The Girl's Growth (1)
"Succubi who can wield a sword, huh. I'd only heard from Eunhyeon about their mental manipulation and their energy drain ability that sucks out vitality."
"That's all those worthless types have going for them. They must've picked up swordsmanship to cover their weaknesses. They're completely different beings from humans, but as rational races go, they're similar to us in that way."
In matters of survival or life-or-death struggles, any intelligent lifeform would recognize its weaknesses and devise ways to compensate for them. It was akin to an instinct for survival that anyone with intellect could conceive.
"Of course, there are slothful demons who just stagnate without improving. That one's a bit special. Learning swordsmanship is one thing, but infiltrating the capital while hiding her identity, gathering intel and plotting schemes to siphon vitality from countless humans, seeing humans as nothing more than prey—all of it stems from her desire to steadily build her power. She's simply faithful to her own ambition to grow stronger."
Among demons, there were a few races like succubi with the weakest physical abilities, but even they possessed bodily prowess comparable to an average human. Thus, they viewed frail humans with weak flesh and mana as mere insects—little more than food or supplements to replenish their strength.
"But where the hell did that demon learn to use a sword? Don't tell me she figured it out on her own..."
"There are demon races that revere and prioritize martial prowess. She probably learned from them. It's exceedingly rare for demons to teach their techniques to outsiders, so yeah, she's a fascinating specimen all around."
"That said... what an astonishing growth rate."
Alex was even moved to admiration watching Erin gradually improving in her desperate duel with the succubus, where their lives hung in the balance. For someone who'd picked up a sword less than half a year ago, her progress was unbelievable. And now, her growth was accelerating even further—a pace that seemed utterly implausible to any onlooker.
Even with Iliana's guidance, she was no expert in physical combat. Swordsmanship was the product of personal effort, honed solely through one's own training and experience. Sure, Eunhyeon and Iliana were giving her focused attention, but her current level was abnormal, even for someone with excellent mentors.
Alex couldn't even imagine that one of the souls of the Hundred Ghosts—a fearsome warrior spirit—dwelled within her, so Erin's speed struck him as miraculous yet inexplicable.
'Even if I sparred with her now, it'd be hard to go easy on her.'
Alex watched Erin's explosive growth with a pang of bitterness. Comparing the time he'd devoted to reaching his own level against hers stirred a hollow envy.
'I'm jealous.'
It was only natural to feel that way. Erin's relentless effort to stand tall before her brother Elvin was surely a driving force, but Alex knew the biggest pillar supporting her was the one man backing her from the shadows.
If he asked Eunhyeon for guidance, would he accept? The answer that surfaced was 'Who knows.' Outwardly, Eunhyeon always looked annoyingly indifferent, yet he'd never turned down a sincere request. That sparked a flicker of hope in Alex.
'Once this fight ends, maybe.'
With that thought, Alex observed the fierce clash between the two. Erin's body moved with fluid grace, as if gently guided by a kind hand. Her rapier shot forward at blinding speed toward Lira's left shoulder.
"Ngh…!"
Lira, Erin's opponent, was stunned by the clearly superior movement compared to before. A ferocious thrust overwhelmed her reaction time, hurtling toward her face. She barely twisted right to dodge, but the rapier grazed her cheek as it pierced the air.
"This is—!"
Seizing the opening, Lira swung to bisect Erin's abdomen, but Erin swept her rapier downward, deflecting the incoming blade aimed at her gut.
"You... what are you?"
Lira asked warily, her eyes full of caution at Erin's clean parry, as if anticipated. But Erin didn't answer. Her blazing eyes fixed on Lira, murmuring something under her breath.
"...Faster... ri..."
"What?"
Lira couldn't catch the faint words and asked again, but Erin replied not with speech, but action.
"The beginning and end of Three Swordsmanship is the 'thrust.' Concentrate your power into a single point for ultimate penetration. What it requires is swift agility and the user's experience. The ability to seize opportunities to target vital points in any situation and execute them."
Even as she relentlessly assaulted Lira without pause, Gallerhead's attribute lecture—the ghost swordsman's—continued unbroken in Erin's mind.
"Focus on defense there, then seek counterattack chances."
"Too careless. Don't rush."
"Maintain tension in your body. Be ready to pierce vitals anytime."
"Watch the opponent's movements closely."
Through her coaching, Erin's singular goal crystallized.
'Faster. Even faster.'
A strike so swift Lira couldn't perceive it. But as Erin began to grow, her foe Lira adapted too.
"How dare you—a mere human!"
Sensing something off as Erin—who'd been hopelessly outmatched in swordplay—surged inexplicably in this fight, Lira unleashed her full power.
"Kgh!"
Lira's blade, infused with massive mana, arced down at Erin's head. Erin hastily raised her rapier to block, but the power gap sent it flying. Her wrist strained; she dropped the weapon and rolled aside, narrowly escaping. Spotting her rapier flung opposite her position, she grimaced but dashed to retrieve it.
"Think I'll let you?!"
"Ngh!"
Boom!
Lira's sword hurtled at Erin's head again. With a grunt, she twisted aside, her skull nearly cleaved in two.
'Huh...?'
An inexplicable sense of déjà vu spurred Erin's instinctive dodge. Recalling a familiar scene, she evaded the downward slash and closed into Lira's guard in a flash. She pivoted, cocking her fist back.
"That's..."
Alex's expression hardened recognizing the move. He knew exactly whose it mimicked. Crude compared to Eunhyeon's fluid form, but executed without hesitation. Erin's mana-charged fist slammed Lira's left side before she could defend.
"Kyaaak!"
Lira reeled, stomach agony forcing her to vomit bile.
"Urk—blegh!"
Unlike Eunhyeon's explosive strikes, it was ordinary—yet perfectly landed, it inflicted serious damage.
"Well done!"
Gallerhead's childlike cheer echoed suddenly in Erin's head. Bewildered why she was so excited, Erin just shrugged in surprise.
"Not just Three Swordsmanship—you've got talent in hand-to-hand too! Bane will love this!"
'No, I was just imitating Hyun-oppa...'
"Now's your chance. Grab that dropped weapon quick."
Erin sprang at her words, snatching the fallen rapier.
"Assume stance."
"Channel all body strength to your legs. Ready to charge and pierce the enemy's throat."
"Draw sword hand back. Steady blade tip horizontally with thumb and index finger."
Like nocking an arrow and drawing the bowstring to aim. As if possessed, Erin followed Gallerhead's lead. Her circulating mana accelerated, muscles straining to their limit.
"Go!"
With Gallerhead's command, Erin's body launched like a rapid-fire arrow from an archer, straight at the marked demon.
Gale Arrow
The 'shot' whipped up fierce winds toward the demon. Kicking up dust from the barren ground, mana circulation unleashed leg power at racehorse velocity.
"Urk—blegh!"
Seconds after Lira reeled from Erin's punch and retched, Erin had reclaimed her sword, assumed stance, and struck.
"...!"
Slumped and heaving, Lira spotted Erin and paled. Hurtling with gale-force, rapier extended to impale her throat—not a fragile girl, but a hawk with razor talons. She scrambled up, gripping her sword to block, but—
Shunk.
Erin's rapier pierced Lira's throat.
"Kahk!"
Spewing crimson from her mouth, Lira glared venomously at Erin, sword still lodged in her neck.
"Me...! To a human like you!"
"Pull the sword and grab her body!"
Unquestioning, Erin obeyed. Why? She couldn't say. Just drawn to the command, she yanked the blade free and seized Lira's neck.
Instantly, Miho within her activated the gumiho power.
Energy Drain
As Erin's grip tightened on Lira's arm, the succubus blanched at the anomaly ravaging her body.
"Wh... what? How do you have this power...!"
"Huh...?"
Erin panicked feeling foreign power flooding her veins.
"Don't panic. Finishing her now is quickest."
Miho triggered energy drain, siphoning all the succubus's mana into Erin.
"No... no! After all the time I've spent... I can't die like this!"
Lira's face twisted in despair as her power ebbed away.
"Spare me... please! I can't die like this!"
She begged Erin, who was devouring her essence. But Erin shook her head.
"I can't forgive you for what you did to my brother."
"No! No! Nooo!"
In this world's dream realm, only spirits existed—sans physical bodies. The demon before her was pure mana and soul energy. Thus, nothing prevented the gumiho's drain. Without a trace, the shrieking succubus's soul disintegrated into mana, absorbed fully into Erin.
Erin looked up blankly at the dream sky and sighed softly.
"Haa..."
Utterly unforeseen, yet deep satisfaction swelled in her chest, lifting her spirits.
"I've finally taken my first step, Oppa..."