Mystic Peak stands at an elevation of 9,970 feet, with clouds and mist swirling around its slopes, making it look like a heavenly realm.
As the setting sun dipped below the horizon, a thin layer of golden light painted the sea of clouds.
Although William and the others were deep in the mountains, Alice had chopped down a hundred large trees nearby, offering an unobstructed view of the breathtaking scenery.
“Ah!! It’s so beautiful!”
Alice stood atop a tree trunk, couldn’t help but spread her arms and shout out loud. The wind swept through her long hair, and amidst the swirling mist, she looked like a figure from a beautiful painting.
William, in no hurry, closed the book in his hands, glanced at Alice, and casually remarked, “Finished chopping?”
“All done! All done! Exactly a hundred trees!” Alice turned to William and said, “Master, come and see, the view is so beautiful!”
William took a fleeting glance at the sea of clouds and smiled, “It’s not bad.”
“You’re such a buzzkill.” Alice rolled her eyes, thinking his comment was way too understated for such a view. The atmosphere seemed to deflate a bit.
William inquired, “Would you like to see something even more beautiful?”
Alice excitedly asked, “Even more beautiful? How beautiful? Where can I see it?”
“Right here,” William slowly rose to his feet and said, “Watch closely.”
Alice turned her gaze to the sea of clouds.
Suddenly, the clouds in the sky began to churn, and a brilliant dawn light filled the horizon.
The clouds started morphing, forming various unique flora, and gradually, legendary fantastical creatures began to emerge. Dragons, phoenixes, unicorns, griffins, giant eagles, and firebirds appeared, seeming as if they had come to life, taking one back to the ancient myths.
Alice’s mouth hung open in awe, staring at the spectacle before her, completely taken aback. She had never seen such magical creatures and plants before. Even though they were formed from clouds, every detail was clear and visible.
“How about that, impressive, right?” William stood beside Alice, looking at the sea of clouds. To him, this was just a small trick, with no lasting impact. People would probably dismiss it as some mirage or optical illusion.
“It’s absolutely stunning!” Alice exclaimed, leaping up in delight. She jumped off the tree trunk and began running around the mountain.
William, however, remained still.
After waiting a moment, he swung the Godslayer Sword in his hand, lifting a massive log.
Under the gleam of the blade, four wooden swords quickly embedded themselves in the ground.
These wooden swords were engraved with ancient illusion magic. To an outsider, they appeared indistinguishable from the legendary ‘Thunder Sword of Zeus,’ ‘Sun Sword of Apollo,’ ‘Wisdom Sword of Athena,’ and ‘War Sword of Ares.’
At least in appearance, they were identical. Any discrepancies in color were masked by illusion magic.
When an excited Alice returned and saw these items on the ground, her astonishment knew no bounds. “Master, did you make all these?”
“Mm,” William responded.
He recalled a sword he hadn’t used in a very long time, and without hesitation, he drew it from his storage ring.
This was the Soulbreaker, William’s weapon from thousands of years ago.
Long ago, William had been known as “Soulbreaker William,” a name derived from this very sword.
Only when he drew the Soulbreaker did he remember that its power had never been sealed!
As soon as the sword was unsheathed, a resonating hum echoed, the clouds dispersed, fierce winds roared atop the mountain, and the sheer force nearly suffocated Alice standing nearby.
“Stop!” William commanded loudly, swiftly sealing the eager Sword Spirit within Soulbreaker.
The sword emitted a soft whimper, reminiscent of a wronged husky.
William had not wielded this blade in eons, and having not shown its might in ten thousand years, the Soulbreaker’s emergence was akin to a wild dog breaking free and howling with abandon.
Yet, a single word from William suppressed it entirely.
The scene could be likened to a husky, locked up for a year, finally getting a chance to run outside but being dragged to the vet for shots before it could enjoy its freedom.
Only a husky that had experienced such treatment could truly understand the Sword Spirit’s dissatisfaction.
“Take a look at this sword, see if you like it,” William said, without unsheathing the blade.
The Sword of Soulbreaker housed two Sword Spirits—one within the blade and another in the scabbard. The resonating hum from earlier came from the spirit within the blade itself.
Compared to the Sword Spirit within the blade, the Sword Spirit of the scabbard appeared more reserved.
It resembled a seasoned knight, one who had weathered countless storms and emerged steadfast and resilient.
“This sword is truly magnificent!” Alice eagerly took the blade, examining it from hilt to tip.
The scabbard was intricately carved with various mythical beasts and legendary creatures—a craftsmanship that evoked admiration.
However, Alice was unaware that these designs were embodiments of formidable beings defeated by the blade.
Long ago, these creatures were rulers of their respective realms,some were entities even gods hesitated to confront.
Yet, they all became trophies of William’s conquests.
William always believed many mythical creatures appeared incredibly delectable, so most of the beings slain by this sword were of this kind.
Gently, Alice drew the sword from its scabbard and was immediately captivated by its radiant glow, as brilliant and pure as daylight.
Such luminance can only be attributed to this sword!
William’s treasured weapon, even with its Sword Spirit forcibly sealed, remained unparalleled. The might of Zeus’s ‘Thunder Sword,’ Apollo’s ‘Sun Sword,’ Athena’s ‘Wisdom Sword,’ and even Ares’s ‘War Sword’ paled in comparison to its prowess. This was truly the king of swords.
Alice asked, “Master, what is this sword called?”
“It used to be named the Sword of Soulbreaker,” William replied, “but now that it’s with you, you can choose a name. When you engage in combat, unless it’s a matter of life and death, it’s best to keep the sword sheathed.” The Sword Spirit might be sealed within the blade, but its brilliance remained unmatched in the current world.
No other weapon could rival it unless William decided to completely obliterate the Sword Spirit.
“I’ll call it Soullet,” Alice said with a playful smile, sliding the sword back into its scabbard.
The Sword of Soulbreaker let out another soft ring.
“Soullet?!” ．𝙘𝙤𝙢
What kind of name is that?!
The Sword of Soulbreaker was an artifact of unparalleled power.
Other renowned blades like the ‘Celestial Sword’ and the ‘Chaos Blade’ would have to bow in respect before it.
And now, after William had gifted it away, this young girl dared to rename it “Soullet.”
William’s lips twitched, commenting, “It seems to dislike the name.”
“Oh? Then its name shall be… still Soullet! All objections are overruled! Hahaha!”
Alice burst into hearty laughter, ecstatically happy. William had not only shown her breathtaking scenery but also gifted her a divine sword. She was over the moon.
“Let Soullet teach you swordsmanship,” William said, slightly lifting his eyelid and loosening some of the seals on the Sword Spirit, enabling it to communicate with Alice.
When it comes to swordsmanship, the Sword Spirit, of course, knows it all.
“Soullet, you can talk?” Alice was once again taken aback as the Sword Spirit began to grumble to her, expressing its reluctance to change its name. It started boasting about its glorious past during the ancient era of the gods.
William pretended he hadn’t heard, addressing the Sword Spirit: “You can teach her some basic sword techniques. Techniques that don’t require drawing the sword and don’t kill.”
“Master, are you joking? I am the spirit of the blade! To wield a sword and not kill is a disgrace to the blade. Leave such matters to Kindshield.”
Kindshield was the spirit of the scabbard.
William sighed, knowing full well that Kindshield’s spirit had never been sealed. “Kindshield, you teach her,” he said.