"From the left, the beauty which masterfully controls her bow with astounding accuracy when moving swiftly and various arrow used as secret weapon, the Queen of Arrow, Hero Angela!" Hana announced.
--- [Hero Angela] ---
[Name: Eva Reinhard]
[Age: 22]
[Program: Core Technology Program]
[Weapon type: Bow, Short dagger]
[Weapon name: Swift Hunter Bow (bow), Throat Cutter (short dagger)]
[Number of Spell: 5]
----------------------------
"Next! The one with splendid control of the Warhammer, his monstrous might may destroy the stage in just one hit, Hero Tommy!" Carl announced for Tom.
--- [Hero Tommy] ---
[Name: Tom Centifolia]
[Age: 21]
[Program: Blade Mastery Program]
[Weapon type: Warhammer]
[Weapon name: Grand Warlord (war hammer)]
[Number of Spell: 5]
----------------------------
"Final! The one who have shown wonderful display of archery with style, Hero Arch-Sabre!" Hana announced on me.
--- [Hero Arch-Sabre] ---
[Name: Evans Reinhard]
[Age: 20]
[Program: Blade Mastery Program]
[Weapon type: Sabre, Bow]
[Weapon name: Draconic Laevatain Sabre(sabre), Scarlet Slayer Piercing Bow(bow)]
[Number of Spell: 3]
----------------------------
I heard the audience start to talk about something.
"Eh, Reinhard?"
"They have the same surname!"
"Are they siblings or something?"
"Even their given name is almost the same!!"
Urgh… This is one of the reasons why I don't want to participate in previous years Blade Festival. I just fell… you know… embarrassed…
"Since we don't want to drag this battle any longer, let get the match begin!!" Carl commenced the battle.
"I, TOMMY SHALL END THIS BATTLE ONCE AND… BLUERGH—"
"Huh, just shut up if you want to talk instead of fighting… well, that's one down…" Eva said after shot an arrow to Tom.
"ANGELA HAVE PUT ONE DOWN JUST WHEN THE MATCH START!!"
"Sis, you don't have to be that hard to him…" I sympathised with Tom.
"He is my opponent, so, why should I? You too Evans, even though you are my small, sweet, cute pumpkin-pie little brother, I won't give you a handicap. Maybe I will…hmm… or not… or—"
"Don't say that here sheesh, I know, I don't expect it so…"
"Then, shall we?"
"My pleasure," I replied calmly.
She starts shooting her arrows to me, but I dodged them. As I thought, right after she shoot, she will come directly to close the distance and pick up her arrows. The arrows seem to not have any form of special effects so she must be saving her magical arrows. I have to shoot her too but all of her arrows are accurately aimed to me so I can only dodge them. I'm not good at run and shoot like her… but still…
"Arch-Sabre is replying to Angela arrows with his magical arrow, but Arch-Sabre seems to be pushed. Can Hero Arch-Sabre actually defeat Hero Angela?!!" Hana commented.
"I also think about that Hana, look at that, his arrows are clearly missing the target!! Looks like he can't beat her, this will be an easy win for Hero Angela!" Carl continued.
That's too much credit you give to her you idiot! I will show you my skill, just wait!!
Tch! Look at her smiling! Urgh… so annoying… huh… alright…
"Looks like Hero Arch-Sabre is charging his bow but for what, is he waiting for the right time to shoot it?" Carl wondered.
One…
Two…
Three!
"Bow skill: Charged Arrow!!" I released my arrow to the ground.
"EHHH!! Why is he shoots at the ground floor?! The strong impact from his arrow just cause the stage to break and spreading a lot of dust!" Hana wondered for what my actions was.
Now the dust is covering for me. It's time to concentrate. Just concentrate to my surrounding. Ha… [take a deep breath]
Uhuk[cough]! Damn this dust!
"Tch! the dust is too thick I can't see him!" Eva getting uneasy.
"What is Arch-Sabre doing?" Carl trying to find me.
"If he wants to play like this then, I will shoot this one! Multiplying arrow!" Eva declared almost as accepting a challenge.
Several seconds after she released the arrow, the arrow starts multiplying to seven arrows.
"Angela releases her arrow which suddenly multiplied!!" Hana said.
All I need to do is deflect them.
"Bow skill: Multiplying arrow," I muttered slowly enough for only me to hear.
With 'multiplying arrow' skill, I can multiply it to whatever amount I want but the moment it is multiplying, it will become weaker that the normal one. I can't stop all of the arrow, but I can slow them off! The dust is starting to clear.
"Carl look! The red arrows from the dust interfering with each of Angela arrows making the arrows could not reach Arch-Sabre!!" Hana forwarded her opinion.
"I think he just do that to reduce the speed of the arrow!" Carl replied.
"Look at Arch-Sabre! What with that intense concentration in his eyes!?" Hana mentioned.
Of course, I need to concentrate. It's my sister we are talking about!
"Evie, did you think just being concentrate is enough to defeat me!" Eva is trying to provoke me.
Don't listen to her.
"I will show you how it's done!" Eva hollered.
Don't lose your focus, Evans.
Just stay focus.
Eva is starting to run around and shoot her arrows, just like she always does to the others, if I avert my eyes from her just for one second, I may get attacked more furiously and lose my chance to win!
"There we go! Angela starts running around the stage perhaps to confuse Arch-Sabre. And there she's firing her arrows but… looks like every single one of it being deflected! Is this it, Arch-Sabre actual power?!!" Hana guessed.
"But Angela is persistent, she is still running around, trying to disturb Arch-Sabre's focus!" Carl joined.
Looks like she almost ends up using her arrows, be it magical one or normal one, I will deflect every one of it.
But then she stopped shooting. I wonder why…
"I see now what you are doing, Evie, how clever… but… Activate smoke screen!!"
[Smokescreen(E-rank): Conjure white smokes to cover the area.]
Shit! She figured it out! Now I can't see her!
"I admit your ability in archery Evie, but you are just not there yet!" Eva mocked me again.
"Can you stop call me Evie here!"
In a split second, an arrow landed at my left shoulder.
"Argh!!"
It's an acceleration-type magical arrow!
"In just a moment, Hero Angela successfully got control over the match!"
It's hurt damn it!!
"Sorry Evans, I'm just that strong, I will tend to your injury later alright, please forgive me for that—"
"If you have time to talk, how about you just finished me…"
"Eh, it's already ended right, do you still want to continue? You can't handle a bow with one shoulder!"
"Did you forget? I'm… also a swordsman…"
I take the arrow off from my shoulder and throw it to the floor. Let's see, I should reduce the pain first.
Argh!! Its hurt! I should take off the arrow! I bled more now! I guess the idea of looking cool is backfiring. Uh, I should use this earlier…
"Activate Fortify Body and Sharper Sense!"
[Sharper Sense(B-rank): Boost five main senses of user to two folds.]
Ah…finally the pains have reduced… 'fortify body' is spell that fortifying my body including organs, if I were to be injured, the magic will improved it to be tougher that reduced the pain in a limited time. If I activate it sooner, I wouldn't even have to feel that level of pain! But now…
"How about, we restart the real battle, sister?"
"Sweet!" She replied confidently.
I slowly unsheathe my sabre. The blade gleaming like a newly made sword. Magnificent.
"What is that sword Hana?! It looks so cool!!" Carl said with an impressed reaction.
"Yeah, it is! If I'm not mistaken the name was Draconic Laevatain Sabre!" Hana continued.
"Here I come!" I declared to Eva.
I run towards here with the sabre, gripped neatly in my hand. Eva is running around the arena, picking up every arrow that she fired. But I'm getting nearer and nearer!
"Wow!! Arch-Sabre is fast!! On top of that, he deflects every arrow of her sister with his sword!" Carl commentated.
"You won't get near me Evans! Activate Lightweight and Skate Master!"
Her speed increased triple of the normal speed she was before and moving so smoothly as if she is skating on the rough floor just like during the second stage! Not good, she is getting further!
"WARHAMMER SKILL: SMASHING EARTH!!"
Suddenly the stage was shaking and then destroyed with a resounding sound. That skill must be…
"DON'T YOU MESS WITH ME! DID YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST HAVE THE FUN WITHOUT ME?!" Tom shouted right after he activated his skill.
"ACTIVATE GRAND POWER!"
I guess he is so mad because he got knocked out first but to be able to get up from that, he is pretty tough guy. Look at those muscles, what a scary man.
"I will show you two no mercies! Warhammer skill: Grand Destruction!!" Tom warned both me and Eva.
He jumped and smashed the crumbled stage heavily with his Warhammer that is emitting strong orange colour. The stage shaking again and then follows with a greater impact causing the destroyed stage to be shattered even worse.
"Hey, if you keep destroying the stage, we would not be able to—" I tried to warn him.
"You shut up!" He ignored it.
He come running at me with his big Warhammer. He might be strong and with 'Grand Power' buff, his strength is increase drastically far exceeding mine. I'm not that strong to begin with.
"Take this!!"
With skill 'Sharper Sense', I can sense basically for my surrounding even better than I already am. Perhaps if I activate it before I got shot with Eva, I can even grab her arrows. This direct attack from Tommy should be dodge. If I received it, it may cause my hand to break.
BURGGHH!!!!
"Just with one swing of that you can still destroy the stage!?" I am genuinely shocked.
"I'm just that strong!!" Tom bragged.
What weirder is, where is the actual criminal that knocked this guy out in the first place?
"You can't run from me!" Tom tried to chase me over.
"I don't want to, but you are so scary!"
"Fight with me!" He ordered.
"Okay sure!" I replied as he is too impatient.
I take a quick step to his left and swing my sabre to his right calf.
"ARGH!!! THAT'S HURT AND HOT AT THE SAME TIME!!" Tom screamed as my sabre grazed him.
"How nice of you to describe how you felt!"
I didn't know he would feel hot. That might be one of the properties of the sabre…
"In just one swing, in just one, the dangerous Arch-Sabre successfully incapacitate the rampaging Hero Tommy!!" Carl commentated.
Eh, Where's my 'Hero Arch-Sabre'? I sound like a villain damn it, Carl!
The moment he swings his Warhammer straight for my head, I jumped and give a good kick to his chest before landing to a further spot from him.
"Evie, you swing that sword quite fast aren't you, I've got chills to even get near to you…"
That is Eva's voice, talking from a much further distance, standing on a crumble part of the stage.
"That's just a normal swing, it's result of my training after all, now how about you come here and have a taste of it," I offered to Eva.
"It's okay, I won't because, I will just finish you both now!!" Eva claimed.
She takes out her magical arrow, the one that she used to somehow absorbs the power of an ultimate skill from the second stage yesterday! But there are no one about to perform an ultimate right now! Is it Tommy? I quickly turn my head to Tommy.
"Skill Theft Arrow! Unleash!!"
She released her arrow. I have look at Tommy that is trying to stand after being kicked by me. Right after the arrow is released, a flash suddenly appeared and the arrow discharging a large amount of magical energy which then instantly forming a form of slash. To be more precise, is exactly the same as the skill before it was absorbed!! Does this mean her arrow can absorb and release the skill that was absorbed?!
"What the hell is that!!!" Carl expressed his surprise.
"Where did that power came from?! Is that from the magical arrow, but that power is exactly like Gray's ultimate skill from yesterday match!" Hana tried to memorise yesterday event.
"Looks like Hero Arch-Sabre and Hero Tommy is in a pinch!!" Carl warned.
I got to dodge!
"Activate Enhanced Jump!"
I immediately jump to dodge that dangerous-looking giant slash while Tommy…
"You think you can defeat me with that?!! BREAKING WARLORD ULTIMATE: CATASTROPHE!!" Tom activated his ultimate skill.
Tom swings his Warhammer straight until it hit the stage and instantly, the stage whole shaking but only on the direction of the Warhammer was swung, the stage totally collapsed with much greater damage than his previous skills. Not only that, but the impact also caused a sudden rise for the crumbled stage to a form of monstrous ravaging wave of rubbles and dust devouring the whole crescent slash, totally negated the slash effect.
Eva's face totally expressing the 'I can't believe this!' face.
"EVA!!!" I called for her.
She is engulfed along in the wave of rubbles and dust. Even I was stunned with that much damage. What power…
"LOOK AT THAT!! HALF OF THE STAGE IS ACTUALLY SEVERELY DESTROYED BY TOMMY SAVAGE POWER!!!"
Right from the spot of impact, the powerful waves destroyed the stages continuously. The cracking sound followed with total collapses of the stage tiles is frightening, Half of the stage is crumbled to innumerable number of rubbles. At some point, the wave finally stops right after I landed, and I immediately try to find Eva. This could be bad.
"Evans…"
That is Eva's voice. She's nearby…
"Sis…"
I can see her torso is under the large rubbles. That's crazy!!
"Sis!!"
She vomits blood. Her eyes and mouth barely open.
"Ah… this hurt so much…"
"Sis, hang on, I will call the medic! MEDIC!!" I shouted in attempt to call for treatment team to help Eva.
"Evie… hey… hear this… hey… are you crying?" Eva slow voice try to reach my ears.
"Shut up stupid, just wait for a second!" I'm sobbing without realising it.
"These hurts… like hell, I can't… feel my right leg…" Eva croaked as if she is about to lost consciousness.
A large rubble is actually crushed her right leg. She may eventually faint from that.
"Don't worry sis, you will be okay, they will use S-class magic to heal your leg alright, just be quiet for now. Relax. I'm here," I tried to calm her while holding her hand.
The medical team arrived and confirmed to the MC that she can't continue the match as the damage is grave. I helped lift the rubbles and they give a first aid treatment to her to make her sense of pain dissipate for a while. She will be carried to the treatment room. She called me before she is moved.
"Hey Evie… come here for a bit..." Eva called me over.
"What is it Sis?" I came to her.
"I'm sorry that…I couldn't continue, but… I want you… to win this…" she said softly.
"Sister…"
I turned back, walked away from her a little bit and halted.
"You don't have to tell me that. I will surely win this," I assured her.
The medical team continued carrying her out of the stage.
"Looks like Hero Angela is unable to fight anymore, thus only Hero Tommy and Hero Arch-Sabre are on the battlefield! Who do you think will win Hana?" Carl tried to liven up the mood back as the accident cause the fight to stop for a while.
"I think this will be a win for Hero Tommy, because we have seen the true power of Hero Tommy, which is so dreadful, giving the time for getting Angela out of the stage may have greatly refill his magical energy to deliver the final blow again!" Hana stated her opinion.
"Then, let's get the battle continue!!" Carl and Hana recommenced the battle.
"I WILL SMASH YOU TO…"
This time…
"WHAT WITH THAT SPEED?!!! ARCH-SABRE IS MOVING SO FAST TO TOMMY!!" Hana shocked.
I dashed swiftly to Tommy and raised my blade for the fight.
"Sabre skill: Slash of Fire," I activated a skill.
He tried to avoid it but failed. Some of the fire slashes managed to hit him.
"That dangerous you fool!! I will not…" Tom said in hurting tone.
"ONCE AGAIN ARCH-SABRE MOVES WITH THAT UNBELIVABLE MOVEMENT!" Carl mentioned.
Once again, I pushed my foot as I can, taking a large quick step directly in front of Tom, twirling my body once and swinging my sabre upwards.
"Sabre skill: Incinerate," I activated another skill.
"ARGHH!!!" Tommy screamed from the pain.
His body already scalded with my scorching wave of flame strike, 'Incinerate' which burns anything in its trajectory for 3 meters wide and 15 meters long.
"How did you… suddenly…" he tried to ask.
"I thought I shouldn't use my full skill here but…" I muttered.
Before I finished my sentence, he tried to hammer me, so I just take a long jump backwards after silently activating 'Enhanced Jump'.
"I… will… FINISH YOU!!" Tom declared.
Here it come…
"BREAKING WARLORD ULTIMATE: CATASTROPHE!!"
The same display of that skill appears. I shall reply in kind. An eye for an eye, an Ultimate for an Ultimate. I soared my sabre with my both hands. The sabre start emitting brilliant light of white and vermilion colours.
"DRACONIC LAEVATAIN ULTIMATE: ARCANE DRAGONOVA!!!"
I swing the blade the hardest I could downwards. Suddenly, a magic circle with runic words appeared in front of me, floating vertically along with an enormous raging flame wave that emerged the moment of impact between the ground and my blade. The wave is engaging with Tommy's Ultimate Skill at the middle causing tremendous wind force and roaring sound strong enough to make some of the crowds to close their ears. The magic circle then become brighter by second and unexpectedly, a huge blistering flame dragon appeared from the magic circle and charges at Tommy. The scorching flame dragon literally engulf everything in front of it including nearby surrounding rubbles. The heat is intense.
Tommy is not moving. He just watches as the flame dragon just go through everything even the clashing wave at the middle. I can see on his face that, he knew, he can't counter that. He will probably die from that attack.
"STOP!!!" I screamed.
Instantly, the flaming dragon vanished just before it strikes Tommy right in front of his face. He is so shocked and fall on his knees. The clashing of wave also has stopped and almost the entire stage is actually destroyed. I walked to Tommy. His face is terrified.
"Hey, do you want to continue?" I asked.
He is silent at first and after several second, he replied.
"I… give up."
"WHAT AN UNBELIEVABLE SURPRISE!! HERO TOMMY HAS DECLARED HIS DEFEAT!! THE SECOND MATCH IS WON BY HERO ARCH-SABRE!!!" Hana announced.
Everyone in the arena is standing and giving me rounds of applause, a lot louder than most of previous applause I ever heard before. The screams and cheers make me feel so happy. As I try to gaze at the prince, he is standing, smile while clapping his hands. Even though I'm tired, I need to take this chance, and show that I am…
"YEAHHH!!!!!"
A winner.