Ghislaine, who had been kicked away, felt a bit dazed. Although the force of Roa's kick was substantial, Ghislaine's physical condition was also excellent, and since the kick was not delivered with full force, she appeared somewhat disheveled but was not seriously harmed.
However, compared to the physical pain, Ghislaine was far more shaken mentally.
How did he do it?
This thought repeatedly flashed through Ghislaine's mind. If Roa could execute the Sword of Light, Ghislaine could barely understand that, categorizing Roa as a once-in-a-century genius. But being able to perform Light Reversal had truly shattered her understanding of the world.
Light Reversal, one of the essences of the Sword God style, was classified among the ultimate techniques of the Sword God style.
The principle was simple: by moving at a sufficiently fast speed to catch up with the opponent, one could directly interrupt their sword technique. This move was designed to counter the Sword of Light.
The Sword of Light was not invincible; there were ways to counter its speed. The action of drawing the sword had a certain delay, and as long as one could seize that flaw, the Sword of Light could be countered.
However, saying it was simple did not mean it was easy. To catch that almost imperceptible pause required not only a keen sense of timing but also a speed that surpassed the opponent's to execute the strike.
This was why Ghislaine felt astonished and even shocked.
Rudeus and Eris descended from the platform and walked toward the two in the center.
Roa waved her wooden sword, which was enveloped in a faint magical aura. Without this, the wooden sword would not withstand the high-speed strike.
Even so, the edges of the wooden sword had begun to char due to the high-speed friction with the air.
Ghislaine shook her head, got up from the ground, and walked toward Roa. She did not hide her shocked expression, glancing at the severed sword hilt without reaching for it, and walked directly to Roa's side. She asked, "Your swordsmanship has improved significantly; you have surpassed me. I'm just curious, how did you progress so much in just three months?"
Roa shrugged and replied, "A lot has happened during that time; it's normal to improve a bit."
Ghislaine frowned, as she rarely thought deeply. Almost immediately, she asked, "You should have learned the Sword of Light, but how do you also know Light Reversal? You haven't been to the Holy Land of Swords or met that old man. Where did you learn it?"
Roa looked surprised and asked, "Light Reversal?"
"Yes, the strike that interrupted my attempt to unleash the Sword of Light just now."
"Oh, that? I just thought it was the right moment to strike," Roa said, scratching her head somewhat embarrassedly.
Ghislaine opened her mouth, unable to accept this straightforwardness from a beastman. She incredulously asked, "You just thought it was the right moment? That's it?"
Rudeus and Eris exchanged glances again, both children not yet exposed to such advanced sword techniques and unable to comprehend the implications of their conversation.
The first to break the silence was Rudeus, the blonde boy asking, "Master Ghislaine, what is the Sword of Light? And what is Light Reversal?"
Eris, still confused, nodded in agreement, directing her questioning gaze at the two.
Ghislaine explained, "The Sword of Light is a technique that can be executed when swordsmanship is refined to its peak."
Eris's expression was blank, her face showing confusion.
Not just Eris, even Rudeus looked bewildered.
Ghislaine's explanation was too vague.
Seeing the confusion on their faces, Ghislaine continued, "The Sword of Light is the strongest attack known to all Sword Gods throughout history. The powerful can even unleash slashes comparable to the speed of light, hence the name Sword of Light. As for Light Reversal, it is a technique used to interrupt an opponent's sword move when they show a flaw, executed with lightning speed."
Rudeus nodded, indicating he understood to some extent.
Eris asked, "Can I learn it?"
Rudeus perked up his ears, waiting for Ghislaine's response.
Ghislaine looked at Eris and thought for a moment, saying, "Eris, your talent is very high; you should be able to surpass me in the future, so learning it shouldn't be a problem. But as for you…"
She met Rudeus's eager gaze and bluntly stated, "Rudeus probably won't be able to learn it."
Rudeus, who had been eager to try, felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. He sighed, "At this rate, if I compete with Eris again in the future, I might get defeated in an instant."
Life is tough, Rudeus sighed.
He already couldn't compete with Eris, and now it would be even harder.
Receiving Ghislaine's affirmative response, Eris's face lit up with joy, her lips curling into a smile, clearly in a good mood.
After resolving the questions from the two children, Ghislaine instructed Rudeus and Eris on swordsmanship. Rudeus wore a pained expression, reluctant to go, but under Ghislaine's pressure, he had no choice but to take a wooden sword from the rack and walk away.
Roa and Ghislaine moved back slightly, not too far away, as Rudeus and Eris practicing together wouldn't create as much commotion as Roa and Ghislaine.
Standing aside, Roa said, "Master Ghislaine, I want to go to the Holy Land of Swords."
Ghislaine nodded, not surprised by Roa's intention.
"When you're ready to set off, I'll mark the map for you. That place is quite famous; once you reach that country, you can ask the locals for directions," Ghislaine said.
Roa hesitated for a moment and continued, "I might have a bit of a personal motive for going this time."
Ghislaine frowned, looking directly at Roa, waiting for her to elaborate.
"I want to defeat your master, the Sword God. Do you think that's possible?" Roa asked.
Ghislaine was neither angry nor upset. In fact, upon hearing Roa's words, she even laughed, the beast warrior's laughter hearty, her two rows of white teeth shaking.
Ghislaine reached out, patting Roa's shoulder with her rough hand, saying, "Sure, it would be best if you could make that old man lose his teeth."
Roa did not know much about the current Sword God and curiously asked, "What is your master's strength like?"
Ghislaine answered without hesitation, "God-level. Even among the God-level, he is quite powerful; otherwise, he wouldn't hold the position of Sword God."
Roa continued to inquire, "Is he very old?"
Ghislaine pondered for a moment and replied, "No, he is in his prime."
A Sword God in his prime—how terrifying his strength must be, no need to elaborate.
Roa frowned, realizing the opponent would be quite formidable.
Humans are inherently fragile beings.
As long as the essence of life does not change, no matter how long their lifespan is, it rarely exceeds a hundred years, and their bodies gradually decline with age.
Humans are a species capable of creating miracles.
From infancy to youth, then from youth to adulthood, and finally from adulthood to old age, each stage of change is quite evident.
Humans have peak moments; when they reach adulthood, they are almost at the pinnacle of what humans can achieve. After that, their strength begins to wane.
Even if their sword skills improve and their experiences increase, their bodies will show signs of fatigue, and they will inevitably have to admit that they are no longer capable, no matter how unwilling they are.
This is why Roa inquired about the Sword God's age.
If it were an elderly Sword God, it might be simpler to deal with. But if it were a Sword God in their prime, defeating them head-on without using magic or spirit techniques would mean that Roa would have to unleash his full speed to crush the opponent.
But what would be the point of that?
Roa wanted to use the opponent as a sharpening stone, to break through and elevate his swordsmanship to the divine level, giving him the confidence to face the Dragon God.
It seemed he would be facing a truly terrifying Sword God.
Roa clicked his tongue, feeling somewhat challenged. This trip to the Holy Land of Swords would likely require him to learn alongside the opponent for a while before challenging them when the time was right.
Roa asked, "By the way, Ghislaine, what is your master's name?"
Ghislaine thought for a moment and replied, "Gal Farion."
With that, their conversation ended, and Ghislaine began to guide the two in their swordsmanship. Roa watched for a while but soon lost interest.
Although both of them would not be limited to their current achievements, they were still too immature at this stage.
With Roa present, he naturally wouldn't let their training proceed as usual.
Occasionally, Roa felt a twinge of excitement and would step in to teach the two or practice against them.
Teaching children was an incredibly interesting process (excluding subjects like math).
Especially when teaching swordsmanship, Roa took the opportunity to thoroughly dominate the two.
Of course, it wouldn't be the case that they met and he immediately defeated the opponent; Roa would still patiently point out the other person's mistakes.
Roa's teaching style was somewhat different from that of Ghislaine. Different teachers naturally have subtle differences in their methods, and both of them felt a bit of novelty in accepting the guidance of a new teacher.
Aside from pointing out mistakes in swordsmanship, Roa thought for a moment and brought out the "Breath of the Sun," attempting to teach it to Rudeus and Eris.
The "Breath of the Sun" was not suitable for Eris; the flashy sword dance made her feel overwhelmed. The girl was straightforward and did not like such convoluted things.
Roa did not insist; since Eris did not like it, he did not continue to teach her. Eris had her own path, and forcing her to learn something she did not like could have a counterproductive effect.
Then, Roa began to specifically teach Rudeus. Roa initially thought Rudeus would learn slowly, but to his surprise, Rudeus's mind was very quick. In just one morning, he had already memorized the sword forms.
As for successfully executing them, that remained a challenge.
After all, Rudeus's physical condition was a factor; he would have to wait until Rudeus grew a bit more before he could attempt to teach him the breathing techniques.
Time passed, and aside from the lunch break, it was now afternoon.
After the lunch break, Eris sat beside a chair with a sorrowful expression on her face.
The location was in another large living room, where everyone was gathered around the center.
The table was filled with various books, and Eris sat quietly in her spot, occasionally glancing at Roa before quickly lowering her head.
Seeing Eris like this made Roa feel a bit emotional.
The girl had grown a lot and had learned to read the room.
This was a good thing; understanding the nuances in some details would not diminish Eris's charm.
Although it was hard to say what kind of charm a child could possess.
The table was quite large, with at least a group of people sitting around it, and the space on the table was still not cramped.
Roa cleared his throat a few times and looked at Eris.
Just then, Eris looked up, and their eyes met. The girl hurriedly averted her gaze, looking at her fingers instead.
Roa sighed; there was no need to say much. This little girl must have taken his words as mere background noise.
Roa couldn't help but feel a bit of a headache.
Teaching children was like this; even if he advised them to study hard for their own good, it often went in one ear and out the other.
Roa did not ask about Eris's recent situation or her learning progress.
After thinking for a moment, he began to teach Eris again.
Eris was not held accountable for the mess she had left behind in the previous session and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
She listened very seriously to what Roa was saying.
However, the effect was not very good. At first, she could concentrate, but later on, Eris yawned, and drowsiness began to flood in like a raging tide. As she listened, her eyelids began to battle against each other, and according to the laws of gravity, the weight of her eyelids exceeded the support, and she nearly fell asleep.
The sunlight outside was bright; the autumn sun was not glaring but gentle, streaming through the window and illuminating the room.
The autumn breeze was similar; a gentle wind brushed against Eris's cheeks, and the comfortable feeling made the girl even more drowsy. Eris's willpower was not very strong, and the more comfortable she felt, the more she wanted to sleep.
Roa's voice, though slightly immature, was full of magnetism, echoing in the spacious room. The boy's voice was like the best lullaby.
Unknowingly, Eris's head had already drooped.
Eris had fallen asleep.
It turned out that Eris was simply uninterested in studying, not that she had any strong objections to Rudeus.
Roa sighed, put down the book, and glanced at Ghislaine, who was very serious, at the sleeping Eris, and at Rudeus, who was daydreaming.
Roa felt mentally exhausted.
Ghislaine's level of education was not high, or rather, Ghislaine had hardly received any education.