Chapter 16: The parting legacy and the sword art
Alex stood frozen, staring at the ancient as the flood of information burned itself into his mind.
The moment the sword art transferred to him, a wave of exhaustion hit him like a mountain collapsing onto his back.
"Whoa, okay, that was... a bit much," he muttered, wobbling on his feet to remain steady.
His vision swam as he shook his head. "So, uh, did you just pump a lifetime's worth of sword knowledge into my head, old man?" Alex asked, rubbing his temples.
The ancient warrior chuckled, his form beginning to flicker. "It is not something so crude. The techniques are imprinted in your soul. Your body will remember them in due time."
Alex snorted. "So what you're saying is—I got an OP sword art, but I can't use the cool stuff yet? Talk about a scam. I should've read the fine print."
The warrior's laughter grew softer as his body faded further. "My time has come, young one. This fragment of my soul has lasted far longer than it should have. But now... I am finally at peace ."
Alex's smirk faltered. Despite everything he had been through, despite his general distrust of people—this warrior had guided him, tested him, rewarded him.
The fact that he was truly vanishing now... it hit harder than he expected.
"You know," Alex said, stuffing his hands into his pockets, "for a guy who put me through hell, you're not that bad."
The ancient warrior smiled. "And for a boy who mocks even his benefactors, you are not so bad either."