That Time I Started A Life In Another World

Fight After Fight After Fight

I gripped my sword tightly and focused on Wilhelm. I didn't let my eyes wonder for even a moment, lest I get cut.

I focused on his eyes more intently than anything else. Even the most capable of fighters have to look before they act.

When you think like that, my Mana Sense is a big cheat, huh.

Just when I was thinking that, Wilhelm moved, almost as if noticing my leisurely thoughts.

He was looking all around, not giving me an idea of how he would attack. His footwork didn't help with that, it was perfectly capable of going in any direction.

I had no choice but to adopt the same style of omni-directionalism.

When he finally got in reach, his attack came from the left- that's a feint!- came from the right.

I managed to block it, then did a counter attack.

Wilhelm perfectly parried and moved even further on the offensive. I was forced to step back, but that wasn't too bad.

Whenever I saw his strikes, I couldn't help but be confused. All of them were so sharp and fast, that distinguishing between feints and real strikes could only be done at the latest of moments.

On the other end, by looking at how his eyes moved, I could tell that he perfectly understood my strikes. The power behind them, the speed, which ones were real or not.

It was the difference in pure experience.

His mana boosting was also much superior to mine.

He would use mana only at the latest of moments, to add more power behind his attacks, but also not to waste any.

Everything about his fighting was perfe-

Eh? Wait, did he mess up?

I could see it. He clearly made a mistake. It wasn't a big one, but it was still one I could capitilize on.

So I did just that, I struck the weakness that he exposed.

He managed to block it, but not only was his rhythm now broken, his stance was too.

I knew that he would recover in a blink, so this time around, I pressed on the offensive.

Each of my strikes further and further destabilized him.

Holy shit! I might actually do it!

I could see it, a path to victory. It would be a dirty victory, one that wouldn't be possible for anyone else, but still a victory.

First of all, stone bullets.

He dodged them by jumping to the side, but that was exactly what I calculated.

His stance was already quite shaky, but I ate the ground beneath only one of his feet. He managed to recover, but too late.

I was already in front of him, fully ready to attack.

But I knew that a normal strike wouldn't work, a feint would probably fail as well. So I closed my eyes, used Mana Sense and did a feint... after another feint! A double-feint!

And just like I thought, I obtained victory.

I...

...

I scratched him!!!!

I opened my eyes. Right where I was looking, on his torso, there was a small cut with blood flowing out.

The happiness I felt couldn't be described.

Then, I felt something hit my face from the side with immense power.