Chapter 178
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Volume 2 + Chapter 178: Breakthrough Achieved
Two sword lights intertwined, releasing a powerful shockwave.
Clang!
One iron sword was knocked into the air, spinning mid-flight before crashing to the ground.
It was—
Atiya’s weapon.
As Atiya’s sword fell, the dark space around them seemed to reach its limit. Cracks began to form, and then, like glass shattering, the space broke apart. Normal sunlight poured down, bathing Xia Yi in its glow.
This meant that Xia Yi’s strike just now had reached Tier 4.
Atiya blinked and stared at Xia Yi, still finding it hard to believe.
How had the princess broken through to Tier 4 just by taking a nap?
Still, from the bottom of her heart, she was truly happy for Xia Yi.
“Princess, congratulations,” Atiya said. “You’ve surpassed me. Your power has reached Tier 4. Without that level of strength, it would have been impossible to break through that space.”
“Eh? Really?!”
Xia Yi seemed to only just realize it. Looking around at the scene, she was thrilled.
She hadn’t been thinking about such things when she struck. She’d only been focused on going faster, hitting harder—defeating Atiya.
“I actually won!”
“Your potential is unbelievable, Princess,” Atiya said with a laugh. “If we had stayed in there any longer, we might’ve starved to death!”
She said such terrifying words in such a casual tone.
It was truly reckless.
If Xia Yi had lost confidence under Atiya’s pressure and given up, they both might have perished in there.
After all, Atiya had sealed her own strength—just enough to keep her below the threshold needed to break the space.
“Looks like my method worked great!” Atiya began claiming credit. “Burning the boats, forcing out your hidden potential! Her Majesty was right—just give you a little pressure, and you get fired up!”
“You really have the nerve to say that…”
Xia Yi sighed.
She nearly died because of Atiya.
This “big genius” was terrifyingly dangerous—Xia Yi now had a much clearer understanding of that.
Still, the battle just now had stirred something inside her. The soul of a swordswoman had been ignited.
“Atiya! Come on, let’s go again!!”
“Go again? Do what?”
“Fight, of course! Now that we’re out of that space, your self-imposed strength seal is gone. You’re a much stronger swordswoman now, which makes it even more worthwhile to challenge you!!” Xia Yi said with fiery excitement. “Let’s pour everything we’ve got into our swords and clash in an intense showdown! Isn’t that thrilling!?”
“Huh? Is it?” Atiya scratched her head. “Princess, your reaction’s a bit exaggerated… Honestly, I don’t really think that way.”
“What?!”
Xia Yi was stunned.
Challenging stronger opponents, pushing beyond your limits—wasn’t that the common desire of all swordsmen?
Wasn’t Atiya the same?
“I don’t believe you! You must be lying. You’re definitely excited right now!”
“Nope,” Atiya shifted gears. “Princess, have you heard my nickname?”
Xia Yi paused to think.
Atiya’s nickname…
“…‘Big Genius’?”
“Mmhm, I am very smart! But that’s not the one I meant.”
“…‘Static Beauty’?”
“Ehehe~ So the princess thinks I’m pretty? I’m a little embarrassed~ But I mean my combat nickname.”
Xia Yi fell silent.
She really hadn’t heard of it.
“Heh! Watch closely, Princess!!”
Atiya stomped the ground hard, channeling her strength and sending out a tremor.
Weapons scattered across the ground shot into the air, surrounding her in a ring of floating blades.
Swords, axes, staves, hammers, spears…
“Master of a Hundred Weapons!”
Atiya proudly declared.
To demonstrate, she casually grabbed a long spear and slammed it into the ground.
A shockwave tore through the floor, splitting the ground and cutting straight through the palace corridor beside Xia Yi.
“Waaaah—crap! I got carried away!!” Atiya’s face twisted with panic. “They’re gonna dock my pay! I’m gonna get thrown into confinement!”
Xia Yi turned and looked at the corridor—now reduced to rubble.
That single attack, even without considering the power behind it, was more refined than any sword technique. It was absolutely a master-level skill.
Xia Yi finally understood why Atiya had said what she did earlier.
Because Atiya wasn’t just talented in swordsmanship. She was a genius in combat itself—swordsmanship was just one of the many weapons she had mastered.
She probably picked up swordsmanship first, then moved on to study the rest.
Naturally, she didn’t obsess over swordsmanship like Xia Yi did, who constantly pushed to improve.
Yet even the techniques Atiya claimed to be “tired of” were beyond what most people could reach in a lifetime.
To become a member of the royal maid corps, you really had to be something special.
…Too bad Atiya’s still a total goofball~
—
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty! I broke a palace corridor in the dragon castle…!”
Atiya stood before Queen Xia Lulu, bowing in apology.
Xia Lulu had her legs elegantly crossed in black silk stockings, sipping red tea brewed by Lucia.
“You didn’t do so bad, Atiya,” Xia Lulu said with satisfaction. “You managed to draw out Xia Yi’s potential and helped her break through to Tier 4. If I left her to her own devices, who knows how long she’d have slacked off?”
“But still…”
“Well, you did mess up at the end, but considering your major accomplishment, we’ll overlook it this time. I’ll give you three days of special leave. As for the cost of repairing the palace corridor, we’ll take it out of my daughter’s allowance,” Xia Lulu smiled. “She still owes me for tricking Aili and making her take the blame last time.”
“No confinement and I get a vacation?! Thank you, Your Majesty!!” Atiya beamed with joy.
“All right, Atiya. Go rest.”
“As you command, Your Majesty! Next time there’s a mission like this, please call on me again! I’ll gladly go through hell and high water!” After saluting, Atiya cheerfully left.
Xia Lulu took a sip of tea, smiling. “Lucia, your tea is quite nice.”
“Thank you for your praise, Your Majesty.”
“Xia Yi is now at Tier 4. With the holy sword in hand, she can now handle quite a few situations,” Xia Lulu said.
“Do you intend to have the princess undertake something soon?” Lucia asked.
The still tea reflected the face of a silver-haired dragon girl. Her silver eyes held a trace of complex emotion.
“…Yes. I want Xia Yi to go out into the world—alone.”
