of Heavenly Seamless Blade. But just then…
"…?"
A faint, unsettling sensation brushed against his sharpened senses.
At the same time:
[Oi, Ruin. Someone's watching you.]
Ruin nodded at Sword Soul's sharp warning.
"I felt it too."
He turned his gaze toward the direction of the prying eyes. The towering trees blocked much of his view, but by spreading the energy of Heavenly Seamless Blade, he could pick up details invisible to the naked eye—terrain, nearby small monsters, and even a stranger hiding in the underbrush, secretly observing him.
"Got you."
Spotting a tiny gap in the surroundings, Ruin focused his energy there.
"So, you were hiding there, huh?"
He didn't know their reason or purpose, but he had no intention of letting someone spying on him off the hook.
"Let's see your face."
Tap.
With a light step, Ruin's body vanished at an unprecedented speed. Tracking a hidden observer was no difficult task for someone with No. 1872's experience.
"Hmm, so that's the guy?"
Perched high on a tree branch, a girl dangled her legs casually, muttering to herself. She looked to be in her mid-to-late teens, though her petite frame and striking red hair made her stand out.
"He looks pretty young… Doesn't seem like he has any particular talent for magic."
Muttering to herself as if analyzing someone, she wore a small monocle over one eye. Through it, she observed a handsome boy sitting alone in the grass, meditating—none other than Ruin Linegrime.
"Ugh, he's been sitting there with his eyes closed, meditating forever. But the more I look at him, the more I think he's kinda good-looking…"
Tilting her head as she studied Ruin, she suddenly gritted her teeth and muttered, "No way! I can't forgive him for cutting in line! Even I, Kabela, haven't been officially accepted as Master Renovan's disciple yet!"
Her identity was Kabela Kxante, granddaughter of Adorno Kxante, the master of the Serron Magic Tower. Despite her persistent pleas to become Renovan's disciple, she had always been rejected. Undeterred, Kabela had gone so far as to sneak into Renovan Versaten's office in her relentless pursuit. It was there that she overheard the term "named disciple."
Crunch.
"While I'm slaving away, someone else just swoops in and…"
Clenching her teeth in frustration, she muttered angrily. But at that moment—
"Huh? Where'd he go?"
Ruin had vanished from her sight in an instant, leaving her muttering in confusion.
Right then:
"Who are you?"
"Eeeek!"
Startled by the sudden voice beside her, Kabela flailed wildly on the sturdy branch where she sat.
"Whoa?!"
Losing her balance, she teetered on the verge of plummeting to the ground. But—
Swish, grab.
A boy—no, Ruin Linegrime—swiftly caught her by the scruff of her neck, his eyes cold and piercing as he repeated, "Who are you?"
Kabela, slightly panicked but still defiant, began to struggle.
"Ow, that hurts! Hey, it really hurts! Can't you let go so we can talk? Ow!"
Ruin set her down in front of him with a thud.
Thump!
"Ugh, that hurt like hell!" Kabela grumbled, rubbing the back of her neck and glaring at him.
But Ruin merely looked down at her with an impassive expression. Infuriated by his demeanor, Kabela snapped, "What's with sneaking up and scaring people like that? That's dangerous!"
"And what about sneaking around and spying on people?"
"What?"
Ruin's casual retort left her momentarily speechless. Shaking her head vigorously, she shot back, "Got any proof?!"
"…"
"Proof that I was spying on you! Ugh, this is ridiculous. A kid like you, trying to pin something on me out of nowhere."
As if the guilty party had the right to be indignant, Kabela's bold accusations made Ruin stare at her silently. Then—
Swish, snap!
"What?!"
Ruin swiftly reached out and snatched the monocle from her left eye.
"Hey, give that back! Do you know how expensive that is? You can't just—"
Click.
"This is it, huh."
Examining the monocle, Ruin muttered in a flat tone. Realizing she had no way out, Kabela leapt down from the branch and shouted, "Fine, let's see how you like this!"
Whoosh, boom!
A metal orb came flying out of nowhere, exploding with a loud bang. Green, sticky liquid splattered around the area.
"Heh heh heh, how's the taste of this Kabela's special sticky bomb?" she taunted.
Swish, tap.
Landing lightly on the ground, Kabela smirked as she gazed at the green, viscous liquid coating the tree above.
"That's no ordinary adhesive. It's my personally developed 'Mana Amplification Binder,' carefully cultivated and refined. The more you struggle, the more friction heat and ambient mana act as catalysts, making it stick even tighter. Think I spent sleepless nights at the Magic Tower perfecting this for nothing?"
Muttering rapidly to herself, Kabela flashed a smug grin and shouted, "Apologize now, you little brat, and say you're sorry for messing with me! Do it, and this big sis will let you out. So hurry up and—"
"You want me to apologize?"
"Kyaaah!"
Caught off guard by the familiar voice beside her, Kabela let out a scream and fell flat on her backside.
"Ow…"
Wiping her slightly teary eyes and enduring the pain in her rear, Kabela froze as she heard footsteps approaching.
Step.
And then—
"One, two… Now!"
Snap!
As Kabela snapped her fingers, three hidden orbs floating nearby began to glow red. Instantly, three precise streams of flame shot toward Ruin's joints.
Whoosh!
But—
Swish, swoosh.
Ruin dodged the fiery barrage with movements as fluid as the wind.
"What?! It was auto-targeted, and he still dodged it?"
At that moment—
Shing.
"…Huh?"
A chilling sensation at her neck made Kabela's entire body tense with dread.
"I've got proof, caught you in the act, and you even tried to attack me."
Her eyes met Ruin's cold, emotionless gaze as he pointed a black blade at her.
"N-No, wait, I mean—"
"I'll ask one last time. Who are you?"
Unlike before, Ruin's voice carried an icy edge, his overwhelming presence suggesting he might strike at any moment. Kabela's eyes darted from his feet to his hands, sensing his energy.
'This is seriously bad…'
One wrong word, and she felt he'd slice her throat without hesitation. In a panic, she blurted out, "K-Kabela! My name's Kabela! Kabela from the Serron Magic Tower!"
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T/N:
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