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

to try. Do you

going to teach me about

a serious expression. He raised his sword as the

could sense there was something different from the flow of the Spiritual Energy. In fact, this was similar to one of Noel's

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

Spirit Weaponry was to assimilate the Spiritual Energy into the sword and allow the latter to actually cut the Spiritual Energy itself. In

Noel

that emotion will be anger. This anger shall be directed to the world for trying to chain me down.'

intent. There was anger and resentment contained in the Spiritual Energy, causing

her Spiritual Energy and struck Noel's

exploded, not only giving a boost to the sword

strike, which actually caused the ground underneath her to begin

to release another eruption, but the flow of the energy became so disrupted that it ended up dispersing into

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

have turned into a

you're on the verge of understanding this new perception. Then, I'll push you further!" Anna smirked and stepped forward,

and formed a barrier. Anna managed to break it apart, but it still reduced

Cling!

Spiritual Energy first before containing the impact with your sword?" Anna

rotated his sword and released another strike, far faster than anything he

lightning to match

two continued clashing as Noel kept changing his emotions. All the emotions were still incomplete, but Anna could see the latent potential that this swordsmanship

It didn't last long. Just after ten minutes, Noel had dropped to the ground,

with his good control of his energy, it was still

would only feel the change in his sword. But for Noel, that emotion would fill his

good grasp of your path. All that's

It won't be

it. Anyway, it's time

how did I do?" Noel tried to glance at the balcony

knees and moved 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 be the

little peck on his