I Was the Strongest Sword God in My Past Life

part 35

“Phew! I hate how my hands feel numb after defeating a golem. So, chick, is the field trip over with this?”

Boing.

Yrel lightly jumped onto the golem.

“Almost done,” she replied briefly.

Yet, Jian’s gaze was not on Irel but on the far end of the cave.

“Is the crystal golem really the purpose of the visit?”

“It’s a monster that’s hard to deal with using a sword, right? I wanted to try defeating it.”

“That makes sense.”

Irel nodded in agreement.

“So, I’ll take care of the byproducts?”

“Yes, please do. It’s not like we came here to clean up.”

Jian wasn’t here to make a quick buck by selling byproducts. The reason Jian sought out the crystal cave was for the reward of the 6th-grade gate [Guardian of the World Tree], the [Seed of the World Tree].

‘What an incredible artifact.’

One of the unprecedented artifacts. The Seed of the World Tree was a divine-grade artifact. However, in their past life, Jian and Phail couldn’t obtain the seed.

‘100 years.’

Yes, 100 years.

The Seed of the World Tree grows on mana instead of sunlight. That period is a full 100 years. Swallowing the fruit before it’s ripe, due to lack of time, has no effect. Therefore, Phail and Jian planted the seed in the mana-rich crystal cave for the next generation.

‘I never thought I’d come back for it.’

Whether fortunately or unfortunately, even after 100 years, no one had found the fruit yet. Until the Broom of Annihilation purifies the crystal cave, the fruit will remain undiscovered.

“I’m going to use the restroom.”

“Huh? Suddenly? Okay.”

It might take a while, but Jian wasn’t worried about Irel. Even if all the monsters in the crystal cave attacked, she would be safe with her skills.

‘It will be boring, though.’

Jian walked beyond the cave.

* * *

“I found it.”

The wall made of crystal, adjoining the outside.

Sunlight passed through the wall, casting a blue light that illuminated the entire cave. It was a beautiful sight, as if the surroundings had turned into sapphire.

“This guy really is skilled.”

Jian looked at the crystal wall. Engraved on the wall in the language of the 3rd district were the words ‘Dreamlike Illusion.’

[Who would set such a riddle for us to solve?]

Evan asked.

[How precious this is. Even the sharp junior in Sector 3 should partake.]

Pale responded.

‘Indeed.’

Planting the seed of the World Tree, the riddles, they were all Pale’s ideas.

‘Even then, Pale was already a 6th rank. Such a barrier would have been simple for him.’

But the problems lost their meaning.

Because Gian, as a co-creator, knew all the answers.

[Illusory Reflections (夢幻泡影)]

Dream. Illusion. Bubble. Shadow.

Metaphorical, yet the question carved on the wall already contained its answer.

What is seen may not be the truth,

And the truth may not always be seen.

When Gian inscribed the characters with mana, his hand pierced through the wall with a whoosh.

A strange occurrence, yet Gian passed through the wall calmly.

Swoosh.

Suddenly, the wall engulfed Gian.

Beyond the wall, Gian saw a landscape utterly different from the cave.

A grand sorcerer had turned the region itself into a barrier.

Beyond the wall, incongruous with the previous scenery, was a dense forest. The leaves were so thick that even the light passing through was entirely green.

‘A forest inside a cave…’

Of course, this environment was merely Pale’s imitation of the Fairy Forest, the stage for the 6th rank gate [Guardian of the World Tree], created through mana in the crystal cave’s ley lines.

Trudge, trudge.

The reason was simple.

‘The fruit of the World Tree.’

In the center of the forest stood a sapling. Around the tree, smaller than Gian himself, no other plant grew.

‘Incredible.’

Gian gazed at the fruit borne by the sapling.

The red fruit, well-ripened over a hundred years by absorbing the cave’s mana, was an elixir surpassing any potion. Eating it would surely elevate Gian’s mana to the 3rd rank.

It was a level beyond even the upper-ranking students, a realm unreachable even in the dreams of those suffering from residual mana. Above all, the greatest advantage was the potential awakening of the magical device.

‘In my case, it’s about reclaiming, so awakening is still far off.’

Jien’s hand, reaching for the fruit, hesitated for a moment. He was looking at the characters carved into the tree.

[Advice for juniors (Must watch!) – Phael]

‘Yes. That guy… he left something like this.’

Instead of the fruit, Jien placed his hand on the tree.

Then he breathed a bit of mana into it.

Swoosh-

A mana message.

It was a use of mana that had fallen out of favor due to technological advancements.

The characters emitted light and soon created a hologram.

The figure was a blue-haired young man, a colleague from a past life.

“Evan! Are you really not doing it? Am I doing this alone? Oh, you’ve already used it? Ahem! Oh, this is embarrassing…”

It was Phael Elquiness.

“Phael.”

Even though he knew it was just a recorded video, Jien unwittingly called out his colleague’s name.

“Hello. I’m Phael Elquiness. A genius who aspires to be a 7th-grade Saver in his twenties.”

Phael looked at Jien with playful eyes.

“The guy next to me is no less a genius, but as you can see, he’s shy. And a hundred years, huh? That’s really a long time.”

The time it takes for the seed of the World Tree to bear fruit.

Phael wore an expression as if sickened by the weight of it.

“How is it, the world a hundred years later?”

Phael asked with a smile.

“It’s peaceful.”

Jien answered calmly.

Of course, there was much he wanted to say.

It wasn’t anything grand.

How many items the latest model pocket from the Mage Tower could hold, what the descendants called Phael, and other trivial stories. But Jien decided to save it for later.

“Anyway, this fruit is a reward from a 6th-grade gate. Chew it well. It’s a gift for my juniors.”

As Phael continued, he looked at Jien with a ‘you-don’t-say’ expression.

“I’ve prepared a gift after all this time; you guys haven’t perished, have you?”

Pale’s playful jest was unique to him.

But soon, a seriousness seeped into his blue eyes. For the first time, he imparted a message to his junior, who would see it later.

“Don’t be greedy, prioritize safety above all. Cherish your comrades and lady with your life. And lastly…”

With a sly smile, Pale looked at Gian.

“I entrust the future to you.”

As the mana dispersed, the hologram faded, and Gian reached out again.

Click.

Plucking the fruit, the purposeless barrier dissolved.

Swoosh.

The wall blocking the entrance vanished, and the lush forest reverted to its original form—a cave.

Leaning against a withered tree, Gian closed his eyes. The barren landscape was hidden by his eyelids, soon replaced by a nostalgic scene.

“Leave it to me.”

* * *

An emergency meeting is called only when there’s an issue with disciplinary units.

This year, it had already been the third time. Among the professors summoned by the indignant Selfis, Romina and Kashen were present.

“Celia!”

Selfis was unusually excited, unlike his normal self.

Fidgeting incessantly, Selfis threw down the newspaper.

“What kind of school without even 20 years of history!”

The other professors just sweated profusely at the sight of the frenzied Selfis, and Romina finally understood why he was nicknamed ‘the raging bull.’

“It’s just a student, it doesn’t mean much…”

“How can it not mean much? It’s a clear manipulation!”

Selfis grimaced.

His face, once genial like a friendly uncle’s, now looked no different from a demon’s. Romina, facing him directly, let out a hiccup.

“There’s only one way now!”

Selfis’s eyes bulged with anger.

The reason for his rage was the articles that had been competing for attention since yesterday.

[Arcana vs Celia! The prestigious academies’ head-to-head battle!]

[Lucia Elquines, a scion of the ‘Hero’s family’ and the talk of the town, named Gian Russel as the most formidable opponent. Arcana and Celia, the two rival academies of the prestigious academy rivalry…]

Despite being a new academy, Celia, which has produced outstanding sabers, has always been a rival to Arcana, with its history of over a hundred years.

Especially after Selfis, who had a poor relationship with the principal of Celia, became the principal himself. The relationship became even more pronounced.

“To defeat Celia!”

Although it was an exaggeration, all the professors agreed with Selfis’s statement.

Before the event, which was expected to have a 10% viewership, a student from Celia declared war on a student from Arcana. The rivalry that always compared the two academies was now at stake in this event.

“If only…”

Selfis let out a rough breath – shiik shiik.

What followed was predictable. Riding on the viewership, journalists would certainly churn out sensational articles like [Arcana’s Defeat!] [Celia Academy Becomes the Top!].

“If only… If only we lose at the event.”

Selfis’s eyes grew cold.

For him, who valued the academy’s external image above all and despised Celia Academy more than anyone, this event was a major incident, comparable to a Grade 8 gate.

“Arcana will remain the loser. The loser defeated by Celia…”

“Damn it!”

“We’re doomed.”

“We must win!”

The professors cried out in silent anguish.

For a while, it was more comfortable to consider resignation than to deal with Selfis in such a mood. But what if they could defeat Celia Academy?

“Yes! We must win! Right, Kashen?”

Romina, with her fist clenched tight, looked at Kashen.

“Use formal language in public,” Kashen pressed on Romina’s forehead with his index finger – firmly.

The acting professor, who had been quietly observing the situation, took a careful look around before cautiously speaking up.

“But the participant from Celia is quite the talk of the town…”

Lucia Elquines.

She was only a first-year student, but she already had three titles attached to her name.

Celia’s genius. The Emperor. The Heir of Heroes.

“…Ahem!”

Selfis cleared his throat.

The four Sabers who sealed the Grade 8 gate [Demoniac Castle]. They were bestowed the title of heroes by the government.