Mushoku Tensei: Reincarnated as a Beast Race-Chapter 128 - Born to Battle

POV: Eris Greyrat

Rygar can do anything.

That was the thought I had, etched deep in my chest as an absolute truth.

I saw him fight countless battles, and I saw how all of them seemed easy for him.

At first, Ghislaine defeated him, but soon he overcame her. And after that, he surpassed everyone who crossed his path.

To me, it was undeniable: Rygar was the strongest in the world.

Even when he was ambushed by several high-level warriors, he survived... and turned the tide.

I faithfully believed that there was no enemy capable of killing him, nor any force strong enough to bring him down.

And I loved him. I loved Rygar with all my heart.

That was why I trained so diligently. I wanted to be by his side, I wanted to be worthy of fighting alongside him. I longed for that.

Everyone around me always said I was talented, so I never doubted it.

And when I fought the bandits in Milis, I proved my talent for the first time.

The second time... was when I helped save Rygar from the ambush... that was the best feeling I've ever had in my life. After that, Rygar stopped treating me like a child.

It was then that I realized I could truly walk beside him. If I became strong enough... I could fight for him, with him.

I was jealous of my mentor, Ghislaine, when he made her his wife.

But, at the same time, I was happy for her.

It was a strange feeling—a mix of jealousy and joy. So, I continued training with everything I had.

When I grew up and became stronger, Rygar would accept me too. I was sure of it.

My faith in Rygar's strength was unshakable. He was invincible. Unstoppable.

...until we encountered the Dragon God.

That day... I felt fear. True fear.

In that moment, I understood the real meaning of powerlessness.

With just one hand movement, he completely neutralized me. Against Ghislaine, he seemed to use some sophisticated technique.

Rygar was the only one who managed to strike back and even wounded the Dragon God more than once. Still, Rygar was defeated. Completely. We all were.

Eidar died. Rygar too. And I... I couldn't do anything. I could only beg for him to be saved.

And to this day I don't understand. That girl... she suggested healing Rygar. And he did. He healed Rygar, but he did not save Eidar.

I was in shock. I had never felt so weak.

I thought I had become strong... but in the end, I couldn't do anything. I'm still capable of nothing. And now, Eidar was dead.

I relived that moment hundreds of times in my mind and in my nightmares. The moment when Eidar and Rygar died.

But even so... Rygar and Ghislaine remained standing. Neither of them seemed to fear. Both were determined.

And then Rygar told me... he looked me in the eyes and said that maybe he wouldn't be able to defeat the Dragon God alone—but he wouldn't face Orsted alone.

He still believed in me...!

He believed that we could help him! In me! In Ghislaine! And in Aisha!

Then he challenged me. He said that I needed to defeat him, but without him using Touki.

He had already said that eventually I would be capable of that if I didn't stop training.

So that's what I would do. I would defeat him. I would become worthy of helping him, both in the battle against Orsted and for the rest of my life.

We talked a little about the battle against the Dragon God.

And we discovered that, despite all his strength, he used known techniques. Deadly techniques. He wasn't an absolute being. He wasn't an unbeatable deity. He could be defeated.

I think it was on the day I managed to wound Rygar—even if it was just a scratch—that my nightmares stopped.

I stopped being afraid... and began to dream, to desire.

I dreamed of Rygar, Ghislaine, Skoll, Aisha and me... all together defeating Orsted, and I dreamed of our life after that...

An ambition was born. A goal was set.

Rygar said that the Dragon God was several times stronger than the Sword God.

So, my objective was clear:

First, defeat Rygar without Touki.

And then, I need to defeat the Sword God itself.

----

The Sword Sanctuary was an ancient land, marked by countless legendary battles.

In the present, it was the home of the Sword God style, but it hadn't always been so. A century ago, that very ground belonged to the Water God style.

In those days, the leaders of both styles engaged in a duel that went down in history, and the Water God emerged victorious, conquering the Sanctuary.

However, years later, he was defeated by a new Sword God, who took back the place.

Since then, the Sanctuary has belonged to the strongest swordsman of each generation, who carries the title of Sword God and teaches his techniques to the most promising students.

The Sanctuary was divided into three sections.

The first was composed of dojos intended for beginner and intermediate swordsmen.

Generally occupied by children and young people who had traveled there or were the children of veteran swordsmen.

The second section housed the advanced level swordsmen.

This was the most populous, with warriors coming from the four corners of the world. Many of them arrived at the Sanctuary feeling stuck and sought here a way to push beyond their limits.

And finally, there was the main dojo.

The deepest and most restricted section, where only swordsmen of Saint level of the Sword or higher could train.

There, the warriors were supervised directly by the Sword God himself.

It was in this environment that the true heart of the Sword God style pulsed.

It had been almost three months since Rygar's group had arrived at the Sword Sanctuary.

In the center of one of the training fields of the second section, where the advanced level warriors were, two figures dueled fiercely.

Eris, with her long red hair flying in the wind, pressed her opponent with wild speed and aggression.

Her adversary was a girl nearly her own size, but with blue hair. It was Nina Farion, a thirteen-year-old swordswoman, daughter of the current Sword God.

Nina had already reached the advanced level in the Sword God style and, since Eris's group arrived at the Sanctuary, had become her main training partner.

Eris didn't stop. She trained tirelessly, interrupting her efforts only to eat or sleep.

No matter the weather, no matter the injuries. Daily, she sought out Rygar and asked him to ease her exhaustion with healing magic. Rygar always told her:

"You already have the ability to use the Longsword of Light. You're just holding back."

The technique of the Longsword of Light required absolute concentration.

You needed to know how to wield the sword with both hands, in other words, be equally good with both arms.

That was because straining the dominant hand would make the blade deviate, even with the slightest involuntary movement.

The key was to channel all the Battle Aura into a single, precise strike, cutting in a straight line.

It was simple, but that was the greatest secret of the Longsword of Light.

But Eris already knew that. Both Ghislaine and Rygar had taught her to train with both hands long ago, preparing her for when she reached that point.

She had trained relentlessly, perfecting both her left and right. But even so, she still couldn't master the technique completely.

With one final blow, Eris disarmed Nina, who fell to her knees, covered in bruises and small contusions.

The girl moaned in pain, but her gaze remained firm. Eris approached and knelt beside her. With a smile, she calmly recited:

"Divine power is rich and nourishing. It offers the strength to rise again to those who have lost their strength. Heal."

A soft light shone in her palm as some of Nina's bruises began to disappear. Nina panted slightly and watched her in silence.

Eris smiled, amused:

"Again?"

Nina took a deep breath. After looking deeply into Eris's crimson eyes, she replied firmly:

"Again!"

And the two returned to training, their bodies exhausted but their spirits indomitable.

Eris intended to leave that place as quickly as possible at first, mastering the so-desired Longsword of Light rapidly, but things did not go as well as she had hoped.

Since arriving at the Sword Sanctuary with Rygar and the others, this had become her only objective, for by learning it, she would also become a disciple of the Sword God and could train with Rygar and Ghislaine.

However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't use the technique even once.

Rygar advised that, instead of isolating herself in her own efforts, she should find someone with a similar ability to train with.

Eris, reluctant at first, ended up following Rygar's suggestion.

Nina Farion was the daughter of the Sword God and one year older than her. Even so, Eris outclassed her in combat.

Nina was incredulous, she had always been the one who defeated those much older than her, the situation had never been reversed.

This left Nina extremely shocked at first; she went to speak with Gall Farion and met Rygar, who was even more absurd, being only her age, but already a Sword King.

After that, for a few days, she didn't show up for training.

But when she returned, she challenged Eris every time, with pure determination and willpower to surpass her, and thanks to their repeated duels, they eventually became close.

Eris was no longer that aggressive and arrogant girl from a few years ago. Her aggressiveness had been tamed by Rygar, and her arrogance had been crushed by everyone around her after the Teleportation Incident.

She had met many talented swordsmen, mages, and warriors on her journey, and after traveling with Rygar's group for so long, she had understood one important thing: aggressiveness and arrogance would get her nowhere.

Moreover, both Rygar and Ghislaine constantly repeated that the Sword God style was rational, based on tactical thinking and emotional control.

If she wanted to improve, she needed to think.

For the past two years, that was all she had heard while fighting to advance to the level of Sword Saint.

But it was difficult.

She knew, from Rygar's own words, that she already had what it took to use the technique. However, for some reason, she still couldn't execute it.

So she trained. Relentlessly.

From time to time, Rygar would come to the dojo where she trained, ask about her progress, and observe the room with eyes that shone in a subtle golden hue.

When she asked what that was about, he explained that he used his Demon Eye to check if there was anyone talented there.

That's how he recommended that she train with Nina.

Although she was ahead of her, the difference wasn't that great.

Moreover, Nina possessed something rare—she seemed tireless and determined to beat Eris at any cost and didn't give up easily.

That was why Rygar pointed her out: he saw talent, but often, the greatest motivator would be a rival. That would make them grow even more.

After several days of intense training, the two were waiting for the instructor to speak with them.

The instructor for both, a middle-aged Sword Saint with deep scars on his arms, appeared behind them and commented, crossing his arms:

"Nina, you still overuse your left arm. Because of that, Eris always knows that your attacks will lean a little to the left."

Nina huffed, frustrated.

"And Eris... your technique is excellent. Theoretically, you should already be capable of using the Longsword of Light."

Eris frowned. That was becoming an annoying mantra—everyone said that, and yet she still failed.

Before she could shout in frustration, the instructor raised a letter and said:

"The Red Wolf sent this to you. He said you must go where this letter indicates."

Eris widened her eyes, surprised. She became excited, but also confused.

Why didn't Rygar come to speak with her in person? Why a letter? For a moment, she thought about questioning it, but her impulsive nature spoke louder.

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"It doesn't matter!" she said, skipping with joy. She grabbed the letter with a gleam in her eyes and turned to Nina.

"Keep training, Nina! That way, you'll never catch up to me!"

Nina gritted her teeth, determined, and then jumped to her feet:

"Hey, you there!" she shouted, pointing to a young man with brown hair watching from afar.

"Let's train!"

---

POV: Eris Greyrat

Following the instructions on Rygar's letter, I went from building to building, and I realized that, in fact, it was a map.

A very simple map, with several reference points, simple enough that even I could understand it.

I was excited. It had been a while since Rygar had come to watch my training.

I followed every point on the letter carefully.

A tree with a hole at its base, a rock that resembled a fallen tower, and then, further ahead, the path began to narrow until it led me into the middle of a forest.

That's where the map ended.

I stopped, looking around. Only trees. Stones. Branches creaking in the wind. Could I have misunderstood?

I picked up the letter again, trying to see if there was any detail I had missed, but at that moment, I felt a chill down my spine.

I dropped the letter and drew my sword in a single motion, just in time to block a strike coming straight for my chest.

The dagger's blade clashed against my sword, but the force of the impact sent me flying several meters backward.

I felt the air expelled from my lungs as I collided with a tree.

With no time to breathe, my body moved on its own.

I planted my feet on the trunk and leaped upward, gaining height. I used the momentum to land on the nearest rock.

Finally, I saw what was attacking me. It was an ogre.

I had faced one before. That green skin, the huge muscles, the absurd height of over two meters... but this one was different.

It was lean, with longer, almost elven ears. It wielded two daggers, and its eyes had a maddened gleam. Still, it was an ogre. Only a different one. A much more powerful one.

It lunged before I could think any further.

Its strikes came in rapid succession, short and fast, as if it had fought all its life with such weapons. It was hard to keep up.

It was bigger than me. Faster. Every defense of mine was met with another attack. And that smile... that damn maniacal smile.

But one thing was certain: it did not compare to Orsted.

I couldn't run. It would catch me. So there was only one thing left: kill it.

"Focus!" I told myself. "Think! Be rational!"

My sword moved in a frantic rhythm, trying to keep up with its strikes, trying to find an opening.

But it hit me. A knee to the stomach. The impact made my eyes widen and my body buckle.

It raised the dagger to plunge it into me, but with a swift movement, I threw snow into its face.

The distraction was enough for me to dodge. The dagger grazed my cheek.

I leaped back, barely touching the ground, and it was already coming at me again. My stance returned naturally.

I didn't have time to ask questions. Things like, why was I there? Why did Rygar send me? Or what creature was this?

I wasn't good with that kind of thing. Overthinking got in the way. And there, thinking meant dying.

There was only one thing in my mind: kill or be killed!

I advanced.

My blade shone.

The speed I reached was beyond anything I had done before.

The ogre also advanced. And I was faster. I slashed. A clean strike.

One of its arms flew through the air, and a spray of blood stained the snow around. It roared, maddened, trying to hit me with the other dagger.

I blocked with my sword and a kick came afterward, which I evaded with a jump.

It backed off, retreating, and I slid across the snow, feeling my muscles trembling.

But this time I was calm. The tension gave way to clarity.

It charged again, running. I exploded in speed. Its dagger cut my arm, leaving a trail of blood... but in that very second, we passed by each other. And its head fell to the ground.

I breathed, panting, standing still. My body still on alert. I looked at the lifeless corpse, its mouth frozen in an insane grin.

That's when I heard applause.

I spun around instantly, sword in hand, but relaxed upon seeing Rygar emerging from the trees, with that smile that always seemed to know more than it should.

Skoll was by his side, and soon he began to circle around me, as if congratulating me. I blinked, not understanding.

Rygar smiled.

"Congratulations, Eris. You are now a Sword Saint."

I was in shock.

"Wha-a-what?! What do you mean?!"

He approached and tousled my hair with his hand.

"You just used the Longsword of Light."

My mind froze for a few seconds. I looked at him, at the mesmerizing smile, the tail wagging excitedly... everything about him radiated happiness.

My face burned, it literally felt like steam was coming out of my ears.

My chest filled with such immense pride that it nearly overflowed. I wanted to say something, anything, but the words stuck in my throat.

I ended up lowering my head, shyly, until I realized something.

"Wait... you sent me here... on purpose?" I asked, looking at the ground, as if only now connecting the dots. "How did you know it would work...?"

Rygar just smiled. That bright, confident smile.

Then he took a thick cloak from inside his coat and placed it around me, fastening it carefully.

He was very close now. My heart pounded so hard it seemed to echo in the forest.

"Because it worked with me," he said.

"I, too, had a block when I was about to reach the Saint level. Sometimes, being in a very safe environment is what prevents you from growing. But when you're in real danger... your body has no choice but to improve."

I didn't understand everything. Perhaps not even half. But it didn't matter.

I was looking into the most beautiful golden eyes I had ever seen, hypnotized, feeling the warmth of the cloak, the touch... and I could only nod, clutching the fabric tightly.

That was when he said:

"Let's go to the Sword God. From now on, you are also his disciple."

-----

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