The Rematch
Ian had been counting the days for this moment alone, but as she looked around, she let out a long sigh.
“Why are there so many people again?”
She had no idea where the rumor had spread from, but not only the people of Lundel but even the players had gathered to watch the fight between the two of them.
And among them were quite a few faces Ian knew well.
“Wait, didn’t you say you were resting until today?”
“But how could we miss a show this fun? Honestly, I’m a little hurt you didn’t tell us.”
“Right. Isn’t it too much to keep this from us?”
“I-I didn’t say anything….”
Of course, Emily’s group was there.
“I’m really looking forward to what you’ll show us this time.”
“Ian, I won’t forgive you if you lose.”
“Don’t hold back!”
Adrian, who had briefly partied with her, and the raid members she had shared drinks with at the banquet.
And then.
“Hoo, looks like we get to enjoy another good show.”
“Hey, Ian. Don’t lose this time!”
“Show him what you’re made of!”
Even Shaura’s group, who had watched her previous match against Hakon, had shown up.
No matter how lacking in entertainment the world of Arcadia was, she never imagined this many people would gather.
Hakon looked at her with a satisfied expression.
“As expected of the Savior. You are loved by so many.”
“It just kind of happened.”
“Then I cannot show an unsightly performance either. Not when so many are cheering me on.”
“Then I have to win too. Not that there was ever any doubt.”
Hakon drew his spear. In response, Ian pulled her sword from her waist.
The two of them pointed their weapons at each other. The tension was so thick the entire crowd fell silent.
In the suffocating quiet that felt like it could stop a heartbeat, Halvar—the village chief of Lundel, acting as referee—stepped forward carefully and raised his hand.
Halvar's Prayer has changed. The distorted history has been restored by the players' efforts. The people of Lundel no longer rely on the gods. They now carry the will of the heroes who liberated this land and will carve out their own future.
“Now then….”
Halvar’s hand dropped toward the ground.
“Begin!”
The moment his voice rang out, the distance between Ian and Hakon closed in an instant.
-Clang!
Sword and spear collided. Sparks flew from their weapons.
A head-on clash right from the start. Hakon poured his strength into pushing Ian back.
But.
“Hakon, you’re going easy on me, aren’t you? I’d be disappointed if you were.”
“Hmm… I was holding back a little. It wouldn’t be fun if it ended right away.”
“Doesn’t feel like it.”
Unlike their first match, Ian wasn’t easily pushed back.
Her current level was 18. Thanks to the boss clear rewards and quest bonuses, she had grown by leaps and bounds. She was an entirely different person from before.
The Savior’s Proof, which had once granted her an enormous amount of stats, was gone. But the levels she had gained filled that void.
That was why Ian could withstand Hakon’s bull-like strength.
Moreover.
“Then I’ll make the first move.”
The boss she had fought to the death had used techniques similar to Hakon’s.
Ian easily deflected the spear that had been pressing down on her and immediately stepped inside, swinging her sword.
Even without using a skill, the strike was fast and clean. Though Hakon jerked his head back to dodge, the tip of her blade still grazed his cheek.
Blood trickled from the shallow cut. He touched it with his finger and smiled bitterly.
“I definitely can’t treat you like I did before.”
“If it’s too hard, just say so. I’ll go easy on you.”
“I’m fine. From now on, I’ll fight with everything I have.”
Hakon lowered his stance. His entire body swelled with muscle like a beast preparing to pounce on its prey.
-Boom!
Hakon stomped the ground. His spear, wrapped in red light, shot toward Ian like a raging gale.
“Drive!”
Ian’s sword also glowed with blue light.
“Slash!”
A thrusting spear and a sweeping sword. Amid the crossing trails of red and blue, droplets of their sweat scattered through the air.
Ian immediately spun and charged forward.
The skill she used was a two-hit slashing technique.
Double Accel
Two blades rushed toward Hakon.
Hakon responded with a skill of his own.
Twin Spear
A two-hit thrusting technique that looked like two spears stabbing at once. The spears completely canceled out the momentum of her slashes.
The exchange of offense and defense continued. Red and blue danced as they swung, thrust, blocked, and parried.
However, as time passed, Ian’s brow furrowed slightly.
So he still has the advantage in raw power?
Her wrist was starting to ache. Since entering Zone 2, she had invested a full 9 stat points into Magic, leaving her Strength lacking.
The veteran warrior Hakon quickly noticed her condition. That was why he persistently thrust and swung his spear, trying to clash directly with her sword.
In that case.
I won’t block. I’ll dodge and redirect.
Ian’s eyes flashed.
She read every trajectory of Hakon’s spear. Using that information, she predicted his next move and acted one step ahead.
To others, it looked like pure trickery. But to Ian, who had survived alone for so long, it was a familiar tactic.
Her movements have changed.
His attacks weren’t landing. Even strikes that should have connected were swept away like they had been caught in a wave.
Hakon’s face hardened.
This is bad.
Cold sweat ran down his spine. Even though he tried not to think about it, he could feel himself gradually being drawn into Ian’s pace.
He needed to regain the initiative. Having made his decision, Hakon swung his spear wide to create distance.
“Ugh!”
Ian, unable to close in, was forced to retreat. Hakon didn’t miss the opening and leaped high into the air.
Ian’s eyes widened.
This is…?!
She had seen this skill two days ago during the boss fight. She had felt its destructive power with her own body.
Hakon’s body fell like a meteor.
Basic Spear Art Skill, 7th Form. Single Point Crusher.
Strike Impact
Faced with the incoming red meteor, Ian’s mind spun at full speed.
If I block, I lose. I have to dodge. But how?
In that split second, Ian came up with the optimal solution and threw her sword at Hakon.
There was, of course, no skill for throwing a sword, so her desperate move was easily blocked.
But the meteor still struck.
-Kwaaaang!
A deafening roar shook the earth, and a shockwave spread out like a spiderweb. Screams rose amid the fierce wind and rising cloud of dust.
However.
“She disappeared?”
There was no sign of Ian where the spear had struck.
Instead, three ice spears flew toward Hakon.
Hakon pulled his spear from the ground and swung it wide, knocking the ice spears away.
He looked at Ian, who now stood before him, and offered genuine praise.
“Incredible. To dodge that.”
It should have been an unavoidable attack. Even if she dodged, the following shockwave should have hit her.
But at the very last moment, Ian had thrown her sword, pulled out her staff, and cast Haste on herself to evade the unavoidable strike.
Of course, that decision left her sword embedded in the ground. From now on, it was no longer the time of a swordsman, but a mage.
Ice Spear
More ice spears appeared, pressuring Hakon from multiple directions.
Hakon knocked them away again. The ice embedded in the ground, and yet more flew at him.
“What are you planning?”
Ian knew full well that her magic couldn’t deal meaningful damage. Yet she kept launching spears.
Before long, the area around Hakon was filled with ice spears.
And that was exactly what Ian had been aiming for. Flames gathered at the tip of her staff.
Fireball
Orbs of flame shot forward. Hakon extended his spear to knock them away again, but—
Ian’s fireballs weren’t aimed at him.
“No way—?!”
She had targeted the ice spears stuck in the ground. He realized it too late. The ice collided with the flames and instantly turned into thick steam, completely blocking Hakon’s vision.
Hidden outside the steam, Ian shouted.
Wind Cutter
-Whoosh!
A blade of wind tore through the steam. Hakon, having sharpened all his senses to their limit, barely managed to dodge the spell.
But no matter how skilled Hakon was, he couldn’t evade every attack while his vision was blocked.
I have to get out.
His gaze shot upward. Hakon leaped into the air once more.
And the moment he broke free of the steam—
Sword Rush
Ian, who had already switched back to her swordsman form as if she had predicted this exact moment, charged at him.
The feeling of having to face both a swordsman and a mage at once sent a chill down Hakon’s spine.
But I cannot lose.
He was Lundel’s greatest warrior. As the one standing at the peak of all warriors, he could not accept defeat so easily.
Discard the spear.
Ian’s sword was already closing in. A clumsy block would only lead to defeat.
Then he would take advantage of her momentary opening and counter.
Having made his decision, Hakon raised the shaft of his spear to reduce the power of her slash.
-Slice!
The spear snapped in half. The reduced momentum of Ian’s slash failed to reach him.
In that gap, Hakon switched his weapon to gauntlets. Two purple-glowing fists flew toward Ian.
Double Attack
The fists flew straight toward Ian’s abdomen.
I’ve won!
Hakon was certain of victory.
Until he saw Ian’s smile right in front of him.
Right before his fist connected with her stomach, Ian used the remaining momentum of her slash to spin her body.
Like a fish leaping from the water, Ian’s body shot upward in an instant. Hakon’s sure-kill strike cut through empty air.
Their eyes met. The corners of her mouth curved into a smile.
“There’s no way I’d fall for the same trick twice.”
As a gamer, falling for the same move twice was humiliating. Everything had been a setup for this very moment.
Ian’s kick slammed into Hakon. His body crashed to the ground.
-Boom!
Dust rose as Hakon lay defenseless, embedded in the earth.
The moment he tried to get up despite the dizzying pain, a cold blade pressed against his throat.
It was Ian. His comrade who had fought alongside him for the past two weeks.
She smiled and asked,
“Should I let you off with just one move?”
Hakon let out a hollow laugh and shook his head.
“No. I have lost.”
The moment the victor and the defeated were decided.
Halvar, who had been holding his breath while watching the two, declared,
“Th-the winner is… Adventurer Ian!”
An enormous cheer shook all of Lundel.