<Now, the only thing left for the Advanced Explorer’s division of the martial arts tournament is the upcoming finals! I think everyone should know the matchup…!>
It’s the fourth day of the martial arts tournament.
As I’m meditating in the waiting room with my eyes closed, I hear the announcer’s voice.
Finally, the finals.
My opponent is Oliver.
He and I were born in the same village, and we have been improving by competing against each other since back then.
When I became an Explorer, the gap in our physical abilities started widening, and by the time we reached the lower layers of the Great Labyrinth, the gap became too big to be filled.
Then, after many twist and turns, I converted to an Enchanter, and still Oliver continued to grow.
In a pure contest of strength, I’m no match for him.
But it’s not like I have been doing nothing myself.
As an Enchanter, I’ve gained a variety of experiences and a bird’s eye view of Oliver’s movements.
I know that guy’s habits better than he does.
What I have to do is no different from what I did with Fuuka.
I’m just going to play to my strengths.
<Everyone, apologies for the wait! The time has come, so let’s call up the two contestants who are going to fight! First up is the leader of the current Hero Party, who has reached the previously untrodden land of the 94th floor in the Southern Great Labyrinth, known as the ‘Sword Saint’! Oliver Cardiff!>
Oliver, with his name called, walks towards the centre of the arena from the opposite end.
Seeing him, the audience cheers loudly.
<His opponent, the one who accomplished the great feat of soloing a Floor Boss, receiving the title of ‘Dragon Slayer’, the Ace of ‘Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit! Orn Doula!>
Next, my name is called, so I similarly head to the centre of the arena from the waiting room.
I can hear cheering from the audience, but the cheering is even louder from the area reserved for the members of “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit”.
This battle isn’t just my own personal fight.
If I can win here, “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit” will be put into a more advantageous position in the future.
For that reason, I absolutely cannot lose.
“It has been a long time, Orn.”
When both of us get in position, Oliver speaks to me.
It’s been a long time since we’ve properly spoken.
When I was kicked out of the party, it was just Oliver, and the day after I defeated the Black Dragon on the 50th floor, it was just me – we were both mostly speaking one-sidedly.
We haven’t had a conversation for more than two months.
For us to not speak to each other like this, it’s probably not an exaggeration to say that it hasn’t happened since we’ve stopped being children.
“Yeah, it’s been a long time. I’ve heard about Daybreak’s service. To get that amount of magic stones for the penalty in less than two months, as expected.”
“……Sarcasm?”
In response to what I say, Oliver says coldly without his face changing.
“Not being sarcastic. I just thought that if it were you guys from before, you’d have taken a longer time. My replacement seems to be pretty good.”
As an active explorer in Tutril, I still have more or less some information about explorers who are active outside of the Great Southern Labyrinth.
I also did a bit of research on Philly Carpenter, the Enchanter who joined the Hero Party as my successor.
However, I couldn’t find any information about her.
Well, Enchanters are rarely newsworthy.
So it’s not strange that there’s no information on her, but the Marquis Forgas is the one who has the final say in the composition of the party.
Would that person allow an unknown Enchanter to join the party?
Now that I think about it, I also feel uncomfortable about this appointment.
“Ah, she is excellent. Her support magic is several levels better than yours.”
“……I see. Then it’s about time to embark on clearing the 94th floor?”
“……To an outsider like you, surely I can’t say anything.”
“That’s true.”
“–Question and answer time is over. Get ready. I’m going to beat you up just like I always have.”
The air around Oliver changes to one prepared for combat as he says that and he readies his sword.
“I know you’re obsessed with clearing the Great Labyrinth. For that purpose, you also can’t lose here. –But I have my own reasons why I can’t lose. I will win today!”
After announcing that, I focus.
I pull my long sword from my left hip and prepare.
<Looks like both contestants are ready. Let the final match begin!>
◇ ◇ ◇
As soon as it starts, we both close in on each other.
Entering range, Oliver swings his sword horizontally.
I receive that attack directly with my long sword.
(Guh, I’d already known, but still, it’s really heavy…..)
Instead of letting the impact transmitted from his sword blow me back, I jump back and take distance.
<Right from the start, Oliver strikes with a flash of his sword! Orn can’t resist and has to distance himself. Will this be decided so soon!?>
The last time Oliver and I had a mock fight with swords was a few years ago.
If I watch his tells, I can understand what he’s going to do, and I can imagine to a certain extent the strength behind his swings from things like the speed of his sword, but I know that after all, actually experiencing it is much different from what I could ever imagine.
I don’t think this attack is that guy being serious, but it’s still huge that I could at least receive that one attack.
“–su!”
After closing the distance again, I swing diagonally down from my shoulder, a stance that is easy to imbue with power.
Oliver, on the other hand, easily takes my attack with a diagonal swing from below.
Being the one swinging downwards, I should have the advantage, but in this position with our swords locked, my sword is the one being pushed up more and more.
Observing the timing, I relax the strength I’m putting into my long sword and turn my body to dodge Oliver’s slash.
With my left hand, I pull out my short sword from my waist and thrust at Oliver’s chest.
The blade is dulled, so it can’t pierce, but if the tip of the blade hits with force, it could cause a fracture or some other injury.
In this situation where recovery magic is unavailable, such an injury would be fatal.
Just before the short sword reaches Oliver’s chest, it’s blocked by something hard.
This is from Oliver’s [Mana Convergence].
Knowing this was going to happen, I jump backwards to get away again without worrying about being blocked.
(With this, I’ve grasped the power of his sword and his skill with [Mana Convergence].)
Regarding his sword, as I’d expected, if it hits me directly, I’d be immediately put in a disadvantageous position.
But it seems that I’m the one with the higher skill level in [Mana Convergence].
Overwriting the past data I had on Oliver with this new data I’d just acquired, I simulate how the fight will go.
“Same as usual, you fight in that hit-and-run style.”
Oliver speaks as the distance opens up.
I’m thankful for this.
“Because I don’t stand a chance in a straight fight.”
I consider a number of potential patterns as I talk to Oliver.
“…………And then? Have you come up with a good strategy?”
“………….”
Is he purposely giving me some time?
He’s composed. –su!?
Right as I thought Oliver was looking down on me, he comes at me with a speed unmatched by anything I’ve ever seen from him so far.
If I hadn’t been used to Oliver’s movements, I wouldn’t have been able to even react.
I quickly catch his strike with my long sword, but my posture is slightly shaken by this attack, sharper and heavier than before.
Without a pause, a golden mass appears in front of me.
“Guh!”
I somehow manage to keep my distance from it, and immediately after that, the golden mass explodes.
（So he’s seen through how I’m going to fight.)
Of course, just as I know his movements and fighting style, Oliver knows mine as well.
He had anticipated that I would be observing him, and deliberately showed himself as weaker than what he’s capable of.
Oliver’s barrage of blows comes at me again.
He’s pushing me back with movements enough to make me think he’s receiving support magic.
<Here comes Oliver’s rush! No one has yet to be able to overcome this barrage, but how about Orn!?>
Because I can recognise Oliver’s next moves from his tells, I can endure this, but if not for that, it’d definitely have been over right here.
◇
“–su!?”
To escape from those continuous blows, I’ve jumped backwards many times to keep my distance, but finally, I’ve been driven to the wall.
<Orn has finally been chased to the wall! Is there nothing more he can do!?>
“With this, you have no more space to escape to. The outcome is decided. Seeing our hometown friendship, if you surrender here, I will let you off. From here on, I will not even give you the reprieve to speak.”
So Oliver’s goal was to drive me to the wall after all.
—-Yeah, I knew that.
When things go your way, you don’t realise you’re being made to move.
Bombardment with [Mana Convergence] isn’t just your speciality, you know.
The mana I had converged in the air above me, I turn towards Oliver.
To prepare for the shockwaves, I create a substitute for a magic barrier by converging mana.
Since magic barriers are also classified as magic, they can’t be used in this battle, but that’s not an issue for me with [Mana Convergence]. Oliver has also used it in that way several times.
With the expansion of my pseudo magic barrier, he looks like he’s realised what I’m trying to do.
Oliver looks up to the sky.
Leaving Oliver’s line of sight, and while keeping that black mass of mana in mid-air, I erase the magic barrier, I charge into Oliver.
Even a surprise attack with [Mana Convergence], Oliver can likely deal with.
That’s why I’m using that surprise attack as a distraction.
Oliver notices me approaching and hurriedly returns his gaze, but it’s too late.
I use all my strength to slash my long sword from the side.
“God, damn…..!”
Oliver’s sword blocks at the very last moment, but I succeed in disrupting his stance.
Following on, I swing my long sword again, this time at Oliver’s back.
Again, Oliver’s sword blocks before it reaches, but I’m able to turn the tables and drive him back to the wall instead.
Then I leap back to gain distance, and next, from the air, mass of black magic in the sky above.
The mass of magic power, adjusted so that Oliver would not die even if it hit him directly, scatters close to him, and the area is enveloped in pitch-black mana.
<An instant reversal! And some black thing has wrapped up Oliver! In this competition, magic is prohibited. This is probably from Orn’s Talent! The Ace of “Night Sky’s Silver Rabbit” does possess a Talent after all!>
I made one decision in this tournament.
For this tournament, I had made one decision.
That other than fighting against those with Talents, I would not use my own Talent.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that with the rules in this tournament, the presence or absence of a Talent can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Abusing [Mana Convergence], I can overwhelm anyone except Oliver, Fuuka and Haruto.
However, the audience weren’t looking for that kind of fight, and I also didn’t want other people to find fault with me after the tournament, so I decided to not use it as much as possible.
Well, if I had been in any situation where I was about to lose, I would have thrown that decision away and used my Talent.
Oliver has the same Talent as me, [Mana Convergence].
If we can fight under the same conditions, I won’t hesitate to use it.
Speaking of which, this attack looked like a direct hit. If it had struck somewhere critical, this would be the end of the battle.
Surrounded by smoke, I don’t know what kind of condition Oliver.
But I don’t think he’s unharmed.
I converge my mana on my blade, cloaking it in black for a follow-up attack while looking out for Oliver’s movements.
The smoke surrounding Oliver suddenly begins to move erratically and violently, and a golden light leaks out from the smoke.
When the smoke finally clears, Oliver appears, bleeding from the forehead and his shoulder heaving.
And in his hand, he’s holding a sword covered with golden mana.
He’s suffered considerable damage, but there’s still light in his eyes.
I sheathe the dagger I’m holding in my left, and ready my long sword, gripping it with both hands.
Oliver likewise holds his sword in a high stance.
The air is tense,
–su!
The both of us swing our swords at the same time.
“”[Heavenly Flash]!!””
Pitch black and golden slashes collide in the middle.
–Sorry, Oliver. I’ve been constantly using [Mana Convergence]. You’ve started being able to use it for defence lately, but your skill with [Mana Convergence] can’t be compared to mine. And when you use it with the same convergence time as me, there’s no way you can win.
The two colours clash against each other, but black starts corroding the other away.
Like the setting of the sun and the coming of night.
And finally, that pitch black swallows all the gold and without waning, swallows even Oliver.
Silence reigns over the entire arena.
Oliver lies unconscious, and I’m the only one standing.
<It’s been decided-!! The winner is Orn Doula!>
The announcer’s voice breaks the silence, and the entire audience cheers in response.
And like this, the martial arts tournament ends with me as the winner.
–