With a loud CLANG!
I deflected her unsheathed longsword with my bare hand.
Faced with this, Carol's eyes went wide in disbelief.
'I did it!'
Even though she held back (likely using the flat of the blade), deflecting a Sword Saint-tier attack with bare skin was incredible. My new body was truly monstrous.
While Carol was still reeling from the shock, I wasn't about to let such a good opportunity slip by.
Sprint! Straight punch!
I aimed directly at her stomach.
The two of us had a significant conflict, and part of me genuinely wanted to take her down right here. But at the last second, I hesitated. She was Thearesia's best friend. I couldn't kill her.
'In that case... I'll knock the wind out of her and tear her clothes off! Let's see if she can maintain that sour face then!'
However, what I did not expect was her sheer skill.
Carol deliberately used the force of my deflection to fall straight backward. Just as she was about to lose her balance and my fist was about to connect, she twisted her body in mid-air.
I was instantly dumbfounded.
'How the hell did she do that?'
Without any leverage, she changed her trajectory like a cat.
But what happened next was even more outrageous. Still suspended in mid-air, she used the momentum to spin around once, bringing her longsword crashing down again.
WHOOSH!
Faced with this impossible follow-up, I barely managed to lift one arm to block.
THUMP!
She hit the target.
This time, the impact was heavy. She struck my forearm hard—likely with the scabbard she had grabbed mid-spin or the blunt edge.
I was instantly knocked back, staggering a few steps before regaining my balance.
Then came the pain.
"Urgh..."
My arm hurt like hell. It felt like the bone might have cracked. If she had used the sharp edge, I would have lost the arm 100%.
Carol landed steadily on the ground, looking at me with a mix of amazement and regret.
"Aren't we going to continue?" she asked calmly, her sword still raised.
"Continue? Continue my ass!" I mentally cursed.
My arm was throbbing so hard I couldn't feel my fingers.
"I have other things to do, and I can't be bothered to argue with you," I said through gritted teeth.
I turned around and walked away, trying to keep my back straight. I needed to find a secluded place to check the damage.
Behind me, Carol couldn't help but laugh.
"His face is pale from the pain, and his arm is trembling, yet he still pretends nothing is wrong," she thought. "Just how much of a face-saving person are you?"
However, she understood. Men were stubborn creatures. Especially in front of women.
She quickly followed. She wasn't following to mock me; she was actually worried she might have broken something.
But something incredible happened.
Just as she was about to catch up, I spotted her and accelerated.
Zoom!
I vanished into a blur.
Faced with this sudden burst of speed, Carol stopped. She knew her limits. She couldn't catch up to that raw physical power.
"Wait!" she called out.
I stopped.
"Speak your mind, or shut up," I barked without turning around.
"You..."
"Don't follow me unless it's absolutely necessary."
"I understand, I understand!" she sighed. "Just let me see your arm. Although I'm not a professional doctor, I know basic first aid."
Seeing my unfriendly attitude, Carol reluctantly compromised.
"What? You feel bad about going too far?" I sneered.
"Ha!? No! Fine... just assume that's how it is. Let me see your arm."
"A stubborn woman is not likable."
"Stop talking! Give me your hand!"
Unable to resist her nagging, I let her grab my arm.
She examined it carefully, her fingers probing the bruise. To be honest, if she hadn't claimed to have medical knowledge, I wouldn't have let her touch me.
"What a pity," she murmured.
"Huh!!? What did you say?"
My face darkened immediately.
"Does that mean my arm is ruined?!"
"No, you've misunderstood. Your arm is perfectly fine. It's just a deep bruise; it should recover in a little while with your constitution."
I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Then why did you say it was a pity?"
She looked up at me, her eyes shining with genuine regret.
"I mean, it's a pity about your talent."
She squeezed my bicep (which was awkward).
"If you had started training systematically a few years earlier... you would be a monster. With your physical abilities and reaction speed, you are already superior to most Demi-humans. If you had learned proper swordsmanship..."
She trailed off, shaking her head.
Suddenly, she looked me in the eye.
"I said... why don't you join the Remedios Family?"
"Huh?"
"As long as you can master the Remedios Style, you will definitely become a Sword Saint in the future. We could—"
"No need."
I shook off her hand.
This woman... she had developed a fondness for my talent. She wanted to recruit me.
But the problem was... I was the Sin Archbishop of Greed. I didn't serve families.
"I will not join the Remedios family. Not now, not ever."
"Wait! Aren't you going to reconsider?" Carol persisted.
In her opinion, letting such raw talent go to waste was a crime against swordsmanship. If I learned their style, the reputation of the Remedios family would skyrocket.
"Not interested."
I turned away again.
"Now, if you'll excuse me, I must continue escorting my wives. Unlike you, I have responsibilities."
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