Sudden Spar with the Sword Saint

A sudden sparring match drew a massive crowd. They were probably just curious. A duel between the Sword Saint and a dragon, after all. Of course, since the audience was all elves, plenty of them scowled at the sight of me right off the bat.

"You planning to fight like that?"

"Yeah. No need to cause a huge commotion, right?"

"...I see."

I didn't have the cash to recast Polymorph anyway.

"Unnie... is this really okay...?"

"It's fine, it's fine. The queen said it would be, didn't she? Or do you think I'm gonna lose?"

"N-no, it's not that...!"

Ha-eun and I moved to the designated spots along with Bern, taking our positions. It was a one-on-one duel. Ends when one surrenders or lands a clean hit. If both land one at the same time, the one dealing more damage wins. No killing, obviously.

Beep- I fiddled with my Hunter Watch at the sight of my opponent getting ready. The more viewers, the better. A spar with an S-rank hunter? That'll pull in the aggro for sure. They say S-ranks operate on a whole different level from A-ranks. Plus, I'd been dealing with small fry lately, so things had felt a bit underwhelming.

"Bit of an emergency stream here. Alright~ Today's the day for a sparring match."

I adjusted the camera so Bern was in clear view. Sure enough, the chat started flying.

"Oppa, you're loaded? Sweet, sweet. Aggro's pulling nicely."

"Are you two ready?"

"Yes."

"Good to go."

Narsil, officiating as referee, gripped her golden bow. She drew the string toward the sky, and beams of light gathered. Is that treasure too? Kinda want it...

Pew-! The light arrow shot up, asserting its presence in the heavens.

Clang-! In less than a second, Bern closed the distance and swung his sword. The blade was still half-sheathed, but the exposed tip at the bottom aimed precisely at me. I blocked it with my reinforced forearm, meeting the Sword Saint's gleaming eyes.

'Those eyes were half-dead a second ago...'

They came alive the moment he drew his sword? Unreal.

Clang-!

Claaang-!

Several clashes ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠rang out like steel on steel in an instant. Neither of us budging, probing each other—I could feel it.

Acceleration.

The more complex his swings, the more he deflected my attacks, the faster his sword got. Occasionally vanishing from my sight. I braced my stance. If this kept up, it'd only speed up more.

Swoosh-! A diagonal arc. I suddenly hooked my leg in sync.

If he accelerates, so do I. I tuned my mana flow, speeding my body to smack his incoming trajectory.

Clanggg-!

"...!"

His sword bounced away. Acceleration's recoil twisted its path completely, forcing Bern to step back for the first time.

"Not much of a quick-draw guy, huh?"

Thud- He fluidly reset his stance, glaring. Then he lowered into position, one hand on the sheath, the other on the hilt.

Looks familiar. Getting serious now?

Bracing for the incoming strike, I activated Dragon Eye and observed him. Power concentrating in his wrists and ankles. Totally different from the swordsmen back home. Bastard swords or longswords rely on rotation for power, but this felt more like pure technique.

Tang-! Dust kicked up where he stood. He vanished, flowing toward me. The drawn blade traced a single stroke. But so fast it looked like he hadn't drawn at all. Even I wouldn't have seen it without Dragon Eye.

'That's why he's S-rank.'

Crunch- I poured Body Reinforcement into my right hand. Golden scales sprouted over human skin, sharp claws extending. I wedged them into the gap of that single stroke.

Slash-! Another stroke. Forming an unstable double stroke.

"...!"

CLAAAAANG-!

A fierce wind ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠whipped behind Bern as he grazed past. His eyes twitched faintly—he hadn't expected this block. Seizing the moment, I stomped the ground hard.

BOOM-!

Dust billowed, earth quaking like a dragon's slam. Swordsmen lose balance on trembling ground. I spun fast to grab him—but.

"...?"

Where'd he—

Swoosh-! From an unexpected angle. Amid the dust, a moonlit blade emerged. The tip flashed—Moonlight Slash.

Kaboom-!

I thrust my still-reptilian hand forward desperately, blocking. But the sudden ambush shoved me back slightly. A sharp blue afterglow lingered where I'd stood, sword scar etched.

Shing- The blade, ashamed at missing, resheathed. As I prepared for the next, Bern suddenly spoke.

"...I have a question."

"Huh? Outta nowhere?"

"Why aren't you attacking aggressively? You've just been parrying. I know that much."

He gripped the hilt. I spread Body Reinforcement across my whole body as I answered.

"If I attack, it'll end too quick. These folks would get bored."

"Mocking me?"

"Nah? I'm serious."

He scowled, releasing the hilt. Then gripped the sheath of a new sword—similar, but slightly longer.

"I'll break that arrogance, dragon."

Hummm-!

Thud-!

The atmosphere shifted dramatically; my eyes widened. With Dragon Eye more unleashed, I could even predict the trajectory this time.

But.

'Coming from every direction?'

No escape. Forcing a block? If it's a straight charge—

Grip- Come at me, then.

Shing- His drawn blade was pure white, like blank canvas devoid of color.

Swoosh- He shifted his grip. The tilted blade glowed blue, then pitch black.

'Artifact?'

Unusual power, reacting to its owner. So he'd been using a normal sword until now? He hadn't gone all out either.

Flash-! He vanished from sight, tracing sword paths everywhere. Trajectories filled every angle, blackness parting for—

Moonlight Final Slaying Slash.

Moonlight flooded the area. Impressive. He'd shown something cool, so I had to reciprocate. Viewers would stan him over me otherwise.

Crunchhh- My claws elongated on both hands. Eyes bulging, I followed the chaotic sword paths.

Swoosh-! Finally catching the moonlight-piercing blade. So sharp it seemed to slice space itself. I crossed my arms, powering my legs.

One, two. Now.

BOOM-!

I rocketed back, chaining complex arcs like drawing chains in the air. Bern must've sensed it in that instant: direct clash meant he'd lose ground. He twisted his incoming path—less cutting power, but it'd reach.

Clang-!

The sound wasn't flashy. Just metal clanging. Modest for a Sword Saint and dragon crossing blades. Then, we both turned to check.

"Hm."

Result: a slight tear in my hoodie. Counts as a clean hit?

I smirked bitterly at the exploding chat. Dramatic flair always gets reactions.

"...Dragons are such a pain—"

Bern, sword sheathed, opened his mouth. Figured he thought his hit won it.

Slash-!

"Guhk?!"

Blood burst from Bern's chest. Chain-like claw slash tearing the sky—Celestial Chain Rending Claw.

Its quirk: the trajectory's so ambiguous, even the world doesn't register it right away. Wound appears delayed. I used minimal mana, of course. Still cool, right? Full power might've killed him. Disaster.

"I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠win, yeah?"

"...!"

Bern knelt, using his sword as a crutch.

Drip- I approached, offering a World Tree's Leaf. Its inner energy instantly healed his wound.

"Don't take it too hard. Your opponent's me, after all."

"Guess we should head back for food. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠The grub's probably cold by now."

Bern, who'd bragged about finishing before the meal even arrived, looked up at me with hollow eyes. Then suddenly nodded.

"...Indeed."

Like some curiosity was satisfied.

"I lost."

...Wait, hold up. Tomorrow I gotta team with this guy? Slashed his chest and all. Will the vibe be okay...?