I See, I Sever

Rudy blinked at that.

So the Water God-level Swordsman at the pinnacle of the Water God Style, the head of a style's Main Dojo, was named Rieda Lia. That sounded like the imposing, mature name of a beautiful older woman. At least it ruled out her being an old granny. Allen was so lucky to have met someone like that.

"Allen, you've met someone that important? You even saw her use swordsmanship?"

Allen looked up at him.

"Yeah, I guess I was pretty lucky."

Paul, meanwhile, cast Allen a meaningful glance.

Allen tightened his grip on his sword hilt and continued.

"That's my understanding of the Water God Style. As for the Sword God Style, I don't know much about it yet."

With that, he looked up at Paul, whose mouth twitched.

"Uh, I'm more of a feeling-type person. If I had to name some core principle, it'd be... 'intuition.'"

Rudy's eyes lit up.

"Intuition? That sounds amazing."

Allen's brow twitched slightly.

Paul, isn't intuition basically the same thing as a feeling? Are you sure that's not just your own intuition?

Paul looked upward and saw Zenith smiling from upstairs. He exchanged a smile with his wife before speaking.

"To be precise, it's combat intuition. It manifests as this."

His expression turned solemn, as though he had changed faces.

"The sword must be faster than thought."

Rudy eagerly played along and immediately started clapping. Very quickly, too.

Allen, on the other hand, felt somewhat helpless.

He had heard that line more than twenty times, but it was far too abstract, so he had never managed to grasp its meaning.

He understood combat intuition, but did "the sword must be faster than thought" mean concentration? Yet whenever he fought, he already felt completely focused.

He shook his head, about to ask something, when Rudy suddenly asked in a serious tone.

"Then what about the North God Style?"

Allen looked at him in surprise. Rudy blinked at him, then glanced at Paul.

Paul was frowning deeply in thought, looking like he was about to tear his hair out.

Seeing that, Allen cleared his throat.

"As for the North God Style..."

Before he could finish, Paul looked immensely relieved and immediately relaxed his brow as he turned toward Allen.

Allen paused slightly, realizing he could not pry any useful information from Paul. He continued in a somewhat helpless tone.

"The North God Style differs from the other two swordsmanship styles. It has no strict 'first principle,' and it contains many factions, each with its own focus."

"Let's use the Qiba Faction of the North God Style, the most widespread among adventurers, as an example. The Qiba Faction does not first analyze the opponent's information like the Water God Style, nor does it charge in without thinking and try to stab its sword into the opponent's stomach like the Sword God Style. Instead, it relies entirely on the situation at hand to choose the best and most effective way to defeat the enemy."

Rudy frowned.

"Doesn't that sound a little like the Water God Style? Choosing the response best suited to the situation?"

"No, the methods are completely different."

At that point, Allen suddenly recalled that Rudy would have many encounters with the North God Style in the future. He blinked and spoke.

"Let me give you an example."

The moment he finished speaking, Allen swiftly drew his sword and slashed at Rudy. Rudy jolted in alarm and instinctively dodged toward the direction where his center of gravity had shifted.

Then he stumbled over a foot.

He stared in astonishment at Allen's blade, hanging in midair with no intention of coming down, then looked at the leg Allen had silently extended beside him. He snapped at him.

"You're underhanded!"

Allen nodded.

"Exactly! Underhanded. As long as you can win, any means is acceptable. Honestly, I was originally going to kick you in the crotch—"

"Don't!"

Rudy immediately covered his crotch with both hands. Then his pupils contracted.

Allen's hand, shaped like a blade, was already hovering before his eyes.

Allen flicked Rudy on the forehead, then leisurely withdrew his hand and gestured for him to sit down. Rudy immediately grabbed his stool and shouted at Allen.

"Were you going to pull my chair out from under me too?!"

Allen's mouth twitched.

He saw through me.

"Nothing like that. It's really over. Anyway, you understand from that example now, right? The Qiba Faction of the North God Style is a faction that wins by any means necessary. It uses everything available—provoking people with words, hurting them with concealed weapons, feinting one way and attacking another. Those are merely different forms it can take. If you encounter it in the future, you must be careful."

Rudy nodded and sat down.

The instant he did, Allen flicked a fallen leaf with his finger. It spun through the air and smacked Rudy on the forehead with a soft slap.

Rudy glared at Allen.

Allen answered with a smile.

"If this were the Qiba Faction of the North God Style, that would be a concealed weapon."

But at that moment, both of them felt a burning gaze.

Allen turned toward Paul in surprise. Paul spoke with a stern expression.

"Allen. Even as an example, do not raise your sword against family."

Allen was slightly stunned, but he could tell Paul was completely serious, so he nodded.

"Yes. Sorry."

Paul nodded for Allen to continue, but Allen changed the subject.

"That basically sums it up. You've probably noticed that I don't know much about the Sword God Style, sir, so I have a few questions for you. I'll ask, and you can just answer. There's no need to summarize anything in particular."

Paul's brow twitched. Realizing he could not avoid this any longer, he could only put on a stern face and act like an adult.

"Ask."

His answer was concise.

"First, about the Sword God Style. I heard that some people train by putting all their strength into empty swings every day while maintaining focus. Apparently, some can even train that way until they learn the Sword God Style's ultimate technique—the Sword of Light. Is that true?"

Paul wore a conflicted expression, unsure how to explain it, and muttered softly.

"That sounds like Ghislaine's way of practicing swordsmanship... Hmm. How should I put this..."

Allen smiled and answered in his thoughts.

That's right. It's one of the Sword God Style training methods used by Ghislaine and Eris, Paul.

After a long pause, Paul frowned and said.

"Everyone trains differently, but the act of 'swinging and cutting' itself is undoubtedly effective. I've also seen Sword God Style swordsmen train that way."

Allen narrowed his eyes.

"The act of swinging and cutting itself?"

"Yes, the act itself. How should I explain it... Ah, I've got it. Let's compare it in reverse with the Water God Style, which you're very skilled at. When the Water God Style faces an opponent, the order is: sense and analyze the environment and opponent—think of how to respond—move to evade or defend—and finally counter the opponent's move, swinging and cutting to defeat them. Its focus is perception and observation, while swinging and cutting are merely the means."

Allen raised an eyebrow.

"Then the Sword God Style?"

Paul stared straight at Allen.

"The Sword God Style has none of those intermediate analytical steps. It goes directly to swinging and cutting itself. It's very simple. For example: I see—"

The words had not yet left Paul's mouth.

The wind moved.

In the next instant, the tip of his wooden sword was already hovering before Rudy. A fallen leaf had been cut in two and slid down Rudy's stunned face.

Together with the latter half of Paul's sentence.

"I sever."

Allen looked at the leaves slowly drifting to the ground, then raised his head and stared blankly at Paul.

Silence fell all around.

Paul was very satisfied with their reactions and nodded to himself.

"This is the Sword God Style's Soundless Katana. I held back most of its power. In actual combat, it would be faster than that swing."

Then Rudy pulled a miserable face and immediately spoke up.

"Father, you just said that even as an example, we shouldn't raise swords against family."

Paul's face stiffened. He looked at the two of them and declared with complete certainty.

"A wooden sword doesn't count as a sword."

Rudy: .

Allen: .

Seeing Allen's stunned expression, Paul said solemnly.

"Since you excel in the Water God Style, this reaction is normal. After all, the Water God Style and Sword God Style are complete opposites."

My reaction is because your double standard is blindingly obvious, hey!

Allen shook his head, driving the chaotic thoughts from his mind. He rubbed the sword hilt with his hand, feeling the cold feedback of its touch.

It was still an explanation from the feeling school, but this time, it felt different.

I see, I sever.