Chapter 81

I stand in a ready stance, while Idris takes the unique stance of the Two Spear Style.

Our gazes lock—then she makes the first move.

"Thunder Body—Fifty Million Volts!"

The bluish-white electricity enveloping Idris visibly swelled.

Moreover, upon closer inspection, the wounds on her body were rapidly healing. It seemed that her natural healing ability had been enhanced by the rapid activation of her cells.

"Truly an excellent Soul Armor..."

"Hehe, it's just getting started...!"

In an instant, she was fully recovered,

"Fifty Million Volts—Thunderbird!"

She swung her spear widely, releasing over a hundred lightning birds.

A multi-stage attack from a distance, which I'm not good at handling.

However,

"—That technique no longer works on me."

The flock of birds rushing towards me vanished the moment they touched my darkness.

This darkness can even block her right straight punch. The output is completely in my favor.

"Wh-What...!?"

Seizing the brief moment of her shock, I closed the distance in a single step.

"Eight Swords—Yatagarasu!"

"Ugh, Thunder Roar—Ten Thousand Thunders!"

The clash of 'Eight' and 'Ten', the two slashes,

"Kyaa...!?"

Sharp sword wounds ran across Idris's shoulder and thigh.

The eight slashes I unleashed overwhelmed her Ten Thousand Thunders with their overwhelming power.

She squinted in pain and reflexively leaped backward.

Seeing this, I immediately closed the distance,

"—Ha!"

Without a moment's hesitation, I delivered a powerful downward slash from above.

"Ugh..."

She crossed her two spears and managed to block the blow.

A clash of blades, a direct power struggle.

"Roar!"

"Ha!"

The two of us let out mighty roars,

"—Raa!"

"Such...!?"

Idris, who had been overpowered, was blown back a great distance. She adjusted her posture in mid-air and landed gracefully on the stage.

"To be overpowered by a Fifty Million Volt Thunder Body... You really have incredible strength... Is it an enhancement-type Soul Armor...?"

Idris bit her lower lip and asked with a regretful expression.

"Hehe... Unfortunately, I don't know yet."

I don't know what kind of power my Soul Armor has. It's only revealed when it manifests.

"However, if I have to win, I'll do anything...!"

Idris's eyes widened,

"Thunder Body—Seventy Million Volts!"

She increased the voltage even further.

With her white, beautiful hair standing on end, she swung her blue spear with all her might,

"Is this enough...! Seventy Million Volts—White Whale!"

She released a huge white whale with a bloated belly, filled with immense lightning.

"Five Swords—Boundary Cut!"

I didn't hesitate to slice it open.

At that moment, Idris smiled, confident of victory.

"It's over—Scatter!"

A far more vicious lightning enveloped my entire body.

"Ugh...!?"

The intense sound of discharges echoed in my ears, and my vision turned white. The stage was scorched black, and a unique, pungent odor filled the air.

"With this...! Your 'Darkness' defense...!?"

Idris's expression changed from expectation to shock, and then to despair.

"No... way..."

I, enveloped in pitch-black clothing, was completely unharmed.

"It only made me a little numb... It seems I managed to block it completely."

"Monster..."

She muttered something, and her guard was completely down.

I thought it might be a bad idea to attack now, so I said,

"—Next, it's my turn."

"..."

At that moment, I lowered my center of gravity and put strength into my legs.

(This is...!)

Suddenly, my vision wobbled, and the darkness enveloping my body was greatly disturbed.

(Damn... Is it already time...!?)

This was the first time I had used so much 'Darkness' in one day. Therefore, I still didn't know the exact 'duration' of this power.

"You haven't fully mastered this power yet...?"

"Yes... I'm ashamed to admit, but that's true."

It had only been two weeks since my Soul Armor manifested. Although I could control it a little, I hadn't fully mastered it yet.

"That's good... Then I still have a chance...!"

Idris raised her two spears high into the sky.

Then, from the clear blue sky, a massive bolt of lightning descended onto the tips of her spears.

"What...!?"

Ignoring my shock, she began to speak slowly.

"From what I've seen, Allen's 'Darkness' also has a duration... If that's the case, I'll squeeze out all the darkness until your spiritual energy is completely drained...!"

Idris held her two glowing spears and smiled wickedly.

"—I'm coming, Allen!"

"Ah, come on...!"

Then,

"One Hundred Million Volts—Thunder Emperor's Blue Flash!"

A spiral of blue lightning was unleashed with tremendous force.

In response, I concentrated the pitch-black darkness at the tip of my sword, creating a 'pseudo-black sword'.

"Six Swords—Nether Boom!"

The black Nether Boom, enveloped in darkness, lifted the stone stage—our all-out, full-force strikes collided.

Darkness and lightning raged fiercely, and a tremendous shock wave swept through the venue.

Then, the blue lightning and the black Nether Boom simultaneously vanished.

(Stalemate...!)

Having witnessed the full force of our attacks, we both fell to our knees simultaneously.

"Ha... ha... ha..."

We desperately tried to take in oxygen and maintain our consciousness.

The darkness enveloping my body had disappeared. It seemed I had used up all my spiritual energy with the black Nether Boom.

(But, Idris must be at her limit after that attack...!)

As I raised my head, I saw her,

"Thunder Body—Ultimate One Hundred Million Volts!"

Idris, transformed into blue lightning, slowly stood up.

(Still, she has this much power...!)

I couldn't help but gasp at her divine appearance.

Then, she bundled her two spears in front of her chest and muttered,

"Lightning Alchemy."

The intense lightning generated heat, which melted the two spears.

Then, a large sword was born.

"Lightning Sword—Indra."

The blade, hilt, and tsuba—everything was pure white, and it emitted an overwhelming pressure.

Idris placed the sword in front of her navel and took a ready stance.

With my spiritual energy drained, my darkness gone, and my body battered, I was in a desperate situation.

However, for some reason, a strange emotion swirled in my heart.

(Ha... ha... ha...!)

It was inexplicably... enjoyable.

It was fun to fight with all my might. It was fun to fight an opponent with no end in sight. It was fun to fight for my life.

(Ah...! 'Battle' is... so enjoyable...!)

At that moment, I felt a tingling sensation.

It wasn't my 'soul'—

It was my blood, my flesh, my bones—my entire body pulsing strongly.

"...!?"

The 'Something' that had always blocked my path wavered, and it felt as if a 'Path' had opened up.

"This is...!"

In the next moment, an unprecedented amount of darkness overflowed from deep within my body.

It continuously poured out, dyeing the stage pitch-black.

I slowly stood up and took a ready stance.

"..."

"..."

It was quiet.

No words were needed.

After a silence that felt like a second, a minute, or an hour,

"—Roar!"

"—Ha!"

We both ran at the same time.

The pitch-black darkness and the bluish-white lightning intersected in the center of the stage.

Then,

"Ka... ha..."

A large sword wound ran across my chest.

A burning pain struck my chest.

(The wound is... deep...)

Continuing the battle... is very difficult...

(But, not yet... I can't fall here...!)

I swallowed the blood rising from within and clenched my teeth to maintain my consciousness.

Then, I heard the sound of her clothing rustling behind me.

(Damn... Idris can still fight...!)

I mustered my strength and turned around. With trembling hands, I gripped my sword and managed to take a ready stance.

"Allen Roder... You win...!"

The Lightning Sword Indra broke in two, and she slowly fell backward.

Silence enveloped the venue,

"...I, Idris Luxmaria... unable to continue the battle! Therefore, the winner—Allen Roder!"

The commentator declared the victory in a voice that seemed to reach the heavens.

At that moment, the audience erupted in cheers.

"Amazing...! What a battle...! They're both first-year students, right? Unbelievable...!"

"Allen Roder... To think such an incredible swordsman was unknown until now..."

"The prodigy Idris Luxmaria has been defeated! This is breaking news...! I'll write the article immediately!"

Receiving the tremendous cheers and thunderous applause, I raised my right hand high in response.

Thus, after a fierce and all-out battle, I triumphed over the 'prodigy' Idris Luxmaria.