I felt my soul beginning to be shaped—or rather, augmented—as a new aspect was added to it. A small, elegant silver sword started forming within my soul, accented with subtle black hues and even adorned with jewels, giving it a refined and powerful appearance.
But something unusual happened—it was, after all, two swords that I was holding.
The sword that started forming in my soul was duplicated, and one of them made its way to my mental sea. Once there, it encountered a crown, a divine beast, and a pair of unique eyes.
Meanwhile, the sword within my soul came across a Flame, one so intense it seemed capable of burning the cosmos and reality itself. Behind this Flame stood a primordial divine dragon and a black-violet lotus radiating a ghostly, terrifying aura.
Both swords settled into their respective domains, neither oppressed nor rejected. In fact, they were welcomed, though they seemed slightly timid at first.
Soon, they began to absorb energy—one from my soul, the other from my mind. Not only that, but both also drew energy from the external world, even siphoning some of the sword energy lingering in the area around me.
The process was excruciating, yet I endured, particularly as knowledge of sword techniques and arts—including sword energy and intent—started integrating into my mind.
Time in this space felt distorted. It seemed as though years had passed as my soul immersed itself in the knowledge and connection emanating from the swords. In this ethereal form, I appeared to wander again through the great sword graveyard or mountain, even experiencing flashes as if I had interacted with and touched the massive swords.
When I finally opened my eyes back in my hideout in Florida, they shimmered like swords themselves. My body and soul emitted such potent sword auras that they felt capable of slicing through anything in the world, even gods and the fabric of space-time itself.
But the overwhelming energy soon subsided. I stood, stretching my body lightly.
"Well, that was an incredible experience," I murmured, hearing the satisfying pops from my joints.
---
Three Days Later
I had two events lined up.
One was the new Stark Expo. Peter had been enthusiastically pestering me, saying new robots and armor were being unveiled. Even though he'd seen my droids, he seemed to understand the limitations of their replication.
The other event was a lunch at Harry's house.
For the moment, though, I was focused on training.
....
In my cultivation space, I found myself standing on a battlefield in the middle of the ocean, atop massive blocks of ice.
Gigantic ships loomed behind me, recreating the historical setting of Marineford.
Ahead of me stood a man with a cross pendant around his neck, wielding a massive black sword.
Facing him, I held a sword of the same size, though with distinct features. Its hilt was golden, adorned with the figure of a mythological creature that had once resembled a phoenix but was now morphing into something else. The blade itself was black-gray with streaks of red.
We moved with extraordinary speed and precision, our strikes deliberate and calculated. However, the styles differed—my sword bore the influence of two other powerful and unique sword arts.
Our blades clashed repeatedly, and we weaved around each other's attacks with skillful evasions. Eventually, we both stepped back, pulling our swords behind us before swinging them forward in a cutting motion.
When our strikes collided, waves of illusory black and green energy rippled through the air. Soon, two colossal waves of sword energy burst forth, seemingly capable of cleaving entire mountains.
His energy wave was black with green undertones, while mine was silver with faint black streaks.
There was a subtle difference in their intensity, but it wasn't significant. His wave ultimately overpowered mine, but I remained unfazed. Calmly, I delivered another strike.
A fresh burst of silver energy emerged from my blade, neutralizing the remainder of his attack.
I took a deep breath and resumed the fight with precise, disciplined movements. Our swordplay was brutal yet elegant. Of course, the destruction of mountains and massive chunks of ice wasn't exactly graceful...
....
After training, I took a refreshing shower. Water cascaded down my body, which was lean and muscular, seemingly flawless. The droplets traced the curves of my back when suddenly, I felt someone's arms wrap around me.
"Love, no teasing. We're going to be late for class," I said playfully, earning a kiss on the back of my neck in response.
The water grew hotter, and after that brief moment, we got dressed and rushed to catch the bus, barely making it on time.
....
On the bus, I closed my eyes, reflecting on the past few days. I had prioritized my sword training but also balanced it with practicing other powers, coordination drills, and refining my spells.
"Hey, Peter! Is it true you're going to the Stark Expo?"
A familiar, annoying voice broke the silence—it was Flash, of course.
"Yes, I'm going today."
"Ooooh, do you have an extra ticket? If not... how about giving me yours?" Flash said, trying to sound threatening. I rolled my eyes.
My boyfriend was no longer shy and knew how to stand his ground. Besides, his presence carried a quiet but strong aura.
"No, thanks," Peter replied with a smile, then went back to reading his book.
Of course, Flash wasn't going to let it go so easily, but I had no intention of watching this little drama unfold.
Secretly, I took out my wand and pointed it discreetly at him.
"Confundus."
A pulse of magical energy shot out and left Flash's mind muddled, nearly causing him to lose his balance. Thankfully, one of his friends caught him and helped him sit down.
Now dazed, Flash sat there mumbling incoherently. Peter flashed me a small smile, but I pretended not to notice and acted like nothing had happened.
Returning to my seat, I resumed meditating using the Jedi technique.
....
After class, we headed to Harry's house. He gave us a ride, of course. Besides Harry and his girlfriend, it was Peter, me, and, as always, Ned—the perpetual third wheel of the group.
Looking at Ned, I thought to myself,
I really need to find him a partner someday.
Anyway, within minutes, we arrived at Harry's building.
The structure was tall, surrounded by elegant glasswork, and painted a subtle beige. The entire place exuded an air of wealth and luxury.
At the front entrance stood a man in a formal suit, clearly a doorman. He carried himself with a dignified, professional demeanor, though I noticed subtle movements suggesting he had some level of military training.
"Let's go," Harry invited us with a smile, though he seemed a little tense lately. That's one reason we'd agreed to come along.
"Young Master Osborn. And your friends."
The doorman greeted us with a polite smile as we stepped lightly into the luxurious building and headed to the top floor.