episode_0003

The power of a mighty noble family. The immense wealth piled up like a mountain. The countless armies loyal to the family. None of these could truly protect oneself in a moment of crisis.

When Yerena Frost was just nine years old, on her way back from a journey, their carriage was ambushed.

Yerena, who could only watch as her mother was ravaged and killed by monsters, engraved the cruel reality into her heart while suppressing her boiling rage.

Since that day, Yerena lived consumed by her sword. Driven by a compulsive belief that the sword was her only means of protection. Fueled by the anger towards her own weakness.

To never forget that desperate sense of powerlessness, the girl who had abandoned everything trained herself in the deadly cold of the northern continent.

However, Yerena Frost was still a young girl at heart. There were days when she longed for her parents who had left early. Days when she yearned for affection to fill her depleted heart, quietly sobbing.

But the memories of her childhood etched in her mind like a curse never allowed her any respite. There was no one who could reach out to the broken Yerena.

When she wanted to rest, Yerena wielded her sword like a madwoman. She fought monsters as much as she wanted to cry. Whenever she stood still, memories of that day kept flooding back.

Determined to become stronger than anyone else and never lose again, Yerena evolved into the guardian of the north.

A genius cannot defeat a hardworking person, and a hardworking person cannot defeat a hardworking genius. And Yerena was a hardworking genius to the point of madness.

Therefore, among the swordsmen of her age, there was no one who could surpass Yerena. It was impossible. It had to be that way.

“Si-an… was that her name?”

Yerena murmured the name of the girl she had encountered two days ago, closing her silver eyes.

She had almost failed to notice her presence before the collision. As the guardian of the north, as a seasoned swordsman. It was truly a shameful thing.

If her opponent had been an assassin. Or someone approaching with impure intentions. She would have had to experience the misery of the weak once again.

Although Si-an had honed her stealth skills to the extreme as an adventurer, Yerena, unaware of this fact, could not accept it.

She wanted to prove to herself that she was not weak.

“So, that’s why…”

So, when Si-an complimented her beauty, Yerena’s cheeks flushed with anger at her own vulnerability.

Compliments filled with pure intentions and embarrassment were too unfamiliar to Yerena, who had lived her whole life only looking at her sword.

The memories of the day she met Si-an again after several days. Her blushing face out of embarrassment. The awkward atmosphere of that moment. She tried to justify it as a mere coincidence to herself.

“It’s just a coincidence.”

Yerena tightly gripped her sword. Unaware that her expression had momentarily softened. She stepped onto the dueling stage.

I checked my fingerless gloves to hide my scars and stepped onto the dueling stage. The gazes of numerous students felt burdensome.

“Who is she… fighting against?”

“I don’t recognize her. Seems like a commoner from her lack of title?”

“Just a commoner? Why is she here then…”

The voices from below the dueling stage were sharp. A jealous soliloquy from a student who wanted to impress Yerena. A student who disregarded her commoner status. And a guy muttering loudly as if asking me to listen.

Despite hearing those voices, I silently faced Yerena.

Those guys wouldn’t scare me even if a truck came at me. To ease the heavy atmosphere, I cautiously asked,

“Is it because of the other day?”

…

But all I got in return was a mechanical silence. I forced a smile and drew my sword.

Naturally, thoughts about Yerena flooded my mind. The settings of Yerena that I had seen countless times before.

Yerena Frost. The noble lady of the Frost Duke Family, who had been protecting the northern empire, and the promising talent expected to become the empire’s next Swordmaster. Like me, a scar bearer with scars.

A strong figure at a completely different level from ordinary academy students. That was Yerena.

“If it’s because of that incident, I’m truly sorry.”

I raised my hand on the sword hilt and closed my eyes.

“But I won’t go down easily.”

“Likewise.”

“Activating the barrier! Everyone, please step back at least 2 meters from the ring!”

The voice echoing in the hall. At the same time, a blue barrier began to surround the ring.

[Barrier grants player status effect: ‘Reduced Pain’] [Barrier grants player status effect: ‘Immunity to Fatal Wounds’] [Barrier grants player ‘Sanctuary of the Sect’. When receiving a fatal blow, the player will recover all wounds and the barrier will be immediately lifted.]

[Main Quest – Chapter 1] [Accept the challenge against the academy’s top student, ‘Yerena Frost’.] -Reward: Unlock status bar function. -Failure: Remove status bar function.

Ignoring the notification popping up in front of me, I took a combat stance facing Yerena.

“The duel will end when the barrier disappears!”

The judge’s voice disappeared from the hall, and a suffocating silence settled in.

“Duel begins!”

The judge’s voice broke the stiff silence and echoed through the hall.

At the same time, the temperature in the arena dropped abruptly. Magical energy swirled around Yerena as she assumed a combat stance. Her frost-like cold eyes fixed on me.

As our gazes met, Yerena leaped towards me, drawing her long sword like a flash of lightning.

…

Straightforward, orthodox, and arrogant sword strikes rained down. Despite being a simple downward slash, it contained a magical power that surpassed the level of a student.

It was a challenge to block it if I could. Thinking that Si-an was truly a match for Yerena, I gathered magic in my hand gripping the sword.

Simultaneously, a flashing strike was unleashed.

Clang! The sensation at my fingertips was unfamiliar to Yerena, who had not expected this kind of attack. The sword was deflected, leaving a mark on her calm silver eyes, and her center of gravity momentarily shifted.

Si-an, as an adventurer who had overcome countless trials, did not miss this tiny opening. With a swift leap, her body shot towards me like an arrow.

The adventurer’s sword had no fixed form. Bewildered by the sight of a sword she had never seen before, Yerena’s eyes widened, and Si-an’s body shot forward like an arrow.

The tingling sensation at her fingertips was shallow. Although she had intended to finish me off with that attack, the sword only grazed my side, swinging through the air.

“Ugh?!”

Si-an gritted her teeth, enduring the stinging pain on her cheek, and adjusted her grip on the sword. She couldn’t afford to let her stance crumble at this level.

Yerena had just spent half of her magical power with that attack, but the tide had already turned in her favor.

I was falling behind in both skill and magical power. Any slight mistake would lead to defeat. Maintaining a sharp state of tension, I parried the incoming strikes.

The clinking sound rang out cheerfully, and the tempo of the battle accelerated.

The trajectory of Yerena’s long sword emitted a faint blue light in all directions. It pierced fiercely, seeming to come from all directions. Si-an, gripping her sword tightly, widened her eyes as she braced herself.

What I had to rely on was my memory. Thousands of hours of playtime and hundreds of rounds. Countless challenges to clear the dueling event boss, Yerena Frost, without taking a single hit.

Recalling the swordplay of Yerena that I had forcibly ingrained in my mind, I unconsciously swung my sword.

Unseen swords were coming at me. My stance had definitely crumbled. Yet, Si-an effortlessly parried all the swords as if foreseeing every move.

“No way.”

Yerena’s heart began to race as she faced Si-an, who was effortlessly countering all her attacks.

For someone who had dedicated her life to the sword and was being bested by an opponent, there was nothing she could do. The helplessness she had forgotten since her childhood was slowly creeping back into her body.

“Being pushed this far by someone my age is a first. You can be proud of yourself.”

“Uh… Thank you?”

“So.”

At that moment, a blue light began to emanate near Yerena’s heart. The freezing temperature of the dueling arena dropped vertically.

Star Scars. The traces of stars etched on a human body, exuding a chilling blue light, descended.

“Ah.”

An astonished exclamation escaped Si-an’s lips.

In a moment, the temperature inside the dueling arena plummeted below zero. The deadly cold of the northern continent spread from Yerena’s fingertips.

“From now on, let’s get serious.”

With those words, Yerena gripped her sword and opened her eyes.

The sky-blue eyes that held the essence of the northern continent’s icy crystals stared at Si-an.

Simultaneously, a blizzard began to rage inside the dueling arena.