There was no answer. The human-shaped light stood as still as any other lifeless body. Despite the silence, I was certain: he was the founder of the Auditores and the original owner of this blade.
I noticed the ancient inscription on the stone pillar had changed once more:
Thou hast passed the trial; yet flaunt not its power, lest thou draw upon thyself the dread gaze of ancient beasts long forgotten.
Just after I finished reading, two more bright lights appeared, taking the shapes of a man and a woman. They did not speak; they did not move.
Even without faces, I could feel their heavy gaze fixed on me. Then, a blinding flash consumed my vision, and I was teleported back to the very place where I had entered.
"Kghh!"
I glanced at my right hand. The sword was still there, glowing a deep, visceral red as if it were already craving blood. To my surprise, my mana felt nearly full.
It seemed the sword was supplying it to me, though the sensation was strange—it didn't feel like it was feeding me mana so much as holding it for me.
I'll worry about that later.
First, where do I put it? The blade wouldn't fit in my standard sheath.
As soon as the thought crossed my mind, the weapon vanished.
"Oh, so it's that type of sword. Convenient."
I whispered "appear" in my mind, and it manifested instantly. I looked at the sinister blade.
"I wonder if you can suppress your energy and act like an ordinary sword."
In response, the power receded, and the weapon transformed into an iron longsword—or rather, a katana, as I would call it. Just then, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"I was looking for you everywhere. I didn't realize you were signing your own death sentence so early, brother. Shouting like that when everyone is lusting for blood? How reckless can you be?"
I remembered this dialogue perfectly.
"Karl..."
"Could you not speak my name with that bastard mouth of yours? It makes me puke."
A bitter laugh curved my lips. Just as I finished one situation, another jumped at me. It seemed that while I was inside the cave, time had stood still in the outside world.
"Come, little brother, lets skip chit-chat. You want to kill me, don't you?"
Karl gave me a surprised look, his eyes narrowing.
"How did you—?"
"You think I wouldn't notice? I've known it all along."
Of course, that was total bullshit.
"Since you already know that much. Then just die!"
He dashed at me in a flash. He landed a kick so hard it sent me ragdolling against the same wall where I died in the previous loop.
He is powerful; the blunt force would be enough to fracture a spine, but fortunately, every kids in bloodrune house have such extraordinary endurance.
I recovered instantly from the fall and lunged at him with even greater speed, swinging the katana to cut him down.
He barely managed to block the strike, stumbling back a few steps in pure awe.
"How? How are you this strong?"
"Who knows?"
I used Flashing Steps, appearing before him at full tilt. I aimed a slash at his throat, but his reflexes were sharp enough to dodge by a hair's breadth.
"Your instincts are good, little brother."
He didn't respond but I could see the fury boiling over in his eyes. Good.
Rage-baiting this kid feels better than I expected.
"What are you smirking for?!"
He leaped into the air and threw his sword at me—a desperate move I parried with ease.
"How reckless, little brother. Throwing your tool mid-fight is a death sentence."
Suddenly, he used Flashing Steps to close the distance, grabbing my wrist. A small hidden dagger slid from his sleeve and stabbed into my hand.
"Augh!!"
Blood dripped onto the forest floor, but I didn't scream. I didn't have time for that.
"You're smart, I'll give you that. But this is as far as you go," I taunted.
Sensing something was wrong, he tried to retreat, but I clamped my hand down on his, trapping him. Using the heavy handle of my sword, I slammed it into his arm, shattering his elbow.
"Aagghh!"
"It's not over yet."
I kicked him with enough force to send him flying through the trees. I followed his trajectory, and just as he slammed against a trunk, I drove my blade through his chest.
"Kugh!!"
He spat out a mouthful of blood as the steel pierced his lungs.
"You lost because you underestimated me, little brother. Now, rest."
Even with the life fading from him, his eyes were full of pure venom. I knew that if he were given a second chance, he would try to kill me all over again.
"But unfortunately," I whispered, leaning in, "you aren't the protagonist here. You are a mere plot device."
I drove the blade deeper. My gluttonous sword pulsed with a blood-red light, as if it were savoring the meal.
"R-Ran... I'll..."
He went limp before he could finish. I didn't need to guess what he wanted to say.
"Same to you, Karl. You killing me once already ignited my hatred. I'll keep killing you no matter how many times you return."
Once the blade had its fill, I made it disappear and continued my journey. To be honest, it wasn't me who killed him. Ran's body was skilled enough that if he hadn't suffered from mana drain, he would have easily killed him.
This was his potential not mine. I am just an invader.
...
From high up on a distant cliff, someone watched Ran walking away from the corpse of Karl. The observer had long red hair and blood red eyes which was strangely shaped like a serpent's.
His face was nonchalant as if he was detached from the world around him. On his hip lay his signature long sword that has freshly killed its prey behind him.
"How did that trash use that much power? Someone suffering from mana drain shouldn't be able to exert enough force to cause such destruction."
A hit of amusement danced in his eyes before returning normal.
"Well, I will find out anyway."