Chapter 22: The Unequal Duel

⊱ ———— On behalf of Alice ———— ⊰　　

"I need to calm down, I have to pack up, I can win this duel, I can !! " - Mentally encouraging myself, I sent a rapier to Esh .

- I'm ready. - Having said that, I stood in the rack

- Start when you want . - Smiling, he repeated after me, and stood in his rack .

Taking a breath, I strengthened my body with mana and used - [ Air Tread ] - lightening my body, and increasing my speed, I ran to Esh. I was several times faster than his father a month and a half ago, now it will be more difficult for him to fight with me, especially since he does not take me seriously, he decided to use only one sword, if I am fast enough, I can wound him before he will get a second sword.

When I reached him, I began to make quick and accurate lunges, aiming at his legs and arms, but each of my attacks was blocked and reflected by his sword, all my attempts to attack him came up against his mithril sword, but I did not give up, strengthening my body to of the limit, I started to beat even faster, so fast that not a single spectator who came to watch our duel was able to notice my blows, they only heard the sounds of Adamantite's collision with Mithril.

* DZIN * * CLANG * * DZIN * * DZIN * * DZIN *

After I conducted my series of attacks, I couldn't inflict any damage at all, having created a distance, I caught my breath, and deciding not to hesitate, I used one of my trump cards - [ Lightning Coatings ] - Technique that Esh taught me before he left his family. Using it, coupled with air fasting and the usual strengthening of the body, I caught my breath and ran towards him. The speed with which I delivered my piercing blows exceeded that when he fought with his father, laying out at what I thought was his maximum, but even so, he, without strengthening his body with mana, reflected all my attacks.

So I made a lunge aimed at his left hand and colliding with his mithril sword, I immediately transferred my attack, already aiming at his leg, but even then, he easily repelled my blow. He only did that he repulsed my attacks, never counterattacking me, he wants me to exhaust myself and not be able to continue our duel, but from the moment we parted, I trained daily and increased my mana supply, my father even gave me A very rare magic stone that helps increase mana if used properly. All these training swords, all these duels, it was all done for the sake of today, at this stage, I could beat him, but I did not go even to hurt him .. . He repulsed my attacks, as if he had brushed aside the annoying mosquito that was stopping him from sleeping.

Realizing that I could not inflict a wound on him in an honestly knightly battle one on one , I jumped away from him and began to cast a spell, behind the spell.

「About the Earth , according to our agreement , I command you , decipher the laws of this world , and Skuy my enemy - Earthmoving Cuffs ! 」

「Water , according to our agreement , fulfill my will , and smite my enemy - Water Spear ! 」

Using the element of the earth, I connected it and with the help of the element of water, I launched several water mines into it , I am sure that this will not reach it and that it will either dodge or repel my attack, but this is only a distracting maneuver. After that, I plan to use my trump cards.

「Lightning , I appeal to you , decode the laws of this world , and defeat my enemy - Lightning of Wrath ! 」

「About Ledyaev th creation of the world , I have orders Vayu thee , come forth in front of the set first and protect me - Icy Bastion ! 」

Using an element of lightning, I attacked him, and with the help of ice magic , I disappeared from his gaze in order to conduct my strongest attack, even if it does not work, then I lost.

「About the fierce lightning , obeying my family from the beginning of times , executed , and their duty , and destroy all , that is a threat to me ! - Imperial Thunder Dragon ! 」

When I finished singing the spell, the heavens themselves began to rumble, raising my rapier to the sky, I concentrated the remains of my mana in it, and having canceled the Ice Bastion, I pointed to Esh, who had just finished fighting off all my spells.

- Taste the Blood and Flesh of my enemy - Imperial Thunder Dragon! - Even if this attack does not work, then this is the end. Having put all my strength into this spell, I directed the rapier towards the grinning Esh, and began to lose consciousness.

⊱ ———— On behalf of Esh ———— ⊰　　

Not bad, a series of spells is very well thought out, forcing me as an element of the earth, and attacking me as an element of water and lightning, and while I fight back, hide myself behind an ice wall and sing my strongest spell.

" She did a very good job when drawing up this strategy, and not only that, all her movements were confident, did she hone them all this time?" - Thinking about it, I repelled the lightning of anger and looked at the ice bastion, to which I and her taught.

When I started to go to her, a bastion of ice melted, and she raised her rapier to the sky, I looked up and me. I followed her rapier, and did not lose , having done this, giant clouds appeared in the sky, in which lightning sometimes rumbled, but after her words ...

- Taste the Blood and Flesh of my enemy - Imperial Thunder Dragon! - The CE instantly changed lightning start to form dragon's body, which followed her rapier, and her rapier just pointed at me.

Tensing, I activated the search and absolute control of the magician of the elements, as I thought, she spent all her mana on this attack, her magic core was empty, and looking at her for the last time, I saw how she staggered, trying not to fall into fainting to see the result of his strongest attack.

- Not bad, but still not enough ... - Having said that, I raised my hand to the sky.

Using the magic of darkness, I created a funnel that extinguishes everything and everything in its path - [ Black Hole ] . Having expanded it to five meters in diameter, I, having completely absorbed the princess' attack, I, using - [ Lightning Jump ] , appeared next to her, to grab her by the shoulder, after that I spoke.

- Good duel, you are all very well thought out, but, as I said, you are too weak, in order to compete with me. - After my words, she disconnected .

In the evening in the imperial palace, I, having finished discussions with the emperor regarding my leaving home, our little duel with his daughter and admission to the military academy, went to her room. As soon as I went into it, she just woke up.

- Good evening, how did you sleep? - Entering the room, I asked.

- What? What happened I won? - Waking up, and seeing me, she quickly blurted out her questions.

- Of course not ... But you yourself perfectly understood that you have no chance against me either... - Going to the table, I poured water and gave a glass to my virgin girlfriend , sat on the edge of her bed and resolutely continued to speak. - Strategy is certainly good, but you are not physically capable of translating it into reality. Due to the small amount of mana, you were able to strengthen your body for only three minutes, after which, using four not very strong spells, you poured the remainder into the last, on which you put everything that you had, but this was very little. I fought alone against hundreds of monsters, did you really think that you could defeat me with just five spells? - Having asked my question, I looked at her face, she tried to hold back her tears.

- I ... I ... I, I wanted you to be with me, that's all I wanted! - Having said this, she could no longer restrain them, therefore, covering her face with her hands, she began to cry . - From that day, from the day we first met, I realized that I love you! I fell in love with you at three! I dreamed that, having told you about your feelings, you will accept them and stay with me, but that day when I wanted to do this, you refused the inheritance of your family and left the palace without even saying goodbye to me and your relatives!

- Sorry... -I could not tell her all the truths, it would break her heart, so I asked her for a petition, hugged her and said something that I might regret . - If you love me so much, then become stronger, become so strong that someday in the future, you could defeat me alone! And if you do, I will stay with you forever! - After these words, I removed my hands from her face, and kissed her. - Four years later , on your eighteenth birthday, I will come to this arena and fight with you, if by that time you are strong enough to defeat me, I will stay with you! - Having said that, I kissed her again, but already on the forehead and left her room .

Leaving her room, I, using the gate, ended up in my hotel room

" What the hell am I just doing ??? I kissed her, and then scheduled a duel for her birthday? AAAAA " - Only now, realizing the seriousness of the situation, I began a brainstorming session on how to resolve it, but even if I come to it and begin to make excuses, everything will only get worse. I kissed her, so I need to take responsibility for this, I scheduled a duel for her eighteenth birthday , she has almost four full years to prepare, and if she does not fly away, she will become a serious opponent. Even now, she is considered one of the strongest in the empire, if a normal guy of her age fought against her, and not me, she would easily defeat him, well, or even kill ... Fortunately, there are pluses in this situation, I planted in her shadow , a shadow warrior , so that if she is attacked and somehow she cannot handle it, I will come to her aid, now absolutely all my relatives and friends are under my direct protection.

" Aina, I think it's time to leave, I have nothing more to do here. Can you help with the creation of the gate to Krival? I need to fix my new mithril sword ... " - I asked Ainu for help, because I had never done such a distant gate.

[ Of course the owner, I open the portal to the city of Krival, the mana costs will be three thousand one hundred nineteen units, wait ... ] - After her words, particles of dark energy began to gather in front of me, these gates were much larger than all those that I opened before .

Picking up my things, I sat on the edge of the bed, for the creation of these gates was delayed, but after Aina finished, I went through them. Leaving the gate, I found myself behind the old man's workshop, mentally thanking Aina for such a perfect Gate, I went to his house and knocked on the door. Within a few seconds, the old man opened the door and looked at me, a guy standing with a guilty smile on the threshold of his house , and then looking at the scabbard of the sword, which was cheerful on my belt, he simply turned and headed for the workshop.

Entering the house and closing the door behind me, I followed him and stood in front of him, pulled out a sword. Cracked by blows Adamantite rapier and the reflection of the ice spears with anger by lightning, it was many times worse than the sword, which I at lightning speed scrap liter of bone goblin generals and e m in such creatures .

- How? - Seeing damage to the sword, he carefully, so that it did not fall apart in his hands, scanned it briefly.

- I fought against a very assertive opponent with an adamantite rapier and repelled them with an ice magic spell and an element of lightning. - I answered honestly .

- Adamantite rapier? Then how did he survive? - Hearing my explanation, he nodded and looked again at the mithril sword .

- I strengthened it with an appalling amount of mana. If there were an iron or gold sword in their place, they would have straightened out such pressure. - I said, looking at the rack with iron and steel swords.

- I get it, do you forge a new sword? Fortunately, I was able to get a few pounds of mithril. - Pointing to several ingots that stood in the corner of the room, the elder asked.

- Preferably two or three, I'll go to the demon nation to check something... - Having said that, as usual, I gave him an advance payment in one coin of white gold, and headed for the exit. - I need to solve a few more cases, I'll come back in a week, okay? - With a wave of my hand, I asked before leaving my house .

- I can handle it in a week, good luck! - said the old man, who, as soon as I left his workshop, set to work.

***

Having reached the guild of merchants, I went straight to their head. On the way to the capital, I killed several hundred more monsters while D and N were on guard and the girls were sleeping, so I sold their carcasses on the ground floor and went straight to the head of the guild to resolve one issue that interests me.

- Uncle Alfred, can I come to you? - Once knocking, I opened the door and asked permission to enter .

- Esh? So early from the capital? Yes, of course, come in . - Surprised at my arrival, he put the papers aside, got up from his chair.

Sitting in front of each other, like last time, I asked what I was very interested in. Pulling out my ID card, I raised it to eye level and asked my question

- If I go to the Demon Nation, can I also sell all my goods in guilds located on their territory?" - Having asked this, I gestured to my map .

- What are these weird questions?" Of course you can! Having registered once, you can use the services of the guild in any of its departments, this is the same as the guild of adventurers. - Of course I understood this, but still decided to clarify, otherwise everything happens .

- Fine, and one more question, have you already sent the skins that I sold you two weeks ago?" - Putting the card in my pocket, or rather in my inventory, I asked, the second question that interested me .

- Yes, a week ago we sent ten carts with a serious security guard to the capital, according to my information, they had already reached the city of Zover, and very soon we would get to the capital.

- It's good, well then I'll go, thanks for taking the time to me . - I said, heading for the exit, but they stopped me .

- Wait! So who won the duel? It is very interesting to me! - Getting up from his seat, he ran to me and began to beg me to answer .

- I, the princess, of course was good , but still, she is no match for me ... " Having said that, I left the guild and went to the hotel, which remained to work, due to the fact that Dean entrusted it to his good friend.

- Yeah! I WIN A LOT OF MONEY!!!! - I heard Alfred scream when I moved a short distance from the guild."

"Maybe I should take interest from him? - Thinking about it, I immediately threw this thought aside and, reaching the hotel, took a bath and fell asleep.

A week later, taking three new mithril swords and paying another white gold coin for them, I said goodbye to the old man and went to the border. Having reached her, I quickly reached the first city in the country of demons - the city of Devron.