The news that two people would be participating in a ranking match spread like wildfire, to the point where almost no one was unaware.
Since it was an officially sanctioned ranking match, there was a professor acting as a referee, and an audience watching.
Now, let’s take a look at the scene from the audience.
“Who are you betting on?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Iria has no way of beating Lucia.”
“Just as I thought!”
In the lively audience, voices predicting the outcome of the match were exchanged.
Of course, the dominant reaction was that Lucia would win.
While the amount of mana isn’t the absolute indicator of power, the gap between Iria and Lucia was significant.
Lucia had the most mana among the first-years, while Iria had the least.
Even if Iria possessed some special ability, overcoming that kind of difference wouldn’t be easy.
And didn’t they say recently that she was an overhyped top student?
Everyone thought today would be the day the top student of the first-years changed.
*
“Not twice, Lucia.”
“Ugh!”
Before stepping onto the dueling arena with her practice sword, Lucia held her throbbing head.
Even though she had just confidently challenged Iria to a duel, she couldn’t completely shake off the traumatic memories rooted deeply in her mind.
‘It was just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream. Just a dream.’
That day, she had a weird dream because she was too nervous. Reality was different.
After all, Iria didn’t even rank low in mana. On the other hand, Lucia was the clear first.
She was truly deserving of the title of top student.
So, there was no need to be nervous.
She was just reclaiming what was rightfully hers. Originally, Lucia should have been the top student, not Iria.
“Ha······.”
After letting out a big sigh, Lucia stepped onto the wide dueling arena.
It was time to expose Iria’s true self in front of the many spectators.
Today, she stood here to prove that Iria was not really the top student and that things were different from the scenery she had seen in her dreams.
And over there, on the opposite side, Iria climbed up holding a practice sword just like Lucia.
‘Practice sword? Isn’t she supposed to be a mage?’
Well, with that amount of mana, mage type would be impossible anyway.
Thus, Lucia faced Iria on the dueling arena.
With her long silver hair and red eyes. And an emotionless, doll-like expression.
It was impossible to read what was on her mind.
Now, the two approached each other within earshot.
Just before the match began, Iria looked at Lucia and spoke.
“Do you know, Lucia? What happened that day wasn’t a dream.”
“······?”
Lucia struggled to comprehend her words for a moment.
That day? It wasn’t a dream?
No way.
Nobody but herself remembered that day.
“You remember when I said there wouldn’t be a second time?”
“Ugh?!”
Memories she had tried hard to forget resurfaced, causing her head to throb.
The look on Iria’s face, her voice, matched perfectly with what was in her memories.
Lucia stood frozen in place for a while. She had fallen into a mental trap before the duel even began.
The match began with the sound of a bell signaling the start. Iria swung her sword.
Tang!!
Iria’s sword strike created a powerful impact as it curved through the air and struck Lucia’s practice sword hard.
“Yah?!”
Lucia, caught in a state of confusion, flew through the air. Her head was spinning, making it hard to think straight.
Then, Iria leapt off the ground and chased after the reeling Lucia mercilessly.
Lucia, reacting too late, gripped her practice sword to regain her stance, but it was still too late.
Maybe Iria was just that fast.
“Wait, huh?!”
With a heavy clash of their swords, Lucia was pushed back once again.
The impact resonated through her hand. Fast and heavy.
Is that the pure physical strength without the aid of mana? Was it really possible for that slender arm to wield such strength?
She couldn’t tell. For now, she had to grip her sword.
Iria didn’t give Lucia any breathing room. With monstrous physical prowess, she relentlessly tormented Lucia.
If Lucia let her guard down for even a moment, quick strikes would rain down. Each one felt heavy, making it hard to defend.
Especially considering Lucia’s own muscle strength was particularly weak. Each time she deflected Iria’s sword, the shock reverberated through her body like a harsh blow.
“Ugh······.”
Her whole body hurt. The nightmare from that day resurfaced.
But this time, she was told it wasn’t a dream, but reality. Iria was stating it herself.
So this was what she had been concealing. With that level of physical ability, she could easily seize the title of top student without mana.
However, she wasn’t an unbeatable opponent. That day, she had simply let her guard down. In the dueling arena, she was superior.
Grinding her teeth, Lucia focused.
“What if it’s reality···.”
Taking a deep breath, she regained her composure.
She straightened her fallen stance and surrounded herself with mana.
Having released her mana for a moment, Lucia’s purple eyes began to glow.
The aura of mana was rippling on the dueling ground, visible to the naked eye.
“Like it matters, I’m still above you!”
Lucia held her practice sword with both hands and charged at Iria.
Physical enhancement using mana.
The swordsmanship passed down from her family.
Things that Iria lacked, Lucia possessed. She compensated for her feeble strength with mana, enhancing the power of her strikes through technique.
Aster Style First Form.
As Lucia swung her sword widely, a thick trail of mana followed.
The faint purple-hued strike etched itself in the air.
Tang!!!
In their back-and-forth exchange, Iria was pushed back for the first time.
The foundation of Aster Style lies in coating the sword with mana to sharpen it to the extreme.
With precise posture, the technique of applying mana to the sword, and excellent skills, one could cut with even a practice sword.
The weight of Lucia’s sword, imbued with mana, surpassed the initial strike from Iria.
The practice sword that had first met Iria’s strike had been etched with a mark. If this rate continued, she might be able to break it with just a few more exchanges.
After pushing Iria back with one strike, Lucia displayed mechanical movements.
The pinnacle of skills gained from her training in her youth didn’t waver. Each subsequent action was smooth and unbroken.
In a series of graceful moves, this time, Lucia pursued Iria.
Lucia pressed forward, with Iria retreating and deflecting the strikes.
Judging that blocking would risk the sword breaking, it was a wise choice not to block. But how long could she keep dodging?
Aster Style Third Form.
A heavy downward strike descended.
The power from her enhanced physique combined with gravity was beyond imagination.
The stone floor of the dueling arena cracked. It felt as if the entire ground was shaking.
Iria leapt sideways to dodge, but that was what Lucia was waiting for.
In Aster’s swordsmanship, the third and fourth forms were connected as one movement.
The blade of the practice sword stabbed into the ground, pointing upwards. Iria was still within Lucia’s domain.
“This is.”
Changing the direction of her sword, a small smile formed on Lucia’s face.
This was an attack that could neither be dodged nor blocked. For a brief moment, it felt as if time had stopped. The trajectory of the sword swung by Lucia twisted awkwardly towards Iria.
Aster Style Secret Arts.
The Moonlight Slash derived from the sword that the first head of the family once used to cleave the moonlight.
“The difference in skill, I mean.”
Iria’s sword, in an attempt to defend, was shattered in two. The broken tip of her sword flew into the sky before falling back down to the floor of the dueling arena.
Lucia grinned confidently, aiming her practice sword at Iria’s neck.
“Your swordsmanship wasn’t bad for someone who learned on their own. I’ll admit that, Iria. But the opponent was just too weak.”
“······.”
“It’s best if you don’t move. You think just because it’s a practice sword, I can’t kill you? A little more pressure and it’s over.”
As if to imply she could easily sever her head at any moment, Lucia pressed the mana-infused blade against Iria’s neck.
The outcome was already determined, so she intended for Iria to surrender without a fuss.
However, there was no change in Iria’s expression. Her colorless face was not one that would yield to a broken sword.
Iria slowly lifted her head.
And then she spoke.
“Have you ever killed someone?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Lucia felt a hint of panic from Iria’s utterly calm voice.
Ever killed someone? Of course not. As an academy student, she hadn’t even fought monsters, let alone killed another human.
Leaving Lucia in a confused silence, Iria continued speaking slowly.
“You shouldn’t make threats if you haven’t done it. And the way you’re pointing the sword is wrong too. I’ve tried it, and it doesn’t cut well for you. It won’t kill me either.”
“······?”
Then, without hesitation, Iria grabbed Lucia’s practice sword with her hand and, using strength, broke it.
The mana-infused sword shattered like a thin twig.
“What the?!”
After breaking the sword, Iria immediately grabbed Lucia’s neck. At first, Lucia tried to use her mana to escape, but it wouldn’t work.
“Gah, erk!”
Iria’s strikes in the duel had been controlled hits.
Even if Lucia channeled all her mana to enhance her body, she wouldn’t even match Iria’s feet.
It was only after her neck was being gripped that Lucia realized this.
Iria was a monster.
“Good night, Lucia. The dream you’re about to have will hurt a bit.”
“Uh, ugh······.”
Before losing consciousness, Lucia faced Iria’s red eyes.
When she closed her eyes and opened them again, she was already in a dream.
