Regressing as the Reincarnated Bastard of the Sword Clan

Chapter 217

Just before meeting Kincarnon, Theo had unsealed the Scepter of the King, brought by his companions.

[You have unsealed the artifact of the Ancient Dragon. The trial will now begin.]

When Theo opened his eyes, he found himself in a grand hall.

Under a magnificent chandelier that sparkled brilliantly, court musicians played instruments while elegantly dressed men and women in masks danced gracefully in a grand ballroom.

Seated a few steps above them on a throne was a man with a languid expression.

Theo recognized that face immediately.

Though much younger than the version he’d seen before, the aura radiating from him was no less overwhelming.

"Theo."

‘Yes. I will meet him.’

If there was anyone in the world who could make even Lodbrok’s voice tremble, there could only be one person.

“Sigurd.”

“Oh, you recognized me instantly. Many of my descendants have come here, but very few knew me right away.”

The boredom in Sigurd’s eyes flickered with a hint of interest.

The music and dancing that filled the ballroom now faded into mere background noise, unnoticed by either of them.

“I once had the chance to meet the real you, albeit briefly.”

“The real me? Oh, so you opened the White Tower. That’s no small feat—impressive.”

This Sigurd was nothing more than a shell or an echo left behind.

“So, how’s the real me doing? If he’s lounging around comfortably, I might just want to smack him in the back of the head.”

“He’s been working hard, holding off the Outsiders.”

“So he’s been running himself ragged, huh? Hah! Good. It wouldn’t make sense if I were the only one stuck suffering here while he had all the fun.”

The languor on Sigurd’s face began to fade.

“Still dealing with that mess, huh? Hah, when was the last time I ran myself into the ground like that? Damn pantheon bastards. All talk and no action, as usual.”

Theo was beginning to understand what kind of person this version of Sigurd was.

“Why must you endure all this hardship here?”

“Exactly! Don’t you think I deserve a break? Do you have any idea how long I’ve been stuck in this tiny place doing this crap?”

What followed was a long, ear-splitting rant.

Sigurd bemoaned how long he’d been trapped, how exhausting it was dealing with the occasional visitors, how tiresome it was watching the same NPCs repeat their actions endlessly, and how he would have quit long ago if not for his sense of duty.

‘He didn’t seem this talkative originally.’

Theo couldn’t help but think that this suffocating environment had driven Sigurd to become like this.

“I see. That must have been tough for you.”

“Yeah, right. You’re not listening at all, are you?”

“Of course I am. I was just reflecting deeply on the burden you carry and pondering how best to relay your plight to the pantheon when I meet the real you again.”

“Hah! With that silver tongue, I bet you didn’t care much for swordsmanship before regressing, did you?”

Theo smiled faintly, steering the conversation back.

“More importantly, what’s the mission I need to complete here? Where is the Guardian?”

Sigurd stared at Theo, as if to say, What’s wrong with this guy? Then, after a chuckle, he spoke with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“The Guardian? Isn’t it right next to you?”

Theo frowned, about to ask what he meant when a thought struck him. He activated Eyes of Insight.@@@@

The scene around him warped. What had seemed like an opulent ballroom transformed into a surreal nightmare.

The chandelier above revealed itself to be a mass of jagged teeth, and the luxurious carpet underfoot turned out to be a giant tongue.

The ballroom—no, the entire hall—was inside the maw of a colossal beast.

And then,

"Heh, heh, heh..."

From beyond the window came a sound, like glittering jewels laughing. Theo felt something, someone, watching him and laughing mockingly.

"Its size is absurd..."

Lodbrok’s low growl echoed in Theo’s mind.

Difficulty: SSReward: Ancient Dragon Artifact, ???Failure Penalty: Death

For Theo, who had resolved to reshape the entire Ragnar clan, this was only a natural trial.

“Has anyone ever passed this trial?”

Theo levitated four swords in place of the broken Drake Blade.

“Yes.”

Sigurd’s grin widened, revealing his teeth.

“Kyle.”

“...!”

***

The sparring match with 17-year-old Sigurd was so intense that the word "training" felt entirely inadequate. "Battle" or even "life-and-death duel" would have been more fitting.

Sigurd showed no mercy, neither for Theo’s status as his descendant nor for his role as the Chosen One.

It was no surprise that the quest difficulty had been classified as SS.

But in the end, the duel ended with Theo’s victory.

Theo’s growth, forged through numerous quests and level-ups, had surpassed even the legendary Sigurd of his prime.

“Should we meet again in the future, it will be quite entertaining.”

The future?

Sigurd’s cryptic remark just before the quest concluded left Theo puzzled, but Sigurd merely smiled, offering no further explanation.

As if to say, “You’ll understand in due time.”

And with that, Theo returned to reality, rewards in hand.

The Scepter of the King now glowed with a blue light as it settled onto his wrist—not in its original form as a scepter, but reshaped into a bracelet.

[Scepter of the King]

Adds to the majesty of a king.

Type: AccessoryEffect: Amplifies all skill effects by 1.5xRequirement: Completion of the respective quest

The amplification of skill effects.

For Theo, there was no more effective and reliable means of boosting his combat power.

[Skill: Drake’s Fear presses against the target.]

Boom!

Kincarnon’s shoulders visibly sagged under the pressure.

Already restricted by magical restraints that rendered him incapable of using mana, the additional weight of Theo’s sheer presence made it clear he was struggling even to breathe. His face turned pale, drained of blood.

Yet Kincarnon’s composure was remarkable. Not even a sigh of distress escaped his lips.

Instead, his gaze fixated on the bracelet coiled around Theo’s right wrist.

“The Scepter of the King. So, you’ve acquired it.”

A bitter smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

“In the end, the true owner of such artifacts is always predetermined, isn’t it?”

“I take it you won’t tell me where you obtained it. Then, was it the Light Dragon Emperor?”

Kincarnon closed his eyes again, remaining silent.

But for Theo, that alone was answer enough.

Through the fully activated Eyes of Insight, Theo saw a faint white light emanating from Kincarnon.

“It is the Light Dragon Emperor.”

His tone left no room for doubt.

Kincarnon’s eyes shot open, his gaze locking onto Theo.

A subtle hint of unease flickered across his features.

“Difficult to tell if I’m just bluffing, or if I’m absolutely certain, isn’t it?”

As expected, the white light grew brighter.

In that moment, Kincarnon realized the truth.

Whether he lied or told the truth, it was impossible to deceive Theo’s deeply piercing gaze.

Theo could now discern truth from lies.

[Skill effects enhanced. Spiritual energy imbued in mana has been strengthened.]

[You can now use Eyes of Insight to distinguish truth from falsehood.]

[Black signifies falsehood.]

[White signifies truth.]

With this newfound ability, Theo intended to draw out the thread of the Light Dragon Emperor’s influence tied to Kincarnon.