Chapter 72 - 71: Finals(4) Rin Vs Rai.

[After astounding last match between Agata Werner and Lily Jung, Team number one has secured their second win. They just need to win one more match to win the finals!!!! Team number 16 somehow needs to win the next match or they will lose the finals!!!]

After the last match, Rin's team is in the lead as they have won two matches and we have won only one. There are two matches remaining, we will have to win both of the matches to win the finals.

[Now we will head to the second last match of the finals!!!! As team sixteen has lost the last round they will have to send a fighter from their side. So now, Team number sixteen, which fighter you will send out of the two remaining fighters?!!!]

"Rai, you want to go?" I asked.

"No"

"Why?"

"I want the spotlight after winning the last round."

Huh? What's with that reasoning?

Usually, I wouldn't mind going first but now I won't, I won't agree with such childish reasoning.

"I don't want to go either," I said.

"You want the spotlight?" she asked.

"No, I don't want you to have the spotlight."

"Such childish reasoning"

"Don't want to hear that from you."

We both sighed before simultaneously saying "Stone    Paper      Scissor",

"Fine, I will let you have the spotlight."

"Now now, don't act so almighty, you are going first because you have lost stone paper scissors."

[Did they decide the person who will be fighting between them by stone paper scissors? Looks like the pressure of losing two rounds consecutively hasn't affected them.] said the commentator.

Adding to what the commentator said, Duke spoke up [That's a healthy mindset that should be seen in all youngsters. Sometimes it's important to take it easy.]

[Walking down the ring, From team number sixteen, She has won all of her matches with raw skills without any use of magic. Her refined sword art is a magnificent sight to see!!! Will she be able to secure the victory for her team?!!! Without further a due I will introduce the fourth fighter of team number 16, Rai!!!!]

Before the referee could ask which fighter team number one are sending from their side, a fighter was already walking from their side.

It was unexpected, it thought she would wait till the last match to fight against me. The person who was fighting from team number one's side was----

[Oh!!! it looks like team number one has already decided the fighter they will be sending against Rai!!! walking down the ring, The member of team number one, she wields one of the rarest elements known to all creatures, the power of lightning!!. With the power of lightning, she also masters a sword art that can parry any attacks!! The member that will be fighting in the fourth round is!!!! The lightning queen!! Rin]

Lightning queen, Right? amusing...

Walking down the ring, Rin stood opposing Rai.

"I have seen previous fights of that girl named Rai, she is pretty good. But I don't she has any chance of winning against Rin." said one of the audience.

"Yeah, the other girl literally wields lightning. I don't think Rai has any chance against her."

"Well, it was kind of obvious that team number one would win anyway. But I was hoping for at least a good match-up."

Before tossing the coin, the referee made sure both of the fighters are in their preferred stance as he said, "I want both of the fighters to take their preferred stance before I toss the coin."

In her hand, Rin held a single-handed saber, the saber had a moderate curve along the length of the blade. 

The weapon was best suited for her sword style, which was to parry her opponent's attack smoothly and convert it to her own attack.

In her hand, Rai held a curved, single-edged blade with a circular guard and a long grip. The sword that Rai held was a type of sword that I have never seen before. It was one of her belonging when I found her in the forest that day. 

She has held on to this sword and trained with it every day, even Rai's sword style was something I have never seen before. It gave me a feeling that Rai is from a distant land, a land that is far far away from here.

Actually, she wasn't holding on to the sword, she didn't even unsheathe her sword from the scabbard. The scabbard that was holding her sword was strapped in a piece of cloth that she wore around her waist. 

"Now that both of the competitors are ready, I will toss the coin." said the referee before tossing the coin.

After reaching the apex point, the coin started falling down to the earth. With the sound of  "cling," the match was underway.

Rai carefully closed the distance between her and Rin. She still didn't unsheathe her sword, rather she held on to the hilt of the unsheathed sword. 

Rin also slowly closed the distance holding on to her sword.

Carefully placing one foot at a time they moved closer to each other. 

"Why haven't you unsheathing your sword? are you not taking me seriously?" asked Rin.

"This is my sword style" replied Rai.

With a quick step, Rin quickly closed the distance between them and swung her sword aiming at Rai. 

Unsheathing her sword, Rai deflected Rin's sword with one fine swing.

"Your reaction time, it's good. It is on par with Grey's reaction time."

After deflecting Rin's sword, Rai quickly swung her sword clashing with Rin's sword.

"You had a fight with Grey?" 

"Yes, sword fight."

Rai stepped back as she spoke up,

"Then you must have won the fight."

"Why do you think that?" asked Rin.

"Because Grey's is not trained in using a sword. His main weapon of choice is polearm and greatsword."

Rai readied her blade as she pointed it towards Rin, "Well then let's continue our fight."

They both dashed towards each other as they clashed their swords. Overpowering Rai, Rin pushed Rai back as she deflected her sword.

Rai took a step back, But she was forced to block another attack by Rin. Parrying Rin's sword away, Rai buried her elbow into Rin's abdomen. 

With a sudden hit to the abdomen, Rin was forced to step back and so did Rai. After regaining their composure, both of the fighters again rushed at each other. 

Upon reaching a certain distance Rai swung her sword in a horizontal slash, which Rin was able to block off with a smooth parry, and before Rai knew it her sword was away from her body, leaving her defenseless. 

Taking advantage, Rin thrust her sword aiming straight at Rai which she barely dodged. Actually calling it to dodge would be wrong, What Rai did was change the direction of the thrust by just redirecting it by hitting lightly with her sword. 

The specialty of Rai's sword art was that she uses a minimal set of movements to fight, which helps her block and attack more efficiently. 

Rin's fighting style is a troublesome one because she can parry mostly any attack and counter it with her own. But the most suited enemy for this style was Rai's sword art.

Due to Rai's minimal set of movements, she is able to block off Rin's counterattack even if she gets parried. 

They exchanged forty-one further attacks in which both of them were able to deal small cuts to each other, but it wasn't any serious damage. They both were evenly matched.

Rin was able to block any attack with her smooth parries and retaliate with her own fluid counterattack. Rai was able to effectively block and attack with her minimal set of movements.

Well, I think "Eventually matches" is not the proper way to put it. Even though both of them haven't dealt any serious blow to each other, they are not evenly matched.

Constant nonstop exchange of attacks has worn Rin out, mentally and physically. With heavy breaths, she held her sword tightly. 

Whereas Rai's movement was still calm and collected. She didn't show any sign of being tired, she was as composed as she was at the beginning of the match.

Rai's swordsmanship doesn't have any unnecessary movements. She moves only when it requires her to attack or defend herself and even then she uses a minimal set of movements to get her job done.

But with each parry, Rin was getting closer to doing some actual damage to Rai, and eventually, it happened----

The moment where being close quarters both of them clashed swords and Rin was fluidly able to parry the attack moving Rai's sword away from her body, making her wide open. With a quick movement, Rin thrust her sword which grazed the side of Rai's arm. 

Blood poured out of the cut that was formed on Rai's arm, which streamed down falling down to the ground through her fingertips. 

Rin stepped back to get some distance but taking the advantage of the situation Rin dashed towards Rai throwing another attack.. But Rai was able to block this attack and counter-attack by striking her feet on Rin's abdomen, pushing her away.