———


    Chapter 48: Sparring (2)


    As mentioned before, this duel is quite an interesting one.


    A duel between two students with almost zero attendance since the beginning of the semester.


    In other words, it was a duel between students who haven’t been influenced by the academy at all.


    Students not attending sses and organizing duels at their own discretion? Frankly, even the instructors and officials couldn’t say much about it.


    But look at the people surrounding them.


    Students, instructors, filling the dueling arena with spectators.


    Even Chancellor Kundel Quazel, the head of the academy, was present in the VIP section.


    That’s how much anticipation the academy had for this duel.


    Thinking about it makes me smile a little.


    Do I have to live up to their expectations?


    “I’ve been waiting for this moment, Cyan Vert! You must be too, right?”


    Set, standing before me, said with a jubnt expression.


    I nodded appropriately.


    “I originally intended to apply for an unarmed duel, but unfortunately, they said there’s nothing other than swordsmanship and magic duels here. Do you intend to use magic?”


    “If you don’t use it, I won’t have to either.”


    Even with my indifferent response, heughed heartily.


    “Hahaha! That’s what I like about you, Cyan Vert! Let’s fight purely with swords, no magic involved!”


    -Whoosh


    He drew his sword from his waist.


    It was a curved de like a crescent moon, a scimitar called a Kogatana. Simr to the scimitars used by Mist Guards, but longer and with a blunter tip.


    [TL/N: Dracule Mihawk had a kogatana.]


    In response, I drew my own sword.


    Since I couldn’t use the Demonic Sword in front of everyone, I had to stick to regr longswords for this duel.


    As mentioned before, the significance of a swordsmanship duel lies inpeting with the opponent’s skill to gain the upper hand.


    The criterion for gaining the upper hand is to aim for the opponent’s neck with the sword.


    For me, it was the first duel in a year.


    -Ding ding ding


    With the bell signaling the start of the duel, Set rushed forward with determination.


    -Thump thump


    Faster than I anticipated.


    With his physical prowess,bined with strength and speed, his sword strikes could easily turn into attacks rather than just blocks if met head-on.


    “Haah!”


    It seemed like he intended to split me in half, as he swung his sword without hesitation.


    Trying to block it head-on would not only result in missing the sword but also in shattered bones.


    But I never had such intentions from the start.


    -Sliding


    I absorbed the full force of Set’s attack.


    The curve of Set’s sword gradually slipped away from mine, and soon our swords shed, diverting each other’s movements.


    “…!”


    What an assassin needs is not strength but sharp precision.


    This simple difference in ss could easily be ovee without resorting to magic or tricks.


    “Uwah!”


    Losing his target, Set’s center of gravity shifted forward.


    Without missing a beat, I swung my sword at his exposed back.


    -Chaeng!


    Still, it seems like the title “Prince of Sands” isn’t just for show.


    If it were anyone else, they would have already missed their sword and offered their neck.


    However, in the moment of crisis, Set twisted his waist with the agility of folding paper, barely blocking my sword.


    -Huung!


    Then swiftly readjusting his stance, he swung his sword at me once again.


    I dodged it smoothly, and Set quickly distanced himself.


    It could have ended in an instant.


    He wore a rather bewildered expression.


    “Ha!”


    With a forcedugh, he suddenly loosened his body.


    -Thud


    The harsh sound of bones reverberated throughout the arena.


    In a sh, he grasped his sword again and charged at me.


    -Taat!


    Yet this time, he didn’t rush blindly.


    Using the range of his curved de, he kept a certain distance, continuing his attacks where my counterattacks couldn’t reach.


    -Chaeng chaeng chaeng


    All that could be heard in the arena were the shing sounds of swords. Despite the relentless offensive, it was unfortunate that none of his strikes were effective.


    He seemed to understand that too, as his once confident face now twisted in frustration.


    -Srwung


    His sword, deflected diagonally, slid away from my defense once more.


    “Twice won’t work!”


    As if anticipating it, Set swiftly changed the trajectory of his sword.


    What was once a downward sh transformed into a thrust aimed at my throat.


    -Swiftly


    I evaded his attack with a concise movement, then –


    -Kang!


    I aimed my sword at his bewildered throat.


    Set’s scimitar had already fallen from his hand and was lying on the ground.


    “Ha-ha…”


    A sound that could be eitherughter or a sigh escaped Set’s lips.


    The duel was over for now.


    All that remained was for him to ept his defeat.


    Individuals with great self-esteem often have strong pride and struggle to ept defeat.


    Muscle-bound as he was, winning might have alwayse easy for him.


    I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but he stood there silently, his body trembling slightly.


    I sheathed my sword and took a step back.


    “You’re impressive, Cyan Vert. I admit defeat.”


    Contrary to expectations, he coolly acknowledged his loss.


    “Your swordsmanship is definitely superior to mine. I don’t think I can beat you at this moment.”


    In fact, it was just the wrong match-up; his swordsmanship was far from ordinary.


    Rather than trying to overwhelm his opponent with brute strength, he knew how to efficiently utilize his own power.


    For an eleven-year-old boy to grasp this was no easy feat.


    Was he cooler than I thought?


    With a determined expression, Set picked up his sword and said.


    “I don’t like leaving things unfinished, but I somehow don’t want to end it like this. Can I challenge you one more time?”


    Guess once wasn’t enough?


    Well, it’s better than refusing to ept defeat withints.


    I nodded in agreement, signaling another round.


    -Chaenggrang!


    “…?”


    What’s this? Why did he suddenly toss away his sword?


    I thought he was signaling another sword challenge, but apparently not.


    Alongside his body, a gust of sandstorm, mingling with mana, was rising.


    “What’s the n?”


    “Since it’se to this, I must defeat you by any means necessary, Cyan Vert! I will pour out all the power I possess, and you should do the same!”


    I thought he was cool-headed for a moment.


    Turns out, I was the fool for thinking that.


    That guy, Set, was incredibly tenacious.


    ***


    Seated in the VIP section, Chancellor Kündel watched the duel unfold.


    He couldn’t help but admire the audacity of the two students in the arena.


    The academy’s duels were meant for students to showcase their magical prowess.


    Most means ofbat involved magic.


    Cyan and Set boasted S and A body rankings, respectively.


    Undoubtedly, they were among the highest-ranked neers.


    However, the academy primarily focused on the advancement of magic.


    While body ranking was important, it merely supported the higher levels of magic.


    If asked what was more crucial between body and magic rankings, anyone would say magic.


    Set’s magic ranking was 3-star, the highest among the neers, while Cyan’s was 1-star, practically negligible in magical terms.


    Yet, they seemed solely focused on swordsmanship, showing no intention of using magic.


    “Are theypromising?”


    Set initially wanted an unarmed duel, implying they wanted topete based on their body rankings.


    nging sounds echoed in the arena, as Set efficiently wielded his power.


    His long-range strikes seemed unstoppable, yet Cyan’s movements defied expectations.


    Despite being an average student, he skillfully evaded Set’s mighty blows.


    The knights, as well as the swordsmanship instructors, wore expressions of awe.


    ng!


    It was over.


    Cyan deflected Set’s final attack and aimed his sword at Set’s throat.


    Though the oue might feel anticlimactic, the process was anything but.


    Meanwhile, Silica, who arrivedte at the arena, hastily took her seat.


    “Surprised to see you’rete for the duel.”


    “Apologies! I had some matters to attend to. How did the duel go?”


    “It’s over. Despite being a sword duel, Cyan practically dominated.”


    “I see.”


    The Chancellor nced at her face briefly.


    She seemed unfazed.


    Suddenly, a fierce wind swept across the arena, apanied by a surge of mana.


    “What’s that student doing…?”


    The swirling wind carried coarse sand particles, creating an eerie atmosphere.


    Gradually, it expanded in size.


    But the problem wasn’t just the sandstorm; it was the mana emanating from within.


    “That student! What’s with the…?”


    In an instant, there was amotion in the magical barrier.


    Currently, the barrier ranked 4-star, adjusted for the students’ magic levels.


    However, its stability was precarious.


    This meant that Set’s current magic surpassed the barrier’s rating.


    The Chancellor stroked his chin, amused.


    “Now’s not the time tough, is it? If we’re not careful, the barrier might…”


    Just then, the magical barrier started to falter.


    However, Set, oblivious to the situation, charged toward Cyan at full speed.


    “Reinforce the barrier!”


    The startled instructors rushed to the arena to rebuild the barrier.


    But at that moment,


    Whoosh!


    An unknown ck sphere appeared from Cyan’s direction.


    “…!”


    The manifested sphere began absorbing all the sandstorms Set conjured.


    The tempest, once menacing, gradually dissipated, and the mana dwindled.


    “A Sphere of Nullity?”


    The Chancellor’s eyes flickered for a moment.


    He knew what that power was.


    Dark magic inherentlycked lethal capabilities.


    It couldn’t burn like fire, sweep like water, or destroy like lightning. This was one reason why dark magic wasn’t widely epted on the continent.


    However, itsck of lethality didn’t make it any less threatening.


    Dark magic, by nature, nullified everything it encountered.


    The Sphere of Nullity.


    A unique dark magic.


    It required little exnation; it simply nullified all magic in its vicinity.


    Though a simple magic, anyone could wield it with the right alignment.


    However, to be effective, it always had to surpass the opponent’s magic level.


    And what was happening now?


    In an instant, Set’s magic, which momentarily surged to 4-star, was nullified by Cyan’s mere 1-star magic.


    “…”


    In the aftermath of the stormy duel, silence enveloped the arena.


    ————