#515 Everything has an end.
* * *
âCoolâ¦!â
Could it be because of the sword masterâs tenacious vitality?
Originally, it would have been more than a shock death at the point where the body was cut in two, but the Sword Saint did not die instantly.
After vomiting a handful of blood.
It just opened its mouth.
âDid I lose again?â
âokay.â
From the wounds all over the body to the flowing blood, itâs not as good as the Sword Saint, but it would
nât be strange if he collapsed right away.
Limon calmly opened his mouth.
âThis is my victory.â
It seems like a natural result.
Joy of victory too.
Without relief or thrill.
Unbecoming of a winner, the plain words make the loser miserable.
âHuh-huh⦠is that so?â
However, the swordsman was neither miserable nor angry.
Rather, he accepted his defeat more calmly than Limon and looked up at the sky.
Heâs clearly dying.
With strangely silent eyes.
With the high and blue sky.
The swordsman called him.
âSword ball.â
âwhy?â
âWhat do you think of the world today?â
ââ¦Thatâs a fairly absurd question.â
Maybe itâs because I didnât know you were going to ask me this.
Leaving Limon frowning.
The swordsman continued.
âI took a short walk through the world until I came here.â
A journey of at least a few days.
But for him, who could cross 100 li in one step, it was enough time to look around the world.
âAnd I saw.â
Itâs only been 70 years.
A much more developed civilization.
with an overflowing population.
full of culture.
Thatâs whyâ¦
âA world that has become truly ugly.â
Reminds me of the disgusting scenery.
The swordsman continued.
âThe rich forests have been cut down and the sea has become muddy.â
âThe overflowing goods become garbage as they are.â
âHuman beings live by eating and drinking in the trash they make.â
âThose without honor rule the world.â
âBushido is gone, they laugh at morality and pride, and believe they can do anything for money and gain.â
âAnd while ignoring the age-old tradition as outdated, they proudly use shameful cultural artifacts that have no roots as if for granted.â
How can this not be ugly?
Even when blood is pouring out.
Looking at the grieving swordsman.
said Limon.
âDonât lament all over again, because the world has always been like this.â
ââ¦â
âWhy?â
âWhoops no. You are right.â
Itâs been a while since Iâve been silent at the sneering remark.
The swordsman finally let out a laugh.
Noh Kang-ho, who was born in the 16th century and went through World War II, although not as much as Limon.
Although not as drastic as the last 70 years, this kind of change has been seen and experienced for hundreds of years.
âSo I closed this country.â
Kill Oda Nobunaga, a 16th-century hero who was active in bringing in new culture.
Unify the world with the power of the sword.
With the establishment of the Great East Asian Empire.
Until the issuance of the lockdown order.
Recalling what he had done hundreds of years ago, the Sword Master quietly continued.
âBecause I couldnât bear to see my homeland grow ugly.â
In the 16th century, that was enough.
It was the age of heroes.
The Sword Master, the Sword Master, reigns as the Absolute.
This country was able to enjoy a peaceful era just by ending the Age of Warring States and establishing centralized power.
âBut that wasnât enough.â
The problem is twofold.
One was that the Greater East Asian Empire was an island nation.
Unlike the rich continent.
The islandâs resources are limited.
While the Warring States period ended, the population increased rapidly.
Even iron ore for making plows became increasingly difficult to obtain, and trees for building houses and making fires were rapidly decreasing.
Around the 17th century, the Greater East Asian Empire was already creaking and all sorts of problems began to emerge.
âSo I had to make a decision.â
Either break the isolation and trade.
or expand resources externally.
and which one to choose.
The Samurai of the Warring States Period and the Sword Saint who hated the world being corrupt in the name of development had been decided from the beginning.
It was inevitable that the Greater East Asian Empire waged active wars of conquest and was reborn as a hegemonic state.
So it was.
Why did Limon suddenly open his mouth?
âLike starting a world war by joining hands with a swordsman?â
âBecause that was your last chance to cross the wall of honor.â
Another problem faced by the Sword Saint.
That is, in front of the Great East Asian Empire, there was a peninsula protected by Limon.
Limon Aspelder.
protector of mankind.
Ending the Bronze Age.
Even that sword demon is a superhuman.
The master of the sword tower who raised several sword masters.
Even the swordsman, who was the absolute leader of the time, could not easily confront Limon.
Thatâs why they couldnât set foot on the continent even though they carefully expanded their territory to Southeast Asia over hundreds of years.
In that sense, the World War was a golden opportunity.
Defeat Limon.
using the Korean Peninsula as a springboard.
If you conquer East Asia.
The Greater East Asian Empire would have been able to keep peace without any change as he wished for a thousand years.
Butâ¦
âeven though it failed in the end.â
ââ¦How can you look comfortable for something like that?â
âWhooping, there are times when you win and there are times when you lose, thatâs the life of a warrior.â
The swordsman smiled lowly.
It would be a lie if I said I wasnât sad.
However, he did not regret his life and choices.
For hundreds of years he defended his country according to his will, and died honorably after a duel with his rival.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Even so, there was one regret that he had to come back from death.
âI will ask you one last time.â
âwhat?â
âAre you really sure you are right?â
Whether an unqualified king reigns.
Even if everything turns ugly
Just watch as it flows.
If it is not clearly harmful to mankind, do you intend to continue to maintain a way of life that does not intervene at all?
To the question the Sword Master quietly asked.
Limon did not immediately respond.
Instead, he slightly turned his head and looked up at the sky like a sword star, only to open his mouth after a while.
âwell.â
not positive either.
Neither is it negative.
An ambiguous answer that you might feel as if you were avoiding an answer.
ââ¦Right.â
But he wasnât disappointed.
Until you give that simple answer.
Because the time it took itself was the same as the answer.
Above all, what does it mean that Limon was able to take one more step before he attained the realization of Cheonuimubong?
Because I knew better than anyone.
The swordsman laughed.
âDoes even you change eventually?â
âEverything is bound to change.â
âHuh, that would be it.â
It seems a bit sad.
nevertheless satisfactorily.
After coughing up a handful of blood, he muttered in a low voice.
The swordsman continued with his eyes shining brightly.
âBut at least it wonât be my home country.â
ââ¦was that your real purpose?â
âYes.â
Limon understood.
Even the kidnapping of the president.
The one that appeared in Edo.
To the Sword Saint, it was nothing more than a means to an end.
âNow that you have seen me come back from the dead, this country will not change for the next 100 years.â
âAfter that 100 years, it will collapse even more horribly?â
from the 16th century to the present.
Cut off all contact with the outside world.
Even the development of technology is neglected.
The Greater East Asian Empire, bound only by the traditions and honors of the past, will collapse the moment the seclusion is lifted.
Limon pointed out.
The swordsman answered.
âDoes not matter.â
ââ¦â
âEverything has an end anyway.â
ââ¦.â
âWouldnât it be more beautiful to perish noblely rather than struggling and struggling to survive?â
Only the Sword Master can live forever.
Even the country is not immortal.
If it is going to perish someday, it is better to crumble as beautiful as a flower withers.
Seeing the Sword Master who speaks quietly even in the face of death.
Limon said quietly.
âYouâre crazy too, swordsman.â
âWhoops, maybe.â
This who could not keep up with the change of the times.
A sword master who yearned for the past, regarded only memories as beautiful, hated development, and denied the future.
Thatâs why I couldnât become immortal in the end.
Instead, a monster who tried to stop the worldâs time entirely and create a world where nothing changes forever.
âBut how are you?â
The swordsman turned his gaze again.
And looking up at the sky he loved.
Unlike before, he opened his mouth in a quiet voice.
âBushido means dying.â
âA dream of a fleeting world.â
âIt is like the sky at dawn.â
âThis is the way of the samurai.â
Like a candle burning brightly before it goes out.
In the midst of such a quiet voice, the light in the eyes rapidly went out.
The swordsman finally licked his lips.
âWhoopsâ¦. But itâs a bit disappointing.â
ââ¦.â
âAt least a draw⦠was possibleâ¦â
Chulkkeng.
Andâ¦
the Sword Masterâs body turns to ashes.
Instead, only a broken katana fell.
thatâs the end
Sword Saint Kami Itsumi Nobutsuna.
As the shogun of the Great East Asian Empire, it was the end of the sword master who caused the world war for the peace and prosperity of his homeland.
Leaving behind the lost swordsman.
At the end of looking at the sky.
Limon asked casually.
âWould you like me to thank you for waiting?â
âThank you. Itâs trash if you interfere in leaving a will after a duel.â
âYou are a dog.â
ââ¦Isnât that Master, youâve been doing too much for the disciple who served as an observer for a long time?â
Whether or not Billy grumbled as he watched the duel with Vlad.
Limon didnât care.
Instead, he just turned his head.
âso.â
From the back of the hand where the bones were exposed, to the still bleeding neck and calves, and all sorts of minor wounds.
Limonâs face is a mess.
Of course you canât fight properly.
It seemed like it wouldnât be strange if he collapsed right away.
âWhoâs next?â
nevertheless.
without an inch of shaking.
With the sword stretched obliquely.
Watching Limon look at them with golden eyes and ask who will attack them next, let them be silent for a while.
Billy said with a smile.
âWell, letâs call it a day.â
ââ¦Are you trying to run away?â
âAs sword masters, we just had a duel, so itâs unlucky to cut a knife at a dying master.â
âYou talk about dogs like people talk.â
âDonât be so rude. Because itâs only half true.â
âWhat is the half that is not sincere?â
âThatâs it, I just want to have some fun.â
âThatâs for a very good reason.â
Wouldnât it be too trivial to kill Master like this?
Hearing what he said, he giggled while watching the cynical Limon.
Billy smirked and raised one hand.
âThen, long live until I meet again to kill you, Master.â
ââ¦see you next time.â
Billy raised his hand pretending to be.
Vlad bowed his head respectfully.
At the end of looking at the empty seat of the two who suddenly disappeared after leaving only a greeting for a long time.
Limon opened his mouth with a sigh.
âThe Liberation Brigade guys must be sick too.â
* * *
âSword Saint⦠Is he dead?
âI just went with a satisfied smile.â
âDid you just watch itâ¦?â
âTo be precise, it is not a spectator, but an observation. Kya, to be honest, it was the most amazing duel Iâve ever seen in my entire life.â
âEven though⦠did you just come back without killing the swordsman?â
âDid you say that?â
ââ¦hey.â
âHuh? What?â
âHey, this X says that!?!?â