The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 201 – Prayer

Frey’s soul must be destroyed to delay the descent of the Nameless One.

What that meant, and what would happen if we didn’t…

I didn’t want to know, but I couldn’t help understanding it.

Because of that, my greatsword, now carrying different, intensified emotions, swung toward Frey. But she blocked it perfectly once more and continued to speak.

‘This isn’t a choice. It’s your duty. You, as the Challenger, must do it.’

The greatsword that had reached for the sky now fell toward her neck. Like a guillotine, it descended. Over it, a voice as cold as ice layered itself.

‘We just met today. What’s there to hesitate about? Just do what you’ve always done. Right, it’s easier if you think of me as the Beast of the End.’

I steadied my knees, which felt like they’d buckle. Twisted my whole body. Lifted my head and clashed.

The emotions pressing on my shoulders were too heavy for me to bear right now.

‘I’m going to die anyway. And it’ll be a damn ugly death. So what are you hesitating for, facing someone like me? Should I even explain how much smoother things would go if you just wiped out my soul?’

The clashing swords broke apart. A fist shot toward my face. I clenched my teeth and twisted my waist. The punch grazed my bangs as I countered with a kick. The recoil traveled up my waist. I gathered it and swung my greatsword.

Clang! 

A sword laced with hesitation flew forward.

Within that hesitation was a deep loathing for myself.

‘What, you already figured it out?’

Frey’s rippling greatsword easily deflected mine. As if my blade was obvious, as if she could read all my thoughts. Her fluid motion was more than enough to drive my sword into the ground.

‘I didn’t like any of it, but yeah. I’ll give you this, you’re quick on the uptake.’

Just as Frey said.

The moment I heard her words, the benefits of doing so flashed through my mind.

That choice… seemed the closest to the right answer in this situation.

I didn’t want to calculate.

I didn’t want to think.

But my brain, honed by relentless battles, instinctively processed everything and reached its conclusion.

‘Well, your master probably knew from the start without needing to calculate.’

Kartia was no different.

The emotion I felt from her was the same as mine.

‘We, who survived to the bitter end of that fucked-up world, always chose the path that led to victory, the most correct path.’

Crunch!

The ever-heavier blade clashed with the ever-lighter one. The result was obvious. The lighter sword couldn’t block the heavy one. It was crushed, helplessly,

‘Right, Kartia?’

A voice recalling the past scraped across the blade.

A happy laugh, spilled while reminiscing, burned through my chest.

‘I see how brilliant your little disciple is. But that’s that. No matter how exceptional she is, she can’t overcome this situation.’

Because it was a future already set.

We weren’t gods who could change a predetermined future.

‘Honestly, it’s a miracle that my soul escaped that hellhole to meet you at all. Like surviving three lightning strikes,completely absurd.’

So then,

‘Just do what you’ve always done. Cling to the rotting rope, don’t let go. Hang on with everything you’ve got, and achieve what you want. No matter what happens, I won’t resent you.’

Heh.

The same laugh as before echoed again.

‘I don’t know if I even need to say this, but,I don’t want to die a pathetic death. A thousand years ago, I went out like a damn joke. This time, let me go out with some style.’

It was different.

It sounded like the same laugh, but it wasn’t.

Frey’s laugh sounded like she was imitating Kartia.

‘Beasts die and leave their hides, monsters die and leave materials. Me? I’ll die and leave memories inside your skulls. Cool, right?’

Eventually, her relentless blade carried firm resolve.

‘Just like the Tree of Life said, you can’t freely exit this barrier. Can’t enter freely either. Of course, you could do it if you risk your life, but that’s not easy. Meaning, this is the perfect place with no outside interference.’

Thud! 

Frey’s misaligned kick struck my hollow body. There was no pain, but my body slammed into the ground and tumbled through the flower field in a disgraceful heap.

I bounced my waist off the ground and quickly got up.

Planted my greatsword to slow down and regulate my breathing.

Focused my ki sense and corrected my stance.

At last, a distance that had never existed before now stretched between us.

‘So, let’s wrap this up. I don’t need to explain how to destroy a soul, right? If you really don’t know, just ask your master, she’ll tell you.’

The distance was far. I’d have to leap twice just to reach her. It felt like a path I had to walk, a choice I had to make.

But at the same time, it felt close.

As if I could reach it if I just stretched my hand. If I just made up my mind, I could close it in an instant.

The sword is heavy. The tip trembles. My breathing is uneven. My body is sluggish. My head is a mess. My emotions won’t settle.

Then, a gentle breeze blew from behind.

‘Noah. I don’t really understand what’s going on, but,’

A warm voice rode the wind, smoothing my hair and settling gently on my trembling shoulders.

‘If it’s too hard, you can lean on me. Or, you can take a break. I’m sure there’s another path. No, if it’s you, Noah, I believe you can create a new one. I truly believe it.’

I expanded my ki sense, which had been focused solely on Frey, in all directions.

Rubia was smiling.

She was kind. Warm.

‘So please, show me. Just like you’ve shown others. Just like you’ve shown this world. Just like you’ve shown me.’

She was madly, heartbreakingly lovable.

‘Please show me that path only you, Noah, could walk, the one that was so cool, it made me fall for you.’

The pounding of my heart thundered through my body.

Blood that had started to run cold began to boil.

A heated breath escaped.

The trembling in my body, which had begun to rise, ceased.

I felt the weight of choice pressing on my shoulders.

I felt the weight of the sword in my hand.

I thought of that sword.

A needlessly large and heavy blade.

One that was difficult to wield normally, restricted by space.

But because it was big and heavy, it could smash everything head-on.

That’s why I loved it.

The greatsword.

A deep smile rose on Frey’s face as she watched from afar.

From the despair and rage that had overtaken Kartia, a sliver of hope surfaced.

I steadied my breath.

Cleared away the impurities.

Stepped forward.

Shook off my hesitation.

Lifted my head.

Drew the path I had to walk.

At the same time,

I sensed the presence of something that always felt just out of reach.

My fingertips brushed against something I could never imagine grasping before.

Challenger.

What the Challenger was.

What the Challenger could do,what the Challenger must do.

Why the Nameless One watched.

Why Lilith created something called the Challenger.

The meaning behind those three syllables.

I began to understand, just a little.

I came to realize, just a little.

And so,

I,

Raised my sword.

* * *

What I saw at the end of it was a girl who had made a heavy decision.

A girl whose appearance reminded me of someone from the past.

“Heh…”

Seeing that, a bitter laugh slipped out.

I thought I’d already accepted everything.

Thought I’d moved on after watching Kartia march forward in the past without a shred of regret.

So why… why was there still a lingering sense of loss?

Was it because we never unraveled our long-awaited reunion after such a long journey?

Because we never crossed the sea we promised to sail together?

Because we never settled the score between greatsword and saber?

Or… was it because we’d never laugh together again?

Who knows.

What good is it to recall that now?

It’s a fantasy I can never touch again.

Just a deluded dream.

That’s why I gave up.

That’s why I took up the sword.

That’s why I didn’t say what I needed to say.

That’s why,

I wished to die by her sword.

“Ahahaha!”

The bitter laugh, laced with loneliness, became a short snort that lingered over the gentle flower field.

In contrast, the greatsword rose high.

Because I couldn’t show a pathetic side to the disciple of my dearest friend.

Because after putting on such a show of resignation, I didn’t want anyone to see I still clung to a sliver of hope.

Just like a thousand years ago, I wore a thick mask over a weak heart.

I threw away the hope in my hands.

I snapped the future that was about to bloom.

Heh.

With a smug grin on my face,

I glared with wide eyes at this cruel world.

And then, 

Rustle. 

I stepped forward.

At that moment, flower petals bloomed in a brilliant swirl around the girl standing opposite me.

Petals floating in the air brushed against my cheeks.

Their fragrant scent clouded my mind.

Seeing them reminded me of the time I had a pointless, silly conversation with Kartia over a single flower with a ridiculously hard name.

A flower we promised to never forget.

A flower we swore to remember for all time.

Its name,

Gladiolus.

Its meaning,

Prayer.

And,

Victory.

It was a flower I liked quite a bit.

Even if only for a moment.

Even if only for the briefest instant.

I want to see its scent, its form with my own eyes.

Shff.

Without the slightest distortion.

Without the faintest hesitation, the perfectly drawn line continued.

And on top of it bloomed a simple, fleetingly pure pink flower.

In full, glorious bloom.