Unbreakable Resolve (2)

"Marsha."

Freeman's eyes snapped open. The unfocused vision from his concussion was beginning to clear.

'How much time has passed?'

Perhaps it was already too late. But regardless, he forced his exhausted body to stand.

"I'll protect her."

Freeman's legs started moving.

Towards where Marsha was.

Amy ran full speed along the mountain path. She still wasn't in any condition to cast magic, but the end of the road was finally coming into view.

"Just a little more!"

At last, reaching the top of the hill, Amy's face turned pale at the unexpected scene before her.

"Tess! No!"

Rian was holding Falcoa from behind, and at full speed, Tess was thrusting her rapier mercilessly towards both of them.

"Huff!"

As the blade pierced through, Falcoa let out a ragged breath. At the same time, Rian's eyes, standing behind him, shook with shock.

Twenty minutes earlier.

Falcoa was ruthlessly pushing Rian and Tess to their limits. It may have been a well-trained technique, but to those on the receiving end, it felt like being hunted by a raging beast.

Rolling on the ground, Tess gritted her teeth.

'What the hell is this guy?!'

More than just his swordplay, his sheer aggression was overwhelming.

Falcoa's combat style made it seem as if he had an extra life. His relentless pressure itself was a technique, forcing both of them onto the defensive.

After ten minutes, Rian's body was covered in small sword wounds.

"Heh, is that all?"

Lowering his sword, Falcoa sneered, while Tess turned to Rian.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I can hold on."

His calm voice made Tess's emotions surge.

While she was circling to look for an opening to strike at Falcoa's vitals, Rian had been taking on most of the attacks.

Seeing Rian's forehead dripping blood ignited something inside her.

'Bastard.'

Clenching the hilt of her rapier tightly, she charged at an incredible speed.

It was a strike as fast as lightning, but Falcoa twisted his body with animal-like reflexes. Then, he drove his knee into Tess's ribs, knocking the wind out of her.

"Kuh!"

As her body froze from the impact, Falcoa swung his longsword at her exposed neck.

Everything felt slow.

Tess could see the trajectory of the blade clearly.

But even with heightened awareness, her body refused to react in time.

'Sorry, Rian. I wanted to at least land a hit on him before going down.'

Just as the blade was about to touch her skin, Falcoa's body suddenly jerked sideways.

"Tess!"

A rough voice shattered the moment, and Tess saw Rian sprinting forward, locking his arms around Falcoa's waist.

"Haaaah!"

Even as his feet left the ground, Falcoa adjusted his posture midair, using his Schema-enhanced body balance to press down on Rian.

With both feet planted firmly on the ground again, Falcoa grabbed Rian by the nape and slammed his knee into his stomach.

A shockwave burst through his torso, the impact exploding out his back.

"Gah!"

Rian's eyes widened.

It felt like a sledgehammer had crushed his chest. His grip weakened, and his consciousness began to fade.

Falcoa didn't stop. He kept driving his knee into Rian's gut.

Each impact made Rian's large frame jolt violently.

"Heh! Now you get it? Don't worry. Your friend will be joining you soon."

Rian's fading awareness snapped back.

'Tess.'

They bickered often, but in truth, he respected her deeply as a fellow swordsman.

"Someone like you..."

His half-loosened grip tightened again, his arms locking even harder around Falcoa's waist.

"Won't lay a finger on my friends, you bastard!"

With a powerful tackle, Falcoa's feet lifted off the ground once more.

"Tch! You little—!"

Falcoa's expression twisted.

He had to admit, Rian was durable. But overpowering a Schema user with sheer strength was unnatural.

'Damn it! What the hell is going on?!'

Rian maneuvered behind Falcoa, clasping his hands together and locking his arms around his opponent's torso.

Falcoa struggled, his arms flexing, but he couldn't break free.

"Damn it! Let me go!"

Falcoa thrashed, but Rian's body remained as solid as iron.

Only one thought consumed him.

'Hold. Do not move.'

A cold voice broke through Falcoa's panic.

"You're not going anywhere."

Falcoa paused for a moment—then fought even harder.

"Grahhh! I'll kill you!"

"Heh."

Rian's lips curled into a grin.

"This… is what they call a Schema of imagination."

The term was often used to mock swordsmen, but in reality, it held academic value significant enough for Kuann to document in student records.

It was commonly believed that magicians trained their minds, while swordsmen trained their bodies. However, at the deepest level, both professions sought the same thing.

The brain.

Some swordsmen dedicated their entire lives to reconstructing the mysterious map of the brain within Schema's human structure.

Many denied it, but countless reports from around the world proved its existence.

'I am steel. I will not move.'

Rian locked the thought in his mind, reinforcing it like an unbreakable mental chain.

"Tess! Stab him!"

"But—!"

Tess understood Rian's intent.

This was their only chance to take down Falcoa.

But if she miscalculated, Rian's life would also be in danger.

"Hurry! I can't hold him forever!"

Rian's body was screaming in pain.

His mind was forcing his body to obey, but if he surpassed his limit, he would break.

"Te… Tess…!"

Seeing the desperation in Rian's face, Tess tightened her grip on her rapier and charged forward.

If she hesitated now, she would only be making a fool of Rian's efforts.

"Haaah!"

That was the moment Amy arrived.

"Tess! Stop!"

Tess's rapier plunged deep into Falcoa's body.

It struck straight through his heart. Falcoa's eyes trembled as shock rippled through his form, life draining from them.

'Is this the end?'

Oddly, he didn't feel afraid.

His life had been meaningless—this wasn't any different.

"...Marsha."

His bloodied lips curled into a slow, twisted smile.

'Take me to the battlefield.'

As Tess withdrew her rapier, Falcoa crumpled forward, lifeless.

Rian immediately collapsed to his knees.

Amy rushed over in a panic.

"Rian! Are you okay?!"

"Hey, Amy. Glad you're safe."

Rian forced a smile, but his face was ghostly pale.

Amy turned to Tess with an accusing glare.

"Tess! What happened?!"

Tess, calmly wiping the blood from her sword, gave a slight smirk.

"Don't worry. I only stabbed Falcoa. Rian's fine."

Amy stared blankly.

"Then… why is he bleeding from his chest?"