The Duel (4)

Fortunately, Sella was fine.

She had only briefly blacked out from the heavy blows, but thanks to the recovery magic still lingering on the training ground, she was up in no time.

'Games are different… Even blackout counts as a strategy.'

Gladia had not expected a knockout. Yet the girl herself seemed utterly unconcerned.

Instead, the moment Sella realized her mana and stamina had been restored, her fighting spirit flared brighter.

“I’m challenging you again. It will be different this time.”

'She’s really tough.'

Sella, now standing, confirmed nothing was amiss and immediately launched another assault on Gladia.

No matter how much she recovered, the pain of being slammed into the ground remained. Yet Sella charged on as if that pain were nothing, leaving Gladia staring in disbelief.

As she drove Sella to the floor, Gladia recalled the character from 'Saintess and Hero'.

The twelfth daughter of the Cradle Great Chief—Sella.

In the game, she had been one of the major supporting figures.

Set to study at Stella Academy in place of her father, the barbaric Great Chief of the northern plains (effectively a hostage), she appeared frequently as a player’s ally.

'Her high stamina and rapid recovery let her tank for the entire party, and combined with the Ancestral Protection trait, she dealt burst damage like a Tier-1 powerhouse…'

Added to that were her deep chocolate skin and the pronounced abs that peeked through clothing that barely covered her.

'I used to drag her into my party whenever she showed up.'

Gladia twisted Sella’s arm in an unnatural angle, her mind racing.

“Waaah! My arm! It’s breaking! Breaking!”

'…Should I pull out the sword?'

Recalling the game version of Sella, Gladia swallowed hard.

Every character in 'Saintess and Hero' was a handsome or beautiful man or woman, but none matched Sella’s exhibitionist appeal.

'Does the Ancestral Protection even count as covering the important parts?'

Back then she had thought the art was simply a production conspiracy to steal players’ hard-earned money, but the illustrations were gorgeous, so everything was forgiven.

In any case, Sella insisted on wearing clothing that left her private areas exposed.

In-game, equipment restrictions were still attached.

Wow… a muscle bikini beauty!

'How can anyone stand that?'

“Gladia…! It’s not working! Over there! My arm!”

Sella kept shouting desperately, but Gladia’s thoughts had sunk too deep for the words to register.

Through her grip on Sella’s wrist, Gladia could feel the girl’s sensual body heat.

Once, when Kruse’s overwhelming presence had brought Gladia to tears, she had ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠given up.

This time, it was just sparring—pulling out a sword would be perfectly natural!

'Hero’s Blood' had already strengthened her body somewhat, but…

'People always have to draw their sword at some point!'

'Yes… I’m drawing it!'

The instant Gladia made her decision—

Click!

“Gaaaaah! My arm! It’s breaking!”

A sharp crack rang out with Sella’s scream, echoing across the training ground.

“Ah.”

'So she was the one I had arm-twisted…?'

Through Gladia’s Mind’s Eye, she sensed Sella writhing on the floor, the fear in the other students’ eyes, and the tension in the air.

“…”

'It’s over.'

Despite the mess, the test had been a resounding success.

Gladia now roughly understood just how far her physical abilities had been enhanced.

'Far beyond what I expected.'

Kruse had once told her after examining her body:

“You could beat an orc bare-handed right now.”

The moment she heard those words, Gladia realized the power of was even greater than she had anticipated.

That was why, in today’s 'Core Efficient Training Method' lecture, she had decided to test how far she could fight without activating 'Sword Saint'.

'The training ground means no serious injury, and I don’t have to hold back.'

The result had been… a complete triumph!

'If this is the case, I don’t even need to turn on Sword Saint…'

Among first-years, there probably wasn’t anyone who could match her.

Thinking that, Gladia clenched and unclenched her fist.

'Hero’s Blood' was only obtainable in the early game and its performance had always seemed questionable. She had not expected much. To see this level of strength now…

'Games and reality are truly different.'

Imagining the First Hero who had carried this blood in his veins, Gladia shuddered at how monstrous he must have been.

'Did he really fight dragons with his bare hands?'

Even her current body, after only partial absorption ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of , already surpassed an orc with ease. The original Hero must have been unbeatable against dragons bare-handed.

The true power of ran far deeper.

“…It keeps growing stronger.”

Gladia quietly checked her own condition.

The Hero’s Blood flowed through her veins and gradually settled into her body.

It was no longer just a physical enhancement; she herself was evolving into a higher life form.

The more time passed, the more her body grew accustomed to the blood, steadily pushing its limits higher.

At that moment, her door burst open and Aiolet came dashing in.

“A~ I’m exhausted! Dia! Drink something!”

She dove straight onto Gladia’s bed as if it were her own.

Her behavior felt completely natural, as if she owned the room.

Gladia, the owner, simply handed Aiolet a pre-prepared drink without protest.

“Thank you for your hard work. Did you find any leads?”

“It was a complete waste. I wandered the entire academy all day and saw not a single shadow.”

Aiolet gulped down her chilled drink in one go and sprawled back on the bed, groaning.

All day she had wandered with Kruse.

She had meant to help diligently since the Saintess had shown “sincerity,” but…

“That quack had no plans at all!”

Aiolet pounded the pillow in frustration and shouted.

Surprisingly, the Saintess had come up with nothing.

Even though she had received a divine oracle two years ago, Aiolet had prepared every possible strategy for locating a hero. Yet reality had been nothing like that.

She had naturally assumed Kruse possessed some special method.

But Kruse had no such method.

In short, Kruse’s plan was: ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Monitor every promising individual!

According to Kruse, the hero was destined to save the world and therefore would possess exceptional talent.

So if one simply followed those with superior abilities…

Ta-da! Hero discovered!

“Bullshit!”

Even replaying the day in her mind, Aiolet’s frustration boiled over as she raised her voice.

She had trailed Kruse all day, watching the academy’s promising youths.

If nothing had happened, she would have rushed to find Gladia the moment classes ended. Yet the Saintess’s constant complaining had left her unable to leave.

Of course, in her usual self, Aiolet would have abandoned Kruse without hesitation. But the pitiful sight of the Saintess clinging to her wallet and sobbing had momentarily stirred Aiolet’s long-forgotten conscience.

“Even a flower-head deserves some decency! How will we ever find a hero like this?”

Slamming the bed with her fist, Aiolet vented her anger.

Gladia quietly approached, sat beside her, and gently stroked the hair of the pouting girl.

The moment her affectionate touch reached her, Aiolet’s excitement faded.

“Calm down now, miss.”

“Dia… what do we do? We’re completely hooked…”

Aiolet complained with a dark look ahead.

Stalking students with Kruse from now on already gave her a headache.

Gladia was supposed to be listening to a separate lecture, but Aiolet happened to be in the same class!

What could she do?

She had been the one to accept the Saintess’s “sincerity.”

The gods’ justice was swift and retributive.

She could not simply ignore it and refuse to help—that would violate her own pride as the successor of the Dunaris family.

And Aiolet, the kind-hearted young lady who never forgot the kindness shown to her saviors, would never have done so.

Gladia smiled faintly, recalling old memories in the face of her unchanging kindness.

'The pride of the Dunaris family forbids leaving the savior of our young miss in such a state.'

'Our young miss may be a little rough around the edges, but her sense of loyalty is absolute.'

“…Why are you smiling?”

“Nothing at all~”

Aiolet asked cautiously, but Gladia deflected with a smile.

She knew Aiolet would sulk and grumble if she learned the truth.

Aiolet shot her a dissatisfied glance, then immediately began complaining again.

After a while of cuddling with Gladia, Aiolet fell asleep right there on the bed.

The next day.

“Everyone!”

As Gladia and Aiolet headed out to breakfast, someone approached.

Pure white priest robes, pink hair, and an overwhelming presence!

The Saintess—Kruse.

She calmly accepted the gazes of the two girls and, with an unashamedly proud expression, thrust her chest forward and declared:

“I’ve brought the method to find the Hero!!”