Chapter Two: The Dance of the Blades and the Silver Covenant
There was complete silence in the narrow valley after the rock ogre collapsed. The purple dust of battle emanating from the monster's vanishing corpse began to subside, revealing the mysterious young man standing amidst the ruins. Ryoma was looking at his palm, where the black blade (enhanced tree branch) had faded away, leaving behind a familiar feeling of numbness and latent power. Ryoma (secretly): "Only 1%... and I broke a rock against which magic was powerless. This (Sovereignty of the Void) is no joke. But... the shackles are squeezing my soul. If this is how the 1% feels, how will I tolerate the 100%? Will I turn into a monster stronger than the Demon King himself?" His train of thought was interrupted by a sudden movement. Seiya, the warrior princess, rushed towards him with unerring instinct. Her long silver sword, powered by Holy Light magic, was shining intensely, and its point was directly towards Ryoma's neck. It was not a purely hostile movement, but rather a movement of inspection and testing, tinged with extreme caution from someone carrying unknown and dark energy. [System: Warning! Class B Attack. Objective: Secure the area.] Ryoma moved without looking. He used the "Art of Blade Parry" he had honed against the Kendo champions of the land. With the blink of an eye, his body slid to the side, passing the silver blade a few millimeters from his pure veins. At the same moment, he grabbed her armored wrist, and pressed on a specific nerve point (which he saw with analytical skill as a pulsing red square). Ryoma (coldly, his voice carrying a hoarseness of fatigue and threat): "O warrior... I taught you on earth that swords are not raised in the face of those who save you. Is betrayal a trait of the kings of this world as well?" The silver sword fell from her trembling hand due to nervous pressure. Sia looked at him with wide blue eyes, mixed with anger, astonishment, and fear. She had never seen anyone move so quickly and without any visible magical aura. Siya (panting, her royal pride preventing her from showing pain): "Who are you? How did you cut off a rank A Demonic Pollution with a tree branch? Your energy... it's not mana, it's not black magic. It's... a black void that swallows everything." Ryoma released her wrist and walked slowly towards the terrified villagers who began to gather behind her like chickens taking cover. Ryoma: "I am Ryoma Kazami. A stranger from another world, I have come to cleanse this place of the filth you call demons. As for my energy... it is none of your business." He turned to her again, and the old look of regret flashed in his gray eyes for a second before it disappeared. Ryoma: "But I promise you one thing, princess. I will not stab you in the back. I was cut once, and I will not allow a blade to touch me treacherously again. If you want to fight me, let it be face to face, when you are at full strength." Siya grabbed her sword lying on the ground, and slowly put it back in its sheath. I looked at the villagers who started chanting Ryoma's name. Siya (secretly, looking at his back): "Ryoma... is a man with no mana, but he carries terrifying power. And his vow... seems painfully honest. Was he sent by the Light to save us? Or is he a greater demon masquerading as a human?"