Overflowing talent can sometimes bring about significant worries.
Incredibly dynamic swordsmanship and static magic.
Immense mana control and swordsmanship experience accumulated over a lifetime.
Using these two things, which others find hard to possess even one of, often feels like forcibly turning two gears that don't mesh with each other.
So far, it's worked well, and I've been going from strength to strength, creating a strange synergy.
Still, I wonder.
"...How far will this take me?"
That thought has been growing on me.
It was because I realized something.
The tougher the opponent, the more my forcibly meshed swordsmanship and magic would separate.
For example, when using a sword, my thoughts would be solely on the sword; when using magic, solely on magic. I would merely alternate between the two distinct abilities.
Of course, that alone is sufficient.
You can see it just by looking at Seo-yeon, for example.
She's the type who uses magic at long range and a sword at close range, consistently gaining an advantage and securing victory regardless of the distance.
The ideal image of a magic swordsman, as commonly known, is precisely that, so one might ask what the problem is.
But that thought kept nagging at me.
"It's good as it is, but... hmm."
It's like I feel it could be a little better, but I can't quite pinpoint what that 'better' is.
That's when it started.
I began searching for a way to simultaneously wield both sword and magic, regardless of distance, to gain a significant advantage.
The first thing I tried was assigning roles to each hand.
For example, holding a sword in my left hand and casting magic with my right.
It worked reasonably well.
When I swung my sword and simultaneously struck the opponent with magic from my right hand, they would either be startled and fall from the unexpected attack, or the attack would land cleanly.
Then I thought.
"...How is this different from dual-wielding?"
Dual-wielding, often called the symbol of certain defeat.
In fact, if you consider it point by point, it has far more advantages than disadvantages.
Such as swordsmanship that combines offense and defense, making it easy to catch the enemy off guard, or dazzling movements.
Yet, despite so many advantages, a single disadvantage overshadows them all.
The dualization of consciousness.
As much as holding swords in both hands, one's consciousness also splits, making concentration difficult.
This was a fatal flaw.
Perhaps in a fight between intermediate or lower-level practitioners, but in a fight between masters, even a momentary gap can lead to losing one's life.
From that perspective, my first attempt was a failure.
Why bother delving deep into a technique that shares the same fatal flaw as dual-wielding?
My contemplation continued.
"Hmph... this is really difficult."
99 attempts.
99 dissatisfactions.
Using failure as a stepping stone, I advanced step by step until I finally arrived.
"...Can't I just draw a magic circle with my sword?"
The one and only method that could truly combine sword and magic.
At first glance, it would seem impossible.
Is drawing a magic circle with a sword even plausible?
And it's a valid question.
Swordsmanship constantly changes its cutting method and position depending on the situation, whereas a magic circle has a pre-determined formula.
What if you arbitrarily insert a different formula instead of the predetermined one?
Then, it wouldn't be magic, but a bomb.
A bomb that wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe, and would even harm me the most.
At first, thinking it was impossible, I tried to give up.
But I absolutely couldn't think of any other way to perfectly combine sword and magic.
So I delved deeper.
Into what else was needed to make the impossible possible.
Fortunately, I possessed all the elements needed to reach the answer.
`[Activating Ruler's Domain.]`
A clearly defined domain spread out.
A certain distance spreading out from me was my canvas.
To be precise, it was the most basic framework of a magic circle.
Into this large framework, I would insert the desired formula to manifest magic.
So, what would fill that formula?
Kukukukuku—!
I targeted the weakness of the surging crimson tide.
A single line drawn from top to bottom completely transformed into a formula composing the magic circle.
The same went for other movements.
Every form of thrust or strike, whether to block an opponent's attack or to attack them, was matched to the formula.
But it wasn't enough.
Perhaps for magic circles with only a few strokes, but it's impossible to draw dozens, even hundreds, of predetermined strokes one by one with a sword.
For instance, if the most effective attack requires a cut from left to right, I can't forcibly change the attack direction just to engrave it as a formula, can I?
To compensate for this, I added new movements as elements of the formula.
Those were my footsteps.
The tips of my feet, advancing and twisting to avoid incoming attacks and to launch my own.
These, along with the tip of my sword, I adopted as brushes to fill the magic circle.
"Nimble as a rat...!"
Advancing, retreating.
Cutting, swinging.
I selectively chose and filled in only the elements necessary for the formula.
Of course, it wasn't easy.
Puhak!
"Kugh...!"
Each time I incorrectly tailored the formula, my mana would backflow or get tangled.
And these failures steadily accumulated as internal injuries within my body.
It was to be expected.
It was still only plausible in theory, and I was attempting an incomplete technique in actual combat—a perilous battle where a single misstep could cost my life. It would have been stranger if I hadn't gotten hurt.
Still, I had to do it.
Because otherwise, I would die.
If dying this way or that way is the same, shouldn't I at least try?
Pssssss...!
Every time I exhaled, pure white breath billowed out.
This was the price for incorrectly engraving the formula: parts of my body repeatedly froze and thawed.
Still, it wasn't all loss.
Even though my body was a bit of a mess, I gained just as much.
"Yes. Like this..."
I was gradually getting the hang of it.
How to fill this vast canvas.
In a domain only I could see, I drew lines and loaded pure white mana.
Under its influence, the temperature slowly began to drop.
Just as the completion of a technique once thought impossible finally drew near.
"Hmm... what would be a good name?"
One might scold me for worrying about a name in such a tense situation, but that would be a mistaken thought.
Because a technique, you see, only truly becomes complete by finally gaining a name.
"Kim Dojin-style Magic Swordsmanship? No... that's a bit too cheesy."
A name that was a bit shorter and more concise, yet with a clear meaning.
The final character of "Kim Dojin."
Not using sword and magic separately, but the art of a true magic swordsman who has achieved genuine unity.
"True Magic Swordsmanship (çéåè¡)."
There seemed to be no better name right now.
After grandly naming it, the path I had to walk finally began to appear.
I had only just laid the foundation.
I also needed to create new sword forms to effectively fill the formula.
And I would need to prune the unnecessary formulas haphazardly stuck onto existing magic circles.
Ultimately, the goal was to make it usable even without Ruler's Domain.
Thump!
My heart pounded.
Was this how an old-timer felt, having tried everything and found nothing left to do in a game, only to discover a new source of enjoyment?
Contrary to my fiercely burning chest, which was radiating heat.
I cast winter upon the world.
The first technique of True Magic Swordsmanship, unveiled to the world for the first time.
"Severe Cold (é ·å¯)."
Lines steadily accumulated and meshed, finally acting as a single magic circle.
Soon, snowflakes began to fall, one by one.
And frost bloomed.
The temperature plummeted in an instant, engulfing everything.
Even the opponent's fierce attack, which had reached right before me.
Crunch—!
The wings of the vampires gliding through the sky, confronting the assault team.
Snap!
CRASH!
"M-my wings...!?"
"N-no!"
"Kuaaaagh!"
Thud-thud-thud!
Even the crimson rain that had been continuously falling from the sky.
Clink!
Clink-clink-clink!
Even the thick, crimson thorns that had been indifferently surging from the ground.
CRACK!
Severe Cold was merely a single current.
Through it, the magic was completed.
`「Permafrost (æ°¸ä¹ åå).」`
A land of severe cold that freezes and preserves everything that exists.
The weak mercilessly froze.
And it grabbed the ankles of those stronger than me, forcibly dragging them down.
To a level similar to mine, or even below.
The opponent, turning white with the falling snowflakes and blooming frost, asked.
"When on earth did you cast such a massive spell...?"
"It just happens naturally when you swing your sword."
I bluffed.
In reality, that bluff was also one of True Magic Swordsmanship's advantages.
The unity of sword and magic.
The additional opportunities arising from it.
Adding attack to attack, solidifying defense after attack, adding defense to defense, and linking attack after defense.
An art of offense and defense as one, allowing free switching between attack and defense in any state.
The foe shook his head, denying it.
"I can't accept it. How could that be possible...!"
As if a human he had half-given up on shouldn't possess such a talent.
"Didn't I tell you?"
I approached the frozen opponent, pointing my sword.
And grinned.
"That my talent is heavier than the blood of a True Ancestor."
"......!"
And it wasn't a lie.
"Actually, it's not just me; that's how humans are."
Humans are weak.
Compared to animals running through vast forests and plains, how many creatures are stronger than humans?
But that's also why they survived.
With the instinct to survive no matter what, they try everything.
They make weapons from stone, and then grind and melt everything to make even stronger weapons.
They also learn how to efficiently wield the weapons they've made.
And if they can't do it alone, they form groups of two or three to hunt animals several times larger than themselves.
In other words, weakness is both a human flaw and an advantage.
Of course, that's only for those who deeply feel their own weakness and are ready to move forward.
From that perspective, he was mistaken.
"You didn't choose evolution."
You merely ran away.
"So die, you pathetic wretch."
I thrust the sword.
The target was his heart.
"Kugh...! Not yet!"
The frost-covered body slowly turned into mist and scattered.
But it was slow.
Permafrost wasn't shoddy magic that would be unaffected just because something turned into mist.
Following the tail of the slowly disappearing mist, I changed the direction of my sword.
Thwack—!
A distinct sensation was felt at the tip of the sword, extending like a ray of light.
"Kuh-heok...!"
Simultaneously, his form reappeared.
With his heart pierced by the sword.
Gurgle.
Blood gushed from his mouth and heart.
The duke's gaze, losing its light, turned towards the still steadfast True Ancestor.
"O-oh, my King... please, v-victory..."
A scattered, intermittent plea.
But it was the end.
"Kuh-heok...!"
He collapsed and scattered, unable to even utter his last words.
Becoming black dust.
Without a trace.