As the sword dance of Riley rushed towards him, Liber watched with calm eyes.
He knew well how Aira’s bout with Riley had unfolded, and what Riley’s sword dance entailed, thanks to discussions with Aira and Christian.
He was aware that Aira had used a pinpoint thrust to disrupt the core of the sword dance, causing the mana to backfire and securing victory.
However, Liber acknowledged that he could not replicate such a feat.
Unlike Aira, he didn’t possess fierce mana, couldn’t perceive the core, and lacked the skill to break it.
Hence, he had to execute what he excelled at the most—a technique he had learned from Christian.
“Sword Barrier (Sword Barrier).”
Liber’s body was enveloped by a wave of mana, resembling the Barrier application technique.
However, unlike a barrier that blocks attacks, this technique only had the property of bending mana.
Because it was a basic application, the angle of deviation was minute, only altering a lethal blow to a slightly less lethal one. It was essentially used to narrowly avoid death in a critical moment.
When Riley’s sword dance—an attack aiming for the “vital point”—contacted this Sword Barrier, it slightly deviated from its intended target.
Puwhaaak—!
Although he narrowly missed the vitals, Liber was still struck by the sword attack, resulting in blood splattering from various parts of his body.
However…
Kkwajik—!
“Urgh?!”
Liber’s wave attack, which he managed to unleash despite his body being in tatters, struck Riley’s arm.
For Riley, who hadn’t anticipated Liber would forego defense and charge directly into the sword dance to counterattack, it was a painful oversight.
“Crazy bastard…”
Risking all for a part in return was absurd. Liber had given up his flesh and bone to claim just an arm from his opponent.
“In our Cotra Viscounty, injuries like this are quite common.”
Liber temporarily contracted his muscles to seal the wound, controlling the flow of internal mana to suppress the pain.
Despite the bloody battle, the referee did not intervene, recognizing that, unlike appearances, Liber’s condition was not as dire as it seemed.
Yet, Riley could barely comprehend how Liber, who seemed near death, remained unfazed, attacking him with wave techniques.
While Riley had the financial power of Miles’ viscount family that allowed for exclusive dedication to training, Liber had the practical experience accumulated by Cotra’s viscount family to support his lacking skills.
Chyaaaak—!
Liber’s experience extended beyond first-aid. When he swung his empty hand through the air, red blood flew towards Riley’s face.
“Urgh?!”
Startled by the unexpected attack, Riley reflexively closed his eyes and stumbled back in surprise.
If his reaction had been any slower, he might have been sliced by Liber’s sword.
With keen awareness, Riley scrutinized Liber once more.
‘Could it be, is he…?’
An attack that would usually have been easy to counter.
Although his left arm, hit by Liber’s attack, wasn’t moving properly, Riley still maintained sufficient balance.
However, Liber’s persistent attacks targeting his legs gradually accumulated damage, slowing Riley’s movements.
It wasn’t just a hindrance to his movements.
The lower body served as a fundamental support for wielding the sword.
A strong lower body was necessary to exert and withstand force.
Due to Body Activation, which affected the internal circulation of mana, Riley was unable to fully transmit energy due to Liber’s mana residue.
Paaaaaaah—!
“Ugh…!”
Moreover, the successive attacks of an unknown wave technique never became familiar, no matter how many times Riley faced them.
For instance, certain wave bursts deafening the ears, or light-emitting ones blinding the eyes temporarily could also thwart direct counterattacks and helped Liber maintain his offensive momentum.
‘Indeed, it’s efficient.’
Riley’s eyes, which had previously looked down on Liber, changed.
A fool many steps behind.
A runaway who abandoned the academy.
A crazy fool who disregarded consequences.
… Despite these perceptions, Riley acknowledged,
“So, this was your trump card.”
He wielded surprisingly sharp blades than he had anticipated.
As Liber continued his attack, he flinched, noticing Riley watching him intently with open eyes.
‘No way, is he adapting and countering this quickly?’
Even now, Liber was employing application techniques to deprive the enemy’s senses, a tactic he had learned the hard way from Christian.
Riley had shown initial disorientation from such techniques, and Liber had landed several attacks because of it.
Yet, as if untouched by these techniques, Riley’s calm glowing eyes and undistracted focus on Liber implied that sight and hearing weren’t impaired.
Liber understood well that such basic techniques could be easily countered.
He knew an adversary would devise countermeasures and retaliate, given enough time.
However, Riley had devised a response in a much shorter time than Liber anticipated.
He employed a method he had used against Christian, enhancing Body Activation of specific parts.
Despite the challenge of precise control, Riley executed it gracefully, making it seem trivial.
Only then could Liber grasp the truth.
‘Right, this guy… he’s this kind of person.’
A hard-working genius.
The academy-era Riley, whom Liber aspired to reach, had already matured into a full-fledged adult.
It was instead Liber who was stuck and obsessed with those past days.
“In the end, you remain a loser.”
Riley commented while effortlessly deflecting Liber’s sword with a nonchalant expression.
“Mere effort amounts to nothing.”
Riley stepped back, swinging his sword through the air. As he drew an arc downward, the sword shimmered with formidable mana.
Liber, sensing it, tensed and expanded his Sword Barrier while retreating.
‘Sword dance? No, the mana pattern is different. Then this is…’
A new wave technique.
‘Wave Transformation!’
And another variant of a wave technique.
“Ahhck?!”
Suddenly, an overwhelming pressure weighed down on Liber, causing him to stagger while expelling a hoarse breath.
Seeing that, Riley lowered his sword again.
“Wave Transformation Weight Increase.”
The “Wave Transformation Weight Increase” was a technique that exerted pressure, increasing it by at least twice and at most several times within a certain range or on a specific target.
The range and potency were determined by the caster’s mana capacity, and Riley wasn’t yet proficient with it, limiting him to a threefold increase.
Yet it was sufficient.
With that alone, the nuisance could be crushed like an insect…
“Phew. What a scare.”
“…?”
Liber, who seemed to be catching his breath, casually brushed off his clothes and pointed his sword back at Riley as if nothing had happened.
Upon witnessing this, Riley checked his sword and magic in astonishment.
‘The Weight Increase connected? It’s still in effect, isn’t it?’
Amidst such confusion, Liber faintly smiled and said,
“Ah, I’m quite used to feeling heavy.”
“…….”
Why? How could one be accustomed to such things?
Yet, he refrained from asking.
Riley knew Liber would tell him, which would only bruise his pride.
“You really are an obnoxious bastard.”
Riley’s expression twisted like a fiend as he decided to abandon any attempt to engage in a drawn-out confrontation.
Instead, he unleashed his full potential, charging at Liber with everything he had.
***
“Will Elder brother Liber manage to win this?”
As time passed, the movements of the two had drastically changed from the onset.
With accumulating wounds, internal injuries from waves, and dwindling mana reserves, aira could only hope for Liber’s victory.
“Why do you keep stating the obvious?”
Christian, too, wore a small smile as he watched Liber with eyes full of belief and trust.
“There’s no way elder brother Liber will win. He will lose.”
“…….”
Though, that belief and trust were not for the best outcome.
Startled by Aira’s bewildered gaze, Christian shrugged and explained.
“No matter how much he suppresses pain and seal his wounds, he can’t stop all the bleeding. When elder brother Liber’s mana depletes….”
Kachaang—!
Bang—!
With a clashing sound of metal, Liber, unable to resist Riley’s swinging sword any longer, dropped his own and rolled on the ground.
Barely sustaining Body Activation, Liber eventually succumbed to the lack of mana and lost consciousness, falling limp under the accumulated shock. Seeing this, Christian nonchalantly remarked,
“That’s what happens.”
“Such… jeez.”
While Riley was also panting heavily, his remaining mana allowed him to stand firmly on his legs.
That was the difference between conventional and unconventional approaches.
Facing someone with more mana, short bouts might succeed, but in a prolonged battle, the outcome was preordained.
“Tsk, tsk, tsk. Without mana, he should’ve endured with sheer willpower. He lacks stamina. I should’ve pushed him harder.”
“…….”
If he had pushed him harder, Liber wouldn’t have even made it here, would he?
Aira held back those words from escaping her lips, feeling pity for Liber, who had fallen after a hard-fought struggle.