That time I failed as an Author and got reincarnated in Tensura

Chapter 65: Indomptable Will

3rd Pov

On a fresh morning, as the third day of the second week of Tempest's festival started, Dawn found himself in the training ground.

Since the festivities were still ongoing, there were a few to no soldiers here, they were on guards duty and resting after all.

In front of him was Shizue, she was panting and breathing heavily...sword clutched in hand as she tried to get up.

Dawn : You already have excellent technique and basics, but if you really want to learn [Dawn Break], you'll need to learn several other types of sword art.

He spoke in a dry tone, before bursting forward...he swung a wooden sword down toward the helpless girl who did her best to parry it.
There were only 2 rules that Dawn gave her before the training, one is that she couldn't dodge and had to parry each incoming attack and the second one was that there won't be any break until the end.

Shizue : (i feel like each and every part of my body is breaking...)

She could only fathom at how much struggle Hinata had to go through following this training in the past, Dawn was merciless.

He didn't care if you were tired or injured, the training must continue...and for that, he swung another series of slaps.

Each one growing faster and stronger, Shizue could feel her body crumble under the pressure.

Despite her saintly body, she was feeling tired and her mind was on the verge of snapping.

Dawn : You are slowing down !

Sending yet another slash, this time the impact broke Shizue's balance as her knee went nimble...falling down, she gritted her teeth trying to muster any strength she had left.

But her opponent didn't wait for her to recover, Dawn merely brushed off his stance and focused all his strength into his arm...holding the wooden sword with two hands.

He swung down a powerful vertical slash...the sheer strength put in it broke what seemed to be the sound barrier and all Shizue could see as she looked up was...

Shizue : (Death...)

But before it could make contact with her face, the wooden sword stopped brutally...the sudden deceleration from high speed to stop generated a powerful gale.

Shizue's eyes flew among the hair as all the dust behind her dispersed...the sword a inch from her nose, she could feel a light burn who was already healing.

Dawn : At this rate, it will take years for you to learn it.

Shizue : I-i...

Removing his sword, Dawn took some distance as Shizue fell on both hands...she looked down with sweat all over her face.

As she just experienced a brutal way to die...that attack, if it was carried away in a true fight, she would have been disintegrated.

Shizue : (This...this isn't something you can feel when just watching, the leader is even stronger than he seems to be...)

It was a crushing defeat, a simple and hard loss...

Dawn : Are you going to abandon ? You are already strong enough to fight most.

Shizue : No...

But unexpectedly, Shizue slowly got up...her legs were still shaking and her body was in shambles trying to get itself together.

Still, she stood up...there was determination, fear and even anxiousness on her face...

Shizue : You said it will take years...how many to be exact ?