Chapter 13: Out for Exams, Temporarily Unsubscribe (Patreon)

Not long after night fell, Artorias and Kaguya returned to the Astraea Familia's headquarters.

The training ground sat in the compound's rear yard, an open space enclosed by high walls. The ground was paved with sturdy stone slabs, and wooden training dummies and heavy equipment stood scattered around the perimeter. Moonlight filtered down through scattered clouds, coating the whole yard in a faint silver sheen.

Right now, only two people stood on the training ground.

Artorias sat on a bench at the edge of the field, a damp cloth in hand, wiping down the blade of Getsuga Tensho. The black tachi gleamed cold in the moonlight, faint traces of blood from the day's battle still clinging to its edge.

Not far away, Kaguya was inspecting her own gear. Her wooden sword had picked up several fine cracks during the day's fighting and needed replacing soon.

Neither of them spoke, each absorbed in their own task.

Yet the silence wasn't awkward. If anything, an indescribable calm seemed to drift through the air between them.

"You did well today."

Kaguya broke the silence abruptly.

She set down her wooden sword and turned to look at Artorias, approval glinting in her amber eyes.

"Especially that last strike. You didn't manage to kill the Killing Emperor, but wounding her at all was already impressive."

"Just luck, that's all."

Artorias shook his head, a self-deprecating edge in his voice.

"If she hadn't underestimated me, if Hollowfication hadn't given me enough mobility, I wouldn't have laid a finger on her."

"Luck is part of strength too."

Kaguya walked over and sat down beside him.

"And you managed to seize that fleeting opening. That alone proves your combat instincts are solid."

She paused, then went on.

"Come. Enter Hollowfication, and attack me."

Kaguya settled into a fighting stance, her wooden sword angled toward Artorias.

"Use the same approach you used against the Killing Emperor today. Go all out. Don't worry about hurting me — just come at me."

"...Right."

Artorias drew a deep breath and rose to his feet.

Black mist poured out from his body, swiftly wrapping around him. Within seconds his form turned translucent, as though he'd melted into the night itself.

"Hah—"

A dark shadow vanished from where he stood, appearing instantly behind Kaguya.

Getsuga Tensho traced a sharp arc through the air, aimed straight at the back of her neck.

"Too slow."

Kaguya didn't even turn her head. She simply leaned aside, easily dodging the strike.

"Your intent leaked out too clearly before you attacked, and there was too much killing intent behind it. Anyone with even a little combat experience would sense a strike like that coming."

She turned around, her wooden sword tracing a line through the air and tapping precisely on Artorias's shoulder.

"If this were a real blade, you'd have already lost an arm."

Artorias gritted his teeth and attacked again.

This time he didn't try a sneak attack from behind, instead charging straight in from the front. The black tachi cut toward Kaguya with a sharp whistle of displaced air.

"Good power, but the trajectory's too obvious."

Kaguya sidestepped effortlessly, her wooden sword tapping lightly against his waist at the same moment.

"Dead again."

"Again!"

Artorias didn't lose heart, and kept attacking.

From the left. From the right. From above. From below.

He kept varying the angle and method of his attacks, trying to find some gap in her defense.

But every strike was casually deflected by Kaguya. And after every deflection, her wooden sword landed precisely on one of his vital points.

Heart. Throat. Temple. Spine…

Each of these "kill points" made it plain to Artorias that if this had been a real fight to the death, he'd already have died more times than he could count.

Ten minutes later.

Artorias knelt on one knee, gasping for breath.

Hollowfication had cut his stamina expenditure drastically, but the relentless high-intensity attacks had still worn him down.

What wore him down more was the blow to his confidence.

The gap between him and Kaguya was far wider than he'd imagined.

"What, giving up already at this level?"

Kaguya stood in front of him, not a trace of fatigue on her face — her breathing hadn't even quickened.

"You could cross blades with the Killing Emperor today. Why is fighting me so much harder?"

"...Because you and her aren't remotely on the same level."

Artorias said with a wry smile.

"The Killing Emperor is strong, but her attack pattern is fairly one-note. Once you get her rhythm, you can find an opening. But you're different… every single move you make is exactly right, no wasted motion, and no opening at all."

"Oh? You noticed that?"

Kaguya raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing her face.

"Not bad, for my disciple. Your eye for this is pretty sharp."

She walked over and pulled him to his feet.

"You're right. The Killing Emperor is Level 5, but her fighting style leans too heavily on her level advantage. She's used to crushing opponents with sheer power and speed, so she stumbles when facing unusual abilities."

"I'm different."

Kaguya's tone turned serious.

"Since Level 1, I've studied how to achieve the greatest effect with the least waste. Every swing, every dodge, every motion — refined and polished countless times."

She raised her wooden sword and gave it a light swing in the moonlight.

"This is what's called 'technique.' Fighting purely through skill and experience, without relying on level or Ability Values."

Artorias watched her in silence.

Only now did he truly grasp the size of the gap between himself and a genuine expert.

"Still, don't be too discouraged."

Kaguya sheathed her wooden sword and turned back toward him.

"You're only Level 2, and you haven't even been an adventurer for a month. Getting this far already is impressive."

She reached out and patted his shoulder.

"Besides, you have an advantage nobody else has."

"What advantage?"

"Hollowfication."

Kaguya said seriously.

"It's an incredibly powerful ability. It doesn't just give you superb mobility and survivability — it gives you limitless potential."

She paused, then continued.

"But right now, you're barely scratching the surface of what it can do. You're only using it as a 'dodge skill' and a 'movement skill.' You haven't truly dug into its potential."

"You mean…?"

"For example — have you ever thought about whether Hollowfication could apply to just one part of your body?"

Kaguya posed the question.

"If you could make only the striking part of you solid while keeping the rest of your body intangible, your attacks would become far harder to predict."

"Or, have you thought about whether you could do more complex things while in Hollowfication? Like casting magic while intangible, or teleporting the instant you phase?"

"And your Sonido lets your attacks carry the intangible property — could that property be diversified further? Not just piercing defenses, but striking directly at souls or spirits?"

Kaguya rattled off question after question.

Each one sent Artorias deep into thought.

He'd never imagined Hollowfication could be used in so many different ways.

"Of course, these are just some ideas of mine. Whether you can actually pull them off is something you'll have to try and explore for yourself."

Kaguya smiled, her tone turning light.

"Still, I'm sure you'll manage it. After all, you're my disciple."

After training ended, the two of them sat back down on the bench.

Artorias leaned against the backrest, gazing up at the night sky. Countless stars, a bright clear moon — everything felt peaceful and serene.

"Kaguya."

"Hm?"

"Why are you teaching me all this?"

Artorias asked suddenly.

"I mean, you didn't have to go to all this trouble. I'm just an outsider lodging in your Familia."

"An outsider?"

Kaguya blinked, then burst out laughing.

"What on earth goes through that head of yours."

She reached out and rapped him lightly on the head.

"From the moment you moved into this Familia, you stopped being an outsider. You haven't accepted Lady Astrea's blessing, but in our eyes, you're already a member of this Familia."

"..."

"And besides."

Kaguya's tone turned serious.

"Taking you on as my disciple wasn't a joke to me. Once I agree to teach someone, I give it everything I've got. That's my principle, and my pride."

She turned her head, her amber eyes fixed earnestly on him.

"So don't ever call yourself an 'outsider' again. You're my disciple, and a member of the Astraea Familia. That will never change."

"...Thank you."

Artorias said quietly.

Warmth welled up inside him.

That feeling of being recognized, of being accepted, filled him with an overwhelming sense of comfort.

"No need to thank me."

Kaguya smiled, then rose to her feet.

"Alright, that's enough for today. You're tired too — go get some rest. There's a lot to do tomorrow."

"Mm."

Artorias nodded and stood up as well.

The two of them walked side by side toward the Familia's dormitory, their shadows stretching long across the moonlit ground.

Back in her room, Kaguya didn't go straight to bed.

She sat by the window, a cup of warm water in hand, quietly gazing out at the night scenery.

Her mind drifted back over everything that had happened that day.

The Evilus attack, the appearance of the Killing Emperor, Artorias's performance…

And that mysterious male god.

"Lord Eren…"

Kaguya murmured the name under her breath.

Her impression of that god wasn't a good one. He seemed flippant and carefree on the surface, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something unfathomable lurked behind his eyes.

"I hope nothing goes wrong."

She sighed and set down her cup.

Then her thoughts drifted back to Artorias.

That boy was truly something else.

Not just because of his Hollowfication ability, but because of his character and his attitude.

He lacked the restlessness and arrogance so common in green adventurers, and he didn't let his special ability go to his head. Instead, he understood his own position with striking clarity — he knew his strengths, and he knew his weaknesses.

And his sincerity toward others was genuine too. Whether facing the powerful Killing Emperor or being questioned by a god, he spoke his mind plainly, neither servile nor arrogant.

"Someone like that is bound to go far."

Kaguya murmured to herself.

Without quite noticing it, the corners of her mouth curved into a smile.

"Still, he has a lot to learn before he gets there."

She stood, walked over to her bed, and prepared to rest.

But just as she was about to lie down, a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.

"Wait… why was I smiling just now?"

Kaguya froze.

She sat on the edge of the bed, raised a hand to touch her own cheek, brow furrowing slightly.

"I was just thinking about a promising junior. What's there to smile about?"

She tried to convince herself.

But for some reason, a strange feeling lingered in her chest.

It was subtle, like something quietly taking root deep inside her, though she couldn't quite name what it was.

"...Never mind. I won't think about it."

Kaguya shook her head, forcibly chasing the stray thoughts from her mind.

"I must just be tired today. Overthinking things, that's all."

She lay down and closed her eyes.

But even with her eyes shut, the image of the boy training so earnestly kept surfacing in her mind.

Along with those black eyes, gleaming with quiet resolve in the moonlight.

"...Honestly."

Kaguya rolled over and buried her face in the pillow.

"He's just a disciple, that's all."

Her voice grew fainter and fainter, until it faded into the night.

Morning sunlight streamed through the window, waking Artorias from his sleep.

He opened his eyes, stretched, then sat up in bed.

After a night's rest, the exhaustion from yesterday's battle and training had completely vanished. Hollowfication's powerful regeneration let him recover far faster than an ordinary person.

"A new day begins."

Artorias murmured to himself.

He got up, washed up quickly, and left his room.

Other Familia members were already up and about in the hallway. Seeing Artorias, they greeted him one after another.

"Morning, Artorias."

"Morning. Rough day yesterday, huh."

"I heard you actually wounded the Killing Emperor? That's amazing!"

Artorias responded to everyone's greetings in turn.

He could feel that, after yesterday's events, the Familia members had grown noticeably warmer toward him.

"Looks like I've earned everyone's recognition, huh."

Artorias thought to himself.

He made his way to the dining hall for breakfast.

The dining hall already had quite a few people in it. Ryuu, Alise, Noin… everyone was eating breakfast.

"Morning, Artorias."

Ryuu spotted him and greeted him first.

"Morning."

Artorias nodded and sat down beside her.

"How'd you sleep last night?"

"Pretty well."

"Good to hear."

Ryuu smiled, then went back to her breakfast.

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Unfortunately, this is the last chapter published in the Raw :(