336 - Regressor of the Fallen Family

Chapter 336: The Unfamiliar Mountain Range A never-before-seen mountain range suddenly unfolded before his eyes. It was as if he was gazing from the heavens; the surrounding terrain etched itself vividly into his mind. Among the various features, the most striking was the formation of five towering peaks, with one central, tallest peak forming a crown-like shape. These lofty mountains, undulating hills, a distant winding river, and... At the heart of the range, beneath the tallest peak, knights engraved with the emblem of a golden dragon, soldiers, and laborers were feverishly working. "An empire?" As soon as he recognized this image, his soul seemed to dive into the scenery as though it were part of the landscape. Into the peak of the empire's people who were engrossed in construction. Originally protected by an impenetrable force, yet gradually weakening over the passage of millennia — a barrier that even now lay before him. "A weakening barrier? How do I know this?" As that thought crossed his mind, his soul halted in front of what appeared to be a vast stone chamber. The place was adorned with murals depicting various monsters and other races from ancient myths. "...Here?" Before he could even manage his perplexing emotions, the space began to move again. As if walking along a path, he weaved through a long, twisting corridor until a vast plaza revealed itself. In the middle of the plaza, ancient treasures lay amassed, and at the far end, atop a majestic altar, an enormous sword was embedded upside down. The exposed blade emitted a brilliant light, illuminating the dark recesses. The elegantly V-shaped guard and the slender hilt suggested resilience despite their delicate appearance, appearing capable of weathering any assault aimed at it. And most strikingly, a small gemstone embedded in the pommel exuded a divine aura, seeming to affirm the sword's immense power. Logan's gaze was inevitably drawn to this aura. It was as if the sword was calling out, "Come to me." "Could it be...?" At the spark of recognition, Logan examined the sword closely; it was unmistakably familiar. "A Holy Sword." Though he had thought he named it himself, he realized now that was not the case. – The Holy Sword, Vanitas. Indeed. That blade, radiating divine power, was originally known as the Holy Sword. Despite that troublesome name, its power was authentic. – Surrender the Holy Sword! – Capture him! – The Holy Sword must be retrieved at any cost. Even at a mere rank of an ordinary knight, he had managed to elude the empire's pursuers for over a month. "Yes, that's how it was." His pursuers had coveted the Holy Sword itself over any arcane knowledge. And more than anything else, – The Holy Sword seems to respond exclusively to you. – This must be fate. I'll entrust it to you. – Never, never let it fall into Emperor Valios' hands. Only then did he recall that he hadn't been entrusted with the sword for his ancient language skills alone. In addition, even that final moment surfaced in memory. – The sword...? A mountain of corpses, a magical circle hidden beneath. As he stepped inside, the sword began to resonate. – So you’ve come of your own accord. Offer the sword! – Finally, after millennia, Gibrik Kassel's will shall be realized on this land! Hahaha! The maddened voice of Emperor Valios echoed. And in the midst of that magical circle, with the sword... – No! Valios' shocked expression, eyes wide open. A blinding flash overwhelmed his vision. Flash! "Gasp!?" Jolted into awareness, he found himself once again standing in the training field. "Huh...?" What was this? Dumbfounded, he let out a bemused chuckle. "A dream, in broad daylight...?" It wasn't the right situation for dreaming, much less so vividly. Moreover, the final scene of his past life, which had long existed as a vague memory, had crystallized clearly. What was once a misty recess in his mind now felt utterly transparent, leaving him with a sense of clarity. "I wasn't running away with something hidden; the sword itself was the relic." Why were such memories resurfacing only now? As soon as that thought surfaced, his mind instinctively turned to the barrier within the ruins. It felt as though someone inside him was saying, "You can break this now." And entering it to reclaim the Holy Sword seemed to promise answers to the myriad questions haunting him, though the certainty seemed baseless. That feeling was... unsettling. "Sigh..." If his return was tied to that sword, why had he not recalled it from the start? "Waiting until I was worthy? Nonsense..." It felt as though he was being toyed with by some unknown entity. Yet dismissing the scenes etched clearly in his mind seemed impossible. Especially the 'imperial army,' which left him deeply uneasy. "No, based on my past life, the empire's excavation of the ruins shouldn’t begin for another decade or so." Logan tried hard to shake off his discomfort with this thought, but it lingered obstinately. "Damn it!" That Holy Sword. The artifact he suspected played the most crucial role in his return. But thinking of it as a cursed object possibly interfering with his memories brought more irritation than the sense of possessing a rare treasure. At the same time, he became curious about why he was where he was at this moment. "Maybe I'll find out if I retrieve the sword again?" Though the notion lacked any concrete proof, he couldn't help but feel it might be the case. Moreover, the memory of wielding the Holy Sword in his past life lingered vividly. Putting aside curiosity and expectation. "If I have that sword..." It would tangibly strengthen his capabilities. Currently nearing the pinnacle of surpassing the highest tier of aura users. Although he had long surpassed the level where artifacts could bolster his strength— With that sword, things would be different. "It might enhance my abilities even further." However, the very fact he entertained such thoughts also sparked worry that the sword itself had planted some insidious allure within his mind. "Damn it." Logan clutched his head in frustration. Though mastering the Heaven-Splitting Slash had brought his soul to unprecedented clarity, these unsettling feelings would not dissipate. His mind remained troubled, his emotions tangled. But there was a reason beyond the Holy Sword that compelled him to seek out the ruins. It wasn't merely an obsession to prevent an artifact he had once safeguarded from falling into the empire's grasp. Presently, the most critical component of his power also originated from within those ruins. "The Divine Sword Vision." Though he believed the Divine Sword Vision to be flawless, who knew what weaknesses someone like Tris Hornsby from the empire might discover. With history itself having changed, there was no guarantee that these artifacts wouldn't be discovered sooner than before. "They must never reach the empire." Logan's expression hardened as he bit his lip in determination. * * * "...It seems I'll need to leave for a while." At Logan's sudden declaration, Eileen's eyes widened with surprise. "Is something wrong?" "...Something has come up that I must handle personally. And discreetly, at that." "Is it related to the empire?" Logan nodded. Eileen studied her husband's resolute face for a moment, then wrapped her arms around him from behind. "Should I join you, like last time?" Her kind offer was met with a gentle shake of his head. "No. This is something I must do alone." Logan grasped her warm hands, which were comforting against his chest, and reassured her once more. "Why? Wouldn't my help make a difference?" "It would, but it's dangerous." A firm grip tightened on Eileen's hands, registering the risk her husband implied. For something to endanger a master-level aura user meant that it could be truly perilous. "That just makes me want to go even more." She clung to him with resolve, but Logan shook his head again. "...I don’t mean a physical danger." "Eh?" "Like I said, it's similar to the Kassel Tower—here, it's a matter of here." Logan tapped his head, revealing a fragment of his inner truth. The doubts that sprung forth with his liberated memories showed no signs of dissipating. "Is it about those snake magicians or something similar?" "Something like that. So please, don't worry. I'm practically invincible against them, remember?" The assurance was just bravado. While he could dismiss concerns about normal threats, matters involving the Holy Sword were unpredictable. "I can't involve anyone else, not knowing what that sword might do." What was once a mere inclination to retrieve the sword had transformed into a cautious suspicion. Coupled with the Holy Sword's name and the divine powers attached to it, the sword felt more like a cursed item than the boon he'd known in a past life. A sword that meddled with one's mind sounded more like the stuff of legends involving cursed weapons. "…No." Thinking down that line brought him to a new hypothesis. "What if that divine power is fake? Remember that recent incident with the previous pope...?" A sudden understanding struck him like lightning. Moreover, the name Vanitas—what did it truly signify? "It might be a cursed sword..." "What?" "No, nothing. Anyway, you understand, right?" Feeling Eileen nod against his back, Logan exhaled a sigh of relief. "Indeed, it's best if I go alone." With his current strength, extricating himself from even the direst situations should be manageable. By considering the Holy Sword a cursed sword and taking precautions, even the worst scenarios might be avoidable. Should things go awry, he'd dispose of the weapon without hesitation. Despite the sword's resilience against any attempt to destroy it in his past life, the Heaven-Splitting Slash's new power wouldn't be limited to slicing through the dungeon's barrier alone. Logan's eyes narrowed with determination as they gleamed coldly. * * * "Again?!" "Yes. I'll be gone for maybe one or two months, or possibly less. I'm counting on you once more." "Excuse me? Am I the chief attendant or just an actor? Why must I keep pretending to be the emperor? One day, this will surely end in disaster!" Rick's grievance had merit. Initially, it was amusing; the second time, it provided an unexpected chance to enjoy domestic bliss with his wife, Lila. But there were limits. Even at the king's request, posing as the sovereign was fraught with peril. Any revelation of this charade could lead to serious consequences. He had a list of concerns, including the favors he casually accepted from the king's father-in-law, not realizing the full scope of the deception. Lord Dwayne would likely just scoff and look the other way when the truth came out. With his oversight not promising to be particularly diligent, Rick saw no option but to fend for himself. "This is becoming too routine! Why does the king keep leaving his post like this?" "It’s fine. You’re doing great." "I am not fine!" "Are you rebelling?" "Damn it..." Logan chuckled at Rick's exasperated expression, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "When I return, I'll get the baby a wonderful gift. Just hang in there a little longer." "For scraps like that..." "An artifact." "Loyalty! Leave it to me!" "Right. I'll ensure you all grow healthy." With those words, Logan turned away. There was no need to research the dungeon's location. "Kraun Mountains of the empire are famously notorious." Besides. He’d already informed his wife of all the variables to manage during his absence. Should anything arise, she would handle it with aplomb. Still, he intended to complete his mission swiftly. Conflict with the empire loomed imminently. "This might be my last journey away." With that thought, Logan blended into the night, slipping quietly out of the castle, the dark sky concealing his departure.