Chapter 129: The Primordials’ Land

Claaang!

A strong voice of clashing iron echoed.

Amidst the howling wind of Naraka’s night, a pair of swords screamed as they clashed.

But, it didn’t take a while before the sound stopped.

After being overwhelmed in another fight of strength, Isaac fell awkwardly on his butt.

Following that, Rianna aimed the tip of her greatsword at him without hesitation.

“…I lost.”

He had no choice but to admit his defeat.

Clank.

Rianna lowered her sword before holding out her hand.

After taking her hand, Isaac stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes and tried to catch his breath.

Out of 32 matches, 0 wins, 32 losses.

Today ended in another defeat for him.

“…You’re still fired up.”

At the end of every one of their sparring sessions, Rianna would give her short evaluation about the spar.

Although, it was more of an advice than an evaluation.

“Huh?”

“Normal people would give up at this point, but you don’t seem like you’d give up soon…”

“Ah.”

A snicker escaped his lips.

Rianna didn’t know what he found funny and tilted her head, but Isaac just picked up his sword.

“Even if I fall, the world goes on.”

“Huh?”

That wasn’t just a simple saying.

His life hadn’t been smooth-sailing; he had experienced the depth of abyss in his life multiple times.

One particular memory came to his mind.

The time when he lost his legs and had to struggle to live in that suffocating Helmont Mansion.

Living in that pitch-black darkness, locking himself inside that tiny room, refusing to let anyone to even come close to him.

“…”

Seeing him taking a step back with a smile, Rianna’s eyes widened.

“Wanna go again?”

“…”

She nodded and stepped back to create a distance between them again.

This time, Isaac started with his sword drawn.

He remembered what Nameless said. If he were to overly rely on Iai, then the basics of his swordsmanship would remain shaky.

Was it a mistake to focus on Iai?

He wasn’t like the Grandmaster.

If her technique was one that was built from scratch to completion, his was one that used that completed technique as a basis.

Even those who devoted their lives to the sword would still make mistakes.

Sometimes, they just forgot what they had learned, sometimes they found out that they weren’t skillful enough to do something.

The way of the sword was profound and difficult.

But that was exactly why people chose to walk on this path and devote their lives to the sword.

Clang!

A few minutes later.

After getting his 33rd loss, Isaac returned to where everyone else was.

He calmed his remaining Demonic Energy, plopped down, and caught his breath.

Immediately, two people approached him.

Nameless and Uldiran Cardias.

The two stared at each other for a second, but Nameless quickly shrugged and stepped back, letting the latter go first.

This wasn’t the first time she had done this—she always gave in to Uldiran.

It was as if she was acknowledging that he was the stronger one between them and he was entitled to take the first place.

“I believe that you need to realize something about yourself.”

“Huh?”

The words he blurted out next was something that even Isaac failed to expect.

“Why can’t you believe in yourself more?”

“…”

“When I see you swing your sword, you always act as if you’re the weaker one. It’s agonizing to watch.”

He said with his arms crossed.

On the side, Sharen and Silverna perked their ears, listening to this conversation.

“I understand where you came from. Throughout your life, you’ve been fighting those stronger than you. That’s part of the reason why your growth has been unbelievably quick.”

“…”

“But that’s also the reason why part of your heart believes that you are a weakling. And that contributes to you swinging your sword as if you’re an actual weakling.”

His words were sharp and firm.

“The way you fight, reading your enemy’s flow, lunging at the opening they made, winning at with a single strike, that’s an excellent way of fighting, I admit that. However, that means you’ll always have to let your enemy lead the momentum of the fight.”

Isaac’s decisive, courageous, and firm attitude.

The sharpness of the blade he wielded.

And the Grandmaster’s technique that he learned, sharpened and refined to perfection.

The combination of those three was the thing that made his fighting style work so far.

“You have a good eye for swords, that’s why you managed to survive so far with such a method. But, how long are you going to keep doing this? To watch your enemy lead the momentum of the fight and take advantage of the opening they made? What if they’re so strong that you can’t find any opening? What if they’re so skilled that they won’t make any mistakes no matter what?”

That advice hit way too close to home for Isaac.

Because the person Uldiran was talking about was exactly the person he had just sparred with.

Rianna didn’t make mistakes, never have, never will.

That was why no matter how many times they sparred, the result wouldn’t change, no matter what.

Of course, Isaac was trying his best.

Considering that just a year ago, he couldn’t even hold a sword properly, his current strength was nothing to be scoffed at.

“I’ll reiterate. It’s not that your method is wrong, but…”

The world wouldn’t be so kind to let that kind of method work every single time.

“Did Arandel do that?”

Those words hit Isaac like a bolt out of the blue.

Arandel Helmont.

He was a man who refused to let his opponent control the momentum even for a moment.

Instead, he swung his sword and dominated his opponent.

“You’re smart, so I don’t think I’d need to say anything else. I trust you’ll figure it out yourself.”

Uldiran turned around and left.

His wife, Seleni, then quickly approached him and praised him for a job well done.

Seeing him left, Nameless came over and approached Isaac this time.

“What are you gonna do if there’s a tiger in your house?”

“…Huh?”

It sounded like a random question.

But Nameless insisted that he answer it.

“So, what are you gonna do?”

“I’ll chase it out, of course?”

“Mhm, that sounds about right.”

She nodded approvingly.

Then, she twisted the question in a strange direction.

“But, what if you can’t chase it away? What if you have to live together with it no matter what?”

“…Then, I’ll try to tame it.”

“That’s how your relationship with the Demonic Energy in your body is right now.”

Demonic Energy.

He had been trying to use it, but he still didn’t know how to use it properly.

Sometimes, it only made that eerie sound.

Other times, it moved on its own, as if it had its own consciousness.

“If you aren’t going to throw it away, then you have to accept it. You have to tame it.”

“…”

“The big man already said everything I want to say about your sword, so I’m gonna advise you on your Demonic Energy instead. If you’re going to use it, then don’t fear it.”

Just like when one was forced to live with a tiger.

If one wished to live together with it, then they had no other choice but to tame it.

“Honestly, I’m not sure how this is going to work for you, but…”

Nameless next words were one that stabbed Isaac the most coldly and fiercely.

“Those who have it, all bear the same karma to carry.”

Among the Primordials, there were those who were the most proficient in swordplay.

Those who were called Sword Demons.

Isaac had always thought that the reason why he obtained the Demonic Energy was due to the Volten Massacre.

But, if he were to think of the implication between Nameless’ words, that assumption seemed to be wrong.

He could remember what had happened back then, when he swung his sword as if he was possessed by something.

At that time, I…

What was on his mind when he swung his sword back then?

That question began to arise in his mind.

Primordials’ Land.

From the name, one could imagine that it was a barren, desolate, and savage land.

Wild weeds were everywhere, pointy rocks jutted out of the dry land, Demonic Beasts roamed around, looking for prey…

After walking around Naraka for a few days, the image that this world was just filled with such desolation had been etched strongly in everyone’s heads.

So, they expected that the Primordials’ Land would be the same way too.

But, it turned out that their assumption had been wrong.

“Woah…?”

Before she realized it, Sharen let out that exclamation of admiration.

In front of them stood a tall and solid yellow wall.

Its scale was probably comparable to the Malidean Wall, and it did its job warding off the Demonic Beasts with ease.

Beyond the wall, they could see an absurdly tall tower.

She wasn’t bluffing when she said that they have a tower that reaches the sky.

The tower was so high that no one could even see its end.

It gave off the illusion that it went all the way to the Silver Clock up above.

“We only need to pretend to be merchants and go in. There’s no need to worry.”

Rankelon said with a smile.

Although, judging from the way he covered his face so thoroughly, it didn’t take a genius to tell that this place wouldn’t welcome him.

“Brace yourselves. Inside, you all will have to deal with those guys’ raw, unbridled hatred of humans.”

Nameless said, crossing her arms.

“Some of them will even try to abduct you. So, stay close and don’t wander off alone.”

“…Thanks for the heads-up.”

Isaac thanked her, but Nameless only stared at him. She looked like she had something to say, but eventually, she chose to swallow her words.

“Enough. Any more, and I’ll grow too attached to you.”

She turned around.

Her black hair that was visible through the satgat swayed in the wind.

“My job is to be the Primordials’ blade. You are aware of what this entails, right?”

“The next time we meet, we’re gonna be enemies.”

“Smart. Our journey together was enjoyable. I understand now why Number 10 chose to trust you so wholeheartedly.”

What does she even understand?

I’ve only been beaten by Rianna 40 times throughout the journey…

“We used to share our dreams. All of us, while looking towards the moon.”

The Grandmaster’s dream.

To see a human’s sword surpass the Transcendent Race’s.

What made her have such a dream?

Such a question rose in Isaac’s head, but whatever the reason was, it was clear that the answer lied in their past.

“But, I gave up on that dream. Reality made me realize that it was nothing but a pipe dream.”

“…”

“But she… She was different. That fool refused to give up until the very end.”

A faint smile appeared on her lips. She reached out to him, her hand gently caressed the top of his head.

“I’m looking forward to it.”

“…”

“The day when you’d finally cut me down.”

Nameless stepped forward, passing Isaac and the rest of the group, entering through the gate by herself.

No one tried to stop her. Everyone knew that she was just tagging along, their destination just happened to be the same place.

“Everyone, gather.”

At Rianna’s call, the villagers gathered around her.

Since they had arrived at their destination, they were trying to plan what they were going to do once they entered the city.

Naturally, the humans were left out of this discussion.

After all, we’re supposed to be sacrificed for a sorcery.

It would only make the villagers suspicious if they were to join in.

Besides, this whole charade would soon be over.

Come to think of it…

Primordials’ Land.

The so-called center of sorcery.

This could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

They might just be able to learn more about sorcery here.

More specifically, they could learn about the sorcery that got them stuck in this place in the first place.

Perhaps, here—

“Isaac, Isaac.”

“…What?”

Suddenly, Sharen broke his line of thoughts.

Just now, she had been playing with Pressing Stone, but for right now, the rock was crouching and shivering for some reason.

Thanks to that, it looked like a normal rock at first glance.

“Are there a lot of sorcery users here?”

“According to Nameless, not really. They have something like the Magic Tower here too, though.”

Just like how it was with mages in the humans’ world, not every Transcendent could use sorcery.

“So, are there gonna be a lot of them in that Tower thing?”

“Yeah. Just like in the Magic Tower.”

Vivian, who had been listening nearby, flinched when he heard the conversation.

Being a Mana Supremacist, finding out that there was a ‘Magic Tower’ in a world without mana made him feel half-joyful, half-bitter.

“Ahh…”

Hearing that, Sharen nodded, as if she understood what he was saying.

Then, she approached him quietly.

“What? Are you going to prank me again? I won’t let you blow my ear again, you—”

“No, that’s not it!”

Sharen came closer to his ear as she complained. In the end, Isaac relented, bracing himself to receive another one of her pranks.

“Then, does that mean we can learn about your regression there, Isaac?”

“Wha—?”

For a moment there, it felt like the world came to a stand still.

At the very least, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that in the eyes of the man named Isaac Logan, everything became frozen in place.

“…Hm?”

He turned his head towards Sharen, wondering if he heard it wrong.

“Want me to help you?”

But Sharen just asked him that with her usual bright smile.