This was a memory from when Wayne and Sera were very young, during a time when the members of House Riohard had traveled to the village where Wayne was born. It happened when Sera had slipped away from her guards and wandered into the forest alone.
"This is why I tell you, milady, you're being far too reckless."
Wayne, a boy no older than the girl herself, spoke as he stood before her while she crouched beneath a tree. This, too, was an event from the Legend of the Seven Heroes that Ren remembered.
"What... are you making fun of me too? You think I'm weak. You think I can't even kill a single monster, don't you?"
"What's gotten into you? You just suddenly ran off into the forest..."
"Because the village chief said it! He said the food supplies are dropping because of monster attacks! If I can defeat those monsters, my father will finally have to acknowledge me!"
In her childhood, Sera had been desperate to prove her strength, more so than she was now. As a descendant of the great Gajil Riohard, she felt a constant, gnawing impatience.
"If I don't try harder, I'll just keep being left behind by that girl."
"That girl?"
"A girl I met in the Imperial Capital. She was so strong. I worked so hard, but I lost to her every single time."
Even then, Wayne knew that Sera was strong. He was surprised to hear that someone stronger existed, but he couldn't dwell on that now. Shaking his head, he reached out and took her hand.
"Let's go home, milady."
"And if I say no?"
"Will you? Weren't you just hiding here, trembling because of that pack of Little Boars?"
"I—I was not!"
"Well... maybe you weren't, but you don't look like you're in any state to fight."
He spoke carefully to avoid provoking her, gently tugging her hand. Sera finally let out a sigh and stood up.
It was shortly after that Wayne encountered his first boss-level enemy. It was a brutal struggle against a monster, but the two children fought together with everything they had. By the end, they were cornered, pushed to the brink of despair.
"Haah... haah... not like this..."
Gasping for air, the young boy stood before Sera, shielding her with a rusted iron sword. Though his consciousness was fading, he squeezed out every ounce of his strength and swung his blade upward.
In that moment, the ordinary, rusted iron sword erupted with a dazzling flash of light.
When Heroic Duke Riohard finally arrived, he witnessed a holy power he could scarcely believe. Wayne, kneeling before a trembling Sera, had achieved victory by manifesting a mere fragment of the Hero's power.
Because the flash vanished instantly, it couldn't be confirmed beyond a doubt, but the Heroic Duke made a silent prediction and decided then to invite Wayne to the Imperial Capital. It also helped that his daughter, Sera, refused to leave the boy's side.
Wayne didn't know why, but he had dreamed of that day last night. As a result, he didn't feel like he’d slept at all, and his body felt heavier than usual.
"Yawn..."
Rubbing his sleepy eyes, he sat up in bed, straightened his clothes, and stepped out into the hallway. Kaito emerged from the room to his right, followed by Sharo from the room to his left.
"Yo. Sleep well?" Kaito asked.
"Well enough. But we were up so late talking that I'm still exhausted."
Sharo gave him a mischievous grin. "In that case, would you like a lap pillow from your big sister?"
"...Please, give me a break."
"Ehh, no need to be shy."
Fending off Sharo's usual teasing, Wayne gave his body a long stretch. The three of them walked toward the hall where they had gathered the night before. Sera and Nemu joined them shortly after they began breakfast.
After a while, Sera turned to Kaito. "Is it true this Magic Ship has its own training ground?"
"Yeah! It's about as big as the one at the Academy."
"Then let's go later. I want to move around a bit."
They were scheduled to arrive at the Leonall Territory before noon, but they wanted to work off some of the lingering tension in their bodies before they landed. Sharo, pressing a finger to her lips, suddenly had a thought.
"Training is fine, but we have Academy assignments starting this afternoon."
"Wait, wait! Sharo! We'll be in my territory by noon!" Kaito protested. "We'll be heading to the manor in a carriage through the city!"
"Which is why I'm saying we should study during the trip. We have parties and events coming up, so we won't have much free time. We have to do it when we can."
"Ugh... I know, I know... but please, Sharo, don't say that again until the last second. It's depressing."
"Fine, fine... I get it."
After a brief rest, they headed down to the training ground in the lower levels of the ship. Stepping into the facility, which looked remarkably like the Academy's, Wayne asked, "Why put a training ground inside a Magic Ship?"
"My old man's predecessor believed you should train every day, no matter what. So, he had this custom-built so they could keep their edges sharp even while traveling."
They spent the morning sparring in a round-robin style, honing their teamwork in pairs. After a while, Kaito collapsed spread-eagled on the stone floor. A few seconds later, the Magic Ship vibrated slightly.
"I'm taking a breather. You guys keep going... Oh, looks like we're almost there."
Wayne looked out a nearby window. Their destination, the Magic Ship Landing, was coming into view.
"We've dropped a lot of altitude."
The largest landing in the Leonall Heroic Ducal Territory was a unique facility built into a cape. Ships and warships would enter a massive hollowed-out cavern within the cliffside where the sea flowed in. The cavern was enormous—large enough to fit Ren’s entire village with room to spare. The cavern floor served as a port with a high ceiling, and several buildings led up to the surface. On top of the cliff, a multi-story Magic Ship Landing had been established.
As the ship descended, their training session drew to a close.
"Sharo-senpai, could I have one last one-on-one with you?" Wayne asked.
"Sure. I'll play nice."
Even in a duel, the difference in their weapons was stark. Wayne, still catching his breath after sparring with Sera, watched Sharo as he considered his strategy. If he stayed at a distance, Sharo had an overwhelming advantage. Closing the gap on her was a nightmare, even for Kaito and his defensive style.
However, Wayne insisted on starting from a distance.
"Are you sure?" she asked.
"I'm serious. I feel like I'm finally on the verge of grasping something. I think it's really important."
Sera, who had spent more time with Wayne than anyone, hadn't mentioned it, but she had dreamed of the past last night as well. Perhaps because of that, she smiled as she watched him.
"Wayne," she called out. "Do your best. I'm rooting for you."
"Yeah! Just watch!"
The lopsided match began, and as expected, Sharo held the absolute advantage. Her speed in drawing and firing arrows from her quiver was elite. Even if Wayne blocked one, another followed instantly. Her barrage was endless, and she occasionally mixed in arrows made of wind magic.
"Wayne! You're quite the man today!" she teased.
He managed to close the gap by a few steps, only to be met by a volley of magical arrows.
"Ugh...!"
He parried the wind-fast arrows with his sword. It was actually easier when she was using physical arrows. These magical projectiles created by Sharo, a master of wind, were far more difficult to deflect. Even if he struck them, the resulting gusts buffeted his body, making it nearly impossible to get closer.
"Keep going!" Sera cheered.
Wayne dug in, stepping forward with renewed strength. He swung his sword horizontally, cutting through the wind. Just as everyone began to think he might actually pull it off...
The Magic Ship lurched with a violent, unnatural shudder.
Wayne stopped in his tracks, and Sharo dispersed her magic. Everyone who had been sitting stood up, looking at each other in confusion.
"Something's wrong," Kaito muttered.
They ran out of the training ground and found Heroic Duke Leonall waiting for them. He was a tall, dignified man. Though he appeared slender at a glance, he was packed with lean muscle and radiated an overwhelming aura of authority.
"Father! Is there a problem?"
"Monsters have appeared above the ship. A pack of Forest-Devourers."
"Are we going to be okay?"
"Yes. Most have been taken out by the ship's magic weapons, but a few will inevitably break through and reach the deck. I will deal with those personally."
The Heroic Duke was a powerhouse in his own right. In addition to his family's shield techniques, he was a Sword Saint in both Holy Sword Arts and Imperial Swordsmanship.
"Father, let me fight too," Kaito insisted.
There was no time for safety concerns. The Heroic Duke nodded, acknowledging his son's resolve. Wayne stepped up and patted Kaito's shoulder.
"You're not doing this alone. We're in too."
Sera, Nemu, and Sharo all nodded in agreement.
The pack of flying monsters was growing more aggressive. Although the ship's defenses were handling most of them, several managed to swoop down toward the deck.
"To target my ship... how foolish," the Heroic Duke muttered. He stood at the center of the deck and braced his greatshield.
A wall of mana erupted from the shield, expanding to create a jade-colored barrier that shielded the ship and everyone on it. The barrier was semi-transparent, allowing them to see the confusion on the monsters' faces as they slammed into it.
"Ha!"
Sharo released an arrow, one infused with far more mana than she had used against Wayne. The Heroic Duke's barrier allowed friendly attacks to pass through while blocking the enemy, and her shots tore through the flying beasts.
"We have to move!" Sera shouted.
As monsters approached from another angle, the group split up to intercept them. Wayne’s blade easily carved through the bodies of the approaching Forest-Devourers. Despite their numbers, the group held their own.
Kaito, determined not to be outshined by his father, held the line with his greatshield. "Attacking us out of nowhere... are they after the Silver King Shield Airia?"
The monsters didn't answer. Forest-Devourers were lower-tier C-rank monsters, but they were still formidable in a swarm. Normally, this would have been a desperate struggle, but this was no normal group of students. They struck down their foes with professional efficiency. With the Heroic Duke present and the ship's weapons firing, the battle seemed well under control.
However, Wayne suddenly felt a shiver run down his spine.
(What... was that?)
For a fleeting second, he felt a crushing pressure from the sea below, as if something were glaring at him. He glanced over the railing, but the poor weather made it hard to see anything. The presence vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
"Wayne! Here they come!"
"R-Right!"
Snapping back to attention, Wayne struck down a Forest-Devourer on the deck, sending its corpse tumbling into the sea.
"Not bad, Wayne!" Sharo called out.
"You too, Sharo-senpai!"
They fought for several more minutes until the last Forest-Devourer fell.
"Trivial," the Heroic Duke declared, ending the combat.
Warships were approaching from the nearby port. It would still take time to dock at the Magic Ship Landing, but they were almost safe. As the weather began to settle, the ship continued its slow descent.
(There it is again...)
While the others were catching their breath, Wayne was the only one who remained alert. He stared down at the water, his brow furrowed.
"Wayne?" Sharo asked, stepping up beside him.
He didn't answer. He kept his eyes fixed on the sea, his entire body tensed.
"It's not over!"
The boy who carried the blood of Hero Ruin spoke with absolute certainty. The sword he held was the one gifted by Heroic Duke Riohard—a masterpiece that Sera couldn't handle, which had been passed to Wayne. Driven by a sudden, inexplicable sense of duty, Wayne broke into a run. The other descendants followed him.
Standing at the very edge of the deck, Wayne focused on the waters below. The sea was churning, waves rising in irregular, violent patterns. It was as if a massive balloon were inflating beneath the surface. Suddenly, colossal pillars of water erupted from the sea, higher than the descending Magic Ship, and slammed into their path.
The Heroic Duke and the others finally saw the source of the attack: Wadatsumi, Messenger of the Giant God.
The creature was roughly thirty meters long, with a thick, serpentine body covered in beautiful, jewel-like pale blue scales. Deep blue fins adorned its neck and waist, making it look as elegant as a celestial dancer.
It let out a roar that shook the very ocean.
Small droplets of water began to fire from the water pillars. Each one was imbued with Wadatsumi's mana, possessing the lethal force of a high-caliber bullet. They peppered the Magic Ship like a hailstorm.
The ship lurched, but it didn't fall.
"You underestimate the House of Leonall, beast of the Demon Continent!"
Heroic Duke Leonall unleashed an even greater power, projecting a massive barrier that enveloped the entire vessel. The mana wall deflected the water magic, the air filling with the thunderous sound of the impacts.
In the original game lore, this battle shouldn't have happened here. This was outside the scope of Ren's knowledge. But as the fight intensified, the group fell into their roles.
"What's a monster from the Demon Continent to us? Right, Wayne?" Kaito yelled.
"Yeah! We have to take it down!"
"Wait, you two! If you do something reckless... Ugh, fine! Sharo! Support us with Nemu! We'll hold the front!" Sera commanded.
"Got it! Just go!"
The scene mirrored the Legend of the Seven Heroes almost perfectly, save for the location and the presence of the Heroic Duke. The tension and the enemy's strength were exactly as described.
Wadatsumi continued its assault from beneath the waves. Realizing it couldn't bring the ship down from below, it unleashed a more powerful magic. Massive water pillars rose up, surrounding the Magic Ship like a cage of swirling water. The dark blue water shimmered like an aurora, overflowing with ultra-dense mana.
The ship was now flying through a wide, clear space within this cage of water—a space so large that Wadatsumi could swim freely within its walls.
"Oh, come on! What is that thing doing?" Kaito shouted in alarm.
The Heroic Duke read the situation calmly. "If we don't break through that water barrier, we can't even fight back."
"Father, then...!"
"We either use brute force, or..." He looked at his son. "The holy power of the Silver King Shield Airia."
The shield possessed a powerful anti-magic property. It could block Wadatsumi's attacks and perhaps even shatter the water cage. But the enemy was clearly targeting the shield. Bringing it out now was a gamble.
Just as they hesitated, a tentacle-like stream of water snaked out from the barrier toward the ship. As it slammed into them, Wadatsumi arched its body in the water, the two horns on its head glowing with a brilliant light.
"Kaito! Hurry!" the Heroic Duke roared.
Kaito sprinted forward. The Heroic Duke braced his greatshield and took a deep breath, projecting a massive, reinforced mana wall at the front of the deck. Wadatsumi let out a muffled roar beneath the water and opened its maw.
A powerful breath attack erupted from the beast. It wasn't just water; it was like a flame the color of the deep blue sea. It tore through the water barrier and surged toward the ship, spreading like buckshot and carrying a wind that sliced like a blade.
The Heroic Duke's barrier held firm. Taking advantage of the opening, the ship's magic weapons fired, causing the water cage to vibrate.
Kaito returned a few seconds later, the Silver King Shield Airia in his hands glowing with a faint, steady light.
"Father!"
"With me, Kaito!"
Kaito ran to his father's side and braced the shield. Wadatsumi’s crimson eyes flared as it prepared another breath attack.
"This is the shield that blocked the Demon King himself!" Kaito shouted.
He slammed the base of the shield into the deck, and a silver aura exploded outward. The legendary shield, silent for centuries, finally demonstrated its true power. When the breath attack hit the silver barrier, it was instantly pulverized. The light from the impact drifted through the air, reaching Wadatsumi and causing the water around it to spark and churn.
"I'll say it again!" Kaito yelled, despite the heavy drain on his mana. He stood with defiant pride. "This is the shield that protected the Hero from the Demon King!"
He deployed the barrier again, but this time, he shoved it forward. Instead of just blocking, the shield sent a wave of silver light directly into the water cage. The barrier shattered, and the light slammed into Wadatsumi, forcing it back.
The water cage collapsed, and the massive weight of the sea pulled Wadatsumi down. Its glowing crimson eyes dimmed, and the magical barrier returned to ordinary seawater.
"Grab onto something!" the Heroic Duke ordered.
The group braced themselves as the massive volume of water fell from the sky. They used their magic and Arts to deflect the water and clung to railings to avoid being washed overboard. Drenched and gasping, they finally regained their footing.
"We did it...!"
"Kaito-senpai!"
Wayne caught Kaito as he nearly collapsed from exhaustion. They shared a triumphant smile, ready to celebrate.
But it wasn't over.
The enemy was preparing one last, desperate strike. In the original game, the battle would have ended with the monster fleeing, but something was different here. As it fell, Wadatsumi let out a roar that tore through the air.
Wayne was the first to move. Thinking of Ren, and his desire to be just as strong, he threw himself forward.
(I won't just be the one who gets protected anymore.)
He remembered what Ren had told him before the tournament—that he refused to lose because he had people to protect. Wayne tapped into that same resolve.
"I'm not staying the same either!"
As Wadatsumi fired its final breath, Wayne stood at the edge of the deck and raised his sword. Water pillars rose from the sea, morphing into massive arms of water that lunged at him. Kaito and the Heroic Duke moved to protect him, but they froze when they saw the dull light emanating from Wayne's blade.
Sera, though exhausted, couldn't help but smile. "Just like back then, Wayne."
Wayne's sword, now shrouded in light, swung with a fierce cry. "Haaaaaaah!"
He sliced through the arms of water and sent the breath attack spiraling harmlessly into the sky. It wasn't a full awakening—nothing like the legendary power he would one day use against Asval—but it was unmistakably a fragment of Hero Ruin's power, just as it had been when he saved Sera as a child.
Gasping for breath, Wayne lowered his sword as his friends watched him in awe.
The battle was truly over. The Magic Ship approached the docks, and on the warships below, knights cheered at the spectacle they had witnessed. Wayne stood at the railing, staring out at the horizon where the sea met the sky.
"Wayne," Sera said, coming to stand beside him. "Were you looking for something?"
"Yeah." He gave her a wry smile, scratching his cheek. He thought of the power he had just used and compared it to the friend he admired. "I was just wondering if I've caught up to Ren, even just a little."
"I'm sure you have," she whispered.
The boy and the girl stood together, looking out at the endless sea.
The streets near the port of Eupeheim were bustling with people visiting the Winter Market. The aroma of grilled seafood and savory sauce filled the air. Because of the crowd, Ren and Fiona were walking closer together than usual.
"Ren-kun, the shop you were interested in is just ahead! Shall we go?"
"Sure. But..." Ren gave her a wry smile. "If I let you eat while walking, I feel like Marquis Ulysses will have my head later."
Fiona laughed. "Oh, stop. The three of us did this back in the summer, didn't we? Besides, I've wanted to do this for a long time."
"Eating while walking?"
Fiona thought for a moment, then gave a cryptic giggle. "No... that's not quite it. It's a secret!"
She skipped ahead of him, her black hair swaying. In contrast to her cheerfulness, Estelle looked devastated.
"Well... aside from the lack of booze, I'm satisfied," she grumbled.
The waterway issues had disrupted logistics. While seafood was available, the alcohol shipments hadn't arrived.
"Bear with it, Sister. If it's not here, it's not here," Werlich said.
"Don't worry," Ren added. "We'll come back when the stock is in."
They wandered away from the main stalls and toward the famous waterways of the White Crown. As the crowds thinned, they stopped to rest by a bridge. Suddenly, Estelle’s eyes narrowed. She stared into the water of the main canal leading into the city.
"Fiona Ignat." Her voice was suddenly stiff and formal.
"Fiona is fine. Is something wrong?"
"Then call me Estelle. Tell me, has the waterway anomaly been happening since autumn?"
"Yes. We've checked everything, but we haven't found a cause. We're just using magic tools to regulate the flow for now."
"So even that 'Strong-Armed' man couldn't find it," Estelle muttered with a cold smile. For Eupeheim, having her here today was a stroke of incredible luck. "You there! I am Estelle Oslos Drake!"
She barked the order at a patrolling knight. He didn't even think to doubt her; one look at Fiona standing beside her was enough. He ran over and knelt.
"Under Imperial Law, I am taking full command of Eupeheim as of this moment. Repeat it!"
She ordered him to request reinforcements from the capital and to raise the city's alert level to the maximum. As the knight hurried off, the residents began to murmur in confusion. Estelle ignored them, her eyes fixed on the water.
"Something's coming, isn't it?" Ren asked.
"Right now," Estelle replied, drawing her sword, Black Prowess. "Stay back."
The water in the massive canal suddenly bulged upward like a balloon. It rose ten meters into the air, twisting into a complex, sentient wave that surged toward the bridge.
Before Estelle could strike, Fiona stepped forward. An intense chill erupted from her hands.
"Freeze!"
The wave began to turn to ice from the edges. Her magic was far more powerful than it had been in the Baldur Mountains. However, the water changed shape, soaring higher. It shattered into glowing blue mana particles that formed a massive sphere of light high in the air.
As it expanded, Ren drew his Mithril Magic Sword and sprinted toward it. He didn't know why, but he glanced at Fiona. She looked back, and in that instant, they were in perfect sync. Several pillars of ice erupted from the canal, creating a path upward.
"Wait! Both of you!" Estelle shouted, but they were already gone.
Their coordination was flawless, a dance that surpassed even veteran knights.
"Fiona-sama!"
"My ice is yours!"
Ren leaped from icicle to icicle. The blue mana particles turned into sharp blades of water, but Ren didn't even look at them. He trusted her completely.
"I won't let you!" Fiona cried. She swung her arm, and a wind of absolute zero tore through the air, freezing the water blades and shattering them into glittering dust.
Ren reached the sphere of light and gripped his sword with both hands.
"Haaaaaaah!"
A single, blinding slash tore through the sphere, reducing it to harmless mana particles. The water below surged one last time before freezing solid. The entire canal was now a beautiful, frozen landscape.
"Haah... haah..." Fiona panted, leaning on her knees.
Ren immediately ran to her side. "Fiona-sama! Are you okay?"
"I... I just used a bit too much magic. Are you hurt, Ren-kun?"
"I'm fine! Thanks to you, I don't have a scratch." He helped her stand.
Estelle returned to them, a helpless wry smile on her face. "Did you two think I needed to stay back and watch the town?"
They both nodded.
"We thought we could handle it. And if you stayed back, the people would be safer," Ren explained.
"I'm sorry we didn't consult you," Fiona added.
Estelle sighed. "Good grief. To have that kind of coordination without saying a word... I have no complaints. If you two can handle that, then it was the right call."
It was past noon. Ren, accompanied by several knights, rode out of Eupeheim. He found Marquis Ulysses on a cape near the Old Quarter, investigating the local waters. Ulysses was startled to see him.
"Ren Ashton? Why are you here?"
Ren's expression told him everything he needed to know. He gave his report quickly—the anomaly in town, Estelle taking command, and Fiona’s role in protecting the citizens. Ulysses’s face hardened.
"So that's why you came. Estelle believes this is linked to the waterway issues?"
"Yes."
"I see. Let's return immediately!"
As they turned to head back, the sea below the cliff erupted. Water pillars lashed out like whips, and Edgar stepped forward, drawing his twin blades. They glowed with a pale blue aura.
"Stay behind me!" he barked. This was a Sword Saint-level Art, similar yet distinct from the one Estelle had shown them.
"You think you can touch my master?" Edgar's aura was one of absolute zero.
For a split second, Ren saw a flash of a different memory—himself and Edgar in a dusty old building, talking about Strong Sword techniques. They had been allies in that timeline too.
The vision faded in a heartbeat. Ren drew his Flame Magic Sword. Between his flames and Edgar’s ice, they neutralized the water attacks, buying time for Ulysses to escape.
"You've gotten even better!" Edgar shouted with a grin.
"I've been practicing!"
Ren stayed at the rear to cover their retreat. As they galloped along the cliffside, he realized with a start what they were facing.
(Why is Wadatsumi here?)
In the game, Ren Ashton had killed Chronoa while Wayne was fighting Wadatsumi in the capital. But this individual felt different. It was much stronger than the one that had attacked the Leonall ship—larger, with more fins and an overwhelming mana presence.
"Ren! It's the monster we were warned about!" Ulysses yelled.
"I'll buy time! Go, now!"
"But you're alone—!"
"Just go! I'll catch up!"
Ulysses didn't argue. He knew his presence would only hinder Ren. He galloped away, leaving Ren alone on the cliff.
Ren stared down at the massive shadow in the water. He realized there were two possibilities: either the first one had come here instead of Leonall, or this was a second, stronger individual. Based on the guild ranking, it was a high-tier B-rank monster, but this one felt even more dangerous.
Wadatsumi prepared a breath attack. Ren’s warhorse, sensing the danger, neighed and reared up.
"Let's do this."
Wadatsumi fired a breath that was more like a torrent of blue flame than water. Ren swung his Flame Magic Sword with everything he had, his own flames pushing back the beast's attack. The cliff behind him crumbled from the sheer pressure, but Ren held his ground.
Wadatsumi focused its entire attention on him now. It realized Ren's flames were the biggest threat. It charged, ignoring the shallow water.
Ren stood his ground. He needed to be the defensive line. He needed to protect the people.
He felt a faint, flute-like sound vibrating within his body.
(What is that?)
His aura shifted. It felt more refined, more powerful, yet also unstable. The flute sound rang out again.
Wadatsumi leaped from the water, its massive tail slamming toward Ren. He braced himself with his sword, but the weight of the water was like a physical bombardment. He was shoved back across the crumbling cliff.
Wadatsumi prepared another breath. It was a terrifying amount of power. Ren parried the follow-up attacks, but his clothes were shredded, and blood trickled down his cheek.
"I'm done hesitating!"
He dispersed his Flame Magic Sword and summoned his Mithril Magic Sword. Wadatsumi lunged again, but this time, a massive mana wall separated them. Rocks and debris floated in mid-air, caught in the wake of the intense energy.
This was the technique of the Sword Demon.
"No more holding back!" Ren roared.
He thrust his sword into the ground, and a torrent of energy tore through the sea, exploding with the sound of thunder. Wadatsumi roared in pain, its water armor shattered.
Ren stared at the beast. "You're strong... but you weren't this strong in the stories."
Wadatsumi gathered its remaining mana, its eyes glowing a deep, murderous red. It prepared for one final charge.
The flute sound rang out again, louder this time. Ren felt his aura finally settle, becoming one with his body. He felt absolute clarity.
Estelle and Fiona were galloping toward the cape. They had passed Ulysses on the road.
"Fiona! Why are you out here?" Ulysses had asked.
"I told her to stay with me," Estelle had replied. "She's safer by my side than anywhere else."
As they reached the cliff, they heard the sounds of the battle. Then, they heard it—the faint, flute-like melody.
Estelle’s eyes widened, then a wide, intrepid grin spread across her face. "Kuku... Ren, you brat."
Edgar, standing nearby, looked equally moved. "Master, do you hear it?"
"Indeed. We shouldn't keep him waiting."
Fiona looked at them in confusion. "What is that sound?"
"The reason for that sound was discovered over a century ago," Estelle explained, her voice full of pride. "When a Strong Sword user's refinement reaches its peak, the internal and external mana begin to resonate. It causes a temporary loss of control, but the result..."
"The body is adjusting to a new level of power," Edgar added. "It is the sound of evolution."
Estelle looked out at the isolated island where Ren was fighting. "In ancient times, this phenomenon was given a name."
Everyone fell silent, waiting for her to speak.
"The Sword Saint Sings."
The melody stopped.
On the island, Ren stood in a field of dense mana. He had used the Sword Demon's technique to shatter the monster's defenses. Wadatsumi was desperate now. It generated a massive magic circle, firing a spiral of water at Ren.
"Haaaaaaaaah!"
Ren thrust his Mithril Magic Sword into the ground, a flash of light neutralizing the magic. Wadatsumi lunged with everything it had.
Ren felt a strange sensation. The beast's movements seemed to slow down. He felt a deep sense of peace. He remembered Lithia and Fiona asking what color his aura would become.
"I'll show you."
He focused on the 'Sword Saint's Proof.' His sword erupted with silver light and black lightning.
(This color...) He smiled. It was the perfect blend of the two girls he cared for.
"Sword of Authority!"
He swung the Mithril Magic Sword. The black and silver energy surged forward, a wave of pure destructive power that tore through Wadatsumi's body. The beast let out one last, silent roar before its eyes dimmed. It collapsed, its body dissolving into light particles that were absorbed into Ren's bracelet.
- Water Magic Sword (Level 1: 1/1)
The battle was over. A new Sword Saint had been born.
Ren woke up with his head on something soft and warm. He realized he was lying with his head in Fiona's lap.
"Good morning, Ren-kun," she whispered, her hair brushing against his face.
"I... I'm sorry. Am I being a bother?"
"Don't be silly. You worked so hard."
The area around the island was frozen solid. Fiona had used her magic to protect him while he slept. Ren sat up, feeling much better, though his mana was still low.
"How long was I out?"
"About ten minutes."
He looked at his Flame Magic Sword, still stuck in the ground nearby. "Fiona-sama, I have a secret."
She looked at him curiously.
"I can summon magic swords. That's how I did it in the Baldur Mountains."
Fiona smiled. "I figured as much. Thank you for telling me."
The secret between the Black Priestess and the Magic Sword User was finally out. They sat in silence for a while, enjoying the peace of the ocean. Then Estelle arrived.
"Awake, Ren?"
"In more ways than one," he replied with a grin.
"Good. That was quite a song you sang."
Estelle explained the "Sword Saint Sings" phenomenon. She took them into the ruins of the shrine on the island, where they found a hidden basement. It had been looted, but a pedestal remained.
"Someone was looking for Hero Equipment," Estelle concluded. "They used an Undine's Magic Stone to bait and strengthen that Wadatsumi."
Ren realized that by defeating the empowered monster, he had gained the Water Magic Sword.
As they headed back to the ship, Ren asked, "Estelle-sama, what triggered it? Why now?"
"You've had plenty of life-or-death battles," she mused. "But maybe you needed to win one entirely on your own. You needed to prove to yourself that you were strong enough to protect everyone without help."
Ren thought about it. It made sense.
Back at the docks in Eupeheim, a knight approached with a report. Wayne and the others had repelled the first Wadatsumi, which was now fleeing toward their location.
Estelle looked at Ren with a grin. "Ready for round two?"
Ren looked at Fiona. She reached out and wiped some soot from his cheek.
"Don't be reckless," she whispered.
"I'll be fine. Estelle is with me."
Ren turned to Ulysses. "I'll be back soon. Make sure there's something good for dinner!"
The young Sword Saint, accompanied by Estelle and Werlich, boarded the Magic Ship. He stood at the railing, looking out at the city of the White Crown. He had promised to become a lion that crushed every enemy.
He was finally well on his way.