"Senior Brother, what are you saying? Come with us! You're badly hurt, but luckily we brought a doctor."
A young woman with long sea-blue hair and shorts looked at Aokiji with concern. Her bright eyes seemed to speak for themselves.
"Ain, you came too? Damn it. I shouldn't have contacted you."
Aokiji sat slumped on the ground. He struck it with his fist, regret written across his face.
"Senior Brother, what are you saying? We need to go."
As she spoke, Ain walked over to help Aokiji up.
But just then, Aokiji's pupils contracted. He shoved Ain away.
Caught off guard, Ain landed hard on her backside.
Clang.
A longsword struck the spot where Ain had been standing. If Aokiji hadn't pushed her aside, the blade wreathed in pale-blue lightning would have run her through.
Most of the sword had sunk into the ground, leaving only part of its blade exposed.
"What...?"
Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Ain's smooth forehead. She looked tough on the outside but was softhearted beneath it, and the sudden attack had stunned her. Death had brushed right past her.
"Sharp reflexes, Kuzan. Even with injuries that severe, you still sensed my attack?"
A cold voice reached Ain's ears. She instinctively turned toward it and saw a face she knew well.
She knew it from the newspapers. She had once imagined bringing that notorious Great Swordsman to justice, but now that she saw him in person, she realized how naive she had been.
His presence was terrifying. How many people had he killed to give off an aura that warned every living thing away? All Ain wanted to do was run as far from him as she could.
But she couldn't leave. For her teacher and Senior Brother, she had to fight this terrifying