CH 11: A Sword Saint in Training
The next day, since the training grounds were still under construction, Valerica decided to take Isla to a desolate plain outside Aethalgard.
“…Fast…” Isla muttered, looking around in disbelief. They had covered an immense distance in such a short time. The city was still visible in the far distance, its towering walls glimmering faintly under the sun.
“Hup.” Valerica grinned as she gently set Isla down on her feet. “Hehe, Isla, do you know why I brought you here? Because experience is the best teacher!” she said proudly, hands on her hips.
“…So, you’re a second-rate master?” Isla asked flatly, her tone completely emotionless.
Valerica choked on air from Isla's words, “Cough cough! Wha!? N-no way I’m second rate!” Valerica stammered, eyes wide. “I was trying to be profound! Ugh, never mind! Haaa… I swear I’m going to lose my mind talking to you.” She let out a deep sigh, rubbing her temple.
Isla looked away, her expression faintly downcast. “Sorry… You can stop teaching me now. I’ll just fend for myself,” she said quietly, turning to walk away.
“H-hey! I was just kidding! Ahahaha!” Valerica called after her nervously, scratching her cheek. She had forgotten how Isla could be both mature and childish at the same time despite that stoic face of hers.
“So…” Isla stopped and turned back. “What do you want me to do?”
“For starters, why not kill those goblins over there?” Valerica said, pointing to a pack of wasteland goblins scurrying in the distance. Their skin was a muddy brown, their bodies lean and wiry. “They’re about the size of children. Weak, but stronger than forest goblins because of the harsh terrain.”
She reached into her bag and tossed a short sword toward Isla. “Also, use this.”
Isla caught it easily by the handle and studied the blade. “It’s short… and lighter than my wooden greatsword,” she noted.
“Yup, but it’s real metal, sharp enough to kill monsters. Anyway, go ahead. I heard Sylveria and Isao already took down monsters on their own before coming in Aethalgard, so you should be able to so as well,” Valerica added casually.
Isla’s eye twitched slightly. She wasn’t on good terms with those two, especially Sylveria, who always managed to get on her nerves. “Blue Blue…” she muttered under her breath, using the nickname she’d given her rival.
Then, without another word, she turned and dashed forward.
The goblins screeched in surprise, they hadn’t expected one of the two women from afar to charge straight at them.
One of the goblins managed to block Isla’s initial strike, but before it could react, Isla spun and kicked it square in the chest. The goblin stumbled back, losing its footing. Isla dashed forward and, in a single smooth motion, sliced through its neck. The head rolled on the ground with a dull thud.
The remaining three goblins roared and charged at her in unison. Isla jumped back lightly, avoiding their claws, then lunged forward again. Her movements were sharp, efficient, each swing of her blade precise. One slash. Two. Three. By the time she landed, the goblins were already collapsing to the ground.
“Clean-up done,” Isla said flatly, flicking the blood off her blade.
“Well done, Isla!” Valerica cheered, clapping her hands excitedly. Her eyes sparkled with pride. “You’re a natural! I swear, you’re like a little prodigy!”
“Teach me more sword skills,” Isla said calmly, lowering her sword as if she hadn’t just massacred a goblin pack.
“S-sword skills!? Er… I dunno…” Valerica laughed nervously, scratching her cheek. “Sigh, the Sky Splitter was a total disaster, so I’d better teach you something safer. I’ll modify my techniques a bit so you won’t accidentally break your bones again.”
Isla’s eyes subtly widened, just a glint of excitement breaking through her usual aloofness.
Valerica noticed it and smiled helplessly. “You really love this, huh?” she said fondly. “Alright, fine. I’ll show you another strong skill.”
She turned toward a distant mountain ridge, her demeanor shifting entirely. Her grin faded, her body relaxed, and her gaze sharpened to a razor’s edge. Holding her sword in a battō stance, she inhaled deeply.
Though she wasn’t using a katana, the stance resembled Sayuri’s own, swift and deadly. But while Sayuri’s technique focused on precision and grace, Valerica’s style embodied sheer power and destructive might.
Wind swirled around her feet as her aura began to surge, pressure building with each passing second.
“This,” Valerica said softly, her tone uncharacteristically serious, “is a move I created to rival Sayuri’s battō strike.”
She smiled, dangerous and confident.
“Watch closely, Isla, this is how a Sword Saint cuts through the world.”
Valerica's eyes became so sharp, and then,
“Saint Swordsmanship: Mountain Slicer!” Valerica shouted as she drew her blade.
In that instant, the air itself seemed to split apart. Power surged, then vanished, leaving behind an eerie stillness. Moments later, a low rumble echoed through the distance. The mountain before them had been cleanly sliced in half.
Isla’s eyes widened, a faint blush coloring her cheeks despite her usually stoic expression.
“Haha… I know it looked like nothing happened,” Valerica said, scratching her head with a sheepish grin. “But trust me, the mountain’s been cut in two. I promise.”
“Yes. I saw,” Isla replied flatly.
“Huh? You believe me?” Valerica blinked, surprised.
Isla nodded slightly. “It’s because I can see the cut you made on the mountain. It was smooth. You also managed to cut through a wyvern’s body, I saw it happen for a split second.”
Valerica froze, her expression torn between disbelief and awe. 'See? What does she mean “see”? Is this kid joking or humoring me?' she thought, sighing. “Y-Yeah, well… that’s the Mountain Slicer. Now I’ll show you a weaker version of it.”
She took the same stance again, turning her gaze toward a small group of goblins approaching from the distance.
“Mountain Slicer.”
The words left her lips calmly this time, and with a single draw of her sword, the goblins were instantly bisected, no scream, no struggle, just silence.
Isla clapped lightly, her face still unreadable.
Valerica lifted her chin with a smug smile. “Heh, not bad, right?”
“So you can adjust the power… amazing,” Isla said, eyes glimmering faintly.
“Yes,” Valerica replied proudly. “By controlling how much mana and aura you pour into the strike.” She sheathed her sword and turned to Isla. “Starting tomorrow, you’ll train in three areas, Mana Mastery, Aura Mastery, and Actual Combat, like today.”
“Understood,” Isla said, nodding without expression.
“Good! Then that’s a wrap for today,” Valerica said with a wink. “Let’s head back to the city and eat something delicious!”
Isla simply nodded again, walking toward her. Valerica grinned, crouched down, and let Isla climb onto her back.
“Hold on tight!”
With a swift step, Valerica vanished, leaving behind only a blur of dust and wind as the two disappeared, returning to Aethalgard in a heartbeat.
