The Second Salvation Myth of a Retired Regressed Hero

Doyun stepped into the arena.

Below, the commotion from Sophie’s match still lingered as they chattered excitedly about the blossoming boss monster killer Sophie and the immense gains their guild would reap by recruiting her.

Only Eloah and Haineken watched Doyun with meaningful gazes.

Doyun made no effort to command the atmosphere – he had no interest in inflating his own worth.

‘Eloah’s guild would be ideal.’

His mind was already leaning towards the World Tree.

No matter how attractive the terms from elsewhere, the presence of his old connection Eloah made that option most conducive for his growth.

Money and the like didn’t matter – only securing an optimal environment and convenience for developing further.

Doyun shifted his gaze towards Eloah. Meeting his eyes, she flinched slightly.

Doyun smiled wryly.

‘She really has grown a lot.’

No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say she hadn’t grown much despite a century passing.

The 11-year-old chick had become a refined young woman in her early 20s, but her hair still retained that fluffy, downy chick-like softness from her childhood.

Eloah felt her senses growing hazy.

‘Why…’

He had smiled at her, his gaze exuding an inexplicable warmth.

It was the same look the guild members, once akin to family, used to give her – a tender gaze treating her not as the formidable Guild Master but as a child to be cherished. A look that particularly reminded her of him.

As Doyun averted his eyes, Eloah inwardly sighed wistfully.

‘Why… why does that student keep…’

Though perplexed by her own turbulent emotions, she yearned for their eyes to meet again, to bask in that nostalgic warmth she hadn’t felt in a century.

Eloah found herself increasingly captivated by him.

Doyun had briefly met Eloah’s gaze, sensing a whirlwind of emotions within those transparent eyes – confusion, longing, elation, welcome. Despite a century’s passage, she remained true to her feelings, her heart bared through those candid eyes.

Thanks to this, Doyun gained the conviction to reveal his identity to her.

‘Contracts can only be formed after the Cradle ends…’

For now, he would simply send her a signal to make her come find him again.

‘Which skill would be best?’

A visually striking skill that would have been vividly etched into the memories of the 11-year-old Eloah who hadn’t even learned sword forms yet. And one that could be called Enoch’s signature move.

‘Ah right. Eloah really loved that skill.’

Doyun recalled the skill Eloah had found so dazzling, giggling in delight whenever she saw it.

Not just Eloah – those who had witnessed the hero’s exploits never failed to mention this skill when describing his swordsmanship.

In fact, it was more an application of Localized Acceleration rather than a true skill, but to the untrained eye, it appeared as exquisite, peerless swordsmanship.

‘What was its name again?’

The name had been coined not by Enoch himself but by the minstrels praising his valor.

The skill was simple – momentarily accelerating the sword mid-swing using Localized Acceleration, combining the principles of swift and flickering sword styles.

The accelerated sword would seem to vanish instantly, leaving only a golden afterimage from Enoch’s sword-ki. This created the illusion that Enoch’s blade had transformed into light itself.

Having witnessed this simple skill, the minstrels had grandiosely described it as the hero’s ultimate technique, christening it the ‘Golden Brilliant Sword’ (Jin-sok Hyeong-geum).

Though Doyun couldn’t currently unleash golden sword-ki, the instantaneous acceleration of the swinging sword itself was a spectacular sight. As the minstrels had portrayed it, the motion resembled an exquisite, mystical dance.

Was it any wonder that after Enoch’s demise, his ever-changing sword dances had inspired the creation of ‘sword dancing’ as an art form?

‘While passed down orally and textually… there should be no one remaining who has directly witnessed it like Buske’s or Hecleus’ styles.’

The only one present who had truly seen the Golden Brilliant Sword was Eloah. It would be the most fitting skill.

“Phew…”

The swordsmanship instructor ascending to the arena let out a tense breath.

Having observed Doyun’s training, the instructor had to acknowledge his superiority in all aspects save raw output. Thus…

‘I won’t hold back and will charge him directly with full force.’

He tensed his legs and shoulders as he eyed Doyun.

The unarmed combat instructor overseeing the match cleared his throat.

“Ahem, ahem.”

This time, the unarmed combat instructor served as the referee himself, eager to witness his prized student’s performance up close.

Though he hadn’t directly taught Doyun and the latter used a sword instead of unarmed styles, the instructor still felt an inexplicable sense of pride watching him.

The inspection party showed little interest in the match itself. After all, they had already witnessed the boss monster killer and runner-up’s prowess. They had likely seen it all already.

Some weren’t even watching the arena at all. Only the instructors aware of the inside story smiled knowingly at their unconcerned demeanors.

Amidst this disorderly atmosphere, Doyun and the instructor faced off.

“Take your positions.”

The instructor drew his sword first, taking the advantageous high stance for attacking.

“Ready.”

Doyun lightly gripped the hilt.

And then.

“Begin!”

Alongside the instructor’s charge and Doyun’s draw…

Klang!

The match ended.

“…!”

The swordsmanship instructor, unarmed combat instructor, and the inspection party – all could only gape wide-eyed in shock.

Clang.

The shattered blade of the swordsmanship instructor’s sword clattered to the floor.

In the ensuing hush, only the faint ringing of Doyun’s outstretched blade and the gossamer golden afterimage of its trajectory remained.

Doyun calmly resheathed his sword before rubbing the trembling blade against his forearm, soothing its quivers.

Clink.

Until Doyun’s sword disappeared fully into its sheath, no one could utter a word.

He bowed slightly to the instructor.

And so, the 6th student-instructor friendly match concluded in a single bout.

The student had won.

+++

“Th, this cannot continue! The inspection ends here…”

“Wait! Let me speak with that student for just a moment!”

“He’s the boss monster killer, isn’t he? Just answer this! Is that student the boss monster killer?”

“I cannot disclose a student’s personal information…”

“That guy is him! Our instructor said the one using a sword is him! That’s the guy!”

The arena descended into pandemonium as the instructors struggled to restrain the inspection party.

Particularly fervent was the resistance from the Earthling apostle accompanying Haineken’s entourage.

“This damn…! I’ll just talk to him for a bit! Just a bit! Hey there! Sorry! I didn’t mean to earlier…! Ah, let me go, you…! You bastards! You know who I am!”

His face contorted, he kept shouting apologies towards Doyun for some unknown reason, looking ready to drop to his knees if they let him go.

But Doyun didn’t even recognize his face, dismissing it as a mere thief’s erratic flailing.

Witnessing this unsightly display, Haineken scowled deeply.

“This damn disgraceful… !”

He grabbed his subordinate by the scruff of the neck, slamming him to the ground.

“Ugh!”

“Stay still, you mutt! I’m already confused enough as it is…”

Pinching his throbbing temple, Haineken tried to collect his thoughts.

‘That guy, just now, he definitely…’

The situation utterly defied comprehension. The student’s outstanding abilities and the fact that he was the boss monster killer were secondary concerns. Even more baffling was…

“Da… Damn…”

He shook his head, dispelling the tangled thoughts. Then he hurriedly strode off.

While the commotion’s protagonist Doyun had already slipped away elsewhere, leaving the clean-up to the instructors, they felt both satisfied at his shocking display yet resentful for causing this mess.

The swordsmanship instructor stood dazed in the arena, still gripping his shattered blade.

‘Just what was that…?’

He had definitely seen Doyun’s draw. And reacted to it. But when the blade had emerged halfway, the sword had vanished.

The blinding sword’s afterimage had only entered his vision after the jarring impact against his grip.

And then the match had ended. The weight in his hand disappeared as the severed blade spun through the air, clattering to the arena floor.

‘Did he accelerate the sword mid-swing? How?’

It felt like being possessed by ghosts.

If that sword strike’s point of impact had been his neck instead of his blade…?

The thought alone sent chills down his spine. He might not have even realized his death in that instant.

‘Just what was that terrifying, razor-sharp sword…’

He stood there, utterly dazed.

Meanwhile, within the inspection party’s minds, calculations whirred furiously.

A student had defeated an instructor – an unprecedented feat.

Hwangbojun, the alleged son of the titan Chunma from the martial realm. And Salamander, a mystical spirit entity who commanded fire.

They too had been monsters, prodigies. Yet neither had been strong enough upon entering the Cradle to defeat an instructor outright.

But this newly-arrived student who had yet to fully ripen under the System’s blessings had bested an instructor? It was simply an inconceivable dream.

Which was why it had only been a friendly match, a mere demonstration devoid of true stakes.

And that was why the party had been so captivated by Sophie – even Haineken had briefly nodded, acknowledging her status as the boss monster killer despite the instructor holding back. For a fleeting moment, she had fought on equal footing against an instructor, displaying impressive prowess.

Yet this student Han Doyun had outright defeated the instructor in a single bout through sheer dominance.

Having witnessed the true boss monster killer’s prowess firsthand, the party’s blood ran hot – a vastly different reaction compared to Sophie’s performance.

They yearned to exchange even a word with Doyun, to somehow appeal… no, grovel before him with their guild’s strengths and lavish recruitment terms.

Within their minds, Sophie had long been forgotten. ‘Ah, so he’s the real boss monster killer,’ they thought.

“We have a break period next anyway! Please, let us meet him just once!”
“Who are you to dictate the Cradle’s schedule…?”
“Stu, student! It’s ‘Black Cat’! Our guild is ‘Black Cat’! Remember it!”
“‘Amaterasu’! The rising newcomer guild that burst onto the Skeletonia scene like a comet! ‘Amaterasu’!”
“‘Goldship’! ‘Goldship’!”
“Th, this cannot continue! The other students are still in class, please be quiet…”
“‘Pacific Reeeaaalm’!!!”

In an instant, everyone began chanting their guild’s name, even though Doyun had already departed elsewhere.

The party swarmed the instructors like a protest, causing pandemonium. And amidst this chaos, only Eloah remained standing vacantly behind them all.

With an entranced gaze, she stared unblinkingly at the spot where Doyun had vanished.

‘Definitely… definitely…’

She had definitely seen it. That skill had definitely been it.

100 years ago, the most dazzling sword in the world. The skill that had directly inspired her resolve to become a swordswoman.

The skill he had nonchalantly yet indulgently showcased more whenever she had giggled in delight watching from the guild courtyard.

‘The Golden Brilliant Sword (Jin-sok Hyeong-geum)…’

The only one who could wield that sword had been her deeply missed beloved.

There had been no golden sword-ki, but it had undoubtedly been that skill.

And Eloah had definitely seen it – the gossamer, fleeting golden thread, like a firefly’s afterimage, left behind by the sword’s trajectory before swiftly fading.

A trace of mana faintly reinforcing the blade in a precursor to manifest sword-ki. While catching the inspection party’s rapt attention as a glimpse of Doyun’s prowess, to Eloah it held a different meaning.

‘The color of his mana…’

The unique mana color Doyun possessed. It was the same brilliant golden hue as his.

+++

Doyun had ended the match swiftly without revealing excessive abilities, his intent being the signal to Eloah rather than inflating his worth.

But this nonchalance had resulted in his effortless instructor-defeating performance, causing his perceived value to skyrocket astronomically – not that it concerned him any longer.

It was a done deal. Instead, Doyun focused on resolving another matter that had been nagging at his senses.

‘It seems to match up…’

Burdened by vexation, Doyun strolled along the secluded footpath outside the building.

Hugging the outer walls in a shaded, narrow path seldom frequented by others.

With one arm draped over the hilt at his waist, Doyun scratched at the cloth wrappings with his fingers.

Someone approached from the opposite direction – the Vielorn Kingdom’s Minister of Finance accompanying Haineken.

But Doyun paid him no mind, and the minister likewise ignored him.

Their shoulders brushed as they passed each other in the cramped, shadowed path.

“…”
“…”

Swish! Swish!

Not a sound rang out.

Despite Doyun’s sword clashing against the minister’s black dagger, not even the faintest noise could be heard – not even the whisper of blades cleaving air.

Only the friction of Doyun’s draw was muffled amidst the ambient wind and birdsong.

An aberrant phenomenon.

“Tsk.”

Doyun clicked his tongue, eyeing the dagger he had deflected aiming for his neck.

The impact had nearly shredded his grip despite his preemptive Localized Acceleration reinforcement.

Considerably stronger than expected – an opponent he currently stood no chance of defeating.

Doyun narrowed his eyes, glaring at the minister.

“So it matched up after all… Huh?”

Doyun squinted intently, scrutinizing the man’s eyes.

“…A demon?”

He betrayed no outward reaction – an assassin’s basic discipline of not providing hints to the interrogator.

He felt no surprise. As the current captain of the Demon Lord’s elite assassination squad, he was effectively the Demon Lord’s strongest assassin with the Commander’s position vacant.

The unexpected abilities demonstrated during the match, deflecting the dagger, identifying his demonic nature – all had been unforeseen variables.

But ultimately, he was merely the target to be assassinated here.

Regardless of any variables, the mission was to assassinate the target – business as usual.

Gauging the blade’s repulsive force, he calculated his chances. This student was truly formidable – monstrous combat prowess considering his student status, befitting the boss monster killer.

Moreover, his own strength was diminished by Skeletonia’s ‘Holy Stone’, negating his assassination forte now that the ambush had failed.

‘Troublesome.’

It would likely take over 20 seconds to kill him – ample time for nearby experts to detect the commotion and intervene.

‘I’ll have to strain myself to reduce it to 10 seconds.’

Tensing his wrist, he slowly dragged his jet-black dagger along Doyun’s blade, strangely without producing any friction sound.

The dagger, absorbing all light and robbing any sense of depth, seemed to devour even sound itself.

Doyun’s sword was gradually pushed back.

He watched Doyun’s emotionless eyes with intrigue, unfazed by their clash.

Then suddenly, an eerie chill ran down his spine.

‘…What is this?’

The hairs on his nape prickled, his veteran assassin’s instincts honed over a century screaming a dire warning.

“You there.”

Doyun spoke up.

“A demon, are you?”

Doyun’s irises turned golden.

The minister couldn’t help but contract his pupils, an overwhelming sense of crisis ringing in his head.

‘Those eyes…’

The primordial terror of death etched into the depths of his soul forcibly dredged up a century-old memory.

The moment the Demon Lord’s elite assassination squad was annihilated.

The instant the strongest of the Commanders, ‘that person’, had been routed.

That brilliant golden radiance illuminating the shadows.

The piercing gaze seared into his mind in that moment.

It was uncannily identical.

‘How could…?’

Rationally, it was an impossibility. But as an assassin, he trusted his trained instincts over reason.

Standing before him was the one who had plunged a blade into the Demon Lord’s heart.

‘Ruszvolnik…!’

The hero.