But what crashed into him next shattered every assumption he'd prepared for.
Fran's swordwork wasn't merely unorthodox—it mutilated every principle of swordsmanship. What began as a left strike became a right slash. A downward cut flipped into an upward arc. Her blade carried no pattern, no rhythm—nothing for Perfect Parry to predict or anchor onto.
When a sword style lacks shape, it leaves no shadow for prediction and no foothold for countermeasure. It was like a tidal wave striking a calm sea without warning—no clouds, no signal, no time. Attacks that give no signal cannot be defended.
He could do nothing but take the blows—swinging blind, reacting a heartbeat too late.
Eboros snarled, instincts screaming as he swung Nightfall to meet the cascading light-blades. Each strike fell so fast the sound arrived after—the thunder chasing the lightning. Every impact crashed like a mountain dropping onto him. Even pouring mana and technique into full defense, his arms cracked and trembled as though close to breaking. The force hurled him back like a kite in a storm.
Not even Crimson Edge Evasion could save him. It needed a trajectory to read. Fran's blade had none.
Sword Saint or not—she was still a Dual Class. How could her swordsmanship be this refined?
He roared in disbelief, swinging Nightfall wildly to deflect the relentless rain of radiant blades. His body was already covered in slashes, blood mixing with sweat and dust.
A short distance away, Rein could only clench his fists.
He watched with the naked eye—without Mana Vision—yet the movements before him were far too fast for human sight. All he could perceive were flashes of lightning, thunder ripping behind each strike, and shockwaves hammering against the Divine Aegis like ripples across a pond of light.
Even if he had mana left, he knew—this was not a battlefield he could step into.
It was like walking barefoot across the entire Eastern-to-Western span of the continent—three thousand miles of agony—just to reach the edge, only to find an ocean still waiting to be crossed.
Sweat traced down Rein's cheek.
The blue-haired woman spun, her light-blade crashing against Nightfall again. The impact launched Eboros backward, the stone floor erupting into a wide crater beneath him. Fragments of shattered stone rained outward.
"Why does everyone keep insisting I'm some Dual Class?" Fran's voice rang out, unbothered—almost annoyed. "Utter nonsense. She—that softhearted priestess—just loves confusing people."
Her blade didn't slow.
"Get this through your skull—I didn't learn the sword. I was born for it."
Each strike howled like a storm. No openings. No mercy.
On the field, a misstep lasting less than a heartbeat was enough to die. Eboros knew this better than anyone. But what shook him now was something else entirely—even after fully merging with Nightfall, he felt more pressure than in any battle of his life.
And then the memories came.
A decade-old image surfaced. A masked prodigy with sky-blue hair, roaming the land and destroying sword schools at will. The Black Knights had been next. Eboros, as captain, had unsealed Nightfall and fought personally—and still lost, effortlessly, in front of the King of Arcadia. Over forty elite knights defeated. His greatest humiliation. The demon child had vanished not long after, rumored dead after challenging the First Sword. Eboros had believed it.
Until now.
"Don't tell me… you're—"
His pupils trembled.
"The Frantic Sea."
Now he understood. The Frantic Sea had never died—standing here, in front of him, reborn in the body of this blue-haired woman. The chance for revenge he'd waited ten years for had finally arrived.
Dark mana detonated from his core. A suffocating wave of pitch-black pressure swept across the courtyard, cracking the stone floor, forcing the air itself to compress.
Ten years of refinement distilled into a single motion. Void Slash tore forward—a rift of pure darkness stretching a hundred feet across, its roar like a tsunami hitting earth.
Fran merely raised an eyebrow, as if she'd found a new toy. She swung her blade of light, copying the rhythm without hesitation. In that instant, the air before her warped—and a Radiant Void Slash tore forward to meet the dark wave.
A cataclysmic explosion followed. The ground shook. Air compressed into a sonic boom, slamming against the Divine Aegis until its golden surface rippled like disturbed water—before stabilizing once more.
A heartbeat later, the dark rift shattered—while the radiant slash continued forward, unimpeded, straight toward Eboros.
He instinctively raised Nightfall to block.
A deafening crack rang out. The arm holding the legendary blade flew free. Blood traced a red arc across the stone. Eboros hit the ground hard, collapsing to his knees, black armor soaked through.
His trembling gaze locked onto Fran.
"Y-you… you are him…"
…
Behind the Divine Aegis, Rein and Ingrid stared in silence.
Rein swallowed. He'd thought he understood the scale of the gap. He hadn't.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Fran walked slowly toward the kneeling Eboros. Her shadow fell over him like the scythe of a reaper. Then she kicked him—a brutal snap of her heel that sent his one-armed body skidding several feet across the stone.
"Who the hell said I was a boy, huh!?"
She stomped down again and again, each impact heavy enough to rattle the entire courtyard.
"You blind idiots—look at this cute face! How the hell do you mistake me for a guy!?"
"She's… a demon," Rein whispered.
Ingrid nodded rapidly, swallowing hard.
…
A voice cut sharply through the chaos.
"Well now… already finished? Who on earth managed to anger our beloved Master Chloe this much?"
A tall, slender man stood beside the Divine Aegis—so silently it felt as though he had been standing there since the dawn of the night. His skin was pale, his silver hair smooth and immaculate. Silver-rimmed glasses glinted faintly in the firelight, and the composed, aristocratic face behind them carried a hint of haughty refinement.
Rein jolted.
How long has he been there!?
He hadn't been using Mana Vision, but with the heightened perception of this body he could sense movement within thirty feet without fail. To miss someone entirely meant one thing: this man stood several tiers above him.
Ingrid's voice rose behind him.
"Master Darian!"
Darian. So this really is one of the Five Disciples.
Another voice cut in before Rein could process it.
"It's not Chloe, Darian. That's Fran."
A young man materialized beside him—black hair styled into sharp spikes like metal thorns, silver piercings glinting along one ear, and a black leather jacket that made him look more like a stage-scorching rocker than a mage of the Academy.
Rein whipped around. Same as before—no idea when this one had arrived.
The man raised a hand casually toward Ingrid. "Yo, Ingrid."
"M–Master Aiden," Ingrid said quickly, bowing to both of them.
Don't tell me—that punk-rock relic is actually Master Aiden!?
Rein exhaled hard just as Ingrid murmured, "Three of the Five Disciples in one place… something enormous must be happening."
Darian glanced toward Fran, who was still driving Eboros into the broken wall.
"We should intervene. Otherwise he'll die before we can question him."
"If you want to stop her, be my guest," Aiden laughed, waggling his brows. "But fair warning—she looks pissed. Walk up right now and she might slice your head clean off."
Darian raised one finger.
Instantly, Eboros's mangled body was encased in a massive block of ice—solid enough that Fran's next stomp failed to reach him, though fractures spidered across the surface under the sheer force of her kick.
Fran snapped her head toward them, sea-blue eyes blazing.
"Hey. Who told you idiots you could interfere?"
Master Aiden immediately threw up both hands. "Easy, Fran. Take a breath. We're here to take the prisoner on Headmaster Helena's orders, okay? Keep pounding him like that and he'll die before we can interrogate him. Then we'll have a whole mess on our hands."
Fran continued to swing her radiant blade irritably—then, scowling, drew her leg back and drove her heel into the Ice Coffin with bone-rattling force.
A heavy thud echoed across the courtyard as the massive block split open, scattering shards of frost across the stone.
Master Darian sighed and shook his head. "Hurry up, Aiden."
Aiden shrugged, finally resigning himself to approach Fran. Moments later, her voice erupted:
"Hold on—who's paying for the damage to my garden and greenhouse!?"
Master Darian pushed his silver glasses up with calm grace. "Headmaster Helena has already approved full compensation. The Academy will cover the repairs."
Fran stared at the frozen Eboros inside the ice coffin as if inspecting an oversized popsicle. Then she exhaled, lifted her hand, and spread her fingers. The radiant sword dissolved into the air.
"Fine. Take him. And tell Helena to hurry up and process the repairs for my garden and greenhouse."
She strode toward Nightfall, the black saber lying on the ground. With a flick of her foot, she kicked it into her hand. Fran tilted her head, examining it with a sharp grin.
"Ten years… fancy meeting you again. Should I just snap you in half this time?"
A tortured shriek echoed from the ebony sword as if it were alive. It trembled violently—like it was begging for mercy.
"Uh—excuse me," Rein blurted, voice cracking. "If you're going to destroy it, could I have it instead?"
Fran froze. Then slowly turned her gaze on him—razor-sharp, like a blade.
"What? You're a mage. What would you even do with a useless thing like this?"
She swung Nightfall casually as if it weighed nothing.
"Just so you know—it's a living weapon. If your will isn't strong enough, it'll eat you alive."
She paused, shrugged, and covered a yawn with one hand.
"I found it in the royal treasure vault once… tossed in with the rest of the junk. The old king probably tossed it at Eboros as a gift or something. Last time he used it on me, it was so boring I didn't even bother remembering how I beat him. At least this time he had a new trick or two. Made for a mildly entertaining warm-up."
Fran, clad in black armor, stepped toward Rein. With a casual flick of her wrist, the Divine Aegis shattered like brittle glass. A sharp crack echoed as the golden dome dissolved into drifting motes of light.
Rein felt sweat soak down his spine.
Fran's sea-blue eyes burned with playful menace. She twirled the saber as she leaned in, her grin sharp and wicked.
"So? You wanna learn swordsmanship?"
"N-No! I only want to study the living weapon!"
Rein flailed in panic. Ingrid nodded furiously beside him.
"Y-Yes! Rein is much better suited as a mage!"
Fran raised an eyebrow, dragging the sound out.
"Oooh… so that's how it is. What a pity—I thought you had promise. Fine, whatever. If I meddle too much, Chloe's gonna nag me again."
She looked down at Nightfall and glared at it like it had personally offended her.
"Consider yourself lucky, sword. This kid just saved your life. If he dies because of you, I'll snap you into pieces, melt you down into a shovel, and bury you in my garden with the worms. Understood?"
The black saber trembled violently, as if acknowledging its fate.
"Here."
Fran tossed Nightfall to Rein without a second thought. "Consider it payment for helping Chloe today."
Then she strode off, shouting at Master Aiden, who was opening a Portal, and Master Darian, who was figuring out how to transport the massive ice coffin. Still irritated, Fran casually kicked the entire frozen block, sending it skidding into the portal with enough force to crack the ice again.
Most of it made it through.
Master Darian adjusted his glasses with another weary sigh before following it in. Master Aiden chuckled, hands in pockets, and stepped through after him.
"I'm going to talk to Helena. This time I'm requesting twice the budget for rebuilding!" Fran declared loudly.
She stepped into the portal—then poked her head back out.
"Handle the rest tonight, Ingrid. Chloe won't be back until tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Master Fran," Ingrid answered respectfully.
The portal vanished, leaving only silence.
A cool breeze drifted across the courtyard. The star-filled sky stretched overhead, and Rein finally noticed the two moons hanging at the horizon. Petals drifted gently through the air.
The courtyard, however, was a ruin of shattered stone and cratered ground.
Only Rein and Ingrid remained among the remnants of war.
Ingrid turned to him, eyes firm.
"Rein… you owe me an explanation for what just happened tonight."
These entries expand the lore and mechanics introduced in this chapter.
Completely optional—read only if you enjoy diving deeper into the system.
Spells Codex
ICE COFFIN
Type: High-Tier Ice Spell
Element: Ice / Cryomancy
Tier: Master Stratosphere → Mesosphere-tier (true effectiveness depends on caster)
Casting Method: Gesture + Vocal (instant execution for elite casters)
Mana Cost: Extremely High
Known Caster: Master Darian of the Five Disciples
Description
Ice Coffin is one of the pinnacle achievements of cryomancy—
a spell capable of freezing a target instantly upon manifestation.
Unlike ordinary binding spells, Ice Coffin does not “generate ice” outward.
It manifests a pre-shaped cryo-construct directly around the target, sealing them in zero time through spatial condensation.
For most mages, even witnessing the spell’s formation is rare.
In Master Darian’s hands, the coffin appears with a mere tap of the finger—
no buildup, no warning, simply a seamless enclosure of glacial mana.
Mechanism
Ice Coffin operates through a two-phase arcane architecture:
Phase 1 Cryo-Spatial Lock
The caster anchors a point in space around the target.
Mana collapses the surrounding temperature to near-absolute magical zero, halting motion and mana flow.
Phase 2 Coffin Manifestation
Hexagonal frost structures form in a single flash, sealing the target inside a solid cryo-prison.
The material produced is NOT ordinary ice—
it is an arcane ice construct whose density rivals cold-forged mana crystal.
Properties
Extreme Durability
Ice Coffin is resistant to:
– Physical force (steel weapons cannot chip it)
– Moderate to high-level magic attacks
– Heat-based spells below Mesosphere tier
Most Troposphere-tier mages or silver-tier warrior cannot escape, even with their strongest techniques.
Stasis Effect
The spell suppresses:
– Mana flow
– Physical motion
– Regeneration or buffering spells
This is why it is used not only for capture but also for battlefield control.
Weaknesses
Very few. The spell is considered near-indestructible except when confronted by:
– Mesosphere-tier raw force, or
– Divine-class phenomena, or
– Entities with physical power far exceeding human limits
Range
– Single-target
– Effective within 20-40 ft
– Instantaneous lock once caster chooses the anchor point
Incantation
Rarely spoken; elite casters like Darian cast it wordlessly.
Traditional form (archival)
Glacies Sepulcrum—Claude!
“Ice of stillness—shut and seal!”
Notes
– Considered one of the “Culling Spells” taught only to upper-echelon mesosphere mages.
– Arcadia Academy records list fewer than ten mages alive who can cast it at its true potency.
– Often used for containment of monsters, high-threat criminals, or battlefield suppression.
Skills & Techniques
VOID SLASH
Type: Sword Technique / Spatial Severance
Tier: Master-Stratosphere/ Gold-tier (Weapon-locked)
User: Eboros, Commander of the Black Knights
Weapon: Nightfall (Legendary Cursed Living Saber)
Casting Method: Physical (Weapon-Activated Technique)
Mana Cost: Very High
Description:
Void Slash is the ultimate technique bound to Nightfall, the cursed black saber wielded by Eboros. Developed and refined over a decade of training, this attack severs space itself in a devastating linear arc. The resulting slash creates a rift of pure darkness—shattering all magical defenses and bypassing most barriers, including those powered by divine light or elemental resistance.
Mechanism:
When executed, the user floods Nightfall with concentrated mana. The blade tears open a dimensional rift as it swings, producing a void-field along its trajectory. This void disintegrates mana constructs, disrupts magical formations, and delivers crushing physical force simultaneously.
Special Traits:
– Ignores standard magical shields (including divine-class barriers)
– Cuts through weak-to-moderate physical obstructions
– Suppresses counter-magic briefly due to its spatial distortion effect
Limitations:
– Requires full synchronization with the weapon Nightfall
– Non-transferable to other weapons or casters
– One of the most mana-draining sword techniques known
– Can only be used by Gold-tier swordsmen with precise control over weapon-channeling
RADIANT VOID SLASH
Type: Sword Technique / Hybrid Elemental (Light + Spatial Severance)
Tier: Mesosphere-tier
User: Fran (aka “The Frantic Sea”)
Weapon: Custom Lightblade (Radiant Saber)
Casting Method: Imitated Technique + Elemental Overlay
Mana Cost: Very High
Description:
Radiant Void Slash is a counter-technique created on the fly by Fran during her duel with Eboros. By mimicking the rhythm and force pattern of Void Slash, Fran infused her radiant blade with light-elemental energy and overlaid it with her spatial-severance control—producing a mirrored but purified variant of the same technique. The resulting slash of radiant destruction overwhelmed the original Void Slash and cleaved through Nightfall’s mana field.
Mechanism:
Fran layered spatial-force trajectories with radiant mana, forming a mirror-cut imbued with divine-light essence. The Radiant Void Slash retains the spatial-tearing properties of its dark counterpart but adds a purifying, burning aftershock—especially lethal to corrupted or cursed weapons like Nightfall.
Special Traits:
– Counters dark-space techniques through opposing elemental polarity
– Inflicts mana dissonance on cursed or unholy objects
– Capable of overpowering legendary-tier weapons in single collision events
Limitations:
– Not a teachable or pre-designed spell—must be constructed mid-battle
– Requires advanced multi-tier mastery (Mesosphere-tier and Platinum-tier sword control)
– Usable only by those capable of manipulating both space and elemental light simultaneously
Key Characters
Master Darian
Title: One of the Five Disciples of Arcadia
Class: Unknown
Affiliation: Arcadia Academy – Inner Faculty
Tier: Mesosphere-tier
Role: Unknown
Age: Appears 27-28 years old
Appearance
A tall, slender man with porcelain-pale skin and immaculate silver hair. His silver-rimmed glasses, enhancing his aristocratic, almost regal poise. His presence feels cold—literally—subtle frost drifting from his cloak when he gathers mana. Moves with silent precision, never wasting a gesture.
Personality
– Controlled, aristocratic tone
– Rarely shows emotion
– Speaks with the quiet authority of someone who knows he is one of the strongest living mages
– Observant, utterly unshakable in crisis
– Acts as the “cool head” among the Five Disciples
Elemental Affinity
Ice (Cryomancy)
Known Spells & Feats
Ice Coffin—Instant-Cast Variant
Darian’s signature spell, he casts Ice Coffin with a single finger-point, forming the crystalline construct instantly without visible chanting or circle formation.
Combat Style
– Prefers precise, instantaneous control spells
– Freezes the battlefield rather than trading blows
– Specializes in containment, neutralization, and wide-area freeze suppression
Master Aiden
Title: One of the Five Disciples of Arcadia
Class: Unknown
Affiliation: Arcadia Academy – Inner Faculty
Tier: Mesosphere-tier
Role: Unknown
Age: Appears 27-28 years old
Appearance
Aiden looks more like a rock vocalist than a traditional archmage.
He has sharp, spiked black hair styled like metal thorns, silver piercings lining one ear, and a black leather jacket that gives him a “stage-scorching punk rocker” vibe.
Personality
Easygoing, irreverent, and casually friendly in speech.
Talks to Ingrid and other mages with a relaxed, almost joking tone that contrasts sharply with the tension of the battlefield.
Known Spells & Feats
Portal
A high-order spatial manipulation spell that allows Aiden to open a dimensional gateway instantly.
Unlike conventional teleportation magic—which typically requires complex multi-layered circles, long chants, or rare catalysts—Aiden conjures a portal with a casual gesture.
Other
Ten Swords of Arcadia
Category: Title System / National Ranking
Type: Elite Swordsmanship Hierarchy
Realm: Arcadia Kingdom
Overview
The Ten Swords of Arcadia is an official and highly prestigious ranking system maintained by the Arcadian royal family to recognize the ten greatest swordsmen within the kingdom. It serves as both a national honor and a political counterweight to the overwhelming influence of Arcadia Academy and the Mage Tower.
While the Grand Magic Tournament crowns rising stars among mages, the Ten Swords defines the pinnacle of martial excellence among warriors.
Note
Eboros, wielder of the cursed saber Nightfall and commander of the now-defunct Black Knights, once held the title of Tenth Sword of Arcadia.
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— Re:Naissance