Chapter 183: A Man's Fight - 3
Chapter 183: A Man's Fight - 3
Wind Blade was an absolute ability that shattered defenses.
Its drawback was heavy Mana consumption, but once activated, it could pierce even a Unique's defense and inflict damage.
It had actually cut Narsha's arm, after all.
Wrapping the Wind Blade around his sword, Jiha swung it forcefully toward the scimitar. He believed without a doubt that even a Dirga weapon could be countered this way.
But just then, Lungtao's arms and sword multiplied into several.
"What...?"
The instant Jiha saw it, sword clashed against sword.
Claaang!! Clang! Clang!
The collision was singular, but the sound rang out multiple times.
Unbelievably, Lungtao's sword had split into five, meeting Jiha's blade.
The Wind Blade shattered three scimitars, but it failed to break through the remaining two.
Admiration flickered across Lungtao's face before he attempted a spinning kick while their swords were locked in the air.
It was a movement impossible for a human—a follow-up attack made possible only by the muscle mass and flexibility of a tiger beastman.
Seeing the leg flying at him as Lungtao's waist twisted fluidly in midair, Jiha quickly retreated backward using his Wings.
"..."
Putting distance between them, Jiha eyed Lungtao's sword with suspicion.
He hadn't seen wrong. The sword had definitely split just before impact.
Lungtao, too, wore a surprised expression.
"I never imagined three would break. You're the first to manage that."
"Is that your ability?"
Even with the Wind Blade, he hadn't been able to destroy the sword.
It was the Special Ability of the Dirga Grade 2 Weapon: Afterimage Clone.
"Every single one is real."
While an enemy would normally keep their abilities secret, Lungtao acknowledged it freely. He couldn't hide it now, and his attitude showed he wasn't going to be petty about it.
If anything, revealing his ability seemed meant to make Jiha counter it even more directly.
As if asking, Can you handle this, too?
"That's completely unfair..."
Jiha tsked inwardly.
If each one was real, that meant a five-hit combo with every swing.
If Lungtao combined his Leap Downward Strike with the Afterimage Clone, who would dare try to counter it?
"It doesn't cost separate Mana, so activation is free, but it's not invincible. If the edges break, Narsha has to repair them again. Now there are two left."
As Lungtao cheerfully explained everything, Jiha felt inexplicably provoked.
A competitive spirit flared up at the taunt.
"Oh, is that so. The Wind Blade I just showed you uses a lot of Mana. I can probably only use it one more time now."
They were laying their cards on the table so honestly.
A normal fight wouldn't go like this, but this was also a battle of pride.
A fight to prove yourself the superior male and win the other's heart.
"Then shall we enjoy ourselves?"
Lungtao smiled with satisfaction, swinging his sword through the air.
With one sweep, his arm and sword split into two, then merged back into one when the swinging stopped.
"You know this one?"
Jiha immediately stretched out his shadow, aiming Shadow Hand at Lungtao's chin.
Normally, Shadow Hand was used to exploit an opening of carelessness or as a surprise attack when the enemy lacked information, but now he was using it openly.
But without even swinging his sword, Lungtao lightly stomped on the Shadow Hand and crushed it with his foot.
"..."
He hadn't expected it to work, but this was ridiculous.
He had crushed the Shadow Hand with pure brute strength.
'Tricks really don't work on him...'
Jiha reassessed the tools at his disposal.
Shadow Hand was useless for attacking. At best, it was for mobility.
Wings were also for mobility.
Wind Blade was his trump card, but he could only use it once more. And Lungtao already knew about it.
'What's left is Blaze Dance...'
That was an ability to control and dominate space, not one that could directly defeat an armored Lungtao.
Ultimately, he had to somehow drive the Wind Blade home to win.
Lungtao looked at Jiha and slowly aimed his sword.
"This time, you come first."
Lungtao gestured as if offering to forgo his Leap Downward Strike, and Jiha let out a dry laugh.
"You think this makes it fair?"
"I should give you a chance to attack, too, so there's no talk behind my back later."
"You'd better not be the one grumbling later."
Jiha deliberately walked toward Lungtao at a slow, ordinary pace. The spectators, who naturally expected him to charge, let out puzzled murmurs.
Despite Jiha's strolling gait, Lungtao remained tense, and the moment Jiha entered his range, he swung forcefully.
The Afterimage Clone flared, and two blades came flying at him.
'Both are real, but the attack follows a single trajectory—they don't come from different directions... But Lungtao's strength is so great that simply blocking is too dangerous.'
Engraving that fact into his mind, Jiha moved his hands to his lower back.
Clang! Clang!
Two collision sounds rang out, and surprise flickered across Lungtao's face.
Jiha had drawn the Gladius and shortsword into both hands and blocked the swords.
The force was so immense his legs slid back a little, but he managed to endure it.
"Dual wielding?"
"You can see for yourself."
As Jiha said that, he suddenly thrust with the shortsword in his left hand.
It was a Grade 3 sword, but infused with Mana, it could even destroy armor.
Of course, Lungtao's armor was Mana armor crafted by a Dirga, hardly an ordinary piece of equipment...
Realizing Jiha was aiming for his chest plate, Lungtao quickly retreated and scattered his sword.
With the Afterimage Clone manifesting again, Jiha's shortsword was forced back helplessly.
The impact was enough to make his hand tremble involuntarily, but Jiha didn't miss the opening. Stepping forward, he slashed the Gladius down in a diagonal line.
What was the biggest difference between Jiha and Lungtao?
Brute strength? He could match that evenly with Mana.
The answer was physique. Both height and weight were in Lungtao's favor over Jiha.
So even if Jiha covered his strength with Mana, he couldn't help but be outmatched in terms of hardware.
It was a disadvantage he covered with skill and management.
Different physiques meant different reaches.
Lungtao's arm length was much greater than Jiha's. That allowed him to unfold the fight from further away.
Furthermore, Jiha's weapons weren't polearms.
But once he completely closed the gap and it became an ultra-close-range fight, Jiha would have a much greater advantage.
"Hmm!"
Lungtao knew this, but he hadn't known Jiha could use dual swords, which shook his composure.
Jiha, also knowing this was his chance, relentlessly pressured the retreating Lungtao.
The opponent's sword multiplies?
Then I'll just hold two swords too!
As Jiha blocked the sword and then struck back with Mana-infused blows, hits began landing on Lungtao's armor.
Lungtao's sword might become two, but they ultimately followed the same trajectory—a decisive difference from Jiha, who could attack and defend simultaneously.
Dual wielding wasn't purely advantageous.
If simply holding a sword in each hand made you stronger, everyone would do it. Why else would the standard tactic be a one-handed sword and shield?
The force behind a sword swing is immediately split. Would a sword lacking Sword Force inflict a fatal wound?
Strength could be supplemented with Mana, and Jiha had practiced dual wielding occasionally, but he hadn't placed much weight on it.
But right now, it was working on Lungtao.
'Because he doesn't know when, or on which side, I'll activate the Wind Blade!'
When there was only one sword, he only had to focus on that one.
But with two swords, he had to worry about which side the fatal attack would come from.
Jiha had successfully confused Lungtao's mind.
'Still, his reactions seem strangely sluggish...'
Though puzzled, Jiha continued to pour on the attacks.
"Hrrm!"
Lungtao, also realizing why he was being pushed back, swung the arm not holding his sword. It was encased in armor, but if Jiha wrapped his Wind Blade around it, wouldn't the arm be severed?
Jiha thought so for an instant, but after seeing Lungtao's face, he quickly deflected it with his shortsword.
It wasn't a reckless mutual strike.
Clang!
Even though he deflected it with his sword, the transmitted force made his arm throb. Lungtao's brute strength was formidable, but that last attack had been twice as powerful as anything before.
It wasn't aimed at Jiha; it was a blow meant to demonstrate this fact.
If he had blocked it head-on, his sword would have shattered.
As Jiha frowned, Lungtao raised his arm with a flash. Blue energy gathered around that arm.
"M-Mana?"
"Lungtao wasn't a Normal Grade?"
"How can he use Mana...?"
The spectators recognized it and looked astonished.
Even the escort guards were all surprised, and seeing even Narsha wear a look of shock meant this was truly a secret no one knew.
Jiha was surprised for a different reason.
'How on earth did Iroha find out about this?'
To uncover a secret even Narsha didn't know. It was a terrifying information-gathering ability.
Once everyone recognized it, Lungtao lowered his arm and looked at Jiha.
"Sorry for ruining the mood. My head felt a bit fuzzy."
"What?"
It seemed something had been wrong, hence his sluggish responses.
Lungtao shook his head heavily.
The drug slipped into the alcohol they had drunk before the fight had only just taken effect, clouding his mind. But he had roused his Mana and completely purged it.
It was nothing more than a petty trick, attempted without knowing Lungtao possessed Mana.
Naturally, it wasn't the work of Jiha or his subordinates.
He knew Jiha wasn't that kind of man, and it was clearly a trick pulled by that Getereu who lurked around Narsha.
"It's all resolved now. And..."
"I know. Five minutes, right?"
Having activated his Mana, Lungtao's body couldn't fight for more than five minutes.
Lungtao nodded, his face surprised that Jiha already knew this fact.
"You've finally shown me all your hidden cards."
Jiha grinned.
If winning was the only goal, he could just stall and dodge for five minutes.
But this fight could only truly be won by proving his masculinity over his opponent.
"I'll yield this time. Come on."
Jiha calmly beckoned with his hand.
"Then be careful. I've never... fought properly like this before, after all!"
Lungtao laughed heartily and then charged in.
Not a leap, but a charge. There was a heavy pressure, as if a literal tank was bearing down on him.
Encased in full-body armor, his left arm wreathed in Mana, his right hand gripping the sword that manifested Afterimage Clones, the tiger beastman charged, his red cloak billowing.
He was strong.
The current Lungtao was overwhelmingly powerful.
Now that he had even raised his Mana, he would be literally invincible for five minutes.
A head-on collision would turn him into pulp. Normally, he should buy time and look for an opening...
'No. That will get me killed.'
Even if he fled backward or moved sideways, Lungtao was no fool.
Is it correct to fight a prolonged battle against an opponent who must end it quickly?
If the opponent has the capability to crush that strategy, you will ultimately be cornered.
'I'll meet him head-on!'
Having made his decision, Jiha threw his body forward.
Boldly, toward the terrifyingly charging Lungtao.
Against an opponent who must fight a short decisive battle, he would strike at the opening with an ultra-short decisive battle!
It was time to settle this.