The Mech Touch novel Chapter 4808

Why had Ketis never heard about these supposed heroes and villains?

When had traditional swordsmanship ever been ubiquitous enough for skilled practitioners to exist in every state?

Ketis grew confused. Though she was not particularly well-versed in the history of the traditions of the Heavensword Association, traditional swordsmanship had never entered the mainstream of human society as far as she was concerned.

What Director Astoria Kelric just said did not seem to add up. Had someone censored the history books?

"I understand your confusion." The woman in charge of the resort floating above the streets of Kotor City spoke up. "It is difficult to reconcile what I have said with the information you currently possess. This is not a deliberate attempt to distort the history of our civilization. It is instead a consequence of trying to reshape humanity into a better and brighter future."

This caused Ketis to look offended.

"Are you saying that swordmasters are a bunch of murderous thugs?!"

"They are not necessarily detrimental, but they can be, just as any soldier or mech pilot." Astoria admitted. "In truth, it is the environment that shapes the warrior. In a distant past, there used to be many more swordmasters and swordsmen in general. This is a time where firearms and such had yet to become a prevalent weapon among our race. Limited technology combined with primitive societal norms have produced a culture where drawing one's blade against others used to be more common. Any human with a sword can pose a threat against another. A swordmaster is at least a hundred times as dangerous."

Although Ketis found it odd that Astoria remained a bit fuzzy about the period of history where all of this was supposed to take place, she could indeed imagine a primitive society where swordsmen and even swordmasters did as they pleased.

"We don't live in those ages anymore." She retorted. "I admit that swordmasters can do a lot of damage if they have grown corrupted, but we live in a better society now. Expert pilots copy many of our methods and most of them are honorable and upright soldiers as far as I have seen. The Heavensword Association has been working hard to foster a disciplined and law-abiding society where swordmasters can utilize their skills for productive ends. Many swordsman mech pilots flock to the state in order to learn its many remarkable sword styles."

Director Astoria remained impassive as she heard the response from the swordmaster.

"The Heavensword Association is tolerated exactly because its leaders and swordmasters go above and beyond to maintain a positive and peaceful environment for their national obsession. Think about it, Ketis. The state is literally founded around traditional swordsmanship. Every layer of society and every rule is related to it one way or another. It is only through so many measures that this practice has remained well-controlled and well-regulated."

All of this sounded a bit woozy to Ketis. She was not a leader and she knew little about how to run a state. She could only take Asteria's word that it took so many measures to keep sword practitioners in line.

"Fine. Let's assume this is the case. Is there really no way to spread traditional swordsmanship throughout the Red Ocean?"

"We can tolerate a small degree of dissemination." Director Astoria replied. "It does little harm to start a single school and allow for low-level swordsmen and swordswomen to teach their sword styles to others. The Heavensworders are also allowed to do that to a degree as we are aware that the threshold to become a swordmaster is unreachable to many people. It is only when swordmasters begin to get serious about passing on their practice to students on a wider scale that we begin to have issues with what is happening. They are unable to control so many disciples. Any one of them can turn into deadly criminals that can pose a significant threat to both the common folk and more important figures."

Ketis chuckled at that."Is there any need to make a distinction between the two? People are people. Everyone is equally vulnerable to get killed by a swordmaster as long as the distance is close enough. For example, you have always stayed within my lethal range. I only need to make a single move in order to chop your body in half. That doesn't mean I would go through with it. I can assure you that I and every swordmaster will only draw our blades against those who are asking for it. I am not different from a sniper, except I can't kill from a distance."

"That is where you are mistaken, young woman. It appears you truly do not know the implications of your own existence. Swordmasters such as yourself can perform feats that are impossible to perform by anyone else. Only high-ranking mech pilots can match or exceed your capabilities, but as we have discussed earlier, they are constrained by highly complicated mechs rather than a sharp lump of metal."

"Swords are more than a simple metal chunk with an edge." Ketis sardonically said.

"I do not mean to cause offense, but you should understand my meaning." Director Astoria bowed her head in apology. "I cannot go into too much detail about the historical context of swordmasters and why our Association does not want them to become too prevalent in today's society. You can go over what I have shared and draw your own conclusions. We merely wish to inform you of the sensitive nature of your profession and provide you with an understanding of what is permissible."

Permissible. Such a domineering word. The swordmaster in Ketis hackled at the MTA's attempts to impose limitations on a warrior such as herself.

She was a Swordmaiden!

Swordmaidens never bowed down to tyrants!

Unfortunately for her, the mechers were the biggest bully on the block, so she had little choice but to acquiesce to these bastards.

She now knew what it felt like to be in Ves' shoes. He most definitely had to work under a lot more restrictions than that given what he was capable of with his inventions.

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