Chapter 172: It’s Been a While (4)
Chapter 172: It’s Been a While (4)
“Urgh…!”
Count Tonius clutched his face with one hand, staggering backward.
Who dares?
For a moment, bewilderment outweighed his rage.
Since reaching the 7-Star realm, this was the first time he had ever allowed such a powerful blow to land.
Who would dare do this to him? Just as he opened his eyes to identify his opponent…
Swish!
He felt a chilling sensation as a sharp attack tore through the wind, hurtling toward him.
“Tch!”
Count Tonius frantically threw himself to the side.
There was no room for technique or grace. His body simply reacted to the desperate warnings of his survival instinct.
He had abandoned his dignity, but he had saved his life.
Slice.
The moment he dove, a terrifying blade passed by, shearing off a few strands of his hair and making his skin crawl.
A master.
He scrambled to his feet and looked at his attacker.
Standing there, shielding the brat he had been about to cleave in two, was the beautiful blonde butler.
The butler was staring at him with a look of utter disapproval.
“Tsk.”
April clicked her tongue.
She had intended to end it quickly, but perhaps a 7-Star was still a 7-Star. He had managed to dodge a strike aimed at his throat.
The Young Master wouldn’t have missed.
Regardless, she couldn’t break through this line without defeating the enemy before her.
April raised her sword and took a stance once more.
Seeing her, Count Tonius held out a hand.
“Wait, wait…”
“……”
“You… you…?”
Count Tonius widened his eyes, scanning April from head to toe.
Only after facing her directly did he realize. This dazzlingly beautiful person was…
“You’re a woman.”
April was momentarily speechless at the sheer absurdity of his voice, which was filled with sudden conviction.
Was that really what mattered right now?
April raised her sword again, intent on attacking, but…
“Seriously?”
Apparently, there was one more person for whom this fact was of the utmost importance.
April sighed at the sound of Matthew’s voice behind her.
Matthew spoke in a trembling tone.
“Ace, are you really a woman?”
At Matthew’s question, April gave a short nod.
“Yes. That is correct.”
It wasn’t something she particularly cared to hide. She just hadn’t seen a reason to reveal it.
More importantly, she couldn’t lie to the Young Master’s friend. However…
Why are they making such a fuss over something so trivial in this situation?
April was deeply displeased.
Yet, for some, this was a matter of life and death.
“I knew something was off.”
“Thank god. Thank the heavens.”
“I knew it. There was no way I’d be attracted to a man.”
“That dream wasn’t weird after all.”
“I’m normal.”
“I’m normal too.”
Why on earth were these two finding common ground at a time like this?
“……”
Just seconds ago, one had been trying to slice the other in half. And yet…
“What a relief. A total relief.”
“Phew… I don’t need to go to counseling anymore. No wonder it wasn’t working.”
Count Tonius nodded in understanding, while Matthew clutched his chest in profound relief.
Watching them, April thought to herself:
Should I just kill them both?
Then, Count Tonius, having recovered somewhat from the initial shock, spoke up.
“Right. A woman…”
“……”
“Good. Very good.”
“……”
“Just in case, I’ll make you an offer. Do you have any intention of becoming mine willingly?”
“None.”
The answer came without a second of hesitation. Count Tonius gave a sly smirk.
“I’m making this offer because I hold your beauty and skill in high regard.”
“I don’t need it.”
“If you wish, you could even become a Countess of the Caesar Kingdom.”
“Are those your last words?”
April raised her sword again. Count Tonius followed suit, drawing his own blade.
“You seem confident in your skills. Well, you have reason to be.”
“……”
“However…”
Clang!
Without any warning, a strike flew like a flash of lightning.
Count Tonius blocked it in a panic. However, he couldn’t completely offset the impact and was forced to take an unsightly step back, staggering heavily.
“You… you bitch.”
As Count Tonius’s face flushed with shame, April pointed her sword at him.
“You talk too much.”
“Ha… Hahaha…”
“Just die already.”
The hollow laughter of Count Tonius died abruptly at April’s words.
His expression twisted into something ghoulish.
“I’ll teach you some manners!”
“Bring it.”
With that, Count Tonius and April began their duel in earnest.
Swish!
First, a slash.
The opponent dodges.
Then another slash, followed by a thrust.
The opponent shifts position entirely with agile footwork.
To avoid being caught in a blind spot, she moves, and the opponent moves just as quickly to match her.
Countless slashes were swung at the pursuing opponent.
The opponent wove through the gaps with disciplined movements, closing the distance. The moment they overlapped, dozens of sword lights filled the space between them.
Sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh-sh!
Their exchange, which began with simple attacks, grew increasingly sharp and complex.
Yet, despite the intensity, the instances where their blades actually clashed were remarkably few.
This was quite unusual.
Normally, when masters who wielded Mana clashed, the air would ring with the thunderous roars of exploding Aura.
But the clash between April and Count Tonius was different.
It was the sound of thin switches cutting through the air.
The sound of short thrusts piercing the atmosphere at their peak.
And the sound of footsteps ringing out in a ceaseless rhythm.
Those were the only sounds passing between them.
“Is this what happens when two of the same type meet?”
“I suppose so. I’ve never seen anything like this…”
Isabella and Matthew watched the exchange, mesmerized.
They had never seen such a display of extreme speed and technique, not even from Patrick’s sword.
It was a fierce competition of speed against speed.
In an extremely dangerous space where a single slip-up meant instant death, their swords carved through the air without rest.
In the process, there wasn't a single head-on collision of brute force.
There were moments when their blades grazed each other, but even that happened perhaps once in every ten exchanges.
Most of the attacks were razor-sharp strikes aimed precisely at the opponent’s openings and vitals.
Instead of blocking, they dodged every attack, simultaneously looking for—and creating—openings in the enemy’s defense.
This phenomenon occurred because both were the type of fighters who prioritized sword speed and footwork.
In April’s case…
[No matter how talented you are, as a woman, there is a limit to your physical strength. You must prioritize parrying and dodging over blocking head-on.]
She faithfully followed Patrick’s teachings.
Of course, if she utilized her Aura to its full extent, she could win a contest of strength.
But that method only worked against those weaker than herself.
A swordsman had to train assuming they would always face someone equal to or stronger than them.
As a result, she had developed this style.
Count Martin Tonius was the same.
He was also a swordsman who staked everything on the speed of his blade and rapid movement.
Usually, the standard equipment for a knight in this world was a sword and a shield.
A sword in one hand, a shield in the other.
While some abandoned the shield to use massive Two-Handed Swords or Bastard Swords, they were in the minority.
For a typical knight, the common-sense standard was a sword and shield.
However, Count Martin Tonius didn't use a massive blade; he used a standard-sized longsword and had abandoned the shield.
He didn't even wear full plate armor.
All of this was to maximize his speed.
He gave up on blocking the opponent’s attacks, choosing instead to dodge with footwork and counter with a sharp, fast sword.
Both were swordsmen pursuing the path of the Fast Sword.
This was the result.
Swish! Snap!
Sharp slashes tore through the empty air.
The attacks grazed hair and sliced through fabric, but they failed to land a fatal blow.
Their dazzling exchange grew so complex that those watching from a distance could hardly keep track.
All they could see were the afterimages of swords filling the air and the two figures moving brilliantly within them.
The one who broke the tense balance first was…
“Tch!”
Count Tonius.
He clicked his tongue in annoyance and swung his sword in a wide, powerful arc. Then…
BOOM!
It wasn't an attack meant to hit, but a massive strike intended to break the flow of the exchange.
April received it by crossing her two swords.
Count Tonius backed away and stared intently at April.
He had unleashed a barrage of over a hundred strikes that would have finished an ordinary knight in less than five, yet his opponent’s breathing wasn't even labored.
“It seems…”
“……”
“Capturing you with all your limbs intact will be difficult.”
Flash!
As he spoke, a vivid blade of light manifested over his longsword.
Aura Blade.
The brilliant sword of light that symbolized the 7-Star realm.
Leveling it at her, he spoke to April.
“It’s fine. For someone like you, I can still dote on you even if you’re missing a limb or two. So please, just don’t die.”
Count Tonius licked his lips as he spoke.
At the sight, Matthew grit his teeth.
This is impossible.
He knew April was strong. The fact that she had fought the infamous Bloody Martin to a standstill until now proved how incredible his—no, her—skills were.
But it wasn't enough.
The reason the 7-Star realm was called the Supreme Realm was because of that sword of light known as the Aura Blade.
Because it could carve through even a 6-Star’s Aura like butter, those below that realm could not even engage in a proper exchange, no matter how superior their swordsmanship.
From here on, the outcome was obvious.
“Dammit…”
Matthew grit his teeth and stepped forward. April spoke.
“Lord Matthew?”
“……”
“What are you doing?”
“Let’s do this together.”
“Pardon?”
“You can’t do this alone.”
Matthew knew. Even if he joined in, he wouldn't be much help.
But if he could draw the opponent’s attention for even a single strike, April might be able to exploit that opening.
It was a slim hope, but he couldn't just stand by and cowardly cling to his life.
That wasn't the kind of knight he aspired to be.
Isabella seemed to have reached a similar conclusion.
“I’ll join you too.”
She also stood beside April and drew her sword.
A cruel smile spread across Count Tonius’s face.
“Heh heh heh… Puppies who don’t know their place.”
From his perspective, it was just two puppies joining one fairly fierce wolf.
To a tiger that had fully bared its claws, this was hardly a threat.
It was merely an annoyance that capturing Princess Isabella would now be more difficult.
Then…
“Sigh…”
April let out a small sigh and stepped forward again, moving past Matthew and Isabella.
She spoke to the two of them.
“It’s fine, so please step back.”
“Ace!”
“April!”
Despite their calls, April stepped forward calmly.
“Please don’t tell anyone about this.”
“Huh?”
“What do you mean…?”
Vwoom!
In that moment, Matthew and Isabella’s jaws dropped.
Vivid Aura Blades erupted from the two swords April held in her hands.
They were even larger and more brilliant than the one on Count Tonius’s sword.
“Wh-what…?”
“You… you were a 7-Star?”
Matthew and Isabella were at a loss for words.
April stepped forward, letting out another soft sigh.
I really can’t do it like the Young Master.
She had tried to fight without the Aura Blade to hide her realm if possible.
That was why she had only used about half of her full speed and power.
It seemed that with her current skills, defeating a 7-Star knight without an Aura Blade was still too difficult.
Revealing her realm was unavoidable.
She cleared her mind and pointed her swords at Count Tonius.
“Since we’re short on time…”
“……”
“I’m going all out.”
A cold chill and killing intent, both calm and eerie, radiated from April as she prepared to show her true strength.
The stunned Count Tonius hurriedly shouted.
“W-wait!”
He tried to say something in a panic, but April’s sword cut through the air without hesitation.
Her Aura Blade flew, tracing the trajectory of a perfect crescent moon.
The attack was chillingly clean, devoid of any wasted movement, and so beautiful it was mesmerizing.
Count Tonius scrambled backward, trying to escape the range of the attack.
But…
If I dodge, I’ll be too late.
The moment he realized that, Count Tonius desperately swung his longsword with all his might.
“AAAAAAAH!”
Had he ever swung his sword with such desperation?
Driven by the primal urge to survive, his blade reacted at a maximum speed that surpassed his own limits.
CLANG!
With a terrifying roar, Aura Blade clashed against Aura Blade.
Count Tonius had managed to block April’s attack.
April’s Aura Blade grazed his neck by a hair’s breadth, but it wasn't a fatal wound.
“I… I lived.”
The words escaped his lips involuntarily. It was the honest sentiment of a man who had just narrowly escaped the jaws of death. However…
Whirl!
In an instant, April’s body spun in the opposite direction.
One of her swords was still in contact with Count Tonius’s blade.
She had let go of that sword and performed a reverse spin.
Following the direction of that spin, a small, sharp flash like a silver thread traced the trajectory of a full moon.
It was larger and faster than the previous crescent.
So fast that it was invisible even to Count Tonius’s eyes.
Slice!
Immediately after the perfect full moon trajectory was completed.
April lightly caught her sword before it even hit the ground and stepped back.
“Ugh… Urgh…”
Count Tonius reached for his neck.
When he checked his hand, it was stained with the blood that was slowly seeping out.
“Heh… Hehehehe…”
So, this is how it ends.
He had imagined his end many times.
But he never thought it would be here, today.
He forced the words out.
“This… technique…?”
“Two Moons.”
It was an original technique she had refined herself from the twin-sword styles she learned from Patrick.
A full moon strike that followed immediately after a crescent slash via a reverse spin.
The first attack was threatening, but the second attack that followed was twice as fast and sharp.
Personally, it was the technique April was most confident in, and until now, Patrick was the only one who had ever blocked it.
“A terrifyingly… beautiful technique…”
Count Tonius couldn't finish his sentence.
As blood erupted from his neck, his head fell to the ground.
Count Martin Tonius.
The man who had spread terror as "Bloody Martin" had met his end.