Inside the training hall.
Ronan stood still with his eyes tightly shut. Beth stood a short distance in front of him, her silver eyes calmly fixed on him.
"Ronan-sama, please focus again."
"Perceive my presence, and predict my movements."
As her words fell, Beth's figure moved slightly.
Almost the instant she moved, Ronan's eyeballs shifted faintly beneath his closed lids. In his mind, he "saw" the halo of light surrounding Beth.
In the next moment, Beth vanished from where she'd been and appeared on Ronan's left, her hand flattened like a blade as it chopped toward his shoulder and neck. If that strike landed, it would be enough to make an ordinary person lose the ability to fight in an instant.
However, just as her hand was about to touch Ronan, his head tilted slightly to the right.
Whoosh—
Her hand-blade swept past his ear with a rush of wind.
A trace of satisfaction flashed in Beth's eyes, but her movements did not pause. Her left leg swept toward Ronan's lower body.
Ronan still did not open his eyes. He bent his knees slightly and stepped lightly back, just enough to avoid Beth's sweeping kick.
For a time, Beth circled Ronan inside the hall, launching attack after attack. And every time, Ronan managed, at the last possible instant, to calmly evade with the most precise movement.
After about fifteen minutes, Beth's attacks gradually ceased.
"Congratulations, Ronan-sama," Beth's voice reached Ronan's ears.
"You have now basically grasped the use of Observation Haki. This ability to sense and predict has already reached the beginner level."
Ronan slowly opened his eyes then, feeling the changes in himself. At the same time, the panel in his mind also changed.
Observation Haki has been recorded.
Holder: Ronan
Quest Points: 180
Abilities:
• Armament Haki (Proficient, 700 points to upgrade to the next level)
• Physical Arts (Proficient, 700 points to upgrade to Mastery)
• Observation Haki (Not Initiated, 100 points to upgrade to Beginner)
Special Skill: Lucky Roulette (1,000 points per spin)
Seeing this, Ronan let out a long breath. Finally—he had finally mastered Observation Haki enough for it to be recorded by the panel. Thinking back to the nonstop training of this recent period, Ronan sometimes really wished the panel were even more overpowered—just seeing someone else use Observation Haki would be enough to have it recorded directly.
Of course, that was only wishful thinking. For now, his hardships had finally paid off.
Without any hesitation, he immediately chose to consume 100 Quest Points, raising Observation Haki to the Beginner level.
"Quest Points really are never enough!"
Over this past year, Ronan had been stuck in the Lulusia Kingdom with no chance to trigger new quests, so his Quest Points had hardly increased at all. All the quests that could be triggered within this country had long since been exhausted. To trigger new ones, he had to go elsewhere.
Just then, Alicia walked in from outside and came up to Ronan.
"Ronan-sama, a guard just reported that a girl around ten years old showed up at the palace gates with a Great Grade sword, shouting that she wants to see Teresa!"
"Hm? She wants to see Teresa?" Ronan was a bit puzzled. "And she's carrying a Great Grade sword?"
Great Grade swords aren't something any random cat or dog on the roadside can get their hands on—they're among the twenty-one famous blades in the whole world and worth a fortune.
For a little girl to be traveling with such a blade was anything but simple.
"Is she a fan of Teresa?"
Ever since Teresa's battle with Hawk-Eye, many people had come to the Lulusia Kingdom out of admiration for her. But Ronan had never expected a girl barely in her teens to make it here; just imagining it made it clear how much danger she'd faced along the way.
"It's already been a year, hasn't it? Didn't Teresa say last time that she should be back soon?"
"Yes, Ronan-sama, it should be by the end of this month," Beth answered from the side.
"Let's meet this girl," Ronan said. He was also quite curious about what kind of girl would be carrying a Great Grade sword.
At that moment, in front of the palace gates, Kuina was clutching Wado Ichimonji tightly in her arms, watching the palace guards before her with caution. Inside, she was far less calm than she appeared. Everything she'd experienced since leaving Shimotsuki Village flickered through her mind like a lantern show.
Along the way, she'd slept in dilapidated cabins, hidden in dark alley corners, gnawed on hard, stale bread, and drunk muddy river water. This world was far more cruel and vast than the small dojo in Shimotsuki Village.
Yet every hardship only hardened her resolve to become stronger.
Just as she was lost in thought, a blond woman walked out from the palace gates. The most eye-catching thing about her was the massive sword on her back, almost as tall as she was.
The soldiers standing guard on both sides straightened up the moment they saw the woman, their eyes filled with respect. This was the one who had slain the legendary pirate Golden Lion—a height these ordinary soldiers could never hope to reach in their lifetimes.
Kuina's heart gave a violent thump. That sword… it was exactly the same as in the newspaper photo of Teresa-san's sword! She had to be one of the King's guards. Was she the Beth who had killed Golden Lion? Or the equally powerful Alicia? Kuina guessed cautiously.
Beth's gaze fell on Kuina. Seeing how worn-out the girl looked, she could tell that Kuina must have suffered a great deal on her journey here.
"Are you the one who wants to see Teresa?" Beth's voice was gentle, with a hint of pity in her tone.
Kuina snapped back to herself, hurriedly nodded, and said respectfully, "Yes! May I ask who you are…?"
"I'm Beth," Beth said with a smile. "Heika wants to see you. Come with me."
Beth! So she really was that legendary guard! Kuina's heart surged with excitement. Even though Beth and Alicia hadn't fought Hawk-Eye themselves, Beth was still an exceptionally powerful swordswoman—probably not much weaker than Hawk-Eye at all.
Kuina followed right behind Beth with extra care as they walked into the Lulusia royal palace.
After they passed through a long corridor, Beth led her into a relatively secluded side hall. The decorations inside were not particularly luxurious.
At once, Kuina noticed the boy sitting inside the hall—Ronan. With another woman identical to Beth standing at his side, there was no need for her to wonder; she immediately realized that this must be the King of this country.
So young?
For a moment, Kuina couldn't hide the shock on her face.
This was the King of Lulusia?! The King who had issued that special decree in the newspapers and had mighty guards like Teresa and Beth at his side?! He was actually… actually just a child?!
Ronan's age was far beyond what Kuina had imagined. The newspapers often mentioned the name Ronan, but they'd never published his photo. She had never expected him to be this young.
(End of Chapter)
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