Episode 249: Farewell (2)
For a moment, Damian forgot to think. Standing before him was someone he never expected to see.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword.
A knight reigning supreme in an empire teeming with master-class warriors.
People often speculated about who might be the strongest among the Empire’s Greatest Sword, the Sword Saint, the Holy Flame of the Divine Order, and the future Sword Queen.
But Damian, who had faced them all, knew the answer.
No matter what anyone said, the strongest was the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
Among those mentioned as contenders for humanity’s strongest, the Empire’s Greatest Sword stood out, unmatched.
Even Damian, in his days as a Death Knight, had nearly tasted defeat against him.
At present, the only one who could challenge the Empire’s Greatest Sword was the leader of Pandemonium, and even he fell short.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword glanced at Damian and spoke.
“Do you have an umbrella?”
The unexpected question caught Damian off guard, and his expression faltered.
“Is that really what you want to say out of the blue?”
“Tomorrow, it will rain. I can feel it strongly. I suggest you prepare.”
Damian looked at him incredulously.
‘Right, he was always like this.’
The Empire’s Greatest Sword was, to put it kindly, a man of his own world—or, less kindly, a bit unhinged.
In a past life, the first thing he had said to Damian was:
Damian remembered laughing at the absurdity of it, though he couldn’t show it at the time, trapped as he was in his own body.
“What brings you here?”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword rarely left the capital, preferring to remain secluded within the royal palace.
His appearances were so rare that they caused a stir throughout the empire.
‘It’s not surprising, given that I took down Sla.’
Sla was a major figure within Pandemonium, a powerful force in his own right.
With such a giant fallen, it was only natural for the Empire’s Greatest Sword to take an interest in Damian.
“Sla… yes, Sla is dead. It’s strange. I never sensed death in his fate.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword spoke dreamily, while the Sword Saint beside him gave a wry smile.
“Don’t think too much of it. He’s always like this, speaking in riddles.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword was also known as the Prophet.
He often spoke in cryptic terms, but sometimes, those words proved true.
“Damian Haxen.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword’s eyes sharpened, his crimson gaze piercing through Damian.
‘Those eyes are just as I remember.’
The Empire’s Greatest Sword was born with pale pigmentation, his skin and hair white, his eyes a vivid red.
Many found his gaze unsettling.
Not because of the color, but because it felt as if he could see right through you.
Then, in an instant, the world changed.
No longer in his quarters, Damian stood beneath a night sky, surrounded by a field of bright yellow flowers.
There was nothing else—just him and the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
Suddenly, the Empire’s Greatest Sword swung his blade, the beautiful arc slicing through Damian’s neck.
And just as quickly, the world shifted back. The night sky and flowers vanished, replaced by the familiar surroundings of his room.
Damian touched his neck. There was no cut, not even a scratch. The Empire’s Greatest Sword held no weapon.
‘What a troublesome trick.’
Moments ago, Damian had been drawn into the Empire’s Greatest Sword’s mental realm.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword possessed abilities beyond others, one of which was pulling people into his mind.
He trained there, sometimes testing others.
“That was quite the prank,” Damian remarked.
The Sword Saint turned sharply to the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
“Did you do it again? I told you to stop scaring people.”
“Why didn’t you defend yourself?”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword ignored the Sword Saint’s scolding. The Sword Saint sighed, as if expecting this.
“In that place, all constraints vanish. It’s a pure test of skill. So why didn’t you stop me?”
“It wasn’t that I didn’t stop you; I couldn’t. How could I block the Empire’s Greatest Sword?”
“You’re lying.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword dismissed Damian’s words.
“I can sense it. Your true strength is far beyond this. Don’t hide it. Don’t deceive me.”
His red eyes bore into Damian.
“I came here to see your true self.”
Damian sighed inwardly.
This was what he had feared most when the Empire’s Greatest Sword appeared.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword’s insight was beyond human comprehension.
Even as a Death Knight, he had said:
How long have you been like this? It’s a wonder you haven’t gone mad.
It might have been easier if you had. You could have accepted your changed self.
Did you want to remain human to the end? Foolish, but noble.
Damian worried that the Empire’s Greatest Sword might see through his facade.
And indeed, his fears were confirmed.
Damian pondered briefly. Deceiving the Empire’s Greatest Sword was impossible.
Perhaps it was better to reveal everything.
Besides, a part of him wanted to truly test himself against the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
The man before him had been a formidable rival in his past life.
“If that’s what you wish, I’ll show you.”
Before he finished speaking, the world transformed again. The night sky and flower field reappeared.
Without a moment to admire the scenery, a blade came at him.
Damian raised his sword to block. The Empire’s Greatest Sword’s strike halted just below his chin.
A smile appeared on the Empire’s Greatest Sword’s lips.
“Yes, that’s it. Show me.”
He withdrew his sword and swung again. Damian responded in kind.
Their blades clashed dozens of times, too fast to see.
The Empire’s Greatest Sword’s technique wasn’t flashy or fast, nor was it overwhelmingly powerful.
It was simple, quiet, almost monotonous.
Yet, it was incredibly difficult to defend against. A moment’s lapse, and the blade was at his throat.
‘He was already complete back then.’
The more Damian clashed with him, the more he marveled. The Empire’s Greatest Sword’s skill was unchanged from their past encounter.
“I still can’t see you.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword murmured softly.
“Perhaps this will reveal you.”
Suddenly, he vanished. The night sky filled with the trails of countless blades.
Thousands? Tens of thousands?
An uncountable number of strikes surged toward Damian, threatening to shred him to dust.
Despite the terrifying sight, Damian remained unfazed.
In reality, he might not have been able to counter this technique.
But in the mental realm, he was free from physical and magical constraints. He could unleash his full potential.
Damian’s sword moved.
He deflected, shattered, and severed the oncoming strikes.
The storm of blades, poised to consume him, hesitated. Unable to reach him, it began to recede.
As space opened up, Damian spun, swinging his sword wide.
Darkness erupted.
A black slash cleaved through the storm, erasing the trails of blades in an instant.
A path emerged, revealing the distant figure of the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
He stared at Damian, astonished.
“Could it be…?”
Damian launched himself forward, swinging his sword.
A long, unbroken strike severed the Empire’s Greatest Sword’s neck.
As soon as Damian cut through the Empire’s Greatest Sword, he returned to reality.
“I’ve lost.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword admitted, leaving the Sword Saint gaping.
It was true that the Empire’s Greatest Sword had once been Damian’s formidable rival.
But Damian had surpassed him, absorbing his techniques and reaching even greater heights.
Now, the Empire’s Greatest Sword was no match for him.
“Fascinating. Your swordsmanship blends many techniques. It felt like fighting hundreds at once.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword spoke dreamily.
“But its foundation was singular. You built your techniques upon it.”
He looked at Damian and asked.
“Damian Haxen, you were a Dark Knight, weren’t you?”
The Sword Saint’s eyes widened. He pressed the Empire’s Greatest Sword.
“That’s absurd… How could Sir Damian be a Dark Knight?”
Once again, the Empire’s Greatest Sword ignored him, leaving the Sword Saint exasperated.
“But there’s no malice. You’re filled with anger and resentment, but it’s not directed at us. Your fate doesn’t lie with us.”
The Empire’s Greatest Sword closed his eyes briefly, as if contemplating something.
”…I’m glad I came to see you. Now everything is clear.”
The Empire’s greatest swordsman spoke with his eyes closed, his voice steady and calm.
“Demian Haxen, I can sense destiny. But at some point, the fate of the world twisted dramatically. I don’t know the cause or the reason. All I know is that it has been distorted.”
He opened his eyes, his crimson gaze locking onto Demian.
“Demian Haxen, your act of killing Sla was not part of the destined path. Yet, paradoxically, it helped to somewhat correct the distortion. Thanks to you, I was able to glimpse the flow, if only for a moment.”
He paused, his tone unwavering as he continued.
“Demian Haxen, I am going to die soon.”
“What… what do you mean by that?”
Demian couldn’t help but ask, disbelief coloring his voice. The Empire’s greatest swordsman wasn’t someone who would die so soon.
He had survived the War of Destruction, leading the Imperial forces to the end. It was only much later that he met his end at Demian’s hands.
“Yes, I wasn’t meant to die now. But fate has twisted. Everything has changed. I will die soon.”
His words were cryptic, yet impossible to dismiss.
The swordsman’s predictions had an uncanny way of coming true.
“I’m not afraid of death. But the world that will change because of it terrifies me. The future that my death might ruin fills me with unbearable anxiety. That’s why I’ve come to you.”
His words flowed on, a sense of urgency beneath them.
“Demian Haxen, soon your old enemy will regain himself. But that won’t be a problem. Such a minor distortion won’t be able to affect you. The real issue comes after.”
His voice darkened slightly.
“A greater distortion is coming. It’s so vast that I can’t see anything beyond it. My abilities are useless in even guessing what it might be.”
He spoke with firm resolve.
“So prepare yourself. Become stronger than you are now. Ready yourself for the new calamity that is soon to arrive.”
He reached into his cloak and pulled something out.
It was a shard of metal, black as night, large and with broken edges. Blades were affixed to either side.
The moment Demian saw it, his eyes widened.
“I was searching for a way to destroy this. But now I understand. Its fate is tied to you.”
The shard of Erebus.
The swordsman extended it toward him.
“May this aid you on the path ahead.”