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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Vine
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In one of the VIP rooms overlooking the arena, three students gathered, each with their own thoughts. Two boys and a girl, all members of the Five Pillars.
“I don’t like this duel.”
The girl, sipping from a crystal glass, expressed her displeasure. She held the glass with an air of elegance, like a figure in a meticulously painted portrait. Her long, perfectly styled golden hair shimmered even in the dimly lit room, contrasting with her displeased expression and dark, fathomless eyes.
She was unusually small for her age, accentuated by the tall stature of the two boys beside her. But her small size wasn’t a disadvantage. She was Shaara Phrygia, heir to the Phrygia family, known as the Golden Phrygia, one of the Five Pillars. Physical attributes were trivial for the future leader of the family that controlled the Empire’s economy. She was clearly dissatisfied with the duel.
“What don’t you like about it?”
Zeke Albion, with his flowing blue hair, asked.
“There’s nothing to gain from this.”
Phrygia had weighed the potential outcomes. As members of the Five Pillars, their fates were intertwined. She was exasperated by the other families’ selfish, impulsive actions.
“If Lemnos wins, it’s just a power struggle between him and Russell. If he loses, it tarnishes the image of the Five Pillars.”
“Lemnos losing? Are you suggesting Lemnos might lose?”
“Don’t twist my words. It’s a no-win situation.”
Albion’s emotional response irritated her. She hadn’t known them long, but their impulsiveness and lack of foresight were tiresome. The Five Pillars were a brand. And they, the heirs, were the face of that brand. They seemed to lack this awareness.
“If he wins, there’s no problem. Lemnos can’t lose.”
“Yeah, if Lemnos wins, everything’s fine, right?”
Nivas Ferda, who had been silent until now, chimed in, fanning the flames. Phrygia disliked both Albion’s emotional outbursts and Ferda’s manipulative whispers.
“That’s why this situation itself is a loss.”
The crackling voice from the loudspeaker echoed through the arena.
-Testing… testing… Let the duel commence. The witness is Nico Praha, Professor of Magical Biology.
A bored-sounding female voice. Formal duels, unlike informal skirmishes, required a witness, a neutral third party to ensure fairness and adherence to the agreed-upon conditions. Nico Praha…? That name sounded familiar…
-The duel will continue until one party is incapacitated or admits defeat.
I’ll remember it later.
The condition was as severe as it could be for students. The only escalation was a duel to the death, which was rarely permitted. Even with this condition, deaths were common, as both parties often refused to yield. A medical team stood ready outside the arena, anticipating a bloody spectacle.
That was why Lemnos brought such a fine sword.
“That’s a fine sword. A family heirloom, perhaps?”
Even a glance revealed that Lemnos’s Flamberge was no ordinary blade. Its wavy, flame-like blade was designed to tear, not cut, making it difficult to counter with conventional techniques. And Lemnos’s Flamberge wasn’t just shaped like a flame, it shimmered, as if burning. I had never seen a steel blade undulate like that.
“A lion hunts a rabbit with all its might. Consider it an honor to be defeated by this blade.”
“You’ll need it to have an excuse after you lose.”
“What?!”
-Take your positions.
Lemnos, his face contorted with rage, assumed the Wolf Stance, ideal for initiating attacks. I adopted the Serpent Stance, my usual low guard.
-Begin!
The moment the signal sounded, Lemnos charged, swinging his Flamberge. The shimmering blade erupted in flames. He had infused it with aura.
The Flame Blade, as expected.
The burning Flamberge radiated intense heat. Aura imbued with the properties of fire. That was Lemnos’s Flame Blade. The novel’s description hadn’t done it justice. It was truly impressive.
The Flame Blade wasn’t just for show. As an Aura Blade, it couldn’t be blocked by ordinary weapons, and its undulating shape restricted certain grappling techniques. Even against another Aura Blade, its intense heat would drain the opponent’s stamina. And its most potent feature, the searing heat, cauterized wounds instantly, making it incredibly effective against regenerative monsters. Lemnos’s ancestor had slain a regenerating monster with this very blade.
He was fighting me with all his might. His lack of armor wasn’t just about pride. Ordinary armor was useless against an Aura Blade. He clearly assumed I was an Expert, capable of using Aura Blade. He was right, but… there was something else.
“You…!! Why aren’t you using aura?!”
Contrary to his expectations, I hadn’t activated my aura. My longsword remained an ordinary blade. It would snap like a twig against his Flamberge. But I had no intention of using aura.
“Why should I?”
The Flamberge was a formidable weapon, but if it couldn’t connect, it was just a burning stick.
“I’ll use it when you’re worthy.”
“Your arrogance… will be your downfall…!”
The burning Flamberge swung with terrifying force. A direct hit would incapacitate me instantly. But it couldn’t even touch me. I danced around him like a matador, dodging his attacks with ease. His every swing was a potential deathblow, yet my unpredictable movements, shifting between close and long range, left him disoriented. I feinted, exploiting his blind spots, and he fell for it every time. He needed eyes on the back of his head.
“Downfall? You think you can kill me?”
“That’s what I’m saying!”
“Try it. You haven’t landed a single hit, even with me in your range. Why would I need aura?”
“Gah!”
Frustrated by his inability to connect, his attacks grew wilder. The Flame Blade had a time limit. The intense flames consumed his energy.
“Raaaagh!”
I dodged his frantic swings, analyzing his condition. He was exhausted, his family’s secret swordsmanship ineffective, his frustration mounting. His muscles, tense with exertion, created the perfect opening.
Now!
I saw it. I swung my longsword, which had been a mere ornament until now. Lemnos’s eyes widened. He’d never seen anything like this before.
The tip of my sword transformed into a cross. I hadn’t magically altered my weapon. I simply reversed my grip, holding the longsword by the crossguard and pommel. Half-swording. A technique dismissed as a parlor trick by Experts who relied on Aura Blade.
“Wh-what is this?!”
The advantages of this grip…? First, the sturdy crossguard was perfect for grappling. The blade of my reversed longsword struck his hand, and the crossguard locked with the lower part of his Flamberge’s crossguard. The impact loosened his grip momentarily. I yanked.
His Flamberge flew through the air like a fish on a line. Gasps echoed through the arena. A mixture of emotions – confusion, embarrassment, rage – flickered across his face. But it was too late. He had lost his sword.
“Even… so…!”
He recovered quickly, his gaze shifting from his airborne sword to me. He clenched his fists. But the crossguard of my reversed longsword, following through from the disarm, slammed into his head like a mace.
-Crack!
“Gah!”
He stumbled, falling to his side. The second advantage of half-swording: turning a longsword into a bludgeoning weapon. He hadn’t anticipated that.
“A… cheap trick…!”
“But it worked, didn’t it?”
He staggered, disoriented by the blow to his head. I walked over to his discarded Flamberge and nudged it with my foot. His expression darkened.
“This isn’t over, is it?”
I kicked the Flamberge towards him. It spun through the air, landing perfectly before him. My passing skills hadn’t deteriorated.
“What are you planning?!”
He stared at the returned Flamberge, confused. He probably thought I was going to disarm him and win by default. He was surprised I gave it back.
“Why don’t you just admit defeat?”
“Never.”
“Then pick up your sword. Stand up. Fight. The duel isn’t over yet.”
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