"All right, it’s time for the next match! You all remember him, right? You’ve been waiting for this, haven’t you? You’re excited, aren’t you? After all, our next competitor is the one and only Crimson—one of the top favorites to win this tournament! A master of flame magic who wields a massive scythe with peerless skill. Let’s see what kind of battle he shows us today!"
The live commentator’s voice echoed throughout the arena.
At his inciting words, the spectators—already buzzing from the previous bout—erupted with renewed energy. The previous match had certainly been worthy of the main tournament, but there was an added layer of excitement for this one.
Rei was an adventurer from the Kingdom of Mireana, the Bestia Empire’s long-standing rival. After the Spring War, many in the Empire considered Crimson a sworn enemy. However, the cheers currently filling the arena carried almost no trace of hostility.
This was likely because, throughout the tournament, Rei had consistently delivered flashy, awe-inspiring performances that kept the crowd on the edge of their seats. Of course, that didn't mean every single spectator had let go of their grudges. For those who had lost loved ones in the war, no amount of entertainment could lead to forgiveness. Even so, the overwhelming majority of the cheers were born of genuine anticipation for the spectacle to come.
As if summoned by the roar of the crowd, Rei emerged from the participants’ entrance. As always, he wore his Dragon Robe, the massive great scythe gripped in his hand. He cast a quick glance around the stands, a small smile playing on his lips as he noted that the cheers now far outnumbered the boos, and stepped onto the stage.
"And Crimson’s opponent is a fellow adventurer from the Kingdom of Mireana—Rhodos! As I’ve mentioned before, he is the son of the legendary Axe of the Thunder God and a vital member of that same party. His strength is undeniably first-class. Renowned for the incredible sharpness of his thrusts, please welcome Rhodos!"
Rhodos stepped onto the stage to the sound of that introduction. His expression was taut with concentration and a fierce fighting spirit. He was clad in his usual gear: leather armor and a longsword.
The two men faced each other in the center of the ring.
"I’ve been waiting for this moment," Rhodos said. "I wasn't sure I’d make it this far in the tournament, though."
"Really?" Rei replied. "At worst, we might not have crossed paths until the finals. From that perspective, meeting in the third round feels a bit early."
"Rei... I’m going to beat you."
Rhodos’s eyes burned with determination. He drew his longsword and took a combat stance. Rei readied the Death Scythe and spoke.
"I don't intend to lose easily, but give it everything you’ve got."
Rei was slightly surprised by the intensity of the fighting spirit radiating from his opponent. He settled into a neutral stance, ready to react to any move Rhodos might make. A heavy silence descended over the stage.
The tournament official, sensing that the pleasantries were over, called out from the sidelines.
"Match, start!"
At the signal, Rei held his ground, waiting for Rhodos to initiate.
I didn't quite get the hang of those counters yesterday, Rei thought. This is a good chance to test them out.
Rei held the Death Scythe ready, prepared to match his opponent's rhythm, but Rhodos simply watched him intently, making no move to attack. Minutes passed with both men standing perfectly still. Finally, Rei spoke up, his voice teasing.
"What’s wrong? Not going to attack? It’s a big stage—I’ll let you have the first move."
"Right... then here I come!"
With a sharp exhale, Rhodos kicked off the floor and closed the distance. He led with a thrust, almost as if it were a greeting. It was his signature technique: consecutive thrusts. He had used this move against Rei countless times during their training sessions.
However, those had all been mock battles. This was the first time Rhodos had unleashed the technique with his full strength in a real fight. The speed was the same as in practice, as was the power behind it. Yet, the sheer intensity Rhodos poured into the strikes gave them a lethal edge that surpassed anything he had shown in their sparring matches.
The thrusts were undeniably high-caliber. And yet...
"Gwah!"
A cry of pain rang out, and Rhodos was sent flying backward. Several distinct impact marks appeared on his leather armor.
Naturally, it was Rei’s handiwork. As the crowd turned their eyes toward him, they saw him standing with the Death Scythe's butt end extended forward.
"Damn it," Rhodos groaned, pushing himself up. "You’re still doing that monster-like crap."
"Am I? It’s not that rare a move."
"You say that after countering every single one of my thrusts? Yeah, I’m sure the technique itself is common enough. But hearing you say that doesn't make me feel any better, Rei."
A murmur rippled through the stands. Even from a distance, the crowd could tell how sharp Rhodos’s consecutive thrusts had been. The fact that Rei had countered every single one of them was something most spectators hadn't even been able to see.
Rei gave a small, wry smile as Rhodos checked his armor.
"If you're going to complain about that, I’d say your decision to take the hits on your armor because you knew you couldn't dodge was just as impressive."
"Hmph. If you’d been using the Death Scythe's blade, that defense would have been suicide. I’ve realized it from watching your other matches... you aren't fighting seriously, are you? No, to be precise, you’re deliberately handicapping yourself."
"Well, who knows?" Rei shrugged, still holding his scythe.
His previous opponents had noticed the same thing, so it was no surprise that Rhodos had picked up on it.
"Well, that’s fine," Rhodos said. "All I care about is beating you. It doesn't matter if it’s not your full power."
Rei felt a flicker of surprise. He had expected Rhodos to demand a "real" fight. But he quickly brushed the thought aside and readjusted his grip on the Death Scythe.
"If you think you can win, then show me. Just don't expect me to make it easy."
Rei made no move to go on the offensive. He remained focused on waiting for the perfect moment to counter. Rhodos, clearly understanding this after the first exchange, began to circle Rei, searching for any possible opening. Rei pivoted slowly, following Rhodos’s movement with his feet while keeping his body centered.
Neither made a flashy move. Time seemed to slow down. Ordinarily, the crowd would have started heckling during such a lull, but a strange, heavy tension had settled over the arena, keeping the spectators silent.
Rhodos completed a full circle around Rei, and then...
"Hah!"
Perhaps unable to bear the tension any longer, Rhodos struck. Instead of thrusts, he unleashed a heavy diagonal slash. Rei caught the strike on the shaft part of the Death Scythe and parried the force toward the butt end.
"Hmph!"
"Uwaaargh!"
Using the momentum of the parry, Rei delivered a counter. Just before the Death Scythe's blade could reach his right arm, Rhodos twisted his body with reflexive desperation. It was a hair’s-breadth escape; a fraction of a second later, and his arm would have been severed.
However, the cost of the dodge was steep. Because he had been forced to wrench his body out of the way, he couldn't fully clear the weapon's reach. The blade sliced across his forehead.
"Crap..."
Rhodos leaped back to create distance, wiping away the blood that began to pour into his right eye. The wound was deep enough that the bleeding wouldn't stop on its own.
He was fortunate that Rei was strictly adhering to his self-imposed counter-only rule. Because Rei was content to wait, Rhodos was able to pull a potion from the pouch at his belt. In a tournament where magic items were permitted, using a potion was perfectly legal. Usually, a combatant wouldn't have the luxury to use one in a duel, but Rei’s current style provided the necessary window.
Rei simply watched, still feeling out the nuances of his counter techniques, as Rhodos treated himself.
The potion must have been a high-grade one. Rhodos opened the bottle and splashed a small amount on the wound; the cut on his forehead sealed instantly, and the bleeding stopped. Cries of amazement at the potion’s efficacy rose from the stands.
"Phew..."
Rhodos took a breath and then downed the rest of the bottle. In an instant, his face twisted into a look of grim misery, a testament to just how foul the liquid tasted. Potions were effective, especially for their lingering recovery properties, but the trade-off was a flavor so wretched it could paralyze a person's sense of taste for hours.
Still, for Rhodos, it was a welcome sacrifice if it meant his wounds would heal automatically while he fought.
"Ugh... h-here I come!"
Fighting back the nausea from the potion, he gripped his sword and charged. Emboldened by the recovery effect, his step-in was even sharper than before.
"Uooooooooh!"
He swung the longsword with everything he had, aiming directly for Rei’s left shoulder.
"The same attack again!"
Rei caught the diagonal slash on the shaft part of the Death Scythe. He parried the blade toward the butt end and pushed back against the scythe to create space, simultaneously transitioning into a horizontal slash.
Because Rhodos’s attack had been so desperate, his follow-through was sloppy. The Death Scythe flashed through the air, slicing open the midsection of his leather armor. Only his sheer momentum saved his skin from the edge.
"Uraaaaaaah!"
Rhodos felt the blade brush his stomach, but once he realized it had only cut the leather, he surged forward to strike again. It was a reckless gambit, but Rhodos knew he was outclassed. His only hope was to take risks and force a mistake. If he fought a conventional battle, he would never touch someone of Rei's caliber.
Rei parried the flurry of strikes, looking for the gap to deliver the final counter, and realized the logic behind the boy’s actions.
I see. When you’re facing a superior opponent, you have to embrace risk. You can't expect to win without putting your life on the line. ...But!
Rei deflected a particularly sharp, heavy blow with the Death Scythe's butt end part and shouted.
"I can't afford to lose here, either!"
The force of the deflection threw Rhodos completely off balance, creating a massive opening. Rei followed through instantly with a counter-flick of the scythe. It was a strike far swifter than anything Rhodos had unleashed.
A brilliance like a flash of lightning raced through the air. Rei felt the familiar sensation of the blade biting through flesh and severing bone.
Rhodos’s left arm, from the elbow down, spun through the air.
"Guh!?"
"Go to sleep."
Rhodos reflexively clutched at his severed limb with his remaining hand, still holding his sword. Rei didn't miss the opening. He swung the shaft of the Death Scythe in a horizontal arc, the impact shattering Rhodos’s ribs. The boy was sent flying across the stage before collapsing in a heap.
"Stop! The winner—Rei!"