When Lilith opened her eyes, she found herself in a world filled with thousand upon thousand of swords and buried in snow.
Even though there was no moon nor sun in the cloud-covered sky, a dim light was still present, illuminating this whole place.
In the far, one could see a hill with even more swords and on that hill—Was a Blade piercing the top. A blade so large it looked like a mountain.
At one glance, it was a world filled with an infinite number of blades. But from another viewpoint, it was a world filled with an infinite number of graves
“This place…”
Emotion flashed in Lilith’s eyes as she recognized this place and the giant blade.
This was her mindscape and her Door of Truth.
The state of the mindscape reflected the mentality and personality of the user.
For Lilith, it was impossible to dissociate swords from Snow and Death.
“I am finally dead?”
What happened after death? Lilith didn’t really know. From what the scriptures said, once someone died, they would go through the Afterlife and forget their past life before being reincarnated. What life they would have next would depend on the Karma of their previous life.
“Death is pretty boring.”
She lay down on the snow-covered ground and looked at the dark and cloudy sky. All this time, she had wished to die, wished to leave the world as her end was a determined and inescapable reality.
“I wonder if Lilin is crying.”
She doubted it. This girl should hate her, right? After all, she had truly been a bad mother all her life.
“I wonder if Sol is cursing at me.”
She had sworn to take care of Sol but in the end, she had also been quite neglectful. The ones who truly took care of and raised him were Camelia, Medea, and Milia.
She smiled as she thought of Camelia and how the woman should still be sleeping after being completely drunk.
Her smile slowly vanished when she realized that she could have spent way more time with her friend if she had stopped isolating herself.
What if she had opened her heart to Camelia about her trouble sooner? What if she had truly tried to survive?
She thought about her other friends. Pandora and her bad habits of overthinking. Persephone and her way of seeing life and death, Theresa and her absurd luck, Arachne and her talent with art, and even the innocent and naive Iris who was now the Supreme Daughter of Industria.
It was hard to say that all of them were her close friend in the same way Camelia was. But they were certainly the people closest to her.
“Haha…”
Lilith let out a hollow laugh as she covered her face with her forearm. Even so, it was impossible to hide the tears that started streaming down her face.
She would never be able to drink or fight with Camelia. She would never see Lilin or Sol grow up.
Even when they fought and faced difficulties, she would not be present to help them carry the weight on their shoulder.
—Finally…She would never truly be able to reach the peak of the sword. She would never be able to draw the most beautiful and perfect movement and truly live up to the name of her sword.
“How Pathetic.”
She did not understand why suddenly all those emotions she had been repressing came at her like this. She thought that she had gotten rid of all her regrets. But clearly, she had been wrong.
They say that it was only after losing something that you realized how important it was.
She had bathed in self-loathing and hatred for so long that she forgot that, while it was important to not forget the past, it was as important if not more to never stop looking at the future.
How long did she stay like this? She did not know.
In the end, she simply wiped the tear away and stood up. She wondered how long she would stay in this place before moving to the afterlife.
She wondered if this was a punishment for her indolence or if she would be forced to stay in this place eternally.
“Should I take a look?”
She had never truly been interested in her mindscape after becoming a Duke. If this place was supposed to become her Eternal hell, then she should at least take a look.
She walked up in the field of snow and sword silently and finally approached her gate of truth which was in the form of a sword.
On the gigantic blade, she could see words engraved on it. Even without reading them, she knew very well what those words were.
When one became a Duke, it was necessary to find the Truth in one heart, and only after becoming a King would that Truth become unchangeable as it would serve as the foundation of the True Name.
“I am a sword.”
This was the Truth she had chosen to follow all those years ago and this was the truth that should have been engraved on her Gate.
But…
*Crack*
A small crack appeared on the Gigantic blade at the place where her Truth was written.
“What…?”
Lilith could not believe her eyes.
“What is happening.”
She took a step back as more and more cracks appeared on the sword.
But it wasn’t this. The ground, the sky, and everything as far as the horizon could see. Cracks appeared everywhere, spreading longer and farther until there was no place that was spared from them.
In the end, the inevitable happened.
Like a castle made out of the sand, or like a stack of domino, the cracks reached the limit and finally the world — broke.
Lilith was speechless as she observed her inner world getting completely destroyed for no apparent reason.
She could say nothing, do nothing, the world slowly vanished and in the end, when everything else broke, all that was left was one sword, a large sword no different from the one she usually use but when compared to the previous gate, it was so small it was negligible.
She gazed silently at this sword floating in a world of infinite pure white. There was no sky and even though she was not falling, she could feel no ground.
Above, below and all around her, she was alone in a silent world with nothing in it but a sword and herself.
She could not feel her power anymore. She could not resonate with her truth nor could she summon her name.
There was only one time when she had felt so powerless.
It was before she ever held a sword in her hand. Back when she was just a pretty experiment and when it was revealed that she had no Capacity and as such would never be able to form a contract.
Weak, powerless, helpless, and completely alone.
Lilith looked up.
What should she do?
She contemplated simply giving up and laying down. But something—Something was telling her that she could not. That this was a second chance. A chance to redeem herself. A chance to reach a new horizon.
<<Tyrfing>> was a failed sword. Even though she had reached a height that allowed her to cut space apart, it was too hard to control.
Lilith slowly walked until she reached the lone sword standing proudly. She put her hand around the handle and pulled the sword out.
It was only now, that she was holding this sword that she felt her fear and confusion settle down.
Now that she had no mana she could feel and had neither a Truth nor a name, all she could do was the most basic sword movements with no intent behind them.
There were eight simple attacking angles in sword fighting. Down to the left, slantways down to the right, crossways up from the left, diagonally up from the right, and left and right strikes in parallel.
If one had to simplify it even more, moving a sword boiled down to four simple steps. Cutting, Thrusting and Measuring the distance and Tempo.
‘How long had it been?’
Either since Mars's death, she had never truly tried to reach a higher level nor did she try to improve. She was unable to do so as it was necessary for her to carefully manage the energy she consumed less she hastened her death.
Even though she had trained Lilin, it was only during their last fight that she had truly gone all out with no regard for her health.
But now…Since she was already dead–Then she could do what she had missed all along.
Lilith moved her sword. It felt slow and clunky. But she did not stop.
This was her mind space so she did not feel fatigued. Tirelessly, she simply swung her sword.
She repeated the most basic movement, ten, hundred, or even a thousand times without ever stopping. Always improvising, always making her sword reach a higher degree of precision.
As she did this, she began to think about herself and her reason to wield the sword.
Why did she wish to slay immortals?
Perhaps because she wished to bring down those proud beings who could boast an eternal life while looking down on an abomination like her who only had a limited amount of time.
Immortal beings could afford to train slowly for hundreds of years with no fear as time was meaningless for them.
Meanwhile, mortals had to toil every day like it was their last. Working from morning to night, making sure to make every last moment count.
For immortals, Time was a common commodity. For Mortal, Time was a luxury.
‘Hah…’
Even though there should have been no air, the sword finally made a satisfying sound as it cut through the wind.
The feeling of joy that swept through her heart as she made one true and good strike was like nothing before. This reminded her of what she felt when she first learned how to use sword.
For her, it was not a duty. Nor an obligation and even less something she had no choice but to do.
Moving her sword, learning to use it in the best way possible. All of this was her joy and brought contentment to her heart.
The reason she first took the sword. The reason she learned everything she did now.
When she was still learning about the world, the sight of that young boy moving under the snow with his sword in hand.
This was where everything began for her. This was the first time she had thought of something as truly beautiful.
‘Why did I forget this?’
It was not because she wanted to be a sword. A sword could only be used but could never be the user.
A sword alone could only be a sharp weapon. But without an equally masterful handler, it could never go beyond.
In order to truly feel this reality. Being a sword was the wrong way.
What she had to do. What she should have done all this time —- Was to become one with the sword.
Rather than becoming the greatest sword, she would reach the peak by becoming the greatest swordswoman. One could use all swords and cut everything in her path even if she was holding nothing but a leaf between her finger.
The sword in her hand changed. Large sword, long sword, short sword, rapier, curved sword, or even double-edged sword.
From nowhere, mana slowly swirled in her body but she did not pay attention to it.
<<Sword Intent: Thousand sword Mastery>>
But it wasn’t enough. She could not reach the peak with just this.
She needed more. Her movement became faster but sharper and much more precise. No matter what sword appeared in her hand, she could master it instantly.
She wanted to master all swords.
<<Sword Intent: One with the Sword>>
Suddenly, she felt a complete serenity. Like a calm lake. Her mind was at peace, void of all distracting thoughts.
She was not just swinging her sword anymore. Anyone who watched her would be mesmerized as she moved like she was dancing. Her figures, traced a graceful arc in the fully white void.
She was not a sword. Swords were just an extension of her body.
She was no one slave. She simply choose to wield her sword for those she cared for.
What she wished for, what she truly wanted more than anything in this world. More than following Mars, more than protecting Sol or anything else.
It was a thoroughly selfish and self-centered goal. But…It was Her goal. Her wish. Not one imposed on her by a madman. Not a wish born from the shadow of a ghost nor a feeling of obligation.
What she wished for was — To sever everything and surpass all limits.
<<Zone: Beyond The Boundaries.>>
It was a simple horizontal slash. But it was the most beautiful one she had ever done.
The infinite white void broke. A new world appeared.
Unlike the previous snow-covered ground filled with swords, it was a world of mountains each larger than the other.
In the sky, hundred of thousand of stars stretched into infinity. But if one took a closer look, they would realize that those stars were in fact swords. Beautifully carved swords in all shapes, lengths, and forms, as numerous as the sea of stars.
Looking at this new beautiful world that was so unlike her previous one, Lilith smiled as her eyes twinkled with the light of enlightenment.
“One sword to cut space, one sword to cut time, and one sword to cut even the Heaven Apart.”
She muttered slowly as a new technique was created in her mind. It was the second chapter of her Immortal Slaying Sword.
A sword that was meant to cut gods themselves.
A God Slaying Sword. A sword that went beyond Time and Space.
A sword that could do the impossible. Break the unbreakable and kill what could not be killed.
It was—<<The Sword of the End.>>
Lilith gasped as mana filled her body even more. In the past, she was born with an above-average quantity of Mana. But it was nothing particularly impressive when compared to the monsters surrounding her.
But now…She felt like her mana was simply limitless.
Her power grew, her strength increased and her mind expanded.
Shadow lurked behind her, chains tightened around her, trying to keep her to stay back. Screaming at her. Asking her if she was ready to truly give up all the convictions of her past life. To give up on the only one who had ever cared for him in the past. To forget the past she had cherished so much for all those years.
But she ignored them.
The past was history. Something that could never be changed.
The future was full of mystery. She did not know if she would ever regret her decision now.
But all of this did not matter. The present was what was shaped by her own hands.
“Bygone!”
The shadow receded, the chains broke and she walked free.
The world itself screamed as the name <<Tyrfing>> was completely erased and a new Name took its place.
<<Avatar: Musashi>> [1]
Names had power. Lilith did not know the myth or legend and power bestowed to her name. But she knew that she finally went from simply being a cursed sword that could not be used, to becoming the most skillful swordswoman to have ever existed.
“I…am a king once again?”
Lilith laughed in disbelief. She thought she had died. She thought she was being punished.
But this was completely different.
In terms of pure raw power, it was hard to say if she was truly stronger than her previous self with her previous Name.
But even though this was the case, Lilith felt that the current her could destroy her past self with nearly no difficulty.
‘No. I am not just a King.’
She could feel it faintly. Her power went beyond what a King should have. But she was unable to access that power as she lacked one important step, creating her own territory.
Once that step was completed—She would become a Demigod.
Lilith looked up at the highest mountain, where there was a door shining with a bright and warm light.
She began to walk towards it. Her instincts were telling her that it was time to leave. That she had yet to have digested fully the energy that was bathing her soul and that she could only take that last step in the Real world.
One more step.
Until she finally reached the door.
She took one last look over her shoulder.
A world filled with a mysterious and solemn air. Mountains so high, they reached the sky and were surrounded by clouds. A pure air filled with mana, an unnumerable amount of swords in the sky.
This was her mindscape.
This was the realization of her new truth and understanding of the world.
It took ‘dying’ for her to understand this truth.
She knew very well that she was given a second chance.
One more chance than many in this world would ever have the luck to obtain.
She would not waste this chance.
—-
When Lilith opened her eyes. She found herself in the monochrome-colored dimension belonging to Sol.
She could see all those who had worked hard to bring her back to life. She had never felt so alive than at this moment.
She had already felt it in her soul, but her current body was beyond her previous self. In the past, without mana, she had been physically weaker than most adult of her age.
But now, she felt like she could break everything with just her fist. This new life was a priceless gift.
But, what could she say? How could she express just how thankful she was at this moment?
“Welcome back.”
Lilith looked absentmindedly at Sol before finally giving a soft smile.
“I am back.”
—And this time, it was to stay.
[1]: Miyamoto Musashi is considered by many as the greatest swordsman in the world or at least the greatest in Japan. Musashi learned the sword at 13 and the first thing he did was beating a samurai. Later fought 60 duels and never lost a single one, even taking on legendary swordsmen like Sasaki Kojiro. Musashi arrived late and only fought with a wooden sword he had carved out of an oar on the boat he used to get there. He killed Kojiro with the wooden sword and then quickly fled from his vengeful allies. The dude even used dual sword. The creator of the Nito Ryu style. Basically, my dude is a Black swordsman by excellence. He literally recognized as: “Unrivalled Under Heaven”
If you are more interested here an interesting link for his legend—>https://www.thekaratelifestyle.com/miyamoto-musashi/
(AN: This wasn’t easy. Took a very long time. But fuck I did it. For those wondering. Lilith is basically a demigod now. But she needs a Territory to complete the process of transformation. The creation of a territory takes a very long time. But you guys should have already guessed where she will create her territory. My editor is currently busy so I had to post it now before the next month. But I will obviously update once it’s edited. Good thing is. Once a chapter is posted. Even if you edit later and add 10K words the price won’t change.)
