Chapter 159

Chapter 159. Interlude – Call Me Big Sister?

*Whoosh!*

A silver flash resembling moonlight cuts through the air.

A flash so fast it’s hard to follow with the eyes.

What started as a single silver flash split into two, then multiplied into dozens in an instant.

This wasn’t just an illusion to deceive the eyes.

Each one carried the force to tear through steel like paper.

‘This is a technique I’ve never seen before.’

I clicked my tongue as I watched the dazzling silver flashes swirl around.

I don’t know what kind of emotional change Yurina went through, but ever since she revealed her true identity to her comrades during last summer vacation, her swordsmanship has improved.

So much so that even I’m having a hard time keeping up.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

Ash Fire and silver flashes clashed in the air.

Blocking dozens of sword strikes at once wasn’t easy, but…

‘It’s not like I’ve been standing still either.’

Ash Fire Sword 1st Form, Modified Style.

Ash Extinction – Chain.

The sword wrapped in Ash Fire unleashed a fierce barrage of strikes, deflecting the dozens of silver flashes.

The entire training ground shook from the intense impact.

“You’ve improved a lot.”

I praised Yurina after deflecting all her strikes, but…

“It’s not over yet!”

Yurina adjusted her grip and swung her sword again.

“Haaap!”

With a determined shout, the Holy Mark on her left chest glowed.

A silver aura wrapped around her sword and burst forth violently.

*Whoooosh!*

Yurina’s sword tore through the air, releasing a silver flash.

What started as a single flash split again, multiplying into dozens in an instant.

Thinking it was the same technique as before, I raised my sword to block, but…

*Crackle! Crackle! Crackle!*

“Crazy…”

The dozens of strikes multiplied into hundreds.

The training ground, which was large enough to be called excessive for an individual, was now filled with silver sword energy.

Hundreds of silver sword energies floated in the air as if drawing a circle.

It was like looking up at the moon in the night sky.

‘What is this?’

Like the technique I saw in the ruins before, this was also something I’d never seen from Yuren in my past life.

“Ugh…”

Yurina grimaced, as if the technique was still a burden on her.

She clenched her teeth and raised her sword high.

“Sun Sword 8th Form…”

8th Form?

Did she say 8th Form?

I let out a hollow laugh as I heard the number from Yurina’s lips.

The ‘forms’ of the Sun Sword go up to the 9th Form, and anything beyond the 8th Form was something even Yuren in my past life only mastered after joining my party.

In my past life, Yuren and I became part of the same party about 10 years after graduating from school.

In other words.

Right now, Yurina is trying to leap over 10 years… no, even more time.

And with…

“Moon… Light!”

A technique completely different from the ‘Sun Sword 8th Form’ I knew.

*Whoooosh!*

The hundreds of sword energies floating in a circle all shot toward me at once.

But they didn’t shoot straight like arrows.

Each one contained the essence and artistry of the Sun Sword.

For a moment, it felt like I was facing hundreds of Yurinas at once, sending a chill down my spine.

‘This is…’

I can’t block this.

*Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Hundreds of sword energies raged like a storm.

I guess you could call it a silver lining.

Despite appearances, the power contained in each sword energy wasn’t that great.

Of course…

“Ugh… Cough!”

‘Despite appearances,’ the absolute power was by no means weak.

I was swept away by the storm of sword energies and thrown back violently.

*Beep! Beep!*

Red emergency lights flashed throughout the training ground, and alarms blared.

“D-Dale! Are you okay?”

Yurina rushed over to me in a panic.

“Ugh… I’m fine.”

That’s a lie.

Honestly, for a moment, I thought the ‘Blessing of Resurrection’ might activate.

“S-Sorry. I thought you’d be able to handle it easily…”

Yurina fidgeted with a look of distress.

“Wait! I’ll call Iris right away!”

“No, don’t…”

If Iris saw this, she’d definitely freak out and start scolding me.

“A-Are you really okay?”

“Ugh, yeah. I just need to rest for a bit.”

I wobbled to my feet and sat on the bench in the corner of the training ground.

“By the way, when did you learn that technique?”

I asked while leaning against the wall, catching my breath.

Yurina smiled awkwardly, as if embarrassed.

“Ah… I’ve been practicing the 8th Form of the Sun Sword recently.”

“…Really?”

But it was completely different from the Sun Sword 8th Form I knew.

“The original Sun Sword 8th Form is a technique called ‘Light Wave,’ right? I just interpreted it a bit differently and created something new.”

“……”

I see.

No wonder it felt so different. It was a technique Yurina had created herself.

“So you changed the name to ‘Moonlight’?”

“Y-Yeah. It felt more fitting to imagine the moon, so I changed the name.”

Yurina lowered her head with a hesitant expression.

“Is it… a bit presumptuous?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, I mean… I’m just changing the sword art created by the ancestor of the Helios family, the ‘Sun’s Sword,’ Reynaldo.”

“That’s…”

Well.

For Yurina, who was born and raised in the Helios family, Reynaldo’s sword art was almost like a religion.

Changing and using that sword art as she pleased was akin to a priest rewriting holy scripture based on their own interpretation.

In other words, it was a taboo, something only heretics would do.

But…

“I don’t think that’s a problem.”

“R-Really?”

The moonlight illuminated Yurina’s face under the night sky.

“No matter how great a sword art is, it’s not the best for everyone.”

Just like how I created the Ash Fire Sword.

She’s simply forging her own path, one that suits her.

“But if you’re going that far, why not change the name completely? Like Moonlight Sword instead of Sun Sword…”

“No, I don’t want to do that.”

Yurina shook her head softly.

“Whether I like it or not, my roots are in the Sun Sword. I don’t want to deny that.”

Yurina smiled faintly as she recalled the days when she first learned the Sun Sword from ‘Yuren.’

Even if it ended in tragedy, she didn’t want to erase the happy moments.

“By the way, Dale… you didn’t go all out this time, did you?”

“Huh? No, I did my best.”

“Liar. You didn’t even emit smoke from your body. No flames either.”

“That’s…”

She’s talking about Ignition and Intensification.

‘I didn’t use those, that’s true.’

But aside from that, I fought her with everything I had.

‘And I lost spectacularly.’

I swallowed a bitter smile and looked at Yurina.

While Ignition and Intensification are my greatest strengths, considering the years I’ve spent wielding a sword, it’s absurd that I’m being overpowered by Yurina in swordsmanship.

‘Someone who’s trained for thousands of years is being caught up to in just half a year.’

Yurina’s recent growth has been so astonishing that even I, who knew ‘Yuren’ from my past life, am constantly surprised.

“When will… I be able to catch up to you, Dale?”

Despite that, Yurina asked with an anxious voice, as if she still felt lacking.

“You’ve already caught up.”

“But I’m still not strong enough to protect you.”

Yurina stroked the hilt of her sword as she continued.

“I want to become strong enough to protect you.”

“That’s… well, you don’t need to rush. You’re doing great as it is.”

“…Really? Am I doing well?”

“Yeah.”

“Then…”

Yurina blushed slightly and tugged at my collar.

I didn’t need her to say it out loud to know what she wanted.

I slowly reached out and patted Yurina’s head.

“Hehe.”

Yurina smiled brightly.

Just as I was continuing the now-routine head-patting session with Yurina…

*Click.*

[Candidate Iris, access confirmed.]

The door to the training ground opened with a clear chime.

“…At it again, huh? Hmph, Yurina, you really have unique tastes.”

Iris looked at me patting Yurina’s head and pouted.

“A-Ah, no! This is…!”

Yurina blushed and quickly stepped back.

Iris chuckled as she watched Yurina.

“It’s fine. It’s not like this is the first time.”

“……?”

Yurina tilted her head, confused by Iris’s relaxed attitude.

“I brought lunch. Eat up.”

“Ah, thanks.”

“…You’re hurt?”

Iris frowned as she carefully examined my body.

“It’s fine. This much will heal on its own.”

“You should still get treated. Let me see the wound.”

Iris placed her hand on the wound I got during training and recited a short incantation.

A soft glow flowed from her hand and seeped into the wound.

In the blink of an eye, the bleeding stopped, and the wound healed.

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

Iris smiled faintly as she gently touched the healed wound.

“……”

Yurina, who had been watching, narrowed her eyes.

“Did something… happen between you two?”

Call it a woman’s intuition.

She could sense that the atmosphere between us had changed slightly.

“Ah~ Well, it’s nothing much.”

Iris turned to Yurina and smirked.

“We decided to start dating a while ago.”

“…What?”

“I decided to accept everything about Dale, you could say.”

“W-Wait!”

Yurina’s eyes widened as she asked.

“Then what about me…?”

“Yurina, you haven’t given Dale an answer to his confession yet, have you?”

“Eek! T-That’s unfair…!”

Yurina gritted her teeth and stomped over to me.

“Dale! You’re not planning to leave me out, are you?!”

“Well…”

“You said you like me too!”

Yurina grabbed my collar, her voice trembling.

Even though I brought this on myself, a deep sense of guilt welled up inside me, and I nodded instead of answering.

Was that enough?

Yurina’s expression softened as she brushed her chest.

“Does this mean we’re even?”

“Hmm. Not exactly.”

“What?”

“I was a little faster, after all. And…”

Iris crossed her arms and looked at Yurina.

“Yurina, you said you’re actually ‘Yuren’s’ younger sister, right?”

“…So?”

“Then your actual age is younger than mine, isn’t it?”

“……”

As Iris said.

Yurina’s actual age was the same as a first-year candidate who had just entered Reynaldo Hero School.

“W-Why are you bringing up age all of a sudden?”

“Oh? Age is pretty important in relationships, you know? There’s even an old saying in the Republic: ‘Respect your elders.’”

“Ugh…”

“Hmm. Then Yurina… no, Yurina.”

Iris smiled victoriously as she stroked Yurina’s cheek.

“Call me big sister.”

“……”

Yurina’s face crumpled.