Chapter 98

‘But maintaining the Rune of Water like this… it was surprisingly tiring.’

Normally, even without paying attention, whenever I was in danger, the barrier appeared on its own.

But trying to directly manipulate this barrier—more precisely, this ripple—consumed a considerable amount of my concentration.

No, not just concentration; my stamina was also being drained quite a bit.

‘It feels like someone suddenly strapped on an extremely heavy sandbag.’

Since this was my first time using the Rune of Water in this way, everything felt unfamiliar.

No matter what, I was going to need to practice after today.

But whatever the case, right now I had to keep this duel going.

“Useless tricks…….”

Sara rushed toward me again along with the flames.

Strictly speaking, the flames were slightly faster.

She seemed to intend to send the flames first to draw my gaze and create an opening before swinging her rapier.

It was a very typical movement of the Isrinbloom Ducal Family’s swordsmanship.

But that also meant it was an extremely effective attack that one could hardly avoid.

In the process of dodging those flames, a normal swordsman would inevitably expose an opening.

Had it been me just a few minutes ago, I would’ve struggled a lot to deal with Sara’s attack.

Chwaaaak―!

But not anymore.

I swept away all the flames by swinging the mist-wrapped blade, then blocked Sara’s rapier as well.

“…Even if you do this, the result won’t change.”

“I would’ve agreed with that before. But not anymore.”

“You dare…….”

At that moment, three streaks of flame lunged toward me again.

But blocking this level of attack was no longer difficult.

I pushed Sara back and blocked the flames the same way, then stopped her rapier once more as she tried to thrust at me.

Chwaaak―! Ching―!

“If I can block Lady Sara’s flames, the result can change however much it needs to.”

“…I can’t lose. I absolutely can’t lose here. If I end up losing to you even after using magic… I…….”

“…….”

I couldn’t answer Sara’s words.

Because I knew that if she lost to the player, her family would give her a hard time.

But this wasn’t something I could do anything about, and in the end, Jason—who would stick close to her later—would take care of her mental state.

‘Besides, losing on purpose isn’t exactly easy.’

Among the spectators watching our duel were quite a few people skilled in swordsmanship, Sara included.

If I tried to lose on purpose here, people—Sara included—would definitely notice.

And Sara would certainly be angrier at being given a victory than at losing.

‘Let’s just focus on doing my best to win.’

As soon as I organized my thoughts, Sara attacked me again.

This time, rapid consecutive thrusts with her rapier.

They were fast—very fast—and difficult to predict.

And her rapier was blazing, making her movements all the flashier.

Normally, my concentration would’ve wavered, but I gritted my teeth and focused solely on blocking her attacks.

But she wasn’t attacking only with her rapier.

‘Left shoulder, right waist, and leg.’

Thanks to my Attack Prediction Skill, I knew in advance where the flames would fly.

A moment later, three streaks of flame and Sara’s rapier all flew toward me at the same time.

It was an intimidating attack, as if she intended to finish things with this one strike.

But I gathered water again and used my blade to knock away the flames, and at the same time blocked Sara’s rapier aimed at my torso.

Chwaaaak― Ching―!

‘…How did I block that?’

Even though I was the one who blocked it, for a moment I was surprised at myself for stopping all of those attacks at once.

I could once again feel that I truly was, just like the character in the game, a swordsman who had mastered defensive swordsmanship.

“No way… how… how…….”

If I was shocked by my own movement just now, how much more shocked must the attacker—Sara—be?

Her expression was a mix of disbelief and frustration, unable to accept what had just happened before her eyes.

Then her gaze slowly shifted into something like a loss of reason.

“Don’t mess with me…… Don’t you dare mess with me!”

Sara raised her burning rapier while shouting.

She brought the blade down on me, and I blocked it with the water-coated mist blade.

Ching―!

We pushed against each other’s blades and stared at one another.

“Your defense became sturdier than when we first met, Kyrgram. Much sturdier.”

“…I’ve been through a lot in the meantime.”

I pushed Sara back with that remark and widened the distance.

Sara also stepped back several paces from me.

We took a moment to catch our breaths as we faced each other.

‘I figured out how to deal with those flames. But I still don’t see a way to win.’

Clashing blades with Sara several times made something very clear.

She had made quite a lot of preparations to get me today.

‘She knew I used multiple sword styles, and it seemed she had prepared counters for all of them.’

Isrinbloom swordsmanship and Balmuth swordsmanship.

After crossing blades with Sara, it was clear she was fully prepared to respond to both.

If I attempted a careless attack, I would only reveal an opening and get punished in return.

‘When I pressed her with Luke’s swordsmanship, that was my chance… but she parried it well.’

For now, my defense was still solid enough to continue sparring with Sara.

But that too was reaching its limits.

Continuously invoking the Rune of Water was physically and mentally taxing.

On top of that, because of the burn on my shoulder, it was becoming harder to move my left arm.

‘I’m going to collapse before Sara gets exhausted.’

I needed to find a method quickly.

If I wanted to defeat Sara fast, I had to land a strike she would never expect.

But as I’d said, Sara seemed to have thought through counters to every sword style I used.

So what unexpected strike could I possibly deliver here…?

“…Hm?”

While thinking internally, my eyes suddenly drifted toward the audience seats.

What I saw was Lisa and the blonde Princess sitting beside her.

And next to them, I saw a familiar green-haired person.

Normally, I would’ve brushed them off as people I always saw, but an idea flashed into my mind.

‘…Could it work?’

If it worked, it would definitely allow me to deliver an unexpected blow to Sara.

The problem was whether it was feasible.

It bothered me a bit that recently, using Peregrie’s power, I had only practiced lightning.

I hadn’t practiced creating wind at all…

‘Whatever. Let’s not overthink this. If it succeeds, great. If it fails, then I just lose.’

I decided how to proceed with my next move.

So I waited for Sara to approach first.

At the same time, I slowly drew out the power of Peregrie.

‘Ugh, wait. Doing this might make me collapse first.’

Aura, the Rune of Water, and now Peregrie’s power.

Trying to handle all three forces at once almost caused my body and mind to crumble instantly.

But I somehow held myself together.

‘There’s only one chance. I must succeed in one try.’

I raised my sword and observed Sara.

After blocking her attacks a few times, I roughly understood how she was going to strike.

She was an Isrinbloom swordswoman, yes, but she was still a first-year in the middle of growing.

‘She’ll charge in with flames again this time.’

I waited carefully until Sara initiated the attack.

The moment just before that rapier touched me—that would be my timing.

A moment later, Sara rushed toward me quickly.

As I predicted, her flames and rapier came at me almost at the same moment.

Just before those attacks reached me—

‘…Now.’

I leapt high into the air.

Springing off the ground, I stirred wind beneath me and launched myself to a higher position.

Tuwak―!

“Huh?!”

Sara’s startled voice rose from below.

But I didn’t have time to pay attention.

‘Not high enough.’

At this rate, I might fall right into the flames.

Without even thinking further, my body moved first.

Jason’s “Air Walk.”

A technique that used the Spirit of Wind’s power to lighten the body and create footholds in the air.

Using Peregrie’s unfamiliar wind to do something like that was impossible.

Instead, I generated a strong current of wind beneath my right foot and used that gust as a foothold.

Riding that wind, I jumped even higher and passed over Sara’s head.

“…Tch.”

Even in her surprise, Sara swung her hand and sent flames accurately at me.

I spun once in midair and swung my water-flowing blade.

Chwaaaak―!

With a massive burst of steam, the flames that were about to engulf me vanished.

And at the same time, I gripped the Mistcatcher with both hands and lifted it over my shoulder.

Preparing a powerful strike, I dropped down toward Sara from above.

“Kyah?!”

Sara raised her rapier to block my attack.

But the blow I delivered while falling must have been quite strong, because she staggered from the impact and her stance collapsed.

I didn’t miss that chance.

Holding the sword now with one hand instead of two, I swung at Sara as if dancing.

Her right wrist and left leg were each sliced cleanly.

“Kyaaah!”

Sara screamed, dropped her rapier, and fell to the ground.

I landed and snatched up the rapier she had dropped.

Left hand: the rapier.

Right hand: the Mistcatcher.

I brought both blades close to Sara’s neck.

“Sara.”

“…Shut up. Don’t talk. Don’t say another word.”

“This time, I’ll consider myself the winner.”

“I said shut up!”

Sara shouted with an expression of genuine humiliation.

And it looked like there were faint tears at the corners of her eyes.

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