Chapter 186 - Only Once (10)
Aaron's quarter-final match has ended.
His opponent was a Magic Swordsman, a rare class. Aaron fought hard against patterns that mixed magic and swordsmanship, achieving a difficult victory. The battle lasted almost 20 minutes. The audience yawned out of boredom, and Aaron ended up with many wounds.
Next was Vanil's match.
The stadium erupted in cheers. Responding to the mood, Vanil raised his rapier and shattered his opponent's vital points with light steps like a butterfly and dexterity in his hands.
Then, the results of Group B were announced, to which I belonged.
Of course, I advanced to the next round. This time, the match lasted about 3 minutes.
With the end of the quarter-finals, players were given a short break to prepare for the semi-finals and the final.
[http://go.onewinch.tv/ – OneWinch TV]
[¡Pick me Up! – 4-Star Dimensional City, Duel between Sword Master and Mad Dog?!]
[BJ – Lanata]
[Viewers: 35,643]
The Niflheim side installed security measures between the seats and the stage, and brought in a professional commentator.
The seats inside the stadium were almost full. After the semi-finals and the final, the award ceremony and closing ceremony will begin. It could be said that all the heroes of the Dimensional City have gathered.
It was decided that the order of the matches would be determined by spinning a roulette.
As a result, I was the first in the semi-finals. My opponent was a 4-star Elemental Mage by birth. Upon hearing that he was of fire attribute, I couldn't help but laugh. Because I've dealt with it to the point where I'm sick of it.
That elementalist died turned into a puddle of blood in a minute.
Now, only Aaron and Vanil's matches were left in Group A.
[ToToEsMiVida (Tazza11): Who do you think will win? I bet everything on the Demonic Swordsman. If I lose this time, I'm going to the Han River.]
[Hou38: Haha, you know nothing. Don't you know the Mad Dog? Didn't you see the Battle Royale, dude? Get ready to jump.]
[ToMuch7: Oh, is it a clash of rivals? I can't help but tell you about my time in LA. When I went out to play suddenly...]
Three heroes remained in the players' waiting room.
After going through the semi-finals, I looked around with a bandage in my right hand due to the wounds that had opened up.
Aaron was sitting on a bench in the corner with an unreadable expression. In contrast, Vanil was practicing with his sword with a relaxed expression.
<The semi-final match of Group A begins! The player who wins this match will face another in the final. What result awaits us? Please, both players, come out to the stage.>
The broadcast started.
Vanil sheathed his sword and walked out of the waiting room without hesitation.
"......"
Aaron and I locked eyes.
I opened my mouth.
"Win."
" Somehow... do you mean it?"
"Yes."
Aaron tightly closed his mouth and looked at me before slowly leaving the waiting room.
Even if he doesn't remember it, his body will bear the marks.
However, that guy still only knows intermediate skill with the lance.
I also grabbed my sheath and walked out of the waiting room.
"Player, you must wait in the waiting room..."
"Anyway, it's the last one, what does it matter? I'm not going to the seats. I'll just watch."
I pushed aside the employee blocking me and walked down the aisle.
I could see Aaron's back in the distance.
"Maybe I should take it now." I pulled out a potion from my belt.
A bright red one. Jenna had secretly entered the waiting room and passed it to me. It was a high-quality potion made by Anything for this occasion. By drinking it, I could regain my original condition for about 1 hour.
I could hold on until the final.
I drank the potion in one gulp and walked out into the stadium.
I slipped between the seats and the stage without attracting attention. Vanil and Aaron were stepping onto the stage, separated by iron bars.
Although both were from Niflheim, the atmosphere was completely different.
Vanil, immaculate in his uniform without a speck of dust. On the other hand, Aaron's uniform was torn all over from battles.
<Who will win? Commentator, what do you think?>
<Of course, player Vanil. According to my research, he has never lost first place in Niflheim's training course....>
The commentators.
"Win, reincarnation of the Demonic Swordsman! Crush him!"
"Why did he send that guy? What is Loki thinking?"
The audience.
[ToToEsMiVida (Tazza11): Damn! Win!]
[Hou38: I expect nothing. Just wear him out.]
Even the spectators.
I sat in a secluded corner.
The two heroes faced each other from opposite sides of the stage.
I listened attentively.
"You've climbed up."
"Of course. I've worked hard too."
"You just had a good draw. You shouldn't have come to this event. You'll tarnish Lord Loki's renown."
Vanil drew his lance.
It wasn't his primary weapon. Aaron also grabbed a lance.
Whistle!
The whistle sounded and Vanil attacked swiftly.
Stabs like lightning aimed at Aaron's whole body. Aaron spun his lance and calmly blocked the attack. Vanil held the lance briefly. This time, Aaron received blows like lightning from all directions.
Speed, weight, posture.
From stab to strike, from strike to pull, and back to stab.
Vanil pressed Aaron with three basic movements.
For now, Aaron was calmly blocking.
"Shall we move on?" Vanil grabbed the lance lengthwise.
The lance rippled, and a stab shot out.
The lance's shadow dispersed into multiple images.
It wasn't a basic move.
Smoothness, swiftness, illusion.
These were techniques that Aaron could never imitate.
...!
The lance grazed Aaron's shoulder.
The wound covered by the bandage opened up, and blood spurted out.
"I've heard your story. You spent 57 years there."
"......"
"But you can't. He is special. You are nothing but ordinary talent compared to him."
Vanil's fierce attack continued.
Several dazzling techniques unfolded from the tip of his fingers.
"You can't defeat me even with a lance. That's talent for you. Even if you practice for a million years..."
"......Shut up." Aaron's face twisted.
However, his thrown lance was futilely blocked.
Vanil smiled faintly.
"As clear as a textbook. But that's all."
"If you came to fight, then fight. Why...?"
"I'm giving you advice. You're a fellow of Niflheim. Your place is not here. Surrender."
Ping!
The lance shot out from Aaron's fingertips.
Vanil slightly moved his head to dodge.
As if he had seen it all.
"You're really playing with him. I don't need to see anymore."
"Finish quickly. I want to see the final battle with Mad Dog."
"But still, it's entertaining to see how the lance moves."
"He just dodges everything!"
The audience murmured.
Sigh.
Aaron maintained his posture and relentlessly launched stabs, but Vanil dodged them all with light movements.
That was mastery.
To break through mastery, you need to acquire a similar skill.
'Didn't you even learn that?'
It was an essential skill to acquire for intermediate weapon technique, but it seems he hadn't even mastered it. It was probably the result of trying to overcome a realm that was originally impossible.
Unnecessary movements disappeared.
Moreover, they became sharper and more precise.
But that was all.
"That's all your 57 years gave you." Vanil spun the lance.
"Aaron's attack didn't even graze Vanil's clothes.
'...You win.'
He had told Aaron.
That he couldn't win with technique.
I would be the same. If technique were everything, Lidygion would have been the strongest.
Get over it. Otherwise, you won't be able to reach where I am.
"Ugh!"
Aaron hesitated.
Vanil's spear deeply cut his side.
Red blood seeped through his uniform.
"Surrender. I don't want to hurt a fellow."
"Shut up..."
"Hmm."
Vanil chuckled and spun his spear.
"I'll make you understand your place."
Countless spear strikes were thrown at Aaron.
Aaron maneuvered his spear to defend his vital points as he stepped back step by step.
Until the edge of the arena.
"Rest now!" Vanil grabbed the spear and lunged forward.
Ten minutes later.
"...This makes no sense." Vanil frowned.
30 minutes since the start of the match.
Aaron's uniform had turned into tatters, and he was covered in wounds all over his body.
The flowing blood seeped through the cracks in the floor. There was enough blood to form a puddle.
But still, that guy hadn't fallen.
"Why don't you end it? I'm getting bored."
"Hey, finish quickly! I want to see the battle with the Mad Dog now!"
Vanil adjusted his grip on the spear.
"You have tenacity, I'll give you that. I didn't want to kill you... but I have no other choice."
The spear's tip aimed at Aaron's heart.
'You don't want to kill him?'
The reincarnation of the Demon Swordsman.
I don't know who gave him that nickname.
'Stupid.'
I smiled bitterly.
Vanil kicked the ground. The spear spun towards Aaron's heart.
"…!"
Phoo.
Aaron spat out something he had been biting.
The red blood splattered Vanil's face, and he startled. But in just 0.1 seconds, he readjusted his posture and continued his attack. However, for a moment, his aim veered slightly.
Thunk.
The spear pierced right beside Aaron's heart.
When Vanil tried to pull out the spear, Aaron grabbed the shaft of the spear stuck in his chest.
That was the end.
"Ah…."
Vanil spat blood and fell.
There was a hole in his forehead.
'That guy is a fool.'
If he had planned to win, he should have drawn his sword.
Moreover, saying he didn't want to kill. That weak mindset created a gap.
He clearly had talent, but he lacked experience. If he had gone through proper real battles, he wouldn't have had those thoughts.
"He... won..." Aaron couldn't finish his sentence.
Just before falling, he leaned on the spear on the ground.
Heavy breath flowed from his mouth.
"Ah, player Aaron... wins!"
The referee, who had been watching in astonishment, raised the flag.
At the same time, boos erupted.
"What is this!"
"Why is the match level so low?"
"It was a lucky win after being beaten! How can something like this exist?"
"The reincarnation of the Demon Swordsman falls for these tricks? Oh, please."
It would be boring.
Anyone could see Aaron was lacking.
Plus, the twist at the end after spitting out the blood he had in his mouth.
It was far from the intense and spectacular battle the audience desired.
"Player Aaron. The final will begin in 10 minutes. Please return to the waiting room..."
Aaron didn't respond to the referee's words.
He simply staggered standing on the stage.
"……"
His eyes, soaked in blood, turned towards me.
I smiled and walked towards the stage.
"Referee!"
"Yes?"
"Let's start the final right now."
"What are you saying? There are clearly established rules..."
"This guy is already finished. If he goes back to the waiting room, he won't be able to get up."
He was somehow holding himself up.
But the moment he took a step, he would fall.
And he probably wouldn't get up ever again.
"If you want to end the final by default, I'm fine with that."
"That would be... if both parties agree..."
The referee's eyes turned to Aaron.
Aaron nodded very slightly.
"It seems he agrees."
The referee hurried off the stage.
Probably to report to his superiors.
The result would be known soon.
Uuuuuu!
The audience's boos continued.
"……Brother."
Aaron was looking at me.
"What?"
"He... won."
"You did well. I knew you would."
Aaron looked to the side.
Vanil's body was fading, turning into light.
"The memories... came back to me."
Struggling to hold himself up with his spear, Aaron murmured.
"It wasn't... 57 years..."
"……"
"I... why...?"
A drop of blood fell from his eyes.
"I worked so hard... and yet..."
"……"
"I wanted to win fairly... with skill."
Aaron wiped his eyes with his sleeve.
Tears mixed with blood fell to the ground.
"Was it all in vain?"
"That's possible."
"What have I been...?" Aaron's voice mixed with sobs.
Sigh.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have an urgent announcement. By agreement of both players, the final will begin immediately. We apologize for any inconvenience. We..."
"Aaron."
"……"
I'm standing in front of you.
You have no comparison to the trash you just defeated.
A man with blessed talent, an unbreakable mind, an indomitable will, and luck in abundance, everything you could never have.
"I'm going to give it my all."
"……"
"I won't pity you just because you're in bad shape. I'll use all my strength to destroy you."
"……Yes."
"That's enough."
Shh.
I drew Bifröst.
The highest-grade object in existence.
I won't show mercy.
I'll do as I said.
"Show me what you've got."
Whistle!
The referee, who had stepped onto the field, blew the whistle."
