I was born without the ability to use mana. It's not like I couldn't get the right skills to use magic, but instead, I was born with no capacity for mana and no attribute.
Apparently, it's something unique to my family, Dest. It's a curse or something. I don't really know why it's like that, but it just is.
I'm not a pessimist, though! So, I never let it get me down! After all, who cares if I can't use magic? I'll just use skills and stuff and get really strong that way! I mean, my stats are above average for both my level and age and I have a skill nobody else has!
I don't need magic at all!
That's what I'd like to say, but right now, it's a bit hard for me to say that seriously.
Alongside my friends, we've managed to get to the semi-finals of the tournament hosted annually in the capital of Draila, but this round... is a bit troublesome, you know? We're up against magic knights, some of the strongest fighters in Draila. They're obviously pretty new to the magic knights, but that doesn't mean they're not super strong! And worse than that, it's a five on five, meaning we don't have the edge in numbers either!
And my opponent might be the strongest out of them all. Sure, I don't have any appraisal like skill, but I can just tell! He seriously gives me the worst feeling out of all of them.
So far, he's only used one of his two attributes, which is earth, by the way, so I have no idea what else he can do! All I can actually do right now is try not to get hit by his relentless attacks! Seriously, it's like he has infinite mana or something!
Thanks to my Focused Eyes skill, I can keep up with the speed of his spells, and with Swift Slices, I can cut up any earth that I can't dodge in time, but even with all that, I can't get close enough to hit him!
There are two ways I can see this ending, him running out of mana, or me running out of stamina, and things are starting to lean towards the latter! I can't even take the time to glance around and see how the others are doing...
Alright, looks like I'll have to do something risky. I'll have to charge straight forward at him! I'll rely on breaking up the earth that attacks me with my sword, and if I can't do that, I'll just have to be hit! I won't let anything injure me really bad, of course, but I won't have to worry about anything that merely grazes me and stuff that hits my slight armour!
Okay, let's go!
A large spike appears from the ground in front of me, but I'm just able to slice it through the middle to stop it. I continue on further without stopping, only for a large piece of earth, almost a boulder, to come hurling at me! I activate Swift Slices just in time, allowing me to just barely change the momentum of the small cut-up pieces away. Hah! You shouldn't underestimate how sharp my sword is! I had it personally made just for me back in my village! After all, my father was friends with a blacksmith then!
Great! I'm right up in front of him, but before I can do anything...
"Earth Magic: Earth Blockade." He had a deep and monotone voice, despite the fact he didn't look a day over twenty-five. And, once the spell was cast, a wide and tall wall erupted in front of him.
But that's okay! I totally expected that, so I preemptively jumped over on top of it! I mean, if he decided to use an attack spell instead, I would be in trouble, but luckily he didn't, so, I'm all good!
And now, using the back of the wall to increase my speed, I propel myself at him, ready to limit his movements for more than ten seconds to grant myself the victory! He doesn't even have the time to cast any spells, so I'm totally gonna beat him now!
"Damn you..." He mumbled, looking me directly in the eyes, "Dark Magic: Dark Orb." And in an instance, a sphere of pure darkness surrounded him, blocking the blow of my sword, and sending me back at the earth wall. It disappeared right after that.
"I commend you, I truly do. You forced me into having to use my cursed attribute... you're impressive, for an adventurer, especially considering you use no magic, but this is over."
Hold up, what just happened? Wait, now he's casting another spell? Oh, shoot, I can't get up in time. I'm not really going to lose, right? After all of this, after even getting to the semi-finals? There's no way, right?
"Earth Magic: Obliterating Spear of the Earth." Ignoring the long name, that's a huge spell! Like, I might not even be able to sense mana, but even I can tell that that's dangerous!
A huge, incredibly long spear made of super-condensed ground and probably reinforced with mana appears in front of him and soon comes at me at breakneck speed.
Dang it, I really wanted to save my once-per-day skill for the end of the tournament, but it looks like I have no choice...
In an instant, without him even being able to see me with his eyes or mana sense, I end up right in front of him. I land a hit with my fist directly in his stomach and take the moment he's in pain to trip him onto the ground. One moment after, I lock him in place on the ground for over ten seconds, meaning he was now out. After all, that was one of the three ways to make someone out.
"Contestent Leerin Vaxtlin is now out!" The announcer called out, soon telling Leerin to leave for a safer area. Leerin seemed sort of angry, but I don't blame him.
So, what just happened? Well, Sword of the Determined, my skill unique to me alone, allows me to get one attack out guaranteed. Basically, it enhances my speed and accuracy to an insane amount for three seconds and deactivates the moment I connect an attack with somebody. The downside is that I can only use it once per day...
Oh well, let's just be glad I won! Heh, I'm sure Seralt is super proud of me, seeing how he's watching up from the spectator's place. He's contesting in the middle category, isn't he?
Oh, that doesn't matter. Let's see, I wonder if any of the others need any help...
-Side Chapter, end.-