Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

"What about those that aren't commoners? Can they leave the barrier?"

Haron's face darkened, and he nodded.

"Yes. The king and the noble families have the power to leave whenever they wish. They go beyond the barrier, gather resources, and return stronger. They bring back food, weapons, even magical knowledge. But none of it is shared with us."

"Oh? They're hoarding everything?" Kyle asked with disbelief.

"That's not all. The nobles are the only ones allowed to awaken magic. They claim it's for control, that allowing commoners to awaken would destabilize the kingdom. So we remain weak, while they grow stronger with every passing year."

The bitterness in Haron's voice was unmistakable. Kyle could feel the resentment in his words, and from the expressions of those gathered there, it was clear that this wasn't just his opinion, it was the sentiment of everyone in the village.

"The king's council tells us it's for our own good. They say the outside world is too dangerous, that the barrier is the only thing keeping us safe. But that's a lie! They just don't want to share their power!"

Kyle absorbed the information and pieced it together with what he had observed. The villagers were weak and he had figured out that none of them had an affinity, but the guards were powerful mages.

And in the grand scheme of things, even they were mere pawns in the nobles' game.

"What do the people want?" Kyle asked. "You said earlier that the people are waking up. What does that mean?"

Haron hesitated, glancing at the crowd as though weighing his words. Finally, he spoke.

"We want access to the outside world! We want the freedom to awaken magic, to grow stronger, to stand as equals with the nobles! We want to tear down the barrier!"

A ripple of agreement passed through the crowd, though some looked uneasy at Haron's boldness. Kyle could see that not everyone was fully on board with the idea, but the frustration in their faces told him they all felt the sting of inequality.

Kyle knew that it was impossible to pull such out, like Haron had said before: they were weak, while the elites were strong.

There was no way they would be able to go against them, but that was where he came in. He knew he could help, but wasn't naive to not think if the possibilities of far stronger mages.

"Is there a plan?" he decided to ask. "Or is it just talk for now?"

Haron shook his head. "There's no unified plan. Some of us are trying to organize, but… it's hard. The guards crack down on anyone who speaks out. The nobles have spies everywhere. We don't know who to trust."

Kyle nodded slowly and his mind raced.

'This is more than just a simple conflict. The nobles hold all the power, both magical and political, while the commoners are left to scrape by.'

"Is there anything else I should know?" Kyle asked. "Anything that might help me… understand?"

Haron hesitated again, then leaned closer and whispered into Kyle's ears.

"There's a rumor… about the barrier. Some say it's not just to keep things out. They say it's alive, that it feeds on something to sustain itself. And that's why the nobles won't let us awaken, they're using us to fuel the barrier."

Kyle's eyes shrinked the moment he heard such. That was a troubling revelation, if true. It meant the conflict wasn't just about inequality, it was also about survival.

If the barrier was feeding on the people, then tearing it down might be the only way to save the people. But it could also expose them to the dangers outside.

Kyle took a deep breath. He still didn't know which side he would choose, or if he could forge his own path. But one thing was clear: if he had to solve this trial, he'll have to find out the truth first.

"Thank you for explaining," Kyle said, before turning to address the crowd. "I don't know if I can fix this, but I'll do everything I can to help."

The villagers erupted in cheers once again and their voices were filled with hope. Kyle, however, was already planning his next move. He needed more information, about the barrier, the nobles, and the true nature of this kingdom's plight. And he needed to find it quickly.

'If I'm going to clear this floor, I'll need to understand everything about this shattered kingdom,' he thought. 'And I'll start by finding the truth about the barrier.'

Kyle turned back to Haron just as the villagers' cheers began to fade.

"One last question before I go. This can't be the first time people have tried to resist. Has anything like this happened before?" Your next chapter is on My Virtual Library Empire

Haron exchanged a glance with a few of the older villagers and slowly nodded. "Yes. It's happened before. Others have risen up, trying to resist the nobles' rule. But the guards found them every time and killed them. It's how they keep us in line."

Kyle's gaze swept over the crowd and he asked with some admiration. "And you still want to continue?"

Haron sighed and spoke for the villagers. "We don't have a choice. We're tired of living like this. If we die, at least it won't be in chains."

Kyle's lips curved into a small smile. "Understood. I'll do what I can."

With that, he turned and dashed out of the village.

***

Outside the village, Kyle ran through the dirt road as he tracked the guards who had fled earlier. Their trail wasn't hard to follow; and after almost an some minutes, he finally spotted them resting near a small outcrop of rocks

'Nice.'

Kyle's figure blurred with speed, and before the guards could react, they were surrounded by crackling arcs of lightning.

"Don't even think about running," Kyle said a cold voice after seeing their panicked reactions. "We're going to have a little chat."

The guards, obviously terrified, raised their hands in surrender.

"W-we'll tell you whatever you want!" one of them stammered.

Kyle stepped closer to keep them in check before stating his demands.

"I want to know about the arrangements of the guards in the kingdom. How are they organized? Where are they stationed?"

The senior guard swallowed hard, glancing at his companions before answering.

"The kingdom is divided into sectors. Each sector has its own guard post, with regular patrols inside and around the palace.

The nobles ensure the guards remain loyal by offering privileges: better food, living quarters, and allowing us to use magic."

Kyle processed the information and nodded. "What about the palace? How is it guarded?"

"It's… heavily fortified," the guard admitted. "The palace walls are enchanted, and only those with access tokens can enter without triggering alarms.

There's an inner guard unit stationed there—elite soldiers directly under the nobles' command. They're far stronger than us."

Kyle narrowed his eyes. "And you? How far can you go inside the palace?"

The guard hesitated before replying, "We're allowed into the outer grounds for supply deliveries and patrols, but the inner palace is off-limits. Only the elites or those summoned by the nobles can enter. They don't trust regular guards like us."

"What exactly do the guards do outside of protecting the nobles? And what do you know about the kingdom itself?" Kyle asked.

The senior guard hesitated again, but one glare from Kyle's glowing blue eyes made him speak.

"We enforce the nobles' laws and make sure the commoners stay in line. Sometimes, we're sent outside the barrier to collect resources. The kingdom itself… It's broken. The commoners hate the nobles, but they're too weak to fight back. And the nobles… they only care about keeping their power. The barrier is everything to them."

Kyle's lips curled into a faint smirk. "And what about the barrier? Do you know how it works?"

The guard shook his head quickly. "No, we're not told anything about it. Only the nobles know. All we know is that it protects the kingdom and that it's maintained by some kind of magic we don't understand."

Kyle's gaze darkened, but he pressed on. "What about access to the kingdom itself? How closely are the entrances monitored? Could someone… sneak in?"

Another guard, trembling but desperate to appease Kyle, spoke up. "It's not impossible… but it's risky. There are checkpoints at every entrance, and only those with proper identification are allowed through."

Kyle nodded and in his mind, he already formed a plan. "Thanks for the insight."

The guards exchanged uneasy glances as they hoped that the conversation was over.

"We told you everything! Please, let us go!" one of them begged.

Kyle stepped back with an unreadable expression. "Fine. You're free to go."

The guards wasted no time, scrambling to their feet and running as fast as they could into the woods.

Kyle watched them disappear as he processed the information they had given him. But as their forms vanished into the distance, Kyle remembered the thief he had spared and his driving force he had learned of.

"No," he muttered and Lightning filled his body once more. "I won't make that mistake again."

With a flick of his wrist, Kyle unleashed a barrage of [Lightning Bolts]. The guards barely had time to scream before they collapsed, their lifeless bodies smoldering in the clearing.

Kyle stood over them for a moment with a cold expression. "People like you who have killed innocents doesn't deserve to live... Besides, I never said I was going to spare you."

Kyle dashed towards their location and stripped one of the guards of his uniform before adjusting it to fit himself.

'I hope they don't know each other's faces too well,' he thought before pulling the hood of the cloth low over his head. 'This should get me inside without raising suspicion.'