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The martial arts of the Four Seasons each had distinct characteristics.

This was because the weapons they primarily used were all different.

Spring Shield used a shield.

Summer Spear used a spear.

Autumn Bow used a bow.

Winter Sword used a sword.

Since each wielded a different weapon, their development paths also varied greatly.

Some prioritized defense, others offense, or both.

Regardless, the martial arts of the Four Seasons shared a common goal.

To effectively annihilate the enemy.

To push the use of weapons, born for war, to their absolute limits.

– Clang!

Gilbert deflected an iron arrow from the Autumn Bow, which was attempting a perfect long-range snipe through stealth. The mana-infused iron arrow had such destructive power that merely deflecting it caused the iron sword to ring sharply.

The next heir of the Autumn Bow, despite her delicate personality, was a master of sniping with a bow. Once fully matured, she would become a sniper capable of long-range shots without any emotional disturbance.

The arrow she just fired was a perfect snipe, targeting a momentary gap Gilbert had shown. If her opponent hadn’t been Gilbert, she would have caused significant trouble, but she had chosen the wrong target.

Meanwhile, Miyum, the next heir of the Spring Shield, arrived at the stealthy rock formation and targeted the Autumn Bow’s heir. With his shield raised, he charged forward like a tank.

However, the Autumn Bow’s heir showed no panic, striking the shield with her iron bow and quickly creating distance.

While the bow was somewhat vulnerable in close combat, this was only relative to the other heirs of the Four Seasons.

As the spar continued, 20 minutes passed, and the battle descended into chaos.

Gilbert, entangled with Edel, dodged another snipe with a backflip.

Edel seized the opportunity to thrust her iron spear, but Gilbert deflected it with his shoulder armor.

– Screech!

The chilling sound of metal grinding echoed.

Gilbert calmly avoided the attack and briefly assessed the situation. Having done countless insane things for achievements, he was long accustomed to such multi-sided battles.

Of course, the title of the next heir of the Four Seasons wasn’t something earned casually, so he wasn’t overflowing with leisure. However, with his Control Skill Stat maxed out at 100, he had some room to maneuver against the other heirs.

The other heirs also felt this.

They couldn’t deny that Gilbert’s piloting skills were far superior to theirs.

Even when they executed perfect coordinated attacks, Gilbert would effortlessly deflect or dodge them. This gap filled them with both frustration and exhaustion.

“Gilbert!”

Edel, the Summer Spear’s little heir, charged at Gilbert, shouting his name.

It was the Summer Spear’s ultimate technique, “Shooting the Sun.”

A fierce thrust, as if aiming to shoot down the sun, targeted Gilbert’s cockpit.

Not bad.

Gilbert genuinely admired the perfection of the technique.

He hadn’t expected Edel to grow this much, and it was a pleasant surprise.

Just before the spear tip reached the cockpit, Gilbert swung his sword upward.

A golden mana aura surged into the sky.

– Boom!

The clash of the mana-infused iron spear and iron sword sounded like an explosion. Edel had poured her mana to the limit, causing Gilbert’s Colossal Mech to stagger slightly.

But the important thing was that he had blocked the attack without taking damage.

Edel, whose full-power attack had been blocked, turned pale.

She had never imagined that the Summer Spear’s ultimate technique could be so easily countered.

And the result was devastating.

Gilbert wasn’t one to miss an opportunity.

Winter Sword – Icicle

Having been thrust at, Gilbert repaid Edel with a thrust of his own.

The spiraling sword energy tore through the Magic Barrier and immobilized Edel’s Colossal Mech.

Having easily defeated Edel, Gilbert dodged Miyum’s shield charge with a high-speed maneuver.

Following that, a barrage of iron arrows predicted his movement path, but none hit.

“What kind of monster is this?!”

Miyum cursed as he chased Gilbert, but Gilbert had already moved out of his attack range.

– Boom! Boom!

“Damn it! This is insane!”

Miyum switched to defense, raising his shield against the Autumn Bow’s arrow barrage.

Each arrow struck the shield with the force of a Magic Armor.

Miyum poured all his mana into the shield, advancing with mountain-like momentum. The slightest lapse in focus could result in his mech being immobilized.

In the chaos of the arrow barrage, he lost sight of Gilbert for a moment.

This mistake was fatal.

Winter Sword – North Wind

“Damn it!”

A high-speed shift leaving afterimages.

The ultra-fast movement and attack immobilized Miyum.

Defeated by a single mistake, Miyum slammed the controls.

Gilbert Lion Heart. I’ll get you next time!

Miyum had to swallow the bitter taste of defeat.

Now alone, Atalanta, the Autumn Bow’s heir, caught her breath behind the rock formation.

Though this wasn’t her first multi-sided battle, she was more tense than usual.

She had heard that Gilbert, infamous for his recklessness, had changed, but this was extreme.

She hadn’t believed the rumors that he had been hiding his true strength, but experiencing it firsthand, she realized they were true.

No matter the direction or timing of her arrows, he would detect them like a ghost and evade them with minimal, optimal movement.

They were both using the same generic Artificial Spirit, yet his spatial awareness was absurd.

Having always relied on perfect timing for her shots, she now had to reconsider her strategy.

But with all other heirs defeated, her options were limited.

What could a sniper do against a madman who dodged every arrow?

Despite the unfavorable conditions, she remained coldly rational, fiercely brainstorming the best course of action for victory.

Staying in one place was no longer an option.

If close combat broke out, she would be helpless.

Then she noticed Gilbert’s Colossal Mech in a strange stance in the distance.

His right arm was pulled back as if ready to shoot an arrow.

What is he planning?

Unable to resist her curiosity, Atalanta stopped moving.

At that moment.

– Sssssss! Boom!

She thought she saw a golden arrow, and then her Colossal Mech was immobilized.

Before she could even process what had happened, it was over.

Atalanta let out a hollow laugh.

Ah, I really can’t handle this.

She shook her head, opened the cockpit, and stepped out.

Near her Colossal Mech, Gilbert’s iron sword was embedded in the ground, blocked by the mech’s Magic Barrier.

Only then did Atalanta realize what had hit her.

***

[Hidden Route: Peak of the Four Seasons Cleared.]

[The Heir’s Saga is Complete.]

[The Power of the Saga Embodies You.]

[Achievement: The Singer of Sagas has been Updated.]

After immobilizing Atalanta with an icicle, Gilbert smiled contentedly at the translucent window before him.

With this, he had secured the best parts of this exchange meeting.

Though things hadn’t gone exactly as planned, the results were still a great success.

As they say, all roads lead to Rome.

In that sense, Gilbert was very satisfied with this Main Scenario.

After storing his Colossal Mech, Gilbert faced the heirs of the Four Seasons once more.

They each looked at him with different expressions.

Miyum, the Spring Shield’s heir, with resentment.

Edel, the Summer Spear’s heir, with fighting spirit.

Atalanta, the Autumn Bow’s heir, with exhaustion.

Gilbert, indifferent to others’ opinions, brushed off their gazes.

Their recognition wouldn’t bring him better rewards.

“Gilbert Lion Heart. Next time won’t be so easy. So keep that Sigurdian safe. I’ll definitely come for her.”

Miyum, still holding a grudge against Brynhild, left after those words.

Frankly, his current skills were no match for Brynhild.

Even though Brynhild kept losing to Gilbert, she was the Grand Warrior of the Sigurd clan. With mediocre skills, one would only embarrass themselves before her.

“Impressive. Truly astonishing. You’re the first person besides my master to dodge my snipes so easily.”

It was fun.

With those words, Atalanta left with a friendly smile, returning to her master.

Only Edel, the Summer Spear’s heir, remained.

“I admit it. Gilbert, you’re my rival.”

Rival? That’s giving me PTSD.

Gilbert had to manage his expression to avoid frowning.

The word “rival” overlapped with Ian’s words, making it hard to take positively.

Still, solidifying a rival relationship with Edel wasn’t a bad situation.

To her, a rival was akin to a friendly competitor.

If he ever needed her help in the future, she would readily step forward, which Gilbert appreciated.

“I have a lot to say, but my master wants to talk to you. As a lady, I can’t rudely take up your time.”

See you later.

With that, Edel also left.

Now, only Briana, Edel’s master Diara, and some cadets watching the spar remained.

Diara first sought Briana’s permission.

“I’d like to borrow your disciple for a moment.”

“Understood. Gil, come to the office when you’re done.”

Briana left for her office after saying her piece.

The cadets also dispersed after the spar ended.

Camilla, from a distance, tried to convey something to Gilbert with her mouth, but the crowd made it hard to understand.

Thus, only Gilbert and Diara remained in the hangar.

“First, let me thank you. Edel learned a lot from this.”

“You flatter me.”

What is this guy trying to say, beating around the bush like this?

This indirectness was unlike the straightforward Diara.

He was warming up, circling around what he wanted to say.

This puzzled Gilbert.

“Did you have something you wanted to say?”

Unable to contain his curiosity, Gilbert took the initiative.

He signaled for Diara to speak directly.

“Right, this isn’t like me. Let me ask you directly. Gilbert, what are you aiming for?”

What am I aiming for?

Gilbert didn’t understand Diara’s question. It was too abrupt.

Diara, sensing this, coughed a few times.

“I was too abrupt. Even at my age, I’m still impatient.”

“It’s fine.”

“Thank you. What I want to ask isn’t anything special. I’m just curious about what you’re striving for.”

A goal.

In other words, an endpoint.

Gilbert’s goal was, without a doubt, to return to his original world.

People always long for their homeland.

Isn’t that where nostalgia comes from?

Even if that place wasn’t great, it wasn’t all bad memories.

His life, everything he had done, was in that original world.

And his comrades, like family, were buried there.

That alone was reason enough for Gilbert to want to return.

Though he couldn’t tell anyone, his resolve was firm.

“I’m not sure what you mean.”

He couldn’t say his goal was to return to his original world, so he gave a vague answer.

Diara, whether understanding or not, continued in a calm tone.

“Your level. And your top-tier skill in piloting a Colossal Mech. Looking at these two, it’s clear that the next era will be yours. That’s why I’m curious. What are you aiming for?”

Diara seemed determined to hear his answer.

Gilbert pondered, choosing his words carefully before settling on the most neutral response.

“I want to see the end of the sword. Fortunately, I have talent on one side and a master to guide me on the other, so I plan to walk that path.”

“…The end of the sword… Are you planning to become Briana’s companion?”

Companion?

Gilbert felt things were taking a strange turn.

It seemed Diara wasn’t asking about his personal goals.

At first, he thought she was curious about what the next generation’s leader envisioned, but Diara’s gaze was unusual.

It carried a sense of gravitas, as if facing a lifelong rival.

Wait, rival? Diara, to me?

A foreboding thought flashed through Gilbert’s mind.

“Briana has chosen you as her companion on the Path of the Sword. But there can be no companions on the Path of the Blade. You must sense it too. The realm of transcendence has no end. So Briana likely doesn’t see you as a companion.”

Diara’s eyes now seemed ready to shoot lasers.

Gilbert was certain things had gone very wrong.

“But I can’t accept it. You might think I’m being foolish at my age. But what can I say? The heir of the Summer Spear always burns hot. So Gilbert, you are my rival.”

Remember that.

With those final words, Diara left, still gazing intensely at Gilbert.

Gilbert stood dumbfounded until Diara was gone, then let out a disbelieving laugh.

The disciple declares a rivalry, and the master declares a love rival?

It was hard not to think that like master, like disciple.

He lamented how tangled things had become.

 

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