The Swords I Raised Are Too Strong - Chapter 67

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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Chapter 67. A Confession (2)
A massive carriage bearing an enormous chest advanced toward Beijing.
Its destination—.
[Forbidden City]
The emperor’s palace where China’s true powers dwelled.
The carriage passed through Beijing’s downtown, lined with towering skyscrapers, and arrived before the golden fortress at the city’s heart.
The carriage came to a halt upon reaching the city gates.
Kuuung——.
A mysterious gate transcending heaven and earth, connecting worlds—[Tiananmen Gate] loomed with overwhelming presence.
All things in creation, halt before the emperor’s palace and offer your reverence.
So it seemed to declare.
Hiiing—.
The red steed pulling the carriage—the crimson war horse—bent its knees in obeisance.
Simultaneously, the carriage twisted.
The rectangular chest laden upon it tilted.
As if bowing its head.
For they had witnessed a great existence so magnificent that even inanimate objects were compelled to lower their heads.
The living god of China—gazing upon Mao Zedong’s portrait, both the living and the lifeless offered their reverence.
To that sincere and pure-hearted devotion—.
Sssick.
The portrait smiled.
Blackened teeth protruded from the corners of its grinning mouth.
Satisfied with their obeisance, the gates swung wide open.
The carriage moved once more.
It slowly passed through Tiananmen Gate toward the entrance of the Forbidden City.
The heart of the Forbidden City was the true domain of gods; the carriage was permitted only to the entrance beyond Tiananmen Gate.
Yet even that entrance was vast beyond measure.
[Great China]
The largest territory on the continent.
The most populous nation on the continent.
True to its name, China’s heart was extraordinarily expansive.
The Forbidden City.
A twisted world.
A mystical place blanketed by colossal fortresses of unfathomable scale.
Where the carriage halted stood a building of dizzying height at the outermost perimeter.
Kuuung!
From within emerged an extraordinarily massive presence.
A giant whose name remained unknowable.
That being lifted the chest from the carriage and slowly opened its mouth.
Ssssaaaa——.
Black mist pours from between my open lips.
A heavy, dark fog settles downward.
Along with it, a weighty voice flows out like the mist itself.
“Guan Yu, why have you come bearing only your head?”
* * *
The Patriot Education Act.
A moderately famous law that succeeded only halfway.
【So the poor bastards live as idiots while only the rich become intelligent? What kind of law is that? Education must be equal!!!】
Patriot grew up in unfortunate circumstances, unable to even graduate high school before having to work for a living.
He recited this background at an official press conference and shut down South Korea’s entire private education market.
The logic was that no one like him should ever emerge again.
‘Abolish private education.’
Patriot insisted that all minors nationwide must receive equal yet high-quality education.
As a result, all the nation’s star instructors had their assets confiscated and were dragged away.
They had to provide free, entertaining, and beneficial classes to the entire population—compensation for the wealth they’d accumulated under the guise of education.
Naturally, no one dared to slack off without payment.
Blood never dried on the guillotine at Gwanghwamun during those days.
“So why bring up subversive literature?”
This subversive literature was also part of the Patriot Education Act.
However, the subversive literature component never succeeded at all.
1. Replace martial arts fiction terminology and settings with Korean equivalents.
Bulguksa became Shaolin Temple, and the Huashan Sect became the Bukhan Mountain Sect.
Martial arts itself wasn’t eliminated because of Sword Master Elder, who had mastered power based on martial techniques….
2. Prohibit positive depictions of China, Japan, and the United States in webtoons and web novels.
A formula emerged: anti-Japanese, anti-Chinese, anti-American content always succeeds.
Works like [The Korean Empire Devours China] and [The Korean Empire Tears Apart the Heavenly Dynasty] dominated the top rankings.
This remains a trend even now.
‘But books were different.’
Real ‘books’ underwent no changes whatsoever.
Back then, I thought Patriot had a surprisingly lenient side.
But now I know the truth.
‘That bastard cut ties with books completely.’
Patriot doesn’t read ‘books.’
He has no interest whatsoever, so he doesn’t even realize that the works designated as ‘subversive literature’ are still circulating.
Perhaps our President and Director Kang Mu-jin made considerable efforts.
‘They likely coaxed and persuaded him into not caring.’
In any case, I know that Patriot lacks even basic common sense.
He sings about King Sejong, King Sejong, yet I wonder if he’s even mastered Hangul properly.
The fact that he mentions the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as subversive literature is proof of this.
‘If he brings up the Romance of the Three Kingdoms first, we’re doomed.’
However, mentioning Romance of the Three Kingdoms here would be foolish.
Given that Guan Yu himself exists in China as a fallen Evil God, defending that book would inevitably drag me into tedious arguments.
“That seditious text contains Chinese history, which you despise, sir.”
Patriot’s eyes narrow to slits.
He strokes his coarse beard and bounces his leg nervously, looking like he wants to curse but holds back out of consideration for me.
I quickly continued.
“Korea has countless great figures that don’t even compare to Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”
“Y-yes! Chinese history is nothing but the shameful spectacle of kinsmen slaughtering kinsmen.”
Patriot’s lips curl upward.
I would exploit his patriotism to get him to read at least a children’s Korean history comic.
So I spoke.
“Patriot, be honest with me. Aside from those currently serving as Constellations, how much do you actually know about Korean historical figures?”
“Junior, I’m Patriot. Patriot!”
I stared at him intently.
“King Sejong!”
“And?”
“Yu Gwan-sun! Yun Bong-gil! Kim Gu! Ah, and Syngman Rhee!”
One of those names seemed oddly placed, but they were all names no Korean could possibly not know.
“…Hongik Ingan!”
I’m not usually one to enjoy crude language.
But hearing that made me think, ‘This is hopeless.’
Hongik Ingan is the founding ideology of Gojoseon.
“Ah! And Grandfather Dangun?”
Patriot stopped there.
I didn’t press further either.
“Damn it. I actually know way more, but I panicked when you suddenly asked and can’t remember.”
The reason I’m bringing this up to Patriot now isn’t simply because of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.
‘Guan Yu has appeared in China.’
That means China also has an Awakened with abilities comparable to Patriot’s.
Moreover, that being is very likely currently fallen.
Or perhaps….
‘Being manipulated, or having their powers extracted and canned.’
Evil Gods, Demon Gods, and the like.
The atrocities I witnessed in [Sword Raising] were so vile that I can’t even imagine what China’s actual situation might be.
‘If that captive Ling Ling’s words are true, there are 200 million Awakened alone….’
I’m certain China has gone mad even worse than Britain.
Not only are they mass-producing Awakened, but I never imagined a world where a fallen Guan Yu roams freely would be China.
“Junior, what exactly are you trying to say?”
“Patriot, if China is like that, shouldn’t we become stronger as well?”
“Why are you stating the damn obvious?”
For now, I believe that regardless of other Awakeners, Patriot must grow stronger.
My nose may be three feet long, but I have more than enough willingness to help him.
‘If I keep raising Patriot, I might even witness Cao Cao and Yi Sun-sin clashing at the Battle of Red Cliffs….’
Ahem.
I composed myself and broached the subject.
“Patriot, let’s study some Korean history together.”
“Why the hell should I study!”
Patriot flared up.
He shouted recklessly, forgetting to even read my expression.
His eyes rolled halfway back.
“In the time I spend reading one more line of a book, I could deploy bombers and stabilize the people’s livelihoods! And Jeju Island—you know that if I don’t pay attention to it, the entire island gets isolated, right? Junior, surely you’re not thinking of abandoning Jeju Island as some mere citrus kingdom?”
Ah, he really hated studying.
His face screamed it as he heated up at me relentlessly.
Yet what he said wasn’t entirely wrong either.
Just as I was pondering what to do.
“You’re making things quite difficult for our master.”
Patriot’s Constellations, who had been silently watching, stepped forward.
Yi Sun-sin and Yulgok Yi I.
The two of them stood between us, as if blocking both Patriot’s and my view.
Then Yi Sun-sin extended his hand to me.
“Come to think of it, we never properly introduced ourselves. I am Chungmugong, Yi Sun-sin.”
I wasn’t familiar with Joseon etiquette, but I responded in kind.
“Sword Master, Shin Si-woo.”
At Yi Sun-sin’s sudden appearance, I extended my hand as well.
I didn’t have the cruelty to ignore such an exalted figure and force Patriot to study.
Thump!
The grip of our clasped hands was weighty.
It wasn’t the kind of pressure meant to cause pain.
It felt like he wanted to say something.
I lifted my gaze to regard the Constellation Yi Sun-sin.
….
The captain commanding twelve Aircraft Carriers stared at me with wide eyes, piercing through me.
And that gaze conveyed its meaning far too directly.
—Please, shut up!
It meant to keep my mouth closed.
* * *
After a brief commotion, the System announced the end of the settlement.
Not only I but Patriot and his Constellations all gazed into the void, watching the System Message.
The voice of the world rang out a step ahead of the message.
【Contributor Rank 1: Shin Si-woo, the world thanks you for your deeds and grants you your reward.】
Yes, that’s it!
If there’s a difference between reality and [Sword Raising], it’s that there exists a ‘system’ that rewards my actions.
It satisfies the desire for recognition, makes me feel the value of my hard work….
‘The driving force that makes hunters clear Gates.’
Before my awakening, I couldn’t understand why something like 【Voice of the World】 existed.
What meaning would it have for ordinary people to hear things like what Jesus is doing or what Patriot is doing?
But the reason was for us ‘transcendents’.
Clearing small Gates.
The complete annihilation of the Red Sea and Melting Sea.
Vanquishing the Evil God that descended upon a cult leader.
Even resolving major calamities within the country.
Combining all of these and everything else I haven’t listed, the system offers me ‘praise’ and provides appropriate ‘rewards’.
‘And the [Tower] is the same way.’
The [Tower] exists customized for each awakened individual.
There is no competition—it exists solely for personal growth.
Since the Tower’s contents recreate each awakened person’s trials, there’s no real reason to establish a standard and present scores.
Yet what appears at the end of a Tower clear?
SSS-rank clear, overwhelming achievement, tremendous rewards, and so on.
All manner of praise comes pouring out.
That’s right.
This is the second piece of evidence that the system’s will is for humanity’s sake.
Despite doing what humanity must do to survive, the system encourages, supports, and cheers me on.
And not just transcendents like myself, but all other hunters and even induced awakened ones become addicted to this.
This must be even more intense at higher ranks.
‘The Voice of the World is the final boss, though.’
When I first heard the Voice of the World.
I trembled at the fact that the world had announced my deeds, and I felt exhilaration from the massive rewards that followed.
Moreover, my swords grew stronger in real time, allowing me to confirm the rewards immediately.
That’s why I’m certain.
‘Jesus must feel the same way.’
Even Jesus, the sole existing EX-rank god, must have stirred up the entire world seeking to hear 【Voice of the World】 and performed miracles.
Jesus’s reason for saying he would observe this place and show it to the world is partly for my reward, but it’s also likely an intention to let me know the thrill he felt.
Moreover, such Achievements aren’t one-time, single rewards.
‘They’ll be discussed repeatedly on WorldNet and make the whole world buzz.’
At this point, I even wonder if the [WorldNet] given to all humanity might be designed to make non-awakened people praise awakened ones.
Didn’t Patriot, backed by the praise of an entire nation, make South Korea one of the cleanest countries in the world?
The terrifying truth is that the system’s direction has never been wrong.
I had zero exhibitionist tendencies, yet somehow I’ve come to rely on this, haven’t I?
This is a phenomenon no human—or anyone who was human—could refuse.
‘Rewards incoming.’
That’s how it was.
I saved the isolated world—North Korea.
There too, I claimed the overwhelmingly dominant first place in contribution.
Then, what would be given to me?
Whatever it is, it comes to those who expect it.
Whoosh!
[Level Up!!! 6→7]
My level had risen for the first time in a long while.
And now, an ability related to swords would manifest.
But….
[Dual Sword Master is unlocked.]
[Ego Swords can now manifest individually.]
[You can summon two swords simultaneously.]
“Two swords?”
It was a reward I had never once seen before.
‘To think I can summon two of my transcendent swords at the same time….’
I could wield those magnificent, colossal, radiant greatswords simultaneously?
Shamefully, even after awakening as a Sword Master, I had never once imagined being able to use two of my swords at the same time.
I had believed the world would never permit such a thing.
Yet the system shattered all my expectations and allowed me to draw two Ego Swords at once, didn’t it?
‘The things I can accomplish have become extraordinarily vast.’
Infinite possibilities laid bare.
My life, walking alongside two colossal greatswords.
As countless thoughts swirled through my mind, something suddenly came to me.
‘That card.’
The tarot card given to me by The Saint Im Ji-ah, the one of destiny.
Surely, it contained a prophecy about me and Patriot.
[A picture of me wielding dual blades and coercing Patriot.]
It was me holding two Ego Swords.
Hadn’t that become reality?
‘Im Ji-ah’s prophecies have an absurd accuracy rate.’
With this, I abandoned all thoughts of persuading Patriot.
There was no way to teach him history through such methods.
I would draw two Ego Swords exactly as depicted in this tarot card and coerce Patriot.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com

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