Chapter 96: World's Greatest Husband Contest - Finals (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 96: World's Greatest Husband Contest - Finals (3)
“No more words are needed! Prove it! Prove your strength, and your feelings for me! Here I come!”
With a shout uncharacteristically loud for her, Andrasta lunged toward Leon like a fired bolt.
At a glance, it might have seemed like she was rampaging out of flustered desperation, but Andrasta had already regained her composure.
As she moved, the scene from moments ago flashed through her mind like an arrow. Specifically, the Demon Sword still held in Leon’s hand.
‘I must avoid that sword at all costs!’
It was an instinct she’d felt the moment Leon drew his second blade.
Even without knowing its name, she could tell that black blade was either a Holy Sword or a Demon Sword. Furthermore, Leon’s Sword Drawing Technique possessed a god-like speed that even she couldn't react to.
Fortunately, it seemed like a technique he couldn't spam, but that only meant she had to be more vigilant.
‘In other words, I must never give him an opening or a moment’s peace!’
Reaching a conclusion in a split second, Andrasta threw a punch at Leon as soon as he entered her range.
It wasn't a single point of impact, but a succession of blows like a curtain of fire, dominating the entire space. Faced with a wave of fists that felt like a machine gun's barrage, Leon chose to evade.
As Leon tried to circle around to her wide-open right side, Andrasta let out a fierce roar.
“Do you think I’ll let you go?!”
“You might want to close your eyes.”
“What…?”
In that instant, a white flash erupted from beneath Andrasta’s feet.
“Urgh…!”
She managed to shield her eyes just in time, but the visual disorientation was unavoidable.
Of course, Andrasta’s innate combat senses and logic dictated that if she couldn't see, she should track her enemy with her ears and nose.
—Eeeeeeeee—!
However, the only thing her ringing ears could pick up was a stifling, muffled tinnitus.
Still, she didn't have the luxury of leisurely checking her condition or waiting for recovery. The scent of Leon wafting past the tip of her nose was the omen of an attack.
Relying on her still-functioning sense of smell and her blurred vision, Andrasta took an instinctive defensive stance. No matter how swift the strike, if she knew it was coming, she could surely counter it.
But that confident defense was shattered by an attack that defied common sense.
—Grab!
“What…?”
“Haha, you’re even prettier up close.”
To her shock, Leon was hugging her.
Like an ordinary couple, like a man and woman in love, Leon held Andrasta and stared intently into her eyes.
She couldn't react. She couldn't feel a shred of hostility or even a competitive spirit from him.
“…Let—let go! What… what do you think you’re doing?!”
“How does it feel? Your first time being held in someone else’s arms?”
“Eek…!”
A strange thumping in her heart, louder than before, refused to go away no matter how much she tried to shake it off. An unpleasant thought crossed her mind: Is this man trying to toy with me instead of competing?
Andrasta stomped her foot hard, tearing herself away from Leon’s embrace like a localized storm.
“Hahaha, did you hate it that much?”
“Be quiet…!”
“Hmm~ You didn't seem to hate it all that much, though~”
Fortunately, her lost sight and hearing were returning quickly, though she still had no idea what he had done to cause that flash.
Perhaps because of that, or perhaps because of the sudden hug she’d just endured, Andrasta felt more lost than ever.
‘But…’
It was fun.
That was the single thought that surfaced in Andrasta’s mind.
The magnificent Iai strike that hit her waist right at the start. The trap of light and sound she’d never seen before in her life. And even the hug that felt like it contained only affection, rather than hostility or murderous intent.
Andrasta was wearing a genuine smile, one she had forgotten for a very long time.
—Shring…
However, seeing Leon’s Demon Sword pointed at her again, she immediately regained her reason.
While simultaneously steadying her ruffled mind and body, Andrasta spoke to Leon. She told herself this was an act of information gathering based on logic and intuition—that if she rushed in blindly, she’d suffer the same fate again.
At least, that’s what she decided to believe.
“What was that just now? Magic?”
“Yeah. It’s just magic that bursts with light and sound… but it was pretty good, wasn't it?”
Of course, this wasn't Andrasta’s first time facing magic. However, no magic had ever made her blood run cold like that.
Her ears twitched as if the unpleasant tinnitus still lingered, and she glared sharply at Leon.
“I’ve never seen such magic in my life. Is that the kind of magic they use in the Empire?”
“Haha, I’m probably the only one who uses it like this.”
Whether that was true or not, the current situation was far from ideal. That was the conclusion Andrasta reached after their brief exchange.
‘Leon never moves first. But if I go in first, I’ll be hit by that light and sound again. No, it’s safer to assume he has several other traps laid out.’
Furthermore, the threat of the Demon Sword remained.
This was a fight she could not lose. Her opponent was waiting for her to come to him, having spread a web of light, sound, and other invisible traps.
“In that case…!”
“Uh… wait, don't tell me…”
“I’ll just tear down all these annoying webs!”
The fist of an Overlord, imbued with her soul’s full strength, slammed into the ground.
*
Watching Andrasta drive her fist into the arena floor brought back some rather unpleasant memories from my past life.
Like the day I threw a grenade for the first time at the Nonsan Training Center, or the live-fire drills for tanks and self-propelled howitzers…
Andrasta’s strike was so massive it literally exploded the stone arena, pulverizing it completely.
—Boom…
Oh, that vibration shaking my body and soul. God exists. God is right here on the battlefield, and His name is the 155mm self-propelled howitzer.
‘Anyway… tsk… all those mines I laid out are useless now.’
Actually, I had laid out various spells on the arena floor like mines, using the moments when I first entered and while we were talking.
Besides the flashbangs, I had prepared stenches, collapsing floors, and all sorts of things… but they were all blown away. Thanks to that, the audience was in a frenzy for a while because of the flying dust and stone fragments.
“Well, I don't hate that way of thinking. It actually makes you more charming.”
“Be… be quiet!”
“Hahaha, your blushing face is really pretty, too.”
“Ugh…!”
Andrasta looked ready to pounce on me immediately, but she took half a step back when I leveled Sitri at her.
It was a wise, cold-blooded, and perfectly correct judgment. If she rushed in recklessly, she’d become prey for Sitri.
‘I don't have a hobby of eating human flesh, you know? I am the Great Demon of Lust.’
‘Ah, yes. Right. My apologies.’
‘What’s with that half-hearted response?’
Anyway, while keeping her on guard against Sitri was my intention… somehow… I felt like this wasn't right.
In the end, Andrasta was just a woman with nothing in her hands. Is it right for a man to win against such a woman with a sword? Besides, if I swung this thing for real, Andrasta would die.
‘Huh? Leon?! What are you doing!’
Before I knew it, I was tossing Sitri toward Helena in the audience.
Like the Sword Control Technique seen in martial arts novels, the Demon Sword Sitri flew through the air and stopped in front of Helena. Helena caught Sitri in a daze and shouted toward me.
“Young Master!”
I just smiled at her without a word.
At the same time, I heard Andrasta’s voice, which had dropped to a cold tone.
“What are you doing?”
The intent in her fierce glare was clear. She was asking, “Do you dare look down on me?”
“I told you before. I can't bring myself to wound the woman I love. This is my sincerity.”
“…Do you honestly think you can defeat me bare-handed?”
“I don't think I can win. I think I must win. To prove my feelings for you.”
“…!”
It wasn't a matter of whether I could or couldn't. Since I’d set the stage and acted all cool, I had to win even if it killed me. There’s nothing more embarrassing than acting like a badass and then losing.
However, Andrasta seemed to still have lingering doubts.
“It’s not too late. I’ll pretend that didn't happen and give you time to retrieve your sword.”
“Haha, are you not confident you can beat me while I’m bare-handed? Is that why?”
“…Hah!”
Only then did Andrasta charge at me again, fueled by the conviction and belief that I no longer had my Demon Sword or any annoying traps.
Facing the Goddess of War who intended to beat me with everything she had, I raised my bare fists.
All I had left was…
‘An immortal body, inexhaustible magic power, and decent self-defense skills.’
And… my most confident skill: Enhancement Magic.
With only those, I stood against Andrasta.
“Haaah!”
*
—Bang! Crash! Boom! Pow!
Those were the sounds of Andrasta’s fists meeting mine.
Andrasta’s punches came at me like crashing waves, and I was essentially swatting away every drop of water from those waves with my hands.
It was a contest of pure strength against strength, devoid of any complex techniques.
Of course, I had not only cranked my physical enhancement to the maximum but also blocked my pain receptors.
—Crack, snap…
Because my concentration wavered for a moment, the sound of my hand bones cracking and breaking vibrated through my skeleton to my brain. The sound of shattering bones was enough to make my mind shudder… but.
It didn't matter. There was no pain, and any injury healed in the blink of an eye.
Thanks to that, a different emotion began to flicker on Andrasta’s face, which had previously been filled only with fighting spirit.
—Boom!
Once again, our fists collided in mid-air.
Looking at her gauntlets, which were now dented in places, and my fists, which were completely unscarred, Andrasta muttered in disbelief.
“I definitely felt the impact… how…”
“It’s a bit late to mention this, but I actually have an immortal body.”
Only then did a clear look of shock appear on Andrasta’s face. Well… it was a natural reaction. In a way—no, in reality—I was no different from a monster.
So, I was prepared to accept whatever reaction she had.
But the voice that followed from Andrasta was filled with uncontrollable joy.
“You mean you’re an opponent who won't fall no matter how much I hit you!”
“…Excuse me?”
“Haha, this just got more interesting. Actually… I had one small wish. Just once, I wanted an opponent who could take everything I have.”
“Well… uh… fine. I’ll grant that wish today. Until you beg me to stop because you can't take any more.”
“Hahaha, those are the exact words I’ve been waiting for!”
With that, we lunged at each other again. This time, without any intention of stopping.
*
‘Urgh…’
To use a metaphor, Andrasta was a mountain. A massive mountain where a harsh blizzard never ceased. I was climbing toward the summit of that mountain.
—Crack, crunch…
A direct hit from her knee broke my ribs. Because I took a solid hit to the stomach, fragments of internal organs and blood welled up, but I swallowed them down with all my might.
Pushing through the countless swirling blizzards, I kept moving forward.
Even if my legs broke and my waist snapped, I advanced and advanced toward Andrasta.
“Huff, huff…!”
I could hear Andrasta’s ragged breathing. Yet, the blizzard was still raging.
I, too, pressed on regardless.
Swatting away fists that flew like snow, and gritting my teeth to endure kicks like avalanches.
Toward the peak of the high, snow-capped mountain—toward the Queen who had always been lonely—I never took a single step back.
One step, then another.
“Urgh…! Haaah…!”
After advancing and advancing, I finally saw her.
Andrasta, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily, and squeezing out every last drop of her strength.
She looked so incredibly beautiful and lonely.
‘As I thought…’
I relaxed my clenched fists and opened my arms wide.
I no longer dodged or blocked. I reached out with both arms toward Andrasta, who was hitting me, pushing me, and trying to distance herself.
“Haa, huff…”
—Thud…
Andrasta’s fist, which hit my solar plexus, went limp.
The Queen, who had always been lonely and had tried to remain lonely, no longer pushed me away.
I pulled the woman—who had no strength or desire left to push me away—into my arms once more with all my might.
“Ha… haha… I guess there really is no way to avoid this…”
“Are you sure you didn't just want to avoid it?”
“…Maybe. Haa… I have a request.”
“Anything.”
“Um… well… I, I want to hear it… again. Those words… to the man who took everything I had…”
If that’s what she wanted.
Since it was something I’d be saying until she was sick of it anyway, I gladly whispered into Andrasta’s ear.
A single phrase: I love you.
After staying in my arms for a while, Andrasta pulled away, her face flushed bright red.
“Haa… I really didn't think a day like this would come in my life. Since my best strike and even attacks meant to kill didn't work… I have no choice but to admit it.”
I waited in silence for the hesitating Andrasta. A gentleman always walks; he never runs.
After that wait, Andrasta finally shouted.
“It is my defeat. Well done, Leon. I will gladly accept your embrace.”