(Eris POV)
Months had passed since Rudeus had separated from me to let me grow stronger on my own.
Although I have the Sword God's support in becoming stronger, it was nowhere near enough time to say that I have made any progress. I haven't even gotten the hang of using the [Longsword of Light] yet.
Even worse, Rudeus continued surpassing himself in ways I feel like I should have expected.
Not only did he surpass Ghislaine and Ruijerd by a large margin, but he also surpassed almost anyone in the world.
I'm talking about Rudeus becoming the number five of the Seven Great World Powers.
The news struck a little after talk about an update on the monuments spread around the dojo at the Sword Sanctuary.
Before the name of the new World Power was confirmed, I didn't bother with the symbol at all.
Ghislaine, however, did mention seeing the symbol somewhere before. It was the same as the pendant Ruijerd wore during our travels.
Initially, I thought Ruijerd had become number five. I mean, he is strong and brave enough to face the Demon God and later the Dragon God.
But I was wrong. I was so wrong.
Rudeus became the new World Power.
Two months after the update, news of this reached the Holy Land of Swords.
Me and Ghislaine knew exactly that he had the potential, but everyone else in the Sword Sanctum, including Sword God, said that it was nothing but bullshit.
Like the majority of this world, they have the mindset that a swordsman is stronger than a Magician.
They will all regret their ignorance once Rudeus shows them otherwise, similar to what he did with Orsted.
And are they all not listening to the stories of how the Demon God, a Magic user as well, needed to be fought with seven heroes in order to be defeated, from which four have fallen?
What terrible listeners.
There were even some Sword Saints who talked about going over to the Three Magic Nations and challenging him for his spot.
They will regret underestimating him for thinking so little of the kind of Magician he is.
Days passed, and I continued my training as usual.
At least, that was my plan, but Sword God wasn't in the training area where we usually were sparring, so I had no other choice but to look around for him.
Nearly half an hour passed away, and I couldn't find him anywhere.
I was starting to get irritated for wasting so much time scurrying around this place instead of training.
How am I supposed to get stronger if the one person who can help me is here to do so? Such a drag.
To top it all off, I also meet the person who gets on my nerves the most, the Sword God's daughter, Sword Saint Nina Farion.
Shortly after our eyes met during our paths crossing, both of us became incredibly irritated by the other.
She still has the guts to look down on me after I beat the shit out of her during my first day here, even though she used a prepped wooden sword against me.
"What do you want?" I said with a hint of anger.
"I could ask you the same question." She threw back.
"Sword God. Where is he?"
"He is in a meeting with the others. Ghislaine's been bothering him about something."
"That doesn't answer my question. Where. Is. He! Or could it be that you're more than an illiterate?" I snickered at her disability of not even reading easier words.
"That has nothing to do with it! And besides, my father can't just put all his time and effort into you. He has responsibilities—you know, like a proper adult has."
This is going nowhere. If I wanted to be berated, then I would have visited some noble relative of mine.
"Hey, where are you going!? I'm not done with you."
I tried my best to ignore her, but she kept pestering me, even pointing out that I was still not a full Sword Saint because I could not execute the [Longsword of Light].
That's why I'm looking for him in the first place. I still haven't managed to use it yet.
A few minutes later, I heard a commotion coming from near Sword God's chambers.
There was an argument going on, one of which was Ghislaine's voice.
Wanting to know what all the ruckus was about, I entered without knocking.
Before me were the Sword God, Ghislaine, and the two Sword Emperors (I haven't bothered to remember their names since they weren't involved in my training).
Ghislaine seemed upset about something, and Sword God looked annoyed. Something must've happened.
Nina came behind me and wanted to say something but stopped once she saw that the rest of them were staring at me.
"What's taking you so long?" I said towards Sword God.
"Your guardian here keeps bugging me about an issue from the Ranoa Kingdom."
"I'm just saying that you should at least send some aid for them. Even the other kingdoms have to deal with those abnormalities on their own, and we don't even have that problem here at all."
"You know Ghislaine," Sword God said while leaning his left palm on the pommel of his sword, "I'm starting to regret teaching you after seeing how all that sentimentality for others made you lose your fangs. The once fierce beast has now become a soft lap pet."
"But to outright ignore their pleas isn't right either."
"It can't be that bad if none of it is affecting the Holy Lands of Swords. They are probably exaggerating anyway. Besides, I cannot be bothered by any call for help I receive, even if it's coming from a neighboring country."
"Sword God is right," one of the Emperors added. "Nothing even guarantees that those abnormal monsters have made their nests there and simply haven't made their way here yet."
"Timothy has a point. If those creatures really are as strong as the rumors say, then we should not let our own people have less protection should a wave of them suddenly appear."
"I don't get it. What's the problem?"
I was getting tired of this. I can't put together what their whole argument is about.
But Ghislaine soon enough explained it to me.
"There was a message coming from one of the Three Magic Nations, the capital of the Ranoa Kingdom, Sharia.
Abnormally strong and environmentally unfit monsters are causing trouble there.
They requested assistance from Sword God, preferably with a minimum of Saint-class swordsmen."
"Are they really that strong that they have to ask somebody else's help?"
"According to some rumors, Rudeus was the first one to encounter a variety of dragon-type monsters at the Duchy of Basherant. It says that he defeated most of them on his own but has to recover from the latest attack that happened within city walls."
"Dragons?"
There it is again. Rudeus never ceases to amaze me. Even Ruijerd admitted that he couldn't defeat a dragon alone, much less more than one.
But Rudeus probably used those opportunities to prepare himself for his rematch against Ortsed.
A part of me wished to have stood beside him during those fights, but the other knows how useless I would have been.
"Tsk. Give me a break. The guy is as old as Jino. There ain't no way he could've done any of that on his own."
Sword God seems even more irritated. When I was told that someone younger than me would be my tutor, his attitude was similar to mine. Unless he experiences something similar to what Rudues showed me, he will keep this attitude towards him.
But there is something they don't say here.
"Why bother sending you a letter? You are probably just the backup request."
Everybody started staring at me as I crossed my arms before my chest. I even heard Nina stuttering behind me.
"What?" Sword God scowled.
"Er-Eris... You shouldn't say it like that." Ghislaine said with her ears dropped down.
"You know that Rudeus's Magic is more effective against hoards of monsters than swordsmanship." I replied. "He can just blast them all away in a big explosion like he did with Osrted. Those authorities probably sent a letter to Rudeus too, hoping that he would help them like he did with those dragons."
"He blew up an entire mountain range! He wouldn't dare to do something so risky again!"
"I know. But it's Rudeus. He definitely has a pla-"
I stopped midway through my sentence as I felt the sense of dread from Sword God holding the edge of his blade on the side of my neck, his footing and grip on the hilt as if he held casually.
His speed is as remarkable as when he threw me out of the dojo during my first day here.
"Rudeus this. Rudeus that. Rudeus is so strong. Rudues is amazing. Rudeus, Rudeus, Rudeus. It's like there is no other thought inside that noggin of yours." Sword God scowled at me.
"It's what pushes me to become stronger." I calmly said, my stance unchanged.
"Oh? And I thought defeating Orsted was your goal. Little change of mind on the road?"
"You told me once that one of the factors that makes Orsted so strong is his versatility. He has learned every skill and technique there is, making him God class at even the three major schools without using a sword.
Rudeus is also versatile, similar to Orsted, with his Magic, even without being God class at everything for now."
"Well then, tell me what's so special about him that you think belittling me is necessary."
This is getting annoying. Why doesn't he just accept it and continue training me? Then again, even Rudeus must have trouble proving himself in front of people like them.
"He can heal anyone from their wounds and even get them their limbs back; he can conjure walls large enough for a city; his Magic can obliterate entire countries if he wanted to; his manapool is said to be the highest in the world; and let's not forget about his Touki being strong enough to block off an attack from Orsted."
Every single aspect of that makes me proud of Rudeus. And with his rank as a World Power, people around the world will one day understand it as well. Sword God has to admit to it once Rudeus easily defeats him.
"That last one seems like a lie to me," he replied. "He would have to be a skilled Dragon race to block off one of Orsted's attacks. And how you described it to me back then makes me think he may have struck him with a [Longsword of Light]."
"And yet I saw it happening with my own eyes."
The image of Rudeus getting thrown back and sliding on his head reappeared in my head, paired with the memory of having to see him getting killed before his curse was unleashed.
I wanted to add that Rudeus became a Demon Dragon, but on our way to the Sword Sanctum, Ghislaine forbade me from telling anyone about it.
I don't get why. Rudues is still Rudeus, even if the curse corrupts his past calm nature.
Sword God then moved his blade away from my neck, putting it back in his sheath.
He then put his left hand on his chin as he slowly started to form a smirk on his face.
"You know what? I do feel like my honor- no, the honor of swordsmanship is at stake of getting looked down upon from all this Rudues crap. Maybe I should pay the Three Magic Nations a visit and, by chance, get my rank up by challenging that brat."
"Suit yourself. But don't come running to me that I didn't warn you later."
"Hmpf. We'll see about that."
As he left, the two Sword Emperors followed behind him; Nina as well, as all three of them gave me glances on the way back.
What's so wrong with them? It's not like they needed my words to be convinced. They will be as impressed as I got once they see his greatness.
"Eris, why did you say that? Rudeus already has to deal with other people like him. You just increased the number of people who are after his rank."
"Sword God will have to go through Rudeus's defenses first. He too will acknowledge his strength once he is defeated."
"Don't you think that you're overestimating him? Remember, he can't unleash his curse at will."
"Well, he must've figured that out by now since he became the number five. I mean, Death God is supposedly stronger than Sword God, so Rudeus replacing him has to mean he surpassed them in some way."
"But... but..." Ghislaine stuttered but then shook her head before continuing.
"Eris, don't you think you may have misunderstood his words?"
"Again with this?" I scowled. "I told you, there is no way. He is obviously training to fight Orsted again. You saw yourself how much he trained during the restoration of the Fittoa region. He used that tie to refine his Magic despite tiring himself out so much."
"But he is looking for Zenith. Why would he-"
"Could we please stop this already?!"
I was getting tired of this. The time I waste here talking could be spent training instead.
With Rudeus being a World Power now, I not only need to be strong enough, but I also need to be worthy enough to stand beside him.
A thought about attempting to become the next Sword God popped into my head suddenly.
But it was thrown out the moment I thought about the amount of time I needed to spend training others instead of spending it with Rudeus.
Emperor, at maximum, should be alright. I only need to learn everything I can from Sword God, and that should be enough, I suppose.
"Are you please going to help me train? Sword God obviously doesn't have the time, and I still need to figure out how to use the [Longsword of Light]."
After contemplating for a few moments, she gave in and accompanied me to the training ground.
I know I'm being very impatient, but ever since Rudues's upcoming as a World Power, the gap between our powers has been wider than ever before, and I can't help but feel frustrated by it.
But it only means that I will need to become stronger to be useful in battle with him again like we used to before that whole Millishion incident.
My resolve and love for him are still unweathered, but I will make sure that I can be someone he can trust and rely on so his burden can once again be lifted when we work together, so that one day, we shall bring down Orsted once and for all.
///