To Be A Female Eminence in Shadow

Chapter 20

"Everyone who have seen this haven't lived to tell the tale!" The guy is very confident.

That amount of magic power is too much. Alexia thinks he might be near-comparable to her sister, which is rather terrifying.

'He's truly a genius...' She felt rather frustrated at admitting that to herself.

How can someone defeat a genius like that? She thinks even this Shadow person is incapable of doing that? She doesn't even have any magic in her body!

As Alexia is biting her lip in frustration, she blinks her eyes as Zenon immediately moves. He instantly appeared in front of Shadow, and slashes her in half. With that, the battle is over...

"It's just an afterimage."

Or not!

Zenon didn't let up. He only clicks his tongue and turns around with a following swing of his sword, and Shadow who has appeared behind him parried it casually.

Then the true exchange begins. Zenon's strikes are heavy. The way he moves and swings are always with a purpose. Going for the weak spots and seems intent on finishing the battle as soon as possible. Which is the true principle of the Royal Bushin Method.

'What!?' But Alexia can't help but gawk in surprised as she saw Shadow is parrying and blocking his strikes calmly.

It's like a complete reversal of what happened with their fight. It is Zenon who is now looking more and more desperate, while the short girl clad in black is calmly receiving his strikes with her own blocks and parries.

The way she moves her blade is very mesmerizing. It's so natural. As if it's a part of the girl's limbs. It is so perfect. Every excess has been taken off. Every movements she does are efficient and with a purpose. Feints will turn into attacks, parries will turn into counters. Even strikes will turn into defense. The way she transitions from one thing to another is masterful.

It also realizes the ideal of her own swordsmanship.

'The common sword...!?'

Yes, this is a sword that doesn't rely on talent alone. It is the sword of the poor. The sword of the hardworking. A sword style that can be achieved through rigorous training, battle experience, and hardships. It's the sword that she naively imagined as a child.

'Beautiful!'

That sword that only exists in her ideals has now manifested in reality. It has shown the peak of swordsmanship. The greatest understanding of the sword, it's effectiveness, it's strength, speed, anything.

She recalls the time when she lost to her sister. The day when she started hating her own style. Always being compared to her sister makes her become distant with her. The words that her sister spoke hurt her at that time.

"Your sword style is so beautiful."

She thought she was being mocked. How can the most talented dark knight in this kingdom say that to someone talentless like her?

But now, she is slowly realizing. 'Maybe this is what my sister meant?' This realization will slowly turn into awe as she looks at the pinnacle of swordsmanship.