6 'A hair's breadth' is too overused

Clair, still trying to figure out what my words meant, didn't notice as Lapis left her abode and approached the fallen soldier.

Checking his state, she clicked with an annoyed expression. However, she didn't part with him before giving him a light kick in the abdomen.

Finally finishing with her post-match check-ups she turned to us.

"Clair, go! Call Demont, the way the match ended wasn't to my taste. This spineless fool claimed to be a knight, he is nothing but a weakling," she told Clair.

"Yes, my lady," she responded with a feeble voice and disappeared somewhere in the barracks.

"Not to your liking is it? What kind of show would you like?" I smirked.

She beamed, "Good, this is what is to be expected from my summon" she puffed her chest in self-pride.

Then poking her cheek with her index finger she started thinking while making a 'Hmm' sound. And continued from where she left, "I was to see an epic match. I want to see you struggle, I want to see your limits"

Shit, she is hell-bent on killing me here. Do all people who get summoned in other world have to face such torture?

But no matter how difficult the situation gets I will come out victorious with my will-power alone, or at least that's what I have heard summoned people claim.

It wasn't long before Clair was back. Behind a man followed her clad in armor making chunky sounds as he walks.

Wait how come he is not giving in to the temptation of staring at her backside? He is not a man of culture it seems.

The stage was set up. The match about to begin. In front of me stood knight B.

It seems he will be using knight A's wooden sword.

Standing 5' 4" tall, and small-bodied with bronze skin, he has a focused feel about him. He has a triangular face with a square jaw, a large nose, small ears, and full lips. His light brown eyes are narrow, and he has neat eyebrows. His black hair is very short and straight and is styled with a military cut. Unlike knight A though, he is fully clad in armor.

"As before, there will..."

"Wait Clair before we begin there is something I must do."

I turned around showing my back to the knight as I walked away only to return with my sword.

I threw it towards the guy. "Pick it up you will need it, you won't last long with that wooden toy" I expected him to get angry but he was pretty calm and collected.

His attitude beaming with experience it seems like he has gone through a lot in his life.

"What you claim may be true but I cannot take your weapon while you are barehanded."

"Pick it up!" A shout cut him in his speech and I know the voice all too well. It was Lapis.

"But my lady..."

"Shut up and pick up the sword, don't disappoint me. You heard him already you won't last long like that." The soldier finding no way out of the tricky situation picked up the iron sword after he threw away his wooden sword to the side along with his chivalry.

"Although it pains me to fight like this however if my lady wishes it then so be it."

In an attempt to prepare for the battle and make it look a little edgy, I tore my T-shirt and wrapped the rag around my fists.

'I have to somehow make this match look a close call, or else she won't let me sleep in peace'

"Let's start 3... 2... 1... begin!"

The knight dashed straight towards me clenching his sword with both of his hands to get a grip. Landing near me flaunting a polished stance he went for a stab.

Judging by the trajectory he is aiming for my heart.

Fixing one leg firmly on the ground while backing with the other I spun my whole body avoiding his stab.

Neither he nor I were able to stop because of our momentum.

As he strides forwards I used the momentum of my spin planting my elbow on his neck. Maybe because I was startled by him going straight for my heart, his killing intent, I recklessly went for his vital but somehow stopped myself before it connected, making it a light hit.

'I can't hit his vitals, neither can I go for strong hits, I need to make this match a close call'.

Stopping myself at the last moment cause me to lose my balance which bared me for going for a second hit. While I reclaimed my balance, so did the knight resulting in us gaining a bit of distance.

We reached the same state as we were at the start of the match the only difference being a tingling burning sensation on the knight's neck.

"You are such a good fighter without any weapons to speak of, I wonder what miracles you will accomplish when you wield your sword." The knight exclaimed.

Is that sarcasm? Yup, it is! The dude is making fun of me cause he can swing that heavy thing while I can't. I will teach him a lesson after I unlock my sword cheats.

While he babbled, I dashed in, lowering my stance a little as I went for an uppercut the target being his nose.

Taken by the situation, he stepped back, but alas, he was late as the fist landed where it should.

Although to the spectator, it might seem that I was aiming for his face, and he stepped back at the right time, my fist grazing his face.

That was a close call! A trickle of blood flowed from his nose, disheveling his appearance.

Thinking it was his godsend opportunity, he slashed his sword at me as I was very close to him. I ducked to avoid the slash, the iron sword passing over my head making a whoosh sound.

This isn't right! The sword missed by about two inches. Aren't people who are transported to another world dodge attacks by a hair's breadth?

'As expected a hair's breadth is too much for me, I can only go about an inch if I try hard'

On second thoughts, what is the measurement of a hair's breadth anyway? It's beyond me.

I can only try harder and harder and surpass my limits, or at least that's what people summoned in another world say. Anyone lets do it!

As I was close to the knight he rained on me a series of slashes.

My equipment being non-existent I could only dodge his onslaught by an inch or two.

As I was too caught up in dodging, I couldn't go for a counter-attack, or at least that's what I wanted my audience to believe.

Another slash went past me. 'Shit that, was just an inch, why can't I go for lower values'... came a second one, 'Yes, I am improving I can do it I just have to try harder'... came a third one 'Shit why did it go back to an inch again? Isn't there an unwritten rule in another world that 'once an LVL 100 always an LVL 100', why isn't that working for me?'... came a fourth one, 'What was it this time? I was unable to gauge due to bad posture, maybe something between an inch and a half?'...

***

"Ha.. ha" man, I can't breathe properly.

The match continued long, and I was so engrossed in taking measurements that I didn't realize when I became so tired and ended up in such a state.

The knight in-front of me was in a similar state, panting heavily. However, there was determination in his eyes and, a will to not give up.

Now that I think about it, my plan to drag the match and making it a close call succeeded, but what's next? Who should result in the victor? Me or him.

I wonder which choice would be optimum to make Lapis give up on going after my life.

Turning my head, I glanced towards the girl.

The red juice she was sipping before has disappeared. Don't tell me she is planning to fill it up with one of our blood now? Is she a vampire? I hope not. There is a satisfied expression on her face though, I guess who wins at this point doesn't matter.

Seeing me distracted, the man gritted his teeth and attempted to dash and forward and take my life.

But alas, he was so exhausted that his legs gave out, his armor and sword making a chunky sound as they made their landing.

Hearing the sound, I turned around to see what happened, only to find the man who had passed out.

"I knew it! The sword was too damn heavy. You couldn't lift it anymore and collapse. Did you not?"

But there was no reply.

"As Diamount can no longer fight, Steve is the victor of the match," Clair announced, after which she approached me.

"Congratulations, Steve, you earned a splendid victory"

Resting my hands on my knees for support not being able to stand anymore, I said as I panted, "Then as victory prize can you lend me your hair for a moment, I need to measure its breadth"

"Huff, sorry for being thoughtful" saying so she stormed off, a bit annoyed.