CH 26

Facing magic spells that was fired continuously by the woman, Ardis had been putting up a barrier or avoiding them, while dodging the dagger attacks mixed between the offensive magic.

Of course, Ardis had responded with magic spells of his own like fireballs, rocks, wind blades or ice blocks. But none of them seemed effective at all.

In essence, it was something like a small exchange to appraise each other’s ability. Since there were many pairs of eyes on them, Ardis hasn’t shown his sword magic, even his magic spells had been toned down a lot.

It seems to be the same for the woman as well, it’s as if she purposely used smaller scale magic spells only to appraise Ardis’s ability. Other than the condensed spear of light she used once, the other magic spells she had used are all basic spells.

「You, why are you not being serious? ……Aah, so I see. 」

The woman who paused her offense asked, before getting convinced by herself after looking around the crowds of mercenaries with her sky colored eyes.

Ardis thought that he shouldn’t show off his sword magic that much. Although he didn’t mind being referred as a strong person, he thought that troubles would come if he’s known to be a unique holder.

He would add chants before his magic spells if possible, and he would make sure people who have seen his sword magic like Gresche and Michelle and the others to not talk about it.

Of course, it was just to the extent of a 『Request』, he had prepared for his abilities to be known by others one day.

The woman probably came to a conclusion after sensing what Ardis had in mind. So, she spoke in a soft voice while her hand stretched above her head.

「Then, I shall chase them away for a little. 」

A sphere of light formed on the palm of the woman. It slowly swelled in size, when it finally became about fifty centimeters in diameter, it was hurled towards Ardis.

Ardis swiftly leaped away from the predicted landing area, and deployed his magic barrier at the same time. The light sphere that crashed into the ground exploded and sent dirt flying.

Since it was to a scale many times grander than the magic spells before, it had taken quite a toll on the magic barrier that Ardis deployed. Clashing against Ardis’s magic barrier, the blast of the sphere of light gradually turned pale bluish before dissipating.

「Hou. Despite my intentions huh. 」

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When the aftermath of the blast subsided, there was the figure of Ardis unscathed. It wasn’t a degree of magic that will threaten Ardis, but it’s definitely a different story for the surrounding crowds of mercenaries.

The blast covered the surroundings in waves of heat, and its shockwave had dragged in the mercenaries on the sides which were watching the battle.

Of course, it wasn’t as if the sphere of light had caused direct damage to them. Still, the original destruction power of it is still felt. With the shockwave alone, people who have small figures were blown away few meters, and shook those who didn’t get blown away.

「Wha, even the aftershock would come this far……! 」

「Wai……, this isn’t a joke」

At that time, the woman raised her hands above her head again. But this time, it was with her both hands.

「Now, what about this? 」

While grinning fearlessly, a sphere of light started forming in front of the woman’s palm once again.

「Oi, isn’t that bad news? 」

「How much bigger it’s going to be」

「It was that much power with that size just now……」

The sphere of light became larger in several folds than before. Under the stares of many mercenaries, the sphere of light had already become more than three meters in diameter, yet it didn’t show any signs of stopping.

「Isn’t it better that we run now……? 」

The words of a certain mercenary became the trigger, and everyone who were watching turned their backs and started scattering in full speed.

Even the peddlers who were taking it easy doing business when Ardis first came ran away. Amongst them, even some abandoned their goods and escaped.

Then, as if predicting the disappearance of the surrounding crowds, the woman swung down her arm towards Ardis. At the oncoming giant sphere of light, Ardis deployed three layers of magic barrier to stop it.

「Fiel ・ Tra ・ Maneena」(Triple Fold Magic Barrier)

The first layer of the magic barrier was shaped like a sharp blade, splitting the giant sphere of light into countless smaller ones. The second layer was like a layer of soft cotton, absorbing the momentum. And the third one was the tough barrier that completely blocked its advance.

「The annoying gazes is gone now. Now can you be serious? 」

Having her magic spell that would even scare the veteran mercenaries away blocked, there wasn’t even a sign of unrest on the woman’s face.

On the other hand, Ardis had his usual expression, since Ardis had understood that the sphere of light just now was only for the purpose of chasing away the spectators.

「For me to be serious, that depends on you……. But before that, it might be late now but, will you take my offer to talk peacefully? 」

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「Nonsense. Asking for that even in this occasion? If you want to offer me that, how about getting into the mood first! 」

At the same time the woman’s arm moved, a strong gust of wind was created. Reminiscing of a storm in the ocean, it expanded like a living creature and assaulted Ardis. The earth is dug, and rocks that were dragged into the storm were crushed, burying the area around Ardis.

However, Ardis created shockwaves in all directions and blew that away. Then, releasing both short sword from his waist, Ardis drew his broadsword with his right hand. Seeing the short sword suspended in the air, the woman’s sky colored eyes shone.

「I see. That’s your combat style huh? 」

「You want me to be serious right? Then try to at least endure for a little while. 」

Ardis grinned fearlessly and took a stance with the broadsword.

Taking control of the short swords or the sorts like daggers from what was left from the peddlers’ goods. Ardis deployed them around his own short swords. A total of eighteen swords are now suspended in the air.

Surrounding Ardis who had a stance with his broadsword, the blades of the suspended swords were pointing at the woman.

「Here goes. 」

Together with Ardis’s words, the eighteen blades were shot towards the woman. At the same time, three invisible shockwaves were released aiming for the woman’s flank.

In an instant, the woman formed seven streaks of condensed light, before releasing them towards the assaulting blades. With the light penetrating the blades, the smell of molten metal was released into the air.

At the same time, deploying a barrier to weaken the three shockwaves, the woman leaped backwards. Readjusting its aim, the remaining eleven blades attacked the woman again.

The woman took out two daggers from nowhere, and took down the eleven blades with one dagger in each hands. Fending away the eleven blades that came with her two daggers the first time, then with a physical barrier the second time.

After dodging the assaults of the blades, she knocked away three swords using ice blocks, before shifting into offense.

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「Now then, how about this? 」

A loud explosion manifested at a little distance away from the both of them. From the dust cloud created by the explosion, countless rocks rained down on the both of them like arrows.

While countless rocks with various sizes hit away Ardis’s eleven blades, Ardis pin-pointedly deployed barrier only at the points where the rocks would hit him.

Even when the rocks dug various sizes of holes in the ground, the woman never loosened her attacks. The eleven blades which were slashing at the woman were all hit down by the rocks, some of them were warped in shapes or broken, some lost their sharpness.

Of course, the caster of the magic was uninjured, as she already casted the next magic spell.

And now, seven spheres of light manifested around the woman, at the time when one could perceive that they compressed in size, the seven condensed streaks of light already shot towards Ardis.

They were even more intense than the light that melted the suspended swords before.

Ardis as well, manifested seven spheres of light of his own albeit late by a moment. The spheres of light were the same as the ones the woman manifested, but Ardis’s ones slightly won in size.

From Ardis’s spheres of light, seven condensed streaks of light manifested, and clashed front with the ones the woman released. A reverberating roar like a thunder resounded, along with a vision blinding pure white light and an explosion that can’t be compared to any before occurred. The surrounding ground were dug up, and large volume of dirt were blown into the air.

Even with his vision completely obstructed, Ardis rushed towards the woman with his broadsword in hand. The sword that was brought down was fended by the woman with her daggers, producing a loud echo of metal colliding.

Then, the woman created a gust of wind and blew away the smoke. For Ardis, there isn’t any inconvenience even with his vision obstructed, but it seems that it isn’t the case for the woman.

Following up with the second and third attack, Ardis continued slashing at the woman with certainty and never let the woman have a chance to counterattack. Every single one of the slashes were sharp and precise.

「You, you are a swordsman!? 」

「Correct! 」

The speed of the sword and the heavy blows behind each strike were barely blocked by the woman with her two daggers in both hands. As expected, she couldn’t cast any offensive magic at this close range. Even with unparalleled control, there’s still a possibility that she will drag herself in.

It would be fine if she took distance again, but Ardis would never allow that. At the fierce slashes that were dished out by Ardis without any gaps in interval, the woman’s defense crumbled slowly.

Before long, the dagger in the woman’s left hand was blown away, and Ardis caught her right hand with his left hand. That instant, his victory is decided, as Ardis’s broadsword was already at the woman’s throat.

「Are you convinced with this? 」

In response to the glaring Ardis, the woman answered while narrowing her sky colored eyes.

「Indeed satisfied. My lord. 」