The sword broke.
But neither I nor Ludwig were flustered. As if he had known it would happen, Ludwig attempted to strike my head with the shattered sword's pommel.
"Ugh!"
Magic Body Strengthening.
I'll take the hit.
While allowing my head to be hit, I aimed a punch at Ludwig's abdomen.
-Crack!
-Thump!
"Ack!"
"Ugh!"
Ludwig, who had been struck in the abdomen, rolled on the ground several times before getting back up. Both of our weapons were broken, and there was no time to rearm ourselves.
Both Ludwig and I threw away our broken swords.
As Ludwig charged at me, I knew I had to finish this quickly since maintaining my Magic Body Strengthening for a long time would make the next set more difficult.
As Ludwig got up, I charged at him, aiming for a tackle.
After taking him down with a tackle, I went for a ground-and-pound.
That was my plan at this moment.
-Thud!
Ludwig fell to the ground, covering me in the process.
This moment should have been the end.
But just as I thought that, he grabbed my waist and flipped me over.
Magic Body Strengthening provides defense, but it doesn't increase body weight.
-Thud!
I lost my balance and flew backward in an instant.
This guy's insane.
His strength is already beyond that of a normal person, even without Magic Body Strengthening.
He's an even bigger monster than me.
My endurance is unstable.
Although my physical strength might be lacking, my endurance surpasses Ludwig's.
I don't know what kind of change has occurred in his body, but I can't face him without Self-Suggestion and Magic Body Strengthening.
I will win.
I never thought I'd stand as a rival, but since I've already stepped up, I can't back down easily.
Just like Ellen's existence was the driving force for Ludwig's growth in the original story.
I am the driving force that makes Ludwig stronger just by existing.
Moreover, since I started from the very bottom, I even stimulate Ludwig's faint jealousy and feelings of inferiority.
The stronger I become, the faster Ludwig's strength grows.
I can't lose to you.
I must remain a wall above you so that you can grow even stronger.
The protagonist must be strong.
Someday you'll be stronger than me, but for now, I must be stronger than you.
That's what it means to be a rival.
That's why I can't lose.
I seriously face him now, the guy I've always avoided due to our complicated relationship.
He considers me a serious rival, so I have no choice but to respond in kind.
In the end, the one who wins the last battle is the true winner.
You must lose to me now.
I'll concede the final victory, but until then, you must keep losing to me.
In order to do that, I think I can't lose, and I believe I won't lose.
"You can't beat me."
I declare that I will never be defeated.
"Ugh!"
As I charged at Ludwig and threw a punch, he dodged my arm with a simple gesture and tried to take me down by grabbing my arm and flipping me over.
However, as he pulled with his strength, I drove my knee up into Ludwig's chin.
-Smack!
"Kuk!"
Ludwig, who took a direct hit to the chin with my knee, fell over.
It's normal for one's consciousness to fly away, but Ludwig rolled a few times and got up.
He wasn't unscathed, as I could see crimson blood flowing from his gums.
He showed no sign of pain. I had to admit, he had incredible perseverance. Of course, in this situation, pain would be relatively less felt.
I cannot lose.
My goal in this tournament, which I initially entered to accumulate achievement points, has changed due to unexpected variables.
Scarlett and Ludwig, who were once just competitors, each symbolized me in different ways.
I thought we had no connection, but as a result of my actions so far, they both regarded me similarly, albeit in different ways.
Scarlett idolized me.
Ludwig saw me as a wall he wanted to overcome but felt he could never catch up to.
So, I will win overwhelmingly.
In order for that peculiar fellow, who wants to jump over walls he cannot climb, to grow, I have to do that.
So, show me.
Ludwig, his lips stained with crimson blood, charged at me.
I've created a world where the world is on your side, but I still have much more.
Self-Suggestion.
Magic Body Strengthening.
And my keen senses.
And having Ellen as my training partner.
In every aspect, Ludwig cannot catch up to me.
So, I'll crush him.
At this moment, my greatest weapon is not Magic Body Strengthening or Supernatural abilities, but my keen senses.
I read him with my senses.
Charging means shifting your center of gravity forward.
The important thing is timing.
If I can read at which step he will attack and how he will attack, I can counter it.
It's important to determine which foot he's putting pressure on, but even more crucial to watch his shoulders. By observing the shoulders, one can predict arm movements. A skilled fighter can punch without moving their shoulders, but neither Ludwig nor I are at that level.
If the waist moves instead of the arm, one can guess that a kick will be used for the attack.
The movements using a sword are ultimately not much different. All actions have a starting point, and it always originates from the body.
Ludwig's right shoulder pulls back as he charges.
His right shoulder retracting slightly means that his right arm will soon extend toward me.
In that case, he intends to plant his left foot and thrust his right fist into my face.
It was all too clear.
There are many ways to counter.
I could deflect his right fist and strike deep into Ludwig's face with my left fist, or I could use the momentum of his incoming right arm as a weapon to strike him down.
Once I read the incoming attack, the outcome is as good as decided.
I didn't dodge or block his attack.
Before Ludwig could even take a step forward and assume his attack stance, I lunged forward.
As Ludwig's left foot hit the ground, I knew he would pivot on it and move his right shoulder.
So, I struck one step ahead of him.
Just before the attack began.
-Thunk!
I kicked his left leg out just before it touched the ground.
"Ugh!"
As a result, it seemed as if he had charged me only to be kicked away.
The damage was greater since he hadn't anticipated this.
Ludwig couldn't get up this time as he rolled on the ground. My counter had been perfect, incorporating both Magic Body Strengthening and Self-Suggestion.
It would be strange if he could get up.
-First set! Due to the judgment of Ludwig's combat incapability, Reinhardt wins by default!
Ludwig couldn't even get up.
"Ugh...."
As the priests rushed over for healing, Ludwig looked up at me, still on the ground.
His gaze was like he was looking at an incomprehensible being.
In fact, I had knocked him down with just one accurate blow after seeing him charge.
I had read him perfectly. Whatever he does next, I'll read that too.
How could he possibly beat an opponent like me?
That was the expression on his face.
My characteristic, intuition, provided an excessive advantage. I smiled, wondering if it was because of the power I had gained through experiencing the most dangerous events in my life.
"I told you, you can't win."
"..."
Not yet.
I swallowed my next words.
It felt like I had become a villain.
No, I really am a villain. I am the Demon King, and Ludwig is the second hero of humanity after Ragan Artorius.
The hero who always loses to the Demon King.
But isn't he destined to catch up to the Demon King and bring justice one day?
It seemed like this overly perfect picture foretold my eventual downfall.
After receiving healing from the priests, Ludwig stood up.
"Let's do it again, Reinhardt."
His expression questioned whether he should make such an incomprehensible rival, but Ludwig didn't give up.
"There won't be much difference."
"Still, we won't know unless we try."
He'll keep getting back up no matter how many times he falls.
He won't give up and will keep clashing against the odds.
I've always been the egg that breaks the rock, but he's the one who keeps throwing eggs until the rock breaks.
I don't think I'm superior to Ludwig.
A person who has never been broken, and a person who gets back up after being broken hundreds or thousands of times.
Ludwig will be much more magnificent than someone like me.
But greatness alone can't buy victory.
Right now, I am stronger, and Ludwig cannot overcome this gap.
The set score is 1:0! Reinhardt takes the first set! Now, the 1st-year tournament finals, set 2, is starting right away!
Woahhh!
In just two days, Ludwig and I had become accustomed to the cheering crowd as we received our replenished weapons.
This time, it's a sword.
What's the difference between a sword and a fist?
There were no more surprises in this already eventful 1st-year tournament.
I took an overwhelming victory in two consecutive sets.
Thus, I won.
I may be inferior to most close-combat major students in technical aspects, but I had the upper hand against Ludwig.
So, no matter how much his physical abilities increased, I was ahead with my Magic Body Strengthening, and his movements were easy to read.
From the beginning, it didn't make sense for me to give up even one set. Ludwig's only chance of victory was if I exhausted myself from overusing Magic Body Strengthening, but that didn't happen.
With my victory in the finals, the 1st and 2nd places were determined, and the matches for 3rd and 4th place between Scarlett and Grayden Amorel followed.
The result was Grayden Amorel's victory.
Thus, the 1st-year tournament came to a close.
I never thought I'd have a moment where I held a trophy like this in my life.
[Achievement Unlocked - 1st-Year Tournament Champion]
[You have gained 10,000 achievement points.]
This was the first time I scored so many points at once.
People sent me their cheers.
"Will I be able to catch up to you?"
Ludwig, who was utterly defeated, didn't seem desperate, but he seemed to have such doubts.
"You know what I'm supposed to say, right?"
"...Yeah."
Ludwig smiled at me.
"I should believe that I can catch up, right?"
"No."
I crossed my arms while holding the championship trophy.
"It's not about believing, you should think it's obvious that you will."
"Ah, right. That's how it is?"
Somehow.
It felt like the protagonist entered my Self-Suggestion school. Ludwig, holding the 2nd place trophy, said,
"I can catch up to you, Reinhardt."
"I keep telling you, it's impossible."
It's a strange religion where I don't agree with the future you've set, even though you tell me to believe it as truth.
We each believe in the future we've determined.
In the end, Ludwig and I had different foundations, but we both had similar powers.
Some strange things happened while trying to earn achievement points, but my plan didn't go too far off course.
I won.
From a distance, Ellen watched me.
She said she'd scold me if I didn't win.
But I won.
So, will she praise me now?
