Chapter 18: Imperial Capital – Martial Arts Tournament – 40
I found myself sluggish, ensnared by the skill known as Shadow Prison.
The young man from Momental danced around me, his longsword flashing with deadly intent as he struck again and again. I managed to fend off his attacks with my mace and shield, but it was becoming increasingly difficult.
If only he would step into the range of my Shockwave, I could turn the tide, but he was clearly wary, skillfully maneuvering to avoid it.
His longsword grazed my armor several times. The dragon scales barely deflected the blows, but they left marks that would not hold for long.
“You’re quite persistent. Then allow me to show you this!”
Suddenly, I felt an intense force gathering behind me. It was the explosive magic I had anticipated. As the realization struck, I threw my body forward, positioning my shield behind me as best as I could.
The impact was tremendous. My Immovable Fortress Wall absorbed more than half of it, yet I still felt a powerful shockwave slam into me. However, the combination of Immovable, Persistence, Steel Core, and Stability kept my body anchored to the ground.
I quickly regained my stance, drawing my mace and shield close in preparation for the young man’s next strike. I sensed movement to my right and thrust my mace in that direction without looking. I felt a slight resistance, and I could see the young man lose his balance.
But before I could deliver my next blow, he regained his footing and readied his longsword and shield once more.
“To think you can withstand even Explosion—you truly are a monster. But that power, that body, I desire it.”
“You desire it, you say?”
“Indeed, I do. Your body is magnificent, and it seems incredibly useful. Just as Isunani mentioned.”
“So it really is the Candlestick of the Netherworld.”
Isunani was a mage-like figure who had been assisting King Gizelfa of Mecalinan. I had heard the name of the Candlestick of the Netherworld from him, and he had ominously stated that he would “bring me back as a corpse.” This meant that the young man from Momental before me might very well be a version of someone who had been “brought back.”
“Heh, could it be that the noise around me has increased because of you? If so, it seems I must take your body here and now. With a fight like this, it would be understandable if things got a bit out of hand.”
“I see, that might indeed be the case. By the way, is that body already dead?”
“Yes, it is. It has been made usable after death, so to speak. The same goes for those you have encountered before.”
“What…?”
So the mage I had thought was Isunani and the priest from the cathedral incident were both bodies that had been “brought back.” They were likely being manipulated like clay dolls. Just thinking about it sent chills down my spine.
“…Then I suppose there’s no need for me to hold back.”
“Oh? You say something interesting. But yes, that’s correct. This body is no longer the Momental Falcrum known in the Empire.”
With that, the young man from Momental—though he seemed to be someone else entirely—wore a hollow, sinister smile on his face.
We were about five meters apart. I finally understood how troublesome this distance was against someone with Swift Run. Even if I wanted to use Shockwave, he could easily evade it in an instant.
“The effects of Shadow Prison will last for about another moment. I will gradually carve your body apart. Well, eventually, I will drive a thrust into your heart.”
He taunted me, activating Swift Run, closing in on me with blinding speed, unleashing a flurry of slashes.
I continued to evade his lethal strikes with my shield and mace, just as before.
My body felt heavy, but my dynamic vision remained sharp. The young man’s movements were fast and precise, yet they did not reach the level of the Twilight Kin member Zaikal or the A-Rank Rare Bosses I had faced.
Still, if my body reacted too slowly, it would be difficult to defend against him. My dragon scale armor was not invincible, and soon enough, I felt several cuts on my body, blood beginning to flow. Thanks to Regeneration, the wounds closed quickly, but the blood that had spilled did not simply vanish.
“I see, you possess a high-level Regeneration skill. You are indeed called a hero for a reason. Your body becomes even more desirable.”
The young man quickened his pace. He was using Swift Run with remarkable frequency, showing no signs of fatigue. A war of attrition seemed futile.
“Well then, I suppose it’s time to finish this. Your armor is starting to break apart nicely.”
The smile plastered on his face deepened, its hollowness intensifying. Compared to his distorted grin, his eyes reflected no trace of a soul.
Strangely enough, it was at that moment that I truly felt the reality of the young man before me being manipulated as a corpse.
Ah, this is it—
I had never known the young man from Momental in life. Yet, I understood that his current state was utterly unreasonable.
And I felt a strong surge of my own ethics, morals, and emotions being provoked by this very absurdity.
In an instant, everything before me turned crimson.
A single impulse surged through my entire being.
“…Forgive me.”
The words that escaped my lips were surprisingly calm.
In stark contrast, my mace was filled with a boiling emotion.
That emotion transformed into overwhelming power, completely overpowering the petty skill known as Shadow Prison.
With a void-like smile, the former young man from Momental thrust his longsword toward my left chest.
The multifaceted orichalcum embedded itself into his side.
“Gah!?”
The only reason his body didn’t completely disintegrate was that Shadow Prison was still in effect.
However, the remains of the young man were sent flying in a parabolic arc, landing about fifty meters away from the stage.
“…!? The match is decided! The victor is Soul’s Guidance‘s Soushi!”
As the call for the end of the match echoed, five individuals rushed in from the edge of the arena.
They approached the young man’s remains, feigning to check for signs of life before wrapping his body in cloth to carry him away on a stretcher.
They appeared to be officials, but they were likely special individuals connected to the royal family. They must have been prepared for such situations in advance.
Feeling an inexplicable urge to do so, I bowed toward the direction in which the young man was taken.
And with that, I left the bustling arena, returning to the waiting room.