Chapter 19: The Fool's Sword

The Demon King provided detailed explanations, yet.

She herself claimed thus.

“As I told you before, I do not know much about swords.”

The moment he heard those words, a mountain of rebuttals piled up in Kariel’s mind, but he could not bring himself to argue.

If she didn’t know about swords, then were the vast majority of people in this world—who were scattered everywhere—all deaf, blind, and unqualified?

It wasn’t that she was being exceptionally humble.

It was simply that because they didn’t meet her own standards, she had reached that conclusion.

“The only reason you’ve had some luck is that I have memorized the manual that fellow created.”

“A manual?”

“In a way, it’s a record, but it’s enough to be called a Sword Formula (Zettel).”

Kariel asked with a skeptical tone.

“…Did you intend to guide me to learn this from the beginning?”

“Not particularly. If you chose the sword, your options would eventually be narrowed down to one of three.”

One was a swordsmanship created by a certain eccentric dragon.

Another was the sword technique of the one called the former Sword Saint.

“That eccentric dragon bastard didn’t care about anything as long as his territory wasn’t invaded, regardless of whether the continent perished or not, so I had no particular contact with him… but if we had faced off, it would have been a headache for me as well.

And as for the Sword Saint’s technique… there are successors, but since no one has yet risen to the level of the former Sword Saint… it was practically meaningless by the time I invaded the Middle Realm.”

“…….”

“I don’t know if there were other strong individuals I was unaware of, but it no longer concerns me.”

And, this is where a problem arises.

“I know nothing about the remaining two swordsmanships. Nor am I interested.”

“…….”

“What is with that arrogant look? I am only well-versed in what I know; I am not so extraordinary that I naturally know even the things I don’t. Do you think this body is so reckless as to defy and violate the very laws of reason?”

He had assumed that she would naturally grasp all the principles of all things in the world, but was even that a prejudice?

“Enough idle chatter. What do you intend to do?”

“I… don’t have any other options, do I?”

“Then, since we’re on the subject, how about learning the Imperial Sword anew?”

…What absolute nonsense.

====

She said there was no particular name for the swordsmanship, but if one had to name it.

“It would be the Sword of the Fool.”

“……?”

The sword of a foolish person?

“You will understand once you learn it.”

Before mastering the posture, familiarize yourself with the mindset.

“When taking a stance, be like a rock and a tree. When continuing a movement, be like water and wind. Penetrate like a flame swallowing firewood, and slice through like the cold air that freezes lakes and river water.”

“…….”

“This is something you must constantly repeat, internalize, and reflect upon in the future, so do not forget it.”

Soon, she demonstrated the grip, posture, and movements.

Utilizing a virtual illusion.

She went as far as manifesting a vision in the form of the Jet-black Knight personally demonstrating the techniques.

Para.

A form where the sword is held in both hands and raised in front of the chest.

“Literally, a preparatory stance.”

Grate.

“A stance for facing the enemy.”

A form where the sword is draped over the shoulder or tilted backward.

Fortes.

Conversely, a form as if to thrust the sword at any moment.

With the hand holding the sword pulled tight toward the flank, it was a form that looked as if it would immediately gore the head of a horned Demonic Beast or a fierce bull the moment it charged forward.

Betita.

Both hands holding the sword are raised high toward the sky.

However, the sword is tilted diagonally, with the tip pointing toward the ground.

“A stance for absorbing the enemy’s offense.”

That was it.

“The four you just saw will be the foundation.”

“Isn’t that too few?”

“More is not necessarily better.”

Even so, she couldn’t say for certain that this was the only answer.

“What will you do? This is the conclusion reached by the one who mastered it.”

Whether to learn it or not is your choice and discretion.

“If you’re truly dissatisfied, feel free to choose something else.”

“More than that, isn’t this a bit strange?”

The posture she referred to as ‘Para.’

This was, essentially….

“Isn’t that a posture shown when paying respects or observing etiquette?”

Holding the sword straight up and gathering it in the center in front of the chest… it just… how.

In this state, how does one face an enemy, how does one parry, and how does one respond?

“Instead of expressing your dissatisfaction to me, why don’t you take it up with that bastard demonstrating it?”

Naturally, the illusion remained silent.

Nevertheless.

“…….”

The figure who was slamming Lueld around started from that exaggerated and rigid posture, and then transitioned very naturally into other stances.

In the end, he laid low the father of his youth with effortless ease.

“Whew.”

Inevitably.

A deeply unsettling premonition surged—that the process of learning would not be easy.

====

The Demon King added, as if moving to the next lesson.

“In mastering the postures, you must repeat and practice until there is no disruption in your standing, stepping, or transitioning, even if your eyes are closed, or at the moment your body collapses from fatigue and your consciousness fades.”

Regardless of what one learns, there is no exception to this process.

Even so.

‘He doesn’t swing once.’

Not even a thrust.

Usually, the most basic part of learning the sword is the swing, namely the downward strike.

However, in the manual the Demon King had memorized, there was no need to specifically learn the downward strike.

What mattered were the postures and movements.

Simply continuing the postures, though that felt less like implementing a Sword Form and more like….

‘It’s not quite a dance, but I feel like I’ve become some kind of statue or exhibit.’

“Emulate the rock and the tree. You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

Just as he was about to forget, the Demon King abruptly pointed it out.

“Even if you say that….”

“If you don’t know, do it until you do.”

Isn’t it truly fortunate?

“At least time is meaningless to you. Even so, practicing here for a hundred days is one thing; adapting to it in reality is another matter. So, focus on getting the feel for it and realizing the principles here.”

Time was not infinite.

However, in a way, it was certain that he had gained an infinite opportunity incomparable to others.

“It applies to plain armor, plate armor, and mounted combat as well, so keep that in mind.”

“Is that distinction really necessary?”

“Why? Because if you infuse Mana, you can cut, thrust, and cleave through everything regardless of whether it’s plain armor or plate armor? Or perhaps you intend to obtain a Divine Sword that can slice through armor like leather?”

“…….”

“None of that applies to you, does it?”

And.

“Such a weapon would be far more powerful in the hands of others than in yours. Try to refute me if you can.”

At this point, it was a matter of whether to believe her or not.

However, even here, the choice was clear.

“I’ll try.”

Since reality was not his concern.

Time in the dream flowed tediously.

A day became a month.

And by the time he felt a month had become about a year.

“…Is it alright for me to keep staying here?”

Although the gap and difference between reality and dream time were distinct, he wondered if it made sense to stay here for this long.

Having endured it for so long, he finally asked because it felt like something was off.

As for whether practicing and training movements was boring, he didn’t mind much.

Since his purpose was clear, what did it matter if it was boring and difficult, as long as he could reach his goal?

However.

At this point, it wasn’t the concept of swinging a sword, but rather….

‘I really feel like I’m becoming a rock or a tree.’

“But rocks are broken by hammers, and trees are felled, cut, and snapped by axes.”

Just as he felt he had become somewhat familiar with the movements.

She suddenly spoke.

“To put it differently, in no other case should you be broken or snapped.”

“Is that also a type of Oral Formula or Heart Formula?”

“If you want to fit it into those categories? Consider it advice to aid understanding, or like a footnote in a book. Depending on how you accept it, this too could become a Heart Formula.”

How many times had he repeated and repeated the process of maintaining and connecting postures?

Perhaps because there was no need to fill his stomach or sleep.

His sense of time had completely dulled.

An empty world without even a sun or moon.

Truly, just himself and a single sword.

And the Demon King watching him.

Even she didn’t always watch.

From a certain point.

The time he spent alone increased.

And as he immersed himself in training, sometimes forgetting the Demon King’s presence entirely.

“The basics are finally taking shape.”

When she would suddenly speak to him, he would often be startled.

“Now, next.”

Para, Grate, Fortes, Betita.

“Rocks and trees do not attack. However, what you must learn from now on are water and wind. Do you remember?”

“You said… when continuing movements, be like water and wind?”

“Yes.”

Fabiam.

“If you strike downward from each posture, that is Fabiam.”

Nekata.

“This is the thrust.”

And Punita.

“The upward strike.”

From now on.

“Using the four postures as a foundation, you shall connect these three like flowing water or blowing wind.”

“…….”

“Don’t think, do it with your body. You don’t swing a sword by rolling your head. To think you still don’t know that… tsk tsk!”

Only three things had been added, but the linkage between postures and movements became incredibly diverse.

Depending on how the grip was handled.

Depending on how the height of the posture was applied.

…It felt simple, yet somehow extremely versatile.

“I shall return once you’ve become reasonably familiar with it.”

With those words.

For a while.

…The Demon King did not appear before Kariel.

All that remained for him was a void, empty world.

And yet, why?

There were times of boredom and loneliness.

But now, even that felt like a diversion.

There were moments when he felt an overwhelming sense of hardship, pain, and sorrow.

‘If thoughts arise, you will suffer and struggle as much as they do; conversely, if you reduce your thoughts, it will become strength for you. In the end, thinking is also tiring and laborious. Do not let your heart be stolen by trivial things, and focus on what must be done.’

Look back.

While you were constantly falling dead on the battlefield.

‘Did you have the luxury to dwell on idle thoughts?’

Recalling what he had not forgotten to reflect upon, he focused on refining his posture.

Even without being reminded.

Because he remembered everything.

Exerting his whole soul.

With all his heart.

…Truly.

Putting in his sincerity, risking his life.

…The way to throw himself into everything.

He had internalized that point first, immediately after meeting her.

Why the Demon King emphasized that it was the most important thing.

He could now understand without even asking.

‘Living through a day.’

In the end.

It meant killing the version of myself from today.

Whether I wanted it or not.

In the end, today’s me will die.

Thus, the present becomes the past.

And all the husks accumulated today will soon.

Become the stepping stones upon which tomorrow’s me can stand and move forward.

There is nothing difficult.

At least, now that he knew the method and knew that appropriate results would follow as long as he challenged himself.

He would never stop.

The goal to reach is before his eyes.

In truth, it was in a very distant place.

But since he knew he could move forward on his own two feet and had learned how.

He would advance.

He would climb.

And finally.

…He would step forward.

For that would be his own complete rebellion and resistance.

The one that would shatter the false past they had believed in.