Chapter 10 …
It was the night before Ikael was to depart for the Bakuba Volcano.
Kairon secretly summoned his attendant knight.
“Take this to Ikael.”
“Huh?”
Zen, the attendant knight, couldn’t help but question him upon hearing Kairon’s order.
Kairon was holding the Seventh Demon Sword.
“So it seems. You hesitate to obey my command immediately.”
Kairon’s face, partially obscured by the faint moonlight, wore a small smile.
Seeing that, Zen was even more surprised.
Kairon himself knew better than anyone the significance of the Seventh Demon Sword.
Yet, he casually commanded it to be given to his own child.
“A cursed sword.”
That was exactly what the Seventh Demon Sword was.
Zen hesitated, unable to take the sword immediately.
Everything involving Ikael so far had been astonishing.
It was remarkable enough that frail Ikael had come into possession of Isitor’s sword, and even more shocking that this event had caught Kairon’s attention.
It was the sort of incident that would shake the Bronze Castle.
Yet Zen, who always concealed his emotions, had remained outwardly calm.
As a seventh-rank knight guarding Kairon, it was his principle never to voice doubts.
But commanding that the Seventh Demon Sword be given to Ikael—this was on an entirely different level.
Even Zen could not help but question it.
Seeing Zen hesitate, Kairon spoke again.
“Why do you hesitate, Zen? Wasn’t this bound to happen eventually? Ikael was born for this fate.”
Zen knew that this moment would eventually come. Ikael was simply stepping onto the trial stage slightly earlier than expected.
“…I will obey.”
Without further protest, Zen respectfully held out the Seventh Demon Sword.
The sword, soon to be handed to the frail Ikael, radiated an imposing aura just by being held.
“Will he wield the Demon Sword, or be consumed by it?”
The hidden Seventh Demon Sword—it was a blade that could very well take Ikael’s life.
Ikael soon prepared to depart for Bakuba Volcano.
“Master Ikael, please take care of yourself!”
The maids of Ikael’s residence saw him off tearfully.
“Do not worry. I am not going to die.”
“But… going to obtain the Demon Sword essentially means death… ugh!”
One oblivious maid hadn’t even finished her sentence before another covered her mouth.
Even though it wasn’t a funeral, the atmosphere was gloomy.
‘No wonder they’re worried.’
Bakuba Volcano was the largest and most dangerous volcano on the continent. Being told to seek out the blacksmith there to receive a sword felt like a death sentence to the maids, who thought of Ikael as a frail young master.
‘All the more reason I must go.’
Receiving a sword from the volcano was part of the Recruit’s rite of passage.
The moment one claimed their sword, they were acknowledged as a true Recruit.
Among the Recruit siblings, only Ikael had yet to receive a sword.
Ikael looked directly at the maids.
“Do you know who I am?”
“That’s… Master Ikael, of course.”
“Correct. I am Ikael Pyrecruit.”
Ikael emphasized the last four letters after his name—Recruit.
‘When I return from the volcano holding the Demon Sword, no one will dare underestimate me.’
Becoming a true Recruit—that was Ikael’s new goal.
“Master Ikael, please be careful!”
“I understand.”
Answering lightly to the maids’ tears, Ikael checked his small pack: a map to Bakuba Volcano, a letter from Kairon, and a bit of food and water.
It was an unassuming kit for a journey to a perilous volcano.
The simplicity was intentional. This journey was essentially a trial for Ikael.
He was given only a signal pendant in case his life was truly in danger, though he had no intention of using it.
‘This isn’t merely about obtaining a sword. It’s a test of my worth as a Recruit.’
It was a task he had to complete alone.
Then Kairon’s attendant knight, Zen, arrived.
“Master Ikael, I have brought the Demon Sword.”
Ikael’s eyes gleamed at the sight of the sword.
‘I never thought… but he would actually give it to me.’
The Seventh Demon Sword.
As the Recruit hailed from the greatest family of swordsmanship, several secret archives existed, and only Kairon and a few trusted individuals had access.
In his previous life, Ikael was one of the few allowed into the secret archives.
There, he learned clearly the nature of the Seventh Demon Sword.
‘The sword that pierced the heart of the Demon King.’
Kairon had used multiple swords against the Demon King, but the seventh had pierced his heart and struck him down.
The magical energy radiating from it was immense.
No one could wield it casually—or be allowed to.
‘What does giving me this sword mean? To prove I am Kairon’s child… or to condemn me to death?’
Ikael marveled at Kairon’s audacity.
The sword was rusted and corroded in places, appearing almost like scrap metal. Yet even looking at it evoked a chilling presence.
Meanwhile, Zen carefully observed Ikael’s reaction.
‘Will Master Ikael be able to handle the Seventh Demon Sword?’
From the moment Zen had held the sword on Kairon’s command the night before, he had felt an overwhelming sensation—as though shadows were creeping out from the sword and consuming his body.
‘Kairon handled such a sword with ease… truly a master of the Dark Aura.’
The Dark Aura was a power only Kairon possessed, perfected when he entered the demon realm. It was a more advanced form than the Freezing Aura, said to consume everything on earth.
Being its master allowed Kairon to hold the sword with such calm.
Zen wondered quietly.
‘What about Ikael? Will he be able to wield it?’
Zen handed over the sword, watching Ikael closely.
Ikael slowly lifted it.
“Ugh.”
A small groan escaped his lips. He briefly examined the sword before remarking:
“It’s heavy.”
“Huh?”
“Heavy. Was it not difficult for you to carry it?”
“Well…”
Zen was momentarily at a loss.
‘Heavy? That’s all he says?’
Kairon had handled the sword like it was just a lump of metal, yet Ikael’s single comment echoed that same composure.
The sword was undoubtedly heavy, but more than that, it had a deeply unsettling presence that even Zen, a seventh-rank knight, had struggled with.
Yet Ikael simply said it was heavy. Unbelievable.
“Well, at least you received it properly.”
“Ah… return safely, Master.”
Zen bowed deeply. He couldn’t tell if Ikael was truly calm or just pretending.
‘Or does he possess some power equivalent to the Dark Aura?’
A fleeting, ridiculous thought crossed Zen’s mind.
‘Whether Master Ikael is the rightful owner of the Seventh Demon Sword will be revealed in this trial.’
Though he had never doubted Kairon before, Zen wondered if this choice was truly wise.
Giving the Seventh Demon Sword to a frail young master—it was closer to a curse than a gift.
Yet Zen also knew that eventually, he would have to admit Kairon had been right.
Not long after setting out, Ikael realized:
“Damn, this is insane.”
The Demon Sword was incredibly heavy, far beyond the ordinary sword at his waist.
Still, it confirmed to him that this was indeed the Seventh Demon Sword.
A sword that looked like scrap metal could feel this heavy—no mere human weapon could compare.
“Ugh…”
Every step he took, the sword pressed down on his shoulders.
‘Still… I’m glad.’
The weight of the sword represented the opportunities Ikael had created for himself. Slowly but steadily, he moved forward.
Yet it wasn’t just the sword that challenged him.
Riiip!
“Annoying! Damn it!”
Monstrous beasts lunged at him from all directions.
Clang!
Ikael drew his longsword at his waist, felling the beasts with ease.
Perhaps because the Demon Sword carried the scent of the demon realm, the beasts were drawn relentlessly.
‘I carry the Demon Sword but can’t even use it—how ironic.’
For now, he had to rely on his regular longsword.
‘Is it madness to face monsters while carrying the heavy Demon Sword, or madness for the Recruit to send me to such danger?’
He decided both were insane and diligently defeated the beasts.
Though grueling for an eleven-year-old, Ikael did not seek shortcuts.
He had one goal for this journey: the Bakuba Volcano itself.
‘It provides absolute advantage for aura training.’
Whoosh!
Even now, he focused on the aura circle in his heart. The faint desert aura intensified as he approached the volcano.
Aura training involved harmonizing natural forces with one’s body. Training near intense heat amplified the effect.
‘And training at the hottest point on earth—the Bakuba Volcano—will be insanely efficient.’
The volcano’s heat would fuel the desert aura even further.
Crackle, crackle—
Night had fallen. Ikael sat before a campfire.
‘I’ll rest here tonight.’
The forest offered plenty of food. A monstrous crocodile that had lunged at him ended up roasted and skewered.
“Crocodile tail skewers… it’s been a while.”
Even after eating, plenty of tail remained—a simple yet hearty meal.
It reminded Ikael of nights in his previous life when he traveled under the stars, chasing the dream of becoming a knight and focusing only on the Recruit.
‘…All in the past now.’
To Ikael, the Recruit name now meant only an enemy.
Hoo…
Shaking off his thoughts, he focused. This was the perfect opportunity to train his aura without distraction.
Swish—
Ikael locked eyes with the fire, ignoring the crocodile tail burning within it.
He concentrated all his energy on his heart, recalling the sensations of successful aura training.
Whoooosh—
The small fire flickered higher as he delved deeper into training.
The flames reflected in his silver eyes.
Flare!
When his heart felt ready to burst from the aura, he opened his eyes.
“Hoo…”
Exhaling, the fire returned to normal.
His heart still thumped violently, heat and power flowing through it more than ever. A clearly different sensation than usual.
‘It must be the Bakuba Volcano.’
His face brightened.
Legend said desert aura burned hotter than anything on earth and grew stronger when fed flames.
The volcano’s heat would ignite the desert aura.
‘I’m growing stronger.’
Nothing brought Ikael more joy. Despite being soaked in sweat and breathing heavily, his expression was bright.
Night deepened. Ikael fell asleep, leaning against a tree with the sword in his arms.
Rustle—
A group of shadows emerged from the grass, surrounding him.
“See? I told you the flames were flickering here.”
They were bandits targeting travelers.
“Let’s steal quietly while he sleeps, boss.”
“But his pack is pathetic. Nothing valuable here.”
“Still… maybe he’s a noble? Look at him clutching the sword as he sleeps—a well-bred coward.”
The bandits rifled through his pack.
“Hey, look here! Another sword!”
One of them discovered the Seventh Demon Sword.
“What good is this rusty old thing? Throw it away.”
They weren’t sensitive enough to sense its power, seeing it only as scrap metal.
At that moment, Ikael quietly opened his eyes.
“If it were me, I wouldn’t touch that sword recklessly.”
