The Paladin on the Infinite Tour

This is the reason why Loki showed that ferocious face just now.

As a god of the dependent clan, Loki did feel happy when he saw Exia growing at such a terrifying speed, but more of the emotion was caused by her [fear] as a god.

With such a terrifying growth rate, what kind of monster will Exia grow into in the end?

"Did we...did we accidentally release a sealed monster?"

seal.

This was Loki's most real feeling. She hadn't noticed it when she gave him the favor before, but she was suddenly aware of it after updating her abilities this time.

Exia has said before that he is not strong enough and has no power, but considering that he has such a huge talent, there is no way he really has no power.

So, is there such a possibility... Ixia's power has always been there, but that power has been restricted and sealed?

Too much power will destroy a person. If Exia mastered a huge power that he could not control at a very young age, then it is not impossible for someone to seal that power for his safety.

The favor Loki granted him was equivalent to opening a small hole in the seal.

"So, are you going to stop here? Loki." Riveria asked, "If you seal his favor, his growth will definitely stop here."

"How can it be!"

Loki laughed.

"It's scary, but if he continues to grow like this, interesting things will undoubtedly happen - interesting things that surpass all the myths and legends so far."

"——We have this hunch."

For the idle gods, it can be said to be the best spice of life.

(Let’s see how far you can go, Alexia... no, [Kaslana].)

16. To catch up with someone

[Bianca, why have you become so strong? 】

In the past, during a break after a competition with her childhood sweetheart and losing again, Exia asked the girl in front of her.

[Hmm... I guess I just want to do something that only I can do, right? For example, saving more people from the Honkai incident, etc.]

This was Bianca's original answer.

This is also the reason why most Valkyries want to become Valkyries - to resist Honkai, to avenge Honkai, and to prevent more people from becoming the next themselves because of Honkai.

【And you? Alexia, have you ever thought about why you want to become stronger? 】

【......Is it the same as you】

After pondering for a long time, Exia made this answer at that time.

However, this is not actually the case.

The reason that prompted Alexia to gain power was not the same as Bianca's. The real reason should be...

"Well......"

Her thoughts were brought back to reality from the dream, and the dark vision regained light as her eyes opened. What Alexia saw was the ceiling of her room, and...

"...."

The face of a blonde girl looking down at him expressionlessly.

(she is......)

"Ms. Wallenstein?"

Ais Wallenstein, a first-level adventurer of the Loki Familia, lv.5, known as [Sword Lady].

Why is she in her room? And he's still sitting next to his bed and staring at himself?

"you're awake?"

"Ah...well..."

Sitting up from his bed, Alexia thought about the situation before she fell asleep. The last memory in her mind was that she finally crawled out of the dungeon dragging her exhausted body, and then...

"I passed out after that... So Miss Wallenstein, are you looking after me?"

Ais nodded: "Loki said someone wanted to stay and take care of you. I stayed because there were some things I wanted to ask."

"ask me?"

"about this."

Not caring that Alexia had just woken up, Ais handed over the ability value report placed on the bedside table to Alexia.

Looking at the abnormal increase in ability value shown above, Exia herself couldn't help but be surprised: "This...is my ability value?"

"Yeah, very powerful, much better than me."

Ace said seriously.

In Orario, the fastest speed to advance from lv.1 to lv.2 is one year and two months, and the person who set this record was Ais, who was eight years old at the time.

But now, Aisi knows that her record is likely to be broken by the boy in front of her.

She doesn't care about the record itself. She cares about one thing more than the name and honor that have no real meaning.

"Why can you grow up so fast?"

"......Eh?"

Alexia looked at Ace with some surprise: "Are you asking why my ability value has increased so much?"

"Um."

Ais nodded seriously - so serious that Alexia felt as if she was facing Miss Amber. The bishop's secretary who was her senior was also so serious when doing things.

(Why so fast?)

Alexia looked at her own ability scores. After staring at her skills column for a long time, she said uncertainly: "Maybe it's because of my [bloodline]."

"The Kaslana family are all born warriors, and I, who share the same blood, may have inspired the family's ancestral talent in actual combat, which has led to a significant increase in my abilities... Of course, in fact, I don’t know if that’s the case.”

"Is it......."

Hearing that Alexia herself was not very clear about it, Ais could not help but show some disappointed emotions and reactions.

Seeing her reaction, Alexia pursed her lips, and then asked curiously: "Why would you, Miss Wallenstein, want to know such a thing?"

Although the details are unclear, judging from the current situation and the dark sky outside, Aisi must have been waiting for her to wake up by the bed in order to ask this question.

Waiting for a day for a question means that the other person must have a reason for wanting the answer, and it must be known.

"Because I want to become stronger."

Aisi said it very bluntly.

A very simple and simple reason.

"Miss Wallenstein, are you already the strongest female swordsman in Orario? A level 5 adventurer... isn't that strong enough?"

"Well, not enough."

Ais herself does not crave power, but if she wants to achieve her goal, she must have power, so she becomes thirsty for power, thinking about how to go further day and night.

This year is already her third year at level 5, and her ability values ​​have not improved for a long time. It is basically confirmed that she has reached her limit at this stage.

But she is not satisfied with this, but this level of power is not enough.

(By the way, that...)

As if remembering something, Ais asked again: "Exia, can you...can you tell me the reason why you became stronger?"

"reason?"

"Riveria and Finn have said before that if you have a goal, you can make yourself stronger to a certain extent."

Since your growth rate is so abnormal, maybe it's because you have a certain reason - this is what Ais wanted to express.

After a moment of silence, Ixia came to the table and took out the personal terminal that was kept in the drawer, and opened Bianca's photo: "If I have to say... it's to catch up with her."

"she is?"

"My childhood sweetheart, the friend who grew up in the same orphanage as me, her name is Bianca." Alexia looked at the photo and smiled, "Unlike me, she has shown extraordinary abilities since she was a child. Talent has always been on the road to becoming stronger, and then I...should be said to be forced or something, in short, I became stronger together with her."

"It's just that she became stronger and stronger, and I gradually couldn't catch up with her. I gave up on catching up with her two or three years ago, and instead hoped to be behind her - but now I have a new opportunity. "

An accelerant, a favor given by the gods.

"So, if you want to ask me the reason and goal of becoming stronger, then my answer is that I want to catch up with her. Catch up with her who has already run ahead of me, and work harder to catch up from now on... ...Was this answer helpful to you?”

Also looking at the blond girl like herself on the terminal in Alexia's hand, Aisi showed an imperceptible smile: "Well, a little bit. You can catch up."

"Thank you - ah, by the way, please don't talk about this matter casually." Exia then said with some embarrassment, "Although it's not a big deal, this is a secret of mine... ....”

(After all, why would I say it in front of her so easily?)

"Well, I know, I won't tell you." Ais nodded and asked again after being silent for a while, "By the way, if possible, can you spar with me once?"

"Eh? Let's compare?"

"I want to know that your skills and strength might be helpful to me."

Now that the ability value has reached the limit, start strengthening yourself from other places. This is also what Aisi has concluded over the years. Ixia is a person from another world. Maybe the knowledge and technology from another world can make her stronger. She gains new powers.

"Is it okay tomorrow morning?"

"Ah, this...well, I think it should be possible. But I probably won't be your match."

"It doesn't matter, just let me know your strength. In return, I can also give you some guidance."

Aisi's eyes were quite serious.

Alexia was familiar with this look, because Bianca often showed such a look.

"...I understand, then let's be at the training ground tomorrow morning."

17. I know a thing or two about swordsmanship

So, early the next morning.

In the training ground of Loki Familia.

"Qiang——————!"

When two or three members of the family walked in chatting and laughing, preparing to complete their daily exercise tasks, a clear sound of the collision of sword blades reached their ears at the first moment.

There are already people in the training ground.

And when they saw clearly who the two people were sparring with, they were all stunned.

One of them is Ace Wallenstein, whom everyone in the Loki Familia knows. Her appearance is actually normal. After all, she often comes to the training ground to do some independent training, but the other one is sparring with her. of people——

"That's... Ixia, right? A newcomer who just joined the Familia two days ago."

"Well, because it's rare to have white hair, I remember him."

"Then he is...sparring with Miss Ais?"

"And it seems like there's still going back and forth?"

In the eyes of the new members of the Familia, the scene they saw was so unbelievable that they couldn't believe their eyes. The new member of the Familia, the super novice who just went to the dungeon yesterday, could actually be sparring with Aisi. maintain a balance of power?

Even though it can be seen that Ais is not serious and her speed is not at the level of fighting, but——

"Qiang!"

The blade and blade were once again staggered in the air.

This was the twenty-eighth time Exia deflected Ais’s sword.

(Strong swordsmanship.)

Alexia still doesn't know the specific situation of this world, and he doesn't know whether Aisi's swordsmanship belongs to a certain school, but this does not prevent him from sighing at the strength of Aisi's swordsmanship.

Lunging, lifting, chopping... each move is very capable, without any fancy and superfluous movements. Although it is not strong, it is extremely fast and flexible, like an erratic and fast wind.

To be honest, it's very difficult.

But it's not impossible to deal with.

"Qiang!"