Sword Devouring Swordmaster-Chapter 66 : Chapter 66

Chapter 66 – War Duel (1)
The equipment Dwight had gifted me were all masterpieces. From among them, I chose the ones that would be immediately useful to me.
「Not bad at all.」
After ingesting 「Wild Instinct」, my body no longer held the fragile power of a boy. Yet even so, the nature of my sword had not changed. From 「Needle」 to 「Fang」 and now to 「Gale」, my swords have always shared a single direction. Crude, reckless blades like those of the northern barbarians or orcs did not suit me.
A swift sword. The most fitting way to make use of my doubts — to slit the enemy’s throat through the smallest opening. My body had changed, but my blade still walked that same path.
「A larger body and feral strength are mere tools. To abandon the weapon you’ve honed just because you’ve gained something new — that would be foolish.」
In place of the sword Daisy had gifted me, I chose a longsword with superior cutting power.
A blade forged from 「Winter Steel」, a rare metal that could only be obtained in the Sky Mountains. Ordinary steel would be sliced apart like wood before this sword’s violent edge.
「Do what you do best, young descendant.」
For armor, I chose pieces made of mithril. They weren’t as sturdy as the black-iron full plate Dwight had worn, but they were light enough not to hinder movement. I equipped a set consisting of mithril armor, boots, and gauntlets — sturdy enough to deflect stray arrows with ease.
To that, I added several daggers for emergency use — all made from the same 「Winter Steel」 as my sword.
「Fine gear, though far too good for your level.」
“…Is that so?”
「Indeed. Back in my day, you’d have been lucky to swing a lump of scrap iron you found on a battlefield, you blockheaded fool.」
Winter Steel was among the rarest and finest metals on the continent. It couldn’t compare to the Three Great Metals like Dwight’s Black Iron, but among all obtainable steels, it was second to none.
「Tch. Using such fine things this early will spoil you.」
While Liam grumbled like an old man, my preparations came to an end. I had selected my gear, recovered my condition, and finished assimilating 「Gale」. As time passed, Seol Yoon, who had left without a word, finally returned.
“You’re back.”
“I promised I’d come a day early.”
Her presence had changed — drastically.
「Hah, after watching you crawl like a slug, seeing a genius take flight is refreshing indeed.」
“……”
「Truly, that girl should have inherited the blood of Karavan, not you…」
To be honest, I couldn’t disagree this time. In just a few days, Seol Yoon’s aura had transformed. Even when she had returned from her earlier journey, her growth had been evident — but now, it was incomparable. Beneath her tattered clothes, I could almost see faint wings forming on her back, flickering in and out of view.
I muttered quietly.
“…Was it always possible to grasp the thread of the 「Sword Runner」 so quickly?”
「No. Didn’t I tell you? Wings are the highest wall for all swordsmen.」
“Then…”
Seol Yoon had remained in the realm of the 「Sword Walker」 far longer than I had. She had trained with the sword longer than I’d been alive. Perhaps, I thought, it was merely the difference of time.
「Talent — the gift of a genius.」
But as always, my master never lied when it came to the sword.
「A sword chosen by the heavens.」
“……”
「No matter how hard the mediocre chase, they will never catch up — that is the cruel, violent nature of talent. All geniuses are the same, young descendant.」
Seol Yoon had already reached a place far beyond my reach.
“I’ll rest a bit. Tomorrow, I’ll have to use a lot of strength.”
“Ah, yes.”
She entered the inn with a drowsy look. Even after she disappeared inside, I remained standing there, feeling something complicated stir within me.
「Are you envious?」
“Honestly, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t.”
「No need.」
Liam grinned down at me.
「In my time, there were countless swordsmen with talent far beyond hers. The world was overflowing with geniuses — so many that even the ‘geniuses among geniuses’ were as common as stars in the sky.」
“……”
「And yet, at the final moment, only steel stood tall.」
His eyes gleamed.
「Be proud. The Steel Blood that flows in your veins has been proven by history — by me — as the mark of invincibility.」
The cool air of dawn grew warm. Slowly, the sun began to rise.
「Wherever you go from here, you will find countless geniuses — dazzling ones whose brilliance makes ordinary people seem dull, perhaps even you.」
“……”
「But remember this: even among the rain of geniuses, the peak is always one.」
With the sun at his back, Liam looked down at me, eyes sharpened like a blade.
「And within you flows the blood of that peak.」
***
The final day was no different from the rest.
「As that dwarf told you, the Karavans with the Steel Blood grow slowly. Our blood is quite literally like steel itself.」
As always, I ran until I could barely breathe.
「Those with the blood of the Five Great Houses are like nature. They burn like fire, consuming all as fuel to grow. They surge like waves, devouring their surroundings to gain strength. They flash like lightning, revealing themselves in brilliance. But steel — steel is still and silent.」
I swung my sword until my palms tore. The calluses on my hands were never going away.
「To forge a single sword requires long patience. It must be heated, cooled, then heated again and hammered endlessly. Our blood is the same. It does not burn endlessly — it heats, cools, and is tempered once more.」
“……”
「Thus our glory comes slow, and our light arrives late.」
My muscles screamed. The world blurred.
「But once forged, steel never breaks.」
“…Haa.”
「No flame can burn it as fuel. No tide can sweep it away. No lightning can scorch it.」
“……”
「Grip your sword, young descendant — and become harder than any other.」
My heart pounded like mad.
「Then the world shall revere you.」
Thus dawned the day of the 「War Duel.」
***
The grand circular coliseum, the 「Arena」 — symbol of the Iron City — was packed to the brim. The heat of the spectators and the fighting spirit of the gathered warriors filled the space like fire.
“The day of the War Duel has dawned, brave warriors!”
The host’s booming voice rang out.
“As announced beforehand, this 「War Duel」 will reenact the War of Conquest! The bloody campaign led by the Conqueror of the Great Land! In past duels, we’ve reenacted ancient wars few of you knew about! But really, how could the brawlers and blood-drunk audience of the Iron City have time for history lessons?”
“Hah! Damn right, you clown! None of us here are scholars!”
“Hey, you Arena jester! You’re no different — what’s with the sudden lecture?”
The host and the crowd’s voices blended in fiery laughter.
“Hahaha! You’re right — I know nothing of history either! When we reenacted that so-called ‘Sand War’ last time, I thought, ‘What the hell is that?’ Never even heard of it!”
“Ha! Same here!”
“Because the old bastards running the Arena are nerds! Imagine them giggling in their rooms thinking that crap would be fun — disgusting!”
The words were crude enough to make officials squirm, but in this place, such things were not forbidden.
“However! Even an ignorant fool like me, and you lot, know of the War of Conquest! It only ended recently! Some of you fought in it — others lost family to it — since that damned Iron Kingdom conscripted half the men just to lick the conqueror’s boots!”
Because this was the Arena.
“Today, we will recreate that damned war! In the style of a Territory War!”
Here, as long as it was entertaining, anything was allowed.
“Do you remember when the War of Conquest began to drag on? It was when the Great Land’s army, which had trampled across the eastern continent, was stopped for the first time — by none other than the fallen peninsula!”
At those words, the eyes of many warriors from the eastern lands sharpened.
“The fallen peninsula was small, its people few. A vassal state of the Great Land, paying tribute each year. Yet it fought more fiercely and held out longer than any other! Truly, an inspiring tale!”
“……”
“So the Arena has chosen to reenact that glorious battle — in the form of a Territory War!”
The host snapped his fingers, and robed women emerged from outside the arena. Their faces were veiled, only their eyes visible, their bodies covered completely in thick gloves and boots.
Some of the crowd murmured, “…Witches.”
Beings from the Sky Empire — devout servants of the 「Father of the Sky」, one of the Seven High Gods, and the most potent wielders of mystic power.
At their appearance, the audience fell silent.
“For this match, the Arena has invited these Witches! To craft the perfect battlefield for our War Duel!”
The host’s eyes gleamed red.
“The second event of the ‘Infinite Duel,’ the 「War Duel」, will take place within a spiritual world created by these Witches! You may fight to the death — without risk to your lives! After all, what is war without killing, eh? Isn’t it more fun this way?”
Amusement.
The Arena’s pursuit of primal entertainment was steeped in madness.
And of course—
“Hell yeah! A real duel means someone’s gotta die!”
“Uwaaaaah─!”
—the crowd of the Iron City was no different. The Arena was always a place of frenzy.
“As the match is a Territory War, each fighter must choose one of two sides! The first — the Great Land! You will act as the invading army! Break the fortress walls within the time limit to win!”
“Oooh!”
“The Great Land army — recreated by the Witches — will include their infamous cavalry who never knew defeat!”
A few shouted from the stands,
“Then that’s unbalanced! Only the Sky Empire could stand against them on open ground!”
“These lunatics really made another broken match!”
The host raised his voice again.
“Patience! The second faction is the defenders — the fallen peninsula, the Han faction! Those who choose this side must repel endless waves of invaders and defend the fortress walls! As announced, fighters of the Han side will be lent the sacred armament symbolizing dragons — the Dragon Sword!”
“Well, that’s still—”
“Ah, but there’s more! To balance it further—”
He threw his arms wide.
“The wielder of the Dragon Sword may summon the dragon who once protected the fallen peninsula — the Guardian Dragon — up to three times, each for one minute, before the duel ends!”
“……”
“With this, I believe the scales are balanced!”
It was shocking — utterly shocking. The crowd fell silent.
But the host didn’t allow them time to think.
“Now, warriors — choose your sides!”
And thus, the curtain rose on the 「War Duel.」
***
“Little Gladiator, I have a favor to ask.”
As fighters chose their sides, Seol Yoon approached me.
“I’ll be joining the Han faction. I decided that the moment I heard what this duel was about.”
I had expected that. I’d felt the fury she carried. I too planned to choose the same side.
But—
“You should join the Great Land.”
“…What?”
“This duel will take place in a spiritual world. I see it as a chance — a chance for us to fight with our lives on the line, to see each other’s swords down to their roots.”
It was an unexpected proposal.
“I intend to win this duel. Even if it’s a clown’s play — a fake victory — I still want it. But just as much, I want to see your sword — your true fangs, the ones that don’t appear in polite duels. We’ll never see them if we fight on the same side. So just this once, fight me as an enemy. That’s my request.”
Her expression was serious.
It troubled me. To fight Seol Yoon seriously — even in a spiritual realm — to clash blades to kill with someone I called a friend… it felt wrong. I should refuse. Tell her we’d fight together, as always.
And yet—
“To be honest,” I said, my heartbeat quickening, “I’ve wanted that too.”
A genius. The one who’d once defeated me — the 「Black Bride.」
The swordswoman even my master had called heaven-blessed.
“Then I accept, Seol Yoon.”
For those who lived by the sword — how could one refuse?
“However…”
Something inside me began to burn.
“If I win — if the Great Land triumphs, and the right to claim the Dragon’s Armament falls to me — I’ll keep it for myself.”
“Fine by me.”
Perhaps she felt the same.
“If you can, that is.”
In that moment, we were no longer Arhan and Seol Yoon.
The 「Little Gladiator」and the 「Black Bride.」
Two warriors facing each other once more in the Arena — as enemies, aiming for each other’s throats.
And—
“Now, let the War Duel begin!”
There was one thing we didn’t yet know.
“This sacred duel shall be dedicated to the Goddess of Justice, Refri!”
The 「Arena」— was a place utterly mad for entertainment.
***
I opened my eyes within the spiritual world crafted by the witches.
Their magic was truly as mysterious as rumored — the realm felt no different from reality. Every sense was vivid, every sight perfectly real. But something was wrong.
A voice echoed in my head.
『You have chosen the Han faction.』
『Defend the fortress until time runs out.』
…Why was my faction Han?