Destroyer of Ice and Fire

"Very few people know of the Thousand Storms Sword Rhodes because he rarely participates in fights. Of those I've read about in the records, he's the type of person who only cares about training and increasing his strength. He has absolutely no interest in gaining fame and becoming a figure of power like a territorial lord."

Redwin looked at Rinloran and Clarissa as he said excitedly, "As a result, outside of arcane masters from the Golden Roses Plains, no one knows that such a powerful arcane master existed. It is said that his exchange of blows with Peerless Swordsmaster Gideon only happened because he wished to test the fruits of his years of bitter training to determine the gap between him and the best swordsmasters, yet in the end, Gideon was the one who lost."

"The Thousand Storms Sword. Just what kind of swordsmanship did he utilize?" Clarissa asked curiously.

Like many of the other arcane masters in the Golden Roses Plains who utilized Materializations, Clarissa idolized Gideon. Thus, her interest naturally was piqued upon learning that someone had once defeated him.

"We have not yet managed to uncover the details."

Redwin scratched his head in embarrassment as he added, "However, it is said that his style was one of unstoppable offense which could instantly overrun an opponent. Based off of what we have found so far in the records, it seems like he was able to decide his match against Gideon in a single set of exchanges."

"That much stronger than the Peerless Swordsmaster?" Rinloran exclaimed.

"What else have you learned?" Clarissa's curiosity had been thoroughly provoked as she said with great vigour, "Have you managed to find any of this swordmaster's notes? Or if any academies managed to obtain records of his skills?"

"We haven't…" Redwin replied as he began to feel ashamed.

Clarissa's eyes widened as she exclaimed, "Then what have you managed to find?"

"We've found out where he used to train!" Redwin blurted as he put a hand behind his head.

"His training spot? Where?" Clarissa and Rinloran shouted simultaneously.

Redwin jubilantly replied, "Right here in our city."

"What?!" Clarissa and Rinloran shrieked.

"Rhodes and Gideon both originated from our Rapids City. And based on our sources, Rhodes never left. In this case, he was a rather lazy person." Redwin picked his nose as he said, "He lived in the Rainbow Stone Park on the north side of the city."

"How could someone live in the Rainbow Stone Park? Isn't it just weeds and stones?" Clarissa blurted.

"That is what it is now. But during Rhode's era, it was a residential area," Redwin replied as he stared blankly at Clarissa as if she was daft. "It seems like he trained in the abandoned quarry not far north of the city."

"Abandoned quarry?" Rinloran knit his brows.

"Our luck is very good."

Redwin was full of excitement as he replied, "Our Rapids City has very few sources of stone. So even during Rhode's era, a quarry consisting of several of the nearby hills had already been completely cleaned out to construct buildings. These caves were then just left there. Based off what we found, Rhodes and Gideon should have fought within or around that area of caves. A couple of my brothers then thought, with Rhode's lazy character, perhaps he had trained there as well. And so we carefully combed through all of the caves in that area. Our luck was very good indeed as no one has entered the area since, and…"

"And you were able to find Rhode's training area?" Clarissa exclaimed.

"We are not sure."

Redwin chuckled as he said, "However, we did indeed discover several clear traces of sword strikes within this quarry."

"Furthermore…" Redwin deliberately paused before saying in a louder voice, "Several of these marks are extremely deep. Even if we used all of our strength, we would not be able to leave such a scar. Even if it was not Rhodes, it was another extremely powerful arcane master who left them."

"Where is this abandoned quarry? Can you lead me there?" Rinloran asked as he jumped to his feet, his breath speeding up.

Redwin fell into a daze as he replied, "Of course. We are brothers. But if you keep acting so courteously towards me, I will become angry."

"……" Rinloran couldn't think of a reply.

……

"It is here?"

Not even an hour later, Rinloran, Redwin, a large group consisting of members of the brotherhood, and even Clarissa, who had managed to transfer her shift, appeared at the abandoned quarry which Redwin had mentioned.

A single weathered hill no more than fifty meters tall stood before them. Any weeds or saplings which had grown on it had long since been cleared and laid in neat bundles on the side of the road leading in.

It was evident that this hill had once been completely covered with vegetation, hiding it from view. Furthermore, upon closer inspection, it seemed like the path leading in had also only just been opened up.

"Did you guys do this?" Clarissa asked as she observed sap still oozing from the various weeds and branches which composed the numerous bundles.

"Correct," Redwin succinctly replied. "Members of our brotherhood spent about half a day's time here."

"Thank you…" For the first time, words of thanks emerged from Rinloran's mouth.

Although this fellow who had inexplicably decided becoming his brother after being hit by him was rather idiotic at times, he had indeed done many things for his sake.

"What did you say?!" Upon hearing Rinloran's words of thanks, Redwin's eyes immediately widened as he said angrily, "Why are you thanking me? We are good brothers! I've even called you big brother! This is what I should do. If you thank me again, I will truly become angry!"

"……" Black lines emerged atop Rinloran's forehead.

"Idiot!"

"Where are the sword scars?" Rinloran grit his teeth and asked.

"Haha, follow me. This is more like it." Redwin returned to his former happy self as he excitedly took the lead.

The group passed by several empty chambers before finally stopping.

At this moment, Rinloran's pupils shrunk as he abruptly stopped breathing.

Numerous slender scars blended everywhere amidst the ordinary chisel marks in the stone wall before him.

These scars were extremely exact and smooth. Even though dust had accumulated within them with the passage of time, they still looked like they were freshly sanded.

These scars had clearly been left behind by sword strikes!

A light flashed through Rinloran's eyes.

Even from where he stood, with his eyesight which far surpassed an ordinary person's he was able to see crystal like formations on the surface of the sword scars.

It was as if the speed of the sword strikes had reached such a degree to which the force created by the contact had caused the stone to compress into crystal!

Several moments later, Rinloran's breathing stopped yet again as he discovered something even more unusual!

This time, he was looking at two deep holes.

At first glance, these two holes seemed to have been created from thrusting forward with a sword. But these faces within were actually even more crystallized than the scars.

"What?!" Rinloran couldn't help but shout in astonishment as he arrived before the two holes.

The crystals within the holes dazzled like gemstones. They were packed so closely together that the surface... seemed to have been formed from them to begin with!

Furthermore… this hole had managed to penetrate through the half a meter thick wall, revealing another wall far behind it… which had also been penetrated through!

The force of this one strike had directly traversed dozens of meters!

"What is it?"

Redwin, Clarissa, and the others asked blankly.

They had seen only a blur as Rinloran charged in.

But Rinloran didn't hear them at all. All he could feel was an indescribable feeling welling up within him like a tidal wave.

Because it was not just one wall.

One… two… Rinloran counted a total of six!

This one strike had managed to travel dozens of meters and penetrate through six half a meter thick walls!

Naturally, the amount of crystallization present had diminished with each hole.

However, this occurrence only caused Rinloran to feel even more shock and disbelief.

Because each of the five holes behind the first was expanding. This meant that each of these holes beyond the first were actually created by the residual force of the strike!

The physical sword had only pierced through the first wall, and that had been enough to cause the walls behind it to crumble!

"There are more holes behind this one!"

"We missed it. We should have paid more attention."

"As there are no other scars, it is indeed very hard to realize… yet Rinloran, you were able to see it right away!"

"These holes all line up in a straight line. Could they have all been created by a single thrust?"

"No. There must have been two swords. Because there are two holes."

The chamber fell into chaos as Redwin and the others began to clamour over the anomalies of these two sword holes.

But Rinloran could not hear them. He was already completely tuned out.

In his ear, a voice repeated echoed, "Striking and exerting force with a sword… using a normal close quarters sword technique… yet the power and penetration… how could it reach such a degree…"