“You really have gotten soft, Senior Brother. Do you honestly think you can carry on Master’s One Flash like this?”

The one who appeared at the scene, right after I scolded Ed, was Rinhuo—her eyes filled with disappointment in me.

She must have fought her way here.

Not only was she splattered with blood, but there was a shallow cut on her cheek.

With her scabbard discarded, Rinhuo carried her massive blade slung over her shoulder.

The light in her eyes was gone, leaving behind only a pained and unsettling presence.

And at the same time, she was wrapped in a sinister aura.

“You’ve started carrying a truly unpleasant aura… If you’re trying to imitate Falabar, I’d advise you to stop.”

I was worried—she was starting to resemble the same inhuman monster. Rinhuo chuckled darkly.

She pressed her left hand against her face, peeking at me through the gaps between her fingers.

Her cherry-colored eyes glowed with a dangerous light.

“This was the only path I had to grow stronger. I won’t let anyone deny it. Because—without strength, you have no right to call yourself One Flash, right?”

…So she was planning to fall to the same place as Falabar, just for the sake of strength?

Cold sweat trickled down my back. Just then, a transmission came in. I pressed my left index and middle fingers to my ear.

It was Amagi’s voice.

“My Lord, an emergency report. The Anshi estate has been attacked. Thankfully there were no deaths, but Lord Shishigami is gravely injured.”

I didn’t respond to Amagi. My eyes stayed locked on Rinhuo.

“…Was it you who attacked Fuka?”

Perhaps she guessed the contents of the call, because she twirled her blade playfully with her fingertips.

“She was getting cocky, so I taught her a lesson. Honestly, I meant to kill her—but I guess she got lucky.”

“You fought without Master Anshi’s permission?”

Dueling between disciples of the same school required the Master’s consent. Rinhuo knew this perfectly well.

“It was just a spat between sisters. You’re too uptight, Senior Brother. …And yet, when your son behaves rudely, you don’t even kill him.”

Her sharp gaze turned toward Ed.

Ed—and Nata, who was supporting him—froze in fear under Rinhuo’s glare.

But Ellen quickly stepped forward, shielding them.

Her hand was on her hilt, stance prepared for iai.

Cold sweat ran down her face; she understood Rinhuo wasn’t in a normal state.

Rinhuo’s irritation only deepened at the sight.

“A foolish disciple who bares her fangs at her Senior Brother… it’s your job to deal with her, isn’t it, Ellen?”

Ellen held her ground with dignity.

“I won’t hear that from someone who keeps belittling my Master. Before you drag the name of One Flash through the mud as a swordsman who’s already fallen… I’ll kill you here.”

“Try it, weakling!”

As the two glared at each other with killing intent, I gave my order.

“Ground forces—evacuate the civilians at once.”

The soldiers had their firearms trained on Rinhuo, but it was pointless.

This entire area was already within her range. Better to retreat them quickly.

One of the soldiers tried to take Ed with him.

“Lord Edward, this way!”

“Y-yeah…”

Ed tried to back away, but as a swordsman of One Flash, that wasn’t acceptable.

“Ed—you’re a swordsman of One Flash. Stay here, and watch this fight.”

His eyes widened.

“F-Father, but I don’t have the strength—”

“The fact you can unleash a Flash already makes you qualified. Don’t miss this precious duel between disciples of the same school. One day, you’ll walk this path too.”

The soldiers fussed over Ed, but when I gestured for them to leave, they reluctantly pulled back.

Nata still supported Ed.

“Lord Edward, I’ll remain by your side.”

Her loyalty was admirable—but this was an One Flash matter.

I snapped my fingers. From the shadows, a kunai flew out, carrying Nata away with it.

Ed reached out.

“Nata!”

Don’t look so forlorn.

“If you’re truly a swordsman of One Flash, then stand and witness their battle.”

Neither Ellen nor Rinhuo moved an inch, but the fight had already begun.

When rubble from the nearby entertainment hall crashed down, Ellen struck first.

She unleashed one Flash after another. Rinhuo dropped low, pressing her left hand to the ground, crouching like a three-legged beast. With a lick of her lips, she swatted Ellen’s Flashes aside.

I stood beside trembling Ed, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Not only to keep him from fleeing, but mostly to shield him from the deadly aftershocks.

The ground around us bore deep gouges from the stray slashes of the two fighters.

Ed clung to my leg.

“W-what’s happening, Father!?”

“Ellen is unleashing Flashes, and Rinhuo is batting them away.”

“Then… then that means Master is winning, right!? Right!?”

I had to tell him the harsh truth.

“No—Ellen is at a disadvantage. Rinhuo now stands several levels above her.”

Ed’s eyes filled with despair.

“That can’t be!?”

Even as we spoke, a cut appeared on Ellen’s cheek. She was being steadily pushed back, while Rinhuo pressed forward.

“What’s wrong? You’ve lost that earlier bravado!”

Rinhuo kicked off the ground, swinging down at Ellen.

Ellen drew her blade and barely managed to block. She could no longer unleash a Flash.

Rinhuo licked her lips.

“I’ll play with you.”

“Demon!” Ellen snarled.

The two clashed blade against blade.

Ed trembled. He had never seen Ellen fight seriously.

I told him the truth of One Flash.

“Watch carefully. One Flash is the sword art that protects humanity from inhuman monsters.”

“Monsters like that… they really exist?”

“Oh, they do. There are even monsters that Master Anshi himself couldn’t defeat. …Never forget, you were born to fight such beings.”

Meanwhile, Rinhuo’s aura grew heavier.

A purple aura spread over her body, flickering like flames.

It wrapped around her slashes, searing Ellen’s skin.

“Monster!”

Ellen leapt back. Rinhuo shifted into a drawing stance, blade at her hip.

“Perfect. A monster to slay monsters—what could be better!?”

Branded a monster by Ellen, Rinhuo accepted it, unleashing her full power in one strike.

It was dyed black and purple, a blow strong enough to obliterate everything around it.

Not even Ellen could withstand it—it would reduce her to dust.

The surroundings were blown to rubble. As the dust settled, Rinhuo glared at me with hate.

“You protected her again!”

In my arms, unconscious but still clutching her sword, was Ellen.

“A master’s duty is to protect his beloved disciple.”

I told Rinhuo. She clenched her teeth and shouted.

“That was a serious match! You shielded her because you didn’t want me to kill her! And you still dare call yourself One Flash!?”

Watching her tantrum, my heart ached.

Back then—when Rinhuo came to me for help—if only I’d found better words for her.

I hate how clumsy I am.

That’s why—

“Quit yapping. If you want to preach, at least get stronger than me first.”

—I’ll accept everything about you.

I gently set Ellen down.

Then, I took her sword.

“I’ll be borrowing your blade. …Ed, stand back a little.”

“Y-yes!”

Sword hanging loosely in my hand, I gestured at Rinhuo with my left hand to come at me.

“Disciplining a fallen junior is also a senior’s duty. Come—I’ll be your opponent.”

Rinhuo crouched, her presence more beastly than ever.

Watching her sink deeper into darkness to draw out more strength—it was painful.

“I’ll be the strongest. I’ll be Master’s number one.”

“If Master saw you like this, it would only sadden him.”

“Shut up!”

In her fury, Rinhuo lashed out, flinging Flashes everywhere, tearing up the surroundings.

I sighed.

“This area is an important economic hub. The damage will be massive. Guess I’ll be busy with reconstruction for a while.”

I acted nonchalant, making it look as though I disrespected One Flash.

As expected, Rinhuo lunged at me.

Wrapped in her purple aura, she had stepped into the realm of monsters, her body and strength enhanced beyond human limits.

Her strike crashed into me, my legs driving into the ground, shattering it beneath us.

She didn’t stop, slashing at me again and again.

“Watching you fight reminds me of that Sword Saint I killed. He sought the path to ‘strongest’ too easily, and destroyed himself.”

She caught on to my meaning. At least she still had enough reason left to understand.

“You’re saying I’m the same as him?”

“If you want to claim otherwise, then prove it—defeat me!”

I kicked her in the gut, knocking her back, and unleashed an Flash.

The slash tore through the rubble in a sweeping arc. Rinhuo bent backwards to dodge, then snapped forward, closing the distance in a flash.

“I’ll beat you—and become Master’s number one!”

Her desire for Master Anshi’s recognition was genuine.

But… she was still hiding something from us. That much I knew.

“Show more respect to your Senior Brother, foolish girl!”

I smashed my fist into her, slamming her into the ground.

She leapt back up immediately, hurling thousands of Flashes at me, all tinged with her purple aura.

Darkened Flashes… how disgraceful.

“Can you really show that form to Master with pride?”

Swinging Ellen’s sword, I batted them all away. The sparks lit the air like fireworks.

Through the rain of sparks, Rinhuo landed, and for an instant—she looked like she was crying.

“Strength is what matters most. Without strength, I have no value.”

Her words filled me with anger.

“I’m not kind enough to pity someone worthless. And Master would grieve to see you like this.”

Rinhuo quietly raised her blade.

“Yeah… if he saw me like this, he’d probably cut me down. But this was the only way! You seniors kept advancing, leaving me behind. I couldn’t just watch. So—”

Sensing she was about to unleash her strongest Flash, I too prepared myself.

Golden motes of light gathered along Ellen’s blade.

It wasn’t my favorite sword, but it would be enough.

“…Forgive me, Rinhuo, for not being able to stop you sooner.”

At my words, she seemed to smile faintly.

And then she whispered:

“Flash.”