One Hand

Tianna was always a very strong-willed girl. While studying at the magic academy, she attracted many boys because of her beauty. However, this also made most of the girls hate her. One night, on her way home, a group of girls, including a young female delinquent, cornered her and beat her up, but she didn't utter a single cry. When she got home, she told Jikade that she had fallen into a ditch and gotten hurt. Jikade took her to the hospital, and the matter was dropped.

She was able to become the vice-captain at the age of sixteen because of her strong abilities, because of Jikade, and also because of her personality. Those in the army who disobeyed her orders were basically beaten up by her.

No matter how strong she is, she's still just a girl. Girls are inherently soft. No matter how strong, how tough, or how heroic she pretends to be, she's still a soft girl at heart. Once she takes off her armor, she's just a girl who needs companionship and comfort.

Just like that day when she didn't get a call, she stubbornly didn't cry out. But that night, she secretly cried her eyes out in bed.

Just like now...

You've finally arrived! Even though you're so late—so late that so many comrades have already sacrificed themselves, so late that I've cursed you countless times in my heart, so late that I was almost in despair... but you still came... you've finally arrived...

All the grievances I felt I had to vent at that moment.

The townspeople ostracized and insulted her to her face, but she didn't seem to care much. She thought to herself, "I'll just have to endure it. It'll only be two or three days at most. Once the main battle is over, I can go back. Whoever wants to serve these bastards can serve them then. I'm not going to serve them anymore."

That's alright, isn't it? Who would believe in the abilities of a sixteen-year-old girl? If I were them, I wouldn't entrust my life to a mere child.

Everyone is afraid of death; it's only human nature...

Upon seeing this figure, she suddenly felt incredibly wronged, so wronged that she wanted to hug him and cry her heart out. Why didn't they believe her? She was also a member of the Magic Council; her training was no less than anyone else's. Why did they say such things to her? Why did they call her a deserter? Why did they say she was just a child? Why did they tell her to get out...?

You finally came. You didn't lie to me. You'll protect me, right? Yes, you're my idol. Protecting a little girl is just a side thing for you, isn't it? Actually, I'm already so happy that you came. At least... I'm not superfluous. I'm not alone. I haven't been abandoned. I still have people who love me...

All the grievances vanished in that moment.

Chiba's Heaven's Blazing Sun unleashed a sharp sword aura, shoving the young man opposite him several meters away.

"Tianna, are you alright?"

He turned his face and asked in a low voice to Tianna was kneeling on the ground.

Tianna was about to answer when she froze.

What kind of face was that?

Pale, sickly pale, as pale as a sheet of paper, it was not the face of a normal person, only the face of a boy who had been lying in a hospital bed for many years.

Is this still him? How did that calm and composed young man become like this? What made him like this?

Suddenly, a wound split open on the boy's face, and a glaringly bright red blood flowed down, a shocking sight.

"Your face..." The girl reached out, wanting to touch the boy.

Chiba awkwardly dodged away. He smiled slightly at her, stood up, turned around, raised his long sword, and his clothes rustled.

"Kid, your sword's not bad, it's mine." The young man glanced at the sword in Chiba's hand and grinned maliciously.

Chiba laughed coldly, "That depends on whether you're alive to take it."

The two flashed out like lightning, their swords clashing and clanging crisply.

Each time the blades clashed, blood splattered from the boy's body. Even though the opponent's sword hadn't struck him, wounds kept appearing on his body. His skin seemed to be under immense tension, unable to contain his flesh.

Suddenly, she didn't want him to appear anymore...

He came wounded. He was so badly injured on the front lines, yet he still came. But... why did you come? You have your friends, you have your family. Why did you come to die for me, to die for someone you've only known for a few days? I'm fine. It doesn't matter if I die.

But why am I... so happy... so happy I want to cry...?

A large number of Magical Warriors from the Magic Council joined the battle, fighting against monsters and members of the Dark Guild, but no one came to Chiba's aid; the aura of the two fighting was too overwhelming. Several squad leaders tried to force their way into their fight, but they all failed. They simply couldn't touch the power of S-Class.

Chiba suffered repeated defeats, but he fought with increasing ferocity. He seemed to have forgotten his injuries, his Sharingan constantly scanning his target's movements, and his longsword continuously unleashing astonishing sword energy.

He had very little Chakra left; in fact, with the amount of Chakra he had left, the Water King would have disappeared before he arrived.

His current power comes from the Magic Divine Crystal within his body.

This energy, which was originally meant to heal his injuries and enhance his magical power, now seemed to have transformed into an incredibly violent force, constantly eroding his meridians and affecting his temperament. He had only one thought: kill the person before him and take Tianna away from here!

In fact, the Earth Throne, Luodi, is stronger than any of the thrones that Chiba has ever faced. Chiba, having broken two layers of seals, could crush the Throne of Wind and the Throne of Water, and the Earth Throne can do the same.

Aside from the Tailed Beast Bomb, which is an overpowered skill, the true strength of the Earth Throne is roughly equivalent to that of Chiba after he opened two layers of seals.

Similarly, Chiba was also blessed with the Magic Divine Crystal, was in a similar situation.

If Chiba hadn't been seriously injured, he would have been able to defeat Chiba quickly with Luodi Sharingan.

"Damn brat!" Seemingly frightened by Chiba's frenzied attacks, Luodi was nearly hit in vital areas several times. The kid was getting more and more courageous. If this continued, he might really capsize in a ditch.

With a single sword stroke, he deflected Chiba's attack, and with a clench of his fist, the ground not far behind Chiba collapsed.

Luodi grinned maliciously and dashed straight toward Tianna.

The biggest taboo for a swordsman in battle is a disordered mind. If the mind is disordered, the moves will be disordered, the footwork will be disordered, and then defeat will not be far away.

Many magical soldiers came to stop him, but he cut them all in half with each sword strike. He arrived before Tianna, who was no longer able to resist, with almost overwhelming force.

This time, no one can stop him!

"Pfft!"

The blade flashed past, slicing right into flesh, blood splattering onto Tianna's already dazed face.

"Thump!"

An arm fell to the snow with a thud, and blood gushed out.

But the figure's right arm, gripping the blade, pierced through Luodi's left chest.

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.