371: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 16:44:21 ID: Adl6Ms10r
It's definitely too vast! LOL
372: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 16:46:06 ID: H24jkcBu4
What was the management thinking making it this large…
373: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 16:47:35 ID: T1rA3sGkbj
Are the developers stupid? Are they trying to kill us?
374: Shikiba Asuka Aran-kun: 9/30/2058 16:48:53 ID: EVA2014Snd
>>372 Are you an idiot? It's obviously because it's fun!
375: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 16:49:10 ID: Con8tO10
That size is just abnormal—
And there are two of the 26 Apostles in the underground city!
How are we supposed to find them? LOL
376: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 16:50:49 ID: need9kill9
Wait, seriously? There are 26 Apostles in such a huge place?
377: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:52:06 ID:H24jkcBu4
Moreover, they're not in one fixed location. They're wandering throughout the labyrinth, so who knows how long it will take to find them?
378: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:53:21 ID:M369sekI69
I heard that one of those two is a classic Minotaur from the maze.
379: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:54:35 ID:T1rA3sGkbj
From what I've heard, the other one is a gorgeous blonde.
380: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:56:21 ID:Adl6Ms10r
No, the other one was a stunning silver-haired beauty.
381: Asuka Shikiba: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:57:53 ID:EVA2014Snd
Wait a minute! I heard it was a beautiful redhead.
382: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 16:59:06 ID:H24jkcBu4
Hmm? It seems like the stories are conflicting.
383: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 17:01:21 ID:M369sekI69
Come on, it was a beautiful blue-haired woman! That's the other apostle.
384: Anonymous Adventurer: 9/30/2058 (Mon) 17:03:49 ID:need9kill9
Does the other apostle have a power of transformation too?
I narrowly evade the old man's right sword with a backstep.
In that moment, he strikes at me from my blind spot with a thrust from the left sword.
I twist my body just in time to avoid the blow, but a thin layer of skin is sliced open.
Despite his evident fatigue, the old man swings his sword with a ferocity that overwhelms me.
He is literally putting his life on the line to train me in the Ittō-ryū of the Sword Princess.
Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Niru-chan and her father, who were brought here by Trinity, watching the old man in shock.
"Nico Grandpa!"
Niru-chan rushes forward, trying to stop us, but her father holds her back.
He seems to understand that his grandfather has made up his mind and decides to let her watch until the end in silence.
Niru-chan protests, but her father shakes his head, insisting that she stay quiet and observe.
The old man shouts, "If you want to stop me, then do it with force!!"
If that's what it takes, I will stop him with strength, using the best technique he taught me.
To meet your expectations, old man, and for the sake of the concerned Niru-chan.
Last night, I learned the secrets of the Ittō-ryū magic theory from him, and now the ultimate techniques of the Sword Princess are within my grasp.
The essence of the Kenki technique lies in the magical sword. The advanced version of this magical sword is the secret art of the Kenki Ittou school. This art can be executed even with the basic magic I've just learned, and if performed correctly, it has the potential to deliver a lethal blow.
As I dodge my grandfather's attacks, I chant incantations. First, I conjure a Fireball of the fire element. Next comes a Waterball of the water element. I continue to chant spells for each elemental type, fastening the magical sword to the sheath at my waist.
However, the spells are cast inside the sheath, within the space where the sword is sheathed. The magical sword technique employs the "Image Effect Theory," which allows for endless applications depending on the strength of one's imagination. The Kenki style maximizes this application.
Having completed the seven initial magical sword spells, I evade another strike from my grandfather and sheathe my sword. Normally, the magical sword would activate upon contact with the sword inside the sheath, but I've added an additional image while chanting the spell. By sheathing the sword, I transfer all the magic gathered inside the sheath to the blade.
The advantage of this secret art is that I can attack and defend even while casting spells for the magical sword. Normally, the magical sword can only be used for offense once the spell has infused the blade. Thus, the typical method is to combine the spells into one through vocal repetition, but this technique allows me to wield my weapon while chanting separate magical sword spells.
With a swift motion, I unleashed a sevenfold magical Iaido strike aimed directly at the old man!
"Katana Princess's One Sword Style Secret Technique: Seamless Heaven!!"
Boom!!!!
The Iaido slash I delivered sent the old man flying, even as he desperately tried to defend himself with his dual-wielding technique, the Cross Guard. The force of my strike, enhanced by the interplay of fire, water, wind, earth, ice, lightning, and void, was beyond anything I had imagined.
Wait, is the old man alright?!
I rushed over in a panic to where he had landed.
"Hey, old man, are you okay?!"
"Cough, I'm not so weak that I'd drop dead from your attack," he retorted, attempting to rise despite the unmistakable signs of death etched on his face.
"Niko Grandpa!" "Niko-san!"
Niru and my father hurried over, their faces filled with concern.
As the old man struggled to sit up, he was gently cradled in Ava's lap, who had also arrived with Niru and the others.
"Niko-kun, don't overdo it," she said softly.
"I'm sorry, Ava-sama," he replied, his voice shaky.
"Niko Grandpa, hang in there. You can't die here!"
"Ho ho ho, my great-grandchild, when it's time to go, it's time to go. Besides, I'm an old dog-man who's long surpassed my lifespan. The fact that I'm still here is a miracle.
More importantly, my dear great-grandchild, could you fetch a long, slender wooden box tied with a red string from my room?"
"What? But…"
"Please, my great-grandson. While I'm still alive."
Niru hurried off towards the inn, worry flickering in her eyes for her grandfather.
"Hey, old man. Don't go dying here."
Despite his frail condition, he had taught me the techniques of the Sword Princess Style. If my strike was what finally took him down, that would be a terrible way to wake up. Yet, the old man wore a serene smile.
"It's not your fault. As I said earlier, it was merely my time. At last, someone has appeared to inherit the Sword Princess Style. I am fortunate."
"Wait, I'm the first heir to the Sword Princess Style? How unpopular can this tradition be?"
Perhaps sensing my feelings, the old man reassured me. I could only respond with a lighthearted jab.
"Niko, grandpa!"
Just then, Niru returned, carrying a long wooden box.
"Disciple, open that box."
I took the box from her, untied the string, and lifted the lid. Inside was a single sword, its sheath and hilt pure white, with only the tsuba a muted silver. When I drew it, the blade glimmered with a near-pure white brilliance.
"This is the Unicorn Blade I crafted in my youth, made from a combination of a unicorn horn and orichalcum. Don't worry; the horn was a gift from an elderly unicorn, willingly given."
"Student," the old man said, "this is a celebration of your inheritance of the Sword Princess Style. I want to give this to you."
"Grandfather, I've only had two days of instruction. I don't feel I've truly mastered the Sword Princess Style enough to accept this…"
"Nonsense. You've already acquired enough skill to claim the title of Sword Princess. Of course, in my eyes, you still have much to learn. The rest is up to you—train until you are satisfied. Just take it. You are my first and last disciple."
With those words, I couldn't refuse.
"Understood. I will gratefully accept it."
The old man nodded, satisfied.
"Now, my grandchildren, my great-grandchildren, it's time for our final farewell. I've troubled you until the very end. Especially you, my great-grandchild. You've always come to find me when I got lost, making things difficult for you."
"Grandpa Nico…"
"Nico, it's nothing to worry about. I never thought of it as a burden… so please don't say that…"
As she saw her grandfather nearing the end of his life, Nuru cried and clung to him.
"Nuru, take care of yourself.
...Ava, I entrust my unworthy disciple to you. Meeting you at the end brings me such joy…"
"Yes, I was also glad to see you, Nico.
...Thank you for everything. It's okay now; you can rest easy."
In response to Ava's voice, the old man closed his eyes, resting his head on her lap, never to open them again.
"Niko Grandpa!"
"Niko Grandpa!"
"Hey, old man!... Master—!!!"
◇ ◆ ◇ ◆ ◇
— March 22, AL 103 —
We are attending the funeral of the old man… our master. Initially, we had planned to set off for the underground labyrinth today, but we couldn't leave without paying our respects to him.
The funeral in the underground city of Cobalt Blue involved cremation above ground. The old man's body was placed atop a wooden altar, which was then set ablaze as part of the ceremony. It was surprising to see Elididial, the old Drake known as the "Apostle of Beginnings," take on the role of lighting the fire. Apparently, he and our master had known each other since the master was young—having met when the master, as an adventurer, dared to challenge a Drake's nest.
Elididial would frequently visit our master when he came to the Origin Forest as the "Apostle of Beginnings." After the funeral was over, I exchanged farewells with Nir.
"Suzanne is not at fault. Niko Grandpa entrusted his dreams to you. Looking back, it's clear he was searching for a successor all along."
"That's how Grandpa Nico got to meet you in the end. He lived a fulfilling life," said Niru, comforting me about my guilt over my master's death. I found myself wondering how things might have been different if I had never met him, but, as Niru pointed out, my master was happy to share his unique style with me in his final moments.
Then I thought, I should spread the name of the Kenki Ittoryu in my master's honor.
"Thank you, Niru."
"I hope you find your childhood friend," she replied before heading back to the underground city.
"Alright, let's get back to conquering the Angel Quest," I said, and both Trinity and Ava nodded in agreement.
"I got everything ready yesterday," Ava said. "The specialist is waiting for us at the Central Ruins, so we'll be heading through the Origin Forest."
While I was training in Kenki Ittoryu, Ava had contacted the person and arranged the meeting spot. I wondered whether it would be better to meet in the underground city since we were about to tackle the underground labyrinth, but the specialist preferred to meet at the Central Ruins.
I mounted Drake alongside Ava, preparing for our ride to the Central Ruins. It might be time for me to practice riding properly; relying on Ava for a double ride could become a hassle on our journey ahead.
The Central Ruins are the remnants of the once-mighty capital of the Central Kingdom, destroyed in a great disaster a century ago. Once a thriving metropolis filled with treasures, much of its riches have long been unearthed by adventurers. Nonetheless, rumors persist that hidden fortunes still lie within, drawing adventurers to explore the ruins.
It is said that a map to buried treasure has been discovered. Whispers hint at ancient sorcery concealed within the ruins of the Mage's Guild. Tales circulate of royal treasures resting beneath the remnants of the royal castle. Such enticing stories feed the adventurous spirit, prompting even those from the underground city of Cobalt Blue to journey here.