I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 16

Saeorin struggled to drag the enormous greatsword, which was taller than him. 

Though he enhanced his body with mana to carry it, he eventually ran out of energy and could no longer lift it properly.

In the end, Theo and Flora, unable to watch him struggle any longer, came to help.

“Why are you even keeping this giant thing…?”

“Bigger doesn’t always mean better, you know…”

No matter what they said, Saeorin refused to give up the sword. He couldn’t give it up.

The moment his hand had touched the sword, memories had flowed into him through its surface. Brilliant, glowing memories—ones that did not belong to this world.

What was contained in the sword was a breathing technique. By regulating one’s breath, it allowed the wielder to channel the energy within their body and activate their physical potential.

The basics were simple, but as the technique delved into more intricate details, it revealed conditions too complex for Saeorin to use immediately. 

Yet, if he could fully absorb and master this memory, he could gain a body far stronger than his current one.

What concerned Saeorin was the aftermath. Glancing around, he took in the desolation of his surroundings—the dead plants, the lifeless mountain. His frown deepened.

***

Back at the Azure Wings headquarters, Saeorin and the other two recruits barely had a moment to rest. 

They had to resupply their used provisions, exchange any worn equipment for newer versions, and prepare for future missions. 

Kanok, as their direct supervisor, handled the mission report paperwork for them.

“Here, take this. It’s your share. Feel free to use it however you like,” Kanok said, handing each of them a heavy pouch.

Saeorin opened his pouch to find it brimming with shiny silver coins.

“Azure Wings pays a regular salary, but you also get additional compensation for completing missions. Nice job, right?” Kanok added with a grin.

Saeorin only nodded. Having never had a job before, he had no frame of reference to compare it to.

In truth, the extra pay didn’t interest him much. He was eager to return to his room and examine the greatsword he’d left behind.

Kanok rested his hands on his hips, observing the three recruits. Their focused management period had come to an end. From now on, they would follow the same daily training routine as the other knights.

They were an interesting group. Kanok hoped they would remain under his care for a long time.

“I’ll have to carefully balance their mission difficulty so none of them die…”

Once Kanok left, the three recruits exchanged glances—except for Saeorin, who immediately turned and headed for his room.

“Hey, Saeorin!” Theo called after him.

“I’m busy,” Saeorin replied curtly, not stopping.

Back in his room, Saeorin dropped to the floor and placed his hand on the greatsword.

The faint, blurry memories became vivid once more, layering over his mind. The more he delved into the sword’s memories, the deeper the revelations became, pulling him into their depths.

There was so much to learn. New concepts, ones Saeorin had never encountered before, began to take root in his mind.

-Essence
-Energy
-Spirit

-Mind
-Breath
-Body

The fragments of thought were cryptic and abstract. Saeorin didn’t need to fully understand them—the sword’s memories forced comprehension upon him.

The technique revolved around gathering nature’s energy through controlled breathing and storing it within the body. 

This stored energy was then circulated to stimulate and strengthen the body’s meridians, a process referred to as inner cultivation.

What the sword’s memory conveyed was a form of inner cultivation technique.

It was crude, violent, and straightforward. Most of the phrases and concepts that surfaced in Saeorin’s mind were brash and aggressive. 

The act of channeling energy in such a manner seemed to demand a similarly volatile temperament.

Saeorin’s expression twisted in displeasure.

He needed to dig deeper. This wasn’t what he was looking for.

Learning the techniques of reincarnators wasn’t an option. Absorbing nature’s energy through breathing would inevitably draw attention and expose him.

What Saeorin needed was something more fundamental.

Saeorin stripped away all unnecessary elements from the breathing technique imprinted in his mind. 

The initial steps of accumulating and refining energy within the body were discarded. The complex mnemonics that followed were also deemed irrelevant.

What remained was a single thread of knowledge: the pathway for moving energy within the body. It was a fragmentary understanding of the circulation routes. Saeorin clung to this.

He already had a glimpse of mana manipulation during his first mission. If he could weave together the fragmentary knowledge from the sword with his current understanding of mana control, he might create something functional.

But it still eluded him. He felt tantalizingly close to a breakthrough, like grasping for something just out of reach. Saeorin pushed himself to focus even deeper.

Creating something from scratch was an entirely different challenge compared to absorbing complete, ready-made knowledge. Despite his effort, by the time dawn broke, he hadn’t made any progress.

It had been a wasted day of sitting and struggling.

***

[“Saeorin!”]

Flora’s voice called out from beyond the door. A glance out the window revealed the rising sun, signaling the start of the day’s training routine.

“Ah…”

Saeorin sighed and got to his feet.

The training was grueling. By the time their bodies were pushed to their limits and exhaustion set in, it was finally time for lunch. Saeorin, Flora, and Theo naturally gravitated toward the dining hall.

Saeorin took the largest portion.

He also ate the fastest.

As usual, Saeorin devoured his food with the efficiency of a warrior on a battlefield, stood up abruptly, and left before Theo and Flora could even attempt conversation.

Watching him leave, Flora couldn’t hold back her curiosity any longer.

“Saeorin, what’s been keeping you so busy lately?”

“Just… something urgent,” Saeorin replied, his voice trailing off.

In truth, it wasn’t urgent—just frustrating. He had grasped the framework for mana manipulation and could move mana intentionally. 

However, the results were underwhelming. The energy pathways described in the sword’s memories didn’t align with his body.

Or rather, they existed but were slightly different. If the reincarnator’s memory had been more recent rather than ancient, the outcome might have been different.

‘The physical structure is different. What should be there isn’t, and what shouldn’t be there is.’

Reincarnators came from other dimensions. The memories Saeorin inherited came from those worlds, so it was only natural that the physical structures of their people differed from this world’s.

His gaze shifted to Flora. She had demonstrated her skillful control over mana since their first meeting. Perhaps she held the key to solving his dilemma.

Saeorin sat next to her.

“Uh… Saeorin?” Flora asked, confused.

“Finish your food. I’ll wait until you’re done.”

Saeorin remembered the book he’d read on etiquette—it advised against speaking during meals. He resolved to wait for her to finish before asking his question.

“Ah, um…”

Flora felt uncomfortable under Saeorin’s steady gaze. At first, she thought he was eyeing her food—understandable given Saeorin’s usual enthusiasm for meals.

But when she offered him a piece of bread, he declined.

Feeling increasingly flustered, Flora stood up despite not having finished. However, Saeorin pressed a hand on her shoulder, forcing her to sit back down.

“W-wait, Saeorin?”

“You shouldn’t waste food. Finish it all.”

“But… I’m not hungry anymore…”

“In that case, I’ll feed you.”

Even as Flora shook her head in protest, Saeorin ignored her, taking a spoon and shoveling food into her mouth.

It reminded him of the past, of coaxing stubborn children to eat. He recalled pinning down a reluctant child to feed them forcibly.

“Urk…”

“Chew thoroughly,” Saeorin said, his tone stern.

Flora didn’t manage to leave the table until her plate was entirely clean. 

Theo, watching from the side, looked envious, though Saeorin paid him no attention.

After lunch, Saeorin and Flora returned to her room and closed the door behind them. They sat at the small table, facing each other.

With a serious expression, Saeorin spoke.

“Flora, do you know of any books or materials that detail human anatomy?”

What Saeorin needed most now was a diagram of the human body.

“Books on anatomy? Wait… are you training in mana breathing techniques?” Flora asked, her eyes narrowing with curiosity.

“Mana Breathing Technique…? What’s that?” Saeorin asked, confused.

“You don’t know what it is?” Flora replied, surprised. “Well…”

She proceeded to explain. The mana breathing technique, or Mana Refinement Technique, is a form of training designed to utilize mana more efficiently. By circulating mana along predetermined pathways, it enhances physical strength and capabilities. Furthermore, specific types of energy can be imbued into the mana, granting unique effects.

That was Flora’s explanation.

Saeorin gaped in astonishment. What Flora was describing sounded exactly like the inner cultivation technique he had been painstakingly reconstructing—except it already existed in this world, in a much more developed form. 

The only difference was the absence of the step involving the accumulation of energy through breathing.

‘It already exists…?’

The realization hit him like a blow. What he had been meticulously piecing together was already a well-established practice here. And it wasn’t just rudimentary—it was vastly refined.

Feeling a sudden wave of exhaustion, Saeorin slumped back into his chair.

“Hey, Saeorin, are you okay?” Flora asked, concerned.

“Flora,” Saeorin began, his tone steady but serious. “Can you teach me this Mana Refinement Technique?”

“Ah… that’s difficult,” Flora said hesitantly. “Techniques like these are considered family secrets. They’re strictly forbidden from being shared outside the family.”

“… So it’s like swordsmanship,” Saeorin mused.

“Right. But if you haven’t learned any refinement techniques yet, you could try the basic one issued by the Imperial Knights. It’s excellent, too…”

Before Flora could finish, Saeorin shot to his feet. He had to see this Mana Refinement Technique for himself.

If it turned out to be significantly inferior to the method he had been conceptualizing, then:

‘I’ll create my own.’

Saeorin’s eyes burned with renewed determination.