Conclusion

“hmph…….this is a real battlefield. Don’t expect things to go the same way as they did during the practical exams.”

“That’s my line, you fool.”

Wilhelm, this guy really thinks he has any right to be saying such things to me.

Even back then, he was the one who tried to trample my foot first, and then ended up tasting dirt when I returned the favour.

Well, whatever.

I simply………need to defeat this man.

“*shha!*”

Unlike the time inside the building, this time I launched an attack first.

I had no intentions of holding back, as I swung my sword aimed directly at Wilhelm’s windpipe.

However.

“!?”

“Too naïve.”

Wilhelm deftly stepped back to get out from my sword’s range.

“Seeeeeeeeeeeeeiiihhh!!”

And then, with a roar, he launched forward again with a downward slash backed by the full force of his body.

——–*giiiiiiiiiinnnnn*!!

The two swords clashed, as the shrill sound of steel clashing resounded across the ramparts.

“Wilhelm, this will just result in the same……….!?!”

“OOOOOOOOOOOOHH!!!

I lunged in with my knee with full strength like before but this time, Wilhelm quickly blocked it with his own leg, and managed to endure it.

And once we were both effectively on one leg, and our balance was off, Wilhelm quickly used that chance to push back against me.

———*scree*……….*kree*……..

“How’s that Rudolf? Your small body won’t be able to handle this pressure, can it”?

“kuh………..”

I wanted to regain my posture again but, if I let go of even a little bit of the force, I will instantly get slammed down and crushed.

In that case.

“!?!”

“Your hands sure look pretty open right now.”

I launched my knee again, but this time aimed for the hands that were holding on to his sword.

Of course, I was unable to hold my balance either, and ended up falling on the ground but, Wilhelm was also in the same situation, and that gave enough room to regain my posture again.

“………..you really do love swinging your legs around huh.”

“Why thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment.”

We both stood back up, and then took stance with our swords again.

If Wilhelm wasn’t wearing a gauntlet, I would have broken at least one, maybe two of his fingers as well but……..alas.

“But in the end, this is all just cheap tricks. Now that I am wearing full armour, these attacks won’t hurt me.”

“………………………”

Well, Wilhelm was certainly correct there.

It was one thing if he had no armour but, right now, it was hard to land a telling blow on him.

And also……..the fact that the location of this fight was on the ramparts was also working against me.

Stuck in a narrow corridor made it harder to outright avoid attacks, and considering I had a pretty big disadvantage when it came to physique, my defence won’t last too long.

And as proof of that.

“RAAAAAAAAAAAGHH!!!”

“ughu!?”

Even upon fully blocking Wilhelm’s assault, my entire body got blown backwards.

For now I am managing to somehow maintaining my posture but, if I was even a second too late even once, I’ll instantly get overwhelmed and lose this match.

Seriously, no wonder they say that in a real battle, physique matters more than technique.

At the very least, if we were fighting in a wider arena I could………..ah but, there’s no point crying over what I cannot change.

And also.

———*Gaaaan!!*

“ugh………!?”

“If you keep using nothing but brute strength in your attacks, it leaves your defence quite open you know? Do your best to defend the gaps in your armour okay?”

My attack speed was far greater, and my technique far better.

And above all……I have the skills hat were drilled into me by Marquis Fahlcrantz.

Repeated again, and again, a true skill, designed purely to destroy and bury your enemies.

Me and Wilhelm stared down each other yet again.

Only one motive in mind, to beat the other. To erase our other self.

It was then.

“fuu……….I can’t go along with this, any longer.”

Suddenly, Nikita uttered these words.

As if to pour cold water on our heated battle.

“Lord Wilhelm, it would seem keeping our promise will not be possible after all.”

“Promise?”

Sparing a glance at Nikita, I looked back at Wilhelm again.

This woman………no, a promise with the Rujian empire, just what could it………

“……..Then, begone already. That is of course, if you can escape from Lizbeth and the Fahlcrantz army by yourself.”

Basically, what Wilhelm was saying was this.

Until and unless he won in our duel, there was no other way to get out of this place alive.

However.

“fufu………if I don’t have to carry a useless baggage like yourself, escaping is a quite simple task for the likes of myself. You do you, and die a miserable death here.”

Nikita shot a bewitching smile, and then took a step towards the edge of the walls.

“””!?!”””

And then right in front of our eyes, she jumped down the rampart and into the deep ravine.

“th-that’s!?!”

“Liz! What do you see!?”

“That woman, she is running across the side of the rampart walls……..”

“WHAT!?”

I-is that even something that is doable……..?

It was unbelievable but, it would seem we had let the Rujian assassin that was supporting Wilhelm’s ambitions, escape from our clutches.

“…………hmph, we had only joined hands for mutual benefit after all. Now that I have lost all power, it was only natural that this would happen.”

Still staring at me, Wilhelm spat out those words.

And with that………..this man was now, truly alone.

“I’ve had enough. It’s time we ended this. I will defeat you, and move on to the next.”

“Unfortunately, there is no next for you.”

I dropped my waist, and took a low stance.

The tip of my sword was aimed directly at Wilhelm’s torso……..with the full intent to pierce right through it all, even his armour.

And perhaps because he read through my intentions, Wilhelm too took a lower stance, ready for my assault.

To cut me down in two, the moment I lunge forward.

Now then…………..will my sword be faster, or will his? LET’S FIND OUUUT!!!!

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHH!!”

I kicked off the ground with both my legs, and bolted straight towards Wilhelm with a warcry.

Like a ballista knocked to the very limit of the bowstring, and then released.

I bet everything, on this one attack.

“OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH!!”

The moment I entered his range, Wilhelm’s sword scraped across the ground as he swung upwards towards the sky with an equally loud roar.

And as the sword approached me, I–

“!?! WHATTT!?”

“And with this…….It’s OVVEEEEEEEEERRRRRR!!!”

I took another step, one more foot forward.

Not to dodge his attack, and neither to block it. I simply moved…….forward.

——–*giiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnn*…………

The sound of steel clashing ……..no, it was the sound steel getting pierced and torn though, that echoed.

And then.

“gah……..fu………….!?”

Wilhelm spewed blood from his mouth as his face distorted ugly from the agonizing pain.

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