It was a sudden sparring match, but it wasn’t all bad. I wanted to test the performance of my prosthetic arm too. Sure, checking it in real combat is one way, but…
If things go wrong, I could get seriously hurt or even lose my life. Then there’s Cluna’s warning; Yuren and Bayard are so powerful that they could destroy my prosthetic arm in a heartbeat.
That said, going up against Helia wouldn’t be pretty either, and Ruby was on guard duty. The most reasonable opponent I could think of was Clara, no matter how much I tried to rationalize it.
The spar was held in the courtyard of the fortress. I slowly moved my fingers. Was it because of the combination of Dwarf technology and Cluna’s magic? They were moving smoothly.
According to Cluna, in cases where basic physical abilities are strong, things could actually weaken. But I was on the weaker side, so no issues there.
In fact, there was even a possibility I could become a little stronger. Swinging a bare fist would hurt less than swinging a steel prosthetic, after all.
“Are you ready?”
“Yeah, Commander. I’m ready.”
“Alright, then let’s go!”
I picked up the sparring weapon and started the match. The spar would end if someone surrendered or if blood was spilled. I held a wooden sword and looked at Clara.
“It’s already been a year, Commander.”
“Since we rebuilt the Royal Knights?”
“Yeah, honestly, I didn’t believe it back then.”
“I can see why.”
“Seriously, I think the commander is being a bit sneaky.”
I tried to be considerate in my words, but I got hit with the “sneaky” remark. I didn’t really know what was sneaky about it, but anyway, right now, testing the prosthetic was my priority.
“Then, let’s start!!!”
With Yuren’s spirited shout, the spar began. I kicked off the ground and charged forward. But at that moment, I saw Clara backing away.
Not fleeing. In her hand, which had been holding a wooden sword, a bow and arrow made of wood had somehow appeared. The arrow was a practice one with a blunted tip, but…
If it hit me accurately, I’d be down for sure, so I reluctantly used Time Stop. The scenery instantly turned gray. In this moment, I was the only one able to move.
Clara’s arrow was already approaching my eyes, aimed precisely at my neck and forehead. If I got hit and fainted, I would lose all authority as a commander.
Having quickly assessed the situation, I dodged Clara’s arrow by a hair’s breadth. And at that same moment, I dashed toward Clara. Just as time resumed, I could hear her voice.
“Just like I thought, Commander…!! You’re incredibly fast!”
“It looks like you just teleported.”
“I never thought I’d get hit by this!”
Clara said as if she expected it, but honestly, if it hadn’t been for Time Stop, I would have definitely been hit. Clara’s ambush was quite impressive—she was a Knight using both sword and bow.
Cluna even said that in terms of archery skills, Clara surpassed even her. I had high expectations for her future. I swung my steel prosthetic to attack Clara.
However, Clara twisted her body and dodged my attack. And wasn’t she drawing back her bow from such a close distance? Using a bow in close combat? That takes guts.
I pulled my steel prosthetic in close, bracing it up like a shield. Luckily, Clara’s arrow easily ricocheted off my steel prosthetic. I mean, it was a practice arrow after all.
“Pretty sturdy. But can you withstand this?”
“Uh…”
Clara quickly kicked my prosthetic with her foot, creating space between us again and nocking another arrow. Suddenly, the arrow in her hand began to glow a bright blue.
Instinct told me this was bad news. I raised my hand to block, but it seemed to look like provocation to her as Clara shouted.
“As the commander desires!! I’ll unleash my full power!!”
“……”
That’s strange, I never told her to go all out. How did she get that idea? It was truly puzzling, but I had to respond.
I had no choice. If I got hit by that, it felt like I might actually die. I personally hoped Yuren or Cluna would step in, but they didn’t.
Surely, they weren’t thinking I was strong enough not to intervene? Wishing that wasn’t the case, I froze time again. The world turned gray, and everything came to a stop.
So, what now?
I crossed my arms and pondered. The best thing would be to force a surrender from my opponent. In that case, showing overwhelming strength might do the trick.
Of course, that would only reinforce my teammates’ misconceptions that I was already strong. But that was better than getting shot by an arrow and losing my authority.
For a brief moment, I felt a sense of unease and stopped moving, but I collected myself. I reached out to catch the arrow flying toward me and steered it outside the fortress. Should I bury it in the ground?
I thought about it, but if it exploded, there was a chance my teammates would notice. So the best course would be to catch the arrow and break it in half.
I grabbed the arrow and snapped it in two. Then I placed it far away. It would be bad news if I got caught up in an explosion. After that, I quickly released the Time Stop.
I keep emphasizing that what’s important is the presentation. How it looks to others matters. The substance is secondary; as long as I can disguise it, I can get through this.
Finally, Time Stop was lifted. Clara looked flustered as she searched for her arrow. I deliberately opened my fist, letting something drop in front of me. Thud, something fell.
That was a piece of the arrow. Just in case, I had been holding a piece of the arrow in my fist. I let it drop in full view. Clara stared at it in shock.
“My power… just like that…?”
“Do you want to keep going?”
“……No, I lost.”
Clara shook her head and laughed weakly. Seeing her like that, I could finally relax. Thanks to that, I didn’t have to worry about my authority for now.
Suddenly, I felt a sense of unease.
Why was I so focused on maintaining my authority?
*
[I want to be recognized.]
That was a fundamental desire that drove Clara to move. Having been thoroughly protected by Cluna since childhood, she inevitably started to follow in her mother’s footsteps.
However, Cluna, who wished for Clara’s safety, urged her to behave herself. That was something Clara resented. Of course, she understood that she had lost her entire family.
That’s why Clara wanted to become Cluna’s strength. She wanted to protect her mother. And that desire grew into an urge to be recognized.
This desire intensified as she met the commander. The wish to gain recognition from her mother shifted into something else entirely. What that emotion was, even she couldn’t tell.
[I want to become stronger.]
[But I’m far too weak right now.]
[Can’t I become stronger from here?]
A single desire began to burn fiercely. Even those followers she thought were similar to her surpassed her. It always felt like she was stuck, standing still.
She felt a sense of urgency. So she kept trying and trying until her hands bled. That fervor even shocked her mother, Cluna. She had finally acquired her own weapon.
[What is this…?]
[Mom, how is it? This is my new power…!!]
[…This has to work without a doubt.]
Clara’s talent lay in archery. When it came to bows, she possessed overwhelming talent that even Cluna couldn’t surpass. That was the essence of Clara’s power. And that talent combined with her fervor created a monster.
This wasn’t just a matter of enhancing arrows with magical power. This was the ancestral strength boasting pierce-through power that could pierce through anything. It was a near legendary power of the elves.
Originally, this strength could only be used by elves who were recognized by the World Tree through rigorous training. Clara had manifested it purely through talent. Although she felt insecure about it now.
If she worked just a little harder, alongside Ruby, she had the potential to become the strongest force in the Royal Knights. Yuren shivered at her peers’ growth. Her hands trembled.
So strong.
There’s potential.
It had to be true.
But why did she feel this jealousy? It’s undoubtedly a good thing if her comrades become stronger. Why then did she feel so uneasy? Yuren struggled to swallow down that emotion.
Cluna also shivered at witnessing that power, but even more surprising was the Commander’s response. She knew the Commander was strong, but managing to suppress such divine power, even if it was unstable…
What exactly was the commander’s identity?
Could it be that he truly… is the Hero of Legend…?
Cluna quickly shook her head.
It couldn’t be. Yes, it must be.
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