We had just finished lunch when a military officer suddenly burst through the door.

"General Andrei, we've spotted one of the Swords of Sin in Iceland," the officer reported.

"Didn't we already deploy a team there this morning after receiving reports of Gladius?" General Andrei asked.

"We did. We sent five members from Genesis Branch Four and one from Branch Five as a guide, Nikola Fischer, a local resident of Iceland," the officer confirmed.

"Wait, isn’t that your roommate, Riel?" Dia asked, turning to me.

"Yeah, Niko is my roommate," I replied. "Is there a problem?"

"A Sword of Sin refers to the captains of Gladius… like Scarlett Rain," Old Man Drei explained.

"General, none of the squad members are equipped to handle a Sword of Sin," the officer added. "We need authorization to send a backup team."

"Can I go?" I suddenly asked.

"Are you sure, Riel?" Old Man Drei questioned.

"Even though I just met Niko yesterday, he’s still my roommate and I already promised to play Arcadia Online with him once I settled in," I said firmly.

"Alright," Old Man Drei agreed. "Prepare the backup team immediately and deploy our fastest aircraft."

"Let's go, Asriel. Time to suit up," he added.

"I'm coming too," Dia said.

"No. Stay here, Dia," I said, ruffling her hair.

Surprisingly, she didn’t argue and remained with her mother.

We drove straight to the armory, where I suited up in a spare black combat suit that adjusted perfectly to my body.

I strapped Decapitator onto my back and secured Devourer on my left hip.

"Here, put this in your ear," Old Man Drei handed me a small device. "It’s your communication unit, it won’t interfere with your hearing."

I secured a few throwing daggers in my side pouch and gave him a nod. "I’m ready."

"Seeing you like this reminds me of Tora before battle," he muttered.

"You might have to take some life today Riel", he added

"Don’t worry Old man Drei, I’ll manage," I replied as we made our way back to the vehicle.

"Old man, do you know what you see and feel when you draw a Black Sword?" I asked.

"Death," I answered before he could respond. "The weight of thousands of lives lost. Sometimes, even visions of their final moments and their regrets."

"Wielding the Black Swords means bearing the guilt of taking those lives," I continued.

"That’s why I’ll be fine, Old Man Drei."

He simply looked at me with a somber expression before continuing the drive to the base’s airstrip.

Minutes later, we arrived at the military plane prepared for my deployment.

The officers saluted General Andrei before I boarded.

"Asriel, make sure you come back, the back up team and I will follow you once they're ready," Old Man Drei said firmly.

"I will," I reassured him before stepping inside.

The aircraft was small, barely large enough for seven people but judging by the view outside, it moved as fast as a fighter jet.

I checked my gear once more.

Decapitator was too long for me to wear comfortably on my back while seated, so I moved it to my side.

A familiar voice crackled through my earpiece.

"Riel, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear, Old Man Drei," I replied.

"Listen carefully. Right now, Nikola Fischer and three members from Genesis Branch Four are engaged in battle with Gladius."

"I thought there were five members with Niko?" I asked.

"The other two were killed a few minutes ago," Old Man Drei stated grimly.

"The Fifth Captain of the Swords of Sin, Black Snow, has been confirmed on-site," the officer reported.

"According to Nikola, Black Snow is wielding Tyrfing, a cursed sword from Norse mythology," he continued.

"Tyrfing, a blade that never misses, never rusts, and can cut through iron and stone as easily as cloth," I stated.

"But it's curse brings three great evils: it claims a life each time it's drawn, and in the end, it dooms its wielder."

"You know quite a bit about it, Riel," Old Man Drei remarked.

"Grandpa told me the story once," I replied.

"We need to move faster, or it’ll be too late," I urged the pilot.

"Understood, sir. Increasing to maximum speed," he responded.

"How much longer until we arrive?" I asked.

"Twelve minutes," he answered.

"Old Man Drei," I called.

"What is it, Riel?"

"What’s Niko’s team's status?"

"Two are injured, and Nikola is currently fighting Black Snow alone," he said grimly.

"They’re protecting the civilians who survived Gladius’s earlier attack, including Niko’s parents and sisters."

"Tell him to hold on, backup is almost there," I said firmly.

"I will," he assured me.

"Eight minutes until arrival...

Five minutes...

Three minutes," the co-pilot announced.

"Sir Asriel, aren’t you going to use a parachute?" the co-pilot asked.

"I’ll be fine.

Just open the hatch when we arrive," I replied.

"Yes, sir."

"T-minus thirty seconds to drop point," the pilot confirmed.

"Lowering altitude to one kilometer," the co-pilot added as the plane hatch slowly opened.

"Good luck, Sir Asriel," the co-pilot said as he saluted me.

"Land the plane a kilometer from the battlefield opposite of the Gladius position," I instructed as I stepped toward the hatch.

"Drop point in three… two… one…" the pilot counted down.

I leaped from the aircraft.

It was my first time skydiving, and in that moment, I finally understood why Grandpa always spoke so fondly of it.

As I plummeted, I spotted Nikola and his team.

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"Old Man Drei, I have visuals on Niko’s group.

Tell them to fall back a few meters," I said.

"Fall back now!, or you'll be caught in Asriel's descent!" Old Man Drei relayed in a commanding tone.

I unsheathed Decapitator, aligning my body for a devastating vertical strike.

With both hands, I tightened my grip on the hilt.

The Black Executioner Sword ,longer than my own height, lined up perfectly with my form.

Severing Style Fourth Form: Falling Sky.

I aimed my descending slash straight at Gladius.

The massive sword crashed into the ground, creating a deep crater on impact.

A powerful shockwave erupted from the force, sending several Gladius members flying over a hundred meters away, killing some of them instantly.

The same gust of wind softened my descent, allowing me to land without harm.

Thanks to Old Man Drei’s warning, Niko and the others had moved back just in time to avoid the brunt of the blast.

“Riel!” Niko’s voice called out in surprise.

I turned and saw him.

I was too late.

Niko’s left arm was completely gone, severed at the shoulder.

His body was riddled with stab wounds, his uniform drenched in blood.

Despite his injuries, he still gripped a sickle in his remaining hand, its chain lying slack on the ground.

I rushed to his side as he coughed up blood.

"These wounds are bad," I muttered instinctively.

“That guy... What do they call him, Black Snow? He’s tough,” Niko rasped.

“He cut one of the Genesis Branch Four members in half like he was paper.”

His breathing was labored, but he still managed to smirk bitterly.

“Be careful.

His sword slices through steel like butter.”

He gestured weakly toward the shattered remains of his chain.

Behind him, a small group of terrified civilians huddled together, their faces pale with fear.

Two surviving members of Genesis Branch Four stood at the ready, waiting for my command.

“Protect the civilians.

I’ll handle the rest,” I ordered, carefully propping Niko against a tree.

He exhaled sharply, then let out a faint chuckle.

“I always wanted to see Swordmaster Leirsa fight... but I wasn’t lucky enough during the Battle of Masters,” he suddenly murmured.

“Avalon got me before I had the chance.”

I glanced at him. “Why did you want to see him fight?”

A faint, pained smile crossed his lips.

“I wanted to be his friend.

Ask him how to become stronger using a sickle and chain.”

“What’s your class in Arcadia Online?” I asked.

“I played as a Reaper,” he replied weakly.

Every word felt like a dagger to my heart as his voice grew fainter.

“Then keep your eyes open and watch me fight,” I said firmly.

For a moment, a flicker of life returned to his eyes.

“Leirsa… when you read it backward, it’s Asriel,” I added.

His gaze widened slightly in realization.

“Rest for now, just watch,” I said as I stepped forward.

He nodded weakly, his eyes never leaving me.

Gladius members were already getting back to their feet.

“WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!” a rough voice demanded before lunging at me.

I raised Decapitator and effortlessly blocked his strike.

“WHY ISN’T YOUR SWORD BREAKING?!” he shouted in shock.

I didn’t answer.

My eyes scanned the battlefield, scattered bodies, bloodstained ground, homes reduced to rubble.

The devastation made my stomach churn.

I knew instantly.

This man was Black Snow.

I wanted to ask him why.

Why do they do this?. But my rage kept my mouth shut.

There were still around thirty Gladius members left.

“I’M ASKING YOU A QUESTION! ANSWER ME!” Black Snow roared, lunging at me again with Tyrfing.

I raised Decapitator once more.

His strike clashed against mine, but I barely felt the impact.

He was slow.

The mystic glasses my grandfather gave me were already shattered.

A vivid, enigmatic purple glow flared from my eyes.

Gladius members rushed toward Niko and the surviving civilians.

Black Snow had ordered them to finish the rest.

How arrogant.

Without shifting my stance, I prepared a deadly horizontal slash, an attack with an immense range.

A razor-sharp wind blade cut through the battlefield.

Black Snow, being closest, barely managed to evade.

But the others weren’t so lucky.

The invisible slash tore through everything in its path, Gladius soldiers, debris, even the very air.

All thanks to Decapitator, the Black Executioner Sword.

Severing Style First Form: Heaven Splitter.

Black Snow’s eyes widened in shock.

“Why… Why can you use the late Sword Saint’s technique?” he demanded.

So that’s why he recognized it.

He had seen it before.

I fixed my glowing purple eyes on him.

“Did you kill my grandfather?” I asked coldly.

“Kill?” Black Snow scoffed, then glanced at his mechanical right arm.

“That monster?” He gritted his teeth.

Then his expression shifted. His gaze locked onto mine, and his voice shook.

“You’re… that monster’s grandchild?”

Suddenly, a young woman in a crimson dress appeared a couple meters behind him.

“We got what we came for, Snow.

It’s time to go,” she said in an icy tone.

“But…”

“Stay here, and you’ll die,” she interrupted.

At that moment, I caught countless flaming lances in my peripheral vision, every single one aimed at Niko and the surviving civilians.

Without hesitation, I released Decapitator from my grip and dashed toward the crimson-dressed woman.

I unsheathed Devourer and aimed straight for her heart.

With a powerful kick, I launched myself forward at blinding speed.

Severing Style Fifth Form: Shooting Star.

She barely managed to block my strike, but the force sent her flying several meters back.

The impact shattered her concentration, causing the flaming lances to vanish from the sky.

Flames erupted from her sword as she tried to create distance between us.

“Snow! We need to leave… now!” she shouted.

She hurled a single, powerful fire lance straight at Niko.

Without a second thought, my body just moved.

I dashed back, seized Decapitator, and hurled it like a spear toward Niko’s location.

The massive black sword crashed into the ground, intercepting the fire lance just in time.

But Black Snow and the crimson-dressed woman were already retreating, putting distance between us.

They thought they could escape.

They were wrong.

“Sorry, Grandpa,” I whispered.

"Letting them live would mean more death."

I gripped Decapitator tightly.

I inhaled a deep breath and let it out while I focused on the fleeing foes.

I could still reach them, I thought.

Lowering my center of gravity, I gripped Decapitator in my right hand, preparing for a wide horizontal slash.

With my left, I unsheathed Devourer and raised it overhead, setting up a devastating vertical strike.

I planted my right foot deeper into the ground, ready to unleash two perpendicular slashes.

Then, a familiar voice echoed in my mind.

"Riel, your wind blade can only reach as far as you perceive. Believe in your own power."

Grandpa’s words.

The same advice he gave me when I first learned Severing Style: First Form Heaven Splitter.

He always told me, "If you try hard enough, maybe you can even split the clouds in the sky."

I exhaled.

Severing Style First Killing Art: Heaven and Earth Separation.

The twin slashes surged toward Black Snow.

He saw them coming.

For a moment, he spoke to the crimson-dressed woman.

She hesitated, then turned and quickly ran, leaving him behind.

Black Snow stood his ground, raising Tyrfing in an attempt to block the attack.

The instant his sword touched the wind blades, the slashes diverged, splitting into countless more.

Tyrfing remained intact.

But Black Snow’s body was not so fortunate.

He was sliced into pieces.

I rushed back to Niko’s side.

“Sorry… I couldn’t make it in time,” I murmured.

He smiled weakly, his gaze soft.

“Thank you… for coming to our aid,” he whispered.

“Thanks to you, my parents, my sisters… so many people survived.”

He tightened his grip around my hand.

“I wish I had more time…” he said, his voice barely audible.

“I wish we could have played together, Swordmaster Leirsa.”

My heart clenched.

“Yeah… me too.”

I swallowed hard.

“It was short, but… you were the best roommate I ever had.”

Niko smiled one last time.

“I’ll be going first, Riel…”

“Your sword skills… they’re beautiful.”

“…Thanks.”

“Till we meet again, my friend.”

His hand went limp.

I gently closed his eyes.

Tears blurred my vision, as if a heavy rain had just fallen from the sunny sky.