ตอน 18: Tournament: 2
AN: Let me just say. If you're one of the types who believe that the MC taking criticism, and not just straight up trying to dominate every human that crosses his path, is him being a wimp, beta, weak-minded, etc. Then please leave this fic. One thing I do enjoy about the original is the personality of Angelica and Livia and their interactions with Leon. They are not afraid to scold him they believe he is wrong, nor are they afraid of arguing. Why? Because they're not his goddamn slaves, I don't know why some of you believe that every romantic relationship has to devolve into the woman being completely submissive to the man's every whim.
With that please enjoy.
…
"I see you had at least some credibility for your involvement. I will not go easy on you." The voice resonated from the light blue armor as Chris and I readied ourselves.
"Yeah, yeah. Hey, so how good are you with the sword?" He was a sword saint candidate and the son of the current sword saint, I bet he had some serious skill.
"My father says I'm weak, but I certainly will not lose to the likes of you." He responded. Great, that didn't give me a reference at all. I'll just take the fact that he is definitely the best in this school into account.
"Christ Fia Arclight versus Noir Fou Stardia."
"Battle begin."
With that, the battle started, but neither of us moved.
This time I planned not to rely on any of my physical abilities.
Unsheathing my sword I took my default stance.
I began moving in closer by just walking. As I moved in I made sure to watch his every move.
He held his sword in his right hand at a horizontal angle.
"Haaaa" He darted forward suddenly. I caught it all and just before he swung his sword I backed out of his range.
'How will you recover.' I wondered as I watched his sword swing past me. I could easily use my raw speed to pierce his armor while he was stuck in motion, but I wouldn't.
His sword stopped mid-air and he rotated it in his hand. 'His control is good.' I noted as he then using the same momentum of his charge slashed vertically at my armor.
This time I sidestepped instead and while his armor passed me by I used my own sword and bisected its left arm.
With that I let it go as it shot further forward away from me before turning back around to face me.
"How?!" Chris panicked.
"Alright, my turn to be on the offensive." With that, I again walked forward readying myself to strike.
When I got within range I brought the sword down in a vertical slash.
Chris didn't dodge and instead attempted to match my slash with his own blade.
'That wouldn't work', this blade was too damn sharp to be stopped.
Not wanting to destroy him just yet, I instead changed the direction mid-swing and went around his sword taking a chunk out of its chest. I always did have a really good reaction time.
I gave him just half a second before I moved into my next strike a piercing attack.
His blade collided against mine as he redirected it and at the same time moved in for an attack. I parried and we both moved back.
…
(With Angelica)
"Do you see that? He's keeping up with the future sword saint."
"That's crazy who is this dude?"
"At least it's not one-sided like the other duel."
Angelica stood in awe at the display. He was actually keeping up with Chris.
Turning toward Livia she noticed that the girl was entranced by the battle, probably because it was a lot less brutal than the first.
"Don't stop now, Stardia," I muttered, my eyes roaming to the sidelines where His Highness stood. His eyes were narrowed as he watched the battle.
Truthfully, my feelings were complicated. I had dedicated my entire life to this man, yet now… did I even love him. No… did I ever even love him?
…
(With Marie)
'COME ON YOU USELESS TSUNDERE TAKE HIM OUT.' Marie was shouting in her mind as she viewed the battle below.
Once again the question of who the hell this mob was plagued her mind endlessly. Was he like her? Or was this world different from the game?
He was ruining everything.
'Did he somehow know? That can't be right?' She started to theorize that he knew how his room was destroyed.
…
(With Noir.)
"I have never heard that you were so skilled with the blade… I must ask who is your teacher." Chris questioned as he breathed heavily.
"Self-taught, now I think we should end this," I responded simply before I got back in my stance.
"I see you're back to your jokes. Very well let us finish this." Chris too got in his stance though it looked awkward with only one arm.
"Prepare yourself, I won't kill you but you will definitely be hurt," I spoke before with a speedy dash I rushed forward.
Chris was just about to scoff when I reached right in front of him.
'You were a lot more tolerable than the other one and for that, I'll only feel kind of bad about this.' With that thought I began slicing him down to size.
First were the legs both of which I cut before he could even react. Next was his arm which he tried to defend with his sword, but ultimately like a hot knife through butter, it was cut in half.
When his armor was completely immobile and on the ground, I broke the glass with the hilt of my blade and grabbed Chris by the collar.
It seemed the fall did a number on him and he was clutching his left arm in pain.
"Winner Stardia." The announcer spoke as Chris no longer had armor to fight.
Well, at least the man walked away still conscious.
...
"The next match is Greg Fou Seberg versus Noir Fou Stardia. Fighters ready."
For the third time, I stood opposite of my opponent.
"Your lucky streak ends here," Greg spoke his confident tone never fading.
"I'm going to take you out in one blow," I told him the future.
I wouldn't waste time on this fight.
"Battle…"
The referee started his hand raised.
"Begin."
*BOOM!*
The impact of my fist on his armor was audible as the entire frame was blasted away mangled and torn in places.
Greg didn't stop until his armor impacted the wall and was embedded deep inside.
…
It took the effort of the prince and his entourage to pull Greg and his armor out. Greg was lucky enough only unconscious. I hit him with nearly the full punching force I could muster with this thing, if he didn't have his armor on he'd be dead.
An intermission was called while that was happening and I met Angelica and Livia in the waiting room.
…
"Noir is amazing," Livia spoke as the two walked up to me who was standing outside my armor munching on some food.
"Aww gee, thanks Livia:" I playfully scratched the back of my head. I could tell part of her wanted to scold me because of my roughness.
I wouldn't take it though, not when I believed myself completely justified. Perhaps she knew that too.
"I knew you were strong, but to this degree is insane," Angelica spoke, and was that a twinge of hope I heard?
"Could it be? Is Lady Angelica only just now believing when I said I'd win?" The girl grew red from my words and coughed to try to regain ground.
"I'm not going to praise you, idiot, I still find your actions suicidal." She yelled with the redness not lessening.
Livia seemed to have her own words to say but before she could we heard footsteps drawing near.
We all simultaneously looked down the hall until the image of a familiar man entered.
"Rukul?" I asked a bit confused. I hadn't spoken to the man since he started to avoid me, why the hell was he here now?
He had the same upbeat grin he always did though I could sense via the sweat trickling down his face that he was nervous.
"Ah hey Noir, what's up buddy."
[Master, he has a bomb. He was sent by the green one to put it on your armor.]
"Hey man, long time no see. What brings you here." I asked in mock high spirits as he continued to approach.
"A friend of yours?" Angelica asked raising an eyebrow. She had never seen me with anyone but Livia.
"Haha, I'm a really big fan of Noir here, his accomplishments as an adventurer are simply astounding." He put a hand behind his head when he finally arrived.
[It's in his left pocket.] Luxion again informed me.
"Is that so? Because I believe I saw you betting on His Highness out there." Angelica spoke with crossed arms.
"Ah well…" Rukul stuttered for an answer before I came up to him and wrapped an arm around his neck.
"Don't be too hard on him, he's not as crazy as me to go against the prince, right buddy," I asked as I shook him in my grip.
"R-right." He nodded taking my words as a way out.
"In fact, I'm sure somewhere on him he has a blue card to support for his friend. He's just that type of guy, right, buddy."
"I doubt it," Angelica said.
"Ehm, Lady Angelica, not nice." Livia scolded how mean she seemed to be to Noir's friend.
"What? I'm sure it's right here and…oh my god, Rukul how could you." I feigned trust before I snuck my hand into his left vest pocket and took out the relatively small bomb.
On it was the crest of the Marmoria family. Seriously? This guy actually just left this on here?
"What? Hey…wait." Rukul stood shocked at what just happened not seeming to comprehend how quickly I moved. He instinctively tried to take it back, but I pushed him back and to the floor.
"That belongs to Jilk's family… I see so that was their game." Angelica spoke staring daggers into Rukul.
"Noir, what, why?" Livia was confused by everything that was happening.
"Well in simple terms, Rukul was here to plant a bomb on my armor," I spoke flatly as I looked at her adorable cute face.
"A bomb?! Why would he do that? I thought you guys were friends." She seemed to be still unable to understand how Nobility worked.
"Jilk probably wanted to exploit Noir's friendship with him to get him close enough to the armor." Angelica theorized as she turned her menacing gaze back to Rukul who was on the ground.
"Wait… I can explain." He tried to argue but was stopped by Angelica.
"Enough, the facts speak for themselves. Now, I'm sure you know the crime for interference in a duel, they are not light." To her words, Rukul paled as he stuttered.
"I promise… I didn't know anything." Right as he said that a projection coming from seemingly nothing appeared on the walls of the room we were in.
"Simply take this bomb and find a way to apply it to Stardia's armor." In the projection, it displayed Jilk and Rukul in a different room.
"We aren't really friends though, how do I get close enough without setting him off." Rukul nervously asked as he took the thing being handed to him.
"That is for you to figure out, you'll do it if you wish to secure a marriage contract, I'll make sure the woman is everything you could ever ask for." Jilk put a hand on his shoulder as he said so, tempting the man like the devil.
"What is this." Rukul in the current panicked.
"Okay, I'll do it." At the same time the him in the projection spoke before the projection cut off.
"Lies… That was a trick." As Rukul said so he stumbled onto his feet and took a few steps backward before fully turning around and sprinting.
"Foolish, he is only delaying the inevitable." Angelica snorted before turning back to Noir.
"It seems you put your trust in the wrong man." She seemed rarely apathetic when she said that.
"Yes, Noir, I'm sorry your friend betrayed you." Livia saddened face as she looked up at me was adorable, they were both strangely gullible.
"It's what you have to expect, a marriage offer with an actual good partner is one hell of an offer." I couldn't blame him fully, though he was still a piece of shit.
"It's okay, I promise not to betray you Noir." Livia with her fist clenched vowed. Even when trying to be serious everything this girl did was just cute.
"The intermission has ended. The next match, Noir Fou Stardia versus Jilk Fia Marmoria will begin shortly. Fighters please make your way to the field." The intercoms announced the end of the intermission and I said bye to the two.
Now then, since the green one made an actual effort to kill me, I'll make sure to leave him half-dead.
…
'Fish thoughts'
"powerstones"
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง