[The elixir containing the fairies’ essence has been successfully absorbed. Potential level increases by 3!]
[STR increases by 1.]
[AGI increases by 1.]
[MP increases by 1.]
[The elixir, Thousand Water Root (S), contains the energy of the high fairy individual ‘Tiamia Lapiru Arieldee.’ The elixir’s effects vary based on the relationship between the consumer and that individual.]
[‘Aiden Stroke’ has inherited the blood of the Arieldee family’s high fairies but is mixed with human blood. Genetic compatibility 43%.]
[Acquired trait, Proxy of the Guardian Tree (S)!]
[Due to low compatibility, the trait’s grade drops to (S-).]
High fairies fundamentally possessed strong dominion over plants.
However, only Tiamia, who held the Proxy of the Guardian Tree (S) trait, could wield the power of the Great Tree, the forest’s guardian.
Though the proxy trait I acquired had a minus sign indicating conditions, just being able to wield the Great Tree’s power made me an existence greater than the sacred bones of the Great Forest.
[Attempting inheritance of unique trait Fairy Precognition (U) and unique skill No Face (U) held by Tiamia Lapiru Arieldee.]
[Original owner’s Mental value: 21]
[Consumer’s Mental value: 05]
[Mental value is significantly insufficient.]
[Both soul imprints change to (U-) grade and are completely deactivated.]
In the era of war, the Five Heroes, who had repeated countless battles and adventures to expand their vessels, all possessed U-grade traits or skills.
Tiamia held two soul imprints.
Among them, Fairy Precognition (U) was the prophetic dream I kept exploiting, and No Face (U) was a peculiar incarnation-type soul imprint with unique functions.
As the message said, with my current [Mental] value, I couldn’t handle either properly. Whether I could in the future was uncertain.
I sat in lotus position.
The Thousand Water Root contained the energies of countless fairies intertwined. That meant it had a function to aid the harmony and mutual growth of various energies, making this elixir extremely effective for elevating my skills.
[Five energies within the body are fusing.]
[Brandish Harmony Heart Method · Extreme (B+) grade increases to (A+)!]
The energies from five heart methods intertwined even more tightly.
The overflowing vitality cleared not just my body but my mind as well. An inspiration suddenly flashed through my head, and I instinctively drew my sword.
And performed the most familiar sword form.
Somehow, it felt completely different from usual.
[Stroke Swordsmanship proficiency has surpassed the ‘Mastery’ stage.]
[Stroke Swordsmanship (B) changes to Stroke Strong Swordsmanship (A)!]
[You, who have deeply mastered swordsmanships of various natures, are truly qualified to be called a master of the sword.]
[Trait, Swordsmanship Genius (A), changes to title trait, Sword Demon (S+)!]
I had finally broken through the wall.
With their beautiful appearances and long lifespans, fairies had high demand as slaves.
Among them, the premium products were the fairies raised under the Great Tree’s protection in Illinoer.
And Linia’s mother was captured by northern other-race hunters aiming for such high-quality goods and sold to a count’s house in the Croa Kingdom.
But fortunately, around that time, relations between Illinoer and the Croa Kingdom began to improve. Soon after, the Arieldee family demanded the return of all fairies across the north to the Great Forest, and the Croa Kingdom along with four other nations complied.
Thanks to that, Linia’s mother, who had been living as the count’s concubine, also returned to the Great Forest.
Right after returning to the forest, she was overjoyed as if she owned the world, but sadly, that joy didn’t last long.
Her belly grew day by day.
During the few months as the count’s concubine, she had conceived his child.
Soon, the half-fairy Linia was born, and as a mixed-blood, she grew up in the Great Forest facing subtle discrimination.
Even her mother, instead of protecting Linia, frequently struck or verbally abused the young girl.
“How pitiful. Want to come with me?”
If Nevia, who felt kinship as a fellow half-fairy, hadn’t taken her in as an attendant, what would have happened?
It was something Linia didn’t want to imagine.
The two had a master-servant relationship, but Nevia embraced Linia like a stepsister or foster mother.
It was natural for young Linia to develop deep trust in her master.
As time passed, marriage talks for friendship arose between the Stroke Principality and the Arieldee family.
As a result, Nevia, a high fairy and half-fairy, was designated as Foden Stroke’s bride, and young Linia was to follow her to the Stroke Principality.
Linia’s father was a count of the Croa Kingdom.
Though born to a concubine, Linia was still a fairly recognized status as a woman in human society, making her perfectly suited as an attendant for Nevia, who would become the grand duchess.
It was the first moment Linia didn’t resent her bloodline.
The reason she had handled the cleanup after the grown Aiden’s debauchery without the slightest wavering was all due to this foundation.
The Nevia mother-son pair was Linia’s entire life.
Tossing and turning, she suddenly opened her eyes.
The Thornwood Duel.
A tradition born after the hero Tiamia subdued the other two families with her power alone.
However, this duel had been nearly abandoned about 100 years ago.
High fairies were precious—a consensus among the three families—and there was an unspoken agreement to avoid life-or-death duels if possible.
Naturally, over the past 100 years, political prowess was valued more than martial strength, and thanks to the cunning family head Barahal’s skills, the Arieldee family held power this generation.
They had governed Illinoer smoothly for a long time, solidifying their position, but lately, voices of discontent had risen among the fairies of the other two families. The main factor was the ongoing friction over the mana stone mine with a human nation, yielding no results for a long period.
However, the Arieldee family had no intention of meekly admitting failure and handing over sovereignty to someone else.
The result was the revival of this outdated tradition.
“Obviously, Erendrel from the Kirianejial family will win.”
“I heard the Arieldee’s runner is the son of Nevia, the half-fairy who left the Great Forest long ago? Apparently, he’s only in his mid-to-late teens.”
“Then he’s not even a half, but a quarter… Old man Barahal is clever.”
The fairies from Kirianejial and Pirion couldn’t suppress their laughter.
With distrust toward humans at its peak.
Few fairies pitied the designated Aiden; instead, many anticipated how he would be ‘executed’ as a sacrificial lamb.
And finally, the morning of the duel dawned.
The Thornwood Plaza, where <Elf Row> was cast.
I entrusted all magic equipment except weapons to Clara and Chesa and ascended the stage set in the plaza.
Erendrel, waiting there, spoke triumphantly.
“I commend you for not running, mongrel. In honor of your courage, I’ll kill you as painfully as possible.”
“I’ll return those words exactly.”
“Hmph! You still don’t know your place.”
Erendrel sneered mockingly.
He took a short qi breath.
Whoosh!
Then, needle-like sharp energy burst forth from Erendrel’s entire body. It was the ‘leaf qi’ used by the fairy knights of the Kirianejial family.
The spectators surrounding the plaza exclaimed in admiration.
“What an awe-inspiring ‘qi pressure’….”
“Only twenty and already at this realm? The talk of him being among the top three in the Fifteen Divine Guards wasn’t exaggeration!”
The surroundings were making a fuss, but facing Erendrel’s energy head-on, I felt no thrill.
“If you thought blasting out all your qi would scare me into begging for mercy? You’re putting on quite the pathetic show. Sorry, but I’ve seen plenty stronger than you. That stunt just looks like a kid’s tantrum.”
“Don’t bluff. My skills, Erendrel Paru Kirianejial’s, rival the renowned Continent’s Twelve Heroes from the outside world.”
“Then stop yapping and prove your strength with your body.”
I drew the sword from my waist.
The burn-inducing sword, Burn Sword (A).
“D-duel commence!”
The elder from the Pirion family, acting as mediator, sensed the murderous atmosphere and hastily declared the start.
Hum!
Immediately after, the yang magic <Elf Row> enveloping the Thornwood Plaza activated fully. Now, no one could interfere in the two’s duel.
The early phase was as everyone expected.
“Die, you mongrel bastard!”
Erendrel charged right at the start, then unleashed a one-sided assault, cornering Aiden.
The spectators from Kirianejial and Pirion grew greatly excited.
“Good!”
“Lord Erendrel! Crush that damn mongrel!”
However, the expressions of the elite knights and elders from each order were subtly hardened.
“Erendrel hasn’t used beast spirit arts yet, but he doesn’t seem to be holding back. What a remarkably calm defensive swordsmanship.”
“A prodigy already near the pinnacle of the Fifteen Divine Guards… So Nevia’s son was at that level?”
Of course, up to this moment, no one doubted Erendrel’s victory.
Clang!
Aiden barely blocked a heavy strike, stumbling back from the recoil.
It should clearly be overwhelming.
Yet his expression didn’t flicker.
Not showing any strain, he appeared chillingly calm.
Clang! Clang clang!
But he was busy just blocking attacks, showing no sign of counterattacking.
Erendrel furrowed his brow.
‘He’s waiting for a decisive timing. Probably planning to turn the situation with that weird strike that shattered my energy armor before.’
The mysterious technique that had threatened him during the previous attack, ‘Vileshaker’—just watch out for that. That was Erendrel’s thought.
But that judgment proved wrong soon enough.
The moment Erendrel swung down aiming for the skull, the Burn Sword slid along his blade like a glide, targeting his wrist.
“You bastard…!”
Eyes wide, Erendrel hastily retreated. Now Aiden rode the flow and began his offensive.
Immediately after, something astonishing happened.
One strike crushed heavily.
One slashed sharply.
One cut swiftly.
One scattered sword lights dazzlingly.
‘What… is this?!’
Strike, strike, strike, and strike.
Erendrel broke into a cold sweat.
The swordsmanship Aiden was displaying had no consistency whatsoever. Yet it didn’t feel crude like a novice flailing wildly. From the grip to the trajectory and speed—everything changed every moment. Erendrel felt as if he were facing multiple swordsmen of completely different types.
Moreover…
‘Was this guy’s strength this great? No, is it getting stronger over time? What nonsense……..’
The STR difference between the two was 4.
Erendrel dominated.
Originally, he could lightly deflect even Aiden’s all-out strike. In fact, that had been possible until just moments ago. But unlike then, now the STR gap felt meaningless.
This was the true essence of the Brandish Harmony Heart Method.
By sequentially rotating the five energies settled in the body, it doubled the power of the next strike, repeating this continuously.
Meaning Aiden’s offensive grew fiercer over time.
“You damn mongrel!!”
Gritting his teeth, Erendrel retreated. Sensing the crisis, he intended to use beast spirit arts.
“It’s over. Erendrel is the Great Forest’s top druid. No way to counter.”
A Kirianejial elder muttered that. If Erendrel invoked animal souls through beast spirit arts, Aiden would surely become a lump of meat.
Yet Aiden himself remained composed.
“I just finished warming up too.”
He held the Burn Sword in his right hand and gripped Ure in his left. It was time to showcase the true value of the Sword Demon (S+) trait.