Tiyi walked to one side of the training ground to choose a weapon. *Any blade will do*, she thought, heading toward a longsword.

"Sorry. I claimed this sword first." Jolovi rushed ahead and snatched the very longsword Tiyi had intended to take. He likely believed depriving her of her preferred weapon would hinder her performance.

Tiyi watched him stride toward the testing area, his expression smug yet utterly misguided.

*If he truly wanted to take away my favored weapons*, she mused, *he’d have cleared every weapon here except warhammers*.

Fego also wanted to make things difficult for Tiyi. But without his trusted axe, he stood no chance of passing. Reluctantly, he grabbed a battle-axe.

Tiyi’s gaze drifted to the corner—to a slender samurai sword resting on a wooden rack beneath a tree.

"Samurai sword…" Memories flooded back: the brutal battlefields of the Holy Demon War, where she’d wielded a great sword, carving through demon hordes until even the fiercest monsters fled at the sight of her blade.

*This one will do*.

She lifted the sword. Though these were standard training weapons from Holy Academy, their quality was far from shoddy.

"E-Examiner," Fego called out, hefting his axe before his assigned wooden post, "could you tell us the judging criteria? Beyond just cut depth?"

"If you don’t even know that," Josephine sighed, "just try to cut as deep as you can."

Tiyi took her place before the leftmost post, samurai sword in hand.

"Hmph. To gauge a swordsman’s skill," Jolovi declared, his eyes sharp with pride, "examine the cut: deep, long, and clean." He’d trained under a renowned wandering swordsman from Kains, after all.

His gaze flicked to Tiyi. That exotic Eastern blade—powerful yet notoriously difficult to master. Many collected samurai swords, but few truly wielded them well. A smirk tugged at his lips.

"Begin the test!" Morton barked.

"Starting now—" Jolovi tightened his grip on his sword.

*Whoosh!*

Before he could even draw a full breath, a shadow blurred past him.

Tiyi had already glided to her post like a wisp of smoke. Her training sword flashed—a thin, silver streak.

*Thwack!*

A cut, deep as one-third the post’s width, split the wood.

Without sparing the mark a glance, Tiyi turned and strode out of the testing ground.

"Hey—" Jolovi stared at the deep, narrow gash, then at Tiyi’s retreating back. Training-grade samurai swords weren’t meant for hacking dense wood; they chipped easily and rarely cut deep.

*She matched the depth of my master’s cuts from the Kains Guild.* Instead of respect, fury coiled in his chest. *That arrogant woman—such skill? Damn it!*

"Hold onto your weapons," Josephine called after Tiyi. "The next test is sparring with examiners. You may switch blades if you wish."

"Mm." Tiyi nodded. The sword’s hilt felt reassuringly solid in her palm.

Meanwhile, Jolovi and Fego strained to slash their posts.

"That strike just now…" A familiar voice spoke beside Tiyi. "It carried Teacher Yedi’s essence."

Tiyi’s body tensed. Whether from Qingruo’s voice or her words—she’d deliberately held back, yet Qingruo knew her true skill. Overdoing the restraint would only raise suspicion.

"So the teacher truly dotes on his distant cousin," Qingruo added.

"Not at all," Tiyi replied quickly. "Since Cousin Brother Yedi trains me personally, I simply learn faster. His guidance has been… invaluable." She stressed "cousin brother," hoping to underscore their bond.

"Those three posts appear identical in thickness and wood type," Qingruo continued, her eyes sharp. "But when the soldiers moved them earlier, yours required noticeably more effort. The wood’s density and age differ. Whether by chance or design… you struck the hardest one." Years of relentless sword practice had honed her eye for such details.

"Is that so…?" Tiyi hadn’t noticed. Standing beside Qingruo in the borrowed trousers felt strangely unreal.

"Still, you performed well," Qingruo turned, offering encouragement. "If you maintain this level in the swordsmanship test, no one will deny you entry to this academy."

"Mm. Senior Qingruo… thank you." Passing was certain, yet the praise warmed her. She looked up at the taller girl. *Is it just her height? Or does she truly feel like… safety?*

Perhaps her own heart craved an anchor.

Even now, this tall woman held a contract that controlled Tiyi’s fate—and her dignity. But today, in this setting, Qingruo likely wouldn’t mention it.

*That contract binds me to her…* A wave of helplessness washed over Tiyi. *Is that why she favored me today?* The comfortable fabric against her skin whispered the answer.

Tiyi’s early strike had shattered the others’ rhythm. Though Jolovi and Fego hacked desperately at their posts, their performance faltered.

"Alandiye Tiyi: Full marks."

"Jolovi: Four points."

"Fego: Three points."

Morton’s gravelly voice announced the scores.

"Three?!" Fego paled. Weapon proficiency was his strongest suit. His axe delivered raw power, but its weight created resistance—limiting depth.

Qingruo inspected the cuts. Jolovi’s slashes were uneven, his technique fraying under pressure. Four points was generous. But standards were subjective, and this test had been arranged for Jolovi’s sake. She held her tongue.

"Hm?"

Qingruo’s fingers traced Tiyi’s cut. *Truly worthy of Teacher Yedi’s legacy.*

"Is it bloodline?" she murmured. "Such talent… This strike holds echoes of his sword intent. Yet…" Her touch lingered on the groove. "It lacks his unyielding spirit. His masculine resolve."

Weapon Proficiency concluded: Tiyi led with ten points.

Jolovi followed with eight.

Fego trailed at five—effectively eliminated, barring miracles.

Next: Swordsmanship Sparring. Worth ten points. Imperial soldiers hauled the posts away, stacking them beneath the trees.

"Before we begin," Morton warned, hands clasped behind his scarred back, "Holy Academy uses *real* blades for tests and training. Accidents happen. The Empire has no need for soft elites who fear blood!" His jagged cheekbone bore silent witness to his words.