The Return of the Limited-Time Sword Master

Chapter 16: Adalbert Swordsmanship (3)

Wooong.

The moment the space split apart, a sword appeared beside Arelia.

It was Martin’s first time seeing it in person, but he knew exactly what the sword was.

‘The Holy Sword Cracian.’

It was the symbol of the first head of the family, a sword that had now become a legend.

Arelia gently grasped the hilt.

—Spatial slashes and spatial severance can be performed if one has a unique spatial ability. However, that alone isn’t enough to execute a spatial sword. Do you know what else is required?—

“Aura.”

—Correct.—

Although Arelia’s question came suddenly, Martin answered immediately.

He didn’t know the activation principle behind the technique.

However, he knew one thing for certain.

To wield the spatial sword, a unique ability must be combined with Aura—specifically, spatial domination.

‘Not just spatial domination, though.’

Thanks to Arelia, he had learned that his All-Distortion could substitute for spatial domination.

Of course, there were some shortcomings with All-Distortion, but he didn’t concern himself with that.

What mattered was the fact that he could wield a spatial sword.

—Why is Aura necessary? It’s simple. The spatial sword is a technique that harmonizes your Aura with the surrounding space.—

As soon as Arelia finished speaking, she began to channel her mana.

Flash!

A platinum-colored Aura surged and wrapped around her sword.

But that wasn’t all.

The Aura, which had been emitting a radiant light, rapidly dimmed, almost as if it were blending into the surroundings.

Soon after, the Aura shifted and formed a perfect cube.

‘So that’s it!’

Martin trembled with genuine awe.

Due to the Dragon’s Curse, he could easily read the flow of mana, allowing him to quickly grasp others’ techniques.

However, the essence of the spatial sword, which his father had shown him only once, had eluded him—until now.

Though the regression had wiped away much of his past, there was a time when he had been called a Sword Master.

Thanks to the insights and experiences from that time, Martin now understood how Arelia was merging her unique ability with Aura.

‘So this is how you combine a unique ability with Aura.’

It was nothing short of astounding.

Feeling his heart pounding, Martin continued to watch Arelia.

Swoosh!

The space and Aura became fully synchronized.

Then, Arelia swung her sword, and in response, the platinum-colored Aura shot out in a crescent shape.

The Aura traced a long arc through the air—it was truly beautiful.

‘The real significance comes after this.’

Martin enhanced his sight by infusing mana into his eyes.

He wanted to capture everything that was about to happen.

Swish.

Arelia subtly twisted the wrist holding the sword.

Then, something remarkable occurred.

The Aura, which had been cutting through the air, suddenly disappeared, only to reappear near the ceiling. It then dropped rapidly, like a bolt of lightning.

But that wasn’t the end.

Though only one crescent of Aura had initially appeared, the number quickly multiplied.

The Aura moved in various directions, repeatedly vanishing and reappearing, and its shape constantly changed.

‘At first glance, it seems similar to spatial severance, but…’

Martin discerned that this was something entirely different.

—What do you think after seeing it firsthand?—

“…It feels completely different from spatial severance.”

—Why do you think that?—

“With spatial severance, slashes or Aura can be redirected in different directions, but only once. Also, the number of Aura does not increase mid-attack.”

—You’ve observed well. Do you understand the principle behind it?—

“Yes. I realized that it’s not simply embedding Aura into space.”

—Then what is it?—

“The key is to perfectly dominate the mana in that space through Aura. It’s like establishing your own domain. By controlling the mana in the space, you can freely move the Aura. However, I don’t fully understand how the number of Aura increases or how its shape changes.”

—It’s already impressive that you’ve discerned that much. Honestly, your talent is almost overwhelming for even me.—

Arelia shook her head in disbelief.

Despite her words, a smile crept onto her lips.

—Let me answer your question first. The increase in the number of Aura or its changing shape depends on your mastery of the spatial sword.—

“The higher the mastery, the more freely one can manipulate Aura within their domain, is that what you’re saying?”

—Exactly. You’re quite the student to teach.—

“Thank you for the compliment.”

—Compliment? I can’t even think of how else to praise you. Anyway, as you said, the spatial sword is a technique that allows one to freely manipulate Aura within their domain. Because of that, some people refer to this technique as the ‘Mind Sword.’—

“It’s a fitting name, as one can freely alter the Aura according to their will.”

—I also think it’s a good name. Now, what do you think is another advantage of the spatial sword?—

“You can conserve your own mana. Since you’re completely dominating the mana in the space, there’s no need to use much of your own.”

—You’ve lived quite an interesting life for someone only 18 years old. How do you have such insight?—

“It’s thanks to the Dragon’s Curse.”

—The Dragon’s Curse only allows you to see the flow of mana. Understanding the principles of the technique is purely your own talent.—

At Arelia’s sincere praise, Martin bowed his head.

His heart still raced with excitement.

“Ancestor, may I try to execute the spatial sword once?”

—Hmm. Right now? Don’t you think it’s too difficult for you at this point?—

“I also believe there’s a higher chance of failure. Even if my All-Distortion is superior to your ability, I’m still only at the first circle. There are bound to be limitations.”

—And yet, you still want to attempt it?—

“Yes. Even if I fail, it doesn’t matter.”

Arelia chuckled softly.

It was clear that Martin’s gaze was unwavering.

—You’re practically begging to try, no matter what I say.—

“My apologies.”

—No need to apologize. If you’ve grasped the principle but don’t even attempt it, of course, you’d feel regret.—

“Thank you for your understanding.”

—But I hope you don’t rush things. I know that, because of the Dragon’s Curse, you can’t afford to waste time. Still, you’ve said yourself that you’ve somewhat alleviated the curse. If you take your time and steadily improve, you will surely master the spatial sword.—

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Martin answered calmly.

However, inwardly, he apologized to Arelia.

Because there was no way he could follow through with her last piece of advice.

It was true that through Dragonblood and Rothar martial arts breathing techniques, he had managed to somewhat alleviate the Dragon’s Curse. His lifespan had increased, and he had secured more time as a result.

But soon, he would have to ascend as the head of the Adalbert family.

He needed to reign at the pinnacle as the greatest of all, and yet he couldn’t wield the core technique of his direct lineage—the spatial sword?

He could never allow that.

Grip.

Resolving himself, Martin clenched the sword’s hilt tightly.

—

“Hoo…”

Martin steadied his breathing, sword in hand.

Mana surged from the core in his abdomen and flowed directly into the sword. A golden Aura flared up and enveloped the blade.

All that remained was to embed the Aura into space.

“Haaap!”

With a shout, Martin unleashed his unique ability, All-Distortion, twisting space and allowing the Aura to seep into the void.

But things didn’t go as he had hoped.

Crackle!

“Ugh!”

A scream escaped Martin’s lips, despite his will.

The moment the Aura touched the space, a powerful recoil formed and surged back toward him.

His body, already in a poor state, only deteriorated further from the new shock.

The Dragon’s Curse flared up, worsening his internal injuries.

His right arm, which gripped the sword, felt like it could break at any moment.

‘You think I’ll give up just like this?!’

Furious, Martin tried again to merge the Aura with the space.

However, despite his fierce determination, the situation refused to change.

The relentless backlash continued to pummel him.

Mana, running along his mana circuit, constantly reversed its flow.

In the end…

“Urgh!”

Martin collapsed to his knees, vomiting blood.

The blackened blood starkly revealed the extent of his internal injuries.

Yet even so, he struggled to stand again, determined to try once more.

But Arelia didn’t allow it.

Her voice rang out, cold and commanding.

—Stop.—

“…Understood.”

—No, it’s over. With your current mastery of your unique ability, you can’t wield the spatial sword yet. The constant backlash is proof of that.—

“Haa. I figured this would happen.”

—Didn’t I warn you beforehand? Don’t be in such a rush. From now on, focus on honing your unique ability. Even that alone will allow you to master the spatial sword faster than anyone else.—

Arelia’s tone was firm.

She had already seen Martin endure countless agonies.

She didn’t want to see him push himself further.

—As promised, I’ll now teach you Arelia Swordsmanship. Of course, with your talent, you could easily develop your own style. But it would be better to first master an existing one and then evolve it into your own.—

“I understand your intention, Ancestor, but please give me a moment. If this next method fails, I will give up on the spatial sword entirely.”

Martin looked straight at Arelia as he spoke.

His eyes burned with a resolve that would not retreat.

In the end, Arelia sighed and nodded.

—What are you planning to do?—

“I apologize, but it’s hard to explain. Could you simply observe?”

—Well, even if I tried to stop you, you wouldn’t listen. As you wish, I’ll watch for now.—

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Bowing his head slightly, Martin stood up with great effort.

It wasn’t out of stubbornness or a reckless desire to prove himself.

He had a legitimate way to rapidly master the spatial sword, which was why he had made the request to Arelia.

Step, step.

With slow, heavy steps, Martin walked toward a specific room.

It was the room he had visited earlier—the one where the elixirs were stored.

Arriving at the spot where the bottle containing the Dragon’s Blood stood, he came to a halt.

‘If I drink this, I can aim for an awakening.’

The realization he had gained when he was called the Sword Master was still intact.

However, his current body was far too weak to handle the power of a Sword Master.

While applying Drake’s Dragonblood to his body and learning Rothar martial arts breathing techniques had improved his condition compared to when he was 18, it wasn’t enough.

Even before his regression, although he hadn’t learned Rothar martial arts, he had consistently applied or consumed Dragonblood.

His swordsmanship and unique ability had elevated to a point where his physical capabilities naturally improved as well.

That’s how he had earned the title of Sword Master.

In contrast, if he attempted an awakening now with his current condition, his body would likely explode from the strain.

‘But if I drink the Dragon’s Blood, that changes things.’

Dragon’s Blood had the highest purity of all.

Thus, by not only applying it to his body but directly ingesting it, he could absorb its power.

Its effectiveness in enhancing physical strength was unmatched.

‘I might not be able to reclaim all the strength I had as a Sword Master.’

But that didn’t matter.

As long as it allowed him to wield the spatial sword, that would be enough.

What he needed right now was a stronger body.

He already had the insight and mana required to increase the rings of his mana core from long ago.

“Huff!”

Ignoring the pain of his internal injuries, Martin once again activated All-Distortion. This time, to break through the containment barrier.

Then, he stretched out his battered left hand once more.