Chapter 7 - Saber & Chains VS Ice & Flames (part II)

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Part 1

「Is it over!?」

「It's a perfect hit. That should end it.」

「No way, the A-Rank Laura was beaten like this....」

「Wasn't she just unprepared? Otherwise, this is impossible....」

「...No, wait! Look at that!」

The confused spectators turned their gazes to Laura's right shoulder. Near's spear had indeed landed there, but it was completely stopped. Near's full-powered strike couldn't damage Laura at all.

"...So in the end, it turns out like this."

Setting aside his exasperation, Near once again took a large step back to escape the scorching heat, increasing the gap between them. His opponent was using magic as a shield, and an attack without equally strong magic couldn't harm a shielded Arma. Near's magic was suprising yet weak. However excellent his techniques might be, lacking a Arma's most important trait meant he couldn't even pierce the magic power Laura was releasing subconsciously.

Aura capacity―the total spiritual energy that a Contractor could spend in using his abilities. That attribute couldn't be increased with effort. It was locked at birth, bound by the weight of destiny... a human being's predetermined value.

Great people were given greatness to make great achievements. From the moment they were born, everyone had a place in an unquestionable hierarchy. In other words, the talent Laura had carried since birth became a firm wall and stopped Near's weapon.

"It leaves a bad taste, winning like this...."

"As I thought, Laura understood it right away. My abilities can't injure you at all."

"Naturally. And because I understood, I challenged you to this duel not just in magic, but also in swordsmanship, to show that my strength comes from more than talent. But it didn't go how I wanted... I'll admit it. This battle, I'll only win because of that talent."

Near was strong. The words about effort he had uttered weighed more than those of her past opponents. With the talent of a normal contractor, or even a bit less, he would've beaten Laura in this match. It was vexing, but Near didn't even have that. If he gave "I lost to her talent" as an excuse for his defeat, she wouldn't deny it. He had a right to say such things.

He was... that strong. That was why―

"I'll finish this with sincere respect."

Suddenly, Laura took a large leap backwards. She retreated to the ring-shaped arena's border line, at the wall that separated the arena from the audience seats.

With sincere respect. Near felt uneasy about Laura backing so far away after saying those words―but that unease was immediately quashed by a heavier sensation.

"Pierce the blue sky, blaze of purgatory."

The moment Stella pointed her Zapkiel towards the sky, the ice element she was using turned into crimson blue flames covering the sword burned with more fury and heat―and soon the sword lost its form, taking the shape of a pillar of light that melted the arena's domed roof.

「W-What is thiiiiis!!!」

「This is too insane! Is she still human!? How can she use two elements on a single fight?」

The blade that easily extended a hundred meters upward was shining with the sun's own brilliance, an unopposable scarlet conflagration. For this A-Rank Contractor, the Ice Princess, it was her strongest hidden Art. Laura no longer intended to fight with a sword. She would no longer be overconfident. Near was a warrior who far surpassed her. Because she admitted that, she chose to end this battle by destroying the arena with her unfair talent.

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