Trump the Trump Card

“Are you just incapable of fighting like everyone else?”

Adlus must have sensed that he was being mocked, because he glared at me with undisguised irritation. I hadn’t meant to anger him, but I would welcome any result that meant the loss of his concentration.

“Well, after all of your talk, you’re doing nothing but defending yourself.”

“Hmph. Don’t jump to conclusions, Black Rabbit. My magic can do more than defend.”

I didn’t doubt it. From what I heard, Heinrich had been trapped inside of water. And I’m sure he had more than just original spells.

“Water Javelin!”

A javelin shot out of the swirl of water that surrounded Adlus. I dodged it while lunging forward.

“Aqua Sword!!”

Just as my own blade was blocked by the wall of water, a torrent separated from the rest like an arm with a tip that was the shape of a sword. It swung at me. I twisted my body out of the way and used Legs of the God Wolf to put some distance between us. Then I tried to slide my sword in from a different side, but that was blocked too, and then another attack by a water blade followed. Not only that, but every time I moved too far away, I would be assaulted by the water javelins.

“I can’t do anything to him…”

The water autoguard thing also became the source of his water magic. He unleashed magic from magic that he’s activated… I didn’t know that that was possible. Well, it wasn’t that I was impressed with him, I was just interested to know that it could be done. Educational.

“So…”

It was time. I’ve seen his attack magic. And as someone who could use water magic, I learned a thing or two. Still, I would not be able to copy the autoguard thing.

“Aqua Sword.”

I sent energy to my free left hand and generated the weapon. A blade like flowing water… That’s what I was thinking. What came out wasn’t exactly pretty, but it did seem like a sword made of water.

“Water Javelin.”

I then used the sword as a medium to create a javelin. Well, it was really a rather familiar looking trident. Like the one from the marshes… In any case, I was able to make magic from magic.

“Yo-you bastard…I was the only…!”

“This little trick? I happen to be pretty good at copying things.”

On the other hand, I had trouble inventing new things. But if I had a clue, Jack of all Trades, Master of None would teach me how to do it. It was a great tutor.

I watched as Adlus shook with anger and surprise. Then I followed the instructions by Jack of all Trades, Master of None and sent deep blue energy into the trident. And then it changed…it transformed into an Ice Javelin.

“It can change into magic of a different attribute too. Thanks for teaching me.”

“Do you have any idea how long it…you…you…!”

“Maybe if you hadn’t been such a show off. You should have seen it coming.”

Who wouldn’t want to copy something that was better than what they had? Especially someone like me. I had to absorb new tricks if I wanted to survive. Pride did not figure into the matter. And in any case, if I improved on it, it will be mine.

“Now, I guess I don’t have any blindspots left. Looks like you lost this one, Adlus.”

“No, not yet! It is not finished!”

The undulating waves moved at his command and then assaulted me like a flash flood. I escaped to the air, but the waves followed me. Then I kicked higher into the air, but it kept chasing me. And so I turned to face it and launched my Ice Javelin towards it. As it was swallowed up by the rushing waves, I attempted to alter Adlus’s magic.

However, one was not enough. I wasn’t able to freeze it completely. It turned into a kind of sherbert.

“My magic… Damn you…!”

“Hmm. Slushy.”

The current slapped down on the ground like a snake that had been beheaded. It was quickly no longer able to maintain its shape, and so it drifted away and vanished.

“Now you have no auto-guard. Why don’t you yield?”“…It’s not overrrr!!”

He shook with rage as he fell on me with his water sword. When the blade was swung, several streams of water branched out from it and twisted towards me.

“Hah!”

A shout and a slash. I cut down all of the tendrils of water coming towards me. And midst the spray, Adlus’s sword came swinging down. There was a loud clang of metal as our swords touched. I tried pushing him back, but he was stronger than I was anticipating. I was being pressed back and downward.

“DIIEEEE…!”

“You’ll be disqualified if I do…!”

“No one has ever made me look like a fool before…!”

“Well, thanks?”

While enveloped in Legs of the God Wolf, I used the wind’s power to kick Adlus, launching him into the air. He flew behind and landed, rolling.

“Aqua Sword!!”

He got to his feet in a flash and created a sword in his right hand. As for me, I had not been in the best position when kicking, and so I fell down on my back.

“Frost Sword!”

Crack. The frosty blade materialized in my left hand, just in time to block his down swing. As I was wearing ice dragon armor and it was magic I was accustomed to using, I was able to do it in an instant. I could probably do it silently now, if I wanted. It was imprinted permanently in my brain.

After blocking Adlus’s attack, I quickly launched a counter attack. However, Adlus was a tough opponent. He created a water shield without chanting and blocked my sword in the nick of time.

“Look what I can do when there’s less water!”

With the ice sword pressing against the shield, I began to freeze it, starting at the point they made contact. My magic overwrote his, changing its property. The water shield became an ice shield and then was incorporated into the ice sword to become an ice javelin. I threw the demon armor sword to the side and with the javelin, moved to attack. I was copying the movements of Bandi, the spear wielder. There was also a bit of the moves I’d seen in kung-fu movies a long time ago. This was mainly because Bandi’s moves had resembled them in the first place.

I would smack down, sweep to the side, swing up. With martial arts incorporated into the attacks, Adlus was overwhelmed. The opponent with the sword was suddenly fighting with a spear.

Eventually, he was unable to keep up. That’s when I unleashed a sharp kick and then slammed the butt end of the spear into his face.

“HAHH!!”

“Guaha-!”

A trail of blood stretched out as he slid across the stage and fell. I tightened my grip, exhaled and calmed my breathing. The crowds were going wild. It was unlikely that Adlus had been pushed this far before.

Now, if only he would go unconscious, the fight would be over…

“Ggg…gg…!”

I was not so lucky. While he was shaky, he managed to get back on his feet. He was using his sword as a cain. And while the legs had enough strength yet to stand, I doubted he had the energy to swing his sword. However, there was a strength in his eyes as he glared at me.

“Not to you…no…never…”

“You don’t have a choice. In your state…”

“Silence…”

He gripped the sword tightly and stabbed it into the ground.

“SILLEEEENNNCCEE!!!”

He roared. And with that, his blue energy increased like an explosion. The body of magic pushed towards me as a giant tsunami. It was enough water to cover the entire stage. I couldn’t just run away. Adlus had clearly forgotten himself in his anger. He was not holding back. It would affect our surroundings…

“Adlus! Stop!!”

“Silenceee!!”

He would not be persuaded… I stole a glance towards the special spectator seats. The Emperor didn’t move. He just stared at me silently.

“…”

What was I supposed to do… When I looked back, I saw that the water was rising faster and faster. He had something even stronger than what was supposed to be his trump card…

Perhaps he felt he had to use it in spite of so many people watching. Of course, he must have had his reasons.

Well, I guess I should return the favor. I would expose a secret that allowed me to survive in this world in spite of being weak.

I jumped back to where the demon armor sword was and allowed the ice spear to disperse. Ice energy now flowed throughout my entire body. As if in reply, the ice dragon armor began to shine brightly. The enchantment gave an added ice attribute boost, enhancing my ice magic. It was then concentrated within both of my hands where they took the forms of swords. Double-edged blades. The blades were about a meter and a half in length. The hilts were fifty centimeters. That was a bit long, but I wasn’t going to be carrying them anyway. I was going to fire them.

“Niflheim.”

What came out was an elaborately decorated greatsword that was clear and made of ice. The detailed engravings caught the sunlight and caused the surface to sparkle.

This was my trump card. The audience watched with bated breath. I wished they wouldn’t…

“Black RABBBIIIIIIT!!”

Adlus must have felt the threat of my magic, as he set a tsunami on me. While it wasn’t that fast, it seemed like a wall of water. And it was moving towards me. And as I had no choice but to stop it, I would have to show one of my trump cards.

With the Niflheim blades floating in the air above me, I carried the demon armor sword and an ice sword in my hands. Then I activated Legs of the God Wolf. Platinum and green wind swirled around my legs as I ran up into the air. The oncoming waves were intimidating, but I had no choice but to face it. The spectators behind me would be in danger. If only we were in some level, empty land…

The unleashing of the three swords was how I had killed the Loup-garou. I would freeze my target and then cut it into pieces.

“You! You’re going to have a lot to answer for when this is over!!”

“DIIIEEEE!!”

Adlus just roared back. The amassed wind pressure allowed me to accelerate all at once. I moved to the tsunami and swung my sword. The Niflheim blades shot out and froze the tsunami in a flash. At the same time, I swung the two swords in my hands, cutting an ‘X’ through the ice.

“Kamiyashiro-style: Final Frost Triple Threat!!”

Normally, I would have thrust my swords into the target. After all, the name came from the fact that I’d break a bloody ice statue. Of course, there was no point in doing that to a normal block of ice.

Niflheim and the ice swords shattered. I held the remaining demon armor sword on my shoulder as I watched the four pieces fall apart and shatter.

Adlus’s final act had been in vain. He looked up at me. Stunned. There was nothing left for him to do.

A moment later, the battle was over. Of course, I had won based on my performance.

Thank you so much for the recent donations. It really means a lot. Stay safe everyone!