I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 51:  The Otherworldly Ruins (2)

“Y-your arm…!”

“Reincarnator!”

Two magicians who arrived late immediately sprang into action. As soon as they assessed the situation, they began using magic.

Shave’s spell quickly flew toward me, wrapping around my left hand. The pressure on the wound stemmed from the bleeding. It was a simple healing spell meant for emergency first aid.

Envy, on the other hand, cast a spell that imbued my sword with something extraordinary. The magic descended like scattered starlight, enveloping my blade.

For a swordsman, their sword is an extension of their body. There was no way I wouldn’t notice the changes it underwent.

‘The blade’s become sharper…’

The sword’s edge was now finer, and it seemed to repel the flow of mana in its surroundings. 

As I lightly swung the blade to test it, the mana dispersed throughout the air parted naturally along its path.

I could now cut mana itself. In other words, I could cleave through spells with my blade. But would that even matter? My opponent was a swordsman, not a magician.

While I was briefly lost in thought, the Reincarnator waved his hand in the air. It was an ordinary, unremarkable motion, yet everyone present heard it.

Kiiiiing—!

A bizarre sound suddenly erupted.

It resembled the noise of something spinning at high speed. I had heard a similar sound before—like the whirring of small components in a massive machine used to knead bread.

As I snapped out of my thoughts, a blue magic circle materialized behind the Reincarnator. Almost simultaneously, Shave shouted a warning.

“Knight! Be careful!”

There was no need for him to say it; I had already sensed it. Even without extending my mana perception far, I could detect the unusual phenomenon occurring right before my eyes. I reacted instantly.

My left foot moved forward, my body twisting slightly as I pivoted. A sharp slash imbued with rotational force sliced through the air, leaving a trail of starlit mana.

Pakang—!

Before the spell could fully form, its flow was severed. The mana, which had gathered according to the caster’s will, dispersed into a blue mist.

“What in the…!”

“The spell was disrupted before completion?”

The two magicians, aside from me, gasped in astonishment. The magic had been cut off before it could be cast. I had identified its focal point and sliced through the core of the spell.

Such a feat required exceptional talent, keen senses, and unwavering self-belief.

‘If he hadn’t become a knight, he might have been a magician…’

Shave quickly began preparing his next spell. The knight accompanying them had just proven his remarkable skill. It was a sign that they could use their magic freely without hesitation.

The hesitation and fear faded away. Magic, after all, is a discipline of the mind. Its effectiveness depends on the caster’s mindset and condition on any given day. Without fear or hesitation, magic naturally becomes more powerful than before.

“I’ll open the way!”

Shave used neither an incantation nor significant preparation time. Instead of creating something extravagant or powerful, he cast a spell to support my movements.

Paaaaaat—!

A mystical energy extended in a straight line, shimmering with a blue glow. It manifested as scattered mana platforms in midair, like remnants of shattered stars, and extended close to the Reincarnator.

It didn’t take me long to grasp Shave’s intentions. Without hesitation, I surged forward, stepping onto the platforms he had created. Changing direction in midair was no challenge.

The surroundings were filled with footholds made just for me. The chaotic scatter of platforms allowed for a variety of movement paths.

The Reincarnator didn’t remain idle, either. He deemed me the highest priority and cast an array of spells against me.

Flashes of light erupted, and at times, a chilling frost swept forth to halt my progress. But Envy’s support came through each time, intercepting with counter-spells.

Envy used quick-activation attack magic, firing back the moment he identified the enemy’s spells.

Boom—! Boom!

In mere seconds, a storm of explosions filled the air. Yet my charge remained unimpeded. The straight trajectory veered diagonally, and then descended sharply.

As the distance closed in an instant, the Reincarnator chose to flee. He turned and bolted toward the dense forest.

‘Strange…’

As I pursued him, an odd sense of unease filled me. The Reincarnator was no ordinary individual. Whether in a good or bad sense, he possessed something unique.

He was capable of both wielding magic and using exceptional swordsmanship. While that alone could be considered special, my focus lay elsewhere.

‘They said he developed an independent magic system…’

According to the Tower of Magic, the Reincarnator had established his own magic system. 

Yet the spells he had shown so far were unremarkable. Neither the casting speed nor the power was extraordinary.

They weren’t much different from the spells used by the magicians accompanying me from the Magic Tower.

But my thoughts didn’t linger. I kicked off the final platform. With a surge of force in my last sprint, my small frame shot forward even faster.

At that moment, the Reincarnator abruptly turned. His tattered robe revealed his face, illuminated by the swirling light of mana. A deep smile spread across his face.

[You’re reckless. But it’s fine. With your temperament and talent, you’ll carve a path just fine.]

The words were incomprehensible. Reincarnators would sometimes speak in such a way, uttering phrases from their previous worlds. This one was no different.

As the sword I had drawn back returned to its ready position, rotational force surged through my body. My blade swung, leaving a starlit trail in its wake.

It was at that moment.

Kiiiiing—! 

The same sound as before rang out. Simultaneously, a vast magic circle spread across the ground, radiating outward from where I stood.

“This…!”

[There’s no failure in my spatial magic! You’ll arrive safely!]

As the magic circle lit up, an overwhelming surge of mana began to gather. Before I could react, the rapidly activated mana brought forth a phenomenon.

Flash—!

The light flickered, and my vision twisted. The moment my senses felt scrambled, I found myself in an unfamiliar space.

“Ha…”

As soon as my feet touched the ground, I scanned my surroundings, using touch, smell, hearing, and sight to assess the area.

Everywhere was covered with solid stone bricks. The long, narrow corridor seemed endless, illuminated only by torches hanging sporadically on the walls.

The air was tepid and heavy. When I brushed my hand across the stone floor, black dust clung to my fingers. It had clearly been a long time since anyone had passed through here.

I stood up, raising my sword. There was no particular sign of movement, nor did my instincts warn me of any immediate danger.

For now, it seemed safe.

“This is maddening…”

My senses were crystal clear. This wasn’t some hallucination. I’d been transported to another space, caught by the strange magic earlier.

So this was the source of the unease that had been nagging me all along.

“Saeran.”

I called out for my sister just in case. But once again, there was no response. I had no choice but to face this situation on my own.

The first thing I checked was the solidity and thickness of the walls. Tapping on the wall with the White Dragon Sword produced a dull thud.

Kang—!

The sound was absorbed by the wall, not echoing beyond it. Breaking through was impossible. Even if I shattered the stone bricks, there would likely be another layer of wall or dense earth behind it.

Had I been in a forest dense with trees and vines, an open plain, or a snowy field blanketed in white, I wouldn’t have felt so confined.

I stayed in place for a long time, hoping the two magicians left behind might appear here as well. But no matter how long I waited, no one arrived.

In the end, I had to move.

Forward or backward, there was no set answer. The path was mine to find. So, I chose to go forward.

The small steps of my boots echoed lightly in the silence: tap-tap-tap.

Elsewhere

[Stop right there! I must kill you and take your heart to reclaim my former power!]

“W-what did he say, Shave?!”

“I-I don’t know! Just keep running!”

After I disappeared through the mysterious magic, the two magicians had to run relentlessly. 

The reincarnation of a legendary magic swordsman had appeared, and with no knight to protect them, they couldn’t properly cast their spells.

If they stopped to prepare magic, a spell or sharp blade would fly in to take their heads.

Using mana, they reinforced their bodies and cast time-acceleration spells to move faster. 

These overlapping enhancements placed a massive strain on their untrained physiques, but they had no other choice.

“Hiyaaah!”

“Keep going! Don’t stop! We must find the knight!”

Even with their enhanced bodies, the distance between the magicians and the Reincarnator closed rapidly. 

Then, Shave, who was running ahead, spotted something—a structure overgrown with vines.

Though old and worn, it was unmistakably the entrance to a man-made structure. Without hesitation, Shave darted toward it.

“This way! This way, quickly!”

As Shave and Envy dove into the dark entrance, a massive blast struck from behind, shattering the entryway.

Boom—!