Heroes and Their Qualifications (11)
The duel was over.
And it ended quite anticlimactically.
The dust that had filled the air settled down. On the deserted streets, only the broken wooden buildings creaked noisily. Like the calm that follows after a storm clears the clouds, the quiet streets seemed to announce the end of the battle.
Nicola, breathing heavily, and Flan, lying prostrate, spitting blood.
The outcome of the duel was clear.
From the start, it was a fight Flan had no chance of winning. The impact inflicted on Flan’s body from the first exchange was an attack that a normal body couldn’t withstand. Even if such a blow was blocked, it wouldn’t make much difference.
Therefore, he wouldn’t be able to stand up again.
What could he possibly do to recover his body while spitting blood and lying down? Without any means to heal himself, continuing the fight under these circumstances was an impossibility.
Nicola thought the same.
The battle was over.
Any further struggle would be meaningless.
“…Let go.”
Nicola, clutching his throbbing arm, looked at Flan. Flan was moving slightly, still on his knees. It wasn’t particularly threatening. His movements resembled the last squirms of a dying insect.
With the situation concluded, Nicola calmed himself.
Yet, an unresolved question lingered.
The injury to his arm.
It was only one exchange.
He had certainly expected to win without any damage.
It was surprising that Flan had blocked it, but that was all. There shouldn’t have been any further issues.
“…….”
But what was this searing throbbing pain?
Had he been unable to react in that brief moment and been hit by a counterattack?
A burning sensation, as if the skin was melting. Perhaps Flan had prepared something, and Nicola had charged at his maximum speed without acceleration to prevent any reaction.
In that state, he could have easily responded to any hidden magical device.
He thought he could deal with anything else that was prepared. Unless there was some airborne poison, such an injury shouldn’t exist. Unless there was something unexpected…
The only immediate consideration was the shining sword Flan had used.
That sword must be a holy sword. If the church hadn’t lied, then it was definitely a holy sword.
Then this must be the effect of the holy sword.
At first, he suspected the small dragon that was by his side, but that was only for a moment. If the dragon had been blown far away by the aftermath of the sword strike, there was no need to be on guard.
In other words, there would be no combat for a while. So let’s treat this injury later.
Now, enough with the pointless thoughts,
It’s time to take Flan away.
Nicola organized the previous clash in his mind and approached Flan.
Flan was still not ready to give up, continuing to squirm.
“…It’s not over yet.”
But the battle was over.
If Nicola had been serious, Flan’s throat would have already been slit. After all, Flan was in no state to even control his own body properly. Continuing the fight in such a condition was akin to suicide.
Flan would never admit defeat anyway.
Wasn’t that what Nicola had assumed from the beginning and tried to end it quickly?
With that thought, Nicola approached Flan. He intended to knock him out and take him to the Empire, and to put an end to this tiresome pursuit.
However,
“I said, it’s not over yet, didn’t I?”
Flan stood up.
Nicola thought of it as the last flicker of light before passing out—a mere death throe. Having no proper means of recovery and forcing himself up, Flan would surely collapse again soon. Even if he managed to swing his sword in a final struggle, what was there to fear from the blade of a dying man?
“Hey, stop it. It’s okay to rest now.”
He was a man who had lived a rough life.
So now, stop suffering and rest in peace.
Knowing vaguely of Flan’s past, that was all Nicola could offer. Not suffering in this hell anymore would be the greatest happiness for him.
“Well, I’m still quite lively, so cut the sentimental crap and let’s go at it again. Run away if you’re scared.”
Flan’s tone tried to mask his pain, sounding normal. At a glance, it seemed as if he had truly recovered.
Then, was it worth fighting, enduring the suspicious pain in his arm? If he were to be hit directly by that sword…
No.
No matter the situation, no matter what Flan says, he would not stop. So it’s best to finish it quickly while he can. Would anyone believe it if Nicola ran away because he feared the pain in his arm?
So the only option was to settle the score here.
Nicola, unaware of the blue syringe stuck in Flan’s arm and the small potion bottle rolling on the ground, casually took his stance.
Flan, matching him, drew his sword.
The radiant blade shone ominously in the darkness.
For some reason, the battle had begun anew.
* * *
“If you’re scared, just back off.”
Though he said it with bravado, the situation was far from good. His wrist and elbow were numb. A single clash had sent shockwaves through his entire body. In this state, it was as if his defense hadn’t worked at all. Perhaps it would have been better to dodge… No, on second thought, he might have been hit squarely without any chance to evade. If that had happened, he wouldn’t have been able to stand up as he was now.
His head felt dizzy as if he had been drinking, with a sensation of blood dripping down from the crown of his head. Of course, he hadn’t been hit there, so there was no actual bleeding. It was probably just a phantom pain that had been there for a while.
Still, the rest of the situation was relatively manageable.
He had taken care of himself with the tools at hand. He could hold on for now.
But after a few more exchanges, he would likely collapse again.
“Hey, give me a break, will you? I barely managed to get up, and you’re already getting ready to knock me down again. Isn’t that a bit much?”
“Think about what you’ve done.”
Was it because of his bold words that the attitude towards him seemed to have turned colder?
It seemed like he had never been treated kindly in the Dragon Kingdom in the first place.
Well, let’s set that aside. The battle wasn’t over yet.
“…”
“…”
His breathing quickened. His hands trembled slightly. Although it was hard to see, Nicola’s sword also seemed to waver as if he was feeling something.
What was he afraid of?
The idea of striking down a friend?
What’s so scary about that?
He must be waiting for the right timing. The perfect moment when I can’t even react. Nicola would surely charge in at that instant. Even if he charged now, it would be just as difficult, but dragging out the time like this was a tremendous ordeal for me.
Especially since maintaining Mind’s Eye was becoming a struggle.
My arms and legs weren’t what they used to be.
Or should I say they were exactly as they used to be? If I let up even a little, I felt like I might lose consciousness.
I had forced myself to stand using the medicine Cecilia prepared and Aeon, so dealing with the aftermath was going to be tough. And here I was, overexerting myself to maintain Mind’s Eye and the holy sword…
This is the worst.
But that doesn’t mean I can charge in first.
If I rushed at Nicola, the result would be an inevitable defeat without any variables.
It’s the worst-case scenario.
What I need to aim for is to predict Nicola’s movements and strike with the holy sword. He hasn’t been hit directly by the holy sword, so he’s likely underestimating its power. Even a graze would be good enough, I need to land the first hit somehow to break his stance, then follow up with a second strike at maximum output.
No matter how formidable Nicola is, he’s still human.
If I land a direct hit, I win.
If I miss, I lose.
So I’ll unleash the holy sword. That’s the only formula for victory.
“Phew…”
I steadied my stance.
The moment Nicola was about to attack.
The tension escalated.
Maintaining Mind’s Eye was becoming increasingly difficult. The flickering and stuttering of my focus felt ominously foreboding.
Did Nicola understand my current predicament?
Or was he simply waiting for his chance?
There was no sign of anyone else around. Just me and Nicola in this duel.
No interferences.
…Probably.
My hand holding the sword trembled.
The decisive moment was upon us.
That’s when Nicola spoke.
“About the letters, if you open them all, you should be able to return to your original world. The Emperor… that old man seems to have prepared all the materials for the return magic circle. Since there’s also a promise with the Hero, well, I guess he won’t cast you out after all the letters are opened. After you go back, it’ll be tough for a while, but…”
His words came out with an expressionless face.
If I opened all the letters, I could go home.
He would stop this rough pursuit and send me back home?
It could be a lie, most likely it was. Stirring emotions to create an advantageous situation is a widely spread tactic in any world.
If Nicola had said it with a bright expression, I wouldn’t have believed him. But seeing how he delivered it so darkly and somberly… it might not be a lie. After all, I had nowhere to go after opening all the letters, so things might turn out well.
It’s strange to bring it up now, but there wouldn’t be another appropriate time. That’s possible.
Well, if it’s a lie, that’s unfortunate.
Still, there’s something nagging at me.
The promise with Troka.
A promise with Troka, that’s new to me. What’s that about?
“Of course, that’s after I beat you here.”
“Yeah. Right.”
…Wondering about that now won’t change anything.
If I don’t beat Nicola here, it all becomes meaningless.
In the end, the most important thing is to win.
“But why bring that up all of a sudden?”
“It feels like this might be the last time. Anyway… thanks. For taking care of my sister. Even if you get caught by me, don’t worry, I won’t treat you poorly.”
As if he wouldn’t kill me in front of the Emperor without remorse.
And taking care of Nico… no need to mention that now. It’s just a waste of time.
“I don’t really get why you’re bringing this up now… but, well, if you want to see your sister more, then dodge. Of course, if you dodge, I lose.”
Whatever happens, this will probably be my last conversation with Nicola. Thinking that, I felt a slight sense of relief. If I lose, I’ll die anyway, so it’s ironic to relax at this last moment.
I lowered my stance as much as possible to reduce Nicola’s range of attack. I rested the blade on my right shoulder, preparing to swing my sword horizontally. And my mindset… my mindset… I hadn’t really decided on anything specific.
At first, it was to survive.
Then, it was to deliver the letters. Such a half-hearted resolve.
What I need now is to defeat Nicola.
So this time, I’ll make a proper vow.
To return home, I will take down Nicola.
Yes, let’s sever it.
The ties to this world.
For the sake of my original world, I’ll shake them off.
The sword in my right hand.
I imbue the sword with my will.
Since I have no convictions worth protecting at this point, I’ll focus solely on the goal of returning home.
Without any other thoughts, just yearning for victory.
I will win here, open all the letters, and return to my original world.
Definitely.
It was at the moment of this pledge,
Nicola’s afterimage swept across my vision.
