The Snow-Tombed Starsilver Gifted to Noelle!**
The moment his voice fell—
Facing the girl charging in like a fierce tiger, Luo Li merely raised his sword and tapped lightly against the side of her blade.
Instantly, the unstoppable momentum collapsed.
Noelle twisted her waist, using that deceptively slender frame to unleash explosive power.
She shifted her downward strike mid-swing and turned it into a sweeping horizontal slash.
The greatsword tore through the air, whipping up a screaming gust of wind.
Yet the person swinging it was a petite, adorable girl—this contrast only made the display even more shocking.
As a sword style inherited within the Knights of Favonius for generations, Noelle had already made many adjustments to the traditional Favonius Swordsmanship to fit her own combat style.
After all, the sword art itself originated from the Young Wolf Rustan—and the legendary Light Lion, Arundel, who once dominated the battlefield with dual blades, a greatsword in one hand and a longsword in the other.
Even without a Vision, he far surpassed most Vision bearers.
But such monstrous geniuses were rare, and dual-blade techniques had long been lost.
However—Luo Li was convinced Noelle was perfectly suited for dual wielding.
With her natural strength, she could pick it up with some training.
"Faster. Stronger."
He made casual remarks as he moved, effortlessly intercepting every blow.
Thanks to countless sword techniques he had mastered across worlds, Luo Li was proficient in all weapons—swords, spears, polearms, you name it.
Gritting her teeth, Noelle kept switching attack patterns.
The greatsword danced wildly, a storm of steel that made the onlooking knights' blood pressure spike.
Luo Li did not counterattack.
He was merely feeding her moves, testing how far she had progressed and pushing her toward her limits.
"She's getting stronger every time…"
"Why the heck hasn't the Captain let her join the Knights yet?"
"Quiet—look! Sir Luo Li is moving!"
The knights immediately held their breath.
Suddenly, Luo Li's demeanor shifted completely.
The ordinary longsword in his hand flashed—
And three sword strikes erupted simultaneously from different angles.
Noelle's pupils constricted.
"Three strikes at the same time?!
And they're all real attacks!"
This level of swordsmanship shattered common sense.
Each strike was lethal—
Three together was absolute despair.
But Noelle refused to give up.
In that split second, she roared in her heart, gathered every ounce of strength, every technique she had ever learned, and unleashed her strongest counter.
Steel clashed with blinding light—
Then silence.
The training ground froze.
Even the knights forgot to breathe.
To witness swordsmanship at such a divine level—was a once-in-a-lifetime fortune.
Noelle felt a cold sting at her throat.
Luo Li's sword rested gently against her neck.
She had lost.
Even after giving everything, she still couldn't withstand even one true strike from Luo Li.
Her head drooped. Her eyes shimmered with shame.
She had worked so hard… yet her progress was so far from enough.
And the gift she was promised—surely it was gone now.
Just as she prepared to accept failure—
A gentle hand stroked her silver hair.
"You did well.
Even though you couldn't block it, your resolve in the face of death is something to be proud of."
Luo Li tossed aside the shattered fragments of his training sword and spoke with genuine praise.
"The sword technique I used wasn't ordinary.
It was a life's masterpiece of a legendary swordsman from another world—Secret Sword: Swallow Reversal."
A sword skill that transcended speed and space, creating a three-dimensional overlapping slash—
A conceptual technique that reached the realm of the divine without relying on magic or mystical power.
It was only natural she couldn't block it.
If she had, Luo Li would be shocked instead.
Noelle raised her head slightly.
"R-Really…? I did well?"
She clearly feared he was only comforting her.
Luo Li wiped away the tear forming at her eye.
"Believe in yourself.
You are already very capable. I'm satisfied with this test."
Then he paused, turned his palm upward—
A dazzling greatsword materialized in his hand.
A blade glowing softly with ice-blue light, frost patterns blooming across its surface, the hilt a mix of deep blue and black…
Noelle's eyes widened at first sight.
She loved it instantly.
"This is your reward," Luo Li said warmly.
Noelle hugged the greatsword, happiness overflowing.
"Is it really… really for me?"
"Of course.
Its name is Snow-Tombed Starsilver, and from today onward, it belongs to you."
He had ventured into Dragonspine not only to investigate ancient secrets, but also to retrieve this sword—
a relic forged with the knowledge and power of a lost civilization, a blade capable of cleaving through ice with ease.
It was perfect for Noelle, who always broke her own greatswords.
"T-This is… the first time I've ever received a gift from someone…"
Her teary smile was as bright as sunlight breaking through snow.
Holding the greatsword to her chest, she looked like a child receiving a treasured toy—
endearing and pure.
Luo Li continued:
"Although you've improved, you're still far from the level I expect.
Whether it's the stillness of 'a mind like a calm mirror,' or the advanced perception of a true swordmaster—you still have a long way to go.
From now on, your training must intensify."
Noelle nodded hard, her smile blooming like a rose:
"Mm! I'll do my best!"
And in that moment
The Knight-Maid's radiant smile outshone even the roses she made herself.