Chapter 68
Swoosh!
Luna's body literally soared into the air.
She quickly got up from where she had fallen on the ground and assessed the situation.
Daike stood still.
He seemed to have no intention of launching another attack.
Spit!
Blood-mixed saliva soaked the ground.
It was a close call. Had Daike used the blade instead of the flat side of his sword, her body might have been split in half.
"Hey, let me ask you one thing. How did you know I would come out on that side?"
"I guessed."
"You guessed?"
"Yes."
Left and right.
A 50% probability.
Daike was the winner of that gamble, Luna the loser.
'Bad luck, just bad luck.'
No matter, she thought. It was better to focus on her next move rather than dwell on this.
As Luna charged, the fight resumed.
Dodging, attacking, rolling, getting hit, and hit again.
And again.
Thud!
She took a hit.
"Cough!"
Luna trembled, her sword planted in the ground.
Even though she blocked with her sword, the pain was intense.
"Damn it..."
Unlike her, Daike seemed unharmed.
His breathing was slightly heavier, but there were no visible injuries on his body.
Clang!
Daike blocked the sword swung by Luna.
Their swords locked in a deadlock.
Luna whispered.
"Hey, be honest with me."
"?"
"How old are you? Over twenty? You've been hidding for five years, right?"
"...I am fifteen."
Creak- Creak-.
"Cough!"
This stance was disadvantageous for Luna.
Weapon, strength, size – she was outmatched in every aspect.
But this was all part of Luna's plan.
As she adjusted her stance, she whispered again.
"You're a real monster. So, what does your master want?"
"...What do you mean?"
"I heard you two talking earlier. Didn't you receive orders? Like, cripple me, or cut off my head."
"..."
"Considering you've only been hitting with the flat side, I guess killing isn't the order. What, are you supposed to bring back a leg or an arm?"
Clang!
Daike forcefully pushed away Luna's sword.
They were close enough to hear each other's words, though their swords didn't touch.
Daike spoke.
"...It's your arm."
"Haha, I see? Just as I expected."
Luna planted her sword into the ground.
She realized she couldn't win against this monster. It was like throwing eggs at a rock.
But even if she admitted defeat, Teron wouldn't be satisfied.
So.
Rip- Tear-.
Luna tore the sleeve off her shirt and tightly wrapped it around her left forearm.
"Fine, take it. This arm, I can give it away anytime."
But.
"I add only one condition: do not touch Zero."
After clashing swords with Daike, she understood.
Even Zero wouldn't be able to defeat this child. He was a true monster.
So, she gave it all up.
Her pride, her anger, and now, one of her arms.
'Compared to Zero's life, it's a cheap bargain.'
Teron was close enough to hear their conversation.
His eyebrows twitched noticeably.
"...Not to touch him?"
"Yes, take it as an honor. Taking my arm will be the greatest achievement of your life."
Chuckle- Chuckle-.
"Hahahaha!!"
Suddenly, Teron burst into loud laughter.
A laughter that was almost hysterical.
But none of the children laughed.
It was too contrasting to his usual composed demeanor.
'Scary.'
All the children could do was maintain silence.
"Hahaha... For a presumptuous brat, you've got some spirit."
The laughter continued. Then, abruptly, it stopped. Teron's expression turned serious.
"Presumptuous brat. Do you even realize who's showing mercy to whom here?"
"..."
"In your position, even if you knelt and begged for your life, it would have been insufficient. And yet, what?"
Claiming that losing an arm would be his greatest achievement?
This is why I detest the clueless.
"Daike."
"Yes."
"Kill her."
"...But killing a student will require cleanup."
"I'll handle that."
"But..."
"It's an order."
Daike's expression changed.
He slowly started moving, his sword raised.
Yuridia knew. Daike was really going to kill Luna.
"Teron! Have you gone mad?"
"As the proxy for the duel's certification, I declare that those who interfere with this sacred duel shall bear the consequences."
"Nonsense! You don't have that authority! Everyone, take them down!"
The factions of Teron and Yuridia started to mix and clash.
Yuridia cried out desperately.
"Luna! Come down! Come this way!"
Luna had no intention of dying either.
The duel was over. She was about to descend from the dueling ground.
Daike swung his sword.
Yuridia immediately cast a spell.
"Shield!"
Crash-!
The shield shattered to pieces.
All from a single attack.
"Block the casting!"
Teron's faction charged in.
Their force pushed Yuridia's faction back.
'Damn it! If only I could use offensive magic!'
Using offensive magic would cause casualties.
Could she hurt others to protect Luna?
That made no sense.
"No! Luna!"
Thump!
Luna was lifted into the air.
It was because Daike had swung his sword.
"Cough..."
Even though she blocked with her sword, the impact was tremendous.
Blood streamed from her forearm.
'That bastard... he swung the blade, didn't he?'
Until now, Daike had only used the flat of his sword to inflict physical blows.
But now, with just one order, he had completely changed.
Luna knew. Daike was serious.
He intended to kill her.
"Hey, isn't this too much?"
"..."
"To kill someone just because of an order?"
"..."
He no longer even spoke.
Different. Completely different from before.
'He seems like a different being.'
Teron sneered at Luna.
"Don't be lonely. After you, I'll slice him up too."
Something surged within her.
Her death was acceptable.
But the thought of Zero being endangered because of her, that was not.
'Why am I so stupid?'
If Zero died because of her, how could she ever atone?
That couldn't happen.
Not Zero, not Zero!
The first secret technique of the Lester Family Style.
One Flash.
Boom!
She launched an attack with all her might.
But even this time, she couldn't reach Daike.
Teron mocked her.
"What kind of technique is that? Baseless and pathetic, just like you."
"Keke, baseless? What a harsh thing to say."
The voice came from right beside them.
Teron shouted in surprise.
"Who are you!"
Teron knew as soon as he heard the voice.
The relaxed tone, the irritatingly polite manner, even the slurring that seemed to stick to him like glue.
This voice was undoubtedly...
"Keke, Teron. Your proxy duel..."
As Teron turned his head, he was confronted.
With those ominously shining red eyes.
"It was so boring I wanted to die."
At that moment, Zero revealed himself.
* * *
"It's Zero! Zero has appeared!"
Someone's shout.
It was enough to quell the chaos.
The battlefield, which had been a scene of confusion, instantly quietened.
'Phew, seems like using Eye Opening was the right move.'
The mess he encountered as soon as he arrived at the dueling ground.
Luna rolling on the ground, kids fighting each other, pulling hair, and my voice not getting through.
It was inevitable to be flustered.
'Well, thanks to them being busy with each other, I got here easily.'
They were so busy fighting among themselves that no one paid attention to him.
That's why he used Eye Opening right next to where Teron was.
Desperately wanting some attention.
"Ze, Zero."
"The third rank is here..."
Was it because of the lull?
The children returned to their respective places.
Teron gritted his teeth.
"Zero, you bastard. What do you mean by that? My proxy duel is boring?"
"Keke, yes. Tormenting the weak, it's too boring."
"Is that so?"
Teron smirked.
"Then what, you'll take over the duel?"
"Maybe I will?"
"...!"
Perhaps it was the too-cool response.
Teron's eyes widened.
Just as he was about to pass him and go up to the dueling ground.
"Don't come up!"
Luna shouted, telling him not to come up.
She knew that the moment he stepped up, things would become irreversible.
"I can handle this! I can take responsibility and end this duel!"
"..."
"You don't need to get involved! So, don't come up!"
She turned her head to look at Teron.
He smirked at that.
"Yeah, I guess you wouldn't want things to escalate either. Let's do this then. We'll settle it with one of her arms."
To end the duel with just one of Luna's arms?
What a grand gesture.
With a slight smile, he took a step forward.
Stepping up into the dueling arena.
Ignoring Teron's suggestion was just an extra.
"Wow...!"
"Whoa! He's going up! Is he going to fight?"
"That's impressive."
Exclamations and admiration erupted from the children.
They must think it looks cool. I feel like I'm about to die.
'They have no idea.'
Now that Luna was involved, there was no turning back.
Because Luna is a comrade? Sure, that's one reason.
But there was a more fundamental reason.
'Because Caron would kill me.'
Killing Machine Caron.
If even a scratch appeared on Luna, he would surely disassemble me at the cellular level.
That's why he had stepped up.
"Luna, are you okay?"
"You idiot! Why did you come up here!"
"Keke, I asked if you were okay, why do you call me an idiot? Are you an idiot who can't even understand a question?"
"Waaaah! You idiot! You're really an idiot..."
Luna began to shed tears.
Come to think of it, it's been two days since he had a proper conversation with Luna.
He took out a handkerchief from his pocket dimension and wiped Luna's tears.
"I'm sorry for what happened. It was my fault."
"Sob, sob... I'm sorry too. I should have done better."
"Yes, we both made mistakes. Let's leave the apologies here. We have something else to deal with now."
Daike was standing near Luna.
He had to deal with him first.
"I'm sorry. I caused another problem and dragged you into this..."
"It's okay. I can handle it."
"No! He's really dangerous! Let's just go! Let's go back!"
"I can't."
"Why?"
"Because you got hurt."
Ooooooooooh-!
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Oh, right, he had forgotten about them.
Peeping Toms watching someone else's love life.
Well, it's not like he was in a relationship with Luna.
"Did you hear that? He said, 'Because you got hurt'? That's insane."
"Maybe love really does need a crisis?"
"He's crazy."
"From today on, I'm on Team Luna. If anyone bothers that couple, I won't let it go."
What a tiresome bunch.
Luna, having stopped crying, looked at me.
"Are you sure? He's strong."
"It's okay. I'm strong too."
"If you think you're going to get hurt, just give up. I can sacrifice one of my arms."
"Keke, that won't happen."
"Forget it, just answer me. You'll give up if you think you're going to get hurt, okay?"
The earnest look in Luna's eyes.
He could tell from the time they spent together. She was serious.
'She would give up an arm for me.'
That's not a normal way of thinking.
But, it wasn't a bad feeling.
He gently stroked Luna's head and said.
"If Daike's attack even grazes me once, I will surrender."
It could sound like he was planning to back down immediately.
But Luna seemed to understand what he meant.
"You're planning to win overwhelmingly. I get it."
Luna staggered to her feet.
Then she shouted.
"I nominate Zero as my proxy for the duel."
--TL Notes--
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