107 – The Sword of Restraint. (1)
I silently followed Umbra. The unsettling feeling I had on the way here intensified even more. Like… yes. It felt like advancing into an abyss.
Surely, even in my current state of being, I felt as if my breath was being cut off. It was a similar sensation when I stood in front of Umbra earlier, but now it was even more intense.
How on earth did Umbra create something like that?
No, listening to what she said, it didn’t seem like she made it solely with her own power. It was as if there was some kind of intervention.
Do I have to go through the trial of the sword again? Perhaps the trial of the sword won’t be as comfortable for my body as Umbra’s trial. Mentally and physically, the sword will rigorously verify whether I am truly qualified to be its master.
What’s the point of going through such a grand process just to obtain a single sword, one might ask about the Sword of Restraint… but the sword under the restraint is indeed a sword of great value.
Upon becoming the owner of the sword, two functions of the sword become my power itself.
Firstly, the one who becomes the owner of the sword can handle all the specters imbued in the sword like their own limbs.
Even this alone was an unbelievable power, but the real deal was the next one.
Secondly, the one who becomes the owner of the sword can call the specters imbued in the sword to their own body and directly use that power.
Even though you can command the specters like your own limbs, in the end, specters are specters. No matter how strong they were in their lifetime, they cannot fully exert the power they had in their lifetime.
However, what if I could unleash that power with my own body, a body inherited with Asti’s immense magical power?
Perhaps the range of things I can accomplish would change. It truly means gaining a power close to omnipotence.
Of course, naturally, there were constraints on that power.
Even if I can command specters to some extent, there are limits to the specters I can handle if my power is not strong enough. And even if I can use the power of the specters, if my vessel is small, I cannot call forth specters that are so powerful they would shatter the vessel.
But the fact that I could eventually do something I couldn’t do before is an entirely different story. Just obtaining the Sword of Restraint opens up infinite possibilities for power.
One might question if obtaining the power of a few specters means infinite power, but strictly speaking, the Sword of Restraint is a sword crafted by Umbra, gathering only the most powerful specters of that time.
In ordinary circumstances, one might think that humans of the past were weak… but quite the opposite was true.
During the first celestial and infernal war, there were several beings among the specters that emerged, despite being human, who were comparable to the strength of angels and demons.
It’s because they existed that this world is functioning smoothly now. I can harness the power of those heroes from the past.
…Of course, that’s the story when the Sword of Restraint is safely released.
Anyway, I’ve already mounted a tiger’s back. There’s no turning back from here.
While thinking that, Umbra briefly stopped and looked back at me.
– Let me ask one last time.
– What?
Will you truly obtain the Sword of Restraint? I know you have the qualifications, and I understand the mindset you possess. However… that sword is genuinely dangerous. There are plenty of other ways for you to become stronger, even if it’s not that sword. Just let me show you another way.
But it will be too late if you choose that path.
What do you mean by “too late”?
The speed at which I am becoming stronger. I know that future is not far off. Even if you look for alternative methods, there won’t be many things as certain to make me stronger as the Sword of Restraint. And those alternatives are usually more challenging and difficult.
Still, isn’t it better than risking your life? No, it’s not just risking your life. If you make a mistake, you’ll be bound to the Sword of Restraint, forever haunted by phantoms.
… I understand that much. I might regret it. However, abandoning what I must do is even more unthinkable.
Speaking of eternity without understanding what it truly means.
I don’t know. I am human. That’s why I think I can say such things. And honestly, I have confidence. I am confident that I can liberate that sword.
Humans, ignorant of the fear of eternity… I guess that can’t be helped. Fine. I hope you won’t regret it.
When Umbra realized my strong determination, she stopped trying to convince me.
I won’t regret it. It’s ultimately my choice.
As I spoke those words just now, I was determined not to regret even if I lived eternally, mixed with those phantoms. If, by any chance, I couldn’t obtain the Sword of Restraint and the world I envisioned crumbled due to negligence and triviality, I wouldn’t want to see that.
If that happens, I will regret it until the day I die.
No, it’s better not to assume it won’t happen at all. It’s better not to entertain such thoughts. I am determined, no matter what happens, to liberate the Sword of Restraint and become its master.
Then, come this way.
Umbra took my hand and led me. Whether she could even touch phantoms or not, her body didn’t pass through; she precisely held my hand.
Can you see it?
I see. That’s… the Sword of Restraint.
And where Umbra pointed, there it was, the Sword of Restraint.
The Sword of Restraint, at first glance, appeared to be an old, worn-out sword. It looked like it could become scrap at any moment, such a sword.
However, looking at the specters fiercely surging from that sword, no one could deem it as a mere relic.
Moreover, its worn appearance is not its true form. The Sword of Restraint… though plain without any special adornments, once restored to its original state, it was undoubtedly a renowned sword recognizable at a glance.
-The sword itself has an unfamiliar shape. I hope I won’t be disappointed.
Whether to ease my tension or not, Umbra even ventured to make a joke. This queen seems too kind, doesn’t she? When initially defining Umbra’s character, I’m truly, truly fortunate I didn’t include any eccentric or human-hating traits.
-Well, will the appearance change if the sword is unleashed?
-Well, I don’t really know. No one with the qualification to wield that sword has ever existed. When you think about it… you’re the first.
-hahahaha. So it seems.
I laughed and approached the Sword of Restraint.
-Please, hope that you won’t be consumed by that sword.
-Don’t worry. I’ll obtain the qualification as the owner of that sword, no matter what.
-I believe you.
I smiled and advanced towards the Sword of Restraint. As I got closer.
Whoosh!
A strong wind blew, and my body began to be pulled towards the Sword of Restraint.
The distance rapidly closed, and before I knew it, I was standing right in front of the worn-out sword I had seen earlier.
Without any hesitation, I gripped the hilt of the sword.
Thump!
At that moment, the sound of my heart pounding echoed, and simultaneously, as if drifting away, consciousness began to fade. The vision turned dark, and with the feeling of the soul being drawn into the Sword of Restraint… I finally lost complete consciousness.
* * *
-I believe you.
Umbra recalled the last words she had spoken to Prahl. Was it easy for her to tell someone she believed in them?
Perhaps, it was the determination she saw in that boy that moved her heart. Thinking so, Umbra witnessed Prahl being sucked into the sword.
In that place, the boy would probably face unimaginable trials. Even she, the one who made the sword, could not know the trials that awaited him.
What kind of trial would he face? It would probably be a trial so severe that it couldn’t be compared to the petty trial she had imposed on him.
Because the sword of restraint was a violent and ferocious sword.
There was no reason for the sword, filled with the grudges and hatred of countless spirits, to be kind to anyone.
That’s why she couldn’t help but worry about the boy. However, why was that?
Apart from the worrying heart, Umbra felt that the boy would somehow succeed. Was it because of the determination he showed, or the confident voice?
Perhaps that’s why.
The words “I believe” popped out naturally.
It must mean that the impression Prahl left on her was deep enough for someone to easily express their trust in him. To persist unwaveringly in something that anyone would give up on was certainly a remarkable feat.
Hoping that his courage wouldn’t be in vain, Umbra stood still and gazed at the sword of restraint.
From Noble mtl dot com
* * *
I opened my eyes. It seems like my consciousness has been drifting somewhere and waking up frequently these days.
I sighed and looked around. When you land in an unfamiliar place, it’s urgent to scout the surroundings.
But… as soon as I looked around, I couldn’t help but be bewildered.
Countless spirits were standing still, staring at me.
…Is this a welcome greeting?