Defeating Katsuhata Emika without using erosion.
It was a kind of pledge to live as ‘NoName’ throwing away the karma of my past life.
My strength, in your world.
Your strength, in my world.
If it had been last year, I might have struggled, but at this point, with my basic stamina sufficiently built up, I felt it wouldn’t be too difficult.
After finishing the update on Cheonghwa Sword, I entered the training arena.
Emika greeted me with a slight smile.
But her eyes weren’t smiling at all.
I returned to the starting position, waiting for the judges’ signal as usual.
After finishing her meditation, Emika opened her eyes and fiddled with her sword.
I too absentmindedly held and released my wand.
Somehow, it didn’t seem like we would go to overtime.
In the last 15 minutes, Emika would surely push me to my limits.
And when the game ended, I hoped she would eventually realize.
‘Because I must be perfect.’
In this world, there aren’t things that are perfect and those that aren’t. Looking back, it’s just that there are only things that seemed like mistakes.
[Prêts?]>
Wooong-
10 seconds until the clash.
I squeezed the Aura Heart to its limits, maximizing the output.
My field of view opened, and my brain began processing more information.
Aura nestled between muscle cells maximized the strength of contraction and relaxation.
Let’s enjoy this last moment.
[Allez!]>
[Casting: Light Speed Amplification]
Paah-
If Light is a magic that emits light, Light Speed Amplification is a magic that adjusts the quantity of already existing light.
The LED lights and spotlights brightly illuminated the stadium.
Against a backdrop that was bright enough to be irritating to the eyes, Emika gripped her sword and adopted a defensive stance.
But I didn’t approach; it was merely to buy time.
[Formation: Barrier Setup]
[Casting: White Out]
Inside the barrier.
White snow piled high on the grass.
The distinction between the ground and sky became difficult, and the sense of space and perspective vanished.
From now on, sight would no longer be a useful basis.
Emika chose rather to close her eyes.
‘That’s a good thought.’
[Casting: Black Aurora]
Whiiing-!
As I cast the spell, a sword strike came flying.
The first attack was a feint, but from the second to the eighth, Emika’s fierce sword rained down on me as if to cut through my body.
Chaechaechaeng-!
But I already grasped the Katsuhata style from last year.
Cautiously stepping backward, I blocked all the falling sword strikes like hail.
[Imperial Palace Swordsmanship 75th Style – Weeding Out]
The technique that cuts off the ankles and restricts movement.
Emika responded by raising her sword vertically.
We confirmed each other’s spirit and meticulously operated the aura spreading through our bodies.
[Katsuhata Style Omote no Tachi (表之太刀) – Kasumi no Tachi (神集之太刀)]
[Imperial Palace Swordsmanship 111th Style – Spinning Cut]
Every time the rapidly rotating sword clashed, it bent clockwise and counterclockwise, creating sharp resonant sounds.
In the center of the training arena, we exchanged dozens of strikes.
Avoiding the muddy ground, we changed positions and exchanged dozens more.
Swish-
Emika showcased the Hakanotachi, piercing the opponent’s chest, which she had demonstrated earlier.
“…!”
But an unexpected ninth move.
She slashed at my right arm with the short sword raised in her left hand.
Pooof-!
Droplets of blood bubbled on the barrier, and a small explosion occurred.
[Katsuhata Style Kugi no Tai (極意小太刀) – Suigetsu no Kodachi (水月之小太刀)]
She made variations in her swordsmanship instead of losing confidence, even having the White Out.
Despite being at a disadvantage, she showed incredible confidence.
However, the National Exchange Tournament followed the one-wand principle.
Holding twin swords meant that the output of her other weapon would weaken.
It wouldn’t be easy to block four circles with just a sword.
[Casting: Ignis Respicio]
[4th Circle Unique Magic: Stellaris Atra Ho – Supernova]
A massive fireball orbited around Emika like a satellite.
While my gaze was distracted, 36 vertices were embedded around her.
The blue light on the 630 line segments became clearer and perfectly filled the surfaces.
Kugugugugung-!
A mana explosion shot up dozens of meters.
Emika’s body, in a defensive stance, floated above the barrier.
I detonated the Respicio magic circle I had prepped in the sky.
Kwaaahh-!
I retrieved the Skiabona and dispelled the barrier.
Emika, with her white robe fluttering, suddenly drew a magic circle with her sword in mid-air.
[Casting: Denko no Yari (電光之槍) – Lightning Spear]
“Ugh!”
Two flashes shot in and kwak pierced the ground.
An ominous electromagnetic field surged.
Flash-!
Lightning struck from the sky, scorching the grass black.
Even after landing, Emika continued her family’s vision magic.
[Casting: Hiryuu no Yari (飛龍之槍) – Flying Dragon Spear]
[Joint Casting: Koryuu no Yari (去龍之槍) – Ocean Dragon Spear]
Two dragons flew as if intertwined with electromagnetic waves.
Just as I tried to counter with Skiabona.
One shot up into the sky, while the other dove down.
And Emika charged in from the center, wielding the Inherited Sword.
A glint flashed in Emika’s eyes.
The following triple casting.
[Casting: Adela]
I felt a sense of crisis as attacks came from three directions.
I felt the temptation to use erosion, but I persevered to the end.
And when Emika’s sword pressure was right in front of me,
Swish-
I performed the Imperial Palace Swordsmanship for the last time.
Since it was the last, there was no turning back.
However, if there’s a reason I had to use it, it would ultimately finish with just one powerful strike.
I sliced down with the Skiabona from above to below, slowly cutting through the air.
Before that, I would tear apart the connection of the three elements.
A dragon that had concealed itself among clouds and shadows sprang forth, opening its jaws.
Dodging the heavenly dragon, I thrust my blade into the head of the earthly dragon.
I ducked Emika’s thrust aimed at my head, reflecting the storm from the sky with my sword.
Chichijijijik-!
[El – Arhen – Psyche – Nelimelo – Rivatlis]
[Casting: Aquilis Superbo]
Kuwaaahhhh-!
I blew up the head of the Thunder Dragon with mana magic.
That left my mana nearly depleted.
If I’m lucky, I might be able to cast a first-circle spell one more time.
I had to rely solely on aura and one sword.
[Imperial Palace Swordsmanship 496th Style – Bonding Blade (結劍)]
In the beginning, an unnamed dancer created the Imperial Palace Swordsmanship that illustrated the laws of the world.
The first emperor of Kaizen was captivated by its perfection and made it the national sword, appointing the dancer as the master of the imperial family.
After the emperor died, the dancer lived ten more years and left this last will.
‘One day when the empire walks the path of decline, I shall die stabbed by the Bonding Blade.’
In fact, it might have been closer to a well-wishing than a curse in her own mind.
Her confidence was expressed in believing that the way to bring down the empire was only through her own created Imperial Palace Swordsmanship.
Certainly, that remark was so ominous that the second emperor sealed the 496th style forever as a secret.
No one knows what her true intent was, but I really like this story.
After all, I stabbed the Airogen Emperor, who led the great war of races, with the Bonding Blade.
I remember it didn’t feel bad to fulfill the oracle with my own hands.
Bonding Blade, First Move.
Shwaaaa-!
I swung my sword from above to the left.
The golden trajectory spun around me.
The following backlash caused Emika to firmly stabilize her sword.
Bonding Blade, Second Move.
[Casting: Momentum Alteration]
Paah-!
Like breaking through a hallway in the emperor’s audience chamber.
With an acceleration magic circle, I leaped directly to in front of Emika.
Thwack-!
I stabbed her in the chest, breaking her center backward.
A beam of light extending from my sword shone brightly even against the dark night sky.
The Demon King’s Horn, which had been draining mana until the very end, gradually dimmed.
Bonding Blade, Third Move.
Tension surfaced in Emika’s eyes.
Her shimmering pupils held the charge of Skiabona.
I infused the flowing mana into the sword.
Her hair wildly whipped about.
Just as the wave of mana calmed…
“Thanks for the fun, Emika.”
A short comment, and with a victorious smile.
I gripped the Skiabona in reverse and struck down in one swift motion.
Wooong-!
A pillar of golden light shot up into the night sky.
The lightning flashed, overwhelming the spotlight before gradually fading into a thin line.
Mana, having lost its owner, sparkled like stardust, swirling around before scattering into fine particles.
‘What a beautiful sight…’
But the result of the duel mattered more.
If I had delivered a finishing strike, but Emika still had a barrier remaining?
I had already crossed a river of no return.
I struggled to lift my head and look at the scoreboard.
[Final Match Match 128]
[Time: 28:51]
[NoName (Republic of Korea)] [25% / 40%]
[Katsuhata Emika (Japan)] [☠7% (Total Destruction) / 38%]
“Haah, I did it…!”
Remaining barriers 25 to 7.
A joy welling up from deep within.
Was it because I relaxed after seeing the results?
Or had I squeezed too much mana and aura?
Thud-
My legs gave way, and I collapsed onto Emika’s stomach.
“Indeed, you’re strong. So strong that it’s almost too much.”
A warm hand gently caressed my back.
She must have been defeated as well, but her mature demeanor made me involuntarily apologize.
“I’m sorry, sis.”
“Phew… It’s okay, you did well. Hehe, congratulations on the win.”
Hearing her trembling voice, I couldn’t help but quickly raise my body.
I took her tear-soaked cheeks in my hands.
Pressing our foreheads together, I opened my mouth.
“I was much happier to have had a sincere duel with you than winning the National Exchange Tournament. No matter what duels I have from now on, none will be as thrilling as the one with you.”
Unmatched talent like I’d never met even in my past life.
Is this the difference between the medieval and modern worlds?
I lavished Emika with all the praise I could muster.
“Then fight only with me from now on.”
“Eheheh.”
With Emika’s mischievous reply, I couldn’t help but laugh.
It was a night brightly lit by the full moon.
