“This place is called the Akashic Record. It’s a crossroads where all things intersect across the timeline. No one knows when or where it was created. Only those who are chosen come here to fill themselves with knowledge.”
“So does that mean I or you are chosen?”
“You’re definitely chosen, but I’m not. I just broke in. Those who transcend eras and create immortal knowledge gain entry rights.”
Entry rights, huh.
I looked at Albatron anew.
Even our Duke, called the strongest in the world after enlightenment as the Grand Swordmaster, seemed unaware of the Akashic Record.
must indeed contain such profound truths.
This man really is remarkable.
“But if I’m chosen, why can’t I understand anything at all?”
“You can connect because you’re chosen, but you have no privileges yet.”
“Privileges?”
“I told you in the book. The soul has infinite potential, but the body is limited. Your body isn’t yet trained enough to receive the Akashic Record’s information. Still, compared to others, you’re better off. At least you can enter. Build your abilities more.”
That raised a question.
“Is the reason I can talk like this now…”
“Yes! It’s thanks to this body’s genius abilities. Waiting for your power to grow would be fine, but there isn’t much time left.”
“Time? You said past, present, and future intersect. Are you counting time like that?”
“Every dimension where people exist has normal time and absolute time… Tch, that’s too complicated, so let’s skip it.”
Right. Just hearing the outline gave me a headache.
Albatron continued.
“To put it simply, the present, past, and future combine to form the ‘universe.’ Some damned bastards are trying to destroy that universe.”
Who are these damned bastards?
Ah, no way.
“Is that why you fought against the Empire at the end of your days?”
“Kukukuku, is that how it’s recorded in history? Since it’s a future I haven’t experienced yet, I can’t say for sure. You’ll understand when you get stronger.”
“Will I be able to get stronger soon?”
Albatron looked directly into my eyes.
Within his narrow eyes flickered the red aura I’d seen in the book earlier.
“Of course. Have you ever wondered why the Akashic Record showed you the books in that order?”
As soon as he finished, a blue mirror appeared in the void, reflecting my image.
The reflection was both familiar and strange.
It resembled me but in such a bizarre way that it felt unsettling.
Is this the soul’s form?
The head, arms, and legs were crooked, like a child’s drawing, and the proportions were off.
Parts that should be large were small, and parts that should be small were large, with detailed features completely blurred into a flat shape.
Just looking at it made me feel queasy, as if it might collapse at any moment.
“Tch, look closer.”
Following Albatron’s lead, I examined the reflection more deeply.
Ah, it moves.
The grotesquely oversized arms, legs, neck, and body shifted subtly, seeking balance.
The movements were so slight I would have missed them if not for Albatron’s words.
“The qualifications you’ve gained were inevitable, but the blossoming of your abilities has been a series of brutal coincidences.”
Albatron’s voice grew older, deeper, and simultaneously distant.
“But just reaching this point means you’ve caught the flow of fate. Now that your body has heard the soul’s voice, it will find balance, and talents will bloom. Hmph, it looks like a brain-heavy profession. Since the soul of your brain has blossomed, even learning magic will be a viable livelihood.”
To think that an excellent mage capable of leaving a name in the Akashic Record would be able to make a living.
My heart thudded, and Albatron laughed cheerfully as if understanding my feelings.
“Anyway, get stronger fast. We’ll save the rest for when your soul and body are stronger. Ah, and be prepared—the process of resettling your soul into your body will be somewhat painful.”
What?
Sir, no, Grandpa, wait a moment.
It was painful when I came out earlier, so what now?
Hey, wait, hey!
“Huff… huff…”
Suddenly, a rush of air flooded my lungs.
A soft wheezing escaped my mouth.
My heartbeat pounded so loudly I felt like it was outside my body.
I had no strength left even to move a finger or toe.
My entire body ached as if beaten for a long time.
“You okay?”
My vision filled with the tear-filled, worried face of Senior Giselle.
“I ran over because you suddenly screamed and collapsed, but you weren’t breathing. So I tried shaking you awake, but you were covered in cold sweat…”
I didn’t even have the strength to move my lips.
I tried forcing myself up, but a dizzying sensation darkened my vision.
I felt my body lean involuntarily toward Senior Giselle.
My consciousness gradually faded.
Albatron really is that damn…
The ceiling was unfamiliar.
“Laward! Are you conscious?”
“Where am I…?”
Ugh, no sooner had I regained consciousness than a sharp pain flared in my arm.
Looking beside me, I saw tear-streaked Senior Giselle, her face distorted in worry as she looked at me.
“You scared me like that! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Do you have some chronic illness?”
“Ah, haha… sorry. I’m fine, I’ll get up now.”
“Oh, okay. Hey, can you help me?”
Help?
Senior Giselle glanced aside and motioned for a boy who looked still young to approach with a sulky expression.
Wavy blond hair, mischievous eyes, and freckles scattered across his nose and cheeks proving his youth.
The boy came over reluctantly and helped me sit up.
“Who’s this person…?”
“You suddenly collapsed. I was weak myself… so I hurried to bring a guest from downstairs.”
Right.
Senior Giselle’s forearms were thin enough to be held in one hand, even by mine.
It must have been very hard to carry me when I passed out.
But the boy who came to help looked equally frail.
As my consciousness returned, I examined him more closely.
His body was as slender and weak-looking as Senior Giselle’s.
His limbs were thin, and his exposed skin beneath his disheveled clothes was extremely skinny.
Sweat drenched his entire face and body, and his breathing was heavy.
“Thank you for helping me.”
“Tch, honestly, I didn’t really want to help… but, well, since this guy asked, just pretend I did.”
“Ah, well… okay.”
But the boy’s tone was reluctant.
He had a prickly personality.
However, my body was in no state to respond to that.
According to Albatron, since I just had a virtual near-death experience to see my soul, it would be strange if I didn’t feel pain.
“Why did that happen all of a sudden?”
“I got dizzy for a moment. Maybe I’ve been pushing myself too hard lately.”
“How much do you have to push yourself to collapse! I really thought you were dead!”
I really thought I was dead, too.
I shouldn’t have worried Senior Giselle so much.
I should have taken that book to my room and read it earlier.
Once again, I reminded myself not to put off reading.
Senior Giselle seemed unsettled as she glanced anxiously over my body.
“Hahaha… sorry. I’ve always been a bit weak.”
“You’re training in swordsmanship but have a weak body? What’s that about?”
“I exercise because my body’s weak. Duke Helpion suggested that training my body through swordsmanship would be good for me.”
“Tch.”
What’s with that sound?
I glanced sideways and saw the boy glaring at me with a very sour expression, clearly irritated.
“I don’t think we’ve been introduced. Your name?”
“C-Chechil!”
“All right, Chechil. Nice to meet you. But, Chechil, this might be weird to ask so soon, but do you dislike me?”
“Wh-what?”
Chechil looked startled and unsure how to respond to my blunt question.
Senior Giselle, watching us both, widened her eyes in surprise.
Though standing close by, she hadn’t sensed it before.
She’s surprisingly oblivious.
Staring at Chechil, he nervously ruffled his hair in irritation.
“Yeah, I dislike you!”
“Why?”
“Don’t you get it? Of course! Even though you’re a strategist of a domain, all you do is work your muscles ignorantly every day and go flatter those sweaty bastards!”
Of…
“As a scholar, you mustn’t compromise before force, even if there’s a blade at your throat! You must’ve learned that at Delphi Academy!”
I watched the boy, his face bright red, spitting as he argued his point.
He was shaking all the way to his fingertips, overwhelmed by his emotions.
So young, yet so awkward.
Seeing this, Senior Giselle asked with a troubled look,
“How old are you, Chechil?”
“Oh, I’m 15 this year!”
Her expression darkened at the answer.
Only fifteen and already harboring deep prejudice against the military despite never having experienced the civil conflicts between civilians and military officers.
“Listen, Chechil.”
“No, it’s okay, Senior.”
I stopped Senior Giselle, who looked a bit angry.
What would he understand? Arguing logically would just make him vent his frustration.
Fighting here wouldn’t solve anything.
Instead, I said to Chechil,
“I heard why you dislike me. That’s not something I can fix. Still, thank you sincerely for helping me today.”
“Uh, um… whatever!”
Chechil looked awkward, glancing around nervously before stomping off loudly out of the library.
We watched silently as he left.
“Laward, I’ll apologize on your behalf.”
I shook my head bitterly.
“There’s a rumor going around that you collapsed. Are you all right?”
“So it’s already spread.”
“A kid’s been saying that the knights have been bullying the strategist from the Helpion Duchy.”
I felt somehow ashamed.
“Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it. Ready to spar?”
“Since Sir Albert has achieved enlightenment… please go easy on me.”
“Understood.”
Was this an awakening?
Sir Albert’s swordsmanship felt much calmer than before.
Watching his swordplay—or rather his movements—I pictured a snowfield blanketed with silently falling snowflakes.
It was like a perfect painting.
Surrounded solely by white snowflakes.
The stormy momentum I once sensed in Sir Albert’s swordsmanship was gone.
Within this seemingly peaceful scene, a sudden gust whooshed, and a huge fist brushed past my ear.
I barely dodged, feeling a few strands of hair snap.
Again, the wind blew with a whoosh as a club-like leg came flying, aiming for my left temple.
I calmly stepped back.
At that moment, a wolf crouching in the snowy field leapt up in a single bound.
As he had warned, a straightforward sword attack aimed at my shoulder appeared from the drunken stance.
Following the visible line, I spun my body once to avoid and maintain balance.
The scenery shifted instantly.
Sweeping low kicks and punches that seemed ready to shatter ribs or shoulders flew at me.
Amid the storm swirling around, I focused intently on the lines radiating from Sir Albert’s body.
No matter how excellent the swordsmanship or body technique, it all starts with Sir Albert at the center.
So even though punches and kicks filled my vision, blurring my sight,
the traces of the vanished wolf still stood vivid before my eyes, and I didn’t lose sight of its teeth as it lunged.
Clack!
I deflected Sir Albert’s wooden sword aimed at my ankle.
I quickly retrieved the wooden sword and braced myself for Sir Albert’s next flurry of strikes.
But the intense scene didn’t continue.
The attack stopped, and I was back in the sparring ground.
“When did you achieve awakening?”
No, why ask that suddenly in the middle of sparring?
Looking baffled, I glanced at Amin, who also had sparkling eyes.
“Amazing… I didn’t even see the low strike at the end, nor the sword coming out. The sound just came, and then I knew! How did you block it? Since when did you know? That’s seriously, seriously impossible!”
How did I block it?
Well, Sir Albert was holding back to accommodate me…
Could it be?
No way.
I recalled the feeling when swinging my sword again.
In the heart of a snowfield blanketing the world in white, stood a single tree calmly letting the wind pass by.
That tree was me.
Could this be the power of one who has died once?
Albatron, you really weren’t a fraud.
Before I knew it,
I had reached the highest level of Sword Expert.