Solo Swordmaster

Episode #287. After all, someday.

* * *

“Cool.”

he was dying

Maybe it’s because of the miasma that has permeated to the bone.

Or is it because the intestines are crushed?

he couldn’t tell the difference.

In fact, there was no reason to discriminate.

He was going to die on the spot anyway, and he calmly accepted that fact.

“You don’t look like that, Mr. Sculptor.”

So it was.

That’s why he wasn’t surprised when he heard that familiar yet strangely cold voice.

“It’s a look befitting an ungrateful traitor.”

Leaning against a tree that had just grown.

He slowly raised his head.

He looked at a man standing tall like a grim reaper in front of him and smiled vaguely.

“Don’t you think so too?”

A young man carrying a violin box.

Lee stared at Herman, whose left side of his body was in tatters.

In fact, it was a natural result.

He became a player only a few days ago.

Even with Diego’s help, he was lucky enough to have reached level 30.

In addition, over a thousand giants ran rampant and were smashed, and Maia melted and spread miasma and even engaged in a fierce battle with Limon.

A mess that would have killed even a high-level player in the aftermath.

There was no way that Herman, who had just become a player, could survive unscathed.

Being able to breathe like this was close to a miracle.

Take a moment to look at Herman, who is barely holding on to his lifeline thanks to the psionic life force flowing throughout the jungle.

Limon suddenly opened his mouth.

“I have one last question I want to ask you.”

“I already told you why you betrayed me.”

“No, not that. I don’t understand why you gave up.”

“…are you curious about that?”

“okay.”

It’s time to nod your head willingly.

Limon looked at Hermann with deep sunken eyes.

“Because if I were you, I would never give up.”

There was only a difference between a sword and a piece, but Limon, like Hermann, had reached the pinnacle in one field.

So I could understand.

His obsession with sculpting was close to madness.

But I couldn’t understand.

The reason why I gave up on tenacity halfway through.

If Limon himself was in the same position as Herman, he would never have borrowed the power of the Constellation.

no matter how many years it takes

No matter how many decades it takes.

Even if you can’t achieve it in your lifetime.

He must have tried to somehow make a perfect piece with his own hands and his own abilities.

But why did he give up so easily and try to rely on the power of the Constellation?

Seeing Limon ask why, Herman smiled bitterly.

“It’s because of you, Lee.”

“What did I do wrong?”

“You did nothing wrong. Your talent just made me miserable.”

When teaching sculpting for the first time.

Hermann was genuinely delighted.

That he could repay the favor he had received from Limon.

The fact that he was able to pass on the sculpting technique that he thought would disappear when he died to a genius like Limon.

Because I thought everyone was lucky.

However, after Limon learned the art of sculpting in just a few days.

Instead of joy, he was plagued with anxiety.

Limon’s dazzling talent.

A skill that grows day by day.

It was because it made them feel nervous that they had to make a perfect sculpture before Limon did.

“…So you said you did this out of jealousy of me?”

“So it is.”

It doesn’t seem funny.

Limon frowned and asked.

Looking at him, Herman smiled dejectedly.

“I’ve always thought that I didn’t need the pretense of being the world’s best engraver, but I couldn’t stand the fact that I couldn’t make that perfect piece.”

If you think about it, there was a precursor.

Before teaching sculpting.

Hermann felt the same feelings as Salieri, who admired Mozart for Limon’s talent.

The feelings of the unfortunate second-in-command, who was a genius himself, but could not become the pinnacle because he lived at the same time as Mozart.

In other words, his subconscious had regarded Limon as a rival rather than a benefactor and disciple from the beginning.

I just ignored myself and pretended not to know.

But in the end, he couldn’t overcome his greed as a sculptor.

“So I betrayed you and made a contract with the Constellation. In order to create a perfect piece even by borrowing the power of skill.”

“Because it’s a perfect piece…”

Getting angry.

not disappointing either.

Just once with a calm face, to quietly follow Hermann’s words.

Limon asked suddenly.

“So, were you satisfied with the result of betrayal?”

To that question, Hermann answered immediately without hesitation.

“No, that was the worst mistake of my life.”

Diego is defeated.

because you are dying

I don’t think so because I’m desperate for this ending.

From the moment he became a player, Herman had already regretted that choice.

“I only knew about it after sculpting it using the skill I received from the Constellation. The power of the Constellation was not free.”

The power of the Constellation was amazing.

I just activated the skill.

It was because my hands moved naturally and I was able to create perfect pieces that I couldn’t do even if I tried so hard.

But that’s why Hermann couldn’t help but despair.

“It was definitely a sculpture I made, but it wasn’t my sculpture.”

If it was a halfway sculptor.

No, even if it was common at least.

Hermann may have been able to be satisfied with the guilt of having signed a contract with the Constellation under the illusion that he had improved his skills.

However, he was the world’s best sculptor who lived his whole life only looking at sculptures.

that’s why i knew

A carving knife, a chisel and a hammer, etc.

No matter what tools you use, it is the sculptor who ultimately creates the sculpture.

At the point of relying on skills, it was created by the Constellation, and he was nothing more than a tool for that.

after knowing that.

Herman tried to sculpt again without using any skill.

But it was impossible.

When you conceive of a work, the skill 『Star Sculptor』 is activated to show you a list of pieces that can be made.

Even if you hold a carving knife, if you don’t use the skill, everything feels awkward and you can’t sculpt properly.

“I knew then. In exchange for signing a contract with the Constellation, I lost everything I had accumulated throughout my life.”

Skills that have been trained.

Inexhaustible inspiration.

Or something to call a talent.

When he realized that by dedicating all of that, he became a sculptor player rather than a sculptor.

Hermann despaired.

Even so, I was only able to pass the 2nd stage.

The third step is all the more about the fact that the test has become impossible to even try.

“Diego told me there is nothing to be frustrated with. If you raise your level and develop your skills, you will be able to easily pass the 3rd stage.”

“Well, as a player, that’s the general idea.”

“But to me, that sounded like an idiot.”

Hermann was self-help.

Just raising the level makes you stronger?

Conversely, if you do not raise your level, it means that your sculpting skills will not increase for the rest of your life.

In addition, there is a limit of 100 in the level.

In other words, in exchange for becoming a player, it meant that he lost all of his potential and room for further growth.

Of course, for most people, that might be a blessing.

without making any special effort.

Regardless of talent and circumstances.

Just by raising the level in the dungeon, you can easily gain strength and skills and enjoy wealth and glory.

For the poor and lacking in talent, it will feel like an ideal that is fair and guarantees success to everyone.

But is it really so?

If the contract with the Constellation is really fair, why do Constellations have ranks?

And someone gets a unique skill and easily becomes a high-level player, but why do most players stay at a low level and suffer?

No, even if it was fair, it didn’t matter.

At least Hermann had never hoped for fairness like this.

“What’s the point of becoming a puppet and gaining wealth and honor with a piece that someone else replaced?”

Sculpture is just a tool.

If the purpose was only wealth and fame.

It doesn’t matter if you steal or copy someone else’s piece.

However, it was unbearable for him, who loved and obsessed with sculpture to the point of betraying his benefactor.

“Is that why you didn’t run away? Do you want to die?”

“No, I just didn’t see any reason to live any longer.”

Limon and Diego fight.

Even after Maia melted away.

Hermann, who had chosen to just watch, laughed.

Even in the middle of this, the desire to think that the fight and the performance would be left as a sculpture.

And the bitterness of the examples of all the sculptures that came to mind without even imagining it.

It made him smile instead of fear even before his own death.

“Can I ask you one last thing without shame?”

“No, don’t.”

“…”

“Because I’m not a kind enough person to do a traitor’s favor.”

He cut off Limon and said.

And he quietly added a word.

“Still, I will use your sculpting skills well.”

It is the person who is wrong

There is no sin in technology.

So, he said that he would continue to use his sculpting skills to achieve his own goals.

Herman, who had been staring blankly at Limon, who spoke coldly, ended up laughing once more.

He quietly opened his mouth.

“Be careful.”

There’s no shame in saying an apology.

Even the answer would be insufficient.

Even so, this was all he could do for now.

“Diego said there was a monster in the Liberation Brigade that was on a different level than he was.”

Was it because he could handle the Seven Arcs?

Or was it the price of betrayal?

A fact Diego only hinted at after signing a contract with the Constellation.

The most important secret of the Liberation Brigade that made even those who regretted their choice shocked.

One of them, Hermann squeezed out, said.

“Two monarchs who contain enemies in the Liberation Brigade…”

It was the result of coincidence.

Even though he is the owner of Seven Arcs, he has yet to become a high-level player, let alone a ghost.

And since not even a few days have passed.

A confession that can be made because he is now Hermann, who has received only the minimum restraint imposed by any officer of the Liberation Brigade.

“And the more they collect the Seven Arcs, the more they say they will grow exponentially and become stronger…”

Still, couldn’t they ignore the ban?

Or is it because it was already limited?

The more I say a word, the more I feel the flame of life rapidly extinguishing.

Finally, squeeze your voice out.

“The Seven Arcs they have already secured are two… hammers of … and… Go…”

Tuk.

Herman lowered his head.

It was as if he had been holding onto a life that should have died long ago in order to inform him of this fact.

Take a moment to look at Hermann, who passed away.

Limon picked up the platinum carving knife he had been holding until the end.

and muttered

“That’s why you should have raised a disciple a long time ago, man.”

It wouldn’t have been easy.

Although he also had many disciples.

Only 7 people were able to become sword masters.

At least half of them were cut with his own hands, and the remaining disciples died sooner than that.

Although you have great skills.

Limon was the same as Hermann in that he could not convey it to anyone.

The reason why Limon continued to give Herman a chance and learn his sculpting skills was because he felt that he was in such a situation.

But in the end, Hermann squandered the opportunity he gave him.

It wasn’t disappointing.

Humans eventually change.

And if you keep changing, one day you will cross a line you shouldn’t cross.

For Hermann, the meeting with Limon only served as an opportunity to cross that line.

So, the question that comes to mind.

‘How long can I not change?’

A sword demon who dreamed of a perfect world, but as a result slaughtered a tenth of humanity.

A swordsman who loved peace but nevertheless caused the most terrible war in history.

He was patriotic and kind, but he annihilated the British and killed the Sword King for his country.

A sword demon who could not bear to see his wife and children dying of old age and ended up dabbling in black magic.

Thinking of those who were once respected brother-in-law or cherished disciples, but changed and corrupted, and eventually cut them down with their own hands.

The sword master who had lived for a long time muttered inwardly.

‘Or maybe it’s already changed.’