Liberation of The Slaves

Chapter 119 – Spar

— Freed’s POV —

The Voice of the World faded into silence, its final echo lingering in the air like a distant bell. In a secluded clearing deep within the Amazon Forest’s vast embrace, Len and I stood side by side.

“So... spar now?” Len grinned, eyes already sparkling with excitement.

Leaves fluttered down from the sky above, twirling lazily through the air. I watched them fall, soaking in the peace of the moment.

“It’s still raining leaves,” I murmured. “Shouldn’t we just... enjoy this for a bit?”

“That’s exactly why we should spar! Come on! How cool would it be to have our first match with all this leafy drama going on?”

I let out a small sigh. There was no talking her out of it.

“Haa… fine.”

She practically vanished into the house and came back moments later, holding two wooden swords. She tossed one to me with a smirk.

It landed clumsily in my hands. My first time holding a sword felt lighter than I expected, but it buzzed with promise. I couldn’t help but grin.

“By the way… you’ve gotten taller,” she said, looking me up and down with a casual smile.

“Yeah, it’s been two years since you last saw me. I’m not a shrimp anymore.”

Two years ago, I barely reached her chest. But now, my eyes were level with her neck. Not quite eye-to-eye, but close.

She gave me a teasing nod. “Still shorter, though.”

“Tch. Just you wait.”

Maybe by the time I reach the coming of age in three years, my height will match hers.

Tinkle!

Hmn!

Fia and Nyx’s little cheers echoed from within me. I touched my chest with my hand, feeling their excitement, then looking back at Len, my heart picking up pace. I tightened my grip on the wooden sword.

Across from me, Len stood ready, her stance relaxed but sharp, confident.

Leaves kept falling around us, swirling in the air like nature’s applause.

【I’ll count.】

Aza’s voice chimed in, taking on the referee role with an oddly serious tone.

【Three. Two. One.】

【Go!】

The air crackled with tension as Aza’s countdown ended. Leaves swirled around us like confetti thrown by the forest itself, the canopy above whispering in approval. Our eyes locked, and in that heartbeat, everything else faded.

I took the first step.

My body lunged forward, feet sliding into the practiced rhythm of Breeze Footwork. I slashed straight for Len’s chest, a clean, bold strike. But she was already moving. Her sword met mine and the shock of it rattled through my arms.

*Clank*

She danced backward, barely touching the grass as she moved. Her Breeze Footwork was perfectly executed.

I mirrored her movements, trying to keep up, pushing my aura into each step to mimic her precision.

*Clank*

Again, our blades collided. Sparks danced from the wood as though refusing to believe it wasn’t steel.

She countered with a rapid flurry of slashes, each one faster than the last. Her strikes curved and flowed like wind, unpredictable yet graceful.

*Clank!* *Clank!*

I responded with raw power, trying to overwhelm her. My steps thundered into the grass beneath me, muscles coiled with tension. I slashed down, left, right, each move fueled by strength and focus.

But she was always a step ahead.

Len weaved between my strikes, flipping gracefully over my sweeping blows, aura flaring at her feet. Her golden eyes never left mine.

<“Damn it, how is she faster than me when my agility is higher than hers?!”>

Another clash, my arms trembled. Sweat beaded on my brow. Her smirk said it all that she was holding back.

I gritted my teeth, and let my mana surge.

I jumped backward and stretched out my hand. A black, flickering star of hellfire crackled into life in my hand, spinning with malice. I hurled the Elemental Ball magic toward her.

*Boom!*

She leapt sideways, leaves bursting upward in her wake. The magic exploded against the trunk of a tree, shattering bark and igniting the wood with black flame.

*Boom!* *Boom!*

One after another, I launched more. The clearing filled with smoke and heat, trees groaning under the barrage.

But Len was untouchable, ducking, sliding, flipping between explosions. Fire and light danced subtly along her skin as she moved, glowing with elemental grace. She didn’t even use magic.

She charged, sword raised, feet burning with aura.

*Clank!* *Clank!*

I blocked her wild flurry, barely keeping up. Her strikes were unpredictable, her blade screaming through the air. I brought my sword down hard in a wide arc, but she ducked low and retaliated with a strike that grazed my ribs.

“Tch…”

I panted, shaking the sting from my side.

I conjured Elemental Blade. A jagged, spinning star of hellfire burst to life at the tip of my blade and flung forward.

Len’s eyes widened. She flipped back mid-air, barely dodging as the dark star tore through the space she just vacated.

“Hah… You’re serious now,” she murmured with a smile. “Good.”

Then she vanished.

Her aura flared, fire and light exploding from her legs. She streaked across the battlefield in a blur, her presence flickering like sunrays between the leaves. The ground trembled where she stepped.

Fire aura on the right side!

I slashed toward it—

But she wasn’t there.

A feint. Damn!

Her blade struck from the left, then behind, then above. Her strikes came from every angle.

“Ugh!”

I swung defensively, sword flailing to block the next blow. She was everywhere at once, raining down pressure.

But I refused to fall.

I closed my eyes for a moment and felt the aura around me.

Behind!

I spun.

Her eyes widened and caught off guard. But she recovered instantly, eyes narrowing. Her sword blazed with white flame burning pure and bright.

I answered.

My blade roared to life, shrouded in black hellfire, eating the light around it.

And we clashed.

*CLANKKKK!*

A shockwave burst from our swords. Leaves exploded upward. Trees groaned. Light and shadow collided.

But hers was faster.

A final strike slammed into my sword, sending it flying from my grip. My weapon spiraled through the air and slammed into the grass.

Len stood still, her sword at my neck, the heat of her heavenfire tickling my skin.

“Gotcha,” she whispered, her voice soft with affection… but eyes full of pride.

【Stop! Winner, Len!】

Aza’s voice echoed through the clearing, bringing the duel to an end.

“Haaa… Haaa… Haaa…”

I lay sprawled on the grass, chest rising and falling with each labored breath. The fading sun dipped behind a veil of orange clouds, casting a golden hue over the training field. Warm light filtered through the swaying trees, their leaves dancing gently in the wind. Sweat dripped from my chin onto the grass below, the scent of charred wood and scorched leaves still lingering in the air.

Len stood above me, her sword lowering slowly. A soft smile curved her lips as she stepped closer, strands of her silver hair catching the light like threads of silk. Her cheeks were tinged with a faint flush, not from exhaustion, but from the excitement of the battle.

“I lost…” I managed between breaths, my voice hoarse but light.

She chuckled, brushing a few loose strands from her cheek with the back of her hand. “Yeah… but that hellfire of yours is no joke. You’re scary when you’re serious.”

I grinned, teeth showing despite the weariness that gripped every muscle. “And you’re terrifying all the time.”

Len crouched beside me, her eyes glinting playfully.

“You still have a long way to go,” she teased. “That was just ten percent.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Of your peak condition?”

She smirked. “Of what I can do now.”

“Haha…” I let out a short laugh, then groaned. “Damn it.”

In the end, it was Len who emerged victorious. Despite my higher stats, her technique and experience carved through my strength like a knife through parchment. No magic, no tricks, just footwork, aura, and swordsmanship. She was proving that raw stats aren’t everything, and her experience outweighs them.

As my breathing calmed, I turned my gaze toward her. The sunlight framed her face in a soft glow, illuminating her silver lashes and making her golden eyes shine like gems. She didn’t even look tired. A few beads of sweat clung to her temple, only adding to her quiet radiance.

She knelt beside me, relaxed in her shorts and training shirt, the gentle breeze playing with the hem of her clothes. Despite everything, she looked serene, graceful, and beautiful beyond reason.

“Still, for a newbie,” she said brightly, “that was great, darling!”

“You’re more amazing,” I replied, unable to hide the admiration in my voice.

Her lighthearted, genuine praise warmed my heart. We exchanged soft smiles, a quiet bond settling between us like the calm after a storm.

Tinkle!

Hmn!

“Fia and Nyx said both of us were great,” I said with a little giggle.

“Luna and Noir also said they enjoyed the battle.”

The spirits had watched the whole thing, and now they chimed in with their usual cheer. We shared a laugh.

Then Len extended her hand toward me, but I lifted my own slightly and shook my head.

“Sorry,” I murmured, “but let me stay like this a little longer. I want to admire your face from this angle.”

She blinked, her lips parting in amusement. The wind tugged gently at her hair, casting shadows across her soft features. But as expected, it was hard to make her blush.

“Geez… such a spoiled boy,” she said, but her smile grew warm. “It can’t be helped then.”

Without another word, she gracefully lowered herself beside me and guided my head onto her lap. The sudden shift made my breath hitch, her bare thighs, warm and soft beneath my cheek, were far more comfortable than any pillow.

Her hand, delicate and cool, began to stroke my sweat-damp hair with a gentleness that made my eyes flutter closed for a moment.

I opened them again, tilting my head to see her face… but my view was blocked, half of it obscured by the curve of her chest beneath her shirt.

Is this… paradise?

The light behind her cast a halo around her hair, and I had to remind myself to breathe. Len's beauty wasn’t just in her features, it was in her confidence, her strength, and her quiet tenderness. And this moment was mine to savor.

“Hm?” she said with a teasing smirk. “Didn’t you say you wanted to admire my beautiful face? Why are your eyes stuck on my chest instead?”

“You’re the one who presented me with such a view,” I replied without hesitation. “I’m just appreciating your generosity.”

She clicked her tongue and chuckled, clearly entertained. “Really now…”

I laughed too, though the effort made my ribs ache.

“Now, about that footwork and swordsmanship you used earlier…” I trailed off, my curiosity peeking through the haze of fatigue.

“I’ll teach you later,” she whispered. “For now, just enjoy the moment. I can see how much you're enjoying it.”

I couldn’t argue with that.

The sun dipped lower, golden light streaming between the trees, painting the world in amber hues. The battlefield had become a cradle of peace. Leaves drifted lazily to the ground around us, some brushing over my shoulder, others resting on her hair like petals crowning her head.

With a sigh, I let my eyes drift shut. Her fingers in my hair, her warmth against me, the quiet rustle of leaves, everything became still.

Wrapped in her arms and silence, I surrendered to the moment… and then, to sleep, on the soft lap of my princess.