I Can See the Sword’s Memories

Chapter 21: Ninja (2)

“Saeorin!”

“This… blood…!”

At my shout, Raynard, Theo, and Flora rushed out. Though they’d been alerted to the appearance of a Reincarnator, their first concern was for my safety.

I felt a mixture of frustration and gratitude as I spoke calmly.

“It’s just a light wound. Focus on the Reincarnator first.”

The injuries were indeed minor. I pulled the metallic projectiles from my arms and legs and retrieved bandages from my pouch.

I’d sustained worse injuries dashing across snowy plains, yet I had kept moving without hesitation.

Clang!

The bloodied metal fell to the ground. Testing my arms and legs, I nodded in satisfaction.

There were no abnormalities in my movement. While there was some pain, my muscles remained unscathed.

“Where did they go?”

“Over there…”

At Raynard’s question, I pointed, prompting him to sprint in that direction. I followed closely behind, with Theo and Flora trailing us.

As he ran, Raynard asked, “Describe the Reincarnator you saw.”

“They wore a black mask, so I couldn’t see their faces. They used a power similar to the shamans of my tribe, conjuring fire, and they threw projectile weapons.”

Raynard processed my report, forming a vague profile in his mind. A masked figure who wielded fire and threw projectiles. It was highly likely the individual was skilled in stealth and ambush tactics.

“They’re ninjas,” Raynard said grimly. “They’re unpredictable, wielding strange powers. Ninjas are also adept at stealth, ambushes, and trap-setting, so we must exercise extreme caution.”

“Do you think it’s Rover?” Theo asked.

Raynard shook his head. “We can’t be certain yet.”

Suspicion alone wasn’t enough to condemn someone. Concrete evidence was necessary.

We scaled the wall and ascended to the roof. In the distance, a dark figure disappeared beyond a large bell tower.

Raynard immediately pushed off the rooftop with a powerful kick.

Crash!

The sheer force of his jump caused part of the roof to collapse. No one paid it any mind—any property damage incurred during missions would be covered by the Azure Wings headquarters.

Raynard sprinted with even greater intensity.

I poured all my energy into keeping up, but matching his pace was no easy feat. Inevitably, Theo and Flora lagged behind.

“Stop!” Raynard shouted as he crossed the bell tower, addressing the masked figure. But the figure didn’t stop.

Swish!

Just as Raynard descended beneath the bell tower, a sharp glint sliced through the air. The power behind it was undeniable, and with his stance compromised, evasion was impossible.

Raynard drew his sword in an instant.

Clang!

The gleaming blue blade deflected the shuriken. But Raynard’s expression twisted as his narrowed eyes widened.

A strange piece of paper was affixed to the shuriken’s surface. Its text was written in an unfamiliar script, one not of this world. The symbols exuded an eerie power, triggering a small explosion.

“Damn it…!”

Boom!

Raynard rubbed his stinging cheek and looked upward. The masked figure, silhouetted against the moonlight, was staring down at him.

“You little bastard…!”

Hiss—

Raynard’s rage flared, his eyes opening wide to reveal snake-like pupils. His breath turned into a metallic hiss as his body slid forward in a burst of speed.

As Raynard began chasing the masked figure out of the city, the rest of us finally reached the bell tower, albeit a beat behind.

Upon arriving, Theo leaned against the wall, panting heavily.

“Wow… he’s already that far ahead…”

“Huff… huff…”

Both Theo and Flora were exhausted, leaning against the wall as they struggled to catch their breath. Flora’s stamina had also reached its limit, her chest heaving with effort.

Among the trio, I was the only one still standing strong.

Without pausing, I pressed forward, leaving my gasping comrades behind.

“I’m going ahead.”

“Ah, Saeorin!”

Theo and Flora called out, trying to chase after me, but their speed had diminished significantly. The distance between us widened with each passing moment.

Leaping from roof to roof and scaling walls with ease, my movements defied gravity. Soon, I realized Theo and Flora’s gazes could no longer follow me.

“Phew…”

With a low exhale, a frosty white mist swirled from my lips.

I didn’t stop. Maintaining my forward momentum, I concentrated deeply.

In my mind’s eye, a sword descended and embedded itself in the ground before me.

Crash!

The sword carried a bolt of lightning.

As I perceived the lightning, the nature of the mana surging from my heart began to change. The lightning’s essence was sharper, faster, and more explosive than my usual mana.

The transformed mana coursed through my body, starting from my heart, running through my waist, thighs, and down to my feet. It surged out of my skin, manifesting as crackling blue sparks.

Crackle!

Though not as explosively fast as Theo, my speed increased dramatically compared to before.

“Urgh…!”

A groan escaped my lips as pain radiated from my legs. It was an unfamiliar method of channeling mana, and the force coursing through my veins was intense and turbulent.

Pushing beyond this limit was impossible. Theo’s electrifying bursts of speed were a product of rigorously trained legs.

For now, this much was enough. As Raynard’s figure came into view, I ceased my mana usage.

Crackle!

I arrived in the middle of a dark forest. Raynard was in the center, wielding his sword against the masked figure.

“Why! Why are you chasing me?”

“You need to ask? Because you’re a Reincarnator!”

“Is it simply because I’m a Reincarnator? I haven’t done anything—”

“You stole someone’s life! If you hadn’t crossed over, the original owner of that body would have lived an ordinary life!”

“And for such a trivial reason, you kill Reincarnators?”

“You Reincarnators bring nothing but harm to this world! People who should be dead live, twisting fate and history. Massacres that should never have occurred, plagues that should have disappeared—all of it happens because of you!”

“Shut up!”

Clang!

The masked figure’s white blade danced through the air like a snake striking its prey. But Raynard’s sharp counter strike deflected the serpent-like attack.

Both fighters were wholly focused on each other, their intensity unyielding.

I held my breath and drew my sword. Careful to consider the backlight cast by the moon, I adjusted the angle of my blade.

A soft, shallow breath escaped my lips.

Like a hunter on the snowy plains, I moved without revealing my presence. 

The faintest traces of a white wolf seemed to accompany my steps, and the gentle exhalation carried the spirit of a white stoat.

My small figure faded into the darkness, my presence vanishing entirely.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Raynard gritted his teeth, swinging his sword in rapid succession. As he closed the distance, thin steel wires blocked his path, and sharp spikes rose from the ground, aiming to pierce his feet.

The opponent was neither a swordsman nor a mage. Ninjas were an exceptionally difficult adversary to face.

At that moment, a sharp sword slash suddenly intervened between Raynard and the masked figure. Raynard instantly recognized the technique—it was unmistakable.

The Empire’s Flash.

He could predict what was coming next. Staying calm, Raynard shifted his body to the side.

Whoosh!

As Raynard dodged, the slash tore through the air and struck the masked figure, carving deeply into their shoulder.

Raynard let out a loud laugh and shouted.

“Well done, Saeorin!”

At that moment, I saw it—a great serpent materialized in the air. The blurred outline of a white snake formed at the tip of Raynard’s sword, raised toward the heavens.

Hiss—

As a metallic hiss escaped Raynard’s lips, three simultaneous streaks of red blood erupted from the masked figure’s body.

Slash!

My gaze turned to Raynard. His stance flowed seamlessly into the next strike, leaving no room for me to intervene.

Instinctively, I withdrew, retreating into the shadows as a small snake slithered forward to fill the gap.

Then, suddenly—

Boom!

A small explosion erupted, and the masked figure transformed into a log.

“You bastard…!”

Raynard growled, turning his gaze. At the end of his piercing stare, the masked figure was perched atop a tree, panting heavily.

Without hesitation, Raynard lunged toward them.

I intended to follow but winced and collapsed to the ground. The strain of using unfamiliar mana techniques was catching up to me.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I massaged my legs.

By the time Theo and Flora arrived, I was still sitting on the forest floor. They immediately rushed over.

“Saeorin!”

“Saeorin! Where’s Senior Raynard? Where’s the Reincarnator?”

“The Reincarnator is being pursued by Senior Raynard. They’ve sustained injuries, so he should be able to capture them soon,” I said.

“Really? What about your leg? Are you hurt?”

“It’s nothing, just muscle pain…”

Hearing my reassurance, Theo and Flora sighed in relief. As the trio began to relax and catch their breath, I suddenly sensed something peculiar.

It was indescribable—a feeling as if the wind itself was warning me.

Without hesitation, I shoved my comrades aside and swung my sword.

Clang!

A heavy shock reverberated through my wrist. I glared at the black metallic projectile that ricocheted off my blade and took a step back.

Emerging from the bushes was the masked Reincarnator. 

They were in bad shape, their left arm severed—evidently a result of their earlier clash with Raynard.

“T-The Reincarnator!”

“They’re missing an arm! Where’s Senior Raynard?”

Theo and Flora immediately drew their swords.

At that moment, the masked figure stomped the ground. The earth trembled as a mound of dirt erupted upward.

“What the—?!”

“Don’t scatter!”

We quickly regained our composure despite the unfamiliar attack. 

Together, we charged at the masked figure, our swords weaving through the air in perfect synchronization.

Our blades compensated for one another’s weaknesses, creating a nearly flawless assault. But the masked figure retreated and stomped the ground again.

Boom!

Crack!

The ground split apart, breaking our formation. As we were forced apart, the masked figure launched their counterattack.

Swish!

“Damn it!”

I deflected a shuriken and glared at the masked figure. Unlike our first encounter, the Reincarnator wasn’t using flames. Instead, they stomped the ground to upend the terrain and swung their sword whenever our formation broke.

I deduced that the severed arm had likely rendered their more unusual techniques unusable.

Leaping over uneven mounds of dirt, I struck with my sword.

Clang!

Our coordinated attack began to falter as the constantly shifting terrain disrupted our footing. As time passed, our bodies accumulated more injuries.

“Saeorin! Flora! Just hold them off for five seconds!” Theo shouted amidst the chaos.

I immediately recalled the technique Theo had performed during training.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea…?”

“This feels risky…”

But we had no better options. Exhausted from the chase, all three of us were nearing our limits. With no hesitation, Flora and I surged forward, swinging our swords.

Clang!

Flora’s swordplay began to change. The coordination of The Empire’s Flash was most effective when all three of us were present. With one missing, we could only revert to our original techniques.

Flora’s stance and rhythm shifted, and the strength behind her blade diminished. Her movements now painted intricate patterns in the air, like blooming petals.

Clang! Thud!

My swordplay also evolved. My breathing grew heavier, my movements more daring. I didn’t hesitate to crawl along the ground when needed.

A faint image of a white wolf flickered behind me before vanishing.

Theo’s request was simple—hold the Reincarnator off for five seconds. But those five seconds felt like an eternity.

Dodging a shuriken that grazed my shoulder, I struck with my blade.

Clang!

Then—

Crash!

A bolt of lightning roared through the air, streaking toward the masked figure.

Theo’s attack hit its mark, forcing the Reincarnator back as crimson blood gushed from their body. 

Yet, they did not fall. At some point, a ring of white flames had begun swirling around them, clearly shielding them.

“Damn it…” Theo exhaled in frustration. Even with his full power, he couldn’t bring the Reincarnator down.

Then—

Crash!

Another thunderous bolt of lightning tore through the air. This time, it spiraled into a series of sharp, cutting arcs.

Slash!

Blood splattered as the blue lightning coalesced, taking the shape of a figure. Emerging from the bolt was me.

Thud!

As I landed, the severed head of the masked Reincarnator fell to the ground alongside me.