Chapter 32

Reincarnated as a Sword Emperor in the Sword Clan (32)

"Hmm."

After a few hours, Leonard slowly opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

For a moment, his eyes glowed with a rainbow light, but then they returned to their usual state, half-open, gazing into the empty space. For an instant, his pupils seemed to narrow like those of a reptile.

He had gained a lot of insights and achieved much.

While the adventure had been very fruitful, there were certainly aspects that needed reflection.

'I was too swayed by my bloodlust. I didn't fully realize how young this body is.'

This was a problem stemming from an imbalance in his qi circulation.

Even though it was a rare life-or-death battle, he overlooked the danger at his feet while focusing on slaying his opponent. Such a mistake would never have been made by the Sword Emperor Lian Wuxie, but the 14-year-old Leonard did.

Self-birth, then kill others (我生然後殺他).

Despite being a fundamental maxim in Go, it was still overlooked.

'I need to be more careful in the future.'

Of course, this bloodlust is not solely a disadvantage.

While seasoned veterans, who have experienced countless battles, possess a level of maturity that the young lack, the young are often armed with unblemished audacity. Most young people overestimate their abilities and end up losing their lives, but Leonard possesses a maturity that should not coexist with his audacity.

And then.

"...Can I call this a single-core when the pentacore has merged into one?"

Leonard's face showed a bit of confusion.

The bead he named the Five Elements True Dragon Ring, formed by pulling the five elemental forces into his dantian, seemed to function as a replacement for his heart, even mimicking its beating. With the breakthrough to the External Force Realm, a qi barrier enveloped his entire body, blocking even the penetrating vision of the Transformation Realm. Unless his ribs were opened, there would be no way to detect it.

Given that it was a largely unknown phenomenon, it was only natural to feel a bit uneasy.

'Well, I can find out by consuming spirit stones or spirit medicines.'

Shaking off his unresolved concerns and reaffirming his achievements, Leonard smiled in satisfaction.

He had almost depleted his stored resources, but he had saved his life and significantly advanced his cultivation. The gains were more than sufficient.

'External Force Realm 3rd stage, exceeding expectations.'

The flow of qi and internal energy, which had grown exponentially compared to the 10th stage of the Internal Force Realm, had already surpassed a full cycle (60 years) and a half.

Considering that Hayden, Ian, and Gale, who were at the 2nd stage of the External Force Realm, had internal energy just under a full cycle, Leonard's internal energy was far beyond a single stage.

If his growth rate continued, he might surpass five cycles at the 10th stage of the External Force Realm.

'Even during my time as a Sword Emperor, I only reached three cycles. To surpass that by nearly double without breaking through the Transformation Realm barrier is remarkable.'

His internal energy was powerful enough to wield the force symbolizing the peak of martial arts, the Rigid Qi (罡氣).

Even the great monk Shengzhao, who was considered the strongest with his Inner Qi Cultivation, did not exceed four cycles.

Leonard had easily surpassed that limit.

"Hmm?"

At that moment, Leonard, who had been focused on his martial arts achievements, noticed a discomfort he had previously overlooked.

The air inside the cave had been scorched by the red troll's self-destruction, turning it into a blazing hell filled with heat and smoke.

Yet, why could he breathe normally?

'...Is this the power of the tree?'

Easily deducing the reason, Leonard placed his hand on the dried and twisted bark.

No trace of life remained.

It was dead.

Leaving behind only one last fruit.

'For some reason, I feel a familiar aura. Could it be that I have absorbed the power of the dragon?'

After examining the golden fruit on his palm, Leonard placed it in his spatial bag.

He then glanced at the withered tree and said a few words.

"I'll plant the seed separately. In a way, you are also a benefactor of life."

The tree had reduced the destructive force of the firestorm caused by the red troll's self-destruction. Despite containing immense spiritual energy, it fiercely resisted the opposing force, ultimately being overwhelmed by the power of a Transformation Realm-level monster. Thanks to the tree's struggle, Leonard's injuries were somewhat less severe.

If he had tried to damage the tree and take it with him, he might not have survived the firestorm.

'Mutual aid (相扶相助), such a case does exist.'

There was nothing left to do in this cave.

Since several hours had passed since his breakthrough to the External Force Realm, he needed to return immediately to avoid suspicion.

Turning his back to the tree, Leonard reached for his waist and realized his sword was damaged. He then brought his two fingers together.

Sword Finger Seal (劍結指).

By straightening and pressing together the index and middle fingers, he formed a posture resembling a sword. While it would be difficult to wield the Five Elements Sword Qi without a sword at the Internal Force Realm, it was not a problem for him now.

One-Element Five-Elements Divine Skill (一元五行神功)

Five Elements Separation Technique (五星分斷訣) Explosion (爆)

The qi that spewed from his two fingers vividly colored the air, forming a blade of fire.

External Qi Manifestation.

Beyond simply emitting qi from a sword or body, this technique involved controlling the emitted qi to form a shape. It was a skill that even at the 6th or 7th stage of the External Force Realm, was difficult to master.

"Go."

As Leonard gave the command, a stream of red lotus rushed forward.

Five Elements Sword Qi (五行劍氣)

Blazing Sword (赫灼劍) Flight (飛)

The moment the light struck the mound of earth the red troll had built with its spell, the fire sword exploded.

The destructive power of fire, the strongest among the Five Elements.

A strike at the peak of the Fire Flourishing Phase (火旺之節).

BOOM!

The mound of earth burst open, clearing a path.

The still warm air rushed out, creating a strong wind that blew through Leonard's hair as he walked.

He walked out of the cave, just as he had entered, with no one around.

It seemed the red troll had taken full responsibility, as no other trolls came to relieve it.

What caught Leonard's eye was something else.

"Didn't he manage to escape? Surprising."

The body of the Transformation Realm-level monster, Lykanthloph, who had clashed with the red troll, lay there. Despite its speed, it seemed to have fought to the end.

A crystal, likely a spirit stone, also floated nearby.

Without hesitation, Leonard collected the spirit stone and stripped the intact skin from the corpse. His nightclothes had already torn, leaving him with nothing to wear.

The animal stench was overwhelming, but he had no other choice.

'Hmph, I'm a barbarian now.'

With a self-deprecating thought, Leonard moved on.

In the distance, the eastern sky was beginning to brighten.

His lightness of body, enhanced several times by the External Force Realm, propelled him forward like a wolf crossing the forest.

Leonard's first adventure ended successfully.

* * *

Galapagos Island.

Its isolation was due to the powerful currents surrounding the island, which even well-built large ships could not cross.

Occasionally, even marine monsters were crushed by the currents. Only ships made of materials like mithril or orichalcum could withstand such conditions, not wood or iron.

However.

"...We have arrived. Galapagos Island."

If one could cross the currents, entering Galapagos was not impossible.

While numerous flying monsters like griffins and wyverns existed in the island's center, they could not possibly intercept every visitor from the outside.

On a beach of Galapagos, in the middle of the night, a group of people disembarked and counted their numbers.

32 people.

Given the small group, the count was completed in a few seconds.

"Two are missing."

"They seem to have crashed into the sea, unable to ride the air currents."

The man, clenching his teeth, growled.

"A pointless death...! They risked their lives for their country, yet the heavens do not recognize their loyalty."

"..."

"..."

The man, as if to dispel the somber mood, declared boldly.

"Even if the heavens turn their backs on us, I will remember. We will all become stars that illuminate the future of the Kingdom of Crujis."

"For Crujis!"

The Kingdom of Crujis.

A medium-sized kingdom located in the western part of the continent, bordering the eastern frontier with the Arcadia Empire.

A few centuries ago, it was a renowned land of knights and a powerful nation in the western continent, but its glory has long since faded.

When Arcadia was at the height of its golden age, the knights of Crujis, with their proud faces, set out but were annihilated by the Red Dragon Knights.

Since then, the land of knights has belonged to the Cardenas family.

They handed over the glory they had guarded for centuries in a single battle.

"Cursed demons of Cardenas...! Did you think we would endure this humiliation forever? We will capture the evil growing here and expose the sins hidden in their blood!"

The Shadow Knights of Crujis.

Their existence was unknown, and within the royal family, only the king knew the command structure and positions.

As an organization that operated in the shadows, their deaths were not acknowledged, and their sacrifices were not rewarded. Even if they died during a mission, their bodies and belongings were not recovered.

Only fanatics willing to sacrifice their lives could join this organization.

"Do not feel guilty about the children. They are raising demons in their blood, and if left alone, they will become a threat to Crujis."

The leader of the group that infiltrated Galapagos, the fifth shadow of Crujis, glared with murderous intent.

His subordinates did not flinch.

Instead, their eyes turned red, as if infected by his murderous aura.

"Of course, Leader!"

"We will leave not a single one alive!"

"Give us the order!"

The hearts of the knights born in Crujis were always filled with a sense of inferiority towards the Cardenas family.

The humiliating defeat etched in the kingdom's history.

The fall from the honor once revered by knights across the continent.

The unquenchable belief and anger that they must reclaim the glory and honor now possessed by the Cardenas family drove them forward.

"Do not fear. The evil of Cardenas is powerful, but there is no one on this island who can stand against me."

To further fuel their already heightened morale, the fifth shadow drew his sword from his waist.

A black sword, painted black from the hilt to the blade, aimed at the rising sun, the man shouted with all his hatred.

"There is no sun that rises forever! The sun of Cardenas will set, and the sun of Crujis will rise!"

At the same time, a light burst from the blade of the black sword.

A deep green aura blade formed, extending several meters.

In the martial arts world, this was called Rigid Qi (罡氣), a force that even at the peak of one's cultivation, could only be extended a few inches.

This proved the man's cultivation level.

"I will show that no evil can stand against my Transcendent Realm!"

The Transcendent Realm knight of Crujis, the fifth shadow, landed on the opposite side of Galapagos Island.