There’s a famous saying that every swordsman on the continent of Ardina knows.

“You can learn about a person’s life by crossing swords with them.”

While I don't think this saying is entirely accurate, it’s not completely wrong either.

In fact, when you clash swords, you do start to get a sense of certain things.

For example, if someone's movements are quick, they probably have a short temper. If they focus on evasion, they’re likely passive by nature.

It’s not just personality traits you can figure out.

You can tell if someone learned swordsmanship formally or picked it up through real combat experience. You can even deduce what techniques they favor, and sometimes, you can guess what country they’re from.

A lot more is hidden in swordsmanship than one might think.

Whoosh!

I lowered my head just in time to dodge the greatsword that came rushing at me as if it wanted to tear my throat apart.

Their swordsmanship relied more on technique and brute strength than on psychological warfare. Their strike points were oddly misaligned. Their eyes were constantly on the lookout, wary of attacks from any direction.

It seemed this greatsword user had fought more against non-humans than against people.

It wasn’t that they had no experience fighting humans, but they certainly hadn’t faced many opponents wielding greatswords.

As I dodged and blocked the incoming attacks, I pondered deeply.

“Should I go easy on them or not…?”

They had no hesitation in raising their sword even after seeing that earlier strike, so I suppose I don’t need to hold back.

After all, they're an Apostle, so it’s not like they die permanently.

But if I beat them too easily, they might just come back even more fired up.

Hmm…

“Alright, I’ve made my decision.”

I’ll just give them a glimpse of what I can do.

If they don’t learn anything from it, that’s their problem. And if they do, maybe they’ll stop being a bother.

With that decision made, I cut off the faint mana I had been channeling into my sword.

The greatsword wielder must have sensed something had changed because they stopped swinging and backed off.

“…What’s this? Why’d you stop all of a sudden? You’re not saying it’s already over, are you?”

People often say that those who reach the rank of Master have achieved enlightenment.

Enlightenment. A word made up of just two syllables, but the weight it carries is immeasurable.

If it weren’t so heavy, there wouldn’t be so many people who fall short of crossing the threshold to become a Master.

Reaching the rank of Master means being skilled not only in handling mana but also in handling everything else that comes with it. It’s not a level you reach by just being good at controlling mana.

Hmm… how should I put this in more modern terms?

No matter how good your bullets are, if you don’t have the right gun, they’re useless. That’s how it is.

In this analogy, mana is the bullet, and the gun is your abilities.

When I say "abilities," I mean a combination of techniques, body, and spirit, but let’s skip over that for now...

Anyway, to sum it up, people who have earned the title of Master are those who can wield their weapon like a true expert.

And I’m one of those people.

I took a step forward, and the wielder of the greatsword gripped their weapon even tighter.

“I almost thought it was over for real.”

Their tone was light, almost like a casual complaint.

But her eyes were keenly watching my every movement.

I had retracted my mana, so it wouldn’t be strange for her to assume I was letting my guard down or even disrespecting her.

But she didn’t seem angry or insulted.

Despite her passionate first impression, this greatsword wielder had a cold, calculating side.

There’s a reason why she’s the strongest Apostle I’ve faced so far.

With a slight flick of my sword, I gestured for her to come at me. She got the message and charged forward, her foot slamming into the ground.

The greatsword that filled my vision aimed directly for my head, a much more precise strike than before, likely due to what she’d learned from our fight so far.

Feeling somewhat resentful, I pursed my lips.

“I’m putting so much thought into this…”

“And she’s just swinging her sword with reckless abandon.”

If we were of equal skill, these attacks would’ve been dangerous, but she doesn’t hesitate at all.

“Sigh.”

I wonder if she understands the trouble I’m going through.

With a sigh, I brought the tip of my sword up to meet her greatsword.

“…Huh?”

The next moment, the greatsword wielder was planted into the ground, letting out a dazed sound of disbelief.

"This is fun. I’m enjoying this."

Well, maybe not that much, but still…

Yuki cooled her overheated mind. Since the day she started playing Celia Online—no, even looking back through all her memories—she had never enjoyed herself this much.

Everyone who met Yuki always said the same thing, without exception:

“A genius.”

Soccer, basketball, kendo—whatever it was, Yuki had an innate talent for anything that involved physical activity.

She could master in a day what took others six months. In a week, she could catch up to a year’s worth of progress. In six months, she would be standing at the peak, looking down on those who were still struggling to climb.

For others, a mountain may seem impossibly tall, but to her, it was nothing more than a small hill in her backyard. Nothing could spark her interest.

After all, what was the point of conquering something if it wasn’t worth the effort?

If Yuki wanted something, she could achieve it. If she set her mind to something, she would accomplish it. Things like a sense of achievement, competitiveness, or passion were emotions that Yuki had never truly understood and probably never would—if Celia Online hadn’t come out, that is.

The thrill she felt every time she swung her sword, the struggle between life and death—it was intoxicating.

Unlike everything else she had experienced so far, this world demanded her full strength to achieve her goals. And Yuki was utterly captivated by it.

That’s why Yuki enjoyed fighting Kana.

No matter how hard she swung her sword, she couldn’t even graze Kana. And even if she thought her attack might connect, Kana would block it without so much as a change in expression.

She was up against an opponent with no visible weakness, someone she had no hope of defeating.

For the first time in her life, Yuki had encountered a massive wall.

A wall so high that she couldn’t even begin to imagine climbing it. Yet, seeing that wall awakened something within her—an actual desire to win.

When Kana withdrew her mana, Yuki was disappointed, thinking the fun was already over. But she quickly realized she was wrong, and a surge of joy washed over her.

Even though Kana’s sword, which had been glowing pink like her hair, returned to its original silver color, Yuki didn’t let her guard down.

If this was someone she could defeat just because she wasn’t using sword aura, her blade would have struck Kana several times by now.

“Fast, but don’t rush. Strong, but be precise.”

Yuki swung her greatsword down with all its weight behind it.

A smile crept onto her lips.

This was the most flawless sword strike she had ever performed.

Regardless of her satisfaction, from an outsider’s perspective, it looked like a terrifying scene of someone committing an unspeakable act against a small, delicate girl.

Yuki was certain that this time, Kana wouldn’t be able to block so easily as she swung the mana-filled greatsword down toward Kana’s head.

“…Huh?”

The world flipped upside down in an instant.

No, it wasn’t the world—it was Yuki herself.

The eyes that had been staring ahead were now looking up at the distant sky, and the greatsword she had been gripping so tightly was lying carelessly on the ground a short distance away.

“…Huh?”

Another dazed sound escaped Yuki’s lips.

She remembered Kana touching her sword.

And the next moment, she was sprawled out on the ground.

Yuki had no idea what had happened between those two moments.

Of course, she expected Kana to block it, but she never imagined it would happen in this way.

“What just happened…?”

Yuki wasn’t the only one confused.

The people watching the fight were just as clueless about what had transpired.

“…What just happened?”

“Are you asking me…?”

“But you’re the only one who’s trained under Gravekeeper… Kana… wait, how should I even address her? Anyway, you’re the only person who’s learned swordsmanship from Kana.”

“If you’ve watched my streams, you’d know. I’ve never been taught anything like that. And I didn’t even know Kana was this strong.”

“Oh, right.”

“…What?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“But you were about to say something.”

“I told you, I didn’t say anything! But, Joni, you seem pretty comfortable calling Kana by her name, huh?”

Fine’s attempt to change the subject was successful.

“…Ah.”

Joni scratched her cheek awkwardly.

“At first, I was scared, but after spending time with her, she started to feel more like a little sister… So it just feels weird to speak formally.”

“Do you have a little sister?”

“No?”

“…?”

“By the way, you were calling her the Gravekeeper all casually too, right? Why bring this up now?”

“Well, seeing her in person, it feels different. You know how you can call a celebrity by their name, but when you meet them face to face, you just can’t do it?”

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Joni nodded, understanding the feeling.

Then Fine asked cautiously:

“But what if it turns out she’s much older than you, Joni?”

“What?”

“I mean, it’s not impossible, right?”

Fine glanced at Kana briefly.

Her appearance was still nothing short of astonishing.

The cape that once seemed like an injustice to her beauty now felt like a crime.

Even though she still had a bit of baby fat and a small frame, which made her look adorable, there was an underlying elegance to her. If she matured gracefully, she would undoubtedly become a beauty capable of turning kingdoms upside down.

“You know just as well as I do, Joni. It’s impossible for someone that young to possess such incredible strength.”

In the world of Celia, all the top-tier fighters were of a certain age.

That had been the argument used to dismiss the early rumors about the Gravekeeper being a child, labeling them as otaku fantasies.

“I didn’t realize then that those people were right.”

Even now, Fine couldn’t help but find the whole situation amusing.

“So, what, you think she’s like one of those martial arts characters who can reverse aging?”

“Well, isn’t that at least possible?”

“Honestly, I think saying she’s a dragon in human form makes more sense.”

Joni dismissed Fine’s wild speculation but didn’t entirely disagree. She, too, had realized how abnormal Kana’s power truly was.

“If she really is older than me…”

Joni felt a sudden sense of unease as she reflected on her past interactions with Kana.

She had always wanted to shower her with affection, treating her like a cute little sister, but thankfully, she hadn’t done anything too inappropriate.

If Kana turned out to be not only older but also a person of high status—maybe even someone who once bore the name of a nation—Joni shuddered at the thought.

The mere idea of treating such a person with casual affection was enough to make Joni’s heart race with anxiety. Hiding her inner turmoil, she let out a quiet sigh of relief.