The previous day
Reida watched as the Sword God, Gal walked into the dojo space they had been talking in, she had wondered why he chose to bring his disciples himself when he could have sent Nina, who is sitting to the side.
But as she watches the two walking behind him, she understood it.
Looking at the annoyed Eris who had her spar interrupted, she reflexively moved a hand to her sword. Eris reminded her of a beast by the roadside, only that the violence nature that was emanating from her was very contained.
Watching the way Eris walks and her center of balance, Reida was convinced that she was strong, perhaps even stronger than Saint… but she could also tell that Eris was a very impatient person, which would make it next to impossible for her to learn the Water God Style.
Then she looked to the boy next to her, Ollie and the only description that came to her mind was 'carefree'.
Walking with a small smile on his face, Ollie didn't exude the aura of a swordsman in any way and one look at him, she can see that he is full of openings, even more so than the average swordsmen living in the town.
With her sharp eyesight, she can easily see the palm of Ollie's hands and notice that he lacks the blisters that a swordsman from the Holy Land of Swords should have.
Basically she reminds him of someone who is only learning the sword due to a shallow reason. Someone who is not putting any effort to learn the sword.
Unlike Eris, a starving wild beast, Ollie looks like a prey even though he is a beast kin.
So what is this unease that she feels just from looking at him?
To be honest, the reason Reida had moved her hand to her sword was due to Ollie, he is full of openings, so why does she feel like the only reason her blade would reach him is if he allows it?
Goodness… Gal-boy, just what sort of monsters are you raising here?
"What's got your panties in a twist, old bones?" Gal says with a hint of amusement as he takes a seat in the head of the dojo.
"Huhuhu… you have some very interesting youngsters here, are you sure this old lady can keep up?" She says with a teasing tone.
"Hmph, come off that… anyways, these are the people I want you to teach." Gal says.
"Oi, oi, oi, me too? This isn't what we agreed on, old man." Ollie who is sitting beside Eris voices his complaints. "I thought I was exempted from training already."
"Hmm, it's true that you don't really need it, but isn't it better to have some experience on it than none? This is not an opportunity that comes twice after all, you know?" Gal replies easily.
"Ollie, it's okay if you learn it as well." Eris' voice cuts in.
"Eh? You too Eris? Why do you think so though?"
"Because I get stronger when I spar with you, so if you learn the Water God Style, I'm sure I will be able to pick it up faster from you." Eris says.
"Eh? There is no merit for me in that transaction though." Ollie observes.
"And to be honest, I would prefer a cute girl like this one to train me instead of this obaa-san… I'm a growing boy after all so I would need motivation for this kind of thing." Ollie gestures to Isolte who looks caught off by his words.
"Eh, cute? Me?"
"Ohoho, I will have you know I was a very delicate flower in my youth." Reida laughs as she replies to Ollie.
"Then bring that youth back!" He replies reflexively as Reida laughs.
"It's nice that youngsters are so energetic…" She says. "But this, Sword God… for this lass here, teaching her would be a waste of time as she's not suitable for the Water God Style…" She gestures to Eris who grumbles. "As for the lad, he definitely has the attitude so he could learn it, but he doesn't seem committed so he might give up halfway."
"You don't have to worry about that. It's fine as long as Eris has an opponent of the Water God Style. As for the brat, although his reason for learning the sword is less than ideal, I can say confidently that he would easily get to Water King level." Gal says.
"Oh?"
Ollie has an embarrassed expression as everyone looks at him.
"So, what about the lass. Just who does she intend to cut with her blade?" Reida asks.
"Orsted, she wants to cut the Dragon God, Orsted." Gal says with a grin.
"Orsted? Good grief… that's quite the flamboyant undertaking. Can she do such a thing?" She questions.
True, telling someone that Eris whose official rank is only Sword Saint, plans to fight Orsted, the second of Seven Major World Powers would be seen as delusional. It is only the respect Reida has for Gal that makes her not brush it off.
"I wouldn't call you here if I didn't think she could. Especially with her current improvements." Gal says seriously.
"Improvements huh? I see, I see. Well, that's fine then."
Reida doesn't know if the girl would be capable of such a thing but she also thinks it's an interesting development.
"To be honest, I don't know how to go about her training, so how about a bout with my student? So I can see what she's capable of?"
"Well, that's fine. How about it Eris?" Gal says looking at Eris.
"Okay…" Eris says as she stands up to pick a wooden sword. "Sparring with Ollie was more fun though." She says.
Eris is still a little bit annoyed from her interrupted spar.
"That's how it is. Isolte." Reida says.
"Yes, Oshishou-sama." Isolte replies as she goes to pick a wooden sword as well.
"I am Water King, Isolte Cruel. Pleased to make your acquaintance." Isolte says looking to Eris, Nina and then Ollie.
"I'm the Sword Saint, Nina Farion, nice to meet you."
"Eris Greyrat…"
"Ah, I'm Oliver but you can call me Ollie. My acquaintance is probably not the only thing you would be making though."
"What?"
"What?"
"You know, I've wondered before, you don't have a last name, Ollie?" Nina asks, cutting into the stare off of Ollie and Isolte.
"Eh? I do though."
"Really? What is it?"
"I'm sorry, the only way I can tell you is if you are going to use it to replace your own last name." Ollie says smirking.
"Replace my…" She blushes as she realizes the implication. "Th-that's not why I asked." She says as he laughs.
"Alright, alright that's enough. Both of you, begin." Gal's voice ends the nonchalant vibes taking over place.
***
Eris had won against Isolte.
Isolte had lost in one strike based on technicality.
It's not like Isolte is not a good swordsman or anything like that, there are only few in the dojo who could beat her and since she is a Sword King, she is definitely strong as well.
The abnormality is Eris.
Ollie might have created a monster.
At the signal of the start of the bout, Eris had moved without any resistance.
Isolte definitely saw Eris attack coming and even though she had moved to parry it, she didn't expect that sort of heaviness or swiftness from a Sword Saint, so her wooden sword shattered from the impact instead, even Eris had a look of surprise on her face as if not believing her own strength.
Eris did not use any of the enhancement skill Ollie had taught her, she had only fought with the normal subconscious use of touki she always wears.
So where did that speed and strength come from?
In truth, Eris only won due to her sheer physical abilities which has improved greatly recently. Eris strike was too fast for Isolte's reflexes to keep up.
The bout was called as Isolte lost her sword.
"This is definitely interesting. You were absent for 3 months and you have already progressed this much? Just how did you do it?" Gal observes, someone getting the basics of swordsmanship down in a few months is not unnatural but what is unnatural is Eris speed and strength which has grown by leaps and bounds, even her movements and wild strike looked more refined that they usually do.
"Even if you ask me that, all I did was spar with Ollie every day…" Eris says looking at her wooden sword which has cracks on it.
"You are strong… the match might have been different if it was real swords." She adds begrudgingly to Isolte who is standing before her.
"Oho? That's a good judgment." Although Reida says that, she was not expecting Eris to win, especially not in the first strike. She is not mad about the outcome though as she believes that this would help her student who has grown conceited due to being strong.
"Ah, thank you very much, it seems like I still have much to improve on." Isolte says earnestly to Eris.
Normally a swordsman would take a hit to their pride if they were defeated by someone on a lower rank than them, but for the cool headed Isolte, this is a learning experience and she would be a fool if she didn't recognize that.
The battle that followed was the same as well, Nina had won against Isolte.
Although it was not in one strike due to Isolte trying to avoid something like that, she had still lost against Nina.
At that point, Isolte was pouting a bit.
Reida seemed to have expected Nina's victory even though Nina didn't think she would win.
After having her worldview shattered, Nina has become very humble, she is aware of her strengths and weaknesses which is why she sought to improve herself as well. The Nina of now is someone who has a natural affinity towards the Water God Style, her attacks are devoid of the fury that accompanies a user of the Sword God Style.
As Reida and Gal discuss in the background. "You girls are really amazing." Ollie says as he passes a towel to each of them.
"Ah, thank you for your hospitality, Oliver-san, was it?" Isolte says as she receives it.
"It might seem like hospitality to you but I'm actually just furthering my own goals, don't mind it and please call me Ollie, my lady." Ollie says with a noble demeanor.
"Ah, is that so? Then thank you, Ollie." Isolte says with a smile, face a bit red but it's probably just the heat.
"Ollie, I have this feeling you are planning something mischievous." Eris says.
"Oh, you too Eris?" Nina agrees as she squints her eyes at Ollie.
"Hahahaha, you break my heart, I'll have you know that I'm always planning something mischievous." Ollie says easily.
"Anyways, do you guys—"
"How about it brat?" Gal's voice cuts into their conversation as everyone turns their attention to him.
"How about what?" Ollie tilts his head.
"A spar with the Water God." He says.
"Eh? With Oshishou-sama?" Isolte asks, looking at Reida with wide eyes.
"That sounds like a pain in the ass though… and wouldn't it cause problems if I was to somehow win?"
Everyone displays various expressions at Ollie's nonchalant words.
Isolte looks at him incredulously wondering if he does not realize how absurd his statement sounds. The peak of the Water God Style is not something you "somehow" win against.
Eris' expression does not change, she believes Ollie can win. After all, she has fought with him almost everyday and she has neither seen him struggle nor break a sweat. Eris thinks there is a lot more skill that Ollie has not displayed either.
Nina has a complicated expression, on one had, she has seen Ollie easily subdue Eris and also spar with her father, so she knows he is capable but on the other hand, it's a Water God! Not Saint or Emperor but God… yeah, she can't understand what is going through his head.
In response, Gal just looks at Reida with a face that says "well?"
Reida laughed heartily. "I can sense no bravado in your words, very interesting. Don't worry about such formalities, I am just a little bit curious is all." Saying so, she walks to the swords rack and picks a wooden sword. "How about it, lad?"
"Alright then… you better not die on me granny." Sighing, Ollie goes to pick a sword as well while Reida laughs.
"Don't worry, these old bones are tough."
The moment Ollie took a stance in front of Reida, she finally understood the unease she felt earlier.
Ollie who has until now been full of more openings than Swiss cheese now stands with nary an opening in sight, he holds the wooden sword as if it's an extension of himself as he falls into a comfortable stance. The view of him would make someone think twice before approaching.
"I-is he a Sword Emperor?" Isolte finds herself asking, and the only reason she is not asking if he is the Sword God is because the Sword God is sitting in the dojo with them.
"Ollie became a Sword King about three months ago…" Nina replies equally surprised. She can tell Ollie is a lot different from the time he sparred with her father.
Is it possible to grow so much in 3 months? She wonder.
"And Ollie probably doesn't realize it but whenever he holds a sword, his whole demeanor changes." Eris adds.
"Alright then… don't blink granny." Shortly after saying those words, Ollie is already crouching before the Water God, his sword coming from below and going upwards.
As Reida starts to bring her sword down, without any delay, Ollie changes his stance mid swing, his blade curves about ninety degrees to the right as he takes a diagonal swing.
Seeing the fine transition in attack pattern, Reida uses the flow technique to reverse the force of Ollie's swing that was approaching her neck.
Secret Art: Flow.
Their swords clash against each other.
SWOOSH!!
Waves of air spreads around the dojo.
"Ah…" Ollie says as he takes a relaxed position, his previous focus gone entirely. "What's up with all these swords, everyone I've used always breaks and it's not like I was putting too much force on it."
The result of the clash pushed Reida back and destroyed both opponent' swords even though it had been infused with touki.
Isolte has a look of disbelief on her face, the Water God had undoubtedly reversed the force of Ollie's blade but yet she was still pushed back by it.
"Amazing." Nina voices her surprise, the way Ollie had changed his stance mid swing would have made someone need a healer immediately but yet he did it with such finesse.
Gal watches with his chin resting on his hand while Eris has a proud look on her face.
Reida laughs eagerly, her wrinkles appearing more pronounced. "I see. I see. The world really is big, isn't it?"
She recalls that Gal had said Ollie could easily get to Water King but feeling the dull throb in her hand, she thinks that is an understatement.
What inhuman body control.
Reida can tell from that one strike.
She can't win against him.
And it does not help that she feels like he was holding back as well.
"Where did you pick up such an interesting fellow, Gal-boy?"
"I didn't pick him up, he came here on his own." Gal replies.
"Is that so? Well, I wouldn't mind teaching him the Water God techniques." She says, sitting, a smile still on her face as she looks at Ollie and Isolte.
"Then…"
And so, Gal and Reida hashed out the details of the training.
It seems like this would be interesting after all.