Author's Preface
A deadly standoff.
I stood before my comrade, or rather, opponent, with sword in hand.
Her body radiated intense anticipation. Her smile warped into a deadly sneer.
The woman known as Keresaspa had me in her sights, and I could no longer escape our deadly encounter.
But how did this strange scene occur? Well, if I must recall the tale, then we must look back to the previous day.
———
“LIAR!”
“…huh?”
It was 8 a.m., and Keresaspa seemed to be even more fired up than usual. Honestly, she was a difficult woman to handle. Atreides left little impression, and Derrick was meek enough not to cause issues most of the time, but this woman, Keresaspa, was more than fitting of the label “Problem Child.”
“Do you not remember?” she howled. “You swore a noble oath to me just one day prior, and you have refused any attempt to honor it!”
“Oh, is it about the sparring session?”
“But of course!”
“That…well, we were busy with training and chores, right? What’s the big deal about missing a day?”
“Hm…” Keresaspa crossed her arms and looked down with a strange expression. “It is not a matter of practicality, Ereth. It is a matter of honor! A warrior must keep their word, no matter what! Any deviation from the warrior’s way of life is but a failure.”
“Well, if that’s what you think, then I wouldn’t mind taking you on, right here, right now.”
Honestly, I didn’t dislike the concept at all. I was a warrior, after all. Fighting was the sole purpose for which I, an automaton of the Eternal Twilight, was created. The only issue lay in my greater obligations as a subject of Wisteria.
A warrior, indeed, I am, but a soldier as well.
“Now now, everyone,” Atreides interjected shortly after glancing at his pocket watch. “It’s not like we can simply fight whenever we please. Room must be reserved for us to engage properly, meaning we must consult our lieutenant first.”
Derrick, who stood behind Atreides in a cowardly position, sighed with a hint of relief. “Finally…that fighting maniac isn’t asking me for sparring sessions anymore. Good luck with that, Ereth.”
“That doesn’t exactly lift my spirits. Derrick.”
“It wasn’t meant to. Consider it more of a warning.”
“...?”
Warning? I have no intention of sounding vain, but I was more than confident in my strength. I didn’t think I’d have much of a problem with any of the Problem Children. Well, it didn’t matter anyway—no use dwelling on it.
We made our way to the lieutenant’s office and presented our case as a “Community Building Event,” but the lieutenant seemed to be well aware of this facade.
“Hm…” Her eyes were downcast, a thick, lit cigar clamped tightly between her teeth. “If you wanted to spar, then you could have simply asked for a Co-Examination. We were about due for one this week anyway.”
She exhaled a waft of smoke directly in my face. At least it didn’t smell terrible.
“The newbie here hasn’t experienced his first Co-Examination event, has he? Atreides, explain the situation properly.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said with a subtle bow. “Co-Examinations are bi-weekly events hosted in District 4 as a means of measuring the collective progress of the Problem Children. In other words, it is a sparring match disguised with a layer of corporate nonsense.”
…A tad harsh at the end, don’t you think?
Harsh enough, in fact, that Lieutenant Sahyat felt the need to intervene. “Watch your tongue, Atreides.”
He glanced at his wrist watch. “Ah. My apologies, lieutenant.”
It was strange. Or rather, he was strange.
Atreides was a man of both propriety and unbashedness, humility and pride. Even now, I could not understand this man’s character, yet his serpentine grin and dead eyes gave the impression that he could see through everyone and everything in the universe.
“Anyways, since the new kid (me) joined, I suppose he’ll be up first. Keresaspa— You somehow seem even more eager than usual. Go easy on the kid, alright?”
“Easy? On a warrior? I have no reason to restrain myself in battle!”
Lieutenant Sahyat, in a fit of annoyance, massaged her furrowed brows. “Never mind. I shouldn’t have asked. We’re leaving in 10 minutes.”
Keresaspa had no intentions of letting this go, and thus, I would meet her head-on in combat. Out of all the Problem Children, I resonated with her the most. A strong personality with a drive and ambition — there were typically the heroic figures I idolized during my time in the Eternal Twilight, but that is neither here nor there.
Today, I would display my value in earnest.
———
District 4 was the most unique of the Wisterian territories, as within its borders stood neither earth nor vegetation, but a singular body of water.
Lake Trifecta, named after its three major trading ports, covered roughly 96,716 square miles and was home to countless artificial waterways that supplied the neighboring districts. Its vital role in both the local fishing economy and the kingdom's continued prosperity, as well as its vegetation, leads many sailors to dub the region “The Sacred Lake.”
Under ordinary circumstances, any activity that could disturb the local ecosystem was strictly permitted. However, the situation was different, all due to the assistance of a certain sailor, Atreides.
“Μὴ φοβοῦ τὰ μεγάλα κύματα· μεγάλῃ γὰρ συνέσει διόψεταί τις τὸ ὑπερβάλλον κάλυμμα - Placidity .”
He uttered an incantation in a foreign tongue. In an instant, the drifting waves stilled, and the air fell suddenly still. This phenomenon was not the work of a Uniqueness, but of Magecraft, an ancient art that remained largely beyond my grasp. My father had once told me I had little talent for Magecraft because of my composition, but that was neither here nor there.
Today was not a time for reverence, but for drawing blood.
We stood atop the water’s surface roughly 10 feet apart. Face to face. Mano a mano. I could feel nothing but joy radiating from her being.
“Usual rules,” Lieutenant Sahyat said with a yawn. “Uniquenesses are strictly forbidden within the kingdom, and limit your Mang output to around 10%. Anymore, and I’ll intervene. Duel to satisfaction. Begin whenever you like.”
The lieutenant seemed rather uninterested in the whole affair. She even brought a folding chair to the sparring session. Well, she only brought one , for herself, of course. Derrick and Atreides had to stand the entire time.
But she wasn’t my priority right now. The woman before me, Keresaspa, was far more terrifying.
“Ha!”
“—?!”
The shockwave following her battle cry tore through the air. It trembled, contracted, and burst within an instant. Its intensity was unlike anything I had ever seen in this world. If this were only 10% of her output, then she’d easily defeat the Demon Child alone.
“Ah…I can feel it! The body, the stance, and even the breathing patterns — a seasoned warrior trained you!”
She could read me that easily? Measuring the opponent's breathing was a common technique utilized in all martial arts, but to analyze an opponent to this extent…she must have achieved absolute mastery!
My hands trembled in anticipation. How strong was she? What techniques did she use? How could I defeat her? I could barely contain my excitement.
I assumed a wrath stance, an offensive stance that left little room for trickery. In other words, it was a stance in which logic had gone out the window, where I intended to cut down my enemy in one swift motion.
“...!”
One step was all it took to close the gap between us. Keresaspa was fast, impossibly so, yet the skill gap was clear as day. I held the advantage.
FWSH —
I sliced at a diagonal angle. Even if I missed her neck, my blade would rend flesh, crush bone, and split sinews from her right clavicle to her left obliques. Victory was mine.
At least, that was the outcome I envisioned. Reality was far less fortunate
She twisted her body, narrowly avoiding my strike — the fool! Any competent warrior would know that spinning techniques were practically useless in armed combat. The sweeping arc of a blade was too fast for a spin to have any use. I’ll bisect her with a reverse stroke before she can even react!
She wasted her opportunity to counterattack, or rather, I forced her into a position where counterattacks were impossible.
I concentrated my energy into my legs, redirecting the momentum of my downward strike in the opposite direction — a rising strike.
But wait…why was her back leg so low? If she were going for a back-kick, then I could easily outpace her. No, it was something faster, stronger.
She had completed her rotation in the blink of an eye — a spinning elbow!
I could no longer guarantee my life if that attack landed. It was too dangerous, damn it! I must dodge!
With no other choice but evasion, I pulled my arms inward, squatted, and lowered my head just hair's breadth away from the skin of her elbow.
The wind sang. The air roared.
It is said that the elbow is the sharpest bone on the human body, capable of easily cutting through skin. If a warrior of Keresaspa’s level wielded such a technique, my life would end in an instant.
“Good instinct!”
With glee, she continued her violent onslaught. Though her strikes were indeed terrifying, I had no intention of losing ground. My pride as a warrior—no, as the son of the Legendary Hero was on the line.
Flesh met steel. Strikes met slashes. Our trading of blows created a veritable maelstrom, one that threatened to crack the very integrity of Atreides' barrier.
And then—a halt.
A brief interstice between bloodshed and preparation, where both parties regained their composure. My body remained relatively unharmed, though my breathing was ragged and heavy. Keresaspa, however, bore cuts all across her body. They were shallow wounds, wounds that any ordinary warrior was used to, but this much should have at least changed her cheerful demeanor.
And yet…
“HAHAHAHA!”
It seemed her fighting spirit had only exploded with renewed vigor.
“A great warrior you are, Ereth. A great warrior indeed.”
“I could say the same about you, Keresaspa. That body of yours is unbelievably sturdy.”
“Tis’ an area of great pride! Though something perplexes me about your behavior.”
“And what exactly would that be?”
“Why did you dodge my strike?”
“...What?”