Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

On the open field surrounded by walls, they stood there blankly, their faces all pointing in the same direction, despite being fully armed.

It was dusk, when the western sky was tinged with a maroon hue.

They were all captivated by that "battle".

"snort!"

"Hmm!?"

A deafening roar erupted, and the entire earth was overturned and deformed.

Amidst the exploding flowers, grass, and clods of earth, the blonde, golden-eyed girl, thrown by the impact, floated in the air.

Ais narrowly dodged the boarman's upper-body slashing attack at the last second. She didn't even have time to witness the earth-shattering blow and feel terrified before she was forced to deal with the pursuit that suddenly forced her to the side.

"call!"

She used her beloved sword, the Sword of Despair, to strike the approaching greatsword.

Facing the squinting Ota, Ais quickened her pace, her ferocity causing the quietly observing members of the Freya Familia to momentarily hold their breath as she clashed and fought her opponent in a fierce sword duel, the battle fierce and evenly matched.

She is "working out" with Ota.

The training she received from the city's strongest Lv. 7 continues today with an intense melody.

Ota, who was entrusted with providing special training, never gave Ais any advice.

He simply clashed with her sword relentlessly. That was all.

It employed a harsh and brutal form of combat, namely, sword-to-sword duels, requiring her to learn everything through fighting herself. While the taciturn Ais used the same method when training the boy Bell, it was much gentler.

Because Ota had no intention of guiding Ais.

It seemed as if Ais was entitled to forge her own path, and the boar warrior was simply beating her with excessive force. His weapon wasn't dulled; a single misstep could easily cost him his life. In fact, if Ais made even the most trivial mistake, it would probably cut her in two without hesitation.

For several days in a row, Ais had been beaten so badly that she was barely recognizable as a human.

She began her intensive training before sunrise and continued fighting after sunset. She was only allowed to lie down and gaze at the moonlight after midnight. At the end of the day, she would lie on the ground, briefly faint, and then begin training again early the next morning. They didn't even give her a bed. If it weren't for Freya's personal maid, Herren, taking pity on her and preparing a change of clothes or a cool bath for her, she probably wouldn't have even had a proper bath.

Seven days have passed since the start of the special training.

Ais realized that her current position was the same as that of the white-haired boy in the past.

This would have made her feel a little amused and embarrassed, and she couldn't help but smile, but now she didn't even have that extra energy.

Faced with the relentless and powerful storm of attacks, the sword in her right hand flashed repeatedly.

Illustration 58805

"too slow."

"~~~~~~~~~~!?"

The opponent launched a powerful attack.

Ais was unable to completely block the attack and was sent flying, rolling on the ground several times before finally coming to a stop and kneeling on one knee. In contrast to her heaving shoulders, Otto didn't break a sweat and remained completely calm.

Ais's "wind" has been exhausted.

The [Wind Spirit Swiftness] technique, activated from the very beginning of training, had already exhausted all mental energy by morning.Then it became a pure hand-to-hand combat. She could only rely on the piles of panaceas that Ota had given her.They continued to conceal the burden that powerful "magic" placed on their bodies.

What is most astonishing at this point is still its unfathomable resilience..

Regardless of whether Ais has the power of "wind" to protect her, Otto's overwhelming strength can completely subdue her.

While unable to hide her frustration, Ais roughly wiped her scarred and muddy cheeks with her arm.

"...[Fiora]".

"...?"

at this time.

O'She dropped her stance and, unusually... it should be said that this was the first time during the workout that she was asked a question.

"Just how strong is the opponent you're willing to train like this to defeat?"

It seems that even in today's daily special training, Omega has to acknowledge Ais's reckless determination and courage in challenging him.

Ais and he undergo special training until the final "target" they face, which for the first time arouses the interest of the city's strongest Lv. 7.

"...I don't know. I can't figure out what my opponent is capable of."

As for Ais, she expressed her sincere feelings.

The image of that strange man with blood-red hair swaying in my mind came to mind.

When Ais reached Lv. 6, she thought she had surpassed her, but the "enhanced species" grew stronger than Ais at a speed akin to that of a non-human monster. Just as she had done before Ais's eyes, if she were to gain even greater power by absorbing "magic stones" again, Ais would have no way of knowing her combat strength.

Based on this, after hesitating for a long time, Ais frankly expressed her opinion:

"However, in terms of pure ability <stats>... he is definitely stronger than you are now."

"..."

After listening to Ais recount the strength of her opponent during the battle in the artificial labyrinth, Otto narrowed his eyes.

It was as if one's own fighting spirit had been aroused.

What's frightening is that the boar-man in front of them wasn't using his "full strength" at this moment.

This martial artist didn't use any "magic" or even "skills," relying solely on his pure abilities to contend with Ais. His physical body alone was enough to suppress Ais's "wind," and even her ultimate attack.

Furthermore, it also employed overwhelming "skills and tactics" based on astonishing combat experience.

The scariest thing is that, considering Ota's "race," Ais is certain that he also has a "secret weapon."

"A weirdo, isn't he...? I heard Tamuz mention him..."

Ais was startled when a casual muttering about a strange person mentioned the word "weird," but Oot didn't seem to care and continued:

"【Sword Maiden】, I learned something during our sword duel."

"?"

"You're not as good at fighting against people as you think."

"!?"

Ais was completely stunned by his sudden remark.

At the same time, "Boom—!" she was greatly shocked.

Ais wasn't arrogant, but she did have the self-esteem she had worked hard to build up, or rather, since everyone called her "Sword Princess," she had some confidence in various aspects.

It's understandable that he would feel a bit discouraged when his confidence was denied by someone even more powerful than himself—the strongest man in the city.

"Your strength far surpasses that of the others; you're already quite powerful. ...However, compared to me or Finn, you weren't ruthless enough."

"...!"

"In our time, there was the god Zeus and the goddess Hera, and a group of demons and monsters who didn't take our counterattack seriously... In that era, everyone in Orario had to hone their human combat skills to the highest level."

The words spoken by the warrior, lost in memories of the past, pierced Ais's chest.

The turbulent era that Finn and his companions traversed. The city's "Dark Ages"—a long and brutal period before their struggle against the dark factions came to an end.

Does this mean that the weight of "experience" is truly irrevocable?

Could she never defeat Revis as an adventurer? Ais thought to herself, biting her lip.

"However, don't get me wrong. That's not your forte."

But at that moment, O changed his tone.

Then he told Ais:

"Your swordsmanship is not essentially 'swords against people'... but 'swords against demons'."

"!!"

She was greatly surprised.

When Ais looked up, she saw that the earth-red eyes were still staring at her intently as usual.

"I've witnessed your battles in the dungeons many times. And after this training, I'm certain. Your sword is a Karma technique specifically designed to kill monsters. ... Your sword prioritizes efficiency, eliminates distractions, disregards pain, and is driven by an unwavering focus. In that respect alone, you surpass me or Finn and the others."

A sword technique used solely to kill monsters.

The killing blade that slaughtered countless monsters, piling up mountains of monster corpses.

Otto said that even they had to admit defeat on this point alone.

Ais was dumbfounded and flustered, yet she somehow guessed what Ota was about to say next.

"When you were fighting that strange man, you must have been mistaking him for a 'human,' right?"

"...!"

That's right.

When Ais and Revis fought, Ais always regarded Revis as an adventurer—or "warrior"—just like herself.

Simply because she has a human form and can communicate with language.

Even after learning that she was a monster, Ais still treated her as a warrior when confronting Revis.

"The truth is, if you treat the hostile 'monster' as a 'human,' you have no chance of winning."

The other party's assertive words made the sword in her hand tremble.

It probably doesn't know about Ais's "ability".

The full extent of the "skills" engraved on her back remains unknown.

Indeed, if she could exert that power on Revis, the situation might be different from what it is now.

However, Ais's source of "power"—the power of "Obsession <Skill>"—is now in a state of confusion.

It was not for any other reason than the resolve shown by the boy who fought her under the moon, and the tears of the dragon girl that made her lose her way.

Seeing that Ais was showing a deeper distress than before, Ota narrowed his eyes sharply.

"...Are you feeling lost after confronting the 'armed monster'?"

"!"

Just how much does this martial artist actually know?

Ais's thoughts were completely seen through.

Ais was sweating profusely, her throat was parched, and when she came to her senses she realized she had stammered:

"How could you know about me...?"

"I know nothing about your affairs. Though I don't know, I understand. There's no need for anyone else to prove it; your sword has already reflected your hesitant will."

The warrior told her that the sparks flying and the clanging of metal on the swords would tell her everything.

Ais's gaze fell on her hands.

The silver sword she held reflected the bewildered look on her face.

"I have no answer, nor can I resolve your inner turmoil. Besides, I have absolutely no interest in it. However, I can tell you something—"

The strongest adventurer in the city, even more powerful than Ais, said:

"How can you defeat an enemy stronger than yourself without risking everything?"

The impact of those words on Ais was greater than anything else.

Ais was confused. To be precise, she was postponing dealing with the problem.

Should we regard "heretics"... and monsters as absolute evil beings that must be eliminated?

However, the martial artist in front of him dismissed the issue as a "trivial matter."

He made it clear to Ais that if there was a "high wall" that had to be overcome, then she had to do everything in her power to overcome it.

The next instant, Ota exuded a completely different fighting spirit and took a step towards Ais.

Staring in disbelief, Ais barely managed to raise the Sword of Despair to receive the powerful blow.

"You possess a kind of 'flame.' A 'black will' that could destroy you if you take one wrong step."

"...!"

"Don't let it consume you. You must master it, and then remember your priorities."