NOVEL NEXT Chapter 523: Sword Archive
— Morning —
As the morning sun streamed through the infirmary window, Kim Yuna slowly awoke, feeling groggy from the magic Envy had cast on her the night before.
The spells had nullified her pain, stopped the bleeding, and aided her recovery. However, they had also overdrawn on her natural regenerative abilities, leaving her feeling like she needed more rest.
Looking around the unfamiliar environment like she was in a sci-fi movie setting, the memory of the previous night flooded back. The moonlit highway, the red demon mask, and the assailant's flawless sword drawing technique, reminiscent of her family's art, filled her mind.
A particular memory nagged at her – the assailant's sword. It was strangely familiar, but she couldn't quite place it. Despite her efforts to recall, the memory remained elusive. However, her current situation demanded attention.
Then it hit her – her leg had been severed in the attack. Fearfully, she glanced at the blanket covered leg of her, dreading the truth. But as she wiggled her toes, she felt it... her leg was still there, intact.
She quickly threw off the covers and was stunned to find her leg unharmed, without a single scratch. She moved it, testing its mobility, and found she could walk without any issue, as if the events of the previous night had been a dream.
Confused and bewildered, she heard the door slide open. A beautiful woman with long black hair, exuding a Yamato Nadeshiko aura, entered the room and noticed Kim Yuna walking.
"Good morning, Ms. Kim. It seems you're able to walk already," the woman greeted her in fluent Korean before turning to a wall-mounted speaker and requesting a doctor to check on Kim Yuna in English.
"Where am I? Is this a hospital?" Kim Yuna asked.
"You are in the infirmary of our VTOL, Ms. Kim," the woman explained.
"VTOL?" she repeated, still confused.
"To be precise, it's Mr. Emberweave's Astral Tech VTOL for internal use. We're currently parked on the Kim Estate's helipad," the woman clarified.
Upon understanding, Kim Yuna nodded, suddenly remembering vital information for her grandfather.
"That's right! I need to see my grandfather!" Kim Yuna rushed towards the door, but the woman swiftly blocked her path.
Yuna immediately went on guard.
"What is the meaning of this? You said we were at the Kim Estate! Are you..." She began to interrogate the woman, but was interrupted.
"Ms. Yuna, are you sure you want to go out there dressed like that?" the woman asked, gesturing towards Yuna's attire – a light green hospital gown that revealed more than it concealed.
Blushing, Kim Yuna realized her state of undress. The woman smiled knowingly and opened a drawer, retrieving a new outfit in Yuna's exact size.
After getting dressed, Kim Yuna followed the woman through the VTOL. While it was spacious, boasting an infirmary, private offices, and comfortable crew quarters, it was not as large as a commercial airliner. The novelty of the experience still intrigued her.
Descending the ramp, Kim Yuna entered the main hall of her family's estate, confirming the woman's words. However, she noticed two VTOLs parked on the grounds, raising questions about what had transpired during her unconsciousness.
In the hall, she saw her grandfather seated on his throne, while Daniel Emberweave occupied the guest of honor seat. They seemed to be listening to a report from a man resembling a British gentleman from a movie.
"From our investigation and interrogation last night, we discovered that the Mara Society was commissioned to assassinate you, my lord. We've traced their movements and located their headquarters in Busan. We are currently scouring the city to pinpoint its exact location," Albert reported, reading from his tablet.
"Grandfather!" Kim Yuna called out, waving as she approached with a steady gait, showing no signs of injury. She had made a full recovery overnight.
"Yuna!" Patriarch Kim exclaimed in disbelief, seeing his granddaughter walking normally. He rushed towards her, checking her leg, and was astonished to find it completely healed.
"You needn't worry about her, Patriarch Kim. Envy reattached her leg and healed her yesterday. We then ensured her full recovery in the recovery capsule. There will be no lingering effects or discomfort, even if she uses her sword again," Daniel explained.
"In that case, thank you very much, Mr. Emberweave," Patriarch Kim expressed his gratitude. "Yuna, try some movements..." He began to suggest testing her sword skills, but Kim Yuna interrupted.
"Grandfather, there's something I need to discuss with you. Can we look at our family's blade collection archive?" she requested.
Curious about what had prompted his granddaughter's request, Patriarch Kim agreed and led both Kim Yuna and Daniel to the family's blade archive. As for Albert, he excuses himself to get to work and uncover where the Mara society are hiding. Stay immersed with m_vl_em_p_yr
Inside, countless precious blades forged by various blacksmiths since the Joseon Dynasty lined the walls. Many empty spots on the stands held pictures of the blades and their last users, indicating they were currently in use. For the lost ones, replicas and pictures of the last wielders were displayed.
There were two categories of lost blades: those buried with their deceased owners, and those simply lost due to theft or other reasons.
Kim Yuna walked along the long display cases of the blade archive, stopping at one in particular. It was the blade she had seen the previous night – a lost blade from World War II, with a red scabbard and a purple tassel. It was identical to the one wielded by the man in the red demon mask.
"Grandfather, this blade. I think I saw the leader of the assailants using it last night," Kim Yuna pointed at the display.
Daniel tilted his head, then retrieved the blade of the masked man from his Universal Pocket, offering it to Kim Yuna.
"You mean this one?" he asked.
Kim Yuna took the blade and examined it, nodding in confirmation. "Yes, this is it. You took it from the assailant?" she inquired.
"Yes, we fought, and he escaped into the river north of here. His feet were severed, so I doubt he could have gotten far." Said Daniel.
Patriarch Kim took the sword from his granddaughter and scrutinized it. He recognized it as a family heirloom. The previous owner, one of his father's most skilled disciples, had gone missing during World War II while on a secret mission in the Qing Dynasty.
He never expected to see the sword again, and certainly not in the hands of an enemy. He assumed his former disciple must have succumbed to the Qing Empire's temptations and was now working for them.
"According to family rules, traitors must be killed, and what they stole must be returned" the Patriarch declared, then looked at Daniel. "Mr. Emberweave, I know this is your spoil of war, but could you return the sword to us? We will repay this debt."
Daniel smiled. "You don't need to repay me, Patriarch. Simply join my Order of Ember and answer one of my questions honestly. That's all."
Patriarch Kim considered the offer. He valued Daniel's friendship, but joining an organization was a different matter. As the saying goes, "A wise bird chooses to perch on a big tree." It wasn't that the Kim family hated foreigners to the point of blindness towards the benefits of joining Daniel's organization.
He just wanted to ensure his family remained on the winning side. He knew Daniel was wresting control of the Curtained World from the Hightower, successfully pushing their influence back to Europe.
But the Hightower was an ancient mage organization, dating back to the golden age of Camelot. He knew they must have hidden trump cards yet to be played.
"I can answer your question now, as long as it doesn't involve sensitive information. I'll be honest. As for joining... hmm..." Patriarch Kim sighed. "Let me think about it further."
"Okay, no pressure, Patriarch," Daniel shrugged with a smile, then asked, "Is the sword in your hand a relic? Or was it forged with a method I'm not familiar with? From my observations, the forging technique doesn't seem particularly special."
Hearing the question, the Patriarch examined the sword in his hand. "I don't believe this sword is anything special," he replied. "It's just a sword forged by a renowned blacksmith during the Joseon Dynasty, whose name has been lost to time. What's wrong with it, Mr. Emberweave?"
"It withstood a strike from my adamantine blade without breaking," Daniel explained. "I'm certain I used enough force to even shatter an Atlantean steel sword." He then produced the saber he had used the night before for Patriarch Kim to inspect.
Patriarch Kim, familiar with both Atlantean steel and adamantine, understood the significance of Daniel's statement. He knew that the ordinary steel sword should have been unable to withstand such a blow.
"I see... but I don't know how to answer this. This sword is just a normal sword, but I've heard that a strong grudge or resentment from the user and the sword's victims can sometimes make it stronger. It's like those legends of swords that drink the blood of innocents to increase their power," Patriarch Kim explained.
"Do such swords really exist, Grandfather?" Kim Yuna asked.
"I've only heard rumors. I don't know any specifics," the Patriarch replied, placing the sword back on the stand and retrieving a replica along with a picture of the man who last used it. He considered destroying both the replica and the picture, as the man was now considered a traitor.
After a brief discussion, Daniel, Patriarch Kim, and Kim Yuna left the blade archive, closing the door behind them. Unbeknownst to them, the sword on the stand slowly emanated a red aura, filled with bloodlust and resentment.