Ch.25584. Luck Has No Place in Weighing (2)

The emergence of a young hero, their birth, is not a story that only bards would rejoice in.

The history of admiring heroes and warriors runs truly deep.

I don’t know since when people have admired and yearned for them, but beings who can intuitively feel, emulate, and embody strength—that’s what warriors and heroes mean.

The desire and obsession for power is both instinctual and a fundamental deficiency that eventually erodes even reason.

That’s why men are so enthusiastic about it.

And on the other hand, even women throw themselves into this fervor.

Even if she’s a foreign girl, those who have witnessed her ghostlike, beautiful yet fierce dance movements come to harbor another kind of admiration.

But she is, after all, a foreigner. An outsider.

And Lyurik is, regardless, the child of Dabas.

At a point where rumors about him have already spread widely, the audience’s interest inevitably gravitates toward the heroic achievements and myths Lyurik will create.

In reality, he demonstrated overwhelming strength.

Consistently defending and evading to allow his opponent to display their skills, then subduing them with just a single strike—his overwhelming skill and prowess.

For those expecting a thrilling battle, it felt somewhat flat and disappointing.

…But when he does such things even in the main tournament, even the most ordinary spectators can’t help but fall silent.

In contrast, Aristetis appears timid before a duel, but once the battle begins, her attitude changes completely.

Moreover, since her skills are flashy yet at a level difficult for ordinary people to handle, visually her presence is all the more overwhelming.

…However.

Will such flashy dance movements be effective in this duel as well?

And that curiosity was resolved unexpectedly quickly.

Clang!

Aristetis deflects the sword and somersaults away.

Lyurik kicks off the ground to chase after her.

His form soars like a bird launching from the ground, instantly pursuing her figure.

But.

Swoosh!

As if drawing a line on the ground, sliding, gliding along the surface, Aristetis moves her body.

Their confrontation was more like a chase.

The arena was wide, and with no restricted areas, Aristetis deliberately chose to avoid approaching Lyurik.

Usually, such evasion would invite jeers.

But since Lyurik’s movements were so nimble in pursuit, even this chase became quite a spectacle.

To some, it might seem like a ferocious wolf chasing a rabbit running at full speed.

Or like a hawk in the sky plunging its talons toward a rabbit sprinting across the plains.

“Ugh!”

With a groan, swords clash again.

Using the collision to her advantage, Aristetis throws herself backward and once more distances herself significantly.

“Take it easy!”

Before her words finish, a sword strike falls.

Barely deflecting it, a horizontal slash comes with enough force to split her torso.

Though she managed to deflect the path of the strike.

When the deflected path twisted back into a diagonal slash, Aristetis gasped in terror and leaped with an odd movement, barely avoiding the sword strike.

“Easy!”

Even in the time it takes to speak once.

Lyurik, with a composed face, was unleashing a series of murderous, vicious, and merciless sword strikes.

Some might see them as ordinary slashes.

…But each one is a sword strike that cannot be taken lightly.

From the beginning.

When learning and mastering the Dragon God Sword style, one must eventually condense and cultivate a few movements that suit oneself best, and when it comes to that…

Lyurik belonged to an extremely radical category.

Initially learning 500 movements, then narrowing them down to 200, and further refining and compressing to master 100 movements.

After reducing them so much, he then reversed the process, returning to 500 movements.

In this way, Lyurik quickly learned and mastered the Dragon God Sword style, at a pace no less than Ases.

Although the foundation was the Fighter God style systematized by the Dragon God style.

After returning to 500 movements, he reduced them again and again, reaching his current state.

Even so, he still only has a few techniques ready for actual combat.

…But those few are what matter.

He had heard about the decisions Mayer and Ases had made.

Following the advice of Grand Master Lansrus, he pondered deeply and finally made his choice.

Five techniques to condense and embody.

When given the choice to select and train them himself, Ases chose four methods for using the body, replacing only one with a sword-handling technique.

And in Lyurik’s case, the exact opposite.

He focused four entirely on the single act of cutting, and the remaining one he dedicated to footwork—specifically pursuing the opponent, chasing, entering, and advancing.

Therefore, his movements include minimal evasion, and even when he cuts the same way, there are four profound principles within.

And whether horizontal, vertical, diagonal, or circular.

All are equal and condensed.

Even with a short swing, his sword strikes would feel the same whether someone swung their arm down with full force or upward—they all feel identical.

In other words, as long as he doesn’t hold back, he can always freely deliver optimal, supreme sword strikes and slashes.

Knowing this well, Aristetis had no choice but to withdraw to avoid giving him any opening.

This wasn’t a matter of choice but of survival.

“Ugh!”

Even so, it was somewhat surprising how abnormally nimbly and actively she could escape.

There was a clear reason for this too.

Aristetis originally disliked holding a sword.

Although she had talent and learned alongside Lyurik, she still disliked holding a sword.

Even so, the fact that her progress and level were similar to Lyurik’s already proved her talent.

In a sense, achieving this despite her lack of enthusiasm suggests her talent slightly surpasses Lyurik’s.

And despite her intense desire for recognition, she ultimately chose stability and comfort over displaying power, pragmatic yet forward-thinking as she was.

She abandoned wielding a sword and poured everything into her ability to control her body.

If Ases invested in body control with four techniques.

Aristetis condensed all five into that.

“Eek!”

In other words, her Dragon God Sword style could be seen as extreme and radical mobility, speed, transition, and evasion abilities.

With overwhelming mobility, even with mediocre sword skills, the reality was that no one could chase or respond to her.

Even if she were at a disadvantage with the sword, she could always disengage from the battle line or situation.

Moreover, since she hadn’t learned the Dragon God Sword style carelessly, combined with her own talent, her swordsmanship was on par with that of a fairly accomplished master.

With time, she would surpass mastery and enter the realm of grandmastery, but from there, it would depend on her will and practice.

“……”

So Lyurik thought.

So, if I could just catch you.

It means I could effortlessly subdue or slaughter those with considerable mobility.

Lyurik had originally intended to pour everything into sword strikes.

But realizing that would make it impossible to even touch Aristetis, after much deliberation, he had to allocate one technique to mobility.

…Perhaps if he had devoted all five to sword strikes and focused on training.

He might have been able to cut her down spectacularly before she could escape…

Clang!

Even so, he doesn’t regret this choice.

Tang!

“Ah! My sword!”

Neither of their swords was anything special.

So Aristetis’s sword quickly lost its edge against Lyurik’s strikes.

After losing its edge, it would crack, break, or snap.

At their level, it would be fortunate if it merely bent, but the probability of that…

‘M-maybe that would be better?’

Whether it breaks or bends, then I could concede defeat without any issue…

“Ahhh!”

No way! That look in his eyes means he intends to cut me completely if I don’t block!

Even though she thought Lyurik wouldn’t actually cut her, she knew all too well his habit and attitude of how his eyes turned cold when swinging his sword.

Because of that, she had nearly died several times!

‘Why doesn’t he joke around at times like this!’

Yet he’s so dense normally!

You jerk!

Clang!

Even when deflecting the blade, it’s only this manageable because it’s the tip of the sword; if the distance were precisely secured, it would be split in an instant without any chance to deflect.

Even though she skillfully deflected it with good technique, it was this bad; if she had deflected poorly, the sword would have been broken by now.

…Because of this, Aristetis had developed an almost obsessive level of skill in this area.

She might not be able to defeat the strong, but she had unknowingly acquired the ability to bind or grab the feet of the strong if she wanted to.

“Hwaang!”

However, without proper resolve, she could only see this situation as practical sparring, training, and practice that frequently unfolded in the valley of the Lake Dragon.

Why do I have to volunteer for this hardship even there!

‘I should have declared forfeit before it started!’

What kind of misery is this, just because I was being considerate!!

With no chance to voice her complaints, Aristetis desperately fled from Lyurik’s onslaught.

However, those watching were enthusiastically cheering for this thrilling battle style in a different sense.

To think they would continue this intense sword fight circling the entire vast arena!

Perhaps they considered it a fresh battle and confrontation that couldn’t be seen anywhere else.

“Woaaah!”

“This is amazing!”

“Why aren’t they selling alcohol here?!”

“Huh! Huff! My, my heart is racing!”

“My, my liver’s falling out! Kyaa!”

“De-dead… When did he get there?!”

It was absolute chaos.

And Raymond, sitting as one of the spectators.

“…What championship.”

He thought their dreams were quite ambitious, and now he didn’t even feel wronged anymore.

And then.

Crack!

As Aristetis’s sword broke into a third, she shouted.

“I sur— Kyaaa!”

He tried to cut before she could speak, but it was too late.

The fact that Aristetis somehow managed to block with her remaining sword was, for Lyurik, rather displeasing in many ways.

“You just tried to kill me for real!”

“Tch.”

“How could you?! How could you do this to me?!”

Separate from their bickering, as the outcome was decided, cheers poured down on them like a waterfall.

“Woah— ah!”

“……”

Lyurik briefly frowned at the sound but eventually gave a small smile and raised his sword hand to acknowledge their cheers.

At that, the cheers, which seemed like they couldn’t get any louder, rose once more.

Aristetis covered her ears in pain and made a tearful face.

“Ugh… I’m never coming near a place like this again.”

“You’re saying that after coming all this way?”

Lyurik couldn’t help but question her easygoing personality in many ways.

It couldn’t be just a difference between men and women. Why does she pretend to be so timid when she’s actually capable?

After the finals ended, the match for third place was held, but following such an overwhelming previous match, it inevitably felt flat.

Clearly, in the past, even he would have been excited, but suddenly his standards had become too high.

Still, the match for 3rd and 4th place was enjoyable enough that the spectators were willing to appreciate it as well.

At that time, Lyurik and Aristetis were listening to instructions on how the winner should show etiquette before the King, Crown Prince, Princess, and several ministers, and the award ceremony procedures, both wearing somewhat blank expressions.

Just then, Ases, who joined them, burst into laughter at their expressions.

“Why those faces?”

“…It feels like the flow is broken.”

It would be so much better if they just came right after the victory and did it.

What a hassle…

“Really? What about you, Aris?”

“I’m… tired…”

But I’ll still take the prize money before I go, she muttered softly, blatantly displaying her materialistic tendencies.

“Shall I tell you an interesting story to wake you up?”

“…?”

“……”

An interesting story?

Her?

What nonsense is she going to spout now…

“Did you know Kariel is in Dabas?”

“…?!”

“Wh-what?! Really?! Lord Kariel? My, my goodness! Ah… Finally!”

And then without warning, Aristetis suddenly fell backward.

Reflexively grabbing her waist, Lyurik glanced sideways with a bewildered face.

“……”

This girl, she really fainted?

Is this something to faint over?

“Hahaha!”

Thanks to Ases’s cheerful laughter, the expression of the official explaining the award ceremony procedures hardened in various unpleasant ways.

“So don’t cause trouble and handle it well.”

“Tch.”

At those words, Lyurik could only click his tongue briefly, as if he had no choice.

And.

As she left the waiting area, Ases felt a little regret.

“He’s in Dabas, but I never said he was here, that’s what I was going to say.”

If she faints before that, I can’t say what I wanted to!

“This was interesting in its own way, though.”

It wasn’t like Aristetis showing affection for Kariel was anything new.

But still…

“That alone won’t be enough, little one.”

Just liking someone doesn’t mean they’ll like you back.

Should I advise her? Or not?

Or perhaps she’s already made her own resolve?

…I’ll see as I watch.

I hope the complacent illusion that opportunities are always guaranteed hasn’t vaguely clouded her eyes and ears.