Sword Devouring Swordmaster-Chapter 78 : Chapter 78

Chapter 78. Whirlpool (1)
『The long war ended in vain. As everyone expected, the Conquest Army of the 「Great Land」 crushed the walls of the pitiful peninsula, trampled their soil, and burned it down. Those who lived on the continent mocked the King of Han. If defeat was inevitable, why did he resist so desperately? Had he surrendered earlier, wouldn’t at least a handful of his people have survived?
That public opinion had been solidified by the disgraceful behavior of the King of Han during the war’s final days. When the walls were on the verge of collapse, their sovereign cast aside his dignity, proposed a ceasefire, and presented numerous conditions in hopes of negotiating with the 「Great Land」. But the resolute Descendant of the Khan kicked away the king’s filthy offer and judged them with valor…That was the end of the Eastern Continent’s Conquest War as known to the world. But the truth was somewhat different. For history is always written by the victors.』
***
As Seol Yoon’s breath ceased, joy and despair crossed the faces of both sides. It felt as if a duel between the two great warriors representing Han and the 「Great Land」 had just concluded.
The morale of the Conquest Army plummeted, while the defenders’ spirits soared sky-high.
Thunderous cheers erupted everywhere.
Yet, nothing had changed. A single warrior from the Conquest Army had died. That was all, if one looked only at the result. In this War Duel, death was something that occurred every moment. So, if one considered only the outcome, this reaction was difficult to understand.
Seol Yoon had died—but Arhan, who fought her, wasn’t in normal condition either. He looked like he’d fall over if someone so much as touched him. And it wasn’t an overwhelming victory, either.
A difference of a hair. A victory by the smallest margin possible.
Then why was Han already acting as though they’d won, and the 「Great Land」 as though they’d lost? Was it because the sheer aura both of them exuded had captivated the entire battlefield? Because the soldiers of both sides projected themselves onto those two fighters?
Partly, yes—but that wasn’t the decisive reason.
The decisive reason lay in what the Conquest Army of the 「Great Land」 truly was: barbaric horsemen of the plains—and devout believers.
Those savage riders worshiped the Great Khan who once ruled the continent, and also one of the Seven Gods—He Who Never Sleeps, the Heavenly Father.
Both represented struggle itself.
The Khan Empire of the 「Great Land」 even had a tradition called “Judgment by Battle.” No matter one’s crime—if one won the duel, they were declared righteous.
To the Conquest Army, who revered struggle as sacred no less than the orcs did, the duel that had just taken place was akin to such a divine judgment. And the side that lost that fierce contest—was theirs. Having witnessed it with their own eyes, the soldiers could no longer fight bravely. It felt as though the Heavenly Father Himself had declared that this war was wrong.
“U… urgh. Uuuh…”
Then they realized—if they died in this war, they would not go to the Father’s side. They would not walk the infinite plains where their ancestors waited.
The unyielding courage that filled their hearts blurred at that moment. And their leader, the Descendant of the Khan—who alone could have reignited their spirit—did not manifest in the Spirit World.
Thus—“R-retreat.”
The Conquest Army lost their will to fight.
“Retreat, we’re retreating!”
Their courage was gone.
Their resolve shattered.
“We must… we must ask the Descendant of the Khan! Whether we are meant to continue this war or not! The Descendant can commune with the Great One and will give us the righteous answer! So—so we fools must return first! We… we must go back…!”
An army governed by the charisma of an absolute leader became, in that instant, a rabble. Thus, the Conquest Army that had reached the very foot of the fortress walls turned around and began to retreat.
“What the—?”
The warriors of the 「Great Land」 were dumbfounded. They’d nearly conquered the fortress, and now they were running away just because they lost a duel? It looked like one of those rigged matches between bribed gladiators…
“This is insane—”
“Silence.”
But before their complaints could erupt, the warriors were slain—by other warriors. Those from the Eastern Continent. The ones stationed here through the Arena’s manipulation.
They were delighted to see the panicking Conquest Army flee, and even more delighted to see the jubilant faces of Han’s soldiers embracing one another in joy.
“Don’t ruin it.”
Though all of this existed only in the Spirit World, the Eastern Continent’s warriors smiled.
Though all of it was an illusion, they still smiled proudly. For them, victory or defeat no longer mattered. Even if it was a false victory—and technically a loss for those who had fought—it didn’t bother them.
“Don’t ruin this…”
They simply closed their eyes and reminisced. And as the defenders of Han charged, the warriors of the Eastern Continent accepted death willingly.
The defenders’ momentum was tremendous—so tremendous that one might have thought they could have won even if the Conquest Army hadn’t retreated.
“The true King aids us—!”
“Forward—!”
The defenders’ morale was overwhelming. Its source lay in the Dragon Relics. After Arhan’s victory, those relics had begun to shine brightly, and those bathed in the light shook off their fatigue and charged like heroes reborn.
“…What the hell.”
The warriors from Han—including those holding the glowing relics—all reacted the same way.
“Why did they all turn into berserkers?”
“Did the Arena’s clowns pull another trick? They always try to twist the story for some ‘unpredictable drama,’ don’t they? Like when they swapped our sides this time…”
“…You think so?”
Their confusion didn’t last long. The eccentricities of the 「Arena」 directors were well-known.
If it wasn’t an official match but an event duel, such eccentricity was to be expected.
They’d seen plenty of their ‘weird antics’ before. Well, they’d probably make up some nonsense later—something about a “hidden piece” based on the true history of the Conquest War, or a “surprise twist” for dramatic effect…
Just as the warriors were about to accept that explanation—
“……”
Outside the field, something entirely different was happening.
“……?”
“……?”
The 「Arena」 staff—especially the planner who had designed this War Duel—stared at the scene before them and spoke in a grave voice.
“What the hell.”
***
In any fierce war, selecting a few great warriors to fight a duel on behalf of their armies was common practice. Especially when one’s champions were strong.
Victory in such a duel greatly boosted morale, and morale was a precious resource in war. But such duels were never the true core of war. In real war, logistics, troop management, and proper formations mattered far more.
“What… what is this?”
The event planner felt like someone had just struck the back of his head.
A headache swelled as he tried to reason through it.
Fine—if this were the Conquest Army of the 「Great Land」, he could almost understand. They were a group of fanatics, not unlike orcs. Without their Descendant of the Khan, such a collapse could happen.
Sure—
‘If this were reality, maybe.’
Reality.
‘But why the hell are virtual projections behaving on their own?’
Those soldiers were no more than programmed illusions. Mirages that should vanish at a flick of a hand.
The planner hadn’t asked for this level of realism. If it had been scripted, fine—but this wasn’t.
This was not part of the design.
There was supposed to be a fierce battle continuing, giving the warriors time to shine and the Dragon Relics their spotlight.
There were supposed to be more event triggers later. So why—why the hell—‘Why? Why, damn it?!’
Arena planners were usually tolerant people. They could laugh at themselves if it made things entertaining. Some even proudly called themselves “clowns.” Among planners, self-deprecation in the name of spectacle was a badge of honor. But this—this was different.
They could endure almost anything—except when a match deviated from the design. That was a blow to their pride, their identity as creators. So the first word that slipped from his mouth—“Damn it”—was only natural.
‘Damn it!’
Now, all those sponsors and fellow planners who’d invested in this War Duel would have words for him.
Unpleasant words.
Very unpleasant ones.
So, wounded in pride and dreading the fallout to come, the 「Arena」 planner went to find the cause of this unintended disaster.
“What is the meaning of this?”
He swallowed another “Damn it” by sheer willpower. For the people he’d gone to see were no ordinary guests. A mere clown from the Steel City showing anger before such beings would bring unimaginable consequences.
“…Is something wrong?”
The Witches. The noblest women of the Sky Empire. Magical beings seated in solemn composure, gazing at the angry planner with calm eyes.
He restrained his rage and spoke as professionally as he could. No matter how highborn they were, they were hired by the Arena. And as their employer, he had every right to question their failure to perform their role properly.
He even thought that chastising witches might earn him bragging rights later at a drinking party…
So he spoke up.
“What is this situation? I asked for cavalry units to be recreated, not this. Because of you, my design has gone off course. Do you understand how insulting that is for a planner?”
“…Is that so? But what we sisters were asked to do was to recreate both armies as they were during the Conquest War. We simply did as we were told.”
“No army retreats just because they lost a duel! You only needed to reproduce the cavalry units! And that’s not the only problem!”
Seeing how shamelessly the witches answered, his words spilled out faster.
“I specifically asked for special functionality only in the Dragon Sword—so why are the other Dragon Relics glowing? And why are Han’s soldiers charging around like berserkers? Do you know how many questions I’m getting right now—people asking if there’s some hidden meaning or historical reference behind it all? I’ll have to explain every last thing during the auction later, and because of you, I look like an idiot! This is an absolute disaster! If this continues, I may not be able to pay the promised compensation—hah—”
While the witches stayed silent, the planner vented every thought in his head. And only when he stopped to breathe did he realize he’d said far too much. Still—no real mistakes.
He’d said what he needed to say, professionally. No regrets tonight before bed.
“…Is that so?”
He even felt proud of himself for that flawless complaint. He’d really spoken well. But then—he felt a sudden chill.
“Let me repeat,” said the witch softly.
“We sisters did our best. You say it’s strange that a defeated army retreated—but such things happened often in wartime. Even outside the plains, armies that lost their champions’ duels would withdraw, believing fortune had abandoned them. And as for the Dragon Relics glowing—that’s because we recreated them perfectly. We sisters reproduced the powers sealed within them flawlessly in the Spirit World.”
“That’s not what I—”
“Then.”
This time, they didn’t just listen.
The witch’s voice cut through his words—cold as frost. The veil covering her face swayed in the wind. Through it, her eyes gleamed—gems of indescribable beauty, so alluring that one could fall under their spell at a glance.
“Then what is it you want to hear?”
He managed not to fall for that gaze—barely. And only then did he realize his mistake. It didn’t matter that his words were logical or professional.
These women did not live by logic or reason.
The most noble beings on the continent. And among their countless titles, one fit best—
“Would you prefer that we offer a heartfelt apology?”
“……”
“If you wish, we shall bow our heads. But if we do…”
The most “exalted ladies” of the mortal realm.
“…our husband will be quite displeased.”
Every Witch was a wife of the Heavenly Father. Not metaphorically. Literally. They shared mind and body with one of the Seven Gods. Thus, a Witch could never reveal her face to any mortal man.
Never.
And in exchange—
“Are you all right?”
—one of the Seven Gods, the 「Heavenly Father」 Himself, loved each Witch as His true wife, with endless devotion.
“Or perhaps… you would prefer our bodies instead?”
At that instant, the planner felt a gaze—overwhelming, divine. A gaze descending from heights beyond comprehension. Even he, with no spiritual sensitivity whatsoever, could feel it.
A god was watching him.
The 「Heavenly Father」—one of the rare gods who actively intervened in the mortal world.
“I… I wouldn’t dare…”
He didn’t wish to find out what the God of Heaven and Lightning would do to defend His wives’ honor.
“Then there’s no problem?”
“N-none at all…”
Absolutely none.
“Good.”
Now the planner was left wondering how the hell to explain this whole disaster—and what kind of believable nonsense he could invent for the Dragon Relics’ sudden light. It wouldn’t be easy—but what choice did he have?
“W-would you care for some sweets? I can fetch tea in the blink of an eye.”
In the Iron Kingdom, strength and submission were the law of survival…
***
Thunderous cheers erupted—so loud they shook the entire city. Amid that uproar, a man walking along the outskirts of the Steel City of Ferma smiled faintly.
“Ah, what a shame. Judging by those cheers, it must be over already.”
“If you’re that curious, you should’ve taken a carriage.”
“No need. When else do I get to walk this far? The breeze is refreshing, and the night scenery—quite beautiful.”
Perfect weather. As he spoke, the wind blew again, lifting the hood that hid his ash-grey hair, glimmering faintly in the night.
“Don’t you wish to see it too? I hear the second duel, this ‘War Duel,’ had the Conquest War as its theme. That was the war you took part in, wasn’t it?”
“I didn’t take part. I merely… dropped by. To correct the manners of a certain barbarian who’d forgotten his place.”
The man laughed quietly.
“Right. It was quite fun, wasn’t it? Crushing that arrogant savage who claimed descent from an ancient hero—and didn’t I tell you, not to kill anyone under eighteen? I still remember.”
“Crushing? It was merely luck.”
“Ha! I can still see that barbarian’s trembling face as if it were yesterday.”
Chuckling, the man glanced toward the distant coliseum where the cheers roared.
“Well, it doesn't matter. I haven’t missed the best part yet.”
In his eyes, the coliseum looked like a delightful playground.
A very delightful playground.
“「Infinite Duel」—isn’t that final event the true flower of this grand amusement?”
The man—the Iron Prince—had arrived in the Steel City. With his Executioner at his side.
***
I awoke in a daze.
“Oh! You’re awake!”
The moment I opened my eyes—bang!—fireworks exploded.
“Congratulations! Liam the 「Sword Demon」! You’ve been chosen as the hero of this War Duel, and are granted the right to claim one of the Dragon Relics! Glory must always follow the bravest warrior! Now, choose! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!”
…Huh.
“Hurry, hurry!”
“Quickly, quickly!”
…What the hell was going on the moment I woke up?