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Eris immediately turned her gaze to the center of the courtyard.
Ghislaine took a step forward—soundless.
"A rational stance."
Her sword did not move. Her wrist was iron.
"A rational sword intent."
Her eyes were blades, sharp as lightning.
"A rational..."
She looked at Allen, five meters ahead.
"...desire."
Her voice was calm—like blackened rock atop molten lava.
A statement of fact.
"The Sword God Style is built upon the foundation of accumulated rationality—years of honed footwork, posture, and force application. And at the apex of it all, 'desire' drives the strike. The most suitable position, the most suitable stance, the most suitable slash for oneself."
"That... is the Light Reaper."
It sounded like a lesson for Eris.
And yet, it also felt like a lesson for Allen.
"The moment one masters the Light Reaper..."
"...is the moment they earn the title of Sword Saint."
The words fell.
And in the next instant—
The blade vanished.
Along with Ghislaine herself.
To Rudeus' senses—
The caress of the wind, the rustling of leaves, the droplets of water sliding off foliage from his earlier Water Ball spell—
All lost their meaning.
Because something far more overwhelming erased them.
Like a scorching sun melting away all extraneous sensation—
Leaving only the trembling of air.
Drowning out all noise.
BZZZZZZZZ—!!!
A deafening hum exploded in Rudeus' ears.
He clapped his hands over them, his head ringing as if a swarm of bees had invaded his skull. Beside him, he faintly registered Eris' excited shouts—cheering, exhilarated—but they sounded distant, muffled, as if underwater.
Gritting his teeth, Rudeus forced his hands down and snapped his gaze forward—
Allen—?
His breath hitched.
Ghislaine stood before Allen.
Her blood-red blade rested against his neck.
No way.
Allen lost—?
Rudeus' eyes widened—but then, his thoughts froze.
He blinked.
Exhaled.
His vision cleared.
Beside Allen's neck, a streak of "light" stretched from his grip—a dazzling afterimage.
Rudeus grinned and tilted his head slightly.
Perspective shifted.
And the "light" was no longer blinding.
No—it wasn't light at all.
It was the tip of a sword.
Perfectly intercepting Ghislaine's blade just before it touched Allen's skin.
Allen's smile remained, bathed in that illusory radiance—
Just like in all their duels over the past two years.
The ringing in Rudeus' ears faded. His senses returned.
Nearby, Ghislaine calmly sheathed her sword, her lips moving silently.
But Rudeus could still read the words.
Two syllables.
A title.
The name of Allen's technique.
"Boulder."
Heijou hovered 15 centimeters from Allen's right neck—a safe distance for a Sword King.
After a moment, Ghislaine stepped back.
Allen chuckled and spoke.
"Water God Style—Flow Sense Secret Art. Perceiving the sword's edge, the scream of split air, the flow of wind, the eruption of killing intent."
"Predicting the blade's trajectory, defending with the Flow Secret Art..."
"...and countering."
He wasn't talking to Ghislaine.
This was for Eris, whose eyes burned with fascination.
"For you, Eris, the key is integrating this into your fundamentals. Specifically—"
He flicked his scabbard lightly.
Then, in a fluid motion, he shifted his stance—leaning left, knees bent, as if dodging an incoming slash while simultaneously creating space for his own strike. His hands gripped his sword in a guard position, the blade curving protectively around his neck before extending to his right—
"Interception."
The movement was awkward.
Yet it was also inevitable.
Under Allen's "reverse grip," this was the fastest way to block Ghislaine's strike.
As for the counter—
The stance itself held the answer.
By deflecting the opponent's blade with the Flow Secret Art, the pre-loaded diagonal slash could be unleashed instantly.
Defense. Counter.
This...
Was the Water God Style.
"Until you master the Silent Reaper and Light Reaper, this adaptable, formless method is better suited for chaotic combat. And the transition from defense to offense can also be applied to the North God Style."
"YES!"
Eris wasn't just responding—she was cheering. Though only a beginner, her sharp instincts recognized the brilliance behind such a simple move.
"When will you teach me the North God Style?!"
She immediately seized the opportunity.
Ghislaine's North God Style primarily focused on the Four-Legged Form, tailored to beastfolk physiology. While she had taught Eris basic feint recognition, the concept of seamless counter-transitions was new.
"But I'm only your Water God Style instructor," Allen teased.
Eris blinked—then scowled as he continued.
"That said, I could teach you... once your fundamentals are solid enough. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Understood?"
"Understood!" Eris declared—before pausing. She glanced at Rudeus.
"...What does 'bite off more than you can chew' mean?"
Rudeus stifled a laugh.
The phrase wasn't Japanese or Chinese—just a human-language idiom.
But given Eris' legendary academic skills…
Her confusion was expected.
"It means if you try to learn too many things at once, you'll end up mastering none of them."
Eris crossed her arms, chin tilting up proudly.
"I won't! There's plenty of time—I'll learn them all slowly!"
Rudeus' eyes dropped to her feet.
Her right shoe tapped the grass rapidly—
Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap!
His eye twitched.
Yeah. Real patient.
Ghislaine studied Allen as she returned to her starting position.
"As expected, a Sword Saint's Light Reaper is useless against you. Had it been a true Saint's strike, the match would already be decided."
Allen sheathed his sword, rolling his shoulders.
"I'd love to humbly say it was just 'luck'..."
"...but humility is for comforting the weak."
"Standing before me is the Sword God Style's sole 'King.' So—"
His gaze locked onto Ghislaine.
"I won't question your judgment."
"Because I am stronger than a Sword Saint."
Ghislaine tilted her head slightly.
"You're more suited to the Sword God Style than I imagined. And..."
"Did you say Sword Saint?"
Allen's smile didn't waver.
"...My mistake. Allow me to rephrase."
His words cut sharper than any blade.
A simple declaration.
"Among Saints, beneath the King..."
"...I stand supreme."
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 210 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 75 power stones I will publish the next chapter.