[Brian's POV]
Raul and I already held our respective wooden swords. This was a duel; the winner would be determined if the opponent surrendered or was unable to continue the fight.
We both stood in the center of the arena field. The man then took a gold coin from his uniform pocket and tossed it into the air. The coin spun and slowly fell. I began to prepare my fighting stance. Not long after, the gold coin lay on the ground, signaling that the duel had begun.
"Accel!"
"Accel!"
We both activated the same magic and dashed toward each other. He launched a diagonal slash at me, but I easily evaded it and delivered a counterattack.
- Tak!
Our swords clashed; he blocked my strike with his wooden sword. However, I didn't stop there and launched a sweep kick at his legs to knock him down. Yet, the man managed to avoid it by jumping into the air. He swung his wooden sword vertically toward my head, but I parried it using the sword I held.
"Raging Blade!"
I swung my sword powerfully toward his chest. The man managed to block my attack just in time; his body was knocked back slightly even though he succeeded in parrying. My attack still hadn't landed.
"Justice Spirit!"
Activating my buff, I dashed toward him again. Once in front of him, I saw him pull his leg back slightly as if preparing for a kick. However, I had already memorized his fighting style. This was a feint to deceive me; he would surely change his attack pattern once my attention was focused on his leg.
I pretended to take the bait.
- Slash!
I was right; he shifted his pattern and quickly delivered a diagonal slash. However, I was able to evade because I had anticipated this beforehand.
- Bam!
I rushed to launch a counterattack that hit his shoulder. He was pushed back, clutching his right shoulder where my strike had landed.
"You think the same trick will work on me!? How naive!" I mocked him.
However, the man did not respond to my words at all. His face remained flat, as if he weren't interested in the slightest. I can do this; I can defeat this man. Right now, I am far stronger than I was last year. I will protect Ariel from this man, I will keep her away from danger, and I will always be near her and with her forever.
"I will win!"
***
[Ariel's POV]
It had been several hours since Brian left for the Student Council Building. However, he had yet to return to see me. When I followed him there, he was nowhere to be found. I then searched for him at the men's dormitory, but the guard there said that Brian had not returned to his room at all. I looked for him at the training grounds and the Swordsmaster club room, but his figure was nowhere to be found.
Where is he? Did something happen to him? I began to worry deeply that he was facing trouble because of me.
Night arrived, and I still hadn't found Brian. I sat down on a bench in front of the women's dormitory to rest for a moment.
- Tap... Tap... Tap...
I heard the sound of footsteps; a blonde-haired woman was seen walking toward the dormitory.
"President Elena!" I called out to her.
It seemed she had just returned from the Student Council building after finishing her work. I stood up and walked toward her.
"Hm? Ariel?"
"President Elena, have you seen Brian?" I asked her. "He went to the Student Council building earlier. But when I went after him, he was no longer there."
"Alright, I'll tell you what happened."
President Elena then recounted how Brian had suddenly arrived and asked the Student Council to move his field work placement to the same location where I was stationed.
"I'm sorry we placed you in a dangerous location, Ariel," President Elena said, feeling guilty. "But only Raul agreed to be stationed there at the time, on the condition that you be one of the Priestesses who came with him."
So that was it? What was his reason for wanting me there? In these past six months, we hadn't even spoken to each other, and the last time we talked was during the first stage of the survival exam.
"I told Brian to speak with Raul if he wanted to change the decision," President Elena continued. "I'm sure he challenged him to a duel to get his way."
"So, are they at the arena now?" I muttered.
"We had better go see for ourselves," President Elena said.
The two of us hurried toward the academy arena. The atmosphere in the area was very quiet as the night grew later. Upon arriving, we rushed inside. The faint sound of two people fighting could be heard. After reaching one of the spectator stands, I saw the black-haired man exchanging attacks with the blonde-haired man.
"What's wrong? Is this all you've got, Raul!?"
Currently, Raul's body was covered in wounds, while Brian looked fresh without a single injury. Was this fight entirely one-sided? I knew Brian was much stronger than before, but I didn't know his power could leave Raul in such a state.
They continued the fight; Brian's body was currently enveloped in a golden light. Raul tried to initiate an attack, but it was easily broken by Brian. The gold-haired man launched a barrage of counterattacks; Raul tried to evade, but several of Brian's strikes hit his body.
"Why did you place Ariel in such a dangerous location, Raul!" Brian shouted while swinging his wooden sword at the black-haired man. "Don't you love her too? Why do you always cause her trouble?"
Huh? Raul loves me? This was news to me. Had he ever spoken of his feelings for me to Brian?
- Bam!
A very loud impact echoed; Brian skillfully evaded Raul's attack and launched a swift counter that hit Raul's head hard. Raul's body lay on the ground, blood beginning to flow from his temple due to the impact. He then tried to climb back to his feet, though with great difficulty.
"If you truly loved her, then you should protect Ariel from all threats! Instead of placing her in a dangerous place like that!" Brian shouted emotionally.
I was quite touched by Brian's words. However, I at least wanted to try and do my best in this activity and be useful to everyone.
"I'm going to beat you until you understand this, Raul!"
Brian dashed back toward where Raul stood. He delivered a diagonal slash followed by a thrust. However, Raul still managed to parry and evade by a hair's breadth.
"I'll end this with my new combo! Rising Dragon!"
Brian's sword began to be enveloped in golden light, and he then showered Raul with incredibly fast slashes. The black-haired man tried to withstand Brian's endless combo; a crack appeared on Raul's wooden sword.
"Not yet, I'm going to release something even stronger!" Brian shouted, his body glowing even brighter, indicating he was intensifying his buff.
"Rising Dragon... Full Power!"
Brian continued his combo; Raul could only block without returning a single one of Brian's attacks.
- Crack!
Raul's wooden sword shattered, unable to withstand the brutal assault Brian launched.
"From now on, don't you ever bother Ariel again! Take this, Light Executioner!"
Brian delivered a very powerful vertical slash to Raul's chest. The black-haired man was sent flying, rolling across the ground for several meters.
Is it over? I doubted Raul could still hold on after being hit squarely by Brian's attack like that. However, Raul stood up again and spat out the blood that had collected in his mouth. His legs were shaking, his left arm looked limp, and his gaze seemed unfocused. It seemed that even moving his body was a struggle for him.
Why doesn't he just give up? Was this match that important to him?
"You can still stand, it seems," Brian said, preparing his stance again. "I will end it with this strike."
Brian's body and wooden sword were once again enveloped in golden light. On the other hand, Raul looked to be having difficulty breathing, blood soaking his face. In this condition, it seemed impossible for Raul to avoid Brian's attack. The blonde-haired man dashed toward Raul once more.
"With this, I will save Ariel from your influence! Golden Dragon Strike!"
Brian swung his sword toward Raul, but suddenly Brian's expression turned to one of shock when Raul managed to evade his attack. A dense black aura was seen enveloping Raul's right hand.
"Full Vengeance..."
- Bam!
After uttering the name of his ability, Raul slammed Brian into the ground with his hand cloaked in the black aura. The ground around them shattered from the immense power of Raul's blow. Dust began to fly, making the arena field difficult to see.
What incredible power!
Not long after, the dust obscuring our view cleared, revealing Brian lying on the ground. He tried to get up, but his body said otherwise. That single attack seemed to have instantly incapacitated Brian.
"In just one hit?" I muttered. "Even though Brian hadn't been hit by Raul even once until now. But why could just one attack disable his body?"
Until then, Brian had been superior throughout the fight. But in an instant, the battle had turned one hundred and eighty degrees!
"I suspect Raul intentionally took all of Brian's attacks to make him drop his guard and launch a powerful strike at the last moment, when Brian was confident of victory," President Elena remarked, commenting on the match result.
Looking back at the arena field, Brian began to vomit blood. I wanted to go down and help him, but President Elena's hand stopped me, signaling me not to.
"Listen to me, Dumbass." Raul began speaking in a flat tone to Brian, who lay on the ground.
"I didn't place Ariel there because I wanted to kill her or put her in danger," Raul said with a cynical gaze at Brian. "My reason for placing her there is because I believe in her ability. I am certain she will be of significant help to the citizens there, and I believe she is the best Healer among everyone else here."
Is that so...? He believes in my ability and potential...
But, all this time, I've mostly been a burden... The survival exam was clear proof of that. If it weren't for that masked man, I surely would have died twice in this world.
"Don't treat Ariel like a flower whose beauty is only meant to be enjoyed," Raul said, his voice rising. "She is more than that. Ariel is a grand and strong tree capable of withstanding even the fiercest storm of winds."
I lowered my head in shame hearing Raul's words just now. Why did he trust me so much? What was his reason for holding me in such high regard, as if I were someone great? I am just an ordinary human with many weaknesses.
"You lost, Brian," Raul said again to Brian, who looked resentful and clenched his fists. "As per our agreement, you must obey my every word, and from this moment on, never speak to Ariel again."
After saying that, Raul slowly walked away, leaving the arena. Brian also lost consciousness after Raul finished speaking.
Their duel... had ended.