Chapter 223: Can I Join?
Clang—!!!
Beatrix was forced back once again.
Her boots carved two trails into the ground as she skidded backward.
She had lost count of how many times she had been sent flying.
Though her face was covered in dust, Beatrix immediately rose to her feet and leaped back to create distance.
The spot where she had been standing was now a crater, smashed apart by Mahiro.
"It's like a cat toying with a mouse..."
After dodging, Beatrix couldn't help but think this as she gazed at the figure standing under the sunlight.
The fact that she could block his attacks wasn't just due to her intuition—it was mostly because he wasn't going all out.
Though it was an intangible feeling, she could sense it.
Meanwhile, the spectators in the stands were utterly stunned.
The legendary War Goddess was being suppressed, with no chance to fight back???
They had witnessed the entire match so far.
But all they had seen was the War Goddess charging forward, only to be instantly repelled, then charging again and being sent flying once more.
This cycle repeated.
They had no idea what was really happening, and it never crossed their minds that his fists could be so formidable—
able to clash head-on with the War Goddess's blade!
"You dodged again, huh? Really."
Mahiro slowly stood up from the shattered ground, casually brushing off the dust on his clothes.
"But we've dragged this on long enough. Playtime is over."
As he spoke, he loosened his collar, unbuttoned his cuffs, and slowly rolled up his sleeves.
The muscles on his exposed forearms were clearly defined as he gradually settled into a stance.
"Something has changed..."
Beatrix frowned slightly.
She sensed that Mahiro's presence was gradually fading. Even though he stood right there, within her line of sight, it felt as if he wasn't really there.
As if the figure standing before her was nothing more than a hologram.
"Here I go."
Mahiro suddenly vanished from her sight!
A faint stinging sensation on her right cheek instinctively made Beatrix raise her longsword to block.
In that instant, she managed to intercept the incoming attack.
"..."
The immense force transmitted through the blade made her arms tremble uncontrollably.
This was on a completely different level from his previous attacks!
"Not bad, blocking that."
Mahiro praised her. But—
He didn't press his advantage, instead generously giving Beatrix a chance to catch her breath.
Beatrix gasped for air, her eyes fixed intently on the man named Yotsuba Mahiro.
Though she had barely managed to block that strike, she knew it was purely due to intuition and luck.
Why couldn't she sense his presence?
Was it just because of his speed?
No—on the contrary, compared to the beginning, Mahiro's movements were now slightly slower, yet completely different.
He had become far more elusive.
From her long life of combat, Beatrix found the answer.
Utterly natural.
Yes, that was it—utterly natural.
As if he had merged with his surroundings, with nature itself.
In battle, swift and precise attacks were indeed a great threat.
However, no matter how fast the attack, it always required a preparatory motion.
Even without preparatory movements, she could detect the instant an opponent was about to strike through sheer experience.
Once aware of this, she could execute a corresponding counteraction.
Yet the Mahiro she faced was entirely different.
Whether moving or simply throwing a punch, there were no traces or signs—every motion flowed naturally, as if innate!
"May I ask what you're thinking about, Miss War Goddess?"
"When did you—?!"
Hearing the voice suddenly ring out behind her, Beatrix's eyes widened in shock.
She immediately swung her blade backward.
Swish—
The sharp edge cleanly sliced through the air, but ultimately halted at Mahiro's fingertip.
"No improvement at all."
"Hah!"
Abandoning any attempt to reclaim her weapon, Beatrix pivoted and raised her leg, swiftly sweeping forward.
She channeled all her strength into a direct kick aimed at his neck.
BAM!
A startling impact echoed as a powerful gust of wind swept across the ground.
Beatrix's kick was firmly caught, her ankle locked in his grip, immovable no matter how hard she struggled.
"Friendly advice: refrain from using kicks recklessly in combat. They'll become your greatest vulnerability."
As he spoke, Mahiro tightened his hold on her ankle, effortlessly lifting Beatrix into the air before slamming her heavily into the ground.
"Gah!"
The earth shattered upon impact, sending dust flying into the air.
The air was forcibly expelled from her lungs.
"But it's not over yet."
"Tendo Style Martial Arts, Second Form, Fourth Stance—"
"—Hidden Zen, Upper and Lower Hanamiko!"
Beatrix faintly heard these words, and upon opening her eyes, she saw the sole of a black shoe descending toward her abdomen.
There's no dodging this!
Lying on the ground, Beatrix's pupils contracted to pinpricks as she watched his foot fall like a guillotine.
"Ugh—!!!"
An overwhelmingly powerful force erupted from her abdomen, surging like a tidal wave!
It felt like a hundred-ton truck speeding over a speed bump.
The ground overturned, and dust swept across the scene.
The earth beneath her back had fractured into pieces, revealing terrifying, spiderweb-like black cracks.
"You've lost, Beatrix."
"...N-Not yet."
This was the first time since her debut that she had been beaten so mercilessly, and she had witnessed just how terrifying her opponent truly was.
Far stronger than she had ever imagined.
Surrendering now would be the wisest choice, but...
"I will never admit defeat until I learn of my niece's whereabouts."
Stubbornness was written all over Beatrix's face.
So much so that even Mahiro couldn't help feeling a flicker of admiration.
However...
"Fine, I'll give you one last strike. If you withstand it, I'll tell you."
"!!!"
Before Beatrix could react, Mahiro had already seized her ankle again.
In an instant.
An intense wind pressure rushed toward her face.
Mahiro's expression remained calm as his body spun rapidly, suddenly releasing his grip mid-motion.
Beatrix was hurled through the air, a ripple-like shockwave exploding around her as she crashed headlong into the arena wall.
After a deafening crash, she was embedded into the arena wall.
Immediately after, a powerful whip kick exploded directly on Beatrix's face, her pupils contracting in shock.
Boom!!
Bricks and stones shattered mercilessly!
There was not the slightest hint of mercy toward the fairer sex.
The brutality was such that even the spectators could no longer bear to watch.
What was even more unexpected was that the legendary War Goddess, despite exerting her full strength, failed to so much as scratch her opponent.
And he had done it using only his hands!
Was this truly the academy's swordsmanship instructor?
Witnessing such a shocking reality, everyone was struck dumb, unable to believe their eyes.
"..."
"She's... she's still alive!"
Hearing the commotion from the arena, someone muttered these words.
On the field, Beatrix pushed aside the rubble pinning her down and staggered back to her feet.
"I've won..."
She uttered these words as if expending the last of her strength.
"You're quite tenacious, but you're right—you won. So look up toward the spectator stands."
Mahiro spoke with a hint of resignation, slightly stepping aside to give Beatrix a clear view.
Stumbling two steps forward, Beatrix raised her head as instructed and gazed at the seating area directly opposite her.
Through her blurred vision, she faintly saw a girl wearing a pure white sun hat and a white dress sitting there.
Her golden hair, radiant like flowing gold, fluttered in the wind.
Moreover, the girl bore a striking resemblance to her own appearance.
Beatrix's cherry lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something, but before any sound could escape, darkness engulfed her vision and she collapsed unconscious.
"...The winner of this match is Yotsuba Mahiro!!!"
The announcer's voice rang out after a long pause, echoing through the silent arena and under the vast sky.
But not a single cheer arose within the coliseum.
"Ara, Master has ended up casting himself as the villain now."
Hearing the hushed discussions around them, Yukime snapped open her folding fan to conceal her face.
Whether Mahiro stood as a hero or a villain mattered little to her; she simply wanted to tease him a bit.
"This is very much in keeping with Mr. Mahiro's style."
Elisabeth murmured softly, "And that child already tried her very best."
"Exactly! Delta thinks Boss did nothing wrong! You should go all out when dealing with prey!"
The dog-eared Delta firmly sided with Mahiro.
As for Gamma, Epsilon, and Beta, needless to say, they naturally stood by Mahiro's side as well.
Finally, there was Alpha, one of the key figures involved.
"My, my, Alpha, don't you have any thoughts on this?" Yukime asked with a smiling expression.
"I have no opinion."
Alpha replied calmly, "No matter what he does, whether I understand it or not, I will steadfastly stand behind him and support him."
Anything within her power, she was willing to do for him.
"Tch, you really ended up showering us with dog food by accident."
Yukime couldn't help but click her tongue.
What was with this aura of the rightful wife?
She was the one who came first, the one who won over their master first, yet somehow it felt like she had lost to Alpha by a narrow margin—how did that happen?
Elisabeth, standing nearby, merely showed a faint smile.
"Your teacher is about to be taken away from you."
"None of your business!"
Not far away in the seats, Claire noticed the conversation between Alpha and the others, only to be teased by Aurora, who was residing within her.
But Aurora had no idea that Claire didn't care about any of this and was fully aware of how deep the relationship between Mahiro, Alpha, and Yukime ran.
After all, she was the one who came later.
So she didn't mind, as long as Mahiro wouldn't abandon her.
However.
Mahiro was unaware of the whispers in the audience.
Even if he knew, he wouldn't care.
In fact, this match had been far more exhilarating than the previous ones—so what if he was seen as a villain?
As long as he enjoyed himself, that was all that mattered.
Others' opinions were utterly irrelevant.
Thinking this, he scooped up the unconscious Beatrix and, under the stunned gazes of the crowd, slowly made his way into the player's tunnel.
"..."
What had happened?
In the darkness, she couldn't quite recall what had transpired before.
She only remembered that...
After leaving the elven kingdom, she had traveled to every corner of the continent, trying to find traces of her sister's child.
Along the way, she encountered all sorts of people and events, and there seemed to be an organization called the Cult of Diablos...
She also witnessed the destruction of the sacred land, Lindwurm.
Eventually, she wandered all the way to the royal capital of Midgar and made a promise with a remarkable man to participate in the Bushin Festival.
But...
It seemed she had lost.
Ti...
That's right, she seemed to have seen her niece in the audience.
Ah... she had finally found her.
Sister, I will definitely take good care of her.
Drifting in the darkness, Beatrix's consciousness showed signs of stirring.
Faintly, she seemed to hear a voice lingering by her ear.
"Mahiro-sama, is this really alright?"
"It's fine. I did go a bit too hard on her, so consider this compensation."
What was that sound?
Her consciousness, still in chaos, hadn't fully awakened yet, and she couldn't think clearly.
Then she felt a sharp pain in her arm, as if something had been inserted, followed by a cool sensation spreading throughout her body.
When it reached her heart, the coolness gradually turned warm, and her body began to grow hot.
It was like being thrown into an oven.
"Ah..."
"..."
Yet her entire body felt full of strength, as if her body was undergoing some kind of transformation.
"De..."
Slowly, she felt her sinking consciousness return to her body.
Her heavy eyelids slowly opened, and a gentle smile immediately came into view.
"Hey, you're awake?"
It was Mahiro.
On the table beside them lay a used syringe.
"..."
Beatrix seemed to realize something and instinctively touched her body, only to find that she wasn't in any pain at all!
Even though she had been beaten so badly in the match earlier.
"Of course, while you were unconscious, I gave you an injection that healed all your injuries."
Mahiro saw through the thoughts of this adorable elf sword saint and said half-jokingly:
"But don't worry, I didn't do anything strange to you."
"Though it might be interesting to make a move on someone while they're sleeping, I'm not interested in forcing others."
As these words left his mouth, Mahiro could feel several pairs of eyes silently staring at him.
That's right—the room didn't only contain him and Beatrix. Shadow Garden members, Yukime, and Elisabeth were also present.
The stares naturally came from them.
But while it might be understandable for Yukime and Alpha, why are you joining in too, Elisabeth?!
Never mind.
Mahiro ultimately gave up on retorting and continued:
"By the way, you've been asleep for four hours. It's almost dusk now."
He pointed outside where the setting sun was about to disappear below the horizon, staining the sky with a bloody hue.
"Thank you."
Just like during their first meeting, Beatrix's tone remained remarkably calm.
"You're welcome. And as promised, I've brought your niece here. You two should have a good talk."
Saying this, Mahiro pushed Alpha forward from behind him, gently patting her back to signal her to approach.
Then he turned and left the competitor's rest room with Yukime, Elisabeth, and the dog.
Only Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Epsilon remained in the room.
After all, they were all elves and mostly familiar with each other, so they should have common topics to discuss.
However, the moment he left the rest room and closed the door, silence fell over the room.
Even though they had thought of many things to say before meeting, and had much they wanted to express...
Now that they were face to face, they couldn't utter a single word.
Beatrix silently sat up from the bed, staring intently at Alpha without daring to blink, afraid that if she did, Alpha might disappear before her eyes again.
"...Please don't call me by that name. Now I am called Alpha. The person you speak of is dead. Here exists only Alpha of Shadow Garden."
Just as Beatrix was about to speak, Alpha was the first to interrupt her.
The calm expression and cold voice made Beatrix feel a pang of sorrow.
The childhood version of her had been so lively, so adorable, and so strong even after losing her mother...
A sense of guilt sprouted in her heart.
"I'm sorry."
"Why apologize?"
"If only I hadn't left you alone there back then, if I had taken you with me and properly cared for you..."
"There are no ifs."
Alpha interrupted: "Moreover, I've never blamed you, aunt. None of what happened was your fault."
The word "aunt" made Beatrix lift her head involuntarily, her eyes immediately filling with tears.
"B-B..."
"Impossible."
Alpha shook her head, her brilliant golden hair swaying gently with the motion.
"I will not return with you. As I said before, that place is no longer my home. As Alpha, I have only one goal in this lifetime—to continuously follow in his footsteps."
"Mahiro...?"
Beatrix didn't immediately grasp who she was referring to.
Then she remembered that powerful figure.
"That's right, Lady Beatrix. Not just Lady Alpha—we feel the same. Lord Mahiro saved us, while that place colluded with the cult and heartlessly abandoned us."
"Your Highness..."
It was only then that Beatrix noticed—the silver-haired girl standing beside her was none other than the princess?!
And not just that, even the girl from that family was here too.
Besides them, there was also an elf she didn't recognize.
But their gathering here could only mean one thing—they were all elves who had been exiled due to Demon Possession!
"It's not just us, Lady Beatrix. All the abandoned elves have joined our Shadow Garden, including Saint Victoria."
This came from Epsilon.
However, no matter who spoke, everyone maintained the most basic respect toward this War Goddess, the Sword Saint of elves.
"I see."
Beatrix blinked. Her face, usually lacking expression, made it nearly impossible for anyone but Alpha to guess what she was thinking.
Then, after a moment, she uttered astonishing words.
"I understand."
"If this is your choice, I won't force you."
"But... may I join as well?"
"I wish to take care of you."
As these words fell, looks of astonishment appeared on the faces of Beta, Epsilon, and Gamma alike.
They stared blankly at these two relatives.
Joining Shadow Garden for such a reason???
Seriously?
Sword Saint, are you not joking???