*CLANG!*
The sound of tal clashing reverberated through the air, shaking the grassy courtyard of the Empyrean Citadel. Sparks flew like fireworks as Charlie's ice sword collided with Aiz's gleaming rapier.
*WHOOSH!*
Aiz moved like lightning, her slender body darting to the side with agility. Her wrist twisted, her rapier dancing through the air, unleashing an endless barrage of slashes toward Charlie.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
The sound of tal clashing echoed repeatedly, the clanging of swords forming the intense rhythm of their battle. The air around them vibrated, pressured by the speed and force of Aiz's attacks.
Yet, amidst the fierce onslaught, Charlie stood firm.
The ice sword in his hand moved with absolute precision, deflecting each slash with minimal movent. He didn't need to dodge, didn't need to retreat. With his Six Eyes, every attack from Aiz seed to slow down, like sheets of paper unfolding before being rearranged.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Aiz accelerated her attacks, the flashes of her rapier growing wilder and more aggressive. The air split with each slash, forming sharp whirlwinds that encircled the two of them. She stepped lightly, as if not touching the ground, circling Charlie with incredible speed.
In an instant, she spun behind Charlie, her rapier flashing in a perfect arc, ready to strike at his blind spot—
*CLANG!*
But before her blade could reach its target, Charlie's ice sword was already there, deflecting her attack with extraordinary precision.
Aiz frowned.
Every ti her rapier was parried, there was a subtle push, as if Charlie wasn't just defending but also forcing her to increase her speed.
In their previous sparring sessions, Charlie hadn't been this strong.
*CLANG!* *CLANG!* *CLANG!*
With each clash of swords, Aiz's frustration deepened.
'How is this possible?'
Charlie, who she had previously been able to pressure in sword sparring, now stood firm like an unshakable wall. Every one of her fast and precise attacks yielded no openings. He wasn't just defending—it felt like he was forcing her to push her speed and strength even further.
However, Aiz didn't let her thoughts distract her.
She pushed aside the doubts that were beginning to surface and focused solely on attacking.
*SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!* *SWOOSH!*
Her rapier flashed in perfect arcs, slicing through the air at speeds that were almost difficult to see with the naked eye. Yet, before her blade could get close—
"Don't daydream during a fight, Aiz."
Charlie's voice sounded calm, almost like a light reprimand.
Suddenly, the ice sword in his hand vibrated intensely before unleashing a counterattack stronger than before.
*CLANG!*
The clash this ti was far more brutal. It wasn't just a deflection—it was a full-on suppression of Aiz's rapier with incredible force.
A wave of cold exploded from the point of impact, spreading around them like a piercing storm.
"Ugh…!"
Aiz was stunned.
Her right hand went numb instantly. Her body was pushed back by the impact, her feet sliding across the ground, leaving a long trail before she finally managed to stabilize herself.
Her breathing was ragged, and the hand gripping her rapier trembled slightly.
She glared at Charlie with sharp eyes, but before she could prepare another attack—
"Now it's my turn."
The words had barely registered, and in an instant, Charlie disappeared from his spot.
'No. He didn't disappear.'
Aiz knew Charlie was still there, but his speed was so high that his form beca a blur.
Her golden eyes widened, her combat reflexes kicking in imdiately. She quickly raised her rapier, preparing to face a close-range attack—
But what happened next was beyond her expectations.
Mid-motion, Charlie suddenly raised his ice sword.
With a sharp hum that pierced the air—
*SWOOSH!*
He threw it.
Like a javelin launched by a veteran warrior, the ice sword shot forward with terrifying speed.
"What—?!"
Aiz jolted in shock.
This wasn't sothing she had anticipated.
Charlie wasn't the type of fighter to use throwing weapons in close combat. At least, that's what she knew from their previous sparring sessions.
Unfortunately, her surprise created an opening.
She failed to react in ti.
*BAM!*
The tip of the ice sword struck her body directly.
The armor on her body absorbed most of the impact, but it still felt like being hit by a heavy object moving at an incredible speed.
The force sent Aiz's body flying backward before she finally crashed hard into the magical barrier at the edge of the courtyard.
"UGH—!"
A loud crash echoed through the air as the impact created fine cracks on the surface of the barrier.
For the first ti in this battle, Aiz couldn't hide her shock.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"No way! Aiz-sama... lost?"
Lefiya's shocked voice echoed across the courtyard.
The elf stood with an expression of disbelief, her hands trembling as she stared at the scene before her. As if what had just happened was an illusion, she even rubbed her eyes repeatedly, trying to make sure she wasn't seeing things.
Beside her, Tiona opened her mouth, then closed it again, unsure of what to say. It took a few seconds before she finally shouted,
"What the heck?! Charlie actually beat Aiz?! This doesn't make sense!"
Tione also looked stunned, her expression clearly showing the sa surprise.
"Aiz is a Level 5 adventurer! She's not just strong—she's one of the best in Orario! How could Charlie, a Level 2, defeat her like this?"
Earlier, she had been so confident of Aiz's victory. But reality slapped her in the face far too quickly.
On the other hand, Loki, who usually appeared relaxed, now wore an extrely rare expression—her eyes wide open, no longer squinting as usual.
She stared sharply at Charlie, as if reevaluating the young man before her.
"Oi oi, this isn't funny. Aiz-tan got beaten by a Level 2 kid? Is this for real, or am I having a nightmare?"
While everyone was shocked, Astraea simply raised her teacup calmly, savoring every sip.
"I already expected this outco."
"You're really confident in that kid winning, Astraea. Even though Aiz-tan didn't use magic, she's still a Level 5! There's a huge gap in stats compared to a Level 2!"
"Charlie isn't soone who can be judged by ordinary standards, Loki."
"..."
Listening to Astraea's words, Loki recalled the EX Rank—sothing unprecedented—in Charlie's status when he fought Bete earlier.
anwhile, Est and Aishia showed no signs of surprise like the others. To the two of them, this wasn't sothing to be shocked about.
To them, Charlie was the strongest!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Aiz stood up, steadying her slightly ragged breathing after the previous impact. Her hand still felt the residual vibrations from Charlie's last attack, but that wasn't what bothered her the most.
Charlie looked at her with a relaxed expression before finally speaking.
"Swordsmanship isn't just about technique and discipline, Aiz. Sotis, the elent of surprise is more important than the technique itself. Don't hold too tightly to the traditional values of a swordsman. On the battlefield, it's not uncommon for swordsn to use dirty tricks to achieve victory."
"..."
Aiz stared at him in silence, listening to every word he said.
"Besides, history is a whore that can be rewritten by the victor." Charlie added.
"..."
Aiz frowned for a mont, pondering his words. She wasn't used to thinking like this. As a swordsman, she had been taught to fight with honor. Yet, she couldn't deny the reality Charlie had just shown her—if she continued to stick to the sa patterns, she would always be predictable.
After a mont, she nodded. "I'll rember that... and be more careful from now on."
"Good." Charlie gave a small smile.
However, he didn't stop there. After assessing Aiz's now-stable condition, he continued, "By the way, how about you use your magic?"
Aiz was startled. Her eyes widened slightly. "What?"
"Use your magic." Charlie repeated casually. "That way, you can fight at your best."
Aiz shook her head, her expression slightly hesitant. "That's too much. If I use my magic... I can match a Level 6 temporarily."
Charlie simply looked at her with an unshakable expression. "Then, do you want to stop here?"
"..."
Aiz fell silent.
If she was honest with herself, the battle so far had revealed sothing she didn't want to admit—Charlie had surpassed her in swordsmanship.
Every one of her attacks, every movent, had been perfectly read and countered without flaw. This wasn't just due to physical ability or experience—it was because Charlie had sothing more, sothing that put him on a different level.
'Maybe it's because of those eyes...' She thought to herself, glancing at his Six Eyes.
After a mont of hesitation, she looked at him and asked, "Are you sure... I can use my magic?"
"Of course. I don't mind." Charlie nodded without hesitation.
Aiz stared at him for a mont, searching for signs of arrogance or mockery on his face—but found none.
If her opponent didn't mind, why was she still hesitating?
Dispelling the last of her doubts, Aiz closed her eyes for a mont, took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.
When her eyes opened again, a flash of determination could be seen within them.
"Awaken. Tempest."
The next mont, green winds howled wildly around her. Like a storm awakening from its slumber, a whirlwind ford a natural shield around Aiz's body, causing her blonde hair to flutter wildly.
Now, she had received the amplification from Ariel—her unique magic that served as both a powerful offensive weapon and a defensive shield. Plus, Ariel far surpassed normal enchant-type magic.
Power surged through her body, her muscles feeling lighter, faster, stronger.
"..."
Charlie remained still, his expression unchanged even as the air pressure around him drastically increased.
His glowing blue eyes simply watched Aiz, waiting.
anwhile, Aiz didn't waste ti.
*WHOOSH!*
As if given wings, she disappeared from her spot in an instant.
Round two had just begun.
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