System vs Rebirth

'A sword, a partner, and a spirit, huh…' Noel muttered inwardly, contemplating his reply.

Ardagan had been supporting him as a spirit and accompanied him like a partner. At the same time, Noel had been wielding him as a sword.

The question itself confused Noel a bit. While he could define Ardagan with three of those, was there a reason to actually define him with only a single one?

'Was it because I have never seen Ardagan purely as a sword that it has been hindering my progress? I learned Ardagan Swordsmanship thanks to Ardagan. Not long after, I created the Everchanging Emotion Sword Style.'

'So, Ardagan has been the foundation of my sword. In that case, can I say that this achievement is mine?'

Noel had realized that while he could actually define Ardagan with all those three, he couldn't say that his current expertise came from himself.

'No. It's not about that.' Noel suddenly remembered the conversation with the Sword Saint when he visited his tomb.

Back then, the Sword Saint said, "If not for Ardagan, I could beat your ancestor."

His ancestor had been using Ardagan, so how would he define him? And the fact that Ardagan was the one helping the ancestor becomes stronger than the Sword Saint made it clear that there was something fundamentally different.

The Sword Saint also told him that the Ardagan Swordsmanship would be different for each person. Ardagan would adjust its own form in order to match the contractor.

In other words, he could pursue his own swordsmanship and that Imaginary Battlefield would be his first step.

'That's right. I was asked about my goal regarding my swordsmanship by the Sword Saint. And that goal…' Noel turned silent as if he was on the verge of a realization.

'Yeah. I told him that I wanted my sword to be free. I want to be free from hatred, from revenge… I want the freedom to choose whatever I want.'

However, Noel also knew that to be free from everything was close to impossible. It was such an arduous path that no one dared to walk on.

Yet, the Sword Saint supported him and even told him that he could do it. He only warned him not to ever waver and see it through, no matter how painful the path was.

'Yes. Why do I have to be fixated on everything? If my sword can be free, why am I not free to consider Ardagan as my sword, partner, and spirit at the same time? Why am I not free of my emotions? No, it's not that I'm not free… It's just that I'm involuntarily restraining myself.'

'Emotions are bound to come to my heart, so instead of letting my heart free from emotion, I should control which emotion's coming out. I'm free to release my anger, I'm free to be surprised… I'm free to release that emotion.'

his eyes. Anna had been waiting for him this whole time and smiled after seeing the change in his expression. It appeared that Noel had found

like to try. Do you mind helping me for a

course. You're going to teach me about other things like strategy

with a serious expression. He raised his sword as

different from the flow of the Spiritual Energy. In fact, this

was right. Noel was actually using the Spirit Weaponry. It was the ability

was to assimilate the Spiritual Energy into the sword and allow the latter to actually cut the Spiritual Energy

Noel desired, it would be the Spiritual

anger. This anger shall be directed to the world for trying to chain me down.' Noel thought before jumping toward Anna, swinging his sword

intent. There was anger and resentment contained

released all her Spiritual Energy and struck

their swords collided, Noel's Spiritual Energy exploded, not only giving a boost to the sword but

which actually caused the ground

flow of the energy became so disrupted that it ended up dispersing

exhaled all the air in his lungs. The process took a toll on his mind since he

what he showed earlier. She looked at the ground and thought, 'If Noel had actually mastered this ability, this area would have turned into a crater. In the future, his

verge of understanding this new perception. Then, I'll push you further!"

and formed a barrier. Anna managed

Cling!

before containing the impact with your sword?" Anna smiled, believing it was

he had done so far. This

lightning to match Noel's speed,

Noel kept changing his emotions. All the emotions were still incomplete, but Anna

ten minutes, Noel had dropped to the ground, gasping

Even with his good control of his energy, it was still

sword. But for Noel, that emotion would fill his heart and keep changing, causing him to be mentally

you've got a good grasp of your path. All that's left is just to get accustomed to

won't be easy though."

do it. Anyway,

tried to glance at the

closer to his ears. "I'm not going to tell you. Just forge your own path without caring about that… because I know that you will always

little peck on