052 Long-Cherished Wish

Michael Thomas’s elemental magic was primarily Wind, supported by his secondary affinities for Earth and Water. His partner, Lugi Strauss, also commanded three: Fire was his main, but he could utilize Wind and Water as well.

The two of them were perfect at compensating for each other's weaknesses; they were a duo that specialized in tag-team combat.

It wasn’t that I couldn’t use the Four Great Elements myself, but I primarily stuck to Darkness and Light. This was based on Teacher Milk’s philosophy: focusing on the attributes you're actually gifted in results in becoming stronger faster. Trying to master every single thing is horribly inefficient, so I’d set the others aside to pick up once I had a solid foundation.

Then there was Allen. His magic possessed properties close to Light. However, his mana capacity was still lacking, meaning he couldn't use anything high-tier. He had an obscene amount of talent with a sword, but even now, I couldn't quite gauge the source of his strength. There were moments when his speed increased as if he’d suddenly shifted gears, but then there were other times when he seemed outright weak.

This is perfect. Once I crush Michael and his buddy, I’ll expose Allen’s little secret too.

『Match start!』

To my surprise, Michael and Lugi didn’t close the distance immediately. The fundamental principle of Durant Swordsmanship is to get inside the opponent's guard. The fact that they were hanging back told me this was already diverging from the original game’s script. I braced myself.

I had a Whip wound around my left hand. I’d deliberately refrained from using it until this final match. All of this was for one reason: to get my hands on that championship cup.

—I’m going to win. No matter what.

【Blessing of Healing and Impulse of Destruction】

Taking advantage of the distance they’d given me, I pressed my palm to the floor. Even with a pre-cast chant, the magic circle's formula took time to spread across the arena floor. Since this was the first time I’d revealed this spell during the tournament, a roar of shock erupted from the stands.

Allen already knew what was coming, so he didn’t flinch. Fine, I guess I’ll recognize this guy as an "ally" for now.

『Wh-What is this magic circle?!』

I couldn't blame the referee for shouting. From his vantage point, he could probably see the mana and physical strength being drained from Michael and Lugi, flowing directly into Allen and me.

"So you can use such clever magic. I’ll give you a little credit for that, Weiss."

"Well, I’m flattered."

Michael, however, kept a cool head. Just standing on top of that magic circle should have been agonizing, yet he still found the breath to call out to Lugi.

Cynthia had probably felt the same way, but at our core, we just wanted to be stronger. Rather than subduing them instantly, I wanted to see how they’d react. Winning after facing their best—that was what mattered.

And then—

『『Anti-Magic』』

The two of them coated their bodies in a thin film of mana. It was likely a modified version of Logan’s magic-nullification formula. Unlike Riley’s all-directional barrier, I could see they were able to move freely while wearing it. It wasn't perfectly blocking my drain, but it was enough to make me take notes.

"Lugi, buy me some time."

"You got it."

Now then, let’s see how they like it when I go on the offensive.

I sprinted forward alone, closing the gap and aiming a low upward thrust at Michael, modeled after a diagonal kesagiri slash. Human eyes are naturally weak against attacks coming from unconventional angles. I figured that held true even for these elites.

—How about this?

Instead of Michael, Lugi slid into my path to block the strike.

"You think you can take us alone?! Don't look down on us!"

Michael launched a counterattack without a second's delay, which I evaded by a hair's breadth. I see. This is getting interesting.

"Weiss!"

In that moment, Allen lunged in as if we were switching places. He and the Durant style were a good match in a way, since both specialized in close-quarters combat. But Michael parried Allen’s strike with pure martial arts, shifted his weight, and delivered a brutal kick. Even though Allen managed to block it, he was sent skidding far across the arena.

Still not good enough. I guess it’s up to me—

"Lugi!"

"Yeah—I’m on it!"

At Michael’s signal, Lugi unleashed Wind magic. It was an attack that prioritized wind pressure over raw damage, similar to Shari’s style. I could have easily cut through a standard offensive spell with my Time Lapse, but simple wind was different.

My center of gravity wavered. Not missing that opening, Michael swung for my head with zero restraint. I managed to defend with my sword, but damn—he was heavy. His blade was so sharp and gravity-laden that I finally understood why I’d never been able to win in the original game. The sheer power felt like the developers were screaming, "We are never letting the player win this fight."

A smile tugged at my lips. No matter how you looked at it, this was overkill—and I loved it.

Hah, this is why Noblesse is the best.

『W-What a magnificent offensive from the Durant side! But somehow, Weiss is staying one step ahead!』

Lugi followed up with more Wind magic. Michael backed away, pressed his hand to the floor, and—to my absolute shock—dumped almost all of his remaining mana into a single burst to dispel my 【Blessing of Healing and Impulse of Destruction】 circle.

"...Hah. That’s a hell of an expensive way to use your mana."

But I was genuinely impressed. As long as that circle was active, Allen and I could have fought while constantly regenerating.

"Weiss Fancent. I acknowledge your magic. But this is a tag-team match. Don't think you can win on individual talent alone."

Then, Michael began receiving mana directly from Lugi’s hand. So that was the play—he could afford a bold move because his partner was acting as a battery.

"Allen, pin them down. I’ll finish this."

"No, I’ll do it. Weiss, you be the support."

"Excuse me? You’re talking back when you can barely cast a spell?"

"No! This is a strategy—"

While Allen and I were bickering, Michael and Lugi closed the gap. They pelted Allen with Wind magic—again, just low-damage gusts meant to keep him at a distance.

Up until now, I’d only thought about crushing my enemies. But these guys were different. They knew that stalling for time was a path to victory. Back in the game, I’d only cared about the kill; maybe this kind of tactical depth was what was actually required to win the Sword-Magic Cup.

"Weiss Fancent! You are strong! But this is a team fight!"

From above, below, left, and right, Michael and Lugi coordinated a relentless flurry of sword strikes. I could block them, but I didn't have a spare second to counter.

However—they shouldn't have assumed the sword was my only weapon.

"!—Michael! My mana’s stalled!"

Because of their positioning, I could only reach Lugi, but I’d lashed out with my Whip and pulsed Enroute through his body. He realized it instantly, calling out to Michael and leaping back to create distance. If they’d panicked, I would have subdued them then and there, but they were frustratingly calm.

"Hah, you sure have a lot of petty tricks. I guess that’s what happens when you rely on magic."

"Is that so?!"

Even if he’d escaped the Whip, disrupted mana doesn't recover instantly. In the world of Noblesse, a sword without mana is just a piece of junk. I sprinted at Michael and swung. Allen finally rejoined the fray, but he was too slow.

"You handle Lugi!"

"—I know!"

Allen began a relentless assault on Lugi. This was the setup I wanted. In a one-on-one, there was no way I was losing.

"What happened to all that bravado, Michael Thomas? You're looking a little stuck on the defensive."

"Grr—!"

It seemed he didn't have the breath to spare for a retort. Of course not. Who did he think I sparred with every day? I had nothing left to learn from him.

"It’s over."

Seeing his posture crumble, I used an Unnatural wall to launch myself high into the air. I came down with a gravity-weighted strike that should have ended Michael then and there. He was frantically chanting Anti-Magic and defensive barriers, but thanks to Time Lapse, I could see every single one of them. I was going to shatter them all and hit him where it hurt.

"Michael!"

But in that split second before my blade connected, Lugi kicked Michael out of the way with everything he had. My attack slammed into Lugi’s leg instead. He must have diverted every ounce of his focus into defense for that one moment, but my strikes aren't that soft. One hit was all it took to turn his leg into dead weight.

Meanwhile, Allen had apparently walked right into a trap; he was currently entangled in plant magic sprouting from the floor.

『Michael seemed to be in a corner, but Lugi saved him! However, it looks like his right leg is out of commission! How will this end?!』

The referee’s calm play-by-play was starting to grate on my nerves. It felt like I was winning, yet I couldn't land the finishing blow.

Dammit, if only I didn't have this dead weight holding me back.

"Allen, why are you being so useless?! Give it your all like you usually do!"

"I am! If you’d just coordinate with me for once!"

"—Tch."

After that, Michael and Lugi focused entirely on creating two-on-one situations. Even if their attacks were weak, they used traps and Fire magic to split us up, jumping whichever one of us was isolated. It was a simple tactic, but it was working.

『As expected of the Durant golden pair! They’re in a pinch, but they’re fighting like demons!』

The referee could feel the shift. Michael and Lugi were strong, sure, but the current me would never lose to them—if it were a one-on-one.

The cheers were fading. It wasn't that the audience had gone quiet, but the sound just wasn't reaching my ears anymore.

...God, dammit. What do I do—

Right then.

"Weiss! You’ve got this in the bag!"

A particularly deep, prominent voice cut through the noise. Despite being in the middle of a duel, I glanced toward the stands. Behind Rinse, Carta, and Cecil... stood my father.

He was holding a banner that was honestly embarrassing. Hah. "The Worst Weiss"? Really?

Looking closer, I saw Eva Avery sitting in her chair, watching me. Further off, I spotted Teacher Milk again.

—Oh, right. I’m here to win.

I shouldn't forget that. I wasn't here just to flex my own pride.

—Isn't that right, Weiss?

"—Allen."

"Hey, Weiss—"

We spoke at the same time. Looking into his eyes and hearing his voice, I knew he was thinking exactly what I was. Ever since the dragon subjugation, we’d both been training like mad. We’d both developed the same obsession: wanting to become overwhelmingly strong through our own individual power.

That obsession had become a shackle, leading us to this mess. This wasn't a duel to the death; it was a match on a confined arena stage. To win, we needed a strategy suited for the game we were playing.

"...I’ll play support. You just run straight, Allen."

"You? Supporting me? Heh... sorry. Alright. I trust you."

"Good."

I’d do whatever it took to win. That’s what a villain does, after all.

Michael and Lugi had backed off to catch their breath, likely preparing for a final showdown. But Allen didn't give them the chance. He sprinted—straight and true. There was no trickery in his movements. All he had was his faith in me.

Hah. Typical protagonist. But I don't hate that stupid honesty of yours.

"A reckless suicide charge? That's your grand finale?"

Michael smirked. He thought he’d already won. He was wrong. We’d made our choice.

—This is a tag match.

"Unnatural—Scale Up—Dark Heal!"

I thrust my hand out, manifesting an Unnatural wall directly in Allen's path. He used it as a stepping stone to launch himself even higher into the air. Simultaneously, I bombarded him with magic that provided both healing and an offensive buff.

It was a strategy I’d never even considered before: using my power solely to make someone else stronger.

Of course, I wasn't just standing there. I was closing the gap too. Lugi, certain that Allen’s aerial strike was aimed at Michael, moved to intercept. I’d counted on that.

I instantly closed the distance and lashed out with my Whip, binding Lugi’s body and blowing him back with a heavy kick. This was fine. My job right now wasn't to get the kill—it was to make sure no one interfered.

In that moment, Allen tapped into a level of power I hadn’t seen yet. His mana spiked.

Hah. Here he goes again. He only ever pulled this off when it actually mattered. It was enough to make me sick—how much of a "protagonist" could one guy be?

"Damn it! Sword Shield!"

Michael threw up a defensive stance, but Allen’s strike—smashed his sword into splinters. The blow followed through, slamming into Michael’s shoulder. A massive amount of mana bled out of him, but he desperately unleashed a spell to create distance.

We weren't going to give him that luxury.

I charged in a straight line. Lugi, desperate to protect his partner, threw himself in front of me, thrusting his sword out recklessly. He was aiming for my eyes. I could have dodged, but I didn't slow down.

—Because I’m not alone.

"Not today!"

A split second before the blade reached my face, Allen parried it from the side. No eye contact, no words—just perfectly synchronized movements that decided the match in a heartbeat.

My target had been Lugi from the start. I struck the partner who was trying so hard to protect his friend.

And then, Lugi fell.

『W-What?! The Noblesse team has completely flipped the script! Lugi is out!』

However, as he fell, Lugi had already transferred every last drop of his mana to Michael. Before I could react, Michael slammed into Allen, using his full mana pool to restrain him while raising his sword.

"I’m taking you down first!"

Michael’s sword swung toward Allen. Mana was pouring out of him; in a few seconds, Allen would be done for. But I was already swinging my sword from behind Allen’s back.

"Wh—you’d cut through your own ally—?!"

"I’m a villain. I don’t have a single hesitation about slashing through my teammates."

Well, Protagonist, you made for a great decoy.

"See ya, Michael."

This was it. The moment a long-cherished wish was fulfilled. Looking back at the original game, how many thousands of times had I challenged this? How many tens of thousands?

—The dream is coming true.

I let my mana explode, pouring everything into Scale Up and Time Lapse.

"Damn it! Damn it all! Why would I lose to someone like you?!"

"Because my sword is carrying a whole lot more weight than yours."

—Farewell.

『W-W-WINNERS: WEISS FANCENT AND ALLEN!!!!!!!!!!!! In an unbelievable move, Weiss slashed through his own ally to clinch the victory! In the Underclassmen Division of the 12th Nobless Sword and Magic Cup, the champion is Noblesse Magic Academy!』

The referee’s voice boomed across the stadium. And then—the cheers hit.

"UOOOOOH! WEISS!"

"ALLEN!"

"We did it! Noblesse won!"

"They’re the strongest! Holy crap!"

"YEAAAAAH!"

"He went way too far, but who cares! That was awesome!"

The exhaustion finally hit me like a physical weight. I dropped to one knee, using my sword as a makeshift cane to stay upright. Hah. Look at them. Everyone looks so damn happy.

"Weiss-sama! You were incredible!"

"Weiss-kun!"

"Fancent-kun, that was amazing!"

Lilith, Carta, and Cecil were all cheering for me. Honestly, I was probably the happiest one there, but I wasn't about to show it.

"MY SONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"

Behind the girls, my father, Agate, was wailing at the top of his lungs while clinging to Zebis. I mean... I appreciate the sentiment, but did you really have to cry that much?

Eva gave me a soft smile before turning to leave. Hah. Thanks for sticking around to see the end.

Finally, I looked toward Teacher Milk. She caught my eye and mouthed a few words.

『Well, you did good.』

...Yeah. Thanks.

Nearby, I heard Allen groan. It seemed he’d managed to stay conscious by a thread. Well, I guess it was partly thanks to this Protagonist that we pulled it off. I walked over and offered him a hand.

"Stand up. It’ll look bad if the winner is napping on the dirt."

"...You’re right. But what happened to you playing support?"

"We won, didn't we? Who cares?"

"Haha. Fair enough."

As Allen stood up, the roar of the crowd intensified.

Ah... damn, this feels good.

Wait, could I really win this event? Had I... actually proven I could change things?

"It was thanks to you, Weiss."

Amidst the deafening cheers, Allen’s voice carried clearly. In that moment, something deep in my chest stirred. It wasn't my own emotion.

Weiss... is that you?

Ah, I see. You’re happy too, huh?

Good grief. You actually had an honest side after all.

"Well, maybe you worked a little hard too this time."

We bumped fists. There was no doubt about it—I couldn't have beaten those two alone. I still wasn't strong enough. I lacked effort, mana, and combat experience... and I’d finally realized I needed comrades. Against the Calamity, Cecil and I alone wouldn't be enough to clear it. I was certain of that now. I couldn't tell everyone everything, but I needed to start trusting the right people.

『We will now have a short interval before the trophy presentation!』

As the referee spoke, Allen and I started back toward our side. But Michael, who had finally come to, called out to us.

"Wait."

"Huh?"

His expression was different now. He looked frustrated, but...

"This time... it’s our loss. But we’re winning next year."

"Me too," Lugi added. "I won't lose again."

Despite having lost, the two of them looked almost happier than we did.

"Hah. Decent spirit for a couple of losers. Do your best."

I kept my tone flippant, but inside, I was stunned. This wasn't how he was supposed to act. Michael Thomas was meant to be arrogant, never acknowledging anyone else’s strength. Was this a hidden scene only accessible to the winners?

...Not bad.

"You guys actually did it!"

"Seriously, that was incredible!"

Shari and Duke came sprinting toward us, while Cynthia offered me a proud smile from the sidelines.

I realized something then. Weiss—the original Weiss—was definitely still inside me. I could feel it. The cheers were overwhelming, and everyone was showering us with praise.

This is the sight you always wanted to see, isn't it?

Well? How is it? Are you happy now?

Just you watch. I’m going to make every single one of your dreams come true.