Sneaky
This chapter is from hero's party vanguard, Leviaria's POV.
"The tenth match of Intermediate Division is now starting! Great Lancer, player Leviara versus High Paladin, player Almatina!"
"Let's have a good match."
"...Yes, let's."
Ah geez, I can't believe my rotten luck!
Why do I have to go up against the one person I don't wanna fight on my second match!
You know, I was never under an illusion I could win this tournament because there's Neora and his bonkers high Attributes, okay?
But you know, you don't get many chances to fight Adventurers around your level without holding back, so I thought I could have a bit of fun.
In fact, my match against that Swordsmaster called Raunakwesu was quite worthwhile.
His skills in swords covered both offense and defense, he had no obvious opening or weakness, the way he fought with refined swordsmanship was worthy of admiration too.
I had to come up with all kinds of ways to break through, it was so fun.
But this woman, Almatina is different.
I can't afford to have fun fighting. Showing her the slightest opening would be the moment I lost.
I could feel it on my skin, there's something about her that reminds me of the Shining Tiger we fought at the end of our training.
It's not just due to Attributes and Skills. It's like there's something different about her... I can't find the word for it.
To top it off, Neora invited her to join our party the moment he saw her.
It's probably partly because of her strength, but it looked to me like he fell for her on the first sight.
I had never seen Neora looking that bashful before.
This woman is the one person I refuse to lose no matter what.
...Calm down me. Gotta focus on the battle, I don't have the room to think about anything else right now.
She can't possibly be as strong as Neora, I should still have a chance.
Ending it right away like the match earlier might just be my ticket to victory.
"Ready, begin!!"
I retreated back with Quick Step the instant the umpire finished talking.
All while simultaneously sending out Mana Blade Farslash!
I might be taking it too far defensively, but judging from her matches, this should be the correct strategy.
For now, wait-and-see. Now then, how will she react...!?
"Ha!"
"Whaaaaa!!?"
A moment after I sent out the Farslash, Almatina was already right up in my face with her sword held high up.
H-h-h-hold it right there! She's just way too fast!!
I narrowly managed to guard against the first strike, but then she continued with second, and third strikes.
Seems she doesn't show much emotions on her face, she looks nonchalant while swinging her sword at tremendous speed.
I'm giving it my all to block her swings, I can't even afford to use any trickery!
I'm barely able to deal with her slashes with rapid uses of Mana Blade Gale. How come she can swing this fast!
But I'm not so weak to fall by that alone!
"Teei!!"
"!"
I somehow managed to block her slashes without Mana Blade Gale and dealt her a strong impact with Piercing Spear Arts Skill Ability, [Counter Mana Blade].
She lost her balance, a chance!
"I got youuu!!"
"...[Explosion]."
"!?"
A felt a chill down my spine when she pointed a finger on her swordless hand my way.
I reflexively stepped aside with Quick Step as an explosion engulfed the spot I was at.
Was that an Intermediate Offensive Magic? Is this the specialty of High Paladin?
"...I see. You're just like Neora, you can use both weapon arts and magic spells. It's as if you're Hero."
"Neora can use both?"
"Yep. He's wholly unlike the so called failed job, Apprentice Paladin, mind. Of course that goes for you too."
"Really... Then, can he do this?"
"...Wha?"
Flame suddenly gushed out of the sword Almatina was holding.
The flame is in the shape of the blade itself. It's so pretty I would have stared at it in amazement if we weren't currently in a match.
A fusion of sword and magic? Not even Neora who knows all sorts of Skills can do that...!
"Chat time is over. Let's resume the match."
"Kuh...!"
Our spear and sword collided once again.
She's swinging her sword far slower than before. I thought this would make it easier but I was wrong.
"Heavy...!? A-and, hot...!"
Her Offensive Attributes have clearly gone up...!
The impact feels like I'm hitting a great hammer every time our weapons clash.
Not to mention the heat is making my spear too hot to hold comfortably.
This can't, go on...!
...There's no choice, I have to reveal my trump card.
"Ha!"
"Hmph!"
I dodged and pole vaulted with my spear, jumping high.
I kicked the air with Air Step and lunged down aiming at Almatina's head.
As predicted, she used Quick Step to back away.
Thank goodness, she went pretty far away.
"[Grave Lance]!!"
I activated my Master Skill as I stabbed my spear on the ground!
By stabbing the ground with my spear, this move produces countless spears of mana from the ground up.
It's tricky to use as it could drill holes on myself if my opponent was too close but it's the perfect ambushing move as it's very hard to predict its coming.
She can't possibly dodge if I match the attack timing just as she came out of Quick Step!
...Or so it should have been.
"That was close. I'd have been full of holes if I didn't combine Quick Step and Ground Shrink."
"How come you could dodge that...!?"
She accurately saw where Grave Lance would come out of the ground as if she knew beforehand.
How did she do that when this attack has virtually no signs...!?
"...I sensed it with search out of habit. And I was trying not to use Mana Control and Search too."
She whispered something, I couldn't quite catch it. What was that about?
...No, this isn't the time for that, I have to think up my next move.
My Master Skill works well on most enemy if I catch them off guard, but if they've seen it even once, it's easy to dodge by simply going out of range or coming close to me.
"I can't let this go on for long. This, ends it."
"Eh? ...W, what are, those..."
Flaming orbs, water balls, icicles, stone bullets and offensive spell-looking objects like light balls and black tentacles manifested all around Almatina.
Casting multiple Offensive Magic Spells at once...!? Not even, Neora or Olivie are capable of such things...!
There's no way I can dodge or block those all.
It's so, unreasonable.
So, unfair.
So, so, sneaky....!!
"An opening."
"Eh."
The world in my eyes overturned while I was dumbfounded by the sight.
The last thing I saw was Almatina's back... and someone's headless body.
Ah, isn't that, my--
"Player Leviara, death and revival confirmed! Winner, player Almatina!!"
My defeat finally dawned on me once the umpire's word reached my ears.
<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka .com >
"Uuuuuuuu~~~~~~~~!!!"
"...Don't cry now, Levia. You fought very well, you almost made it."
Neora is patting my head as I cry and groan in frustration.
...It's mortifying. Frustrating, embarrassing, unbecoming...!!
I thought I had gotten stronger after overcoming all that agonizing and painful training.
I couldn't even make a dent. I was no match at all. I failed to even land a hit...!!
She's better than me in close combat battle and ambush tactic. Then there's her magic that are almost as good as Olivie and Neora. No, multi casting spells might mean she's even better than them...
I can't win on anything. There's nothing at all I'm better at compared to Almatina...!
"I'm probably gonna face her in the final. Oh man, she's really strong."
"...Why don't you invite her to join our party again? She's much more useful than someone like me."
...I sulked and ended up venting my anger at Neora who whispered his admiration of Almatina.
As the loser, I can't stand hearing him praise her... I'm so spiteful.
"I won't. They've got their reasons and circumstances after all... And besides, if I had to choose between Alma or Levia, I wouldn't hesitate to pick you every time."
"...Eh."
"Your strength isn't about your individual prowess. No, it's how good you are at coordinating with others while having a good grasp of the entire battlefield. I don't think you're less than Alma just because you lost to her in a one-on-one."
This guy...!
He's always playing around and almost never praise me like this. Why now...!
He's sneaky, not in Almatina's way, just sneaky!
"...Thank you, Neora... Then which is cuter, me or Almatina?"
"Eh...?"
"Say it."
"Ah, sorry I have another match coming up, talk to you later hahaha."
"You stop right there!!"
I knew it! He's the worst! Lecher!
Just you wait, Almatina! I'm going to become even stronger and prettier than you!!
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