Chapter 170
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My side is torn apart by a massive saw-toothed sword.
The movement is so fast I can’t even process it.
I’ve already stepped into death’s territory.
Another attack is coming. No time for a potion. Fighting through the pain, I call out:
「Autobahn!」
A partial acceleration of just my brain—stretching out my thought processing time.
That first strike made it clear this opponent won’t go down easily.
Before using a potion to recover, I need to understand what I’m dealing with.
How much physical and magical durability does he have?
Is one defeat enough, or like last time, will I need to take him down multiple times?
That should cover the basics for now.
With my accelerated thoughts, I call out:
「Autostrada del Sole!」
Moving at superhuman speeds, I immediately draw Gram and cleave Ainika in half with brute force, then continue swinging my sword until he’s reduced to pieces.
While keeping an eye on the situation, I chug a potion.
It’s my preferred high-grade potion.
「Damn, that hurts…」
Before my eyes, the pieces smoothly gather in one spot.
And just like that, Ainika completes his revival.
I knew it… I knew it, but this is getting pretty intense. If I could run away, I honestly would right about now.
「As expected of Yamada Ichiro.」
Ainika claps his hands.
Then he spreads his arms wide.
「Let’s say we brought here the person considered humanity’s greatest swordsman in this world.
Someone who has slain hundreds, thousands of monsters, saved the people, earned their respect, conquered numerous dungeons, and earned the title of hero through their achievements—that would all be quite impressive.
However, sadly, such accomplishments would be nothing but trash before me.
Because they would die from just my first strike—that single attack alone.」
Since waking up and starting this battle, Ainika seems to be getting into it, his gestures and roundabout way of speaking almost like a stage performance.
「You sure seem to be enjoying your speech. I absolutely hate guys who talk in such ridiculously dramatic ways.」
It’s making me sick, reminding me of a certain someone.
「Oh, I’m merely praising you. I dare say I respect you. Unlike the common rabble, you didn’t die in one hit—you even managed to cut me to pieces.」
Yet his arrogant way of speaking, unlike that certain someone’s, truly befits the king of the Living Dead.
「And even now—」
Ainika’s massive sword, taller than his giant frame, vanishes—closing the distance—tearing into my shoulder—and then a powerful kick from below that I barely manage to block with a cross-arm guard, though I can’t completely stop its force, and I’m violently slammed into the ceiling.
「Guhh…」
Following gravity, I fall with the debris and splat against the ground.
Unable to hold it in, I cough up blood, and as he watches me, he says:
「—You don’t break easily.」
Damn it. Keep talking, baldy.
While on my knees, I activate partial brain acceleration—and then Light Magic:
「Condenser!」
I wrap my left index and middle fingers in Light Magic concentrated into a laser. While Condenser could normally extend up to a hundred meters, this was concentrated to its absolute limit.
If I had to name it, I’d call it 「Ribol Edge」—using Autobahn on both my legs and arms in succession, I immediately close in on Ainika—and pierce his gut.
「Take this!!」
With my arm still buried in Ainika’s body, I release the maximally concentrated Ribol Edge.
A flash of light burns across my vision.
This is Light Magic specialized against death attributes, which I’ve trained with countless times since then, now released directly inside his body at unprecedented concentration.
To be honest, I wanted this to end it.
But it wouldn’t be that simple—
「As expected of Holy Knight Ichiro, that wasn’t a bad attack.」
Though Ainika had been reduced to ash by the high-concentration Light Magic, he immediately regenerated and spoke as if nothing had happened.
「I believe you’re a twisted Holy Knight. You, who should excel at support magic to protect allies as a Holy Knight, are completely focused on attacking, like a raging flame.」
That hits close to home. I’m well aware of it.
「Plus, Holy Knights are supposed to excel at healing magic, but you rely entirely on potions for recovery.」
Ainika’s lips curl into a mocking smile.
「It’s the same with defense. You’re supposed to be a shield class, yet you don’t even equip a shield—you either parry attacks with your sword or dodge them.」
I don’t need to use healing magic. Mana has its limits, and if potions can do the job, that’s the better choice.
And as the only attacker, both in terms of training time and practical combat, I couldn’t spare resources for learning to use a shield.
The Arcana Kingdom has almost no living Holy Knights who could serve as role models for me. But even before that, even if there were exemplary Holy Knights, my previous party situation (basically being solo) meant I never had the option to fight like a normal Holy Knight. This combat style developed out of necessity.
「Ah, I’m sure there must be some deep circumstances behind it.
I believe you are—」
He speaks as if finally realizing something obvious. What an interesting hobby.
Don’t listen. Nothing good comes from someone with that expression.
「—alone. With no allies, you had to handle everything yourself. That’s why you developed such a twisted combat style.」
This must be just another psychological attack—
「Am I right?」
But I can’t respond.
「Poor Holy Knight. Ichiro, after I destroy humanity, I shall eternally tell the next world about you as the lonely yet fierce knight who stood alone against me.」
When words fail, my sword moves.
It’s a thoughtless swing. But Ainika isn’t simple enough to miss it.
My Gram is strongly deflected.
「Too bad. This is payback for earlier.」
Ainika’s greatsword is densely packed with a dark aura. Just touching a human would—
「Farewell, Ichiro.」
As the deadly blade swings down—a translucent fist appears with a flash of light and smashes through the jet-black blade.
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