TSMRG 27

Chapter 27

Scratch, scratch!

“What’s this? Why are my ears so itchy?”

As Ruin kept scratching his ears and mumbling, the Sword Spirit’s mocking voice followed.

[Keh keh keh, looks like someone’s really talking trash about you.]

‘Talking trash?’

[Yeah. There’s this old saying—‘When someone curses you behind your back, your ears start to itch.’]

‘Hmm… who could it be?’

He didn’t take the Sword Spirit’s words at face value, but people who might be badmouthing him popped into his head anyway.

‘Seron? Palton? Or maybe some folks from Linegrime?’

The list could go on endlessly. Shaking his head quickly, he prepared to close his eyes.

[Don’t tell me—are you meditating again? Hey! How long do you plan to keep at that damned meditation?!]

‘Until the day I die.’

[What?!]

‘I’m joking, just joking.’

Ruin gave a small chuckle and continued his meditation to cultivate <Heavenly Seamless Cloth>. Of course, he left out the rest that the Sword Spirit could never understand:

‘If I can’t master <Heavenly Seamless Cloth> before I die, then I’ll really be stuck meditating forever…’

And so, several months passed.

[Dammit, Ruin! Just when are you planning to actually learn swordsmanship?!]

Finally unable to hold it in, the Sword Spirit snapped in irritation. Ruin only shrugged.

‘When the time comes.’

[The time? And when exactly is this “time” of yours?!]

‘Who knows?’

[Arghhh, Ruuuuuin! You damn brat! Why am I the one fuming with impatience here? Everything I do is for you! Since you’ve met me, you’re destined to become the continent’s strongest swordsman and rule the world!]

‘I see.’

[“I see” my ass! Get up and grab a sword right now. This instant!]

Even at the Sword Spirit’s sharp shouting, Ruin just shrugged again and closed his eyes. He knew further talk was pointless. He’d already set his plan long ago.

‘First, I need to advance <Heavenly Seamless Cloth>. Once it reaches at least three stars, then I’ll learn other things.’

Besides, he’d gained deep insight and guidance from Renovan, the Three-Star Sage of the Magic Tower.

Of course, Renovan never taught him the tower’s secret knowledge, skills, or magic. What he shared was external wisdom, possibilities, perspective of the world, and countless lessons from life itself.

That, combined with the past experiences of Subject 1872, gave Ruin the breakthrough he needed.

‘The next stage… I can reach it soon.’

At last, he’d found a clue to advancing <Heavenly Seamless Cloth> to three stars.

‘Who would’ve thought the key to surpassing the stage lay in experience and wisdom of the world?’

Even though it was a mystical and unfathomable enlightenment, Ruin was deeply surprised when he found the clue.

‘Well, for me, it’s a blessing.’

Of course, blending his body’s current limits with 1872’s experience and Renovan’s wisdom still needed time. So what he had to focus on now was:

‘Make everything truly my own.’

Through meditation, he would unify body, mind, and energy into one.

[More meditation? Damn it, enough already…!]

Even as the Sword Spirit screamed in his ears, Ruin sank deeper into his quiet, profound inner world.

Several more months passed.

“I’ll be back.”
“Yes, take care!”

As usual, he saw off his father, Kabel, and Brion as they went hunting.

Plop.

Sitting cross-legged alone in the grass, Ruin closed his eyes. Luckily, Sylvia hadn’t followed Brion today.

‘Good. I can fully focus on training.’

With a satisfied smile, he concentrated on reaching the next stage of <Heavenly Seamless Cloth>.

Then—

“…?”

His sharp senses picked up an unpleasant aura brushing past.

At the same time—

[Hey, Ruin. Someone’s watching you.]

At the Sword Spirit’s warning, he nodded.

‘Yeah. I felt it too.’

Turning toward the direction of the gaze, he scanned. The towering trees blocked much of his view.

“……”

But when he spread the energy of <Heavenly Seamless Cloth>, he caught details the eye alone couldn’t.

The terrain, the little monsters nearby, and—someone hiding in the bushes, secretly observing him.

“Found you.”

Detecting the faintest gap, Ruin focused his energy.

“So you’ve been hiding there?”

He didn’t know the reason, but he wasn’t about to let spying slide.

“Guess I’ll have to see your face.”

Step.

The moment he moved, his body vanished at frightening speed. With 1872’s experience, backtracking a stalker was child’s play.

“Hm, so it’s that kid?”

A girl sat atop a tall tree branch, legs swinging. She looked mid-to-late teens, but her small frame and striking red hair stood out.

“She looks pretty young… Doesn’t seem particularly gifted in magic either.”

Muttering to herself, she kept observing through a tiny monocle fixed to one eye.

In her lens was the image of a handsome boy meditating alone in the grass. Ruin Linegrime.

“Tch, he’s been meditating with his eyes closed forever. Though… he is kind of handsome the more I look.”

Tilting her head, she stared, then clenched her teeth.

“But still! Cutting in line—I’ll never forgive that. Even I, Kabela, haven’t been formally recognized as Teacher Renovan’s disciple yet!”

This girl was Kabela Xanthe, granddaughter of Serion Tower Master Adorno Xanthe.

Despite begging Renovan countless times to accept her as a disciple, she was always rejected. But she never gave up, persistently pursuing her goal. Eventually, she even sneaked into Renovan’s office.

And that’s when she overheard the words “named disciple.”

Grit.

“Some of us work our butts off, and yet some brat dares to…”

Grinding her teeth, she seethed.

“…Huh? Where’d he go?”

Suddenly, Ruin was gone from sight. She blinked in confusion—

“What are you?”
“Eeeek!”

The voice beside her made her shriek. Startled, she flailed, losing her balance.

“Ahh?!”

Tumbling from the branch, she would’ve crashed headlong—if not for a hand grabbing her by the scruff.

Swoosh, thud.

Ruin Linegrime caught her effortlessly, eyes dark and heavy.

“I asked, what are you?”

Kabela froze at his sharp tone, then began to struggle.

“Ow, ow! That hurts! Can’t you let go first and then we talk? Ouch!”

She pleaded miserably as he held her by the scruff. Ruin casually dropped her in front of him.

Plop!

“Damn it! That hurt like hell!”

Rubbing her neck and shouting, Kabela glared. But Ruin only looked down at her, expression flat.

Annoyed, she snapped at him.

“What’s your problem, scaring people like that out of nowhere?!”
“Then what about spying on people from hiding?”
“What?”

His calm retort left her dumbstruck for a second. Then she shook her head furiously.

“Uh… Do you have proof?!”
“……”
“You got proof I was spying on you? Ha! Unbelievable. A kid like you is already accusing innocent people.”

Acting like the guilty party was the victim, she turned it around angrily. Ruin just stared. Then—

Swipe, snatch!

“W-what the?!”

He suddenly snatched the monocle off her eye.

“Hey, give that back! Do you know how much that costs?!”

Clack.

“So this was it.”

Checking the monocle, Ruin muttered coldly.

Realizing she was caught, Kabela panicked. She leapt from the branch with a shout.

“Damn it, take this!”

Whizz, boom!

Metal pellets burst, splattering sticky green liquid everywhere.

“Keh keh keh! How’s that taste? This is Kabela’s very own Sticky Bomb!”

Whoosh, thud!

Landing gracefully, she grinned at the sight of branches dripping in green goo.

“That’s no ordinary glue. It’s my specially engineered ‘Mana-Amplified Adhesive.’ The more you struggle, the hotter the friction, and the stronger it binds with surrounding mana. Took me countless sleepless nights at the tower to make that, you know!”

Her voice quickened as she gloated, then she shouted smugly:

“Say sorry for acting cocky, kid. Do that, and this big sister will let you out. Now hurry—”
“You want me to apologize?”
“Eeeeek!”

The familiar voice behind her made Kabela scream and fall on her backside.

“Ugh…”

Eyes misting, she rubbed her sore rear.

Step, step.

Ruin’s footsteps drew closer.

At the same time—

“One, two… Now!”

Snap!

With her finger flick, three hidden orbs lit up red.

Crackle!

Three firebolts launched, aiming precisely at Ruin’s joints.

Whoosh!

But—

Swish, slip.

Like the wind, Ruin dodged them all with ease.

“W-what?! But it was auto-targeted!”

Right then—

Srrng.

“…Huh?”

A cold edge pressed to her neck. Her whole body stiffened with fear.

“Got proof. Caught you in the act. And you even tried to attack me.”

Before her eyes was Ruin Linegrime, blade of black steel at her throat, eyes indifferent.

“W-wait, listen… I-I can explain…”

“Last time I’ll ask. Who are you?”

His gaze was icy, his aura overwhelming—ready to cut her down without hesitation.

Her eyes darted over his feet, his hands, his energy.

‘…This is bad. Really bad.’

If she said the wrong thing, he’d kill her instantly. Panicked, she blurted out:

“K-Kabela! My name’s Kabela! From Serion Tower!”