Claaang!
A long, echoing clash of steel.
In the night of the Abyss Realm, amidst the wailing wind, the swords of two people screamed in unison.
Moments later, the outcome was clear.
Once again, they had clashed head-on, but Isaac, completely overpowered in the struggle of strength, fell backward, landing on his butt.
And without hesitation, Liana's greatsword was pointed at him.
"…I lost."
Isaac had no choice but to admit defeat.
Clank.
The sword lowered, and Liana extended her hand.
Taking her hand, Isaac stood up and brushed the dust off his body, catching his breath.
32 matches, 0 wins, 32 losses.
Another defeat added to the record today.
"...Your spirit doesn't break."
Liana gave a brief evaluation, as she always did after their duels.
It was her own form of advice.
"Hmm?"
"Usually by this point, most people would've broken. But you… you just don't seem to."
"Heh."
A soft chuckle escaped.
Liana tilted her head, not sure what was so amusing, but Isaac replied while adjusting his sword.
"The world doesn't end just because you break."
"Huh?"
It wasn't just a saying.
His turbulent life had buried him in the abyss more than once.
The most vivid memory:
Injury to his leg and a year spent in Helmut.
In the pitch darkness,
Shut away in his room in Helmut, allowing no one to approach.
"…"
Liana stared at him with wide eyes, and Isaac took a step back with a faint smile.
"Can we go again?"
"…Okay."
She nodded and once again widened the distance.
This time too, Isaac began with his sword already drawn.
As Nameless had said, focusing too much on Iaido (quick-draw technique) could hinder the development of solid fundamentals.
'Was focusing on Iaido a mistake?'
He was different from the Grandmaster.
There was a difference between building upon Iaido from a completed foundation, and starting out with Iaido as the core.
No matter how much he pondered and agonized over the sword, he still made mistakes.
Sometimes he forgot what he knew, and sometimes he knew, yet still couldn't execute it.
It was profound and difficult.
But that's why people spend their entire lives chasing the pinnacle of the sword.
Claaang!
A few minutes later.
Isaac returned to his group with 33 matches, 0 wins, 33 losses.
Breathing heavily as he suppressed his aura, he slumped onto the ground.
Immediately, two people approached him.
Nameless and Uldren Caldias.
The two looked at each other, and Nameless shrugged as if to say "go ahead" and stepped back.
Every time their words seemed to overlap, Nameless had deferred.
A gesture that acknowledged Uldran as a worthy warrior and showed respect.
"You need to come to a clear understanding of yourself."
"Huh?"
The words he immediately uttered were completely unexpected.
"Why don't you trust yourself?"
"..."
"When I watch you wield your sword… you always fight like the weaker one. It's extremely uncomfortable to watch."
Uldren crossed his arms. Sharen and Silverna were also nearby, listening in.
"You've probably always lived fighting opponents stronger than you. Thanks to that, you've achieved remarkable growth in a short time."
"..."
"But on the flip side, that's why a loser still curls up inside you. Every time you swing your sword, you're still fighting from the perspective of the weak."
His tone was firm, and his words were sharp.
"The way you fight now—reading the enemy's flow, waiting for an opening, and deciding the match in a single blow—is excellent swordsmanship. But that method gives control of the flow to your opponent."
Isaac's style had its own impact. The sharpness of his Iaido. A technique honed and refined by the Grandmaster—it was his most powerful weapon.
That's why Iaido had worked so well until now.
"You have a keen eye for reading swords. That's how you've pulled off those lucky wins so far. But how long will you keep relying on reading your opponent's flow and exploiting openings? What if there are no openings? What if they don't make a mistake?"
It was truly a painful piece of advice.
Because the opponent Uldren was referring to was the one Isaac had just been sparring with.
Liana didn't make mistakes.
That's why, no matter how many times he fought her, he couldn't win.
Of course, Isaac was still putting in the effort. In fact, considering that he hadn't even been wielding a sword for a full year yet, his progress was incredible.
"I'm not saying your method is wrong, but—"
But reality always demanded more from Isaac.
"Was Arandel like that?"
That final line from Uldren smashed into Isaac's mind like a hammer.
Arandel Helmut.
He never handed over control of a battle to anyone. He always took the lead, swung his blade, and dominated the field.
"You're a smart one, so I won't say more. I'm sure you'll break through in your own way."
With a huff, Uldren turned away. His wife, Selene, quickly clung to his side, praising him with a bright smile.
As Uldren's turn ended, Nameless approached.
"If there was a tiger in your house, what would you do?"
"…What?"
A random question. But Nameless pressed on.
"What would you do?"
"I'd chase it out, I suppose?"
"Yeah, that's the right answer."
Nameless nodded. Then she slightly changed the question.
"But what if you couldn't chase it out? What if you had to live with it?"
"…Then I'd have to tame it."
"That's what your spectral aura is right now."
Spectral aura
Isaac was using it too, but he hadn't found a clear answer about what it really was.
Sometimes, it spoke.
Other times, it moved as if it were alive.
"If you're not going to get rid of it completely, then you have to accept it. And tame it."
"..."
"I'll leave the sword talk to that guy. I'll give you advice about your spectral aura. If you're going to use it, you can't be afraid of it."
She compared it to living with a tiger.
If you're going to coexist with it, taming it is the only option.
"Honestly, I don't know how you ended up with it—"
Nameless' words were cold, and pierced Isaac sharply.
"Those who have it all carry heavy karma."
Among the transcendent beings of the Primordial era, those who were most skilled with the sword.
Those known as Sword Demons—this was their unique power.
Isaac had thought it was simply something he'd obtained through the massacre at Volten.
But after hearing Nameless, he felt something was off.
It was like he'd been possessed when swinging his sword.
'Back then… what was I thinking?'
What had driven him to swing his sword like that?
That question slowly rose in Isaac's mind.
***
The Primordial Land.
The image evoked by its name was that of a barren, desolate, and savage place.
Untamed weeds growing wildly, jagged rocks jutting out from the hot earth, and beasts prowling around in search of prey.
Especially after walking for several days through the Abyss Realm, which had left a strong impression of harsh desolation, it was only natural to assume that the so-called "Primordial Land" would be no different.
But it wasn't like that at all.
"…Oh my…?"
Sharen let out a spontaneous gasp of admiration.
A tall and solid yellow stone wall rose before them.
Though it couldn't quite compare to the walls of Malidan, it looked sturdy enough to keep out Beasts.
And beyond the wall, a long, slender tower could be seen.
'The "Tower that Touches the Sky" wasn't just a metaphor.'
The tower rose so high it was impossible to tell where it ended.
It created the illusion that the tip of the star symbolizing the shining Silver Clock perfectly touched its summit.
"If we pretend to be merchants, we can get in. There's nothing to worry about,"
Said Rankellon with a bright smile.
Yet the fact that he still covered his face made it clear—he wasn't supposed to enter that place.
"Stay sharp. Once we're inside, you'll feel the thick stench of hatred toward humans."
Said Nameless, arms crossed.
"There might even be some who try to abduct humans. Stick close together."
"...We've learned a lot on this journey."
Isaac expressed his gratitude, and Nameless glanced at him.
She looked like she wanted to say something but only clicked her tongue.
"Enough. Any more, and I might start getting sentimental."
She turned her back.
Her hair, visible beneath the brim of her black bamboo hat, swayed in the wind.
"I'm an assassin of the Primordial bloodline. You know what that means, don't you?"
"You mean the next time we meet, we'll be enemies."
"Yeah. It's been a pleasant journey. I can see now why Number Ten entrusted you with everything."
Had he truly proven anything?
So far, all he'd managed was losing to Liana over forty times.
"We shared a dream once. Under the moon, we dreamed it together."
The Grand Master's dream.
To see a pure human sword surpass the Transcendents.
Why did they even dream such a thing?
The question lingered like a shadow—it clearly stemmed from their past.
"Before I knew it, I let go of that dream. Reality always loosens the grip of ambition."
"…"
"But that fool… never let go of it until the end."
A soft smile played on Nameless' lips. Her hand reached out and gently tousled Isaac's hair with surprising tenderness.
"It was a good sight."
"…"
"I'll be waiting for the day you cut me down."
Nameless walked past Isaac, moving ahead. She separated from the group and passed through the city gate alone.
No one stopped her.
Everyone understood—they had simply walked the same path for a while, but that was all.
"Everyone, gather up,"
Liana called, and the Transcendents from the village quietly gathered around her.
Having arrived near the Primordial Land, they were going to discuss what to do once they entered.
Naturally, the humans were excluded.
'Well, to them, we're nothing but sacrificial offerings for their rituals.'
It would be strange for them to be part of the meeting in the first place.
It was at least a relief that this act was finally about to come to an end.
'Come to think of it…'
The Primordial Land.
A place known as the source of sorcery.
'This might be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.'
He might be able to learn more deeply about sorcery.
Not only that, but he might also uncover the truth about the phenomenon he was currently experiencing.
If it was there—
"Hey, Isaac."
"…What is it."
//Sharen, calling him pointlessly again. He thought she was playing with Nooreumdol, but for some reason, Nooreumdol was curled up and trembling.
At first glance, it just looked like a rock.
"So, are there a lot of sorcerers over there?"
"From what Nameless told us, probably not to that extent. Just like how all our mages are managed by the Magic Tower."
In other words, grabbing any random Transcendent wandering around didn't mean they were a sorcerer.
"Then maybe that tower has a lot of sorcerers?"
"Probably, yeah? Just think of it like our Magic Tower."
At Isaac's words, Vivian, who had been listening nearby, flinched.
Now powerless without mana, he felt both joy and bitterness at the mention of a 'Magic Tower.'
"Ooh."
Sharen nodded.
Looking like she had accepted something, she slowly approached.
"Why? Trying to pull another pointless prank again? Like when you blew wind into my ear last time—"
"Oh, it's not like that!"
Sharen grumbled and came closer again. Thinking she was clearly about to pull some weird prank, he leaned his ear toward her.
"Then… you might be able to find out more about your regression too, right?"
"Yeah, probab—"
In that moment, it felt like the entire world had stopped.
At least for Isaac Logan, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that, for a split second, everything truly halted.
"…Huh?"
Wondering if he had heard her right, he looked at Sharen.
"Want me to help?!"
Sharen asked with her usual bright and carefree smile.