■ Duel □
“Seriously, a katana here?”
I knew that in the generation before my Master and I, there were people born every few decades who possessed memories of their past lives, but I never imagined that among them could be a Japanese person.
And please, no need to ruin this ordinary fantasy world with such things!
As Ozma gripped her katana, black flames surged forth.
The katana she held, which had an unnecessarily cool name, looked plain but seemed to be a high-tier artifact embedded with multiple spells for vengeance.
As much as I didn’t want to admit it, it was clearly a better weapon than the rapier she carried last time.
“I’m going!”
Thud!
Ozma’s foot struck the floor, and her arm swung.
A clean arc.
Unlike the rapier, which mainly uses thrusting motions, the katana focuses on slashing. Yet, her movements were fluid, as if she’d wielded it for a very long time, without any unnecessary actions.
Clang!!
I blocked the blade of her Hellfire Demon Sword using the back of my gauntlet, then quickly stepped back to avoid the black flames surging toward my face along the blade.
But Ozma wasn’t about to let me go easily; she immediately launched a relentless series of strikes.
Whoosh!
Every time she swung her Hellfire Demon Sword, dazzling black flames erupted, captivating my gaze.
However, if I got distracted by them, I wouldn’t be able to dodge attacks that I otherwise could. So I immediately intensified the power of my Whirlwind Gouge.
Then, the whirlwinds wrapped around my arms spun faster, redirecting the flames.
“Guh!”
When the counter-wind directed the flames of the Hellfire Demon Sword back at her, Ozma hastily extinguished them.
I didn’t miss this opportunity.
Bang!
In an instant, I planted my feet firmly into the ground and lowered my upper body.
Then, I unleashed the winds coiled around my arms one after another.
Spring Wind Warm Sunlight
Like blossoms blooming in spring, dozens of gusts radiated outward from me like a barrage.
But Ozma’s swordsmanship was no less impressive.
In the blink of an eye, she deflected all the wind projectiles within her range with her Hellfire Demon Sword.
This feat would’ve been impossible without extraordinary visual tracking ability, yet Ozma performed it effortlessly, as though breathing.
It was truly an incredible talent.
‘Getting this strong in just a month and a half—she’s not even a manga protagonist.’
While mentally scoffing, I struck my fists together.
Then, the winds intertwined between my fists formed a stronger vortex.
I grabbed it and hurled it directly at Ozma.
Penta Spell
Wind Flying Hail Scattering
Among the spells I’ve mastered, this one ranks fairly high in terms of destructive power.
Since it was only a training duel, I did tone down its power, but since it hits an entire space with wind pressure, it’s hard to evade when used in surprise attacks.
However, Ozma defended against my best shot in a way I hadn’t anticipated.
She split my magic cleanly in half with her naked blade, without any aura surrounding it.
Moreover, Ozma followed up with a counterattack as if what she had just done was completely normal.
“Guh!”
I hurriedly rolled across the ground to evade the trajectory of her blade.
“Does this katana disrupt elemental combinations?”
When I stared at Ozma with a look of shock, she smirked and swung her Hellfire Demon Sword through the air.
“I’ve cut through something trivial again.”
…Why does the embarrassment fall on the listener?
Though I felt my mana reversing and almost succumbing to madness, I suppressed these signs and continued my overwhelming assault.
There is a saying: “Offense is the best defense.”
Loyal to that principle, I persisted in an offensive stance until the wind mana wrapped around my hands ran out.
On the other hand, unlike last time, Ozma didn’t seem impatient. She appeared to be waiting for me to tire out, maintaining a defensive posture.
To gain the upper hand, I would need to use some powerful magic, but with it sealed, we were destined to keep running parallel courses.
Until someone disrupted the balance, it seemed we would continue this tiresome war of attrition.
“Huff!”
Finally, at the moment I pulled my arms into my chest to prepare my decisive move—
“Opening!”
Like a snake, Ozma swiftly lunged forward, intertwining her blade.
A vertical slash rising from below.
I tried to correct my stance, thinking “Oh no,” but it was too late.
Because the rule was that the first effective hit determines the loser.
I hurriedly kicked my leg upward in an attempt to end the friendly match in a draw at least.
As a result—
Crash!
Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, Ozma’s posture collapsed, and we tumbled together across the training ground floor.
“Ugh…!”
As I tried to get up while feeling a tingling sensation at the back of my head, something warm suddenly touched my face.
What happened? When I opened my eyes, Ozma’s chest was right in front of me.
Despite being tightly bound with compression bandages, the volume couldn’t be completely hidden, and her chest had landed on my face.
Though it was an accident amidst the chaos, fortunately, she didn’t seem inclined to make a fuss about it.
With a pout, Ozma moved off me and asked,
“Why didn’t you fight properly?”
I shook my head.
“It’s the best I could do. You’ve simply become stronger, Ozma.”
“You barely used any magic despite being a mage.”
“The idea that mages should only fight with magic is itself a prejudice. I assure you, I’ve also learned how to handle punches and kicks from my Master, not just magic.”
As I smoothly talked my way out, Ozma seemed momentarily speechless and said, “Alright,” before standing up.
Barnett, who had been watching everything from behind, rushed over to attend to Ozma.
“Are you alright, Lady Ozma?”
“It’s nothing serious. Just a minor bruise.”
Waving her hand dismissively, Ozma treated her injury as inconsequential, despite Barnett’s fussing.
Meanwhile, as I gathered myself and stood up, Ozma glanced at me and asked,
“If we were allowed to destroy castle walls or buildings, do you think the match would have ended in a draw?”
It was a question that seemed to probe me, but I nodded without hesitation.
“I can’t guarantee victory, but I definitely wouldn’t lose. After all, it’s rare to find a mage who fights at close range without keeping distance.”
Seemingly agreeing with this statement, Ozma tilted her head and casually proposed,
“How about one more round? This time, no holding back.”
I subtly observed Barnett’s expression.
Contrary to her combat-loving master, Barnett’s face revealed her hope that the training ground wouldn’t be further ruined.
Well, increasing her workload isn’t preferable; it might be better for me to take the blame and end it here.
Thinking this, I claimed that I had used too much mana and wouldn’t be able to rematch anytime soon.
Upon hearing my excuse, Ozma showed a dissatisfied expression but soon accepted it, stepping back slightly.
Thankfully, she was reasonable and sensible.
Indeed, the Demon King’s blood hasn’t disappeared anywhere.
Although my friendly duel with Ozma ended ambiguously in a draw, afterward, we often met at the training ground and engaged in casual conversations.
Since staying in my room made me restless, I frequently came out to exercise by making time for it. Meanwhile, Ozma, who obsesses over strength, basically lived at the training ground, so we often crossed paths.
“By the way, who is it that Lady Ozma wants to defeat?”
At this, Ozma, who had been sitting on the ground drinking water, suddenly furrowed her brows and replied,
“First, about him—he’s a direct descendant of the Second Demon King, Tiberius.”
“Tiberius?”
He’s mentioned quite frequently lately.
According to Seneca, he’s of the Dragon Tribe, which essentially means that the rival Ozma regards is also of the Dragon Tribe.
“Is he very strong?”
At this, Ozma smirked and shrugged.
“He’s strong, yes. He’s one of the strongest demons of this generation. Perhaps even our father cannot guarantee victory against him.”
After handing over the empty water bottle to Barnett beside her, Ozma continued,
“I plan to defeat him at the upcoming inter-tribal exchange meeting. Only then can I receive the Goddess’s choice and become the next Demon King.”
“What is the name of this member of the Dragon Tribe?”
At this, Ozma reluctantly answered my question.
“Three-Generation Celestial Dragon Gav. Among the demon race, he’s known as such.”
