novelzi Chapter 222 : Chapter 222
Chapter 222 : Chapter 222
Translator: AkazaTL Pr/Ed: Sol IX
***
“I can’t understand it. I absolutely cannot accept it.”
Leon Karavan— the man who introduced himself with that name—spoke.
“If he intended to choose something this trivial, why did he treat me that way? If he were going to make a foolish choice at the end, then why did he cast aside his own children so mercilessly?”
Leon Karavan’s voice was a blade. A razor-sharp blade.
“Where did the strict standards of Steel go?”
He flicked his fingers. Click. A sound like metal striking metal rang out—like a dragged chain. In the next moment, my body lifted into the air as if seized by an invisible hand.
“Answer me, last Karavan.”
Leon Karavan. I faced his eyes directly— immeasurable hatred, and deep emptiness.
“…I don’t know.”
Before his overwhelming presence, I forced my mouth to open.
“I don’t know why a lowly descendant like me was chosen. But one thing is certain. No Karavan pleased him as much as I did. No Karavan had a heart as firm as mine.”
“You think you know our firmness, brat?”
“I don’t. But do you know how I lived?”
Leon Karavan’s pitch-black eyes reflected my face.
“You don’t understand me either. Never will.”
“……”
“Distant ancestor, I did not pick up my sword to be understood, to convince anyone, or to receive comfort from anyone. My sword exists only to convince myself. To set right this world that has gone wrong.”
Flames burst from my body.
The Flame of Doubt— the Mystery that dismantles all power. But,
“Is that so?”
My flame died instantly, devoured by a stronger one.
“Then why is your will smaller than mine?”
Leon Karavan’s soul. From the depths of an ancient spirit, a black flame rose. That dark fire swallowed mine, driving it out, then filled the entire golden space. The flame blazed vigorously—yet was not hot. Instead, it was freezing—like ice shaped as flame. A paradoxical fire.
“I drew my sword for one person—to be understood by one person, to convince one person, to be comforted by one person. Then your sword, drawn to set the world right, should be stronger and sharper than mine.”
“……”
“But why is your sword—your flame—so small and weak?”
Cold. Skin-freezing cold. Cold that seeped into my bones and threatened to freeze even my heart. As the horrid chill gnawed at my body, Leon Karavan brought his face close.
“Answer.”
“……”
“If you cannot… you disappear here.”
***
THOOM. A heavy impact rang out.
“Hmph.”
The moment Sherizik stepped forward, the earth shook. Earth-Resonance—her innate Mystery.
The shamanic power carried in the bloodline of Sherdik, the Guide of Stars. As long as her feet touched the ground, the land was always on her side.
“This technique is troublesome.”
Crack.
The ground beneath Sherpa Gold crumbled. He stepped back. As he retreated, Sherizik stomped once—THOOM—and Sherpa Gold’s body lifted into the air. The rising earth launched the eldest son of Gold skyward.
Sherpa Gold spun in midair and gripped his golden sword, preparing for the orc rushing toward him. And Sherizik appeared right before him—almost teleporting.
Wings? No—something else.
The ground beneath her feet flowed like water. An application of Earth-Resonance. On land, Sherizik moved faster than anyone. Because the land itself helped her.
Her glaive surged toward him with greater speed than expected— a heavy strike.
Sherpa Gold casually deflected it with a sweep of his sword. No explosive clang—only a soft clack rang out. Moments later, the weapons collided again, CLANG, sending them apart.
Sherizik relaxed into a stance.
“Shall I show more?”
“I must see more.”
“As you wish.”
Sherpa Gold focused on her movements.
THOOM—the land quaked as the orc charged again at incredible speed.
Her glaive?
It’s not in her hand.
Then where—?
His concentration slipped for a moment, and CRACK— Sherizik’s kick struck his chest. But it inflicted no damage.
No matter how strong an orc was, their strikes meant nothing before Armor— the invincible state that blocked all damage.
Sherpa Gold dismissed her attack. A typical orc—brute force first. But,
“…!”
When he tried to swing his sword, his body refused to move. Strength left his limbs.
Why?
A moment of alarm— then realization.
His body and soul had been separated. His soul had been forcibly expelled from his flesh by that kick— banished into the Spirit World.
A technique only the highest-tier shamans could perform—Forced Exile.
She force-exiled the soul from the body of a Sword Expert who created Armor? Not a shaman, but an orc warrior…?
An unbelievable level of combat ability. Such power could affect even a Sword Expert— because it bypassed Armor and directly struck the soul.
Peerless physical stats, top-tier shamanic ability, and impeccable combat sense.
Truly a hero of the Arman Union— the Green Full-body. Her name was no empty title. However,
“Not bad.”
Not bad. Just that—not enough.
“This won’t suffice, Orc Great Warrior.”
Sherpa Gold’s eyes flashed— brilliant gold.
At the same time, the world before him changed. Sherpa Gold slowly looked at Sherizik. Parts of her body and weapon glowed in golden light.
“The world grows more chaotic.”
Sherizik swung her glaive. Sherpa Gold deflected it with a short cut— then stabbed his sword at one of the golden-lit spots.
CRACK—! Her glaive shattered.
“A harsher age has arrived than when you were a hero.”
Sherizik frowned. Sherpa Gold flapped his Wings, swept in, and hooked her ankle. WHIRR—her body lifted. He struck every golden-lit weak point on her body with the flat of his blade.
Urk—! Blood sputtered.
「Eye of Greed」— the great power of the Golden bloodline. A skill that reveals a target’s weak points; and if they have none, creates weak points wherever the Golden bloodline gazes.
A simple yet absolute technique— the foundation of Gold swordsmanship.
“This is nowhere near enough to stop the age.”
Sherpa Gold produced a gold coin. He flicked it—TING!—and it spun down to the floor.
At that moment, a heap of golden Mana burst from his second heart.
“You cannot even stop me.”
「Golden Incense」— a power all Gold descendants possess. They stored a portion of their Mana like the Red Bank’s savings, and released it explosively when needed. And when the strongest living swordsman among the Gold bloodline— Sherpa Gold—used it, there were few on the continent who could stop him.
“Orc Great Warrior Sherizik. The Gold family possesses the greatest wealth among the Five Great Houses—yet wields the weakest sword.”
“……”
“The collapsed House Rhapsody—its second son who inherited the Wave Sword can defeat me in five exchanges. The Watcher of the House of White—the Sword Expert who inherited Winter can defeat me in three. And the other two Houses, especially the heir of the Sky family that shields the Sky Empire, are even stronger. You alone cannot stop the tide of this age.”
Sherpa Gold looked at her. Sherizik was strong— but when the true titans of the continent emerged, she could never defend the Karavan Domain.
Sherpa Gold knew it. He had sensed it since the Black Archipelago fleet fell with no resistance.
The Great War had already begun. Chaos would burn the world. And in that burning world, he wanted to protect the last trace left by his youngest brother. He wanted to carry the burden for those who remembered him. As an elder brother, as family, as rightful heir to Gold. But,
“So that is why—”
“…You are a kind man.”
Sherizik simply smiled.
“But we do not need your help.”
“What do you mean?”
“One who protects the land left by the descendant of Steel— I am not the only one.”
“……?”
“She may not be as beautiful as I am, but she is beautiful enough. Among all the countless geniuses this Orc Great Warrior has seen, she stands unrivaled. A woman from the far Eastern lands— one who shares the same dream as the descendant of Steel— a companion worthy of standing by his side.”
Sherpa Gold could not understand. Silence fell.
Sherizik grinned.
“In a new age, new ones will rise to face it.”
At that moment, a chill stabbed Sherpa Gold’s neck. A blade-honed aura surged from afar. He quickly turned.
The aura came from the entrance of the Karavan Domain.
There stood a woman in strange attire— black hair, black eyes, dressed in flowing black fabric like the dancers of the distant East.
A woman unsuited to this Western land— holding a long sword, staring at Sherpa Gold.
“What the—who are you?”
Seol Yoon. She had returned.
***
“Enough, ancestor.”
A terrible chill. A cold that froze even the soul. While Leon Karavan’s power strangled me, the other ancestors’ voices echoed.
Voices I knew well.
“What fault does this child bear?”
“This child is a victim as well.”
“We should shield him like his ancestors.”
The three spirits from the Land of the Small Sword— they were protecting me. But,
“He is the one chosen by the first Karavan.”
“……”
“He inherited his blade—should we not see that as him turning his back on us? Why must I accept this wretch as my descendant? This detestable brat?”
Leon Karavan was unyielding. He spoke.
“Last Karavan—insignificant child. Did you think your ancestors would eagerly step forth to aid you upon coming to the Golden Vault? That we would hand you our souls, begging you to survive? Foolish child—such a thing will not happen.”
“……”
“The moment you accepted the first Karavan, you and we could no longer walk together.”
“…Why is that?”
Leon Karavan scoffed.
“You accepted ‘Dokbul’ without even knowing why?”
“That sword could achieve my purpose.”
“So achieving your goal is worth anything?”
“Yes. It is.”
He let out a hollow laugh.
“You would throw away honor, nobility—everything?”
“What meaning do honor and nobility have in the face of helplessness and loss? Ancestor—I will accomplish my revenge, even if the world brands me dishonorable and vile. Even if I make the entire world my enemy, I will resolve this unbearable question.”
“You resemble him—my damnable father.”
Leon Karavan’s eyes darkened.
“So that is why he chose you.”
“……”
“Yes. Because you resemble that detestable trait of his. Your face, your talent, your sword—none of it resembles him. But your soul— your soul is frighteningly like his. If it were for his purpose— it didn’t matter what broke or shattered, whether the world collapsed or burned. You resemble him too much!”
His voice thundered.
“What did you expect to find in the Golden Vault?”
“I expected greater power.”
“Yes, power is here. But so is a truth— a truth someone like you cannot endure. The Age of Steel… how it fell… the atrocities committed by the first Karavan… and why we were forgotten and erased.”
Step. Step.
Leon Karavan walked until he stood right before me.
“Small child.”
“……”
“What do you think lies at the end of your path?”
Between his dry lips, a voice like scraping metal leaked out.
“The one who inherits ‘Dokbul’ must inevitably stand alone. Because that sword only reveals its full strength in solitude.”
“……”
“The one who wields that blade can never stay with anyone. Do you know what this means? It means that my father, Liam Karavan— the one chattering beside you— must part ways with you someday.”
Part ways. Someday.
What did that mean?
The answer came immediately.
“To transcend Dokbul, you must defeat Liam Karavan.”
“……”
“If you fail, the successor disappears. The successor’s soul becomes bound to the Land of Swords— and Liam Karavan’s soul takes over that body to descend into the world. That is the truth of 『Dokbul』.”
Leon Karavan continued.
“That blade is a cursed sword.”