/
.
— The first of three matches was over. The stone stage was not damaged in any particular way and did not need to be cleaned, so it was decided to continue with the second match. The hero Ark, and then Nina, come up onto the stage.
“Damn you, you useless bastards. You’ve had to bite back a bit.”
Ark swore and rolled Enrique’s unconscious body downstage with his foot.
“Hey, isn’t that too much for a companion who fought for a hero’ group?”
“Hmph, don’t complain about me, you bastard of a guard. They’ re lucky I didn’t kick them to death.”
He is still a hero with the worst character. I wanted to go against him and beat him up for the second time in a row. However, perhaps reading my heart, Nina put her hand on my shoulder.
“Leave it to me.”
“Nina
”
“Don’t tell me you’re worried about me?”
“No, I trust you.”
Nina smiled at me fearlessly, so there was no need for me to say more. Everything, including my irritation with Ark, is bound to be put down by Nina.
“─ ─ The second match, let’s begin!”
I get off stage, and not long afterwards, Morgan-san’s voice echoes. Ark slowly pulls out the sword on his back and walks up to Nina as if he has plenty of time to spare.
“Hey, it’s been a while since we’ve talked like this. Thief Nina.”
“
 Hmm.”
“Sorry, but I don’t feel like losing. If you give up quietly, you won’t need to be hurt, and you’ll have the glorious title as a member of the heroic party. What do you think?”
“You don’t sound as if you’re intrigued. And if you chose me because you thought I was someone you could beat then I can’t help but be angry.”
“Well, that’s a shame.”
Ark teased, and then took another slow step back to the starting point of the stage.
“But Nina, I think I overestimated you a little bit, you know.”
“
What?”
“I thought you were going to surprise me with one of the Thieves’ specialties when I came up to you
 I don’t know whether you lack skill or courage, but you’ve been very slow to take me by surprise.”
“What’s the point?”
“I mean it’s the end, Nina.”
A moment later, the figure of Ark, who should have been in front of Nina, disappeared. Then, its figure appears behind Nina, and its sword is swung down at her defenceless back.
“Kya
!”
Zash! A slashing sound. With that, Nina falls to the ground.
“Hahahaha! How’s that, did you see that! This is the skill [Misty Illusion Mirror Mask – Mirror of the Undying], which I reluctantly took because there were no Thieves in the party! This skill hides my figure and allows me to create an alter ego in its place. When I approached you earlier, I had already hidden myself. Then I moved to the altar I created so that you could see it, and while you were distracted by it, I went behind you!”
Ark grins and carries his sword.
“No matter how much of a thief you are
 no, it’s because you’re a thief that you didn’t expect me, a hero, to have such skills. Ha ha! Look at you! I’m troubled by the fact that guys from the slums are so weak-minded. I guess I’ll have to give you some education when I make you my subordinate from now on!”
Ark said this in a very pleasant manner.
– – And right after that, he was kicked in the back as hard as he could. Of course, by his opponent, Nina, who was no one else.
“Gafu?”
Arc flew very beautifully to the side, then bounced two or three times on the stage and rolled to the very end of it.
“God, what a – what a long lecture. How can I not see through your trap with your low level thief skills against me, an expert thief
? Which one of us is the one who is dumb?”
“Ugh
! Nina, you bitch! How on earth did you manage to move?
“Of course, it’s because I haven’t taken any of your attacks from the start.”
Nina points to where a log with a crack in it is lying. It was the place where the slashed Nina had fallen.
“The one you slashed was my alter ego. By the way, I knew that you went around on my back, You couldn’t kill your breathing or your footsteps, I feel sorry for your skills that aren’t up to your stature.”
“Damn it
! Shut up and take this!”
Ark regained his grip on his sword, and then, letting his hero’s unique status advantage get the better of him, he lunged at Nina. His speed is faster than Zain’s earlier. He probably reached a level of 30 or so. However.
“Take that, [Giga Slash]!”
“Here.” “Here.”
“Not yet, [Hundred Slashes]”
“Here.” “Here.” “Here.” “Here.” “Here.” “Here.
“You! Little shit Don’t you dare dodge!”
“Hmph, isn’t it worse if you can’t hit me? I mean, this has happened before, hasn’t it? Oh, where was it? I don’t know where it was
”
“Hero arc Here, Hero arc Here, Hero arc Here!””
Nina laughs as she dogges all attacks, but Ark’s sword always cuts through empty space.

By the way, [this thing] that Nina says probably refers to the first duel between me and Ark, which took place in the trash heap of the slum. Come to think of it, I was also thoroughly avoiding Ark’s attacks at that time. Nina is probably trying to tear Ark’s pride to shreds by recreating it. It’s a terrible tactic, like rubbing salt in the wound. Good, go on, do more.
“Fuck fucking fuck! If that’s what you’re going to do, I’ve got an idea! If the attack doesn’t hit you, I’ll just blow up the whole stage, [Gigafre
”Arc “[Clearent].” Nina
The moment Ark tries to use magic, Nina gives him a blow with her skill. Then, that magic activation was canceled and Ark’s movement stopped.
“Nah
?”
“You really don’t know anything about the Thief profession, do you?”
─ ─ One of the most frequently used Thief skills, [Clearent]. By countering an opponent’s magic activation, this skill cancels the opponent’s magic activation and gives a momentary loss of action.

Thieves have a considerable advantage against opponents who use magic. This way, you can make full use of your own speed to create an opening for your opponent. Nina, of course, is aware of this compatibility advantage. In fact, it was probably a strategy to invite this sorcery (the rest was simply harassment) that she dared to keep dodging Ark’s sword attacks and stirred him up with words.
Then, without a moment’s pause, Nina activated her skill [Critical Buffer], which strengthens the attack’s meeting rate, and unleashed a series of four thrusts at lightning speed.
“Gah?”
Nina’s sharp fist pierced into Ark’s limbs.
“
Lies, rig..!”
Dalan, Ark’s arms drooped downwards as if he had lost his strength, and he dropped his sword. Then, his legs also failed to support his squishy body, and Ark fell to the ground without even taking a passive stance. Immediately afterwards, Nina placed the blade of the kunai against his neck.
‘I’ve hit it in all four limbs with a vital blow. You shouldn’t be able to move for a few minutes. If you don’t have the skills to deal with this situation
 this is the end.”
“No, that’s
 that’s
 ridiculous
!”
“-Winner, Nina!”
Morgan’s decision was given, and thus the second match ended without incident.