You told me I was a person like the wind.

I agree.

My life was like a passing breeze. A meaningless wind that wandered without any fixed destination. In a sailor's words, you might call it drifting.

My life had no purpose, no convictions, no direction. I simply drifted aimlessly, swept along by time.

Even the shepherd boy I met not long ago lived a more meaningful life than I did. He had a role to fulfill, tending the ranch, and a goal: to earn money steadily, build a loving family, have children, and grow old in happiness.

And it wasn't just the shepherd boy. The captain of the ferry that carried me, the innkeeper whose inn I visited for a night's lodging, and the little girl who picked apples every morning all lived dreaming of the future.

Everyone I had met in my life lived with a purpose like that. To them, life was a long journey with a destination already set. I alone drifted aimlessly through this vast world, like a cloud floating through the sky.

Was that why? At some point, my swordsmanship became a little different from everyone else's.

"It's like you."

You smiled brightly after watching my swordsmanship.

"Like the wind. A swift, fierce wind that no one can catch."

"..."

"Ah, yes. Like..."

I still remember the warmth of your hand clasping mine as you said those words. I remember the snow-white front teeth that showed when you smiled shyly. And the faint fragrance of flowers in your hair.

"Like a gale."

You told me my swordsmanship wasn't strange. It was special.

It was the first time in my life anyone had said that to me.

Was that why?

"I want to see you again. You, and your swordsmanship."

From that day on, I, an aimlessly wandering swordsman, an insignificant blade for hire, began to become at least a little special.

Only then would you tell me you wanted to see my swordsmanship tomorrow, and the day after that.

.

.

.

I slowly opened my eyes. When I came to, I was lying in the middle of a forest.

I didn't even have the strength to twitch a finger.

「You must not use that swordsmanship yet, young descendant.」

"... I think you're right."

My entire body hurt as though it were breaking apart. My palms, which had held my sword until moments ago, were torn to shreds and covered in blood. Red blood dripped from them as both hands trembled without pause.

"I've never felt anything like this before."

「Of course you haven't.」

I had only swung once. All I had done was follow the memories surging from the blade and reproduce a single fragment of 「Gale」, and it had left me like this. Still lying on the ground, I forced my head up to look ahead.

This forest had been quite dark, its trees densely packed. Tall enough to block out the sky, they stood so close together that they screened out the sunlight even during the day.

Now, however, it was exceptionally bright.

「The former owner of that sword was a 'sword runner' with four pairs of wings.」

There were no tall trees left in this forest. Instead, it was filled with neatly severed trunks, their growth rings exposed.

One swing had cut down all the trees that had filled this forest to overflowing.

Yes. Just one swing.

「If you don't want to be swept away by the wind, you had better grow stronger quickly.」

Master's warning had been no idle remark. I had experienced it firsthand.

「Gale」 was different from all the other swords I had eaten so far.

* * *

The streets of the steel city of Perma were insanely crowded. Never in my life had I seen so many people gathered together.

"How are there so many..."

"Pay attention and follow me. You'll get lost if you're not careful."

"Do you think I'm a child left alone by a river?"

"Who was acting like a country bumpkin first?"

"..."

The 「Endless Duel」 had drawn them all here. They had come not only from the Iron Kingdom, but from all across the vast continent.

"As I told you before, the first duel will be the 「Racial Duels」."

"Yes, I remember."

"You don't need to distinguish yourself. In fact, you probably won't even get a chance to. It's held on such an enormous scale. Think of it less as a duel and more as an event involving entire races."

Racial Duels.

As the name suggested, this event took place on the scale of entire races. It wasn't an event that expected anything of individuals. Each race would stake its pride on a contest of skill.

"It'll probably all pass in a blur."

Following Seolyun's lead, we joined the line for the 「Arena」 registration desk and waited our turn. I spotted several unusual fighters among those waiting with us. Those of other races stood out most of all.

"People tend to treat it as a ceremonial event for fostering friendship between races, so there shouldn't be much danger. It's also the opening event of the 「Endless Duel」, and elves and dwarves are extremely averse to getting hurt, so they hold back."

There were elves and dwarves in the line, just as Seolyun had said. I had seen dwarves before, but this was my first time seeing elves in person. Children of the forest who lived for an eternity, or close to it, and served the World Tree of the Great Forest. The blessed people closest to Mana among the seven races.

I could see their distinctive pointed ears, along with clothing and ornaments woven from plants. Even at a distance, I felt as though I could smell the rich scent of the forest.

"There's only one thing you need to watch out for."

"What's that...?"

As the line grew shorter, I focused on Seolyun's words.

Then she said,

"Orcs."

That single word was all it took for me to understand.

"If you see anything with green skin, run. That insane race has no concept of fostering friendship. Orcs are probably the only race that'll fight to the death in these 「Racial Duels」."

"..."

"You might not take me seriously because you haven't seen them in person, but you really need to be careful. Rumor has it that their chief personally participated in the last 「Racial Duels」 and led the charge. Well, there might be some exaggeration in that, but it shows how dangerous—"

"No, I doubt it's exaggerated."

Those bastards were more than capable of that.

"The moment I see green, I'll run without looking back."

Those insufferable lunatics.

Already, I felt as though I could hear their 'chwick, chwick' noises and their perverted breathing in my head. I had three whole events to get through. I didn't want to waste my strength getting tangled up with those crazy f***ers on the very first day.

But until that moment, I had overlooked one thing.

'I'll have to hole up somewhere and hide.'

Nothing in my life had ever gone smoothly. Yes. Ever.

"You're Liam the gladiator, correct? The Little Gladiator who recently earned the new nickname Sword Demon?"

Anyway, after a long wait, Seolyun and I finished applying at the registration desk.

"Ah, yes. That's me."

"Your eligibility has been confirmed, and your application accepted. Here, take this."

"What is it?"

The registration clerk gave each of us an old piece of metal.

"Those are the identification tags you'll use in the Racial Duels. You must not lose them."

The pieces of metal bore the numbers 271 and 444 respectively. Seolyun was number 271. I was number 444.

"Under any circumstances."

Number 444.

For some reason, even the number felt ominous already.

* * *

It took quite a while for the Racial Duels, the first event of the 「Endless Duel」, to begin. There were so many participants that accepting applications at the registration desk alone took ages. By the time the formalities were complete and the curtain rose, it was late in the evening.

"Thank you for your patience!"

Of course, the excitement in the 「Arena」 hadn't cooled even beneath the dark sky. If anything, it was burning hotter. Passionate cheers poured from the stands, and the fighters below were every bit as fired up.

"Just how many people are here?"

Standing beside Seolyun, I tried to estimate the number of fighters. But there were physically too many to count. With so many people gathered together, how were they supposed to decide who won and who lost? I could hardly imagine it. To make all these people compete, they'd practically have to wage a war...

"Woo! Woo! Woo!"

"Woooooo!"

"Enough blathering! Get on with it, you slow-ass humans!"

The orcs gathered on one side of the enormous dueling grounds made their noisy presence known before the Racial Duels had even begun. Everyone frowned at their shrieking roars. Only Liam, floating in the air, smiled with satisfaction.

「Orcs haven't changed. They were always passionate in my day, too. Their enthusiasm was famous even in the fighting pit.」

"They just look like crazy bastards to me..."

Just watching them from a distance felt draining. Once again, I vowed never to get involved with those things.

Meanwhile, the event proceeded.

"As you all know, the Racial Duels offer an opportunity to prove which of the seven races is the most superior. Unfortunately, the 「Dragons」 have once again declined to participate. So, inevitably, this year's Racial Duels will again be a contest between six races: orcs, dwarves, Demonkin, humans, elves, and beastfolk."

.

.

.

"The previous Racial Duels were held as a battle to capture flags. After a fierce exchange of attacks and defenses, the valiant orcs won. Well, the orcs' passion is always appreciated. After all, they have won more 「Racial Duels」 than any other race. Everyone on the continent acknowledges that green fighting spirit! As I understand it, their last victory marked an incredible nine consecutive wins!"

"Wah! Wah! Wah!"

"I like what you're saying, human!"

"But whether our valiant green fighters can win again this time remains to be seen!"

The booming voice rang out. As the excitement mounted, the announcer declared,

"This year's Racial Duels will be 「Capture the King」."

Capture the King.

The name alone was unfamiliar to me.

"Because of the sheer number of fighters participating, these Racial Duels will take place in the steel city's 「Pitch-Black Forest」. It's a treacherous place where even experienced rangers lose their way at night. Mages hired by the Arena will broadcast the match live using scrying magic."

.

.

.

"Now, the rules of 「Capture the King」, the chosen format for these Racial Duels, are simple! Every fighter participating in the Endless Duel should have received an identification tag bearing a different number!"

An identification tag.

At those words, I remembered the piece of metal the clerk had given me earlier.

"In 「Capture the King」, the fighter whose identification tag bears a particular number will take the role of 'king.' The moment a king's tag is taken by a fighter of another race, or the king is rendered unable to fight, that race is eliminated! That makes strategy vital. Kings can conceal their identities and hide, or reveal themselves and seek protection from their own race! All other fighters must choose between two options: find another race's king, or protect their own!"

As I listened to the explanation continue, I felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

"Now, I trust everyone understands. I will announce the number that will take center stage in these Racial Duels—the identification tag number that determines who will play the crucial role of 'king' in 「Capture the King」! For fighters who lack confidence in their skills, it will be a nightmare. For those who are confident, it will be a wonderful opportunity to become the star of this stage!"

And then,

"The long-awaited number is 444!"

Sure enough, my foreboding hadn't been wrong.

"... Little Gladiator, wasn't your number—"

"Yes."

Seolyun looked at me with concern. Under her gaze, I smiled bitterly.

Damn it.

「Congratulations, young descendant. Opportunities like this are rare. I envy you.」

"..."

Nothing in my life ever went smoothly.

'F*.'

In the Racial Duels, the first match of the Endless Duel, I had been chosen as the king of the humans.

* * *

After the general explanation was over, the fighters left the enormous Arena for a vast forest near the steel city of Perma: the 「Pitch-Black Forest」.

True to its name, the interior of the 「Pitch-Black Forest」 was shrouded entirely in darkness. It wasn't because of the late hour. A pitch-black aura hung over the entire forest. I couldn't tell whether the Arena had arranged it for entertainment or it was a natural phenomenon.

Well, of course, I didn't have the luxury of worrying about that.

"The Racial Duels begin now!"

... First, I had to survive.

"Chwiiiick! Look at me, feeble humans! Crawling little dwarves! Filthy fairy elves who do nothing but farm and stink of manure! Disgusting Demonkin shat out by devils! Beastfolk, you half-animal bastards!"

I spotted a deranged orc fighter who, right from the start, was hurling vicious racial insults to provoke all five other races at once.

"I am the king of the orcs! I, the orc elder Behera, am the glorious king who drew identification tag number 444! The valiant orc Behera does not shy away from struggle! If you want a fight, come at me now! I'll crush your skulls, pull out every last one of your teeth, and hang them around my neck! Chwiiick!"

Not even a second after the Racial Duels began, orc madness spread through the Pitch-Black Forest. Amid that insane frenzy, the silent killing intent of the other races began seeping out here and there.

I assessed my situation with complete objectivity.

'I'm f*ed.'

And so the first event of the Endless Duel began: the 「Racial Duels」, Capture the King.