Chapter 395: The Time He Waited and Took (8)

After his teacher died, the Sword of Beginning wandered the world for a while on his own, but people formed lines to either block his path or follow him.

“Stop right here, you wicked demon! You may call yourself One True Sun’s disciple and the follower of the Righteous Path, but we can’t let a man like you do that!”

“Our son. Our Sword of Beginning! When will you return to us?”

“You’re strong. You have my respect.”

“Sir, my name is Miao Houxing. I wish to at least hold a lamp for you on your path..."

Some swung their weapons, others grabbed his sleeves. Some even asked for a handshake or prostrated in respect. They all had one thing in common; they all surrounded him.

Each person he met added weight to the footprints he left in his path. Thus, wherever he went, a great road was formed; this was the Great Road Journey.

—Sword Demon.

—Sword Dragon.

—Sword King.

—Sword Sky.

—Sword Absolute.

All of the titles by which he was known merged into one as he walked down the great road.

—Sword Emperor.

That was his new name. He was the one everyone stopped, yet none could stand against. Although he walked alone, everyone was with him. The Sword Emperor swept across the Ten Thousand Sword Realm like a comet.

In the realm, this era was named the Fifth Great Strike. It wasn’t just because his path was like a sword strike. It was also the time when

it

appeared.

People murmured, “What is that?”

It was a huge tower. No, it was

colossal

. Those who lived in the cities would never call it just a tower because it was larger than the biggest city in the realm. It rose higher than any mountain that anyone had managed to climb. Even people sailing the seas could never call it just a tower because it spanned across the entire horizon.

“It’s like a handle of a sword that a giant embedded in the ground to split this world apart.”

Their murmurings soon turned into questions.

“Who built it?”

“Who lives there?”

“What kind of being dwells at the top?”

More questions followed.

“Why can I see it no matter where I go?”

“Is it because it’s so big?”

The tower was visible from everywhere. It was strange. Nothing could exist in two places at the same time. Yet, no matter where one turned, the tower was always there. Beyond the cities, the mountains, the seas, the roads, the tower always cast its shadow at the edge of people’s sight, standing as an unerasable building in the background. Those who said the world was round, therefore walking would eventually lead back to where one started their journey, had made such a deduction.

“Is it a mirage?”

No matter how close people got to the tower, it never came close to them. It also didn’t shrink when they backed away from it. Finding it odd, some inferred that it had to be nothing more than an illusion.

It was the Sword Emperor who gave a clear answer to the heated debate.

“It’s following us,” he said.

The people couldn’t really understand his answer. The tower was following them? Was he saying the tower was alive?

He firmly said, “It’s waiting.”

“Waiting?”

“Yes, can’t you sense it?”

The people looked at each other. Anger was easy to feel. Love, even scorn, could be easily sensed. But feeling something or someone waiting for them? That was foreign. Yet the Sword Emperor spoke so naturally. What he said next stunned the crowd around him even more.

“I should get a drink with it or something.” With a grunt, the Sword Emperor rose from his seat, stretching with ease. “I’ll return soon.”

“

Huh?

Where are you going?”

“Up there.”

He sounded like he was stopping at a neighborhood tavern. His calm, casual tone made his people even more confused.

The Sword Emperor offered them no time to understand. “Follow me if you want. I’ll be waiting.”

On that day, over one hundred fifty years ago, a sword forged by people entered the sword embedded in the Ten Thousand Sword Realm.

***

After offering my Nine Bows at Teacher’s grave, I stepped onto the ninety-eighth floor.

[Entering the ninety-eighth floor.]

The moment my feet touched the ground, a strange yet familiar sensation took over me, like deja-vu.

—

This is...

It was the Aegim Empire, the world where I had met Shiny and fought against Estelle. I stood in the empire’s quiet audience chamber.

—It’s been a while since I’ve been here.

The Sword Emperor, who was floating beside me, crossed his arms and grinned.

—You’ll also meet someone you haven’t seen in a long time.

—If it’s someone I haven’t seen in a long time...

—Do you remember what your clan advisor said before?

—Before what?

—Before she became your clan advisor.

—Uh, wait a moment. It’s been a while. Ah, I remember. She said she would send me to the ninety-ninth floor... Ahhh.

Drip.

Drip, drip... Drip.

Conveniently, a familiar sound reached my ears just then. Rain was falling, hitting the windows of the audience chamber. A faint mist slowly spread before a fresh stream of water washed it away. Even in a world that had stopped, rainwater alone flowed.

Amid everything, a voice came.

“Patriarch?”

I looked up. Estelle was walking toward me from a distance. It had been so long since I last saw her. For some reason, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

“Patriarch? Is that really you?”

Feeling glad to see her, I smiled and raised my hand.

—Yes, Advisor. It’s been a long—

The next moment, a formidable force struck me.

—Urgh!

I fell to the floor like a bug slapped by a fly swatter. Her aura struck down like a waterfall. I was nearly annihilated!

—Wait, why are you suddenly—ugh!

“Why do you think?!”

Well, it would be because it had been very long since we last met. Wait...

—

How can you see m—Ack!

“Well, I! Am! The examiner of the ninety-eighth floor!”

—What do you mean by th—Urgh!

“The Pillar came and told me that you would arrive soon, so I should prepare!”

—-How in the world can you even hit m— Gyaaaah!

“Yeah, yeah! What in the world... What is this, really?!”

I closed my mouth. An explanation was made as quickly as a bullet, making everything clear. An incoming sword stab was a bonus. At every question, a shock that felt like it would shatter me struck me, so I decided to think cautiously before opening my mouth again.

Seemingly unable to control her feelings, she fumed for a long time before once more raising her greatsword wrapped in her glowing red aura. “Anyway, take a few more hits!”

Wait, so stabbing was to be expected even if I stayed silent?

—

Hold on, Advisor. It’s been a while since we last saw each other. Using that joy for violence is—Gyaaah!

The beating went on for a long while. Only when the sounds of heavy rain and the ringing in my ears became hard to tell apart did Estelle finally stop swinging her greatsword, but she didn’t stop it of her own volition.

“That’s enough, Advisor,” Shiny said.

I looked up. Through my blurred sight, I saw Shiny coming down.

Estelle clenched her jaw. “Hwia.”

“Yes, I understand how you feel, but still.”

She understood? I was hoping she didn’t.

“Lady Estelle, you now look like the type of girl who appears in the novels Mr. Viper likes to read—”

“

Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!

” Estelle screamed.

Hwia stretched out a wing and gently patted Estelle’s head before turning to me.

—Hi, Shiny. You are—

“I’m also the examiner of this ninety-eighth floor.”

—Ah, so you and Estelle are—

“We’re here because we were in charge of the eleventh through the twentieth floors.”

—

Hmm. The reason you’re interrupting me every time I speak is—

“Do you really want to ask?”

—No, ma’am.

My shoulders slumped. Hwia and Estelle, who had only recently recovered from her mental damage, both stared at me with cold eyes.

Hwia was the first to say, “Please return soon.”

—... Hmm.

Although I hadn’t revealed myself, I had been walking among people for a long time. That didn’t mean I could make excuses to her.

—I’m sorry. I’ll be back soon.

I could only bow in apology.

“Okay...

Hmm.

” Hwia spread all five pairs of her wings wide, scattering a soft fragrance around her, like fresh laundry drying in the morning sun. “The clan advisor and I will help you make that possible, Hero.”

[The Goddess of Protection offers you a reward.]

[The Demon King of Autumn Rain offers you a reward.]

[Choose one of the two rewards.]

I blinked in surprise. I had not seen those messages in ages.

—Uh. You guys...

As if expecting my reply, a choice window appeared before my eyes.

Goddess of Protection

Description: The guardian goddess of the Aegim Empire is moved by your devotion and has decided to grant you the honor of cooking a meal.

...

—Huh... Wait, hold on. Does this mean I should cook? You aren’t cooking it for me? And you call that an honor?

You may cook a bowl of rice mixed with soy sauce and fried eggs. By hosting a feast in the Sormwin Style, or you can also fry a chicken. Whatever you pick, your dish will be strictly graded.

...

—Excuse me?

Hero of the Goddess, please return soon and scold Sylvia!

※Why can’t you get the goddess’ prize if you pick the Demon King’s?

—What? Don’t you also think the last line is just plain weird? Shiny, what are you doing with these quest messages...

Dumbstruck, I looked at Shiny, but the new messages confused me even more.

Demon King of Autumn Rain

Description: The Demon King is impressed with your performance and offers you the opportunity to work with her in secret. The Demon King promises you the exact same gifts as the goddess plus one additional reward.

Come back quickly and read all 99 novels that Estelle recommends! After that, you should leave a review of at least 1,2000 characters for each one.

If you promise to do so, the Demon King will use her ability to teleport you straight to the ninety-ninth floor of the Tower.

※Only one person can receive the Demon King’s reward. (There is only one of you here anyway.)

※If more than one person chooses the reward, one of them will be selected at random. (That won’t happen)

※If no one chooses the reward, the Demon King’s reward will be forced upon a randomly chosen person.

—Estelle, even you... You two...

One look at their faces made me laugh. I couldn’t help it.

—You two really...

Long ago, there was a Demon King who lost everything in the fire someone else had set and became the incarnation of vengeance. Because of the Demon King, one goddess could only watch as the Demon King flooded and sank everything the goddess had built.

—Estelle...

The Demon King didn’t want others to find any joy. The future and her own happiness weren’t what she wished. She had only wished for those who had hurt her loved ones and those who had only watched to fall into hell.

—Shiny... Hwia.

The goddess did her best to stop it, even though it was like trying to scoop out overflowing dam water with her bare hands. Hoping to find someone who wouldn’t fall for the Demon King’s temptation, she sought our help, wishing for one more chance to save her already ended world.

—You two...

The Demon King and the goddess faced each other. Each letter in the quest window was a sword aimed at the other’s throat. The two tempted, begged, mocked, and lamented at us so we wouldn’t choose the other.

That was how things used to be. Now, they were speaking to me through that very same quest window, telling me to come back quickly since they were waiting for me. I found it... quite beautiful.

—...

Yeah.

Once again, what I had felt from the ninety-first to the ninety-seventh floors struck my heart. Everything I had gone through while climbing the Tower wasn’t in vain.

—I’ll come back soon.

[One of the Nine Keys has been forged.]

I wiped my eyes, barely managing to speak. Estelle and Hwia looked at each other and smiled gently.

[The managers of the ninety-eighth floor and the first different realm you visited let you pass.]

“Yes.”

“Go and return safely.”

[The ninety-eighth floor has been cleared.]

Like that, they sent me off.

[Entering the ninety-ninth floor.]

■

The moment the sandstorm dispersed, I was engulfed by a floral scent so intense, I could almost call it violent. The smell of my holy ground—the Garden of Withered Flowers—felt like a curtain draped on a rainy day. The scent of those weary of life spread wide but never overwhelmed others, but this place was very fragrant. This was the fragrance of those who had reveled in life without anything stopping them.

“...

Phew.

”

I pressed on my forehead, feeling lightheaded, and realized another change. I could feel my palm and hear my breath. I was able to sense warmth.

“I see.”

I clenched and unclenched my fist. After closing my eyes, I opened them again. A show of natural colors as vibrant as the scent around me spread before my eyes. Among the living things, I was also alive.

And there, I saw him, sitting in a lotus position in the abundant flower field. He had probably been sitting like that for a long time. In the ever-changing seasons, the grass, flowers, and trees weathered. Beyond them, a moss-covered stone statue stood.

The wind blew. He was so still that at first that only the hem of his robe seemed to flutter. The movement caught my eye, so it took me a moment to realize that he had stretched his arm out to the side. He grabbed the hilt of a greatsword embedded in the field of flowers with his large hand, his muscles bulging all the way to his shoulder like independent creatures.

The sword was drawn like a whirlwind soaring from the ground. No flowers or blades of grass were crushed; the flower field simply rippled like the surface of a lake. With the flowerbed at his feet, he stood up and turned around.

Sunlight fell across the lines of his hard muscles, forming light and shadow shards. The sparkling light shards twirled around the petals as the shadow under the grassbed swallowed the fallen shadow shards.

A cloud the size of a mountain drifted across the open sky. In this narrow world, he stood like a lone mountain range. The wind blew, and dandelion seeds scattered. With the blue sky above him, the Sword Emperor smiled.

“Welcome. Don’t you think you took your time damn, Zombie?”