Wait, huh? Big Sis Xinuo’s about to throw down with that freak, FrostyLily Dream?!

The sudden shift hit Yumigawa Nozomi like a cold splash, and the others flinched too.

A foe who can match Sir Xino… the aftershocks alone could sweep us aside like leaves.

Elyar’s tone firmed, wind quieting around her like a held breath; even as the Wind Spirit King, she stood worlds below Xinuo and FrostyLily Dream.

Master herself picked this fight?! I’ve never seen that before!

Hill gulped down the stuffed pastries in one breath, eyes wide like lanterns, afraid to miss a single spark between Xinuo and FrostyLily Dream.

When Xinuo Miss gets serious… just how far does that strength go? I can’t help but look forward to it.

Since Xinuo once showed her the World Sword, Yumigawa Senki’s swordwork had soared like spring bamboo. Watching now, she hoped to catch another glimmer.

Either way, we should back off from Xinuo Miss and the others, set defenses, then watch.

Agreed. If their shockwaves brush us, it won’t be funny—it’ll be a landslide.

Eastern Moon Aixue and Faya kept one thing first: everyone’s safety.

Right then, let’s prep to spectate—before Xinuo Miss and FrostyLily Dream begin.

With that, Yumigawa Senki drew the Sacred Life Sword, its light rising like dawn over frost. The others moved too; watching is fine, but living comes first.

Xinuo won’t let their aftershocks touch us, sure. But a single mishap can snowball, so we stack our shields now.

Sister, can we start the fight?

Whenever.

Then—Ice Origin!

Her voice dropped like a crystal bead. FrostyLily Dream became the eye of a blizzard; ice element exploded outward in a white surge that swept the entire plane.

In a blink, the lifeless, unworked plane turned into an icebound realm, snowfields humming with cold, air glittering like ground glass.

Hm. My power feels a shade suppressed, like breath held in winter air. Whatever—against that maniac, I won’t need full strength.

Ahh—this kind of place feels right. You don’t mind, sister?

She vanished from the ground and flickered into the sky, a frost phantom. She loves bombing from above like a mage, even though she’s a Sword Spirit.

Use everything. Show me what you’ve honed since last time.

At our tier, raw power won’t climb; only how we wield it sharpens like steel. I’m curious what surprise she has.

Feast your eyes, sister! A few hundred years, and I did improve! Ice: Congeal.

Ice elements rushed to her like swarming swans. The bout truly began.

They forged into countless short swords that burst forth, raining like a hailstorm toward me.

Mm? Each blade holds a pinch of ice-element Primordial Source. That maniac’s control of source has leveled up.

But it’s dull at this level. A handful of Sword Aura flicks erased the lot, like wind clearing mist.

As expected—easily blocked. That was my full power in a normal form.

Switch back to Sword Spirit form. In your mortal shell, I’ll end you in one stroke.

You’re right, sister. Can’t be helped.

Ice-blue radiance rose on her skin, bright as moonlight on a glacier. It swelled into a dragon-tornado big enough to pierce heaven and earth, wrapping her whole.

Soon the vortex stilled, light within sharpening like a blade. With a thump, cracks spidered across the funnel, and it shattered like a broken mirror into falling ice.

Ahh—been a while since I wore a Sword Spirit’s skin. This feel… nostalgic.

She stepped from the breaking ice. She stared at her hands, eyes cold and empty, personality flipped like night to noon.

In Sword Spirit form, FrostyLily Dream looked much the same—but a pale blue glow washed her, infinite pressure rolling off her like a deep sea. That glow was, no doubt, the Primordial Source.

Is that so? Then skip the nostalgia—begin.

Understood. Battle resumes.

She vanished. An ice-blue sword light flashed in my senses, and a nameless chill skated my bones.

Clang!!

Her strike met my guard. My blade froze mid-note and snapped in half, useless as a dead branch.

Now that’s more like it. I coaxed Sword Aura into a new blade, and my battle hunger rose a notch.

I don’t do passive defense. I answered with several cuts of Sword Aura, lines of wind slashing forward.

…!!

No surprise—she blocked them all, but staggered back a few steps like a reed bent in squall. I stepped in, swung one plain, honest strike—

World Sword.

Not good… urk!

She couldn’t answer in time, only threw up a hasty guard. It wasn’t enough; the hit hurled her away like a snowflake in gale. That swing held seventy percent of my strength.

World Sword feels like cheating—despair without a door to resist.

But I won’t go down so easy.

She flickered. Slashes formed by ice-element Origin Sword Qi braided the air, hiding in space as they rushed me. I focused, braided my Sword Aura, and cut toward the angle she’d likely take.

Boom!!

Space shattered in plates. FrostyLily Dream appeared within the break—and her attack was already nose-close. Without turning into a Sword Spirit, even I’d struggle to knock her back in time.

So I fired Sword Aura in a stream, a wall of wind-blades for ‘defense’. Tch. The power of the Primordial Source is a hassle; raw Sword Aura alone isn’t enough.

I lifted my arm to call the World Sword again—then she vanished, and a thin thread of danger tugged my nape.

As expected of her Sword Spirit form—moves thick with Primordial Source used as bait. Honestly, a bit of a headache.

Yet that’s the fun. One-sided fights are ash and dust.

Without noticing, excitement bloomed in me like a spark catching tinder. Let this fight outdo the last.