Stella squinted her eyes after seeing the man approaching her.

She doesn't like him at all… It was one thing to suspect her skills in swordsmanship since she really needed her master's assistance that time, but taking his eyes on her weapon was too much.

​​

She was unsure what this man had seen in her sword but whatever it is, he shouldn't have done that to someone who had helped in saving the villagers.

At the very least, she expected to be thanked due to her actions during that time.

Frank is as taller as her uncle and he currently wears his leather armor together with a spear strapped on his back. She can also see a small blade hanged on his waist. Except for the impressive spear, he's wearing the standard uniform of the guards.

"Stella… I heard that you managed to trick those Knights…" Frank said as he approached the young girl under the tree.

He just briefly gave a glance at the hanging woods that she set up and the dummies she built around the place.

"Huh? What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I know that you're wooden sword is not normal…"

Stella and Reiji were surprised to hear this… The Knight Captain used a Unique-Rank Arcana to appraise the sword but they were unable to find any…

But this guy, who doesn't even possess an Arcana, was telling this with confidence!

Of course, Stella also realized that the guy was bluffing.

"You can believe whatever you want… I'm going to practice now, leave me alone."

Although she didn't think that the guy would just leave, she said it nonetheless so this person can stop with his act.

Frank only smiled at her as he pulled out his spear...

***

It was perhaps a month ago, Frank was doing his daily patrol at the eastern part of the village early in the morning...

The area only has a few houses but it was relatively safe since most of the beasts would come from the northern area. That area has a watchtower and a decent wooden fence to defend against any beast's invasion.

The False Ivies around the village were also growing finely to deter any weaker beasts that would stray here…

"Aah!"

"Uhmp!"

"H-help—"

Thud!

The voices weren't loud but his trained ears heard it nonetheless.

"Something is happening… Is it a beast attack? Urgh… If they entered the village, then it must be an Evil Beast! I have to tell the leader!"

Although he hates to admit it, that retired Knight was very reliable in this situation…

Aside from that, he doesn't have confidence in fighting any mid-grade or top-grade Evil Beasts alone…

As for the low-grades, they wouldn't normally enter a human settlement unless they were triggered by something.

--Ssak!

Frank suddenly heard a flesh being cut and noticed that it wasn't too far from him. He glanced at the house where the sound came from and heard a person's footsteps.

Clink!

He then heard a sound of an opening door and saw a cloaked man getting out.

Frank immediately noticed that the man's clothes were dark due to the blood from the people he just killed! He was sure of it as the cloaked man's blade was still dripping with blood!

'Oh no! Who is this guy!'

Before he could take further actions, the man swiftly entered another house and he heard another muffled sound caused by the people being killed…

He now realized that the situation was extremely bad.

'The other guards must've died first… I need to alarm everyone!' He looked around the area and he was unsure whether other enemies are hiding.

'It's impossible for a single person to attack this village… I have to leave quietly.' Frank decided to be extremely careful. He can't let the enemies know that he already noticed them.

Because of this, he decided not to shout and alarm the survivors or even the killer's accomplice that he was standing there… Unfortunately, this action allowed the cloaked guy to continue his killing spree.

At this time, his mind was focused on the fact that he would be killed if other cloaked men targeted him instead.

'Right… I can't save more people if I die now…'

He quickly moved his feet to get away from this place… After getting a bit more distance, he started to call out the other guards to quickly send help to the area. He then leads the group that he hastily formed and found that the cloaked guy was about to kill a young girl.

"Hurry! He's about to kill someone!"

"Hey, you! Stop what you're doing!"

"Don't you dare!"

To save the girl that the man was about to kill, the three guards that Frank brought started yelling to get the attention of the cloaked man.

On the other hand, Frank remained silent and observant in the surroundings so he can immediately act if there's someone who would try to ambush them.

However, instead of seeing the man's accomplice, he saw a fast-moving object that suddenly descended from the sky…

'What's that?!'

It happened in an instant that the other guards who were focused on running in that direction did not notice it…

Soon, he saw the young girl wield a wooden sword that has appeared out of nowhere. It only lasted for a few seconds, but he saw the girl's minimal and precise movements to down her opponent…

'How did she—'

However, the girl must've exhausted too much energy or perhaps injured heavily, as she collapsed after dealing with the man.

After this event, he made secret investigations about her which lead him to desire the sword in her possession.

***

Stella saw the man pull out his spear and formed a battle stance... She quickly backed away to avoid getting within the spear's reach.

"You-- Are you planning to kill me just to get my sword?!"

Stella exclaimed in surprise as she glanced at the nearby watchtower. There's not a single guard or person within the place.

"Hehe… That's right… Are you not going to use that sword?"

Frank chuckled as he glanced at the wooden sword leaning on the nearby tree.

"You fool!" Stella couldn't believe that this guy plans to kill her. He's one of the pillars of this village now that the previous guard leader perished! How can he do this?!

"Hmph! I can just leave this place once I have your sword…"

Frank announced his plans as he got angry after being called a fool.

He just completed his daily training with the Knights hired by their village chief and was embarrassed in front of his fellow guards.

He was told that he was a fool for taking an interest in a dull wooden sword…

'They're all fools…'

At first, Frank just wanted the chief or other Arcanists to confirm that the sword was not a dangerous weapon and that he may possess it in the future… However, they didn't even find any abnormalities on that sword and even treated it as a normal wooden sword…

Anyway, this made him realized that the wooden sword was truly special. Because of that, he had to kill this girl, the current owner of the sword, to take her possession.

He knows that an Arcana, or other high-level weapons, would only become ownerless once the current wielder bounded to them died.

He can't just steal the sword without killing its wielder.

"Tsk…"

Stella, with her two wooden swords made from the branch of the beacon tree, formed the basic stance of nitouryuu…

Her right hand was raised similar to a jodan while her left hand that was holding another sword remained lowered while pointing its tip on Frank's chest.

It seems that her master only plans to watch her so she had to do her best…

She was actually quite afraid of fighting this man without Reiji beside her, but she had to do this since this sentient Arcana trusts her.

She looked at Frank with a determined gaze as she calculated her movements…

'He would surely trust his spear in this direction to test my reaction…'

She then looked at the possible area she could hit him after parrying his spear with one sword…

The Men, Kote, Dou, and Tsuki…

The head strike or 'men' might be difficult due to the difference in their reach.

Hitting his wrists or 'kote' may be possible if she used the new footwork she learned…

Aiming for a Dou, or body strike, might not be a good idea since he is wearing sturdy leather armor.

How about a Tsuki? Urgh… I can only try if there's an opening.

She doesn't have prior experience in fighting spear wielders so she planned to see his combat style first…

"Come!" Stella yelled to the man to remove her nervousness.

The battle between the two was supposed to be a secret as Frank ordered the guard to vacate the place and to leave him the guarding duty. He only told them that they were being called by the village chief so he needs to be fast…

"Hmmm… What's going on here? A duel, perhaps a spar?"

The voice came from a woman as she silently watched the battle commence from the top of a tree…

The two couldn't hear her due to the distance between them as they just continued their fight…

Only Reiji, the sentient Arcana, was observing the newly arrived woman…