Elmekia — Ancient Castle Istalsil, the Celestial Mirror Chamber.

It was a grand hall where all four walls, the floor, and the ceiling were covered entirely in mirrors.

A training ground reserved for a select few Masters.

Even within Elmekia Dusk, the world's largest party, only a handful of elite knights were permitted to train here. The Celestial Mirror Chamber was, without exaggeration, a place knights not just in Elmekia but across the world aspired to.

Yet at some point, this glorious training ground had become the possession of a single man.

The arrival of the one called Knight King.

Knight King Zelbright was overwhelmingly, absurdly strong. Before his power, every knight had either knelt in submission or surrendered to despair, leaving the glorious training ground one by one until—

The hall of glory had become his alone.

"Same as always — the air in here is wound tight. Stifling, I should say."

The figure who appeared was an old man steadying himself with a metal cane.

A white-haired elder with a hunched back. Instead of a sword he carried a cane, and instead of Elmekia Dusk's black armor he wore a grimy laboratory coat.

Rank Four, "Mad Blade" — Naphress.

Among the tenacious knights who gathered in Elmekia Dusk, he was the only man seconded from Elmekia's research division.

"A space filled with brilliant light. A lavish hall of beautifully polished mirrors. And yet the only one standing in this glorious place is a rough-hewn swordsman like yourself."

"…"

The one who turned in silence was a knight clad in black battle attire.

He appeared to be around thirty. Close-cropped ash-grey hair, black eyes. A full head taller than any ordinary adult man, his entire body forged like steel.

A swordsman who, simply by being there, radiated an aura sharper than any blade.

Knight King Zelbright.

The pinnacle of all seventy-two knights in Elmekia Dusk, and a conqueror hailed alongside Sword Saint Shion as one of the two strongest swordsmen of the modern era. That man—

"Have they arrived yet?"

He muttered it in a voice that revealed no emotion.

"Hm. By 'they,' would you be referring to Party 'Knight of Reincarnation'?"

"Who else would it be."

"They're drawing near. The sea is calm and the winds are favorable. They should reach the Olvia Continent by the morning after next, I should think."

Naphress gazed up at the mirror-clad ceiling.

"I received word from an intelligence operative we planted in the Holy Land a short while ago. It seems the Knight of Reincarnation boarded one of the Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage's ships. They likely intend to infiltrate Elmekia by blending in with that party."

"The Sacred Vessel of Canaan Pilgrimage..."

"Indeed. The party led by holy maiden Elies. The last recognized Ancienter in the modern world. You seem preoccupied with the Second Coming of the Brave Hero, but personally, I'm far more interested in meeting holy maiden Elies. Her spirits against our Eidos — now which, I wonder, would prove the stronger?"

Spirits.

In the modern age, they were beings spoken of as phantoms and legends.

In the era when the ancient summoning arts — now considered lost ANCIENTS — had flourished, practitioners who could "hear the voices of spirits" had been common among the people. Back then, spirits were nothing unusual. But in the present day, opportunities to so much as glimpse one had all but vanished.

"Spirits."

"Not of interest to you?"

"I've told you before. Everything is nothing more than impurities. What I seek lies beyond such things."

The heretical conqueror.

Knight King Zelbright merely shook his head with a look of boredom.

"Is that all you have to report?"

"Indeed. And needless to say, in addition to the Second Coming of the Brave Hero, we've confirmed the Three Princesses of the End War as well. Dragon Princess Kyelse, Archangel Fear, and former Demon King Elise. They warrant far more caution than a single human knight, I should think."

"Who commands the interception?"

"Myself, naturally. I know you're eager to face the Knight of Reincarnation, but I'm afraid they won't reach you here. The Second Coming of the Brave Hero will be dealt with by Elmekia Dusk's knights. The Three Princesses will be met by the Eidos. We've already received instruction from the Three Sages of the Epitaph on methods to seize the Goddess's Seal and Dragon Seal in their possession."

"…"

To that—

The response of the man called Knight King was a wordless, mocking smile.

"Oh my. Did I say something off the mark?"

"Do as you please."

The Knight King stood motionless in the Celestial Mirror Chamber.

Elmekia Dusk declared they would end everything before the Fake Brave Hero could reach this place.

The Knight King declared the Fake Brave Hero would come.

Though they belonged to the same Elmekia, this was precisely why this man was branded a "heretic."

— He believed in no one but himself.

— His own intuition was absolute foresight. The future itself.

For his part, Rank Four Naphress showed not the slightest sign of offense at the Knight King's response.

Because he knew this swordsman who stood at the pinnacle of Elmekia was a man whose arrogance was earned.

"Well then. I suppose I shall return to my research."

"Naphress."

To the old man who had turned to leave—

"What is that man doing?"

"...Now that, I couldn't say. He's waiting somewhere in this castle, I expect, but that one's thoughts are just as unreadable as yours — in an entirely different sense, mind you."

Naphress shrugged with a sigh.

"Rank Two, 'Wicked Swordsman' Ouga cannot be tamed by anyone. Much like yourself — though in an entirely different sense."

"That's irrelevant."

The Knight King stared straight ahead.

"Whatever he's scheming is none of my concern. So long as he stays out of my way."

"Hm. I should think he's well aware of that, but should I happen to spot him, I'll pass the word along. ...If I happen to spot him, that is."

Rank Four departed the Celestial Mirror Chamber.

Without watching him go—

"And so the stage is set for Elmekia's upheaval. Convenient for both sides. For them — and for me."

A soliloquy from Rank One, Knight King Zelbright.

"And you, Sword Saint Shion." With the faintest trace of anticipation in his voice.

The heretical conqueror waiting in Elmekia spoke those words with absolute conviction.

"You're watching for your moment too, aren't you?"