He Became A Monstrous Genius After Obtaining A Time Dilation Artifact

The thirteenth Sword Conclave Mountain emitted a sword-based intent, heavier and sharper than the previous ones, each mountain releasing an increasingly sharper and heavier sword intent than the last.

This was one of the reasons why Kailen Darkhaven's absurd feat of breezing through the mountains was so perplexing to everyone—as the higher one climbed, the more impossibly difficult it became.

In the middle of one of the staircases of the 13th mountain, a lone figure stood, catching his breath.

His brown hair billowed in the wind, his sapphire-like eyes beaming with determination.

"I need to keep climbing."

Several memories of several people flashed through Lian Yu's mind.

For their sake, he had to keep climbing.

He had to become strong.

He was still too weak.

Their hopes, their dreams, had been passed on to him.

He had vowed to become one of the most powerful swordsmen in the empire in the near future.

Only then would he be strong enough to hunt down those Vimodial Contractors who destroyed the Sword Tribunal Sect, and killed his fellow sect members and elders—elders who bought enough time for him to escape.

Lian Yu remembered it all. Their words echoed in his mind, myriads of emotions flashing through his sapphire-like eyes.

"Live on, Lian Yu. Your talent is too great for you to die alongside us."

Those were their last words to him, as they bought time for his escape.

Yet, he felt guilty.

How could he live on…

…when many died to protect him?

Unless he avenged them.

How could he think of having a life of his own?

Would that not be completely disrespectful to them?

He had lived at his own whims in the past—had even been a playboy, not particularly enthusiastic about training or honing his skills.

Even going as far as hitting on the Princess of the famed Atrexia Conglomerate.

But everything changed when the incident happened.

The massacre of the Sword Tribunal Sect.

The event that branded him with the name "The Last Survivor of the Sword Tribunal Catastrophe."

He changed.

He matured.

He no longer behaved childishly.

He was focused.

With only one goal in mind.

He had to kill as many Vimodial Contractors as possible, as a tribute to them—a final respect to those who died so that he could live on.

And to do that, he had to become strong. Extremely strong.

So, with a focused gait…

"I need to push myself further. Hone myself. Become stronger."

Lian Yu pressed on.

He took one step, then another, then another.

He clenched his teeth—through the pain, through the suffering—he pushed forward.

He had to reach the fifteenth mountain.

Rumors had it that one of the former disciples of the Sword Tribunal Sect—one of his senior brothers, the late Saul Darkhaven—had mastered one of the most profound sword techniques of the sect.

A technique that bolstered his battle prowess far beyond his base strength.

The enlightenment for this technique lay on the fifteenth mountain.

He had to get there.

It would surely be most suitable for a fellow former sect member like him.

It would also be a way to honor the name of the fallen members of the sect.

Lian Yu pressed on, with otherworldly speed and determination.

The sharp, palpable sword intent of the mountain kept crashing into him.

Yet, he pressed forward.

Suddenly, Lian Yu sensed a subtle shift in the wind.

Then, a silhouette flashed past him—a crimson one.

The last thing he saw was the deep crimson hair of the figure, dancing in the wind, before the silhouette disappeared.

"What just happened?"

What did I just see?

He wondered.

Do lingering spirits exist on this mountain?

Was it some sort of enlightenment left behind by someone?

He questioned himself, bewildered.

No—it was another challenger.

Someone had bested him to it.

However, he relaxed.

His goal was not to be the first to reach the zenith of the fifteenth mountain.

His goal was the enlightenment for the technique.

Just because one managed to get there didn't mean they would comprehend the enlightenment.

It was all a matter of comprehension ability.

And who better to comprehend a technique of the Sword Tribunal Sect than him—a genius of the sect itself?

With that in mind, he pushed forward.

He climbed.

And climbed.

And climbed.

****

After one more hour of climbing, Kailen finally arrived at the zenith of the fifteenth mountain.

Oblivious to the commotion he had caused at that moment, a notification appeared before him, just like it had when he reached the zenith of the ninth mountain and beyond.

[Would you like to leave a trace of any enlightenment for any combat-related experience you've grasped, on the fifteenth mountain?]

Kailen quickly ignored it.

Unlike his father, he was not a selfless individual.

There was no way he'd leave clues that could help others grasp the intricacies of the only enlightenment he had achieved—Umbral Pirouette, his battle style.

Just as he was deep in thought, the world seemed to grow still.

Silence.

It descended completely.

Images began flashing before him—holographic scenes of someone wielding a katana.

They moved like phantoms, so fast.

He watched, eyes glued to them with unprecedented concentration.

He finally perceived the figure—it was his father, wielding a katana gracefully, performing swift, lethal arts in a barren wasteland.

Each strike more direct, more lethal, faster than the last.

Kailen's mind raced as he observed the scenes.

The movements, the phantoms—they seemed familiar.

As though they resonated with a memory from his past.

Then, it clicked.

That night, four years ago—he remembered it clearly.

Beneath the moonlight, his father was practicing with a wooden katana under the oak tree in their backyard.

Kailen had stumbled upon the old man by accident.

The man had been so absorbed in his art that he hadn't noticed his son's presence.

Kailen recalled how he had been captivated by the katana arts of his father that night.

He had begged the old man to teach him, whenever they trained.

However, his father deemed him unready.

Kailen now understood why his father had decided to not teach him that technique.

Comparing what he was observing in the scenes of enlightenment before him to what his father was practicing back on earth,was like the difference between the sky and the earth.

His father's technique on earth was absolute trash compared to this .