The Swordmaster Who Returned After 1,000 Years

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]

Chapter 199

Kaylen looked at the Six Swords rising around him and let out a cold sneer.

"You spoke of reclaiming me by discussing the essence, but it was nothing more than a stalling tactic."

"There’s no need to waste strength against my Six Swords."

Ernstine wore a confident expression.

The massive Six Swords surrounded Kaylen's group with no gaps, and the intense mana surged endlessly.

It seemed Ernstine believed the battle was already decided.

Six Sword Path

Six Swords

Six Sword Reversion

The Six Sword Reversion unfolded once again.

But this time, its power was on a completely different level from before.

Cracks formed on each of the Six Swords representing the different elements, and mana began to be absorbed through those cracks.

"Kh... Emperor..."

"Ah, Johannes. I had forgotten about you. Come closer. I’ll make sure you aren’t absorbed."

Ernstine gestured for Johannes to approach.

He also signaled to Violet, standing beside him, to come over and avoid being absorbed.

"No. Do you think I would follow someone who has become the Celestial Demon’s servant?"

"Hm. A servant, you say? You’re in a similar position to me."

Ernstine crossed his arms, a meaningful smile on his face.

"You haven’t forgotten who saved your life, have you?"

"Even if the Celestial Demon saved me... I have my own free will."

"That’s only because the god chose not to interfere with you. You're nothing more than a puppet, like me."

At Ernstine's words, Johannes swallowed his groan and sat back down on the ice chair.

Seeing this, Ernstine's smile faded.

"So, you've chosen annihilation?"

"Compared to you, this one seems more like a true emperor."

"Is that so?"

The cracks on Ernstine's massive Six Swords began to widen.

"Then vanish along with him."

The absorption speed was incomparable to when there had been just one crack.

With a resigned expression, Johannes prepared for his end.

‘As he said, I was revived as an undead by the Celestial Demon.’

Feeling the dark mana that made up his body being drawn into the cracks of the Dark Sword, Johannes thought it might be for the best.

‘Considering I might be controlled by the Celestial Demon later... it might be better to die here. Until now, I hadn’t been restricted by the god’s control. But just as Baldrix could halt the power of the Dark Sword Baldrix, I don’t know what measures the Celestial Demon may have placed upon me.’

If it’s going to cause problems later, it’s better to just disappear here…

"Six Sword Reversion, is this all it amounts to?"

Whoosh.

As Kaylen extended his hand in front of Johannes, Johannes' body, which had been absorbed into the Dark Sword, returned to normal.

Not only that, but the dark mana that had been drawn into Ernstine's massive Dark Sword was also restored to Johannes.

Watching his stolen power return, Johannes blinked in disbelief.

"Emperor..."

When he heard Ernstine's words, he thought it was truly the end.

If Ernstine was the true human and Kaylen was merely the 70th of the Six Swords by his arrangement,

there was no way to stop the Six Sword Reversion he was performing.

But despite Ernstine telling him he was nothing more than a sword, Kaylen remained composed.

"…You. How are you unaffected?"

It was Ernstine who now looked anxious.

His expression revealed his confusion as he asked the question.

"Disappointing, Ernstine. If, as you said, I’m merely one of the Six Swords, and if you were truly Ernstine, the first Grand Swordmaster of humanity…"

Sssss.

Kaylen's Six Swords rose.

They looked slightly different from Ernstine's.

In addition to wielding three Divine Swords, the star of the Six Martial Paths shone from within.

"Even I, just the 70th Six Sword, managed to develop the Six Sword Path."

"Do you think the real you couldn't have advanced it?"

Kaylen, as just one of the Six Swords, had refined the path in such a short time.

The underlying mockery was clear—what had Ernstine been doing all that time?

Realizing this, Ernstine's expression twisted.

"To call mixing in the Six Martial Paths an advancement... That's not evolution but corruption. Six Swords!"

"I don’t need complaints from someone left behind, Ernstine."

"…I was reluctant to damage that power and wanted to absorb it intact, but…"

Swish.

Ernstine’s towering Six Swords shrank and flew behind his back.

Like Kaylen, his Six Swords were formed anew.

Though the star of the Six Martial Paths, Infinity, wasn’t visible like Kaylen's, the density of mana within Ernstine’s Six Swords was overwhelmingly greater.

"A sword tainted with traces of the Six Martial Paths doesn’t need to be absorbed. I’ll thoroughly destroy you, 70th."

Six Sword Path

Six Swords

Manifestation of the Sword God

The ultimate form of the Six Sword Path—Manifestation of the Sword God.

Mana from the Six Swords surged through Ernstine’s body, unleashing explosive power.

From him, it was clear—he intended to end this in one strike.

"I didn't expect to face this sword."

Kaylen looked at Ernstine.

Completely unified with the Six Swords, Ernstine had become the embodiment of the six-bladed form itself.

For the first time, Kaylen observed the ultimate sword, the Manifestation of the Six Swords, from an outsider’s perspective, and thought to himself:

'Perhaps his words are true.'

He was a remnant of the human Ernstine, born from the discarded shell of Ernstine, who had become a Dragon God.

And Kaylen—he might merely be the 70th Six Sword, born from Ernstine's hand.

If he were just an imitation, he wouldn't have been able to use the Manifestation of the Six Swords.

If Ernstine's words were true,

Kaylen was destined to be absorbed back into the true form of Ernstine, a Six Sword nurtured within the body of his descendant.

'But what does that matter?'

Kaylen smiled as he looked at the Manifestation of the Six Swords.

If true lineage mattered, then the Dragon God Ernstine, who had embraced his fate, would be the real one.

Whether he was Ernstine, the Emperor from a thousand years ago,

or just the 70th Six Sword,

it didn’t matter.

"Ernstine."

Behind Kaylen, the Six Swords shone with the same brilliance as Ernstine’s.

Six Sword Path

Great Six Swords

Manifestation of the Sword God

Like Ernstine, Kaylen became one with the Six Swords.

But his swords were different—they held a star within them.

"You... You dare to use the Manifestation of the Sword God? A mere Six Sword?"

Ernstine shouted, his voice trembling.

It wasn’t enough that the Six Sword, who should have been quietly absorbed, resisted him…

But to think he had even achieved the ultimate form—the Manifestation of the Sword God.

'And in a new form…!'

Seeing the star-imbued Six Swords, Ernstine felt a fragment of his sanity snap.

The incarnation meant to be absorbed,

the one who was supposed to be nothing more than a shadow of the Six Swords,

now displayed a form more advanced than his own.

"A mere Six Sword, you say? And yet you can say that after seeing this?"

"Emperor Ernstine. The first Grand Swordmaster of humanity and the one who pioneered the era of swords."

"......"

"The way for the Sword Emperor to prove himself is simple. We settle it with our swords."

Aura erupted explosively from Kaylen's entire body.

Though the amount of aura couldn’t compare to Ernstine, who had been absorbing the Six Swords for so long…

Ernstine’s entire body trembled at the sight.

He, who knew more than anyone about the Six Sword Path, could tell.

That Manifestation of the Sword God—

stood on a higher level than his own.

The only advantage Ernstine had…

was the sheer amount of aura he had accumulated over the ages.

"Ernstine. Will you cross swords with me using equal amounts of aura?"

Faced with Kaylen’s mocking suggestion,

Ernstine could only grit his teeth, unable to accept it.

Instead—

"A corrupted sword dares to speak as it pleases...!"

He grew furious, drawing out even more of his aura.

"I'll shatter you into pieces!"

Ernstine's body flashed,

and the Six Swords simultaneously flew toward Kaylen.

No, it wasn’t even a speed that could be described as flying.

In the blink of an eye, they tore through space itself,

ripping apart the very spot where Kaylen stood.

But—

Kaylen only smiled as he watched Ernstine's light-speed assault.

"Interesting."

Ernstine’s fierce strike, infused with an aura many times stronger,

and the Six Swords, each carrying one of six attributes,

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seemed to strike with their own will, each delivering a fatal blow.

Chiiiiiik!

Kaylen’s Six Swords collided with Ernstine’s, sending aura scattering in all directions.

"Johannes. Step back."

"Y-yeah… Blink!"

Johannes, who had been beside Kaylen, hastily retreated, and the clash between the two intensified.

'I-I can't see a thing...!'

At the far end of the floating island, drifting alone over the seabed,

Johannes had fled as far as possible.

But even at this distance, the scattering aura from their clash reached him.

Chiiiiiik!

When just a fragment of their aura split the nearby sea in half,

Johannes couldn’t help but curse.

'These crazy bastards… How are they this strong?'

The place where Ernstine and Kaylen collided was now like light clashing against light—he couldn’t see who was doing what.

It was almost blinding.

"Absolute Shield."

Even after casting his strongest defensive magic,

Bang!

Johannes felt the barrier tear against the fragments of aura, his face draining of color.

If he hadn't survived earlier, he would've been annihilated by the aura alone.

"Absolute Shield."

Casting the torn shield again, Johannes kept his eyes on the battle.

The clash of sword gods, with only the light of the Six Swords flashing.

It was as if their coordination was perfectly in sync.

Each deadly strike was parried by the other's sword, continuing an evenly matched duel.

'What… What is even happening…?'

Johannes felt frustrated, unable to follow their speed. But soon, he realized another way to gauge who had the upper hand.

'The amount of aura scattering this way… it's less than before.'

Chiiiiiiii….

Aura once again split the sea surrounding the island.

However, its strength had significantly diminished compared to before.

Even the fragments of aura that struck the Absolute Barrier were weaker than earlier.

The aura failed to tear through the barrier and was deflected.

'The place where they’re crossing swords… it's gradually moving in the opposite direction from here…!'

Initially, they had fought at the center of the floating island where Ernstine’s coffin lay.

But the battleground was steadily shifting in the opposite direction.

That direction—none other than where Ernstine had originally stood.

Among the two using Sword Manifestation,

it was becoming clearer who held the advantage.

And then—

"This… can't be…!"

As Ernstine's dejected voice echoed from within the light,

Johannes could clearly tell who was gaining the upper hand.

"To think… mere Six Swords…"

[Translator - Kiteretsu]

[Proofreader - Kyros]