I prepared myself, wearing my silver armor and sheathing my katana. I had Edwin repair my katana and making it sharper.
"Are you ready, Envi?" I asked, curious about his readiness. I figured he would be eager to see me defeat Mark.
"Of course! Just watch out if you lose!" Envi threatened, looking down on me.
"Nah, I'd win." I grinned widely.
I stepped into the duel arena. The cheers of the crowd were overwhelming. Upon reaching the arena, I saw it filled with Blackmore knights, workers, and even non-combatants watching the match. I can see Vivin, Rosan, Elan, and Mai with the maids watching me.
The Patriarch sat on a throne-like chair, giving off an intimidating aura. Beside him were Lilia and Milly. I noticed Lilia looking at me disdainfully, while Milly appeared extremely worried.
Mark stood before me, clad in bronze armor and wielding a greatsword. His gaze was full of rage, resembling a dog ready to bite. I attempted to view Mark's status and was shocked.
"What the hell? He's already level 40? This is so unfair!! I'm just level 32!!" I complained internally to Envi.
"Calm down! It doesn't matter if he's strong because he received training from the Patriarch or if he took something to boost his level like elixirs; but i'm sure you can definitely beat him!" Envi encouraged me.
"You're right, Envi. We'll win." I affirmed.
"Are you both ready?" The duel judge asked us.
"Are you both ready?" The duel judge repeated, a Knight of Rank A and William, they are entrusted with overseeing our match.
"Hey, what kind of thin sword is that, Hero of Failure? It makes me want to laugh! Hahaha! Get ready to be humiliated!" Mark answered confidently, mocking me.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah! Hey, judge, hurry up and start! I can't wait to kick this spoiled brat's ass." I replied lazily.
"Then, the match between Naoki von Blackmore and Mark von Blackmore for the position of family heir and potential hero of the Blackmore family begins!!!" The judge signaled for the duel to start.
Mark rushed toward me, drawing his sword as he unleashed the first form of <Blackmore Swordsmanship: Kazekiri>. I quickly responded with the same technique.
"<Kazekiri!>"
Clang!
Our swords clashed fiercely. Mark's attacks felt heavy, perhaps due to our level difference or the sheer weight of his large sword.
He kept driving me back, swinging relentlessly. I was stuck on the defensive, unable to find an opening to counterattack. Seeing my struggling state, Mark's grin widened with excitement. He was clearly planning to finish me off.
Suddenly, Mark activated his skill.
"
"Ugh!" I stumbled back, struggling to withstand his assault. I hadn't expected the second form of Blackmore Swordsmanship to be so powerful like this.
"Haah, is this all you've got? Hahaha! Just give up, you failed hero!" Mark taunted, growing more eager with each strike.
I refused to back down. I unleashed Envi's signature move:
Mark appeared shocked at my relentless onslaught.
"What the hell? You call that an attack? That's just a series of weak moves! Hahaha!" He deftly parried each of my strikes.
Mark charged at me again, preparing his next move.
"<Blackmore Swordsmanship, Third Form: Kasoseki (Acceleration)!>" In an instant, his speed doubled. I was taken aback; the third form just like Milly's kasoseki, it was a buff that enhanced the user's agility.
For ten seconds, Mark was a whirlwind of speed. He attacked me with both Kazekiri and Nisshou Giri.
Clang, clang, slash!
I managed to deflect his first two strikes, but the Nisshou Giri caught my arm, shattering my right arm's armor and leaving a shallow cut.
"Hey, Nao! Why are you so weak?! Why don't you just hit him with that move you used to defeat the Berserker Troll King?!" Envi shouted, bewildered.
"Are you dumb?! That requires magic! Besides, thats why i haven't fully mastered the Resonance yet." I tried to convince Envi that I could take Mark down purely with swordsmanship.
"Hoou, impressive that you've held out this long! But my next move will end this!" Mark declared confidently.
He squared his stance, preparing to unleash the fourth move of Blackmore Swordsmanship. I readied myself for a counterattack.
"<Blackmore Swordsmanship, Fourth Form: Mitsugiri! (Triple Slash)>" This technique unleashed three slashes in alternating horizontal and vertical patterns, radiating a powerful aura.
"<Blackmore Katana Style: Yanagi Uke>" I smoothly parried Mark's three strikes and immediately countered with my own slash.
"Ugh, you little punk! How dare you!" Mark's anger flared as I managed to slice through the armor on his right chest.
Both of us were wounded now. I could see Mark beginning to tire, perhaps from overusing his skills.
He shed his damaged armor and charged at me again, seemingly intent on finishing this match. He reverted back to his third move.
"Nao, be careful! I think this is his ultimate attack!" Envi warned, urging me to prepare.
"<Blackmore Swordsmanship: Kasoseki!!>" Mark surged forward, doubling his speed once more. But he didn't stop there; he activated his ultimate skill. "
Slash, slash, slash!
I fought back using the <Blackmore Katana Style: Tsurugi no Mai>.
But I could only block a handful of his strikes, and I felt myself being forced back, cornered. In the end, I took several hits and crashed to the ground. My armor was nearly shredded, and I was covered in slashes from head to toe.
"Ugh!! Damn it! I can't keep up with his speed!" I groaned, spitting blood.
"NAO! Stop daydreaming! Try to use your senses and feel the direction of his attacks! Then unleash your strongest move!" Envi urged, trying to motivate me.
Suddenly, a notification appeared:
-----------------------
Reminder!
If you lose here, the goddess quest will fail, and Takahiro Ayase will lost her life."
-----------------------
...
...
Suddenly, a searing pain ignited in my chest, like my heart was set on fire. Remembering everything, I felt my anger rise—not at Mark, but at myself, for being powerless to save my mother right now. I hated this feeling of helplessness...
Memories of my mother, Takahiro Ayase, flooded my mind. She was always there, lifting me up when my grades slipped, when my motivation faltered, and when I felt like giving up on life itself.
She always told me:
"Don't let yourself be defeated…"
"You can do this, Nao…"
"Believe in the you I believe in…"
But now, her life was on the line. I wouldn't allow this to happen! Even if I can't return to Earth, I'll protect her no matter what.
Here and now, I'll show my resolve!
...
I gripped my katana tightly, so hard my knuckles went white, and bit down on my lip until I tasted blood.
"Yeah, I know that, you stupid system! I can't lose here. I have to save my mother!!!" I shouted, rising from the ground and lifting my sword.
Mark wasn't finished, he launched his ultimate attack once more.
"It's over!!! <Kurayami no Mai!>" Mark unleashed that deadly technique against me again.
I closed my eyes and began to sense the direction of Mark's strikes through the overwhelming intent to kill emanating from him.
Unconsciously, the skills (???) activated, allowing me to see the path of his sword. I quickly prepared the Blackmore Katana Style in an Iai stance.
One by one, I dodged Mark's erratic slashes. As his attack came to an end, I swiftly drew my sword and unleashed my strongest move.
"
"This—this is impossible! How could my attack miss, and I end up getting hit instead???" Mark collapsed to the ground, silence engulfing the arena as the spectators appeared in disbelief.
"You did it, Nao! You actually beat Mark!" Envi cheered, his voice bubbling with excitement.
I gave him a faint smile in response.
Yet, as I looked around, I could sense the tension in the crowd. Almost everyone here had been rooting for Mark to take me down, yet I had defeated him. Their shock was so palpable that it left them in stunned silence.
Only the maids' cheers cut through the heavy quiet, especially Rosan, Elan, Vivin, and Mai, who'd been rooting for me from the start. Their antics made me smile just a little wider.
Then, just as the silence settled, the judge and William rushed to Mark's side to check his condition, making sure he couldn't continue the match.
"Mark von Blackmore is unable to continue. The winner is—"
But suddenly, Mark stirred. Though he'd seemed completely unconscious just moments before, his eyes rolled back, showing only the whites. A dark shadow started to take shape behind him.
Without warning, Mark became feral, and the shadow erupted in a surge of dark energy that sent the judge flying. William barely managed to brace himself against it.
"What's going on?! Young Master Naoki, get back! There's something… wrong with Lord Mark! This aura… it's like a demon's!" William shouted, urging me to retreat.
Panic rippled through the audience as the shadow's sinister aura poured out, clouding the arena and freezing people in place with sheer terror. It was as though an overwhelming fear status had paralyzed everyone.
I saw the Patriarch protecting Lilia and Milly, shielding them from the shadow's influence.
Meanwhile, William charged at Mark, but just as his sword was about to connect, the shadow melded into Mark, reshaping him in an instant.
Mark's form twisted—his hair grew long and pitch-black, and two sharp horns jutted from his forehead. His body became encased in dark crystal armor, like an ominous, spiked exoskeleton, and his eyes burned with a bloodthirsty red glow.
Mark raised his hand, summoning a massive, pitch-black sword from the shadows. He swung it with terrifying speed, sending William crashing into the spectator stands.
Chaos erupted in the arena.
"Nao, look closely! Just over Mark's left chest… there's a crystal. It's glowing and seems to be the source of his power. That could be his weak point!" Envi's keen analysis reached my ears.
"Understood, Envi. But how… How did Mark turn into this? This aura… it reminds me of the Berserker Troll King!" The memory of that nightmare flashed through my mind.
"Listen, Nao… I suspect Doomspire demons are involved. That crystal embedded in Mark… it's likely an elixir of the demon clans. It boosts the user's power, granting them demonic strength in an instant!" Envi explained quickly.
Why would Mark turn to demonic power? Was he forced into this, or had the demons manipulated him somehow? This couldn't be allowed to go any further.
"Envi, prepare to fight him… Cover me while I figure out how to take him down."
"Roger!"
In an instant, our consciousnesses swapped places. Now Envi's cool, steady gaze faced Mark as he readied himself for the clash.
...
...
--Continued to the next chapter--