The King Recalls His Past: Way of the Sword

(A/N: Please note that each 'The King Recalls His Past' chapter is in the First person and gives glimpses of the King's past lives).

....

After getting the rusty sword from the old man, whose name I found out to be Henner, I purchased a good looking sword. It was nothing too fancy.

It was a gladius with a silver blade and a crimson hilt. There was no excess detail in the craftsmanship and I preferred it that way. Since I had been invited by Granny Orgy to join the Double Underground, I could also get discounts for the services and products I purchased.

I only had to pay 200 Nots for it which was a full 50% discount from the original price.

Bazzard then whispered something to Henner and the old man sighed, looked at me and sighed some more. He went up to one of the boxes within the room and pulled out two notebooks that were wrapped with black and red paper wraps.

"These are the Renewal Arrays. Both are Tier 1. I'm sure you were told how valuable these are and I hope you realise that the only reason you are able to touch these is because that old wench fancies you for some reason," Henner said with a strict tone. "The one with the red cover is the one for you. The black one is the one you are supposed to...deconstruct, as you've said."

I nodded while ignoring Bazzard who gave me a fierce look of indignation that threatened to set me alight.

"Thank you," I said as I took the notebooks from him.

When it came to Renewal Arrays, there were ranks as well as types.

There were three main types of Renewal Arrays.

Energy Release types commonly known as type E. They were mainly a form of Augmentation that allowed for an individual to manipulate energies from elements to other higher forms of energy.

The next were called Obscure Construct types, commonly known as type O. They usually revolved around having powerful abilities which had established techniques.

The last were called Reverent Summon types, commonly termed as type S. They involved summoning creatures to assist in battle. My guess was that the summoned creatures were not exactly otherworldly as this was a lower world.

I still lacked adequate information on Renewal Arrays as it was a seldom disclosed aspect of society.

As for their ranks, they were called Tiers. They went up from Tier 0 to Tier 7, the disparity between each Tier of Renewal Array being a massive one. That much I'd also gathered from my information search a while ago.

"I'll be on my way, now," I said. Both my swords were wrapped in a thick cloth such that when I carried them, it looked like I was carrying a large log instead. I had been given a decent sheath for the rusted sword as well which made it all the more convenient for me.

I was promptly led outside where the old man gave me a final piece of advice.

"Boy. This world is not a game. Tread carefully. I want to believe you have a good head on your shoulders so you'll listen to my words. Many like you are scouted from all the Low value IDs and sent here with great enthusiasm that they will join the Double Unground and make something of themselves," Henner said, a look of concern plastered on his face.

"Unfortunately, most die along the way. I don't encourage sending our younger generation to their deaths like this but only so much can be done when you're in a position like my own. If there's a chance that you can back out. I encourage you to do so before you die worthlessly like the rest."

I nodded with a solemn look, but my body trembled from his last words.

"I'll take your advice into account," I said before leaving the shop.

The last words the old man said had made the Denva part of me tremble.

Dying worthlessly.

A set of words that were among the last of those that had rung in the original Denva's mind before he died.

'You should have stayed in your lane. You're going to die worthless..'

The air around me roiled as I recalled another bastard I would deal with eventually. Now was not the time though. Unless I wanted to screw over my entire family by acting on impulse, I would rather lay low and all would flow in my direction in due time after I had started treading on the path of the sword again.

I felt the sheaths of the swords as I walked, my memory taking me back to the first time I learned of the sword. The days that made me follow it reverently above all else...

...

After I ascended for the first time, landing in my second World, life wasn't too bad. I started from scratch, having been reborn as a child.

The world was medieval-esque with glimpses of technology here and there. Primarily sorcery and swordsmanship were the forms of Enlightenment in this world.

I was born into a rich family, growing up as what many would call a pampered young master. My father was an authoritarian man with eyes for his land more than anything else. A Duke.

He groomed me like a true father would, unlike my original. He taught me strength, beating the living daylights out of me when I failed to exhibit a true man's qualities in his eyes.

It would have been harsh for others, but not me. I appreciated the attention very much, learning what my father wanted to shape me into.

My mother supported it, but would always be there if she felt that my father's punishment was too harsh. She would massage me where it hurt and treat me herself instead of having the maids do it.

It was bliss.

For a time, I lost myself in this comfort.

The love of a parent? How would I know that?

A married couple that actively respected and loved each other? I had not known such a thing was possible in a household.

My scarred soul almost did a full 180.

However, when I learnt that there was more to power than brawn, my father introducing me to the art of World Essence manipulation, the entirety of who I was in my previous life reanimated.

Power.

I began to thirst for it.

I had all the resources I could ever need to grow stronger.

Perhaps it was because I had failed to grow in both instances of my past life and ultimately failed, that caused me to become so eager to rebuild an empire of my own that wouldn't fail.

I would kill all I could If I had to.

No betrayal.

No power struggles.

No mistakes.

It would all begin with the foundation I set for myself in this childhood.

So when my father offered to train me, I accepted the knowledge greedily, growing to be able to manipulate and cultivate World Essence at a rapid pace.

My father was satisfied with my growth, to say the least. So much so that he invited the oldest and strongest swordmaster in the country to be my tutor.

He was a man with short, black hair and sharp golden eyes that brimmed with power. Seeing him with his humble attire and the black sheath that housed a Jian sword with a fierce aura that left a deep impression on me, I was excited.

On the first day, he sat me down and unsheathed the sword, revealing its black blade which stuck to a simplistic golden hilt.

As he spoke, I paid rapt attention in order to fully grasp what he would teach.

"My boy. The path of the sword requires a clear mind. A sword is no mere tool. It will grow to be a part of you as you grow stronger. The strongest swordsman is one who is able to superimpose his will on the sword and see it as an extension of his will. It is him and he is it. The sword is shaped by him.

That is the true path of the Sword. Only then will you be able to stand proud and call yourself a master swordsman. For that, I will need you to understand what a sword truly is," he said. His eyes fumed with wisdom that he imparted onto me.

I touched the sword that rested on his lap and a smile bloomed on my face as I felt its cold, yet resolute stance.

.....

"Bullshit," I muttered as I overlooked the waters that splashed under the cover of the night.

I was looking at the same place I had reincarnated a few days ago when I took the body of young Denva for myself.

"You lied to me old man," I said as I unsheathed the rusty sword and dual-wielded it.

"That is not the True Way of the Sword."