Ch.203Chapter 203: For the Coming Future

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The dragon sword had arrived.

Not to mention the spiritual body of Fafnir contained within it.

I had believed the goddess’s promise to return it today, so I didn’t doubt that the dragon sword would come.

But it returned to my side much faster than I had expected, thinking it might not arrive until close to midnight.

I was granted the luxury of appreciating the dragon sword’s appearance earlier than anticipated, having thought I would only see it the next morning after falling asleep and waking up.

[Huuuh…]

Although Fafnir’s condition seemed concerning as he continuously let out sighs like someone who had lived a full life.

For now, I thought it was important to assess the condition of the sword after being enhanced by the goddess’s touch.

So while mentally apologizing to Fafnir, I carefully took the floating dragon sword with both hands and began examining it.

On the surface, every part except the blade remained unchanged from its original pitch-black appearance.

But seeing the faint glow surrounding the sword—though much weaker, it was of the same nature as the radiance it had shown when it first appeared in this room.

I sensed it intuitively.

This subtle glow now residing in the dragon sword.

It was the same as the holy radiance that had always emanated from the sacred sword wielded by Shizu, who had been hailed as the great hero who saved the world before my regression.

For such a glow to surround a sword, the most important component—the blade—and what it was made of was crucial.

For a glow with the same properties as a holy sword to manifest, the metal used to forge the blade was of utmost importance.

Which meant that the metal used to make this dragon sword was also…

“…Divine Calibus.”

The name that spontaneously left my lips was that of the transcendent metal imbued with divine principles, used to create the holy sword.

“Hooh…”

The moment I realized this, an involuntary exclamation of admiration escaped my lips.

To discover that this bastard sword, which my ancestor was said to have favored before the holy sword and which wasn’t recorded in a single line of historical documents.

Was actually crafted from the same divine metal as the holy sword—how could I not be amazed?

I wanted to express even greater excitement, but I knew this wasn’t the time for that, so I restrained myself.

[Huuuuh…]

As Fafnir’s voice echoed in my mind, sighing like someone who had given up on life, completely drained of energy.

*Sae-aek! Sae-aek!!*

With the careful breathing sounds of Shizu, who had been moved to the bed and was now asleep, resonating throughout the room.

I didn’t want to add any more noise to the situation.

Having finished examining the sword, it seemed appropriate to discuss future plans with Fafnir.

[What a terrible goddess…]

But judging by his state of agitation, as if I wasn’t even in his thoughts, it seemed he needed more time.

So I sat down modestly on the floor, still holding the dragon sword with both hands, and continued my contemplation about the sword.

Though at this point, my thoughts were more focused on the divine metal used to create the sword rather than the sword itself.

After the Great Holy War ended and the Empire was born following a thousand years, human technology had been making tremendous advances under the name of magical engineering.

While all fields were experiencing remarkable growth, there was one area that developed exceptionally—metallurgy.

Just as the special alloy steel used as the framework for Night Haven, built to block the creatures of the Demon Realm who were eyeing expansion from the northern continent into the central region.

Had withstood any physical impact except for the fierce attacks of the Demon God Desire and her most loyal servant Adorato.

Metallurgy was a technology that urgently needed to develop to counter the creatures of the Demon Realm who threatened our homeland with overwhelming malice.

So with the establishment of basic magical engineering theories, it achieved remarkable growth and contributed to the Empire’s development as a cutting-edge technology.

But there was one thing that even the metallurgical researchers and field technicians of the time, who prided themselves on surpassing the Great Holy War era of a thousand years ago in all other aspects, unanimously admitted they could not reproduce.

As you might have guessed by now, it was the divine metal called Divine Calibus, used to create the holy sword that Shizu currently wields.

In a way, it was an obvious conclusion.

Metallurgy is a discipline and technology that aims to create alloys by combining numerous minerals found in nature or to rationalize the many processes of refining and smelting.

To reproduce a metal not found in nature but born from the will of transcendent beings.

Would be like discussing a dream within a dream at this point in time, when there have been no humans who have attained divinity through their own power since our ancestor, Lumen Ranos.

Needless to say, before my regression.

And even in the memories of my other self from different timelines that are gradually seeping into my mind now, I had closely observed the holy sword.

Yet I had never thought that this dragon sword, which I was encountering for the first time in this life, was made from the same divine metal as the holy sword.

Now that some of its hidden power had been unlocked by the goddess’s touch, revealing that this sword contained the divine metal of the gods, my curiosity deepened.

One of the most important aspects of assessing a sword’s condition is to actually hold it and then make a judgment.

But I felt satisfaction just from observing the subtle changes in the sword before even holding it.

I increasingly wanted to swing the sword right away to make the sensory differences that came with the changes my own, while also satisfying my curiosity.

But before being true to my desires.

I thought it was more important to express gratitude for Fafnir’s efforts, who must have struggled to imbue the dragon sword with such power.

‘Fafnir?’

Even though Shizu was asleep, I called out to Fafnir in my mind rather than aloud, just to be safe.

If his response was good, I wanted to check if there was anything more about the dragon sword that I didn’t know through him.

[Uuugh…]

Despite having known him for quite some time, I had never heard such a drained groan from him—should I call it a dragon’s life rather than a human life?

Anyway, I thought I needed to wake up his spirit first, hearing this kind of exhausted moan.

‘Fafnir.’

I carefully called his name once more.

[Whatever happens from now on, don’t even think about taking me out in that goddess’s presence.]

Finally ending his groaning, Fafnir’s repeated plea to me was not only refreshing but also aroused my curiosity.

…What had happened while I was away?

Judging by Fafnir’s terrified reaction when I was about to lend the dragon sword.

I could guess that he had been considerably harassed by the goddess in some form after I left.

But what form that harassment took was still in the realm of imagination.

So I was about to casually ask Fafnir, who had finally regained his senses, what had happened.

[If you want your training with me to be even slightly more comfortable in the future, don’t say a word.]

His stern tone, detecting my intention, made me put away my curiosity.

If it had been just an ordinary stern warning, I would have tried to lighten the mood with some playfulness to satisfy my curiosity by persuading Fafnir.

But just as I had never heard his groans and laments before.

This stern voice from Fafnir was also a kind I had never heard before.

So I instinctively decided against trying to satisfy my curiosity.

I didn’t want an outcome where I’d live a miserable life just because I tried to satisfy some trivial curiosity.

[Good decision. Rolling around in the sword tomb seems to have sharpened your senses.]

Fafnir’s voice was full of praise for detecting my intentions even without a physical body.

But before fully accepting his praise.

I was simply amazed at how Fafnir, without a physical body, could read my inner thoughts as if they were written on the palm of his hand.

[When you live long enough without a physical body, you can observe many things without relying on physical senses. That’s all.]

Just like now.

Even though I hadn’t said anything and maintained a composed expression.

It was truly fascinating how he could perceive what I was thinking.

Well, it was also ridiculous for me to try to guess the senses of a great dragon that far exceeded human imagination, even though I had grown somewhat stronger but still retained a human framework.

As I completely organized this curiosity in my mind.

[You can easily gain this ability even with a physical body if you faithfully follow the training I prescribe. Without needing to awaken it like some special privilege.]

Fafnir, having finished his lamentations, continued to offer various pieces of advice to me without pause.

It seemed as if he was compelled to keep talking, as though afraid that if he stopped, he wouldn’t be able to suppress the terrible(??) memories he had just experienced.

[It’s good that your intuition has sharpened, but don’t think any further than that.]

Fafnir’s voice, which had regained its characteristic slyness, stopped me from continuing my speculation.

That was enough to understand.

Thanks to the Dragon Heart obtained through the sword tomb’s trial.

And the absorption of life experiences drawn by another me who had traversed numerous timelines.

I couldn’t deny that I had gained power that was unimaginable before my regression.

But that power was still far from even approaching Fafnir, let alone surpassing him.

‘Still a long way to go.’

Although I never had the audacious thought of surpassing him in the first place.

Separately from that, I was just curious about when I might receive praise from this great dragon, saying I had reached a somewhat useful level.

The thoughts and imaginative wings that arose in my mind were about to expand infinitely like roots deeply embedded in the ground.

[…So!]

But they were cut off by Fafnir’s crisp voice, which added a strong emphasis to conclude his endless story.

[Young one, try holding the sword.]

Along with his voice in my mind urging me to hold the dragon sword, which was gently settling down.

I realized it was time for our training session through sparring, which we had been doing whenever we had time in the evenings lately.

Just when I had fallen asleep as if passing out shortly after leaving the sword tomb.

My certainty that this would be the end of my daily routine had been shattered with a subtle cracking sound.

But now, Fafnir’s suggestion was rather welcome in my mind.

I was already filled with the desire to swing the goddess-enhanced dragon sword in a state of trance.

And since the fatigue that had built up in my body since I fell asleep like I had passed out was rapidly dissipating, I felt the need to move my body forcibly to build up adequate fatigue before going to sleep.

I had planned to spend the time until sleep by swinging the dragon sword in the training ground.

But I thought it would be quite awkward to be seen swinging a sword in the training ground when I had fallen asleep like I had passed out after the trial and not even a day had passed.

Fafnir’s insistent voice urging me to train was, at this moment, the most appropriate suggestion that eased my concerns.

So I gripped the sword with my right hand, which had been supporting it.

Woong-!!

At that moment, along with a steady rhythmic resonance that calmly echoed in my ears.

I experienced the familiar sinking of consciousness that always occurred when facing Fafnir’s spiritual body.

When my mind was dominated by many tasks to do and the worries they created.

I knew from experience that sometimes these could be resolved by things unrelated to the tasks.

So I had no doubt that I would calm my fear of the uncertain future through sparring with Fafnir.

As soon as my darkened consciousness returned.

“Hey there.”

A haze formed around Fafnir, who greeted me warmly, as the energy from his red dragon armor merged with the overwhelming fighting spirit he emitted.

“As you’ve grown stronger, I should also increase the intensity for the training to be meaningful, don’t you think?”

I truly believed this until I saw him shrugging his shoulders while wearing the red dragon armor, speaking with a playful voice.

I couldn’t imagine what expression Fafnir was making with his face hidden by the helmet.

But he seemed undoubtedly pleased with the current situation.

Was the remarkably effective recovery of fatigue from that brief sleep-like passing out all in preparation for this?

“Haah…”

I let out a short sigh and infused fighting spirit into the dragon sword in my hand, pondering what move I could use to land a hit on Fafnir, who was looking at me in his red dragon armor.

Despite my best efforts, thinking deeply and paying attention to every swing of my sword.

Thanks to his ultra-regenerative ability, his wounds healed immediately after being hit, and this cycle repeated, but I still couldn’t land a proper effective hit on him.

With regret in my heart, promising myself to do better next time, I was knocked out by his fist striking my jaw.

After repeating this for about three years.

I could finally leave a decent sword mark on his red dragon armor with the dragon sword without infusing it with fighting spirit, though the mark would soon heal.

“Now you’re becoming useful.”

Hearing Fafnir’s satisfied praise.

“Well then! You’ve worked hard, so go to sleep!”

I was knocked unconscious by his fist, which hit me with a clean hit more intensely than usual.

Life is…