In his very own office, Aurelius was on his knees, fists raised high in the air.

His pet familiar flew around him with a worried expression, then looked to the woman sitting on the Tower Master's chair. "T-The Master wonders if it is okay to stand now…"

Evangelina glared at the two of them, and they both averted their gazes.

She sighed. "You do the same thing every time, and every time you end up in this position…"

The little bird chirped. "...The Master says that he almost had you this time so it was…w-worth it…!"

It seemed the bird knew more shame than his master. It had difficulty conveying his thoughts and though Evangelina could not know, she almost felt that it was omitting certain parts, or at least editing them.

She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Enough of that. I imagine you've already understood why I've traveled so far to come here?"

As it received the mental input from Aurelius, the bird's face paled, but it obediently relayed the words. "T-The Master says that he believed you only wished to see his handsome face sooner than usual…"

Evangelina smiled, and her eye twitched. "I see," she said calmly. "So you do want to die."

She raised her fist, and Aurelius' eyes widened. He looked at the bird with urgency, relaying his thoughts.

"T-The Master says that it is because of your disciple!! Your disciple! Right!?"

Evangelina narrowed her eyes and lowered her fist. "If you know then stop acting like a fool."

Both Aurelius and his familiar sighed in relief.

Then, Aurelius' expression turned serious, and he lowered his hands which had been raised high until now.

The bird spoke. "The Master says that it is the first thing he noticed when he laid eyes on your disciple. 'Something' is hiding within him, but he is frankly unsure what. It's distinct from divine power, but it resembles it the most."

Evangelina crossed her arms. "Indeed, I came to the same conclusion. Do you think it is harmful?"

Aurelius paused for a moment, then shrugged. "For now, no, the Master does not think so, but he reminds you that he has never seen anything like it before. He suggests trying to stimulate the energy once your disciple has grown somewhat stronger."

Aurelius then sighed. "The Master apologizes for not being of any more help. He would recommend seeing a high-ranked member of the temple, but since your disciple is a plane-walker, that is likely not possible."

Evangelina waved her hand. "It's alright, the trip wasn't completely meaningless. Both of our disciples gained something from seeing us fight."

Indeed, both Hoshino and Verity seemed to have grasped, or at least tried to grasp a missing piece of the puzzle after witnessing that fight. In that regard, the trip was not wasted. It was an extremely rare opportunity to witness two transcendental masters fight, after all.

Evangelina looked away. "And I suppose I did get to see you, no matter how annoying you are."

Aurelius' eyes widened and he could not help but blush a little.

—

Irina secured a massive saddle atop Karthion, and she glanced at Verity. "Are you sure you do not want to bid your friend farewell?"

Verity shrugged, a thick book tucked under his armpit. "I tried, but she seemed busy. Plus, I already know when the next time I see her will be."

Irina closed her eyes in disappointment. "So you've already set a date for your marriage… how unfortunate for my daughter."

Verity's eyebrow twitched. "..No. I was talking about the inter-continental rising stars tournament that's happening in a bit more than half a year. Hoshino told me a bit about it. I'm planning on participating."

Irina raised a brow. "Really? Has the lady approved it?"

Verity shrugged again. "Master is only planning to train me for a few more months, so I didn't think I needed to get permission. I already have an idea of where I'll stay and other small things like that..."

For a second, Irina's face seemed to harden, and her expression turned cold, almost somber in that instant. She soon pulled herself together, however, and she smiled softly before turning away. "I see… Then I wish you good luck young master."

Irina jumped onto the Dragon's back, grabbing its reins, and Verity climbed onto it, where he saw Evangelina sitting comfortably. '

He was startled by the sight. '...When did she get here?'

Evangelina threw him a glance. "Trying to get rid of me already?"

Verity scratched the back of his neck. "N-No! But that's what you told me… so I thought I'd prepare accordingly…"

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Evangelina exhaled sharply. "I will train you until the rising stars tournament. I won't allow you to go and embarrass the Nine Hells style."

Verity's eyes widened. "R-Really!?"

"Have I ever gone back on my word?"

Verity tilted his head. "Well, technically, I remember you saying that I would be your disciple if I defeated Doll, but you still insist on calling me a probati-"

This time, at last fearing for the integrity of his skull, Verity stopped himself midway. "No, you haven't!" He bowed. "Thank you master! I look forward to learning from you!"

Evangelina scoffed and turned away. "Good. By the way, why do you want to learn runic sorcery?"

Verity froze for a moment, and scratched his cheek. Almost instinctively, he hid the book behind his back. "W-Well, you know. Anything to get stronger, right?"

He closed his eyes, awaiting the retaliation. 'She's probably going to say something along the lines of 'you don't think the spear is enough!?' right?'

But the retaliation never came, his master looked him up and down. "Yes, that's right. Now sit down, I'm eager to return."

With Evangelina's signal, Irina nodded, and Karthion soared into the skies above.

Hidden from curious eyes, Evangelina's hand trembled in her seat, and she endured a splitting headache ravaging her mind. 'Yes… If I strain myself, seven months should be… possible.' She thought as her nails dug into her palm.

—

In the Magic Tower, Hoshino sat in the middle of a solitary training room, her eyes glowing, and her mouth reciting incomprehensible formulas. Far away, but close enough to eavesdrop, a man with jet-black hair and fox-like eyes grit his teeth as he watched her.

'Just a filthy nobody from who knows where and yet here she is, acting all high and mighty…Tsk.'

—

In the Forest of Dreams, Felicia exhaled in relief as she opened a letter bearing the Dreadmoore family seal. Then, she opened a system window that she had put aside for a long time.

"I love the sword, and I don't think I will ever stop loving it, but these demons…" No matter how she acted, she shuddered thinking of it, especially the one which Erilsa had fought. The demons were not beings against whom she could just test herself and her swordsmanship.

"I need to grow stronger, and that, much faster."

Sponsorship Contract

Contractor : [-Revealed upon agreement-]

Contractee : Felicia Harbridge

Duration : Indefinite, terminating upon death of either party

Terms :

The Contractor promises the following benefits

Regular rewards fitting your level

A rank A, Legendary rarity skill upon reaching level 30/ class level 25

A rank S, Mythical rarity skill once [Sword Domain] has been achieved

A scaling stat increase when wielding a sword.

In exchange, the contractee promises the following

They will fulfill one wish of the contractor, so long as it does not result in the contractee's immediate or subsequent death.

*Beware that breach of the contract will result in dire penalties to either party.

Do you accept?

Felicia accepted the contract. After much consideration, she realized that the benefits far outweighed the risks and what she had to give in return was of little importance, especially if it guaranteed her safety.

[You have accepted the Sponsorship contract from an anonymous being. The being's name is now revealed to you.]

[Congratulations! you have gained a sponsor, the -Once and Past King-.]

Felicia narrowed her eyes. 'The Once and Past King, not the Once and Future King…?'

[Congratulations! Your talent has been recognized and your sponsor has supported your ascension to the Legendary class -Sword Saintess-! Do you accept?]

Though she was understandably surprised, this one was a no-brainer. Felicia immediately accepted the offer.

Her body glowed a bright blue, and the system spoke again.

[Your common class, -Swordsman-, has been advanced to the legendary class, -Sword Saintess-. You have gained the Unique skill, -Will of All Blades-]

She did not feel different immediately, but before she could verify anything, the system spoke again.

[Your sponsor bows courteously, and offers his greetings. 'You and I will change this world.']

—

Marco scoffed when he received a letter with a seal he did not recognize, but one his master had insured the reliability of. "Ha! I knew it! He wouldn't have kicked the bucket so easily!" He exclaimed as he read it while he sat in an active volcano.

He looked across to where his master was bathing, and he stood up. "Master! When are you going to teach me how to fight!?" he shouted.

Marco had still not learned a single technique from his master. He had simply been beaten and tortured half to death every single day.

His master let out a hearty laugh and stood up as well. "Didn't I already tell you!? A man only needs to know how to take and throw a punch! Nothing else!"

That was Gerard's, the Martial Emperor's philosophy. A conclusion he had come to after mastering every single martial art in existence and creating what he once called the 'Ultimate Martial Art'.

He now found the very idea of such a thing utterly foolish.

Marco clenched his fist. "That makes no sense!! Every single martial artist out there has a Martial Art!! It's in the name!" Marco explained frantically. "I almost died to the demons because I didn't know how to fight! I'm weak! Your method is wrong, Master!"

Gerard smirked, a wide, malicious smirk. "Oh, really? Then let's test it out shall we!?"

Gerard stepped out of the lava bath. "Come at me, young one. I won't block, or evade any of your attacks. I won't even use any skills! On the other hand, you are permitted any method you wish to use, even weapons!"

Gerard slammed his fist on his chest. "On my honor as the Martial Emperor, if you can either bring a single of my knees to the ground, or inflict a single bruise on my skin, I will teach you the Ultimate Martial Arts with all my might!"

Marco's face beamed. "Really!? No take backs, right!? You'll really teach it to me, right!?"

And then, Marco lunged at his master.

—

"So you failed to assassinate the target, then," said a man with sharp hazel eyes seated behind a large desk.

On the other side of the desk, a beast-woman stood, hands behind her back and sweat rolling down her temple. "I… apologize. I will reimburse the fee you have paid me, and the cost of the equipment, with interest."

The Marquis' pen snapped in his palm. "That is a given, adventurer Midnight." The temperature in the room dropped and the Marquis sighed. "It seems I am being taken lightly lately."

He spun around on his chair and waved his hand. "Leave my sight, and do not ever hope to roam freely in the lands of the Vandervite."

Midnight bit her lip, and she bowed promptly before disappearing through the shadows.

Following her exit, a blurry figure emerged from the corner of the room. "What shall we do, my Lord?"

The Marquis tapped his finger against the armrest of his chair. Without turning around, his lips parted. "Get rid of the beast-woman, and bring Eleanor before me at once. She will fix the mess she has created."

The blurry figure cupped his fist in his palm. "It shall be done, my Lord!" he exclaimed, disappearing as swiftly as he appeared.

—

As Verity and his friends lived their lives, more stories were unfolding across the continent.

A lone man was absorbing energy from an abandoned stone tablet at the bottom of a lake and focusing as his class advanced to something new. "With this… I've returned to where I was."

Another, starved for greater power, accepted a sponsorship contract from an entity that harbored unknown intentions. "Such power…!"

On a desolate battlefield at the border of the Empire, where knights fought hordes of demons with no end, a young commander gripped his head as despair filled his soul. "It's pointless… we're just delaying the inevitable… these things cannot be defeated..!!"

In a temple of Terras at the heart of a small village, a woman's faith reached the heavens and brought forth a miracle, though that miracle was not Terras', far from it. "W-What have I done!"

Countless others, scattered across the land, chased their own hopes, faced their own trials, and paid the price of their own mistakes. And through it all, seven months passed.

The rising stars tournament was now only three days away and Verity who had parted with his Master not long ago, now stood before the gates of the City of Trials, Colosseo.

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