Chapter: 362
Lasha.
The “Champion Slayer.”
This name resonated across the continent among the valiant warriors like a fantastical legend. Just the thought of her challenging someone was a testament to one’s rise among the strong—those wielding weapons would tense up and bristle with anticipation every time Lasha’s name came up.
With such widespread renown, Lasha’s fighting style was well known too. For instance, the “Champion Slayer” would launch a powerful first strike to gauge her opponent’s strength.
KABOOM!
Lasha’s punch collided with Lucy’s shield, sending vibrations through the arena and scattering dust everywhere.
In the thick haze, people coughed and most already anticipated the outcome.
Sure, Lucy Alrn had shown significant skill up to now. She had progressed beyond mere student level, being more than capable in real combat situations.
Especially her shield technique—it was so outstanding that even seasoned fighters found it challenging to penetrate. Her shield wouldn’t likely shatter against just anyone.
But this time, her opponent was well within the category that could pose a threat.
Lasha’s first strike had silenced countless self-proclaimed strong ones.
An overwhelming attack that left those anticipating an epic battle feeling deflated.
As the atmosphere of impending defeat settled among the audience, some regretted their wagers while others chuckled, declaring the victor all but decided. There were even those who felt thrilled to witness the bout between Benedict and Lasha when…
The dust cleared, revealing Lucy with her shield still raised, managing to block Lasha’s punch while keeping a smirk on her face.
“You actually blocked that?”
“Duh! Why would I not block it when you came at me like a clueless puppy asking for it?♡”
What just happened? Did Lasha hold back? Had Lucy been hiding her true strength?
Among the spectators, murmurs flowed as Benedict and the other real warriors tried to process what had just unfolded.
Lucy hadn’t gone all out. Our daughter wasn’t even using her best defensive techniques.
That didn’t mean Lasha had gone easy on her either; she was genuinely trying to smash Lucy to pieces.
Normally, Lucy would have been sent flying into the arena walls with such an attack. Yet, she had managed to withstand Lasha’s fist thanks to her miraculous shield technique.
Lucy’s skill, a preemptive move that nullified much of the shock before Lasha’s power multiplied, seemed almost too remarkable to believe.
Had I underestimated Lucy’s potential all along?
No way. Certainly, back in training with the knighthood, Lucy hadn’t demonstrated such prowess.
Just days ago, Lucy was only able to hold her own among other knights but hadn’t reached the level of recreating scenes from mythology.
Was it just mere chance? Or perhaps a miracle bestowed upon her by the deity looking after her?
I couldn’t tell—but one thing was sure: If Lucy kept up this level of performance, enduring for one full minute was within reach.
“Haha! This is getting more fun than I thought!”
As Benedict’s faint hope ignited and illuminated his eyes, Lasha continued to press Lucy hard.
Sometimes with destructive force. Other times with lightning speed. And sometimes, the pressure was so intense, even showing her face felt overwhelming.
None of Lasha’s attacks came easily to Lucy, yet she defiantly proved that her initial miracle wasn’t just a fluke, grimacing through it all while managing to block Lasha’s fierce strikes.
As every second ticked by, the atmosphere of the arena dramatically shifted.
Those who had predicted Lasha’s win fell silent. The one who had wagered on Lucy blinked wide-eyed.
In the miraculous context of the weak, many voices rose with encouragement for Lucy.
Just as people began forgetting their biases and rallied behind Lucy,
Lasha finally grinned, and in that moment, her fist passed Lucy’s shield.
With a solid smack against Lucy Alrn’s side, the impact produced a sound no human should have made, and her body defied gravity, crashing back to the arena floor and shaking the very structure.
Silence enveloped the arena yet again.
*
For a fleeting moment, I grasped my scattered thoughts, only to be greeted by a rush of pain.
Ugh, it hurts like hell.
Bone-breaking pain shot through me, and with blood rising from my throat, it felt like my organs were damaged too.
Having been through such agony before, I forced my eyelids open and summoned the mercy of Armadi.
“Gah!”
My shattered body struggled to find its equilibrium, drawing a scream from my lips.
“Old man, how many seconds has it been?”
[23 seconds.]
‘Hey, not half bad!’
I didn’t think Lasha would hold on to the same fighting style from beyond the screen indefinitely.
It was only reasonable for her to realize something felt odd about how I was countering her attack based on my foresight.
But still, I managed to endure half of the time; now I just needed to hold out for the remaining seconds with my strength.
Struggling to rise, I began gathering all the divinity hidden within me.
I had to risk it all, even knowing I might faint after this fight. There was no other way to survive.
“Benedict’s daughter. Have you ever fought against me?”
“Like, no way, duh♡! Why would a cute little girl like me take you on, you beefy muscle pig?♡”
“Right? So that was your trick just now? Good to know.”
“Ew! That’s disgusting! I hate girls who smell like sweat!♡”
“Agh! That kind of slander is just not right. I pride myself on being tidy!”
While throwing around playful banter, Lasha moved her feet.
Now, it was time to cast aside any knowledge from the game. Getting stuck in that mindset would only lead to her playing me like a fool.
From here on out, the only things I needed to hold on to were my accumulated experience and the wall of resolve that had kept me alive.
With a thunderous CRASH! my divinely reinforced shield met Lasha’s punch.
Unlike when earlier, relying on rotting knowledge for a perfect counterattack was a completely different deal. If I dared deviate even slightly from the timing, it felt like my arm bones would shatter.
“Ha! Looks like you can’t see the future after all!”
With Lasha all but confirming that her usual strategies wouldn’t work against me anymore, she charged forward with a ferocious grin.
Damn it! Her attacks were too fast. I could hardly respond to them all. While I tried to protect all the vital spots, they still rained down damage.
It’s manageable to grit through pain, but the shock piling up in my muscles and bones was brutal. If this kept up, it wouldn’t be long before…
My forebodings became real when my leg buckled beneath me without warning, my defenses straining.
With my center of balance destabilizing, Lasha predicted my fall and reared back her arm.
I quickly gathered divinity before my shield, knowing half-hearted divine magic would only lead to disastrous failure. To endure that punch, I had to invoke a miracle.
Channeling the gathered divinity, I drew a sigil in front of my shield, recreating the scenario my grandfather once told me about.
“You’re pulling some fun tricks there!”
As soon as Lasha’s fist struck the shield of divinity, I tasted blood seeping from my lips.
Having pushed myself in a hastily arranged stance, the backlash hit me hard.
But this struggle yielded meaningful results.
The shield, created with divine energy, shattered, and Lasha’s attack met what remained of my defense. My body, failing to withstand her monstrous strength, lifted off the arena’s surface and crashed down repeatedly, yet I still retained the energy to move.
Stumbling through the dust, I spat out the blood pooling in my mouth and brushed aside my disheveled hair.
In the distance, I could see Lasha approaching.
[Hey girl, a small gap has opened up. Can I ask you one thing?]
‘This isn’t really the right moment, is it?’
[Why throw away insights gathered on your opponent after you’ve carefully analyzed them?]
‘What are you getting at?’
[If you know the tactics your opponent enjoys using, why not utilize that knowledge for yourself?]
‘Well, that’s because if they figure out how I operate, that info becomes moot.’
Stuck in rotting knowledge, I’d just end up getting played by someone who understood my every move.
Having trusted game-like understandings far too much earlier left me raw more than once.
The opponent I faced a short while ago had ultimately caught on to my strange patterns, so would playing mind games with someone like Lasha work?
Against foes of a certain caliber, the rotting knowledge I had might just present an unexpected variable, but it could never decide the outcome of a battle.
Unless I lost all sense of reason like Naklad.
[I get what you’re saying.]
‘If you have anything to say, do it fast. I don’t have the luxury of time!’
[Trust me and follow my words. Use the knowledge in your head, but don’t put your blind faith in it; treat it as a reference.]
‘No! Grandfather!’
[Just do it! Complaints can come later!]
Why does he think I can just roll with this on command!
Frustration bubbled inside me, but I couldn’t voice it. Mostly because Lasha was now right in front of me.
“How long can you keep this up!”
KABOOM! I added more strength to my numb arms while recalling grandpa’s advice.
Use the knowledge from the game, he says.
Lasha’s altered her movements with that in mind, so how am I supposed to apply it?
This is why I can’t stand clever folks; they assume everyone thinks at their level and then break down whatever they say like it’s dog food.
“Are you spaced out or something?!”
Jolted back to reality by Lasha’s voice, I instinctively shifted my body to dodge the oncoming punch.
A lifetime’s worth of intuition! My only pride! Following the rot!
Ah, shit. This is already a lost cause.
Too late to back out now. I had to figure out how to get back up after taking this hit.
WHAM! My shield echoed a ringing sound in my ear. It wasn’t just a mismatch but the sound of perfect timing.
What gives? Why did I just nail that perfect counter?
In the moment of shock, I focused on Lasha’s relentless punches and realized something.
Lasha’s attacks differed drastically from the patterns in the game.
Yet, if someone asked if they were completely different, I’d say: Not quite. Her preferred moves were still there.
So no matter how much she twisted things up, the core foundations of her fighting patterns remained unchanged.
Got it! All my hours spent strategizing against the Apostle of Battle were not wasted. I just didn’t know how to utilize them properly.
Realizing this, I couldn’t help but break into a grin as I lifted my shield.
[10 seconds left.]
Screaming inside my head that there was no way I would lose crossed my mind.
…Wait a second? Is this a losing flag?
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