—Frey Starlight's POV—
lina extended her hand. I grabbed it with so effort, using it to pull myself up from the ground, my body aching from the relentless beating I had just taken.
"You fought well," she said.
Coming from the infamous swordmaster, those words felt oddly out of place... especially with her massive claymore still resting near my throat.
"Should I take that as a complint?"
"Not in the slightest."
She shook her head.
"Your ability to stand is proof enough."
It wasn't exactly comforting, but lina never sugarcoated things. This might've been her version of high praise.
We had fought for exactly fifteen minutes...the limit of how long I could maintain Blood form with Balerion, amplified by Dark Sister's aura surge.
And even with all that, I barely managed to keep up with the iron hurricane that was lina.
Naturally, the mont those fifteen minutes ended, the battle was over.
Throughout the fight—and even now—there was sothing strange in her eyes. A look I couldn't quite place, but one I couldn't ignore anymore.
"Um... is sothing wrong?"
"You…"
She answered without hesitation.
"I never thought I'd see soone wielding two of the Ancient Weapons at once."
"Is that really such a big deal?"
I knew no one had ever wielded two of the Seven Legendary Swords at the sa ti. But in the end, they were still just weapons ... anyone could technically find them.
Apparently, I was wrong.
Her piercing stare told just how little I understood.
"SS ranked swords aren't ordinary weapons. Not just anyone can handle them."
That made so sense, though I hadn't struggled with either sword so far.
"Are there... requirents or sothing?"
I couldn't recall writing anything like that in the lore ...aside from Vermithor, Snow's sword.
Thankfully, lina was patient enough to explain.
"These swords aren't just forged steel," she said, gently running her hand over her golden claymore.
"They're fragnts of riddles, shaped into blades. Sotis, it's the sword that leads you ...not the other way around."
They weren't ant to be lumped in with ordinary weapons.
"You must've experienced it ...those monts when the sword feels alive. When it acts not as a tool, but as sothing… sentient."
I looked at Balerion.
The Black dread had been with since my Shadow Sect days. We'd seen a lot together.
And yes .. there were monts. Monts where it moved or acted in ways beyond my understanding.
"I see. You've felt it too."
"Kind of…"
"It's like possession," she said.
"A subtle one."
"Possession?"
"Yes. Sotis the nature of the blade affects you ... a thirst for blood, a surge of emotion, or even sothing more direct… like the blade moving on its own."
"…"
"What I an is .. these swords have a will of their own. They test their wielders before they ever submit."
A test...
Was what happened in the Shadow Sect Balerion's trial?
And what about Dark Sister? It had followed from the start .. did that an I'd already passed its test?
"Frey Starlight, because they have will, these swords gradually consu the one who bears them. They constantly influence you. That's why wielding two of them is nearly impossible."
"Everyone who's tried… either died or went insane."
Most people could barely handle one. Add another, and it should've crushed . And even if they could, the swords themselves had pride .. they refused to be wielded together.
"But here you are."
lina stepped around slowly, eyes analyzing every inch of .
"Carrying two blazing swords as if it were nothing."
"Your body can withstand blows ant for soone in the SS class, and you're barely in B rank."
Even if Dark Sister and Balerion boosted my power trendously, it shouldn't be enough to close that kind of gap.
"Your foundation matters. Everything else is just reinforcent."
"There's sothing… unusual about you."
Her words… weren't wrong.
"I won't argue with that," I said with a faint smile.
"Even I don't fully understand myself."
There was far more chaos inside my life than I could ever make sense of.
"May I ask you sothing?" she said. "Why do you fight?"
"…What do you an?"
"Everyone who cos to the temple has sothing driving them. A desire or ambition that pushes them to fight."
Things like power, fa… or even sothing trivial like wanting to make friends or live a better life.
"Which one are you, Lord Starlight?"
The mont she asked, I realized ... she had seen through .
She was the type who could read an opponent with just a few exchanges of the blade.
"A reason to fight… I used to have one. Not too long ago. But now… not anymore."
"My goal was clear ... distant, yes, and the path to it was rough, often feeling impossible…"
"But it was always there. I knew exactly what I wanted. That clarity helped fight beyond my limits. But now... there's too much clouding my mind."
"A lot has happened recently, so what should I strive for now? Should I burn what remains of chasing revenge against a distant enemy beyond my reach? Or should I search for other truths hidden behind the curtain? Or perhaps... it's all far simpler than that?"
"I don't know anymore."
I had no idea what lina saw in . Or what she felt from the emptiness of my words, from the hollowness in my eyes.
But she reached out, gently placing her hand on my shoulder.
It was a slim hand ... fitting for a woman. Yet the firmness in her touch proved otherwise.
It was the hand of soone who had devoted everything to the blade.
"It's alright," she said softly. "You can fill that emptiness, piece by piece, and figure out who you are in ti. That's why the temple exists, after all."
Mybe that was her way of telling … to lean on her. That she would help .
I couldn't fully grasp her true intentions, but for now ... I chose to accept the hand she offered.
"I'll look forward to that."
She nodded once. After that, we sat together and discussed my new way of fighting.
I wasn't used to dual-wielding yet, but according to her, I had the talent for it. What I needed now was to strengthen my foundation and truly understand my own capabilities.
That included mastering the first stage of Shadow Adaptation, which I had finally reached.
All things considered, I realized I still had a long road ahead of .
"Well then, I'll see you tomorrow, Lady lina."
"Yes."
I saluted the red-haired swordswoman and made my way out.
As I walked, I glanced at the annoying system window that occasionally popped up in front of .
Ding!
lina Maiden
Current Level: SS
Affection Points: 15
The Claymore Bearer is curious about you.
– More information cannot be displayed due to insufficient Affection Points –
…
Curious about , huh?
Well, I suppose that's better than her hating .
With that thought, I left the training field. anwhile, lina remained behind, her eyes lingering on as she pondered what had just occurred… and what had happened the day before.
Once she was certain she was completely alone, lina raised her sword skyward, her gaze locked on the blade.
"What a strange generation."
Her crimson eyes reflected against the golden edge of the claymore.
"Yesterday, the Church's Champion ca to in that strange form of his. And today, the Victoriad Champion wields two flaming swords."
Strangest of all ... both had managed to withstand her blows.
"Am I starting to rust?"
In that mont .. They say soone heard the sound of a sword cutting through the air… from miles away.
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