Kana checked her physical state while still leaning on Daeun, having just woken up.

Her condition was... acceptable.

It seemed that the short nap had done its job, bringing her back to her usual self.

"..."

Once confirming everything was fine, she looked ahead.

Standing before them was a one-armed swordsman blocking their path.

She had sensed his presence there for a while. It was, in fact, the very reason she’d woken up.

Hmm.

She didn’t recognize his face.

However, given the intense aura emanating from him, it seemed he knew her and was eager for a fight.

Perhaps he’d encountered her on the battlefield. There was even a chance he’d lost his left arm during that encounter.

A one-armed swordsman, huh.

In this world, it wasn’t unusual to come across people missing an arm, a leg, or suffering some other physical impairment.

With constant wars against neighboring countries, battles against monsters, and invasions by dimensional beasts, the world of Silia was far from peaceful.

People fought, not only to survive but to protect themselves, bearing the scars of those fierce struggles on their bodies.

So, the fact that this man in front of them had only one arm didn’t bother Kana at all.

What surprised her was that, even after losing an arm, he still chose to wield a sword and stand his ground.

Most people, even those with minor injuries, wouldn’t dare pick up a weapon again if they lost a part of their body.

Especially an arm – an essential part of daily life, not to mention life-or-death combat.

With only one arm, he couldn’t wield a sword with both hands, and even if he chose a one-handed sword, he’d lack the balance that a second arm would provide, reducing his stability.

For these reasons, it was rare for a swordsman to return to the battlefield after losing an arm...

"Fascinating."

Yet, here he was, standing before her.

After losing his arm, he must have endured relentless training to reach this point.

The scars all over his body were silent witnesses to his effort and hardship.

"You’re awake?"

"I’ve been awake for a while."

"Oh, sorry. Were we too noisy?"

"Mm..."

Kana shook her head.

"I was awake before that."

"Oh... then why were you pretending to be asleep?"

"I wasn’t pretending. I just had my eyes closed."

Daeun chuckled lightly and patted Kana’s head.

"If you’re still tired, you could sleep more."

"No."

This amount of sleep was more than enough.

"When a guest arrives, it’s only right to welcome them."

It’s only polite for the host, isn’t it?

Of course, this wasn’t actually her home, and technically, the man wasn’t a “guest,” but since he’d come looking for her, she considered it close enough.

She was about to jump down from her horse with her legs together when a slender yet firm arm wrapped gently around her waist.

"Kana, would you let me handle this?"

"...Hm?"

"I also feel the need to prove something."

"Prove something?"

Kana tilted her head in confusion. Daeun had just spoken to the man and likely understood that he wasn’t here with good intentions.

Yet she was making such a bold statement?

As Kana blinked, Daeun hopped off her horse.

"Hup."

It seemed Daeun had gotten used to dismounting. She landed smoothly and drew her sword.

"That man wants to prove his strength. And I’ve been curious to see how much stronger I’ve become since Kana taught me. Isn’t this the perfect chance?"

"...Who are you?"

"Huh?!"

Daeun was Daeun, not some battle-hungry fledgling.

In other words, there was no way she’d make such an aggressive statement.

Kana narrowed her eyes in suspicion, and Daeun feigned a wounded look.

"You’re too harsh…."

"Not harsh at all."

Kana wasn’t buying it.

Just days ago, Daeun had trembled at the thought of fighting a mercenary. She wouldn’t change so suddenly overnight.

If people’s natures changed that easily, the noblemen Kana had beaten up wouldn’t still be strutting around so arrogantly.

Daeun’s heart wasn’t truly in it, Kana knew. She tried to read her thoughts.

Tsk.

"...??"

But it was no use.

She could read people’s minds through their swordsmanship and deduce their experiences, but she didn’t have the ability to decipher Daeun’s intentions in this situation.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course! I’ll prove to Kana just how strong I’ve become! And that means you don’t have to keep suggesting more training!"

"..."

While she couldn’t say for sure about the first part, the sincerity in Daeun’s plea for less training was evident.

Kana raised an eyebrow at her confidence, and Daeun, who had been so assertive, averted her gaze, clearly embarrassed.

"...Kana’s the one at fault for all that training."

Even though she looked away, Daeun’s stance was firm. As she subtly glanced back with a hint of reproach, she met Kana’s eyes and jumped, turning away once more.

There was a lot Kana could say, but...

"It’s not happening."

Just from Daeun’s stance with her sword, Kana could tell she wasn’t capable of facing the man.

Even taking into account his one arm, he was stronger than Daeun.

Although sparring with a stronger opponent could be beneficial, she doubted the man would go easy on her, rendering the experience less helpful.

"Why?! Last time, you had me fight mercenaries."

"They were nobodies, and I even let you pick."

Those mercenaries were mediocre at best.

That’s why she’d had Daeun face them back then.

"...So he’s that strong?"

"Yes, that strong. Even the Fledgling Greatsword couldn’t match him."

Daeun’s mouth shut tight at this explanation.

For her, the standard of strength was either Kana or the Fledgling Greatsword.

"If you still want to fight, relay this message to him."

"...It’s starting to feel like I don’t have to fight, though…?"

"You wanted to prove yourself. Tell him, ‘I’ll spare your life, so don’t kill me either.'"

"Is there really no way around this?"

"Quickly."

"Ugh…"

That she was uttering such words, having once fought to the death, struck Kana as surreal.

As Kana fell silent in thought, Daeun, looking distressed, approached the man.

He seemed puzzled at first, then nodded readily.

"He accepted?"

"Yes. But he said he doesn’t mind if I don’t hold back, as he considers it repayment for sparing his life before."

"Hmm."

Such confidence.

The man had shown a calm acceptance of death from the start.

"Selene."

"Yes?"

"Over here."

"Huh?"

"...Come here."

"Oh, you mean over there?"

"Yes."

Kana pulled Selene aside, away from the battle line, though she doubted the man would break his promise. Still, she prepared to jump in if needed.

"Good luck…."

"Couldn’t you at least cheer me on with a bit more enthusiasm? A cheek kiss or something…?"

"Maybe it won’t motivate me, but it might get him fired up."

"I’ll win this!"

And with that, Daeun hurried to stand before the man.

At least she seemed motivated.

 

Her heart pounded wildly with tension.

Gripping her sword tighter, Daeun steadied her shaky breath.

"What’s your connection to the demon?"

"She’s my sister. We’re not related by blood, though."

The man seemed curious about her connection to Kana, so she answered honestly.

Then, she posed her own question.

"Why do you call Kana a demon? She doesn’t act like one."

If he truly thought she was a demon, shouldn’t he be attacking her mercilessly?

His answer was simple.

"Just a manner of speech."

"...Oh, alright."

Daeun had no rebuttal.

An awkward silence settled between her and the man.

This is so uncomfortable!

Daeun’s eyes darted around as she inwardly screamed.

"...I’ll give you the first move."

"...Thank you."

Perhaps he, too, felt the awkwardness as he scratched his head and spoke.

Daeun accepted his offer gratefully.

Can’t see his level…

It wasn’t uncommon, so she didn’t dwell on it.

With her nerves taut, Daeun charged.

Her first strike…

A downward slash!

She opened with the move she’d practiced the most.

Though her attack was swift, the man deflected it effortlessly with his single arm.

Clang!

Daeun’s sword clashed with his, emitting a sharp screech before it bounced back.

I expected this!

She took a few steps back with the recoil and quickly readied herself again, charging like a ray of light.

Though to Kana, watching from a distance, she didn’t appear as fast, Daeun certainly felt that way.

Clang!

Her attack was blocked again.

This time, Daeun’s resolve wavered slightly.

Thrusts were particularly tricky for her; when sparring with Kana, they’d been the hardest to dodge due to the speed and pinpoint precision.

Whenever Kana went for a thrust, Daeun often opted to dodge rather than counter, but the man brushed off her attempt with ease.

"Ugh…!"

Then, she pressed harder!

Swords clashed incessantly.

At a glance, the man seemed stronger, but the difference in their strength wasn’t as vast as it appeared.

This allowed Daeun to counter his occasional attacks, but—

As the exchange wore on, her footing began to falter.

Thwack!

"Ugh?!"

After a sword strike, a swift kick followed.

Unable to block it in time, Daeun was sent skidding back.

The sound wasn’t pleasant, and the pain made her wince.

...He’s fast. And strong.

She clutched her aching abdomen, exhaling a breath she’d held in.

Even when she aimed for his one arm, his legs, or vital spots like his neck or heart, the man parried her every move, as if anticipating her every action.

When she feigned a strike to his neck, only to target his arm, his sword followed hers like a shadow.

The sword’s reach determined the distance in battle.

Daeun had attempted every action within her range, yet they were all countered.

Her frustration mounting, she gripped her sword with both hands to increase her power.

If her strongest attack connected, it would throw off his stance.

She recalculated instinctively, adjusted her grip, and slashed with all her strength.

This was her most powerful strike to date.

"Ha!"

Clang!

"...!"

Instead of meeting her head-on, the man angled his blade slightly, deflecting her sword down its surface.

Wide-eyed, Daeun felt her body lurch downward with the flow of his sword.

A merciless blade flew toward her exposed torso.

Swish!

Crash!

"Ugh!"

She barely managed to twist her body to avoid a fatal blow, but not entirely.

As she rolled across the ground, red blood gushed from her shoulder.

It... hurts...

With the system dulling the pain, it was already this bad. How much worse would it be otherwise?

Her shoulder throbbed, pulsing with heat as if it had gained a second heartbeat.

Her face showed the dawning realization of inevitable defeat.