Chapter 161 – The Sword Lake (5)

Crunch.

The sound of snow compacting beneath my feet. Suddenly, that noise made me open my eyes.

—?

The sound came from my own surroundings. Immediately, I looked around. The snowstorm blurred my vision completely.

Even so, thanks to the intermittent breeze that dispersed the snow, my field of view gradually began to clear.

A few moments later, when I could finally see more clearly, I was surprised once again.

My ragged breath escaped between my teeth.

An endless white world stretched before my eyes. A vast plain that, at first glance, resembled a snow-covered mountain range, with ridges and hills forming a rolling horizon.

The color was even whiter than white itself. If a colorless shade existed, it would surely look like this.

With that, I knew this wasn’t reality.

When the snowy mist fully cleared, I was certain. This place was clearly something unreal.

A snow-covered field filled with sashimi blades, half-buried in the snow.

There were so many that counting them was impossible.

A scene so overwhelming that it radiated an unparalleled majesty.

If I had to describe it, I would call it a cemetery of swords.

The blades were the tombstones, and the snow-covered mountain, the mausoleum.

Step, step.

Despite my confusion, my feet moved on their own, beyond my control.

My body advanced up the hill on its own.

—But… why am I here?

I’ve had surreal dreams before, so I know.

Dreams often lack logic in how you arrive in them.

But what happened before this was still etched clearly in my memory.

I left the voting center, unsheathed my blades, and faced the Third Corps Commander, Vesna.

While dodging the rain of spears falling like cherry blossom petals, I searched for an opening to attack.

Just when I found a gap and was about to launch my offensive, I ended up here.

If I tried to deduce what this place was…

Only one possibility came to mind.

…The afterlife?

Did I die in the middle of battle without realizing it?

I shook my head firmly. No. I didn’t feel anything like that.

No matter how dangerous Vesna’s spells were, they weren’t impossible to evade.

In fact, the last time I saw her expression, she seemed more shocked by my speed than anything else.

Did I trip and get hit by a spell that killed me instantly?

Even so, it would be odd not to remember the moment of my death, even if the spell’s speed exceeded that of sound.

Moreover.

Why does my head echo endlessly every time I speak?

Why is my body moving on its own, without my control?

My mind tried to comprehend the situation, but my legs kept moving, crossing the sword cemetery and climbing the hill.

My mind and body were completely disconnected.

The sense of strangeness was unbearable.

My limbs were as cold as ice, yet I couldn’t even rub them to warm up.

A feeling of discomfort and anxiety overtook me.

Right in the middle of a battle against the Third Corps Commander, I ended up wandering through an unknown place.

I pictured myself at that moment, being struck by a spell in the real world.

My body pierced by a supersonic spear, crushed beyond recognition, sinking into the water like a shredded piece of meat.

Damn it, this is a total disaster.

As I climbed the snowy mountain, lost in grim thoughts, suddenly—

Flash—!

A status window appeared in my field of vision.

[Hello.]

…?!

My eyes widened. More than the fact that I was walking up a suspicious mountain, I was shocked because—

The status window was talking to me.

Is this what it would feel like if a ghost in a nightmare tried to strike up a conversation?

[Would you like to chat for a moment to clear your mind?]

[Accept? ☞ (Y/N)]

Until now, status windows had only appeared when I mentally invoked them.

But this one. This one was trying to start a conversation with me.

Had something like this ever happened before?

From “G.M.” to the “God of the Sword,” and now even the “System” wanted to talk to me.

It wasn’t something that thrilled me, but at the very least, it had my attention.

However, did I really have time for this kind of puzzle?

I had many questions, but I didn’t even know where I was or what I was doing.

At that moment, as if it could read my mind, another message appeared.

[By the way, allow me to inform you that you are not dead. You are still fighting in the real world. In fact, you currently have the upper hand, so you have nothing to worry about.]

How kind. Not only does it inform me of my status, but it also makes sure to ease my doubts.

It must really want to talk to me. I could sense its clear intent.

I didn’t think too hard about it.

Unlike “G.M.” and the “God of the Sword,” I had already considered the “System” an ally.

So I nodded. But not physically.

My body still wasn’t responding, so I did it mentally.

[Y/N]

▲

[Thank you for accepting.]

Enough greetings. Get to the point. What is this open space, and why am I walking up the snowy mountain against my will? Given the circumstances, I assume you called me here.

[As always, you are a very impatient person. Even after I assured you that everything is under control, you still don’t trust it. Well, fine. Caution is a virtue.]

…

There was an oddly mocking undertone in its voice. It even chuckled between phrases.

[First of all, let me correct something. This place you’re walking through is not a snowy mountain.]

It’s not a snowfield? But the snow covers everything.

[No, this place is, in essence, a lake. At the same time, it is a world that reflects your inner self. Although it is now frozen by the frost storm, its true nature remains that of a lake.]

After hearing that, I lowered my gaze slightly. The surface of the ground, visible through the snow, was opaque with a bluish tint. The entire area beneath my feet was covered in ice.

[If you had a little more intuition, you would have noticed sooner. This lake has been frozen for a long time. I warned you on several occasions, telling you that your ‘Human Dignity’ was decreasing. But you ignored all those warnings, and whenever a problem arose, you resolved it by brandishing your sword. When someone speaks to you, at least pretend to listen.]

Someone?

Beep!

[Invalid question. You do not have the right to reply at this time.]

…

The status window continued reprimanding me dryly.

So the “conversation” was just an excuse. What it really wanted was to scold me.

[You are so intoxicated with your sword that, in the end, you have even lost your own consciousness. But if you strip yourself of who you are and seek only victory… will that truly lead you to the result you desire?]

From somewhere, I felt the pressure of a narrowed gaze.

[Remember this well. Your true enemy is not someone else. It is yourself. If you continue down this path, your heart will freeze, just like this lake. And when that happens, you will become an eternal snowfall, a being incapable of ever melting, eventually reduced to nothing more than a mere machine that only knows how to wield blades.]

Then, a deep sigh was heard.

[But you have been lucky. Under normal circumstances, your ‘Human Dignity’ would have already been completely drained, like a bottomless barrel. However, there has been someone who has managed to fill it again… and continues to do so.]

Someone…?

Bzzt…

Before it could finish its sentence, the icy breeze that cut into my skin dissipated.

The gray sky began to clear, and the snowfall suddenly stopped.

I turned my head.

Beyond the crest of the hill, the sun emerged, radiating a blinding glow.

At the same time, I felt a soft and delicate warmth on my back.

The light struck me abruptly, forcing me to close my eyes tightly.

Little by little, I forced myself to open them.

Whoosh…

The snow began to melt, revealing the original landscape. A vast and majestic lake.

The gentle waves ceaselessly caressed the countless swords submerged on its surface.

In that instant.

[Conditions have been met due to external intervention.]

[Executing user personality adjustment through suppression power.]

Bzzt.

[Your ‘Human Dignity’ has increased.]

[The Blessing of the God of the Sword: ‘Heart’ has been activated.]

***

Inside the voting center.

Amidst the chaos, Sein wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

“For a moment, I thought everything was going to hell.”

While fear and uncertainty dominated the atmosphere, she was one of the few who remained calm.

From the start, the unease she felt was different from that of the other students.

Narrowing her eyes, Sein focused her gaze into the distance. In the middle of the battlefield, sky-blue hair surrounded Kang Geom-Ma from behind, embracing him.

“…Even so, thanks to you, we managed to overcome this critical moment.”

Sein gave a slight smile. The meaning behind it was simple relief.

After turning off her phone, she disappeared into the crowd of students.

***

“Haa… Haa…”

Saki’s breathing was ragged. Blood continued to flow from the wounds covering her body.

She had managed to advance by leaping over the floating debris in the lake, but dodging spells fired at supersonic speed was impossible.

Fortunately, Vesna’s attacks were aimed at Kang Geom-Ma, so although she was in a miserable state, she had narrowly avoided fatal injuries.

She had only managed to dodge her vital points. At any moment, her body would collapse.

Suddenly, a violent spasm shook her. Saki vomited a gush of blood.

Only after spitting out that mouthful of crimson liquid did her mind seem to cool. Like a deflated balloon, the oxygen in her body depleted, and her brain calmed.

“…Wow, I really am an idiot.”

With blue-tinted lips, Saki mocked herself. She couldn’t have been more foolish.

In simple terms, her action had been suicidal.

She had thrown herself headfirst into this disaster without even being able to help Kang Geom-Ma.

Even she found herself pathetic.

But…

She couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

Not when Kang Geom-Ma, unconscious, continued to dodge and counterattack automatically.

If she left him like this, he would never return. That thought was what had brought her here.

“……”

Vesna halted her relentless attack and observed the scene. At that moment, she needed to recharge her magical energy.

It would take at least a minute to gather enough power to strike again.

As she did, she organized her thoughts.

The presence of that woman was so insignificant that she hadn’t even noticed her approach.

It was like ignoring an ant crawling on the ground.

Had she perceived her earlier, a simple glance would have been enough to snap her neck.

And yet, there she was, covered in blood without caring for herself, embracing Kang Geom-Ma.

For a moment, the scene seemed absurd to her.

But then, a vein on her temple throbbed with fury.

“How dare you, insignificant creature, interfere in my battle?!”

Vesna roared. Her voice echoed throughout the Academy.

The students shrank back in terror.

“Very well, you filthy pest. Thanks to your senseless intervention, my mind is completely clear. I will take this opportunity to eradicate, once and for all, the insects that stand in my way.”

Vesna snapped her fingers.

A dark, crimson aura began to emanate from her arms.

The malevolent energy slithered down her fingers, dripping into the lake and tainting it.

She clasped her hands together in front of her chest and began chanting a spell.

The water thickened and turned viscous, like a boiling swamp.

And then…

“KIEEEEEEEEEEEH!!”

From the depths of the lake, a colossal sea serpent emerged.

Despite being an incomplete summoning, its size was three times that of the annex building.

Vesna’s blurred smile widened.

She had exhausted all her magical power to bring forth her servant from the Demon Realm.

A creature capable of devouring the entire world.

“Jörmungandr.”

Vesna agilely leaped and landed atop the beast’s head.

She caressed its scales and whispered sweetly.

“Oh, my dear child… I regret calling you from Gehenna. But don’t worry, you have a feast of prey to satisfy you.”

A chilling smile appeared on her face.

The serpent’s slitted eyes glowed with a dangerous gleam.

“Uruku ten ban ten ban ten uruku…”

Jörmungandr let out a guttural growl.

It turned its massive jaws toward the students.

Each time it exhaled, the wind blew in the opposite direction.

“A… Aah… Aah…”

A student stared at the creature in despair.

He couldn’t even cry anymore. He wanted to deny reality.

At that moment, memories of his life rushed through his mind in a whirlwind of images.

And just when his consciousness was about to give in…

Shing— Shing— Shing—

Shing— Shing— Shing—

A sharp metallic sound echoed repeatedly.

“…?”

The student felt something tickling his waist. He suddenly looked down, and his eyes widened as if they were about to shatter.

That morning, before heading to the voting center, he had strapped a sashimi knife to his waist as a joke.

Now, that blade was trembling as if it had a will of its own.

But it wasn’t just his.

The followers of candidate number 7, the members of Sashimidan, 1,457 in total.

All of their knives began to pulse with a strange energy.

The sashimi blades slipped from their sheaths and floated into the air.

Thousands of blades started rising above their heads.

“…What is this?”

The cadets watched in bewilderment, as if they had seen a ghost. Their minds were paralyzed by the phenomenon unfolding before their eyes.

“KIEEEEH?”

The creature, confused, tilted its head. And then, a calm voice rang out from the side.

Jörmungandr instinctively perked up its nonexistent ears.

“I’m going to win.”

The moment those words were spoken…

The floating blades shot forward like a rain of arrows.

The floating blades shot forward like a rain of arrows.

ROAAAARRR!

Jörmungandr let out a beastly roar. It thrashed wildly, but it was futile.

Thousands of knives pierced its body, tearing through its scales as if they were mere paper.

From its wounds, streams of blue blood gushed out.

The more it struggled, the faster the blades moved.

It had no choice but to endure the storm of blades.

“KIEEEEEEEEEEK!!”

Jörmungandr’s colossal body trembled like a candle flickering in the wind.

Every spasm of pain shook the ground. Vesna, still standing atop the beast’s head, froze in place.

Her smug expression vanished.

She knelt over her servant and stroked its forehead.

Her voice, once dripping with arrogance, now trembled.

“My child…”

Splash—

A stream of hot blood splattered across her face.

“Aga…!”

For a moment, her heart pounded violently. A stinging sensation ran across her cheek.

Crrrreeeak—

Vesna turned her head stiffly. Her pupils trembled uncontrollably, shaken by sheer terror.

!!!

The ground quaked, and amidst the chaos, a dark figure approached.

With a languid yet unwavering gaze, his hands in his pockets, and an undeniable arrogance in his stride.

The pure white of his hair had been tainted by blackness.

Step.

The sound of his footsteps echoed across the battlefield.

Step.

In the teary eyes of the cadets, his figure was reflected. Their faces crumbled with relief and joy.

Someone, unable to hold back, let out a cry of triumph.

“It’s Kang Geom-Ma!”

That single word reignited hope among the cadets.

On the other hand, Vesna’s face turned pale as a corpse.

A chill ran down her spine.

She realized.

She had made a mistake. A huge one. An irreversible one.

She had averted her gaze for just a moment.

And now, what was this? What was this sudden change in the atmosphere?

This unknown, terrifying ability?

With just a single flick of Kang Geom-Ma’s hand, the sashimi knives were shredding Jörmungandr.

At that moment, a silver-blue flash crossed her vision.

“Ah…”

Her gasp was the last sound she could make.

Swiishh!

A storm of swords engulfed her.

The entire scene was reflected on the surface of the lake, like a mirror.