Volume 1 Chapter 3-2 ACT.2 Purge Knight Rai Conwell - Part II
After taking her first sword, she continued the mock battles without a break for several hours; her stamina should have been at its limit.
Yet, despite her trembling, the way she still managed to stand was something that impressed, rather than frustrated, Rai.
What Rai wanted to confirm most during this encounter was her character and spirit.
After all, Rai valued those 2 traits above all else.
Skills that fall short can be improved with training, but not so with character or spirit.
That's because they're deeply rooted in one's inherent disposition.
In that regard, Rise met Rai's standards for qualification.
Even if her skills were inferior to Rai's, her indomitable spirit was an essential element required for a Purge Knight, who constantly faces harsh challenges and opponents above their level.
But what emotion could drive her to push herself so hard?
"Why do you struggle so hard? No one would blame you if you gave up now."
"B-Because I have a goal to become a Purge Knight! For that, I can't afford to stumble or stop here!!"
Rai asked, deliberately trying to test her resolve.
Facing Rai with determination in her eyes, she replied.
"──You may not know, having lived in another country, but ten years ago in this land, there was something called the Aldra Rebellion, when a heretic named Aldra led a self-proclaimed revolutionary army in an uprising."
Hearing those words, Rai's usually composed expression briefly stiffened.
[The Aldra Rebellion].
The incident where the reincarnated Aldra, using her own power, united the weak and challenged the kingdom.
Although the incident was resolved relatively early thanks to the efforts of the Purge Knights at the time, several border villages were sacrificed in the process.
"My village was saved by the Purge Knights just in time from their advance. That's why I want to prevent something like this from happening again, and if it does, I want to be the one to help."
That's why, she emphasized.
"That's why I aim to become a Purge Knight! That's why I will definitely win against you here!!"
Saying this, Rise shouted with the tip of her spear pointed at Rai.
She declared that she would defeat him for the sake of her unwavering goal.
"──Your homeland was fortunate, then."
In a voice barely above a whisper, Rai muttered those words.
Suddenly, a tremendous vibration echoed through the now-deserted training grounds.
At the same moment, the outer wall of the Heretic Hunter building adjacent to the training area crumbled.
Emerging from the dust cloud was a massive creature, roughly 5 meters long, with powerful limbs and amphibian-like webbing between its fingers──a reptilian beast.
"What is that──!"
"It's a dragon."
At the sight of the creature, Rai clicked his tongue softly.
He guessed it was the dragon Curtis had mentioned, the one that Lloyd and Leone had gone to capture.
Get a better grip on it or use some damn tranquilizers, Rai grumbled inwardly.
The dragon, which had suddenly burst through the wall, locked onto Rai and Rize with its crimson eyes and roared as it charged toward them.
"No choice now."
With that, Rai stepped forward decisively.
"W-What are you doing!? It's a dragon! Run away!!"
Shocked by Rai's reckless behavior, Rize shouted frantically.
Dragons were symbols of terror.
Ordinary humans stood no chance against them.
"Rize, if you're aiming to be a Purge Knight, try to stay calm."
Yet, Rai remained completely composed as he steadily advanced toward the dragon.
"────It's just a dragon, after all."
Just as the advancing dragon lunged at Rai, he swung his shield sideways, using a circular motion to slam the edge of the shield against its jaw.
Immediately after the impact, he raised his sword in the opposite hand and struck the dragon's jaw with the flat of the blade from the other direction.
The powerful blows jolted the dragon's brain, causing a concussion.
"────Ugh!"
Seizing the moment of the dragon's stunned state, Rai crouched low and slipped underneath its jaw.
With precision, he aimed for the gap where the bone didn't obstruct and thrust the blade vertically, piercing directly into the brain from below.
"W-What the..."
While Rize stood in stunned silence, Rai pulled out his sword with a nonchalant flourish, splattering blood and brain matter as he swung it.
"Rize, this is the kind of place you're aiming for. Can you still go on?"
"Who are you, exactly?"
As Lize stared blankly, Rai hesitated for a moment, caught off guard by the question.
But ultimately, he decided to introduce himself honestly.
"Purge Knight, Rank Seven, Rai Conwell──I'm looking forward to the day you catch up to me."
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