"..."

Aurelia made her way down the corridor, her boots clicking softly against the polished stone path with a steady rhythm.

Her mind began to drift back a while ago when Nero had called her over through their connection.

She had been busy reviewing combat formations with some of the R-tier warriors when his voice reached her thoughts with that familiar warmth she had grown so used to.

"Aury, got a sec? Need to show you something."

It was simple and direct, which was very typical of him.

She had excused herself immediately and headed toward his location without a single question in her mind.

When she arrived at the spot, he had been standing there with that signature grin of his.

It was the kind of smile that usually meant he was either about to say something completely ridiculous or do something surprisingly thoughtful.

This time, it turned out to be the latter.

He had summoned a pristine broadsword from thin air and held it out toward her like it was the most natural thing in the world to do.

"Here. This is for you."

There was no ceremony involved and no grand speech to accompany the gesture.

It was just a gift that he offered with a casual sincerity that somehow made it feel more meaningful than any elaborate presentation could have ever been.

A blade of such extreme caliber was offered right into her face… and before she could even say anything her Lord Nero vanished in thin air…

"..."

Now thinking about that ridiculous encounter, she walked back through the villa corridors, Aurelia let her gaze trace along the given weapon in her hands.

Sollien.

The blade practically hummed with dormant power, and she could feel the divine energy coiled within the metal like a sleeping dragon waiting to wake up.

A dawn-colored radiance flickered along the edge whenever the light caught it at the right angle.

Her fingers moved instinctively to the other broadsword sheathed at her waist.

The Starsteele Blade.

It was an SR-tier weapon that had accompanied her for ages.

*Shing…*

She drew it partially from its sheath and took a moment to study the familiar steel.

There were nicks and scratches marring the surface, which were battle damage accumulated over countless fights.

Each imperfection was a memory of combat she had survived.

It had served her faithfully all this time.

It had never failed her, and it had never faltered when she needed it most.

However… even the most sturdiest blades would serve its purpose as time goes by.

And even with a self-repair fine enchantment, the blade is clearly within its limits.

"..."

Aurelia used her thumb to trace one of the deeper scratches near the crossguard.

A pang of reluctance twisted in her chest at the thought of retiring it.

Her old blade in her hand felt wrong somehow, almost like she was abandoning an old friend who had earned better treatment than being cast aside.

Still, the angel was practical above all else.

Practicality demanded that she use the best tools available to her, especially with the Second Trial approaching so soon.

And she figured, it's time to grow once more.

"Rest now," she whispered to the blade, her voice barely audible in the quiet hallway. "You've earned it."

She sheathed Starsteele fully and then lifted Sollien again to inspect it.

The divine broadsword felt lighter than it should have, and it was balanced with craftsmanship that made her previous weapon seem crude by comparison.

It was a gift from Lord Nero.

Her Lord Nero.

"..."

That thought alone made warmth spread through her chest in a way that had nothing to do with the holy properties of the sword.

She picked up her pace and headed back toward where Velraeth usually held his training sessions.

By now, Nero should be finished getting demolished, or rather, learning from the dragon brutal teaching methods.

She wanted to thank him properly for the gift.

She also wanted to make sure he was still conscious and not buried in a crater somewhere.

*Tap. Tap. Tap.*

Her boots echoed through the corridor until she reached an intersection and nearly walked straight into someone else.

"Oh."

Aurelia blinked in mild surprise as she stopped.

Celis stood there with her golden hair catching the afternoon light filtering through the nearby windows.

The gentle saintess smiled with that trademark half-closed-eye expression that somehow conveyed both warmth and mystery simultaneously.

"Greetings, Aurelia. 'Tis quite the coincidence to encounter thee here."

"... Celis."

Aurelia nodded in acknowledgment, and she noted that they were both heading in the same direction.

They were both going toward Nero's usual training grounds.

That was interesting.

"Art thou also bound for our Lord's location?"

"Yes."

Aurelia narrowed her golden eyes slightly as she studied the other woman for a moment.

Celis rarely sought Nero out directly unless he called for her first, as she preferred to let him come to her when he needed healing or support.

So if she was actively heading his way, it meant something was up.

"Did Lord Nero summon you as well?"

"Indeed." Celis smile widened slightly. "He didst request mine presence but moments ago. Though he provided nary a reason for such."

They fell into step together and walked side by side through the elegant hallways of the villa.

Aurelia felt her curiosity prickle at the situation.

Why would her Lord call for both of them separately like this?

Was something wrong?

Did he need something specific from each of them?

Or was this just another one of his surprises?

She shook her head slightly and dismissed the speculation.

There was no point in worrying when they would find out in approximately thirty seconds anyway.

The training ground came into view ahead of them.

*CRACK—!*

Both women stopped dead in their tracks.

A surge of energy erupted from the courtyard, and it was sharp and sudden enough to make the air taste metallic.

It was not an attack.

It felt more like a fusion.

Aurelia felt her instincts kick in immediately, and her hand moved to Sollien hilt as she broke into a faster walk.

Celis matched her pace, and concern flickered across her usually serene features.

They rounded the corner and emerged into the training area just in time to witness something bizarre.

Nero stood in the center of the courtyard holding two weapons.

In his right hand, he held Dawnbreaker, which was the A-tier sword Aurelia had gifted him since he started to proactively learn swordsmanship before.

And on his left, he held that broken sword he had pulled from the UR banner earlier.

It was the one that had confused even Luna with its mysterious properties.

The broken blade was glowing.

It was not glowing with holy light or elemental energy, but with something that looked hungry.

Dark tendrils of power wrapped around both weapons and pulled them together like magnets with a violent attraction.

"That is…!"

Aurelia felt her words die in her throat as the broken sword literally ate Dawnbreaker.

That was the only way she could describe it.

The fragmented blade opened up as reality warped around the fracture point, and it consumed the A-tier weapon whole.

The metal dissolved into streams of golden light that the broken sword absorbed with audible satisfaction.

The cracks sealed up as new power flooded the structure of the weapon.

*WOOOMMM...*

Energy pulsed outward in a shockwave that made the hair of both women whip backward.

"..."

Then there was silence.

Nero stood there holding a completely transformed weapon.

"..."

Aurelia blinked several times to make sure her eyes were actually processing what they were seeing correctly.

The sword in Nero's hand barely resembled Dawnbreaker anymore.

Actually, it did not resemble Dawnbreaker at all.

The blade was now double-edged and pitch black, and it seemed to absorb light rather than reflect it.

Crimson runes glowed along the base where the blade met the hilt, and they pulsed with a rhythmic energy that looked almost alive.

The crossguard had been replaced by jagged teeth-like protrusions that curved upward in a predatory design.

And then there was the pommel.

An ominous void-black eye stared outward from the base, and its iris shifted colors between deep blue and crimson depending on the angle.

The whole weapon radiated an aura that made Aurelia combat instincts scream warnings about imminent danger.

This was not a holy sword anymore.

This was something that ate holy swords for breakfast and asked for seconds.

Nero must have sensed their arrival because his head turned, and his expression snapped from focused concentration to surprised recognition.

"Oh. Hey, you two."

He grinned and acted completely casual despite holding what looked like a weapon forged from nightmares and poor life choices.

"Perfect timing actually. I was just testing this thing out."

Aurelia narrowed her golden eyes in scrutiny.

The mysterious energy she had felt from the broken sword before was definitely stronger now.

It felt more stable and focused.

Whatever transformation had just occurred, it had completed successfully.

This was no ordinary blade.

It was not ordinary even by SSR standards.

"Lord Nero," she started carefully, "what exactly..."

"Curious?"

Nero let his grin widen as he noticed both women staring at the transformed weapon.

He lifted it slightly and let the ambient light play across the surface of the black blade.

"Yeah, I figured this would get attention. Even I'm not totally sure what just happened, but..."

He gave the sword an experimental swing.

*WHOOSH.*

The air screamed.

A black-and-crimson afterimage trailed the path of the blade, and the energy was so dense it left a visible distortion in its wake.

"... It definitely got a significant power boost, I'll say that much at least."

Aurelia felt her analytical mind immediately start cataloging threat assessment data.

The weight distribution looked perfect.

The energy output was absurd for a weapon of that size.

And that aura was intense.

She had felt similar presences before back during the ancient wars.

These were weapons that existed on the boundary between divine and void, and they were forged through methods that required sacrifices most smiths would not even consider.

This sword belonged in that category.

Perhaps it even exceeded it.

"Now that I think about it..."

Nero's voice pulled her from her thoughts.

He was looking directly at her now, and his expression was shifting into something more playful.

"It's been a while since we had a proper spar, right?"

Aurelia blinked.

"Yes?"

"A spar." Nero gestured between them with the transformed blade. "You and me, actual combat instead of you correcting my form for three hours straight."

… He had a point.

Most of their training sessions involved Aurelia meticulously fixing his technique and drilling fundamentals until muscle memory replaced conscious thought.

Actual sparring matches where they both cut loose had been rare lately.

"I need to get a feel for this new weapon anyway," Nero continued, "and you just got a shiny new sword from me. Seems like a perfect opportunity to test them both out, yeah?"

Aurelia felt her lips curve into the faintest smile.

A spar.

She would be sparring against her Lord, who had been growing at a frankly terrifying speed in this short period of time.

They would be using weapons they had both just acquired.

"Very well."

She drew Sollien fully, and divine radiance flared along the edge of the blade in response to her intent.

"I accept your challenge."

***

The training ground had a proper dueling area toward the back.

It had a flat stone surface, plenty of space, and reinforced barriers to contain stray attacks that got too enthusiastic.

It was perfect for not accidentally demolishing the villa.

They relocated there quickly with Celis following with a bemused expression while Nero practically bounced with anticipation.

When they arrived, several of the R-tier warrior summons were already present.

A few had been running combat drills while others practiced weapon techniques against training dummies.

All of them stopped immediately when they noticed who had just entered.

"Oh damn, is that..."

"Master Nero and Lady Aurelia?"

"Are they seriously about to spar?!"

Excitement rippled through the gathered warriors like wildfire.

Within seconds, training equipment was abandoned as everyone gravitated toward the edge of the dueling area to get a better look.

This was premium entertainment right here.

Watching two of the strongest people in their community go at it was a rare treat.

Hell yes!

Near the back, three warrior summons huddled together with poorly concealed grins on their faces.

"Twenty gold says Lady Aurelia ends it in under a minute," the first one whispered, a wolf-eared woman clutching twin axes.

"Psh, you're underestimating Master. He's been training with all three teachers. I give him at least three minutes before he eats dirt." The second, a scarred human with a greatsword, crossed her arms confidently.

"You're both wrong." The third, an elf archer, smirked. "Master's gonna surprise us. I'm betting he lands a solid hit before losing. Five minutes minimum."

"Bold claim."

"Watch and learn, ladies."

***

Back at the center of the dueling circle, Nero and Aurelia stood opposite each other.

They were ten meters apart.

Their weapons were ready.

The afternoon sun cast long shadows across the stone, adding dramatic lighting that neither of them had planned but definitely appreciated anyway.

Aurelia held a stance that was perfect as always.

Sollien was held in a high guard with her weight distributed precisely, and her golden eyes were locked onto Nero with a focus that could cut through steel.

She looked like a statue carved from divine wrath and holy vengeance.

She was beautiful and absolutely terrifying.

Nero's stance was less refined.

But it was functional.

The transformed "Dawnbreaker", which he really needed a new name for now, rested in a mid guard position.

His body language was relaxed but he was ready to explode into motion.

He had learned that trick from Velraeth.

You stay loose until the moment you need violence, and then you deliver it all at once.

Celis positioned herself near the edge and raised one hand gracefully as her gentle smile was in her face.

"When thou art both prepared, I shall commence the match."

Both fighters nodded.

The gathered warriors fell silent.

Anticipation thick enough to choke on hung in the air.

Celis dropped her hand.

"Begin."

*CRACK!*

The stone beneath both fighters exploded as they launched forward simultaneously.

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