I Became the Academy’s Defensive Swordsman Chapter 197

Chapter 197

“‘A wound I can never forget,’ you say. Fine, good. Co at . Today, either you or I—one of us will never be able to return unhard.”

“Just what I wanted. So co on. No, can you even co at ? You look like you’ve lost a lot of strength right now.”

“My true body’s power still remained to so extent. It continued to drain even now, but I still had enough strength left to crush you.”

As if to prove his words, Bedir swung his hand, and the nearby lava surged straight upward and tried to engulf .

But I saw that the amount of lava had decreased significantly compared to before.

Because of that, I avoided the attack without much difficulty.

“You sure you still have sothing left? At this level, you won’t catch .”

“Do not worry. Just because I’m weakening, do you think I can’t even catch a single human? No matter how well you block, you won’t be able to block all of my attacks.”

“We’ll see about that. I took quite a lot of pride in my defensive swordsmanship, you know. Attacks thrown by soone as weakened as you… it all looked far too easy to block.”

“…You have quite the talent for scratching soone’s pride.”

Bedir slamd his fist onto the ground.

Then the surrounding land shook, and the terrain began to shift.

The ground split open, and rocks shot up from within.

On top of that, lava spurted out from the cracks and rushed toward .

“Urgh.”

An enormous amount of lava and countless rocks.

When both flew at at the sa ti, I quickly threw myself to the side.

But the ground where I landed suddenly split, and lava burst up from between the cracks.

In response, I activated the Water Rune and summoned a barrier toward the cracked ground.

Thanks to that barrier, I avoided being struck by the lava.

“Do I still look easy to you?”

“Hmm, still looks a bit lacking.”

I let out a small chuckle and lifted Mistcatcher.

Using the Water Rune, I layered water over Mistcatcher’s blade.

“I was stubborn to kill, you know. If you wanted to kill , sothing like this was nowhere near enough.”

“Then how about this?”

Bedir slamd his fist into the ground once more.

Once again, the ground split, lava flew, and rocks rained down on .

It was stronger than before.

There was more lava, and more rocks.

The ground shook more intensely, and rocks shot up toward more frequently.

But I smiled leisurely.

‘Earlier I couldn’t respond because he attacked so suddenly, but as long as I prepared properly…….’

I could see it.

Countless red marks.

Through the Attack Prediction Skill, I saw when, where, and how every attack would co.

‘This level was nothing.’

With the water-coated blade, I blocked the lava or simply avoided it.

Falling rocks were blocked with my sword or dodged.

The rising ground—every point of eruption was visible, so I easily avoided them, and as for the shaking earth… well, I just trusted my physical ability and sense of balance.

Bedir’s attacks continued like that.

It went on for several minutes, and I did not receive a single wound.

‘When I committed myself to defending, I rarely collapsed.’

Extrely defensive swordsmanship.

And on top of that, the Attack Prediction Skill.

These two abilities were things I had used ever since I’d co to this world.

These were the abilities that allowed to survive until now.

And with these abilities, I planned to bring everything to an end.

“Why… why are you not falling?!”

After several minutes of attacks, a very exhausted Bedir shouted.

He looked at with frustration and disbelief.

“What trickery have you done?! How are you blocking every single one of my attacks?!”

“You’re not the first one to say that, Bedir. I’ve heard that line from plenty of people besides you.”

I chuckled as I deflected an incoming rock.

At that mont, lava suddenly spurted from the ground at an unexpected timing.

A normal person would have likely taken that hit…

“I told you earlier. I was a little too stubborn to die.”

Since I saw exactly when and where the attack would co, I easily dodged the lava.

And when I avoided even this surprise attack, Bedir let out a small laugh.

“Even your ancestor wasn’t like this. Could it be that you can see the future?”

“Think of it as sothing similar.”

I chuckled and took my stance again.

Then I flicked my sword tip provocatively.

“Anyway, is this all you’ve got? I’m disappointed. I thought a god would give sothing at least a little more entertaining.”

“…Are you saying I’m nothing but a pasti?”

“To be honest, you’re not even a pasti. With such a predictable barrage of attacks, how was I supposed to enjoy anything?”

I saw Bedir gripping the handle of his rapier tightly.

Bedir’s rational mind would know.

That mont—I knew that whoever attacked first here would lose.

No, I had to make him attack first.

So, I decided to provoke Bedir’s instincts a bit more.

“Seems like you’ve lost quite a lot of strength. What, can’t even find the power to attack anymore? Why don’t you push yourself a bit harder? If you can’t defeat here… yeah, I’ll make sure it’s rembered forever. Your na will go down in history—as the foolish Evil God who lost to a human……”

I couldn’t finish my words.

Because Bedir, his face twisted in rage, charged straight at .

He swung his rapier with force, and I smiled as I blocked the strike.

“How dare you…! How dare you make a fool out of ?!”

“Take a look at yourself right now. Anyone would say you already look like a joke.”

“Human scum, you dare?!”

Bedir swung his rapier wildly at .

From his own crude swordsmanship to the refined sword style of the Isrinbloom Family that Rage had mastered—

Every strike ca at , filled with the fury of an Evil God.

But, of course, I blocked them all with ease.

To , these attacks were nothing.

And as I continued blocking each blow without retreating, Bedir’s expression twisted further into sothing monstrous.

“Why won’t you die?! Just die already, human! Kneel before !”

“I only kneel before the god I serve. And… you’re not the kind of god I’d ever worship.”

“Ghhk?!”

I struck Bedir hard in the stomach with the hilt of the Mistcatcher.

He staggered backward, and I looked at him with a grin.

“I can feel your strength fading, Bedir. Say it yourself—can you still beat ? In that condition, do you think you can shatter my swordsmanship?”

“…No, I can’t. That swordsmanship of yours… yes, I can’t break it now.”

Bedir slowly rose, sweeping his hand through the air.

Then fierce flas began to surge around him.

“But there’s no need to end you with a sword. Rage’s mana, and the last of my own strength—if I use both… I can create a fla that you’ll never be able to withstand. I’ll reduce you to nothing but ashes with this fire…”

“No, our battle will end purely by the sword.”

“…What?”

“I said, this fight will end by the sword.”

I glanced at the flas Bedir had summoned.

They were strong, indeed.

All the mana that once belonged to Rage—

and the remnants of Bedir’s power, combined.

If he’d poured all of that into the fire, then yes, it was certainly formidable.

But as I said, I intended to finish this fight with my sword.

“So stop wasting your effort.”

With those words, I lifted my left hand toward the sky.

Drawing upon the Power of Peregrie within —

and soon, raindrops began to fall from the heavens.

Monts later, dark clouds gathered rapidly above.

“Now, let’s settle this.”

A torrential downpour began to fall.

A fierce, unrelenting storm.

The flowing lava around us began to harden, and the flas Bedir had conjured—

They were snuffed out in an instant.

“In this rain, you can’t use lava or fire. And while this storm lasts, I can’t use much power either. So the only way to finish each other… is through the sword.”

“……”

Bedir fell silent for a mont, his expression unreadable.

Then, he gave a faint, mocking smile and raised his rapier.

“Any last words?”

“Disappear. And never show yourself again. I don’t want to see filth like you twice.”

“I’ll return those words right back. I never want to see a bastard like you again, either.”

Bedir and I stared at each other in silence for a brief mont.

Then, Bedir rushed at .

He swung his rapier with blinding speed, too fast to predict.

It looked like he was using the Isrinbloom Family’s swordsmanship that still lingered within Rage’s body.

But it was useless.

‘Because… I can see it all.’

Every strike, every trajectory—it all shone before in red marks.

I smiled and easily blocked Bedir’s rapier.

“I told you, didn’t I? I’d leave you with a wound you’ll never forget.”

I shoved Bedir back.

He lunged at again almost instantly.

I could see where his next strike would co from—

so this ti, I didn’t block it. I dodged.

Then, I swung my sword.

With all my strength… aiming straight for Bedir’s right wrist.

“Gaaahhh!”

A clean cut. Bedir’s right wrist was severed.

He scread in agony, clutching at the wound.

“Rember this pain I’ve given you.”

Once again, I stretched my hand toward the sky.

From between the dark clouds, thunder began to roar.

“Never forget it.”

Before the words even faded—lightning struck down toward Bedir.

Kra-kooom!

“Aaaaarghhh!”

Bedir’s scream echoed once more.

That should do it… pain he’ll never be able to forget.

“Phew…”

After I dispersed the thunder and rain,

I looked at Bedir.

Hit by lightning, and with his right wrist gone—

Yet he still stood on his feet.

Eyes glaring wide open.

So I didn’t drop my guard and began walking toward him slowly—

“…I told you, didn’t I?”

“Huh?”

“I said I’d kill you, no matter what. So…”

“…What?”

From Bedir’s body—right where his heart was—a blinding light began to surge.

“I’ll take you with .”

And that powerful light swallowed whole.