Gravel walked along a quiet path on the outskirts of Froikton, where few people passed by. After a short walk, he stopped in front of a signpost at a fork in the road, then veered off the path and headed into the forest. Listening to the occasional chirping of birds, he wove through the trees until he stepped into a wide clearing.
"Welcome, Lord Gravel." Iris greeted him in the forest clearing. As she began to kneel in respect, Gravel waved his hand to stop her.
"Then, I'll be in your care today as well, Master Iris." Gravel said, drawing the Sword of East End from its scabbard at his waist.
"Master? That's too grand a title for me, Lord Gravel." Iris replied, bowing her head, flustered by the word. Gravel smiled as he looked at her, and in that moment, another name surfaced in his mind: Bevroren Bloem—the Frozen Flower. It was the alias of Lalit von Reutern, Iris's mentor and mother. Lalit earned that name partly due to her cold, expressionless gaze and unsmiling face, but it was her unique swordsmanship, defined by her skill animations, that made the name Frozen Flower renowned among Grand World Online players.
An NPC stronger than any player. Lalit's unparalleled swordsmanship ensured that no player in Grand World Online could defeat her in a duel. Her quick reflexes, unique to NPCs, made her exceptional at defense, and her skills were notorious among players for being nearly impossible to counter with blocks or parries.
And Iris had inherited everything from Lalit. The title of the greatest swordsman in Grand World Online had passed to Lalit's daughter, who now stood before Gravel.
When Gravel resolved to learn the sword in this world, he could think of no one more suitable to teach him than Iris. His decision to train under her stemmed from two motivations: first, a desire to test whether he could surpass the constraints of class and level from the game in this new world and grow stronger. second, a practical need to overcome the weaknesses of his caster class to protect himself in an unfamiliar world.
There was one more reason, rooted in the personality of the person who played as Gravel in Grand World Online on Earth. The Sword of East End, Gravel's beloved weapon, was the last sword he acquired before arriving in this world, on the continent of Lavyroon. In the game, Gravel was a lone wolf. He didn't join guilds, and while he occasionally communicated with other players, he spent most of his time training and leveling up companion NPCs.
His next greatest investment of time was in obtaining rare items for himself and his NPC companions. Even if items had similar stats, he preferred those with unique acquisition processes, abilities, or appearances. After learning about the Sword of East End, he overcame its notoriously grueling acquisition process to claim the legendary blade. Though he had no friends to show it off to, the satisfaction of owning an item others would envy was enough. And he believed that the value of such a precious item shone only when it was used to its fullest.
Whether it was perfectionism, obsession, or simply the nature of a dedicated gamer, something drove him. That drive led to one clear action: "If I've obtained a legendary sword, I must learn to wield it properly." Thus, he began training with Iris whenever he had the chance, as he was doing now.
"Iris, show me Midden again." Gravel requested.
"Of course. First, lower your stance…" Iris responded, raising her sword and adopting a defensive posture as if preparing to counter an imaginary attack. She pulled the blade close to her body.
"Angle the sword diagonally backward like this, and when the enemy's attack connects with the blade, let it slide along the direction of their force…" Iris paused to demonstrate the motion, drawing a smooth arc with her sword, its tip pointing toward the ground.
"Then, follow through with an upward slash to counterattack."
The crisp sound of the blade slicing through the air accompanied her upward strike.
Gravel watched closely, mimicking the motion several times before muttering to himself.
"Hmm… the efficiency is just too different…"
"Pardon? What do you mean?" Iris asked, confused.
"Oh, I mean that even when we perform the same movements, the mana consumed by my body and the mana output are vastly different from yours." Gravel explained.
"You can see that, Lord Gravel?" Iris replied, looking at her palm and the back of her hand as if trying to perceive the flow of mana within her. Nothing was visible to her.
Through repeated observations, Gravel had compared his mana flow to Iris's. The difference varied with each sword technique, but one thing was clear: the power output was disproportionately low compared to the mana consumed. When Iris wielded her sword, the mana in her body flowed rapidly or amplified at specific points, moving in complex patterns. Whether due to a gap in proficiency or something else, replicating that mana manipulation while performing the same sword movements was incredibly difficult.
When Gravel asked Iris about it, she explained that she performed the movements instinctively and didn't consciously control her mana flow.
Is this what the adventurers here call the difference between Steel Path and Way of Mana? Gravel wondered. If he could meet someone in this world who had reached a certain mastery in either swordsmanship or magic, he might find answers. For now, he set the question aside.
"Alright, then, can you show me Zwaard Bloem next?" he asked.
Zwaard Bloem—the Blade Flower—was Lalit's ultimate technique, which had defeated countless Grand World Online players. The skill involved multiple sword strikes converging on a single point, creating an effect players likened to a blooming flower. It was a skill so perfect that players joked it must have been the developers' trickery. Though it targeted a single point, its wide area of effect made dodging impossible. The cumulative damage was too high to block with shields, weapons, or magic, rendering it a flawless technique.
In Grand World Online, learning such a supreme skill was impossible. But here, in this world, it was within reach. Whether it was the joy of a gamer or the thrill of a swordsman wielding a legendary blade, Gravel couldn't tell, but he was visibly delighted during his lessons with Iris.
"Please step back for a moment." Iris instructed, sheathing her sword and stepping away from Gravel to prepare.
Iris closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened them again. In that instant, a sharp sound rang out as she drew her sword from its scabbard. What followed was a series of whistling noises as her blade sliced through the air at a speed too fast for the eye to follow, tearing through the space before her with ferocious intensity. The moment the piercing sound of the blade ceased, a burst of sword energy erupted in front of Iris, forming the shape of a radiant cornflower. The explosion of light and pressure pushed against Gravel, then slowly faded as the glowing form dissipated.
Someone once said that even martial arts meant for killing could be beautiful when perfected. That phrase, heard somewhere long ago, flashed through Gravel's mind at this moment.
"Haha, magnificent work, Iris. You've perfectly inherited the sword of Bevroren Bloem." Gravel praised.
"Your praise humbles me, Lord Gravel." Iris replied.
Gravel's Day - End
Two Days Later
Gravel and Iris stood among several carriages parked in front of the Adventurers' Guild. Alongside them were Rude, Reinhold, Vareeld, a warrior named Turock, and a mage named Doshel. Turock and Doshel were well-known adventurers in Froikton, boasting high success rates and good reputations among their peers.
The clatter of horses' hooves pulling the carriages and the chatter of people walking alongside filled the air. After some time on the road, Clau, who recognized Gravel among the crowd, approached and matched his pace, eager to continue a conversation from their last meeting. As they walked, Clau began introducing the members of his hunting party.
"Look over there! See those five people walking by the biggest carriage? Well, maybe it's hard to see… but you're taller than me, so you should spot them. Anyway, the big guy in the dark brown leather helmet, surrounded by four others."
"Yes, I see five people wearing the same helmet by the carriage." Gravel confirmed.
"Right. The big guy is Plong, the leader of our ballista team. To his left is Nurton, next to him is Dailo, and on the right, the one with long hair is Leutang. The one with just a backpack visible is probably my friend Torin. The ballista is essential for drake hunting, so they're the most critical members of our team. I'll introduce you properly later"
Their conversation continued, with Clau doing most of the talking. Gravel nodded occasionally or responded briefly, saying whether he could see the people Clau pointed out.
Through their talk, Gravel learned about the hunting party's structure. The second leader, Gromeyer, succeeded the founding leader, Lamir. The ballista team consisted of five members. The cooks were Lusen and Parat, the accountant was Clute, and the craftsmen handling drake butchering and material processing were Lat, Eto, and Uuk. Clau's harpoon team included Wellen, Lesa, Smir, and Baum.
Clau spoke enthusiastically, occasionally climbing onto a carriage to point out each member and share their names with Gravel. Did I introduce too many people at once? Will he remember all their names? Clau wondered belatedly, considering Gravel's perspective. But he shrugged it off, thinking, We'll have plenty of time to go over it again once we reach our destination and set up camp.
Beyond Clau and Gravel, the voices of other adventurers and hunting party members filled the air as they got to know one another. Outside the road, countless trees stretched into the distance, and farther still, the peaks of the Norwan Mountains came into view. Taking in the scenery, the hunting party and adventurers continued along the road, moving alongside the carriages.