Chapter 64 : Come at Me, Lunatic

A goal was set.

No matter what, I had to find the Tomb of Ophosis and claim the Ninth Demon Sword.

Not long ago, I hadn’t cared in the slightest about Ophosis’s legacy.

But now, if I wanted to live, I had no choice.

Life really was unpredictable.

Maybe that was why people said it was fun.

“Hahaha…”

When I suddenly laughed, Shushruta glanced at me while running, her face clearly saying ‘What’s wrong with him now?’

I asked her, “Hey. Haven’t you found any ginseng?”

“Ginseng? At a time like this? Do you think we’ve got leisure for that?”

We were pushing ourselves, skipping meals, just to head toward the tomb.

We knew little beyond its approximate location, but I trusted we’d make it somehow.

No, not “somehow.” We had to.

That was how the first day of the journey to becoming master of the Demon Sword ended, and night fell.

Shushruta suggested we keep running through the night with short naps in between, but I couldn’t do it.

If I summed up today:

Dragged out of bed before dawn by Shushruta, shot a pillar of light into the night sky, ran into the mountains while dodging pursuers, got soaked in a storm, fought countless fiends in the rain, rushed down the mountain without rest, and kept running till here.

No wonder I had nothing left.

My inner energy was mostly drained after using lightness arts all day.

Sleep pulled at me. My body felt like lead.

If the Frost Knight showed up right now, I wouldn’t even have the strength to resist before dying.

What I needed most was rest.

“Ugh… I’m done for.”

I sprawled out on the ground.

Shushruta clicked her tongue in disapproval, but said nothing, only busied herself preparing camp.

I watched her gather branches and start a fire… and drifted off before I knew it.

Then her hand shook me awake.

“Ashuban. No matter how tired you are, at least eat something before you sleep.”

“Mmm… don’t wanna.”

“Eat first.”

The Heavenly Demon chuckled.

[Like a mother bird.]

Dragged into it, I sat up half-asleep and chewed some dried fruit and jerky. I couldn’t even tell if I was swallowing through my mouth or nose.

As she watched me, Shushruta said, “There’s no need to worry too much.”

“Mm?”

“The last sighting of the Frost Knight was far from here. At least a week before we risk running into him. So rest easy and sleep.”

I blinked slowly. “And after that?”

“Then we’ll just have to keep avoiding him. Let’s hope the tomb isn’t too far.”

“…Got it.”

That was all I heard before collapsing back down.

She muttered something about indigestion if I slept right after eating, but I ignored her and let sleep take me.

I sank into the depths of slumber.

Crackle, crackle.

A campfire burned before me.

Of course, when I held my hand out, no warmth touched me.

Clicking my tongue, I looked at the man sitting across the flames.

“Captain.”

“What.”

His tone was curt.

I frowned at him, “Why do you keep showing up in my dreams? I could be spending the night with lovely women doing hula dances, but no, it’s you. Do you wanna die?”

“Idiot. This is your dream, not mine.”

I grabbed a rock and chucked it at him, “Get out, bastard.”

He dodged, stood, and snarled, “You really wanna die, huh.”

I sprang up too, “Captain. I’ve gotten a lot stronger, you know. I’m not the same as before.”

He sneered, “And what of it?”

“You’ll see. The day has finally come. My long-cherished wish is about to be fulfilled.”

I cracked my neck menacingly, glaring at him.

He smirked, mocking, “Then come on. Show me, you lunatic.”

I raised my hand.

Starlight gathered in my palm, forming a gleaming blade.

A grin spread across my face, “Well? Not bad, huh?”

The Captain summoned his massive black greatsword, snorting, “Cheap tricks. What are you, a circus performer? Congratulations. You finally found your calling.”

“You’ll know if it’s cheap or not once it cuts you. Just don’t cry when it hurts.”

I charged, brandishing the Star Glow Sword, “Die!”

A moment later, I was face-down in the dirt, groaning, “Ughhh…”

“Learn your place.”

He dusted off his hands and sat back at the fire.

“What kind of idiot struts in here with sparkly toys? You’ve got a hundred years to go.”

Overwhelming defeat.

Even in dreams, he was a monster.

He tossed a rock at me.

Thunk!

It smacked my backside.

“Sit back down, loser. Quit whining.”

“….”

I slumped back over to the fire, dejected.

He clicked his tongue, “Tch. Strong, my ass. You’ve got a long way to go, brat. Work harder.”

I gave a reluctant nod.

He sighed, poking at the fire with a stick, “Well? You called me here for a reason. Out with it.”

I glared at him briefly, then muttered, “…The Frost Knight. He’s after me.”

“…”

“You know? One of the Eight Sword Lords.”

“Don’t know him.”

“Some brag, huh.”

His fierce eyes made me avert mine.

“They say he’s stronger than you. So… they’re telling me I’ll need the Demon Sword to survive.”

“That so.”

He answered flatly, still prodding the fire.

“They say if I take it, I might lose myself… become a bloodthirsty monster.”

“…”

“What if I really turn into a monster?”

Off in the distance, a horrific figure appeared.

It was drenched in blood, cutting down all in its path—man, woman, child alike.

Screams rang out. Pleas for mercy, shrieks, curses.

The monster only laughed darkly and swung its blade again and again, each strike painting the air with fresh streams of blood.

The Captain hurled his greatsword.

Whsshhk!

The blade ripped through the air and impaled the creature.

Thud!

The monster collapsed lifelessly.

The Captain said coldly, “Idiot. What did I teach you? A fight is about spirit.”

“….”

“If you cower like that, of course the sword will devour you. It’ll seize you gladly.”

“….”

He exhaled and beckoned me, “Come here.”

I looked at him. He nodded.

“Hurry.”

“….”

I sat down beside him.

Whack!

“Argh!”

He smacked me hard on the head.

“You coward. Did I raise you to whimper like this?”

“Ow! Ow!”

He stomped on me mercilessly.

“Better to die here under me than to tremble like that. What is a sword to you, that you fear it? A swordsman wields the blade, not the other way around. You fool.”

“Ugh! Ugh!”

“Die then. Die!”

I thought I really might die—

And then my eyes snapped open.

The night was calm.

The small campfire crackled softly, insects chirped in the dark.

It was deep into the night.

“…”

I sat up, staring blankly into the void.

The Heavenly Demon’s voice came, prying into my dream.

[That man… your master?]

“Master? The Captain?”

[Yes.]

I thought for a moment, then shook my head.

“Master? Don’t be ridiculous. He’s not that.”

[Then what is he?]

“He’s just…”

I searched for the words, answering slowly, “Family… I guess.”

[Is that so.]

“Yeah.”

[That’s a relief.]

“…”

The unexpected words left me momentarily speechless.

I forced a cheerful tone, “I’ve only got one master—and that’s my teacher. You should be proud of that.”

The Heavenly Demon snorted.

[What a fool.]

I rolled my stiff shoulders, cracking them loose, and scanned the area.

Shushruta was curled up asleep near the fire, as always.

And in front of her lay a thick ginseng root.

The red berries were gone—she must have eaten them herself.

I chuckled, reaching out to ruffle her hair, “Little brat.”

“Mmm…”

She turned her head away from my hand, smacking her lips once before sinking back into dreams.

I brushed the dirt from the ginseng, chewed up every root and tendril, and swallowed it all.

Then I sat cross-legged, entering meditation.

Eating the ginseng steadily while circulating my breathing, the energy in my dantian built up nicely.

Enough that using Night Sky, Star Moon Art wouldn’t be too much of a burden.

It hadn’t been long since I’d struggled to summon even a single wave of Sword Qi.

Now, the growth was undeniable.

I couldn’t help smiling.

Just looking at it was enough to fill me with pride.

My children.

With my inner energy confirmed, it was time to test the fruits of this battle.

I had heard it—that crack.

I plunged into the lake of my inner world, sinking deep until I stood once more before the great wall of steel and ice.

A massive scar crossed it in an X.

One slash from my moonlit sword-dance before, another added now from cutting through raindrops.

I touched the fissure… then drove my fist into it.

Thud!

Dust fell away.

“Hmm?”

I struck again with a palm imbued with starlight.

Crack!

More dust crumbled.

“What the…?”

I conjured the Star Glow Sword and hacked at the scar with Sword Qi.

Clang! Crack!

The wall groaned, trembling like a beast in pain.

I stepped back, observing carefully.

“…If I keep at this…”

The words “It’ll break” nearly slipped out of my throat, but I swallowed them.

No use getting ahead of myself.

I remembered the Heavenly Demon’s words—

No rejoicing or despair over every little crack.

Steady. Relentless.

I fixed my eyes on the wall.

“Right, Master?”

The Heavenly Demon paused, then answered.

[...Not bad. Keep at it.]

A grin spread across my face.

It had been so long since he praised me.

Not bad—for him, that was the highest of compliments.

“Good.”

I swung the Star Glow Sword madly, hammering the scar with strikes.

Clang! Crack! Clang!

The wall quaked, shedding more dust.

The scars on its surface grew deeper, cut by my blows.

On the road to Ophosis’s Tomb.

The second day.

Like yesterday, we sped forward with lightness arts, never stopping.

We had no time to waste, so we avoided every pursuer, never engaging.

“Refreshing.”

It actually felt good.

I could feel my mastery of movement arts deepening.

The more I ran, the closer I became to the wind itself.

“Hahaha!”

I let out a long laugh as I raced on.

Shushruta, running beside me, cast a sidelong glare, as if annoyed by my good mood. Then her ears twitched.

“Mm?”

She tilted her head, then suddenly stopped.

I skidded to a halt beside her.

“What is it?”

Still bouncing on my toes, flushed with heat from running, I asked.

Her ears perked again, “This sound… I know it.”

She tilted her head a few more times, then clapped her hands.

“Ah!”

“What? Someone you know?”

She nodded, “Someone you know as well.”

“Me too?”

“Yes. Remember that wandering knight we met on the road to Skarab? The one you beat up and even took his sword? His name was… Roi… Oatmeal?”

I thought back, and almost at the same time as the Heavenly Demon, I answered—

[It’s Roetgel.]

“…Sir Roetgel?”

“Ah! That’s right. Sir Roetgel.”

Shushruta clapped her hands, “It really is him. What now? Shall we greet him?”

“Do we have time?”

“It won’t take long. Besides… how’s your sword holding up?”

I drew it at her words.

The once-pristine white blade, once filled with noble spirit, was now battered beyond recognition.

I even felt a twinge of guilt looking at it.

“Yeah… it’s about time I replaced it. Perfect timing. Let’s go.”

“Good.”

She led the way, speaking as she walked.

“But… his footsteps sound different. That’s why it took me a moment to recognize.”

“Hm… really?”

Maybe it was the inner energy I had poured into him.

“We’ll see soon enough.”

[Ho. This should be interesting.]

I quickened my steps, feeling light.

Sir Roetgel.

I’m coming to see you now.

(End of Chapter)

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