Chapter 20: vs. Sealed Labyrinth Fourth Layer Guardian α (Part 2)
There was no preamble.
As soon as Elise lunged forward, it signaled the start of the battle. Her assault was like a blazing inferno. In response, No-Skill unleashed his sword with equal fervor. The clash of blades echoed through the air, a symphony of steel.
No-Skill wielded a sword that was flawless in its execution. It may sound abstract, but he was a swordsman with the techniques of countless others, seamlessly transitioning between styles as if he were a different person each time. It seemed nearly impossible to counter his swordsmanship in just one bout.
During my time living in Hidden Mountain, I had heard stories about him from Sensei. In his past life, he had dedicated everything to the sword. It was said that whether awake or asleep, his thoughts were consumed by it. Given that, it was no surprise that every time he faced someone or witnessed another wielding a sword, he would analyze their techniques and incorporate their strengths into his own.
On the other hand, Elise was a righteous swordsman. She was a practitioner of the same Sword Style Swordsmanship as the Order of Knights. But I knew that she was more than just a typical Sword Style swordsman.
Flawlessness and righteousness. The two extremes—
From my perspective, there was no discernible difference in the brilliance of their swords.
“Ha!!”
Elise bent her petite frame low, launching a rapid thrust from the hilt, striking from No-Skill’s blind spot. This was one of her innate qualities, a technique that hybridized ferocity and flexibility. A mere righteous swordsman could not achieve such a feat.
No-Skill momentarily hesitated, allowing Elise to slice through the shoulder plate, leaving it in tatters.
Elise, basing her technique on Sword Style, wielded a fierce strength and a fluidity akin to water, maneuvering with unparalleled speed—this was the essence of her swordsmanship, the Eris Style Swordsmanship.
“What a reckless wild horse you are!”
No-Skill chuckled softly. It was clear he still had the upper hand.
“How about this?!”
With that, he pushed into a blade lock. While their strength was evenly matched, No-Skill’s superior physique seemed to give him the advantage. However, with Elise’s mastery over Mighty Arm and her significant power adjustments, she skillfully disengaged the lock for a counterattack—reverse thrust—!!
“Impressive. Swordplay is truly enjoyable.”
Though he couldn’t cleave her in two, No-Skill swiftly inserted his sword, smirking as he did so.
I couldn’t help but notice Elise’s expression, which contrasted sharply with No-Skill’s. Despite the life-and-death stakes of the moment, where a single mistake could be fatal, No-Skill wielded his sword with a joyful demeanor, while Elise’s expression grew increasingly tense with each passing moment.
The sound of their blades clashing echoed like a relentless storm, their duel was nothing short of breathtaking. Even in such extreme circumstances, Elise Gladius was supposed to be smiling—
Yet, at this moment, her expression hardened, matching the intensity of her blazing sword.
“Fast, indeed… and heavy. But—”
I understood the unspoken words that lingered in No-Skill’s mind. As Elise’s sword grew more ferocious, it seemed to lose the other aspect of her essence—her water-like softness.
The reason she had previously managed to defeat No-Skill was that she had skillfully balanced both elements. Her ultimate technique, Ultimate Double-Edged, required both strength and softness.
The matchup before me was a clash of masters. Just one small misstep could be fatal, and even a single exchange of blows would lead to significant exhaustion. This meant that both swordsmen were rapidly depleting their stamina—neither of them seemed to have much leeway left.
The conclusion was near—I felt a sense of certainty, but an unsettling premonition gnawed at me.
At that moment,
“Haahh—!!”
Elise’s sword forcefully repelled No-Skill’s blade, causing him to lose his balance.
“Elise!!”
Run—my voice failed to form.
Time seemed to slow.
As if this were the end, Elise prepared to deliver her fastest and most powerful strike against No-Skill—but a fluid, water-like sword intercepted her attack—an ability she had once displayed—now wielded by No-Skill. Elise’s sword was ensnared by his Gram Copy and sent soaring into the air.
“It was fun.”
No-Skill unleashed a merciless blade toward her.