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Ryuu didn't waste any time. As soon as Shirou raised his sword, she lunged forward with impressive speed, Alvs Lumina moving swiftly in her hand before she swung it toward Shirou's left shoulder.
Swish!
Shirou easily raised Kanshou, deflecting the attack without flinching. The clashing sound of wood against metal echoed in the late morning air. Without pause, Ryuu spun her body, stepping to the side and swinging her sword toward Shirou's legs, trying to force him off balance.
However, Shirou seemed to have anticipated it. He lightly jumped back, effortlessly dodging the attack.
Ryuu didn't give up. She attacked from various angles—high, low, sideways—a combination of fast and precise movements typical of an experienced fighter. Yet, every time her sword nearly reached Shirou, Kanshou or Bakuya would appear to precisely block her strikes.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing weapons filled the air, but unlike their previous sparring sessions, this time Shirou seemed more relaxed. His body moved with a more natural rhythm as if deflecting Ryuu's attacks was just a habit that required little effort. There were even moments when Shirou used only one hand to block Ryuu's strikes, which slightly annoyed her.
Ryuu stepped back for a moment, her breathing starting to grow heavier. She stared at Shirou, who remained standing calmly with a composed expression.
"Did… you get stronger because of those swords?" Ryuu asked, her tone slightly frustrated. She didn't remember Shirou being able to handle her attacks this easily before.
Shirou nodded lightly, spinning Kanshou in his hand before returning it to a defensive position. "Yes, Kanshou and Bakuya do help me. But it's not just that," he said casually.
Ryuu narrowed her eyes. "Not just that?"
Shirou sighed, as if hesitating to explain, but finally spoke. "I just updated my status after the expedition with the Loki Familia."
Ryuu's eyes widened slightly, realizing something. "So that's why… you're much stronger than before."
Shirou just smiled faintly. "More or less."
Ryuu gripped Alvs Lumina tighter, her eyes shining with determination. "Then I'll have to try harder!" she said before darting toward Shirou again, ready to continue their fight.
For the past week, Ryuu had been training herself with burning determination. Every morning, before dawn broke and before the first customers arrived at the Hostess of Fertility, she would wake up early and head to the dormitory courtyard to train alone.
Her attacks weren't just ordinary practice—she imagined Shirou standing in front of her, with his casual smile that seemed to mock her. Every time she remembered how Shirou had effortlessly deflected her attacks in their last duel, her resolve grew stronger. She wanted to find a gap, something that could penetrate his defenses and wipe that confident expression off his face.
After days of intense training and experimentation, Ryuu finally found a technique that might work. This technique relied on speed and sudden changes in rhythm—something even an experienced fighter would have trouble anticipating.
And now, under the morning sky with a gentle breeze blowing softly through the trees, it was time to test the results of her training.
Shirou returned to his defensive stance, as usual, his swords raised casually as if there was no pressure at all. He was used to Ryuu's previous attack patterns, so he felt confident in reading her movements.
However, as Ryuu stepped forward, he sensed something different.
Fwoosh!
Ryuu ran toward him faster than he expected, her movements like a shadow gliding across the ground. Shirou quickly raised Kanshou to block her attack, but just as Alvs Lumina was about to touch his blade—Ryuu suddenly changed the direction of her attack.
From what seemed like a straightforward frontal slash, she performed a spinning maneuver in the air, her body rotating quickly before releasing an attack from an unexpected angle.
Twhack!
Shirou's eyes widened as he felt a hard impact hit his right side.
"Agh—!"
He staggered back a few steps, feeling a sharp pain spread across his side. His hand reflexively touched the spot where he had been hit, a look of shock clearly visible on his face.
Ryuu stood tall with a satisfied smile, still in the final pose of her attack.
"Hah… finally," she said, her breathing slightly heavy. "I managed to break through your defense, Shirou."
Shirou stared at her in surprise before letting out a small snort. "Heh… so this is your new technique?"
Ryuu smirked slightly. "That's right. Every morning, I imagined this moment. Imagine your surprised face after my attack succeeds."
Shirou grimaced, still feeling the pain in his side. "I have to admit… that's a good technique. Your change in rhythm really caught me off guard."
Ryuu shrugged confidently. "Of course. I couldn't let you keep dodging every one of my attacks without a fight."
Shirou sighed, rolling his shoulders to shake off the pain. "Alright, I guess I'll have to take things more seriously next time."
"Of course," Ryuu replied in a teasing tone. "If you still want to keep that smug smile of yours, that is."
Shirou just smiled faintly, already knowing that this time, he had lost the first round.
Shirou took a deep breath, his eyes sharp as he stared at Ryuu, who was still standing confidently, though her breathing was starting to grow ragged. He couldn't help but let out a small smile.
She really prepared this for me.
Before, he had always thought he understood how Alvs Lumina moved in Ryuu's hands. During their previous sparring sessions, Shirou had secretly used Tracing to read the characteristics of the wooden sword—its structure, balance, and Ryuu's habits in wielding it. With that information, he could easily predict and deflect every attack that came his way.
But now…
Shirou glanced slightly at his side where he had been hit earlier. If this had been a real duel, the wound he received might have been deep enough to be serious.
So, while I wasn't coming to the Hostess of Fertility for a week, you were training a special technique just to beat me?
He couldn't help but feel impressed. Ryuu didn't just rely on her speed—she also used strategy. There were no gaps in her previous techniques, and Shirou had been too complacent with his own advantages to notice that Ryuu had grown.
Shirou gripped his swords tighter. "I underestimated you, Ryuu."
Ryuu raised her chin slightly, not saying anything. She simply waited, her eyes still filled with the calm and sharpness of a seasoned fighter.
Shirou raised Kanshou and Bakuya, then looked at Ryuu with determination. "Show me everything you've got."
Ryuu didn't move, only raising her sword slightly in a defensive stance.
Alright… then I'll force you to move!
Shirou darted forward, this time with even greater speed. The air whistled as he swung Kanshou from the right, but Ryuu managed to deflect it with a smooth motion. However, before her defense could fully stabilize, Shirou was already launching another attack with Bakuya.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of clashing metal filled the air as the two exchanged attacks at high speed. Shirou kept pressing, not giving Ryuu any chance to counterattack.
The elf tried to hold her ground, but the rhythm of Shirou's attacks was far more intense than before. If she had been able to keep up with Shirou earlier, this time she was truly on the defensive.
Shirou knew that he could have shattered Ryuu's defense with a single powerful strike. With his status now enhanced after the expedition with the Loki Familia, his physical strength was far above the average Level 4 adventurer.
However, he chose not to rely on raw power.
If I just rely on my status, then this isn't a duel… It's just a slaughter.
Instead, he decided to fight using only his sword techniques, without relying on his physical superiority.
Ryuu began to be pushed back. She jumped back, trying to create distance, but Shirou immediately pursued her.
Damn it!
The elf gritted her teeth. Her breathing grew heavier, and her hands trembled slightly from blocking too many attacks in a short time.
However, despite her condition, Ryuu smiled.
"Is that all?" she said challengingly, even though her chest was rising and falling rapidly. "You haven't even landed a hit on me yet."
Shirou chuckled. "Oh? You're still talking big?"
He returned to his stance.
Shirou smiled faintly. "Don't get too complacent, Ryuu. I'm not done yet."
Their duel had only just begun.
Shirou tightened his grip on Kanshou in his right hand, and then with a sudden motion, he threw the sword directly at Ryuu.
Whoosh!
Ryuu's trained reflexes made her immediately sidestep, dodging the throw with agility. However, a look of surprise briefly crossed her face. Shirou had never used a strategy like this in their previous training sessions.
Is he changing his attack pattern?
But before Ryuu could regain her balance, Shirou moved with incredible speed. In an instant, he was right in front of Ryuu.
Without hesitation, Shirou activated Projection once more. A blue light gathered in his hand, and in a flash, a new Kanshou had formed in his grasp.
"—Trace, on!"
With both of his twin swords, Shirou launched a cross slash toward Ryuu's body.
Clang! Clang!
Ryuu tried to block with Alvs Lumina, but Shirou's attacks were too fast and too strong. The impact forced her to stagger back, losing her balance for a moment.
However, before she could reset her defensive stance—
Thud!
A hard blow hit her back. Ryuu flinched, her eyes widening.
The Kanshou Shirou had thrown earlier?!
Instead of simply flying away, the sword spun back like a boomerang and struck her from behind. The attack was strong enough to make Ryuu fall to her knees, her hands pressing against the ground to support herself.
Her breathing was ragged, and before she could get back up—
Tap!
The tip of Bakuya now rested above her head. Shirou stood in front of her with a calm expression, though there was a slight victorious smile at the corner of his lips.
"Looks like I win," he said casually.
Ryuu lifted her head, still slightly out of breath. She looked at the sword above her head and realized something—Shirou had dulled both of his swords from the start. If he hadn't, she would have suffered serious injuries or even died on the spot.
The elf was silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh before finally speaking.
"Let's take a break," she said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "We'll continue later."
Shirou lowered his sword and nodded. "Agreed."
With that, he extended a hand toward Ryuu. The elf looked at it for a moment before finally accepting it and standing back up. Their training wasn't over, but for now, both of them needed time to catch their breath.
Ryuu got up from her spot and walked toward the dormitory, her steps light but still calm as usual. She climbed the low stairs to her room, opened the door gently, and grabbed two bottles of water from the small table in the corner. After making sure they were still cold, she quickly returned to the courtyard where Shirou was waiting.
Meanwhile, outside, Shirou took a deep breath and began unraveling the prana that formed his weapons.
The bow he had used earlier slowly faded, followed by the arrows still embedded in the target and the twin swords Kanshou and Bakuya in his hands. The archery target that had stood firmly also turned into glowing blue particles before disappearing completely, as if it had never been there.
Once everything was gone, Shirou exhaled softly and leaned against the large tree in the center of Ryuu's dormitory courtyard. The coolness of the shade provided by the leaves blocking the sunlight felt comfortable on his skin. He closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the morning breeze that was starting to warm up as noon approached.
Not long after, light footsteps approached. Ryuu, who had just returned from her room, saw Shirou leaning against the tree with a relaxed expression. The sight brought back a memory in her mind—a scene similar to their previous training sessions.
Back then, she had teased him by splashing water on his face while he was resting.
However, this time, instead of repeating that mischief, Ryuu simply smiled faintly. With a casual motion, she pressed a leather bottle filled with cold water against Shirou's cheek.
The sudden cold sensation against his skin made Shirou flinch slightly. His eyes, which had been closed, slowly opened, looking at the water bottle now in front of him.
"You always fall asleep in the same spot after training," Ryuu said in her usual flat tone, though there was a hint of warmth in her voice.
Shirou took the bottle without much fuss, only raising an eyebrow slightly before smiling faintly. "Habit," he murmured before taking a sip of the cold water.
Ryuu sat down beside him, opening her own bottle and sipping the cool water calmly. They sat side by side in silence, enjoying the morning air that still felt fresh even as the sun slowly rose over Orario.
Ryuu was still sipping water slowly from her bottle, savoring the relief that flowed down her throat. Her gaze remained fixed on Shirou, who sat relaxed beside her. After a moment of silence, she raised an eyebrow and spoke in a probing tone.
"You were holding back during training earlier, weren't you?" she asked, her tone half accusatory.
Shirou turned, slightly surprised by the direct question. He let out a small sigh before finally nodding. "Yes. If I had used my full strength, your wooden sword would have been knocked out of your hand from the start," he answered honestly, his voice flat as if stating a simple fact.
Ryuu had just been about to take another sip when she heard those words.
"Ugh!"
She choked, quickly bending over and patting her chest, trying to calm her suddenly blocked throat.
Shirou panicked slightly, seeing her coughing. "Are you okay?"
Ryuu raised a hand, signaling for Shirou not to worry, then took a deep breath after her coughing subsided. She glared at Shirou with a disbelieving look.
"I was just thinking that you were holding back by not using your bow and shooting me from a distance. But you could have knocked my sword out of my hand at any time?!" she said, her tone half-annoyed, half-amazed.
Shirou looked away, feeling a little awkward. He didn't know how to respond to such a reaction, especially when Ryuu said it with such an incredulous expression.
Seeing Shirou just staying silent without responding, Ryuu snorted softly and then rubbed her back, which still ached from Shirou's last attack. The pain reminded her of something Shirou had mentioned earlier.
"So… the trick you used to defeat Revis was that it? The sword that could return to you?" she asked, still rubbing her back.
Shirou turned and nodded. "Yes, more or less. But the situation was far more dangerous. Revis was much stronger than me at the time, and I didn't have a chance to attack her directly. I had to lure her first."
Ryuu looked at him seriously. "How did you do that?"
Shirou sighed, recalling the battle. "I deliberately took her attacks," he said softly.
Ryuu's eyes widened. "You took attacks from an enemy that strong?!"
Shirou nodded again. "I had no other choice. I needed an opening to attack her, and the only way was to make her confident enough to lower her guard. But yeah… the result was that I couldn't even get up afterward. Revis's punch was strong enough to shatter my body, and that almost happened."
Ryuu still looked at him with an expression of disbelief. "You're really lucky to still be alive after taking that kind of hit," she murmured, half in awe, half in concern.
Shirou smiled faintly. "Yeah… I think so, too. If it weren't for my friends in the Loki Familia helping me recover, I probably wouldn't be here right now."
He paused for a moment, letting his mind drift to the moment he woke up after that battle.
Aiz even waited for me while I was unconscious. When I woke up, she was by my bed, asleep in her full armor. It seemed like she had been waiting all night.
Ryuu was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "It seems like a lot of people really care about you."
Shirou just scratched the back of his neck, feeling a little embarrassed and guilty for troubling them. "I'm just lucky to have met them."
The two of them sat in silence again, enjoying the morning air that was slowly turning into noon. Shirou gazed at the sky with a peaceful expression, while Ryuu glanced at him briefly, her smile still lingering. After all, Shirou wasn't just strong—he was also someone who naturally drew the attention of those around him, whether it was because of his kind nature or his insane determination in battle.