“Are you ready, Raiki?” Ciana asked while in a fighting stance with her dagger.

“Yeah,” I replied while holding [Raiden] with my left hand.

“Even if I’m not in [weapon mode], I’m still at level 41 just so you know. I won’t go easy on you,” Ciana followed with a confident smile.

“Just as how I wanted,” I responded with a smile.

This afternoon, I asked Ciana to spar with me. It’s been a while since I fought a weapon-user after all. I need to battle someone or my fighting skills will be rusty in no time.

“We’re rooting for you, Ciana. You can do it!” the men of the villager cheered as they surround the two of us in circle.

“It looks like you’re really liked by your students, teacher,” I teased.

“Raiki, do your best!” Iwa and Honoka cheered.

“You’re one to talk,” she replied with a smile. “Aren’t you popular too?”

“Jeez,” I sighed with a smile.

“Here I go,” Ciana said and started sprinting towards me.

I then swung my short sword to her dagger. The clash of our blades created multiple sparks.

“Your [attack] clearly got higher,” Ciana commented.

“I’m not cutting tons of woods every morning just for nothing,” I followed and tried to kick her but she back flipped backwards, dodging it swiftly.

“It’s now my turn,” I said and covered the distance between us in a flash.

“What?” Ciana reacted, surprised to my speed.

“Haaah!”

With a short shout, I delivered a slash on Ciana but surprisingly, she blocked it using her dagger just in time.

“Your [speed] really overwhelms me every time,” Ciana said and forced her way out with a slash.

“Wha—”

Before I know it, the edge of her dagger is now pointing on my throat.

“It’s…my lost,” I muttered with a slight surprised look.

“Ciana wins!” the villager judge announced.

After hearing that, the men cheerfully celebrated.

“So I even lost to the battle of popularity,” I said with a defeated smile.

Even if I decided not to use any of my [physical attacks], it is no excuse that I lost to Ciana. When it comes to pure sword fighting, Ciana is definitely better than me.

“I’m sure you’ll win next time, Raiki,” Iwa said after arriving before me. She then offered me a towel with a smile.

“Thanks,” I said and took it. I then wiped the sweat on my face and started chatting with her.

“That was an amazing fight. Here’s a towel,” Honoka said and offered Ciana a towel.

“Thanks,” she replied and wiped her face.

“Those two…they are getting closer as days passes by,” Ciana commented as both of them watch Iwa and I converse with each other.

‘So Iwa likes Raiki and Raiki likes Ciana...but how about Ciana?’ Honoka thought to herself.

“Are you perhaps jealous?” Honoka asked to Ciana.

“Jealous?” Ciana asked after slightly tilting her head with a clueless expression.

“S-sorry about that weird question,” Honoka said in a flustered expression.

“Hey, Honoka. Should we get going now?” I asked.

“Yeah, let’s go. We’re going now, Ciana,” Honoka said.

“Take care,” she replied with a smile and Honoka and I went to prepare at the house. Iwa then went beside Ciana.

“Iwa, what do you mean by jealousy?” Ciana asked suddenly.

“Jealousy...is it? What kind of jealousy?” Iwa asked because of the vague question of Ciana.

“Hmmm...I don’t know but maybe something that I might feel when I see you and Raiki talking,” she followed, still with a clueless face.

“Ehhhhhh???” Iwa reacted with a very surprised face.

“Iwa?”

“Y-y-y-y-y-you don’t need to get jealous because of me. R-Raiki is my Master and someone like me is not allowed to develop any romantic feelings towards him,” Iwa replied in a flustered expression.

“What?” Ciana asked, clearly not understanding what Iwa meant.

“So...do you really like...Raiki after all?” Iwa asked with an anxious look.

“Yup, I like him,” Ciana answered with a sudden honest smile. “Of course, I also like you, Ruby, Honoka, Chen and everyone here. All of you are good people after all.”

“I mean...romantically.”

“Romantically? Like the reason why you marry someone?”

“Y-yes, th-that’s it,” Iwa replied with her face red.

“Let’s see...” Ciana whispered as she thinks.

Iwa then patiently waited for her answer with curiosity.

Suddenly, Ruby appeared before Ciana and Iwa while flying.

“Hey, Ruby. Are you done playing with the kids?” Ciana asked and noticed the thing that Ruby is holding.

“Isn’t this Raiki’s [Crimson Protector]?” Iwa asked after seeing it.

“He must have removed it as a handicap in our battle earlier,” Ciana reacted while pouting.

“But he will go to the Valley with Honoka, right? He surely needs it,” Iwa followed.

“Let’s bring it to him before they left. He is changing clothes in the house so let’s go there.”

*ruu!*

“As you wish,” Iwa replied.

They then walked towards the house with Ruby. But suddenly, Iwa stopped in front of the house’s door and got surprised.

“Is something wro—” Ciana asked.

“Did you…hear that?” Iwa suddenly interrupted with a surprised face.

“Hear what?” Ciana asked.

“I didn’t know that…it is ‘this’ big and long up close,” the two suddenly heard. That voice is without a doubt Honoka’s.

“Do you…want to touch it?” I asked.

“C-can I?” Honoka questioned nervously.

After hearing those exchanges of words, Iwa immediately placed an ear on the door. As for Ciana, she remained standing with a clueless expression.

“Of course,” I responded.

“Wow...” Honoka muttered, surprised from what she saw.

“…”

“It’s hard and…kinda warm in here,” Honoka followed.

“Hey, don’t touch it there,” I complained.

“I-I got it. Then, how about here? Can I touch this part?” Honoka asked, now looking at me.

“I think it’s safe there,” I responded.

“This…is really warm…and it feels like this thing is alive,” she continued with a smile.

“Yeah. I feel the same way too,” I followed.

“I’ve seen lots of this before but yours is really different from them,” Honoka said with admiration.

“Of course it is. Don’t compare it to ordinary ones. Even if it’s not that big in size, it won’t lose to anyone’s,” I boasted.

Iwa’s face then became extremely red and started emitting smoke on her forehead.

Suddenly, the door opened and Iwa fell spectacularly on the floor.

“Ciana? Iwa?” I reacted.

“Ciana? Why did you open the door?” Iwa asked with a very red face.

“Why? Didn’t we go here to give the [Crimson Protector] to Raiki?” Ciana replied innocently.

*ruu?*

“Sorry to stop you in the middle of an activity. P-please don’t mind us and continue what you’re doing,” Iwa said after standing up with her upper body completely bowed.

I then cocked my head slightly and replied, “Activity? You mean me showing [Raiden] to Honoka?”

Then, both of them looked at Honoka and noticed that she’s holding my unsheathed short sword with two hands.

“Then…that ‘it’ is…[Raiden]?” Iwa whispered.

“Well, Honoka is so amazed about the [strongest weapon] that she requested to see it up close,” I answered with a proud smile.

“…”

“Is something wrong?” Honoka asked with a clueless face.

Iwa then covered both of her face and ran away while saying, “I’m an indecent girl!”

“What’s wrong with Iwa?” I asked to Ciana.

“Who knows?” Ciana responded after cocking her head slightly. “Anyway, here, you forgot this.”

“Oh, thanks,” I said and took the [Crimson Protector].

“Take care both of you,” Ciana said to us with a smile.

“We will,” both of us responded.

After that, we started walking towards [Harlequin Valley].

“Haaaa!” I shouted and the [Clawed Mouse] fainted with a slash.

“You really only use the back of your sword when fighting monsters,” Honoka commented.

“I don’t want to kill them after all. I just want them to lose consciousness so we can pass through,” I explained with a smile.

Because Honoka lost the [Repelling Horn] the other day, I’ve got no choice but to fight every single monsters that attack us while exploring the [Harlequin Valley]. After an hour of walking around the Valley, we finally gathered all the ingredients in the list.

“Let’s head back,” I said to Honoka after she put the last ingredient in the basket.

“Wait…Raiki,” Honoka suddenly said with a serious face.

“Is something wrong?” I asked curiously.

She then looked at me straight and said, “I want…to become your [weapon].”

“Wh-what’s up all of a sudden?” I asked with a surprised face.

“These past few days, I saw how you fought with different monsters so I learned how hard it is to become a bodyguard. But the worst thing that I learned is that I can’t do anything to help you. All I can do is to watch you suffer while fighting those strong monsters. That is why when I became your [weapon] the other day, even if it’s just in an instant, I finally saw the answer that I’ve been seeking. I want to become your strength. I want to help you fight them,” she explained with seriousness in her eyes.

“Honoka...” I whispered with a slight surprised look.

“Just until you’re my bodyguard. Is it…possible?” she followed.

There’s no reason for me to reject her request. I mean, it’s even safer if she’s in my hand compared to when she’s standing behind me.

“Well...I’m fine with it but…it’s not that easy, you know.”

She then stepped forward and replied, “I can do it…as long as you believe in me.”

“Then, okay. If that’s what you want,” I replied with a smile.

“Thanks, Raiki,” she whispered with a smile.

And starting that moment, Honoka became my temporary [beast weapon].

The next morning, we immediately started practicing. With the villagers watching us, Ciana is now standing before Honoka and I while in a fighting stance with her dagger.

“So, show me what kind of [beast weapon] Honoka can become,” Ciana said with a smile.

“Honoka, are you ready?” I asked while she’s standing behind me.

“Yeah,” she replied with a nervous expression.

“Then, let’s go. [Honoka]!”

“R-right,” she replied and transformed into a red light. Afterwards, she became a pure black katana on my hand.

“We did it!” I said excitedly but after two seconds, she immediately transformed back to normal.

“Huh? That’s weird?” Honoka reacted and looked at both of her hands.

“Is something wrong, Honoka?” I asked.

“Please let me do it once again,” Honoka said with a determined face.

“Okay. [Honoka]!” I called once again.

We did it a couple of times but she always transform back to normal every two to five seconds.

“I wonder if something is wrong,” I muttered to myself.

Honoka then looked down and replied, “Sorry. I can’t do it properly.”

“You don’t need to worry. We just need to try it again and again until you can maintain your [weapon] form,” I replied with a smile.

Ciana then sheathed her dagger and put it back inside her clothes.

“Honoka can already transform into a [weapon] so I know that she trust you completely by now but…in order to become a real partner, the [weapon] and the [wielder] should become one in their state of mind,” she explained to us.

“But what should we do to be like that?” Honoka asked.

“You know how we can communicate using telepathy when you’re wielding me, right?” Ciana asked to me.

“Yeah.”

“That is the proof that our minds are one. That is also the reason why I can maintain my [weapon] form as long as I want to,” Ciana continued.

“I didn’t know that this is complicated,” I commented.

“Well, you two just need time and I’m sure that it will work out before you know it,” Ciana continued with a smile.

“Maybe that’s right. Honoka, let’s do our best,” I said to her with a smile.

“Y-yes,” she replied with a sad smile.

“Honoka,” Chen called after appearing behind us. We then faced him.

“What is it, Master?” Honoka asked.

“I can’t guarantee that what you want to do will work out as long as you don’t give up. But if you give up now, it is really impossible to achieve the results that you wanted. So the only thing that I can say is to strive towards your goal and don’t give up until the end. As long as you don’t give up, the possibility is infinite,” Chen advised with a smile.

“I understand. Thanks for the advice, Master,” Honoka replied and her usual smile returned.

Since that day, we practiced every morning but still couldn’t produce the result that we wanted.

“I wonder if I can do something to help Honoka,” I whispered to myself while lying down on the sheet in the floor. The house where Ciana, Iwa, Honoka and I stay only has one big bed that can occupy the three girls so I’m here sleeping on the floor. And, as usual, Ruby is sleeping on top of a table near the window.

“Anyway, I should sleep now. Honoka and I need to practice tomorrow morning,” I continued and closed my eyes. After a while, I fell asleep.

“Raiki...hey. Wake up.”

After hearing that whisper, I opened my eyes and saw Honoka’s face.

“Wha—” I reacted with a surprised face but Honoka immediately covered my mouth.

Right now, Honoka is on top of me, with her face just slightly away from mine.

“What are you doing?” I whispered, trying to not wake the others with my question.

“Let’s go outside,” she whispered with a serious face.

I then nodded and both of us when outside.

As we walked outside, all we can hear is the deafening silence of the nature. Everyone in the village is now sleeping.

“Raiki,” Honoka whispered after stopping near the vegetation fields.

“What is it?” I asked.

“I think I know the reason why I can’t transform,” she followed and turned towards me, revealing her sad face.

“Really? Then, what is it?” I asked.

“I think...it’s because you find me weak,” she said with sudden seriousness.

“Huh?” I reacted with a surprised face.

“You know that [weapon] also takes damage in a fight so you subconsciously reject me. You don’t want me to get hurt,” she followed seriously.

“That’s...” I muttered but couldn’t rebut on what she said.

“But that also means that you find me weak because of your over-protection,” she continued without her expression changing.

“I...” I responded and clenched both of my fists.

Suddenly, Honoka throw me [Raiden] and I caught it with a surprised face. She then assembled her three metal rods to form a staff.

“That is why...Brother, I challenge you to a fight,” she said and swung her staff around and thumped it to the ground afterwards.

“Honoka...” I muttered, surprised by her suggestion.

“Or are you saying that you’re afraid because you might lose this time,” she said with a sudden mocking smile.

“Sure. Let’s see how strong you’ve become since our last battle,” I replied with a serious face and unsheathed [Raiden].

“Here I come,” Honoka said and dashed towards me.

“Slow!” I whispered and covered the distance between us in a flash.

Honoka got surprised but immediately shifted to a serious face. As fast as she could, she immediately prepared to hit me with her staff. Reading her movements, I immediately hit her staff with the back of my blade.

*boooooooooooom*

The clash of our weapons formed an explosion of smoke.

“Opening!” Honoka shouted and hit both of my legs with her staff.

“Wha—” I reacted as I fall on the ground. I then managed to land on a single arm and immediately landed in a kneeling position.

“Haaahhh!” Honoka shouted as she aims to pound me with her staff.

I then tried to counter her staff with a slash from my sword but in my surprise, what I hit is just 1/3 of Honoka’s staff. She managed to disassemble it just after being hit by [Raiden]. Now, she’s below me holding the remaining parts of her staff.

“With this...it’s my win!” Honoka shouted and managed to land a blow.

*swoosh*

But in her surprise, what she hit is just an after-image of me. I then appeared behind her and pointed my sword towards the back of her head with a serious expression.

“It’s my lost,” Honoka said and made a sad expression.

I then sheathed [Raiden] and gave her a smile.

“You’ve become really strong compared to last year. You made me serious for the first time,” I said with a big smile.

She then pouted and replied, “Just like I thought, you really didn’t take all our previous battles seriously.”

Suddenly, I drew out my left hand and shouted, “[Honoka]!”

After hearing that, Honoka made a big smile and made a nod. She then became a red light and transformed into a black katana on my hand.

“Sorry, Honoka,” I said in an apologetic tone.

(You really should be, jeez)

“This time, I’m gonna rely on you now so do your best,” I said with a smile.

(Yup. Leave it to me, Brother.)