It seemed that Glen had also been holding back, and even with increased speed, the fight remained evenly matched. Glen's face began to contort, but not from pain or discomfort.
An old friend of Glen's would probably have said, "He's smiling. He must be in a good mood."
"Hehe..."
"Haha..."
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Lies... The leader is smiling..."
At the waiting area of "The Roar of Mithril," voices of surprise could be heard.
"What is that...?"
"...A final battle between a demon and an angel?"
The one who answered the Minister of Finance was, surprisingly, the Prince.
"Can you see the sword movements?"
"No..."
Elbert, the King's response.
The hands of the former S-rank Hunter, Duke Christopher, were trembling. It wasn't due to a stroke; his hands, shaped as if holding a sword, were shaking.
"...Elbert, is it hopeless?"
"It's hopeless, Duke!"
...He seemed to want to fight himself.
The general audience, who had been cheering, fell silent.
There was no time to shout or talk.
They needed to engrave this battle in their minds.
This battle, which they would likely recount many times in the future, in its entirety.
*Crack!*
"A..."
Mile's sword, unable to withstand the intense duel, finally broke. It was a cheap practice sword, so it was no surprise.
However, the two of them were still not satisfied.
"Want to switch swords? You can use your own if you want."
Glen offered, but Mile couldn't use that mysterious sword.
"No, it's fine."
Mile gently held the broken blade with her left thumb and index finger, then slid her fingers along the part where the blade had been. A sword of light formed in the wake of her fingers.
"Secret Technique, 'Light Blade'!"
"What the hell is that!?"
"So, you're a 'Magic Swordsman' because you use magic swords!"
"Ah, no, I can use regular magic too?"
*Swish, boom!*
"Alright, let's continue!"
"Okay!"
Glen ignored the magic projectile that was cast without incantation.
The audience couldn't hear their conversation, so they didn't realize Mile had cast a spell without incantation.
The intense swordplay resumed, and Mile used high-speed movement and backflips, doing as she pleased.
She wasn't using her full physical abilities, but with her talent in swordsmanship, she was a perfect match for Glen.
Fun! Exciting!
Mile, carried away by the excitement, only came to her senses when Glen's pace began to slow, indicating he was reaching his limit.
(Oh no! I've gone too far!!)
She had intended to go too far, but not this far. There are limits to everything.
Mile, now pale, whispered to Glen.
"Sorry, but I have a reason. Please let me lose! And please don't hurt me!"
"...Alright."
Glen, with decades of experience as a Hunter, quickly understood that Mile had a reason and had perhaps gotten carried away. Since he had also contributed to her going too far and had enjoyed the fight, he was willing to accommodate her request.
"Ha!"
"Ugh, I lost!"
Two hopeless actors.
A good team.
The audience, initially stunned by the disappointing conclusion to an otherwise great match, soon began to interpret it more favorably, thinking, "There must be a reason," or "The senior Hunter must have let the win go out of respect." The obvious fix was ignored.
In the center of the arena, Mile's performance was not yet over.
"Don't get too cocky just because you beat me! We Four Heavenly Kings are mere beginners compared to that person! Lord Byle, avenge me!"
"Wh-What!?"
Mile's sudden outburst shocked both Glen and Byle, who was in the waiting area.
"Hey, you..."
"I have a reason! I have a reason!"
"Right... What a mouth you have! You can't beat me!"
Glen, reluctantly going along with Mile's act.
"Leader, what's going on..."
Some were stunned, others trying hard not to laugh, as "The Roar of Mithril" was in chaos. Byle, looking annoyed, stepped out from the waiting area.
"What was that final monkey show..."
"Probably has a reason. Let it go.
So, Elbert?"
The King, calming the Minister of Finance, asked Elbert.
"That and the previous three, a set, I guess."
"I see..."
"Mile! What was that! A perfect victory!"
"No, no, if I did that, I'd stand out too much as a C-rank Hunter! Besides, it would be bad for their reputation!"
"Well, that's true..."
Lena, recalling her own actions, felt a bit guilty and toned down her tone. The mage in the waiting area was still crouching, muttering to himself.
In the arena, under the watchful eyes of the audience, Glen and Byle faced each other.
After Mile's words, Glen had to fight again, just as Mile had planned.
"Are you one of them too...?"
"N-No! Don't group me with them!"
"Sorry, my bad..."
For a regular graduate, even in his current exhausted state, it wouldn't be a problem.
While not as fast as Mile, Byle's rapid strikes, combined with his superior technique, were tough for Glen, who was already exhausted and satisfied from fighting Mile.
"Air Bullet!"
"What!"
A simple wind magic, compressed air released in a single word, hit Glen from below due to the height difference, lifting him and disrupting his stance.
Unable to brace himself, Glen's sword was struck by Byle's blade, but even in a compromised position, Glen wouldn't be defeated by that. However...
"Magic Blade!"
With a *ching* sound, the blade was cut off and fell to the ground. The practice sword, which had been magically enhanced, reverted to a normal blunted sword and struck Glen's torso.
"Ugh!"
"That's it!"
The leader of "The Roar of Mithril," A-rank Hunter Glen, suffered a painful defeat.
Glen, who had lost, was relatively calm. He understood why he lost and was confident he wouldn't make the same mistake again.
Byle, on the other hand, was stunned.
"Did I... win? Against a B-rank Hunter?"
"Hey, if you think you won on skill, you'll die soon. Got it?"
"Y-Yes, of course... But still, it's just that..."
"I get it. Well, a win is a win. Enjoy it for today, and tighten up from tomorrow.
And remember, our party is B-rank, but I'm A-rank!"
"Y-Yes! Thank you!"
Amidst thunderous applause, Byle, awkwardly walking with his right hand and right foot, headed to the waiting area.
(Alright, as planned!)
The plan to let Byle shine and downplay the previous impression of Mile and the others.
Byle's major victory over the leader of the high-ranking B-rank party "The Roar of Mithril" would quickly spread, overshadowing the others. Even if they had made some mistakes, the big news of a student defeating "The Roar of Mithril's" Glen in the graduation exam would overshadow any minor issues.
"Hey, Mile! Come here!"
Mile, smirking at the successful plan, was startled by Glen's call from the center of the arena.