118 The Difference in Resolve

The moment the match was declared open, Sierra and I charged straight ahead.

Eva and Eleanor didn't move an inch; they simply stood there, letting their mana surge.

I knew how Eva operated. She wasn’t the type to launch a sudden preemptive strike. Instead, she’d observe our opening moves, wait until our attacks actually looked "fun," and then proceed to steamroll us.

To Eva, combat was just a game. Concepts like winning, losing, or even life and death probably didn't even cross her mind.

But I’d learned my lesson. This was a match. No matter how overwhelming she was, there had to be an opening somewhere.

First, however, we had to take Eleanor out of the equation.

Sierra and I readied our weapons—the Dual Sword and the Death Scythe. We leaped toward Eleanor, swinging with everything we had.

"—Haaah!"

Eleanor caught our attacks, her hands wreathed in a swirling mist of corrosion. A sizzling, acidic hiss echoed through the arena, and a chunk of my sword—which wasn’t even supposed to be breakable—actually chipped.

Sierra’s weapon fared no better. She had likely coated her scythe in the Light Attribute for protection, but Eleanor's power was already eating through the defense to rot the weapon itself. My Dual Sword wouldn't be destroyed permanently, but it would take several seconds to repair itself.

That slight delay might actually kill us later.

"Oh? Are you two just going to ignore me?" Eva asked, smiling like an innocent child even as she radiated pure, unadulterated killing intent.

She’d realized we were intentionally leaving her for last, and apparently, she didn't appreciate the snub. The sheer pressure of her mana was no laughing matter; goosebumps broke out across my entire body, and my brain started screaming at me to run, to dodge, to do literally anything to get away from her.

But retreat wasn't an option.

Sierra and I simultaneously leaped backward to put some distance between us. I forced myself to take a shallow breath, trying to steady my racing heart.

"Well, this is troublesome," Sierra muttered.

"Yeah. Want to change the plan?"

"The goal remains the same. We have to drop Eleanor first."

Eleanor’s Corrosion could rot any attribute or defensive spell. A weak resistance would vanish in one hit, and even a powerful formula would eventually succumb if she put enough time into it. To make matters worse, she was naturally gifted with high defensive stats. Breaking through that corrosion to actually deal damage to her was a daunting task.

She’s the same Darkness type as me, but man, her ability is a pain in the ass.

Of course, Darkness has one fatal drawback: massive mana consumption. And Eleanor was "big" in a lot of ways, meaning she probably had the capacity to fuel it for a while. Adding an irritated Eva into the mix made the situation look downright grim.

"I'm going to launch another attack. Vai, you—"

"—She’s coming!" I yelled.

The moment Sierra spoke, Eleanor charged us on her own. This was a total curveball. Before the match, she’d had a look in her eyes I’d never seen before when she told Sierra she was going to win.

I see. She really is serious about this. But... that works for us!

"Haaaah!!"

"—Airy!"

Sierra and I fired off slashes of compressed air. The sharp, invisible blades whistled toward Eleanor, but...

"That won't work," she said.

She swatted them down with her bare hands. There wasn't even the slight lag you'd see with Time Lapse's Formula Destruction; she just waved her hands and they broke.

Okay, she’s a total cheat character. But we already knew that.

I had already used the distraction to leap high into the sky while Sierra charged her head-on. Eleanor's weakness lay in the two directions her hands couldn't reach simultaneously: directly in front and directly above. Attacking from both would create a blind spot and a mechanical disadvantage. Our attacks weren't so light that she could just brush them off while distracted.

I ran up a platform I'd created with my Unnatural wall, placed another one even higher, and then kicked off it to descend with terrifying momentum.

A piercing strike.

From the front, Sierra swung for a finishing blow.

We got her!

"Fufufu. I don't think so. Though, I must say, you've become quite resourceful, haven't you?"

"—Kugh!"

My blade didn't hit Eleanor. It was stopped by Eva. My sword hit an Invisible Hand just inches from Eleanor’s skin. The sensation was like striking a solid block of iron. The fact that it didn't even make a sound made it feel even creepier.

Sierra and Eleanor began to clash, and while the plan had already gone off the rails, I realized I just had to be the one to keep Eva busy.

Well, it was optimistic to think we could just leave the Strongest alone and get away with it.

I landed on the ground and leveled my sword. I was many times stronger than I’d been during our last spar.

I’m going all out.

"Come on then, Junior."

"—Debi!"

I summoned Debi at maximum speed. A vortex of darkness spiraled out of thin air, and she leaped out, ready for blood. With a sword in her right hand and a Whip in her left, we charged side-by-side, throwing everything we had at Eva.

"Fufufu... Good. Very good! You really have grown stronger."

She was still smiling that relaxed, effortless smile. Fine. Let's see how she likes this. I pushed my speed even further, layering Scale Up over itself multiple times. Simultaneously, I stomped the ground, activating the Blessing of Healing and Impulse of Destruction.

Our power surged, amplified to the limit.

"My, aren't we getting skillful?" Eva teased.

Keep laughing, Eva. While you still can.

"What a ferocious assault from Weiss! I can barely follow him with my eyes—no, I can't see him at all! B-But look at Eva! She’s dodging every single attack from Weiss and Debi with a smile on her face?!"

Seriously, she’s a literal monster.

"This is wonderful. To think a lowerclassman could reach this level... it’s amazing."

"You can say that again!" I grunted, flooding my body with mana for one final, max-speed strike. This was it. She couldn't possibly dodge this—

"W-What?! Weiss’s sword has stopped dead in mid-air!"

"Fufufu. I suppose the secret is out now," Eva giggled.

"The reveal is the best part of the fight!" I shouted, though my heart was sinking. Debi followed up with a whip strike from behind, but Eva dodged that too. Heh. This is actually getting interesting.

"Oh! Sierra’s attack has finally connected with Eleanor!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sierra’s scythe catch Eleanor in the right side of her abdomen. Eleanor’s face contorted in pain, but she didn't back down. Biting her lip, she swung her right hand, landing a heavy blow on Sierra’s shoulder.

The impact was brutal. Sierra gasped, clutching her shoulder as she was blown backward. I used an Unnatural wall to bridge the gap and rushed to her side, immediately chanting a healing spell. I didn't use it often, but Darkness-based attacks acted like a poison that rotted your natural resistances. I had to neutralize it before it took root.

"...Thanks, Vai," Sierra wheezed.

"Don't mention it. More importantly... we can't seem to break them."

"Yeah. Eva's clearly still holding back, and Eleanor... her resolve is different today. She really intends to win. My own little sister..."

Sierra had always protected Eleanor. She always would. It was Eleanor’s presence that had allowed Sierra to keep her spirit from breaking in such a toxic environment. As the older sister, she wanted to be the one Eleanor could always rely on. But Eleanor didn't want to be pampered anymore.

The difference in their resolve—who wanted it more? That was what would decide this match.

And the same went for me. I truly intended to beat Eva. It all came down to whether my will was stronger than hers.

"Let’s go together one more time," I said. "I’ll focus on support this time."

"Fufufu. Look at you, saying things like that."

"It's the only way we win."

And I would do whatever it took to win.

We charged again. This time, we had the numbers advantage with Debi. She had grown stronger too; she wouldn't be taken out in a single hit anymore. Her biggest asset was her ability to fly without draining my mana. I directed her to fire a Mana Cannon from above while Sierra closed in on Eleanor.

"Fufufu, how fun!"

Eva deployed a barrier to block the aerial strike. Sierra’s blade was caught by Eleanor’s guard, but I immediately cast Scale Up on Sierra. Her strength doubled, allowing her to physically shove Eleanor back. Eva moved to intervene, but I cut her off with a Shield.

If Eva had been serious, she would have shattered it instantly, but my shield wasn't so flimsy that a casual swat would break it.

In that opening, Sierra went for the kill. She combined Fast Move with a scythe strike and unleashed a point-blank air slash. Even if the blade was blocked, the shockwave would still hit.

"Eleanor, you aren't beating me today!"

"—I will win!"

Sierra’s blade grazed Eleanor’s cheek, drawing blood. They were both past the point of holding back. This had turned into a genuine duel between sisters, and I decided to leave it to them. This was a tag tournament, sure, but some things had to be settled one-on-one.

My opponent was Eva.

"—I'm not letting you interfere," I growled.

I kicked off an Unnatural wall and lunged at Eva, swinging my sword with everything I had. I didn't care if she blocked it. My only job was to keep her eyes off Sierra. Eva seemed to find that amusing because she finally fixed her full attention on me.

I activated Time Lapse.

I poured every ounce of my being into it—reading the flow of mana, the stagnant patches in the air, the aura she projected. And then, finally... I saw it.

"Oh? You can actually see them now?"

"—Hah. You’ve gotta be kidding me."

A fraction of Eva’s true power revealed itself. Sprouting from her back like wings were a dozen spectral arms made of pure mana. They writhed like living creatures, undulating as they reached for me. Each one possessed terrifying power, and each one was imbued with a different attribute.

So that’s how she blew away all those Pseudo-Demons.

"Fufufu. You like them, don't you?"

I realized I was grinning. I was seeing a power of Eva’s that had never even been mentioned in the Original Story.

But seriously, she is way too strong!

"W-What is happening?! What exactly is Weiss fighting against?!"

The spectral hands rained down on me. I was forced entirely onto the defensive—no, that wasn't right. I was forcing Eva to focus her attacks on me.

To my side, Sierra and Eleanor were locked in a desperate struggle. I had never seen such expressions on their faces.

"Eleanor! I'm your sister! I can't lose to you!"

"I... I'm not going to be weak forever!"

Then, Eleanor did something that shocked even Sierra—she triggered her corrosion through her right foot. Sierra had always been the one with superior mana control, but Eleanor hadn't just been sitting around watching her. This was an attack I’d never seen in the Original Story.

It’s a total plot alteration.

Eleanor’s corroding kick slammed into Sierra’s ribs. Even through the defensive enchantments on the gym suit, the impact was enough to break bone. Eleanor didn't let up; she was fighting to win.

But Sierra’s eyes weren't dead yet.

"I won't... lose to you!"

Grimacing in pain, Sierra leaned into the impact and swung her scythe one last time. The final collision was massive. Even with her high defense, Eleanor screamed as the force of the strike took her. The two of them scrambled, grabbing onto each other, and the momentum carried them both right off the edge of the arena.

The rules allowed ten seconds to get back in. But neither of them stood up.

"Neither contestant can stand! Sierra of the Red Team and Eleanor of the White Team are both out of bounds!"

I parried a heavy strike from one of Eva’s mana hands. She accepted the stalemate quietly, a smirk playing on her lips.

"Well. I suppose we won't be interrupted now."

"Yeah... I guess not."

The only one left was Eva Avery.