Judging this skirmish merely by the manner in which their swords dance in the air, one might be inclined to say their skills are equally matched.
But the sword bearers wear very different expressions. Alexia angrily glowers, whereas Zenon has a relaxed smile.
And Alexia is the one burning with wrath, sure enough. She clicks her tongue with frustration and backs away.
“You start using shoddy swords the moment I stop seeing you.”
Zenon zeroes in on her weapon. She glances at it with a pained expression. The battle has only just started, but her blade is already filled with countless nicks.
“They say the choice of weapon shouldn’t matter to an expert.” Alexia grimaces and stands her ground.
“I see. If we’re talking about experts, I’m sure that’s true.” Zenon sneers. “But you’re mediocre. As a sword-fighting instructor, I guarantee it.”
Alexia visibly screws up her face. For a moment, it looks as if her urge to cry is drowned out by pure fury.
“Just watch me. Then you can say if you really think I’m mediocre.”
With that, she lunges at him with all the energy she can muster.
Alexia knows. She knows full well she isn’t strong enough to beat Zenon, and her flimsy weapon won’t last long. But Alexia hasn’t spent all those days training with her head in the clouds. In her mission to become as strong as her sister, she’s realized her own shortcomings and worked hard to make up for them. She’s observed her sister’s swordplay more than anyone else and can picture every move with impeccable accuracy.
Which is why it’s easy for her to replicate.
“Haaaah!!” It’s a stroke reminiscent of her sister’s assaults.
“G…!”
For the first time, Zenon’s smile vanishes. The sword he’s blocked is filled with magic.
The two swords violently clash and repel each other.
They’re equally matched…
No.
Alexia might be a bit stronger.
A red line is carved into Zenon’s cheek. Visibly taken aback, he looks at the blood he wipes off his cheek.
“I’m stunned.”
There is no hidden meaning behind his words.
“I had no idea you were hiding your strength.”
Zenon tilts the palm of his hand. He studies it as if checking the color of his own blood.
“I’m going to make you regret looking down on me.”
“Pfft.” Zenon laughs. “I was certainly taken aback, but you’re just a poor imitation, after all. You’ve a long way to go before you’re the real deal.” He shakes his head.
“You’re asking for it.”
“Since we’re both here, let me give you a taste of my true power.” Zenon readies his sword.
“…g!”
The air changes as Zenon’s magic takes on a sharper and deeper quality.
“Let me tell you one thing. I’ve never shown my true powers to an outsider. I’m about to show you the skills of a true swordsman…of the next generation of the Rounds!”
The air pulses around them.
“That’s…”
This isn’t in the same ballpark as before.
Alexia has never seen an attack with so much power lurking behind it. Their skills are as hopelessly different as a genius and a clod. He may even rival her older sister.
Alexia doesn’t have the means to defend herself against the devastating force of the approaching blade.
Her reaction is involuntary, something that’s become a part of her after many years of training.
There is no impact.
The two swords clash, and Alexia’s weapon is pulverized into fluttering bits of dust. She feels as though she’s watching these sparkling fragments of mithril pass by her from far away.
Somewhere far from here.
Alexia’s childhood memories resurface in her mind of times when swinging her sword brought nothing but pure joy.
Her sister is always beside her, and this is a distant memory that should have faded long ago.
“You’ll never be as good as your sister.”
A single tear falls from Alexia’s eye.
“You’re coming with me.”
Falling from her hand, the measly hilt that was once a sword hits the floor with a dry, metallic clang.
Click, click.
There’s a sound coming from the stairwell behind Zenon.
Click, click, click.
Someone is coming down the stairs.
Click, click, click, click.
When the noise ceases, there’s a man in an ebony coat in front of them, dressed entirely in black. He has his hood pulled up and wears the mask of a magician.
The man calmly saunters forth, stopping one step outside the range of their weapons.
“The man clad in ebony… So you’re the feral dog who dares to nip at the Cult.” There’s a sharp glint in Zenon’s eyes as he glares at the intruder.
“My name’s Shadow. I lurk in the darkness and hunt down shadows…” His voice is as deep and as dark as the abyss.
“I see. You seem to have an inflated ego from destroying our smaller facilities, but you haven’t even taken down one of our main fighters. You’re just a coward who picks on the little guys.”
It seems the man who calls himself Shadow is at odds with Zenon. This is good news for Alexia, but she doesn’t think this man is her ally.
“It doesn’t matter who or what we choose to destroy. It’s all the same.”
“You’re sadly mistaken. The main army of the Cult is here. Today, I’ll hunt you down with my bare hands. This is your fate.”
Zenon turns his sword to Shadow.
“I’m Zenon Griffey, the next one to fill the twelfth chair of the Rounds. Taking your life will be my achievement for them.”
With that, Zenon unleashes a gale of an attack at Shadow.
But Shadow is gone, and he slashes through empty space.
“What the…?!”
The next moment, Shadow is standing behind him. It only takes a second before Shadow takes this position.
Zenon can’t move.
As if Zenon has lost track of the time, he stills his sword—even holds his breath—to focus every ounce of his energy on the man standing behind him.
Nobody budges.
That’s right. Shadow stands back-to-back with Zenon, arms crossed.
He utters one sentence: “Well then…where are the main troops of the Cult?”
Zenon twists his face in humiliation. He then slices downward from over his shoulder.
But no one is there.
“Absurd…!”
Zenon hears a coat rippling through the air and looks back to find Shadow standing where he originally appeared, as if nothing has changed.
Even Alexia has completely lost track of Shadow as she watches from the sidelines. If this isn’t a magic trick or gimmick, then she’d consider him a mastermind… No, he’s much stronger than that.
Suppressing his frustration, Zenon slowly turns around.
“I seem to have slightly underestimated your power. While you only destroyed the smaller bases, there were several of them.”
This time, Zenon strengthens his magic as he keeps an eye on Shadow. The air undulates from its power. This is more intense than the strike that shattered Alexia’s sword.
Shadow is certainly an extraordinary warrior. But Zenon is mightier than the average soldier. A once-celebrated child prodigy, he grew up to win numerous tournaments and climbed the rungs to become a master swordsman. There isn’t a knight in the country who doesn’t know Zenon Griffey’s name.
“I’ll show you the power of the one to join the Rounds next term.”
So fast…! Alexia barely manages to follow Zenon’s sword with her eyes.
The afterimage of the bare blade tears the air and heads straight for Shadow’s neck.
“That’s one sharp move…”
Somewhere along the way, Shadow raises his black
sword and effortlessly blocks Zenon’s attack.
“Guh…!”
They’re locked in place. Zenon tries to push his way to victory.
But Shadow draws backward, using the swordsman’s momentum to send him flying.
“Heh…!”
Just before he slams into the wall, Zenon narrowly manages to tumble on the ground and reposition his sword. But he can’t hide his unease.
Neither of them moves.
Shadow has chosen not to move whereas Zenon can’t. He feels as if his entire body is being controlled.
“I thought you were going to hit me, Mr. Next-Gen Rounds.”
“Nngh…!”
Zenon’s face burns a furious red. He’s frustrated with his opponent but even more so with himself.
“That’s enouuuugh!!” Zenon howls as he executes a sweep attack.
His thrusts forward are as piercing as a squall.
His consecutive strikes are as fierce as a raging fire.
But none of them land.
“Aaaaaagghhhhh!!”
His ferocious roar sounds hollow. It’s as if an adult is practicing with a child.
Alexia is in shock watching the fight. She has never seen Zenon reveal this side of himself before. He has torn off his calm smile and mask of integrity, and it’s as if they’re now out of his reach. The strongest person Alexia knows is her older sister. Even so, Alexia doesn’t think her sister would be capable of overwhelming Zenon.
Clang, clang, clang.
The scant noise from their clashing blades echoes through the area and seems almost out of place. It’s the exact sound of light practice.
The ebony blade and its white counterpart etch their trajectories through the air.
Alexia’s gaze is fixed on this imitation practice session, mesmerized by the black sword. There’s a reason her eyes can’t stray from it.
“Mediocre swordplay…”
The figure in front of Alexia fights the same way she does.
When Alexia was a child, she had her own idea of perfect swordplay. It isn’t about talent, strength, or speed but building up from the basics. Yet others keep comparing her to her sister and mock her for being average, which makes Alexia feel as if she’s lost her direction in life.
But despite all her struggles, Alexia never gives up.
And she’s just witnessed these unremarkable moves slay the genius Zenon Griffey.
“Amazing…,” she mutters admiringly.
Witnessing this, she can see the path he’s walked in life. It’s a direct result of his serious and unwavering efforts.
Alexia’s sister might have the same thought.
“Iris…”
Alexia feels she finally understands her sister’s words from long ago.
“Gaghh…d-dammit…!”
Shadow’s blade lashes out at Zenon. He’s been hit too many times to keep count.
Zenon breathes raggedly as he glares at Shadow. His enraged eyes still haven’t accepted reality.
“Y-you bastard! Show me who you are…! Why do you hide your identity when you possess this much power?”
Those with Shadow’s strength hold riches and respect within arm’s reach—with the potential to be known worldwide.
But no one knows about Shadow’s swordplay. Even if he hides his face, those lucky enough to get a glimpse of his swordplay will never forget it. But this is the first time either Zenon or Alexia have seen such phenomenal swordsmanship.
“We are the Shadow Garden. We lurk in the darkness and hunt down shadows. That’s the only reason we exist…”
“You’re out of your mind…!”
Zenon and Shadow exchange glances.
Alexia is completely excluded from this exchange. She doesn’t know why they’re fighting or what they’re trying to accomplish.
Blood. Creature. Cult. There are many key words to remember.
But Alexia doesn’t know what they mean. To her, it all sounds like the ravings of a madman.
But what if? What if it isn’t just nonsense? What if there is something going on behind the scenes that Alexia doesn’t know about?
“Fine. If you’re ready to get serious, it looks like I’ll have to answer to your needs.”
Zenon produces a pill from his breast pocket.
“With this pill, I shall be awakened and surpass all human limitations. An ordinary human would break under this power and eventually self-destruct. But those in the Rounds are different. Only those who can manipulate this devastating power have the privilege of joining the Rounds.”
Zenon swallows the pill.
“I am the Third Awake.”
Zenon’s wounds instantly begin healing. His muscles tighten up, his eyes become bloodshot, and his capillary vessels protrude. It looks as if he’s being crushed by a tremendous force.
“I’ll show you almighty power,” boasts Zenon, his calm smile returning.
In his current form, there is no doubt Zenon is stronger than Princess Iris.
Alexia thinks Zenon is the strongest being in the world and shrinks back in despair. No…she would if she’d never seen Shadow’s swordplay.
She doesn’t think Zenon’s current form is the strongest at all. If fact, she thinks it’s something else entirely.
“How ugly…”
“That’s ugly…”
Alexia’s and Shadow’s voices overlap. After all, they’re striving to achieve the same type of sword technique, which is why they share the same sentiment.
“Did you just call me ugly?” Zenon’s smile slips away.
“Don’t call that pathetic form almighty. It’s a disgrace to those who are.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“With borrowed power, you’ll never walk the path of the almighty.”
This is the first time in this battle that Shadow intensifies his magic. Until now, he’s barely used it. It is so exceptionally precise that it’s impossible to perceive.
But what is this?
This surge of magic shows itself in the form of blue-violet rays of light. There are hundreds of ultrathin strands. These create a dazzling pattern as they wrap themselves around Shadow like veins.
“It’s beautiful…” Alexia is mesmerized by this sight.
She isn’t admiring the beauty of the lights, though, but the precision of his magic.
“What is this…?” Zenon is once again shocked.
No one has ever created such beauty through magic.
“I’ll show you true almighty power…and carve it into your mind forever.”
Magic gathers in the ebony blade and etches out a pattern, starting to form a large spiral. Shadow continues focusing his power.
It seems as if that spiral will swallow everything whole.
A frightening power is absorbed into the black weapon.
“This is me at my peak.” Shadow readies his blade in the lunging position.
This stance is only to strike down an enemy.
“S-sto…”
Is the ground trembling? Or the air? Or Zenon himself?
No, it’s everything.
Everything is rippling.
Alexia notices that she’s shaking, too. It isn’t out of fear, though, but joy.
That’s the final destination.
That…swordplay is the strongest.
“Watch closely…”
Draped in light, the ebony blade pulls back…
“Hidden Technique: I AM ATOMIC.”
…and releases.
All sound is lost.
A torrent of light shoots past Alexia and engulfs Zenon’s body. It penetrates everything, consuming the walls and the earth, blasting upward into the night sky.
Then it explodes.
As patterns of light are etched into the night sky, the entire capital assumes a blue-violet hue.
From impossibly far away, the delayed blast ripples across the city, sweeping away the rain clouds, shaking the ground and the private residences, before passing.
> All that’s left is a full moon and the beautiful night sky full of stars.
Zenon has been vaporized. He doesn’t even leave behind a single speck of dust.
The large hole blasts though the wall all the way aboveground.
And then…Shadow flings open his coat and slips into the night.
Once…there was a man who challenged nuclear power and trained his body and mind to hone his techniques.
But it remained far beyond his reach.
And then, after many hours of exhaustive training, he finally found the answer.
Q: How can I withstand nuclear power?
A: Become nuclear power.
From this, the esoteric technique I AM ATOMIC was born. And its power is most certainly comparable to a weapon of mass destruction!
How long did time stand still? Alexia suddenly notices someone calling her.
“Alexia… Alexia…!”
The person gasps for air and shouts from far away. It’s a voice she instantly recognizes.
“Iris… Iris…!” screams Alexia, dashing out through the large hole in the wall to the outdoors.
“Alexia! Alexia!!” Iris hurries toward her.
“Iris… I—I…gh.”
Alexia is embraced before she can tell her sister she’s unharmed. Iris is soaking from head to toe, and her body feels chilly and warm at the same time.
“I’m so glad you’re safe… I really am.” Iris hugs her sister tightly.
With some hesitation, Alexia wraps her arms around Iris’s back.
“I’m sorry. I must be cold.”
Alexia shakes her head against her sister’s chest. Tears flow from her eyes and won’t stop coming.
Two students stand on the roof. It’s early in the summer. One is an attractive girl with silvery-white hair. The other is an ordinary boy whose hair is black.
“This incident has been resolved on the surface, but I can sense something brewing behind the scenes. Iris is preparing to dispatch a special brigade, and I plan to help her. So we’re only just getting started,” says the girl.
“All in moderation,” adds the boy.
“Which means you’ve been cleared of the charges. I really dragged you into that mess.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
A gust of wind passes between them, and her skirt billows to reveal her white legs.
The Eminence in Shadow, Vol. 1 (Light Novel) Page 10