“Haa……..!”
Ray spins around and adding rotational power to his thrust Initeio reaches right down to the bone.
“I failed. I thought I’d found a chink in your defence.”
I flicked my sword but due to his posture, Ray couldn’t fully avoid it. My blade grazed his neck causing fresh blood to scatter.
No, I’m wrong. With his usual cool face, he had dodged all he wanted to. He could have fully avoided it but chose not to.
Initeio draws more blood from my left arm and I swung again drawing blood this time from Ray’s waist.
“You can’t beat me in a contest of endurance.”
“I won’t know unless I try.”
We slash at each other’s bodies again. Compared to our previous matches our wounds increase with each blow.
Meat and bones are cut. That is what Ray is trying on me.
We keep slashing at each other while avoiding any fatal wounds.
Every moment our wounds increase and more of our blood flows but we were laughing.
“As expected Ray. From our last fight I knew this was something we’d have to do again.”
“You too Arnos. I thought you might have exceeded your power from that fight but you hadn’t actually shown your full power.”
There’s no grudge between us and neither of us want honour.
It’s just fun.
Swinging our blades, crossing swords and shedding blood. It was all pleasure for us.
Ray seems to feel respect for my bottomless power that he has never seen the end of no matter how much he pushes me and I am pleased with the frightening talent of Ray who surpasses his old self every moment he fights.
I don’t care about the royal faction, the sword tournament or even Avos Dillheavia. I’m only concerned with dancing brilliantly in this majestic sword fight.
Longer and longer the battle carries on. The audience can no longer speak and watch our battle breathlessly.
Half an hour passes and then an hour we still fight on.
Probably one thing that me and Ray are both hoping for is that this fight goes on forever.
With that said, the end is coming and we both know it.
“……Ku………”
My blow slashes Ray’s right leg causing him to fall to his knees and in exchange, I received a severe wound to my left arm.
“Fumu. I can barely move my arm.”
Ray slowly rises up using his sword as a cane.
“It’s over Ray. I had fun.”
“That’s true. This is the end for me as well.”
Holding our swords we step forward at the same time.
Ray aims at my left arm.
Is he still after that bracelet?
My aim is one thing only.
The moment our swords enter each other’s spaces
“………Ray……….!”
A voice rang out.
Her figure appears at the edge of our vision.
Alongside Misa at the entrance to the centre seats is Ray’s mother Sheila.
“……Arnos……..!!”
In Ray’s hand, Initeio glitters.
I forcibly raise my numb arm to avoid it but the demon sword suddenly changes its direction and cuts my left arm off.
The timing was perfect. Perfect swordsmanship aimed at the gap when my breathing and muscles relaxed after an attack.
My arm flew through the air and Ray stares at it. Was that his aim from the beginning?
“Taking my arm is a huge achievement Ray.”
Ray slashes at the bracelet attached to my severed arm faster than when he was attacking me but I thrust out my sword and Ray immediately blocks it with his sword.
“But this is my win.”
The moment the tip of my sword touches Initeio I strengthen <Adeshin> and push with all my strength.
Just then a huge magic circle emerges from the arena and quickly deploys some type of magic.
This is—?
“……Kaa…….a………”
Initeio breaks in half and my sword pierces Ray’s chest.
“………As expected from Arnos………..This time I thought I’d won……..”
Smiling with satisfaction Ray pulls himself off my sword and falls onto his back.
There’s no cheers.
That magic circle that appeared was Dimensional Prison <Azeishis>. The place we were standing had been isolated from the rest of Deruzogedo and sent to another dimension.
“I’ve been waiting for this moment for many years.”
A hoarse voice rings out.
“At last I can finally get rid of you.”
An old man with a white beard appeared.
One of the old seven demon emperors Melheys Boran.
(1) I changed the name from imbibing to absorption.
