đź’– If you enjoy my work, consider supporting me on Patreon! I'm offering advanced chapters there as a thank-you to readers.
--------------------
Check out advanced chapters on : patreon.com/Veni_V
---------------
The silence was the most terrifying sound.
Qi Yan's attack had been a storm of divine speed, yet the aftermath was a picture of surgical, impossible precision. Over a hundred elite swordsmen lay scattered across the arena, their chests barely rising and falling. Not a single drop of blood. Not a scratch. Only unconsciousness.
The King stared, his jaw slack. Instant defeat for a hundred people, including a Nine-Star Swordsman, and not one injury?
This wasn't mere mastery. This was godhood granted form.
"This man… is a Sword God!" a voice choked out from the royal box, perfectly articulating the King's own spiraling thoughts.
A King's Desperate Gambit
"Minister! Minister!" The King's voice was sharp, cutting through the stunned air.
The Minister, trembling, scrambled forward. "Your Majesty! I'm here!"
"Ten minutes," the King commanded, his eyes gleaming with a predatory focus. "I want every scrap of information on this man! Now!"
"Y-yes! At once!" The Minister bolted, internally lamenting: Serving a ruler is like accompanying a tiger! But the King was beyond concern. He felt it—with this man, this living weapon, his desperate plan to slay the dragon would finally succeed.
In the stands, the massive crowd was slowly waking from its shock.
"Wh-what just happened?"
"I think I saw a fire dragon flash by. Then, it was over."
"Allen, the Nine-Star genius, just… gone? A Nine-Star Swordsman?!"
"Who is this monster?!"
The Sobeya Kingdom didn't boast even ten Nine-Star Swordsmen. They represented the absolute pinnacle. Their duels were supposed to be intense, grueling battles of attrition. Yet, this mysterious challenger had made one of them look like a novice.
It meant only one thing: their opponent's swordsmanship was not just stronger—it was on a different plane of existence.
"The victor has been decided!" The commentator, an Eight-Star Swordsman with exceptional insight, roared into his mic. "Winner: Tsuigikuni Yoriichi!"
"So powerful! Truly too powerful!"
"An instant! In a single instant, over a hundred high-star contestants, a Nine-Star Swordsman among them, were all defeated!"
He paused, letting the magnitude sink in. "And the control! To only knock them out without injury—this is beyond human skill! He is the God of Swordsmanship!"
"SWORD GOD! SWORD GOD! SWORD GOD!" The arena erupted, a tidal wave of genuine adoration for true strength washing over the stadium.
"Next, we will have a one-hour intermission for the semi-finals! Please enjoy the wonderful performance of our Swordswoman Idol Group!"
The Mask Drops
Qi Yan, alias Yoriichi, returned to the secluded D-area lounge. He locked the door behind him and, with a silent surge of magical power, released the transformation.
"Hoo~!" He exhaled a long breath of relief.
Tsugikuni Yoriichi was different from Ulquiorra Cifer. Ulquiorra's ResurrecciĂłn was a constant, heavy drain. Yoriichi's transformation, however, was incredibly efficient. As long as he wasn't using the intense Sun Breathing forms or engaging in combat, the drain was minimal. He could maintain it for three or four hours, maybe more.
But a serious clash? That would cut the timer down to a frantic three to five minutes.
He needed to rest, to recharge. This was about 20 million J in prize money, and he wouldn't risk messing up for a mere hour of laziness.
Unbeknownst to him, his legend was already exploding across the kingdom. Whispers flew: A lone hermit? A master from another nation? Everyone had a theory for the origin of the impossible swordsman.
The Semifinal Matchups
In the royal palace, the King was less than pleased.
"No such person found?! What does 'no such person found' mean?!" The King glared at his sweating Minister.
"Your Majesty! It means exactly that! We checked every new city entry list. No Tsugikuni Yoriichi. The guards have never seen him," the Minister stammered.
The King rubbed his chin. "Transformation Magic?" It was a common, combat-useless magic. Yet, the swordsmanship was undeniably real. No matter his true identity, this man must be secured for the dragon-slaying plan.
"Your Majesty, how should the semi-final pairings be arranged?"
"Hmm... Arrange it like this." The King's eyes held the calculating look of a man moving chess pieces.
An hour later, the commentator's voice boomed.
"Everyone! The exciting semi-finals are about to begin! The matchups are finalized! Look at the big screen!"
The crowd surged forward, craning their necks.
Semi-Final Match 1Semi-Final Match 2Arthur VS ErzaClay VS Tsugikuni Yoriichi
"Oh oh oh oh oh oh!" The stands exploded. Arthur, the strongest Nine-Star in Sobeya. Clay, said to be his equal. And then there was Yoriichi, the Sword God everyone was dying to see again.
But the most surprising inclusion was: Erza! The only female swordsman to make it this far, and a famously beautiful one at that.
"Now, please welcome contestant Arthur and contestant Erza to the stage!"
The two walked to the center of the arena.
Arthur fixed a gaze of intense recognition on his opponent. "Fairy Queen Erza?"
Erza looked genuinely stunned. "You know me?!"
"Not personally. I merely heard your name during my travels in the Fiore Kingdom."
"Ah, I see."
Arthur's eyes narrowed, a challenge burning in them. "You're a Mage, aren't you? I suggest you use your magic."
Erza's brow furrowed. "Magic? I thought this was a swordsmanship tournament."
"It is and it isn't. To become a Star-ranked Swordsman, you must be a Magic Swordsman—one who possesses magic power. My swordsmanship is my magic." He raised his blade. "If you intend to defeat me with mere technique, you underestimate me. Bring out your full strength! Let me see the power of the woman they call the Fairy Queen!"