CLANG

The sound of metal colliding reverberated across the meadow. Two figures could be seen battling on the grass. A sheathed katana smashed against an odachi. Rin slid across the grass before coming to a stop. Her breathing was rough as she struggled to her feet.

"Again." Shu ordered.

Hearing his words, she dashed toward him once more. The young samurai stood waiting for her. His right hand remained in his pocket while the other held his weapon. The yokai swiped toward his legs. Her blade met the sheath once more as it blocked her attack.

A kick flew toward his face, which he dodged effortlessly. Multiple attacks were exchanged. Shu hadn't moved from his spot the entire time. They had been fighting for a while now. The sleepy man wouldn't normally spar, but he would obviously do it for her.

Rin's mana had become incredibly pure due to his multiple bites. It was no longer tainted by the atmosphere and environment. Her actions had become more explosive, making it harder to adjust. Months had gone by since the previous scene, but that didn't mean there were no more interactions between them.

The lazy swordmaster had overwhelmed her with bites whenever they were alone. It was payback for all she had done to him. As such, her increase in strength was a given. Shu had forced her to spar with him using only swordsmanship and physical strength. Not only would this help improve her technique, but it would assist with her assimilation.

BAM

His sheath crashed into her stomach, sending her across the grass once again. Rin looked at him from the ground. There wasn't any emotion on his face as he stared at her. She couldn't help but click her tongue.

'Tch. Heartless Shu! Evil Shu! He is cruel!' She thought.

It didn't feel like he was holding back his attacks in the slightest. Little did she know, he was going easy on her. Shu wouldn't allow her to take any losses against anyone else. Such was the reason that her training was so intense.

In the beginning, the rest of the battalion would sit and watch. This sentiment changed over time, however. They couldn't watch her get pummeled any longer. It was too one-sided.

"Again." His voice resounded.

Rin stood up once more. She was incredibly tired, her bones creaking from the strain. The swordmaster immediately scanned her entire body. He eventually nodded.

'She is assimilating well. Her potency has reached the border of the Supreme realm. All that's left is for her to find insight in order to break through.' He thought.

"Shu…" Rin groaned.

The yokai gave him a pleading look with her upturned face. It was her puppy face. She had learned this new tactic in the past few training sessions, realizing that it would get her off easy.

"...Fine. One more exchange. You can rest after. Last one best one." He relented with a sigh.

Hearing his words, she took a deep breath. She then stomped on the grass and accelerated. This time, she appeared by his side. Her oversized katana cleaved toward his waist.

Shu raised his sheath to guard. At that moment, Rin smiled. Her attack was a feint! She quickly twirled for momentum before swinging down onto his shoulder. He reacted quickly and blocked once more.

CLANG BOOM

Sparks flew as both weapons collided. The downward force of her attack was powerful, causing the ground beneath their feet to crack. It was a stalemate since their blades were locked in place. Shu quickly pulled back, causing her to fall forward.

Rin hadn't expected that, and lost her footing. This put her at a disadvantage. Shu spun his body counterclockwise and kicked her in the side. The blow sent her tumbling through the meadow. When her body stopped moving, she held her side and groaned in pain.

"...Ngghhh!" She gasped. Her eyes began to water involuntarily. 

The young samurai flashed beside her. As he looked down at her crumpled figure, he sighed. It wasn't as if he enjoyed doing this. Her results were great though. She had gotten much stronger since the start.

"Good job, Rin. You've done well." He soothed while covering her in his light.

As the pain died down, he picked her petite body up in his arms. The odachi was left behind as they entered the estate. Rin slightly tugged his robe. It took a lot of effort to do so.

"Am I…improving?" She asked. Shu booped her on the nose.

"Immensely. It may not seem like it, but that's only because I was your opponent. I'm proud of you, Rin." He spoke gently before kissing her on the forehead.

The yokai smiled before passing out. Her exhaustion mixed with his soothing energy lulled her to sleep. As he made his way through the place, he ran into Aiden. The red eyed commander glanced at Rin before looking at Shu.

"Meet me in the intelligence vault after you're done." He said. The sword demon nodded.

After entering his room, he took her to the bathroom. He made sure to wash the dirt off her skin. Rin had never been shy about her body and the two were already used to skinship. Once he was finished, he dressed her and laid her on the bed.

It didn't take long for Shu to reach the vault. He knocked on the door and waited. There was a quick sound of exhaust before it slid open. The sleepy man entered to see large holographic screens throughout the room. They were like projector screens, each one showing a different category of information.

Filing cabinets were directly under the screens, with a section dedicated to usb and ports. Books were arranged on shelves on the other side. The ceiling formed a circular shape, and was spinning like a complex puzzle. Each part revolved in a different direction.

"Captain?"

"Over here." Aiden called out.

The man was under one of the far holographic screens. It was titled 'Theory.' Aiden handed Shu a file before digging through the cabinet.

"Read it." He ordered.

Shu focused on the paper. Time passed as he read, a frown appearing on his face. He eventually looked at the captain, who was plugging a usb into a port.

"...Regent Cailu of the Curia Regis? Why are you showing me a man from Zariel's Royal Court?" Shu asked. Zariel was the land of the elves.

"His motives are questionable. It doesn't seem like his intentions are for the betterment of the nation or himself. It's more like he's serving a hidden power."

The usb lit up with mana, causing the screen above to change images. It showed a portrait of an arrogant looking elf man. Just the image alone made him look shady.

"You mean…"

"Do you know why I'm telling you this?" Aiden questioned. The swordmaster shook his head. "Because you have a mission. I'll be accompanying you this time. We are going to be the King's entourage. Our role is to dispose of this man and his hidden superiors quietly."

"Althana…" Shu muttered.

"The current ruler of the elves is only a child. Lux Vaelkyn. King Solomon was great friends with Lux's parents, so he's obviously displeased with the situation. The Vaelkyn family is close to extinction." The commander continued.

"I understand. When do we leave?" Shu responded slowly.

"We have some time. The Merchant King is busy with other matters. Make peace with those around you, as this could possibly go very bad." He answered. Shu frowned.

'They must be strong.' He thought.

Shu nodded while proceeding toward the exit. As he made his way out, something caught his eye. He couldn't help but pick up the open file.

'Laria's Pope, St. Francis.' It read.

A picture of an old man with short hair and a white goatee could be seen on the front. There was an amiable smile on his face as he waved to the crowd before him. Cold fury rose from the pits of Shu's being. His expression was calm, but the pressure in the room increased tenfold.

'There you are. So you were the Pope…all this time.' He thought with killing intent.

Before anything in the room could be destroyed by the pressure, Aiden grabbed his wrist. The young samurai slowly turned to face him like a robot. This action made the commander battle ready.

"Leave. There are very important records here." He ordered.

There was a moment of silence. Unexpectedly, Shu smiled. He then put down the file and left. Once he was gone, the captain turned to the file.

'That kid only gets angry like that when it involves the Althana. It's too obvious…but this is the Pope…Shit, I have to tell Solomon.' He thought.