As Rei was sent tumbling through the air like a small stone once more, he replayed the scene he had just witnessed in his mind.
He analyzed exactly what Noise had done while brandishing that Magic Sword. Rei suspected he was likely the only person inside the arena capable of truly confirming the truth of it.
Noise wasn't utilizing some reality-warping magic like Teleportation Magic. He was simply moving.
The only difference was that his movement speed was so extreme it could not be tracked by the naked eye. Furthermore, despite that explosive movement, the stage where Noise had been standing remained pristine, showing no signs of being crushed or shattered. There was clearly a trick to how he managed such momentum without impacting the terrain.
Rei activated his Sleipnir's Shoes in mid-air to stabilize his posture and landed back on the stage. A dull ache flared in his right side for a moment, but it wasn't significantly worse than it had been.
"Hoh. You actually reacted to that?"
As soon as Rei readied his Death Scythe to face Noise once more, those words reached his ears. Noise watched him with an expression of unmistakable admiration. For a man who rarely showed emotion, it was an exceptional reaction.
Rei instinctively clicked his tongue. "Tch. You punched the Death Scythe and didn't even get a scratch? What kind of body are you hiding under there?"
Rei had indeed caught sight of it. Though he didn't yet understand the method, he had seen Noise moving at a velocity so high it could be mistaken for instantaneous teleportation. He had only been able to track it with his eyes, failing to actually dodge the fist, but even if total evasion was impossible, he had managed to pull his arms back in time.
The Death Scythe possessed an ability that made its weight almost imperceptible to Rei. Because of this, he had been able to use the Death Scythe's shaft as a shield to intercept Noise's strike. Still, it was unexpected that Noise showed no sign of pain despite punching the Death Scythe—a weapon weighing over 100kg and currently infused with Magic Power.
(I thought I could at least deal a little recoil damage. S-Rank... what a monster.)
Despite the thought, Rei's face showed no sign of despair. Based on Noise's movement method, Rei was still at an overwhelming disadvantage, but it was just that—a disadvantage, not a hopeless situation. If it had been true teleportation, he likely would have been defenseless, but if it was merely high-speed movement, he had just proven that he could find a way to counter it.
(To respond perfectly, I'd probably need to master that same high-speed movement myself...)
Rei considered the thought but immediately shook his head. This was a technique used by an S-Rank like Noise. There was no way he could replicate it on the fly just by watching.
(Then for now, I just have to find a way to react. I'll deal with it my own way.)
Rei tightened his grip on the Death Scythe's shaft and spoke. "Magic Shield."
The skill activated, and a shield of light formed beside him. It was a barrier capable of blocking any single attack. With this protection, Rei believed he could manage even against an opponent whose movements were barely trackable. However, Rei was still slightly underestimating the sheer weight of an S-Rank presence.
Next time, I'll catch him, Rei thought. At that moment, Noise kicked off the ground again, his form blurring out of existence.
Rei, who had been watching for that tell, instinctively channeled strength to swing the Death Scythe while positioning his Magic Shield. Yet, even in that fraction of a second, Noise was closing the distance at a speed that made "fast" seem like a lukewarm description.
Rei's arm moved mere millimeters while Noise traversed several meters of distance. Even so, thanks to the sharpness of senses that can even be described as inhuman housed within Zephyle's Crafted Body, Rei just barely managed to track Noise's figure.
The spectators and the other tournament participants saw nothing at all. Even those serving as the Imperial Family's Guard in the VIP Room could only perceive a faint, shadow-like flickering.
It was a stroke of incredible luck that Rei managed to pull the Death Scythe close and unleash a thrust with the butt end. His plan was to intercept Noise's strike with the Magic Shield and simultaneously impale him with a counter-thrust.
A sharp crack rang out as the Magic Shield shattered into fragments. The thrusting Death Scythe was deflected, and an instant later, another shockwave rocked Rei's body.
"Gugh!"
The difference this time was that instead of being blown back to the edge of the arena, he was only sent flying about three meters. Judging that Noise was still far too close, Rei ignored the throbbing pain in his side and roared.
"Flying Slash!"
It wasn't an attack meant to end the fight, but a probing strike intended to force distance. The flying blade of energy succeeded in halting Noise's pursuit. Noise, perhaps mistaking the skill for elemental magic, wrapped his Magic Sword Blade in a localized typhoon and swung it broadly, cutting the slash away as if it were nothing.
"Haa... haa... whew."
Having bought himself some room, Rei caught his breath while confirming that Noise wasn't immediately following up. He touched his right side, and a dull pain flared.
(I'm lucky the ribs haven't snapped yet.)
He muttered to himself. If the blow had landed in the exact same spot as before, the bone would have certainly shattered. Because he had reflexively shifted his position, the point of impact had moved just enough to leave him with only a severe bruise.
Frowning at the ache, Rei readied his weapon and began to calculate.
(What happened? No, it's obvious. He used the Magic Sword in his right hand to shatter the Magic Shield and simultaneously launched an off-hand strike with his left. I've seen that combo before; I should have expected it. I focused too much on the speed.)
Noise's high-speed movement—which truly deserved to be called teleportation—was incredibly distracting. He used that speed to fix his opponent's attention and then unleashed those devastating follow-up strikes. It was likely Noise's standard tactic—at least against an opponent who could actually track his initial move.
"But I have to... keep going!"
The moment he finished speaking, Noise's form blurred again.
Once more, time seemed to stretch like viscous taffy as Noise closed in. While Rei struggled to move his hands a few centimeters to defend, Noise moved as if he existed outside this slowed-down perception of time, approaching with casual ease. Rei felt a surge of genuine pressure.
Before the match, he had intended to manage the fight with fire magic, but just as before, high-level spells would only fill the area with smoke and flame, obscuring his own vision. Noise would just use that speed to slip through the gaps and get within range to throw his fists...
(Wait. Fists?)
While pulling the Death Scythe back toward him, Rei's mind began to churn at a frantic pace. Just as the doubt that had flickered for a fraction of a second began to take a coherent shape, Noise was already less than five meters away.
Having been on guard, Rei already had the Death Scythe in position. He judged that he wouldn't take a direct hit this time and realized there was something else he could do from this position. It was a skill that was usually useless in a direct confrontation, but it was one he could activate instantly.
"Terrain Manipulation!"
The skill took effect immediately. Although it was only Level 1—capable only of raising or lowering a 10cm step within a 10m Radius—the timing was everything. What would happen if a 10cm step suddenly appeared under the feet of a man moving at speeds that defied human comprehension?
"What!?"
Noise tripped mid-stride and was sent hurtling through the air by his own momentum.
"Ooooooh!"
This was the chance. Rei kept the Death Scythe's butt end pressed against the stage and used the sheer torque of his wrists to spin the weapon. Through a feat made possible only by Rei's Herculean Strength, the butt end snapped upward from the ground in a lethal arc.
A metallic clang rang across the arena as Noise flew past Rei's side. Rei performed a lightning-fast half-turn to face the man who had tumbled behind him.
(A metallic sound?)
The noise confused him for a second, but he understood the moment he saw the Magic Sword buried in the stage floor, used as an anchor to kill Noise's momentum.
(He used the Magic Sword as a shield in that split second? ...He really is a monster.)
It was supposed to be a last-ditch strike. Knowing that a trick like that wouldn't work twice on Noise, the fact that he hadn't dealt significant damage was a bitter pill for Rei to swallow.
However, Noise simply pulled his sword from the stage and spoke with a grin.
"Using a weapon as a shield isn't a trick exclusive to you. In fact, it's a very common technique. Though in your case, Rei, that Great Scythe turns that common technique into an impenetrable defense."
Noise hadn't called him "boy" or "kid." He had said "Rei."
He was finally recognizing Rei as a true peer. While Rei understood the weight of that acknowledgment, he didn't celebrate; instead, he clicked his tongue. He knew exactly what it meant: Noise was done holding back.
"You really are the man I took you for, Rei. Unlike my previous opponents, you can actually cure my boredom."
"...If you're that bored, you should have just gone out and fought some High-Rank monsters. Aren't there S-Rank Dragons out there?"
Rei had used conversation to create openings many times before, but now he felt a level of mental fatigue he had never known. The only reason his face remained a mask was his sheer volume of combat experience.
(Facing a threat this immense... the only thing that compares is when I first met Grimm.)
The image of the familiar Lich flashed through his mind—a skull for a face, yet a presence of overwhelming power. Thinking of an old acquaintance helped bleed some of the tension from his body. Without realizing it, the supernatural speed and pressure Noise exerted had wound Rei's nerves to the breaking point.
"Fine then. My turn... to go on the offensive!"
If he stayed on the defensive, he would only be delaying the inevitable. Rei prepared to lunge forward, but...
"I think not."
Noise shifted back into his high-speed movement. Time grew viscous once more as Noise closed in. Rei moved the Death Scythe's butt end toward the stage floor in what felt like agonizingly slow motion, while Noise approached with the speed of a thunderbolt.
Just before Noise entered his reach, the butt end struck the floor.
"Terrain Manipulation!"
He used the same skill again, but with a slight variation. Last time, he had raised the ground to trip Noise. He had hoped for a ring-out, though he knew Noise wouldn't fall for the same trick twice. He had merely intended to make the S-Rank adventurer hesitate.
This time, Rei lowered the ground instead of raising it. It was a minor change, but it was better than being predictable. However, Noise was far too experienced to be caught again; even at that blinding speed, he adjusted his trajectory to avoid the affected area entirely.
Then came the impact.
But Rei was finally adapting. He had seen the move, taken the hits, and familiarized himself with the rhythm. Just before the fist connected, he successfully interposed the Death Scythe's shaft.
Reacting to movements that should have been invisible was a testament to Rei's hidden potential. He angled the shaft so that the force of the punch sent him skidding across the air rather than being slammed into the stone. As he flew, his theory solidified.
(I knew it. Why is he using his fists instead of the Magic Sword?)
That specific choice might be the key to victory. Clinging to that thought, Rei corrected his posture mid-air, landed cleanly on the stage, and turned back to face Noise.