Chapter 99

“Father called for me?”

As soon as Theo returned to reality, he stopped checking the various functions of the relics and was startled.

It was rare for his father to directly summon him like this.

‘Did something happen?’

The atmosphere within the family was already turbulent due to the situation with Ed.

Because of that, Theo wondered if his father wanted to ask for his opinion, especially since he had been at the forefront of the recent events.

“Tell him I’ll come to see him right away.”

The knight who had delivered the message from the family head bowed his head and quietly disappeared.

‘As expected of the Azure Sword Guard… truly my father’s shadow.’

Though they always remained by Kyle’s side, their skills were said to rival the White Armored Dragon Cavalry or the Black Iron Cavalry. Their prowess surprised even Theo.

Theo quickly prepared to move to the mountain villa where the Half-Sword Grave was located.

* * *

-Heavy.

That was Theo’s first thought as soon as he arrived at the villa.

It felt entirely different from when he had completed the third Blossoming Ceremony.

The half-broken swords seemed to glare at him, as if they were observing his every move.

For a moment, Theo wondered if Kyle was testing him again.

‘No, that’s not it. This… it’s because I can sense far more than I could back then.’

However, Theo soon realized that Kyle wasn’t even releasing as much pressure as he had before.

The overwhelming malice created by the terrain of the Half-Sword Grave was the real cause.

It was surprising that the area wasn’t swarming with monsters.

For someone who trained in demonic energy, there would be no better spiritual ground than this place.

Theo felt pleased, knowing that he could now ‘sense’ far more than during the Blossoming Ceremony, yet at the same time, cold sweat ran down his back.

‘How much malice must Father be able to sense? And to handle it so casually, even enjoying it… He must continue to train relentlessly, even after reaching that level.’

Endless training.

An upward drive for improvement.

A desire that knows no satisfaction.

Perhaps all of this was the driving force that allowed Kyle to maintain his position as an absolute power for so long.

That’s why he felt even more awe towards his father.

Once again, the desire to someday reach that level ignited in Theo’s heart.

“You’ve been working hard. Many who are called geniuses often get complacent, gradually neglecting their efforts.”

Kyle appeared at that very moment.

His gaze, as he looked at Theo, who stood there as if entranced, was filled with amusement.

Theo briefly wondered how he should respond, then soon decided to reveal his “true” thoughts.

“I know very well that everything I have right now is due to pure luck, so I can’t allow myself to become lazy.”

“Luck, huh.”

Pffft!

Kyle let out a light chuckle.

“If others were to hear you, they’d probably curse at you. To them, it would sound like you’re being irritatingly humble.”

“I don’t care what others think.”

“That’s a good attitude to have.”

Kyle nodded in approval.

The reason Theo referred to it as luck was because of his regression.

The ability to challenge things anew.

The ability to start again.

In truth, that was a privilege.

A privilege that others could never possess, no matter how much they wished for it.

Theo, well aware of this, was determined to make the most of this opportunity. He worked tirelessly and never allowed himself to fall into complacency.

Even though he knew he could be given another chance, he clung desperately to this one, as if it were his last.

This was what Kyle praised.

‘So this was a test after all.’

Theo instinctively realized that if he hadn’t answered properly here, Kyle might have driven Drake’s Blade and the Moon-White Sword into the Half-Sword Grave.

It seemed Kyle’s distrust and tests would continue for some time.

How long would this go on?

A slight unease crept into Theo’s mind.

“No matter how many privileges and opportunities people are given, many fail to make good use of them. In fact, most people tend to use them to live as comfortably as possible. And such people… they will inevitably hit a ceiling when it comes to how far they can rise.”

Kyle unclasped his hands from behind his back and stretched one out into the air.

“That, too, is a form of talent. So you should take pride in what you’ve accomplished.”

With those words, Theo felt as though the lingering anxiety within him had been dispelled by magic.

– At last, he was beginning to be acknowledged by his father.

He was overjoyed by this realization.

Clang, clang!

At that very moment, one of the swords surrounding Kyle suddenly began to tremble violently. It floated up into the air and flew into Kyle’s hand.

Was he about to test him with a sword?

Just as Theo was reaching for Drake’s Blade, thinking such a thing—

Kwuaduduk!

Suddenly, the sword in Kyle’s hand began to crumple.

“……!?”

Theo’s eyes widened in surprise, unsure of what was happening.

Before he knew it, the sword twisted inward, eventually becoming a large metal sphere. The sphere emitted an intense malice that seemed to ripple through the air.

“Eat it.”

Kyle extended the sphere toward Theo.

“This… you want me to eat this?”

“Surprised because it’s so sudden?”

“N-no, not at all.”

At Kyle’s light chuckle, Theo hastily shook his head.

“It’s only natural to be surprised. To be honest, I’ve been thinking about this for a long time. I knew I should give you something, but I wasn’t sure what. It seemed like you already had most of the things you might need.”

Kyle’s gaze quickly scanned Theo from head to toe.

All the relics, including the Moon-White Sword, trembled subtly.

‘They’re all on edge.’

Did they sense the presence of a dragonslayer’s karma?

“So, giving you something ordinary wouldn’t help you climb any higher. That’s why I’m giving you something that can serve as a stepping stone. This is karma. A vessel that holds the karma of an absolute being who once dominated an era.”

Theo felt as if Kyle’s gaze pierced right through his soul.

“You have a natural strength. Not just in the sense of raw power, but in knowing how to wield it effectively. You overwhelm your opponents with explosive speed. You’ve been constantly increasing your lung capacity to maintain faster, more sustained attacks—pursuing a destructive form of swordsmanship.”

It seemed Kyle already understood the nature of the swordsmanship Theo had been striving for.

“Because of that, your body can hold a lot of things. You’ve already contained the Demon Dragon, and the Sword Dragon. Soon, you’ll contain the Black Dragon too… and many other things as well. I can even see traces of magic, though only a little.”

Magic was a challenging domain for any swordsman who pursued the extreme depths of swordsmanship. It had to be handled carefully.

Kyle added these words as he continued speaking.

“So, eat this. This karma will remain in your subconscious, and when the time comes for the various things within you to merge into one, it will guide you. You could call it a pathfinder.”

“Who was the owner of this sword?”

“I can’t tell you. If I did, it would be too easy. Worse, you might trap yourself in preconceived notions and limit your potential. You’ll have to discover for yourself whose karma this is.”

“…….”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Theo silently stared at the sphere formed from the sword.

The karma of an unknown absolute being.

Within it, a subtle madness flowed, enticing enough to captivate anyone who gazed upon it.

As Kyle had said, the sphere could guide Theo toward a shortcut to power, but it also contained a madness that could create limitations.

It wouldn’t provide a way to surpass the wall that the previous absolute being couldn’t overcome.

And that wall was right before his eyes.

The wall named Kyle.

‘He means for me to grow stronger quickly with this karma, but not to be trapped by it—rather, to use it as a stepping stone.’

So, this was the true meaning behind the gift that could serve as a stepping stone.

“If I may add a small note.”

“…?”

“Your older brothers and sisters have also each received a karma from the Half-Sword Grave.”

“…!”

“They all received something well-suited to the paths they pursued, things that could serve as perfect stepping stones.”

Thump, thump, thump!

For a moment, Theo’s heart raced.

When Kyle spoke of “brothers and sisters,” he wasn’t merely referring to those who shared his blood.

The only thing that defined a child Kyle acknowledged was one thing:

– They were the most likely successors to his legacy.

These were the individuals Kyle deemed worthy to inherit his power. Not just talented children, but ‘geniuses.’

These were the so-called five great candidates for succession.

Thump, thump, thump, thump—

“That means…!”

“You asked for the chance to prove yourself worthy, didn’t you?”

“Give me a chance.”

Theo’s response to Kyle’s question of whether he truly aimed for the throne.

“I will grant it. This is your first chance.”

With trembling hands, Theo reverently accepted the sphere.

“However, you must prepare yourself. Above you are many brothers and sisters who were born far earlier, who have already established their positions and foundations. You’ll have to seriously think about how you’ll break through their resistance.”

A spiritual light shone in Theo’s eyes.

He could see the intense thoughts rippling across the surface of the sphere, spreading in soft waves.

It was heavy.

The weight of this karma.

“They aren’t the only ones. There are still many who covet this position. Even if they aren’t my direct descendants, there are cousins, former elders, and ancient figures from the previous generation who wish to sit on the throne. Even those who have left the Ragnar family, or appear to have no connection to Ragnar, could be aiming for it. Troyban, whom you cast out, falls into that category. And… among them.”

Kyle paused in his explanation.

Theo looked up.

Their eyes met.

There, far more oppressive than the karma within the sphere, lay an overwhelming weight of karma.

“I’m also one of them.”

“…!”

Kyle raised one corner of his mouth into a smirk.

“Eventually, you’ll have to surpass even me.”

Thump… thump… thump… thump…

Theo’s heart pounded in his chest.

A chill ran down his spine.

The monster that even Lothbrok couldn’t defeat. The one the Mad Dragon Emperor couldn’t bring down. That very monster was telling him to surpass him.

In a way, it could be seen as a blatant threat.

However,

“Yes. I absolutely will.”

Theo was smiling.

Kyle’s eyebrow twitched.

“Someday, I will definitely surpass you, Father.”

From the smile on Theo’s lips, Kyle sensed only one emotion.

The desire to win.

‘The desire to win!’

Before this emotion, which Kyle couldn’t remember the last time he had felt, he burst into laughter.

“Good. Go ahead and try.”

Kyle withdrew his hand from the sphere of the sword and clasped his hands behind his back again.

Theo bowed his head in gratitude.

Then, without hesitation, he brought the sphere to his mouth.

Sssrrr-

As if it had been waiting for this moment, the sphere melted instantly, sliding down Theo’s throat.

“……!”

Theo immediately sat cross-legged and began circulating his magic power.

Whoooosh-

Crackle, crackle!

Mist rose from the top of his head, followed by flashes of yellow lightning sparking in the air.

Kyle silently watched him.

Rumble, rumble-

Intense waves of energy began to radiate from Theo’s body,

Wuuuung! Wuuung!

The half-broken swords that made up the Half-Sword Grave began resonating simultaneously.

As if cheering for their new master.

Or perhaps envying him.

Flap!

At that moment, a black lark flew down and quietly perched on Kyle’s left shoulder, watching Theo.

Flutter!

“Why, of all the swords, did you give him that one?”

The black lark tilted its head in concern, its expression filled with worry.

But Kyle appeared completely unconcerned.

“Isn’t it obvious? You saw it too, didn’t you?”

A smile tugged at his lips.

“When I told him I acknowledged him as a successor, he smiled.”

Among all the children, including the five great candidates and even those who were no longer in this world, the ones Kyle considered ‘worthy’ had similar reactions.

They were usually joyful or overwhelmed with emotion.

But Theo’s reaction had been different.

The desire to win.

The sight of a son wanting to defeat his father couldn’t have been more gratifying.

“Out of all my children, he’s the only one who smiled like that.”

Kyle’s lips curled into the same smile as Theo’s.

It was the desire to win against a son who, in the future, would become his rival.