Chapter 145: Forty-First Floor, Swordmaster Ryun (1)

The sword aura emerged spontaneously without warning.

Just as my axe and Ryun’s blade had been about to clash, a translucent ripple had appeared along his weapon. Although I had never experienced anything like it, I assumed it was the embodiment of natural energy the ents had mentioned. Instinctively, I knew meeting it head-on would be disastrous.

At the last moment, I twisted my wrist, angling the axe to strike the flat of his blade instead.

Damn it!

Unfortunately, Ryun wasn’t just any simple opponent; he was a swordmaster. Anticipating my maneuver, he adjusted his grip, effectively nullifying my tactic.

With no time to think and inferior speed, I had no option but to counter with sheer strength.

Strained every muscle in my arms, I managed to shift my axe’s trajectory. My muscles felt immediately overloaded, yet Wind’s Route provided just enough support to make the movement possible.

Clang!

The clash of steel on steel rang out piercingly, and I gritted my teeth from the force of the impact. My attempt to absorb the impact by pulling back the axe had proven futile.

Well, not entirely. Due to my efforts, it felt like swinging an axe at an immovable mountain instead of an unstoppable mountain landing on my axe.

Before I could regain my balance, Ryun made another calculated, sweeping strike, slashing diagonally toward one of the gaps in my defenses.

Barely managing to hold onto the axe, which had nearly been knocked from my grasp, I rolled sideways across the ground. My axe remained intact, but I could tell that it had sustained damage.

I thought I wouldn’t need Flash Strike with all of Doppy’s buffs. Fuck...

That assumption had quickly been proven wrong—underestimating a swordmaster was a grave mistake. Instead of a relaxed preliminary analysis of my opponent, I had received an unforgiving reality check.

Ryun was already sprinting toward me, forcing me to rise hastily. He once again attacked precisely, his movements disciplined and straightforward.

I stepped and leaned back quickly, evading the strike, albeit barely. His sharp aura brushed past my face, a chilling reminder of how close I had come to being struck.

Following that, he continued relentlessly on the offensive. I ducked and swayed, rolling to avoid the strikes I couldn’t outright dodge. His incessant attacks didn’t allow me to plan a counterattack, so I kept looking for an opportunity, a brief respite.

Surprisingly, Ryun’s strikes lacked malice, seeming rigid and dutiful, not full of hatred or anger. If Ryun had truly intended to kill me, he could have wounded me in our very first exchange.

So far in the tower, I had not encountered an adversary whose skills and weapon-wielding abilities outclassed me to this extent.

His aura is so unpredictable.

While I could match his raw physical strength, I had a hard time countering the aura coursing along his blade. My only options were to infuse my axe with mana or enhance it with Lightning Essence.

Activating Flash Strike, I pushed my mana to its limit, rapidly draining my reserves. Lightning surged around the axe and crackled with newfound intensity.

At that moment, I caught Ryun smiling faintly. Unlike the other ents, his expressions were vivid and discernible.

He was exhilarated.

Did he hold back during our initial clash?

That seemed likely. Ryun had yet to fully utilize his strength.

I used the short pause to analyze his patterns and movements. Adapting mid-battle was my forte, after all.

This time, I opted for a straightforward swing, clean and precise.

With my enhanced perception of the world, my movements outpaced his. Yet, somehow, Ryun still adjusted his blade to calmly block the strike.

Clang!

My axe recoiled strongly again, even with the lightning coursing through my weapon, amplifying it.

Every clash made his aura feel sharper, more refined, as though it was evolving in response to our battle. My frustration mounted, and I gripped the handle more tightly.

Ryun’s technique wasn’t elegant or flamboyant. It was deliberate, methodical, and unyielding, true to his nature as an ent.

But that didn’t make it any less formidable.

He met every one of my strikes flawlessly, leaving me on the defensive.

Ugh...

Even when I seemed to find an opening, Ryun would effortlessly deflect my attack and immediately counterattack, targeting spots that were almost impossible for me to guard.

Wind’s Route, which had guided me during previous fights with a gust of wind, remained silent in this duel; it only enhanced my movements. Perhaps I still hadn’t mastered it sufficiently.

I wanted to leverage my superior speed, but even that seemed useless. Ryun moved with minimal effort, almost as if he could predict my strikes before I made them.

Too strong.

Still, I couldn’t deny this battle was developing my skills. Every one of Ryun’s movements served as a lesson, demonstrating refined technique. I studied his sword paths intently, slowly but surely incorporating them with each clash.

I could feel my strikes becoming more efficient, more precise, but the gap between us remained vast.

Attacking recklessly would only backfire. For now, all I could do was block his relentless slashes, enduring his onslaught. Occasionally, I would send arcs of lightning his way, but he effortlessly neutralized them with his aura.

I can’t sustain Flash Strike much longer.

A new strategy was imperative. Unfortunately, Ryun’s relentless blade gave me no room to think, as his blade was already descending smoothly toward me.

I twisted my torso, barely evading the blade, and my mind instinctively turned to Master of Shadows.

Shadow Veil wouldn’t work here since Ryun likely didn’t need to see me to be able to track me. Even though I was faster, he seemed to sense his surroundings, allowing him to react in advance.

Pulling back to dodge his sword, I retaliated with a swing of my axe. Ryun merely tilted his wrist, blocking it effortlessly and marking another one of my failed attacks

Now it was Ryun’s turn. His sword’s longer reach forced me to retreat quickly, stepping back to create distance.

Manifesting shadow arms should help me in this situation.

I had never activated them against such a strong opponent, but I didn’t see another option. Well, I didn’t expect the arms to secure me a victory, since they were unlikely to overcome Ryun entirely.

Still, they could shift the tide of battle slightly in my favor, offering me a semblance of control.

Suddenly, Lung Shark’s Dagger came to mind.

If I split it, I can utilize the auto-defense.

The dagger’s auto-defense feature couldn’t be utilized if it remained un-split. If I truly intended to challenge Ryun, risks were unavoidable. Keeping the split dagger close at hand would minimize my chance of serious injury.

While I mulled over my options, Ryun’s sword cleaved toward me, and I could immediately tell I couldn’t block it in time. Left with no alternative, I rolled to the side and summoned the shadow arms. Two spectral limbs materialized, swiftly unsheathing the dagger and splitting it between the ethereal hands.

Launching myself forward from a crouched position, I surged toward Ryun with a fluidity that surprised even me.

Not bad.

Armed with an axe and two daggers—albeit wielded by the shadow arms—I used the arms to replicate Ryun’s sword techniques.

For a brief moment, the three-pronged assault seemed to unbalance him. The shadow arms’ amorphous nature allowed for unpredictable, zig-zagging trajectories, complicating Ryun’s counters.

Thanks to training extensively in the waiting room, I had become adept at wielding the shadow arms.

For approximately twenty seconds, I dominated the exchange. The clash of metal echoed ceaselessly as Ryun went on the defensive.

Damn it...

Unfortunately, although somewhat expectedly, Ryun regained his composure. He adapted to the three-directional assault, demonstrating an uncanny ability to adjust.

He chuckled, speaking unhurriedly even as he deflected my attacks, “

Haha...

This is... exhilarating...”

He was enjoying this.

“It’s been... so long... since I faced... a worthy opponent...”

Our weapons collided dozens of times in mere moments. Frustratingly, Ryun continued to speak calmly, completely unshaken.

I wanted to groan, but this battle wouldn’t afford such luxuries.

This fucking swordmaster. How am I expected to defeat him? Am I really supposed to just go and steal the essence?

The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I couldn’t dwell on it. I needed every ounce of focus to keep up with Ryun’s relentless blade.

My limit looming, I realized I had no strength left to draw upon, no reservoir of untapped energy waiting to be unleashed. Gritting my teeth, I launched a staggered assault, creating a chaotic rhythm with my three weapons.

Ryun, however, countered effortlessly. His rigid arm sliced through the air in three precise, linear motions, each deflecting one of my strikes.

Clang, clang, clang!

Devoid of unnecessary motion, each block seemed perfect. The lingering trail left by Ryun’s aura etched a translucent triangle in the space between us.

The moment I registered the triangle, it felt like something had slammed into my mind with tremendous force; it was a harbinger of enlightenment.

Fuck... why now?

Caught in the middle of combat, I didn’t have the time or the focus to fully process the revelation.

Then, as though sensing my internal struggle, Ryun suddenly ceased his attacks. He nodded in my direction, a gesture that was as unexpected as it was deliberate.

What?

It was a rare display of courtesy, though I couldn’t understand why. That wouldn’t stop me from seizing this opportunity, however.

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Standing rooted to the spot, I dove into the realization that had been tugging at the edges of my consciousness.

The triangle formed by Ryun’s sword, which had perfectly encapsulated his martial philosophy, was mesmerizing. I couldn’t hope to recreate it with my axe, but the image refused to leave my mind, lingering there like an unspoken truth.

Come on... just a little more...

The glimmer of enlightenment danced just barely out of reach. I recalled Ryun’s deliberate, unembellished, and brutally effective movements.

My technique, on the other hand, appeared bloated and inefficient. Unnecessary considerations burdened it, dulling my edge.

Ha...

Despite the clarity of that thought, further revelation eluded me. I sighed deeply, frustrated by my inability to grasp the insight fully.

Only then did I become aware of my surroundings again. The once barren plain had transformed entirely.

A vibrant trail of flowers had sprung to life along the path where Ryun and I had clashed. The change had been so subtle that I hadn’t noticed it in the heat of battle.

Manifested natural energy...

Ryun’s aura had created this beautiful transformation, literally causing flowers to bloom with each strike, a feat that was nothing short of miraculous.

His sword was imbued with life itself.

Awestruck, I turned to Ryun, who had lowered his sword and was now watching me intently.

“Why did you wait for me?”

“Because... I... once... stood... where you... are now...”

I was his destined opponent, not to mention I was weaker. If the roles had been reversed, would I have chosen the same thing he had?

I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for his unexpected kindness.

“Thank you. Truly.”

“It was... a small... courtesy... for someone... who brought... me joy. Few... of my kind... wield... swords...”

So that was why. His earlier excitement now made perfect sense. Even among the ents, swordsmanship was rare. It wasn’t just me who found Ryun extraordinary.

Ryun’s tone grew wistful. “Unfortunately... you did not... attain... full enlightenment...”

“Even so, I’ve changed.”

“Indeed. You’ve... stepped onto... the path...”

Stepped onto the path?

I pondered the phrase, but Ryun had already turned his gaze toward the World Tree.

“You... asked... why I... hinder... the relocation...” His voice was thick with emotion, a far cry from his earlier refusal to answer.

I felt a twinge of curiosity as to why he had changed his mind, but I wasn’t about to interrupt his train of thought.

“Yes, why?”

“Because... I love... Sorien...”

“Sorien?”

“My lover... my mentor... my life...”

Ryun raised his sword and pointed at the towering World Tree.

Though I was taken aback internally, I kept my reaction muted. Ryun’s sorrowful gaze toward the World Tree earlier now made sense.

Wait, was the World tree originally an ent?

“Did an ent transform into the World Tree?” I asked, though I realized the answer almost immediately.

If that were the case, the other ents would have surely informed me.

“No... It is... the name... I gave... her...”

I found myself momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to interpret this revelation.

“I see.”

An ent in love with the World Tree.

If a human loved a tree, it would seem bizarre, but Ryun was an ent. In fact, upon second thought, I didn’t find it odd at all.

Still, a faint sense of irony crept in. Ryun defied the migration for one sole reason: love. It felt cliche and absurd, but strangely, I found myself understanding it.

Wait...

The image of Ryun playing his arm like a flute resurfaced in my mind. Back then, I had sensed that he could control the wind.

Is the World Tree really just a tree?

Ryun’s unique traits—his expressive face, his status as a swordmaster—marked him as exceptional.

Is the World Tree sentient as well?

Ryun turned to face me fully, his gaze steady.

“My... consideration... for god’s... chosen warrior... ends here. Give... up. Without... enlightenment... you... cannot... defeat me...”

“You still revere the Omniscient Thunder Axe, despite everything.”

“He... is my... god... even... though he... answered... the prayers... of my kin...”

“And yet, you protect Sorien against his will?”

Ryun’s words grew slower and heavier.

“The... relocation... was... not... his... command...”

According to him, the World Tree would ascend to the Omniscient Thunder Axe’s garden upon death, a place Ryun himself could not follow. With every word, Ryun’s expression hardened, his resolve clear.

“And even... if god... ordered me... to kill... Sorien...”

Ryun raised his sword, its tip now pointing at me.

“I would... defy... the will... of a god...”

It was an unshakable determination, one that made it clear he had accepted even the possibility of death.

As he spoke, however, I felt as though I had uncovered the key to solving this floor’s hidden mission.