"Now then, for the Advanced Explorer Division of the Martial Arts Tournament, only the final match remains! I suspect this pairing is exactly what most of you were hoping for!"
The fourth day of the Martial Arts Tournament.
As I sat in the waiting room with my eyes closed in meditation, the announcer’s voice filtered through the walls.
Finally, the final match.
My opponent was Oliver.
We were born in the same village and had pushed each other toward our goals for as long as I could remember.
Around the time we became Explorers, our physical capabilities began to diverge. By the time we reached the lower floors of the Great Labyrinth, that gap had become an unbridgeable chasm.
Even after the various twists and turns that led to my conversion into an Enchanter, Oliver never stopped growing.
In a pure contest of raw power, I stood no chance against him.
However, it wasn’t as if I’d been idle all this time.
I had gained a wealth of experience as an Enchanter, and more importantly, I had spent years observing Oliver’s movements from an objective perspective.
I knew his habits better than he did.
What I had to do now was no different from my match against Fuuka.
I would simply confront him with my own unique strengths.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! The time has come to call our two finalists to the stage! First, the leader of the New Hero Party that reached the unprecedented 94th Floor of the Great Labyrinth of the South—the Explorer known as the 'Sword Saint'! Oliver Cardiff!"
At the sound of his name, Oliver walked from the opposite entrance toward the center of the arena.
The moment he appeared, a thunderous roar of cheers erupted from the spectator stands.
"His opponent! The man who single-handedly defeated a Deep Floor boss—the Ace of the 'Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky' known as the 'Dragon Slayer'! Orun Doura!"
Since my name was called next, I followed suit, stepping out from the waiting room toward the center of the stage.
While cheers echoed from all sides, a particularly loud cry rose from the section occupied by the members of the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky.
This battle wasn't just for my own sake.
If I could secure victory here, the Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky would be able to operate with even greater political and social leverage in the future.
For their sake, I absolutely could not lose.
"It’s been a while, Orun."
Once we reached our designated positions, Oliver was the first to speak.
It really had been a long time since we’d had a proper conversation.
When I was kicked out of the party, it was mostly Oliver talking down to me; the day after we defeated the Black Dragon on the 50th Floor, it was mostly me confronting him.
We hadn't truly spoken in over two months.
Without exaggeration, this was likely the longest we had gone without talking since we were children.
"Yeah, it has. I’ve heard about Golden Dawn's recent achievements. Gathering that many penalty magic stones in less than two months... as expected of you."
"...Is that sarcasm?"
Oliver’s expression remained stony, his voice cold.
"It’s not sarcasm. Knowing you guys, I honestly thought it would have taken much longer. It seems my successor is quite capable."
Working as an Explorer in Tsutrail meant that news of those operating outside the Great Labyrinth of the South would eventually filter through.
I had done a bit of research on Philly Carpenter, the Enchanter who had replaced me in the Hero Party.
However, I hadn't found a single shred of information about her.
It wasn't necessarily strange, given that Enchanters rarely made the news.
Even so, Marquis Forgas held the final authority over the party's composition.
Would a man like him really permit an unknown Enchanter to join the ranks of the Hero Party?
Thinking about it now, something felt off about that entire personnel decision.
"Yeah, she’s excellent. In terms of support magic, she’s several levels above you."
"...I see. In that case, are you going to start the 94th Floor Conquest soon?"
"...There's no way I'd tell that to an outsider."
"Fair enough."
"—Enough talk. Draw your sword. I’m going to beat you down just like I always have."
As Oliver spoke, his aura shifted into a combat-ready state, and he leveled his sword toward me.
"I know how obsessed you are with conquering the Great Labyrinth. I know you can't afford to lose here for that very reason. —However, I have my own reasons for needing this win. Today, victory belongs to me!"
I shifted my focus, pushing all other thoughts aside.
I drew my longsword from the scabbard on my left hip and took my stance.
"Both competitors appear ready! Final match—begin!"
The moment the signal was given, we both closed the distance.
As soon as I entered his reach, Oliver unleashed a horizontal sweep.
I met the attack head-on with my longsword.
Guh, I knew it would be, but it’s incredibly heavy...
Instead of fighting the impact vibrating through my blade, I used it to propel myself backward, resetting the distance.
"A massive strike from Oliver right out of the gate! Orun is forced back immediately! Could this be over in an instant!?"
The last time I had sparred with Oliver using real blades was years ago.
By watching his telegraphs, I could tell what move he was making, and I could estimate the power based on his sword speed—but experiencing it firsthand reminded me that he was always more formidable than my imagination allowed.
I doubted that last strike was even his full power, but the fact that I had successfully parried it once was a major step.
"—!"
Closing the distance again, I launched a diagonal downward slash, a strike designed to carry my full weight.
Oliver parried it effortlessly with an upward counter-slash.
Even though I should have had the advantage of gravity, the pressure of our clashing blades began to force my sword upward.
Sensing the timing, I relaxed the strength in my grip and leaned my body back, letting Oliver’s sword sail harmlessly past me.
Simultaneously, I drew the dagger at my waist with my left hand and thrust it toward Oliver’s chest.
The blade was blunted for the tournament, so it wouldn't pierce him, but a weighted thrust to the sternum would still break bones.
In a setting where recovery magic was restricted, such an injury would be game over.
Just as the tip of my dagger was about to connect with Oliver’s chest, it was halted by an invisible wall.
Oliver’s Mana Convergence.
I had anticipated this. Without letting the failure rattle me, I leaped backward again to create space.
With that, I’ve measured his raw strength and the current proficiency of his Mana Convergence.
Regarding his swordsmanship, it was exactly as I’d feared—one clean hit would put me on the defensive indefinitely.
However, when it came to Mana Convergence, my proficiency was clearly superior.
I overrode my old data on Oliver with the fresh information I’d just gathered and began simulating the rest of the fight in my head.
"Still fighting like a coward, I see."
Oliver spoke as the distance widened between us.
It was a welcome opening.
"When a direct clash offers such poor odds, one has to adapt."
I ran through several tactical patterns even as I spoke to him.
"............And? Have you come up with a plan yet?"
"............"
Was he intentionally giving me time to think?
He was overconfident. —Wait!?
Just as I realized Oliver was baiting me, he lunged forward at a speed that eclipsed everything he’d shown so far.
If I hadn't been intimately familiar with his movements, I wouldn't have even been able to track him.
I managed to catch his slash with my longsword, but the sheer sharpness and weight of the blow nearly broke my stance.
Without a second's delay, a golden mass materialized right in front of my face.
"Guh!"
I threw myself backward just in time for the golden mass to detonate.
So he’s got my number too, huh?
It was only natural. Just as I knew his style, Oliver knew mine.
He had anticipated that I would be observing him and deliberately played his hand weaker than usual to lure me in.
Oliver’s relentless follow-up attacks rained down on me.
He pressured me with a flurry of strikes that made it feel as though he were under the effects of a high-level haste buff.
"And here comes Oliver’s signature rush! No one has ever managed to withstand this onslaught! Can Orun survive!?"
Because I could read his telegraphs, I was barely managing to endure, but without that foresight, the match would have ended minutes ago.
"—!?"
I had jumped back repeatedly to escape the pressure of his combos, but I had finally been driven against the edge of the arena wall.
"Orun is cornered! Is this the end of the line!?"
"There’s nowhere left to run. It's over. For the sake of our childhood, I'll let you surrender. If we keep going, I won't give you the breath required to speak."
So, Oliver’s entire plan had been to pin me against the wall.
————Yeah, I knew that.
When everything seems to be going exactly according to your plan, you rarely realize you're the one being manipulated.
Explosive Mana Convergence wasn't his exclusive trick.
I released the mana I had been converging above us throughout the struggle.
Bracing for the impact, I used Mana Convergence to manifest a substitute for a Magic Barrier.
Actual magic spells like Magic Barrier were forbidden by the tournament rules, but Mana Convergence was a loophole I could exploit just as easily as Oliver.
As I deployed the pseudo-magic barrier, he realized what was happening.
Oliver’s eyes snapped toward the sky.
The moment his attention wavered, I abandoned the aerial mana mass, dispelled my barrier, and lunged at him.
Even a surprise attack with Mana Convergence would likely be countered by a man of Oliver’s caliber.
That was why the aerial strike was merely a decoy.
Oliver realized I was closing in and tried to snap his focus back, but he was a fraction of a second too late.
I swung my longsword in a horizontal arc with everything I had.
"Dammit...!"
He managed to get his sword in the way at the last possible moment, but his balance was shattered.
I circled behind him instantly and swung again.
Once more, his blade met mine before I could land a hit, but the momentum had shifted. Now, it was Oliver who was pinned against the wall.
I leaped back to clear the blast zone and triggered the black mana mass from above.
I had tuned the intensity so it wouldn't kill him, but the explosion erupted right in his face, engulfing the area in a cloud of obsidian energy.
"A lightning-fast reversal! A black explosion has swallowed Oliver! Magic is banned, so this must be Orun's Ability! The Ace of the Silver Rabbit truly is a Special Ability User!"
I had set a personal rule for this tournament: avoid using my Ability against non-Ability users whenever possible.
Under these rules, the presence of an Ability was a massive, often unfair advantage.
If I abused Mana Convergence, I could have steamrolled everyone except for Oliver, Fuuka, and Haruto.
The audience wouldn't have enjoyed those lopsided fights, and I didn't want people questioning my victory after the fact, so I had held back.
Of course, if I had been on the verge of losing to a normal opponent, I would have thrown that rule out the window.
But Oliver possessed the same Ability as me.
Since we were fighting on level ground, I had no reason to hold back anymore.
The attack looked like a direct hit. If he’d caught the brunt of it, the match was over.
I watched the smoke intently, unable to see his condition.
I doubted he was unharmed.
I converged mana into my own blade, shrouding the steel in a flickering black aura as I waited for his next move.
The smoke suddenly swirled in a violent, irregular pattern, and beams of golden light pierced through the haze.
When the air finally cleared, Oliver stood there, blood trickling from his forehead, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
His sword was now wreathed in a brilliant golden radiance.
I had dealt significant damage, but the fire in his eyes hadn't dimmed in the slightest.
I sheathed the dagger in my left hand and gripped my longsword with both palms, settling into a deep stance.
Oliver mimicked me, raising his sword into a high guard.
The air in the arena grew heavy with tension.
—!
We both swung at the exact same moment.
""Heavenly Flash!!""
The pitch-black and golden slashes collided in the center of the ring.
Sorry, Oliver. I’ve been using Mana Convergence every single day for years. You might have started using it defensively lately, but your proficiency isn't on my level. There's no way you can beat me when your convergence time is slower than mine.
The two clashing colors struggled for dominance, but the black began to steadily erode the gold.
It was like the sun dipping below the horizon as night claimed the sky.
The pitch-black mana finally consumed the gold entirely. It didn't stop there—it surged forward, swallowing Oliver in its wake.
A heavy silence fell over the entire stadium.
Oliver lay unconscious on the ground. I was the only one left standing.
"It’s over! The winner is Orun Doura!"
The announcer’s voice shattered the silence, and the crowd erupted into a deafening roar.
And so, the Martial Arts Tournament ended with my victory.