Dion Lindsay
A true legendary figure.
Among the numerous devils in history, there was one who was known to be the strongest… the one called the 'Demon Dragon King'. The creature, who's head this man had cut off by himself with no help.
He was the reason why the Lindsay family was considered as the best swordsmanship family despite its relatively short history of 400 years.
And now, that person was standing in front of her. With his silver hair fluttering… like it was the symbol of her family. He gave off a familiar yet unfamiliar energy.
But…
"…really, are you the first Lord…?"
Ilya Lindsay was skeptical.
It was because Dion Lindsay's appearance was different from what she had thought.
'A little… No, a lot.'
400 years ago magic wasn't as developed as it was now, so there were no magic pictures taken. However, since there were many famous painters, the face of Dion Lindsay had been splendidly captured and widely known to this day.
However, this old man in her eyes, no matter how good he might be, looked mediocre.
Despite his age, he had a dignified air, but that was all. She looked at him and said,
"So, Um…"
"Right."
"Uh?"
"The portraits left in the family, well a little… I made them do it so I look a little handsome… huhu…"
"…a little?"
Ilya had a shocked expression. She wanted to ask if this man had any conscience. As a matter of fact, even though she hadn't said anything, those thoughts were conveyed through her eyes.
But Dion Lindsay didn't feel discouraged.
Rather, with his chest puffed up, he said.
"It couldn't be helped."
"What?"
"Did you know that even the same person looks different depending on the mood, emotional state and their achievements?"
"What are you suddenly…"
"Answer the question. Am I wrong?"
"…Yes… but no."
Ilya nodded her head; Dion Lindsay was right.
On the days when she felt she was in good shape, her reflection would looked better in the mirror, and on the other hand, there were times she looked like a mess if she thought otherwise.
It was the same when she saw others as well. Bratt, who usually spoke nonsense looked like an idiot, but at the Warrior's festival he looked like a hero with a dignified appearance.
As it was, there was a clear difference in appearance depending on the mood she had.
But how was that relevant here?
As if reading her thoughts, the old man continued.
"I am a hero."
"…"
"A great hero who appeared in the most difficult of times. A great hero."
"Um, yes. But…"
"In other words, there needs to be a natural charm that a hero exudes. However… unfortunately, there was no painter who could completely transfer that into a painting, at least not in my time."
"…"
"And this is it."
"What is it?"
"It is as you said… the reason I look a little more handsome in the portraits."
"No, what are you even saying?"
"If the full charm of Dion Lindsay, the greatest hero of all time, couldn't be captured, it means that I had no choice but to make my appearance look a little more handsome to make up for the loss of it."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"You don't seem to understand, huhu…"
It was a pity, if only I was a few years younger…
Seeing the old man mumble, Ilya shook her head.
This was a mess. The respect she had for this man until now was crushed in an instant. However, that wasn't the only thing.
'… obviously, the first Lord is right.'
The momentum that spread just from him talking was unreal. The more she looked at him, the more his sword resembled her father's… the more his aura embraced the wind.
Dion Lindsay was right.
She finally cleared her doubts and nodded.
"Ilya Lindsay greets her ancestor."
"Huhu. Right. I greet you too. I am Dion Lindsay, one of the greatest heroes in history that was powerful enough to remove the darkness of the continent."
"…"
"…"
"What is with your eyes?
"No. Nothing."
Ilya rubbed her eyes and spoke.
"So, what is the quest I have?'
"Hmm."
"Do I have to defeat the first Lord?"
Whoop!
Ilya Lindsay asked with a confident expression as the aura engulfed her body.
It wouldn't be easy, but she didn't think it would be impossible
'I am strong.'
What she told Lulu wasn't a bluff.
She was stronger now.
Of course, that didn't mean she could take it easy against Dion Lindsay. He was the creator of the Sky Sword after all
She felt enlightenment… it was something gained through a much richer and deeper conversation than the content that was conveyed through books.
But.
'I cannot leave Airn alone.'
This was more important to her. Ilya Lindsay nodded and said.
"I think that is right, let's get started right away then."
And she took a charging stance. There was no fear nor hesitation.
Ilya Lindsay didn't waver, even when she came face to face with the man who was known to be one of the best in the history of the continent.
For her lover.
For Airn Pareira.
She couldn't fall apart here.
'Quest…. Defeat Dion Lindsay.'
If she achieved that, Lulu would no longer be able to separate her from Airn. Thinking that, the silver haired swordsman gained some confidence.
It was that moment.
The other silver haired swordsman took a leisurely pose.
Shh
"…!"
She didn't even know the wind was coming towards her until it touched her skin. Such was the skills of the first Lord. Even though it wasn't fast, he abused Ilya's gaps too easily during the match.
Of course, she wasn't victorious.
She grasped the situation even if it was late and swung her sword.
Swish!
A hundred times, a thousand times, a million times. It was an oblique cut which had the effort of numerous years melted into it.
And it wasn't a result of mere effort. One of the best talents of the continent was doing it, and the history of her family only proved to raise the fame she had.
The sword strike which gathered all of it, was sophisticated and powerful enough to elicit a sense of ecstasy beyond admiration.
Kang!
And it reached her opponent.
However, it didn't work, and was intercepted right away.
Ilya had a stiff expression as she looked at the opponent who seemed to be a lot stronger than she expected.
Dion Lindsay smiled.
He retrieved the sword and said.
"When do I get to see the skills of my descendant?"
"How…"
Pung!
Before she could speak, he stabbed his sword forward. Ilya quickly retreated as she saw the incoming stab which seemed like it wanted to pierce through space itself.
She frowned. A few strands of her hair were cut and flew in the wind in front of her.
If she had been a little… just a little slow, a brutal hole in her head would have been waiting for her.
It was something which struck awe in the young hero's heart…
'Was this the first time since the Warrior's Festival?'
But it didn't happen.
Rather it was the opposite.
She had practiced for a long time.
And had remained stressed for a long time.
But now, she was feeling a sense of excitement and exhilaration after a long time!
Along with that, came the responsibility that she could never lose and a little desire to win was also added. Because of all of this, her senses were activated to an unknown level.
At last, the talented girl of the Lindsay family found her original mindset.
Pung!
"… who!"
A stab was fired at a speed which was as powerful as the previous attack. Maybe it might've been even more powerful than that. Dion Lindsay admired it as he saw it.
His eyes shone as he stepped back but Ilya didn't stop.
Tung!
The amount of aura coming from her was enough to crack open the ground itself, and a powerful hit followed that.
Then two more and then even more!
The first Lord of the family also quickly swung his sword. If someone saw the force with which she swung the sword… it was as if she was wearing the wind itself on her body.
Bang!
Whoop!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Dozens more strikes were carried out in the blink of an eye. But they were all defended against.
It wasn't just a simple fight with just attacking and defending. The two would move in the most unpredictable directions… left and right, backwards and forwards… and the land around them was being terribly damaged.
Gigantic boulders were being crushed because of their force.
Apart from themselves, absolutely nothing around them could withstand the aura and the enormous force that was coming from their bodies.
And a minute passed. It was very short time.
But the number of clashes they had exchanged was innumerable.
Pat!
Pat!
As if they had discussed beforehand, both of them put distance between themselves.
And then there was silence.
Amidst the silence, Ilya stared at her opponent who was still relaxed.
'…a lot easier for him than me.'
That was very much true.
She was sure that he didn't seem too different from when she first saw him.
Although she was inferior regarding the aura she could produce, the situation shouldn't be that desperate considering she was superior physically because of her age.
Yet…
'I never should've thought I could win over him easily.'
Phew
Ilya sighed.
She couldn't beat her opponent straightforwardly. She had to use a more powerful technique.
But she didn't like it.
The inevitable gap that was between that that forced her to use her best ability.
But she couldn't miss the chance.
Knowing that, she didn't change her choice.
Wong!
Woong!
Woong!
The last resort of Sky Sword.
It resembled Joshua Lindsay's aura when he was trying to take down Airn Pareira.
The technique that let them rule over the sky. But the momentum from Ilya's body right now was more terrifying than that. However, the momentary instability it had was clear to the eyes of the one who was higher than her.
"Hmm."
"…"
Dion Lindsay looked at her. He nodded as he waited.
Despite the intense aura from the opponent's body and sword, and the vicious wind caused by it, he was relaxed.
Ilya Lindsay didn't like it, but she endured it and didn't stop.
If she had to let go of her pride for a win, she would do it.
And if she could solve the quest, she could return to Airn's side again.
If only she could…
'… I can do anything.'
Woong!
A storm raged.
It was a much bigger storm than Joshua Lindsay had summoned. It was like intense and huge windstorm which seemed to swallow everything around, and it was lifting Ilya Lindsay to the sky.
She looked down.
The first Lord.
The old man still seemed relaxed, and the young hero was fixated on breaking that attitude.
After a while.
A more powerful blow than anything from before unfolded from Ilya Lindsay.
—–!
The wind rose.
A roar followed it.
The woman's power was unstoppable. Everything in her path was being crushed way too easily.
Nothing… not even a single boulder could stand in front of it unscathed.
But Dion Lindsay's sword was an exception.
Woong!
Wong!
Woooong….
"…"
The wind stopped.
The fierce wind which swept through the heavens and earth lost its strength and Ilya's charge to destroy her opponent lost its speed too.
And then came silence.
But it wasn't complete silence. The Lindsay family's child stared at the sword she had witnessed.
Woong!
It was a silver sword with a brilliant aura.
But it wasn't in Dion Lindsay's hands.
She saw an incomprehensible spectacle of a sword emitting a sharp force while floating solidly without any extra support.
Ilya Lindsay unable to contain her curiosity, asked
"What is this?"
"What what is?"
"How… can the sword move without you holding it? And to block the last form of the Sky Sword…"
"Huhu, that wasn't the last one."
"… then?"
"What you are seeing now. Being able to wield the sword without using our hands."
Dion Lindsay glanced at his sword.
The sword that was brilliantly shining in silver moved in air with a graceful path.
It was a scene completely different from her sword. And this man looked more free than any swordsman she had ever seen.
The old man's words resounded in her ears as she looked at the sword.
"This is the final stage of the Sky Sword."