Chapter 996: The Second Holy Beast Festival 17
Sharon often accompanies Fiona during her intensive training sessions in Polka. In other words, she knows Fiona’s fighting style inside and out. And facing an opponent who fights with straightforward, powerful swordsmanship is exactly where Sharon excels. Among the female slave knights, Sharon stands out for her exceptional power and stamina. Even Anzeros, who has greatly improved her skills as a Dragon Knight of Laila, would have to admit that a no-nonsense, head-on battle against Sharon would be a tough challenge. And while Sharon is a power-type fighter, that doesn’t mean she lacks technique. In fact, if she puts her mind to it, her repertoire is quite extensive. While her unconventional attacks using 「Earth Drive」 stand out, her mastery of the 「Arcas Sword Style – Berga School」, a well-established, first-rate school, is no mere formality, she is fully proficient in direct, head-on combat as well. The gap between their skill and physical strength is not one that can be bridged by sheer willpower alone. Well, in short……for Fiona, this is an opponent against whom she has no chance of winning, no matter how she fights. But Fiona isn’t the type to simply give in.
“I’ve got nothing to lose. However, I intend to win, Princess Sharon”
“Then I shall expect something worthy of that”
They both assume graceful stances with their wooden swords. It goes without saying that Sharon’s stance is beautiful, but as one would expect from someone who has always been confident in her sword dance, Fiona’s form is also filled with a dignified aura. Physically, there isn’t much difference between the two. Partly because of this, there is no sign of an overwhelming disparity in skill at this point. Seizing the moment when both fighters’ stances were perfectly set, Irina raised her hand.
“Begin!”
The moment the signal was given, Fiona stepped forward without hesitation. And Sharon……at exactly the same moment, takes a backstep to maintain her distance.
“!!”
Her resolute lunge, intended as a preemptive strike, fails to close the distance. Having faced opponents who would naturally parry and engage her in close combat up until now, Fiona, who apparently expected the same, has her momentum thwarted and loses the timing to initiate her strike. Sharon counters by lunging back at Fiona, closing in on her.
“There’s an opening!!”
“Guu……!!”
A flash from directly to the side, Sharon’s mighty sword slams down over Fiona’s guard, sending her sword flying and forcing her to stumble. As Sharon rains down even more powerful blows, Fiona’s sword is swept aside time and again, without even a moment to regain her stance. Sharon was completely in control. It was clear she could unleash a rapid-fire barrage of strikes if she wanted to, but she was holding back to a speed that Fiona could barely withstand. She had known all along that the gap between them was this wide. In fact, it was impressive that Fiona’s wooden sword hadn’t slipped from her grip despite being struck with such force.
“……Nuooo!!”
Fiona forces her way forward. She suppresses the recoil from Sharon’s attacks with sheer willpower and thrusts her wooden sword forward as if twisting it into place. However, this doesn’t seem to surprise Sharon in the least. She dodges the incoming thrust with a light sway, then swings her sword in a sweeping arc from below to deflect it while regaining her balance. Not only is their skill level different, but even her desperate attacks are being anticipated. Once again, she finds herself at a severe disadvantage. Just as she’s wondering what to do…… Fiona flashes a smirk despite it all.
“It’s a tough fight, but……I’m not the only one who’s used to this……!”
“Eh……”
“And……Princess Sharon isn’t the only one teaching me!!”
While exchanging fierce blows, Fiona breaks the rhythm for just a moment and swings her sword back.
And then she unleashes a shockwave.
“!! ……Kuu……!!”
Caught off guard and unable to counter in time, Sharon is sent flying through the air. Fiona swings her sword upward to pursue her, but……as Sharon lands, she’s already regained her balance and firmly blocks the final blow as she comes down.
“And this still won’t finish her……!?”
“That was a close call, but I’m learning to move my body better every day. If a beastman can do it, there’s no reason an elf can’t”
“……As expected of the Knight Princess of Arcas”
They faced off and once again assumed their stances.
“Alright then. I’ll acknowledge that you’ve grown enough for me to go all out. ……Here I come”
“Bring it on!”
The two female knights clash once more.
……As for the outcome, well, I won’t go into too much detail for now. Fiona, you did your best. You’ve finally caught up to Boyd.
And then, there’s Gorkus and Anzeros.
“White Anzeros. It’s a cliché, but I’ve always wanted to face you in a real fight”
“I’m honored. But I am 『Black Anzeros』”
“Black……”
“Having gained the power of a Black Dragon Knight, been mentored by the Black War God and come to take pride in my black armor, I’ve determined that black is the color most fitting to represent me. ……I have no intention of betraying my father, but bearing the title of white simply doesn’t suit me”
“I see. Perhaps that, too, is where you belong. ……But let’s skip the complicated talk”
Gorkus smiled and readied his sword.
“This is the kind of event we’re at. It would be tacky to get bogged down in petty arguments”
“……I suppose so”
Anzeros responds, and as usual, at Irina’s signal, their fierce swordfight begins. Gorkus strikes like a storm with both hands, while Anzeros counters it all with just one. Following Naris, this is yet another battle where appearance and power don’t match. ……But Anzeros is one step ahead of Naris and Gorkus’s tricks won’t work a second time, as expected.
“……D, Don’t go along with that”
“It’s all thanks to my master”
I glanced at Dianne, who was giving a wry smile. ……Well, even though she’s taught her a lot, being called Master still feels a bit odd. However, thanks to Dianne, who always manages to surpass her no matter how strong she becomes, Anzeros’s swordplay has a wide repertoire that allows her to fight a variety of opponents. Even the cunning Gorkus’s swordplay isn’t scary if she can see through his intentions. Above all, Anzeros practices far more and absorbs far more than Naris ever did. No matter how strategic Gorkus may be, Anzeros surpasses him in raw ability. The progress she’s made, enough to put a Master Knight in check, is what made this possible.
With a clang, Gorkus’s sword is knocked aside and Anzeros’s blade is pressed against Gorkus’s throat.
“……I concede”
“I accept”
The murmur that arose was equally filled with regret and admiration.