Chapter 125

The primary attack method of a rapier is, of course, the thrust.

So, 90% of Lucia’s swordsmanship consisted of thrusts.

Her thrusts were incredibly fast and could curve like a snake, making them very difficult to deal with.

Fortunately, the weapon she was using now was a wooden rapier.

Without the natural flexibility of a real rapier, its most unpredictable movements were significantly limited.

And that was why I had been able to hold on so far.

But.

‘Damn, even just the speed alone is tough enough.’

Lucia’s thrusts.

They were not at a speed I could react to in my current state.

So how was I managing to dodge them?

Naturally, it was because I knew her swordsmanship.

Watching her arm movements would be the most reliable, but that would be too slow to be meaningful.

By observing her shoulder and foot movements, I could read and predict her attacks in advance, dodging or blocking them.

Even with the advantage of this information, I was still being pushed back.

The basic skill difference was just too great.

‘My swordsmanship level is barely a C after all that effort. She must be at least a B+.’

In terms of grades, that was a four-level difference.

That was an insurmountable gap.

If I didn’t know her swordsmanship inside out, and if she wasn’t using a wooden rapier, I would have already been down.

‘Damn, isn’t there any way?’

I didn’t want to lose after coming this far.

I naturally hated losing, and I couldn’t accept letting go of the match that my comrades and I had fought so hard to keep balanced until the end.

‘Left leg!’

I barely dodged another fierce thrust with a prediction.

Then Lucia stopped her attack with a puzzled expression.

“This is strange. Really strange.”

“…What is?”

I said, catching my breath.

“It’s like you know where I’m going to attack in advance. Over and over.”

Lucia seemed to sense something was off.

No, she must have felt it earlier.

She just hadn’t expected it to continue like this.

“Well.”

I responded vaguely.

Confusing her mind was also an advantage, so there was no need to say anything unnecessary.

“Are you a mind reader?”

Lucia looked at me with suspicious eyes.

“What nonsense.”

I let out a hollow laugh.

“…No, you’re not a mind reader. You didn’t react at all.”

Lucia quickly changed her mind.

“React to what?”

“I just asked about your parents’ well-being in my mind.”

(TLN: she pulled a your mom move)

Suddenly with the low blows?

Typical of a mercenary.

“…Keep it to yourself.”

“Sure.”

Lucia raised her rapier again.

“I’m dying to know, but you won’t tell me, so I’ll just assume you have some special ability.”

“I wish you’d think a bit more.”

“You always try to stall for time whenever you can.”

“Because it’s to our advantage.”

“Indeed, even in the midst of battle, you’re thinking about the overall situation. Just like the person who orchestrated this.”

“You knew?”

Even though she arrived late.

“There’s no one else it could be. You’re the brains.”

I had been acknowledged as the strategist of the second years by Lucia.

Not just her, but this incident would likely leave a strong impression on many others.

“But your body can’t keep up with your mind.”

A cold assessment.

Typical of a mercenary.

Better than empty flattery.

“I’ve been trying my best.”

“Which means nothing right now.”

…Enough with the harsh truths.

Are all mercenaries like this?

“You’re exhausted.”

Yeah… I am exhausted.

“You’re at your limit.”

Who says I’m at my limit?

“I’ll end this in a minute.”

Lucia spoke with certainty.

She had completely assessed the situation.

For a seasoned mercenary to say that in a battle was never a good sign.

Especially if it was Lucia.

But.

My mind flashed with a different realization.

‘She’s going to end it in a minute? If she’s that certain, she must be planning to use that technique.’

Even though I was exhausted, Lucia wasn’t the type to make such a statement lightly.

She must have a surefire way to take me down.

And that confidence would come from an overwhelmingly powerful technique.

‘She’s going to use it now?’

Lucia’s special technique.

Whirlwind Chaos Sword.

A technique that delivers 11 rapid thrusts in one breath.

Its speed and unpredictability were terrifying.

I knew how many formidable foes she had defeated with this technique.

But.

‘It’s still incomplete at this stage, right?’

I bit my lip hard to hide my excitement.

Lucia’s special technique was still incomplete in her first year.

Even though the incomplete version was incredibly powerful, it had a clear weakness.

And I knew that weakness well.

‘This might be…’

My heart raced.

Even knowing the weakness, the success rate was at best 50-50.

Accurately countering such an extreme technique was no easy task.

If my timing was off by even 0.1 seconds, or if my position was off by even 0.1 millimeters, the counter wouldn’t work.

(TLN: Dude about to pull the daigo parry)

Still.

‘The opportunity is here.’

I calmed my mind.

I prepared for a decisive strike.

“I’ll finish this within a minute.”

Lucia moved.

* * *

“It’s over.”

A professor murmured.

“Even holding out this long is an unexpected achievement.”

Another professor said.

“So, defeating Slane was just a fluke.”

Vice-Principal Isaac spoke with a strangely pleased tone.

Isaac disliked Max Celtrine.

In fact, more than half of the professors disliked Max.

It was understandable.

Who would be pleased with a notorious troublemaker who tarnished the academy’s name?

Even now, his reputation was probably at its highest, albeit slightly improved.

Anyway, with Max’s inevitable disqualification, Isaac felt somewhat relieved.

“He’s exhausted.”

Even Professor Lawrence, who had said he would choose Max as the best student even if he lost the mock battle, muttered this.

As a warrior, he knew better than anyone how fatal exhaustion could be.

“No… his eyes are still alive.”

Professor Karen said.

She knew too.

Max had almost no chance of winning.

Maybe she just wanted to believe.

That Max, who had exceeded expectations by 120% so far, would surprise everyone once again.

“It’s easier if he gives up.”

Professor Lapit said with a resigned look.

After Riviera’s disqualification, he seemed to have given up hope.

With their only hope gone, he seemed to have concluded that there was no chance.

“No, Professor Lapit, you need to keep your spirits up!”

Professor Karen said, exasperated.

Was she the only one left?

The only one hoping for a miraculous turnaround?

At that moment.

“Huh?”

“His legs have given out. He’s fallen.”

Seeing Max finally collapse, the professors were certain of the end.

“It’s over.”

Isaac declared.

But.

They didn’t know.

That surprises always come suddenly.

* * *

‘Damn!’

As my legs buckled and I fell backward, I opened my eyes wide.

I knew she wouldn’t miss this opportunity.

A ground thrust.

A technique I hadn’t seen before.

I had to guess rather than predict.

Left side or right side.

Or maybe behind me.

‘Right side!’

I instinctively chose and rolled to the right.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

The sound of Lucia’s rapier repeatedly stabbing the ground echoed menacingly.

‘…I survived somehow.’

I thought as I quickly got back up.

Lucia seemed to have expected me to roll backward, as she had launched a series of attacks in that direction.

If I had made the wrong choice, I would have been finished.

“You read it again?”

Lucia frowned, looking frustrated.

“Phew, that was close.”

I exhaled a sigh of relief.

The important thing was that I had survived for 50 seconds.

Now Lucia would have no choice but to use her special technique.

She had set a time limit for herself.

“No other option, I guess.”

Lucia muttered to herself, raising her rapier vertically.

Tap, tap, tap.

Her left foot tapped the ground in a unique rhythm.

I knew that this was the signal of death.

It was the preparation move for her special technique, Whirlwind Chaos Sword.

‘I’ll face it head-on.’

I gripped my wooden sword tightly and stood firm.

Dodging was impossible.

The only way to survive was to exploit the weakness.

The atmosphere was tense, as if something explosive was about to happen.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of my pounding heart echoed in my ears.

The first strike.

I had to catch the timing of the first thrust.

If I missed it, it would be over for me.

I stared at Lucia without blinking.

At my current level, reacting after seeing would be too late.

I had to move first.

The timing?

I had to guess.

Tick.

A phantom sound of a second passing echoed in my ear.

At that moment.

‘Now!’

I launched a full-force thrust.

The target point.

Her left shoulder!

The only exposed weak spot.

Whoosh!

My thrust moved.

Swish!

And then, just a fraction of a second later, her thrust, which must have been even faster, moved as well, splitting the air with a terrifying speed.

Please, let me be first!

In the blink of an eye, less than 0.3 seconds.

I prayed in my heart.

Thud!

I felt a definite sensation at my fingertips.

“Ugh?!”

Lucia’s face twisted in shock as she lost her balance and fell backward.

‘I won!’

I was ecstatic, convinced of my victory.

‘What?’

Suddenly, a burning pain flared in my right chest.

Why does it hurt…?

My body slowly collapsed backward.

Beep, beep!

Beep, beep!

The warning sounds echoed continuously.

Only then did I fully realize.

‘Damn it, did I get hit too?!’

A mutual strike?

Is this for real?

Is this some kind of martial arts movie?

‘Damn it, whatever.’

I just collapsed.

My exhausted and injured body screamed in pain.

‘I did enough.’

Objectively, I had done more than enough.

The ending was a bit disappointing, but… no, it wasn’t.

I had dragged Lucia, who had even used her special technique, down with me in a mutual destruction.

‘Good job, me.’

I praised myself and let my battered body rest.

Drowsiness overwhelmed me.

* * *

“Mutual Disqualification?!”

“A mutual strike, what the…?!”

The professors stood frozen with shock.

A double disqualification wasn’t enough, and now a mutual strike…?

This mock battle was insane!

No one could disagree.

“It looked like she was about to use some incredible technique…”

Isaac murmured, holding his head in disbelief.

As a vice-principal, he had caught on to that.

But it was meaningless.

That incredible technique had been broken by Max before it could be fully executed.

If Max had been in better condition, Lucia’s sword might not have even touched him.

“Ah, as expected.”

Professor Karen said with a gleam in her eyes.

How could such a student exist?

He kept exceeding expectations by 120%, even in extreme situations.

No wonder she couldn’t help but be interested.

“Did I underestimate him? No, that’s…”

Professor Lawrence muttered to himself, lost in thought.

Max had been on the defensive the entire time.

But just now, he had attacked first.

He acted with certainty.

As if he knew it was his chance.

‘Did he endure all that time just for that one opportunity?’

…No, that’s too far-fetched.

Lucia had been leading the fight.

Could Max have created the opportunity he wanted?

It seemed unlikely.

Professor Lawrence couldn’t find an answer and ended his thoughts.

“Is this really…?”

Lapit’s resigned expression vanished.

He realized that the second-years now had a chance to win.

The outcome was now truly uncertain until the very end.

All the professors watched in silence, waiting to see how the final battle would unfold.