I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 23: Knights’ Competition (2)

After a grueling day of training, I headed to the training grounds, intent on finding a senior willing to spar.

Clang!

“Hah!”

As I approached, a surge of intense energy became palpable. It was a familiar yet unfamiliar sensation, accompanied by the sound of sharp battle cries echoing through the grounds.

Clang!

Scanning the training area, I was surprised to see it packed with seniors, all sweating and training diligently. Normally sparsely populated, the grounds seemed transformed.

“Oh, Saeorin!”

Someone called out to me—it was Raynard, my senior from the last mission. Nodding lightly, I approached him.

“Senior.”

“Are you preparing for the tournament too?”

“Tournament…?”

This was the first I’d heard of it, and I tilted my head slightly in curiosity. With the movement, my white hair fell like snow.

“Oh, I guess you haven’t heard yet? There’s a knightly tournament happening in a month.”

My gaze swept across the grounds again. Even those who usually remained hidden away in their rooms were out swinging swords, making use of every available moment. For even the most reclusive to be practicing, the tournament must be worthwhile.

I ran a hand over my sword and asked, “Is the tournament really worth that much effort?”

I swallowed back the words, Shouldn’t we be chasing Reincarnators instead?

“Of course! If you perform well, the Empire’s armory opens to you.”

“The armory…?”

“It’s a treasure trove filled with countless artifacts. Famous swords, a ring that slows time, boots that let you fly… Well, most of it’s probably just rumors.”

I nodded in understanding. If such extraordinary items were real, it was worth trying for. “Are there swords in the armory that other swordsmen used?”

“Of course. The Imperial armory itself is history. It holds the swords of previous knight commanders, and even the blade of the so-called Sword Saint, the strongest in the Empire…”

Before Raynard could finish, I moved.

With a single leap, my small frame soundlessly flew to the center of the training grounds.

“Senior Raynard, please spar with me.”

It was a bold request from a junior, but Raynard didn’t refuse. As his figure launched toward the training grounds, my blade was already drawn.

Clang!

***

As the tournament approached, the excitement only grew. Theo and Flora were also busy preparing.

Knights assigned to missions during this time left reluctantly, knowing they’d miss the opportunity. It was unfortunate, indeed.

“Here I come, Saeorin!”

At Theo’s shout, I raised my sword. Sparring against a comparable opponent was invaluable for growth. Our blades clashed midair.

Clang!

Unlike before, I found it easier to parry Theo’s strikes. Our blades locked, sparks flying as we shifted directions in unison.

Through my blessing, I had fully absorbed the essence of Theo’s swordsmanship. I could now anticipate the trajectory of his strikes.

A thrust to the lower left, followed by an upward slash.

Clang! Thud!

Blocking the attack, my eyes analyzed Theo’s entire body. I read the flow of his muscles and breathing, predicting his next move.

After relaxing his stance, a straight thrust with mana.

As Theo exhaled lightly, faint sparks ignited around his arms and legs.

Crackle!

I summoned my mana in response. It began in my heart and coursed through my body, growing colder as it traveled. A vast snowy plain emerged in my mindscape, and a faint shape appeared upon it.

Focusing on something else during battle was dangerous, but it was necessary to transform mana. A vivid mental image was essential for altering its nature.

This process wasn’t easy. Imagination was fickle, changing with time and environment.

To combat this, I relied on a personal technique—binding specific images to unique cues, akin to internal chants in martial arts. 

For me, it was the traditional songs of my tribe that served as the cue for my mana technique.

“Our tracks on the snowy plains, following the stars in the silent night…”

The blurry image sharpened. A vast snowfield unfurled in my mind, and icy mana whirled around my sword.

Clang!

It wasn’t over. The mana at the tip of my sword intensified, growing sharper, deadlier.

“Wolf, protect us as we hunt…”

A faint wolf’s silhouette flickered above me. While those at a distance wouldn’t notice, Theo, facing me directly, saw it clearly.

“Damn…!”

Theo’s sword trajectory shifted abruptly, changing from a straight thrust to a sweeping slash aimed low.

Clang!

The impact of our collision forced both of us back slightly. I used the brief reprieve to catch my breath, stepping back two paces to reassess.

Theo also retreated two steps, the faint pain in his hands causing veins to bulge on his forehead.

The boy and girl remained still, maintaining a tense standoff. Both of us realized the spar was over; any further, and we’d risk injuring each other.

I was the first to lower my sword.

“Well fought, Theo.”

“You’ve gotten stronger…”

When we first met, Theo had easily overpowered me. Now, he couldn’t guarantee victory. The speed of my progress in just a month was astonishing.

A small pang of jealousy flickered within Theo, but he quickly quelled it. He understood that I possessed a unique talent.

“All right, it’s my turn next!”

As Theo stepped down, Flora ascended to the training grounds. I checked my remaining strength and readied my sword again.

It was then that commotion erupted on one side of the grounds. Curious, I turned to see unfamiliar individuals speaking with some of the knights.

“Who are they?”

“What’s that…?”

It was Flora who reacted to Theo’s question. Retrieving her sword, she stepped off the platform and walked a few paces forward.

Her gaze brushed over the badges on the shoulders of the unfamiliar individuals.

“Wind?”

The badge bore a design resembling gusts of wind.

“Why is the Imperial Wind here?”

Theo and I also turned our attention to the newcomers. The Imperial Knights, represented by the blue griffon emblem of the Empire’s flag, were divided into different factions.

The unfamiliar visitors at the Azure Wings headquarters were members of Wind, one of the Imperial Knight factions.

Though both Azure Wings and Wind served the Empire, there was little to no interaction between them—or any of the other knightly factions, for that matter.

As the Wind knights entered, the Azure Wings knights who had been sparring gradually halted their training, their attention drawn to the newcomers.

At that moment, Kanok emerged from the headquarters building. He surveyed the scene briefly before approaching the Wind knights, exchanging a few words with them. Then he strode directly toward us.

Theo, Flora, and I greeted him with a slight bow. While saluting a superior officer was the protocol, the internal culture of Azure Wings was relatively relaxed. Kanok waved off our informal greeting.

“How’s the training coming along?”

“Hello, Deputy Commander.”

“It’s been a while.”

It had been about a week since we’d last seen him. I nodded silently in response to Kanok’s question.

Kanok smiled. “Would you be interested in sparring with some recruits from another knightly faction?”

“Sparring…?”

“Yeah. Wind proposed it. They suggested pitting their newest recruits against ours. It’s optional, of course.”

I glanced toward the distant Wind knights. One of them noticed and offered a polite bow. They didn’t seem particularly hostile.

I was about to decline when Kanok added, “We’re offering a one-day pass to leave the grounds for the winner… if you’re interested.”

Before he could finish his sentence, I stepped forward.

“I’ll do it.”

“Well, that’s some enthusiasm.”

Of course I was enthusiastic. With outings restricted except on weekends, I had been craving fresh bread—specifically, that fruit pie I couldn’t stop thinking about.

My small tongue darted across my lips at the thought.

“Good. And what about you two?” Kanok asked, turning to Theo and Flora. They both nodded their agreement.

Thus, the sparring match between Azure Wings and Wind was arranged. 

No elaborate preparations were needed—the competitors simply stepped onto the training platform.

I was the first to take the stage.

My opponent was a boy who looked about 16. He introduced himself.

“Dyan Tybolt of Wind.”

“Saeorin of Azure Wings.”

I could feel Tybolt’s sharp gaze scrutinizing me, lingering on my face, eyes, and hair.

My lips curled into a smirk. He’s smitten by my sister’s looks again…

Yet another boy had fallen for the beauty of my sister’s face.

“Uh, Saeorin, right? After the match… if you’re free, maybe we could—”

Tybolt’s words trailed off as Kanok flipped a coin into the air. The match would begin the moment it hit the ground.

I exhaled deeply, placing a hand on my sword.

Noticing the shift in atmosphere, Tybolt quickly composed himself. 

A faint, sharpened blade seemed to shimmer above him as he prepared to strike.

Ping!

The coin hit the ground. I immediately swung my sword with full force. Having sparred with others earlier, my stamina was low—I had no intention of dragging the match out.

I aimed to end it decisively in one strike.

Clang!

“Guh!”

Tybolt’s face twisted in shock. The strength behind my strike far exceeded his expectations. Forced to match it, Tybolt drew on his full power.

Just as Tybolt’s blade began to gather strength, I suddenly released my sword.

The abrupt disappearance of resistance caused Tybolt to lose his balance. Seizing the moment, I closed the gap.

“Y-You dropped your sword…?”

“In the moment of the hunt, the earth holds its breath, the strength of a ravenous bear…”

Blue mana surged through me. As its raw power stabilized my legs and core, I opened my right hand wide.

With a resounding smack, my palm struck Tybolt square in the face.

Thwack!

Once again, my strategy of exploiting an opponent’s opening proved effective. Tybolt flew off the platform, landing below with a thud.

A clear red imprint of my hand marked the center of his face.

“Winner: Saeorin!”

Watching from the sidelines, Flora instinctively touched her own face.