—When someone creates a story about a tournament, the main character always ends up at the finals with his opponent. The main character would be underestimated but in the end, become the dark horse of the tournament while the final enemy was always the one most favored for victory.

It was quite a cliché way of doing a tournament but it was the way to make things interesting or so Kai had thought. But as of this moment, he wished that the cliché happened.

Kai sighed as he looked at the two figures on the stage.

Yoko, still hidden under a cloak and mask pointed her sword at the person in front of her.

"You're the girl at the training arena, aren't you? So you all entered this tournament knowing that I would be participating, perhaps? Well, it doesn't matter."

The Blind Swordsman continued to monologue.

"I'd still like to fight that boyfriend of yours. It's the first time in a while that I've seen someone that was able to match me."

It was easy for someone to misunderstand him, Kai was insanely protective of Yoko at the time. Still, Yoko neither denied nor confirmed and continued to point her sword at him. This wasn't the time to have any distractions swaying her. She had to focus.

Gigas appeared on Yoko's arms and covered the gauntlets that Kai had given her. She gripped the sword in her hands with the gauntlet tightly but she only managed to use one hand because of the gauntlet's size. Her other hand had one part of her Enchanted Gear, Snake's Fangs.

Although swords had to be the main weapon, it was allowed for the offhand to hold many things like daggers and magic. The only thing they truly banned is shields with the exception of bucklers.

She couldn't afford to be careless. Even though Kai did give her an Enchanted Gear for a sword, she wasn't too well-versed in using one. Now, she had four Enchanted Gear on her arms. A dagger, a sword, and a pair of gauntlets that cover a smaller pair. There was also her armor.

If an Enchanted Gear is a piece of weaponry or armor that had a rune enchanted into it, then her cloak and mask were as well. But they only had a few functions that weren't really enough to mention. On the other hand, the under armor that Kai had given her was enough to withstand a fatal blow and the boots she wore could give short bursts of speed.

But even with that, she didn't feel confident. In the face of absolute power, preparation is worthless.

"Participant sixteen, are you ready?"

Yoko nodded but didn't take her eyes off of the Blind Swordsman.

"Participant twenty-two, are you ready?"

The Blind Swordsman also nodded. After the Blind Swordsman's monologue, both of them were completely silent and gave all of their focus to their opponent. Although the Blind Swordsman held enough power to ignore someone like Yoko, Kai had said that he didn't like looking down on opponents and barely held back on them.

If it was a life and death duel, then he would kill. If it was a tournament which prevented killing, then he'd incapacitate. It was an honorable personality, if only he wasn't on the enemy's side.

"Ready..."

Yoko gripped her sword tighter.

"Go!"

Once the announcer's words fell, the Blind Swordsman vanished from his spot. Yoko's pupils contracted and she instinctively raised her sword.

DING

Due to her lacking posture, she was sent flying but she managed to regain her footing before landing a few meters away. Even though she was caught off-guard, she was still backed by the power of several pieces of Enchanted Gear.

If I had taken that attack with just a regular weapon... what would've happened?

Yoko shivered just by thinking about it but even if she was afraid, she still stood her ground.

"You haven't lost your heart, that's commendable."

A long sword? Didn't he use a katana?

Kai had told Yoko about it during that night and remembered. She then looked at her hand that blocked the sword, it was numb and shaking just from that one blow. But instead of fear on her face, it was excitement.

Kai could see her clearly from afar and when he saw that smile, his eyes widened.

"...She might just have a chance to leave a wound."

Erina heard that and raised a brow.

"Why? What's happening to Yoko?"

Kai gestured for her to close her eyes to which she complied. He used Bestow and gave her Hawk Eye and what she saw bewildered her even more than Kai's words.

"Why is she smiling? She doesn't even smile all that often."

Kai didn't respond and kept his eyes glued to the match.

One thing that happens when there's a sign that an innate ability will awaken, the one it manifests in will have their personality or habits undergo change. In Date's case, he became easily provoked and lost most of his inhibitions but even though it's been quite a while, he still hadn't unlocked it and he was still in that state.

One of the reasons for Date still not being able to manifest his ability was because of a lack of stimulation. Date had only been in a few battles since then but he hasn't experienced a battle where he can break through. Although a battle isn't required, most innate abilities manifested during such cases.

Now, Yoko was fighting an opponent that is levels above her and one wrong move by her opponent and she may even get killed, that was the perfect stimulation to manifest her innate ability that was battle-oriented.

Yoko stepped forward.

"[Fast Movement], [Nimble Footwork]."

Yoko chanted, he became faster and using the boots that Kai had given her, she vanished from her spot. She thrust her sword towards his neck but the Blind Swordsman countered by circling her sword around his and then pointing it towards the ground.

Yoko used her other hand which held the dagger in reverse grip and stabbed it towards the Blind Swordsman but he stepped back while still keeping Yoko's sword at bay with his own sword and dodged Yoko's dagger.

But then, Yoko employed Flash Step and redirected the dagger's trajectory.

The Blind Swordsman's eyes sharpened and Yoko's dagger was deflected by an invisible attack. Seeing that, Yoko used Flash Step several times in quick succession to back away.

The Blind Swordsman raised a brow.

"I saw you just a month before and you were a complete amateur..."

It took her a month to get to that level, even someone like him who Kai acknowledged as the strongest swordsman is impressed. Flash Step, mastery of the technique was decided by how fast it can be used in succession, how little the surroundings are affected, and how far a distance can be traveled with one use.

It can take a person years to reach Yoko's level who can use Flash Step in battle. Not only that, using Flash Step to go forward and to go back was immensely different but Yoko had done it within a month and she used it three times consecutively.

"Are you interested in becoming my disciple?"

The Blind Swordsman suddenly asked. Even he was impressed at Yoko's latent martial potential.

"I refuse. You're my boyfriend's enemy, why would I join you?"

Luckily, Erina wasn't able to hear Yoko from afar, Kai could though. His expression turned weird for a second but it quickly reverted.

"Fair point, though I don't really understand why he's so hostile to me..."

Saying so, the Blind Swordsman turned his eyes towards Kai. He wore a cloak and mask but was easily found. He didn't have to look at Erina and the others who were beside him.

"Unless he knows of my master, that is."

Kai's eyes widened. The Blind Swordsman was one of the fallen hero's most trusted men. The fallen hero's existence was practically wiped out from the continent and replaced by a vengeful ghost, it wasn't logical to think that Kai knew about him.

Kai told Yoko about the fallen hero as well, as he was the cause for Kai traveling to the past. Maybe it was a mistake, Kai thought to himself. But there was no use brooding about it now that she was facing the Blind Swordsman.

Although would normally advise her to stop fighting and surrender immediately, now that she showed signs of awakening her innate ability, she couldn't do that. There was one thing that all battle-oriented innate abilities had in common, it's that during their manifestation, they never shy away from a battle. If he stopped her now, perhaps the next chance to awaken it wouldn't be in the near future or maybe it would never happen again and she'll be stuck in that state permanently.

Although Kai didn't know what personality change Yoko will have since he wasn't there to see it last time, her life was still secure in the tournament.

Yoko moved her left hand and metal lines began crawling up on the ground beneath the Blind Swordsman and shot towards his legs, they planned to pierce and immobilize. Of course, he wouldn't let that happen so easily. The Blind Swordsman moved slightly and all of the metal lines were cut.

Yoko used that instant to close in. She threw her dagger forward and took out another one from the pouch sewed on her shorts within the cloak.

Her Enchanted Gear is a pair and without the other, the power wasn't as overwhelming.

Once again, the Blind Swordsman only moved slightly and the dagger was flung away but Yoko threw another one and then followed close behind it. She planned to attack when the Blind Swordsman uses his sword on the dagger.

But how could he let that happen?

Before Yoko could come near, he vanished from his spot and used the bottom of his sword's hilt to hit Yoko in the stomach. Then, he swung his word sideways once and multiple cuts pierced through Yoko's cloak and landed on her body.

"Who is this guy...?"

"Is he really blind?!"

The audience was set into an uproar. The participants weren't an exception.

"Did you see him swing his sword several times?"

One of the participants asked the guy next to him.

"No, did you?"

The first person shook his head and stared at the Blind Swordsman dumbfounded.

"So he's the dark horse of this tournament..."

That was the moment that everyone recognized his skill. He was able to cut at speeds that nobody else could follow.

"He's limiting himself by using a sword."

—This happened in the future as well. Sometimes, he would use a normal sword and only use a katana when he feels that the opponent is worthy.

Once Yoko regained her footing, she pulled with her hand the two daggers that were flung away came flying back. There were strings wrapped around her fingers and the hilt of the daggers.

Kai had told her that she had no chance to win. She believed him but she didn't think that their opponent was this strong. He was still gauging Yoko's abilities but she felt that if he really wanted to, she'd be defeated with a single blow.

Yoko bit her lower lip and raised her sword.

"Hmm?"

The Blind Swordsman felt the change in her atmosphere.

"This is...!"

Kai began smiling all of a sudden.

"Frustration, her personality switch makes her easily frustrated! After being overwhelmed that thoroughly... it's enough!"

Erina looked at Kai who suddenly shouted next to her weirdly.

"And, what happens then?"

"Her innate ability gets unlocked! 『Celerity』!"

Kai forgot to hide his joy and accidentally told Erina knowledge shouldn't know.

『Celerity』 was as straightforward as its name, it was Yoko's innate ability that increased her speed. The reason that Kai had taught her Flash Step and the reason she picked it up faster than the rest was also because of her dormant innate ability.

Perhaps coming to the same conclusion, the Blind Swordsman furrowed his brows.

"『Celerity』."

Yoko spoke. She knew that she had unlocked her innate ability and the knowledge on how to use it flowed into her head as if she knew the entire time but forgot.

"『Celerity: A Tenfold Dash』."

Yoko vanished from her position accompanied by a boom and the Blind Swordsman raised his head.

DING DING DING

The sound of swords clashing quick succession resounded before anyone could react. The Blind Swordsman wasn't injured but he still had his brows furrowed.

"An innate ability that increases speed and reaction time..."

How envious, he thought to himself.

Yoko appeared in her previous spot full of excitement. She had gone past the speed of sound in that short time. Still, she didn't let that get to her and after a couple of seconds basking in joy, she moved again.

"『Celerity: A Fiftyfold Dash』!"

Yoko's eyes twitched in pain for a moment but the adrenaline of battle numbed her pain. Accompanied by multiple sonic booms in several places throughout the arena, Yoko completely vanished.

Although she was fast, Kai's eyes were still able to follow her. Kai's eyes darted all over the place, following Yoko's every move. Erina had long since been lost.

Yoko felt the breeze of the wind going past her and the views in front of her rapidly change. She would normally be unable to adapt to this kind of speed but she could see it all clearly as if the world was in slow motion.

She kicked the ground and jumped into the air. She easily passed the boundaries of the arena and the ground that she had kicked broke apart with a delay. Then, she kicked the sky and accompanied by the loudest sonic boom, she thrust her sword and dagger towards the Blind Swordsman.

The Blind Swordsman raised his sword to block but it was broken and he was forced to dodge. The ground that they stood on was broken and Yoko appeared on the other side of the arena.

The audience was dumbfounded and fell into complete silence, they were all focused on the match.

"...Well done."

The Blind Swordsman glanced at his broken sword and threw it aside. Then, he moved his cloak and revealed a katana on his waist.

"Your innate ability is worthy of envy and I have deemed you as an opponent worthy for my quick draw."

Yoko didn't let him finish and ignoring the pain in her body, moved to use the Fiftyfold Dash once more but before she could even channel it, the Blind Swordsman appeared in front of her.

To Yoko, he didn't seem fast as he drew his sword from its sheath but she felt her body unable to move—no, she was too slow to move. It was as if they had been transported to a place where she could see into the future. Her body was moving, but he was moving faster than what her body could react to.

His sword left its sheath and Yoko was cut just like that. Then, he turned around and placed the katana back into its sheath.

"One sword style: Faster than Light."

Just as the katana fully entered its sheath, the world that was in slow motion moved again and Yoko lost consciousness with blood spraying out of her wounds.

Kai didn't immediately head to the stage and waited for the referee to announce her loss.

"P-participant sixteen has been rendered unable to battle, participant twenty-two wins by a knockout!"

Kai heard that and quickly went next to her and began healing despite that his body burns when he uses it. The wound wasn't life-threatening but it may leave a scar if left untreated for too long.

It was only then that the audience finally regained themselves after witnessing a battle of such scale and began chattering noisily.

He glanced at the Blind Swordsman who was walking back to the waiting area before putting his full attention on Yoko.

"You did well."

Kai carried her and went back to the others.

"Erina, take care of Yoko, my match is next."

Kai passed Yoko to Erina after healing her wounds and quickly went to wait by the side while the tournament staff repaired the stage.

A few minutes passed and Kai faced his opponent on the stage. It was one of the average ones in the tournament.

"Participant seventeen, are you ready?"

Kai nodded.

"Participant nine, are you ready?"

The corner of the man's mouth raised.

"Yeah, I'm going to beat this guy before he even knows what's going to happen."

Kai brandished his sword and looked at the man in front of him as if he was dead.

I'll end this in one attack.