3 bar menu

Vol 05 Chapter 23-3: ​​Samsara Recursion

Kuiro, a name I had called upon many times. A muscular giant of a man, a dwarven blacksmith with a large hammer. However, the appearance of Kuiro this time was unusual. He was summoned along with twelve swords.

「​​Golem Transmutation.」

As Kuiro activated his magic, thirty golems emerged from the ground.

「Cyril, you’ve only used my power to make sneaky and frivolous things, but my true forte is making swords. These are my twelve greatest masterpieces. Thanks to Gramdeal, my magical power is full. With this much magic, I can recreate them as ‘my equipment.’」

Several golems held back the enemies, while the sword-bearing golems attacked the monsters with their blades.

「Despite being able to use my techniques, which were honed for the pursuit of the ultimate sword, you ended up creating crossbows, household items, agricultural tools… To be honest, it was quite frustrating. My skills were meant for creating the supreme sword, not for making such trifling things.」

Kuiro stroked his beard with a displeased expression.

「However, the things you’ve made have brought happiness to people. People with smiles gather around you. Seeing that, I realized that’s what being a blacksmith is truly about. Looking back, those around me either feared me, hated me, or were possessed by the desire to own my magic swords. Watching you, I felt envious. That’s why I decided to lend you my strength.」

He grinned.

「Mind you, I don’t intend to deny my pursuit of the ultimate sword. If there’s any regret in my life, it’s that I never reached that ultimate sword. Did you know, Cyril? Originally, blacksmithing was associated with festivals. And war is a festival for beasts! So, let’s liven up this festival with all my power. Come on, engrave this, once-in-a-lifetime festival, into your soul!」

The golems swung down their magic swords. The swords spat fire, stirred up the wind, caused decay, sliced through dimensions, and multiplied infinitely. The monsters were trampled, and only Kuiro stood there alone.

「This is the power of magic swords, the power I spent my life creating. Can a youngster like you create a sword of this caliber? Show some respect for your predecessors

.」

Kuiro murmured contentedly, his rugged smile beaming. And then, Kuiro’s existence shattered into pieces.

「Thank you, Kuiro,」

 I murmured, as if squeezing the words out.

There was a change in the surroundings. Unlike before, the Erna miasma stopped mass-producing monsters. Instead, it began to concentrate into a single beast.

The Silver Dragon Falveniir, the Vampire Gramdeal, and the Blacksmith Kuiro. With their combined strength, most of the Erna was extinguished. And now, it seemed to have recognized me as a dangerous entity. The Erna began to shape itself into a single dragon. It bore a resemblance to the Silver Dragon Falveniir. It was not a foe to be taken lightly.

「Release, my soul. The mirage left behind in the sands of time, manifest here and now.」

A young man’s voice overlapped with mine. I was summoning the “Me” I trusted the most, the first “Me” I ever summoned, and along with Kuiro, the one I used the most.

「I desire the knight who remained noble in a world of vanity, his name is…」

An old name. I recited the nostalgic name loudly.

「Deet! [Samsara Recursion]​​!」

When the light subsided, my body had transformed into a knight, equipped with armor a helmet, and with a two-handed sword. The first time I became Deet, I was equipped with beginner’s equipment, simple iron armor. But now, filled with magical power, it was different.

The armor was made of orichalcum, engraved with magical runes, and the magic sword was crafted from the fang of a divine dragon. At level 99, the strongest knight specialized in one-on-one combat stood there.

Deet, holding his sword, glared at the enormous dragon formed by the hardened Erna. The dragon roared and spewed a fireball. Deet charged forward and slashed through the fireball.

「Gramdeal and Kuiro said they disliked you.」

Deet said with a slight smile.

「Actually, I also dislike you.」

The dragon tried to sweep Deet away with its tail. Deet used his sword as a shield to catch the tail. But this wasn’t just defense. Deet positioned the blade edge. The sword bit into the tail. When Deet poured fighting spirit into the bitten tail, it swelled like a balloon and burst.

「GRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!」

The dragon screamed. Deet’s sword glowed, and spirals of magical runes enveloped the blade. He sped past the dragon, slashing its Achilles tendon in the process. The dragon lost its balance.

「I am a knight. I strove to be the most righteous knight. From my perspective, your actions are too much to bear. Despicable, vile, and servile.」

Deet began to channel magical power and fighting spirit into his sword, preparing to unleash a deadly technique.

「…But, you were desperate to protect the ones you love. I’ll give you that. Obsessed with chivalry, I was bound by meaningless obligations and failed to protect the one I loved most. Only after failing did I realize what a true knight should protect, and it’s not the rules.」

Deet jumped into the sky. The magical power and fighting spirit he had infused into his sword were released. The blade was enveloped in light, transforming into a sword of light over ten meters long. He swung down from above and then slashed horizontally. A cross-shaped slash deeply engraved itself into the dragon, causing an intense explosion where the two cuts overlapped. The dragon vanished without a trace. Simultaneously, Deet’s unique ability absorbed the dragon’s soul and magical power, restoring the lost magical energy.