Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 255

Rain poured relentlessly.

The downpour was ceaseless, mirroring a memory that wasn’t bright, but rather drenched in hardship—much like today.

From the very beginning, life had been bleak for him.

Born an illegitimate child of the Narcio family, he had endured years of scorn and contempt.

Still, with a semblance of talent and being the sole successor, he had managed to ascend to the position of vice-patriarch.

It wasn’t a role he desired, but the title had brought people to him, filling his life with activity and a semblance of camaraderie.

Loneliness persisted, of course, but he had learned to compromise.

Being surrounded by people, even for superficial reasons, felt less desolate than the alternative.

And then, he had found a true friend.

A peer of the same age, someone who had also endured the harshest circumstances.

But unlike him, this friend never wavered, never compromised.

This friend carved his path with unwavering determination and occasional wisdom—a source of immense pride.

“Cough—hack!”

Blood spewed forth uncontrollably.

His body, barely clinging to life, refused to stabilize.

Yet his master, in an act of mercy, had not dealt him an instant death.

As his consciousness began to fade, Wellington gazed upward, focusing solely on the sky above.

“We—Wel…!”

A small hand gently clasped his.

Rei, her peach-like cheeks streaked with tears, held his trembling fingers with utmost care.

Friend… friend…

Even as his vision blurred, Wellington could discern Rei and Erica, the siblings who had drawn close, their faces laden with sorrow.

“W-Why… why is everyone’s face filled with tears…?”

“Don’t speak! I’ll heal you right now!”

Rei, desperate and trembling, channeled her magic. But Wellington weakly held her hand, stopping her.

“There… isn’t much… time left. I just want to… talk about something… pleasant.”

Despite his fading strength, Wellington managed a faint smile.

The sight brought a bittersweet grin to Holkus’s face, who knelt beside him, matching his line of sight.

“Y-Yeah! Sure, Wellington! Just… let me heal you first, okay? Just a little rest, and you’ll be fine! I’ve got so much wine waiting for us—you have to come drink with me, okay?!”

“Holkus…”

Erica, her eyes brimming with tears, patted Holkus’s back while holding Wellington’s hand tightly in her own.

His pulse is fading…

Feeling his weakening heartbeat, Erica brought his hand to her tear-streaked face.

“I-If only… if only I had done more… maybe this wouldn’t have happened…”

“Wel…! You can do it! You’ll make it! We’ll heal you—please… just hold on…”

Rei refused to give up, pouring every ounce of her mana into his injuries, willing the wounds to close.

They couldn’t bear to accept it.

They didn’t know how to let go of a friend.

Not yet.

“Thank… thank you… I truly was… a lucky man…”

As his world grew darker, the faint sound of his friends’ cries reached his ears.

The rain, at least, softened the sound, blurring it into the background.

For that, he was grateful.

If only he could see Theo one last time.

“Take… care of him…”

With that final whisper, Wellington’s heart gave its last beat.

It stopped, forever still.

***

The relentless downpour of rain was a backdrop to the monumental moment unfurling in the forest. The oppressive weather seemed to mirror the weight of the task ahead, yet it could not dampen the resolute spirit of those gathered.

"What’s with you today? Why do you keep spacing out?"

Julius’s voice cut through Theo’s focused silence as the latter stood before the towering Sublimation Gate.

"Nothing," Theo muttered, shaking his head and steadying his thoughts.

Before them stood the massive iron gate, piercing high into the sky from the altar it was built upon. The gate's ominous presence carried the weight of countless sacrifices, their blood spilled upon the earth, inching closer to opening the door to yet another calamity.

Radiant Solar Orb.

Light began to concentrate around Theo’s sword, the dazzling radiance of the sun coalescing into the blade.

Can I break it?

No… I must break it.

Theo leaped onto the gate, raising his sword high. He swung down with all his might, unleashing an overwhelming force upon the gate. Yet all it yielded was a scattering of minor debris. Not even a crack appeared.

"Step aside."

KWOOM! KWOOM! CRACKLE!

Julius’s sword surged with thunderous power, roaring like an enraged storm. A strike of overwhelming strength—Dragon Slayer Swordplay, one of Ragnar’s most destructive techniques—crashed against the gate.

It didn’t budge.

Even the Sword Flowers summoned by the Plum Blossom Sovereign, cascading down upon the gate like a meteor shower, failed to leave a mark.

"Damn thing’s tough as hell!" Julius growled, his hands trembling from the jarring impact.

He had expected resistance but not this level of impenetrability.

"It’s like hitting pure diamond," the Plum Blossom Sovereign murmured, her voice laced with disbelief as she examined the gate’s implacable hardness.

"Father wouldn’t have given me this task if it were impossible," Theo said with quiet conviction.

It had always been this way.

His father would assign him seemingly insurmountable tasks, only for Theo to overcome them through sheer determination and resolve.

This time is no different.

Theo closed his eyes, standing firm atop the gate.

What came to mind was not his usual resolve but the image of a sword—a singular strike of unparalleled brilliance.

The most potent strike he had ever witnessed.

It was a memory burned into his mind, the radiant slash of Kyle Ragnar, the father he revered and sought to surpass.

Tick… tick… tick…

Time seemed to stop. Beneath Theo’s feet, a clock appeared, its gears turning feverishly.

His thoughts accelerated, becoming a torrent of clarity.

In this enhanced state, a radiant light filled his mind, so intense it seemed to blind him even within his own thoughts.

[A quest has arrived.]

+

[Scenario Quest #12]

Kyle Ragnar has presented you with your final trial.

Having gained enlightenment through numerous opportunities and trials, you must now destroy the Sublimation Gate. Prove to the world that you are worthy of succeeding Kyle as Executor.

· Difficulty: SSS
· Reward: ???
· Failure: Death

+

The quest text was inconsequential.

In this heightened state, Theo’s sole focus was on a singular question: How do I cut through this gate?

The answer did not come from logic but from memory—images of Kyle’s radiant sword flashes and the distorted realms of those who had tried to emulate him.

[Skill: Dragon Synchronization has been activated.]
[‘Nirvana’ has been enhanced.]
[‘Arrayed Clockwork’ has been enhanced.]
[‘Sword Saint’s Talent’ has been enhanced. The essence of observed swordsmanship has been imprinted onto your soul.]

The brilliance of Kyle’s strike resurfaced in Theo’s mind with perfect clarity.

He no longer merely desired to replicate it.

It’s not enough to imitate.

Pure desire transformed into madness.

When did I ever want to be just like him?

The realization struck like a thunderbolt.

I’ve always wanted to surpass him.

The sheer will coalesced into a brilliant arc of light.

It surged and grew sharper, becoming a luminous blade that could pierce through the depths of darkness and banish it entirely.

When Theo opened his eyes, his entire body surged with power.

[Skill: Dragon Form has been activated.]
[Skill: Dragon Synchronization has enhanced Thunder Dragon’s sorcery. Lightning now courses through your entire body.]
[‘Soul Venom’ has been activated.]

His body, infused with draconic blood, began to shift into its true form—a physical manifestation of the might of dragons.

Lightning, brilliant white, crackled and turned black as Soul Venom took hold, amplifying his strength to monstrous levels.

Julius and the Plum Blossom Sovereign stood in awe, their gazes filled with reverence.

They were witnessing history.

Theo, standing at the apex, had surpassed them.

In him, they saw the shadow of Kyle Ragnar, a figure once deemed untouchable.

Theo said nothing as he raised his sword high above the gate’s entrance.

He didn’t exude overwhelming intent. There was no flourish.

It was a simple, unadorned strike.

SLASH—

A bell-like resonance filled the air, ringing throughout the forest.

The once-indestructible gate shuddered as a crack formed.

It was small, but it was enough.

A fissure, a sign that the impossible could be done.

"What a remarkable child," the Plum Blossom Sovereign whispered, tears glistening in her eyes as she beheld Theo.

Kyle had chosen wisely.

The successor to his legacy stood before her, triumphant.

"Truly remarkable," Julius muttered, his voice thick with emotion.

For the first time in years, Julius felt an overwhelming pride, not for himself but for his disciple.

Theo had done what many believed impossible.

He had taken a step closer to surpassing Kyle Ragnar.

"Well done," Julius said softly, watching as Theo steadied himself, raising his sword again with a serene determination.

***

CLANG—!

A sound resembling a bell echoed throughout the battlefield, followed by a powerful gale roaring through the forest.

The gale was so intense that the towering trees along the border seemed ready to collapse under its force.

“Impressive.”

Black Dragon smirked, feeling the powerful gust.

Within it, he sensed the unmistakable mana of someone he knew all too well.

But he wasn’t the only one who noticed.

"Whoa, whoa! What’s going on with them all of a sudden!?"

The activation of Dragon Form linked Theo more strongly to the Drakes and Fairy Dragons on the battlefield. Empowered by his awakening, they moved with newfound agility and destructive power, leaving chaos in their wake.

The berserk dragons tore through the Undead, their numbers rapidly dwindling under the onslaught.

Even the elite Iron Cavalry of Tan Mulligan, known as the pride of the southern regions, found themselves utterly defenseless before the might of the dragon-mounted knights.

SCREECH—!

In a desperate attempt, Tan Mulligan himself led his personal guards into the fray.

But they were no match.

He was crushed beneath the Drake's hooves, his skull shattered in a gruesome display.

A burst of multicolored stones flew high into the air, marking his defeat.

Now, only the Bone Dragon and Blue Beard remained as potential game-changers on the battlefield.

But Black Dragon had already locked eyes on Blue Beard’s position.

He was merely waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

WHOOSH! CLANG!

A dagger flew from the shadows toward Black Dragon, only to be effortlessly deflected by his sword.

His eyes narrowed as he gazed toward the direction of the attack.

Emerging from the darkness were men clad in immaculate evening suits—an odd sight amidst the chaotic battlefield.

They were the elite assassins of the Gentlemen's Union, their most skilled killers.