Isolte

Biodata

Feature	Information
Name	Isolte Kruel (also rendered as Izolte; surname also rendered Cruel)
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Water God Style dojo, Ars City; Asura Kingdom knight order
Occupation/Role	Water God Style swordswoman; apprentice knight; designated successor who has decided to inherit the Water God title
Status	Active
First Appearance	23

Power Progression

Stage	Advancement	Evidence
Advanced Swordswoman	Reached the advanced rank at the age of nine and became the foremost young disciple of the Water God Style dojo.	23 26
Mastery of Flow	Demonstrated the Water God Style secret technique Flow, redirecting Hilde’s battle-aura-enhanced attack and winning their real-sword spar.	59 60
Water Saint	Earned the title of Water Saint after years of focused training toward succeeding Leda Lia as Water God.	77 78
Continued Development	Continued training relentlessly after Hilde's departure, determined not to be left behind by her rival.	180
Apprentice Knight	Delayed joining the knight order to prioritize sword training, then entered probationary service as an apprentice knight and began patrolling Ars City.	407 408
Water Emperor-Level Ability	Demonstrated strength assessed as reaching or possibly surpassing Water Emperor level while suppressing an exhausted, injured Hilde. Leda later revealed that Isolte had still been holding back; a formal Water Emperor title is not established.	464 465 468
Decision to Inherit the Water God Title	Initially refused to accept the title until she could defeat Hilde, then decided to inherit it and shoulder the responsibilities entrusted to her by Leda despite not yet having achieved that goal.	468 491

Background

Isolte is the granddaughter of Leda Lia, the Water God who personally oversaw her training before retiring and leaving Asura. Isolte originally intended to inherit the Water God title rather than pursue romance or marriage before achieving that goal. 23 26 31 468

The Kruel family is a declining noble household whose members historically entered the knight order. Isolte's parents died young, leaving her and her older brother Tantris as the remaining immediate family members. 78

She became an advanced swordsman at the age of nine. Despite being widely praised for her talent and having no peer who had surpassed her before Hilde arrived, Isolte consciously guards against complacency and considers herself to have many shortcomings. 23

She first encountered Hilde Greyrat outside a confectionery shop in Ars City. Believing the newly arrived girl to be hungry, Isolte bought her bread and directed her to the Water God Style dojo. 23 When Hilde later entered the dojo’s assessment, Isolte recognized her as a rival with comparable talent. 25 26

After Hilde departed Ars City, Isolte continued prioritizing her training over knightly service. During the Great Teleportation Incident’s aftermath, she used Leda's influence to cooperate with the knight order in locating victims and arranged for those found to be handed to Duke James Boreas. 408 She eventually entered the knight order as an apprentice knight while continuing her pursuit of greater Water God Style mastery. 407 408

Leda later took Isolte to the Sword Sanctum after receiving an invitation, intending to broaden her horizons. There, Isolte encountered Eris and Nina Farion and spoke highly of Hilde’s talent. Her shared interest in Hilde helped her become friends with Eris. 273 408

The Kruel family was politically associated with the First Prince faction during Hilde’s return to Ars City. Hilde avoided involving the household in her campaign against Darius because exposure could have ruined them. 418

Following Darius’s death, Leda withdrew from Asura and entrusted Isolte’s future to Hilde, asking her to pass on her golden sword. Isolte initially tied acceptance of the Water God title to defeating Hilde, but later resolved to accept the inheritance as a responsibility rather than remain stalled by their rivalry. 468 469 491

Appearance

During her early years at the dojo, Isolte is a young girl with a trained, muscular physique shaped by years of sword practice. Her hair is described inconsistently as golden in one account and black with blue highlights in another. 23 25

Seven years after Hilde's departure, Isolte has matured into a capable young woman with a more heroic and composed bearing, while retaining the physique developed through constant sword training. 407

• Usually wears a light-gray dojo training outfit while practicing. 25
• Ties her hair into a ponytail for training. 25
• Uses heavy armor during Water God Style practice and conditioning. 28
• Wears a plain white dress with a pale-blue ribbon when visiting Hilde at her workplace. 34
• Wore a thin vest during an early-morning training session at the dojo. 57
• Wears heavy knightly armor while performing patrol duties as an apprentice knight. 407
• By their later reunion, she is only slightly taller than Hilde. 407
• Hilde later notices that Isolte has developed a fuller figure. 482

Personality

Isolte is disciplined, humble, and intensely committed to swordsmanship. She rejects Grot’s repeated invitations because she refuses to consider relationships until she is worthy of becoming the next Water God. 23 30 31

Hilde’s arrival gives Isolte her first genuine peer rival. Rather than becoming discouraged, she responds by training with renewed urgency, arriving early to practice and eagerly correcting Hilde as the senior disciple. 26 28 29 33 57

Outside combat, she is conspicuously warmhearted and affectionate. She gives food to strangers, insists on escorting an injured Hilde, visits Hilde at work, and frequently seeks her company after training. 23 28 31 32 34

After Hilde leaves Ars City, Isolte becomes increasingly anxious about being surpassed and left behind. Her nightmares about Hilde abandoning her reflect how deeply their rivalry and friendship have affected her, but also drive her to train harder. 180

Despite the separation, Isolte remains eager to reconnect with Hilde when they meet again years later. She readily brings Hilde back to the dojo, invites her to the Kruel estate, and shares the events of the intervening years with her. 407 408 413

Her competitive pride remains intertwined with concern for Hilde. During their later battle, she insists that defeating an exhausted and injured Hilde would not settle their promised contest. Hilde’s refusal to acknowledge those circumstances as an excuse instead angers Isolte, who interprets the response as condescension. Even when stabbing Hilde, she deliberately avoids her internal organs. 464 467

Isolte’s affection eventually becomes openly romantic, accompanied by jealousy, insecurity, and a desire to keep Hilde close. When Hilde avoids her after they spend a night together, Isolte assumes she has angered her and apologizes emphatically. 472 473 479 491

By the time Hilde leaves Ars City, Isolte recognizes that forcing her to remain would change the independent person she loves. Her decision to let Hilde go and inherit the Water God title marks a shift toward accepting both personal separation and public responsibility. 491

Abilities & Skills

Water God Style Swordsmanship

Isolte earned the title of Water Saint and later developed ability assessed as reaching or possibly surpassing Water Emperor level. She is trained in the Water God Style, a defensive school built around parries, force dispersion, counters, and provoking opponents into initiating attacks. 17 23 26 78 465

• Defeated Lord Grot decisively in a dojo spar. 23
• Defeated Hilde during the latter’s admission assessment. 26 27
• Could receive Hilde’s full-strength attacks despite the latter’s exceptional physical power. 26
• Sparred Hilde for an hour without either gaining a clear advantage as Hilde’s skill improved. 33
• Defeated Hilde in a real-sword spar after Hilde had learned to use battle aura, ultimately placing her sword at Hilde’s throat. 59
• Used the Water God Style secret technique Flow to redirect Hilde’s superior force and secure victory in their real-sword spar. 59 60
• Won her match against a knight during the Water God dojo’s exchange sparring session, after the three preceding dojo representatives were defeated. She secured victory in only three exchanges. 61
• Practices and fights while armored, consistent with Water God Style conditioning and defensive doctrine. 28 31
• Cut through Rudeus’s Mire magic during the confrontation involving Leda and Darius, demonstrating the ability to neutralize magic with swordsmanship rather than merely evade its effects. 463
• Matched Hilde in a rapid sword exchange and gradually gained the upper hand during their later confrontation. Hilde was exhausted, seriously injured, and missing a hand at the time. 464 465
• Exploited an opening when an unexpected chain restrained Hilde’s sword arm, stabbing her through the abdomen while deliberately avoiding her internal organs. 465 467
• Had held back during that battle, according to Leda’s subsequent explanation. 468

Combat Adaptability

Isolte can rapidly adjust to an opponent’s capabilities during a duel.

• Initially struggled with Hilde’s power but adapted and won their assessment duel. 26
• Uses dialogue as part of Water God Style combat tactics, attempting to create emotional and mental openings before an exchange. 26
• Maintains control under the pressure of Hilde’s unusually strong strikes, though their force causes her wrist to tremble. 26
• Can use Water God Style defense and counterattacks to overcome Hilde’s superior physical strength and newly acquired battle aura. 59
• Identified that Hilde’s weaponless counterattack surpassed conventional sword techniques because fighting barehanded removes a weapon’s weight and inertia from the motion. 437
• Maintained offensive pressure against Hilde’s combined North, Water, and Sword God Style techniques during their later battle. 464 465

Technical Insight

Isolte possesses a strong grasp of the mechanics and principles underlying advanced sword techniques.

• Recognized the practical advantage behind Hilde’s barehanded adaptation of Light Counter, explaining why an unarmed strike can reach extreme speed more readily than a sword swing. 437
• Was able to assess Hilde’s unfamiliar barehanded stance at the Water God Style dojo, recognizing that it presented a unified offense and defense with no obvious opening. 409
• Concluded that Hilde’s extraordinary weaponless counterattack was a technique that others could not readily reproduce. 437

Physical Conditioning

Isolte undergoes demanding endurance training as part of her style.

• Trains in heavy armor, including long-distance running and continuous sword drills. 28 31
• Was exhausted after completing five laps around Ars City in armor and further sword practice. 31
• Regularly begins training before sunrise and continues until she is drenched in sweat. 57
• Maintained an intensive training regimen after Hilde’s departure from Ars City. 180
• Continued delaying knightly service in order to preserve time for rigorous sword training. 408
• Her years of determined training contributed to the exceptional strength she displayed against Hilde during the conflict over Darius. 465

Knightly Duties

As an apprentice knight, Isolte accompanies full-fledged knights on patrol through Ars City and helps handle occasional street disputes. Her position is probationary, with qualification as an official Royal Knight dependent on completing the required process. 407 417

Equipment

• Sword and wooden practice sword. 23 25
• Heavy Water God Style armor. 28 31
• Heavy knightly patrol armor. 407
• Light-gray dojo training outfit. 25
• Leda’s golden sword — Entrusted to Hilde for delivery to Isolte before Leda’s departure; Hilde subsequently gives it to her at the Silver Palace. 468 469

Relationships

• Hilde Greyrat — Fellow Water God Style disciple, rival, and close friend who later becomes her romantic and intimate partner. Isolte’s competitive drive intensifies after meeting Hilde, while her concern and affection toward her become increasingly apparent. Hilde’s later departure leaves Isolte afraid of falling behind, further strengthening her resolve to improve. After seven years apart, Isolte eagerly reunites with Hilde and resumes their friendship. They later fight on opposing sides during the confrontation over Darius, but reconcile afterward. Their relationship becomes physically intimate, initially leaving Hilde confused because she had understood their bond as purely platonic. Isolte eventually accepts Hilde’s need to return to Sharia, reassured that a teleportation circle will allow regular visits. 23 26 28 32 34 55 59 78 180 407 408 413 464 465 469 472 473 479 491
• Leda Lia — Grandmother, former Water God, and mentor who personally oversees Isolte’s training and considers her a potential successor. Isolte also uses Leda’s influence to coordinate with the knight order after the Great Teleportation Incident. After Darius’s death, Leda leaves Asura, entrusts Isolte’s future to Hilde, and gives her golden sword to Isolte through Hilde. Isolte later resolves to assume the title and responsibilities Leda entrusted to her. 23 26 28 408 468 469 491
• Linus — Dojo master and Water Saint who instructs Isolte and Hilde, particularly in refining Water God Style fundamentals. He remains proud of Hilde’s later growth when she returns to the dojo with Isolte. 25 29 33 408
• Tantris — Older brother. He supports her friendship with Hilde and is attentive to her well-being. As an adult, he assumes greater family responsibilities while continuing to train within his limits. He is surprised but supportive when Isolte decides to inherit the Water God title. During Hilde’s later stay at the Kruel estate, Isolte insists that he stay at the dojo instead. 29 32 48 413 491
• Lord Grot — Fellow dojo student and count’s son whose invitations Isolte repeatedly declines. 23 30 31
• Rudeus Greyrat — Hilde’s brother; Isolte is present when Hilde brings Rudeus and Eris to her home for help. They later stand on opposing sides during the battle involving Leda and Darius, where Isolte cuts through his Mire spell. 49 463
• Sylphy — A magician connected to Hilde whom Isolte meets in Ars City after the Great Teleportation Incident. Isolte had previously given sweets to Sylphy when she appeared hungry, and later listens to Sylphy’s stories about Hilde’s earlier life. 181 182
• Eris Greyrat — Met Eris during the aftermath of Eris’s kidnapping and later encountered her again at the Sword Sanctum. Isolte learned there that Eris had abandoned the Boreas name and was training to pursue Hilde. Their shared interest in Hilde helped them become friends. Isolte later provides the dojo for Eris’s duel with Hilde and cautions Eris against placing too much pressure on herself. 408 435
• Ghislaine Dedoldia — An experienced Sword King with whom Isolte jointly analyzes Hilde’s barehanded counterattack after Hilde defeats Eris. 437
• Nina Farion — Sword God Gal Farion’s daughter and a Sword Saint whom Isolte meets at the Sword Sanctum. Nina questions Isolte’s exceptionally high assessment of Hilde. 273

Story Role / Major Arcs

Arrival of Hilde in Ars City

Isolte meets Hilde outside a confectionery shop, gives her bread, and provides directions to the Water God Style dojo. 23

Dojo Assessment

After Hilde defeats Grot and Tantris, Isolte volunteers to face her. Their duel reveals that Hilde is the first peer Isolte has viewed as a true rival; Isolte adapts to Hilde’s strength and wins. 26 27

Training Partnership

Following Hilde’s acceptance into the dojo, Isolte trains with her under Linus. Their relationship develops from rivalry into a close friendship marked by constant competition, shared physical training, outings, and mutual encouragement. 28 29 31 32 33

Hilde’s Return

After Hilde disappears following the rescue of Rudeus and Eris, Isolte is unsettled by her absence. When Hilde arrives injured at the Kruel residence, Isolte is deeply affected that Hilde chose her as someone to rely on. 48 49

Isolte attentively cares for Hilde during her recovery and persuades her to remain for roughly another week after she first requests to leave. She also invites Hilde to live with the Kruel family permanently, but Hilde declines. 52

Battle Aura Sparring

Isolte supports Hilde’s attempt to understand the sudden strength she displayed after exhausting herself, bringing her to Linus for guidance. 53 After Hilde first manifests battle aura, Isolte recognizes the scale of her improvement but later defeats her in a full-strength real-sword spar through superior Water God Style technique. 55 59

Knight Order Exchange

Isolte accompanies Linus and the other dojo students to spar with members of the knight order. Although the first three dojo representatives lose, she wins her own match against a knight in three exchanges. 60 61

Attainment of Water Saint

Isolte earns the title of Water Saint, marking a major step toward her ambition of becoming the next Water God. Hilde observes her duel with Linus while Leda provides analysis, and Isolte invites Hilde to dinner to celebrate. Hilde attends a gathering at the Kruel residence to mark the achievement. 77 78

Separation After the Great Teleportation Incident

Following the Great Teleportation Incident, Isolte corresponds with Hilde and investigates reports of outsiders near the royal capital, but cannot find anyone connected to her. 127 Hilde’s prolonged absence causes Isolte recurring nightmares of being left behind, motivating her to continue training without rest. 180

Meeting Sylphy

Isolte encounters Sylphy near the Water God Style dojo after Sylphy searches Ars City for information about Hilde. 181 The two later speak on the Altier River bridge, where Isolte learns more about Hilde’s childhood and offers to help Sylphy return to Fittoa Territory. 182

Great Teleportation Incident Relief Efforts

At Hilde’s request, Isolte uses Leda’s connections with the knight order to search for victims of the Great Teleportation Incident near the royal capital. While some victims are located and turned over to Duke James Boreas, no information is found regarding the people Hilde most wants to locate. 408

Visit to the Sword Sanctum

Isolte accompanies Leda to the Sword Sanctum to broaden her experience. She meets Nina Farion and reunites with Eris, learning about Eris’s abandonment of her noble status and determination to pursue Hilde. Isolte and Eris become friends through their conversations. 273 408

Reunion in Ars City

Seven years after Hilde left Ars City, Isolte encounters her while patrolling as an apprentice knight. She brings Hilde back to the Water God Style dojo, recounts the events of their separation, and reconnects with her former rival and friend. 407 408

After witnessing Hilde’s overwhelming performance against Linus, Isolte hesitates over whether the time is right to fulfill their promise to fight again. She later invites Hilde to dinner at the Kruel estate, where they reconnect with Tantris. During Hilde’s stay in Ars City, they also go shopping when Isolte’s knightly duties permit. 410 413 417

Analysis of Hilde’s Barehanded Technique

After Hilde defeats Eris with an instantaneous weaponless counterattack, Isolte and Ghislaine analyze the technique. Isolte identifies that its exceptional speed depends on Hilde fighting barehanded, avoiding the inertia imposed by a sword. 437

The duel takes place in a dojo borrowed from Isolte, who witnesses both Eris’s initial success in severing Hilde’s arm and Hilde’s subsequent decisive counterattack. 435 436 437

Confrontation over Darius

Isolte pursues Leda’s carriage on horseback as Leda and Auber escort Darius away from Ars City. Leda stops the carriage rather than continue a pursuit she knows Isolte’s horse will win. Isolte subsequently fights Hilde while Leda confronts Rudeus and Auber engages Eris and Ghislaine. 460 461 462 463

During the melee, Isolte cuts through Rudeus’s Mire spell and gradually suppresses Hilde in their sword duel. She explains that defeating Hilde in her exhausted, injured condition would not invalidate their promise to settle their rivalry. Hilde rejects that distinction, insisting that a North God Style fighter must accept victory or defeat without excuses. Their disagreement intensifies Isolte’s attacks. 463 464 465

When an unexpected chain restrains Hilde’s sword arm, Isolte stabs her through the abdomen but deliberately avoids her internal organs. Hilde continues fighting despite the wound, and Isolte is struck and ultimately left unconscious. 465 467 468

Leda’s Departure and Recovery

After the battle ends with Darius dead, Isolte remains unconscious but has been healed and is expected to recover. Leda accepts the outcome and decides to leave Asura, recognizing the strength of the younger generation. She asks Hilde to look after Isolte and passes her golden sword to Hilde for delivery. Leda also reveals that Isolte had held back during the battle and had refused the Water God title until she could defeat Hilde. Hilde refuses to manufacture a victory for her. 468

Isolte awakens in a guest room at the Silver Palace. Hilde visits her, arranges a meal, and assures her that caring for her takes priority over other demands. Isolte learns that Leda has gone far away and receives her grandmother’s golden sword. 469

Romantic Development and Reconciliation

After the conflict, Isolte openly seeks closeness with Hilde, interlacing their fingers and expressing pleasure at being alone together in the Kruel estate. Their relationship becomes intimate, leaving Hilde unsettled because she had long regarded their bond as a friendship between rivals. Hilde leaves before Isolte wakes and avoids visiting her or the dojo for several days. 472 473 478

Believing Hilde is angry, Isolte apologizes with her head pressed to the floor. Hilde tells her that she is not angry, although she remains uncertain about how to understand their changed relationship. Their affectionate contact later resumes, including an encounter at the dojo in which Isolte enthusiastically embraces Hilde while sharing good news. 479 482

Decision to Inherit the Water God Title

After spending three days together, Hilde tells Isolte that she must return to Sharia. Isolte fears that distance will make future meetings difficult, but Hilde reassures her that a teleportation circle allows her to return regularly and urges her to continue sword training. 491

Isolte reluctantly lets Hilde leave, recognizing that keeping her confined would undermine the qualities she loves. She then tells Tantris that she will inherit the Water God title. Although she still cannot defeat Hilde, she decides that she cannot remain stationary and must accept the responsibilities entrusted to her by Leda. Tantris supports her decision. 491

Trivia

• Isolte’s first act toward Hilde is giving her bread, despite having only just met her. 23
• She similarly gave sweets to a hungry Sylphy before later learning of Sylphy’s connection to Hilde. 181
• She considers dessert after training one of her few forms of entertainment. 34
• She uses plans with Hilde, including bathhouse visits, to decline Grot’s invitations. 31
• Despite her aptitude, Isolte postponed entering the knight order because she believed active service would interfere with her sword training. 408
• She describes Hilde as a “genius” when Nina Farion questions the praise she receives. 273
• Tantris teases her about reading inappropriate picture books, an accusation she vehemently denies while blushing. 416
• During Hilde’s later stay at the Kruel estate, Isolte insists that Tantris lodge at the dojo instead, effectively keeping the house to herself and Hilde. 491
• Her eventual decision to inherit the Water God title does not depend on first defeating Hilde, reversing the condition she had previously imposed on herself. 468 491