SWNOVELXO Chapter 61 - The Hundred-Step Ceremony (3)
Chapter 61: The Hundred-Step Ceremony (3)
The moment everyone assumed the ceremonial sword stance.
Naturally, the gaze of the 50th cadets shifted toward the special spectator seats.
Their bodies reacted as if compelled, as though they had no choice.
Thanks to this, the 50th cadets could clearly see it as well.
A figure entering the special seating area.
Wavy, snow-white medium-length hair, with neatly swept-back bangs.
A slightly angular face with a white beard that connected from his sideburns.
Though his face was that of an old man, his body, standing at 180 cm, appeared as robust as that of a young man.
And his deep, intense black eyes.
Even from a considerable distance, his figure was distinctly visible to everyone.
His appearance captured not only Yuri’s attention but the attention of the entire 50th batch.
No, it would be more accurate to say that they couldn’t take their eyes off him.
As if their souls had been seized.
As if something terrible would happen if they looked away.
They couldn’t move an inch.
Step. Step.
With each of his steps, all sound vanished.
No voices.
No breathing.
Not even the faintest sounds of movement.
Every sound in the world disappeared.
In the suffocating silence.
Amidst the thousands of eyes watching, the old man finally took his seat.
He seated himself on the throne and lazily accepted the salutes of the thousands of Black Sword Corps soldiers.
As if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Swoosh. Thud.
The man lightly propped his chin on his hand and looked down at the arena.
No one needed to be told who he was; no one failed to realize who he was or what he represented.
Their instincts told them.
Someone whispered his name as if in a trance.
“The Sword Master… Luke Ryder.”
Though the voice was very soft, it was enough to awaken everyone from their daze.
People, as if waking from a dream, had dazed expressions on their faces.
Though the suffocating silence continued, a small sense of calm returned.
At that moment, someone else murmured.
“Is that the Sword Master? He looks… quite ordinary.”
Those born in the age of competition had grown up hearing stories about the Sword Master since childhood.
The absolute being.
The man called the ruler of this world.
The unparalleled swordsman who cut down the world alone.
Children often imagined the Sword Master as something terrifying and exaggerated.
A fierce and terrifying appearance like that of a demon king from legend.
Or perhaps with two or three extra arms.
If not, then a giant standing three meters tall.
Growing up with such fantastical imaginations, they harbored the preconception that the Sword Master would be extraordinary even as they became adults.
So, they were slightly disappointed to see the Sword Master looking rather ordinary, contrary to the preconceptions they had held for over a decade.
On the other hand, some reacted as if those murmurs were absurd.
Even as others began to relax slightly, there were still those who couldn’t take their eyes off the Sword Master.
Arin, Poppy, Nellie Blanc, Clarice Van… and a few other scions of noble families, including Gunther Irons.
They all held their breath, staring at the Sword Master.
The reason for their reaction was simple.
They could see because they knew.
Only those who saw nothing at all found the Sword Master ordinary.
Those who had some level of skill couldn’t take their eyes off the Sword Master, all sensing something from him.
And Yuri.
Having pierced the spiritual hole early on and wielding the power of the Avatar, he was in an even worse state than the others.
Yuri hadn’t blinked since the moment the Sword Master appeared.
His eyes were wide open in astonishment.
“Ordinary? You call that… ordinary?”
Where on earth was anything ordinary about him?
The fool who spouted that nonsense—was he really seeing the same thing as Yuri?
Whoooosh.
Look, at the crimson aura that surrounded the Sword Master, so thick that it reached up to the sky!
The moment the Sword Master sat on the throne, that aura surged up and dyed the sky red.
Just the sight of it was enough to make one feel overwhelmed, the sheer force of it suffocating.
If one were to relax their guard even slightly, it felt like it would devour them whole in an instant with its ferocious presence.
To not be overcome, Yuri clenched his fists tightly.
He let out a laugh, feeling both hollow and incredulous.
“Is that what you call a monster?”
Johan had referred to the Sword Master as a monster.
But having now faced the Sword Master himself, Yuri shook his head.
“That… isn’t something you can just call a monster.”
Long ago, when Yuri was wandering the world, he had once witnessed a massive tornado that consumed everything in its path.
A colossal pillar of wind connecting the earth and sky, so immense and powerful that it made humans seem like mere insects.
The Sword Master was exactly that kind of being.
The Sword Master… that wasn’t something that could merely be called a monster.
That was…
“A calamity.”
A natural disaster that could not be opposed—a calamity.
Having finally seen the true form of the Sword Master that he had only heard of in stories, Yuri found himself speechless.
“Old man… You fought against something like that, and you intend to fight it again?”
You challenged it twice.
You were defeated twice.
Yet, you are preparing for a third time.
Only then did Yuri understand why the world reverently called Johan by the title The Unyielding Sword.
For just the fact that he fought and survived against such an unbelievable force was enough to command respect.
And to not break, to prepare for another challenge—Johan was truly deserving of the praise as the “Unyielding Sword.”
As Yuri marveled at this, he recalled the words he had said to Johan earlier and chuckled.
[It’s simple. So, you’re saying if I take down the strongest guy, the whole world is mine?]
How amusing Johan must have found it when Yuri had boldly declared that he would defeat the Sword Master?
How much must he have laughed inwardly?
Even now, Yuri found his past self utterly laughable.
“Can that even be beaten?”
No, beyond that—could one even survive fighting it?
And even if one survived, could they return to challenge it again without breaking, as Johan had?
These questions blossomed within Yuri’s heart.
And soon, the opportunity to resolve those doubts arrived.
Boom.
The sound of a footstep echoed again.
Duran, who had captured everyone’s attention, bared his teeth and announced.
“From now on, the Hundred-Step Ritual will commence!”
Boom.
Duran’s footstep served as a signal.
“……?!”
The crimson aura that had risen to the sky suddenly plunged down into the arena.
A crowd dressed in black filled the stands of the circular arena.
Most of them were members of the Black Sword Corps, but some of the cadets from the Cradle were also mixed in.
This included the 49th batch, who had recently returned.
The 46th batch, now in their fifth year and usually not seen often as they were undergoing their completion process, was also present.
Then there were the 47th and 48th batches, who had become the new powerhouses of the Cradle, replacing the 46th.
Every cadet in the Cradle had gathered, not a single one absent.
They were seated in sections divided by their respective batches.
Curiosity gleamed in their eyes.
Who were the new recruits this year?
Were there any capable ones among them?
Various thoughts crossed their minds as they watched, and finally, the 50th batch of cadets entered the arena.
At this, a slight murmur spread through the crowd.
“This year’s 50th batch is quite large, huh? It looks like there’s twice as many as there were during our time.”
“Yeah, but most of them are probably just chaff.”
Some of the cadets made these remarks as they watched the 50th batch enter the arena.
There were a few more whispers, but they quickly subsided with the sound of Duran’s footsteps.
Then came the writing of the wills.
Followed by the ceremonial sword stance and the appearance of the Sword Master.
‘He’s here.’
‘As expected, he’s here again this year!’
Many of those present swallowed nervously at the Sword Master’s entrance.
Gulp.
The Dragon’s Cradle belonged to the Sword Master, but the opportunities for those within the Cradle to see him were surprisingly few.
Unless something special occurred, the Sword Master remained in seclusion and did not show himself.
However, there was one day each year when the Sword Master would make a public appearance without fail for the past 41 years.
That day was when the new cadets entered and performed the Hundred-Step Ritual.
‘Even though I go through this every year, I still can’t get used to it.’
From the 46th to the 49th batches, all the cadets occupying the stands had experienced the Hundred-Step Ritual themselves.
They knew all too well what was about to happen.
Boom.
The sound of a foot stomping the ground echoed.
“From now on, the Hundred-Step Ritual will begin.”
At Duran’s words, the eyes of the cadets lit up.
‘It’s starting.’
‘It’s begun!’
The experienced cadets quickly activated their mana to protect their bodies and minds.
Soon, a powerful force swept through the arena.
Thud.
People began collapsing helplessly, like rotten straw.
Plop. Thud. Thump.
As the number of fallen grew exponentially, the cadets’ eyes darted around.
‘How many?’
‘How many are still standing?’
And finally.
Thump.
When another person collapsed and no more followed, someone started counting those who remained standing.
“Fifty-two… That’s not bad.”
The batch with the most survivors at the start was the 37th, with 65 survivors.
So, 52 survivors was considered fairly decent.
But everyone knew that this wasn’t what truly mattered.
The real test was about to begin.
Phew!
Yuri exhaled heavily.
His heart, which had been racing from deep breaths, began to calm down.
‘What was that just now…?’
Yuri had felt as if the whole world was splitting apart under the crimson aura that had struck the arena.
The aura that the Sword Master had emitted was terrifying.
Even worse, the aura didn’t dissipate but lingered, pressing down on Yuri’s body.
“Phew…”
As he took long breaths, trying to resist the pressure, Yuri’s eyes narrowed slightly.
‘If the pressure is this intense from this distance…?’
Yuri’s gaze shifted to the special seats where the Sword Master was.
The space around the Sword Master seemed to ripple as if distorted by the sheer force of his aura.
Watching this, Yuri couldn’t help but stick out his tongue in disbelief.
‘There can’t be many left standing after taking that head-on.’
Yuri’s guess was spot on.
Of the 300 who had been standing just moments ago, most were now sprawled on the ground.
No, it would have been fortunate if they had merely fainted and collapsed.
Gehk-.
Some were foaming at the mouth, limbs twitching.
Grrk-.
Others had their faces buried in their own vomit.
And then there were those…
‘That one… is in serious trouble.’
…who had soiled themselves and collapsed.
Thus, the 50th batch was divided into those who had fainted and those who had not.
Among those who hadn’t fainted, some were still standing, while others were crawling on the ground.
Those crawling looked as though they would soon join the ranks of the unconscious.
Even those still standing, including Yuri, were few and far from unscathed.
As Yuri surveyed his surroundings, Duran’s voice rang out again.
“There is only one task for you in this Hundred-Step Ritual.”
Though most of them had already fainted and were unconscious, Duran continued to speak without concern.
It was as if he hadn’t cared about those people from the start.
In a flat tone, he continued.
“Walk. Walk toward the master of the great sword. This is the trial that the Sword Master has given you.”
With those words, Yuri finally understood everything.
The 100 concentric circles drawn around the special spectator seats.
And why this ritual was named the Hundred-Step Ritual.
“Hah?”
Grit.
Under the weight of the oppressive aura, Yuri lifted his head.
In the distance, at the end of the hundred steps, he saw the Sword Master looking down at the world with an expression of indifference.