The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years-Chapter 184

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 184

Deluna's face, formed of green light, was cold and subdued.

She glanced briefly at Melvria.

For a moment, her expression brightened.

[Lia. It's been a long time.]

"Is it really… you, Mother?"

[I didn't want to meet you like this. I've already merged with the World Tree. I am a vanished existence.]

Melvria's eyes trembled. Merged with the World Tree? She had never known this.

"Then, when you disappeared before, it was also…?"

[It was all to save the World Tree.]

"You abandoned your family for that?"

[...Yes. Lia, as a High Elf, the safety of the elf race was my utmost priority. That was my duty.]

Melvria listened in silence.

If it had been during her childhood, she would have felt hurt that her mother left without a word. But now…

'I'm past that age.'

She had endured many trials throughout her long life.

When the Helmeier clan invaded, she too had once joined them for the sake of the elf race.

She could now understand what her mother must have felt when she left.

"...I understand. I'm not a child anymore. I can see now the sacrifice you made."

[Thank you for saying that.]

"Then… you two should talk."

Deluna smiled faintly at Melvria, then turned her gaze to Ernstein.

[Ern, tell me in detail about the Saint.]

"The Saint spoke to me."

Kaylen recounted everything he had learned from the Saint.

How the Saint was actually a High Elf from the Wind Continent, Elpencia.

How he devised both artificial spirits and the magic circle that could open the gate to the Spirit Realm.

And how, once the artificial spirits were perfected, he promised to welcome the elves into the Sanctuary.

Deluna listened with a grave expression before she slowly spoke.

[Saint Benedict… He was the First Elf.]

"The First Elf?"

[It is a secret record passed down only among High Elves… but it doesn't matter anymore.]

The First Elf—an existence known only to the High Elves.

[He called himself Elpencia. Whenever a High Elf was born, he would appear, bestow the blessing of the spirits, and say these words:]

—To my true descendant, who has awakened the rightful blood.

—Protect the World Tree.

It was a will directly conveyed by the First Elf.

All High Elves accepted this will and strove to protect the World Tree.

"He only said to protect the World Tree?"

[Yes, that is what he said at birth. But he visited me once more.]

"When?"

[When I built a home with you, raised our lovely daughter… during the happiest time of my life.]

"...Was it when you sacrificed yourself to save the World Tree?"

[Yes.]

"You never mentioned that before."

[Speaking of the First Elf was forbidden.]

Deluna glanced briefly at Melvria, then continued.

[As the World Tree withered, it was said that saving it required the sacrifice of a High Elf. Though my family weighed heavily on my heart... I followed the words of the First Elf without question. I believed it was the duty of a High Elf to lead and protect our people.]

"...I see."

[But after I was absorbed into the World Tree... there was something I found strange.]

"Strange?"

[Within the depths of the World Tree, I sensed other existences similar to myself.]

"By similar existences, do you mean other High Elves?"

[Yes.]

To think that other High Elves were within the World Tree.

Kaylen paused in thought before speaking.

"Did previous generations of High Elves sacrifice themselves to save the World Tree, just like you?"

[That's what I thought at first. But after observing for a long time, I realized that wasn't the case. Though I didn't understand it back then, after becoming independent from the original World Tree, I came to a realization.]

"What realization?"

[We High Elves... were being stored within the World Tree.]

"Stored within the World Tree?"

[Yes. At first, I believed our presence there was to save the World Tree, but...]

Delruna spoke with a somber expression.

[Listening to Ern's words, it seems that understanding was reversed.]

"What do you mean?"

[It wasn't that the High Elves were absorbed to save the World Tree... but rather that the World Tree existed to store the High Elves.]

The World Tree, seen as the source of life itself, was actually just a vessel for storing High Elves?

Kaylen recalled the attitude of the Pontiff.

-"Pathetic creatures. I know well why you've come to the Spirit Realm. To escape from this world, isn't it?"

The Pontiff regarded ordinary elves with disdain, yet showed no such attitude towards the High Elves. Instead, he called them his true descendants, those who had awakened the rightful bloodline.

"The Pontiff wanted me to open the gate to the Spirit Realm and summon artificial spirits. What will happen to the World Tree then?"

[Once the artificial spirits are complete, the essence of the World Tree will be contained within them. Then, it will root itself anew within the Spirit Realm, much like how I took root when I first arrived in this capital. Though, this time, the scale will be far greater.]

Transferring the World Tree's essence into an artificial spirit and settling it in the Spirit Realm.

This was believed to be the cherished wish of the elves...

But now, Kaylen doubted whether it was truly the pure will of the elves.

[Ern. Will you attack the Pontiff, the First Elf?]

"Yes."

[Then, will you take me with you?]

Delruna's expression was resolute, as if she had steeled herself for something.

Reading her determination, Kaylen gave a firm nod.

"I will."

Four days later, the day of departure.

Summoned by Johannes, Kaylen headed to the research lab located within the Fairy's Magic Tower.

"Huff... huff... the frame for the Wind Blade... is ready..."

On the floor lay shattered mana stones.

Johannes, now a lich with his human form long gone, was sprawled across the ground.

Looking at Johannes, Kaylen sensed something unusual.

"Your arm..."

His right arm was completely gone.

Not just the arm, but his right shoulder and even his ribs on that side were crushed. Johannes lay sprawled on the floor.

“It’s the recoil from using God Hand. It'll take some time to recover...”

“God Hand?”

“A 9th-circle spell I developed to forge your sword. Heh...”

Johannes let out a weary chuckle and tossed a pale, translucent object to Kaylen.

It was a semi-transparent green sword.

“I've prepared the framework for the Wind Sword… The rest, you'll need to complete by absorbing the Wind Spirit King.”

“You’ve done well.”

“Oh, and right… I need to make a warp gate too. The path to the Sanctuary.”

Whoooosh.

Mana swirled from Johannes’s left hand.

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

A crimson warp gate formed.

Compared to the gates Johannes usually summoned, it was considerably smaller—small enough that Kaylen would have to crouch to pass through.

“Are you… okay? I could go through the Spirit Realm instead.”

There were other ways to get there without forcing a warp gate. Given Johannes’s condition, it seemed reckless to push himself.

“The Holy Emperor is probably guarding that route. An ambush from outside would be better.”

“...I see. But your condition, will it recover?”

“Of course. Have you ever seen a lich die so easily?”

Johannes responded confidently and motioned for Kaylen to leave.

“I need to rest, so go already.”

“Alright. Take care of yourself.”

Kaylen summoned the Six Swords and placed Johannes’s Wind Sword into it.

Though not fully completed, the Wind Sword didn’t yet fully merge with Kaylen’s existing Wind Sword.

In terms of power, it was much weaker than his damaged Dragonflame Sword.

‘Still, for something made in just four days, it's well-crafted. Once I infuse it with the Wind Spirit King, it’ll be complete.’

With the Sacred Sword, Earth Sword, and the incomplete Fire and Wind Swords equipped, Kaylen stepped into the warp gate.

Darkness momentarily engulfed his vision.

The new space that emerged was within the clouds above the sky.

[Master. Over there.]

The Sacred Sword Astella pointed ahead.

Within the clouds floated a massive sky castle.

[That’s the Sanctuary.]

“It’s quite large.”

[Right? My replica is keeping it afloat.]

Seeing it firsthand, the scale was immense.

The Sacred Sword Astella sounded proud, claiming that her replica was sustaining the floating fortress.

‘The Sacred Sword’s power alone wouldn’t be enough.’

Kaylen felt the strong presence of wind mana emanating from the Sanctuary.

It wasn’t just the Sacred Sword’s power; it must have been combined with the authority of the Wind Spirit King to sustain the massive structure.

“Let’s go.”

Kaylen’s body, floating in the sky, shot forward like an arrow towards the sky castle.

Bzzzz.

As he approached, a green barrier rose around the fortress.

“How annoying.”

Zzzziiik!

Kaylen tore through the barrier with sheer force, charging forward relentlessly.

By the time he reached the proximity of the castle, he had pierced through a total of seven barriers.

Despite its massive size, the fortress couldn't withstand the charge of a single man.

“This must be the last one.”

Once he broke through the final barrier surrounding the outer wall, Kaylen was able to enter the Sanctuary without further obstruction.

Floating above the Sanctuary, he gazed down at the ground.

‘The Sanctuary... it closely resembles the Holy Temple.’

The Holy Temple that had existed on the surface a thousand years ago.

The Sanctuary's appearance mirrored it almost exactly.

Of course, on closer inspection, the structures and the number of people moving about differed greatly...

But in its grand design, it was an exact replica of the Holy Temple.

‘Then the place where the Holy Emperor resides... it must be the grand cathedral at the center.’

The largest structure within the Holy Temple, renowned for its grandeur.

Even within the Sanctuary, something remarkably similar stood at the center.

Whoooosh.

Kaylen’s body shot towards the central structure.

“An intruder!”

“He pierced through all the Sanctuary’s barriers...!”

“A powerful demonic presence! Stop him quickly!”

The Holy Knights on the ground rushed to intercept, but none could match Kaylen’s speed as he soared faster than any bird.

“Activate the Sacred Protection Circle of the Cathedral!”

Bzzzz!

A barrier far stronger than any before formed around the grand cathedral.

Six Sword Path.

One Sword Unity.

As Kaylen synchronized with the Sacred Sword Astella, his body passed through the barrier effortlessly.

The barrier, imbued with the properties of light, failed to recognize the power of the Sacred Sword as a threat.

‘The place where the Holy Emperor resides… must be the deepest part of the cathedral.’

With nothing left to hinder him, Kaylen shot forward like a beam of light.

He reached the depths of the cathedral in an instant.

And there, instead of the Holy Emperor...

“Lord Kaylen...”

He encountered a saintess, her face calm and solemn as she knelt in prayer.

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]