99 – War 99: Dakia’s Sword(3)
“·····open. Your eyes.”
Swallowing the unpleasant aftertaste, I get my bearing.
Then I see Mi-Jung, who’s waving her hand in front of my eyes.
I’m so annoyed that I pinch both cheeks tightly.
“Are you listening to Transylvania because you’re the same blood ghoul? You’d betray me later.”
“·····Ugh.”
The sense of betrayal is significant.
I am confident that I will never be deceived if anyone else brings a talisman that emits magic.
It happened because it was Mi-Jung.
Because it was Mi-Jung, whom I believed would never betray me.
I didn’t know she’d conspire with Transylvania and attach a sleep talisman·····.
“····· Looked, dangerous. So, Eugene. Hate, getting hurt.”
“You child.”
Roughly stroking Mi Jung’s head, I get up.
Then, as if waiting, Transylvania reaches out to me.
Seeing his face makes me feel an inexplicable frustration.
But I suppress my irritation for a moment, take his hand and stand up.
“You were sleeping as if you’d fainted. It’s a duel in 10 minutes. How’s your body?”
“I’m fully recovered.”
I hate to admit it, but the effects of 10 hours of sleep were tremendous.
The wrist that had been dislocated several times and swelled tremendously, was now completely at rest.
The joints of the body that used to creak now felt as smooth as if oiled.
I had to admit.
A little while ago, I was overdoing it out of stubbornness.
But, if that bastard called a master had properly instructed, I wouldn’t have had to.
“I couldn’t say anything in case I interrupted you, but you seemed quite close to enlightenment. I figured it would be better to rest well, considering training with a weary body would not only have no effect but ruin the duel too.”
“Ha…”
What Tran Sylvia was saying amid all this was ridiculous.
Close to enlightenment?
What a joke.
All throughout, I had been struggling with strikes, ignoring basics, and god knows what.
Having seen Tran Sylvia’s perfectly arranged sword, there was no way I couldn’t feel a strong sense of deprivation.
I probably wouldn’t be able to follow her path.
“I’m serious.”
“Very unlikely.”
Tran Sylvia with her usual lip service.
Regardless of whether I mastered enlightenment, I would still have to duel, which was unchangeable.
I took off my clothes soaked with sweat.
Changed into new ones, wearing one piece of gear at a time.
“I will enter as an initiate.”
“No.”
“Sure–hey?! No?”
Tran Sylvia, with a surprised expression, seemingly expecting herself to enter.
Given that only one person could enter as an initiate, it had been decided from the start who that would be.
Of course, it’s Mijeong.
The only one who could summon the paladin even if she was by my side all the time was Mijeong.
“I can’t believe it…I thought I’d be able to watch enlightenment in action…”
“What are you talking about? You can’t be there because Rex might get too excited. Just wait patiently.”
“That’s a fair reason. I’ll wait here for the result. But, wait. Take this with you.”
“…?”
At that moment, Transilvia untied my waistband and threw me a wooden scabbard.
I gingerly draw the sword from the comfortable and fitting sheath.
A well-forged, gleaming sword.
It was the sword that Transilvia had used.
“This is a sword from Dakia. It might be helpful.”
“It might be a bit uncomfortable for me, who’s used to dual blades.”
“But still, take it. If your sword breaks, you can use this.”
“Well… thank you.”
“Of course you say thanks only now. You should be prostrating in gratitude. Tsk. Kids these days know nothing about manners.”
Leaving behind a grumbling Transilvia,
I depart from the ancient warehouse, headed towards the duel arena.
The duel arena is the eye of the old World Tree.
It’s now nothing more than a decrepit underground cavern.
The entrance of the tunnel that had been closed off my first day here is now open.
The guards subtly bow their heads to me and guide me inside.
As I enter, a slowly brightening light comes into view.
It’s not the light emitted from fireflies, as before.
It’s the artificial light from illumination.
Due to the downward-casting lights from the ceiling, the atmosphere is akin to an underground fight club.
Inside, Mia and Rex, who will judge the duel, are waiting.
Perhaps he has no need for an introducer, Rex is alone.
It likely shows his trust in the priestess of the World Tree.
“I’m sorry. I was late because I overslept.”
The moment I part my lips,
Mia’s gaze, directed at me, is slightly resentful.
Her eyes seem to question if it was necessary to go this far.
I feel sorry for Mia,
But the moment that bastard mentioned Yulia’s name,
I could tolerate it no more.
“If I win in this duel, the next step should be Transilvia opposing me. Having been cowardly enough to put up his apprentice, probably already prepared itself to lose its neck, right?”
Rex’s victory condition is the right to challenge Transylvania.
He seems to desire to fulfill his vengeance against Transylvania, who walked over me.
“My victory condition is simple. Kneel and swear to give up your grudge against the former goddess.”
“How absurd. I accept.”
Rex, acknowledging with a snicker.
His face asserts that there will never be a future where he loses.
You can never imagine.
The power Julia has.
Especially Julia possessing the whole memory of the previous round.
She could literally play with the world’s finance.
And you want to kill that Julia based on a foolish misunderstanding.
You will drive the world into chaos.
I have no choice but to stop you.
“All agreed upon conditions have been confirmed. As it’s time, we will proceed with the duel. Hold the weapon of your choice and face each other. The only weapons you will be able to use are the ones you chose or the ones you take from your opponent.”
There is a final check of the sword at my hip.
One is the one I originally used, a double-edged sword with a large, resplendent magical stone attached.
The other is a single-edged sword I just received from Transylvania.
I probably won’t use the single-edged sword as it might just get in the way…
But keeping it equipped in case of unexpected events.
I face Rex.
“While this is a true duel, you might lose your life, actions intending to take life from those who’ve lost their will to fight or have been incapacitated won’t be permitted. Suspension of the duel and judgement of the victor will be entirely up to the referee. If both parties agree to this, please swear an oath.”
“We take the oath.”
“I swear an oath.”
After completing the oaths in succession.
All preparations for starting the duel are finished.
Mia silently steps back and raises her hand.
Rex and I also keep distance and place our hands on the sword hilt.
Staring at Mia’s moving lips.
After a brief silence.
Mia finally opens her lips.
“Begin!”
“Argh!!!’
Clap.
Almost simultaneously with the applause.
Rex charged in, releasing a resonant yell.
A boomerang, drawn out swiftly from his back, cuts through the air.
The gleaming blade of the boomerang reflects the light, hindering my vision.
At the same time, he is charging towards me, drawing a curved blade from his waist.
Such an obvious scheme.
He plans to strike me where I am off balance while I fend off or dodge the boomerang.
It’s obvious, but it’s also a powerful tactic.
Most of the time, one would know this and yet be unable to counter it.
“What?! The boomerang curved?”
That’s in ‘most cases,’ anyhow.
Rank 5 magic of no attribute, Telekinesis.
From Noble mtl dot com
With a light gesture, the boomerang grazes past my head.
“Ugh!”
Rex, who was charging, gets thrown onto the ground in a moment.
He was running at full speed.
With minimal force, I can pin him to the ground.
‘I can’t beat him with swordsmanship. But, if it comes to overall combat power, I have the upper hand.’
At this moment, not realizing this fact persistently.
If it comes down to a fair sword fight, I’d probably lose.
But of course, I’m not a fool, and there’s no reason for me to face off with someone who swings a sword for a living, just with swordsmanship.
I plan to drain his stamina with telekinesis.
As much conniving and cowardly as possible.
I plan to win by striking his weak points.
“What a vile tactic… erk?!”
Each time he tries to charge, if I subtly apply telekinesis near his ankles.
There, he keeps tripping over himself as demonstrated.
After falling several times, Rex could not make any major movements.
Crouched, he started to approach slowly.
There was a hint of caution in Rex’s gaze, who used to see me as merely a stepping stone toward Thranxilvia.
There was only one thing he was afraid of.
The moment when his actions are constrained by telekinesis.
He would most likely be wary of my sword reaching out.
Of course, that was impossible.
Telekinesis consumed a tremendous amount of concentration, a magic of its own.
I could not wield my sword and cast strong enough telekinesis to constrain Rex’s action at the same time.
‘Rex wouldn’t know that.’
But Rex did not know that fact.
If he did, he would have kept rushing at me.
Because my magic would run out before his stamina did.
But due to the lack of information, Rex had no choice but to be mindful of both my sword and telekinesis at the same time.
If he becomes careful and has many things to consider,
naturally, his stamina consumption will be faster.
“You really have a knack for pissing people off! If you don’t want to have a dog’s death, surrender!”
“I’d surrender, if you also swear not to insult the Maid and not to harm her any longer.”
“I can’t do that. The Maid, the witch of Pattenburg, is one of my targets for revenge that I need to eliminate someday.”
“That’s why you can’t surrender. If we let foolish people like you run wild with their beliefs, the world would go crazy.”
“What did you say?!”
If he has no intention of changing his mind…
I have to beat him up and forcefully make him swear.
Since the oath is made inside the Tree of the World, he could not possibly break it.
If a passerby bum insulted Yulia, I might be a little upset.
But I can’t leave it alone when it’s a high-ranking warrior.
He is a guy who can really kill Yulia if he sets his mind to it…
“Like a disciple of Thranxilvia. Even defending the defeated witch.”
“Think whatever you like.”
I have no intention of persuading him that Yulia is not a blood-thirsty ghoul or a defeated person.
There’s no way he could be persuaded.
I would be content if I could only make him swear not to pounce on Yulia.
…Or kill him here and now.
“Face me fairly!”
Despite my interference by magic.
Rex steps forward, narrowing the gap, thrusting his sword at me.
There’s a hint of relief in his face.
It seems he thinks victory is certain this close.
But that’s an illusion.
How could I lose to someone whose nerves are tense and his stamina somewhat depleted?
“So, so fast?!”
As I open the attack with the zero-manoeuvre of the Dakia style, I take advantage of his weakness.
Rex’s eyes widen in surprise.
But he reacts calmly, falling back.
For now, that is.
“Damn it, stop messing with my mind!”
As I unleash a series of blows.
I use light interference magic to unbalance him.
And thus, Rex is completely on the defensive.
The way of Merida favors aggression over defense.
If he puts all his efforts into defense like this, he effectively forfeits all advantages of Merida’s style.
‘He’s stronger than expected.’
Even considering this, Rex is clearly powerful.
Among the elves, it’s rare to find someone who has honed his body to the extreme.
And he seems cautious, never dropping his guard, which befits a strong one.
The problem, though, is his lack of experience.
He may have plenty of experience against monsters, but when it comes to humans, it seems as if he has only engaged in practice matches.
He lacks the cunning needed in a real fight with real swords.
He did well enough on his own.
If he had gained insight here and used his wit to finish the fight, that would have been perfect.
I’m determined to put an end to this match right here.
“Here, it can’t end here!”
“Let’s finish this now.”
“….?!”
I burrow deep, feigning a move into wrestling.
Then, I transition into fencing, a Prost Style.
Targeting the area near his heart with the tip of my guard.
A technique he couldn’t have anticipated since he presumed I practiced only the Dakia style.
He can’t dodge this.
The match has come to an end.
That’s what I was thinking for a second.
“Until I have avenged all my enemies! I absolutely refuse to kneel!”
Out of nowhere, his body began to glow.
The moment the tip of my guard hits his ribs.
Instead of crushing and breaking his ribs, a harsh impact plows into my body.
“Guh?!”
An explosion ensued.
My body is catapulted and I tumble on the ground.
As I hurriedly raise my body,
A sigh escapes me unknowingly.
Rex’s body is radiating with bright light.
Power, different from earlier, wells up from within him.
It’s clear.
This is the forbidden technique bestowed upon the elves.
Burning longevity as fuel, it’s a demonic power granting colossal strength.
“I put everything on the line for my revenge! What have you wagered?”
“Huh….”
Burning up life every second, measuring up to years.
Tears of blood roll down from Rex’s eyes.
He, is prepared to die here.