The shadowy figure burst forward, the longsword in his hand twitching slightly, outlining the graceful flow of water, and the sharp blade struck the giant crocodile's neck.
"Clang!"
The dark sword and the emerald crocodile scales collided, producing a loud metallic clang. Bai En took a deep breath, his right hand gripping the sword, restraining the backward recoil, and scraped down along the giant crocodile's scales.
The sword's edge sparked tiny flames, and a "crunch" of friction faintly resounded.
The giant crocodile was enraged by Bai En's provocative attack. It twisted its body, and a chilling coldness seeped from its scales. Frost began to appear on the sword's body, which was engraved with gilded patterns.
The icy coldness invigorated Bai En. His hand on the hilt twisted slightly, shattering the ice covering the sword.
Just as he was about to create distance and evade the cold air released by the giant crocodile, he looked up to find several sharp, prismatic ice spikes forming on its body. White, cold currents diffused, and the ice spikes rained down like arrows.
"Puff puff..."
The ice spikes missed, plunging straight into the gray-black ground.
Bai En ran with all his might, dodging the ice spikes coming from above. He maintained the Water Breathing: Constant breathing method, taking deep breaths of oxygen from the air, optimizing his physical condition.
After running for a distance, Bai En spun around, his black sword swiftly slashing horizontally in front of him in a draw-sword stance. "Water Breathing, First Form, Water Surface Slash."
The ice spikes met the sword's edge and were cleanly sliced.
He repeatedly slashed and swept in front of him, clearing away wave after wave of ice spikes conjured by the giant crocodile. After shattering the next round of arrow-like prismatic spikes, a hot mist surged from Bai En's nose and mouth. He used the explosive power of his legs and the distance he had created to charge directly at the giant crocodile.
His spinning posture propelled the sword, dancing and striking with the longsword, like a surging dragon.
This was the most damaging attack in Water Breathing, "Tenth Form, Constant Flux."
..."Can he do it?"
"Fighting those guys without magic?" Magna grumbled to Luck. He knew that even with all his magic, he hadn't been able to defeat the magic beast.
Now, that guy actually... If he defeated that magic beast, what would Magna be? A good-for-nothing... being called a straggler would be too shameful, wouldn't it?
Magna could understand Asta defeating a magic beast without anti-magic, as he had no talent in magic, so it was natural for him to have some physical achievements.
But this guy in front of him had superb magic. If his physical fitness was also that outstanding... it was simply treating people as less than human.
Luck ignored Magna's question, his golden eyes fixed on Bai En and the giant crocodile's battle. Ice cones and sword light intertwined. What was this, a human hunting a large magic beast by relying on physical instinct, devoid of magic?
A primal hand-to-hand combat... it was truly exciting!
The battle-obsessed maniac's face showed a fervent smile. 'If only it were me fighting in the arena... His swordsmanship is similar to Asta's... His breathing method and rhythm are completely different from ours...'
'Perhaps I'll have a chance to discuss these techniques with Asta.'
Fragil watched Bai En, who was fighting the giant crocodile with his sword, and couldn't help but feel a chill down her spine for the Vice Captain. 'To fight such a creature without magic, isn't that a bit too bold? What if he gets injured?'
'I'm not a healing Mage...'
'However...' Fragil's thoughts began to wander.
Behind the Aqua Deer base was a large lake. Apart from Captain Rill, who frequently visited in the morning sun and under the moonlit glow of fireflies to find inspiration for his paintings, she also enjoyed leisurely strolls there during sunset after completing missions or finishing lunch.
The orange-red sun leaped onto the calm lake surface, and occasionally, the wind would sweep fallen leaves, creating a rare and beautiful scene.
On occasion, she had seen Bai En practicing in the lake multiple times. The gleaming white blade would periodically create spiderweb-like ripples on the tranquil surface, and silver fish would leap out of the water, accompanying the dancing sword lines.
Regardless of wind, rain, cloudy days, or sunny days, he practiced for long, unyielding hours, day after day, year after year, his exquisite swordsmanship capable of rippling the lake's surface.
'He'll win, won't he?'
The Clown also watched Bai En with interest, noting his special breathing method and his nimble, sharp sword forms. 'It was just a casual suggestion, and yet I happened to find someone who fits the standard.'
'Is this destiny?'
The dice floating beside him showed a "five" on its visible face. Faint, ethereal threads connected him to Fragil and the other three who had appeared here. The thread connecting Bai En was slightly thicker than the others... On the gray-black circular platform.
The flowing sword light danced into a dragon's shadow, its sharp and keen edge resembling teeth, constantly rotating and gaining power as it slashed forward.
After perceiving that the ice spikes he released had no effect, the giant crocodile unleashed a breath attack at the approaching figure. A massive amount of frost surged out, and thick, towering ice pillars rose from the ground.
But the figure, dancing like a dragon, slid on the ice-covered surface amidst the pillars, moving faster and faster, like a waltz on ice. The sharp sword shadow cut through ice pillars one after another, drawing ever closer to the giant crocodile.
Dodging the giant crocodile's final surprise attack and bite, Bai En leaped upwards, his strike descending from the air, plummeting directly towards the giant crocodile's neck.
The long dragon's rising and falling posture resembled a dragon raising its head to bite, its fangs tightly gripping the giant crocodile. Blood bloomed, and the dark sword, with immense force, pierced through the emerald scales and entered the flesh beneath.
"He succeeded?"
Fragil and the two others excitedly watched the center of the battlefield, the injured giant crocodile... the scattered blood... Had the outcome already been decided?
An unexpected twist occurred.
The blood gushing from the giant crocodile instantly froze into frost, covering half of Bai En's body from the sword's blade. Just now... it was deliberate!
How could a non-magical slash so easily break through its defense?
While it might cause some damage to the giant crocodile, how could it result in such a bloody scene?
The giant crocodile, realizing it couldn't stop Bai En's attack, secretly expanded the area covered by its scales and then froze its magic-infused blood.
"Roar!"
The giant crocodile roared, showing off that it was the strongest of the magic beasts summoned. It couldn't bite Bai En, who was embedded in its neck, so it swung its magic-enhanced tail, striking out with a single blow.
Bai En, still tightly gripping his longsword, was flung through the air and slammed onto the ground.
The immense impact caused Bai En to cough up a mouthful of blood. The metallic taste in his mouth and the sensation of being violently struck brought him back to that night fifteen years ago when he was hit by a truck.
Fortunately... the tempering of his breathing... and long-term magic tempering meant he didn't simply die.
But if he continued to fight now, it seemed there was only one path: death.