Chapter 96: The Seventh Day

The seventh day—the final day.

The Forbidden Areas were expanding at a terrifying rate, and more than half of the Uninhabited Island was now off-limits. Only a few hours remained until the end. The only ones left standing were Duke, Shari, and—Weiss.

I didn't intend to hold back, regardless of who I had to face. I was going to win this exam, no matter what.

[Forbidden Areas: A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, A-5]

Then, the final set of Forbidden Areas was announced. I checked the map and saw they were all lined up in a row.

I see... so in the end, everything disappears.

Until now, the zones had vanished in numerical order. That meant the very last standing ground would be A-5. If I wanted to secure a good position before anyone else, I needed to get there immediately.

—Alright.

"—Carta-san, I’m borrowing this."

I slowly activated my Gift. To be honest, there wasn't anything flashy about the process. It was just a matter of awakening "something" inside my body that was distinctly different from mana.

The more a copied magic was unsuited to me, the more of a brutal burden it placed on my physical frame. Pain was a given; if I overdid it, I’d lose the ability to use mana for a while or just black out entirely. It was a natural side effect, but the benefits were more than worth the cost.

I didn't really understand the reason for it. Why was I bestowed with this? Why was I the only one who could use it?

I knew it was cowardly. I was just a thief, snatching away the powers that others had spent their entire lives perfecting. But you can't make the impossible possible just by shouting high-minded ideals. I felt gratitude toward the original users, but I refused to feel regret.

My body lifted softly into the air. The wind felt like it was welcoming me. I didn't need a staff or any complex maneuvers. Just like when I’d saved Weiss after he fell off the cliff, I rose into the sky and made a beeline for the final zone.

I couldn't keep this up forever, though. Carta-san’s Flight Magic was an absolutely staggering power. Still, flying through the sky felt incredible.

I wonder if this is the kind of view Carta-san sees all the time.

Suddenly, the ground below glinted.

—No, wait.

Magic? No—it was a Shockwave.

"—Ugh!"

I dodged instinctively, but a second and third shot followed immediately. One caught my right leg, dealt a light but stinging bit of damage. I could have kept flying, but the impact had triggered my magic resistance, which was now draining my mana.

Considering what lay ahead...

I slowly descended to the forest floor. The playable area was narrowing. I was so close to the destination, but I couldn't risk being a sitting duck in the air.

The figure that emerged from the trees was exactly who I expected.

"Yo, Allen."

It was Duke. Mana radiated from him with such intensity it felt like he was vibrating. Despite seven days of non-stop combat, he didn't look the least bit tired. His Power Up—perfectly balanced between offense and defense—was likely the only thing keeping him together.

But what I respected most wasn't his sturdy body; it was his spirit. I had never once heard the man whine or show a single moment of weakness.

"If we fight here, we’re both going to be at a disadvantage later," I pointed out.

"Heh, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it, yeah?"

"Haha... that is very you."

"Praise me all you want, but the only thing you're getting from me is a fist."

Duke took a combat stance, his mana perfectly still. He came from a prestigious line of knights. Unlike me, he’d been through rigorous, proper training since he was a toddler. However, word was he had zero talent for magic. Usually, it's expected for nobles to handle magic, regardless of their lineage.

Duke didn't give a damn about any of that, though. Other people don't matter. I am who I am. Those words of his had pierced me to the core. I used to think using a cowardly Gift was wrong.

But I was wrong. Just as Duke said—I am me.

Slowly, I readied my weapon. The Holy Sword. My exclusive weapon. This Artifact felt surprisingly natural in my grip. As I flooded it with mana, the Blessing of Light generated a shimmering blade and draped a protective aura over my body. It was basically like having a version of Duke’s Power Up activate automatically.

"Here I come, Allen!"

"Right—come on, Duke!"

We both charged head-on. I loved fighting Duke. It was the one time I could just clash raw power against raw power.

I swung with everything I had for the first blow, but Duke caught the blade with his bare right fist. One slip-up and he’d lose his hand, yet he didn't show a hint of fear.

"Good! Very good!"

Without a second's delay, his left fist came whistling toward my ribs. I didn't bother dodging; I simply shifted my sword and aimed for his head. I had no reason to retreat.

"Ice Shield—"

I used Cynthia-san’s magic, manifesting a small wall at the point of impact. Duke’s fist collided with it, the ice cracking loudly as it absorbed the blow. Of course, I’d also applied Shari’s magic to harden the structure, reinforcing it further.

Duke grinned even as his eyes widened in surprise. My sword was about to connect—

Clang!

"Thath wath clothe..."

"You're absolutely insane."

Duke had tilted his head at the last second and caught my blade with his teeth—likely by concentrating mana there. Sure, the power of the swing had been dampened because I was focusing on the Ice Shield, but catching a sword with your teeth was impossible. Yet, because he was who he was, he’d pulled it off.

"Sheesh, what a pain in the ass this sword is."

He spat to the side and wound up for another punch. I leaped backward to reset the distance. The best thing about the Holy Sword was that its physical form was somewhat ethereal. It was immune to "weapon destruction," a technique Duke excelled at. In that sense, this sword was his natural enemy.

But that was just the greeting. I needed to draw out more, even more of my Gift...

Duke suddenly held up a palm, then pointed behind me. The boundary of the area was closing in.

"Actually, time-out. Want to fall back for a bit? I mean, I'm down to keep going, but..."

He was right. If we stayed here, we’d both be disqualified, and neither of us would win.

"...Deal."

"Ha! Knew you’d say that."

Duke bolted toward the safe zone, and I followed right on his heels. I didn't let my guard down, of course. Duke wasn't the type to pull a sneak attack, but the other two were a different story. I didn't think they were being cowardly, either. It was just a difference in tactical style.

And then—reality hit.

"Gwaah!?"

The moment we tried to cross into the next zone, the ground turned into a literal quagmire. It wasn't just Duke; my feet were sinking too. To make matters worse, multiple layers of Magic Thread were woven into the muck, pinning us in place. It felt like several different attributes were tangled together, making it impossible to dispel easily.

"Dammit... I can't get loose!"

Even Duke was struggling. Should I use Carta-san’s magic? No, it was too early...

But the trap didn't stop there. A Mana Cannon shot came screaming toward us. It was sharp and infused with elemental attributes—a high-output strike.

I was stuck, so I manifested an Unnatural wall to intercept it. Weiss’s magic was incredibly versatile against all attributes. Duke, on the other hand, just laughed and smashed the incoming projectile with a punch.

Looking ahead, I saw Shari positioned between the trees, readying her next volley.

"Dammit, Shari! That’s dirty!" Duke barked.

No, she’d likely stayed hidden until the very end specifically for this. She was brilliant. I had to assume every inch of the remaining zones was covered in her traps.

Suddenly, Shari leaped down from the branches. No—she was forced down as she dodged an attack from behind.

"Hmph. Not bad. Though you two look pathetic, taking a nap in a swamp together."

The newcomer was—Weiss.

"Hey, hey, talk about shitty timing," Duke groaned.

He was right; this was the absolute worst-case scenario. But I couldn't just sit here.

"Haaaah!"

Using a combination of Time Lapse and Power Up, I shattered the Mud Formula. It looked like filth, but it was a magical construct. As the spell broke, the mud reverted to solid earth, shoving my body upward.

"Before I deal with the copycat bastard, I’m taking you out, Duke!" Weiss lunged, his blade aimed straight for Duke's throat.

But—

"Sorry, Weiss! I’ve seen this move before!"

Duke kicked a spray of mud directly at Weiss’s face. Weiss, however, seemed to have anticipated it. He blocked the spray with an Unnatural wall and prepared to cleave Duke in half.

"He’s my prey—"

In a shocking twist, Shari was the one who protected him. She manipulated the local flora, sending thick, multi-layered vines to intercept Weiss’s sword inches from Duke’s face. At the same time, she intentionally released the mud trap.

Duke exploded forward with the sudden freedom.

"Haha! Thanks, Shari!"

"I didn't save you for your sake. I did it to win."

She was right. Shari was playing for keeps. If Duke had been eliminated there, Shari would have been Weiss's next target based on their positions. By "helping" Duke, she was simply manipulating the battlefield to her advantage.

[Area shrinking. Area shrinking.]

The space was getting even smaller. Duke had the advantage in close quarters, but we had to keep moving toward the final zone—where Shari’s traps were waiting. I’d expected a struggle, but this was becoming a nightmare.

"Ha! Allen, isn't this great!?"

"Eh?"

Duke’s voice snapped me out of my internal panic. I realized then that I was wearing a wide, frantic grin. Even though I was in a desperate situation with a monstrous three-way battle about to go down...

Yeah. This is interesting. Fighting... is fun.

I’d had a feeling for a while now. I wanted to protect the world. I wanted to build a place where no one got hurt. But I was still a man. And I—I loved to fight.

I was always one step behind Weiss. But this time, I was going to win. Definitely.