Chapter 60
A loud cheer rang out as I walked through the passage from the waiting room to the arena .
“Do your best Arnos-chan!”
“If you’ve come this far you’ve won this Arnos! Get fired up!”
My parents voices ring out .
“You’re looking cool today Arnos-sama!”
“Instant death as usual please!”
“But if it’s instant death we won’t see Arnos-sama’s gallant figure which we haven’t seen in ages!”
“Then please take your time Arnos-sama!”
The voices of my fan union ring out like always .
“Next to appear is a member of the Lognos Demon Sword Association! The player who attained perfect victories without getting hurt! Ray Grandori!”
Ray appears out of the other passage .
Cheers ring out from the seats .
“He’s here! I’ve been waiting! The demonic sword saint!”
“Show that mixed-race brat the order of things!”
“Yeah! Show those unification faction idiots who are getting all excited how it is!”
The royal faction is rooting for Ray .
It’s turned into a proxy war between the unification faction and the royalist faction .
“Fumu . Sure is noisy . ”
“Isn’t it just . ”
Ray smiles his usual refreshing smile .
It was a natural smile that was full of eagerness . Has he made a breakthrough of some sort?
“Before the match starts the tournament organisers have something to inform you . ”
I thought they would use some petty tricks and here it comes .
“The finals will be performed under special rules . Firstly, each player must wear a bracelet . ”
While the owl is talking guards come over to me and Ray .
“Left hand . ”
I hold out my hand and I’m given a glittering bracelet .
“Not only the sword but if the bracelet is destroyed you lose . ”
Fumu . It doesn’t seem like it cuts off your magic .
I take a closer look .
The <Demonic Imbibing Bracelet> . A tool from the age of myths .
It continuously absorbs the magic power of the person wearing it . For a normal person, this would make using magic almost impossible .
I’d have to break it to stop it but then I’d lose .
They are trying to chip away at my power I see .
“That bracelet isn’t a poor copy Arnos Voldigod . ”
A voice addressed only to me echoes directly in my head via Thought Transmission <Liikus> .
Following the magic trail, I look up and see it coming from the owl .
“That <Demonic Imbibing Bracelet> will continuously absorb your power and send it to another location . ”
It’s telling the truth . After activating my demon eyes I can see a magic line sending the magic somewhere .
“If you cut off your magic power Sheila’s spirit disease will worsen and she’ll die . ”
I see . Are you ready to wipe out the rumours that give Sheila life?
“And if you win Ray Grandori will have his origin erased . ”
Fumu . I have no doubt the contracted demon sword will work if it’s activated .
“Well then . ”
Did you say what you wanted to say? The owl cuts off <Liikus> .
We wear the bracelets under the eyes of the guards . Looking over at Ray’s bracelet I can see that its a fake . It’s not a magic tool .
“We can now begin the final match of the Deiruheido demon sword tournament! Begin!!”
Ray unsheathes Initeio and raises the pure white sword towards me . Drawing my sword a light metal sound rings out as I place it on Initeio in place of a greeting .
“I would have been so happy if I could have just swung my sword around without thinking . ”
“Fumu . I wouldn’t say its totally impossible though . ”
Ray lets out a vague smile .
“Can you fight with your magic being drained?”
“Don’t be reserved . If you go easy on me you’ll die . ”
“I thought so . ”
Ray sets up his sword an I lower mine like usual .
We are already in each others strike zone but neither of us could move .
There’s no gap in Ray’s defence . No matter where I strike I’ll be countered by that pure white sword .
It’s my style to break open any defence no matter how robust by sheer force but this time that won’t work since Initeio will cancel Hiding Magic <Najira> and Arms Strengthening <Adeshin> .
I have no choice but to avoid direct attacks and I can’t win anyway since Ray will disappear if I do .
What can I do?
I’m not in a deadlock but it’s still a very troublesome situation .
I was waiting to see how Ray would move but he also was standing still .
Several minutes pass as we stare at each other but Ray suddenly relaxes .
“I was told to play for time in the finals . ” Ray mutters .
I’m a little surprised he’s exposed that .
“It’s more advantageous the longer I wait . ”
<Najira> and <Adeshin> consume a lot of magic power plus my magic is also being drained by that bracelet .
If Ray goes on the defensive then beating him with my sword will be difficult .
Me not moving is certainly disadvantageous .
“But I’m bored with that now . ”
At the same time as his words Initeio’s tip blurred and grazes my cheek at a speed that cannot be followed with your eyes .
In order to separate us I swing my sword at Ray’s left hand .
I had thought that Ray would avoid it but he steps forward and our bodies come into contact forcefully stopping my arm .
At this range it’s impossible to swing my sword .
“……Fuu… . . !”
What kind of technique is this? In the small area that impossible for a sword to strike a fist approaches my chin .
Pulling back to dodge it, the snow-white blade approaches my face as I’m off balance .
If I receive that I’ll be torn up .
In that case——
“……… . !?”
Rays sword cuts into my left arm . My flesh tears and the blade reaches my bone where it stops .
“I’m sorry to say but my bones are very hard . ”
“Your body is as random as usual Arnos . ”
Ray pulls Initieo out and retreats setting up his stance again .
Looking at him his left arm is hanging unnaturally .
Thinking about it Ray was also slower than usual and he only used one hand . If he’s used both he would have severed my arm .
“What’s with your arm?”
Ray smiles .
“I want our match to be as equal as possible . ”
“Did you cut the tendons yourself?”
“Yeah . It’s pretty painful though . ”
Ray holds Initeio in his right hand like its nothing .
“Is that okay?”
Giving up on playing for time and cutting his own arm are both acts of betrayal against the royal faction . The contract to treat his mother will be broken .
“Arnos . In the group competition I thought I’d finally met you . The opponent I cannot beat even if I stake my all on this sword . I wanted to clash against you with everything I had . ”
He keeps his guard up as he continues talking quietly .
“However, as long as me and my mom are held hostage you cant give it your all . ”
Ray is surely being watched . The mazoku who implanted the contacted demon sword is surely aware of what he’s saying .
“I thought a lot but all I have is the sword . ”
Ray speaks in a determined tone .
“I betrayed the contract and now the contract sword is cutting into my origin . ”
As expected, however, an ordinary person would have already been destroyed at this point after having their origin cut . It’s still only a matter of time for Ray though .
“I’ll be dead soon and my mother can’t be saved either . You don’t have to worry anymore . ”
Ray points his sword tip at my left arm .
“I will win to protect my friendship with you . ”
If Ray destroys the bracelet he wins and if the owl was telling the truth then the loss of magic will kill Sheila .
If I don’t break it it will continue to absorb my magic forever .
He must have judged that I wouldn’t abandon Sheila so he will end his own mother’s life himself .
To protect me you offer your own life then?
“Won’t you ask for my help?” (A)
“You might die . ” (R)
“I won’t die . ” (A)
“Maybe, but maybe not . No matter how much of a transcended being you are, what type of friend would I be if I keep putting you in danger?” (R)
Ray laughs .
“This is the best solution for me as well . I get to finally beat you and protect you . ” (R)
So that it . It’s a story based on me losing on purpose though .
If this bracelet is destroyed then Sheila’s safety cannot be assured, however, the owl said nothing about my sword getting broken .
In other words their purpose is my magic power . They don’t care about who wins this tournament .
I could lose on purpose, pull out the contracted demon sword from Ray and fight again after crushing this plot by Avos Dillheavia .
A smart person would do this .
But I can’t do it .
Even in this situation where his origin is being cut Ray wants to fight me .
He wants neither fame nor status he only wants the sword . In his last moments Ray is giving his all to the sword .
You might think him a stupid person but its what he wants .
If I put it off then I’m not qualified to be this mans friend .
“Don’t surrender to the enemy and don’t rely on me, just stick to your beliefs . That’s what my friend does . ”
I take one step forward .
“You don’t have to think about anything anymore Ray . Unification faction or the royalists . Forget about your mother even . There’s only me and you now . ”
Ray smiles a genuine smile .
“Now come . Let’s play . ”
I’ll get in the way of whatever Avos Dillheavia is planning later .
My parents are supporting me, I promised Misha I’d win and Ray is challenging me to a fight .
This has nothing to do with the reborn demon king of tyranny . This is the final match between us two .