Scenario:Cain - Swordmaster of Idelva?

Swordmaster of Idelva?

After establishing Idelva as a republic, Cain and his companions travel the outskirts of Nalhegrande as skyfarers, where they encounter a tavern rumor that confusingly labels him a swordmaster. Later, during a nighttime stroll, Cain meets a man praying at a grave who suddenly threatens him with a sword upon learning his identity.

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The Nalhegrande Skydom.

This region has endured an era of conflict marked by the fall of the Torhid Kingdom, the collapse of the Great Wall, and the invasion of the Otherworld.

After many years of upheaval, Nalhegrande has now entered a period of relative stability.

Rumors of the True King's schemes behind the turmoil—and of the heroes who foiled them—are spreading like wildfire throughout the skydom.

Villager 1: And so, facin' the True King head-on, the Swordmaster General Cain drew his trusty blade...

Villager 1: And he sliced the Great Wall clean in half with a single stroke.

Villager 2: Is that really how it happened? I thought some skyfarin' crew did it...

Cain: ...

Cain: Sorry, can I interrupt? About that General Cain story...

Villager 1: Oh, you wanna hear it too? The epic tale of Cain, the hero who even took down an Istavion battleship?

Cain: He never cut down any battleships. In fact, he was hardly on the front lines to begin with.

Villager 2: What's your deal? You act like you were there or somethin'.

Cain: It's not an act, really. See, the thing is... I'm Cain.

Villagers: ...

Villagers: Bahahaha!

Villager 1: If some beanpole like you is supposed to be General Cain, then I guess that makes me the iron-armed Reinhardtzar himself!

Cain: Ahaha... Y-yeah, I guess so! Haha...

Cain: Sigh...

Even after the war, Cain had continued to work tirelessly, aiding in Idelva's conversion to a republic and quelling internal conflicts.

But once things stabilized, he left his homeland to become a skyfarer, traveling across Nalhegrande with Leona and Reinhardtzar.

Lately, he has been taking on requests outside Idelva, helping to rebuild villages on remote islands ravaged by civil war.

Reinhardtzar: That's small-town gossip for you. Just brush it off, Mr. Swordmaster General.

Cain: At this rate, I'm going to go down in the history books as some musclebrained swordsman...

Leona: You've got it easy, Cain—hic! Me, on the other hand...

Leona: They're all saying I'm some giant who's bigger than a warship!

Leona: Hey, am I really that big? Do I really look that huge to people?

Cain: Okay, Leo, I get it! I'm sorry! Please, just drink some water, all right?

Leona: Gulp... Whew...

Leona: Hehe. Still, a swordmaster, huh? Never thought I'd see the day.

Leona: Wonder how Abel would react if he heard you called that? He wiped the floor with you at that swordfighting tournament way back when.

Cain: Huh? Did that really happen?

Leona: Sure did! I remember it so well because you were really bummed out for once.

Leona: You know, it was that one winter... Abel got a medal and everything... Did you really forget?

Cain: ...

Cain: In any case, you've had too much to drink. You'd better go sleep it off at the inn.

Leona: Mrm... Yeah, you're probably right...

Cain: Sorry, Reinhardtzar, but could you look after Leo?

Reinhardtzar: I don't mind... But does that mean you're not coming with us?

Cain: Yeah, I'm going to take a quick walk to clear my head first.

Cain: It's in pretty rough shape...

Following the collapse of the Torhid Kingdom, areas beyond Idelva's reach had been plagued by skirmishes between local lords.

Cain: (Now that things outside Idelva have calmed down, I'm sure this place will recover soon too.)

Cain: (Once that happens, everyone will probably forget about the civil war, the Great Wall, the Torhid Kingdom—all of it.)

Cain: (I guess that's just what people need to do in order to move forward.)

Cain: ...

Cain absentmindedly unsheathes the sword left to him by his brother and gazes at it under the moonlight.

Cain: (The hilt, the guard... I've had to replace almost every part of this sword just to keep using it.)

Cain: (What did it used to look like again?)

Cain: Oof, not good. Guess I drank too much too. I should head back to the inn—

Cain: Hm?

???: ...

Cain's eyes land on a man crouched off to the side of the path, gripping a sword.

Cain: Hey, are you okay? Feeling sick or something?

???: I'm paying my respects.

Cain: Your respects?

Looking closely, Cain realizes the man had been praying in front of a simple grave marker of piled earth.

Cain: I-I see... Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.

???: It's fine. I received this sword from the one buried here, so I simply wanted to express my gratitude.

Cain: A sword...

Cain: Say, would you mind if I said a prayer too?

???: Oh?

Cain picks some nearby wildflowers and places them at the grave, silently praying for the deceased stranger.

???: Why go out of your way to do such a thing?

Cain: It just hit close to home. I went through some tough times after losing a loved one myself.

Cain: A prayer's about all I can offer, but I just felt like I needed to do this right now.

Cain: I guess I ought to introduce myself. I'm Cain, from Idelva. But these days, I travel the skies as a skyfarer.

???: Cain...

Cain: So what was your connection to the person buried here?

???: We only just met moments ago.

Cain: Is that so...

Cain: Wait, huh?

???: He was barely a challenge at all.

???: He boasted about being a "slayer of twenty men," but in the end he was nothing but a common street slasher. Fighting weaklings won't hone a swordsman's blade.

???: Ah, this won't do. That pitiful excuse for a battle has left my bloodlust unsated...

Cain: What... are you talking about?

Cain instinctively steps back as the tip of the man's blade flashes to his throat.

???: You're Cain, the so-called Swordmaster General of Idelva, yes?

???: Tell me, Cain. Are you strong?

Swordmaster of Idelva?: Scene 2

Cain is defeated soundly by the man, who mocks him for lacking passion and steals his late brother Abel's sword—Ichigo Hitofuri—before vanishing. After discovering that the thief is the notorious "Sword Hunter" driven mad by the chaos following Torhid's fall, Cain resolves to reclaim the precious blade.

---

Cain: Ngh!

???: Is that really the best you can do, Mr. Swordmaster General? Give me a real fight!

Cain: Dammit! What's with this guy!

As their blades clash, the man glimpses Abel's sword and breathes a blissful sigh.

???: Magnificent... Such a stunning pattern, such flawless form. It must surely be a famed sword.

???: Come, Swordmaster General! Show me the technique you used to split the Great Wall with that very blade!

Cain: For the last time, I'm not a swordmaster!

Cain: (He's strong! His swordplay is honed for killing, specifically in one-on-one combat!)

Cain: (I'm going to lose!)

???: Enough.

Cain: Gwah!

In the midst of their duel, Cain's feet are suddenly swept out from under him, sending him tumbling to the ground.

???: So that's all there is to you. It seems those stories were just empty talk after all.

???: There's no point in cutting down one whose blade holds no passion.

Cain: Glad you finally get it. That whole swordmaster thing was just a rumor...

???: So it's only your position and sword that are impressive? Then why do you carry such an exquisite blade?

Cain: It's a memento from my brother.

???: A memento? Hah. Hahaha!

???: I see now. How distasteful. If it's a dead man's sword, there's no wonder the blade has no heat to it.

With a sneer, the man strikes Cain's hand with the flat of his blade.

Cain: Urgh!

He then reverently picks up the sword that had fallen from Cain's grip.

???: A defined ridge with a broad, straight edge and irregular temper line... Could this be Ichigo Hitofuri?

???: I suspected it was a renowned blade, but to think you possessed such a masterpiece... It's far too precious to keep as a dead man's relic.

Cain: Give it back!

Cain: Guh...

???: What a find. My hunt on this island ends here.

Cain: No... Wait!

Tzar's Voice: Cain! How long are you planning to wander around out here—

As Cain catches sight of Reinhardtzar searching for him in the distance, he feels his consciousness slip away.

Cain: The Sword Hunter?

Villager 1: He's a wandering swordsman who roams around these islands.

Villager 1: Word is he kills skilled fighters and takes their blades for his collection. That's gotta be your guy.

Having already recovered by morning, Cain joins Leona and Reinhardtzar in investigating the man who had stolen his brother's memento.

Villager 2: They say he's a sword-obsessed maniac who survived a nasty war and got hooked on fightin' duels.

Villager 2: You're damn lucky all he did was swipe your sword, my friend.

Reinhardtzar: If he's so notorious around here, why hasn't the army or local militia stepped in?

Villager 1: Thing is, he mostly goes after other swordsmen who like to fight. They probably figure it's best to just let him be.

Villager 1: If our militia members stuck their noses in, he'd slaughter every last one of 'em.

Villager 2: There are even bigger nutjobs out there who'll cut down anybody they see. Compared to them, he's the lesser evil.

Leona: Do you know anything about his usual haunts? Or where he might have gone?

Villager 1: You actually thinkin' of goin' after him? Forget it! Even if we knew, we sure as hell wouldn't tell ya!

Villager 2: It's not worth riskin' your life over. Take our advice and stay away from that guy.

Cain: ...

Reinhardtzar: Driven mad by a brutal war, huh? That's a little too relatable.

Reinhardtzar: I had guys like that under me too. Every one had the same battered look.

Cain: Fallout from the Torhid Kingdom's collapse... The wounds still run deep.

Leona: Save the pity for later. We need to recover Abel's memento.

Leona: Not to mention, that guy almost killed you, Cain.

Cain: I'm getting that sword back. Whatever his story, it's not something I can just hand over.

Reinhardtzar: But how do we even track him down? We don't know jack about who he is or where he's from. Catching him won't be easy.

In response to Reinhardtzar's concern, Cain smiles slightly.

Cain: No need to worry about that. I already have an idea of where to start.

Swordmaster of Idelva?: Scene 3

Suspecting that the Sword Hunter has already left the island as a stowaway, Cain and company head to the port to follow his trail. Thinking through the logistics of sneaking on board and his potential destinations, they deduce which ship he departed on—which turns out to be none other than the Grandcypher.

---

Cain, Leona, and Reinhardtzar hurry toward the island's port.

Leona: The Sword Hunter said his hunt here was done, right?

Cain: Yeah. Which means it's fairly safe to assume he's already left the island.

Reinhardtzar: It's been half a day since you got attacked. He's probably out on some ship by now.

Cain: Lucky for us, this island only has one port. The other edges are rocky cliffs where ships can't dock, so it shouldn't be hard to pinpoint the vessel he took.

Reinhardtzar: Are you thinking of checking the passenger logs? By the time you dig through 'em all, he'll be long gone.

Cain: Nah, scanning records was never my plan. He's almost definitely a serial stowaway.

Cain: With his reputation, there's no way he'd just buy a ticket and board like everyone else.

Cain: I doubt he'd use any means that would leave records or attract attention, so sneaking aboard is likely his go-to move.

Leona: So you think he slipped onto something like a sightseeing boat or cargo ship?

Cain: Well, ships that collect fares from each passenger tend to keep a sharp eye out for stowaways, so let's rule those out for now.

Cain: That leaves cargo ships or privately owned vessels...

Reinhardtzar: Probably wasn't a cargo ship.

Cain: Sharp as always, Reinhardtzar.

Leona: Huh? Wh-what do you mean?

Cain: If he was going to slip onto a cargo ship, it'd be one of the larger ones, but those only head to more developed islands like Groz, right?

Cain: I can't imagine a battle-crazed guy like that would want to go to a crowded island crawling with guards.

Leona: Is that right?

Reinhardtzar: Those types always seek out their own kind.

Reinhardtzar: Outcasts stick with outcasts, thieves with thieves—birds of a feather and all that.

Leona: Hmm...

Leona: In that case, he'd also avoid ships that are too small, right? No point ending up on some remote island.

Cain: Exactly. We've pretty much narrowed down what to look for now, haven't we?

Cain: A privately-owned, mid-size or larger ship that's fairly easy to breach... That's where he's most likely hiding!

The trio eventually arrives at the island's port.

Port Staff: Oh, yes, there was one ship like that. Came in yesterday afternoon for supplies and departed this morning.

Port Staff: The name was... Ah, here it is.

Port Staff: The "Grandcypher."

All Three: What!

Upon hearing that all-too-familiar airship's name, the three are struck speechless.

Swordmaster of Idelva?: Scene 4

The crew relaxes on the deck of the Grandcypher, unaware that the Sword Hunter lurks on board, having marked the captain as his next opponent. As Cain and his companions race to catch up, Leona and Reinhardtzar are puzzled by his excessive anxiety over both (Captain) and the stolen sword.

---

The Grandcypher sails leisurely along one of the border airways of Nalhegrande.

Lyria: Oh! Look, Vyrn! The people on that ship are waving at us! Hellooo!

Vyrn: Sure is busy around here, even outside Idelva. There are airships flyin' every which way.

1. Achoo!

Choose: Achoo!

Vyrn: Hm? You okay?

1. Feels like someone's talking about me.
2. Whose ship's easy to sneak onto, now?

Choose: Feels like someone's talking about me.

Lyria: Oh, I've heard that before. You sneeze when someone's gossiping about you.

Vyrn: Well, you are pretty famous, (Captain). Betcha there are folks all over Nalhegrande swappin' tales about ya!

Go to "Continue 1"

Choose: Whose ship's easy to sneak onto, now?

Vyrn: Huh? Nobody said anything like that. Pretty sure you're just hearin' things.

Lyria: Are you feeling all right? Maybe you have a fever and it's making you confused...

Vyrn: Hmm... Your forehead doesn't feel hot though.

Continue 1

As (Captain) and the crew chat cheerfully, someone secretly listens in from the shadows.

Sword Hunter: ...

Sword Hunter: So that's the captain from the rumors.

The man licks his lips and grins wickedly, Ichigo Hitofuri hanging at his side.

Meanwhile, Cain and the others speed through the skies.

Cain: Reinhardtzar! Can't you make this thing go any faster?

Reinhardtzar: We're already at full throttle. I know how you feel, but you've got to calm down.

Cain: Dammit! Out of all the airships, why did it have to be (Captain)'s?

Leona: ...

Leona: Hey.

Cain: Yeowch!

Cain: Wh-what the heck, Leo! Why'd you smack me on the head all of a sudden?

Leona: That calm you down?

Leona: Seeing you so unusually rattled made my head clear up, so I just did it on reflex.

Cain: Ah, yeah... Gotcha.

Cain: ...

Cain: Thanks, Leo. Guess I lost my head a bit worrying about the sword and (Captain).

Reinhardtzar: You know as well as anybody how strong (Captain) is.

Leona: For all we know, (Captain) might have already taken care of that guy. So try to keep calm, okay?

Cain: Right.

Cain: But we need to get my brother's sword back quickly, or else...

Both: ...

Cain: (Please stay safe, (Captain).)

The hull of the ship groans as they speed along in pursuit of the Grandcypher.