Chapter 8: Roy vs. Heiding!

In the village of Elbaf, Heiding wore an iron helmet, his forearms wrapped in layers of white bandages, and held a longsword firmly in his hands. He raised the blade in front of him, its sharp edge directed at his opponent.

His eyes were laser-focused on Roy. Heiding had taken Redding's words to heart, treating this match with the utmost seriousness.

At that moment, much like Heiding, the giants of the village—some passing by, some resting nearby—all turned their attention to Roy.

The sea breeze swept through the narrow streets of Elbaf Village.

"Whoosh~"

A gust of wind whipped through the street, kicking up dust.

As the dust settled and the breeze died down, Roy stood there, one hand gripping his sword. His wine-red, braided hair flowed behind him, gently lifting in the wind, and his sword hovered in front of him, gleaming cold and sharp, reflecting the handsome features of his face.

Even though still young, the charm of his appearance was undeniable.

The red strands of his hair danced in the wind, swaying in front of his face. Without a second thought, Roy lunged forward, his wine-red hair flying with the motion.

"So handsome!"

A young girl from the Lamb House, running down the street, stopped in her tracks at the sight of Roy. Even Linlin, trailing behind her, was too lazy to dodge.

"This guy!" Heiding gritted his teeth at Roy's bold charge. Not far away, Redding watched eagerly, and Heiding, with a roar, raised his sword and advanced to meet Roy head-on.

"Clang—!"

The cold, snowy blade clashed with Roy's in a flash. The sound of steel ringing filled the air. The two opponents, one large and one small, quickly pulled their swords apart after the brief contact.

Heiding stumbled back two steps, his body swaying as his grip on the sword slipped slightly, his hand shaking with the impact.

"What immense strength! Is it really true that he and Lingling aren't related by blood!?" Heiding gripped his sword hilt tightly, his hand still trembling from the shock, his palms aching from the force of the blow.

After a single strike, Roy had already knocked Heiding off balance, forcing him to retreat.

Roy, however, was unharmed. As the swords separated, his white shirt fluttered slightly, and in an instant, he sprinted forward, increasing his speed and striking once again.

The wine-red hair fluttered in the air, and with the sword now gripped in reverse, Roy's swing became even faster, the blade cutting through the air like a sharp moon.

"Clang!"

The strike collided with Heiding's hastily raised sword with a mighty force, and sparks flew from the impact. Heiding couldn't hold his ground and was sent flying backward, crashing to the ground, a long trail of dust following his fall.

Roy glanced toward Redding, who hadn't yet called the match, and understood the signal. Without hesitation, he pressed on.

"Whoosh!"

Heiding had just regained his footing when Roy dashed toward him, holding the blade in reverse and striking with a rapid, deadly sweep.

Heiding's face changed, his heart racing. In a panic, he leaped sideways to evade the strike.

"Thud thud thud!"

The cold blade flashed past him, slicing the ground and sending rocks flying in all directions.

"Fight me like a swordsman," Roy said, his red hair blowing wildly in the wind, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's as he focused on Heiding. His tone was calm, even as he charged forward again, his white shirt billowing behind him, revealing his pale skin as he swung his sword once more.

"Awesome!" Gailz paused, tugging at her light yellow braids in admiration.

In truth, while Roy was still young, his looks had not fully matured, and there was still a youthful cuteness to him. But when it came to impressing the girls, he knew how to play the part.

"Huh?" The chubby Lingling slowed her pace, confused as she watched the girls' reactions.

At this moment, Lingling's mind was filled with food—particularly Roy's cooking and the meals prepared by the nun. She wasn't concerned with anything else.

So, she didn't quite understand why the others were reacting this way.

Scratching her pink hair, Lingling continued watching the battle as Roy continued to overpower Heiding.

"What's so special about this?"

Lingling didn't get it!

Not to mention that she was stronger than the village's adult giants—she couldn't see what was so impressive about this fight.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

Roy's sword moved with incredible speed, each strike following the trajectory of the blade like a silver moon slashing through the air. The repeated sounds of metal meeting metal echoed, and Heiding was forced to retreat or be knocked off balance with each blow.

Though Roy had endured many hits earlier, his defense was solid—Heiding's attacks felt like nothing more than scratches.

But now, Roy was intent on making up for it.

It was time for Roy to enjoy himself and show off his prowess.

"Fight like a swordsman, like a man. Get up, Heiding!"

From afar, Redding's voice shouted in anger.

Heiding, trembling, struggled to push himself up from the ground. With a sharp sound, his sword flew beside him.

"Shh!"

The sword plunged into the dirt, and his shield slipped off his wrist, rolling away. Heiding struggled to his feet, panting heavily as he grabbed his sword once more.

As the onlookers watched, Heiding was struck by Roy's sword dozens of times, each time forced back or knocked down, rolling far away.

"Shh shh shh~!"

Roy's blade danced in his hands, twirling in a series of elegant flourishes.

"Get up like a man."

"Heiding, a swordsman never dies on his knees."

"Because that would dishonor the sword."

Roy stood before Heiding, the wind ruffling his wine-red hair. His sharp gaze never left Heiding as he spoke.

"Heh~!"

With a roar, Heiding pulled his sword from the ground and lunged at Roy with a powerful slash, his feet digging into the earth as he poured all his strength into the blow.

"Clang!"

Roy held his sword with one hand, blocking the strike across his body.

Heiding roared in frustration, pushing harder with all his might, but his sword didn't move.

With a casual motion, Roy gripped his sword with both hands and easily flicked Heiding's blade aside. In a flash, his own blade gleamed cold and deadly, hovering inches from Heiding's chest.

"You lost," Roy said, spinning his sword elegantly and sheathing it with a flourish.

"Phew~" Heiding sighed in relief, nearly collapsing to his knees from exhaustion.

He shot Roy a resentful glance, convinced that this bastard had only spared him because he was enjoying the fight.

"Clap clap clap!"

"Nice fight, Roy!"

From the distance, a tall figure approached, his white beard flowing like a waterfall.