Chapter 17 The Warrior Monk Patagamon

1

“Master Patagamon, we’ve received a report from the Eleventh Unit. They say the divine spirits of Mejatoke Lake have either entered a deep sleep or vanished.”

“Thank you. Please have them return to the temple at once.”

“Master Patagamon, the Eighth Unit has sent an inquiry. Lately there have been rumors spreading through the borderlands that good omens have been sighted near the Ocean Temple, and they would like to know if they should investigate.”

“No. That is not something we need to look into right away. Have them join with the Second Unit in the Gahra Mountains as planned. A little too much time has passed, but tell them to ask around at the foot of the mountain range to see if anyone has witnessed any strange events and then to hire a person from the mountains who can guide them to the sacred ground.”

This was the Jan’Majar Temple. It was located in the country of Peza in the southeast of the continent, and it produced many renowned warrior monks. All who entered this temple received strict martial arts training. Jan’Majar Temple was unique for taking religious doctrine and its associated training and integrating it with martial arts.

They were currently in the General Affairs Division in the Denomination Affairs Building. The man sitting behind the desk in the middle of the room busily taking reports, giving orders, and working through never-ending paperwork was a monk named Patagamon, who was acting as the representative for the Chief of General Affairs.

The chief was quite old and was taking a long break due to his poor health, so Patagamon was effectively in charge of the division.

Most of the monks bustling about the temple were slender, but Patagamon had an imposing physique. His muscles stood out clearly under his shabby martial arts uniform. He had a thick neck and a shiny shaved head. His bushy eyebrows arched up toward the heavens. His eyes were slanted and emitted a powerful light reminiscent of a dragon. His voice was low but firm and clear.

Whether it came to combat, intellect, judgment, or carrying out the will of the sect founder, the most sensible young monks at the temple looked up to him as an example to follow.

A monk entered the room. He had a lanky build, hard facial features, and was probably slightly older than Patagamon.

“Mr. Patagamon, I still haven’t received a response from you.”

“Hello, Mr. Ragalat. My apologies. As you can see, I’m quite busy here. All monks capable of telepathy are currently spread throughout the continent, devoting themselves to their own missions. As I’ve told you before, as soon as anyone becomes available, I’ll comply with the additional dispatch you requested.”

“Mr. Patagamon. Monks who can perform telepathy are very valuable personnel to the entire temple. The General Affairs Division may be the core of the Denomination Affairs Building, but that does not mean you can hog them for yourself.”

“You seem to have the wrong idea. I am not hogging them for myself. I am training them. Every single year, whether this year, last year, or many years before that, the first selections of the temple’s new recruits always go to your Clerical Division and the Ceremonial Division. The other divisions pick after them, and the General Affairs Division accepts the remaining newcomers. During the education of our new recruits, some of them by chance become able to use telepathy. The methods of telepathy are not a secret within this temple. Feel free to train the new recruits in the Clerical Department.”

“Mr. Patagamon, you speak too harshly of my department. It takes time to learn what kind of talent a person possesses. We need to make effective use of the talent that has already been awoken.”

Ragalat spent a little while longer refusing to back down; then he eventually gave up and left the room.

“Master Patagamon. Master Ragalat was strangely persistent today.”

“Hmm. The other party may have raised their asking price. It’s probably not the Gorenza Empire this time but some other country or person of influence.”

“But still, monopolizing personnel was quite a thing to accuse you of. His department reaps all the benefits of taking in the sons of nobility and wealthy families, and then when we take in the children of poor people who no one wanted and train them to acquire the power of the sect, he sees them as property. He’s planning on turning them into commodities.”

Telepathic monks worked in pairs and could communicate with each other even from opposite ends of the continent. They couldn’t contact their partner at will, as they both needed to be in the telepathic state at the same time, but all they had to do was set times for communication in advance.

No one other than the monks of Jan’Majar Temple had ever possessed this ability. It was said to be bestowed by the special divine protection awarded to the temple.

Even possessing one pair of people with this ability would bring about immeasurable benefits in politics, military affairs, economics, and more. The various countries around the continent, especially the Gorenza Empire, paid extraordinary sums of money to request long-term dispatch of telepathic personnel. Because the temple would earn resentment if they refused these requests outright, they occasionally loaned monks for short periods of time. That way they could gain favor and build personal connections.

Client relations was usually the duty of the General Affairs Division, but ever since Ragalat assumed the position of Clerical Director, the Clerical Division had been managing every case of dispatching telepathic monks outside the temple on the logic that they should handle all matters that concerned use of the power of the sect.

However, because there wasn’t even one telepathic monk in the Clerical Division who could be entrusted with training monks, Ragalat had been frequently requesting personnel from the General Affairs Division, which possessed almost all the telepathic monks in the temple. However, because the General Affairs Division ranked higher than the Clerical Division in the hierarchy of the divisions, Ragalat could not order Patagamon to dispatch telepathic monks. All he could do was make requests. Aside from the locations where telepathic monks had already been dispatched, Patagamon had rejected almost all of Ragalat’s requests.

“Master Patagamon. I need to keep my voice down when telling you this, but Master Ragalat has been saying that if he becomes the abbot, he will remake it to serve the world.”

“So I’ve heard. He probably wants to leave two pairs of telepathic monks at the temple and lend the rest out for this purpose of serving the world. It’s foolish. He does not understand the original mission of this temple.”

Another monk then rushed into the room.

“Master Patagamon, I have grave news. Abbot Kau Lekan has passed away.”

2

You can practically taste the combat prowess flowing through the entire mountain.

Zara was shown around by a monk in training and was currently climbing a winding, narrow staircase.

Jan’Majar Temple was located in a secluded point in Peza. Directly behind the temple sprawled a region called the Highlands that was uninhabited by humans, but Jan’Majar Temple occupied the entirety of a small, isolated mountain on the edge of the Highlands. Zara keenly felt the uncommon sense of vigor released by the entire mountain.

When he was left alone in that strange garden, he was at a loss as to what to do, but after a little while, the garden disappeared, and he found himself in a place he had never seen before. Thankfully, the strange items disappeared along with the garden.

He asked someone where he was, and they told him they were in Peza. He was in the very northeastern tip of Peza, which was right on the border with Aldana.

If you were to travel southward along the coast from the Ocean Temple at the eastern edge of the continent, you would first enter Aldana and then Peza after that. Going farther south would take you to a vast desert region, which contained the Free Cities of Karelia. South beyond that was a seemingly boundless ocean. West of the Free Cities of Karelia was the border province of Sheradan, and yet farther west was the Gorenza Empire.

These were all countries that the people of the Baldemost Kingdom knew only in name and rumor, so Zara was deeply moved that he had come so far.

Aldana had a thriving culture of swordsmanship and housed a great number of training halls. There were swordsmen Zara would have liked to try to visit, but he didn’t feel like turning back to Aldana.

It was more important that he stop by the Jan’Majar Temple now that he was in Peza. He had something he wanted them to take a look at, and it was possible that he would need to return it to them.

It was situations like this that made him grateful he was an S-rank adventurer, as even places like Jan’Majar Temple that were reluctant to allow outsiders couldn’t refuse the visit of an S-rank adventurer. After entering the temple, Zara was very quickly shown to a high-ranking monk, who was introduced as an aide to the Chief of General Affairs.

“It is very nice to meet you, Master Zara. I am Patagamon, and I am currently representing this temple’s Chief of General Affairs. I admire your diligence in reaching S rank at such a young age. I would like the young people at this temple to learn from your example.”

Zara returned the greeting and spoke with him for a while. It soon became apparent this man was a very impressive individual when it came to combat, wisdom, and even matters of the mind.

“This is actually the reason for my visit today.”

Zara held out a bracelet.

“Th-this is… Where in the world did you obtain this?”

“My father was a knight of the Baldemost Kingdom. His name was Panzel. One time, he decided he needed to learn a form of bare-handed martial arts in order to face a powerful enemy. At that time, a warrior monk from this temple happened to be staying at an acquaintance’s home, and upon request, the monk gladly offered him instruction. The instruction apparently only lasted for three weeks, but my father learned a very difficult technique from the warrior monk, and he was able to defeat the enemy. After my father died, this bracelet was left among his belongings, but I did not know where it came from. I recently showed it to one of my combat instructors, and he informed me that the pattern engraved into it is the mark of Jan’Majar Temple. He also told me that my father was taught by a warrior monk from this temple, so he recommended that I stop by if I get a chance during my journey for personal growth.”

“Hmm. I’m amazed by this. I never would have expected the bracelet to return now, of all times. Hmm. This must be the will of the divine. Master Zara, I ask that you keep everything I am about to tell you a secret.”

According to Patagamon’s explanation, this bracelet had belonged to a high-ranking monk named Manda.

The bracelet was a treasure called a Sacred Beast Bracelet. There were four Sacred Beast Bracelets in total, each one imbued with the warrior’s virtue of one of the four Sacred Beasts, namely Gormedo to the east, Rasha to the west, Polpo to the north, and Yarts to the south. The sect founder gave them to his four best pupils, so each of the four people who possessed one of the bracelets in the modern day was considered qualified to be named abbot, the highest position of the temple. The owner of each bracelet passed it on to their most elite pupil.

However, eighteen years ago, Gormedo’s Bracelet was lost. Manda said that he gave it to someone he spent a few weeks training during his travels. He refused to say a word about who it was or where they lived.

“If I say who I gave it to, then a messenger will likely be sent out to retrieve it. I may have only taught this person for a short period of time, but they are undoubtedly my greatest pupil. I know not of anyone more gifted in combat than they, and I cannot imagine giving it to anyone else,” Manda had said at the time.

Manda also said that he taught this unknown pupil the temple’s secret arts of the vajra fighting spirit and bronze alchemy. What Manda had done was inexcusable, so he was demoted to a common martial artist of the temple. He didn’t utter a word of complaint, however, and devoted himself to training the younger generation until his death six years ago.

“Did Master Manda break the temple’s rules by teaching my father martial arts?”

Patagamon laughed heartily.

“Our sect founder said to spread our techniques and prayers far and wide. He also said we should choose those to whom we pass on his teachings not by their position or their length of time served but by simple combat strength. Manda followed the sect founder’s teachings splendidly. It was only later that our temple attached special meaning to the Sacred Beast Bracelets to suit our organization. It is believed that the Sacred Beast Bracelets allow one to borrow the authority of the sect founder. The sect founder told his followers not to build him a grave and not to establish an organized religion. We made him a grave anyway, and we still pay it our respects. The highest-ranking member of our temple, the abbot, is in charge of looking after the grave. The very existence of this temple is a betrayal of our sect founder.”

After hearing Patagamon’s daring words, Zara felt strongly that he could trust him.

3

“To think that Manda’s pupil turned out to be Panzel of Baldemost. Rumors of his valor reach us even in this region, including how he defeated the monster at the bottom of that labyrinth by himself and that he crushed the Northern Knights numerous times. Though those rumors would also have you believe he defeated one hundred knights alone.”

“That’s true.”

“What? I’m sorry, but I can’t bring myself to believe that one. It is impossible for a single person to defeat one hundred knights in battle.”

Zara opened his Treasury in front of Patagamon, pulled out Bora’s Sword, and laid it down on the desk.

“He did it by borrowing this sword’s power.”

Patagamon held the sword in his right hand, closed his eyes, and activated some kind of spell.

He has the Appraisal skill?

Patagamon’s eyes shot wide open.

“This sword! This is a god-blessed item. And from a high god, no less! I didn’t think something like this could still be obtained. Hmmmmmm. What potent blessings.”

“A god-blessed item? What is that?”

“They are items produced by gods or divine spirits and imbued with the very best blessings, and they always bear the name of that god or divine spirit that created it. Nearly all the signature divine weapons we have identified have become treasures of countries, temples, or lords. It seems that the blessings of these items are related to the characteristics of the god or divine spirit that produced them. The blessings have tremendous effects, but in many cases, the conditions for activating them are very strict. It is common for there to be a limit on the people who can use a god-blessed item. No small number of them have remained unusable for hundreds of years because the people who fulfilled the conditions died out.”

“What is a high god?”

“Divine spirits that are worshipped by people and earn divinity become lower gods, and if their divinity increases to a certain point, they become middle gods. Divine spirits that inhabit lakes, waterfalls, rivers, trees, rocks, and other such places rarely move from their original location and do not take on much of a personality when they receive divinity. When divine spirits that are born from interactions between gods and humans, such as dragons and giants, receive divinity, they become able to move anywhere and display unique personalities. High gods, on the other hand, are spiritual beings that originally lacked physical form and existed in this world before the appearance of humans.”

“If Bora is a high god, does that mean Gahra and Zara are as well?”

“That’s right. But I’m surprised a person from the north such as yourself has heard of Gahra and Zara.”

“Honestly, I only recently learned of their existence.”

Zara told him about his experience on the Gahra Mountains. He also shared the myth that the girl of the mountains had taught him.

“Well, I’ll be. So that’s what happened. I sensed that there was a strong disturbance among the divine spirits in the Gahra Mountains, so I dispatched some members from the temple to investigate if anything had happened there. But never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined someone had turned their blade against the divine spirits and then made that kind of oath. You’re as reckless as Bolton himself.”

“Is Bolton the name of a god?”

“Yes. His name is used in many expressions and metaphors in parts of the south. He is a very popular god in fairy tales. He was originally a dragon god who lived on Dona Lake along with his wife, the dragon god Raika, who was known as an angry goddess. Raika had quite a jealous personality and could fly into a rage almost instantly. Bolton was afraid of his wife, yet he seemed to have a habit of going out of his way to make her angry. Those around him would get dragged into the messes he made as well. For that reason, whenever someone willingly invites trouble their own way, they are called ‘as reckless as Bolton.’ The saying ‘don’t do anything to ruffle Raika’s scales’ survives today as well. It is said that Raika is Kaldan’s younger sister.”

Oh, so that’s why Bolton’s Charm has that kind of blessing. That makes sense.

“Do you know the names Alestra and Ende, too?”

“Ende was another dragon god, said to be Bolton’s little brother. The name Alestra is not known in the south. In the north, there is a legend that Alestra was a god who served the goddess Pharah. Alestra’s birthplace is unknown, but because there is apparently a god-blessed item bearing that name, he must have been a real divine spirit.”

“Are the six major gods in the north all high gods?”

“The earth goddess Bora and the sea deity Elvetta are high gods. Toran, the god of healing and death, is a middle god. I believe the other three gods may be rising from lower gods to middle gods.”

“You sure have a deep knowledge of gods and divine spirits.”

“That is because of the mission of this temple.”

“Is gathering legends this temple’s mission?”

“No. Our mission is to watch over the trends of gods and divine spirits and prevent them from turning into devas. We calm down any who are in the process of becoming a deva.”

“What is a deva?”

“This will be a bit of a long story.”

4

Divine spirits gain divinity and become lower gods when they receive reverence from humans, but if afterward they are forgotten, or else avoided as a cursed god of calamity, they will sometimes turn into spiritual existences that bring about destruction and chaos. Jan’Majar Temple calls these beings devas.

Gods have a variety of dispositions. Some of them are violent and release unbridled fury when angered. Devas are not the same as these violent gods.

Devas are a warped force that have lost the disposition they once had as gods. Once a god becomes a deva, it is impossible for it to turn back into a god.

Devas spread miasma, poison, and curses, and the land their power touches becomes a hotbed for demons.

A long time ago, humans were helpless in the world, and they only barely survived thanks to the blessings of gods and divine spirits. However, the blessings could only serve a small number of people, so a more effective method was needed to reach more of humanity.

Eventually, the method of leveling up was discovered, and labyrinths were created, which gave humans significantly greater opportunity to receive strength and items of value. The human population grew, many countries were born, and humanity prospered.

However, a problem arose.

Within labyrinths, the blessings of gods and divine spirits are drawn out forcefully and automatically. Blessings that are consumed in this way are extremely powerful, but always end up twisted and warped, and are not used up properly.

As a result, impure, twisted fragments of blessings are left behind. These fragments are power without a purpose, or a very, very small fragment of a deva, so to speak. These are born aboveground as well, but they are dangerous only if they are gathered in large quantities, and with time, they will either return to nothing or be captured by gods, divine spirits, or monsters. But in labyrinths, the creation of these fragments occurs too quickly and on too large a scale.

The ones who noticed this were people who received special blessings from the gods, known as dungeon makers. The dungeon makers devised a mechanism to cause the warped fragments of blessings to be automatically expelled from labyrinths. They also created a special space in which to send any fragments that are above a certain level of power.

Our sect founder, Jan’Majar, heard all this directly from a dungeon maker. He then asked the dungeon maker what would happen when too many of the twisted fragments of blessings gathered in that space.

“Devas will be born.”

That is what he said.

At the time, this was not a problem. There were divine spirits that would accept petitions from the dungeon makers and destroy the devas.

The distortion born from defeating devas in those special spaces would counterbalance the power of the devas themselves, so if a deva was defeated in that space, the warped power would be extinguished completely.

The blessings characteristic of labyrinths do not work in that space. If they did, new fragments would be produced. The space is also thick with miasma, poison, and curses, meaning humans cannot enter it. For that reason, the dungeon maker did not tell our sect founder where the space is.

The dungeon maker taught the sect founder a method of calming divine spirits above the ground that are in the process of turning into devas. That was around 1,300 years ago. He then taught it to his disciples.

The sect founder died, and a long amount of time passed.

Around five hundred years ago, the holy occupation of adventurer was discovered. A variety of useful blessings and blessed items found only in labyrinths started to be discovered in quick succession. The pace of labyrinth expeditions accelerated overnight, as well as the pace at which humans could obtain strength.

As a result, humans grew wealthy and countries flourished, but we grew worried. Even before this development occurred, labyrinths were already producing great distortion. Now the efficiency of that distortion has increased by the dozens. The fragments should be accumulating at a pace significantly quicker than before.

Where is the space that the fragments are being sent to? What is happening there right now?

Every container has a limited capacity. What will happen when the space is no longer able to hold the devas? Are there any divine spirits left that can deal with them?

There is not a single dungeon maker left who can answer those questions.

5

Zara was left speechless after hearing what Patagamon had to say. He felt like everything he knew about gods, labyrinths, and adventurers had been flipped upside down.

“What I have just told you is a secret of this temple known only to those above a certain rank. Outside the temple, the king of Peza, the emperor of Gorenza, the king of Aldana, the king of the Holy Kingdom of Roahl, the king of Mazulu, and the other influential rulers of the south also know about it. These rulers protect the existence of this temple, and we receive their patronage.”

“I’m shocked. I don’t even know what to say.”

“That is to be expected. I ask that you not repeat this to anyone.”

“I promise. By the way, Master Patagamon.”

“What is it?”

“Were the divine spirits that would kill devas at the request of the dungeon makers dragon gods?”

“I do not know the answer to that, but it is certain that dragon gods held exceptional strength among the multitude of divine spirits. But there are no longer any dragons aboveground.”

“Are dragons and dragon gods the same thing?”

“They are the same, but strictly speaking, there are differences. Creatures such as fish, birds, snakes, and beasts need a long time to become divine spirits, so they need special circumstances to award them a long lifetime to achieve it. Dragons, by contrast, are born as divine spirits.”

“I see.”

“Dragons all have long life spans and grow slowly. Dragons gain high intelligence as they age and can wield strong divine energies. They become able to take on human form and mingle with mankind. Dragons that have reached this stage are called dragon gods, or divine dragons. There are many divine spirits on this continent, but unfortunately, there is not a single dragon left.”

“I witnessed the birth of a new dragon.”

“What?!”

Zara told him about the strange trip he went on with the White Princess Ishkriella and about the baby dragon’s birth. He also told him about the White Princess’s true identity and the fate of the dragon god Kaldan. He was unsure of whether he should do this, but he also told him about Narillia.

“Hmm. Hmm. This is a lot to take in. I see. So that’s what happened. That means good omens actually were sighted at the Dragon Temple. I never would have guessed it was the child of Kaldan. She may have been born a dragon god. Hmm.”

“I hope my experience is helpful to you.”

“You’ve already been far more than helpful. It is enough for me to wonder if you have been given the protection of the divine spirits and directed toward this temple with a mission. Your story has cleared up a number of my long-held doubts.”

“There is one thing I’m worried about.”

“Oh? And what is that?”

“It’s about Narillia. Her true form is that of a lamia, which is in the demon family of monsters. Will Jan’Majar Temple subjugate her?”

“Ha-ha-ha! No, you don’t need to worry about that. Hunting lamias is not the role of this temple. Her true form is human, and it was clear from your report that there is no need to suspect she bears any ill intent. Besides, that area is not under the jurisdiction of any country, so there is no administrator we could even report to. The temple will forget you ever mentioned this.”

“That’s a relief.”

“All right, Master Zara. I will ask this of you again. Will you return Gormedo’s Bracelet to this temple?”

“I was already planning on doing so. This is something that my father borrowed temporarily, so it only makes sense to return it to its rightful place.”

“I greatly appreciate your kindness. I ask that you keep this a secret as well, but the head of this temple’s denomination, the abbot, died suddenly, and his successor needs to be chosen right away. The keepers of Rasha’s Bracelet, Polpo’s Bracelet, and Yarts’s Bracelet are all virtuous and dependable monks, and I believe any of them would make a good successor. However, though the keeper of Rasha’s Bracelet has announced his candidacy as successor, the keepers of Polpo’s and Yarts’s have backed the director of the Clerical Division, Ragalat.”

Patagamon’s expression soured.

“It is certainly not a rule that the abbot needs to be a keeper of a Sacred Beast Bracelet. But the only reason it is not a rule is because it is common sense that the highest position of the temple should be occupied by a person of the highest moral integrity.”

“Has this Ragalat not had appropriate training?”

“He was a man of great talent when he was young. But then he had a taste of power and wealth. If Ragalat becomes the abbot, I am afraid this temple will be unable to carry out its original mission. The keepers of Polpo’s and Yarts’s are not people who can be bribed, but I may have been able to win them over with time. I’ve been careless.”

“Now I understand. Having Gormedo’s Bracelet back means the current course of events can be stopped.”

“Exactly. I am casting my vote for the keeper of Rasha’s Bracelet. That way we will be stuck in a two-to-two deadlock. Then I’ll get to work trying to persuade the keepers of Polpo’s and Yarts’s.”

“Do you not need certain qualifications to be the keeper of a Sacred Beast Bracelet?”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I am a pupil of Master Manda. Which makes your father my fellow student. My status as keeper is recognized by the temple.”

6

Zara spent multiple days as a guest of honor at the temple, and he was allowed to observe the monks in training. Then, one day, a sudden development occurred.

According to Patagamon’s explanation, which he delivered with a face twisted by fury, it had been decided that the two-to-two deadlock between the two candidates would be decided by a duel between two converts in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts.

Patagamon said that converts were martial artists from outside the temple who admired the temple’s valor and had sworn to protect its doctrine. The spirits of the four sacred beasts resided in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts, and they monitored the fight for any wrongdoing and declared a winner.

Ragalat nominated a man named Jarr Dol Baza. Jarr Dol Baza was a swordsman who headed a training hall in Aldana, and though he was approaching old age, word of his valor had spread throughout the continent, and he was called the Divine Blade to match his noble personality. Jarr Dol Baza had been named a convert by the keeper of Yarts’s Bracelet, so he was a reasonable selection.

After this declaration, Patagamon decided to hold off on naming his challenger. He considered picking a young swordsman convert who lived in Peza, but he was unable to make up his mind. It would take a while for Jarr Dol Baza to arrive from Aldana, so Patagamon thought he had the time to prepare carefully.

However, a moment ago, Ragalat had entered the General Affairs Division with a sudden announcement.

“Jarr Dol Baza is already waiting in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts. Hurry up and prepare your convert.”

Patagamon was dumbfounded. Then he realized what had happened.

Jarr Dol Baza arrived too quickly to have been summoned from Aldana. He had probably visited the temple by coincidence for the purpose of training. The reception of visitors seeking training was the jurisdiction of the Clerical Division. Ragalat must have secretly put Jarr Dol Baza on standby, steered the meeting toward the decision to end the deadlock with a duel of converts, and then sent Jarr Dol Baza to the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts.

“I never would have imagined a monk of this temple would use such a dirty trick. He deceived me.”

“Can you delay the duel until you have your representative prepared?”

“The four keepers of the bracelets agreed that this case will be determined by a duel in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts, and now one challenger is already in the shrine. If half a day passes without the other challenger entering the shrine, the first to enter is declared the winner.”

“Is it possible for you to hurry and get a challenger to the shrine in time?”

“No. If I went to the Adventurers Guild and was fortunate enough to hire a sorcerer capable of teleporting to the temple, I could save a few hours, but even if I could manage to get a challenger here within half a day, they would not be able to get through the Trial Corridor. There is nothing I can do.”

“What is the Trial Corridor?”

“It is a corridor that encircles the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts, and you cannot enter the shrine unless you have cleared it. Jarr Dol Baza has been through the corridor before, so he doesn’t need to enter it.”

“What is in this corridor?”

Patagamon told him that there were statues placed throughout the corridor to ward off evil that came to life and attacked when they sensed humans. The Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts and the corridor were built by the sect founder, Jan’Majar, himself with the help of a dungeon maker.

“So you can’t delay the duel.”

“I cannot. Ragalat becoming the new abbot is unavoidable. However, the other three keepers are also shocked and angry at Ragalat for his methods. I will drag him off the seat of the abbot no matter what it takes. Once Ragalat is appointed, though, he will be sure to use uncompromising methods to maintain his position. A conflict will be inevitable.”

“Master Patagamon. If you have no chance of winning this duel, can you appoint me as a convert and make me your champion?”

“What did you say?”

“Truthfully, I wanted to meet Jarr Dol Baza and ask him to give me a lesson. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

“Hmm. But—”

“I also have this.”

Zara pulled out Bolton’s Charm and showed it to him. After appraising it, Patagamon was astonished, immediately appointed Zara as a convert, gave him a number of warnings, and then guided him to the Trial Corridor.

7

Zara took off running as soon as he entered the corridor. He had Bora’s Sword and Bolton’s Charm equipped. Bora’s Sword had a blessing that increased movement speed, and Zara himself possessed a skill that quickened his movement as well.

Zara ran swifter than the wind. The stone corridor was narrow, and stone beasts were lined up on both sides at regular intervals.

The beasts looked simultaneously like lions and like bears. They were standing by the support of their back legs and tail, and they were kicking out their front legs in a threatening stance. Large fangs emerged from their half-open mouths, and a long mane grew from their heads.

Their limbs were thick, and their claws were sharp. They would surely put up a tough fight. But the stone beasts remained asleep and didn’t show any sign of waking up.

That was thanks to the invisibility effect of Bolton’s Charm. This charm’s blessing allowed Zara to move through the corridor without being noticed by the statues.

The exit came into view. Zara sprinted through it with lightning speed. Ignoring the dumbfounded monks, he stored Bora’s Sword and Bolton’s Charm in his Treasury and entered the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts. Blessed items could not be taken into the shrine. If you did so, you would be immediately disqualified for breaking the rules. Also, special storage such as Treasuries and Bags did not function within the shrine.

“Wait a moment, Zara.”

Patagamon pressed the index finger of his right hand to Zara’s forehead and filled him with fighting spirit.

Zara immediately felt his body relax. It seemed that running through the corridor had taken more out of him than expected.

“May fortune favor you.”

Zara returned Patagamon’s firm look with a determined nod, then calmly passed through the entrance to the shrine. That he was able to do so proved he had completed the trial and earned the right to enter. The door closed behind him as he walked forward.

The monks who thought there was no way a challenger would reach the shrine in time were surely astonished. But the real fight was yet to begin.

He walked through a small passage and entered a large room. The walls were circular, and the ceiling was dome-shaped. There were four idols that looked like combinations of man and beast embedded in the wall in each of the four cardinal directions. They were probably the four sacred beasts and the guardian deities of this temple. Until the four sacred beasts determined the battle had reached a conclusion, no one would be able to leave.

A single man was seated in the middle of the room. His hard, wrinkled face made him look like a sculpture. He appeared to be meditating with his eyes closed, but as soon as Zara reached the center of the space, he opened his eyes and stood up.

“My name is Jarr Dol Baza,” he said with a warrior’s bow.

“My name is Zara,” responded Zara, returning the gesture.

There were two longswords set on the ground in front of the man. He motioned for Zara to make the first pick. When Zara grabbed one, the man took the other.

“Begin,” reverberated a disembodied voice.

8

The man in front of him was holding a sword, but the way he carried himself made it look like it weighed nothing at all.

The sword probably just feels like an extension of his body.

Zara slid his feet in a clockwise motion while measuring the best moment to strike.

The man slashed twice at Zara, the sword making less noise than would be expected as it cut through the air. Zara dodged the sword without ceasing his clockwise movement by simply angling his body.

He had an opportunity to counter by slashing at the man during each of those two attacks. But if he had gone for it, the man likely would have moved out of the way and landed a blow on Zara.

Zara swung his sword up from the bottom left of his body. The man dodged by taking a half step back. Zara then spun to the right, accelerating into a cutting strike. The man leaped out of the way; then, before landing, he twisted his body in the air and used centrifugal force to slash down diagonally from the left.

Zara’s sword was still caught in the air to the right, leaving the left side of his body defenseless. He dodged by intentionally falling backward onto the ground. The man’s sword brushed lightly against Zara’s body as it cut through the air.

Zara then used centrifugal force to lift himself back up. They struck at each other once more with their swords.

That was close. If he hadn’t reversed his clockwise movement at the last second to throw off his opponent’s spacing, he would’ve been sliced open.

The man wasn’t out of breath, but his chest was visibly heaving. If there was one thing Zara had over his opponent, it was youth. The longer the battle raged, the greater his chance of victory would become.

Zara suddenly realized something. Not too long ago, he had felt fear at the prospect of being injured by simple ice wolves, but now, against an opponent of this caliber, he was fighting with joy. One blow could mean losing a limb or even his life. His chances of victory were fairly low, yet still, he felt no fear.

What was the reason for that? Was the thrill of the battle eclipsing his fear? Was it because unlike the ice wolves, if he lost, it would be to a prestigious opponent?

The man once again slashed downward from his shoulder. Zara dodged to the left and thrusted the tip of his sword at the man’s face. The man cut off the attack by swinging his sword upward from right to left, tracing the exact opposite direction of his last strike. Zara used his sword to knock his opponent’s blade off its trajectory, then took a step back. The man also took a half step back.

That was an incredible move.

Zara had dodged the first strike, but the man slashed his sword back up in the opposite direction without delay. That was a move he had never seen before.

He understood what happened. The man’s center of gravity initially traveled downward along with the sword, but then, like a ball bouncing off the ground, he suddenly accelerated upward. That move had been burned into Zara’s mind.

If I do the same thing, I can pull off that attack, too.

A duel is a fight between two people, but in a way, it is also a fight between their moves. As the duel progresses, each of the opponents’ moves is communicated to the other person.

Just then, there was a move that Zara wanted to identify, and there was surely a move that Jarr Dol Baza wanted to identify as well. Those moves would be exposed as soon as they used them, and then they would belong to their opponent. As their moves were communicated to their opponent, they would have to refine them, polish them, and grow them.

Show me all your moves. Dance to your heart’s content. Then expose all your moves right before my eyes.

The young swordsman and the elderly Divine Blade continued to trade blows.

Zara slashed his sword down vertically from the left and then from the right in quick succession, and the man dodged each strike with very little time to react. The man spun to charge into Zara’s space, but when Zara held his ground, the man had no choice but to abandon the attack. Immediately after that, Zara moved his sword behind his back to the right and tried to strike at a distance from which it would be impossible to avoid, but the man used his sword hand to strike Zara’s arm and throw off his attack power.

They continued to exchange moves. Then, as he gave himself entirely to the fight, Zara recalled a scene in a section of his clear mind.

Barrast was using a brutish war hammer, as usual. At first Zara scoffed at him for thinking he could take on a sword with a weapon that was limited to such simple motions, but Barrast proved able to use the hammer in an infinite variety of ways by making effective use of the head, handle, grip, or all three at once, depending on the time and situation. Barrast switched back and forth between attack and defense so quickly and freely that Zara couldn’t keep up, which limited his sword’s movement. The war hammer was way too strong for Zara to even think about trying to block any blows. Zara eventually came to think that swords were a difficult-to-handle weapon and that they had no chance against a hammer.

Barrast would occasionally strike his sword and break it. One day, when Zara had his sword broken repeatedly, he said that the hammer was unfair. Barrast stared at him with a look of confusion and then burst out laughing. He said he would use a sword, too.

They then both fought using longswords, and Barrast broke Zara’s sword almost instantly. He then said it’s not about the weapon but rather the technique.

Here it is!

He saw it on the man’s blade a third of the way up from the hilt.

An opportunity. One that an ordinary swordsman would not have registered.

In the blink of an eye, Zara pierced his blade accurately through that point on the man’s sword. The blade broke with a shrill sound and went soaring through the air.

“MATCH.”

The disembodied voice announced the end of the duel.

It was over. He had won.

“That was very impressive,” the Divine Blade said.

“Thank you very much,” Zara responded, bowing his head.

He suddenly noticed something.

I didn’t use a single skill during that fight.

“Is something wrong? You’re making a strange face.”

“No. I just noticed that I didn’t use any skills during our duel. I was wondering why.”

“Honestly, I was thinking the same thing.”

The Divine Blade laughed. Zara laughed, too.

The four sacred beasts around them appeared to be laughing as well.

9

Zara’s victory was welcomed favorably by most of the monks in the temple. Ragalat had won many to his side by giving favors and promising even greater favors down the line, but his overly forceful methods and his recent words and actions earned him no small amount of discomfort and opposition throughout the temple.

For somehow recovering the fourth Sacred Beast Bracelet and skillfully seizing a hopeless victory during what was a crisis situation for the sect, Patagamon gained tremendous trust and support.

News of Ragalat’s cowardly behavior in regards to the duel in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts also spread throughout the temple. It was unlikely he would hold a position of influence ever again.

Zara ended up spending four months at Jan’Majar Temple. As a convert who had fought for the sake of the sect, he was qualified to study the temple’s secret techniques, so he took advantage and received instruction. It was a tough but beneficial four months.

Zara turned seventeen years old while staying at the temple.

After that, he went to Aldana on the invitation of Jarr Dol Baza. He was allowed to stay at his training hall, and the two of them became close friends despite their difference in age.

Jarr Dol Baza asked Zara if his family name of Goran meant he was a relative of Eisha Goran. After Zara answered that Eisha Goran was his great-grandmother’s father and that his father revived House Goran, he began to be treated even more warmly and politely.

The Divine Blade said that his grandfather was a pupil of Master Goran, which made Zara equivalent to his instructor.

Zara told him his real name and rank and asked him to keep it a secret.

The Divine Blade and his new pupil crossed swords many times. Zara went to a number of training halls through the introduction of the Divine Blade and learned a great many techniques. But strangely, Zara never managed to defeat him after their initial duel.

It seemed that the Divine Blade couldn’t resist telling some people in secret that Zara was a descendant of Eisha Goran, which resulted in Zara receiving great kindness wherever he went and being told many anecdotes about the legendary swordsman.

One time, Zara asked the Divine Blade why he’d allied himself with Ragalat. He answered that there was no greater honor for a martial artist than to stand in the Shrine of the Four Sacred Beasts as a convert, so he hadn’t even thought of refusing.

He had not been told what he was fighting for, so he simply offered his polished fighting prowess and entrusted everything to the decision of the sect founder and the gods.

“I was overcome with excitement as I thought about what kind of opponent I would be able to fight. That was the reason I accepted.”

“You were very close to not fighting anyone at all.”

“What?”

The Divine Blade grew very angry after Zara explained Ragalat’s scheme.

“But all’s well that ends well. I was able to fight you, and you won. The sect founder really is impressive. Ha-ha-ha!”

“Ah, so that is the reason I was able to win.”

Zara spent seven months in Aldana and then headed for the Free Cities of Karelia. There was a man in Bia-Dharla with whom he really wanted to cross swords.