Chapter 21: Swordmaster Kain (4)

“Hey, Kain, snap out of it.” Ketal waved his hand in front of Kain’s face, but there was no sign that his mind was returning to reality.

Kain just stood there, staring blankly with his mouth slightly open, lost in his own world. A single tear pooled in his eye, as if he were overwhelmed by sorrow.

This... this can’t be happening...

Kain thought. He reflected on the sheer amount of time and effort it had taken to teach his level.

He had abandoned everything except the sword—his loving parents’ affection, his fiancée’s love. He sacrificed it all, devoting his life entirely to mastering the blade.

And yet, that technique—his ultimate mastery—had just been shattered. It wasn’t by some otherworldly skill, but by raw physical force alone.

What am I...

The cries of his family, begging him to give up the sword and stay with them, echoed in his ears. His fiancée’s lament and curses, asking if she meant less to him than a mere blade, resurfaced vividly in his mind. Every painful memory flashed through his head like a reel of film.

“Hmm.” Ketal stroked his chin, observing Kain thoughtfully.

His mental resilience is weaker than I expected.

He had assumed that being a Swordmaster meant Kain’s mind would be as unyielding as his skills, but apparently not. Then again, strength did not necessarily correlate with mental fortitude. After all, many strong individuals in this fantasy world had fragile psyches. Ketal stored that information in his mind for later, planning to jot it down in his notebook.

Of course, Ketal was mistaken.

A swordsman at Kain’s level would usually possess mental strength befitting his process. The only reason his mind had shattered so thoroughly was because Ketal himself was an anomaly—a presence so alien that it crushed even the strongest of wills.

Unaware of this, Ketal continued trying to snap Kain out of his stupor. However, his spirit had been completely broken; simple external stimulus wouldn’t be enough.

Ketal had seen this kind of breakdown before. The barbarians he fought alongside sometimes displayed a similar state of madness. While their methods differed, they too often discarded reason, surrendering to pure instinct and wildly swinging their weapons. Those types didn’t regain their senses until they were utterly subdued—infuriating adversaries, to say the least.

And Ketal knew the fastest way to bring such people back to their senses. He fixed his gaze on Kain and made up his mind.

I’m going to kill you, Ketal

thought. The sheer intent to kill materialized, surging toward Kain like a physical force.

Boom!

An explosion occurred. Kain reacted instinctively. He drew his sword, enveloping his entire self in Aura as a defensive shield, and leaped backward, putting dozens of steps between himself and Ketal.

Cold sweat trickled down his face.

“Are you awake now?” Ketal asked, his tone casual.

“What... what did you just do?” Kain stammered.

“You seemed half out of it, so I woke you up. Seems like it worked perfectly,” Ketal replied with a satisfied nod.

Kain’s heart pounded in his chest. Just now, he had truly felt the presence of death. It wasn’t a metaphor or exaggeration—death itself had brushed against the back of his neck. The fear of that moment brought his shattered mind back together. It was an experience he never wanted to endure again.

Ketal spoke calmly. “Your swordsmanship is incredible.” “What...?” Kain asked, still shaken.

“All I did was swing my axe quickly. That’s it. I could never hope to match the divine technique you demonstrated.” Ketal swung his axe in a blur, creating faint afterimages. While it was impressively fast, it wasn’t truly simultaneous; it depended on whether the opponent could block the initial strike to generate the illusion.

Kain’s swordsmanship, however, was on a completely different level. Each of his strikes occurred simultaneously in all directions, forcing opponents to block every attack. It was a godlike feat.

Ketal’s words began to heal the cracks in Kain’s spirits. Gradually, light returned to his eyes.

That’s right!

Kain thought. His swordsmanship wasn’t worthless. His unique ability to manifest both emptiness and substance in perfect harmony was something no one else in the world could achieve. Even if it had been partially broken, that didn’t diminish its value.

Kain pushed away the creeping despair, forcing himself to regain focus.

No, it’s not me, it’s the barbarian who’s insane! What kind of lunatic could move fast enough to create tangible afterimages without even using Aura?

Such a feat was beyond the realm of humanity. Ketal was simply an outlier, an existence far removed from the norm.

Kain convinced himself that Ketal was just an exception, safeguarding his mental state.

“I apologize. I let my emotions get the better of me,” Kain said, bowing slightly.

“It’s fine. This has been quite entertaining for me. I apologize if I came across as childish,” Ketal replied, a curious smile on his face. Despite his words, the outcomes of their clash couldn’t have been more different when examined closely.

Once Ketal masters Aura, he would be capable of techniques like that as well. It would allow him to launch simultaneous attacks in the truest senses of the word.

Kain cleared his throat, organizing his thoughts. “Well, let’s continue. The important thing, in the end, is the ability to sense and wield Aura.”

“You’re talking about the Myst, right?” Ketal asked.

This was the world’s most critical secret. Ketal bared his teeth as Kain began to explain slowly.

“Myst is the foundational element of this world. No mage, swordsman, or witch can reach the pinnacle of their craft without first understanding Myst. And the only ones who can truly grasp it are those who have faith in the gods.”

“So divine power is a separate matter?” Ketal asked.

“Yes. Miracles come directly from the gods and have no real connection to personal ability.”

“What about paladins?”

“Their power stems from their faith in themselves. It’s a difference of approach. The same goes for elementalists.”

While different in focus, the cornerstone remained the same: Myst. Mastering it was the first step.

“For now, I will explain the basic concepts and levels. Let me know if it gets too dull,” Kain said.

“No, please continue,” Ketal said, shaking his head. A discussion of Myst, the very thing he had longed to understand, could never bore him.

“Then let’s start with Myst itself. As the name suggests, it’s the enigmatic power inherent within oneself. How you control it determines everything.”

“Hoo, fascinating.”

Myst was the fundamental unit of this world. To wield Aura, harness mana, or interact with elemental spirits—every kind of fantasy power required an understanding of Myst as the starting point.

“There are five stages. Detection, control, manifestation, domination, and finally, visualization,” Kain continued. “The most basic stage is the detection of Myst. It involves recognizing, understanding, and sensing it. While it doesn’t yet allow for active control, it marks the first step toward the height of mastery.”

“Can anyone sense Myst?” Ketal asked.

“No. Only those with talent can even begin to perceive it. Those who achieve this level are referred to as the Novice.”

To sense Myst was to qualify as Novice. Ketal recalled something the thief from the first Dungeon had said.

“There are five tiers: Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, Transcendent, and Hero.”

“And where do you all stand?”

“We don’t even qualify as Novice. Even Novice warriors are considered strong. Achieving that rank isn’t easy.”

His party members admitted they were below Novice—essentially incapable of sensing Myst.

“The next stage is the control of Myst. This is the level where you can harness Myst and use it actively. From this point, various powers can be wielded,” Kain said. He swung his arm, and the air exploded with force. His movements were beyond what the eye could follow. “At this stage, basic physical enhancement becomes possible.”

“Impressive.”

“This is where one can call themselves Intermediate. For those who’ve reached this stage, it’s almost impossible to lose someone who hasn’t...” Kain hesitated for a moment and glanced at Ketal, who stared blankly. “...Well, there are exceptions, but most wouldn’t stand a chance. Next is the manifestation of Myst. Simply put, it looks like this.”

Kain raised his sword, and a bluish light flickered along its edge. Ketal let out an exclamation of awe. “Ooh!”

Why is he so impressed by this?

Kain thought, feeling awkward. Manifestation was certainly a high-level technique, but it wasn’t something that warranted such wonder. Still, he pressed on with his explanation. “This is the Advanced level—the manifestation of Myst. At this stage, Myst can take tangible forms like Aura or mana. Those at this level are recognized as true knights, mages, or elementalists.”

Aura could tear through steel as though it were soft cheese. It could cut through solid fortress walls effortlessly. Mages at this level could summon massive flames or scatter blades of ice. Reaching the level of manifestation effectively turned someone into a lethal weapon.

“And then comes domination,” Kain said. Domination was the ability to go beyond controlling and manifesting Myst—to command it absolutely and wield it at will. “This is the level of the Transcendent. It’s where I stand.”

“So Swordsmansters are Transcendents?” Ketal asked.

“There are exceptions, but generally, yes.”

To become Transcendent was to earn universal reverence. At this level, one Transcendent limits to the point that societal status became irrelevant.

“Transcendents. The term describes those who have stepped out of the bounds of humanity,” Kain explained.

Ketal’s eyes gleamed. “So, there are people stronger than you, then?”

There was only one level remaining. Kain nodded then continued to speak. “The final stage is the visualization of Myst. Those who can dominate Myst so completely that they influence the very concept of the world itself. That is the Hero class.”

“Are they stronger than you?” Ketal asked.

“Immeasurably so,” Kain answered without hesitation. There was no shame or humiliation in his expression, only a calm acknowledgment of truth. “I may be strong, but there are many at my level. Heroes, however, are few and far between. They are... monsters.”

Kain’s face showed a mix of awe and fear that he couldn’t hide.

“Fascinating,” Ketal murmured, his interest piqued. He wondered how strong these Heroes could be and what sort of incredible Mysts they wielded.

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

I’d like to see for myself someday,

Ketal thought, his curiosity burning intensely.

Is this barbarian planning to challenge a Hero?’

Kain thought. A shiver ran down his spine, and he quickly redirected the conversation. “These classifications are ultimately just for convenience. There’s significant variance even within each level, and they don’t define things perfectly. Think of them as general guidelines.”

“Understood.”

However, that was a matter for the future. For now, the Myst before him was what mattered most for Ketal.

Kain spoke again. “Let’s begin. The first stage—detecting Myst.”

***

Finally, the moment had come to truly embrace the Myst of the world and wield the fantastical powers within his body. Ketal could barely contain his excitement. He felt an overwhelming urge to shout with joy. However, being a reasonable person, he held back, channeling his exhilaration into a quiet act instead—he stomped his foot lightly.

Boom...

The training grounds quaked, and the vibration spread throughout the estate. People screamed and crouched down, mistaking the tremors for an earthquake. Kain, startled, shouted in alarm. “What are you doing?!”

“Oh, I was just happy. I lost control of my emotions for a moment. My apologies,” Ketal replied, his tone calm despite the situation.

“I see...” Kain stammered, still shaken. For a mere stomp to cause tremors resembling an earthquake was absurd. Kain stared at the barbarian with a pale expression, unable to fully grasp the power in front of him.

“In any case, once you’ve mastered Myst, does it mean you’re locked into one path? Can you not become a swordsman while using magic?” Ketal asked.

“Using Aura and mana simultaneously isn’t possible,” Kain responded as he shook his head. “Myst is the fundamental unit of this world. How you wield it depends on your abilities. But that also sets a limit. If you choose to channel Myst as Aura, you will have to rely on Aura all the way to the end.”

“Ah, I see,” Ketal murmured, nodding in understanding.

Unfortunately, it seemed one’s path was predetermined by their initial choice. Even so, Ketal’s enthusiasm didn’t waver. He began to wonder which path would suit him. He wondered if he would wield Aura, enhancing his physical body as a knight and charging fearlessly into battle, or wield mana, the true embodiment of fantasy’s allure. Magic had always held a special charm, and he had longed to experience it.

No matter the direction, the possibilities excited him greatly.

“No, get comfortable,” Kain said.

“Of course,” Ketal replied, grinning widely as he sat down cross-legged.

Kain tilted his head in confusion as he observed Ketal’s posture. “What kind of posture is that?” “Hm? You don’t know it?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it. It’s fascinating but looks uncomfortable. Are you sure you’re fine?”

He doesn’t know the cross-legged position?

Ketal thought. He realized that it wasn’t surprising—after all, the posture originated from Buddhist practices. It would have been stranger if people in this world were familiar with it.

“This is a posture for concentration. It’s fairly comfortable, so you don’t need to worry,” Ketal said.

“If you say so... Then close your eyes and focus your mind.”

Ketal obediently closed his eyes. At last, it was time to begin sensing Myst. The journey to truly learning Myst had officially started. Suppressing the pounding excitement in his chest, Ketal began to focus his mind, immersing himself in the moment.