Just like when I first obtained Wave on the Blade, I immediately knew how to utilize the serendipity of the second sword.
Vortex within the Blade was a serendipity related to “piercing.”
When the blade first pierced a target, it injected a large amount of mana into the wound.
Then, by rotating the mana as if creating a whirlpool, it twisted the struck area endlessly, inflicting devastating damage.
The blade itself remained stationary, creating the whirlpool purely through mana and the moisture within the opponent’s body.
Because it required minimal movement, it could deliver a massive impact at an astonishing speed.
“This must be quite a powerful offensive technique.”
The two swords possessed completely opposite serendipities.
If Wave on the Blade was a support technique that created massive waves in the air to immobilize multiple targets, then Vortex within the Blade was an offensive technique focused solely on crushing a single target.
The forms and ranges of their serendipities were entirely different.
To be honest, as someone who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship, a support technique like Wave on the Blade was far more useful to me.
But that didn’t mean Vortex within the Blade was completely useless.
“Since the nature and hierarchy of monsters vary, the stronger they are, the more unpredictable they become.”
The continent I currently live on is different from the otherworld I left before returning.
In the otherworld, there were no special monsters or heroes, so there were relatively fewer strong individuals.
In simple terms, the current continent has far more powerful individuals.
That was one of the reasons I was able to become the strongest in the otherworld in such a short period.
Therefore, at this point in time, having more abilities and becoming even slightly stronger is always beneficial.
The continent is vast, and monsters are countless.
“Wow, wow… can you really wield that? Even Polique?”
I was briefly lost in thought when approached me with a look of awe.
Though I hadn’t used Vortex within the Blade yet, it seemed just holding and handling Polique revealed something to her.
Since she was already well-acquainted with Wave on the Blade, I spoke openly about this new serendipity without hesitation.
“Vortex within the Blade. That’s correct, isn’t it?”
“Yes! Instructor, you really can handle all of it. It’s amazing. You didn’t even learn the Bluden Swordsmanship, so how is that possible?”
“Bluden Swordsmanship?”
“Oh, right. I promised to tell you everything.”
lys adjusted her posture as if she had momentarily forgotten something.
Then, as if about to demonstrate a special technique, she closed her eyes and concentrated her mana.
Soon, an enormous amount of mana began to gather around her.
“…!”
“Don’t worry, Ray.”
Ray instinctively moved to draw his dagger in alarm, but I raised my hand to stop him.
The sheer quantity of mana was indeed immense, but it wasn’t directed at us with any hostility.
Rather, it felt like something within lys was changing.
“Hmm?”
My prediction was accurate.
The vast mana enveloped lys, and as soon as its purpose was fulfilled, it vanished without a trace.
Then, her aura changed.
Her skin exuded a watery energy, with clear blue light radiating here and there.
Her hair, flowing down to her waist, added to her transformation.
Before us stood a mature woman of striking elegance.
“Nice to meet you, Instructor! I am Beatrice, a hero destined as a Shape-Shifter and a descendant of the Sea Clan, a people now largely forgotten.”
Yet, her mischievous tone made it clear that she was still lys.
“So… you’re not a spy, just someone fulfilling assignments?”
“Exactly! Right now, I’m working on a mission for the second prince of the kingdom.
It’s nothing nefarious, really—just monitoring the movements of opposing or neutral figures.
I even joined the academy for similar reasons.”
“…Are you sure you’re allowed to disclose all this?”
“I’m only telling you, Instructor. Normally, it’s a complete secret.”
lys—no, Beatrice—had a complicated identity.
She was a hero descended from the now-extinct Sea Clan, deeply tied to the royal family of the Maritime Kingdom, Benher.
The kingdom itself was said to have been founded by the Sea Clan, making her a distant member of the royal lineage.
Understanding this, it made sense why she was so knowledgeable about artifacts like Galid and Polique.
lys also explained why she left the Benher Kingdom.
“I’m searching for the royal family’s lost treasures.
Artifacts like Galid, which you possess, and Polique, which we discovered today.
That’s why I travel across the continent, entering different nations.”
“And your Shape-Shifter’s Destiny allows you to do this?”
“Exactly! You really catch on quickly, Instructor.”
The Shape-Shifter’s Destiny was a fascinating ability that I learned about for the first time through lys.
Its first branching path, Disguise Shape-Shifter, allowed her to completely alter her outward appearance.
This explained how she could hide her true form and assume various identities without revealing any magical traces—an undetectable transformation.
“It really is seamless.”
The difference between her current appearance and her days as a cadet in the swordsmanship department was stark.
Back then, she gave off the vibe of a curious troublemaker; now, she seemed more like a mature, graceful woman.
Of course, her personality seemed unchanged.
I heard she even infiltrated the Red Brushwood Zone exploration by transforming into a member of the Magic Tower.
I didn’t recognize her then, which showed how exceptional Disguise Shape-Shifter truly was.
“And to think she can mimic other destinies too.”
The second branching path, Fate Shape-Shifter, was the reason lys could handle a sword as a cadet.
Though it wasn’t omnipotent, she could mimic up to the first branch of another destiny, which still provided plenty of practical applications.
It was no wonder she could execute her assignments so effortlessly.
“But if you’re searching for the royal family’s treasures, doesn’t that mean you want to take these swords too?”
A question suddenly arose as I listened to her explanation.
Galid and Polique were among the “royal treasures” lys was searching for.
“Uh… well, yes, but…”
Caught off guard, she looked visibly flustered before staring directly at me.
“You’re not planning to just hand them over, are you?”
“That’s the most amusing thing I’ve heard today.”
“Ugh! I didn’t expect you to anyway.
After all, without you, Instructor, I wouldn’t have been able to enter here in the first place, so I’m not too attached.”
Surprisingly, lys gave up easily.
Though she could have claimed some ownership over Polique, she seemed intent on leaving both swords entirely to me.
“Instead, if the day ever comes when you have to dispose of the swords, sell them to me.”
“That much, I can agree to.”
“And if you find a monster den containing treasures, can you spare some time to help me raid it?”
“Your list of requests keeps growing.”
“…I don’t have anyone as strong as you around, Instructor.”
In addition to her Shape-Shifter’s Destiny, lys possessed the Mage’s Destiny, which had only developed up to its third branch.
This meant she wasn’t yet strong enough to tackle unknown monster dens on her own.
