Chapter 203
Episode 66: Vanessa Olsen (3)

The swirling storm of lightning energy that had gathered around the sword suddenly transformed into blue rods, scattering into the air like sparks.

Dozens of small pillars, each charged with that lightning energy, emitted a sacred glow in the middle of the dark wilderness. The unstable, writhing energy vanished without a trace, and the pillars stood arranged as if meticulously crafted by someone’s hand.

The technique that began was the Four Swords of the Twin Spirits.

Erosion.

Thud!

Jin plunged Sigmund into the ground. Instantly, the floating blue rods of lightning energy all drove into the earth at once.

Vanessa had been about to swing her sword at that moment. She wanted to show this bright young upstart what happens when you try to unleash a technique by stabbing your weapon into the ground.

But instead of attacking, she had no choice but to step back.

Because suddenly, sharp bolts of lightning crackled across the entire ground. Not just the floor—every breath she took felt like tiny needles of electricity stabbing at her throat.

The blue rods, arranged in a circle around where Sigmund was embedded, electrified the earth beneath their feet.

Vanessa had to put distance between them.

She could probably break through it, but the unpredictability of what might happen inside this “lightning zone” made her uneasy.

There was no need to engage just to flaunt superiority when she could simply strike from outside the zone.

“This feels less like a sword technique and more like magic.”

The lightning energy she inhaled was intense, but deep down, Vanessa had hoped for a destructive strike filled with fighting spirit—like the legendary Rune Candelle battle techniques from half a millennium ago. The swords of those who once ruled the world.

But this was more like a magician’s trick.

“He said there are a few more techniques. Maybe I’ll watch a little longer. But if it keeps going like this, my disappointment will only grow…”

Suddenly, Vanessa’s gaze dropped to her feet.

Crackle, crackle.

Tiny sparks of lightning, no bigger than millet grains, flickered erratically. They were clearly outside the area eroded by Sigmund and the blue pillars.

The lightning beneath her feet was faint, like glowing embers—completely unrelated to the fierce, wild electricity of the eroded ground.

Yet her instincts screamed: avoid it.

Snap! Vanessa reflexively stepped back with a footwork technique. Since reaching her level, her instincts had never failed her.

Kuzzuk, kajijik!

The lightning near Jin converged and exploded toward those tiny sparks. The speed was absolute—so fast that even a 10th-rank knight couldn’t dodge without anticipating it.

Like a massive serpent slithering through, a black hole scorched the spot where Vanessa had stood.

“So even if I blocked it with my body, it wouldn’t have been impressive.”

As she turned her head, a blue image of thunder flashed in Vanessa’s eyes. Literally, thunder had fallen from the sky, striking the crater once more.

The deafening roar that followed made even Vanessa flinch this time.

“An earthquake…?”

Right after the thunder struck the crater, a faint tremor spread across the ground beneath them.

Thanks to the quake, Vanessa realized something: the tiny lightning sparks that had summoned the thunder were actually scattered all around.

They were popping up everywhere. If countless tiny sparks like those could each summon thunder…

Just imagining it sent chills down her spine for the first time in a long while.

“Of course, such an absurd technique can’t exist. That would be like a god summoning thousands of thunders. If that were true, I’d be the one challenging Jin.”

Meanwhile, Jin was thinking:

“The previous techniques, the judgment and the erosion… they’re insignificant compared to what the Twin Spirits showed.”

The erosion unleashed by Twin Spirit Ban was exactly what Vanessa had imagined: relentless, thousands of thunderbolts crashing down, impossible for anyone below 9th rank to block or dodge.

Though Jin couldn’t yet summon thousands of thunderbolts like Ban, he could manage dozens.

Kajijik, kajik, kuzuzuk!

Lightning began to explode near Vanessa.

And Vanessa was truly someone Sir Shiron could entrust his back to.

Despite the countless tiny sparks scattered nearby, she pinpointed exactly which ones were about to detonate in response to the thunder—before even a second passed.

What ordinary people called reflex vision, and martial artists called spiritual power, was far beyond common sense.

Jin had anticipated this much.

“Lady Vanessa will try to avoid the thunder of erosion. She must have judged that trying to block it is too dangerous.”

So the moment he plunged Sigmund into the ground, he prepared to summon Tess. If, after the lightning, a sudden burst of oppressive flames rained down, even Vanessa would be caught off guard.

Gaaah!

From the dimensional portal above Jin, Tess’s blue wings emerged. As soon as Tess was summoned, Jin withdrew Sigmund and charged at Vanessa at full speed.

His plan was to attack while she dodged the thunder of erosion. Even a 10th-rank knight would have openings when hastily retreating.

But the moment Jin closed in—

Did he think I’d dodge?

Vanessa didn’t say it aloud.

But Jin could tell from her expression alone. She was silently saying that she wouldn’t dodge—not because she had time, but because thunder was about to strike.

She was telling him she would show what a true 10th-rank knight’s power really meant.

Kurururu…!

Jin’s radiant heart blazed fiercely, ready to explode, as oppressive flames engulfed Vanessa whole.

The sky seemed to tear apart.

Dozens of thunderbolts poured down, converging on the single point that was Vanessa.

She could have dodged most of it. Though the oppressive flames would have pinned her down, any thunder she couldn’t avoid could be blocked.

But instead of that, Vanessa focused her strength into her sword.

“Are you seriously going to block all of this?”

Jin swallowed dryly without realizing it.

Amid the blue flames and lightning, a single beam of pure white light shone from her blade.

But that was only how it appeared to those who hadn’t reached her level.

Dozens, even hundreds of sword energies danced within that beam. Some grasped the blue flames, others tore through the lightning, and some constricted Jin himself.

This time, a chill ran down Jin’s spine. Though Vanessa’s sword beam spread without blinking, he already saw the near future.

“Lady Vanessa will block every single one perfectly…!”

The thunder of erosion, Tess’s blue flames, not even a thread of her clothing would be disturbed—everything would be swept away by her sword energy.

In other words, Jin’s calculations were wrong. He had to admit he had underestimated a martial artist capable of shaking the world.

“Kaaah!”

Vanessa’s roar sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

The blue flames and thunder were crushed and extinguished beneath her sword energy, and Tess was breathing anew to protect Jin.

The remaining sword energies surged toward Jin.

Fortunately, their momentum had weakened somewhat, but Tess couldn’t hold forever. And Jin still hadn’t touched Vanessa’s body with his sword.

Even though his calculations were off, he had no intention of retreating.

“If this fails too, I’ll admit my defeat.”

Srrng, whoosh…

As Bradamante drew her sword from its sheath, spiritual energy flowed forth. The wilderness, once filled only with blue and white energy, now felt alien as pitch-black spiritual energy spread.

Spirit Sword Style One.

Jin lowered his body and took his stance.

Soul Severing—the technique he had been perfecting even before reaching Lafrarosa.

As always, Jin chanted the incantation: “I strike, I strike Lady Vanessa. I strike that monster…” The awakened spiritual energy darkened the blade.

“This will truly be the last.”

“Did you enjoy the earlier ones?”

“I look forward to it.”

Vanessa’s iron sword was chipped and worn. Though it was imbued with the aura of a 10th-rank knight, it was still a cheap iron blade.

“Maybe I should have brought a better sword. How ridiculous, haha.”

So Vanessa had already accepted defeat. She knew she couldn’t withstand Jin’s final strike head-on with such a blade. This was no longer a duel—it was a sparring match.

Even without a sword, killing Jin wouldn’t be difficult, but Vanessa had already judged that Jin had passed the test.

Her clothes were intact, and Jin’s sword had never touched her, yet Vanessa had far exceeded the limits she had set for herself in blocking Jin’s thunder and blue flames.

In other words, taking Jin’s final attack head-on now was—

A way of awarding him extra points as an examiner. Or a tribute to the young Rune Candelle, growing splendidly as one destined to be enshrined in the Rune Candelle mausoleum.

Jin’s body surged forward.

Though he hadn’t reached the realm of “cutting souls directly,” Spirit Sword Style One, refined at Lafrarosa, was silent.

The ghostly blade simply pierced and cut through its target. With enough faith, there was nothing in the world it couldn’t sever.

And once again, Vanessa instinctively perceived the sword’s true nature.

She wasn’t a Sollet contract holder, nor had she experienced much spiritual energy, but those standing near the blade’s tip could see it.

The depth of every action performed through the sword.

“Impressive.”

Bradamante, stained with blood, brushed against Vanessa’s cheek. A red drop spread, and Jin passed her by, savoring the thrill of victory.

As a warrior, he felt a pang of regret, knowing he still had much to prove in the vast sea of swords.

But as Siron’s son, he was proud—proud that he had exceeded his father’s expectations in this trial. Especially now, Jin had earned Siron’s recognition as a worthy sparring partner.

Clang…!

Vanessa’s iron sword shattered—not just broken, but completely splintered, scattering fragments across the floor.

It was the most exhilarating sound Jin had ever heard since birth.

“Jin Runcandel, I have one question for you.”

“Please, go ahead, Lady Vanessa.”

Vanessa shrugged and turned to face him.

“If I had used just a bit more strength, do you think the outcome would have been the same?”

From her perspective, Jin was more than capable of matching Siron in combat. As a warrior, she was genuinely curious.

Could they even reach the level of a true duel?

“…Well, actually, there’s one more thing.”

“What? You mean there’s something left beyond what you’ve already shown?”

“But it’s neither sword nor magic, so it doesn’t really matter.”

“Neither sword nor magic?”

Jin smiled without answering.

It was a silent way of saying he couldn’t reveal the details. Vanessa could only shrug at this audacious Runcandel.

“In any case, this is a complete defeat for me. Your father said he would punish me, but after this, I suppose I have no choice but to reward you.”