My next opponent is Neku

The next day, after the judges call out my name, they call out my opponent. A girl named Neku, who is with Midnight Dawn. Her preferred weapon is a spear. So, she got the Fighter class but due to her choice of weapon being the spear she is nicknamed a lancer. She appears to be wearing light armor made of leather. Perhaps she has metal plates under it in the same way I have under my brigandine.

What I recall from seeing her winning in the previous rounds, she is able to jump really high. Probably one of her skills. Another thing I’ve noticed is her thrusting her weapon in such a way that it causes a wave of sound to be created. I’m not sure what that one means, but I guess I will find out soon. Finally, she can cast lightning from her spear. That made me first believe she might be a spellsword, but in order to cast lightning spells you need to combine fire and air and spellswords only get to have one element. So she is making use of a different trick. Could it be she is a [Rune Master]? At any rate, I will have to be careful about that.

As we walk onto the arena, I see that the fountain that was destroyed by Zachary in my last match has been rebuild. I smile as I think back to myself pretending to need the water in that fountain for my magic to work. I am sure Neku saw me use that magic ring to summon the water I need for my spells. I doubt she will target that fountain like Zachary did.

Neku and I get to the center of the arena and face each other. It is my first time facing an adventurer from one of the other 2 great guilds. I wonder how tough she’ll be. She does make me a little nervous with her eyes, though. It’s not their color. I have noticed a few Dark Dragon members have yellow eyes too. It’s her eyelids. She has them half closed. Is this how she usually is? It makes me feel like she’s not taking this fight serious. Or is she faking it to throw me off guard? That is when the judges give the signal for our duel to start.

I don’t rush for the fountain this time. I stay in place with my sword drawn, waiting for Neku to respond. But Neku has the same idea. She too remains stationary, with her spear in her right hand, pointing to the ground. Before I joined the Dark Dragons, I would have assumed she’s got a huge opening in her defense. But not after a few fights with Jason. He too sometimes holds his halberd in what appears to be a disadvantageous position. But in actuality he keeps it ready for a swing.

As Neku is sizing me up, she starts slowly walking to her right. I copy her and start circling around her as well. I am quite surprised that the audience is rather silent despite us not showing any action. I would have assumed some to boo because we’re just waiting on each other.

While I am trying to think of a good way to start attacking Neku, she suddenly makes use of her [High Jump] skill and jumps right to the top of a pillar that makes up the terrain of the arena. That jump of hers was certainly 3 meters up or more. While up there, she brings her spear up and levels it next to her head. Oh god! She’s going to throw it!

I start running and see Neku throw her spear. It comes in fast and embeds itself into the sandy ground behind me with quite a blow. I turn around and see the spears tip is completely hidden under the ground. She has to have made use of an [Empowerment] skill. There is no way she could have that much natural strength otherwise.

As I look at Neku’s spear something catches my eye. A row of three gems, each with a faint glow. Well, that is a peculiar decoration. Until I see the light of one of those three gems go out and immediately after three lightning arcs come out of the spear. Two of them expanding away from me, but the third came right for my left hand. The resulting electrical damage I got caused my entire left arm to feel numb.

Despite all of that, I quickly realize Neku is without her weapon now. She is even still on that pillar. I could easily grab her spear and use it against her. But then Neku performs another [High Jump]. While she is at the zenith of her jump, she reaches out her hand to her spear and flies all the way towards it. She must be using some kind of [Pull] skill. Neku lands close to her weapon and quickly pulls it out of the ground. Now she is within striking range and I have one functioning arm less.

Neku starts attacking me and I try to defend by wielding my sword with only one hand. I can manage for now, but it’s a lot more difficult. I need to clear some distance between us until I get the feeling in my left arm back. I guess this means it’s the perfect time to use my new [Mist] spell. I raise my left hand and summon water from the ring, which with the help of the [Mist] spell is immediately turned into a mist. It feels weird doing this with an arm that has no feeling, but soon enough there is a thick enough mist surrounding both myself and Neku that she loses track of me. This is my cue to get out.

After I leave the mist bank I keep moving and make some distance between it and me. I am already starting to get some feeling back but just a little. I shake my arm and use my hand to try and get feeling to come back to it when suddenly the mist I created gets filled with electricity. Did Neku use that electricity attack inside the mist? The mist then starts to fade, probably a result of the electricity and I see Neku’s spear somewhere in there, while Neku herself is outside. I guess she was hoping I was still in there.

She uses her [Pull] skill again to quickly get to her spear, which now has 2 dimmed gems, and pulls it out of the ground. Then she performs her [High Jump] straight for me. I can dodge her incoming attack, but she can continue attacking without taking a break. Fortunately, I have gotten enough feeling back to my left arm. I don’t bring it to my sword and defend myself from Neku’s spear. I bring it under my right spaulder, where I’ve hidden my runes. I feel for the carving the spell [Sunlight Charge]. It’s one of Kiara’s favorite spells. I activate the rune. Then aim my hand towards Neku’s face and cast the spell. I bright light shines straight at her. She both screams, stops attacking me and one of her hands lets go of her spear to protect her eyes. That was a mistake for her.

I move in, grab her spear and manage to yank it out of her hand. I then Grab Neku by her hair and pull on it hard. She screams as I drag her to her spear so I can put my feet on it. Finally, I bring my sword under her chin and against her throat.

“You’ve lost.” I tell Neku. “Time to yield.”

“Or what? You’ll kill me? That’s a **** sentence for you too.” Neku replies with a lot of anger in her eyes.

I pull a little harder on Neku’s hair to make her realize she’s not in control here and then tell her, “If this was a real fight at the border and I was a demon, this really would have been the end for you. You should be happy this is a match in an arena instead which allows you to learn from your mistakes. But for now, you have been defeated. So, yield.”

It takes Neku a few more seconds, but in the end, she realizes that she has indeed lost.

“Yield!” She yells out.

The gong signifying the end of the match goes off and one of the judges calls out, “Neku Yields! The winner is Darx!” through the loudspeaker.

As soon as the crowd starts cheering, I take my sword away from Neku and help her up. Except Neku pushes my hand away and walks off without saying anything. Oh well. Not everybody can be a good sport.

Only when I start walking back do I remember what Kiara said last night. That’s right, I’m in the quarterfinals now! I also remember her making me a promise. Just thinking like this already made me excited. But no, I have to keep it down for now.

I so badly want to go to her right away. But I really should stay and watch the other contestants. They may very well be my next opponents. When I see Url against his next opponent, I am quickly saved from my erection for Kiara. I hoped to see him lose but unfortunately, he wins. Sometime later is Monica’s turn. Like all her previous duels, she wins this one as well. She even does it by only using her earth magic. I wonder which of the two I will have to face first.