Daru noticed that the sparring was getting a little too intense.

He was quite happy to see this side of Iris and to get to know his training partner better.

She was as competent as he expected someone who loved mastering swordsmanship techniques to be, perhaps more.

Unfortunately, although he wanted to learn a bit more about her, they weren't in the right location to duel for real.

Daru wouldn't be able to go all out against her if they were not fighting in an arena.

While he was very passionate about everything related to the sword, his unshakeable moral values were what made him a noble warrior soul instead of an unholy psychopathic monster.

He will not and can not take Iris' life.

Seeing that Snowflower was about to charge again, he sighed, shook his head in slight regret, and said:

"Wait."

Iris was her own strange personality.

Since Ahfakriphar wasn't the one who hunted her kin down, even being the one to avenge the B-ranker, she eased her stance for a moment, narrowing her eyes as she watched the Veshari in front of her reach out to his face.

Then her eyes momentarily widened.

The face of the Veshari…was splitting from his head?

The red gooey strings made Iris' skin crawl, but her gaze didn't waver, though her fighting spirit was slightly dampened as she gulped in suppressed horror.

She had just watched a horror movie about the same type of ghostly swordspawn.

Could it be that she had encountered it?

Then…does this mean she's going to be haunted by it even once she's back in Valmaris?

Iris began trembling in horror, even more so as the words in the nameplate began to glitch out, changing into unreadable language for a moment before stopping.

The weird occurrence didn't last for long.

Words soon settled, one she could read, and she froze.

Onimaru Kunitsuna, written in glaring red.

The name was as weighty and mythical as the first time she saw it.

Dumbfounded, her eyes naturally shifted to the face of the bladeborn, noticing the familiar blonde hair waving in the somber winds.

"Hey." Daru greeted with a faint smile.

Iris couldn't reply for a few seconds, finding it hard to believe that, of all places in the Myriad Sword Realm, the Somber Swamp in Veshara would be the location they would meet again.

"D-Daru!" she gasped, realizing her mistake of calling Daru by his first name. "S-Sorry, Finnley. I didn't expect to meet you here…A-Also, sorry for attacking you. I thought you were a dangerous Veshari…"

Iris' heart was in absolute turmoil.

She struggled to find the correct words in a mix of shock, disbelief, guilt, confusion, and delight, forcing her usually reserved self to speak more.

"It's fine, your ambush is understandable. Also, you can call me by my first name." Daru responded, bowing in apology the next moment.

"Likewise, I apologize for not removing my mask immediately. I found it difficult to pass up the chance of sparring with you for a few exchanges, seeing you all fired up like that. I can't wait to fight you for real in an arena. You were fierce, Iris."

Hearing Daru call her by her first name shook her heart for a moment.

She didn't dislike it.

Furthermore, fierce wasn't even a great compliment for a woman, yet the way Daru said it was pleasing to her ears.

He was acknowledging her competence in battle from the bottom of his heart.

How could one feel bad?

For a few moments, a rather awkward silence filled the air, but none of the two minded.

They simply transitioned into their bow greeting before Iris continued the conversation.

"That mask…it lets you change your appearance and trial name?" she asked with genuine curiosity.

While she didn't fancy herself studious, she does allocate time for research outside of lecture hours.

This was the first time she was learning that such an item existed.

She couldn't help but wonder where Daru got it.

"Ah, yes." Daru confirmed, "Although I dislike its deceitful nature, I must admit that this mask has helped me a lot."

"I see…so that's why the government couldn't get a hold of you…" she muttered in realization.

Snapped alert by her reaction, he suddenly added: "I would appreciate it if you could keep this a secret, too…"

While he was sure that he could still avoid the government's meddling as long as she didn't reveal his Neo-Earth identity, it was still better to hide the fact that he could change faces and names.

After all, as the mask said, every disguise leaves a trace, and that trace is his sword's type and the color of its blade.

His peaceful life in the Myriad Sword Realm would end once they noticed this and learned of his flaw.

Luckily for him, Iris had her own set of moral values and, like him, always abides by them.

Perhaps he instinctively sensed the kindred soul, which was why she was the person he currently trusted the most, despite considering her as only an acquaintance.

"Ah, sure, I'll keep this a secret."

Daru nodded, not doubting her words,

He'd already seen how she protected his identity even without him saying anything about it.

The secrets of the mask should be safe in her hands.

"I think we should team up," he offered in the next moment, more so for the safety of his sparring partner than himself.

Iris couldn't agree more.

"I would prefer that. I think our chances of survival will increase if we move together…"

She loved honing her swordsmanship techniques more than anything, but her attitude towards battles was lukewarm.

She was not a fan of violence and would avoid it if she could.

"Then come with me for a while, I need to complete a quest." Daru decisively said, giving their small party a direction.

Iris didn't have any particular thing to do except survive and level up as much as she could.

Thus, she nodded and followed her training partner, who had already begun walking.

She had not an inkling in her mind that she was about to have one of her most shocking and dangerous encounters in the Myriad Sword Realm.

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