7 Chapter 4: Afternoon Duel (1/2)

—It was 2 pm, the appointed time for the duel.

The stone paving path in front of the gym was packed with spectators. And In that area, two individuals occupied the center.

"Well, are you ready?"

While elegantly posing her pointed staff, Arias's eyes fixed upon Regis.

"Yeah…" Regis nodded as he readied his stance.

"Well then, let's begin!"

Arias herself fought successfully through many duels and had obtained the position of the 1st year representative. But the young man in front of her— she could not determine at all the ability of Seig Falna or her childhood friend, Regis Falna.

It's been eight years since the last time they saw each other, and that time he's already very proficient in using his magic. A full eight years of roaming the world to temper himself and acquire even greater power is something she will underestimate at any cost.

"Celestial Art: Holy Spear of Radiance!"

When Arias swung the staff, spears of light magic manifested along the arc. The spears were flying with the momentum like a rocket to pierce through Regis.

Regis only slightly stepped aside to avoid Arias' threatening first attack. That spear appeared to have enough power to kill someone with just a single strike.

Arias slightly readjusted the trajectory and once again cast her spell. But it was dodged again by Regis as he leaned back. A fierce gale violently blew past towards Regis, kicking his hair up.

"Tch...!"

A click of the tongue came from Arias' cute lips.

Arias' white spears were once again cast. Being faced with this attack to his right, Regis evaded with dance-like movements. Afterwards, he readjusted his position as if nothing happened.

"You're very capable, Princess Arias." said Regis as he gave his opponent a teasing smile.

"Are you mocking me?!" Arias ruthlessly glanced over. Even that menacing expression was captivatingly beautiful.

"Celestial Art: Violent Illumination!"

This time, a rain of light bullets suddenly came flying at Regis.

"...!"

Confronted with another one of Arias' attacks, Regis once again dodged it.

"How scary…"

Regis slightly grinned.

The sound of whispering by the other students around them could be heard.

"What do you think will happen?"

"Princess Arias is really giving it her all..."

"That person would never take it easy on anyone."

"Is that guy really a newbie?"

How frightening, Arias abilities must be among the highest here yet she was unable to score a direct hit on him. The students were at a loss for words was to be expected.

"...Hey, why aren't you attacking?" Arias muttered her obvious suspicion.

"I'm not looking down on you. As for my methods—I don't think I'm required to say."

As she was about to make another spell, Regis jumped in front of her. He had positioned his right hand on his waist level, and his right hand in front.

Using an unhurried pace, he shifted around as he closed in on Arias.

"...!"

Arias shuffled back as if she was a little kid startled by the bark of a dog. Regardless of that, once Regis was at the appropriate distance, he firmly clenched his right hand and thrust it forward.

The people around him could clearly see the path of his attack so they expect the princess to avoid it. However—

The attack instantly accelerated and hit on its target.

'Anti-Magic Assassination Arts: Iron Fist of the Tyrant!'

"Guah!"

Arias' solar plexus met Regis' single attack.

Taking the blow directly, Arias was thrown into a wall.

With that bone-shattering impact, she stopped breathing for a moment.

"...I guess that's it. Thank you for your time Princess. I'll visit you in the infirmary later."

Regis did not bother to check the condition of his opponent. He just turned around and marched off.'

"Celestial Art: Holy Light!"

"W-What?"

Regis suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned around. He was surprised on what he saw. It was Arias; she suddenly stood up as nothing happened.

'A protective-healing spell, huh?'

"Looks like I underestimated you, Arias."

Seemingly intent on avoiding a direct clash with Regis, Arias once again distanced her from Regis and readied her stance.

Regis immediately moved back and observed the movements of his opponent.

Arias lifted her staff upward.

"—Regis, you're very strong. As I expected of you."

Arias' complement was heartfelt.

"But you don't need to hurry and assume you'll be visiting me to the infirmary."

Regis felt a slight chill run down his back.

Now that he'd seen her strength for himself, he recognized her ability to be at least on par with someone he knows.

"...This is good. Looks like you improved leaps and bounds while I was away."

The girl's strength was far beyond his expectation. This duel was quickly becoming an enjoyable proposition.

"Well then, let's begin the second round!"

The first to attack was Arias.

Clearing the distance between them in a single leap, she swung her staff downward with lightning speed.

'What?!—Direct combat?!'

Regis immediately leaped backward.

"Celestial Art Mode: War Goddess!"

It was an incredibly precise attack; Regis had gained the upper-hand.

Arias leaped into the air, her staff tracing out an arc as it reversed and came in for a downward swing. The sheer speed of her continuous motion wasn't something that could be looked down upon. As Regis crossed his arm to block, Celestial Glow's tip suddenly targeted his wrist.

'Let me see what you prepared for me...'

Regis pulled back his arm, though Arias exploited the opening to suddenly advance and swing mightily.

Her relentless combo pushed Regis back and had him entirely on the defensive. He wasn't losing out to her in speed, even when it came to the speed of his fist.

It was just that her attacks were all flawlessly linked, leaving him without an opportunity to counterattack. He couldn't afford to get caught up in his opponent's pace. Her gaze, distance, even her breathing - everything about her whispered the temptation that "this is the move you should make".

Rejecting that notion, Regis focused on what was the optimal path for him to take—

"...?!"

Even if he understood that in his mind, making it happen was another thing altogether. Forcibly disrupting his own pace would bring about a truly dangerous situation.

'But that's what needs to happen...!'

"!"

In the face of Arias' godlike speed, Regis exposed his body.

He immediately felt a searing, burning sensation in his shoulder, but he ignored it, his fist targeting Arias' flank.

However, she nimbly turned aside, easily avoiding his attack.

Again astonished by her amazing reflexes, he jumped far back to open some distance.

"Heh..."

Regis let out a very amused expression. Although wound on his shoulder was quite light, Arias was still able to inflict damage him. That said, even after mastering melee combat, victory would perhaps come with quite a price.

Arias, on the other hand, gazed at Regis with heartfelt admiration.

"...You really are amazing, Regis. It's as if I were trying to smash a steel wall."

"Well, the toughness of my body is one of the few things I do take pride in."

But it wasn't something that would last indefinitely. No matter how tough the body was, none of that mattered as long as one was incapable of landing a blow on one's opponent. An opponent with an abundance of experience was even more difficult to deal with; constant taking a direct attack on one's entire body would quickly weaken it.

"Moreover, that is the first time anyone's ever managed to escape my chained attack in this mode."

"So that's what that was. I've never heard of this melee 'mode' of yours; it's quite an honor to experience it firsthand."

The War Goddess sought after the ideal of the Goddess of War and Everlasting Light, Celestia. Just as the Goddess would nimbly defeat the enemies, that mode, when properly mastered, would unleash a chain of succeeding melee and ranged attacks on its opponent.

To this date, Regis had never before seen anyone who had attained such a degree of mastery over the Mode Magic.

----But now she stood before his very eyes.

"Oh Light that Envelops Everything… Illuminate and Erase Even the Shadows—"

Arias took up a stance, dropping her center of gravity.

"I will show you something good-- next time, you won't escape!"

Emitting a whirling aura, she attacked.

'This moment will decide the outcome…'