[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 103

    Four swords floated around Alkas.

    Blades imbued with the aura of fire, water, light, and darkness.

    They all tempted Alkas, urging him to take hold of them.

    ‘I want to grab them.’

    If he took one of those swords, it felt like he could become a Sword Master instantly.

    No, even if he didn’t reach the level of a Sword Master, he was certain he’d be able to wield aura far better than he did now.

    But Alkas suppressed that desire.

    Because after the Sword Throne was formed, Kaylen had given him a quiet warning.

    —Alkas. If you truly wish to become a Sword Master, do not fall for the sword’s temptation.

    Alkas instinctively understood.

    If he grasped even one of those four swords, he would be able to master aura more efficiently.

    If his only goal was to manifest an Aura Sword, then grabbing one of them would be the correct choice.

    However—

    ‘I think... I understand what he meant by a true Sword Master.’

    A Sword Master.

    They were those who had perfected their own sword.

    They had forged their own blade and spread their Sword Area—absolute beings.

    If he took hold of those swords,

    He would forget his own blade.

    ‘If that happens, the sword I have built and refined until now... will disappear.’

    Yes.

    He understood this in his mind.

    But his gaze kept drifting back to them.

    Rather than painstakingly building his own sword, it felt like simply grasping one of those swords would be a shortcut to rapid growth.

    And even if he forged his own blade, it would never compare to Kaylen’s sword, which boasted absolute prowess even among Sword Masters.

    Wouldn’t it be better to just take one of those swords and follow his lord?

    That conflict seized Alkas’s heart.

    “Kh...!”

    Drip.

    Blood trickled from Alkas’s tightly shut lips.

    The four Aura Swords—so incredibly tempting.

    Turning away from them was unbearably difficult.

    Clang.

    But he raised his own sword and ignited his aura.

    Compared to those four swords, his sword aura was like a firefly’s glow—weak and faint.

    However, as he manifested his sword aura, he felt his wavering resolve gradually steady.

    ‘...Right. My goal isn’t to become an Expert.’

    Within the blessing of aura created by the Sword Throne, Alkas took his first step toward standing on his own.

    He raised his sword aura and steadied his blade.

    Rather than submitting to Kaylen’s Sword Area, he resolved to overcome it.

    ‘I will perfect my own sword.’@@@@

    As he focused solely on his aura—

    ‘This is...’

    Within the Sword Area, under the influence of the Sword Throne, Alkas could sense his own domain.

    Though it was extremely small.

    ‘This is...!’

    Sword Throne.

    Among the Six Sword Paths, the Sword Throne possessed a unique nature unlike other sword techniques.

    It abnormally expanded Kaylen’s Sword Area, strengthening the aura users within it.

    Most aura users couldn’t even utilize half of the mana stored in their mana hall.

    They might believe they were using their full power, but...

    The way aura users managed their mana was often highly inefficient.

    However, knights within the Sword Throne’s domain could easily surpass those limits.

    It was only natural—within the Sword Area, aura users temporarily synchronized with Kaylen’s Mana Road.

    While they couldn’t assimilate with special traits like Infinity Mana or Mana Body, even achieving synchronization with Kaylen’s highly efficient Mana Road held immense significance.

    On top of that, their physical bodies were elevated to their optimal state...

    Knights within the Sword Throne’s domain displayed more than twice, sometimes three times, their usual strength, and the stronger the knight, the greater the efficiency.

    However, the Sword Throne had its drawbacks.

    ‘Is this also the effect of the Sword Throne?’

    Marveling at it, Eldir dashed into the midst of the ogres.

    The Wind Sword Master.

    He slowed his enemies—while wielding a sword of speed.

    No one could hold him back.

    “Waaah...”

    When the tempest passed, ogres’ heads fell.

    At first, they thought one man jumping down from the fortress wouldn’t change anything.

    The massive ogres were being cut down without resistance, like helpless sheep.

    “That... is a Sword Master...”

    “I can’t even see how he’s moving.”

    The soldiers watching from the fortress walls couldn’t help but exclaim in awe.

    The most dangerous section of the wall—

    Had somehow become the safest place.

    Of course, it wasn’t just because of Eldir.

    “Ice Fog.”

    Kaylen, his entire body transformed into water, reached out toward the sky. A white mist began to spread across the night sky.

    At first, it started small, but in an instant, the icy fog expanded—

    And soon, even the harpies’ bodies began to freeze solid.

    Thud. Thud.

    No longer able to fly, the harpies plummeted to the ground.

    ‘Most of my mana is bound by the Sword Throne, and yet... Infinity’s expansion function is incredible.’

    Even with the support of the A-rank mana suit Guardian—

    The power of Kaylen’s magic was beyond comprehension, even for the Meisters.

    “W-Who is that?”

    “Oh, I know! That’s Kaylen! He’s famous for his talent as a 6th-Circle mage!”

    “He’s transformed into a water spirit.”

    “Yeah. I heard he received an A-rank mana suit from the Fairy Magic Tower... And he’s using it perfectly.”

    The Meisters, who had remained silent out of their inability to understand the Sword Master and the Sword Throne, now erupted in admiration at Kaylen’s magic.

    “Kaylen...!”

    Especially Lioness, the wielder of the same A-rank mana suit, Inferno.

    They had the same A-rank mana suit.

    They were both 4th-Circle Meisters.

    And yet—

    The sheer difference in magical power was staggering.

    ‘Tch... It feels like I’m watching Princess Violet... How is this possible?’

    It was fortunate that the battlefield had turned in their favor with the arrival of Kaylen and the Sword Master.

    But as Lioness watched Kaylen, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of inferiority deep inside.

    The conditions were the same... So why was there such a vast difference?

    “Ice Spear.”

    Fwoosh.

    From atop the fortress walls, an uncountable number of ice spears formed.

    At Kaylen’s command, they all shot downward at once.

    Avoiding Eldir with pinpoint precision, the ice spears rained down over a wide area, completely halting the ogres’ advance.

    ‘Wait... Does that mana suit have an endless supply of mana?’

    He was doing his best to conjure flames with Inferno—

    But casting large-scale magic in both the sky and the ground at the same time was impossible.

    How was this even possible?

    Even as Lioness continued to scorch the battlefield,

    His eyes kept drifting toward Kaylen—filled with a mix of awe and helplessness.

    “We’ve practically won now.”

    “Cleaning up the harpies’ corpses will be the real work.”

    As the reinforcements arrived on drakes and the battle neared its conclusion,

    The Sword Throne also began to fade away.

    And then—

    ‘No... Kaylen...!?’

    Lioness, who had been keeping an eye on Kaylen, widened his eyes in shock.

    Kaylen was once again—

    Becoming one with the sword.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]