With a deep sigh, Raon opened his eyes in the darkness where starlight poured down.
'As I thought, it was here after all.'
The ancestor of House Zieghart had always prepared arrangements in places connected to swords. He had inscribed his past in places related to swords so they could be discovered - the Stone Sword, the Ten Thousand Flames Cultivation grounds, the Zieghart training hall, the Holy Sword Alliance, the underwater cave with sword patterns carved into it - which led Raon to believe there might be traces of him in the Unyielding Blade as well.
He had thought the Sword Testing Hall had the highest probability among them and really wanted to enter, but he hadn't expected things to work out this well.
'So where is this...'
Looking around, he saw sheer cliffs. Seeing the familiar shapes of the peaks, it seemed to be Sword Dance Mountain.
'But this isn't the Sword Dance Mountain of now.'
This was Sword Dance Mountain before the Unyielding Blade was built. A time when nothing existed around except the rocky mountain.
'What are you trying to show me this time?'
As Raon turned his gaze searching for the Zieghart ancestor, a massive flame fell from the sky. With a thunderous roar, the Zieghart ancestor and the female Magician who always accompanied him walked out from within the golden flames. However, unlike their usually impeccable appearance, both were in poor condition.
They bore many serious wounds as if they had just emerged from an intense battle, and they seemed mentally exhausted as well.
'What kind of monster could have injured those two?'
The Zieghart ancestor he had seen until now was stronger than anyone else he knew. His companion Magician was also a powerful being who had far surpassed Transcendence, so he couldn't understand how they had ended up in such a state.
"Haaah..."
The Magician in the purple robe sighed while leaning on her staff.
"How long has it been since that terrible war ended? And now another disaster."
She shook her head, saying it had been more difficult than expected.
"..."
The Zieghart ancestor just stared at the starlit sky above Sword Dance Mountain, as if calculating something.
"At least this matter is over, right?"
The Magician in the purple robe clasped her hands together, pleading for him to say it was over.
"Yes. For now."
The Zieghart ancestor drew a low breath, as if something still remained.
"For now?"
The Magician in the purple robe furrowed her brows.
"Are you saying it might spring up again later?"
She stomped her foot, saying it was nonsense. The mana-filled stomp shook Sword Dance Mountain, causing rocks to fall.
"Because they won't give up."
The Zieghart ancestor nodded calmly, as if he could see the future.
"Then we can't just sit still!"
The Magician in the purple robe struck her staff down.
"Let's erase everything right now! We don't have much time left!"
She bit her lip, saying they couldn't let history repeat itself.
"The children of future generations will never be able to stop it."
"That's why we came here. To Sword Dance Mountain, where the spiritual energy flows most densely on the continent."
The Zieghart ancestor pulled out a jet-black burning jewel from his chest. No, it wasn't a jewel, but something that looked like a scale. With a snap of his fingers, golden flames erupted and devoured the Black Flame burning above the scale. The flames crackled fiercely.
The Zieghart ancestor thrust the scale, now tempered by the golden heat, into the ground beneath his feet.
Despite the thick rocky ground, the scale pierced through the earth like a blade. However, perhaps due to the intense malice emanating from the scale, a faint evil energy began to spread throughout Sword Dance Mountain.
"I'm counting on you."
The Zieghart ancestor stepped back with a faint smile.
"You really do ask for a lot."
The Magician in the purple robe let out a short sigh before crossing her hands. As she began her incantation, blue mana erupted, restoring the rock split by the scale to its original form and causing subtle flowers to bloom around it. The malice emanating from the black scale completely dissipated.
"Phew."
She collapsed to the ground, her face even paler than before, as if she had overexerted herself.
"Thank you."
The Zieghart ancestor supported the Magician in the purple robe while patting her back.
"Really now!"
Though complaining, the Magician in the purple robe wore a subtle smile, seemingly not minding his support.
"Um... Sorry to bring this up now, but we have a few more places to go."
"Oh, come on!"
As the Zieghart ancestor and the Magician in the purple robe were chatting, the falling flower petals suddenly froze in mid-air. Time stopped in this memory, and the world began to turn black and white. Even Raon, who had been called to the past, couldn't move. A deep rumble echoed through the air.
In this frozen world, the first head of house Zieghart slowly stood up and turned around. He fixed his gaze as if he knew Raon was there.
Those burning red eyes. They resembled Glenn's - no, they were like looking into a mirror, identical to his own.
"It won't be long now."
The Zieghart ancestor nodded, looking directly at Raon rather than the Magician in the purple robe, clearly aware of his presence.
"I believe in you."
With those resonant, clear words from the Zieghart ancestor echoing in his heart, Raon opened his eyes. The nameless book in his hands began to change, its original text fading away as new words emerged. The swordsmanship manual had reclaimed its true name: the Limitless Time Sword.
"Is this swordsmanship actually possible?"
Martha's forgotten voice brought him back to reality. The memory playback had ended, and he seemed to have returned to the Sword Testing Hall.
-You! What did you see this time!
Wrath furrowed his brow, demanding to know why Raon's soul kept leaving his body behind.
-This King is not some dog that guards your body!
He shook his head, telling Raon to stop doing strange things. He seemed a bit worried.
'Sorry.'
After apologizing to Wrath with clasped hands, Raon looked at the floor of the Sword Testing Hall.
'That scale isn't something we should find and dig up.'
Raon swallowed hard and clenched his fist.
'It's a seal that must be protected no matter what.'
***
After mastering all the books in the Sword Testing Hall to lay the foundation for reaching the realm of Ten Thousand Swords in the future, Raon climbed back up the stairs.
"That took longer than expected."
Queen of Swords Brigitte, who had been waiting at the entrance of the Sword Testing Hall, smirked.
"Couldn't find the martial arts manual you were looking for?"
She tilted her chin, saying as before that the Sword Testing Hall only contained unusual items. She seemed to know every book in there.
"No. I found it."
Raon shook his head, recalling the ancestor's memory and the Limitless Time Sword he had left behind.
"Since I was already in the Sword Testing Hall, I took the time to read all the other books as well."
He smiled as he said he had read every martial arts manual in the Sword Testing Hall.
"W-What...?"
Brigitte asked again in disbelief.
"You read... everything? All the martial arts manuals in there?"
She opened her eyes wide, seeming more surprised than when she had appeared after becoming stronger.
"Yes. I read everything and memorized the necessary parts."
Raon nodded calmly.
"Is that even possible?"
Brigitte drew in a sharp breath, saying that would have been impossibly fast.
"For someone like Lord Raon, it's certainly possible."
The Thespian Emperor nodded, saying such a feat wasn't difficult for him.
"These monsters with their brains..."
Brigitte frowned, saying it was impossible for someone with poor intelligence like herself.
"Queen of Swords. Do you know what lies beneath the Unyielding Blade?"
Raon raised his finger, pointing at the ground beneath the Unyielding Blade.
"Below? It's Sword Dance Mountain, what else would it be?"
Brigitte tilted her head, as if wondering why he would ask such a question.
"..."
Raon silently stared into Brigitte's eyes.
"That doesn't seem to be what he meant."
The Thespian Emperor sensed Raon's aura and narrowed her eyes.
"It seems he's asking what purpose the Unyielding Blade serves?"
She slowly released her tightly held breath.
"You, what did you see in the Sword Testing Hall?"
Brigitte looked at Raon with tension in her fingertips. She seemed to know something lay beneath the Unyielding Blade, even if she didn't know about the scale.
"I'm not entirely sure myself. I just know it must be protected."
Unable to properly explain about the ancestor, he kept his words vague.
"You're truly a strange one. Even stranger than the Sword Testing Hall."
Brigitte deeply furrowed her brows before lowering her hand.
"You're right. There is something on Sword Dance Mountain that the Unyielding Blade must protect with its life. Though we don't know what it is or what it means, this has been passed down since before the Unyielding Blade had its current name."
She tapped the desk, saying she didn't know how long this duty had been passed down.
"That's unexpected. I thought you wouldn't care about such traditions."
Raon smiled faintly at the Queen of Swords' grimacing expression.
"Originally, I didn't. I thought it was just some stuffy old legend like every sect has. But..."
Brigitte glanced sideways at the Thespian Emperor.
"Ariel told me there really was something eerie buried beneath the Unyielding Blade."
She sighed, saying she hadn't known the legend was true.
"My master mentioned it too, so I try to honor the ancestors' last wishes in my own way."
Brigitte nodded, saying it wasn't such a difficult task.
"I see."
Raon nodded quietly.
"Then please take this."
He handed Brigitte the Limitless Time Sword that the Zieghart ancestor had left in the Sword Testing Hall. Having already memorized it, there was no problem in giving it to her.
"What is this... huh?"
Brigitte's eyes widened as she turned the pages one by one.
"This came from the Sword Testing Hall?"
Her eyes trembled as she said she had never seen this swordsmanship manual before.
"Yes. It seems to be a gift left by the person who ordered to protect Sword Dance Mountain."
Raon nodded, saying he had learned through the Limitless Time Sword that something was sealed within Sword Dance Mountain.
"Hmm..."
Brigitte suddenly looked up while flipping through the martial arts manual.
"Can you really give this to me? This is no ordinary swordsmanship manual."
She swallowed hard, saying it seemed to be beyond Transcendence level.
"In exchange, please protect this place well."
Raon smiled and nodded.
"Haah..."
Brigitte shook her head as if she couldn't understand. He could feel her fondness for him growing dramatically.
"Alright. I don't know what's there, but I'll protect it properly!"
Brigitte slammed her fist on the desk as if to say not to worry. The desk that kept taking her hits seemed a bit pitiful.
"Now then, we should discuss our matter as well."
The Thespian Emperor approached Raon and Brigitte with a faint smile.
"The Five Divine Orders... no, the remaining two, the White Whale and the Unyielding Blade, will support Raon Zieghart as a candidate for the Zieghart Successor as allied forces."
She declared her support for Raon while holding out the White Whale's emblem.
"Here you go."
Brigitte also handed over the wooden sword emblem that had been on the desk, as if she had prepared it in advance.
"Thank you."
Raon bowed his head as he received the emblems of the White Whale and the Unyielding Blade with both hands. As they represented the strongest forces he had encountered so far, the emblems felt as heavy as lead in his hands.
"There's one more thing I'd like to ask of you both. Soon..."
Raon turned to face the Thespian Emperor directly.
"You're asking us to participate in the coming war, aren't you?"
The Thespian Emperor nodded as if she already knew his intentions.
"Of course we must join you, even if we can't see that future."
She smiled faintly, saying she would naturally participate in the war. Seeing how she spoke of the future without anxiety, it seemed she had completely shed her heart demon.
'No, it's more than that.'
He hadn't noticed while focusing on Brigitte and Briana, but the Thespian Emperor was wrapped in an aura completely different from before. She seemed to have not only thrown off her heart demon but also fully internalized her previous insights. As he properly perceived her now, he could feel her clear strength.
"Don't worry! I'll go to the battlefield and sweep them all away."
Brigitte thumped her chest with her fist, telling him to leave it to her.
"No."
Raon waved his hand at Brigitte.
"Lady Brigitte, you don't need to come."
"Huh? Why?"
Brigitte opened her eyes wide, as if asking what he meant.
"Probably..."
Raon's lips twisted as he looked at Sword Dance Mountain beneath the Unyielding Blade.
"Because this place will likely become a battlefield too."
***
Raon clicked his tongue while looking at the emblems from the Thespian Emperor and Brigitte.
'Now I should be able to pass the test if I visit just one or two more places.'
Having gained the support of Habun Castle, Sepia, House Arianne, and now the White Whale and Unyielding Blade, he felt he could pass the second Successor candidate test without much difficulty if he received support from just a couple more places.
'Where should I go next?'
The Holy Kingdom where the Troublemaker Saintess resided would probably be best. While getting support from the Five Kings could make Balkar, Owen, or the Beast Union viable options, they couldn't intervene in this test, so he needed to look elsewhere. Among the remaining places, the Holy Kingdom seemed to have the largest force and strongest martial prowess.
Just as Raon decided on his next destination and tucked the emblems into his chest, a young swallow flew to the window of his lodgings. It was the swallow he had sent to inform Rector of his news, but dried red blood covered its wings and forehead.
"What is this!"
Raon hurriedly opened the window and caught the swallow in his hands.
"Are you alright?"
The swallow chirped and lifted its wings and legs normally, as if to say the blood wasn't its own.
"Then..."
Raon swallowed hard as he unfolded the letter tied to the swallow's leg. It was Rector's reply. He had praised Raon for doing well and wrote that he was still at the Holy Sword Alliance, spending peaceful times with others.
However, red bloodstains were splattered on the letter's surface. Having lived as an assassin his whole life, he could tell.
This wasn't the blood of a monster or beast that had fought with the swallow - it was human blood.
"Right now..."
Raon bit his lip as he looked at the young swallow.
"Where are you, grandfather?"