Ch.1312. Ranking Determination Match (4)

# 12. Ranking Match (4)

“What is it this time?”

Raicle glared at me with murderous intent as I regained my strength once again.

I smiled and said, “Not much different from before.”

What restored my life force, which had been reduced by the penalty of [Final Moment of the Mortal], was another one of my skills.

[Desperate Survival: E+]

[Activates when the user’s life force reaches 1.]

[Recovers 30% of lost life force.]

[The indomitable will to face death makes you stronger. (Defense and Magic Defense increased by 10%)]

[This skill has a cooldown of 72 hours after activation. (Current: 71 hours 58 minutes)]

Thanks to this skill that turns crisis into opportunity, I barely managed to overcome the danger.

However, that didn’t mean the situation was favorable for me now.

“What makes you look so relaxed? Even though that skill of yours has worn off.”

Raicle looked at me suspiciously as my hair returned to its original color after [Final Moment of the Mortal] had worn off.

Indeed, as he said, if the activation of this skill was all I had, I wouldn’t have been able to maintain such a relaxed expression.

“I’m glad it wore off.”

[Final Moment of the Mortal] calculates the experience gained during its activation once the skill wears off.

Therefore, the timing of the rank increase isn’t during the battle but after the skill has worn off.

And now was exactly that timing.

[Final Moment of the Mortal: D]

[Gradually decreases the user’s life force.]

[In return, the user’s abilities increase significantly.]

[Emits an intimidating aura to all living beings nearby, slightly decreasing the abilities of those affected.]

[Effect values vary according to rank. Current rank: D]

With this skill now at D rank, I had nothing to fear.

“From now on, I think I’ll win.”

I activated the skill again and stood proudly before him.

“…What… did you do?”

His bewildered expression was quite a sight to see.

“Feeling a bit intimidated?”

He was currently under the pressure of my intimidating aura.

If there was ever a time I had a chance of winning, it was now.

“I’ve always been the type to fight dirty, you know.”

I raise my stats while lowering my opponent’s.

Then I crush them with that stat gap.

That was the only combat method permitted to me.

It was an incredibly underhanded method, but its effectiveness was undeniable.

“This time, I’ll go first.”

Unlike before, I raised my sword first.

And I moved before my opponent.

-Clang!-

It was the same clear sound as before, but the difference was that I was the one making it.

-Boom-clang!-

I swung my sword before Raicle and maintained control of the fight.

I continued to display my swordsmanship against him.

“…Ugh!”

Raicle was gradually being pushed back and struggling just as I had been earlier.

Of course, I was struggling too, but I was still managing.

There wasn’t much, but there was time left, and that was enough.

“Are you just going to keep blocking?”

Since I still had some leeway, I returned the humiliation from earlier.

“Shut up…”

“Let’s end this.”

I raised my sword, aiming for his head.

-Clang!!!-

Of course, he blocked it, but that didn’t matter.

That wasn’t what I was aiming for.

-Thwack!!-

I kicked Raicle with all my might.

The impact sent him tumbling to the ground, unable to even hold onto his sword.

“…Kuk…”

I pointed my sword at the neck of Raicle, who was crawling on the ground, and smiled victoriously.

“How about surrendering?”

He was furious at his humiliating position.

But there wasn’t much he could do about it.

At best, he could surrender and accept defeat.

“Make your choice quickly.”

“Damn it…”

He seemed to have accepted the current situation.

“I surrender.”

And finally declared his surrender.

As he announced his surrender, the audience who had been watching the match with bated breath erupted.

“Woahhh!! He really won!”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen him lose.”

“But they both fought really well.”

“So he’s the top freshman now?”

“But how is he going to fight the next match in that condition?”

Like Raicle, I had collapsed on the arena floor.

In my current physical state, it was obvious that I would be eliminated in the next match without even putting up a fight.

Lying beside me, he seemed to sympathize with my unfortunate situation.

“That’s too bad.”

“As long as I beat you, that’s enough.”

Having already achieved victory against Raicle, it was already a success.

The next match was a good enough result that I could lose with a smile.

“What are you going to do about the next match?”

“Lose, what else can I do? It’s against Chris.”

Raicle burst into laughter when he heard that my next opponent was Chris.

“Chris? You really have bad luck.”

“Tell me about it.”

“That’s funny.”

Raicle got up from the arena floor first.

Then he extended his hand to me, who was still lying down.

“Let’s get along from now on.”

I grabbed his hand and barely managed to stand up.

“Yeah, let’s get along.”

***

After my match with Raicle, I immediately forfeited.

“I mean, you definitely couldn’t win, but did you have to forfeit?”

“I’m dying here…”

Right now, I just wanted to get home as quickly as possible and rest.

“I seriously feel like I’m going to die…”

“Don’t exaggerate.”

“I almost did die!”

“But you didn’t.”

“Let’s drop it.”

As always, conversations with this guy seemed to drain an enormous amount of energy.

I didn’t want to talk anymore, but Allin spoke to me first.

“By the way, how did you do that at the end?”

She was probably referring to what happened during the match with Raicle.

I was too tired to answer properly, so I responded halfheartedly to her question.

“Skill.”

“What skill?”

“[Desperate Survival].”

Hearing my words, Allin looked quite surprised.

“[Desperate Survival]? When did you learn that?”

“A while ago.”

“How did you learn it?”

Her persistent questioning when I was exhausted was incredibly annoying.

“I almost died once, and luckily, I learned it right away.”

Still, I gave her an answer.

“But please stop making me talk, I’m dying here.”

And quickly drew the line.

When I asked her to stop making me talk, thankfully, Allin didn’t speak to me anymore.

She probably had many questions, but she held back considering my physical condition.

“Alright, but you have to answer me tomorrow without fail.”

I nodded at Allin’s words.

“That’s good enough.”

And so, Allin and I walked quietly without saying a word until we reached home.

***

Like Allin and Albert, they too were heading to their home, the dormitory of the Imperial Academy.

“I really didn’t think he would win.”

“The more I see him, the more regrettable it is.”

Diana deeply regretted failing to recruit him before.

Of course, she had felt that way before, but after watching this match, that feeling grew even stronger.

‘Is he still hiding more?’

Diana found him intriguing and wanted to face him in battle someday.

However, Riel beside her didn’t understand her true feelings.

“Are you thinking about him right now?”

“Yes, but… not in the way you’re thinking, Riel.”

Riel gave her a warm smile.

“You don’t have to hide it so much, I already know everything.”

No matter what she said, Riel’s thoughts wouldn’t change.

Knowing this fact, she had already given up.

“Think whatever you want.”

“Then may I think that you like that boy, my lady?”

She sighed and replied.

“Do you think that’s possible?”

“You said ‘whatever I want,’ didn’t you?”

“No, you may not.”

“That’s disappointing.”

Riel was genuinely disappointed.

“But I’m looking forward to seeing him at the academy.”

“Oh!? Is this perhaps… a green light?”

Riel was running all sorts of imaginative scenarios through her head based on her words.

Riel had probably already named their children in her imaginary world.

She hoped Riel wouldn’t go that far.

“Let’s use the surname Michael, and we can think about the first name later.”

But of course, she did.

She sighed deeply and stared at Riel.

“You’re really hopeless.”

Riel smiled brightly, seemingly pleased, and she found that expression quite annoying.

“Thank you for the compliment.”

“That wasn’t a compliment.”

“It wasn’t!?”

Riel, who knew everything but pretended not to, was so irritating.

Her acting skills, which could rival a professional actor’s, made it even more annoying.

“Have you considered becoming an actor?”

“I’m too happy being your attendant right now, so that would be difficult.”

Faced with Riel’s sincere words, she couldn’t help but lose her ability to respond.

“By the way, I’m not acting this time.”

“I already know that…”

She hid her face in embarrassment, and Riel observed her.

“Your face is red. Are you feeling unwell?”

Riel addressed her with a playful tone once again.

She desperately tried to hide her flushed face as she spoke.

“Be quiet…”

“Yes, understood, my lady.”

They continued to converse amicably even after arriving at the dormitory.

Their relationship, which hardly seemed like that of master and servant, would continue for a very long time.