The Author's POV

June flew by and July was nearing. Summer had already approached and the temperatures were starting to rise.

Inside of a training ground.

—Clank! —Clank!

The heavy sound of metal resounded across the room.

"Ren, cover me!"

Shouted Kevin as he quickly moved right of me. As his foot tapped on the ground, his body suddenly shot upwards.

"Huup—!"

—Swoosh!

Right as Kevin's foot touched the ground, I drew a circle in the air and pointed my finger towards a certain spot in the distance. In the same direction, Kevin was headed.

"Thanks!"

Twisted his body, Kevin quickly arrived before my ring. Putting his foot on the ring, he propelled his body towards the center of the room where a young girl leisurely stood.

"Haaa—!"

Arriving before Monica, Kevin let out a shout and slashed his sword down.

"Hmm, not bad…"

—Clank!

Lifting her sword with one hand, Monica easily blocked Kevin's attack.

"…but still not good enough"

BAAAM—!

"Guuuh—!"

"Khhuu!"

Casually swinging her sword and parrying Kevin's attack, Kevin was instantly pushed in my direction.

Because of how fast he was going, I wasn't able to stop him in time and we soon both crashed against a wall.

"Kuegh…this is so unfair"

I muttered as I laid down on the ground. My back hurt like hell.

"I agree…"

Supporting his body with one arm, Kevin weakly stood up. Raising his sword, he glared in Monica's direction.

"Oh, you're not done? I like your fighting spirit"

"Ren, stand up. It's not over yet"

"Ugh…"

Lifting my head, I let out a groan.

‘Damn it, I just want to lay down on the ground for another minute. I'm the one who took the brunt of the attack, not you!'

Why couldn't he let me rest?

Putting my hand on my knee, I stood up and stretched my neck. My eyes soon interlocked with Kevin's.

"Seriously?"

Without him even telling me what he wanted to do, I understood what he meant.

"Alright…"

"Good"

Nodding my head, I placed my hand on the grip of my sword. Kevin on the other hand raised his sword with both hands.

"Huuu…"

Taking a deep breath, I channeled all the mana inside of my body. A white hue shrouded my body.

Kracka! Kracka!

blue bolts of lightning that repeatedly crackled in the air. By my side, an empowering red hue expanded from Kevin's body. He

using your strongest techniques? Good, good,

front, Monica's

—Swoosh! —Swoosh!

see if you guys

in the air as if

"Ready?"

"Never been readier…"

around Kevin's body became especially empowering, Kevin looked at me. Looking back at him, I nodded my

"Let's go…"

muttered as he slashed

VUUUUAM!

sword beam hurdled in Monica's direction. A powerful energy could be felt from the sword beam as a thick scar traced the path of the sword

attack, I thought, ‘Slashing down with both hands on the

fifteenth movement of the Levisha style. Not

"Still…"

the

wanting to be outdone, after finally charging up, I took a stance. Moments after, the world around me turned dark and I found myself

"Huh?"

sudden appearance startled Monica who for a second didn't know what to do. Taking advantage of the opening I created, I aimed my sword attack

Monica was quickly able to recover from

"Not bad…"

and Kevin's attack, Monica

—Sha!

side, to

swung her sword down and

—Craka!

made out of paper,

"Haa…haaa…this is so unfair"

I got on my knees and took heavy breaths. On the other side of

‘Damn it'

and an [S]

time, it was as though Monica was treating us like children. She made it seems as though our most powerful attacks were nothing but child's play

"I'm impressed"

her finger on the scar left behind by

were almost as

Monica's shameless boast,

be more

me, I had designed Monica to be this way. If I had to complain,

"Here, take this"

my direction, Monica casually threw a book in my

"This…"

the book, I didn't think too much at first, but my eyes soon

contents, my heart

===

[★★★✰ Quick-slash style]

the ability to kill an opponent without them

===

"Is this for me?"

hands, I

since you need to hide your sword art, I decided to give you a little gift. The sword art

sword away, Monica nodded her

"You don't like it?"

I like it. There's no way I wouldn't like

quickly shook my

not like this? It's

popular Grandmaster Keiki was, the idea of

to the Keiki style in circulation at the moment, but after a quick skim through, I

call them imitations was already a compliment. They were

This, however, was different.

the Keiki style, visually it

‘That's right…'

sword art, I could now use the Keiki style whenever I wished without

it would only limit me to the basic movements, this made things much easier for

know what to say, thank

I am your instructor I'll naturally take care of

looked away. From the side, I could see Monica's ears turning red. She was trying her best to hide

she was

and shameless appeared to be, Monica was in fact

enough to set her

I must do my best to make you guys stronger for when the tournament

trying her best to hide her embarrassment, in a stern

actually knows you're

Of course, only in my heart. Had I actually said it out loud, given Monica's personality, I would be in for another round of

looking forward to