The journey to the rebel-occupied outpost was tense. Haruto rode on horseback for the first time in his life, barely managing to stay upright as the creature galloped through the mist-covered plains outside the Capital. Beside him rode the silver-haired knight—now properly introduced as Commander Lucien Vael, leader of the royal resistance.
Despite the distance they had covered, Lucien remained quiet, his gaze fixed on the horizon. Haruto didn't press him. Too much had happened in too little time.
They finally reached the outpost—a ruined fortress half-swallowed by nature and time. Vines crept along the shattered stone walls, and the once-grand gates now lay in pieces. Inside, soldiers bearing the insignia of the Thorn Pact moved with brutal precision, preparing siege weapons and tending to strange, mechanical beasts powered by mana cores.
Haruto and Lucien crouched in the tall grass on a nearby ridge.
"This is no mere rebellion," Lucien said, his voice low. "They're preparing for a full invasion. If they take the Capital, it's over."
Haruto stared at the enemy camp, anxiety gnawing at him. "I don't know how to fight. I don't even have a weapon."
Lucien didn't look away from the fortress. "That's about to change."
He motioned to one of their scouts. A woman clad in green and brown robes stepped forward, carrying a wrapped bundle. With a nod, she handed it to Haruto.
He unwrapped it slowly—revealing a sword unlike any he'd ever seen. The blade shimmered faintly, not with light, but with potential. Its surface was dark, almost obsidian, yet it reflected his face as if it were glass.
"It's called a Nullblade," Lucien explained. "It responds only to wielders with sealed potential—those like you. We don't know where they came from. Some say they were forged at the end of the world."
Haruto hesitated, then gripped the hilt.
The moment his fingers closed around it, a surge of power exploded through his body. The sword vibrated, sending arcs of invisible force across the ground. Nearby grass flattened in a perfect circle around him.
Lucien raised an eyebrow. "It seems the blade approves."
Haruto staggered but managed to stay upright. "What… was that?"
"The Nullblade doesn't cut flesh," the scout woman added. "It cuts essence. Whatever that blade touches, it unravels. Shields, magic, even time-bound spells. But it demands your will. If you falter, it will backfire."
Haruto tightened his grip, the blade pulsing in response. For the first time, he felt something other than fear. He felt like he could fight.
Lucien stood. "You're not ready for the front lines, not yet. But you can help us breach the gate. We strike at dawn."
Haruto looked down at the camp again, now seeing it with new eyes. He wasn't just a student anymore. He was something… more.
The Exiled Hero had taken his first step.