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"The third match is a 1:1 sword duel. Unlike the second match, the participating athletes will take swords and ascend the arena."
"Ooh."
The audience stirred.
"Finally, a real sword fight."
"The bare-knuckle fight just now was really impressive, but a duel is best when weapons are involved."
"I heard Leonel is preparing for the 7-star swordsman test? Then who will come out from the other side?"
A nobleman in a fancy outfit chimed in.
"No. Haven't you heard the rumors yet? There's talk that Leonel has already passed the 7-star swordsman test."
"Already at such a young age?"
"They say he had a real talent for swordsmanship."
Another nobleman joined the conversation.
"I heard that too. He even went to the Elton Academy entrance exam when he was young, but unfortunately failed?"
"There's even a rumor that he caused a ruckus in a bar the day his younger brother passed the Elton Academy."
"Anyway, there's no point in even watching the match. Whoever comes out will be a freshman. Even if they're an Elton Academy student, they're no match for a 7-star swordsman."
Leonel was the first to step onto the arena.
He held a well-made bastard sword in one hand.
Davion followed, stepping onto the arena as well.
Davion also held a bastard sword.
Davion tilted his head.
'Why isn't the swordsmanship duel quest popping up?'
According to Liber, Leonel Specular, who is now on the arena, is a swordsman preparing for the 7-star test.
He may have already passed the test and become a 7-star swordsman.
But the quest that always appeared during swordsmanship duels didn't show up.
The last swordsmanship duel quest that appeared was the match against 5-star swordsman Dylan Nedon.
Since he hasn't dueled with a higher-ranked swordsman since then, a 'Duel with a 6-star or 7-star Swordsman Quest' should be appearing.
'Is the swordsmanship duel quest only up to 5-star? That can't be right...'
Then.
Leonel opened his mouth.
"I've heard a lot about you. Davion Nassen. No, should I say I've done some research."
"You're the first guy I've met who so shamelessly admits to doing a background check."
"Impudent fellow. Well, now that I think about it, it would feel strange if you suddenly started using honorifics with me."
"Okay. I'll keep doing what I've been doing."
"I hear you use swordsmanship and magic freely. What brings you here with a sword today? I heard you use a sword made of ice."
Davion had recently been focusing on personal training to infuse aura into his sword.
He hadn't yet succeeded in pushing magic power into it, but he was now able to push internal energy to some extent freely.
On the other hand, pushing internal energy into the ice sword didn't work as well as he wanted.
Wielding aura.
It was a tricky thing.
"I'm just getting more familiar with swords made of steel these days."
Leonel nodded slowly.
"Well, fine. Anyway, do your best. You can use that magic you're good at. You can use swordsmanship. Do whatever you can. You're the male student representative, aren't you? A paltry Elton Academy freshman."
He heard from Liber.
The story that Leonel failed the Elton Academy entrance exam due to cheating.
That must be why he dislikes the Gray Bear Expedition team so much.
That must also be the reason why he hates his younger brother who entered Elton Academy so easily.
"Oh, I can use magic too? Even though it's a swordsmanship duel?"
"Insignificant fool. Did you dare to challenge me with only swordsmanship? Me, Leonel Specular, a 7-star swordsman?"
Davion nodded.
There was a reason why the 'Swordsmanship Duel with a 7-star Swordsman' quest didn't appear.
From the beginning, Leonel had planned to allow Davion to use magic as well.
'It's not just a sword fight, so the duel quest didn't pop up.'
Not a 1 on 1 swordsmanship duel.
A command to pour out everything Davion had.
"Why, are you saying it would be too boring if we only fought with swords? It wouldn't be that boring."
"We'll see how long you can run that arrogant mouth. Everything you've learned at the academy. Everything you've gained from living so far. Bring it all out. Then I'll inflict defeat upon you."
Davion looked around.
The numerous nobles gathered in the audience.
The people of the Specular family.
Even the head of the family, Moldin Specular.
'I knew it was a grand feast, but this is what it was all about.'
Leonel, who failed the Elton Academy entrance exam.
And his younger brother and friends, who are enrolled at Elton Academy.
Especially Davion, who is the top student in the entire freshman class and the male student representative.
'To crush them in front of everyone.'
Davion slowly tightened his grip on the sword hilt.
The greatest weapon that had allowed Davion to face swordsmen and magicians more skilled than him was 'the opponent's carelessness'.
For example, Elix Batium, the summoning magician from the Marino Empire, whom he met during the Amandria Merchant incident.
If he had known that Davion could freely use swordsmanship and magic.
Davion would never have been able to face him at that time.
Even now, he is not sure if he can win.
But Leonel, the 7-star swordsman standing in front of him now, has finished his investigation of Davion.
'If I'm not careful, this could be the day when the disadvantages of dual majoring are fully revealed.'
Davion is a 6-star magician and a 4-star swordsman.
Leonel is a 7-star swordsman.
Davion's magic power and internal energy combined is 527,572 points.
The internal energy required to become a 7-star swordsman is 512,000 points when converted to points.
Similar figures in numbers.
But.
Davion's mana points are divided into magic power and internal energy, while Leonel's are concentrated on internal energy.
It is clear who has the advantage in this situation.
That is why dual majors have disappeared from Elton Academy.
Moreover, if swordsmen and magicians of the same level fight 1 on 1, magicians are generally at a disadvantage.
"Come on in if you're ready, you little brat."
Leonel smiled leisurely and beckoned with his finger.
Davion narrowed his eyes to find Leonel's weakness.
He's just standing there with his sword dangling.
'I can't see any openings.'
As if reading Davion's mind, Leonel's lips curled up.
"If you're not coming, I'll go first."
Whoosh.
Leonel's figure disappeared from Davion's sight.
The same was true for the spectators watching.
There were less than 10 people in this large stadium who could see Leonel's movements.
Crash!
Leonel's sword was deeply embedded in Davion's ice wall.
Davion had only managed to sense the direction at the last moment and instinctively created an ice wall.
"Not bad?"
Leonel pulled out his sword and spun his body around, hitting Davion's ice wall again.
Crack!
Davion's ice wall was broken in just two attacks.
In the meantime, Davion was able to put some distance between himself and Leonel.
Whoosh!
A powerful fireball was created in Davion's left hand.
The fireball quickly rushed towards Leonel, who had broken down the ice wall.
Slash.
Boom!
Leonel's vertical slash sliced through the fireball.
The fireball failed to concentrate its explosive power on Leonel's body and exploded in the air.
A blue aura was formed on Leonel's sword.
"I've finished investigating your attack patterns. You little brat."
The distance between Leonel and Davion was quickly closed again.
Whoosh.
Leonel's sword cut into Davion's lower body.
Davion quickly raised his sword to block it.
Clang!
The two swords with aura collided.
With a loud impact sound, Davion's body was pushed back.
"Oh."
Leonel stood there and looked at Davion.
"You could have withstood it, but you deliberately backed away?"
"I can't break my sword when it's just the beginning."
"The more I look at you, the better you are, brat. But. All that does is make it more fun to trample on you. Now, show me what else you've got."
Leonel lightly flicked his sword and rushed in again.
Bonita, who was watching the two people's fight, shook her head.
"He can't win that."
Luna asked in surprise.
"What? Davion is going to lose?"
"He's going to lose. He absolutely can't win. How can he be so different from Leonel even though they're related by blood? Liber's older brother is too strong. I heard he's preparing to be a 7-star swordsman. He's already above 7-star?"
"Th-then what should we do?"
"There's nothing we can do. Davion did dual major, but. His main focus is magic. Even if it's a 1 on 1 battle between a swordsman and a magician, it's advantageous for the swordsman, but Leonel is too strong. There's no hope."
Luna turned her head urgently.
"Latia! Latia, what do you think?"
Latia hesitated for a moment before answering.
"I don't know if it would be different if we formed a party and fought at a similar level... I don't think Davion can win either. The only magic you can use in a 1 on 1 battle with a swordsman are those with short preparation times, but if they cut them all down or avoid them, it's useless. You need a teammate to buy you time to prepare big, powerful magic. That's the biggest weakness of a magician."
"B-but Davion can also use swordsmanship!"
"I don't know much about swordsmanship, but I can tell that there's too much difference between Leonel's and Davion's movements, right?"
Luna's shoulders slumped.
Luna Pueri looked anxiously at the arena.
"Davion..."
Meanwhile, Davion was still being pushed back by Leonel.
He was only holding on thanks to having raised his internal energy to the 4-star level, but if he hadn't dual-majored, the fight would probably have been over with the first attack.
Clang! Crack!
Davion's sword, which had blocked Leonel's horizontal slash, shattered.
It had aura, but it was useless.
The density and strength of the aura were too different.
Davion quickly created an ice sword.
"That's right, show me all your talents. Elton Academy's male student representative."
A satisfied smile appeared on Leonel's face.
As Leonel paused his attack for a moment, Davion burst out laughing.
"Why are you laughing?"
"No, it's just too funny. It's pathetic to see an old man over 30 trying so hard to beat an academy freshman."
"What? You think I'm trying so hard because I can't beat you? What did you say because I was being nice to you?"
"Well, that's how it looks. How can you do great things if you have such a complex about your education?"
"Impudent!"
Leonel swung his sword wildly.
A bigger movement than ever before.
You could tell at a glance that it was an attack with strong internal energy.
However, just because the movement was bigger didn't mean that any openings were visible.
The sword path was concise and the sword speed was fast.
This was the skill of someone who had passed the 7-star swordsman test.
Davion raised his ice sword to block Leonel's attack.
Clang!
The collision between the sword with the 7-star swordsman's aura and the ice sword.
The ice sword withstood Leonel's sword, but Davion's wrist did not.
The wrist was turned completely around by the strong impact, and the ice sword lay sideways.
In the meantime, Leonel's sword began to stab back in.
'It's too late!'
It was too late to raise the sword again to block.
He hurriedly created a fireball and shot it at Leonel's abdomen.
Leonel's sword, which was stabbing at Davion's neck, was drawn down.
Boom!
Leonel's sword that cut down Davion's fireball.
In the meantime, Davion's ice sword regained its position.
'Ugh!'
It seemed that the muscles had ruptured as the wrist had been completely turned around in the previous collision.
He couldn't put any strength in the hand holding the sword.
And Leonel was able to immediately recognize Davion's condition just by the movement of the ice sword.
"This is the end!"
Leonel's sword stuck to the ice sword.
The ice sword was pushed aside powerlessly by Leonel's sword.
Leonel's sword, having removed the obstacle, cut into Davion's neck as it was.
'Are you really going to kill me?'
There was no hesitation or restraint in the sword that was rushing towards Davion's neck.
'Then you'll regret it?'
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