Chapter 24

Kouga was the first to make a move.

With just one step, he closed the distance between us and drew the sword from his waist.

It was a perfect reenactment of that time.

However, the speed, the power, and the refinement of the technique had improved exponentially.

The flawless strike, delivered with perfect timing, combined the momentum of his charge and the swift draw of his sword, approaching me at a godlike speed.

In that instant, a vision of myself being cut in two flashed through my mind.

A perfect and infallible sword draw. A movement that seemed to command every muscle and bone, even every cell. This sword would surely slice through the black dragon coat, which had strong blade resistance, and my body as well.

I truly sensed my own death. I couldn't help it.

But now, I could dodge it.

Faster than the sword could slice me horizontally, I escaped to the sky. The height I reached was more than just a jump; it was thanks to the wire mechanism hidden in my wristwatch. The ultra-thin wire, which I had pre-attached to the building's bars, quickly pulled me upward.

This wristwatch was also an item made from demon materials. It not only kept accurate time but was equipped with a wire mechanism and a micro gun.

I successfully evaded Kouga's strike.

If it were the usual me, I would have been cut in half before I could react, but thanks to the drug's effects, I could gauge his movements. Also, the training in hand-to-hand combat with Alma had accustomed my eyes to fast movements.

Not only did I successfully evade, but I also gained the advantage of position.

I was ten meters above Kouga. By escaping in an unexpected direction, Kouga was taken aback and his reaction was delayed. It was just a moment, but it would definitely slow down his counterattack.

If I wanted to finish him off, I should use the Wolf's Roar here. If I could immobilize him, the fight would be over in an instant. No matter how formidable Kouga was, slicing his neck with a knife would end it.

But I won't use the Wolf's Roar. To be precise, I can't use it.

If I believe Kouga's words, his class rank is C. He's not lying. Since we are of the same rank, immobilization should work. The problem is if the Swordsman class has mental resistance.

Swordsman—If my memory serves, it's a frontline class from the Far East, equivalent to a swordsman here.

But I don't have the exact information. Kouga said the characteristic of this class is the manipulation of sword strikes, but it might also have various resistances, like how scouts have strong resistance to poison.

If the Wolf's Roar doesn't work, I'll lose the advantage I have now. With Kouga's strength, he can jump to this height. If I allow him to counterattack, I'll be an easy target in mid-air.

So, I can't use the Wolf's Roar here. What I should use is the fireball.

I pulled the trigger of Silver and fired a fireball at Kouga. At that moment, Kouga reacted to me above and dodged the fireball that was about to hit him.

To be able to dodge a bullet at that timing is an unbelievable reflex speed. But the real show begins now with the magic bullet.

"Wh-What, the fire!?"

Kouga panicked as the pillar of fire was released from the fireball. Even if he panicked, it was too late. I don't know the Swordsman's resistance, but a frontline physical class shouldn't have fire resistance. If he's engulfed in flames, he won't be fine.

Even if he escapes the fire pillar, the flames that spread to his clothes won't be easy to extinguish, and he'll take significant damage. Then, it will be an easy win. I can kill him like taking a baby's hand.

That's what I thought—

"Quickly!!!"

In the midst of the flames, Kouga, now a flickering shadow, swung his sword with a shout. The storm-like sword wind extinguished the pillar of fire.

"No way!?"

I couldn't help but shout. No matter how much sword wind he created, the magic bullet's flames shouldn't be so easily extinguished.

Then, why did it disappear? The answer is simple. By swinging his sword, he created a vacuum around him, eliminating the oxygen needed for the flames to burn.

In other words, Kouga cut through the air itself.

Stunned by this divine skill, I looked up at Kouga, who distorted his mouth.

"Damn it, you bastard!"

This position is bad. I kicked off the building's wall and moved to the adjacent wall, using the momentum to repeatedly wall-jump and escape to the roof.

The moment I reached the roof, Kouga leaped at me.

With the full moon behind him, he raised his sword high and swung it down.

Just before I was about to be split in two, I rolled to the side to evade.

Trying to stand up and aim Silver, but Kouga had already closed the distance and was in position to counterattack. I dodged his consecutive sword strikes by a hair's breadth.

This is bad, too bad. I don't even have time to take a deep breath to use the Wolf's Roar, let alone shoot Silver.

I managed to keep dodging, but the moment my breathing was disrupted, I would be cut down. In that case, there's only one thing I can do.

A metallic sound, and sparks flew in front of me.

My knife deflected Kouga's sword. I lowered my stance and aimed for his groin.

But Kouga stepped back and evaded my attack.

"Hey, hey! No matter what, the groin is off-limits! What will you do if the jewels are crushed!? Stop your dirty tricks!"

Pointing at me, Kouga protested. I shrugged.

"Are you an idiot? This is a matter of life and death. Blinding, groin attacks, biting—anything goes. Cheating? Ha, do you think that word will work here?"

"You talk big, but the difference in strength is clear. I think such words will only tighten the noose around your neck."

"Clear difference in strength? Who decided that?"

I held my knife in a reverse grip and crouched.

"Come on, I'll take you on like this."

"...Are you, a rear-class, going to face me head-on with a sword?"

I didn't answer with words, just beckoned with my free hand.

"...Alright. I'll return the words of the talker, Noel Stollen. —You are the best man."

Kouga's sword strikes came at me like rain.

The speed and power were far beyond what my knife could match. But hand-to-hand combat techniques are for the weak to defeat the strong. I never faced his attacks head-on, but with optimized movements, I deflected all his strikes.

"Haha, well done! Impressive! But how long can you keep this up!?"

On the contrary. Dodging alone would lead to a gradual disadvantage, but deflecting could disrupt his stance. Disrupting Kouga, who excelled in core strength, wouldn't be easy, but I could do it. As Kouga's sword speed increased, my eyes also adapted.

The training from my grandfather, the immortal demon, was far more severe than this. I thought I had grown stronger as an explorer, but apparently, I had become duller than during my training days.

I can do it. As Kouga's sword speed increased, his movements became more erratic. I successfully disrupted his stance by deflecting a powerful strike, changed my knife grip, and aimed for his throat.

"Ugh!?"

Close, but he dodged at the last moment. But the distance opened up, and Kouga's stance was still disrupted.

I wouldn't let this opportunity slip.

I threw a flashbang at Kouga. The blinding light turned the night dark into white.

"Ah, blinding!?"

Kouga, burned by the flash, didn't drop his sword but was holding his face in pain. His movements were effectively sealed.

"I told you, anything goes."

I aimed Silver. This would be the end.

The moment I was certain of victory, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

What is it? Is danger approaching? What is it?

"I also told you about the Swordsman's ability."

Kouga, who was in pain, smiled.

"What!? No way!?"

"Fly, Swallow, Secret Technique: Swallow Return."

I trusted my intuition and jumped back. Instantly, countless invisible strikes flew, slicing a steel chimney on the trajectory where I had been.

"Manipulating sword strikes, huh!?"

This was probably the Swordsman's skill. From the situation, it seems he can fix sword strikes in space and release them at will.

What a troublesome skill. I need to think of a countermeasure quickly.

But that thought was too fatal.

"There."

Kouga, who should have been blinded, was right in front of me. And the powerful sword strike. I instinctively blocked with Silver, but the intense blow sent me flying backward.

"Damn!"

Behind me was the roof—no foothold. If I continued like this, I would be slammed into the ground. I rotated in mid-air like a cat to prepare for landing.

"Not yet!"

Kouga's aerial pursuit. I was certain. This guy has a skill to detect the opponent's position without relying on vision.

"Stop!!"

A desperate Wolf's Roar. But there was no sign of the stop effect on Kouga. As I suspected, he has resistance.

I guarded with Silver against the sword flash, but this time I was blown back to the ground. Slammed into the ground on my back, I lost consciousness...

†

†

"Ugh, it hurts..."

Sharp pain brought me back to consciousness. I adjusted my breathing and checked my body. Thanks to the successful landing, my bones didn't seem broken. There was no blood in my breath, so there was no internal damage.

But my body wouldn't move properly. The damage from being slammed into the ground was less of an issue; the backlash from the combat stimulant wearing off was the cause.

In other words, my fight is over.

"I win."

Kouga's sword was pointed at me as I regained consciousness. His eyes seemed to have recovered while I was unconscious.

"Noel Stollen, you are an incredible person. I never thought I would be pushed this far by a rear-class. No mistake, you were my strongest opponent."

Praise for the loser. Don't patronize me. This isn't a sport. In a fight, there's only winning or losing. Nothing else has any value.

Most importantly, a fight isn't over until you die. There are still ways to turn the situation around. I can talk Kouga into lowering his sword.

He was reluctant to fight me. If I guide him well, he will definitely lower his sword. Even if that fails, a little more time would be enough.

How should I talk him into it? As I chose my words, I felt a sense of unease.

"...Why aren't you finishing me off?"

I didn't need to talk him into it. Kouga was clearly hesitating.

"Didn't you say you would cut anyone if told to?"

"I know that! I know that!"

"You've cut people before, right? Then why are you hesitating?"

"K-Know what, that! I, I just..."

"...You idiot."

I forced myself to sit up and grabbed the sword pointed at me. Blood flowed from my sliced palm, but I didn't care.

"Hey, what are you doing! Let go!"

"Don't be a wimp!!"

"Wh-What!?"

My shout made Kouga flinch.

"Don't show mercy to your enemy, even if you're a slave! If you let me go here, your master Albert will never forgive you!"

"That's... That's..."

"In this world, there's nothing more important than your own life! Don't throw it away for others, let alone for your enemy!!"

What am I saying? It's a terrible farce. I feel like vomiting, acting in this ridiculous comedy.

But I couldn't stop. I didn't want this man to die... I couldn't bear to see him so carelessly throw away his life...

"I, I..."

Kouga was confused. By his own emotions. By my words.

But there's nothing I can do. He has to resolve this on his own.

And—

"Time's up."

I released the sword and sighed.

"What do you mean?"

Kouga, tilting his head, sensed something was wrong and immediately went into combat stance. Looking up, he spat and swung his sword.

In an instant, the sparks from the sword clash illuminated the sky like a starry night.

"What is this!?"

Kouga, who was overwhelmed, took a sharp roundhouse kick to the stomach and was sent flying.

And standing there, protecting me, was the white reaper.

"You, get out of the way. Only I am allowed to push Noel down."