She took a step forward.

In the center of the training ground, Erekaya was standing with a seemingly indifferent expression, her sword hanging loosely by her side.

Her opponent was Erekaya del Pendragon.

A monster who, at just her mid-teens, had attained the level of a master, the greatest masterpiece created by the Pendragon dukedom.

She was not revealing any fighting spirit towards Altina. Nor was she exuding any killing intent.

She merely stood there, quietly and indifferently.

Yet, despite this, Altina could not recklessly take a step into the distance between them.

A strong instinct told Altina that if she made a hasty move and stepped thoughtlessly into Erekaya’s range, she would undoubtedly face defeat.

…Yes, let’s admit it. Altina von Rudel Seryas could not possibly compete with Erekaya del Pendragon.

Though Altina and Erekaya were the same age, there had not been a single moment when Altina had surpassed Erekaya. In fact, they had never stood on the same level.

Altina had only ever chased after Erekaya’s back, continuously striving to surpass her.

To defeat her and ultimately surpass her, Altina had to pay an equivalent price.

This meant that Altina von Rudel Seryas would have to exert all her strength.

Fighting while being conscious of those around her, or hidden her powers could never suffice; Erekaya was certainly not a foe to be underestimated.

Having resolved herself, Altina slipped her non-sword-holding left hand into her school uniform pocket, and when she finally pulled out what she had—

“A gun?”

Indeed. The weapon Altina retrieved was more commonly recognized as a means of self-defense for wealthy nobles or young ladies rather than a warrior’s weapon.

A gun is easy to use. It is portable, and once the operating method is learned, it can potentially possess enough lethality to kill an adult male, even in the hands of a child.

However, simultaneously, the gun also has clear limitations.

Most existing firearms operate using gunpowder rather than magic. The speed of bullets produced using gunpowder would appear so slow to those with magical abilities that they would mock it.

There was no need to mention even those at the level of a master; the students at Nineveh would likely have the ability to discern the bullet’s trajectory just from the angle of the gun’s muzzle and barrel.

Of course, there were no rules against using firearms in a duel. It was just that everyone was taken aback by the sight.

Her opponent was none other than Erekaya. Rather than merely facing her with all her strength, what reason was there to resort to using such an ‘inefficient’ weapon like a gun?

However, the moment Erekaya, who was facing Altina, laid eyes on the gun she had drawn, her expression hardened.

As far as Erekaya knew, there was no weapon more powerful than that gun held by Altina in the entire continent.

“…I see, you really intend to take this seriously today, Altina.”

“Please don’t think of it as a cheat. I just thought I could never surpass you without resorting to this.”

Magical Gun Desperado.

In the distant past, during the age of mythology, it was one of the seven divine artifacts bestowed upon this land by the goddess—a relic that demonstrated the goddess’ blessing.

It had once been used by the Seven Heroes to slay the evil dragon and is now one of the most powerful weapons still in existence.

As Erekaya understood, the properties of the bullets from Desperado were none other than ‘demon-slaying’ (破魔).

It possessed a strong resistance to magical powers, with the ability to revert anything formed by magic to its ‘pre-existing state,’ which was in fact a remarkably convoluted property.

If Erekaya were to be hit by a Desperado bullet, it would shatter the aura barrier enveloping her body like glass and tear her to pieces.

…Of course, that was assuming the bullet actually hit its target.

Altina entering the duel with Desperado was beyond Erekaya’s expectations, but that did not change what was to be done today.

Considering the power disparity between her and Altina, this was hardly a handicap.

Her heart raced—

She began to draw magic energy from her entire body. The aura and magic that had been enveloping her now began to merge and accelerate with incredible vigor.

In response, Altina crossed her sword and gun, adopting the unique stance of Seryas’ martial art, ‘Song of the Heavens.’

Online art courses

EP.39

 

For a brief moment, they silently gazed at each other.

Then, with a speed barely perceptible to others, their swords crossed.

The duel had begun.

 

Boom!

The clash of just swords was accompanied by an overwhelming roar, and at the same time, a tremendous shockwave rippled through the surrounding area.

“Ugh!”

“What the…?!”

Students outside the training ground lost their balance and tumbled to the ground, unable to withstand the shockwave.

Yet amid the chaos, Erekaya and Altina focused solely on each other’s positions and movements.

This place was now a battlefield. At this moment, when they had to keep a watchful eye on their opponent, there was no time for either of them to concern themselves with the reactions of those around them.

Bang!

Their aura-laden swords collided. Accelerating beyond what students could comprehend, they crossed swords dozens of times in the blink of an eye.

Outwardly, their sword strikes appeared evenly matched. However, Altina, who was striking toward Erekaya, bit her lip.

Their blows were equal. Their strength, speed, and technique made it hard to discern any superiority.

Yet despite that, something was lacking. An unbridgeable gap existed between her sword and Erekaya’s.

“Ugh!”

Eventually, the balance began to shift. Altina’s sword, which had been parrying Erekaya’s strikes, started to falter.

Seizing the opportunity, Erekaya kicked off into the air, twisting her body twice before thrusting her sword toward the exposed opening Altina had created.

Even without a foothold in the air, Erekaya’s strike showcased astonishing precision, capable of piercing through a needle’s eye.

And then—

Shu—!

In that very moment, Erekaya rapidly lowered her head while still in a striking posture. A flash of light tore through the space where her head had been just a second before.

Boom!

The flash that Altina had unleashed shattered the hemispherical barrier surrounding the training ground as if it were butter.

Needless to say, it was the blow from Desperado that had caused the damage.

Considering its power, if it had struck head-on, it would not have resulted in death, but Erekaya would surely have faced several weeks in a hospital with severe injuries.

Thud!

Erekaya flipped her body mid-air and delivered a kick toward Altina, using that momentum. Altina, unable to dissipate the shock, was sent sliding backward.

“I need to be careful.”

Altina’s sword didn’t frighten her that much, but the power of Desperado was not something to be dismissed, even by Erekaya.

Thus, fighting at such close quarters was not ideal. If she failed to track Desperado’s trajectory while they were exchanging strikes at such close range, the duel would end right there.

“If that’s the case, the answer is simple.”

No matter how formidable a weapon may be, it holds no meaning if the user cannot wield it properly.

At that moment, Erekaya’s movements shifted. From straightforward assaulting motions, she transitioned into fluid, flowing movements akin to water.

Bang!

Erekaya’s sword danced through the air, her movements resembling a splendid flower, naturally evoking awe from those who watched.

However, Altina, who was receiving those strikes head-on, felt the immense pressure weighing down on her.

In a direct clash, head-to-head with Erekaya, her chances of victory were quite slim. Thus, she had attempted to exploit Desperado in unconventional ways to turn the tide—

Clang!

Erekaya preemptively blocked Altina’s left hand movement or positioned herself away from the angle that Desperado was aimed at.

No, to be precise, Erekaya was forcing Altina into such a ‘disadvantage.’

The Pendragon’s synesthesia and ‘Dance of the Dragon’ amplified the user’s senses dozens of times, mimicking those of a dragon.

In front of Erekaya, who could even calculate the heartbeat of her opponent from a certain distance, any attempts at reading the opponent’s movements were futile.

Erekaya already had full insight into what ‘Altina a second from now’ intended to do.
Before one who sees the future, those who linger in the present can never be a match.

“Ugh!”

It felt as if her movements were being anticipated, and the sword strikes came at unexpected moments.

Neither swordsmanship nor gunplay could be executed as intended. This sense of restriction was breeding nervousness in Altina.

Eventually, she began to be pushed back. As Erekaya observed Altina’s limbs starting to scramble in response to the pressure, she inwardly sighed.

‘Is this it?’

No matter how much of a master one might be, they were still just a teenager in their late teens. After all, wasn’t she merely a novice?

It was disappointing. To be honest, Erekaya had harbored a slight expectation for this duel.

Jin, bearing the noble bloodline of Pendragon and possibly stronger than her, had taught her swordsmanship, yet is this all she was capable of?

Pathetic. I still haven’t had a proper conversation with him, haven’t built any kind of relationship; I could only steal glances at the sword he wielded from afar—

…You, despite having received direct tutelage from him, are stuck at this pitiful level.

If it were me, if I were in your position, I could have ensured a definitive victory for him!

It made her angry. There was no need to watch any longer. She tightened her grip on her sword. The end would be the ‘Dance of the Dragon’ that only the true successor of Pendragon could unleash!

– The Dragon’s Wrath!

It was a strike that mimicked the breath of a dragon.

Nothing in this world can withstand the breath of a dragon. The same goes for the ‘Dragon’s Wrath’ that emulates it.

A swirling aura resembling flames began to revolve around Erekaya’s sword. In a fleeting moment, the aura spun at supersonic speeds, ravaging everything in its path that ordinary people could not even perceive!

Boom!

With a thunderous roar, the space before Erekaya ripped apart. Even if the opponent were a master-level powerhouse, those struck directly by the ‘Dragon’s Wrath’ could not guarantee their lives!

Splatter!

Blood sprayed. The floor of the training ground was instantly soaked red.

“…Huh?”

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the owner of that blood was not Altina.

The one with blood gushing from their body as if it were exploding was none other than Erekaya.

“Cough!”

Ultimately unable to endure, Erekaya sank to one knee, unintentionally spitting out blood.

Why? What on earth just happened?

Since the duel began, Erekaya had not missed a single moment of Altina’s movements.

Just a moment ago, Erekaya’s ‘Dragon’s Wrath’ aimed at Altina was an attack that, in both angle and timing, she could not possibly evade.

Yet it was blocked. No, it did not simply end there; it left a fatal wound on her own body.

How? How could she both deceive herself and execute a counterattack that could fool even the ‘synesthesia’?

“Hah, hah-”

Meanwhile, Altina, unable to fully evade Erekaya’s attack, was also kneeling, gasping for breath.

Though she too was not unscathed, her injuries were minimal compared to Erekaya’s.

After gazing closely at Altina’s state, Erekaya soon had her answer.

There was no need to deduce further. Utilizing her synesthesia, she had drawn a definitive conclusion about what had just occurred.

“…Did she interfere with time?”

Altina, who had evaded a blow meant to strike true. Erekaya, who had been hit by an attack she should not have taken.

And the synesthesia that had failed to perceive all those circumstances.

From this, only one conclusion could be drawn.

Altina von Rudel Seryas possesses some kind of power to interfere with time.