Chapter 117: Worthy
A sword with no form.
How could she achieve that?
Yuki’s thoughts raced, but even after several minutes, no clear idea ca to her. She had only a hint, a single thread of guidance.
A sword with no form.
It was as if the very concept of the sword had whispered to her:
"Show your worth."
Show you can grasp it. Show you can understand the aning behind a sword with no form.
But Yuki was not the type to be discouraged. None of Noah’s won were.
They couldn’t afford to be.
Because to stand beside soone like Noah — with his strength and his will — they needed to be just as determined, just as relentless.
What none of them fully realized, though, was that if Noah wanted, he could make all their struggles vanish in an instant. With a re flick of his finger, he could rge all the affinities Sophie was laboring to control. He could help each of them unlock their potential.
But... what would be the point of that?
Where would the satisfaction be?
Noah wanted to see them fight for it. He wanted to give them the choice — the path they wanted to walk, the battles they wanted to overco on their own. Only after that would he step in to help, to lift them higher.
That was his way of respecting them.
That was also the only way they could earn their titles: by pushing themselves, by doing sothing worthy.
Worthy.
And Yuki — she was worthy.
She tilted her head slightly, her pupils still shaped like slender blades, though the glow was slowly fading.
"What is a sword with no form?" she murmured to herself.
"A... formless sword," she said aloud, then laughed softly. "Obviously."
But still... what did it an to be formless?
Adaptability.
To be without form ant to adapt, easily and efficiently, to anything.
"So... if I apply that to a sword... a sword that adapts to anything?"
Any environnt. Any opponent. Any power.
Anything.
Her eyes lit up with realization.
"A sword with no weaknesses. A sword that can face anyone — and always be its best."
But then she frowned.
"How?"
"If my opponent uses fire... do I use water or ice?"
Her frown deepened.
She didn’t have all those affinities.
...Was her understanding of ’formless’ wrong?
No.
Yuki shook her head firmly. "I’m thinking about this the wrong way."
Her mind whirled.
"I’m underestimating my affinity."
I am the sword.
"What’s the essence of a sword?"
"The essence of a sword is to kill. To cut. To sever."
To murder.
"That’s it."
"It doesn’t matter what type of sword it is. Its purpose is the sa."
And at that—
Her eyes went blank.
"I am made to kill," she whispered.
Because she was a sword. A weapon.
So if she wanted to kill, she wasn’t limited. Everything in her environnt, even her opponent’s own power, could beco her weapon.
To do that, she had to beco exactly what she was chasing—
Formless.
She had to beco a water sword against fire. A light sword against darkness. A piercing blade against defenses. A fast blade against speed.
She had to adapt.
Her eyes widened as realization struck.
"Why was I limiting myself?" she murmured.
"My sword can be anything. Fire. Water. Ice. Space. Ti. Heavy. Swift. Loving. Deadly."
"I don’t have the affinity?"
"Fuck that."
She grinned fiercely.
She would draw those affinities, those concepts, into her sword with her sword affinity.
Water sword?
It’s a sword at the end. And sword was her thing.
And the first step—
"I need to shape sothing into a sword."
"Like turning water into a water blade."
She nodded, her determination crystallizing.
"Let’s start with the basics: fire, water, air, earth."
"Then..."
Her eyes glimred.
"I need to feel the intangible — space, ti, emotions — and shape those into swords."
Her katana in front her trembled subtly...as if sensing sothing fascinating!
It sounded impossible.
No — it was impossible.
But if she managed to do it?
What a magnificent feat that would be.
"I should ask Teacher Damon for guidance too," she decided.
And so, Yuki began her training.
A brutal, unforgiving training.
But she was determined.
...
anwhile—
Noah walked calmly, Zara beside him. Hours had passed since they’d begun their journey toward Belzebuth’s territory.
The atmosphere between them was...
Awkward.
Zara refused to speak, and when she did, it was in clipped, one- or two-word answers.
It was maddening.
Not even Noah’s beauty seed to fully work — though it was working, just barely. He caught her sneaking glances at him now and then.
She was intrigued. Surprised by his looks.
But courting a woman with control over emotions? She could just cut off all her feelings — and that was it.
’This can’t go on,’ Noah thought grimly.
He glanced at the sky. It was getting dark. Turning his head, he caught Zara staring — she imdiately snapped her gaze away.
Noah’s lips twitched.
’Girl, just admit I’m handso — would it kill you?’
He sighed inwardly.
"We should find a place to spend the night," he said. "It’s getting dark."
Zara gave a silent nod.
Soon, they found themselves in a cave, just the two of them.
Zara sat across from Noah, radiating disinterest.
But Noah would be a fool to waste this chance.
"Do you have a grudge against Demon Lord Belzebuth?" he asked casually.
Zara flinched slightly, but stayed silent.
Noah sighed. "I don’t know what problem you have with , but if it’s about Neko, I’ve already settled everything."
"I know," Zara muttered.
Even she wasn’t sure why she held onto this resentnt. She’d thought it was because Noah hurt Neko.
But...
She was starting to realize it wasn’t that.
And she didn’t want to go down that line of thought just yet.
"Don’t you think I should at least know what you’re planning?" Noah added lightly. "Otherwise, I might, you know — unintentionally make things harder for you."
His smile was warm — deceptively so.
Zara knew better.
She’d been around Noah enough to know one thing:
He was a blackmailing bastard.
He loved to push, to press just the right buttons, to make you give in. And the most frustrating part?
You couldn’t do anything about it.
He was too subtle, too precise.
And he was right.
She couldn’t afford to have Noah ssing up her plans.
She sighed, resigned.
"What do you want?"
"If you’re trying to add to your little collection of won, forget it."
Zara was no fool. She knew what Noah wanted. But he wouldn’t succeed.
He was a beautiful bastard — but still a bastard.
Noah smiled, not the least bit surprised. He hadn’t even tried to hide his intentions.
"I do want you," he said bluntly.
With soone as guarded as Zara, subtlety wouldn’t work.
"I want your affection."
Zara frowned. "Why? You already have all those girls around you. Why do you want ?"
She didn’t understand. How could soone want more?
And the most baffling part — Noah wasn’t looking at her with lust. He didn’t just want her body.
She’d seen how he treated his won, how they loved him.
"Didn’t I promise you sothing?" Noah asked softly.
Zara tilted her head — then her eyes widened in realization.
Noah smiled.
"Yes. I said I’d teach you love, rember?"
"And I intend to keep that promise."
His smile brightened, dazzling.
His beauty was almost unfair.
And in that mont of weakness, as Zara’s walls cracked just a little, his beauty struck her like an arrow.
’How can a human be this beautiful?’ she wondered, dazed.
But Noah wasn’t finished.
"And as a first step... to teach you love..."
His smile shifted.
Into that signature smirk.
Wide. Devilish.
"Let’s start with the one who made you like this. The one who made you loveless."
A pause.
"Let’s deal with Belzebuth. Together."
—End of Chapter 117—
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