Chapter 269: Holy Relic (2)

I’ve picked up a new habit recently.

One where I instinctively estimate my chances of victory against whoever stands before me—be they ally or enemy. This past year has been so chaotic and brutal that I’ve had to keep my senses razor-sharp at all times. Even now, that habit kicks in unconsciously.

I stared at ‘him,’ forgetting even to blink. A cold sweat trickled straight down my back.

‘I can’t see it.’

I can’t see a chance of winning. No matter how many times I run simulations in my mind—hundreds, thousands, millions—the outcome is always the same. I lose. I’m not even sure I could land so much as a scratch the size of a fingernail.

Lately, I’ve faced or at least crossed paths with nearly all the Corps Commanders, except Basmon. Fifth Commander, Agor; Fourth, Fermush; Third, Vesna; Second, Kuarne. Even the First, Lycan—I saw him in dreams and recorded his power in memory.

But this being—the God of the Sword—is on a whole other level, in the most literal sense. His mere presence renders the Commanders’ magic like child’s play. Even though my “soul adaptation” is supposedly complete, everything still feels clouded—that must be from the pressure he radiates.

The fact that even in this second encounter I’m still breathless only proves I’ve grown enough to vaguely sense his enormity. But that’s as far as I get. I can barely perceive it.

‘And to think this was the one lending me his power all along…’

It’s absurd. How strong do you have to be to distort all space around you? Even as I see it with my own eyes, this goes beyond the physical—this verges on the abstract. I stand before proof that natural laws alone can’t contain a god.

— I see things have gone well for you. I can tell from your eyes.

Just as I was about to let out a breathless laugh, the God of the Sword spoke with a smile. His voice echoed as if layered with multiple tones.

— I knew you’d get here eventually, but I didn’t expect it to be so soon.

His words were clear, even though his lips didn’t move. I sensed he had waited for me to regain my composure before speaking.

Grateful for that courtesy, I took a deep breath and asked, steadying my heartbeat.

“Is there something a god doesn’t know?”

— That’s a common misunderstanding. People think gods are omniscient and omnipotent. That they know everything, can do anything. But that’s not really the case. It’s just that what we know and can do belongs to a different plane. Shall we sit?

I gave a slight nod. The God of the Sword smiled even more and plopped down on the ground.

— We don’t have much time, but at least let’s sit comfortably.

He raised one knee and rested his elbow on it, like an old man on his porch. Then he gestured for me to come closer. Hesitant, I sat down three paces away.

— I think I can answer about three questions. So, if there’s anything you want to ask, go ahead.

Yeah… This kind of setup is typical of transcendent beings talking to humans. Though his tone was friendly, almost like chatting with a buddy, the lack of arrogance helped put me at ease. Thanks to that, I was able to decide quickly what to ask.

“God of the Sword are you the Demon King?”

— Whoa, going straight for the jugular with the first question.

He grinned broadly.

— I told you before—names don’t matter to me. If you call me God of the Sword, that’s what I am. If you call me Demon King, then I’m that too. But yes, you can call me that. After all, I did wipe out those once called gods. From certain perspectives, that makes me the ‘absolute evil.’

“And it doesn’t bother you? Demons worship you, after all.”

— Why would it bother me?

He shrugged.

— I don’t exist just for humans. I exist to fulfill the role I was given. I don’t care who worships me or what they call me.

“……”

— By the way, I can tell what you really wanted to ask was whether I’m the true villain behind everything, right? Well, no. I mean, it depends on your perspective, but I’m not that kind of ‘hidden villain’ you’re worried about. So relax. Next question.

He encouraged me to continue. Just then, a crack split across the white sky. Fissures began forming above, releasing a drifting white mist. Just as he said, we didn’t have much time.

I quickly turned back to him.

“Were you the one who brought me to this world?”

— No.

He shook his head slowly.

— I wasn’t the one who brought you here. To be exact, it was you who chose to come. Though, from your perspective, it probably felt like you were forced.

And what does that mean? Is he speaking in riddles because he’s a god?

I’ve been wielding a blade for over twenty years, and no one’s ever called me slow to understand—but his words were too vague, too hard to digest.

— Did I phrase that poorly? Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve had a real conversation.

He seemed to notice my expression and scratched his head, visibly sheepish. His relaxed demeanor slightly shook my perception of his divinity.

— Let me put it another way. The decision to come here was yours. That’s a fact. But there were those who made it easier for you to do so. One of them, as you’ve probably guessed, was the founding hero, Balor Joaquin. The other… I can’t tell you yet. But you’ll find out soon enough.

“…Why did my master, the founding hero, help me come to this world?”

— Hmm, I don’t know. I’m not him, you know?

My face twisted in disbelief.

“A god who doesn’t even know that?”

— How many times do I have to say it? Being a god doesn’t mean being all-knowing.

A god cannot interfere with human will. At most, they can nudge it. That’s an unbreakable law of the world line. Besides—

The God of the Sword’s mouth tightened. For the first time, his smile vanished.

— The reason I wiped out the gods of this world was because they tried to meddle with human will.

His voice only sharpened slightly, yet the entire space trembled. The cracks in the sky widened. The firmament, shattered into scattered fragments, looked ready to collapse.

My mouth was completely dry. I couldn’t even swallow.

The God of the Sword caught that fleeting emotion and resumed a calm smile.

— If you get the chance, why not ask him yourself?

“But the Chief and I… we live in different worlds now. How am I supposed to ask him? Or are you telling me this is one of those ‘Ah, damn, it was all a dream’ things?”

— Hahaha. A dream, you say. Makes sense if you’re from Earth. And if, right then, you hear someone say, ‘Brother, this guy’s laughing,’ in the background—that’d be perfect.

The God of the Sword doubled over with laughter, slapping his thighs. I was speechless. What the hell was so funny?

— But no, it’s not a dream. Nor an illusion. Kang Geom-Ma, everything you’ve experienced is real.

He wiped his eyes with his thumb—or at least rubbed where his eyes should have been, since he had no eye sockets.

— And if you truly wish to reunite with the founding hero, I’m sure it will happen. That, I can promise you—in the name of a god. Balor Joaquin also used my power, after all.

My heart pounded hard. The possibility of reuniting with my Chief—the one lingering thorn in my past life—and now, the God of the Sword was saying it could really happen.

Meanwhile, the sky kept crumbling, and now even the ground was beginning to fracture.

KRRRRMM…

The darkness beyond the cracks slowly devoured the white background. The fissures looked like giant, jagged fangs. What had been a world of blinding white turned pitch black in an instant—like a broken boat adrift on an oil sea. Only the small patch of land where we stood remained, isolated in the void.

— That’s why I told you to come closer. Seems I made a mistake, and the collapse accelerated. Nothing can be done now.

He spoke as if it were nothing.

— Anyway, let’s go to your final question. You should leave here with all doubts resolved.

He opened both arms like he was offering a hug. Strangely, it calmed my heart. And in that moment, with clear eyes, I asked my final question.

‘The final question.’

I parted my lips.

“You said you were assigned a duty, God of the Sword.”

— Yes, that’s right.

“Did you succeed?”

— You’re asking that even though you know the answer? I failed.

He said it in an irritated tone, but a smile still curled his lips.

I stared at him. That featureless face, with only a mouth, made me chuckle a little.

By now, it was obvious—the God of the Sword had a deep fondness for me, and wanted to help in every way he could.

“And do you think I, a mere human, can complete the mission where you failed?”

— It’s because it’s you, Kang Geom-Ma, that I believe you can.

The God of the Sword stood up, pressing a hand to his knee. He looked down at me.

— I failed. Your master—who was also human—failed too. But you’ll succeed. Because you carry the ‘weapon of a god,’ the ‘soul of a human,’ and the ‘body of a demon.’

My eyebrow rose.

“…Body of a demon?”

He leaned forward and offered me his hand. I took it, somewhat uncomfortably, and he helped me to my feet.

— Hup.

Now we stood at the same height.

— Kang Geom-Ma.

Just as there was barely any ground left under our feet, he went on.

— The power you use from me is simply that of cutting. But think about it—your style is built on speed, on lightning-fast blades. That’s not my power.

“…What are you saying?”

— That comes from your own body. From the original owner of the body you took in this world. An opponent who once cornered Balor Joaquin, even while he used my power. A mortal who mastered the sword like no other. Though he was defeated, he came close enough that I, the God of the Sword, acknowledged him.

Before finishing, he sighed softly.

— The true owner of the body you now inhabit… was Lycan. The real “Demonic Sword Lycan.”

“……!”

BOOOOM!

The thunderous roar shook everything. The ground beneath my feet crumbled, and my heel slipped.

I tried to grab the God of the Sword’s shoulder, but it was too late. His figure had already begun to fade, turning translucent.

The last sliver of land vanished too. As I plummeted into the dark abyss, I flailed my arms toward the God of the Sword, who still stood firm.

Just then, another question came to me. Damn it.

— Don’t underestimate your potential. Precisely because you’re not a god, you can keep growing. Because you’re not a demon, you can tell right from wrong. And because you’re not human, you can act justly without being bound by morality.

As I descended, he looked at me calmly, waving gently.

— And if you can’t trust yourself, look around you. You have friends who will help keep you on the right path. That’s why your master created the stage called the Academy.

As the absolute blackness swallowed me, his final words echoed in my mind like an eternal refrain.

— The next time we meet, you’ll be far stronger than us.

***

[The True Name of 【???】 has been unlocked.]

[※ The result is mixed with the sealed entity. This is not a memory exclusive to 【???】.]

[Would you like to view the unlocked True Name? (Y/N)]

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[Opening the True Name of 【???】 using “Synchronization Coefficient” as catalyst.]

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Flash!

【Demonic Sword Lycan】