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Bang!!!
Knees tore through the air, clashing, battle aura explosively scattering between their bodies!
A wave of air, with them as its axis, rippled outwards.
Wind surged between the fiery red and the deep black.
It was her red hair, like spilled paint in the air, and her clothes, agitated by the wind.
Faltz didn't lose his balance; his center of gravity was firmly rooted to the ground.
So his speed was swift, even in this hurried moment, even amidst his surprise.
He still lifted his leg, blocking Eris's incoming knee strike with the same technique.
And this Water God Style technique, 'Raised Hammer,' was precisely a Water God Style counter after tangling the opponent's blade with Flow Ougi.
After defending, if the blade couldn't be dislodged, one would raise a knee to counterattack.
In reality, besides Sword God Style, Water God Style and North God Style, which focused more on endurance than burst, both had techniques involving physical grappling.
And 'Raised Hammer' was inherently the Water God Style's largest, most damaging technique, wrapping battle aura around the knee.
Condensing it to a single point, like a phoenix pecking at a chicken.
A touch, then separation!
Bang!
Both of their raised feet were violently slammed to the ground by the intense recoil.
Because his move was too hurried, Faltz hadn't wrapped Flow Ougi around his knee. Eris, on the other hand, couldn't use it at all; it was simply a powerful knee strike with violently scattering battle aura. The fierce recoil bounced both their figures back.
Eris landed faster.
Because she was shorter.
Her foot hit the ground, new strength surging!
Seeing her hastily planned 'feint ambush' fail, her eyes gleamed! She suddenly gritted her teeth! Following her beast-like combat intuition, she snatched up the wooden sword that had been 'plucked'!
The muscles in her waist tensed, battle aura wrapped around her arms and ribs, ready to encase the opponent's wooden sword and hinder his draw!
After all, it was a blunt wooden sword! No need to worry about her waist and ribs being mangled by a sharp blade.
However, the next instant, there was no feedback from a sword at her waist.
Her crimson pupils constricted.
The light brown wooden grain in her eyes was plunging straight towards the ground! The wooden sword was actually being vertically split by Faltz towards Eris's ankle.
The sword sliced through the air!
Bang!! It slammed heavily onto the wooden floor!
Missing completely!
Eris's leg narrowly dodged the thrust, grazing the sword body. She lifted her foot! Then put it down!
Stomping her foot onto the sword body!
Solidified battle aura wrapped around her entire calf, attempting to shatter the opponent's weapon with one stomp.
"Naive!"
Faltz's voice boomed!
And with his words, Eris's shoe-front landed! Already pressed onto the sword body!
The next instant, Eris's expression changed. Unlike the expected feedback of stamping through a wooden board, her foot was on the sword body, but the feedback was like stepping into water, with no purchase whatsoever.
Flow Ougi!
Her foot, plummeting towards the ground, slid down the sword body as if greased. The more force she exerted! The stronger the feeling of stepping into empty space!
Her body suddenly lost balance!
Eris leaned forward and stumbled, the rush of wind in her ears so clear.
In her pupils, constricted to pinpricks, the hard leather boot tip suddenly magnified, invading her vision!
Her body unable to gain purchase, in a flash, Eris, following her beast-like combat intuition, still made the most accurate judgment!
She raised her hand and brought her wooden sword up, a standard 'Cross Guard' held before her face, attempting to endure this whip kick.
The sword body barely managed to block the incoming kick! The wooden sword was bent into an arc by the battle-aura-wrapped shoe-front! Hanging two centimeters in front of Eris, in that instant, the normally alert Eris's expression changed, and she tilted her head back as if to 'lie down.'
Too late!
The wooden sword suddenly snapped! The incoming boot-front solidly struck Eris's cheek, sending her flying!
Eris rolled a few times on the ground before landing awkwardly in a crouch.
She fiercely looked up.
A wooden sword was already hovering by her neck.
The dojo was silent for an instant!
Then erupted into a chorus of cheers! After just a few scattered shouts of joy, they merged into a massive, unified roar.
"Faltz!! Faltz!!"
"Faltz!! Faltz!!"
Faltz scoffed, raising his hand to his ear.
The dojo fell silent again.
He retracted his wooden sword, observing Eris, who was crouched on the ground.
A wave of red hair spilled onto the floor, bearing a curved loneliness. The girl carelessly wiped a scrape on her cheek, then straightened up.
Despite such an obvious defeat, there was no sign of dejection.
Her crimson eyes still burned with fire.
Faltz narrowed his eyes.
"The match is decided. You're close to Advanced Water God Style, but you still lack some refinement. Go back and play with your wooden sword for a few more years, then come again!"
Eris frowned.
"Again!"
Faint sneers and murmurs rose from the surrounding apprentices.
"Again? How ridiculous."
"Senior Brother's sister is nothing special..."
"Do you think everyone is a genius?"
Faltz disdainfully pursed his lips, "Overestimating yourself..." Then, without even looking at Eris, he turned and walked towards Isolte.
His demeanor was quite arrogant.
"Senior Sister? You just said..."
"Was it about not letting anyone lose too badly?"
Isolte tilted her head, looking at Faltz. She raised her wrist, extended her index finger, and placed it to her cheek.
"Shh... Faltz."
He stopped, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but then he chuckled.
"What's wrong, Senior Sister? Are you perhaps a sore loser? Do you want to challenge me personally?"
He grandiosely raised both arms, as if signaling his 'harmlessness,' but his hair was slicked back, and his arrogant expression utterly contradicted his body language.
"Senior Sister~ You're a Saint rank, it wouldn't be fair to duel me, would it? If you really want a match, you should go find Senior Brother, shouldn't you?"
These clearly offensive words extinguished the faint whispers that had just begun.
The other apprentices all looked at Faltz in surprise, their faces screaming 'Are you out of your mind?'
Kurri, the man with long, effeminate hair who was usually the peacemaker in the dojo, his expression changed drastically. He looked at the 'sweetly smiling' Isolte, then at the arrogant Faltz, and quickly stood up, taking two steps forward.
"Fa-Faltz... don't be angry... quickly... quickly apologize to Senior Sister, Senior Brother he..."
"Shut up!"
Faltz, who was from one of the Four Great Noble families like Allen, and whose family held even more power in the royal capital, was a hot-headed youth typical of the great nobles of the capital. He dropped his exaggerated posture, his eyes narrowed, his face grim.
"Senior Sister, when Senior Brother returns, we obey him. But that doesn't mean I obey all his decisions. He's not even a shadow yet, and he brings back a brat to raid the dojo? What does that mean?"
"Does he think everyone in the junior dojo is trash?"
He raised his wooden sword, pointing it at Isolte, who was quietly observing him with a tilted head.
"I've suppressed my sword rank, not entering Saint rank to go on expeditions outside the royal capital, precisely waiting for Senior Brother to return so I can challenge him. As for you, Senior Sister, my apologies, I'm not interested in dueling you."
"In my eyes, there is only Allen Boreas Greyrat, the former junior chief disciple. So, where is he? I..."
"Warm-up's over, Faltz," Isolte interrupted Faltz.
He looked utterly bewildered.
"What?"
The question echoed in the dojo, then fell silent.
Sylphy, meanwhile, glanced sideways at Eris, whose face was gradually darkening. She looked a little nervous.
Rudy had his hands clasped, silently praying for this person.
Isolte turned to look at Eris.
"My apologies, Eris. What I said earlier was: This is a challenge, not a deadly fight. Right?"
Eris did not answer. She simply twisted around and walked to a nearby apprentice watching, snatching a thin-bladed wooden sword from him.
She turned back and stood in the center of the ring.
Faltz turned to look at her in surprise, wondering what this mad dog was doing.
Just then, Isolte's voice, as the 'referee,' yet having little presence in the 'duel,' entered his ears.
Because the dojo was too quiet.
It sounded remarkably clear.
"Faltz, rules changed."
"The challenge is over."
"The dojo raid has begun."
"Before facing Senior Brother, first, you need to consider holding onto your position as chief disciple of the junior dojo."
"In this Water God Style Main Dojo, grown complacent in ease, the Water God Style Saint rank. Is it real, or just for show? I, who have been here since childhood, striving towards being the Water God, know better than you."
Faltz suddenly turned and stared intently at Isolte, about to speak.
"Shh, don't rush."
Isolte placed her index finger to her lips. The smile on her face finally vanished.
She looked at Faltz very seriously, then spread her palm.
A gesture of introduction, her palm vaguely 'shielding' Eris.
Her voice rose.
"Apprentices of the junior dojo! Allow me to add to the introduction! Eris Boreas Greyrat! Advanced Sword God Style, Intermediate Water God Style, disciple of Sword King Ghislaine..."
A stir of commotion.
Isolte paused slightly. Waiting for the clamor to subside, she continued.
"And, of Water King Allen Boreas Greyrat."
Her soft words fell into the junior dojo.
Resounding clearly.
This time, it was utter silence.
Everyone was stunned.
Including Faltz.
Dantolis turned in surprise to Isolte.
"Allen is already a Water King?! This... in just two years, and he's only thirteen... Isolte, are you sure?"
Isolte nodded.
"Impossible!"
Faltz looked at Isolte in disbelief, his face showing clear absurdity.
"He's only thirteen! What nonsense are you spouting?! Her Majesty Reida wasn't King-level at thirteen either!"
Isolte shook her head.
"Instead of questioning the truth of my words, Faltz, why don't you concern yourself with your current predicament."
"I repeat, Faltz."
Isolte turned to look at Eris, who was uncharacteristically silent, merely staring at Faltz and slowly rubbing the wooden sword's hilt.
"Don't lose too badly."
This time, Faltz didn't even offer a retort. He seemed to be laughing in anger, spitting out a scoff. He twisted and looked at Eris.
His defiant mindset made his protoplast separate, his mouth full of incomprehensible words.
"A thirteen-year-old Water King... 'don't lose too badly'..."
"What a joke!"
As he spoke, Faltz lunged forward in a bow stance, his center of gravity sinking, gripping his sword with both hands, swinging the blade. The wooden sword traced an arc in the air.
The hilt by his face, the tip parallel to the ground.
Extending forward, vaguely thrusting towards Eris.
A Water God Style stance, clearly imitating Allen's sword guard. He seemed to be using his full power, as if to prove something.
And amidst his movements, Eris let out a long breath, forcefully extinguishing the anger that had flared up from his provocative words about Allen.
Because Allen had once said that anger, indignation, annoyance, resentment—these fiery emotions could all serve as accelerants for 'desire.'
But when preparing to wield the blade, one must hold that breath and focus attention on the sword in hand.
Only then would the hand be steady enough.
Only then would the blade be fast enough.
Focus on one point.
Only then could one reach the pinnacle!
She closed her eyes.
Swish! The blade cut through the air, abruptly stopping. The wind made her clothes flap loudly.
The seemingly weightless wooden sword, in a single empty swing, carried a sense of immense power.
But, in the eyes of all the Advanced Water God Style apprentices present.
For some reason, everyone felt a contradictory sensation...
—This sword was very heavy.
—But this sword was also too light.
—So light it seemed to have no weight.
—Light, like a draft...
At the side of the ring, Isolte's mouth opened. In the center of the ring, Eris raised her right leg.
—Fast!!
Her foot landed!
"Begin!" Isolte's voice pierced the air!
Faltz's rooted legs generated power, battle aura surged wildly through his body, and his figure was about to shoot forward.
But his pupils suddenly constricted to pinpricks! By his ear! The sound of a shoe bottom slamming to the ground, pulled by inertia, ripped through the air!
A red wave rolled across his face! A chill ran down his neck!
Someone had already arrived by his side!
Faltz's eyes rotated to the right!
But he could only catch a crimson pupil tracing a blood-red line in the air!
The wind of the blade swept in!
Bang!!!!!!!!
Blade clashed with sword. The wooden sword, wrapped in Flow Ougi, narrowly deflected the incoming high-speed vertical slash.
Faltz, however, looked utterly horrified!
No! The force is too light!
His gaze swept to his right—only a wooden sword remained in the air, and the undulating red wave.
It was the tip of Eris's hair.
She had swept forward in one step, initiating the Voiceless Sword of Light. The moment the blade touched Faltz's 'Interception' technique, which he used with Flow Ougi.
She released her grip.
The blade flew away!
Eris's figure moved forward relentlessly, and her second step brought her to Faltz's side and slightly behind him!
Accompanied by a slicing sound of her shoe slipping, a twisting whip kick struck Faltz's ribs!
In a split second, Faltz's near-Saint-level combat instinct, which was still etched in his mind, allowed him to quickly raise his sword hilt, blocking the afterimage that tore through the air.
Thump!!
The wooden sword was bent into a full moon shape!
With just one impact, crack! the sword body snapped. The momentum of the kick didn't diminish, sending Faltz flying!—a full two meters high! He slammed onto the floor five meters away! He fell! Bounced!
And crashed to the ground.
Faltz immediately tried to get up, propping himself on the ground.
Hiss!!
A sharp gust of wind pierced his face! A sword was plunged into the dojo floor!
Crimson eyes met the defeated man's gaze with cold indifference.
Eris reached out and pulled the wooden sword from the floor. She glanced at Faltz's cheek, where a line of blood was beginning to seep.
She turned!
The red lion's furious aftershock roared out!!
"Who else dares to defy?!"
"Come!!!!"
One second.
Two seconds.
Ten seconds.
The dojo was utterly silent.
No one dared to respond.
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