You Turned Down the Dragon God Faction's Olive Branch? You Said You Wanted Your One True Love?!

"Please stop joking, Cain. You said you wouldn't kill me... I still want to see Nina again... I really don't want to die, so could you patch me up? Please. I surrender..."

Down on one knee, Gino looked at the black-haired figure approaching from behind him and smiled bitterly.

He had known how this would end from the start. After all, the terrifying battle aura Cain radiated was like a natural disaster, something no ordinary man could withstand.

"Relax. They're just minor injuries. These magical slashes don't do much damage."

Cain walked over, green light swirling around his hand, and pressed it against Gino's shoulder. In an instant, the grid of wounds covering Gino's body vanished without a trace.

"Phew..." Gino opened and closed his hand, examined his healed body, and gave a bitter chuckle.

"You weren't even using your real skills, were you, Cain...?"

"Actually, I enjoyed that fight quite a bit."

"Stop lying. All those techniques were only at the level you were at when you first left the Sword Sanctum over a decade ago. Only that last move showed your real strength now, didn't it...?"

Gino let out a long sigh, lowered his eyes, and smiled self-deprecatingly.

"I've spent these past few years imitating your swordsmanship and studying it, thinking I could surpass the person you were back then. But it wasn't until today that I realized there are times when hard work simply can't make up for talent. Even with everything I have, I can only unleash three consecutive Blades of Light..."

"No, you're actually very talented, Gino. With enough effort, you might well surpass the me of over a decade ago."

Cain smiled faintly and offered Gino a hand.

Gino took it and stood, but his expression remained downcast.

"I lost... You can have the