The Finals: Arthur's Resolve
While Kyle fought Kayness for the sake of protecting the Academy and his own personal desires, the Academy cadets and spectators who knew nothing of it were watching the main tournament matches that had finally begun. At that moment, Arthur was nursing a headache because of the red-haired woman chattering beside her.
"So, in essence, this tournament has become the exclusive domain of us knight department students."
"……Yes, I suppose so."
"Indeed. Of course, there are occasionally talented students among the mages as well—those with a gift for combat. Battle mages, or whatever they're called? But none of the ones who go by that title ever amount to much. At best, they end up as mercenaries or adventurers……"
Arthur wondered if the woman was trying to ruin her hearing before their match, thereby gaining an advantage in the duel. It was hard not to think so, given how the words kept spilling out without pause. Arthur's twitching ears perked up as she hardened her expression slightly and looked at her.
"Um…… could you focus on the match?"
"Aah— sorry, sorry. I do talk too much, don't I? It's just that whenever I see talented kids, I can't help but get carried away. From now on, I'll be careful……"
Even after the warning, the idle chatter showed no sign of stopping. Letting it flow in one ear and out the other, Arthur prepared herself for the fight ahead.
Arthur's opponent was May Bell, a fellow first-year. A cute girl with faintly purple hair tied into short pigtails. Yet contrary to her adorable appearance, she was a cadet whose swordsmanship was sharp and merciless. Whether due to insufficient aura or some other reason, she had yet to reach the Expert realm…… but when it came to swordsmanship alone, it was clear she was a cut above Arthur.
'Honestly, I'm not an Expert either.'
—Next up will be the match between Cadet Arthur and Cadet May Bell!
Confirming that her name had been called, Arthur rose to her feet and stepped into the arena. From the opposite side, she could feel May Bell watching her with a tense expression. Meeting that gaze, Arthur drew her sword without a care. They were both Aura Users, and while May Bell's swordsmanship was superior, Arthur held the advantage in physical ability. The Dragon's Heart enhanced not only her aura reserves but all of her physical capabilities as well.
—Match, begin!
Thus, unlike before, Arthur managed to secure a narrow victory after a fierce struggle.
* * *
Day three. After roughly cleaning the bathrooms as punishment for the principal assassination suspicion, I headed to the arena to watch the matches. The inside was already packed with people, but the seats reserved for Academy cadets were empty, so I was able to sit and watch the matches. I waited for the match to start—when someone carefully approached the seat next to mine, blocking the sun.
"Hm?"
"……Kyle."
"Talking casually now?"
"K-Kyle. Hyungnim……"
It was Hundred who had blocked the sun. Standing before me, he trembled as he addressed me as "hyungnim." If he hated it that much, he could have just stayed away, yet the fact that he kept coming over and calling me that made me think this guy had a few screws loose too. I shrugged as if to ask what he wanted and looked at Hundred. He cautiously looked down at me and opened his mouth.
"……I lost this time, but I'll definitely win next time."
"Oh, sure. Good luck with that."
"And— teaching Arthur that secret technique, that was you—hyungnim…… right?"
"What if it was?"
"Could you teach it to me as well?"
Only after hearing those words did I realize why this guy had been forcing himself to approach and talk to me. Secret techniques were the exclusive property of nobles and knights. They weren't taught even at the Academy, and knight families passed them down in secret only to their heirs—one person, one inheritance, a trump card. He probably never imagined that such a thing would be taught to a mere commoner like Arthur. And now that Arthur had learned it, he had come to me hoping he might learn it too.
'As if.'
This guy was a mercenary. Someone who would sell his pride or anything else without hesitation if it benefited him. It was admirable that he could set aside his pride for the sake of learning a secret technique, but that didn't mean I was willing to teach him swordsmanship.
"No."
"You taught Arthur, didn't you? I'll pay the same price he did."
"You'll pay the same? You?"
I let out a chuckle, and Hundred began wondering what on earth Arthur had given in exchange for the secret technique. There were issues like Arthur being a main character or having decided to split the championship prize with me, but there was no reason to tell this guy any of that.
"—Arthur's cute, that's why."
"……What?"
"I taught him because he's cute. What about you? Just looking at that huge frame is disgusting. Get lost."
Upon hearing that, Hundred backed away with a slightly disgusted expression.
"So you're into men? Ugh……"
"Crazy bastard."
* * *
Having advanced to the finals after casually securing victory in the semifinals, Arthur slightly hardened her expression upon seeing Ruby standing before her.
'As expected……'
Just seeing her face made the woman's voice from yesterday start echoing in her mind again. It seemed her suspicion that Ruby had been trying to ruin her hearing and cognitive abilities was correct after all. The fact that her head was already spinning made it impossible to think otherwise.
Ruby tilted her head in concern upon seeing Arthur's hardened expression.
"What, are you hurt somewhere?"
"……No, it's not that."
"Really? That's a relief. It only means something if you beat a strong opponent."
She was worried that Arthur might have overused secret techniques in such a short period and caused some kind of problem. Indeed, Arthur's performance had been flashy enough to naturally invite such concerns. That was one reason why those who possessed secret techniques couldn't use them recklessly. The fear that excessive aura consumption might damage the body. Fortunately, that wasn't a concern for Arthur.
"Senior Ruby."
"Hm? What is it?"
"I've been thinking this for a while…… but you talk too much, Senior."
"……Heeeh, you're going after that? That hurts, you know?"
Ruby took her stance as she spoke. Arthur did the same. All the spectators watching them fell silent at once. The drum signaling the start of the match sounded, and the first to charge forward was Arthur. Kyle had told her not to attack first, but Ruby already knew all of her moves anyway. Since everything was already exposed, and since this was the final match, Arthur had no hesitation in pouring everything out.
"Huu—."
Watching Arthur charge toward her, Ruby took a light breath. In sword theory, the first to attack was always at a disadvantage compared to the one who countered. Post-initiative, first arrival. In elegant swordsmanship where defense and offense occurred simultaneously, the counterattacker could land their own strike simply by responding to the first move.
"Hraaah!"
But that was only in the realm of structured swordsmanship. Against a secret technique that poured aura throughout the entire body and detonated mind, energy, and body all at once to overwhelm the opponent in a single strike, it was meaningless. Meyer Style Revised: Starfall. A single meteor fell to the earth. Though Ruby managed to divert most of the impact, she felt as if her arm had been broken. Fortunately, right after barely managing to deflect it, it was Ruby's turn.
Ruby knew well that she couldn't handle Arthur with ordinary swordsmanship. So she too used a secret technique. An art created by the seniors of the Swordman Club after decades of research and refinement. A mass-produced secret technique, born from those who failed to become Kalashnikov Masters, swept across Arthur's body. In that moment, Arthur didn't even realize what had hit her and stepped back.
"Huh?"
Only belatedly realizing that blood was flowing from her body, Arthur rotated her aura to staunch the wound and looked at Ruby. Ruby began pressing Arthur without letting go of the momentum she had seized. As they crossed blades and an opening appeared, that mass-produced secret technique tore into Arthur's body once more.
"Kugh—!"
After being hit several times, Arthur realized that the swordsmanship pursued theoretical perfection. Secret techniques originally didn't pursue physical perfection. No matter how structurally perfect they were, they couldn't match attacks that utilized aura. Whether Ruby hadn't known that fact or whether it was her obsession as a swordsman, the secret technique Ruby used not only accommodated aura well but was also structurally perfect. It was truly worthy of being called a secret technique created by ordinary people.
"How is it? Secret techniques aren't something only you can use."
"You're…… amazing!"
Whoosh—! Arthur swung her sword wildly to knock Ruby back and turned her gaze, sensing that she would lose if things continued this way. In the distance, she saw Kyle sitting in the stands, watching her with a nonchalant expression. As if he had never once considered the possibility of her losing. Seeing that look, Arthur realized that Kyle believed in her. That expression that didn't doubt for a second that she would win. If her master saw it that way, then her chances of winning were truly higher.
'Just do as I was taught.'
What had Kyle said? Since she had so much aura, she could win against most opponents just by dragging things into a battle of attrition. That was right. A battle of attrition. Arthur gripped her sword as aura circulated through her entire body.
"Huuuup—!"
And she unleashed her aura without restraint. Lightning, Flash Strike, Starfall, One-Point Thrust. Each was a secret technique that consumed a considerable amount of aura, so Ruby thought Arthur would soon tire out and collapse. But that didn't happen.
'What…… this guy isn't just an Aura User!?'
An amount of aura that couldn't possibly belong to a mere Aura User. That was Arthur's advantage. Contrary to Ruby's expectation that an opportunity would come if she held out, Arthur's fierce attacks showed no sign of ending. Pushed back by the overwhelming aura provided by the Dragon's Heart, Ruby began to retreat little by little. And when she was driven to the edge of the arena—
Crack—!
"Huh?"
"Huu—."
Unable to withstand the excessive use of secret techniques, Arthur's sword broke. The opening that created. Ruby didn't miss it and swung her sword toward Arthur—
"Secret technique."
Punch. A fist filled with dragon aura struck Ruby's stomach. Ruby spat out a breath as she was sent flying out of the arena. Realizing that the secret technique she had learned last had somehow worked, Arthur panted carefully.
"Haa, haa—."
—The winner, Arthur!
A moment later, the referee's cry announcing her victory—and the cheers of the spectators directed at her—erupted. Feeling the thrill of victory, Arthur looked toward the stands. Kyle was grinning at her. Toward that Kyle—Arthur likewise grinned and gave a thumbs-up.