On the grassy field, two figures clashed again and again. The one shrouded in golden light moved with breathtaking speed, but the massive figure always managed to deflect her strikes with a small dagger in hand.
The sharp ring of blade against dagger filled the air, accompanied by sparks flying with each collision. Amidst it all, Caius's voice rang out steadily.
"Watch your footwork. Experienced fighters won’t watch your sword—they’ll read your steps. They can predict your next move from the way your feet shift, so learn to use that to your advantage."
"Nice! That strike—good synchronization with your footwork. Very deceptive. Still a bit raw, though. Again."
"Little kitten, keep your eyes open. This is how you wield a dagger."
"Faster! Your sword can go faster. Play to your strength—speed. Cut the unnecessary rolls and feints. If you can’t deceive your opponent, then strike them down with sheer speed and force!"
"That’s it! Keep that rhythm!"
The dagger in Caius's hand blurred with speed, repeatedly colliding with Hilda’s rapier. His other hand wasn’t idle either—occasionally blocking her wrist to redirect her thrusts, or curling into a fist to launch a counterattack.
His relentless offense overwhelmed Hilda, leaving her barely able to parry.
But it was precisely this intensity that helped her adapt. With every strike exchanged, she grew more attuned to Caius's rhythm, more proficient in her responses.
"Yes, understand your opponent. Take control of the battle’s tempo. Don’t stop thinking—figure out what else you can use!" Caius’s voice remained calm and composed, as if none of Hilda’s attacks posed even the slightest threat.
In truth, Caius was quietly impressed.
Hilda, now a Platinum Two-Star, was displaying combat prowess that surpassed even Okot, a Platinum Seven-Star. Even that Slaughter Wolf Demon they’d faced before was barely at this level.
Clearly, Hilda hadn’t been exaggerating. In her prime, she truly had the power to take down that demon in single combat.
But Caius also knew—she could still grow stronger. She just hadn’t realized it yet.
Ten minutes. Twenty. Thirty.
The ceaseless, high-intensity training left Hilda’s beautiful face drenched in sweat. In contrast, Caius remained completely dry.
Though, his clothes had taken a beating—Hilda had slashed through them in over a dozen places, and he bore four moderate sword wounds across his body.
Finally, with a thunderous blast of magic, Hilda was sent flying by the force of Caius's magic eruption, skidding more than ten meters across the field before coming to a halt.
“Hah… hah… hah…” Hilda panted heavily, exhaustion clearly setting in.
“Not bad. Let’s stop here for today,” Caius said with a nod.
Hilda nodded too, sheathing her sword with a faint smile. “Well? What do you think?”
“You’re definitely stronger than you were yesterday,” Caius commented.
Hilda immediately raised her chin, a bit smug.
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
But then Caius added, “Though you also revealed a few weaknesses—more clearly than before.”
Hilda blinked. “What weaknesses?”
“Three,” Caius said, holding up three fingers.
“One, too many extraneous movements. Sure, feints can be useful, but unnecessary ones are a waste. Those stronger than you won’t fall for them, and those weaker won’t notice them anyway. Drop the fluff.”
“That will let you move faster and increase your attack frequency.”
Hilda nodded, accepting the feedback.
“Two,” Caius continued. “You’re agile. Very agile. Your body’s incredibly flexible—you can pull off movements others can’t. But most of the time, you’re just using that to dodge.”
“Like that time I kicked you back—you could have used your flexibility to counter in ways that seem impossible.”
“Wouldn’t that be excessive?” Hilda asked.
“Not if it lands a blow from an unexpected, sharp angle. That’s not excess—that’s brilliance. To do that, you need to know your body. Master it.”
“Got it!” Hilda nodded. “What’s the third?”
“The third—and most critical,” Caius grinned. “From start to finish, you’ve relied entirely on your sword.”
“I even gave you a hint, but you didn’t catch it.”
“Did you forget something?”
Hilda frowned, thinking hard. Then shook her head. “I don’t know…”
“Magic, Hilda. You forgot you can use magic.” Caius chuckled.
Hilda’s eyes widened.
Right…
“You’re the top student of Hydis Magic Academy. You expect me to believe you can’t cast magic? But just now, all you used were sword techniques and body-enhancing Combat Techniques. Not a single spell.”
“That won’t do. Your fighting style is too one-dimensional. If the enemy figures you out, you’ll be forced into a corner.”
“You need versatility—complexity. Only then will you have options when the moment demands it.”
“You’re relying too much on your sword. Sometimes, you need to forget it’s even there—and start expanding your repertoire. Like with magic.”
Hilda fell silent. Then slowly raised her hand, pointing at Caius.
A golden Magic Circle bloomed in an instant—and from it, nine radiant swords of light shot forth, all aimed at Caius.
He raised both arms, channeling his magic into a defensive Field, managing to block the attack.
But even so, he was forced back several meters, and his arms bore several shallow cuts from the impact.
“Like that?” Hilda asked.
“Exactly!” Caius snapped his fingers, completely unfazed by the injuries.
“See? Your magic isn’t weaker than your swordsmanship. So why ignore it?”
Hilda stuck out her tongue playfully. “I don’t know… I just… forget to use it when I’m fighting…”
“So, you know, if you stop relying so much on your sword and start weaving more magic into your fighting, you actually stand a good chance of beating me head-on,” Caius said with a grin.
“Really?” Hilda’s eyes lit up with eagerness. If she hadn’t nearly exhausted her magic from repeatedly using Combat Techniques, she might’ve challenged Caius to another round right then and there.
As expected, every time Caius gave her pointers, it opened up a whole new perspective for her. Like this time—she finally realized she had been neglecting the huge advantage that magic gave her.
She wasn’t just a swordswoman—she was a mage too!
How could she have forgotten something so crucial? That was seriously careless of her.
“Of course. I guarantee it,” Caius nodded, then let out a chuckle. “I noticed it back when I first saw you fight the Wolf Demon.”
“Then again during our second spar—it became even more obvious.”
“And now this third time? I’m completely certain. You can use magic... but you totally forget to use it in battle.”
“Girl, the way you fight makes me think you’re a little slow, you know that?”
“I am not slow!” Hilda shot back immediately, puffing up her cheeks. At this moment, she looked less like the Swan Blade Maiden and more like a little hamster.
“You can use powerful magic, yet you don’t. That’s not just forgetful—that’s a complete waste. Meanwhile, I’m over here dying to use magic and can’t. Do you know how much that hurts to watch?” Caius shook his head in mock frustration.
Hilda had no comeback. She just stood there with her cheeks puffed out, scuffing the grass with the tip of her boot to vent her frustration.
But then something occurred to her. She arched a brow and glanced at Caius. “Wait a second... did you just say you were watching me fight the Wolf Demon back then?”
“Uh...” Caius froze.
“You weren’t just passing by at all, were you? You were hiding nearby, watching me the whole time, weren’t you?” Hilda’s gaze grew sharper by the second.
Caius scratched his cheek and gave a sheepish smile. “I mean... I figured you could handle it...”
Hilda said nothing.
Instead, she drew her sword again.
Caius’ Adam’s apple bobbed.
Then he turned and bolted.
Hilda instantly gave chase.
“Oh, you jerk! You could’ve helped back then, but you just sat back and watched! See if I don’t teach you a lesson!”
“Hey, hey, don’t be mad! I didn’t know you couldn’t handle it!”
“And now you’re teasing me? Take this!”
“Hahaha, too slow~!”
