86 – The fox prevails in the end

Edelweiss's training under Ishin was unlike anything she'd ever experienced. The grueling days stretched endlessly, with each session pushing her to the brink of her physical and mental limits. Ishin was relentless, forcing her to refine every technique, every strike. Her muscles screamed with exhaustion, her vision blurred from the sheer strain, and her body, though trained for combat, now felt like it was being torn apart. The complex techniques Ishin demanded seemed impossible at first—scooping fish out of the river with the precise arc of her blade, only to follow it up with a lightning-fast second swing to split the fish mid-air. It seems now that the test she had to take was easy mode compared to this hell. Every failure drove her deeper into frustration, but every time she picked herself up, refusing to give in.

“This is beyond what a human should be capable of,” she muttered to herself after a particularly brutal session where she collapsed to the ground, her body trembling, her breathing ragged. But even then, she didn’t back down. She’d spent too long running from her weaknesses. And if this training was the key to saving her world, she’d endure it all, no matter how impossible it seemed.

Ishin, with his calm and collected demeanor, seemed almost indifferent to her struggles. He rarely offered words of encouragement but rather corrections. A sharp eye for flaws in her form, a few sharp words when she let exhaustion dull her blade, and then the cycle would start again. Over time, though, something in Edelweiss shifted. Her body, battered and bruised, began to adapt. Her swings grew sharper, her movements more fluid. The techniques she once thought impossible started to feel almost natural, though still far from perfect.

In the God Realm, far from the harsh training grounds of the past, Anri and Nyarla sat across from one another in a dimly lit chamber. The two goddesses were deep in conversation, their voices sharp with concern and curiosity.

“You really think she’ll make it?” Anri, the Goddess of War, asked as she swirled a goblet in her hand. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly as she gazed into the liquid. “That girl’s spirit is strong, but strength isn’t always enough.”

Nyarla, the Goddess of Chaos, leaned back, her tentacles lazily draped over the armrests. She laughed, her tone laced with a mocking amusement. “Oh, you underestimate her. Chaos doesn’t work in predictable ways, dear Anri. If anyone’s going to pull off the impossible, it’s her. I rather enjoy watching it unfold, don’t you?”

Anri’s expression hardened. “It’s not a matter of enjoyment. If Edelweiss doesn’t succeed, it’s not just her world that will fall. Lady Chronoa’s vision showed us the collapse of the God Realm itself. Chaos might amuse you, but even you can’t want to see that happen.”

Nyarla shrugged nonchalantly, her golden eyes flickering with mischief. “Who’s to say what’ll happen? Maybe a little shake-up is what we need.”

Before the debate could escalate, a soft hum echoed through the chamber. A swirling portal opened in the center of the room, and out stepped Lady Chronoa, her divine form glowing with an ethereal light. She was supporting the battered, unconscious body of Edelweiss, who looked far worse for wear. Her skin was pale, her body covered in cuts, bruises, and the telltale signs of extreme exertion. Her clothes, torn and bloodstained, hung loosely from her frame.

“She’s… alive?” Anri blinked in surprise, setting her goblet aside.

“Barely,” Nyarla remarked, but even she had lost her usual mocking tone, her eyes narrowing as she observed Edelweiss’s condition.

Lady Chronoa gently laid Edelweiss down on a nearby bench, her expression both serene and concerned. “The training was a success,” she said softly, brushing a hand over the unconscious fox-girl’s forehead. “She’s now a fully-fledged swordswoman, but… she paid a high price for it.”

Yuki, who had been sealed in her sword form during the training, suddenly materialized in her human form beside them. The moment her ethereal feet touched the ground, she burst into complaints. “Seriously? You had to put her through that kind of hell? And why didn’t you wake me up earlier? I could’ve—”

“Yuki,” Chronoa’s voice was firm, but kind. “She needed to do this alone. This journey was hers, not yours. You’ve protected her long enough.”

Yuki huffed, crossing her arms as she knelt down beside Edelweiss, gently lifting her head into her lap. “Yeah, well, I could’ve at least done something to soften the blows. Look at her. She’s a wreck!”

Anri, who had been watching the scene unfold with a skeptical eye, stepped forward. “Why didn’t you just use your powers to heal her? Turn back time, restore her body?”

Chronoa shook her head, a small, understanding smile on her lips. “If I turned back time to heal her wounds, all the tension, muscle memory, and progress she made would vanish with it. The training’s effects aren’t just physical. Her body needs to recover naturally, or everything she’s learned will be lost.”

Nyarla smirked, though her usual chaotic energy was subdued. “A smart choice. No point in coddling her now.”

Despite the severity of her injuries, Chronoa’s expression softened with something like affection as she gazed down at Edelweiss. “She has an indomitable spirit, though. Even when Ishin pushed her beyond her limits, she never gave up.”

“Will she be ready?” Anri asked, her tone edged with concern.

Chronoa chuckled softly. “Oh, she’ll be more than ready. She’s stronger than even she knows. And now that the training is complete, she’s capable of wielding the full potential of her swordsmanship.” A playful twinkle danced in the Goddess of Time’s eyes. “Besides, I rather enjoyed her company. She’s… refreshing, isn’t she?”

Yuki, who had been silently fussing over Edelweiss, snorted. “You mean you got attached to her. You like the girl, don’t you?”

Chronoa laughed softly, her ethereal aura shimmering brighter for a moment. “Perhaps I did. But who wouldn’t? She’s brave, stubborn, and has a fire in her that’s hard to find. I wouldn’t mind if she stopped by again sometime.”

Yuki shook her head, still clearly annoyed but resigned. “Yeah, well, next time she’s stopping by, I’m making sure she doesn’t get beat to a pulp.”

The group fell into a brief, companionable silence, watching as Edelweiss breathed slowly, her body beginning its long recovery. Though beaten and broken, there was a sense of accomplishment in the air—a knowledge that she had passed the ultimate test, and emerged on the other side a true swordswoman.

“She’ll be fine,” Chronoa said softly, breaking the silence. “Give her time. She’s earned her place as a warrior, and when she wakes, she’ll be ready for whatever comes next.”

With that, the Goddesses exchanged glances, a quiet understanding passing between them. The road ahead was still perilous, but for now, Edelweiss had taken the first true step toward mastering her own destiny.