The crimson princess

Pov Dia,

I turned to Hakurou, the so-called "Sword Oni," who had once dared to insult my wife and whom I had left teetering between life and death.

Hakurou: "I was that person once, but please don't call me by that name anymore. It's too embarrassing for me."

And he was right. His past behavior reminded me of the heirs of noble families who believe the world belongs to them.

Hakurou: "I also wish to apologize to you, Dia-sama, for my behavior the last time we met. I was full of myself and believed that nothing could touch me."

Dia: "It is not me to whom you should apologize but to my wife, whom you insulted and spat on, degrading her maid's honor."

I looked at him now as if he were nothing but a disgrace. He had made my wife cry, and that was something I could never forgive.

He then went to Rimuru and offered his apologies, and I could see that he truly meant it. This was one of the rare times I had witnessed someone apologize with such genuine sincerity.

Rimuru decided not to hold it against him because we all make mistakes in our youth. She is so compassionate—it's one of the things I love about her.

Hakurou moved toward me, but before he could say anything, I interrupted.

Dia: "My wife may forgive you, but I am not as compassionate as she is. I will not forgive you until you have shown me that all the arrogance you once displayed has completely disappeared."

Hakurou: "Ever since you left me between life and death, I have trained relentlessly to make up for the second chance I was given. I will show you my ultimate technique, and I ask that you try to block it."

It was quite an interesting proposition, so I summoned my imperial claymore, its blade glowing crimson, and positioned myself defensively.

Dia: "If you can defeat me with this attack, I will even allow you to join my peerage and help you achieve transcendence in the art of the sword."

He raised his katana over his head, his stance unwavering, and then pronounced the name of the attack.

Pov General,

Hakurou: "TENSEI!!!"

The blade descended at an incredible speed toward Dia's weapon. She decided not to unleash her full strength but wouldn't underestimate the attack, treating it as anything but ordinary.

When the strike connected with Dia's weapon, a massive surge of aura and lightning erupted from both blades. A deafening explosion sounded before anyone could see what had transpired, as a thick cloud of dust rose into the air.

As the dust began to settle, everyone witnessed something extraordinary.

Dia had managed to block the attack, but with difficulty. One of her knees had already touched the ground, and the second was dangerously close to following.

Her arms trembled as drops of sweat formed on her forehead. She couldn't help but wonder about the true power level behind Hakurou's attack.

Deciding not to reveal her full strength, she let her POD seep out, her eyes turning crimson as vivid memories flooded Hakurou's mind.

Her second knee finally touched the ground, and her back came dangerously close to collapsing onto the floor.

Dia summoned all her willpower to prevent the attack from breaking through, embedding hundreds of reinforcement runes into her weapon to ensure it wouldn't shatter under the sheer force of the strike.

Eventually, Dia realized that the attack was relentless and wouldn't stop. With a swift maneuver, she deflected the blade, narrowly dodging the strike. Though it was one of the greatest humiliations she had ever endured, she still admitted her defeat.

Hakurou: "This attack was designed to be unblockable."

Dia: "I could have blocked it if I went all out, but doing so would have caused far more destruction than I anticipated."