Chapter 8
When Caron looked at the Azure Mana that surrounded him, it reminded him of the vast ocean he had once seen in his past life. That was when he had received an order from the emperor to quell a rebellion in a coastal city. The horizon had stretched endlessly, and the water’s depths had been great and unfathomable.
Though it was a singular experience, he recalled the grandeur he had felt at that time. The Azure Mana before him kept reminding him of those feelings as it enveloped his entire being and filled him completely.
The voice echoed in his mind.
—I don't know why that sword appeared to you in such a form, but it originally belonged to Rael, your first ancestor.
The infinite ocean sharpened the dark and cursed sword, Luin. Intense flames were not needed for that task; the blue mana glowed coldly, dispelling the darkness that had tainted the blade.
—Gram, the sword your grandfather took, also belonged to your first ancestor. It is a sword imbued with the power of the North Sea, and has long been recorded in history.
Amid the blue glow of the Azure Mana, the sword was forged anew. Blue light was infused into the dark blade, and soon, a dark blue sword emerged. It could no longer be called a cursed sword. It shone with dark blue light, saturated with Azure Mana.
—However, the sword you are given now is not even recorded in history. The existence of the sword is passed down only among the elders and the heads of the family. And the reason for that is simple. It is because the power contained in this sword is highly alien to the power of your family.
The blade was no longer Luin, the cursed sword that Caron remembered. He looked down at the new sword that had been born again on the throne, then asked in a low voice, "What is the name of this sword?"
—It is the sword that beheaded countless demons, consuming their powers; it was once so feared by demons that it was hidden away and they forgot its very existence. It is a sword that was born in the dark yet pure depths of the North Sea.
Caron held the sword in his hand.
Whoosh.
The Azure Mana that flowed from the sword surged into Caron like a tidal wave. This torrent of mana forcibly widened the mana pathways that he had never cleared before. Pain coursed through him, but he exhaled as he gripped the sword tightly.
—Guillotine, the Execution Sword. That is the real name of this sword.
Blood trickled from the corners of Caron’s mouth. It was a side effect of his mana pathways being opened by force. It felt as if he was being burned from within, but pain like this was nothing to him. In his previous life, after all, he had endured far worse suffering hundreds of times.
Caron smiled as he drew the sword from the throne and lightly brushed his hand along its dark blue blade.
"Guillotine, the Execution Sword," he murmured.
He didn’t know why this sword had appeared to him as a cursed sword in his past life, but he decided not to think about it too much. The secrets it contained would be uncovered as he grew stronger and sought them out himself.
"Is uncovering those secrets another task assigned to me?" Caron asked himself quietly.
He had never once thought that his reincarnation was mere coincidence. He’d always suspected the involvement of some external power.
—It is a sword that resembles the dark, deep sea. It suits your destiny perfectly, Child.
Caron had a strong suspicion about the identity of the voice. There was only one tribe in this world that introduced themselves as the "Azure Clan."
"Blue Dragons… So it's true that our family has a guardian dragon. What is your name?" he asked.
Dragons were known as great beings; to most, they seemingly existed only in myths, but they really did exist in this world. Caron’s suspicion was correct. The voice in his mind responded cheerfully.
—You have not yet grown enough to bear the weight of learning my real name. When you can fully control your sea of power, come to the North Sea.
"And how do I leave this place?" Caron asked.
—You already know, don't you?
"Aha, is it really what I think it is?" Caron remarked with a wide grin as he raised the sword high.
The mission to destroy the world… From the beginning, there was only one thing that defined his world in this place.
It was the throne.
"I always wanted to break it with my own hands one day," he remarked.
This was the seat where the emperor, who had bound not only Cain’s fate but also his soul, once sat.
Whoosh.
The dark blue sword resonated with Caron’s Azure Mana. Without hesitation, he struck down with the blade.
Clang!
C-Crack!
With a thunderous crash, the throne made of gold split in half. Debris scattered everywhere, and the illusion that had covered the entire space began to dissipate little by little.
Caron looked down at his sword again with a relieved heart. He thought ‘Guillotine, the Execution Sword’ was a fitting name for a troublemaker’s sword.
—It will be quite entertaining to see your household turned upside down. You’re my last source of amusement. Don’t keep me waiting too long.
"Quite impatient for someone so old. It's not typical for someone who has lived so long to be this impatient," Caron said.
—I like you a lot, you troublemaker. I'll be waiting eagerly.
With those words, the illusion vanished, revealing the blue forest from earlier. Caron leisurely glanced around, a satisfied grin on his face.
After a moment, he paused, muttering, "Hmm."
He realized something was wrong.
The spot where the Pledge Stone was supposed to have been placed was empty. All that remained in its place was a pile of blue dust infused with Azure Mana. On top of that, the barrier had also disappeared.
In the distance, Caron saw his grandfather, Halo, rushing toward him. Considering all the possible explanations, the conclusion was clear.
"...The stone is broken?" Halo wondered.
The Pledge Stone had shattered.
Caron smiled brightly once again after realizing that the Pledge Stone had broken, even though he didn’t understand why it had happened.
It looks as if he’s ready to kill me if I make the slightest slip of the tongue, grandson or not, he thought. Seeing Halo’s serious expression, he knew he had achieved his goal.
"Caron, what has happened? The Pledge Stone…" Halo asked.
"I’m not sure… It seems to have broken. What’s going to happen, Grandfather?" Caron responded as he nonchalantly extended the sword for his grandfather to see. He began, "Ah, and I received this swo—"
"Guillotine, the Execution Sword. How did that sword appear at this time…" Halo's expression grew even more serious.
For Caron, it had been a truly satisfying day.
***
Halo stood as he stared down at the dark blue sword his grandson held. It was Guillotine, the sword that had been erased from the household’s history. It was a sword that had never chosen anyone, and its existence was only known through oral traditions passed down among the elders and heads of the household.
He hadn’t known why the mysterious sword had never appeared until now, but when he finally saw it in person, he understood. Guillotine was terrifying to even look at.
It represented an extremely alien fear. Looking into its blade was akin to gazing into the unfathomable depths of the ocean. The mere sight of it was terrifying. Most people would never dare to even think of wielding it. And yet, his grandson stood before him, holding it without hesitation.
Was his grandson incapable of feeling fear, or did Guillotine simply not reveal its menace to its true master? Regardless, this situation was unprecedented.
"Aren’t you afraid of that sword?" Halo asked.
"No, Grandfather," Caron replied.
"…I see," Halo sighed and glanced at the remnants of the Pledge Stone scattered across the ground.
The shattered Pledge Stone signified that the time to fulfill their clan’s promise was approaching. The vow had been made between Rael Leston and the Blue Dragons of the North Sea, and it was a promise to eradicate the demons that emerged from the world's end. Rael had failed to exterminate the demons, so he had left the Pledge Stone as a promise for the future, hoping one of his descendants would fulfill the vow.
Does that mean Caron is the one destined for this vow? Halo pondered.
He looked at the elders standing behind him. They, too, knew the secrets that had been passed down for generations in their family. That meant they would understand what this situation meant. However, simply knowing something and accepting it were two different things.
As both the head of the household and a grandfather, there was nothing Halo could do to help his grandson with this matter.
The master of Guillotine is fated to walk into the vortex, Halo recalled. All he could do was acknowledge and accept that his grandson had been chosen by fate.
Having reached his conclusion, Halo declared in a calm voice, "The Awakening Ceremony is over."
He looked down at his grandson… the child chosen by destiny and by Guillotine. Caron, his youngest grandson, was the one who would someday lead the Ducal Family of Leston into a time of chaos.
"Caron Leston has been chosen by Guillotine, the Execution Sword that belonged to the first ancestor. As the head of the household, I declare that Caron has earned the right to learn the Ocean Dominance Arts," Halo announced to the people who had gathered.
The Ocean Dominance Arts referred to a secret technique passed down only to the direct descendants of the Ducal Family of Leston, which allowed them to control the vast ocean of Azure Mana.
My son, Fayle thought as he clenched his fists, listening to Halo’s words. His son would now walk a path he himself had never been able to even set foot on. Despite his worries about the ominous sword in Caron’s hands, his heart swelled with pride.
Halo looked around at his sons and continued to speak.
"Caron Leston, son of Fayle Leston and grandson of Halo Leston, is now a proud member of the Azureocean Castle. All of you present here are witnesses. Remember this moment, those of you who bear the blood of Leston."
With that said, the Awakening Ceremony was over. Halo slowly turned and walked away with the elders who had been waiting. His three sons and Caron bowed, then waited until the head of the household was out of sight.
Once Halo had disappeared from view, Halo’s eldest son, Dales, approached Caron with a congratulatory smile. He said, "Congratulations, Nephew."
"Thank you, Uncle," Caron replied.
"You are…" Dales began, but his voice trailed off as he looked at the sword in Caron’s hands. He prided himself on knowing all the family’s artifacts, but he had never heard of this sword named Guillotine, the Execution Sword.
His father and the elders seemed to recognize it, however. He recalled the brief look of bewilderment on his father’s face, which threw his thoughts into even more disarray. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask Caron about the sword.
It scares me, Dales thought.
Although he was not as accomplished as his father, he was on the brink of reaching 8-Star and was considered one of the empire's strongest. And yet, even he felt a chill when he looked at the dark blue sword, as if he were staring into the depths of an unfathomable abyss.
Caron smiled at his uncles. The eldest had at least offered a word of congratulations, while the second stood with a grave expression, not saying anything.
Halo’s first son is still a step above the second son, he thought, amused by the whole situation.
"I look forward to your guidance," Caron said with a grin.
He bowed to his uncles, then took Fayle’s hand. Smiling, he said, "Father, I’m hungry."
Fayle nodded to Caron and replied, "Alright, let’s go back and eat."
"I want to eat meat!" Caron exclaimed.
"I already made sure plenty of meat dishes would be prepared," Fayle said with a chuckle.
"You’re the best, Father!" Caron beamed and left with his father.
In the end, only Dales and Raphael remained in that place. Once their nephew was out of sight, Raphael let out a sigh and turned to his brother.
"Brother, that sword, Guillotine… Did you know about it?" Raphael asked.
"Of course not," Dales replied.
"I just… I can’t understand this situation. How did Fayle’s son…" Raphael couldn’t continue.
"Well, one thing is clear now," Dales said as he looked at his brother pathetically.
Raphael had always been overly ambitious despite his lack of ability, constantly scheming to become the heir. But with Caron in the picture, the situation had changed.
"It’s not the time for us to fight amongst ourselves," Dales said firmly.
Ever since his young nephew had awakened his Azure Mana, he had felt a growing unease. Now, that unease had taken form. Their father would never ignore a child chosen by the first ancestor’s sword.
A small variable might arise in the succession structure, Dales thought.
The solid foundation he had built so far could soon develop a crack.
And I have no intention of standing by idly.
He believed that the position of heir was meant solely for him. As the eldest son of the great hero, he rightfully held both the glory of the Ducal Family of Leston and the responsibility to lead the household. Caron was too young to threaten everything he had built so far.
Dales unclenched and clenched his fist, then spoke calmly to his brother. "Raphael, it's been a long time since we had something to talk about alone."
"...I’ll listen for now," Raphael said reluctantly.
"It will be to your benefit as well, so don’t worry," Dales assured him.
He looked in the direction Caron had gone, refusing to be swayed by a mere ten-year-old.
Variables can be controlled, he thought. There was nothing that would change.
Dales exhaled slowly and nodded to himself.
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