Chapter 72

To avoid drawing too much attention and becoming a spectacle, the duel was decided to take place in front of the blacksmith's shop.

It's best to avoid gathering unnecessary attention and revealing one's hand carelessly.

On this point, both Hilde and I were in agreement.

Hilde headed to the Adventurer's Guild with high spirits to call a guild staff member as the witness for the duel.

In the meantime, I was preparing for the duel inside the blacksmith's shop.

"Life Shield!"

I raised my sword and shouted.

My vitality turned into light and formed a wall around me.

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Life Shield [Common Skill]

Activated by paying 20% of maximum HP.

Covers the entire body with a shield that has the same durability as the HP paid.

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It's a familiar skill of the Heavy Knight.

"Boy, what are you doing, fiddling around like that? Using skills recklessly now will just waste MP..."

Berga asked me, looking worried.

"Hmph!"

When I exerted force, cracks appeared in the light wall of the Life Shield, and it shattered and disappeared.

"Again, you're deactivating a skill you just activated... I can't understand what you're trying to do at all."

"HP management."

"Even more confusing. The thoughts of the young are unpredictable."

Berga sighed in resignation.

The lack of speed of a Heavy Knight is a disadvantage in a duel.

The best approach is to activate the Deathline Tyrant, which can be activated with 20% HP or less from the start, to make up for the speed disadvantage.

Moreover, there needs to be a slight interval between consecutive activations of Life Shield, so it's necessary to adjust HP with some leeway.

"...Um, Elma, can you win? This time, it will rely on the Deathline Tyrant, right? The Self-Sacrifice is... well, there's no real benefit to using it..."

"That's right. What makes a Sword Mage more troublesome than a Sword Saint is that, due to their rough skills, their burst damage is exceptionally high. In addition, they often have practical magic skills because of their high attack power and magic power."

With the Deathline Tyrant, the speed of a Sword Mage and a Heavy Knight is about the same.

I will likely be slightly slower due to the level difference.

With mid-range magic attacks coming in, it will be a battle where one cannot let their guard down for a moment.

And in a normal duel, the Self-Sacrifice is useless.

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Self-Sacrifice [Common Skill]

Can only be activated when remaining HP is 50% or less.

Reduces defense to [0] and increases attack power by the same amount.

Continuously consumes MP while active.

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Yes, this skill, when used in a duel, only increases the risk of death for both oneself and the opponent.

Even if combined with the Deathline Tyrant to multiply attack power sixfold, it will only result in excessive damage.

With zero defense against a ranged opponent, there's a risk of accidental death.

"To be honest, I was able to defeat Maris because he was only around [Lv: 40] and only knew the incomplete Adamantine Combo. A Heavy Knight, who lacks mobility, is at a significant disadvantage against a Sword Mage who also has magic skills."

In the battle against the Dream Lord, there was a lot of room for tactics because my partner, Luise, is a tricky type.

However, in a one-on-one duel, the options are inevitably limited.

"Wasn't it reckless, boy? It's not too late to apologize or run away..."

"Of course, there is a chance of winning. I wouldn't have accepted a duel from such a guy if there wasn't. I have a good understanding of his skill composition and tactics. I was worried if he would keep his promise, but since the guild of this large city will provide a witness, they will make sure to enforce it. I also have connections with the guild master."

"E-Elma, you look scary..."

"To avoid causing trouble for the blacksmith in the future, I'll teach that brat a lesson."

"...He's technically older than you, even if he's small."

However, even though I have several strategies in mind, a B-rank Sword Mage is not an opponent to be underestimated.

If he makes an unexpected move, it could quickly turn the tide against me.

Most importantly, in a battle between high-level adventurers, if one gets too carried away, it can easily result in a fatal accident.

"I didn't like the idea because it seemed a bit underhanded... but I guess I'll go with that plan."

I reconsidered several times, but this is the most reliable and safest strategy for both me and the opponent.

It will also serve as a deterrent against the opponent trying to make things ambiguous after the duel, and if it fails, I can quickly switch to another strategy.

"What plan? A-aren't you going to do anything too dangerous...?"

"It's not a big deal... Sword Mages have a bias or a blind spot in their thinking. It's not a weakness, but something that happens out of necessity."

"Thinking... bias?"

Luise blinked.

I nodded.

"Not everyone, but from Hilde's words and actions, it's almost certain that he has it."

"That means..."

At that moment, the door opened.

"I brought them, Heavy Knight. Haven't you been doing anything funny with my sword?"

It was Hilde.

Behind him was a guild staff member with a forced smile.

"I was told to come along because there was a cheeky Heavy Knight, but it's you two... Elma and Luise."

It was the receptionist Marta from before.

She was apparently going to be the witness for the duel.

[Information on Other Works]

"The Kingdom's Ultimate Weapon, Enrolled in the Knight Academy as a Mediocre Student" will be released on July 7th!

Character designs and illustrations are being published in the activity report!

(2021/7/7)