Chapter 15 : Escort Mission (4)
by Afuhfuihgs‘Inevitability’ is a type of special ability.
Depending on the disposition of one’s innate fate, it is a special ability that is bound to the paths that have blossomed.
Of course, there are times when martial arts or technical inevitabilities, such as ‘swordsmanship,’ appear, but generally from the second path onward, an inevitability with a special ability emerges.
And the inevitabilities that heroes acquire, like these, boast a wide variety of performances with each path.
In other words, the higher the stage of the path.
And the higher the level of the fate itself, the better the ability that manifests.
‘The fate I once had…’
Even when looking at my own fate, this holds true.
The first path of the <Genius Swordsman>, <Apprentice Magician>, and the inevitability <Flexible Absorption>.
This is an extremely common and ordinary ability, to the point where most magician heroes acquire it by ‘chance.’ It’s practically too embarrassing to call it an inevitability.
That’s why, when I was dragged to the battlefield of the Otherworld, this inevitability didn’t help at all.
Of course, after that, I did grow into a ‘Mana Swordsman’ by leveraging my skill in handling mana.
‘And the fate of a swordsman.’
On the other hand, the newly emerging fate of the <Swordsman>.
Within it, the inevitabilities in the five blossomed paths.
<Flexible Absorption>, <Indomitable Body>, <Mana at the Sword’s Tip>, <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>…
Each of these abilities boasts such overwhelming performance that none of them can be considered useless.
<Flexible Absorption> grants tremendous learning speed for all newly acquired techniques and martial arts, and <Indomitable Body> provides a strengthened physique that allows one to maintain peak condition even in extreme situations.
Moreover, <Mana at the Sword’s Tip> allows one to wield mana through the sword with near-perfect control.
Unfortunately, my physical condition returned to its previous state after my return, but thanks to the support of these inevitabilities, I was able to regain some of my former strength.
And then.
“You are a hero who possesses the inevitability <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>. This inevitability is bound to the fourth path of the <Swordsman> fate, <Knight of the Gale>.”
“<Footsteps of Fallen Leaves> offers faster and smoother movement. If you can handle mana, it allows for explosive acceleration and high-speed movement.”
Heroes who possess a fourth path are called ‘superhumans’ regardless of their profession.
They are heroes who can fulfill the role of more than one person and perform exceptionally well in battles against monsters.
They are beings who wield strong power and handle a mastered fate.
Therefore, from this point onward, the inevitabilities acquired cannot be compared to those of lower-level heroes.
<Footsteps of Fallen Leaves> was no exception.
Since it was an inevitability bound to the fourth path, its effects were beyond the scope of ordinary logic.
“Huff…!!”
Willpower naturally seeps into my body.
The moment I thought about using <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>, my body was already moving smoothly.
As I began to wield my sword, a small smile formed within me.
‘It’s light.’
My body feels light.
And this new power feels familiar.
Even though it’s the first time using this inevitability since my return, it feels like a power I have known for a long time.
It was definitely a power I had used somewhere before.
“Hah…”
I swing my sword with free movements, as if entrusting my steps to the fallen leaves.
The mid-level monster, Kelleil.
Those creatures, which had ambushed in groups, were swiftly pierced by my sword one by one as they appeared.
A sufficient amount of mana was surging from the small gladius in my hand.
Kit, kiii?!
Kigigik-!!
Crackle!!
Kelleil is a monster resembling a small wolf, characterized by its sharp body parts like swords and its ability to move through the ground as if it were its home.
They hide underground and rush at their prey in sudden ambushes, just like the one earlier.
However, every power has a dual nature.
For all its mobility and attack methods, once caught, it’s an easy hunt.
Kelleil is notorious for its weak defense, even among mid-level monsters.
So, the ones that had just revealed themselves were inevitably swept away by my sword, without exception.
Kigigik!!
Crack, crackle!!
I sliced through and tore apart their shallow hides, and without hesitation, I stabbed them whenever I saw an opening.
A series of chilling screams echoed as the Kelleil struck by my sword all suffered fatal injuries.
As I moved, riding the flow of <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>, I was able to confront all the monsters on the flank.
Though I didn’t count exactly, the number of Kelleil skewered by my sword had already exceeded ten.
“Who… who is that hero?”
“How many monsters is he taking on by himself…?”
“Wait. Could that person be… Edgar Mulick…?”
Heroes and new instructors, who had been preparing for battle in various places, were astonished at the sight.
Some of them seemed to recognize me, perhaps from the time we were in the same group during the instructor exam.
But their reactions didn’t particularly matter to me.
At the point when mid-level monsters appeared during the mission, any half-hearted amusement had already lost its meaning.
The important thing was to save as many people as possible.
And, incidentally, to experiment with the abilities bound to my ‘fate.’
‘This is similar to Gale Sword.’
Even as I swung my sword, I analyzed <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>.
Just before my return.
I was often called the ‘Knight of the Gale’ in the Empire and displayed a similar divine skill.
By mastering <Valut Swordsmanship> and <Piareli Footwork> to the extreme, I naturally acquired techniques that ordinary knights couldn’t replicate.
Though I hadn’t named it myself, the public started calling it ‘Gale Sword.’
That Gale Sword had now transformed into an inevitability after my return.
And that inevitability was <Footsteps of Fallen Leaves>.
‘Though it’s a bit creaky… it’s not bad.’
I hadn’t yet fully regained my physical condition from before the return.
Even with the support of <Indomitable Body> and <Mana at the Sword’s Tip>, my body from ten years before the return had been honed through a decade of training.
It will likely take quite some time to fully recover to that state.
But it’s not bad.
The fact that I can move this well in real combat is quite an encouraging result.
It gave me a sense of establishing a certain benchmark for my current combat power, which had been hard to define until now.
“Hm?”
As I was lost in thought, swinging my sword, something strange caught my eye.
Ray, Kaela, and even Instructor Selena, the three members of the flank guard duty.
I moved in a way that kept them within a safe zone, and I prioritized intercepting the monsters detected around them.
Thanks to that, Ray and Selena were left watching my combat in a daze, without even a chance to use their weapons.
It was a pity that I couldn’t gauge Ray’s skill, but safety was more important than anything else.
However, something was off about Kaela.
Her trembling gaze, quivering lips.
Her unsure expression and restless hands.
Her eyes were fixed on Paul and Anna, who had fallen with severe injuries.
“Ah, ugh…”
Thanks to my quick intervention in battle, they avoided death, but with shattered ankles and unbearable pain, they had lost consciousness.
Even though a cleric hero from the upper ranks had rushed over to diagnose them, there didn’t seem to be much progress.
I glanced at them briefly and then turned my eyes back to Kaela.
“Kaela, are you alright?”
“E-Edwin, sir…”
Kaela’s shaky gaze met mine.
And in that gaze, I could immediately read the emotion hidden within.
‘…She’s afraid.’
Like heroes facing their first battle against monsters.
Or like soldiers experiencing their first kill on the battlefield.
Kaela was hiding herself in fear.
She had loved the sword.
The reason she picked up a sword from a young age was incredibly simple.
Her older brother, the firstborn, had long since started learning the family business, leaving no place for her in the household affairs… But Kaela never thought about such complicated or political reasons.
She just loved the sword.
The sound of the sword cutting through the wind.
The smooth trajectory as it sliced and swung.
The essence of swordsmanship, sometimes feeling as beautiful as a dance.
She loved everything the sword could create, the cold touch of the blade, the strong metallic scent that clung to it.
And above all.
She admired the <Swordsman> heroes who ruled the continent with just a sword.
‘I want to be a swordsman when I grow up!’
That was the moment.
The moment she dreamed of becoming a swordsman, and before she knew it, a sword began to hang on her back.
Kaela wanted to become a <Swordsman>.
Whether it was as a knight, a mercenary, or an adventurer…
The profession surrounding it didn’t matter much.
She simply wanted to be a warrior who wielded a sword.
And if possible, to be a hero chosen by that fate…
She desperately wished and longed for that to become her future.
「The compass of fate is shifting dramatically!」
「You are a hero chosen by the fate of the <Swordsman>. The first path of the <Swordsman>, <Genius Swordsman>, is swirling within you.」
And one day, when she became an adult.
When the ‘fate’ she had longed for finally arrived, and her acceptance into the prestigious ‘Tristan Hero Academy’ was confirmed, Kaela was overjoyed, as if she could fly.
It felt like all the dreams she’d held since childhood had become reality, and that she was taking a step toward her future.
At the same time, she began preparing in earnest to become a hero.
‘A hero must be able to fight monsters.’
While not all heroes fought monsters, it was generally expected. Heroes had the duty to protect citizens from the dangers of monsters and beasts, and they needed to be constantly prepared for combat with them.
Kaela had been training for this.
Heroes who had awakened less than three months prior were not allowed to enter monster hunting grounds, so she focused on mentally preparing herself for battle and continued her training and practice.
Furthermore, she thought, ‘Why not get some real experience early?’
Although there was still time before her official admission, she joined the Ritvel Merchant Guild’s journey to Tristan.
Her goal was to encounter and fight the low-level monsters that sometimes appeared in the ‘Red Thicket.’
She believed that if she gained some real combat experience and fought in a few battles, she would become a more skilled hero as a <Swordsman>.
Surely, she thought, it would turn out that way.
“Ah, ugh…”
But the brutal reality and the horrific outcome were far different.
She hadn’t understood the real danger of monsters until now.
“Ah, ugh…”
Kaela couldn’t pull herself together.
Her heart was pounding, her gaze unsteady, and her hands trembled.
Two rookie instructors had fallen before her eyes.
They weren’t dead, but blood was pouring out everywhere, and they groaned in pain.
They were heroes who had bloomed their ‘second path.’
They were the very escort force Kaela herself had chosen.
And they had been utterly defenseless against the attack.
Their skin was torn, and their ankles were severed.
“D-Damn…”
This was the reality.
This was the battle heroes fought against monsters, and this was the danger a <Swordsman> on the front lines had to face.
Fear gripped her.
An overwhelming sense of fear crept in.
Even though Instructor Edwin, who had accompanied them, was performing heroically and had asked her with concern if she was alright, none of that reached her eyes or ears.
All that remained in her heart was anxiety and terror.
She couldn’t bring herself to draw her sword.
“Draw your sword, Kaela.”
But at that moment, a voice struck her ears.
She looked up at him.
The rookie instructor who had accompanied her on the escort mission.
The companion who had kept her company tirelessly on their journey here.
The same person who had just asked her if she was okay now stood before her with a serious gaze.
“Draw your sword and look at your enemy. It is not the enemy that you should fear.”
His cold eyes met hers.
In his hand was a sword.
Small, yet seeming larger than life…
A worn-out gladius rested in his grip.
With that small sword, he had taken down all the monsters here.
“Weak will and the self-consuming fear inside you—that is what you should truly fear and guard against.”
Edwin—
No, Edgar Mulick, declared.
“So, draw your sword. Draw it and face your enemy with pride.”
Fight.
And bring down your foe.
Simple words, yet they cleared her mind.
The only thing that could resolve everything was, after all, the ‘sword.’
And at that moment, Kaela’s heart began to race.
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