I found out about this yesterday.
Narcissus requested a rematch, and Arveld accepted.
He designated the final day, late at night. The arena.
"Well then, shall we begin?"
Even in the dark, his golden hair gleamed softly, and his eyes — blacker than the night itself — looked straight at me.
From that deeply chiseled expression, like a Western sculpture, not a trace of emotion could be read.
He wore a white, mystical armor, with a red cape draped over one shoulder.
He was the same divine figure as when I first saw him. Nothing had changed.
"Please."
I gave my greeting, activated Deep Silence, and chanted.
"Banish."
"Crash."
We clashed. A strangely high-pitched metallic ring echoed out, as though our blades were locked in a bind.
"Banish."
"Crash."
Even. Completely even.
Arveld had to be feeling it too.
I thought I saw a faint glimmer kindle in his dark eyes as they looked at me.
"Banish."
"[Crash]"
They collided at exactly the same timing with exactly the same power. The sound let out an ear-splitting shriek.
"[Impact]"
"—?!"
A sudden shock struck me. I was sent rearing back hard, pain shooting through my body.
"Impressive. Finishing this much in such a short time is worthy of praise."
"[Banish]—!"
"[Crash]—[Impact]"
"Gu—!"
A shockwave was released the instant the two cancelled each other out. I ate it head-on again.
"What's wrong? It's too soon to fall to the ground."
"...You're right."
So Crash and Banish cancel each other, and then a follow-up Impact.
That was way too fast. There's almost no time lag, so I can't react.
No — there is. I drew Agaro's modified knife.
The blade burned with blue flame, its surface rippling like a liquid crystal panel.
I steadied my stance and charged.
"[Banish]"
"[Crash]—[Impact]"
They cancelled out and a shockwave came. I matched the timing with my pointer and swung the knife.
"Oh."
The shockwave was severed. Agaro's Knife, Modified cuts concepts.
If that's the case, then a shockwave should be cuttable too.
And in an instant, I closed the distance to Arveld. One step.
At my sudden appearance before him, Arveld's black eyes... seemed to flash dark.
He was probably planning something, but I was faster. I raised the knife in my right hand.
"Misdirection!"
The descending Agaro's Knife, Modified vanished from my right hand.
At the same time, a knife appeared in my empty left hand.
"Hm."
I slashed at Arveld from a complete blind spot.
In that instant, Arveld dodged gracefully, and my knife sliced through his mantle.
"...You dodged it."
He dodged it. Impressive.
What's in my left hand isn't Agaro's Knife, Modified.
It's a knife that looks like any other. Called a Magic Knife.
Misdirection.
Draw attention to one place, then strike where no one's looking.
A basic magic technique.
That's right. This is the Relic[Knife Magic].
A Relic bestowed by the Goddess of Knives.
"Interesting."
Arveld said that, then tore off his shredded mantle.
Beneath the mantle, a sword at his hip came into view. Arveld drew it.
A double-edged sword with a high-end build. Probably an OOPArt.
Nothing particularly flashy about it. You could tell it was built for pure practicality. A sword that suited him.
Arveld settled into his stance, then attacked first for the first time.
A straight, sharp sword strike. I parried it with my knife in a rush. Heavy.
Arveld's blade, having met mine, drew back ever so slightly — then pressed forward in a smooth, sliding motion.
My knife's blade snapped clean off.
"—! [Banish]!"
"[Crush]!"
Two Relics colliding. Not yet. I still have two more Magic Knives.
This knife is a dedicated blade for [Knife Magic].
It appears in your hand when you activate the Relic [Knife Magic].
[Knife Magic: Upon use, three "Magic Knives" appear. You can perform magic by using the Magic Knives. When all knives are lost, a cooldown begins. Cooldown: 6 minutes]
"Hide and Seek!"
I leaped backward while hurling a Magic Knife.
Arveld batted the knife aside without effort. Just as I'd expected.
The deflected knife vanished — then suddenly burst out from below Arveld's left side.
That got deflected too. This time it came from the upper right — also deflected.
"Hoh."
Even after being deflected, the knife kept attacking as though still locked on.
You never know where it's coming from. That's why it's
Hide and
Seek.
One is easy enough, but what about adding another?
Two Magic Knives now stalked Arveld.
As long as they weren't shattered, they'd keep coming — no matter how many times he dodged or deflected.
Even with two, he handled them calmly.
As expected. Truly, Arveld von Lutbeld.
But this wasn't the end. I picked up a square, cleaver-like knife.
Now it was two knives plus me.
"Well, well."
Arveld kept up regardless.
He dodged and deflected the two knives attacking from his blind spots, caught my attack, and knocked it aside too.
He handled even the misdirection perfectly.
His swordwork was never flashy, but it felt like it surpassed even Axe's.
No — maybe on par with Ense.
And Arveld still had room to spare.
So I really can't win fighting fair.
"…Lev Move."
I picture the ideal sequence in my head.
The best possible move I can pull off that will definitely deal damage to Arveld.
Two knives deflected at once, sent clattering away. I charge straight at him.
Arveld dodges it effortlessly… and my figure vanishes from in front of him.
I appear behind Arveld and slash with a knife. But he blocks it. What a guy.
For the first time, Arveld's dark eyes widen.
Lev Move has two uses left.
Two knives come at Arveld from the upper left and lower right.
I charge from the front again.
"Clever."
The two knives narrowly miss. The moment I attack, Arveld swings his sword at the same time.
I struck first, yet Arveld is faster. But before his blade connects, I vanish.
Arveld immediately swings behind him. I was waiting for that.
I appear in the same spot as before, thrusting a knife while chanting.
"Banish!"
Arveld's armor shatters, and my knife grazes his side.
Blood. First damage I've landed.
"Guh— Crush!"
"[Banish]"
Annihilation.
A tremendous clash and its shockwave reverberate through the air.
And then — right then — Arveld's lips moved.
"———[Bleichen]———"
I quickly guarded with the Holy Shroud Gauntlet. In an instant, it crumbled.
Not only that — two of my Magic Knives shattered as well. They cracked from the inside out.
With three gone, Knife Magic enters a six-minute cooldown.
Rage Move has only one use left.
"...Hah... hah... haaaah..."
Harsh breaths come ragged. But Arveld is taking more damage than I am.
Still, that Relic just now.
The Holy Shroud Gauntlet didn't just crack — it collapsed entirely.
The knives fractured from within and scattered to pieces.
It wasn't Crush. It wasn't Impact.
Bleichen — so that's the true power of the Ruin Shatterer.
"Hoo... I wasn't planning on using it on a person, but..."
Arveld wipes the blood from his abdomen with his hand.
Looking at the blood, he laughed.
"It's been a while. No — how many years has it been since someone actually wounded me?"
The knife wound wasn't as deep as I thought.
Of course. I don't want to kill him.
I want to win.
"I will win!"
"Come. [Breaken]"
"[Banish]"
"[Crush]"
"T-Teaa!"
I cut with the "Agaro's Improved Knife."
"[Impact]"
"Gwa-ha-a-a-a-a!!"
The shockwave sent him flying.
Damn it, the three-Relic combo is rough. I'm short on hands.
My only hope is a single thing.
The one [Lev Move] I've been holding in reserve is my chance to turn this around.
I have to use it skillfully, or I can't win.