Chapter 16: Those who are restricted by the standards of others, don't deserve to look towards the sky (3)

Chapter 16: Those who are restricted by the standards of others, don't deserve to look up at the sky (3).

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On the beach where five people stood, silence filled the surroundings.

Whether it was Leon, Lloyd, Dio, or the other two, no one spoke.

That's because they were waiting.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!

The wind erupted as several people emerged from the forest.

"Has the battle already begun?!"

"Hahaha! Get out of my way!"

Thunderous voices erupted from the groups of people.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

As the first group approached, people began to come from all directions.

"Damn! I'm late!"

"Don't you have any manners! Ladies first!"

"Hmph! Lady my ass! Manners won't score me points!"

The late-arriving groups began to chatter among themselves.

Despite their huge numbers, they kept a distance from each other, as if fearing betrayal.

They were certainly not an organized group.

Leon and the others watched the scene with dull eyes.

Only the girl and Fernando swallowed hard, their hands gripping their weapons tightly.

The situation was somewhat tense, and when Dio wanted to reassure them, he was surprised by what he saw.

The two took a deep breath and relaxed their bodies; after clearing their minds for a moment, their eyes became cold.

The weak are afraid, and the strong win.

These enemies, despite their numbers, were like a flock of chickens before tigers.

There was no need to be afraid; just grab your weapon and fight.

This is the duty of a warrior.

Dio's eyes shone brightly as he thought, "Oh? Look at this?"

He didn't expect these two to have such a determined appearance.

In fact, the reaction he expected was somewhat different; at least, there was a high possibility they would join the enemy's group.

Why? Whether in terms of numbers or the benefit of the situation, it was in favor of the other group, not Leon's group.

Not to mention anything else, this chase was primarily to capture Leon, so it only made sense for them to go to the other side.

From how Dio understood the situation, the blonde boy, whose name was Fernando, was a noble.

The enemy group was likely composed of nobles to some extent, so shouldn't he join them?

The relationships among nobles are complicated; in many cases, a skirmish among the young can escalate into a deadly battle among the elders.

Certainly, his standing with them does not stem from loyalty; loyalty is not something earned in a day.

It is impossible to win someone's heart easily, especially in a world like this.

Life in this world is hard; when betrayal and conflicts among people are rampant, how can anyone easily trust others?

No matter how genius Leon is at understanding others' hearts, even he cannot.

This means one thing.

"This boy thinks our side is stronger."

Is he quick-witted, or does he rely solely on his instincts?

Dio could only praise him internally; the quickness to understand situations is a trait Dio admires in people.

The faster one understands their situation, the better they adapt to circumstances.

Thus, when he adapts to his circumstances, his sword becomes sharper in battles.

The other girl's indifferent expression was not easy to read; he couldn't understand what she was thinking just from her expression.

But that doesn't mean he couldn't understand what she was thinking at all.

The eyes are the window to the soul.

From her fiery and cold gaze, Dio understood what the girl wanted.

"These are the eyes of someone ready to enter battle."

How many times has he encountered that gaze in his life?

Memories flashed for a moment.

When he was on the battlefield, fighting, killing, trying to survive, such things were not rare.

Hesitation means death; whether the weak or the strong, no one in war cares about what is called thinking.

The eyes burning with the desire to live, the eyes of someone who wants to fight, putting everything on the line.

He has faced many already.

This girl, how could she possess the same gaze?

Dio finally understood Leon's point when he said he found rare talents.

The right mentality to wield a sword!

Determination, quick-wittedness, an unquenchable fire.

These were the most important qualities of a swordsman.

As long as one possesses them, they will embark on the path of true swordsmanship!

As he noticed the girl behind him for a moment, Dio slowly opened his mouth.

As a more experienced swordsman than them, he should showcase his skills.

"Leon, I will take the lead."

"Hmm?" A questioning look appeared in Leon's eyes: "What do you mean? Wouldn't it be better if I start?"

Dio replied impatiently, "I was going to let you do it, but I have to show off in front of them; this is what you wanted me to do in the first place, right?"

He understood why Leon specifically mentioned him regarding these two.

They wield swords, which means they are duelists.

What does that mean?

Dio glared at Leon with annoyance: "You wanted me to train them, right?"

"Finally understood? You're slow to grasp, brother!"

Leon laughed warmly as he replied; clearly, if Leon was going to take them under his wing, he wouldn't have mentioned anything about it from the start.

Not to mention that Leon certainly excels in fighting with various weapons, but if it's sword fighting, Dio is better than him at it.

Leon's main weapon is the blade within his body; technically, it cannot be considered a sword; rather, it is more appropriate to consider it hand-to-hand combat.

Leon's fighting style uses the power of his body in consideration, not sword techniques.

Also...

"And naturally, I won't be their teacher either."

Lloyd replied, as if he understood what the two were thinking.

The reason is simple.

Leon answered as if it were obvious: "Lloyd is a spear user; although he can teach them some tricks, his weapon is used for long-range combat."

"As for the sword, although you can use the chi blade to attack distant enemies, it is ultimately a weapon for close and medium-range combat at best."

Dio completed the last part.

The voices of the three were audible to the two, as if the explanation was being directed at them.

As the enemy approached, the three spoke nonchalantly, without considering them in the first place.

For some reason, the enemies did not approach them aggressively as Fernando thought.

His gaze shifted to Leon: "Is he the reason?"

If we set aside Lloyd and Dio, the number of enemies was exactly around fifty.

Why didn't they advance?

Fernando squinted to see them more clearly.

As if noticing the confused look of the boy, Lloyd spoke in a calm voice: "They won't approach."

"More precisely, they can't."

"...What?"

"They fell into an illusion; when Dio and I came, I personally placed a runic spell at the edge of the beach."

"Hah!!?"

A voice of astonishment escaped Fernando's mouth.

This is unbelievable! A runic spell!

Isn't that the ancient language used to inscribe mana on physical objects?

What were spiritual tools and weapons made of? That was naturally through deriving the runic language!

The runic language is a strange concept that existed before ancient times; one could say that what remains of those civilizations is a trickle from a flood.

Even in noble families, you usually won't find an expert saying what Lloyd said nonchalantly; every expert in runes is equivalent to a weapon that can change the tides of war.

Being able to read it is indeed a miracle, but inscribing it directly onto the environment, and in this age?

This was unbelievable!

"A- do you even consider yourselves human anymore?"

"What a rudeness; of course, we are human! Wait... if you set Leon aside, we are definitely human!"

Lloyd replied with a laugh to Fernando, who was already starting to tremble.

"Hey! That's rude to my lord! I know I'm not usually polite, but my being human is too much!"

"Hmph! If your victims heard you, they would all vomit blood from anger!"

In response to Leon's complaint, Dio laughed rudely.

"Anyway, the illusion they fell into makes them think they are still in the forest; we have 20 minutes before the illusion fades."

Lloyd stared at the gathered groups in front of him; their eyes were vacant as they rudely talked to each other.

Fernando initially thought the enemies spoke because they believed the matter was certain.

The matter of capturing Leon.

But that was not the case.

"When the time is up, they will regain their consciousness."

"Well, leaving that aside, I think I should explain the situation?"

Leon said dismissively before starting to explain what they should do.

"Wait, before that, are you sure these two are okay with this?"

Dio said while staring at the girl beside him and the boy Fernando.

Will you really tell them the matter?

This is the implicit meaning of his words.

Fernando understood the intent, but he did not show any reaction; he somewhat expected that Leon would not engage in this chase without reason.

And he also understood another fact.

"He wouldn't keep me if I weren't part of the plan."

Was it from the beginning? Or after seeing him, it didn't matter.

While the girl's reaction was confusion, she tilted her head with an expression that said, "Why wouldn't I be okay with this?"

"Don't worry, it's fine; on the contrary, they should know this."

Leon spoke in a serious tone, which meant he had considered such a situation.

"Okay, I'll tell you from the beginning before getting into the main topic..."

He started explaining what he did on the journey, who he met there, and why he made it seem like he was being chased.

The only thing is that he didn't think the numbers chasing him would be sufficient, so when he escaped from Dio and the others, he went to the beach on the eastern coast of the island.

"A place like that would be obvious to expose my aura, which you are both aware of."

He knew the habit of Lloyd and Dio sitting in high places; moreover, the two had always wanted to sit on a cliff overlooking the sea.

The eastern coast was the closest place that matched this description from where they chased him.

"No, wait! How did you know the terrain?"

"I have my methods."

"What methods do you mean? You were only gone for a short time when you escaped; who did you meet?"

Lloyd asked, expressing his doubts.

"You'll find out later; I don't think this person wants to expose himself, at least until the chaos ends."

"Alright."

Lloyd responded easily; at first, he didn't expect a proper answer.

The question was for the boy and the girl, who had suddenly become involved in Leon's terrible plans.

And so, Leon waited for someone to come; he would fight the ruffians and draw the fight towards Lloyd and Dio as much as possible.

All he had to do was something simple, provoke the kids by making Lloyd and Dio look like allies.

How would these teenagers, who are mostly from noble backgrounds and prestigious clans, respond?

"They will underestimate the situation and make you a scapegoat with big brother Leon; why? This way, the achievements will be greater because they captured big brother Leon and prevented any troublemaker from helping him."

Fernando answered the matter as if it were simple.

That's true.

At first, talking on equal footing with the children of noble clans was not easy, especially when you don't have a prominent background.

Dio said coldly, sneering: "Those ruffians who have never tasted the real world will be arrogant; they will never tire themselves talking to us."

But by coincidence for Leon, the blonde girl came and fought Leon.

Thus, an idea flashed in his head!

Lloyd snorted coldly as he said: "Hmph, using that girl to provoke us after we arrive, right?"

Dio clicked his tongue as he mumbled: "Tsk, how did he know the timing of our arrival?"

"He didn't need to; it's enough to sense the chi in our bodies; that bastard has an incredible sense for sensing it, after all."

The conversation was moving along, half the time had already passed, so Leon avoided mentioning unimportant things until later.

After saying what needed to be said, he explained to everyone his next plan.

They were astonished.

Everyone's mouths were wide open.

Whether it was the expressionless beautiful girl, or Fernando, even Dio and Lloyd did not escape their expressions.

Veins appeared in their eyes from how wide they opened.

Fernando didn't know what to say; he remained unable to utter a word!

Even the girl, despite being dull towards human relationships, was not stupid.

The plan Leon narrated was fraught with danger.

This... this...

This is madness!

"A- you! Are you sure about what you're saying now?!"

"Leon! What you're planning to do, isn't this a real risk?!"

Lloyd's and Dio's expressions twisted.

This bastard has always been crazy!

The worst part is that he said this to two people he doesn't know! This fool! What is he thinking?!

"Hahaha!" Leon laughed heartily: "What are you afraid of?! Didn't we come to the island in the first place for this?"

Leon's eyes shone coldly, the sound of his laughter echoed on the beach.

"Those bound by the standards of others do not deserve to look up at the sky!! If we keep quietly growing our powers like this, won't these bastards take everything already? What use is our power then!"

"You're right about that, but... shouldn't we settle down first?"

Lloyd opposed him somewhat; it wasn't that he didn't understand what Leon wanted to convey, but he had to be sure about it.

Fear of risks is a trait of the weak, but recklessly diving into risks is the act of fools!

"Don't worry, that was true three years ago! At that time, there was nothing we could do, but now? Things are different!"

"My plan is flawless! Have you forgotten who I am? I don't take risks without benefit!"

Dio remained silent for a while, but he gathered his resolve and said with a voice tinged with confidence.

"He's right, Lloyd! Dragons do not stay rooted in the ground; they rise to the sky! Unless we move quickly, sooner or later, the tide of change will swallow us!"

Fernando's eyes sparkled brightly, but he didn't utter a word.

An idea crossed his mind, and he could only be astonished!

"So this is what big brother Leon meant! When he said I would reach horizons I never dreamed of, he didn't just mean power! Oh, what a frog in the bottom of a well I am! The sky of the well was all my eyes had seen!"

He didn't think this was the intent; Leon didn't directly state his intentions in his plan, but only a fool wouldn't understand his intentions.

It was a simple plan, and he only mentioned the main parts due to time constraints, but when delving into it, one could only gasp in fear and awe!

Those bound by the standards of others do not deserve to look up at the sky!

His words carried a tremendous weight on the heart.

That's right! If one is bound by the standards of society and continues to follow the crowds, how do they deserve to look up at the sky?

One must strive to reach the impossible! Only then will their life have meaning!

Fernando shouted excitedly: "Big brother Leon, big brother Dio! I believe you are both right! If one's aspirations are not the ink of the sea and sky, what is the use of living? Staying dead is better!"

"Hahaha!" Lloyd laughed as if mocking himself: "Even this boy has the courage, so how can I have the right to refuse afterward? My pride as a spearman does not allow me this!"

"I agree! Let our pursuit be the expanse of the earth and sky! Either one succeeds or fails; there is no middle ground!"

Dio's and Leon's eyes shone brightly!

Leon especially didn't think the blonde boy would be so enthusiastic; his eyes did not miss it; this boy is truly a gem!

"His gaze is bright; this means he has accepted me now!" Fernando thought to himself: "Usually, I would be hesitant about this, but my mentality has changed; no! Rather, my mind has become clear!"

The boy had been stubborn in thought since childhood and had an overwhelming desire to reach the heights.

It was not a desire for power; it was not arrogance or a sense of duty.

It was simply an instinct rooted in the boy!

If he risked his life and soared towards the sky, wouldn't his sword reach the path he dreamed of?

Fernando was an ambitious person, but before that, he was a swordsman!

As Dio said, either success or failure! There is no choice or middle ground in this!

The four laughed loudly.

This is how men are!

"Wait!" Dio said in surprise: "There is still someone who hasn't expressed their opinion yet!"

The four stared in one direction, the blonde-haired girl, her red eyes shining, while her expression remained neutral.

The atmosphere became quiet; everyone stared at her in silence, waiting for her answer.

"I have one question."

Her tone, devoid of inflection, was calm and low, but while no one spoke, everyone heard her clearly.

Her shining red eyes locked with Dio's fierce gaze.

"Ask whatever you wish."

"If I do it, my sword, will I reach the sword I aspire to?"

A strange voice came from his mouth as he replied: "What do you mean by 'the sword I aspire to' exactly?"

"The matter is actually..." Leon whispered in his ear as he informed him of her intent.

He nodded several times as he said: "Yes, yes, you have good aspirations, but is that all?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said; is that the limit of your vision?" Dio's tone became cold: "A sword that cuts the enemy regardless of who they are, but are humans and creatures the limits of your sword? What we want to sweep away is the whole world!"

"If it's just about cutting enemies, I can get you there in two or three years at worst, but what's the use? A swordsman must have the desire to cut everything!"

The girl replied, her voice darkening: "...Is that true?"

Dio's eyes sparkled with bright light: "Yes, that's true! A person must have the desire for what no one has been able to reach! That's why you-!"

Leon covered his mouth before his enthusiasm swept him away.

This bastard! He always forgets himself when it comes to swords!

While preventing Dio from speaking, Leon quickly said: "He's very obsessed when it comes to swords, so excuse him! But he has a point; I directed you earlier because I saw potential in you, but if our aspirations are more than what-"

"Obsessed with swords?"

The girl's calm voice interrupted Leon as he was in the middle of speaking.

"...Obsessed with swords, is that the same thing you called me earlier?"

"Is that all you care about, little one?"

Leon answered deliberately, as if reading her intentions.

She nodded her head repeatedly.

Leon sighed deliberately, as if saying something annoying: "Almost."

The girl tilted her head with a puzzled expression: "...Almost?"

While he signaled for Dio to be quiet with difficulty, Leon continued his speech: "If we take experience into account, he far surpasses you, but when we talk about obsession with swords, there is no comparison; in my entire life, I have never met anyone who loves swords like him."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he answered confidently to her doubtful voice: "You want to cut all enemies; that may be a common aspiration for excellence, but do you know?"

"This sword-obsessed bastard wants more; he wants his sword to reach what no one has reached; do you know what he wants to cut?"

"What does he want to cut?"

As if in a trance, the girl stared at Dio, who was struggling to free himself from Lloyd's grip, absentmindedly.

"His sword wants to cut everything."

Leon's voice came out quietly, still as a lake, without any ripples.

"Cut... everything...?"

As if under a hypnotic spell, the girl felt drawn to Leon's words.

The afternoon winds brushed against her skin, and her blonde hair fluttered in the air; her eyes were vacant, feeling new emotions.

How could she explain it?

Earlier, it was like walking in fog.

A sword that cuts the enemy, fast, agile, and sharp.

This filled her heart; as long as she achieved it, that would be the end of her journey in life.

The girl had no one to protect or return to.

The only memory of the people close to her was her mother and father.

But like the cold winds of the night, they no longer existed in this world.

Her father died when she was an infant, while her mother passed away when she grew up somewhat.

What remained of her mother was just remnants of memories and a necklace she gave her in childhood.

The sword in her hand is a memento from her deceased father.

Her mother told her that her father wished for her to take it after his death.

For some reason, the girl found herself always waving her sword; she had nothing else to do.

She had already thought about what she would do after reaching the world she wanted to reach.

"Most likely, I will end my life there."

There was nothing left for her in life to live for.

Whether family or friends, they had all already departed.

What kept her alive until today was not the fear of death, but the vow she made to herself.

"What my father's hand could not reach, my hands will reach."

Thus, his will would remain in the world.