Chapter 138: Following One’s Instinct

“Huu…”

In the underground dungeon.

Kneeling while bound by the chains, Rianna let out a deep breath. But even that gesture barely had any vitality within it.

The fact that she was breathing meant she was alive, but her breath was so ragged that it was obvious she wouldn’t last long in her current state.

Ironically, her head became significantly clearer in such a state.

Not only that, she could also control her tongue to some extent.

What’s…going on…?

Vassalization was a sorcery to make humans completely submissive to the Transcendent Race.

Yet, she was able to maintain her rationality to some extent even under such a sorcery, which was a miracle in itself.

Perhaps it was due to Helmont’s blood which originated from the Transcendents’.

“…”

She closed her eyes and felt the weight of the wedding ring on her chest pocket.

The same ring that she and Isaac exchanged when they got divorced.

It was the only thing that made her keep on going.

At that moment, the sound of clear footsteps echoed from a distance.

She didn’t even have the energy to roll her eyes to see who it was.

Let alone that, she didn’t even have the energy to say anything despite the sorcery’s influence demanding her to spill out everything that she was thinking about.

“Oh my, are you dying already?”

A woman’s voice entered her ears.

Rianna recognized her voice. She was the Primordial who introduced herself as a ‘Bloodfiend’, the woman whom the group met when they were climbing up the Tower.

With a soft smile on her face, she lifted Rianna’s chin. Then, she poured the water in her hand into her mouth.

That revitalized Rianna to some extent.

Clank!

She shook the chains that bound her, and in a cold tone, she declared.

“I’ll kill you.”

“Oh my, you still have quite the mouth, don’t you?”

The Bloodfiend brushed off Rianna’s killing intent with a chuckle and a sly smile.

She knew that the bound woman couldn’t do anything, so there really was no need for her to be intimidated by this.

“You’re beautiful. Let me tell you this, I particularly love beautiful things.”

The Bloodfiend caressed Rianna’s cheek as she said that, her tone suggesting that she was trying to comfort her.

“Your effort to try and resist the sorcery is also beautiful. But, you know that it’s only a matter of time, right?”

“…”

“To give you a story that matches the beauty you possess. I choose to believe that’s what we’re trying to do.”

“What?”

“There have been some talks. About you. About how Helric had sacrificed his left arm for you, and yet we hadn’t been able to use you.”

This was because even after she was hit by Vassalization, Rianna was still able to resist and even attack the Transcendents.

To them, she was a powerful hunting dog that they could send anytime, but she was also so untamed that she might just bite their hands the moment she had the chance to.

“Evergard.”

The name that came out of the Bloodfiend’s mouth was something that Rianna didn’t want to hear.

“We’re going to send you there.”

Tap.

Her chilling hand tapped Rianna’s forehead.

“Princess Adeline.”

“…”

“The kingdom’s true leader. Kill her.”

Their journey to the Magic Tower took longer than Isaac had expected.

Hence why, when during the day they were traveling on horsebacks, during the night, Isaac spent his time to train, train, and train.

“Pick up your sword.”

Even the childish Grandmaster transformed the moment the night fell and she picked up her sword.

With a solemn, expressionless face, she taught him as. Her oodachi swung silently.

Recently, Isaac had been focusing on sparring with her.

What he originally thought to be spars to increase his overall strength turned out to be ones where she pointed out the flaws in his posture and balance.

“Continuing the journey tomorrow will be harsh on you if we were to continue. Let’s stop.”

After three hours passed, the Grandmaster said that and sheathed her sword.

At this point, Sharen and Damian had already fallen asleep.

Only those two were swinging their swords under the watchful gaze of the moonlight.

And Nameless, of course, who was also around to watch them.

“Hmm…”

Under her satgat, she looked noticeably restless as she approached Isaac.

In her hand was the manual Isaac had written.

‘Isaac’s Swordsmanship’.

“This thing.”

Nameless had spent the last few days reading the manual.

Due to the recent incidents, Isaac had stopped updating it, but what he had already written was impressive enough to warrant praise from her.

“It’s amazing.”

Her reaction was genuine and Isaac could tell that.

It was clear from the way she shook her head, as if in awe.

“I’m not just talking about the degree of the swordsmanship’s perfection. It’s amazing how you could judge yourself objectively to this extent.”

“A-Ahem.”

The Grandmaster puffed up her chest, clearly happy after hearing the praises that her disciple had gotten.

But, if Nameless only wanted to praise him, she wouldn’t have approached him in such a timing in the first place.

“And that’s where the problem lies.”

“What?”

“…”

She let out a sigh and handed the manual back to him.

“I told you, didn’t I? Relying too much on rationality when wielding your sword could become a poison.”

“…”

“Especially considering that you have Demonic Energy.”

At those words, the Grandmaster faked a cough and turned her head away.

It seemed like she also shared the same opinion as her, but she didn’t know how to convey it.

“I know, I’ve accepted that advice ever since then. In fact, I always kept it in mind while fighting.”

That wasn’t an excuse.

He really had been paying attention to that, hence why his answer came out more like a question than an excuse.

Her words from back then really resonated with him, after all, so he had been trying to follow them as much as he could.

“Haa…”

“A-Ahem.”

But the two masters only let out a sigh when they heard his words.

“…?”

He stared at them with a confused expression. Seeing this, the Grandmaster let out a wry smile.

“Even with great wisdom that you have, you’re still blind to yourself, huh, Child? Then again, I guess that’s just human’s nature.”

“Um…? I don’t understand?”

“Can’t you see the contradiction in what you just said?”

Contradiction?

Isaac thought about it for a moment, but he couldn’t find anything.

Nameless taught him and he followed her teaching the best he could.

There was nothing wrong with that.

“Haa…”

Finally, Nameless spoke up.

“Your words implied that you’ve been trying to use your instinct rationally. Tell me, does that even make sense?”

“…Huh?”

Those words felt like a slap in the face.

As Nameless had said, he had been trying to dictate his instincts with his reason.

“I’ve been sparring with the Sword Demons for the longest time. They often discussed their sword and Demonic Energy.”

The Grandmaster frowned when he heard the words ‘Sword Demon’, but she didn’t stop Nameless.

After all, this advice was probably one that Isaac needed the most.

“As I’ve mentioned, you won’t be able to use even half the prowess of your Demonic Energy if you suppress your instinct.”

“…”

“Let me tell you something. Among the Sword Demons, there are even those who spoke with their Demonic Energy.”

At that, Isaac’s eyes widened.

“…Sometimes, I did hear people’s screams and resentment from my Demonic Energy.”

Snap!

Hearing that, Nameless snapped her finger and nodded her head.

“That means your Demonic Energy is ready to accept you as its master. But, your rationality is rejecting it.”

“…”

Without his rationality, he wouldn’t be able to survive this far.

In his previous life, when facing the deaths of his comrades, he’d cling to his rationality, turn his back and plan for another day. Even when they were about to lose, he chose to look at the reality with his cold logic rather than clinging to vague hope.

Having lived through such a time, it was hard for him to let go of this mindset.

I…

In truth, there was once a time when he yearned for romance and chased after what seemed to be an unattainable dream.

A time when he believed that as long as he was honest with his emotions, the world would accept him in kind.

But, that time ended in a tragedy. The turbulent time that followed forced him to believe in his cold logic.

Ironically, it was thanks to that he was able to survive until today.

It was even more so considering his role to compile and impart swordsmanship upon others as the Ink Sword.

“I believe that it’s time to let it go.”

Crossing her arms, the Grandmaster declared to Isaac.

“Child.”

She had long known of this predicament of his, but she hadn’t spoken out up until this point because…

“I know what kind of life you’ve lived.”

She knew the gist of what he had experienced and what kind of hell he had gone through to reach this point.

“Sometimes, the past might serve as the thing that spurs you further in life. But, there are times when it overstays its welcome, and that’s when you should let it go.”

Isaac knew that she too, had chosen to abandon her school. So, her words resonated with him.

His past had shaped him to become the current him.

“In order to move forward, you have to change.”

Isaac clenched his fists at the Grandmaster’s words.

Saving Rianna, defeating the Transcendent Race, saving the world…

To achieve all that, he had to become stronger.

“I understand.”

If he had to bury the past to grow stronger, then so be it.

“Then, what should I do?”

“To follow your instincts, you first have to kill your rationality.”

As if waiting for this exact moment, Nameless gave out a decisive answer.

“Hoaaahm!”

With a yawn, Sharen came out of her tent, rubbing her eyes while looking around.

Soon enough, she found Isaac, standing with a blank look on his face.

From the bump on his head, it seemed like he had injured himself while training last night.

“Hoaaahm!”

She let out another yawn.

Then, she sat down right in front of Isaac before holding out her hair tie.

“Isaac! Tie my hair!”

Since her maid, Kelsey, didn’t join the group’s journey to the Magic Tower, Isaac had been the one who was tying her hair up.

Today too, Sharen’s usual day began—

“No.”

—Or not.

“Huh?”

Surprised, Sharen looked back to see Isaac. There was a frown on his face and it seemed like he was thinking hard about something.

“N-No?”

More importantly though, he refused her request.