“Alright! Then, let the first contestant prepare for battle!”
What is going through her mind?
As Asuka was getting ready for the first round, she fell into deep thought.
Ria Elposis has outstanding magical talent, but she’s not strong.
Her physical abilities are average for a high elf, and while she has a decent amount of mana, it’s still pretty little compared to her own.
A gap that can never be overcome.
But whether intentional or by chance, Ria sent out a challenge she couldn’t understand.
She didn’t run away or withdraw, even knowing it was a mistake.
“I don’t know what this is, but I have to step on it.”
The chilling energy from earlier was unsettling, but she didn’t care.
This friendly match was a contest where they fought with equal levels of mana, and they could only use spears and swords.
While they could apply body enhancement spells like ‘Haste’ or ‘Armor Charge,’ attack spells like Fireball were off-limits.
In effect, 90% of Ria’s strength would be sealed.
“Make sure you win!”
“…Sure.”
The gray fox beastman who just entered clenched their fist and sent an encouraging message.
Now that she thinks about it, this match was practically arranged by that woman.
A beastman who was promoted to Class A along with Ria.
They might think they’re not showing it, but the beastman was clearly keeping an eye on Ria.
“Perhaps… they might be doing it on purpose.”
After deciding to interrogate the beastman post-match, Asuka looked at her opponent.
A half-elf.
A half-breed lower ‘mongrel.’
“Okay! Are you ready?”
“Yes!”
“Yeah.”
As soon as the host and referee said that, Asuka drew her sword from the sheathe at her waist.
A long sword that seemed almost unreasonable to wield given her small stature.
But Asuka dominated everyone with this sword.
Even an elder who had lived for over three thousand years.
“Now, both contestants. Please say a word!”
“Thank you in advance, Princess.”
“So, you want to test the waters first, huh?”
“…Princess?”
“I have no idea what tricks she might pull. I don’t think she’ll break the rules and spam magic…”
“Princess!”
“?”
Only then did Asuka tear her gaze away from Ria in the distance.
She was uneasy just a while ago, and now she looked incredibly angry.
“What? Aren’t we starting?”
“You need to say a word first.”
“I already did.”
Wasn’t that an “Yeah”?
She tilted her head, but the referee shook theirs with a slightly troubled expression.
“Uh… we agreed to have both contestants say a word before the start.”
“Oh. Let’s finish it quickly.”
The princess swung her sword, as if urging to start.
Some students were puzzled by the princess’s prickly demeanor, but it wasn’t a big issue.
Such mind games or provocations before a match were perfectly acceptable.
“First, I should attack once and then observe my next move. Even if our physical levels are different, our mana is the same. I still believe there’s no magic… But when do I start?”
The unknown hybrid was already out of her mind.
As she pictured the fight with Ria in her head, the opening remarks of the judgment rang, and she quickly swung her sword.
To finish the opponent in one stroke.
Asuka’s long sword struck, slicing through her opponent.
“…?!”
“Huuh…”
Dududud…!
The spear twisted, and the blow was completely obliterated.
Startled, Asuka furrowed her brows, swinging her sword twice.
Asuka’s specialty: speed slicing.
Even with a long sword, her remarkable physique and mana control allowed her to slash faster than anyone else. In an instant, she pierced through the storm, inflicting wounds to the shoulder and side.
Unlike before, now her opponent was wounded and gritting their teeth.
Was that earlier just luck?
Or perhaps a special artifact that blocks an attack once?
“I don’t know what it is, but…”
Understanding!
“I’ll end this quickly!”
Asuka’s sword exploded with green light, splitting the storm in two.
And then.
Kwagagagagagagag!!!
A roaring sound surged through the storm, engulfing Asuka and shattering the barrier.
“Wow.”
■
‘…What is this?’
‘It’s the end of the spear. It’s also the beginning.’
No, perhaps it’s closer to the beginning?
Ria Elposis replied candidly, looking at the tattered white space as if she were already used to it.
On the other hand, Ene tightly gripped the shabby spear she held, swallowing her saliva.
If this is really possible…
‘Maybe…’
It might actually be possible to win against everyone.
Ene Rizua resolved to learn what Ria had called “the roar of the spear.”
She was amazed by its power, astonished once more at the results it produced, but what surprised her most was the ‘cost’ of using the technique.
‘Taking the impossible into the possible requires trials.’
A technique that affects the so-called ‘soul,’ beyond the physical realm.
Ene continued her training, fainting dozens of times and receiving hundreds, thousands of healings to master this absurd technique.
Of course, mastering it would still be impossible.
Half-elves can’t learn celestial techniques.
No, any race that doesn’t have the blood of celestial and demon kind cannot master them.
That was the established theory, and it had been that way until now.
‘But this is a dungeon. It’s under the system’s influence.’
Yena learned the roar of the spear using the protection of the system.
The system actively protects the soul from being damaged, even if the body or mind is harmed.
That’s why when Yena used the roar of the spear in another space, she was on the brink of death.
That space was unaffected by the system, and the ‘cost’ of using the techniques of this mad race was beyond imagination.
It’s a place where one cannot smell the scent, and the ‘master’ using the technology of this insane race is beyond imagination.
It’s all possible because the system bears the costs of the master.
I decided to take advantage of this.
The method is simple.
The system will push the soul to its ‘limit’ to protect it.
If the soul becomes unstable, it heals and then has a brief rest before going again.
If it becomes unstable again, it heals and rests before going again.
By repeating the process of increasing the soul’s ‘total amount’, I’ve managed to use it at least once.
‘Just once.’
Moreover, it’s at a level that doesn’t even reach 30% of its original power…
“Wow.”
Once is enough.
“Uh… what’s going on?! The barrier!”
The judge, seemingly in disbelief, turned their gaze while holding a magical tool that amplified their voice.
Breaking the barrier and haphazardly thrown in a corner is Asuka.
Asuka’s body is covered in blood, but she seems not dead as her life response is still strong.
In fact, perhaps because she’s wounded and ready to go wild, a deep green light bursts from her eyes.
The students hurriedly evacuate to avoid the aftermath.
Fortunately, there were professors nearby, and I had set up some defenses, allowing us to escape prior to the attack.
‘I think I’m hurt a bit, but…’
No matter how much Asuka’s mana is restricted, she is the second daughter of the Elf queen.
A genius bestowed by the sky, confirmed to be a Child of the World Tree.
If even Asuka is critically injured, can the professors remain unscathed?
The professors are receiving treatment from healers as much as possible, but the wounds aren’t healing easily.
– Why isn’t this healing?!
– You’re the healing professor! Use your magic properly!
– No, why isn’t this recovering…
[Woah]
[OMG]
[Insane]
[They’re using this?!]
[Roar, huh? LOL]
[This is insane]
[Wow]
[Did they take it down?!]
[But why isn’t it healing?]
“I… made it so you can’t.”
Before the match, Ene infused just a little holy power into the spear she uses.
Instead of reacting to anything else, it only responds to the ‘spear’s roar’.
Holy power heals everything, but depending on the situation, it can become the most deadly poison.
While magic is a terrible poison that corrupts everything.
Holy power is the poison of annihilation that ‘purifies’ everything.
Kudddddd!
Asuka, who emerged from the debris, took a deep breath.
Yet, she strictly adhered to the restricted mana and felt as if she was consuming it steadily within her limits.
‘She’s using healing magic.’
She casts healing magic.
If that doesn’t work, she slathers Life Mana all over her body.
If that doesn’t work, she plants her feet on the ground and absorbs the Mana of the World Tree.
It’s no good. None of it is working.
The healers awkwardly standing near her could only stare, unable to risk intervening.
The healers hesitated to treat her, merely watching.
“B-but… she’s awake! The princess is awake!”
The match isn’t over yet.
Asuka losing means being treated is equivalent to defeat.
Given Asuka’s personality, she’d likely try to kill any healer who dared to help her.
“Gah… Gah… Gah…”
But Asuka isn’t the only one who needs healing.
Ene is barely holding onto her spear, gasping for breath with it stuck in the ground.
Her body is fine, but her soul is screaming.
Indeed, a month isn’t enough for either time or technique.
“But the opponent… E-Ene Rizua! The competitor doesn’t look normal either. Who will emerge the victor?!”
Everyone holds their breath and watches.
Asuka, trembling, raises her sword, while Ene pulls out her spear with all her mental might.
It’s a tense situation.
Neither can continue to the next match, but the outcome of this fight is crucial.
The flawless Child of the World Tree, Asuka, has stirred significant waves that could shake the place of Elposis.
If she wins here, she can push Asuka out and take her place.
Yeah, if she wins.
“…?! Huh, Senior?!”
Taking Ene in her arms, she soars into the sky.
Not only that, she releases some of the restraints and emits a faint holiness while simultaneously reaching out to wrap the exhausted Asuka in holiness as well.
But even that seems to be expected, as a purple magical power descends with the “Liberation Sword.”
In the end, Asuka fell into the hands of the intruder.
“What is happening?!”
[?]
[?]
[Crazy]
[What’s this?]
[????????????????]
[Whoa]
[Sword Saint?]
[Huh???]
[Why is that there?]
“The Sword Saint. No, Langha.”
“Ria Elposis.”
Before me stands the unexpected Sword Saint, holding the Liberation Sword.
“Sword Saint Brother?!”
Someone behind freaked out, but the Sword Saint showed no concern as he gently laid the fainted Asuka down.
Then he glared at Ene, who was dazed in his embrace.
“And third-year Ene Rizua. I will arrest you both on charges of attempted murder of the princess.”
“…What?!”
“Make your counterargument in the Elf Kingdom. Of course…”
Clack. Clack.
Sigh.
So that’s how it’s going to be.
“I might die here.”
“To think you attempted to murder my brother… shocking, isn’t it?”
Merini Elposis.
Asuka’s elder sister and a prodigy of the Sword Saint, she covered her mouth with a sad expression.
One that almost looked joyful.
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