R14. Cecilus

R14. Cecilus

As Reinhild rapidly advanced, she suddenly noticed that her divine blessings were being suppressed.

The next moment, lightning-speed sword strikes pierced through the dust and smoke, viciously attacking the swiftly moving Reinhild.

The thunderous strike blew the Sword Saint back.

However, she wasn't wounded by the slash—because in that instant, Reinhild blocked the entire attack with the scabbard of the Dragon Sword.

Reinhild did not use the iron sword in her hand, but twisted her body mid-air and used the Dragon Sword's scabbard to parry the blow.

This move made the young man who delivered the strike—Cecilus—whistle.

He was a vibrant young man dressed in a kimono, looking quite slender—so much so that he might be mistaken for a girl.

Especially with his long dark blue hair tied into a single ponytail.

But the intense murderous aura radiating from his deep blue eyes, along with the two swords in his hands, all marked him as no ordinary man.

This was the strongest warrior of the southern empire—the Blue Lightning of Vollachia, Cecilus.

"Still the same—so strong you don't even seem human… But I'm so happy. Miss Reinhild, you really haven't changed a bit."

"I'm not particularly pleased with this meeting, Lord Cecilus. Can you comprehend what it means for the Empire's Number One Divine General to appear in the Kingdom of Lugunica and attack me? If you step aside now, I'll act as if nothing happened."

After saying that, Reinhild prepared to leave.

She had no time to waste with this narcissist.

But as she moved forward, a sword slash cut across her path.

That single strike carved a horizontal line into the ground—so fast most people wouldn't even see it happen.

It was a superhuman sword flash from someone who had mastered absolute sword speed—a slash delivered by one who had reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship.

"Regretfully, I cannot accept that proposal. I am still on my climb. And I feel I only need to take one more step."

"To where?"

"To the Heaven of Sword!"

In an instant, the air exploded with crackling booms—the sound of the atmosphere being shattered.

That was the pure sword energy released by a swordsman—no, a sword master—who had reached the extreme of single-blade perfection.

It had already stepped into the realm of the demonic, unleashing events far beyond what common sense could contain.

Yet this flawless attack was easily deflected by the girl.

"As expected, you're the best. I've looked forward to this for so long—to finally test my swordsmanship against yours."

Even though his unmatched strike was parried effortlessly, Cecilus's voice was filled only with excitement.

"…Lord Cecilus, we've crossed swords before. You should know the gap between us. Why are you challenging me now? And if you truly want a duel, can't it wait a few days?"

"Heh… that time—when I was knocked out in an instant—you call that a duel? And as for a match… do you mean like last time when I got deported?

Or the time before that when I couldn't even find you?

Or the time before that when—never mind! Anyway, I only have one of these Divine Protection-suppressing devices. That means… we settle this with life and death."

He drew his second blade—the Demonic Sword Murasame, glowing with an eerie light.

And his first blade—the Dream Sword Masayume—revealed its beautiful form that made one long to be struck by it.

Among the ten legendary swords in the world—be they demonic, named, or holy swords—he held two of them.

No, Reinhild's eyes widened as she looked at the sword at her waist.

It was the one she usually carried but only unsheathed when faced with a worthy opponent—the strongest blade, the Dragon Sword Reid, was trembling.

Reinhild gently nudged it, and its dazzling white blade flashed in the open air.

"You know this too, Reinhild. There's a wall before us."

Even as she stood facing the strongest sword and the strongest swordsman, Cecilus maintained an unshakable fighting spirit.

Seeing that, Reinhild grew fully serious.

Both wielding holy swords, demonic swords, and the dragon sword—two beings who transcended the concept of "human" stood face-to-face.

As they closed the distance little by little, the world itself seemed to fear their clash. The atmosphere began to distort.

"Not everyone is like you. For those who reach a certain realm, a wall blocks their path.

A wall impossible to cross, no matter how hard they try.

Some may have already given up.

But I… I can never give up. If I don't surpass that wall—I won't be me.

Yes, even if it means betraying His Majesty."

Reinhild stared silently at her opponent.

"I've sought a chance to fight you many times. But you always avoided battle.

That's when… that clown invited me.

He said there's a way to get past that wall… In other words, he knew how to make you fight me to the death—how to force us to clash swords in a real battle.

A drowning man clutches at straws. And I… am that drowning man.

So I grabbed on without hesitation."

"Do you understand the consequences?"

"Of course. But this time I brought my two strongest swords. Honestly, I even considered killing people to provoke you. But that… would truly be suicide."

"Then let's see… if you can leave the Dragon Kingdom alive."

The Sword Saint widened her eyes. Cecilus licked his lips.

Then he smiled—the smiling Blue Lightning declared:

"We're all drowning, Reinhild van Astrea.

According to the one who hired me, everyone who's desperately chasing something… is struggling underwater.

In some 'ocean' we've never even seen… flailing and gasping."

Reinhild didn't reply. She only held her breath and prepared her sword strike.

Understanding her intention, Cecilus lowered his stance, raising his two swords—and slipped off his straw sandals.

"——Swordsman, Cecilus Segmunt."

From the Vollachia Empire. A general. The Blue Lightning—he needed no other title.

This body, solely as a swordsman, longs to reach the path of the Heavenly Sword.

In the next moment, their figures vanished.

Sparks erupted across the plain.

The once-flat grassland turned into a land of craters and crevices.

The clash of blades echoed across the field, as if thousands of soldiers were locked in battle.

It's often said that blessings are like wings for those who bear them.

Yet even though the girl had lost the support of her blessings, her strength was still terrifying. In the short span of dozens of minutes, Cecilus saw his death countless times—and countless times surpassed his own limits.

Cecilus felt a surge of emotion—he had thought that the only difference between himself and the girl was a single wall.

—How narrow-minded and naïve that thought was.

The difference in talent. The difference in effort. The difference in resolve.

Cecilus looked at the broken sword in his hand and gave a bitter smile.

Even their weapons were different.

Even though he had grown into a Heavenly Sword, he still could not understand the girl before him.

It wasn't about whether he could reach her.

They were on completely different planes of existence.

"When the thought of retreat enters your mind… that's when you've already lost."

"…Is that so?"

Cecilus looked at the girl's retreating figure, then up at the sky, and smiled.