The improvised wooden sword cut through the air with force, a hum that filled the silent, mountainous road. A child, Eris Boreas Greyrat, her hair as red as fire, felt sweat trickling down her forehead as she swung the sword, gritting her teeth in frustration.
Each swing was a muffled cry, an attempt to ease the turmoil boiling within her. Anger at the situation, the strange place they were in, and at herself. She paused for a mont, panting, hands on her knees as she took a deep breath. She glanced to the side, where an enormous stone cart rested. It was so massive it seed impossible to move, yet there it was, perfectly functional, with solid stone wheels and a blue dragon's corpse inside.
Two days had passed since they left the cave, and her anger and frustration grew daily. She was grateful he had saved them and planned to ask her grandfather to reward him, but he wasn't helping her mood at all. Not that he mistreated her, but he wouldn't give in to her demands and would match her aggression with equal stubbornness. She'd learned the hard way that she had no chance of defeating him.
She had even asked Ghislaine to teach him a lesson once she recovered from her injuries, but she refused!
The thought hit her like a flood. She gripped the sword hilt tightly and looked at the stone transport he had crafted. Besides being so strong, he also had those strange magics. She hadn't found anything he couldn't do with magic; everything seed so convenient for him. How could soone be so infuriating and impressive at the sa ti?
When he made that cart, Eris had almost wanted to jump up and scream in excitent. It was just so cool. He said it wasn't difficult, but when he tried to explain... Well, she and Ghislaine had exchanged confused looks. Nothing he said made sense. It was sothing about forces, levers, and other words she couldn't even pronounce. She wanted to learn magic, but she refused to ask him for help.
She returned to swinging the sword, now with more force, as if the blade could cut through the thoughts tornting her. Each strike made her emotions clearer.
'He's an amazing mage. According to Ghislaine, he's absurdly skilled with a sword too.' She bit her lip, rembering how she had miserably lost to him when she challenged him. She had even thought for a mont about ambushing him while he slept, but... he had saved her. He had saved Ghislaine too. And that... that made her hesitate.
'He's so arrogant. Always talking about complicated things like it's easy. Like he wants to show off how much smarter he is. I feel stupid every ti I talk to him.'
And yet... And yet... She let out a grunt and swung the sword harder, the blade humming louder.
'Why does he have to be so cute?!'
She closed her eyes for a mont, trying to calm herself, but an image ford in her mind. Rygar's ears, always alert, swaying gently in the wind. His tail, seemingly alive, swaying back and forth as his emotions dictated. It was cute. Annoyingly cute.
Eris suddenly opened her eyes as if the vision were an affront. She felt her cheeks burn and swung the sword with all her strength.
'I can't think that! I can't!'
She was about to scream, but a sound from the forest interrupted her. A crash. Loud enough to make her stop mid-swing and turn her head quickly toward the noise.
Eris took a deep breath. 'Didn't they go that way earlier?'
----
POV: Rygar Adoldia
I raced through the mountains like lightning ripping across the morning sky. My feet barely touched the ground before propelling forward again, and wherever I passed, the terrain roared and collapsed, rocks flying high from the impact's force and speed, causing shockwaves. My speed was insane, but the danger behind was even greater.
I sensed the threat before I saw it. Without much thought, I instinctively raised a massive earthen wall, as dense as I could shape it in the minimal ti I had. 'This should buy a few seconds', I thought. But my instincts, sharp as blades, scread in warning. With a burst step, I vanished from my position as the ground collapsed from an explosion.
In that instant, I heard it. No, I felt it. An absolute slash ripping through the world.
The air seed to falter, and the still-forming wall I had created was sliced horizontally in a clean, lethal line. Not just the wall, but the ground, the rocks, and even the horizon within reach of the strike had been cut. And there, behind that perfect cut, I saw her.
Ghislaine Dedoldia.
A beast in human form. Her silver hair whipped wildly in the wind, and the green glow of her magic eye seed to pierce my soul. Despite her absurd speed, her presence was impossible to ignore. She wielded Hiramune, the sword given to her by her master, and her stance exuded nace and strength.
'When was the last ti I had to flee for my life in a fight?' I thought quickly, trying to ignore the cold shiver running down my spine. Ah, yes. The mutant wolf in the Great Forest.
But this is different. This is worse.
My blue sword, Tsukikage, roared at my command, enveloping itself in intense flas. With a single motion, I unleashed a flaming wave in her direction. A wave of fire that would have reduced any ordinary enemy to ashes.
But Ghislaine was not ordinary.
The ground ahead was obliterated, stones lting and trees being destroyed. But she vanished in the middle of the attack. I lost sight of her for a second and felt the air around shift.
'Damn! She can see when I'm about to cast magic with that magic eye!'
The world turned into a silver blur as she charged toward . My sword rose instinctively to block the strike, but sothing felt off. At the last second, my instincts saved again. With hurried magic, I conjured a transparent physical barrier around my neck.
The clang resounded like thunder.
Even so, the blood-colored blade sliced through the barrier with little resistance, stopping re milliters from cutting into my flesh. I had saved my life by a thread, but the impact was enough to make stumble a few steps back.
Finally, I managed to see her clearly.
Fierce. Relentless. A true predator.
Her eyes shone with determination, and her face remained expressionless, befitting a seasoned warrior. Her speed was overwhelming, her attacks calculated with deadly precision. She was faster, stronger, fiercer than . Even her senses seed to surpass mine. The only reason I was still alive was my versatility with magic.
She charged again, and I barely had ti to defend.
'Rising Pillar!'
The ground exploded into a giant column in her path, but Ghislaine split it in two before it could even hit her. I seized the second of opportunity and shot an electric blast directly at her.
'Lightning!'
The bolt roared toward its target, but Ghislaine dodged with superhuman agility, using the explosion of light and debris to conceal herself before rushing at like a bullet.
I raised my flaming sword to block, but her strike was so strong that the shock reverberated through my entire arm. The stones around us cracked.
She didn't stop.
Ghislaine was a whirlwind of blades, and I was the prey trying to survive. Every attack was too fast to follow and too powerful to ignore. Within monts, I was covered in cuts of varying depths.
'Explosive Circle!'
The ground around us erupted in flas, but she leapt out of the area as if she already knew what I was going to do.
'She reads all my magical moves with that eye, but it's more than that. Even if she can see them, it should be impossible to always make the best decision. She doesn't make mistakes...'
I retreated, casting healing magic to close the deep cuts and burns already marking my arms and legs. My breath was slightly labored, sothing I hadn't felt in a long ti, and the tension in my muscles was evident.
But she charged again.
I kept my guard up, but I couldn't find any openings. Ghislaine gave no openings. Not a single mistake.
As I thought that, I felt sothing to my left. I moved Tsukikage to intercept the strike, only for it to pass through an afterimage.
"Damn it!"
I realized it too late. Before I could swing my short sword to block the real attack, I felt Hiramune's blade graze my neck.
A small trickle of blood dripped before she stopped.
I looked at her, panting, facing the 6'1" woman who was smiling slightly with a fierce gaze. Even after such an intense battle, she seed in complete control.
I smiled, exhausted.
"I lost..."
Ghislaine sheathed her sword, relaxing her stance but still radiating authority.
"Your magic is truly dangerous. If I were ambushed from long range, I wouldn't stand a chance." She looked at seriously. "You just need a few more years to completely surpass ."
Even hearing that, my admiration for her only grew. She was formidable, yet she looked at all possibilities objectively, without arrogance or humility.
I sheathed my sword, taking a deep breath, and glanced far off where Eris should be waiting for us. We had already left the dangerous dragon territory, so we left her there while we fought.
"Let's head back. She must be tired of waiting."
And, side by side, we began our way back, as the mountains echoed the roars of the battle we had just fought.
---
The way back was silent, interrupted only by the rhythmic sound of Rygar and Ghislaine's steps on the beaten earth. The wind gently rustled the leaves of the surrounding trees, carrying with it the damp scent of the forest. In the distance, Rygar's stone cart could be seen, carrying the corpse of the blue dragon he had hunted.
He glanced at Ghislaine, who walked with the firm yet relaxed posture of an experienced warrior. Despite the strength she exuded, there was sothing more: a sense of discipline, like a beast that only attacked at the right mont.
"Ghislaine," he called, breaking the silence.
She turned her head and saw the golden eyes fixed on her attentively.
"I would like you to be my sword master," he said, looking at her expectantly.
For a mont, she held his gaze, assessing him as if trying to gauge his determination. Then, she slowly shook her head.
"I can't accept," she replied, her voice firm but not harsh. "You're already nearing my strength. It wouldn't be appropriate for to beco your master. If you truly wish to learn, perhaps only my master could take you as a disciple."
Rygar frowned, intrigued. "Gall Farion? Is he much stronger than you?" He had never t a God-ranked warrior, but he assud they must be incredibly powerful, or they wouldn't have such a title. Recently, however, he began to think that perhaps he wasn't that far from that rank.
This wasn't due to ignorance or arrogance but rather the absolute confidence people placed in him. Anyone who experienced such a sense of strength would develop this confidence, especially when every enemy he encountered couldn't defeat him by a wide margin and only had a chance in groups.
After all, he had been a human in his previous life and was now capable of wiping mountains off the map and moving at supersonic speeds. Who wouldn't develop so confidence after that?
Ghislaine nodded. "He's the strongest person I know. I've never faced anyone who ca close to his power. If there's soone who can teach you sothing I cannot, it's him."
Rygar crossed his arms, thoughtful. From the few days he had spent with her, he knew Ghislaine wasn't the type to underestimate her own strength, so her ntion of Gall Farion as a much superior warrior sparked an inevitable curiosity and battle intent.
"I plan to travel there soon," Rygar said, looking at the horizon, "but the journey will be long, and I don't want to stagnate during that ti. So... would you at least be my instructor to help reach Sword King level?"
Ghislaine pondered for a mont, her face remaining impassive. "That wouldn't be a problem," she said with a slight nod. "But in return, I'd like to ask you a favor."
Rygar raised an eyebrow. "A favor?" He paused for a mont. "What would that be?"
"I'd like you to help us return to the Asura Kingdom," Ghislaine began. Her voice carried a serious tone and an unexpected emotional weight.
"Neither Eris nor I know how to read, write, or do arithtic. Besides, many have told that I'm not very intelligent. I traveled alone for a while after my adventurer group dissolved. By then, I had already beco a Sword Queen and faced several near-death situations—problems my sword couldn't solve. I ended up being sold as a slave in the end before being saved by the Boreas family."
She paused, as if carefully choosing her words. "I thought I could protect her from any opponents along the way, but now I'm not so sure. I also can't properly feed her, give her a place to sleep, or even know the right direction to the Asura Kingdom. I could ask around, but that didn't work out very well last ti... With your strength, intelligence, and magic, I believe we'd have a better chance of completing this mission."
Rygar noticed a slight tremor in her voice, though it wasn't from weakness. It was as if she were forcing herself to ask for help, sothing clearly uncomfortable for soone so proud.
"You've already saved my life and Eris's," she continued, "and I already owe you a great debt. But for the young lady's safety, I'm asking for this additional favor. If you accept, I'll owe you for the rest of my life and ensure you're rewarded." Ghislaine seed extrely serious, but Rygar didn't find it difficult. He liked Ghislaine and wouldn't let her out of his sight so easily.
At that mont, they arrived where Eris was. The young girl was training incessantly, swinging her improvised sword against the air beside the cart. She didn't even look at them when they arrived, focused on each strike, with sweat running down her determined face.
Rygar lowered his gaze to the ground, lost in thought. 'Was this a coincidence? I see no reason not to help them. In fact, I want to help... But would I just be following Hitogami's plans if I agree? Or does he even have plans?'
While Ghislaine waited patiently, he pondered for a few monts, battling the nagging feeling of being manipulated. Finally, he took a deep breath and decided. I hope I'm just overthinking this.
"Alright," he said, looking at Ghislaine. "I'll be happy to help. But know that I won't travel there imdiately. Can you stay with the Iron Legion for a few months?"
Ghislaine remained silent for a mont, considering the proposal. Before she could respond, Eris, who seed oblivious to the conversation, stopped training and looked at them curiously.
"That won't be a problem," Ghislaine finally replied. "As long as it's not for too long."
Rygar smiled and, with a mischievous glint in his eye, turned to Eris, who was now watching them with a confused expression and a slight blush on her face.
"Looks like we're officially travel companions, 'young lady!'"
He swore he saw steam coming out of her ears as the redhead fud with rage, her face completely red.
Rygar chuckled softly but quickly looked back to the horizon. Ti to upgrade my sword...
And with that thought, he kept walking, his determination renewed to face whatever lay ahead.
----
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