Teal-colored spirit spread in a radius of 1 meter around Darius. As soon as Ark entered this domain, all his movements slowed significantly.
With the initial momentum greatly reduced, Ark was pushed back and forced to retreat.
(A spirit effective enough against my Phantom-infused spirit? This is hella troublesome.)
It meant he would lose in a head-on clash.
Still, Ark didn't waver. He noticed in an instant that Darius' combat style was defensive, a sort of wait-and-see method. Against opponents like him, Ark could never lose.
“You hid your powers well. I didn't notice anything until you charged at me,” Darius willingly acknowledged Ark. He seemed glad. “But that isn't enough to beat me.”
“If you think that was it, you're delusional.”
Ark unleashed his Phantom, spreading his intent all over.
“Mana Drain.”
With these words, the ambient mana was devoured by his strong will. Ark was instantly charged with an enormous amount of magic power.
“Array Formation.”
Soon, dozens of magic circles rapidly formed. Four colors of magic surrounded Darius and poured down on him like a storm.
Every spell was intermediate-grade offensive magic meant to target a single individual, and it packed a great deal of force. Of course, Ark didn't think for a second that it would be useful against an S-rank.
Darius brandished his sword. Waves of teal energy blocked and dissipated the magic in seconds.
“You look like you are used to this,” Ark dryly commented.
“I'm impressed. Not even imperial court magicians could utilize Array Formation this fast and with such diversity. I usually have ten of them fire at me, though, so this method won't work.”
“Mana Drain.”
Ignoring the results, Ark once again drains the magic power from the world. He chants, “Thunderbolt.”
A radiant bolt of lightning was fired from the tip of his fingers, tearing through the air in its way.
(How about that?)
Unfortunately, Ark was soon stupefied. Darius doesn't do anything, allowing the spell to hit him directly, but there was no damage.
The magic spell dissipated into nothingness.
“I could only afford to train like that because I had insurance that I wouldn't die.”
His armor was made of a special alloy, granting it near indestructibility.
It was enough to discourage most enemies, seeing a shield that wouldn't break. However, Ark didn't seem too bothered. He was annoyed as hell, but he could still envision victory.
“Your attribute is water.”
It wasn't a question, and Darius didn't bother to deny it.
“Your weakness is lightning.”
Whenever he waved his sword, the teal spirit flowed like an ocean current. It creates a force that resists anything that tries to reach its origin.
But lightning flows while riding on such a current. It was the best element to bypass Darius' defense.
“...I won't let you.” As if sensing something, Darius finally takes the initiative and dashes to disrupt Ark from casting any more magic.
The armor was definitely heavy, but Darius possessed enough speed to cross the distance between them in the blink of an eye.
“Mind Acceleration.”
Activating the ancient magic, the surroundings slowed to a near halt. Ark further supplemented the effectiveness of this spell by concentrating to the extreme, removing the color from the world.
(I don't have much time. Better hurry.)
He didn't have lightning-type strengthening magic in his arsenal. It was an oversight made due to the excellence of the Potentia series.
(When I get back, I will be sure to correct it.) Ark clenched his teeth in frustration.
He quickly conquered his feelings and focused. In his mind, he visualized two spells.
Elementary-grade strengthening magic: Boost.
Intermediate-grade offensive magic: Thunderbolt.
The two formulas vividly appeared in his head. Slowly, Ark attempts to overlap the formulas and combine them into one. It was a difficult endeavor that was incomparably harder than simple multicast.
Ark can easily multicast if it's the same spell, but even double casting is out of reach, at least in real combat. He had already divided his focus into several branches, and giving up on one is a bad choice.
To compensate for this, he simply cast magic one after another at a mind-blowing speed.
But making compound magic is extremely dangerous, especially a strengthening magic that deals with the body directly. If the formulas aren't properly combined, the user's body might explode.
(Well, weak-nerved losers would fail, but not me. I am the best.)
“Compound magic: Thunder Boost.”
Magic power flowed like electricity around his body, chirping like a flock of birds. The gray world dispersed, returning its color as time flowed normally.
Lightning flowed inside the Void Spirit, and Darius' sword was halted by Silverstar.
“Now we are on equal terms.”
The two clashed with all their might, putting their swordsmanship on the line.
...
(This damned bastard...!)
Ark breathed heavily. He was unharmed, but so was Darius. However, unlike himself, the Knight of Black stood firmly without breaking a sweat. It was clear he had the edge.
In a matter of minutes, Darius proved himself to be a superior swordsman.
Due to his ability to read his opponents' intentions, Ark was able to hold his ground against those far more skilled than himself. The problem was that Darius was overwhelmingly better. He was an expert swordsman.
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His moves were exactly as he intended, with terrifying precision incomparable to that of normal swordsmen.
Even without a skill like Phantom, an expert in martial arts would also be able to see through his moves with clarity. It was at such a high level.
“It's so predictable; it is pissing me off,” Ark said in a disgusted voice.
“What's the point of a sneaky sword if a true swordsman would be able to see through it?” Darius shrugged. “My instructor once said, 'A sword must be true to the user's tendencies, a spirit must be true to the user's nature, and a sword spirit must express yourself completely'.”
“Bullshit.”
As if to prove a point, Ark utilizes a Phantom to fake a slash from the left while slashing from the right. It effectively confused Darius and created a fatal opening, but his armor deflected the attack with ease.
“If others see through your move, it's not necessarily useless. It just means your stealth is half-hearted.”
Darius' teal spirit spun around him to create a whirlpool. Despite putting a considerable force into every blow, the whirlpool doesn't stop.
Pointing the tip of his black sword at Ark, a stream of his spirit burst over at Ark with dangerous momentum.
“Although I understand your point, I think you should talk to my instructor about this.”
It was a battle where one's head could fly off at any moment, but the two conversed without minding it.
(Well, the bastard there has annoying insurance.)
More accurately, only Ark was in danger.
Darius has extremely durable armor as a form of protection. Furthermore, Ark didn't even attempt to target the vitals. It wasn't his goal to kill Darius.
As if on a mark, Ark jumps back several meters and puts a considerable distance between the two. His compound magic faded, and his magic power no longer surged like lightning.
“You are really lucky to have fought me, Darius. You get to keep your life in exchange for a single arm.”
He was clearly disadvantaged, but Ark's eyes were dead serious.
“I doubt I will lose. Sorry, your specs might be better than mine, but I can outlast you with my defense and stamina. You can't cut me down, Ark.”
Darius was inferior in many ways. Spirit output, magic power, strength, etc, all lost to Ark. But his sturdy defense was a shield he was confident enough to test against even superior opponents.
Reading this confidence, Ark found himself sneering. He lost in technique and only had a small advantage in strength, but victory still felt to be within his grasp.
Taking a stance, Ark readied himself to use the slash that cuts through everything. He was ready to charge and take Darius by surprise.
“This one feels dangerous.”
“...”
“I'm not sure if it can cut my armor, but I'd just avoid it to be on the safe side.”
Ark calmed his tensed muscles and revealed a smile. “You got me.”
(Fuck you, overly sharp bastard.)
He calculated the difference in reach. With the effects of Darius' spirit, it would leave Ark half a step short of reaching Darius before the latter could react. Thunder Boost won't give enough speed, and Ventus Potentia can't resist the teal spirit well enough, leaving him half a step short.
The attack itself could cut down on nearly anything, but it was worthless if you couldn't reach the target.
In former cases, Ark used the swordsmen's pride to bring them into a direct confrontation. Now, the swordsman wasn't that stupid, so it couldn't be used. Darius concentrated on Ark, eyeing his every move.
“If I may say so about myself, fighting me is a pain.”
Ark dissipates his aura and magic, revealing himself as vulnerable. He strolls towards Darius.
“Underestimating me gives me room to use big techniques or magic. I used this method to kill a powerful demon not long ago, even though he could've easily killed me.”
He continues to walk, talking nonchalantly as if this isn't a duel where killing is allowed.
“But, you see, taking me seriously is also a problem. Because if you put so much attention on me, it would be easy to slip into your unconsciousness.”
When you give a single enemy your entire attention, it creates a tunnel vision where you might miss someone other than the enemy.
Of course, it wasn't a weakness in a duel. In this case as well, there was no external interference.
It was only Ark, who had already entered Darius' domain, and raised his sword.
“!!”
Before he could react, Ark slashed Darius and severed his arm.
“Do you yield?” Ark calmly asked.
With his dominant hand severed and having gone through an enigmatic experience, Darius bitterly laughed in a self-mocking voice. “I yield.”
Ark is the winner.
“NO! FUCK, HOW DID THIS HAPPEN!?” Gideon cried out in furor.
He was noisy all this time, but everyone ignored him—even Silvia and the knights—to focus on the duel.
"Sorry, I can't heal this, and for breaking your armor.”
Ark collects an ample amount of magic power and tries his best to close the wound before too much blood is lost. It was all in the spirit of maintaining a good relationship with the strongest knight order in the empire.
“It's fine. I am just that weak.” Chanting, Darius encases his severed arm in ice. Suddenly, both the arm and his armor disappear. “I can get it patched back at the empire, so don't worry too much.”
“...Okay.”
(Did he just store the items inside that ring that glowed just now? So convenient; I'm jealous, dammit!)
Ark reached out his hand to help Darius stand. Although the former defeated the latter in a humiliating manner just a minute ago, they both seem to be in good spirits.
“Darius, you just lost on purpose, didn't you? You trash!”
Alas, there are always fools who ruin the mood.
Ark inwardly clicked his tongue, happy to see Gideon's frustrated face. His pretentious smile was gone without a trace.
(Keke, fucking idiot.)
What terrible tastes!
“Of course not. I gave it my best.”
“You didn't do anything, even as he walked right towards you. Are you blind? You dare lie to me!”
“Is that how it looked from outside? What a terrifying power!” he muttered.
Rather than taking Gideon seriously, he was more engrossed with the power Ark used to slip beside him undetected.
“Guess I will take my leave now...”
“Yes, take care. And don't worry, I will make sure to honor the terms of the duel.”
“Thanks.”
(As expected, you kiss their ass once, and they remember it forever. This is why knights are so easy to handle.)
The awe reflected in Darius' eyes as he gazed at Ark was wasted. Unbeknownst to Ark, he had gained a new fan.
But for now, his undivided attention belongs to Silvia. Looking at her smiling face, he reveals a sleazy grin.
“Would you like me to take you away? No? That's too bad. I don't really need your answer; I just do what I want.”
“If that's the case, I have no other choice. Take me away, then.”
Deploying his spirit, Ark once again gains superhuman strength. He dexterously grabs Silvia and jumps away at lightning speed.
Silvia blush. As expected, being carried away like a little girl wasn't a good feeling, as one would imagine. Looking at Ark, she saw he was unaffected.
“Okay, let's stop here. You can walk on your own, right?”
Ark stopped only an hour's walk from the capital. He didn't want weird rumors to spread, so he dropped Silvia off.
“Y-yes, of course. I could have walked on my own anyway.”
“Well, it was a good show of our relationship. Now, no pests would approach you from the empire.”
(At least from the empire's perspective, she is my property, so it would be good if no one troublesome tried to touch my things.)
“...Our relationship?”
Silvia was curious to hear Ark's answer about the nature of their relationship, unaware that this man had just treated her like an object.
(Lovers... if she says no, I will be in a weird position, but if she says yes, I will be forced to date this gorila? No fucking way! Rivals? Friends? No, what sort of idiot would say that in this situation? It's impossible to be this dense.)
The answer he sensed Silvia most likely wanted him to give was a no-go. On the other hand, he wasn't an idiot who would say the worst possible option. Ark firmly believed that this crossroad led to an undesirable path.
So, he decided to simply erase the crossroads.
“Did you make up your mind?” Ark asked.
“Me? I did... I think I did...” Silvia felt stuck, unable to put words in her mouth. It was a first for her.
“So you have a dream or a goal, then?”
He majestically changes the subject!
Visible disappointment flashes and is replaced by relief. Maybe Silvia herself is still unsure of her answer. Spoiler, the right answer should have been: 'get out of my sight, trash.'
“A dream? Yes, I think I have one.”
“...”
“I will tell you when I achieve it.”
'My dream is to be the one to save you, Ark. To fight side by side on equal grounds.'
“Okay.”
(Like I give a shit. You just needed to say yes, so don't act all secretive as if I'm curious.)
On a moral level, that dream is straight-up impossible to achieve.
The two walked silently before Ark felt a prick of intent from the side.
“Huh? The heck is that?”
“What happened? Is there a monster?” Silvia turned her head to where Ark was facing, but she couldn't feel anything.
“No, not an enemy.” Ark shakes his head, walking towards the sidelines of the road. “A cry for help.”
Following the thread of intent, an intent to survive, Ark finds a chick lying beneath tall grass.
A black pattern covered its body—the evidence of a curse. Ark uses Mana Steal to drain away the corruption and supplements his own mana to the fledgling.
“Is he fine?”
“Yes, I think he will be okay now.”
“This bird is smart. Its intelligence is closer to that of a human than to that of a monster. That's why I was surprised. I nearly mistaken him for a human.”
“That is weird.”
The two looked at the fledgling, and the little bird returned a graze of his own.
“I think he likes us,” Silvia said, smiling softly.
“I think it's more than just 'like',” Ark seemed a little stupefied. “He totally looks at us like his parents.”
“Then let's raise him,” Silvia suggested.
The young fledgling chirped happily, causing Ark to frown.
He had failed to discern the intent behind the chick's happiness, causing him to feel indescribable discomfort. He wanted the bird to explain itself.
“...Okay, let's raise it.”
Seeing the warm eyes of a bird looking at Ark as kin, even he couldn't stay cold.
For the first time in years, Ark's gaze held genuine warmth.