The Extra Wants To Live

The match progressed steadily, and the fencing duel quickly reached the finals. Since it was a sword fight in plain clothes, the outcome was decided quickly. If it had been a sword fight in armor, it would have taken all day.

One of the finalists was, of course, Master Jaren.

However, Jaren, who entered the stadium, received only formal applause. It was akin to a high school sports festival where a bunch of old school kids barged in, beat up the kids, and caused a ruckus.

Without his status as a Master, he would have been booed instead of applauded.

Meanwhile, Catherine, a strong contender for the title, entered the stadium to heartfelt applause and cheers of encouragement.

Originally, Catherine, as an older royal knight, would have been in a slightly delicate position, but due to several factors, she was receiving everyone's support.

First of all, it was true that Catherine did not participate in the match because she wanted to but because her lord, Carl, wanted her to participate.

Catherine was an obscure knight from an insignificant family, little known except as Carl's knight.

However, she had the skills to be considered a contender for the championship alongside Master Jaren, perfectly fitting the purpose of this party.

Above all, it was thanks to Master Jaren, who was no different from a thug, that Catherine was in an overwhelmingly underdog position despite her outstanding skills and status as an imperial knight.

In fact, no one thought Catherine would win against Jaren. That's why they supported Catherine. It wouldn't be fun or pleasant if Jaren won.

Catherine and Jaren faced each other in the arena, drew their swords, and held them up in front of their chests, taking stances ready for battle.

Jaren was down, and Catherine was down.

Just by looking at their postures before the match, people could already predict the outcome.

Aiming at the middle is the most basic and solid stance. It is stable, allowing for rapid attacks within a solid defense.

Jaren showed Catherine that he would not leave her any room to turn the tables.

On the other hand, Catherine's posture was like a snake hiding in the black bushes below.

One mistake could lead to being trampled to death by a falling foot, but if she waited for an opportunity, she could win by biting the ankle of an unsuspecting opponent.

The lower stance showed Catherine's determination to take a bold gamble for victory rather than drag out the match with little chance of winning.

It goes without saying that the Master's stronghold is never low.

No matter how hard Catherine fought, she would eventually be stopped by Jaren's strong defense. Despite Catherine's gamble, the match seemed destined to end in a dull and uninspiring conclusion.

Jaren may have intended to show an overwhelming gap, but that was exactly what everyone wanted.

When you become a Master, you can act coolly and have a handicap! You little brat!

"…"

"…"

It would be polite to exchange greetings or a few words of encouragement, but Catherine and Jaren just silently pointed their swords at each other.

Catherine was naturally like that, but Jaren's expression showed a hint of discomfort, revealing a narrow-mindedness that did not match his skills as a Master.

"Start!"

The bell rang to signal the start of the match, and silence fell. The audience also watched with bated breath.

Catherine, unlike before, remained motionless. Jaren aimed his sword at Catherine and waited for her to come in and struggle in vain.

'… This woman… .'

Jaren's eyebrows twitched. He was feeling a little impatient. The thought suddenly crossed his mind that if he did nothing and time went by, suspicions about him might arise.

And he knew Catherine was after that.

If he just stayed still, he would be noticed, but if he rushed in, he would become a Master and be the first to attack a regular mana user, which his pride would not allow.

Meanwhile, it was also unpleasant to see that Catherine, who appeared to be still, was actually watching his liver while subtly shifting her center of gravity.

It was a movement so subtle that only Master Jaren could notice it. Catherine was truly intent on beating Jaren in the match, and she was actually quite skilled. Arrogantly.

"I want to give you a chance to swing your sword, but you're not going to do anything about it?"

"Not specifically… … ."

Catherine, who had concentrated all her energy, could only mutter softly between faint breaths. Her sunken eyes were sparkling.

"We can't go on like this forever. Can you attack first?"

"… … ."

Catherine didn't even respond to Jaren's words.

Catherine was completely absorbed and couldn't hear anything now. This was not a combat situation where there were many things to consider.

She could just focus all her attention on the one opponent standing in front of her.

Catherine felt as if she were a hollow doll, transparent, and at the same time, reflecting Jaren, who was looking at her like a mirror.

Jaren suddenly felt something stirring deep in his chest. It was hard to bear seeing Catherine like that.

...why?

"… … Then, I will go."

Jaren swallowed his inexplicable feelings and growled. Catherine didn't answer, and Jaren didn't wait for an answer either.

Bam!

Jaren charged at Catherine at a speed that was difficult to follow with the naked eye, without using a single point of mana.

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Despite the tremendous force, the sound of the ground being kicked was light. However, contrary to the light sound, the movement was as heavy as Mt. Tai.

In an instant, Jaren dug in and used his overwhelming reach from his tall stature and long arms to get Catherine within his reach, out of the reach of her sword.

Jaren's sword did not stop. In a moment that seemed to waver slightly, his black sword swung briefly in a sharp trajectory, aiming for Catherine's wrist.

Master Jaren's sword granted the strength and speed of a mana user without mana.

It didn't make sense for Catherine to fight without mana. It was unreasonable.

But Catherine, who came from a fallen family but managed to climb up the ranks to become an imperial knight, knew better than anyone that whining about it being unreasonable didn't help at all.

What's needed is not tears, but blood and sweat.

"Ugh!"

Catherine, who had been sinking like a lake, opened her eyes wide and exploded with energy.

She reacted precisely to Jaren's sword strike, which was digging in at incredible speed. Catherine moved with the determination to get everything out in one breath.

Cock!

Catherine pulled her hand back like an island and barely managed to block Jaren's sword strike with her crossguard.

As if he had been waiting, precise and sharp movements! Following the battle logic she had learned from her numerous experiences and Gilbert's books, Catherine had actually been expecting Jaren's attack.

The problem is next!

Kik!

The opponent's attack was blocked and entangled in the crossguard.

The farther away from the black hand, the weaker it is, and the closer it is to the hand, the stronger it is.

So in this case, Catherine, who blocked it so well, must get a chance.

However, Catherine had no choice but to be pushed away helplessly by Jaren's sword that was coming straight in with the power of the Master. Fencing is the art of making full use of the structural strength that comes from the correct posture.

However, the power of the Master can shatter the very foundation of swordsmanship.

Crack!

Even though Jaren's sword was caught between Catherine's blade and her crossguard, he twisted it with incredible force to open a gap.

Jaren's sword eventually regained its freedom without incident.

The hilt of the sword was pressed down with a sharp blade.

Catherine couldn't even raise her sword and was aiming it at the defenseless Catherine who had entered the gap between Jaren's swords.

The match was decided in one go. It seemed so.