Sweat poured down my entire body like rain.

How had things come to this?

「Now, now, don't go left. You'll die if you go that way.」

“Would you please shut up?”

「Is that any way to speak to your master?」

Liam had definitely suggested eating a new sword. As always, I had readily agreed, then simply followed his instructions as though something had possessed me.

So why...

「Oh dear, you're going to fall.」

“Fuck.”

「Be careful. And watch your language, too.」

...had I ended up in this predicament?

「Haven't I always told you to stop at ‘fu—’? Tsk.」

Glaring at my taunting master, I seized a jutting rock. Then I sighed and looked around. There were no swords to be seen here.

All I could see were dizzying cliffs and towering mountains wreathed in clouds.

“Give me a break today. Fuck.”

To explain how things had come to this, I would have to turn back the clock.

* * *

It had all begun with a question from Liam.

「Young descendant, what level of swordsmanship have you reached now?」

I considered his question for a moment before answering.

“I think I'm at the beginning of sword walker, or perhaps somewhere in the middle.”

At my considered answer, Liam said,

「Then do you think that body of yours is worthy of that level?」

My body.

That subject had come out of nowhere.

「Sword walker is the level at which you may finally call yourself a swordsman, and the minimum qualification for becoming a knight. Does your body measure up?」

At Liam's words, I looked in the mirror.

Compared to when I had first held a sword, the body reflected there had developed remarkably. Firm muscles had formed here and there, giving me a toned appearance overall.

My once-scrawny shoulders had at least broadened to an average width, and the muscles needed to wield a sword had developed enough to make my arms reasonably thick.

But...

“I don't think so.”

That improvement was only so striking because my body had been in such pitiful shape before.

「Then how does your body look to you now?」

“Average for someone my age. Or like a man who enjoys training.”

That was an objective assessment.

Any nearby village or city had plenty of people with physiques like mine. Perhaps some young man who did nothing but run around a remote country village had a better body than I did.

After all, natural gifts played a large part in one's physique.

「Exactly. To be precise, your body is far too inadequate to be called that of a ‘sword walker.’」

“...”

「Until now, you've managed through the hardness of your mana heart and various strokes of luck, but from here on, you'll feel your physical shortcomings much more keenly.」

Liam spoke as he looked me over.

「You already feel the strain whenever you use the Caravan line, don't you? What's more, you can't draw on several memories from the swords you've consumed at once. You can only use one at a time.」

“...”

「To truly wield the power of Caravan, you should be able to extend all your lines like blood vessels throughout your body, creating a body of steel, just as other sword walkers use their superhuman strength. But you cannot do that, young descendant.」

He was right.

Liam had carefully selected only swords that suited me and given me all manner of instruction. Through suspicion, I had raised my level, but my body had failed to keep pace.

「The Caravan line isn't some finishing move. You should normally use it as naturally as breathing.」

“...”

「If you remain this unbalanced, you'll eventually suffer an even greater collapse. Do you think the line is the only thing that makes Caravan special? It is not. What sets us apart extends from our wings to our armor, and finally to our swords.」

Listening to him, I ventured a reply.

“Then... what should I do?”

「We must establish your foundation now.」

In response to my question, Liam regarded me with cold eyes.

「The sword you eat this time will solve the immediate problem.」

A sword.

Of course. That was the Caravan way.

I looked at my great master and asked,

“What sword will I be eating this time?”

Liam answered with a grin.

「First, there's somewhere we must go.」

* * *

The place Liam proposed was quite far from our village. It lay in the northern Iron Kingdom, a region filled with tall, rugged mountains. The people of the Iron Kingdom called it the 「Graveyard of Swords」.

“It'll take quite a while to get there.”

「Indeed. The journey there alone will take at least ten days, but with your temperament, you'll find it difficult to leave this place unattended. Judging by the uninvited guests who've come so far, leaving it empty that long will surely result in the Caravan manor being fouled by intruders.」

“Isn't there somewhere closer?”

「That place is best. There is a process you must undergo before laying the groundwork for your wings.」

I supposed I had reached a crossroads. But I could not abandon this manor and estate. Absolutely not.

'I miss Petel.'

Until now, I had been able to travel because my honorable neighbor had protected this place, but Petel was no longer in this world. As a momentary loneliness settled over me, Liam spoke.

「You have another neighbor, don't you?」

At his words, I looked to the side.

“Little Gladiator.”

Seolyun stood there.

“It's time to keep your promise.”

She exuded a slightly menacing air.

“Cross swords with me. In earnest.”

* * *

Seolyun drew a sharp sword and stretched, extending her body to its full length. She was loosening up and warming her muscles before the fight. Watching her stretch her legs into a full split, I spoke.

“Seolyun, I have a favor to ask.”

“What is it?”

She lifted her head slightly to look at me.

“I intend to leave this village again to reach greater heights. But I simply cannot leave it unguarded, so I'd like you to protect it while I'm away. As Petel did before.”

“... I left 「Perma」 and came here so I could follow you around and observe you, and now you want me to stay in this backwater alone, standing guard?”

Seolyun had a point.

While I was momentarily at a loss for words, she continued.

“It doesn't look like you're doing this because you find me annoying, or for some other reason.”

“... Yes. I mean it sincerely. It's not an excuse.”

“Then I have one condition.”

A condition?

As I tilted my head, Seolyun exhaled and spoke.

“Give me an insight. Give me a useful clue through your swordsmanship, so that even if I stay in this village focusing solely on the sword instead of following you, my time here will be worthwhile. Then I'll quietly guard this village without complaint.”

“...”

“That should do, right?”

She spoke as though she had been very accommodating. At her words, I stared blankly at Liam.

My face said it all.

'How am I supposed to give that genius an insight?'

Whether Liam had read my expression or was merely enjoying the situation, he chuckled.

「You'll have to figure that out yourself, young descendant.」

Fortunately, he didn't stop there. Stroking his chin once, he tossed out another remark as though doing me a great favor.

「Try swinging your sword with all your might. You'll get a good result.」

Damn it.

Once again, Liam had given me no clear answer.

“Are you ready?”

Seolyun tilted her neck to one side and stared at me. With a sigh, I drew the sword at my waist. This time, I would use Petel's sword, Twilight. Of course, it wouldn't be the only one. I had four 「Fangs」 positioned for easy drawing, and 「Needle」 hung on the other side of my waist.

Having every available weapon ready for use at any moment was only basic practice.

Thinking about it any longer would get me nowhere.

I nodded and said,

“Yes, I'm ready. Let's begin.”

The instant those words left my mouth, Seolyun planted her leading foot forward and thrust her sword at me. It was an opening strike that extended her arm fully, sending the blade forward like a fired arrow. It resembled the swordswoman Mary's 「Needle」, but was even more subtle and threatening.

'She's already using it as though it were her own swordsmanship.'

I gritted my teeth and drew a deep breath. My second heart pulsed, hardening my sword. At the same time, I saw slender paths extending around me.

Seolyun breathed as well, and superhuman power filled her body. I moved in the same way. Now I, too, could properly wield the strength of a 「sword walker」. The instant Seolyun became superhuman, so did I, creating a path along the course of her blade.

We exchanged a brief flurry of blows.

CLANG!

Sparks flew as our swords collided and bounced apart.

CLANG!

Our blades slid along each other. I twisted my sword to knock hers aside, then swung again and clashed with it. Metal screeched as our faces drew close enough to almost touch. Then my leading foot shot forward, hooking Seolyun's leading foot and tripping her. Sword wrestling. A knight's fighting method taken from Petel's memories.

Seolyun briefly grimaced, then spun through the air like a cat and landed. Immediately, a serpentine 「path」 curved around me, closing in. I countered by deploying my own 「path」. The moment I swung my sword to block, I drew the 「Fang」 strapped to my thigh with my other hand and thrust. Seolyun turned her head aside to evade it.

Her hair flew, briefly obscuring my vision.

Seolyun's sword bent strangely in its course from above to below. Just as I hurried to block, it stopped dead. A moment later, her leading foot slipped between my legs. A sudden pull behind my knee threw me off balance.

'Sword wrestling.'

Seolyun had stolen even Petel's technique in an instant. I drove Twilight into the ground and pressed my palm against the end of its hilt, using it as a support to flip through the air. Then I abandoned 「Twilight」, drew 「Needle」 from the other side of my waist, and thrust with an acrobatic motion. Seolyun deflected the attack with the angled flat of her blade and launched another offensive.

And then—

“Whew...”

I saw a slender line at the tip of the sword Seolyun was swinging at me. That was the end of the fight. Holding Needle, I took a breath and thrust with all my strength.

Once again, the line pierced and destroyed everything in its way. Dust and dirt flew into the air. When they cleared, Seolyun was revealed kneeling on one knee, holding a broken sword.

She spoke.

“... That's practically cheating.”

The match was decided.

In a fight between fellow 「sword walkers」, the Caravan line had such destructive power that calling it cheating was hardly unreasonable. A path of steel that could not be blocked by any means. This attack had brought down even a 「sword runner」, albeit one at the beginning of that rank. There was no way Seolyun could stop it.

Looking at the kneeling Seolyun, I asked,

“Did you gain any insight?”

“Well...”

Despite her defeat, Seolyun was smiling with inexplicable satisfaction.

“Not from you... but the immortal did give me some good advice.”

The immortal?

I shifted my gaze from the fallen Seolyun to Liam. He merely met my eyes and shrugged.

「What are you looking at, young descendant?」

“...”

「Let's go. Just as I said, you got a good result.」

What had the two of them discussed?

I hadn't heard Liam's voice during the fight. I'd thought he was doing nothing behind me. I had no idea. My master was a profoundly mysterious being, after all.

“I'll guard this village, just as I said. Have a safe trip, Little Gladiator.”

Well, everything had worked out, so I supposed that was a good thing.

「That girl is rather rewarding to teach, too. It would have been perfect if she'd inherited Caravan blood.」

“...”

「Next time, you won't win so easily by overpowering her with the Caravan line, young descendant. A genius grows by leaps and bounds with even the smallest bit of instruction.」

... Though I couldn't help feeling a little uneasy.

「It would be splendid if you and that girl had a child. If the child inherited both her genius for the sword and Caravan blood, wouldn't our family finally produce another extraordinary talent?」

“Please stop saying such strange things.”

Anyway.

And so I left the village and set out on another journey.

* * *

Which brings the story full circle, back to its beginning.

“Fuck!”

After more than ten days of changing carriages, and even paying a hefty sum to travel through a mage's portal, I had arrived in the north.

「Careful, careful.」

But before I could even take in the magnificent northern city, Liam told me to go farther north, then farther still. Which was how I had ended up here.

「I told you, we're almost there.」

“Would you stop saying tha—Aaagh!”

「Oh dear, you nearly went to the next world.」

I had no idea how many hours I'd spent climbing.

The superhuman strength granted by the 「paths」 extending throughout my body was nearly depleted, yet for over two hours, Liam had done nothing but make infuriating remarks like ‘We're almost there’ and ‘I can see our destination now.’

Damn it.

The 「Graveyard of Swords」 in the northern Iron Kingdom.

This notorious mountain, where dozens of experienced rangers went missing every year, was incomparably more treacherous than the cliffs behind our village. If I hadn't reached sword walker and learned to wield superhuman strength, I would probably have croaked long ago and been floating around as a soul like my master.

「Your level is still too low to wander the Middle Realm as a spirit even if you die, young descendant. Only those who have attained divinity, or reached transcendence and arrived in the Land of Swords as I have, can wander the Middle Realm as spirits...」

“I didn't ask...!”

「Ho ho, the witches of the Heavenly Empire would gladly pay ten thousand gold coins to hear this, yet you cut me off mid-sentence. Don't regret it later.」

“Please, please just keep your mouth shut.”

Whether it was because he was a ghost who hadn't had anyone to talk to in ages, or simply that habit old people had of never keeping their mouths shut for even a moment, Liam chattered on throughout my life-threatening climb.

And then...

“Whew!”

By the time I could no longer even gauge how much I'd struggled, I finally reached the top. The moment I climbed up, I slumped in exhaustion, gasping for breath.

“I really, really thought I was going to die...”

「One in three does die on the way here.」

“...”

「Now, now, don't look at me with such disrespect.」

I couldn't tell whether Liam was serious or joking.

For some reason, this time he seemed serious.

As I rested, staring at him resentfully, he spoke.

「Young descendant, I understand you're tired, but don't let your guard down too much while resting.」

“... Do you hate seeing me lie down and rest?”

「That too, but it's dangerous to do so here.」

The instant Liam finished speaking, my keen senses detected a heavy presence. At the same time, the flame of suspicion ignited. Footprints in the surrounding mud. Blade marks among the undergrowth. Unfamiliar languages sounding from somewhere nearby. I sniffed the air. A terrible stench wafted over from far away.

「The masters of this mountain very much dislike unfamiliar intruders.」

The instant I noticed their presence, I squeezed out what little strength remained and rose. Then I breathed, bringing my gasping under control as best I could. My second heart began to beat.

“I'm asking just in case, but is the owner of the sword I'm eating this time perhaps not human?”

「As perceptive as ever.」

The undergrowth rustled on all sides.

「You need to grow stronger quickly, and I decided a human's sword would not be enough to bring your body up to the required level as quickly as possible.」

“Then...”

「A race born for battle, growing at a speed humans cannot match, becoming stronger through conflict faster than anyone else.」

I heard their distinctive chuffing breaths.

「The green nightmare that grows stronger fastest among the seven races of this continent.」

“Don't tell me.”

「Precisely what you're thinking.」

With those words, muscular monsters emerged from the undergrowth, their green skin the same color as the grass.

「The sword you eat this time will be an orc's sword.」

They held axes in one hand.

In the other, the heads of beasts, their neck bones ripped out whole along with them.