Interlude 1: The 13 Secret Techniques

The timeline rewinds slightly to the day after successfully repelling the Four Heavenly Kings’ Gate Link.

Eleanor Cobaltleaf, a girl with distinctive blue, shoulder-length hair, woke up in her room. As a student at the Royal Academy, she usually lived in the dorms, but due to the exhaustion from yesterday’s battle, she had returned home to recover. Rising slowly, she checked her physical condition. A dull pain surged through her.

“Ugh… As expected, the recoil from using the final secret technique still lingers.”

During her fight with Braze, Eleanor had managed, if only for a moment, to wield her ideal swordsmanship. Considering that achievement, this pain was a small price to pay. (Speaking of ideal swordsmanship…) Her thoughts drifted to a certain boy—the one who inspired her to learn several techniques, including the final secret technique Starlight Sword Dance. That boy was, of course, Klaus Renford.

Her mind replayed the image of him fighting. “Thinking back, Klaus-kun was truly incredible. Even after unleashing that final secret technique, he kept moving without issue…” Not only that, he’d used multiple final techniques in succession. She still had a long way to go to catch up to him. As she pondered this, her stomach growled, reminding her of her hunger. Eleanor left her room and headed to the dining hall.

In the dining hall, an unexpected figure was seated.

“You’re awake, Eleanor,”

“Father…”

It was her father, Alto Cobaltleaf, the commander of the Solstia Kingdom’s Knight Order. Surprised to see him, Eleanor asked, “You’ve returned from your mission?”

“Yes. I heard that while we were away, the Four Heavenly Kings attacked. And you played a role in resolving the situation.”

“I was there, but all I could do was stop the rampaging Earl Braze. Someone else defeated the Four Heavenly Kings.”

“I see…” Alto seemed to ponder her response, then stood slowly, having already finished his meal. As he turned to leave, he added, “I have something for you. After lunch, come to my study.”

“? Yes, understood,” Eleanor replied, nodding despite her curiosity.

◇◆◇

After devouring a meal fit for three, Eleanor headed to her father’s study as instructed. Inside, Alto was waiting, holding a single book.

“Father, is this what you wanted to give me?”

“Yes, this.”

Taking the book, Eleanor’s eyes widened in shock. “This is…! The Secret Manual of the Cobaltleaf Style!?” It was the very manual Alto had promised to pass down to her when the time came. Confused by the timing, she hurriedly asked why. Alto met her gaze with a serious expression.

“I heard about yesterday’s events. You used it against Earl Braze, didn’t you? Our style’s final secret technique—Starlight Sword Dance.”

“—! You knew?”

“Yes. That’s why I decided to give you the manual. Look inside.”

“Y-Yes.”

Still bewildered, Eleanor flipped through the pages. She’d heard from her father that the manual contained the names, forms, and methods to master the style’s secret techniques. She’d only known the names of a few, including Starlight Sword Dance, which is how she recognized it when Klaus used it. Now, she could formally study these techniques with the manual. As she read, moved by the opportunity, she frowned slightly.

“This is…”

The manual listed the names and origins of the final secret techniques, but there were no details on their forms or how to learn them. Instead, it contained instructions like ‘To master this secret technique, conquer this dungeon first’ or ‘Come to the hut at the peak of this mountain range’—tasks seemingly unrelated to the techniques themselves. As if anticipating her confusion, Alto spoke.

“Not what you expected?”

“Yes, this alone doesn’t seem like enough to learn them…”

“To explain why, you first need to understand the origins of the Cobaltleaf Style.”

With that preface, Alto began his explanation.

Long ago, the founder of the Cobaltleaf Style had twelve disciples. To each, he taught a secret technique tailored to their strengths, saying, ‘Refine this technique with your own hands and create one that surpasses my own.’ The disciples trained diligently, and in the founder’s later years, they presented their refined techniques. Thus, the Secret Manual was created—not to detail the techniques themselves but to record the trials each disciple undertook to master them.

Eleanor nodded in understanding. “I see. That’s why it lists trials instead of specific forms.”

“Exactly.”

“But if there were twelve disciples, why are there thirteen final secret techniques?”

“The last one was used solely by the founder—Starlight Sword Dance, the original and most powerful secret technique. Since the founder, no one has mastered it.”

“!” Eleanor’s eyes widened.

Alto continued, his expression unwavering. “I don’t know where you learned it, but since you’ve mastered Starlight Sword Dance, I deemed you worthy of the manual. The trials listed here are grueling, beyond the reach of ordinary skill. Even I only completed one. But you… you might one day master them all.”

“Father…!” Clutching the manual tightly, Eleanor was overwhelmed with emotion. She chose not to mention that, thanks to watching Klaus’s swordsmanship, she felt she could master a few more techniques soon. Eleanor was a perceptive swordswoman, after all. To mask the awkwardness, she glanced back at the manual and noticed something.

(…Hmm, looking closely, one of the trials is located in the Renford territory. Perhaps Klaus stumbled upon it and learned about the Cobaltleaf Style that way.)

She wanted to ask him directly, but her current focus was the array of final secret techniques. (Wait for me, Klaus-kun. I’ll catch up to you in no time!) In her heart, Eleanor made a fierce vow.

And so, before the original story of Altena Fantasia even began, Eleanor set out on the path to becoming the strongest at an even faster pace.