Chapter 129: That is a Failure! (2)
Chapter 129: That is a Failure! (2)
The final match of the fourth round.
The two contestants who would compete in that match stepped onto the stage.
“Patrick Schneider, step forward!”
“Riman Sierra, step forward!”
The audience's attention focused on the two men as they ascended at the referee's call.
Standing on the stage, Patrick looked at his opponent and let out a smirk.
“You look more like a man meant for a pen than a sword.”
“I hear that often.”
The man glared at Patrick with intelligent eyes, adjusting his glasses.
He was Riman Sierra, the last remaining representative from the Tower of Truth.
Just as Patrick said, he didn't look like a swordsman at first glance. He had a slender build, an intellectual face, and even wore glasses. No matter how one looked at him, he had the air of a scholar. However…
“But I guess you’ve been diligent with your training? Are you around 5-Star?”
Patrick accurately saw through his opponent’s level.
Riman replied calmly.
“That is correct.”
“Ooh, you’re not even surprised.”
“There is nothing to be surprised about. It is only logical, is it not?”
“Huh? Logical?”
“Indeed. Based on your previous matches, you have proven that your mastery of the sword is superior to mine.”
“Ho, you’re quick to admit it.”
“I am not so illogical as to deny reality out of pride. In terms of pure swordsmanship, you are stronger than I am.”
“Yeah. You’re right.”
“For someone of your caliber, it is only natural to be able to gauge my level. It is something one can easily deduce through logical reasoning.”
“You’re really obsessed with that word ‘logic.’”
“Is that a bad thing?”
“It’s not bad, but… whatever. I guess there are oddballs like you every now and then.”
In his past life, the members of the Zhuge Clan were just like this. Why did people who swung swords have so much to say and use their heads so much? They were a type of person Patrick could never truly understand.
“Logically, you have no chance of winning. I have already prepared a strategy for certain victory.”
“Oh, is that so?”
“However, before that, I hope you show me the full extent of your skills. Your unique swordsmanship is of great interest to the mages of our Tower of Truth.”
“What a coincidence. I’m quite interested in magic myself.”
“In that case…”
“Ah, but let’s start the match first. The audience is getting bored.”
Just as Patrick said, the spectators were beginning to jeer, unable to wait any longer.
“That is a logically sound argument.”
“Definitely an obsession.”
The two players returned to their positions, and the referee soon shouted the signal to begin.
“Start!”
Immediately, Riman Sierra shouted loudly.
“Mers!”
The shoes he was wearing transformed, and small wing-like appendages appeared at both his ankles. Then, Riman Sierra soared into the air.
“Ho… so it wasn’t just about shooting fire or ice?”
Patrick watched the scene with curiosity.
Floating in the air, Riman pushed up his glasses with one hand and spoke.
“From this moment on, your chances of victory have vanished. Patrick Schneider.”
“Huh? Why?”
“I shall show you now. Ignil. Lagios.”
Riman activated two more Soul Weapons. Red gauntlets and light green gauntlets appeared on his arms. Simultaneously, the energies of fire and wind surged around him. In that state, he drew his sword.
“Go!”
Spears of fire and blades of wind rained down toward the ground.
“Coming at me quite flashily, aren't you?”
Patrick coated his twin swords in Aura and deflected the incoming attacks.
Boom! Bang! Crash, crash, crash!
With thunderous explosions, a concentrated barrage of firepower threatened to lay waste to the area where Patrick stood.
“Whoa…”
“Is he trying to kill him?”
“No, I think he’s holding his ground.”
“To think he can withstand that…”
The audience watched the unbelievable sight with their mouths agape. Neither Riman, who was pouring out such firepower, nor Patrick, who was withstanding it, seemed human.
K-boom!
“Is that it? That was less impressive than I thought.”
Patrick had deflected all of his opponent’s attacks.
Floating in the sky, Riman pushed up his glasses again and spoke.
“As expected, you endured. I anticipated as much.”
“And?”
“But how long can you keep it up?”
As Riman leveled his sword again, the same fire and wind as before swirled around his body. In that state, Riman said to Patrick:
“Unless one has reached the 7-Star realm, one cannot project Aura. In other words, you have no means of attacking me while I am in the sky.”
“……”
“Conversely, I can attack you indefinitely. Therefore, logically, you, who lack a means of attack, cannot defeat me.”
A faint smile played on Riman’s lips.
“Your only chance of victory would have been to attack me the moment we started to prevent me from taking flight. Since you failed to do so, you have no chance of winning. This is what I call a logical tactic.”
“…Did you say your name was Riman Sierra?”
“That is correct.”
“Are you sure it’s not Riman Zhuge?”
“……?”
“Every single word out of your mouth is so annoying, it fits that side perfectly.”
At Patrick’s words, Riman Sierra pushed up his glasses with a finger and said, “Childish provocations only work on irrational humans.”
“Yeah, yeah. Is that so? It doesn't work, huh?”
“…Turan, Aria.”
Riman activated two more Soul Weapons. He had now deployed all five of the Soul Weapons he possessed.
Seeing this, Patrick clicked his tongue.
“I thought you said provocations don't work on you?”
“This is merely a logical choice to end the match quickly. Now, die!”
Though his words and actions were somewhat inconsistent, an attack far more powerful than before came flying. Blades of wind, spears of fire, spears of water. And then…
“Whoa!?”
The ground suddenly shifted, and sharp stone pillars erupted. Patrick threw himself out of the way. It seemed Riman had activated Soul Weapons with the attributes of water and earth, following fire and wind.
Attacks pouring from the sky, combined with attacks surging from beneath his feet.
‘This guy is better than I thought.’
His way of speaking was obnoxious, but his skills were the real deal.
As Patrick frantically dodged the attacks, memories of fighting the assassination group known as the Black Night Gate in his past life surfaced. He remembered fighting dozens of first-rate assassins for two full days until they were all annihilated. Back then, his mastery had been unrefined, so he had struggled quite a bit.
He hadn't expected to be reminded of that time while facing just one person.
“Give up. It is ultimately only a matter of time. There is no logic that can create a victory for you.”
Looking up at Riman, who was adjusting his glasses in the sky, Patrick thought:
‘I take back what I said about him being decent.’
Since it had come to this, he felt he wouldn't be satisfied until he made that obnoxious face look absolutely terrified.
“In your logic… there is… one… error… Let me speak, you bastard!”
As Patrick frantically dodged, Riman smiled and leveled his sword again.
“It is unnecessary.”
And then, his attacks, which had surrounded Patrick from all sides before he knew it, struck simultaneously.
K-BOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion. It was so immense that even the spectators outside the arena turned their heads away.
“Patrick!”
“Hey, you idiot!”
His companions were horrified by the massive explosion. No matter how much of a monster Patrick was, against such a ruthless attack…
“Cough, cough… Why? I’m busy, why are you calling me?”
He was perfectly fine.
As the smoke cleared and Patrick’s figure was revealed, he coughed a bit from the smoke, but other than that, he was completely unharmed. Not a single hair was singed, leaving his companions dumbfounded.
“Is he even human?”
“He blocked all of that? That?”
“As expected, the most useless thing in the world is worrying about that demon.”
At his companions’ words, Patrick pouted and said, “I’ll deal with you guys later.”
First, he had to take care of the obnoxious guy above his head.
“Truly impressive. However…”
Countless flames, ice, and winds gathered around Riman once more.
“Don't you ever get tired?”
“Soul Weapons are powered by the user’s mental strength and Mana. Of course, there is a limit.”
“Ho, how much longer can you use them?”
“I can continue to pour out this level of firepower for another five hours.”
“Uh… that’s going to take a while.”
“The greatest advantage of a Magic Swordsman is that our fuel efficiency relative to output is superior to that of a Knight or a Holy Knight. Did you not know?”
“I know now.”
“I will say it once more, for you…”
“Logically, there is no chance of victory.”
“……”
“That’s what you were going to say, right?”
Patrick spoke while mimicking the hand gesture of pushing up glasses on his bare face.
And Riman…
“…Die!”
“This guy is surprisingly short-tempered.”
The attacks poured down again.
Patrick thought as he dodged. Actually, he had intended to see how long Riman could maintain this level of destructive power. However…
‘Five hours is too long.’
He could endure it if he had to. But he didn't want to keep engaging in such a tedious exchange. In that case…
‘I’ll give him a little surprise.’
A mischievous smile formed on Patrick’s lips.
“How illogical. This is why ignorant swordsmen are…”
Riman frowned as he watched Patrick busily moving and dodging attacks beneath him. He had gone out of his way to explain it during the fight. That logically, there was no chance of victory.
Yet, his opponent couldn't let go of his lingering hopes and continued to struggle pointlessly. How foolish and illogical.
What that swordsman named Patrick was doing now was the height of primitivity—a waste of time, stamina, and life. In this situation, there was only one possible attack the man could attempt.
‘But that is meaningless as long as I am thoroughly prepared.’
At the very moment Riman thought that, Patrick dodged an attack and threw his swords toward the sky with all his might.
“Take this!”
The two swords, imbued with Aura, flew toward Riman in a straight line.
‘As expected, that is your move.’
The momentum of the flying swords was incredibly fierce, but Riman wasn't flustered in the least. He had previously seen a contestant from the same country as Patrick struggle pathetically by throwing a sword. Naturally, he had prepared for this situation as well.
An unexpected, unconventional attack that deviated from standard methods like this…
‘Is easily avoided.’
Riman used his flight ability to shift his body to the side. The swords Patrick threw carried extraordinary power, but they meant nothing if they missed. In fact, it was a disadvantageous move.
“Now, you are empty-handed. How will you fight? You’ve lost your only means of attack and continue to struggle… What are you doing?”
Riman frowned. Patrick was doing something strange. He was reaching his hands toward the sky as if he were still holding the swords that had flown into the air. To Riman, it was truly incomprehensible.
But then…
“Eat this!”
Patrick spread his hands wide. Suddenly, the two swords that had been flying high into the sky curved their trajectories fluidly to the left and right, flying back toward Riman.
“Gah!”
Riman was startled. He hurriedly tried to dodge the two swords flying toward him, but…
“It’s useless!”
The two swords pursued him, flying freely as if they were connected to Patrick’s hands.
“Urgh… Aria, Lagios!”
Realizing he couldn't dodge, Riman hurriedly surrounded himself with shields of water and wind to block the swords flying at him.
K-BOOOOM!
The twin swords imbued with Aura violently struck the shields made of water and wind.
Seeing this, Patrick clenched his fist and shouted.
“How’s that? This is what you call the Sword Flight Art, you logical bastard.”