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Even though I haven’t moved a single step since the battle began, I can feel the fatigue building up.
(Crazy……. No matter how I attack, I can only see visions of myself losing……)
It’s been a while since the fight started, but I’m unable to go on the offensive.
Fuuka looks calm, nonchalantly changing her position to respond to the next action I plan to take.
At this rate, I’ll be the one who gets exhausted first…….
But that doesn’t mean that I haven’t gained anything.
Through these exchanges, I was able to learn to some extent about Fuuka’s [Future Sight].
First of all, regarding how far into the future she can see, this is probably around a few seconds. At most probably around ten seconds.
Secondly, the future that Fuuka sees is not a fixed future.
If she could see one final future, she wouldn’t have to bother with dealing with my movements.
Every time I think about changing my actions, Fuuka also changes the way she responds.
If this is just a bluff, I’m screwed anyway, so I’ll just have to make this assumption.
It took a while, but I have all the information I need.
(As I’d thought, this is all I have……)
My strengths are my adaptability and ability to cope with different situations.
I have the confidence to say that in these two areas, I am second to none.
Even compared to the strongest Swordsman, Fuuka.
I can’t use magic.
So all the faculties I usually devote to magic should be allocated to this attack.
No matter how much of the future you can see, Fuuka is still human.
There’s always a limit!
Resolving myself, I close in on Fuuka.
Obviously, since Fuuka can see the future, she will try to adopt the best possible response to my actions.
–The moment I see signs of that happening, I’ll change what I’ll do.
(Feints are meaningless. Move as though you really intend to do so!)
Reaching in at ten metres, I change what I plan to do tens, hundreds of times.
Even surpassing my conscious thought, I move quickly like on instinct.
Entering sword range, the sword I swing while constantly changing–
“Haa…… haa…… haa…… haa……!”
My sword stops just before Fuuka’s neck.
If I hadn’t stopped the sword, the blade would have definitely reached Fuuka.
Fuuka’s eyes remain wide open and she can’t move.
As I had assumed, she had seen so many futures in an instant that she was unable to process the information and was close to being in a state of overload.
“…………Never thought there was such a way. Couldn’t move.”
Fuka mutters with her usual calm tone.
But I can see that she looks like she can’t believe it.
“Ha…… hah……. It’s good I could catch you off guard. Is it okay to call this my win?”
Because I’d worked my head close to my limit, I’m attacked by a feeling of heaviness in my mind, similar to when I activate too much magic.
If I force my head to work any harder, it’ll definitely cause a headache.
“Yeah. If it was serious, I would have died. –I lost.”
With Fuuka’s declaration of surrender, the announcer informs the audience that the match has been settled.
Naturally, many of the spectators weren’t satisfied with either the process or the result, and there was an even greater storm of complaints than before.
It’s not that I don’t get how they feel, but even though we were fighting so seriously, they’re just saying whatever they want…..
Surely it can’t be helped if I wouldn’t have stood a chance in a straight fight.
I was able to win this time because it was a fight with rules.
This kind of fight would be impossible if it wasn’t a martial arts tournament.
The capacity I usually devote to magic was all devoted to getting my sword to reach Fuuka, in normal circumstances that would be too frightening to do.
If I had to face Fuuka outside of this tournament, I would have focused on how quickly I could break away. Though it depends on the situation at the time.
And maybe this approach can be considered a one-time surprise attack.
Next time it will definitely be dealt with.
“……Why weren’t you serious?”
I sheath my sword, and a question comes from Fuuka.
“…..What do you mean?”
Not understanding the intent of Fuuka’s question, I respond to her question with a question of my own.
“Last time you were serious.”
“When was ‘last time’? During the joint subjugation?”
She shakes her head to my question.
Then when?
“Flockhart Trading Company fight. Sharper than usual, your movements.”
Ah, that time?
What Fuuka is referring to when she says “serious” is [Stacking], probably.
“That’s a buff from my original magic. Magic is prohibited, so it can’t be used in this tournament.”
“……? Magic? When you release, you use words with Ki, right?”
Fuuka points out with a tilted head.
’Ki’ again, huh…….
And ‘release’? What’s she talking about?
I can’t understand what Fuuka is trying to say at all.
“……I see. Didn’t understand why you defeated the Black Dragon, but it was actually like that.”
While there was a question mark floating in my mind, she’s come to an understanding all on her own.
“No point telling this Orn, but remember. I am your sword. Even if the world becomes your enemy, I will fight with you.”
……The world becomes my enemy? What’s she saying all of a sudden?
Combined with the fatigue in my head, I can’t grasp the intention behind Fuuka’s statement.
After saying that, Fuuka walks towards the waiting room.
I return to the waiting room, listening to the cheers of the crowd, who had once again been roused by the announcer.
Thus, I advanced to the finals.
Next up will be a fight with Oliver.
I know his moves, just like with Derrick — no, maybe even better, but there’s also things I don’t know, like the ways he’s using [Mana Convergence].
Same as Fuuka, he’s not an easy opponent to beat.
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