In the garden behind the Royal Castle where only the Royalty were allowed to enter.
Within the gazebo, two people were having a game.
"To think the Empire would move this fast after our war against the Demon King..."
The man was the King of Luxion Kingdom, Bradley August Alfredssons and he spoke to his opponent in a chess game while moving a piece on the board.
*TAP*
"Indeed, I guess they have been waiting for this moment to arrive, the moment I started my debut."
*TAP*
His opponent was a young girl, who was known as the Villainess, who was also the youngest sword master and 6-circle archmage.
[Iris May Welford], or the one who possessed her [Hanamachii Yomi].
"So, what do you think we should do, Iris young lady?"
*TAP*
Bradley tested her as he moved the chess piece again.
"Right now, the best action is to watch over their movement, but of course, limiting the information from leaking is a good option as well." Yomi answered him.
*TAP*
Then moved her piece.
"I see, that's a good insight."
*TAP*
Bradley was smiling after he heard the answer and moved his chess piece again.
"There are certain words from a man in ancient time, your majesty."
*TAP*
Yomi replied as she moved her piece.
"Ohhh, then tell me."
Bradley became curious about what she was about to say.
"He said, [Know your enemy, know yourself, and you can fight a hundred battles without disaster]."
*TAP*
Yomi moved her piece again and smiled at him.
"Checkmate~"
Bradley blinked a couple times and laughed, "Hahaha, it is my loss."
Yomi smiled, "No, I think I am just lucky, with enough time, your majesty could defeat any enemies in a matter of seconds." She replied.
"You flattered me too much, but I shall keep that in mind." Bradley replied, 'Know your enemy huh...to think such words came out from a 15 year old like her.'
"But this is such a pretty interesting game, a simple game that requires many tactics..."
"You have quite the talent to create entertainment such as this." Bradley praised while taking the cup of tea to his lips.
"I just want to share my knowledge for the people, so both commoners and nobles can enjoy the game." Yomi replied while taking a sip of her own cup of tea.
"Quite interesting…I suppose we share the same idea, that is to make both the commoners and the nobles happy." Bradley replied.
Yomi took a small peek towards him from her cup.
*TAP*
Then after that, she put her cup down, "But I am still not going to marry your son."
Bradley spit out his tea from his cup, surprised that she knew where this conversation was leading to.
"Ara~ is there something wrong, your majesty?" Yomi put on her innocent look as she tried to avoid further questions.
"T-there's nothing wrong." Bradley continued to finish his cup, 'To think a young lady like her could be this sharp.'
"But I did meet with his highness, your son." Yomi spoke, rearranging the chess pieces back to their original position.
Bradley looked happy at the mention of his son, but remained calm so he could hear her opinion. "I see, what do you think about him?"
Yomi looked somewhat dissatisfied, "Hmmmm, well there's just one word I can describe him with."
"Ohh, let me hear it." Bradley replied, expecting nothing but good things about him.
But...
"He is really a scum~" Yomi answered with a big smile.
"Ughh!—" Her words stabbed him in his heart.
"Hmm? Is there something wrong, your majesty?~" Yomi smiled innocently after calling his own son a "scum" without sugarcoating it.
"I-it's nothing..." Bradley replied weakly.
"Ohh, I apologize for my rudeness~ it just I can't help it~"
"Since your son is a piece of sh*t~"
"Uck—?!"
"Tactless~"
"Ack—?!"
"And a trash that just need to be recycled~"
Such crude words left the lips of a seemingly innocent young lady, and it was as sharp as a blade that stabbed right into the King's heart from words by words.
It pained him to hear just how badly the young lady viewed his son.
"My...apologies..." Bradley shrunk at her words.
"It's okay, he seems pretty arrogant just because he is a [Crown Prince] in name." Yomi spoke.
Bradley couldn't deny that fact and muttered, "I admit his ego has been flying through the roof since he was called a genius in sword."
'Is he a kid?' Yomi thought.
"Nevertheless…I had rejected him not twice but thrice, so if he knows there's a limit of a lady's patience, he needs to stop pestering and focusing for his future." Yomi spoke firmly.
"I'll tell him that for you..." Bradley looked at her, giving up the thought of marrying her into royalty.
"But do regardless, he's still young, so I hope you can show him the path for what good for him." Bradley requested.
Yomi took another glance towards him again and nodded, "I'll think about it, as long he doesn't pestering my work."
"I'll keep that in mind." Bradley sighed in relieved, as he can still make a connection with her, 'But indeed...such a shame.'
Yomi then suddenly stood up from her seat, "And your majesty, it seems it is already the time for me to depart back to my house."
"Since it's been a while since I had met my parents ever since I started working here."
"So, may I take my leave?" Yomi spoke and slowly bowed her head slightly in a courteous manner.
Bradley closed his eyes and nodded, "You may leave, make sure to pass my greetings to Duke Welford for me."
"Yes, I will pass your kind words to my father, your majesty."
Yomi spoke as she lifted her head while Silvi stood behind her, waiting for her to leave.
But after she turned around.
"Iris-kun, may I ask you a question?" Bradley decided to ask her one last thing before she left.
"Yes, your majesty?" Yomi didn't turn around as she was about to leave the gazebo.
"What did you do to the remaining assassins that were being held captive in your house?" Bradley asked her with a serious tone.
Yomi curved her lips and slightly turned her head towards him, her eyes glinted red for a moment as if she made eye contact towards him and someone else.
"Of course...I killed them, in the most gruesome way~" Yomi spoke with a hint of madness in her tone, while revealing her aura as an expert.
But that didn't faze the King at all, "I see...you may go now."
After that, Yomi turned back to normal and smiled innocently before she left the garden together with Silvi.
Bradley sighed once he was left alone in the garden, "Such an interesting young lady."
"Indeed, she is...your majesty." Norman, The King's aide and was known as Duke Ashdown appeared from behind him.
"I cannot believe she sensed you, such a monstrous talent." Bradley spoke.
"Yes…I am surprised that not only she managed to pick up my presence...but also we made eye contacts." Norman replied.
Bradley laughed, "Hahaha! Even the Ashdown family that had been the [Shadow] of the Royal family, was noticed by a young lady under the age of 20."
"Indeed...it is embarrassment for me." Norman replied as his body was slightly distorted like ashes or mist as if he didn't exist.
The Ashdown was known to be an aide for the royal family for generations.
But behind that, they also operate...as the [Shadow] of the royal family. They were the one who kept an eye on the Kingdom and reported all the situations to the King himself.
'The true job for the Ashdown family are [Assassins], mainly for infiltration and gathering information and also...assassinations.' Norman thought.
'And our lineage skill that has been bestowed for generations to generations, skill [Shadow of the Ashes].'
'An evolved form of [Shadow Movement], but this skill allows us to turn our body like ashes and hide our presence without needing the shadow.'
'And its power enough to fool a mage with 8th Circles and Swordmasters.'
'But to be made a fool by the eyes of a young lady who is not yet an adult, it is something unexpected even for me.' Norman thought.
Norman smiled, 'But loss is a loss...the moment our eyes met, I can tell that even Nicolas could not hold a candle of her.'
Bradley glance at Norman as he could tell what he was thinking, 'My son can be considered genius that could surpass me...but...'
'Seeing that young lady growth, it makes me realized that there's a monster among the monsters that I seen in the past, just like that [man].' Bradley rested his back on his seat.
'So...I pray for all of you youngsters.'
'Do not ever provoke her...' Bradley and Norman thought the same about the young lady known as [Iris May Welford].
******
Yomi and her maid left the castle with a horse carriage, and on their way back to her mansion…
Something went inside of the carriage.
"[Kage], you're back." Yomi noticed the dark figure and [The Death Assassin, Kage] rose through the seat across her.
*"Kukuku~ I am here to give you my report, my lady~"*
Kage spoke while slightly bowing his head.
"Report." Yomi didn't hesitate to exert her dominance and showing them who is their master.
*"Yes, the subordinates you gave me, all of them are quite useful, especially those four~"*
Kage reported.
"I see, it was worthwhile to raise them as an undead." Yomi spoke as her eyes were fixed at the window.
"Kage, I want you to create an espionage team with them for me, report this to William and cooperate with him."
"Insubordination will be given eternal torture."
"Do not let me down." Yomi ordered.
Kage, who was covered in shadow, was smiling widely, excited by her order.
*"Yes, my lady~ your wish is my command."* Kage replied to her words and disappeared into the shadow.
Yomi didn't respond to her own guardian's expression, but her maid Silvi was uncomfortable.
"Ojou-sama...is it okay to have him as your guardian?" Silvi decided to ask.
There's three people who knew about her skills at the moment.
First was her master, [The Witch, Matilda].
Second and third were her two subordinates who had stayed with her for a long time, Silvi and Harson.
"I know he has a disgusting past, but his skill is top notch and I guarantee that he can be useful in battle." Yomi replied.
"I know...but he was originally a criminal." Silvi muttered.
Yomi smiled, "Yeah, the most dangerous criminal that came out a few years ago, killing dozens of people just to satisfy his thirst for blood."
"They call him, [The Ripper, Jack]." Yomi called it.
"Yes, but Ojou-sama managed to subdue him easily."
"Indeed~ it was not even a challenge for me~ but his skill cannot be underestimated."
"Just because he lost to me, doesn't mean he can lose to other people~"
"And I'm sure Silvi and Harson can still defeat him." Yomi smiled sweetly.
Silvi was flustered by her words, "A-ahem, I can defeat him easily yes, but I don't know about Harson, he can be too straight sometimes."
Yomi giggled, "That is true~ but that's his strong point which made him who he is now."
"Since he is a fellow disciple of the [Sword Saint], he can easily surpass me in swordsmanship." Yomi spoke.
"That's preposterous! How can a mere guard be stronger than his own master!" Silvi spoke.
"Did you forget, you are also stronger than me, Silvi." Yomi spoke.
"That is different matter." Silvi replied and pouted her cheeks cutely.
Yomi giggled seeing her reaction, "Indeed, if it's swordsmanship, he can defeat me, but I am not a swordsman."
"I am a [Magic Swordsman], who possesses two elements that counter each other." Yomi spoke and raised her hand, showing a ball of darkness and a twinkle of light, circling each other in harmony in her hand.
"I am probably the first person with two opposite elements who also uses a sword in this world." Yomi spoke.
"Of course my precious Ojou-sama is the first one in the world who bears such strength. It can't be more fitting than that!" Silvi spoke proudly.
Yomi giggled, "But the world is wide, Silvi, who knows...maybe there's someone out there who does the unthinkable, absurd things that even normal people fail to comprehend..." She muttered as if she was talking about someone she knew.
And Silvi noticed it, "Are you talking about that [person]?"
Yomi smiled again, "Yes, when I took one step, he took ten steps by force and in a different way than normal people do."
"Surely you jest." Silvi replied light-heartedly.
"I'm not joking, Silvi~ right now, I can tell...that he is going to do something absurd again~"
'Isn't that right, [Rei]~' Yomi thought as she looked up to the sky through the window.
******
In the Northern Region, a hidden Dwarf Kingdom existed underground to keep the heat for their furnace strong.
With the curse gone, the Dwarves could go outside to bath themselves in the sunlight.
Except for two people.
*TING*
"What's wrong?! What's wrong?!~ is that all you got?!~"
Said the King of Dragons who ruled The Dwarf Kingdom, Ignia, swinging her sword at her opponent.
"Ugh—?!"
Kiritsuka Rei.
He was using his axe and spear in both of his hands, blocking her vicious strikes of her sword from all kinds of directions.
*TING*
Which eventually pushed his two weapons aside and her blade reached his neck.
"Kugh—" Rei stopped moving when he felt the tip of her sword on his neck.
"You still have a long way to go, my disciple~" Ignia smirked, pulling back her sword.
Rei sighed and lowered his two weapons.
"I guess using an axe and spear at the same time isn't the best combination, my body couldn't match it." Rei spoke while putting down his weapons and sat on the ground.
"Yeah, but you can't pick and choose in battles, even if you do acquire [One with Weapons], wielding them at the same time will be harder than just using one type of weapon." Ignia replied.
"That is true." Rei replied as he looked at his own hand.
"Since your body has fully recovered, I guess this time, you are ready for the final trial." Ignia spoke.
"Yeah, I have been waiting for this day." Rei spoke.
Since it's been more than a week after he recovered from fighting against the final boss of the [Three Great Evil], [The Ancient Evil Dragon, Fafnir] or known as [Muramasa Kengo].
After the fight, he had woken up and found out that his partner [Ray Houston] had also woken up before him.
Although, even after 7 years, Ifrit hadn't shown up for so long.
'Houston, do you get an answer from Ifrit?' Rei asked while he followed Ignia from behind in the hallway.
'No, there's no response even though I tried to call him once, it is unusual for him to not answer like this.' Ray spoke.
'I see.' Rei replied.
'But...Kiritsuka.'
'Hmm? Yes?' Rei replied as he was a bit confused why he called him out.
'You've gotten stronger now.' Ray complimented after so long.
Rei widened his eyes and was surprised to hear his words, he sounded like a proud father.
'Of course, who do you think I am?' Rei replied proudly.
'And you've gotten cocky too.' Ray laughed though he found his changes to be amusing.
'Well, a lot of things happen, so it's just hard for me to bottle up everything that my master did to me.' Rei spoke as his body shivered when he was reminded of what Ignia did to him all these years.
'Yeah, that is true.' Ray also remembered it when he was trained by Ignia in the future.
'But why do you refuse to share my memories with you? I think it will be of benefit for you to get stronger.' Rei spoke.
Ray shook his head, 'No, those years of training you had was all your hard work and it is rude for me to take it all just like that.'
'Oh come on, we are partners, we fought together and survived together, if it's not for you, I would have been dead during our first battle years ago.' Rei spoke.
'That day was when you needed guidance on how to survive in this world and you were still a child who knew nothing.'
'But now...look at yourself.' Ray explained as he could see what Rei had become after 7 years.
'Toned body, rough hands full of scars and calluses, it is proof of your hardwork and determination for 7 years without complaints and continued to strive to be the strongest.' Ray pointed it all out.
The struggles of this young man who had achieved something he had never done.
Rei bit his lips, he knew that all the struggles that he did was just to get to see his partner again.
Then Rei sighed in defeat, 'Fine.'
'Heh, good.'
'Besides, I think I might die the moment I absorb all your memories at once.' Ray spoke.
'Huh? That's the first time I hear that.'
'You already experienced it before hand right?'
Rei having deep thought for a moment, 'Hmmm, Oh?' Then he realized something, 'Is it our first encounter and when you gave me your memories of your experiences in fight?' Rei replied.
'Correct, you felt intense pain whenever you received my memories, am I right?' Ray answered
'Yeah, though now the pain lessen the more I used it.' Rei replied.
'That's true, the more you feel it, the more you get used to it.'
'You need to know, that memories contain everything we had experienced before.'
'From taste, smell, vision, sense, hearing, all five senses...with just memories, you can experience all of it.'
'Including the pain and trauma, that I received from my experience.' Ray explained.
'...?!' Rei was more shocked after hearing such information.
'So, the moment I shared my memories with you.'
'All memories of the pain and trauma that I felt from all those training, will be sent forcefully towards your body.'
'Adjusting them to match with the training I had, which is why it causes pain not only to your brain but also to your body.' Ray spoke.
'I see...but then why is fatal for you?' Rei asked once more.
'Do you still not get it?' Ray replied.
'Unlike you, who have a flesh body which could take the damage of the memories.'
'I only have a soul, and it will cause tremendous damage that can erase my existence.' Ray explained.
'....?! T-then...what I offered you was something that could kill you?' Rei gritted his teeth as he felt immense guilt after suggesting something dangerous to him.
But Ray shook his head, 'It's okay, you didn't know.' Then replied.
'Why do you think it's okay?!' Rei shouted towards at him.
'Because, there is a way so that I can match with your power.' Ray replied to him calmly with smile.
'Huh? But...How?' Rei blinked for a moment and confused of what he meant.
'That is...'
*CREAK*
But they were already arrived at their destination, which where Ignia led him to a certain room in the castle.
'....by completing this trial.'
*SWOOSH*
They arrived at a vast space with six pillars and unlit torches, and a circle of empty space in the middle.
"This place is...the [Trial of Dragon]?" Rei spoke as Ignia walked inside.
"Yeah, this place hasn't been used for so long." Ignia spoke.
"Huh? How long?" Rei asked.
"Hmmm, maybe 100 years ago?" Ignia spoke.
"100 years ago? Does that mean...?"
"Yeah~ your predecessor or you could say the previous successor of the [Trial of Dragon]."
"You don't mean..." Rei could tell who is she mentioning it now.
The name that have been forgotten by others, but not for him and her.
"Yes, the name of someone you challenged not long ago.'
'[Muramasa Kengo], my first disciple and the first who finished the [Trial of Dragon]." Ignia replied as the fire on the torch lit up the room and pointed her finger towards him, "And you...will be the next one."
"[Trial of Dragon]." Rei repeated while his eyes were sparkling for a moment until Ignia approached him.
"I bet you are wondering what the trial is about, right?" Ignia spoke as if she knew what he was thinking before he could even ask about it.
"Well I'll tell you, this trial is something that no one but you could ever do." Ignia spoke.
"No one...but me???" Rei replied.
"Correct, because you had finished all the trials that I have given to you and for this trial you had already fulfilled the three requirements." Ignia spoke.
"Three...?" Rei tilted his head.
"Yes, three!"
"First, one needs to acquire Aura and Magic." Ignia spoke as she raised her both hands, her left hand releasing a fierce orange-ish aura like fire and her right hand was clad in fire that came out of nowhere.
"Although this sounds simple, the aura needs to have a larger amount and mana circles that is equal to 8th circle mana." Ignia lowered her both hands, deactivating her aura and magic at the same time.
"Since your aura veins have been opened up few years ago, the amount of the aura you possess is already fulfilled the requirements!" Ignia explained.
Though it gave Rei a shivers since it does traumatized him.
"And not only that! with that orb which in your possession, it can forcefully turn you into a 9th circle, hence why you've passed the first requirements." Ignia reminded him.
"I see..." Rei sighed in relief, since he himself is still on a 4th circle, he cannot use magic above it yet unless he used a certain weapon that he had in the [Inventory].
"Then the second is...?"
"The second is to have a mindset of a veteran or having an experience of thousands of battles." Ignia spoke.
"A thousands of battles?..."
"That's right, the reason why you need this is because the trial required a strong mind that could withstand the pressure that you were going to experience during the trial." Ignia spoke.
"Because, if one has a weak mind, they could easily be crushed by the pressure of it and die." Ignia explained as she emphasized how important this requirement is.
"But if it's you who had countless battle with me, and against those monsters stronger than you, your mentality is already above of those veterans warrior! So be proud!" Ignia added.
Though it made Rei laughed a bit, since most of those monsters are coincidence because they keep appearing in his life.
Rei gulped, "Then...lastly...?"
"The last...will be acquiring the [Heart of Dragon]."
When Ignia mentioned it, she raised her hand and something appeared on her hand.
It looked like a giant rock with shiny dark purple crystal all over it, but what's more…
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
The rock was beating.
'Is it...alive?' Rei thought of it as he stared at the pulsating rock.
"That's...."
"Yes...this is [Heart of Dragon] from [Ancient Evil Dragon, Fafnir] that you defeated." Ignia spoke while smiling.
"And you want me to...."
"Yes! After acquiring the [Heart of Dragon], you must absorb it! That's the last requirement to be able to start the [Trial of Dragon]!"
"After that, you will see after you connected yourself with it~" Ignia spoke while showing the heart in front of him and smirking at him.
The heart was beating and leaking out its evil energy that have been piling inside.
Rei could feel the danger from this heart itself, 'I can tell...this might be dangerous even for me....' but he already made his decision.
'I don't have much time left.' Rei firmly clench his fist and raised his hand.
[To defeat a monster, you need to become the monster itself].
"To be the strongest knight in history, I will devour anything to be stronger, so I could protect what dear to me." Rei spoke while grabbed the heart with his hand.
"That's why, master, I shall accept the trial." As he spoke with such unwavering determination in his eyes.
Ignia smiled, "As expected of my disciple, you are truly a fearless one."
Ray became a bit doubtful about what he saw.
'Kiritsuka, you have changed...' Ray thought.
'You continue to keep growing and move forward...even how painful it is...'
'....while me...'
'I....'
'....have been stuck in the past that keeps haunting me.'
'And yet you still pulled me out and showed me a future that I could not have.'
'Fighting with strong monsters... saving a kingdom... and saving a princess, like a knight you aspired to be...'
'When I look at Iris dancing with you, I knew full well...that you are different.'
'While I was ashamed by our status differences, you stood proud and showed me again...how to be strong and how to be proud as someone who used to be pathetic...'
'So...this time...' Ray suddenly reached his hand to grab the heart as well.
"I will fight with you once again...Kiritsuka Rei!" Ray shouted out as he came out by surprise.
"Houston..." Rei called him.
"Surely, you didn't forget about me this time right?" Ray replied to him.
"Seriously....you just woke up." Rei spoke.
"So, am I okay to join this trial? Miss King of Dragon?~" Ray spoke towards her.
Ignia grinned widely, "Of course! The more the merrier! You both who shared one body have fulfilled the requirements!"
"Then let's proceed in haste!" Ray spoke.
Just like that, they began the trial of dragon.
Rei wore nothing but short pants, and sat in the center of the circle.
Meanwhile, the heart that floated in front of him, still leaking out its evil energy.
Finally, Ignia stood behind him with [The King of Dwarf, Doldain] who stood on the side and guarding them.
"[Orthrus]." Rei opened his [Inventory] to release an orb that was being caged with black steel.
Then a chain came out and struck at Rei's chest which it wrapped it around his heart.
*BA-THUMP*
And the connection complete.
[Notice!]
[Skill "Frost-Hell Keeper" has been activated!]
[The user acquired "Sage Wisdom" state and the user acquired "9th Circle Mana Heart"]
[Warning! If the connection is severed during the magic process, the user will gain a penalty!]
Rei took a deep breath as he could feel his body becoming warmer, even Ray who was within him could feel it.
'So...this is [The Frost-Hell Keeper Orb, Orthrus], you make something absurd while I was sleeping.' Ray complimented.
'You're welcome.' Rei felt somewhat proud and happy from his praise.
But he pushed his excitement aside because the real problem started now.
"I'm ready." Rei spoke.
Ignia looked at him and nodded, "Okay, I will start by helping you merge with the heart by transferring my mana on you."
"Your time is 6 hours, you must absorb the heart by that time or else you might die from the strong current of mana from both sides." Ignia warned. "Be cautious, because this Trial will be the last one, and you will acquire what you need after 7 years."
"Are we clear?" Ignia asked for confirmation.
"Yes!" The two of them replied together.
"Good."
"Then...here we go." Ignia reached her hands at him and began to send her mana, like gentle waves of a river towards his back.
And that river was now forming a connection toward the [Heart of Dragon] and the energy from the heart began to move like a flow of water…
And it starts to move towards Rei.
Then he was hit by a torrent of mana that came out from the heart.
"Ugh—?!"
Rei could feel his body breaking apart, with Ignia at behind him, circulating the mana that run amok within him using her own mana.
'I wish good luck my disciple...because...this will be on your own.'
That was Ignia last words before...
.
.
.
.
.
Rei succumbed into the darkness.
.
.
.
.
.
.
And within that darkness, lies something dangerous.
*"Hoooo...so you are the new challenger?"*
*"Come and I shall test you, whether you worthy of my power...child from the otherworld."*
To be continued...