Chapter 123
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Although I said it would be a one-on-one fight…
「It’s no good after all…」
I immediately try to use light magic, but strangely, I can’t activate it no matter what. I only feel the sensation of mana leaving my body that I usually experience when using magic.
Ah, but even if I can’t use magic, I’m still allowed to move mana within my body, huh.
「Young man, as you probably understand, those targeted by my No-Skill can’t use skills or magic.」
「I know, I know.」
It’s a complete lie.
I had even planned that if I could activate Autostrada del Sole, I’d take care of this guy in an instant.
「Is that really true?」
No-Skill asks skeptically.
「It’s the truth of truths.」
My response becomes more and more suspicious with each repetition.
「Holy Knight…」
Eris says behind me, her voice sounding concerned.
Having seen my Autobahn-based fighting style during the Crystal Doll battle on the second floor, she might think I have no way to deal with No-Skill now that it’s been sealed.
「What’s with that face? Don’t look like that.」
I’ve been thinking this for a while now.
Eris’s emotions show on her face so easily.
Even now, the corners of her eyes and eyebrows are drooping dramatically.
「Just watch.」
In the blink of an eye, I close the distance to No-Skill.
「Haaaah!」
It’s a diagonal slash delivered with a certain confidence that this speed should be enough! But No-Skill completely evades my attack with a combination of skillful body movement and parrying.
「Wonderful!! This is it!!」
No-Skill exclaims, his eyes wide with joy.
「What is it?! Nyaro!!」
I immediately step back into our shared airspace and launch a flurry of attacks—backhand, leg, body, diagonal slash, neck.
「Ah, ahhhhh.」
No-Skill utters incomprehensible words as he completely blocks all of my attacks.
His expression is contorted with pleasure.
「No-Skill, you’re being a bit creepy!」
I avoid his body slash by bending backward to the extreme, then launch a high-speed thrust gripping the pommel.
「I saw that technique earlier.」
He barely avoids the pinpoint high-speed thrust by stepping back just enough to be out of range.
Goddamn. He’s completely read my move.
It was the technique Eris used to gouge No-Skill’s shoulder plate, but he had learned from it.
「Oh, is that so?!」
This time, I repeat high-speed movements to prevent him from zeroing in on a target, and launch even fiercer combination attacks.
「As expected!! Young lady, look at him!! He truly is the strongest swordsman in this world!!」
He blocked almost perfectly! But who cares!
I continue my attacks, changing hands and styles.
The Gram copies made of mysterious material clash at full force without pause. The sound of life being shaved away—gyagyagyagya—echoes all around.
「Young man!! You’re the most wonderful swordsman I’ve ever met!!」
Then it’s his turn.
His skill has reached a divine realm, to say the least. And above all—his swordsmanship is nasty.
It’s like a game of chess problems, continuously making moves I hate. He freely switches between in-fighting and out-fighting, power and technique, an incredibly troublesome opponent who can change styles at will.
「Your speed, sword speed, power, everything is wonderful!! They all far surpass me!!」
「Thanks!! You bastard!!」
With a horizontal slash—I can’t help but put a large distance between us. It’s time to regroup.
「In all the points I just mentioned, you greatly surpass me—but when it comes to swordsmanship, I’m better than you.」
Praising someone and then putting them down—your bad personality is really showing.
But what No-Skill says is true. If it were the him I met during the Blade Dungeon last time, it might be different, but the sword maniac in front of me now is a master among masters. As frustrating as it is, his swordsmanship is superior to mine.
But I’ve already seen through him.
「Ah, you’re the type to say things like that?
Alright then—」
From an extreme forward-leaning stance, I kick the ground with all my might.
Starting at almost top speed from the initial velocity,
「—Try to read this if you can!!」
I unleash my fastest attack—a thrust with added acceleration—aiming for his throat—ah, this feeling—like water—my sword is deflected—sent flying upward—and at the same time, skillfully—my right arm is cleanly cut off below the elbow.
No-Skill laughs.
His upturned mouth reminds me of a crescent moon.
「This settles it—」
But I knew this development would come, and that he would definitely make that smug face. The moment he shows that expression, convinced of his victory and lets his guard down—that was the time I had been eagerly waiting for.
Just as No-Skill raises his sword to declare the end of the battle, at that instant—
「Yeah, you said it.」
I answer.
Thump.
My remaining left hand is already at his heart.
It’s too late for him to realize now.
—Stinger!!
I unleash the blend of ‘qi’ and mana that I had been refining inside my body all this time.
「Gaaaaaahhhhh!」
Screaming like a beast, No-Skill spews blood and writhes on the ground.
「Sorry about that. You won in swordsmanship. But remember what you said at the beginning? By chance, you hit the nail on the head about my true nature.」
「Wh…at do you mean?」
He asks me with his dying breath.
「I’ll apologize first. You’re right, I’m not what you’d call a swordsman. I just need to survive. That’s all there is to it. I don’t have any lofty ideals like you. That’s why I’ll do anything. I can’t afford to die here. I have to survive no matter what because there are things I need to do.」
Not only do I need to clear the Sealed Dungeon, but I also have to return to Earth, and before that, I made promises for the future with Anon and Ash. And above all, I need to go back to reunite with Sena.
「Heh, hehehe—」
While coughing up blood, No-Skill stands up and laughs.
「No, you are… a splendid… swordsman. Doing anything to survive—that too… is one ideal image of a swordsman. Ah, really, I just can’t… get enough… It’s wonderful.」
Saying that, he picks up the sword he dropped.
「Don’t worry… You’ve clearly… won. I’ll give this sword… to you. You might be able to… master dual-wielding.」
As I was about to ask 「What?」 unable to understand his intention,
「Let’s meet again,」 he declares.
Then, with his own Gram Copy,
「Forgive me!!」
He cuts off his own head.
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No way!!
Let’s meet again, my ass!! I never want to see you again!!
Watching No-Skill disappear into particles of light, I’m screaming internally.
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Eris helps me treat my severed arm.
We have no choice but to use an extremely good potion. We pour the potion generously and without hesitation onto the cut surface after aligning it, and I drink an additional bottle just to be safe.
However, no matter how rare the potion is, it’s nowhere near the instantaneous complete recovery of Mika or Sensei, and it seems like I won’t have full use of my right arm for a while.
But I can’t afford to dwell on that.
There’s something I need to do right away.
「Eris, take up your sword. Let’s do this after a long time.」
Hoping she’ll accept, I call out to her.
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