I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 50:  The Otherworldly Ruins

A choice had to be made: return and request reinforcements, or trust my instincts and pursue the Reincarnator. Which was better? In truth, it wasn’t even a dilemma worth pondering.

My hatred for Reincarnators burned fiercely, but it was not greater than my care for my sister. 

This was an unpredictable region—anything could emerge, and traps set by the fleeing Reincarnator might await.

The prudent choice was to turn back and request reinforcements.

“Aaaaahhh!”

“Eeeeeek!”

The moment I turned to leave with the evidence in hand, a scream rang out from above. Two mages plummeted from the sky.

Without hesitation, I sprang into action. There was no time for doubt or second-guessing. My small figure darted forward, black cloak billowing like mist behind me.

“Ack…!”

“Hrrk…!”

My small hands caught both of them by the scruff of their necks. Their brief cries of shock were ignored as I focused on the bigger problem: landing safely.

In the Fairy’s Forest, mana outside the body dissipated. That meant I couldn’t use a mana burst to adjust my trajectory or cushion our fall.

Twisting my body, I aimed for a sturdy branch below and landed softly.

Thud.

Creak—

But then came the ominous sound. The branch, which could have easily supported just me, couldn’t bear the added weight of the two mages.

Snap!

The branch broke before I could react.

“Damn!”

The three of us began to fall. Once again, I twisted my body, controlling the direction of our descent. Thankfully, the trees here grew close together, leaving little space between them.

Tap—Thud—Crunch.

My small boots struck branches and thick plant stalks as we fell, slowing our descent significantly.

At that moment, I felt a large surge of mana from my right hand. Shave, one of the mages I held, was casting a spell.

“Feather’s lightness… let it grace this body…”

Though the chant wasn’t completed, the spell didn’t fail. Shave’s magic manipulated mana, enveloping us in a gentle force.

The mystical energy cushioned our fall, wrapping our bodies in a soft glow.

“This is…”

“Ahem… I appreciate the save, but it wasn’t really necessary. With magic, we can drastically reduce the speed of a fall,” Shave said smugly.

“Thanks… not that it helped much…” Envy added.

I ignored their comments. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to respond—I couldn’t. A strange sensation prickled at the edge of my awareness, filling my thoughts.

The sensation was faint but unmistakable. It reminded me of something familiar, a resonance between magic and shamanism.

‘The Emperor’s Sword Technique…’

It was a martial art I had acquired from memories of another dimension. The technique wasn’t pure swordsmanship; it leaned closer to a blend of shamanism and magic. At least, that’s how I interpreted it.

It existed somewhere in the space between the two disciplines. I felt as if I were on the verge of grasping something significant, only for it to remain just out of reach.

‘Even the Fairy’s Forest seems to hold something…’

The faint threads of understanding seemed to connect to this place. While my thoughts raced, I realized we had landed on the ground.

“What a strange place… A forest beyond a forest. Even the Mage Tower’s studies of the Fairy’s Forest never uncovered such a location…” Shave mused.

“Um… could you let go now?”

I released my grip on the two mages, who dusted themselves off and adjusted their clothes. Their mana-infused eyes glowed faintly in the darkness, surveying the area.

Turning my gaze upward, I looked at the massive wall of trees. It rose endlessly, its top hidden from view.

‘Too high…’

Carrying both of them back up was out of the question. I turned to them and asked,

“Can you use magic to fly over it?”

“Of course! But… flight magic is inefficient and can’t be maintained for long. At best, we’d manage three seconds,” Shave admitted.

“What about the speed?”

“It’s not very fast—probably equivalent to sprinting at full strength.”

I sighed softly. Magic wasn’t a viable option for crossing the wall. Returning the way we came wasn’t feasible either. We had no choice but to search for another path.

“This isn’t ideal. I had intended to return and request reinforcements…”

“What are you so worried about? Knights and mages working together are invincible. As long as you protect us properly, there’s nothing to fear,” Shave said optimistically.

Overly confident, perhaps from his abilities or sheer arrogance. While preferable to cowering, his attitude didn’t ease my frustration.

I pressed my lips together in silence.

“Lead the way, knight. Let’s explore this unknown area quickly.”

“If this is an undiscovered part of the forest, the Mage Tower will record it as a significant find. And if we capture the Reincarnator, I might even get a promotion!” Envy added excitedly.

Watching the two of them, I sighed inwardly and began walking. This situation stemmed from a lack of communication. If I’d yelled for them to wait before jumping earlier, none of this would have happened.

I bore some responsibility, however small.

Silently, I focused on finding a path forward.

“This plant… It looks somewhat like green deer hooves, but it’s slightly different. Even the root structure seems unfamiliar…”

The Mana-Laden Bugs

“This bug is brimming with mana… If dried and processed, it could probably be used as a mana replenishment potion,” Envy remarked.

Throughout our search for the path forward, Shave and Envy displayed endless fascination with their surroundings. 

Every few steps, they would stop, crouch down, and pull out notebooks to scribble notes or dig up roots from the ground.

It was all immensely irritating. Unable to hold back any longer, I spoke up.

“Our mission is to eliminate the Reincarnator. Can’t you focus a little more on that?”

“Oh, I haven’t forgotten,” Shave replied. “But how can we just walk past treasures like these?”

“Exactly! Everything here is valuable!” Envy chimed in.

I couldn’t understand their perspective. Nor could they, in turn, understand mine. 

The friction arose from the difference in our roles and the environments we came from.

I placed my hand on the hilt of my sword—not as a threat to them, but because I had been searching for an exit ever since we fell. 

Yet, something else had drawn closer instead: the Reincarnator’s scent.

Shave and Envy weren’t oblivious. They noticed the abrupt shift in atmosphere. 

The sight of my hand resting on my sword was enough to alert them to the presence of an enemy.

Both mages went silent, drawing their wands cautiously.

Using the scent carried by the wind, I estimated the enemy’s position. The trail was inconsistent, appearing and disappearing as if the Reincarnator were moving erratically.

This meant they weren’t aware of our presence yet. Quietly, I unsheathed my sword.

The white blade emerged without a sound, the faint outline of a white dragon surging along its length. 

Normally, icy cold energy would radiate around it, but in the Fairy’s Forest, such phenomena were suppressed.

The target was unaware of me, while I had pinpointed their location. It was the perfect setup for an ambush.

“It’s the Reincarnator. I’ll create an opening—follow quickly and support me,” I whispered.

Without further delay, I moved. Lowering my body into a near-crouch, I slipped silently into the underbrush.

Rustle—Rustle—

I didn’t run in the usual sense. To minimize exposure, I stayed low, moving on all fours like a quadruped.

It wasn’t unfamiliar to me. During urgent chases across long distances, I often ran like this. Among the warriors of the White Frost Tribe, it was a common practice.

As my speed increased, the surrounding scenery blurred into streaks. Bursting out from the dark undergrowth, I found myself in a wide clearing.

There.

My eyes scanned the area quickly, locking onto the target. Seated on a cut tree stump was a figure clad in a tattered robe.

Their robe was in terrible condition, torn and singed in various places—evidence of the hardships they had endured to reach this point.

There was no need to question their identity. Aside from the two mages and myself, there was no one else in this forest.

The moment I recognized the target, I thrust my sword forward. The gleaming white blade hurtled through the air like a spear, imbued with raw, overwhelming power.

Unable to manipulate mana for enhancements in this forest, I relied solely on physical strength to strike.

Dragon Strike—

Like the surge of a dragon along a ridgeline, my sword raced toward the Reincarnator.

But just as the tip of my blade was about to reach them, something unexpected erupted from beneath the ragged robe—a gleaming, white object.

Clang—!

‘Clang?’

What emerged from the robe was a sword carved from bone. The sight surprised me, delaying my reaction.

Crack—Screech—

The clash of our weapons sparked white embers as they ground against each other. Twisting my body, I disengaged and landed softly on the ground.

Swish—

The Reincarnator’s arm shot forward toward me. I sensed a surge of mana—a rapidly concentrating energy forming a swirling current.

‘Wind…!’

I didn’t retreat. Instead, I advanced, driving my left fist forward. Mana coursing from my heart surged into my fist, carrying a frigid chill.

Boom!

The collision of magic and my punch sent a shockwave through the clearing. The Reincarnator was the one forced back, their tattered robe billowing as they stumbled.

Lowering my gaze, I examined my left arm. Blood dripped steadily from it, staining the ground. The sturdy sleeve of my uniform was shredded, revealing pale skin beneath, now marred by cuts.

‘I made a mistake…’

I recalled the Azure Wings manual, which emphasized the unpredictable nature of battles against Reincarnators.

Flexing my fingers, I confirmed that I still had full mobility. The injuries were shallow and wouldn’t hinder my combat ability. Tightening my grip on the hilt with both hands, I steadied myself.

A fierce smile spread across my lips.

Just then, I sensed a familiar presence behind me. Turning slightly, I saw Shave and Envy arrive, wands at the ready.