Allen's pupils constricted. The blade in his hand had no time to turn and block Paul's sword. He thrust his palm forward, exposing a section of the hilt, about to use the Water God Style—Flow Arcana with a reverse grip to neutralize Paul's attack.
No! I won't improve like this!
Allen withdrew the Flow Arcana that had been on the verge of execution, and Paul's blade immediately struck the end of his hilt.
The blow, infused with battle aura, sent his entire body flying. He barely adjusted his posture and planted his feet on solid ground, but even so, without the Water God Style technique to offset the momentum, his body still carved a half-meter trail across the ground.
Yet the instant he steadied himself, he suddenly borrowed the power of his battle aura and hurled himself fiercely at Paul with the reverse impact!
With a clang, the two blades screeched as they wrestled against each other only centimeters apart.
Paul held his sword in front of his neck. Seeing Allen instinctively glance toward his lower body, he shouted in rebuke.
"Keeping your attention on my neck and cutting at me like that—that's got some form to it! But where are you looking now?!"
Allen gritted his teeth and twisted his blade. The flash of steel left an afterimage in the air as it struck toward the other side of Paul's neck.
But at that moment, Paul's sword was already mere centimeters from Allen's throat.
No! His Sword God Style is faster!
Allen shuffled his feet and twisted toward Paul's side. As he dodged the blade, his turning body carried his sword through the air toward Paul's waist and ribs. Yet Paul's sword once again struck later but arrived first with perfect accuracy, meeting Allen's blade and knocking it away from before him.
Allen widened the distance, intending to rush forward again, but Paul raised a hand and stopped him.
His usual frivolous smile had completely vanished. He looked at Allen with a calm expression.
"Allen, adjust your breathing. Calm yourself."
Then he pointed with his free hand at a spot one finger's width in front of his own neck.
"Keep your eyes only here. Cast aside any thoughts of follow-up variations. Retain only the feeling of swinging and cutting."
"Then cut at me. It's that simple."
Paul narrowed his eyes.
"I'll count to three. Cut at me immediately. Understand?"
Allen took a deep breath, and his breathing instantly settled.
He looked at Paul solemnly and nodded, then closed his eyes.
He murmured in his heart.
...Faster than thought.
Allen opened his eyes and looked at Paul's neck.
"Okay."
Seeing Allen's stance, Paul licked his lips with interest.
"One!"
Allen lowered his waist and crouched, gripping his sword with both hands.
"Two."
He held the blade at his side, extending it diagonally behind him. In a slashing-upward stance, he focused his gaze on the spot one finger's width before Paul's neck and stilled his mind.
"S—"
As Paul made the hissing sound with his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth, Allen's pupils shrank to pinpoints!
In that instant, the light and shadows of the courtyard in his vision rapidly drew together, turning into wisps of drifting mist. The trajectories of fluttering leaves gradually vanished into the haze. The sound of the wind fled into the emptiness between the vapor, and Paul's burning gaze disappeared into the dust.
And so—
Strands of smoke and dust dispersed into silent darkness. The only light remained at Paul's neck.
Then ripples rose through the darkness. They were Paul's trembling voice.
At the same time, Allen heard his own inner voice.
It was very distant.
...I see it.
But clear enough!
I'll cut it down!!
The next moment, the surroundings broke free from the darkness, and the world was once more painted in brilliant color. Zenith and Lilia's cries of alarm erupted from the second floor.
Allen blinked. The light within that darkness seemed like a dream, an illusion—a momentary daze that had come and gone with a blink, a groundless fancy born in an instant.
Dazed, he instinctively raised his head and continued looking at the spot one finger's width before Paul's neck.
A blade hung there, trembling and humming, so clear that it seemed within arm's reach.
No, not seemed.
The blade was right before his eyes.
Allen followed the blade downward. At its end was his own hand, tightly gripping the hilt.
It was not an illusion.
He looked at Paul in astonishment. A brilliant smile bloomed on Paul's face. He flicked aside the thin blade tip with one finger, pulled Allen into an embrace, and heavily punched him in the chest.
"Good! Very good! This is the Sword God Style! Remember how this feels! This is the feeling of 'swinging and cutting'! This is the Soundless Katana!!"
Just then, Sylphy's somewhat hesitant voice came from the courtyard entrance.
"Um, Rudy is ready, Allen. Shall we go?"
Allen turned toward the voice. Sylphy blinked as she stared at him without looking away.
The wind swept through her green hair. It was a little longer than it had been two months ago, already hanging down to her chin.
Her expression was no longer as timid and easily embarrassed as it had been two months before. She merely looked quietly at Allen, a questioning look in her reddish-brown eyes.
Allen blinked, then felt force coming from behind him. Paul shoved him, making him stagger. Once he regained his balance, he looked back.
Paul smiled as he reached up to pinch his neck and rolled his head.
"Go on! Be careful—make sure you're careful! When deciding the winner, don't bring your blade as close as you did this time. Rudy's body hasn't been strengthened by battle aura."
Allen turned back and nodded.
"Okay! I know! We agreed that I win once I get within one meter of him."
Zenith let out a relieved breath from upstairs, rather obviously.
Allen looked up at Zenith and waved the sword in his hand.
"Don't worry, ma'am. I'll sheath my sword as soon as I get within one meter! I won't hurt him. You should be more worried about me getting blasted away by one of his fireballs!"
Zenith covered her mouth and smiled, waving goodbye to him.
Allen waved back, smiled, and nodded to Paul before turning to leave the courtyard with Sylphy.
After Allen had gone far away, Paul's expression suddenly turned grim. He lowered the hand that had been touching his neck. A red mark remained on his neck, with faint beads of blood emerging from it.
Such powerful battle aura quality. It nearly broke through my battle aura. Is this really the level of battle aura quality a nine-year-old should possess? And he found the trick to the Soundless Katana so quickly...
He watched Allen in the distance pat Sylphy's head, while her back appeared somewhat stiff. A heartfelt smile bloomed on his face once more.
Philip, you really gave birth to an incredible genius. I wonder when the two of you will finally recognize each other?
When Allen arrived at the hillside they usually used as their base, Rudy was standing at the foot of the hill with his arms crossed, confidence gleaming in his eyes.
Even though the grass had nearly grown past his waist.
Seeing his pose, Allen could not help but smile.
"Ready?"
"This time, I'll definitely give you a surprise."
Allen turned to Sylphy.
"You go wait at the top of the hill."
Sylphy blinked and looked hesitant, but then turned to Rudy.
"Um... you two should be careful, okay? Don't go too far."
Allen was somewhat surprised. Sylphy's implication was that Rudy held the advantage, and he could not help growing curious.
By the time Sylphy walked up the hill and leaned against a tree, Rudy and Allen had already separated by a hundred meters.
Seeing that the two had taken their positions, Sylphy nodded.
Her soft voice drifted down the hillside on the gentle breeze.
"Begin!"
Before you continue