Chapter 25

Village of Swords is the twenty-fifth chapter of Yamada Kanehito & Abe Tsukasa's  Sousou no  Frieren manga series.

Summary
Twenty-nine years after the Hero Himmel’s passing, Frieren’s Party is in the Schwer Mountains. The party presses towards the north and reach the Village of Swords, which protects the Hero's Blade. The blade was pulled out by Himmel 80 years ago. The party members meet with the village chief, who tells Frieren that she didn't fulfill her vow of coming a half-century later to fulfill her duty of exterminating the demons that regularly appear arouund the village. The next day, the party kills the numerous demons that appear near the cave which surprisingly still holds the Hero's Blade. It is revealed that Himmel was never able to pull the sword out, but the story was spread that he did so that the hero could be arbitrarily glorified by future generations. The village chief thanks Frieren's Party and they continue their voyage.

Plot Details
Twenty-eight years after the Hero Himmel’s passing, Frieren’s Party are in the Schwer Mountains.

The Chapter starts with a flashback of the Hero Party. They have just started their journey to defeat the demon king and are currently traveling on a road. Frieren is complaining that the king is a cheapskate, since he only left them with 10 copper coins for their journey. Heiter says it’s reasonable since many have journeyed to defeat the demon king, but all have failed. Himmel says it’s not so bad, saying it’s like an adventure, Heiter agrees. Frieren then asks if Himmel’s sword is the Hero’s Blade. Himmel says that it’s just a replica he was gifted as a thanks for saving a traveling peddler from a demon, the peddler also said, “for the hero of the future” Himmel added. Frieren asks if this is what inspired him to be a hero, Himmel says no. The real reason was that there was a boy in the orphanage named Heiter, who said that since he only had a fake sword, he could only be a fake hero. That’s when he thought, why don’t I just become the real one then. He will get the real hero’s blade and defeat the demon king. He jokingly said that time is merciless, and now the Heiter that told him that is a fake priest that spends his days drinking.