One winter day, Ren visited Werlich’s workshop in the Imperial Capital. On his way back, he decided to stop by the Lion Holy Chancel.
"It has been quite a while, Sir Ren."
A young knight greeted him at the entrance. Despite his intimidating suit of armor, the man wore a gentle, welcoming smile.
"Are you alone today?"
"Yes. Edgar-san mentioned that I could use the inner training grounds. I thought if the timing was right, I could watch everyone’s training and learn a thing or two myself."
"Since Sir Edgar is also here today, I assumed you had an appointment. He mentioned this morning that he was preparing to give you further instruction."
"That’s a lucky coincidence, then."
The Lion Holy Chancel was as solemn and quiet as Ren remembered. He followed a wide corridor toward the training grounds. After walking a short distance, he reached a railing where he could look down at the vast area below.
Sunlight streamed through the high glass ceiling of the semi-basement facility. Ren felt the intense pressure radiating from the knights against his skin, a visceral reminder that this was no ordinary place.
"Oh?"
Edgar, who had been speaking with a group of knights, noticed Ren and hurried over. Ren was led down the stairs by his guide and met Edgar on the landing.
"If you had sent word, I would have come to receive you personally," Edgar said.
Ren knew he could reach Edgar at his inn, where he usually stayed while Lord Ulysses attended to social duties in the capital.
"I just came today hoping to watch the training or see if someone would be willing to spar with me."
"That is excellent timing. Since I am here today, I shall be your partner."
Because it was the season for endless parties in the capital, Ulysses was frequently occupied, leaving Edgar with more time than usual to spend at the Chancel.
Ren stepped onto the main floor of the training grounds.
"You are Sir Ren, I take it?"
A large, dignified knight approached them.
"Yes. I am Ren Ashton," Ren replied without hesitation.
"Seeing you in person, you certainly look promising, but I find myself a bit conflicted."
"Conflicted?"
"Sir Edgar asked me to partner with you should you visit. However, I worry about accidentally causing you injury."
Other knights nearby joined in.
"If you were one of our own, we would have no reservations. But using Strong Sword Arts is exhausting work for one so young."
"And yet, I heard he managed to withstand Sir Edgar’s own blade..."
The knights gathered, their faces clouded with hesitation. Edgar stepped forward to settle the matter.
"I shall address their concerns. Master Ren, please prepare yourself. There are training swords along the wall; choose whichever you prefer."
As soon as Ren walked away, Edgar quietly informed the knights that Ren had already crushed the mana crystal inside the training bottle. The knights fell into a stunned silence.
The large knight laughed, though his eyes now held a new spark of interest.
"Sir Ren, if you are willing, I would be honored to spar with you."
Ren returned and looked to Edgar for guidance.
"I shall observe your form and provide technical advice throughout the match," Edgar decided.
Ren’s heart raced with excitement. Facing a Strong Sword User wielding a massive blade, he took his stance without the slightest hint of fear. Sensing his shift in demeanor, the atmosphere among the watching knights changed instantly. Their instincts told them Ren’s talent was the real thing.
The bout began. Ren’s movements were sharper and faster than the large knight had anticipated. Displaying agility that defied his massive build, the knight swung his heavy sword horizontally to intercept Ren’s frontal assault.
"Ugh... what is this!?"
The knight felt none of the localized impact unique to Strong Sword Arts. Ren hadn't mastered the Shroud yet, but that was exactly what made him terrifying. Even without the Shroud, the force of his blow felt like receiving a strike from a seasoned Strong Sword User.
Sweat beaded on the knight's forehead as he realized the potential Ren held.
"It seems my worries about injuring you were quite disrespectful!"
The man countered, swinging his massive sword in a return stroke. Despite the difference in their sizes, Ren’s core was incredibly stable; he wasn't blown back as far as the knight expected. The heavy blade whistled through the air, aimed squarely at Ren’s flank.
Ren brought his sword around to intercept the strike.
The impact vibrated through his very bones, making his expression twist for a moment. The sheer force sent him tumbling across the ground, but he managed to roll and regain his footing instantly. There was no pain, only a fierce numbness in his hands that he forced himself to ignore as he retook his stance.
"Not yet!"
"Tch... Even though I'm holding back, to think you'd stand up so quickly after taking a hit from a Sword Expert-class!"
The power behind a Sword Expert’s strike was enough to rattle a person’s soul. Had this been the previous summer, Ren wouldn't have been able to stand his ground at all.
I’m almost there. I can feel it.
It was the same feeling he’d had when sparring with Edgar. Every time he felt the impact of a Strong Sword Art against his body, he wasn't just taking the hit—his muscles and nerves were learning how to process it.
Ren wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at the knight.
"Could we go again?"
The knights could only watch in amazement.
After returning to Erendil later that day, Ren nearly fell asleep in the bath. He eventually dragged his heavy limbs out, dressed, and joined Lithia and Baron Lezard for dinner.
"Ren? You look absolutely exhausted. Did something happen?"
"I stopped by the Lion Holy Chancel. My body is moving better than it did last summer, so I ended up overdoing it a bit."
Lithia laughed softly. "That sounds just like you."
"I know you’re eager to train as well, Lithia," Lezard added, "but please bear with me. Given the recent political turmoil, I need to stay close to the social circles to monitor the other factions. We have many parties to attend."
"I know. I understand," Lithia said, though her disappointment was clear.
The following morning, Ren was back at the training grounds. The same large knight greeted him.
"You're here early."
"I'm still a student. I have to work hard whenever I have the chance."
"A fine attitude. I wish some of our younger knights shared it. Too many think that reaching the rank of regular knight is the finish line. That kind of mental laziness is a disease."
The man began to stretch, and Ren followed suit. As they prepared, the dark winter sky slowly turned to a pale morning light.
A week passed in this manner. Ren immersed himself completely in the Strong Sword Arts. Since Lithia and the Baron were occupied with noble duties, the timing was perfect.
One morning, Edgar watched from the sidelines, stroking his beard.
"Did you notice, Sir Edgar?" a knight asked, approaching him.
"Since when?"
"Yesterday. Sir Ren pushes himself until his body refuses to move. He is on the verge of an epiphany."
Ren’s body was clearly battered from days of absorbing heavy strikes, yet his resolve never wavered.
"He is mastering the Shroud at a terrifying speed," the knight whispered.
"It isn't surprising," Edgar replied. "Given his innate talent and his tireless work ethic, this was inevitable. By letting his body experience the Strong Sword over and over, he is forcing it to learn the sensation."
Edgar turned to leave.
"Aren't you going to speak with him?"
"No. It is better if I don't interrupt him right now."
Watching Ren fall to his knees under the weight of a strike only to stand back up with fire in his eyes, Edgar felt a surge of pride. Ren was in the middle of a breakthrough; a single word from outside might break his concentration.
By mid-afternoon, Ren decided to head out early as he had other errands to run.
I'm so close. I can feel the answer right there...
Despite the grueling training, his unnatural recovery speed allowed him to walk normally. Strong Sword Arts occupied his every waking thought—while eating, before bed, even in the bath.
Back at the manor, Lithia told him every single day, "Just make sure you don't get hurt." Her kindness was the foundation that allowed him to push himself so far.
As Ren walked down the main street toward a quiet restaurant in an alley, he was lost in thought.
Nearby, several girls from the Imperial Military Academy were walking together. Among them, one girl stood out so much that she drew the gaze of everyone on the street.
Fiona Ignat.
Her silken black hair swayed as she walked. Suddenly, she stopped.
"Eh?"
She thought she saw a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye. She looked toward the other side of the crowded street, searching for a specific boy.
"Ren...?"
She ducked through the crowd, trying to reach the other side, but he was already gone.
"Was I just imagining things?" she whispered, a sharp pang of loneliness tightening her chest.
"Lady Ignat! Is something wrong?" her classmates called out.
"No... it's nothing. I'm sorry."
She forced a brave smile, but the ache in her heart remained. She looked up at the gray, cloud-covered sky, which reminded her of the days they had spent together in the Baldur Mountains.
She continued walking with her friends, listening as the conversation turned to more somber topics.
"I heard the Bishop is still missing. People are saying the Demon King Cult might have taken him."
"I heard that too. It's horrible... Bishop Renidas did so much for the provinces. Why would they target someone like him?"
Fiona listened, her expression darkening. "I hope the threat of the Demon King Cult vanishes as soon as possible," she said firmly, remembering her own brush with the cultists.
The next day, Edgar accompanied Ren for the entire session. He asked the large knight to spar with Ren again, focusing on a review of everything they’d covered.
The match was different from the start. Although Ren was still struggling against the sheer weight of the knight's power, his movements were transformed. There was a newfound composure in his blade that allowed him to parry the heavy shocks. His center of gravity was low and unshakable.
During a particularly fierce exchange, the knight swung his massive sword down with everything he had. Ren took the blow head-on.
Wait—
For the first time, the impact didn't rattle him. He didn't know why, but he had fully neutralized the force.
Edgar smiled. The large knight muttered, "Finally."
Ren’s body swayed slightly, his muscles screaming for a break.
"That is enough for now. Let us break for lunch," Edgar announced.
Ren thanked his partner and followed Edgar outside. As they left, another knight approached the large man.
"Hey, that last strike... was that it?"
"Yeah," the man said, looking at his hands. "No doubt about it." His palms were still stinging with a sharp numbness.
Ren walked in silence, his mind racing. Suddenly, he felt a strange heat. It started deep within his body, in the same place where he usually felt the shock of an incoming blow, but this time the power was his own. It flowed through his arms and into his hands.
"This is..."
The violent throbbing in his muscles subsided. The heat reached a peak and then vanished, taking all his fatigue with it. His hands felt light, his fingertips buzzing with energy.
"So, you’ve opened the door," Edgar whispered.
The other knights watched with bated breath as Ren stopped in the center of the yard.
"Could we try one more time?" Ren asked.
"Gladly!" the large knight roared. He gripped his heavy sword with newfound intensity, his own blood boiling with excitement.
The knight unleashed a devastating swing. Ren moved with a relaxed, almost slow motion that somehow resulted in a lightning-fast guard. He intercepted the strike while standing perfectly still.
A thunderous crack echoed through the atrium as steel met steel. Ren’s hands didn't move an inch. Instead, it was the large knight who was forced back by the recoil.
Ren shifted his grip and stepped in.
"Hyaaaaah!"
As the knight blocked Ren's strike, a massive shockwave erupted between them, shaking the very air and filling the training hall.
The knight’s sword hit the ground with a loud clang. He stood there, panting, a wide grin on his face.
"To think you’d reach this level so quickly."
Ren’s tireless effort had finally paid off. Combined with his natural talent and the guidance he’d received, he had crossed the threshold.
"Edgar-san, was that...?"
"Yes," Edgar replied. "There is no mistake."
The boy who had spent weeks honing his blade had finally grasped the sensation he’d been chasing.
"Master Ren... as of today, you are officially a Strong Sword User."
The art of the founder, the Lion King's Sword, had found a new practitioner. A new Strong Sword User had been born within the walls of the Lion Holy Chancel.