240 - A Sword Worth Crossing Mountains For

Highcrest's arena was already crowded when Subin returned the following morning.

The previous day's duel had spread through the settlement faster than he expected. Several Awakeners had watched his match against Gareth Voss, and by breakfast, the story had grown into something more dramatic. One merchant claimed Subin had defeated three A-rank swordsmen in succession. Another insisted Gareth had challenged him after witnessing him cut through a monster's armour with a single strike.

Neither version was accurate, but Subin had no interest in correcting strangers.

He had come to fight.

Yerin walked beside him, carrying her spear over one shoulder. “If another person asks you to demonstrate your sword technique in the market, I'm charging them a fee.”

“Keep the money.”

“You don't even want it?”

“I want an opponent who can survive long enough to teach me something.”

“You're impossible.”

“That's what Jae-hyun says.”

“Jae-hyun says much worse things.”

They entered the arena through the competitors' entrance. A handful of fighters were already warming up, testing their weapons against practice targets or exchanging controlled blows beneath the supervision of an instructor.

Gareth Voss stood near the edge of the training floor. When he noticed Subin, he approached with his sword in hand.

“I thought you might return,” he said.

“I said I would.”

“I've been thinking about yesterday's match. I was too focused on protecting my centre line. You kept changing the timing until I couldn't predict when your next strike would arrive.”

“You defended well. But once I understood your recovery, I could choose where to attack instead of forcing my way through your guard.”

Gareth nodded. “That's what I want to improve. Would you be willing to spar for a while? No formal match, just technique.”

Subin considered it. “Certainly.”

They moved onto a practice floor and took their positions. Gareth's sword was blunted for training, and Subin used a similar practice weapon supplied by the arena.

Their first exchange was slow. Gareth tested several variations of his defensive stance, while Subin watched how he adjusted his feet and shoulders. After a few minutes, they increased their speed.

Gareth had changed his approach. Instead of maintaining the same compact guard, he varied the distance between himself and Subin, sometimes inviting an attack and sometimes stepping forward to disrupt the rhythm. His technique was still defensive, but it no longer depended on one fixed pattern.

Subin responded by shortening his movements. He stopped trying to draw Gareth into a particular sequence and began attacking the transitions between his stances. When Gareth changed direction, Subin's sword followed the opening rather than the weapon itself.

Their blades struck repeatedly, producing sharp cracks across the training floor.

After several minutes, Gareth stepped back and lowered his sword.

“That was better,” he said. “I managed to redirect your last three attacks, but the fourth passed through the opening I created.”

“You protected yourself from the first three. The fourth worked because you expected me to repeat the same movement.”

Gareth laughed. “You're remarkably direct when explaining swordsmanship.”

“Would you prefer a complicated explanation?”

“No. I prefer useful ones.”

They exchanged a few more rounds before ending the session. Gareth thanked Subin and returned to his own training, visibly eager to practise the adjustments they had discussed.

Subin left the floor feeling satisfied. Gareth was not his equal, but he was a disciplined swordsman who learned from defeat rather than resenting it. Such opponents were valuable.

Outside the training area, Jae-hyun and Liu Wei were waiting.

“You've had your fun,” Jae-hyun said. “Now it's our turn.”

“Did you register for a match?”

“Of course.”

Liu Wei lifted his hand. “I registered too. We decided to see how Highcrest's fighters compare with those we've encountered elsewhere.”

Yerin looked at them both. “And neither of you will turn a friendly duel into a personal feud?”

“No,” Jae-hyun answered.

“Probably not,” Liu Wei said at the same time.

Yerin sighed.

Their matches were scheduled for late morning. Jae-hyun faced a Level 305 A-rank spear user named Darius Kelm, while Liu Wei was paired with a Level 317 A-rank swordsman called Ren Talvek.

Jae-hyun's opponent favoured long-range thrusts and sweeping attacks designed to keep a swordsman from closing the distance. At first, Darius controlled the match, forcing Jae-hyun to circle the arena and defend against repeated spear strikes.

Jae-hyun refused to rush.

He watched the spear user's grip, noting how Darius shifted his hands whenever he changed from a thrust to a sweep. The movement was small, but it gave away the direction of the next attack.

When Darius launched another sweeping strike, Jae-hyun stepped inside its arc. His sword struck the shaft near the forward hand, knocking the spear off line. He followed with a cut toward Darius's shoulder, stopping just short of contact.

The referee declared Jae-hyun the winner.

Jae-hyun left the arena wearing a satisfied grin.

“You could have looked happier,” he told Subin.

“You won.”

“Exactly.”

“Then why do you need me to congratulate you?”

“Because you're my friend.”

Subin gave him a brief nod. “Congratulations.”

Jae-hyun stared at him. “That was worse than saying nothing.”

Liu Wei's match was more difficult.

Ren Talvek was a patient swordsman with excellent footwork. He avoided unnecessary clashes and used short counterattacks whenever Liu Wei overextended. For the first several minutes, neither fighter gained a clear advantage.

Liu Wei eventually changed his rhythm, mixing quick attacks with sudden pauses. Ren adjusted, but the shift forced him to move farther than he wanted. Liu Wei exploited the opening with a cut that knocked Ren's sword aside.

The match ended with Liu Wei securing a clean point.

Ren accepted the result without complaint and shook his opponent's hand.

Afterward, the four companions watched several more matches before leaving the arena for lunch. Highcrest had many capable fighters, but few had the combination of experience and adaptability that Subin sought. He enjoyed the competition, yet he did not intend to spend weeks fighting increasingly familiar opponents.

There were stronger places to explore.

Ara joined them at a restaurant near the market. She had spent the morning speaking with local merchants and reviewing the region's exploration contracts.

“I found something you may want to see,” she said, placing a small map on the table.

Subin leaned forward.

“The Association has been receiving reports from the northern mountains. A group of surveyors discovered a cavern system beneath a ridge called Frostveil. The entrance is accessible, but several teams encountered monsters inside that were much stronger than expected.”

“How strong?” Yerin asked.

“Confirmed A-rank creatures. One team reported a monster that forced three experienced fighters to retreat. They couldn't identify its level accurately.”

Subin's interest sharpened. “What are they offering?”

“An exploration contract. They want the accessible passages mapped, the immediate threats identified, and any abandoned survey equipment recovered. There's an additional reward for eliminating monsters that threaten the nearby mountain road.”

“Why haven't they sent a stronger team?”

“They have. The last team returned injured, and the Association is reviewing whether the cavern should be restricted. They are willing to hire an experienced group, but they don't want anyone entering blindly.”

That was a sensible approach. A cavern system could conceal multiple monster territories, unstable passages, and environmental hazards. Even powerful Awakeners could be caught in a bad position if they assumed strength alone would solve every problem.

Subin studied the map. Frostveil lay north of Highcrest, beyond a forested valley and a series of narrow mountain passes. The journey would take roughly a day and a half.

“When can we leave?” he asked.

“Tomorrow morning, if we accept the contract today.”

“Then we'll accept.”

Yerin smiled. “You didn't even ask what the reward was.”

“The reward is fighting something strong.”

“And the money?” Ara asked.

“Useful.”

Jae-hyun shook his head. “One day, someone will offer you a fortune to stay in a comfortable room, and you'll refuse because the furniture isn't strong enough to fight.”

“If the furniture attacks me, I'll reconsider.”

Liu Wei laughed so loudly that several diners turned toward their table.

They spent the afternoon purchasing supplies and checking their equipment. Subin replaced the worn wrapping on his sword's grip, while Yerin inspected her spearhead and adjusted the bindings. Jae-hyun and Liu Wei bought additional provisions for the mountain journey.

Before sunset, they visited the Association office and accepted the Frostveil contract. The clerk explained that the previous teams had found no signs of an intelligent enemy or deliberate traps. The dangers appeared to be ordinary creatures occupying a newly discovered habitat, though the deeper passages had not been explored.

That distinction mattered. They were not being sent to uncover an ancient secret or pursue an unknown organization. Their task was straightforward: enter a dangerous area, understand what lived there, and make the route safer if possible.

The following morning, the group left Highcrest.

The northern road climbed through pine forests and rocky valleys. They passed several small mining settlements, each with its own workshops and supply stores. By late afternoon, the trees had thinned, and the mountains rose sharply on either side of the trail.

Frostveil Ridge appeared ahead, its upper slopes covered in pale stone that reflected the cold light of the sky. The cavern entrance lay beneath a natural overhang, partly hidden by shrubs and fallen rock.

A temporary Association camp stood nearby. Two injured surveyors were recovering inside a tent, while a third man was packing tools into wooden cases.

He introduced himself as Corin Hale, leader of the original survey team.

“You're the group taking over the exploration?” he asked.

Subin nodded. “Tell us what we need to know.”

Corin spread a map over a crate. “The first passage slopes downward for about two hundred metres before opening into a broad chamber. We encountered several armoured creatures there, probably A-rank. Beyond that, the passage divides. We explored the western branch but had to retreat after a larger monster attacked.”

“Did it follow you?” Yerin asked.

“No. It stayed inside the chamber and returned to the deeper passage once we withdrew.”

“Was it defending a nest?” Ara asked.

“We didn't see a nest. It may simply have been territorial.”

Subin examined the map. The western branch curved around a narrow chamber before descending toward an underground stream. The eastern branch remained uncharted.

“How many monsters did you see?”

“Four smaller ones, then the larger creature. We killed two of the smaller ones before retreating. The others disappeared into the dark.”

Corin looked at Subin's sword. “I'm not going to tell you how to fight, but don't assume the larger creature will behave like an ordinary dungeon boss. It uses the walls and narrow passages to its advantage.”

“Good,” Subin replied. “That should make it more interesting.”

Corin seemed unsure whether Subin was joking.

The group made camp near the entrance and prepared to enter at first light. They would not rush into the deeper passages without understanding the terrain, but neither would they waste time repeating the surveyors' mistakes.

As darkness settled over Frostveil Ridge, Subin sat outside the camp and drew his sword for a final inspection. The weapon reflected the light of the campfire, its edge clean and undamaged.

Yerin sat beside him.

“You've been smiling since we left Highcrest.”

“Have I?”

“Yes.”

“Then perhaps I'm looking forward to tomorrow.”

She rested her spear against the crate beside her. “Whatever lives in that cavern, we face it together.”

Subin glanced at her, then nodded.

“I know.”

Far beneath the ridge, something moved through the darkness. A heavy impact echoed faintly from the cavern entrance, followed by the sound of stone scraping against stone.

Subin looked toward the black opening.

Tomorrow, he would find out what waited inside.