CH 35

「… Very well. I was starting to get bored without any worthwhile opponent to fight. I’ll fight you.」

Cystia brandished her spear around once and took a stance, a grin pulling on her lips. Even though they were both Hyrule Menaces, her belligerent personality was nowhere near resembling Eris’. While the enormous mana Inglis showcased did throw her off, she didn’t falter nor did she lose her fighting spirit. That fact alone raised Inglis’ interest in Cystia.

「That makes the two of us. I’ve felt the same for the past three years.」

Inglis was exhilarated that they ran into Cystia. After all, even if she met with Eris in the capital, they were basically allies now. And while it would be possible to arrange a match, they wouldn’t be able to really fight all out.

「Don’t get too arrogant, lass. It’ll be your downfall.」

The sharp, glistering golden spearhead neatly glinted at Inglis. There was a fine killing intent in the air that made her skin crawl, an addicting mental strain to her. 1

「Come on, draw your sword.」

Cystia seemed to be waiting for Inglis to get ready. However, to Inglis, that sword was merely a decoration, a cheap weapon at most. She hadn’t had much opportunity to use it yet. Not only did it have no effect on Magic Stone Beasts, but it would also fold under pressure if exposed to a strong concentration of Ether which meant that it couldn’t be used together with Ether Armor or any other ether techniques. This also applied to Low-Grade Artifacts. As for Middle or higher Grade Artifacts, she couldn’t be sure since she didn’t dare to experiment on them — breaking such high-class items would surely cause havoc.

As a matter of fact, ether manipulation had caused her to break too many swords in her previous life. King Inglis had only gone on subjugations after he had acquired the Holy Sword, but the current Inglis Eux didn’t have that kind of resourcefulness She would like to get a weapon that could withstand Ether one day, but as of now, that would be asking for the moon.

She remembered the last time that she’d fought against Eris, her sword had been demolished mercilessly. The same thing would probably happen if she were to go up against Cystia with it. It would only open up a wide gap in her defense if her sword was broken in an unfavorable situation, so it was safer for her to go without it from the beginning.

「There is no need for that. It is just a dull sword, after all. Now, please don’t hold back.」 「Hmph. I’ll just see for myself if you’re bluffing or not then!」

Cystia kicked off the ground. Her charge was fast, as though she was the wind itself that had been given physical form. She closed their gap in just a moment, and the spearhead was approaching Inglis with fierce momentum.

Any run-of-the-mill knight would be rendered immobile and would have been pierced through by now.

However, all Inglis did was tilt her neck to evade the spear in the last second. It was an action that utilized the least amount of muscle contractions.

「Mu…!」2

However, that didn’t surprise Cystia anymore. That was just a warmup. It wouldn’t be much of a fight if Inglis couldn’t evade even that.

「Then—!」

Next was the three thrust step, with the speed and the force behind each thrust increasing with each strike. She still hadn’t expended all of her strength, but her spear seemed like it had split into three, striking from each side.

However, again, Inglis evaded the three thrust step with minimum effort. Moreover, she did it while advancing towards Cystia, with one forward for each thrust evaded.

「Hmpf…! Not bad!」

Cystia further enhanced her speed and power. Yet again, Inglis evaded everything by a paper-thin margin and drew closer with each attack.

「Tsk…!」

If Inglis got too close to her, she would enter the spear’s blindspot. Cystia needed to back off before continuing her assault, which only resulted in the same predicament. She thrust out her spear, pulled it back, and adjusted her breath in the slightest moment before she thrust out again. Indeed, Inglis had still been inching closer.

It was proof that she had completely seen through all of her attacks. And the fact that Cystia was a Master at spearmanship only made her notice it more quickly than anyone else.

I’ve gradually been pushed back by an unarmed opponent, who has only been evading thus far!?

「Kuh—! 」

As Cystia drew back for the nth time, she felt something solid behind her. It was the wall of the abandoned church. She hadn’t realized that she was slowly being backed into it. Her mind had been completely occupied by Inglis. There was nowhere else to retreat…

「HAAaaaaa!!」

At last, Cystia raised a war cry and unleashed a consecutive rush attack with all her might. This was a high-speed technique she took pride in, as it was capable of pulverizing a boulder many times larger than her into pebbles. However, she didn’t feel as though she had hit anything with her thrusts.

When she was finished, she could feel a hand patting her shoulder.

「That was one fine attack.」3

And there was the face of a beautiful girl, smiling splendidly, right in front of her.

「Wha…」

The innocence and loveliness she displayed only brought dread for Cystia instead. The chill that ran down her spine almost froze her in place.

BAM!! A tremendous impact pierced her abdomen. It was from Inglis’ palm strike.

Just like an arrow shot from a bow, Cystia’s body crashed through the church’s walls, destroying the floorings on her landing as she skidded along it.

「Kuh…!」

Staggering as she was, she brought herself to her feet. The durability of a Hyrule Menace’s body far exceeded that of ordinary humans’. And that was true, even when being compared to Holy Knights. After all, the makings of their body were different in the first place.

I can still go on! Cystia’s eyes hadn’t lost their fighting spirit.