CH-3.2

"All weapons, armour and spells are allowed. Victory or defeat leads to death for someone but you can give up and I'll determine the winner."

The voice of the owl flying above fills the arena.

"Practical exam, start!"

Zepes immediately whips out the sword that was hanging from his waist. The blade was burning brightly.

"Are you surprised? demon sword Zefried. A sword born from an ancient fire that's been passed down through the Endou family. It will amplify my magic power tenfold. You seem to be good at anti-magic but the flame of this sword cannot be erased."

"Fumu. Are you perhaps bad at maths?"

Zepes openly shows his anger while cutting down the distance between us.

"What are you trying to say?"

"One multiplied tenfold will still only be ten."

"Bastard!"

Zepes kicks the ground and in the next moment appears in front of me putting me in range of Zefried.

"Die."

Fuwaa. I suppress a yawn.

He's extremely slow.

If I had a sword I'd have done 100 slashes by now. Well, adults should pay attention to children when they are playing.

Oh, it came.

The weapon aside, he's no sword master so I have no real need to avoid it.

The demon sword Zefried was swung in a horizontal flash and was about to connect with my neck when I absentmindedly looked properly at the sword for the first time.

This is bad! I quickly dodge out of the way.

"Hou. You did well to avoid it."

That was dangerous. Several more millimetres and it would have connected with the weak anti-magic field I always have active on myself. It would have snapped the sword in half.

It's the Endou family's treasure that's been passed down through the generations. Even though its blunt I don't want to break such an important item of theirs. Truly a pang of conscience.

However.

"Is that a demon sword?"

"Indeed. Is this the first time you've seen one? It's different from modern magic. It's true magic. It's an old sword from the time of the gods. Demon sword Zefried!"

...…This is a demon sword?

If I had to compare it to the time of the gods just pick up any old stick from the ground and it would have more magic power than this.

If you were told that this is a product from the time of the gods you got a fake.

A true demon sword has its own will and such vast power that even it's user would be ruined eventually.

The words demon sword are being used too carelessly as well.

"Fuu."

I blow and the fire from the demon sword Zefried goes out.

"Geh, Geeeeeeeeh!?"

A wordless scream comes from Zepes and a surprised voice leaks out from the spectators.

"I can't believe it. That person erased the flame from Zefried!"

"That old flame is said to not disappear until the end of the world. Also, I didn't see the activation of any magic!!"

Zepes grits his teeth.

"Bastard. Possibly…..sealing magic!?"

"What? I just blew it out. With the amount of power hidden in that sword, it should reignite itself in a couple of years."

Zepes has a bitter expression.

"...Sealing magic, compulsion magic, you certainly seem to have acquired magic power at a terrible level. The magic that you use is not suitable for battle however, so how are you going to break through my anti-magic armour?"

Fumu. That armour will break if I simply pat it though that would be a bit childish on my part.

"I don't think I can feel proud if I break it though."

"Hmm. Have you lost your nerve?"

"No, but I do have an interesting proposal. In the first place, it's wrong that we are fighting over the same viewpoint."

Zepes stares at me cautiously.

"I'll give you a handicap. I will not move a single step from here. I won't use magic and I won't empower my words or breath with magic. I won't move my limbs and I won't even use my eyes or hair. I'll defeat you without even blinking."

"Ha! There should be a limit to bluffing. Is that your excuse for when you lose? Apparently, your magic really isn't suited for battle. Ha….."

Zepes vomits out blood.

"…Imposs...ible...this is….."

"Can you hear it?"

Dokun. A sound echoes.

"It's a heartbeat."

Magic power was infused in the beating and the sound shook Zepes violently. Even though its an anti-demon armour its not a particularly good item. There are a number of gaps in the anti-magic formations. My heartbeat passed through them.

"Ka…..ha....."

With blood seeping out from his whole body Zepes fell to his knees and then fell forward.

"Fumu. I give up. So weak. If I get excited my heartbeat will kill everyone."