The Castle of Restraint.
For the past three years, only one thought occupied Hans’ mind: the ultimate end that Helia could reach. Thus, he felt a pang of regret. Is it right for me to be so obsessed with just one person?
However, Hans threw away all the weak thoughts that had been dominating his mind. Hadn’t he decided to face it to the end? Even if it meant facing the most painful part. He couldn’t just cover it up.
The moment Hans’ will strengthened, the Dragon Heart began to blaze like flames. As his ambiguous will transformed into determination, Hans’ sword was now overwhelming Helia’s sword.
Time Acceleration.
Hans’ attacks, now much faster than before, overwhelmed Helia’s defenses. Because of this, she allowed a few hits. Even as her skull rattled from the shock, she laughed heartily.
“I’m having fun, teacher.”
“…….”
“Truly.”
In this paradise where only the two existed, the current situation felt nothing more than happiness to Helia. And that represented her twisted obsession.
This situation wouldn’t last forever. Eventually, it would come to an end. But ignoring that result and only obsessing over the now—no, was she turning a blind eye to it?
That also meant that Helia had no future in mind. What mattered to her was the present. Not an uncertain future. Hans had to teach her that it was wrong.
Because, after all, it was me who took her in. KWAANG! A kick imbued with will. The shockwave that shook the ground pushed Helia away. At the same time, Hans’ fist slammed into Helia’s abdomen.
“KUHACK!!”
Helia let out a scream as she flew towards the castle wall. Yet, she didn’t crash into it. The chains cushioned her like a soft net. Helia smiled and said,
“Wonderful! I can feel your will, teacher.”
[What’s wrong with her? Is she crazy?]
“She’s just a wandering child.”
“So, please let me repay you, teacher!!”
Red light continued like a flash. At the same time, Helia’s sword fell toward Hans. KWAANG!! A fatal strike that could not be stopped if it weren’t for Hans. And the rising momentum of the storm slowly began.
Helia Style Two Swords – Earth Dragon Ascension.
Like a giant dragon that had devoured the sky from the earth. With a thunderous roar, a storm erupted as Helia and Hans soared into the sky. To be precise, Hans was swept up there.
Unlike Hans, who tried to regain his balance, Helia openly walked on the sky as if the ground was beneath her, approaching Hans. Seeing that, Hans immediately analyzed.
This castle wasn’t simply a barrier that separated the outside from the inside. It was a kind of virtual reality that created an environment favorable to the user. In other words, it was an absurd power closer to divine authority than magic.
‘Where on earth did Helia obtain such power?’
Hans couldn’t help but be filled with questions. No matter how talented she was, obtaining such divine authority was extraordinarily difficult. In the original story, Helia’s ultimate move was swordsmanship, not divine authority. Meanwhile, Hans felt the Divine Sword vibrating. It wasn’t the sword vibrating on its own but resonating with something else. A resonance, so to speak.
“What is it, Divine Sword?”
[I don’t know. But I feel a similar power in this castle.]
“Then it must be power obtained from the ruins.”
Ruins. A treasure trove prepared by the ancient sages for heroes who could change the times and foresee the future. But not just anyone could obtain power from the ruins.
If one failed to overcome the trials set by the ancient sages, they would be deemed unworthy of the power and could suffer serious injury or death. So, did Helia challenge the ruins and succeed?
For now, that was the only conclusion Hans could draw. But if that were the case, the next question was what power she had acquired to be able to manifest that. Hans clicked his tongue, lost in thought.
‘So the fact that I was initially pushed back wasn’t just coincidence.’
He had faced Helia’s talent and the divine authority of the ruins at the same time while hesitating. Of course, he would have been pushed back at first. However, that was no longer the case. Hans steadied himself. He understood the movements.
“Huff!!”
Hans no longer faltered against Helia. It was only natural. Overcoming the Dragon Heart and using the power of time along with the Divine Sword made it difficult for anyone to win against him.
However, Helia’s divine authority was no trivial matter either. Before he knew it, the red chains intertwined with him began to envelop Hans. Thus, his body started to slow down little by little.
But Helia’s speed didn’t increase either. That meant it wasn’t a power that stole speed but one that aligned the opponent’s speed to match her own. That was a rather deformed power in some ways.
[That’s a pretty peculiar power. Normally, you would take away the opponent’s strength to make it your own.]
“Perhaps this is Helia’s heart.”
[What? This?]
What mattered to Helia wasn’t the past or the future. It was the present. If someone wasn’t by her side right now, they would become nothing. But everyone else, aside from Helia, would continue to move forward.
Hans quietly stepped forward without saying a word. One step at a time, he was slowly approaching, yet Helia was the one who hesitated and stepped back. A strange sight unfolded.
Did she sense something? Or when she looked at Hans, did she realize she was mistaken? Eventually, Hans’ steps came to a halt. She had nowhere left to retreat.
“What is it that you truly want?”
“……I don’t want anyone to leave.”
“But you know that can’t happen, right?”
“Why can’t that be? We can just stay together!”
Helia cried desperately to Hans. It looked as if she was pleading. Although she appeared close to adulthood, to Hans, she looked like a frightened child.
“Why do you want to move forward? If we just stay still, there would be no reason to lose anyone. We can just be together!”
Helia clutched her long red hair as if to express her thoughts. Helia was afraid of change. Always eating the food she was accustomed to and using the sword she knew.
Transitioning to something else took quite a long time. It meant she instinctively disliked change, yet didn’t deny it. But as time passed, she felt Hans’ absence and started to change.
What if she had done nothing from the beginning? Wouldn’t teacher have been by my side? Yes, just like back then. Just like that warm day spent by the campfire in the cold winter.
It wasn’t about impossibility or possibility. The weapon or divine authority obtained from the ruins reacted to what Helia truly desired. And that manifested into the Castle of Restraint that Helia had created.
“Of course, one could choose to stay unchanged. If there is no change, there would be no pain or sadness.”
“Then……!!!”
“But you can’t just keep ignoring the truth forever.”
You cannot keep ignoring the truth and remain stagnant indefinitely. We must move forward along the flowing time. Without stopping, Hans dashed forward. Not Time Stop or Time Deceleration—
Time Acceleration.
At the same time, the Divine Sword, drawn from his waist, unleashed a strike that spread from Hans’ center. Like dropping a stone into a still lake. It sliced through everything around him.
What unfolded under the name of the Divine Sword began to cut through the giant castle Helia had built, piece by piece. Just like severing her obsession. Eventually, when everyone regained their senses,
the massive castle of chains that had surrounded Helia was already gone. Hans sheathed the Divine Sword. This was a technique created using the Divine Sword and the power of time.
In other words, it was hard to see it purely through skill. However, Hans did his best to conceal this technique as a demonstration of his pure swordsmanship. At least until now, that attempt had not returned as a failure.
“…….”
“…….”
A brief moment of silence flowed between Helia and Hans. Helia waited, thinking Hans was about to say something, while Hans desperately pondered.
“You can’t stay bound to the past forever.”
“…….”
“But if you don’t fear change and keep moving forward, then at least things might get better than before.”
That was a statement that, in some ways, was self-evident. If you hide from your mistakes and try to drown yourself in the comfort of the past, then nothing will change. Perhaps that’s why Hans’ sincerity was conveyed. Helia lowered her head.
“……I’m truly sorry.”
Finally, a trembling voice flowed from her lips.
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