mtl008 Chapter 754 - 754
Chapter 754 - 754
How long are you going to imitate me?These words struck Eiji's ears like a morning bell and evening drum, shattering his mental defenses. He shuddered violently, his entire body trembling with sudden realization!
Yes!
When did I become completely immersed in imitating Twin-Wings?
Under the weight of these words, Eiji experienced a sudden enlightenment.
He had never been someone who feared imitation.
After all, no matter how accomplished masters in any field might be, they all started by imitating others from the very beginning.
This wasn't wrong. While there were indeed pioneers who crossed the river by feeling the stones and blazed their own trails entirely through self-discovery, starting with imitation and following the path of predecessors to its end undoubtedly saved considerable time.
Because of this mindset, Eiji never minded imitating others.
In fact, many of his sword techniques were stolen from others.
In this regard, Kurogane Ikki was the same.
The reason Eiji imitated Twin-Wings' sword style was because Twin-Wings represented the pinnacle of swordsmanship he knew. Subconsciously, he had regarded Twin-Wings as the ultimate goal of sword mastery. Driven by his obsession to grow stronger, Eiji instinctively took Twin-Wings as his learning target, immersing himself in imitating the Twin Wings Style, and successfully achieved remarkable results that made him proud.
But unknowingly, he had forgotten.
Those who learn from me will live; those who merely resemble me will die.
Blindly imitating others would never lead to true success.
The moment one reaches the end of the path, they should know when to stop following the imitation route, change their perspective, and seek their own way.
But Eiji had taken the wrong path.
Instead of pursuing his own sword path, he single-mindedly focused on how to go further and further along Twin-Wings' sword path.
This itself had already deviated from a swordsman's original purpose.
Any truly powerful swordsman, even if they start by imitating others' sword techniques, will ultimately forge their own path!
"That's right, I should walk my own path too!"
For a moment, it felt like sweet rain after a long drought, like clouds parting to reveal blue sky. Eiji felt as if a sudden clarity had dawned upon him.
"But what is my path?"
"How should I walk my sword path?"
Eiji fell into confusion again.
What is the essence of me as a swordsman?
In the gymnasium.
After giving that piece of guidance, Edelweiss didn't press the attack further. She stood quietly, silently watching the collapsed storage room not far away.
His sudden enlightenment, his confusion - she could understand it all intimately.
Because she had walked this path herself in the past.
"In this aspect, I cannot help you."
Edelweiss thought to herself.
Finding one's own path is a realization that belongs solely to oneself. One can only rely on themselves, because one understands themselves best. Others cannot help with this.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, she made a soft sound of surprise, her eyes filled with astonishment.
"Impossible, this quickly?"
In her perception, Eiji's aura suddenly turned sharp.
That clearly indicated he had broken through the confusion and found his direction forward.
Back when she found her own path, she had been confused for quite a long time!
Actually, there was nothing to be confused about at all.
Eiji smiled with genuine ease.
In truth, the answer had been right before his eyes from the very beginning, with no need to search for it.
That was the "Falna."
More precisely, it was a specific skill within the Falna system—〈Sword God〉!
After all, the Falna bestowed by the gods in the DanMachi World was fundamentally a power to excavate one's own potential. An adventurer's desires, thoughts, and essence would all manifest within the Falna system.
And the skill 〈Sword God〉 undoubtedly revealed the essence of Eiji as a swordsman.
All things are my sword.
That proved Eiji's ambition to assimilate all sword techniques from across the world, break the curse upon him, and become the strongest swordsman.
Nothing cannot be cut.
That was the very essence of Eiji's sword path.
"That's right, this is my sword path!"
Light blossomed in Eiji's eyes.
A light as bright as the sun, shining with unprecedented brilliance.
His face overflowed with joy—a happiness devoid of any falseness, unforced, natural, and utterly pure.
In that moment, all his will converged into a single point.
Without the slightest impurity, the power of his heart condensed into a singularity.
The massive stone gate drew closer and closer, and Eiji arrived before it.
No, it would be more accurate to say that the stone gate had come to him.
Ten meters tall, ancient and unadorned, without any embellishments—it exuded only a pressure as immense and heavy as the stars!
Eiji slowly raised his sword, his spirit, energy, and focus highly concentrated.
"Any obstacle standing in my way, no matter what it is—even concepts, even causality—will be severed by this blade!"
A sharp will manifested on the surface.
"In this world, there is nothing my sword cannot cut!"
"Clang!"
The blade's light suddenly blazed, like the morning sun breaking through all darkness.
There were no extraordinary phenomena—just a single, unadorned strike, returning to simplicity.
Yet, in that very instant, something was severed.
"Crack!"
A sword mark appeared on the stone gate.
"Boom!"
The stone gate split into two halves, abruptly sliding apart before dissolving into shimmering fragments.
At the same time, Eiji's aura became ethereal and elusive, as though he had shattered the shackles hanging over all living beings.
"Congratulations."
Edelweiss approached him, her eyes filled with admiration.
As far as she knew, he was the first to charge through the stone gate with such an invincible demeanor.
"Thank you. I've attained enlightenment."
Eiji slowly exhaled.
Having achieved enlightenment in a single moment, all shackles were cast off, and his heart felt freer than ever before.
"There's no need to thank me. This is your own achievement."
Edelweiss shook her head, a smile of praise spreading across her face.
Nangou-sensei couldn't bring himself to go all out against this disciple.
Moreover, Nangou-sensei found it difficult to apply enough pressure on him.
It wasn't that Nangou-sensei couldn't defeat him—after all, as a ninety-year-old master, Nangou Torajirou's strength far exceeded ordinary imagination. It was just that Nangou-sensei's sword techniques had their limits and couldn't provide the pressure Eiji sought.
That was why Nangou-sensei had specifically sought out Kurogane Ikki, hoping he could exert that pressure on Eiji.
When Edelweiss learned of his plan, a small idea took root in her heart.
When it came to applying enough pressure, who in the world could be more suitable than her?
And so, she casually found an excuse and came to trouble him with a murderous attitude.
As can be seen now, Eiji successfully broke through the bottleneck, achieving the state of a demon while also finding his own path of the sword.
"Perhaps Teacher Nangou was right..."
Edelweiss stole a glance at the jubilant Eiji.
Back then, she too had been stuck at a bottleneck in her swordsmanship. While breaking through that bottleneck, she had also shattered the chains of fate.
Their lives were so similar.
"Maybe, perhaps, probably... we are somewhat well-matched."
Witnessing him break through the bottleneck firsthand, a subtle ripple stirred deep within her heart.