Chapter 184
Episode 59: The Legacy of the Spirit Sword (7)
Whoosh!
Swish…!
Linpa’s greatsword rippled through the air like a wave, slicing the void with a smooth, flowing motion. The sword was enveloped in spiritual energy, making it seem as if a dark pillar was moving alongside it.
Left, right, down, up—the greatsword’s every movement scattered particles of spiritual energy.
Though the grace of a master was evident, at first glance it looked like an ordinary sword dance. But with just a little attention, one could tell the difference.
The greatsword cutting through the air wasn’t just one—it was two.
Jin hadn’t immediately realized this because the pouring black particles obscured the view, and he had never seen such a scene before.
“Every time Linpa swings the sword, an identical blade appears on the opposite side of the trajectory, like a reflection in a mirror…”
When he swung left, a greatsword made of spiritual energy appeared on the right; when he swung right, the same happened on the left. The same went for up, down, and diagonal strikes.
Opposite the path traced by the greatsword, there was always an identical sword—one forged from spiritual energy, mirroring Linpa’s own. Like closing the pages of a book, the two swords continuously interlocked.
“So this is the true Spirit Sword Style Two. Until yesterday, I only saw him swinging a greatsword wrapped in spiritual energy.”
The sword dance was reaching its climax.
Sweat beaded on Linpa’s forehead, the greatsword left more and more trails in the air, and Jin watched in awe.
He had never imagined that one sword could cut both left and right simultaneously. What Linpa was showing was something only dual-wielders could normally do.
Thud…!
Linpa finished the sword dance and let the greatsword drop to the ground. Garmund and Boras applauded, and Jin followed suit, his eyes shining with admiration.
It was well deserved.
“How was it?”
“Impressive. You hadn’t shown us this side before.”
Did he expect me to be the first to take interest?
Jin almost added that, but thankfully held back.
“So, the curse… is it really broken, Linpa?”
Garmund and Boras looked incredulous, having witnessed Linpa’s curse-breaking firsthand.
“It’s fine, brothers. No need to make a fuss.”
“We should tell the others!”
“Right, so the other brothers can talk with Linpa before the successor leaves. We couldn’t say a word while Temar was here…”
The two war kings hurried off, leaving Jin alone with Linpa. An awkward smile lingered on Jin’s face for a moment.
“Scissors.”
“Huh?”
“That’s the name of the Spirit Sword Style Two you just saw, successor.”
“A fitting name. The blades made of spiritual energy interlock like scissors.”
“Think you can imitate it?”
“Not a chance. It’s not a simple technique you can just copy. Besides, this sword is still a problem.”
Jin gestured to the Spirit-Absorbing Sword hanging at his waist.
The sword was still draining his spiritual energy completely.
“The Spirit-Absorbing Sword is like a scabbard. When you draw your sword, pull the spiritual energy from inside it.”
“Yes, I’ve realized that recently. It doesn’t just absorb energy—it also refines it.”
Jin shrugged.
“But why were you practicing the curse training in the first place?”
“No one listened.”
“What do you mean?”
“I thought it was a punishment for myself, for not stopping my brothers from challenging the gods. It was more of a penalty than training.”
Linpa seemed to blame himself for the destruction of the Mingwang clan. Jin sensed the weight of that guilt but didn’t say, “It’s not your fault.”
That wouldn’t be what Linpa wanted to hear.
“Thanks to you, the punishment is over. So easily, it’s almost meaningless. After twenty years, I can finally speak again. I’ll tell you everything I know in detail.”
Just as Linpa was about to explain Spirit Sword Style Two, Garmund and Boras returned, accompanied by dozens of Mingwang clan members.
“Looks like you’ll have to wait until tomorrow, Jin Runkandel.”
“Linpa, brother!”
“War King brothers! You finally broke the curse!”
The Mingwang clan surrounded Linpa, showering him with congratulations and questions.
Some asked Jin for the full story, but he dodged their questions. Most of the clan didn’t know why Linpa had been cursed in the first place.
‘He seemed eccentric and a little crazy, but he’s actually the most delicate and sensitive among the Mingwang.’
As Jin tried to slip away, Boras grabbed him.
“I’ll take credit for your second achievement.”
“But I haven’t done anything yet.”
“You got Linpa to open up. Heh, I should be the first to savor this moment.”
Boras opened his mouth wide as if to swallow the air, making Jin chuckle. It was like watching a puppy chasing snowflakes to eat them.
A truly inscrutable race. It was hard to believe these were the same mortals who first dared to challenge the gods half a millennium ago.
Linpa was surprisingly skilled at explaining, making the time spent under the curse feel worthwhile.
Thanks to him, Jin learned how to overcome the Spirit-Absorbing Sword and how to perform Spirit Sword Style Two. He mastered the basics within two weeks of Linpa breaking the curse.
Of course, he only learned the method, not mastery. But with enough repetition, mastery was just a matter of time.
By mid-February 1797, the War God Ban personally came to retrieve the Spirit-Absorbing Sword, deciding Jin had trained enough.
“Well done.”
Ban said nothing more, but Jin felt the shadow of Temar fading from him. He couldn’t tell how much praise was in Ban’s words, though.
Tantel, who had come with Ban, returned Bradamante.
“You said I shouldn’t use it because it supports my spiritual energy?”
“From today on, you have to. Once the War King brothers finish their training, the sparring matches will begin.”
Jin felt like something he’d been waiting for had finally arrived.
‘Since the day I first came to Laprarosa, I wanted to face the Mingwang properly.’
The martial prowess of the War God and War Kings was beyond Jin’s reach for now. He could tell without even clashing swords.
‘The War Kings are all at least nine-star warriors by human standards. Maybe even ten-star.’
Ban’s martial skill was immeasurable—he only had a sense it was comparable to Temar or Siron.
‘I have no idea where ordinary warriors stand.’
They were definitely above the average of the Baekrang and Jeokho clans.
“The First War King brother will pick your first sparring opponent by this afternoon. Honestly, I think it’s way too soon…”
“You’re acting like I’m going to lose for sure.”
Tantel nodded.
“Exactly. A seventeen-year-old human fighting a Mingwang warrior was unthinkable in our time. And the First War King brother doesn’t like you.”
“Why not?”
“Ha ha ha, you were so arrogant on the first day in the War God’s main hall. The War King, Second War King, and Eighth War King brothers were being generous.”
Tantel’s smile faded as she met Jin’s eyes.
“But if you show them a good fight, it could change their minds in an instant. I’ll be rooting for you and wishing you luck. You’ve already taken my advice, right?”
To see the Mingwang Sword at least once. Jin hadn’t seen it directly, but it was etched in his memory.
After Ban and Tantel left the training ground, Garmund shook his head.
“Hmm, you’re strong enough. No, you’re incredible. It’s hard to believe you’re just a human boy. So don’t get discouraged, it’s okay.”
“Tantel talks like I’m going to lose, and Garmund talks like I already have. But I’ve never been discouraged.”
Boras and Linpa seemed to share the same thought, avoiding Jin’s gaze.
“Heh, I’m worried. Jin seems like the type whose soul breaks after a big failure.”
“From what I see, people who’ve only ever succeeded tend to be like that.”
The War Kings’ faces were full of concern.
“But Jin, you have to learn how to get back up after failure.”
“Agreed. Defeat is also a driving force for a warrior’s growth. Ha ha, even Temar never lost outside, but here in Laprarosa, he went on a losing streak.”
That was an interesting story.
“Garmund, how strong was Temar when he had his first sparring match here?”
“Stronger than you. By a step or two.”
“I see. A step or two.”
“Still, he couldn’t beat ordinary warriors for a while.”
“Now you understand why we’re so worried? After his first sparring with us brothers, Temar lost his appetite for a while. I think you’re similar to Temar in that way.”
Garmund, Boras, and Linpa were completely mistaken.
‘Losing once isn’t a big deal. They worry too much. I’ve lost over a hundred times training with Alisa.’
Unlike Temar, who had never lost before coming to Laprarosa, Jin was the most familiar with defeat and failure.
And ultimately, with victory.
The First War King chose a warrior named Shaku as Jin’s first sparring opponent.
He was a swordsman wielding a long sword, once known as “Shaku of the Lightning” before the Mingwang clan’s time froze.
All seventy-seven Mingwang gathered at the training ground to watch the match between the two.
The atmosphere among the other Meiwang clan members wasn’t much different from that of Garmund, Boras, Linpa, or Darji. Most of them were busy betting on how many moves it would take Shaku to finish Jin off.
Over thirty Meiwang clan members had guessed it would take “under ten moves,” and the rest expected even fewer.
The only ones thinking differently were the Duelist Corps and Jin himself.
“Champion, are you ready?” Shaku said, his heart glowing brightly. The light reflected off the sword he casually drew.
“I’d appreciate it if you really tried to kill me this time,” Jin replied.
“What?”
“If you treat this as just a sparring match, you’ll hold back—and that dulls the edge.”
“Well, I have to admit, you’ve got guts. But you’re going too far. Few things are more unbearable than a person who lacks humility.”
Jin smiled softly.
“You’ll be admitting other things soon enough.”
A blazing triangular light flared on Jin’s chest, almost identical to the genuine Meiwang clan heart glowing in Shaku’s own chest.
As the aura spread along the triangular light, coloring Bradamante, a murderous gleam flashed in Shaku’s eyes—an instinctive rejection of a human wielding a Meiwang sword.
“The Meiwang sword…!? Could it be the Twin Kings taught you?”
“That’s none of your business. I like your sword, though.”
Jin struck first.