When the match began, neither side made a move at first.
Just like that, the two sides continued to spend time slowly measuring each other, as if both of us were on the lookout for the otherās next action.
A development similar to the second match.
However, the true state of the situation is almost the opposite.
Ain, who was already able to use <Manual Arts>, with his extremely superior strength, had an overwhelming advantage over me.
When our attacks collide, the difference in power between us will almost determine my defeat.
In other words, Ain needs to match my attack with either a sword attack or a shield parry, while I need to get through both of them or I will lose.
Moreoverā¦ā¦
[I know Dual-wielders are quite rare, but that doesnāt mean I didnāt have the experience fighting against them.]
As we continued to glare at each other, Ain happily spoke.
[Being able to attack with both hands certainly is strong. That especially goes with the Sword Saintā¦ā¦ As you yourself have fought the Dual-wielding Nirva, you should know the intensity of his overwhelming firepower. Itās just, unnn, I at least donāt think Dual-wielding was better than using a sword and a shield.]
[What are you trying to say?]
When I asked, consciously showing no weaknesses, Ain lightly lifted his shield, seemingly showing it to me.
[āāāā-You canāt use Parry, right?]
When he pointed this out, I was at a loss for words.
The <Ninja> Skill: <Ambidexterity>, which is essential for adopting the Dual-Wielding Style, has the effect that āwhen the same weapon is equipped on both sides, the weapon in the non-dominant hand can be handled in the same way as the dominant handā.
This allows one to use the left-hand weapon in the same way as the right-hand weapon, but at the cost of not being able to use <Parry> and <Guard> techniques that arenāt usable with the dominant hand.
Especially in interpersonal matches like this, being able to use Parry is a trump card.
This not only meant that one of the cards that would decide this match in one shot wasnāt accessible to me, but it also meant that I donāt have another option but to evade Ainās attacks.
[ā¦ā¦I wonder about that? I might not have the <Ambidexterity> Skill, you know?]
Although I barely uttered that, Ainās smile didnāt falter.
Ain isnāt the type to actively deceive people, but that doesnāt mean heās naive enough to get caught by other peopleās tricks.
[Thereās no way a swordsman of your caliber wouldnāt know that. And yet, why did you persist in going through this match while Dual-wielding? Perhaps, were you aiming for a tactic that can only be used if you have two weapons where, for example, you canāt use it unless you had to give up one weaponā¦ā¦]
I shudder at his extremely accurate foresight.
I should make sure Ain doesnāt think any more than he already has.
[Letās end all these tedious talks!!!]
As if to interrupt Ainās thoughts, I ran forward.
(With a situation like this, it canāt be helped! In any case, Iāll just make the first move!)
Ain is better than me in swordsmanship, ability, and Arts-handling.
So, if I had the chance to win, it would only be through a surprise attack.
[Heehhhā¦ā¦ Then, how about this?]
However, the distance between me and Ain is too far.
Before I could close the distance to Ain, Ain swung his sword and slashed it at an angle.
[āāāā-<Air Slash>.]
I shuddered at the sound of his calm voice.
The only technique Iāve shown Ain so far was <Air Slash>.
And yet, he has already developed <Air Slash> at an angle he shouldnāt have seen yet, correcting the angle on his own.
(You d*mn cheat! Even those Copy-Users in shounen manga have a little more modesty than you!)
I swore at him inside my mind, but that didnāt really change the situation.
At the same time as he released a wind blade from his sword, Ain rushed towards me.
[Kuh!]
He may act casually, but itās a well-thought-out and nasty attack.
The wind blade, which was fired at an angle, is much harder to avoid than the vertical <Air Slash> that was fired in the first match.
If I force myself to avoid the wind blade, Ain himself would probably follow up with a blow to me after my posture gets broken.
But now, I have abandoned my shield and taken up a second weapon.
I canāt nullify the wind blade with my shield, and even if I tried to cancel it out with my sword, I would lose outright due to the difference in our power, as proven by the result of the second match.
In that caseā¦ā¦
[āāāā<Gale Sword>!]
""
I abandoned both evasion and defense.
Instead of escaping from its trajectory, I increased my speed and plunged myself toward the wind blade and Ain coming from behind it.
[Wha!?]
As I raised the sword in my right hand, exposing my body unprotected, the wind blade slammed into my chestā¦ā¦
[āāāāā<Body Flicker>.]
The next moment, I leaped behind Ain.
This was my absolute trump card.
Itās the most powerful evasion technique against an attacker.
Even though my body moved to a different location, the speed of my swinging arm remains the same.
With my accelerated right sword, I swung it down on Ainās unguarded backā¦ā¦
[āāāāāā<Parry>.]
As if anticipating this, Ain twisted his body and intercepted my sword with his shield.
No, it isnāt as if he had anticipated my actions.
The timing of his movements canāt be explained though, that is unless he had moved his body before I activated my <Body Flicker>.
Ain knew about Nirva, who could also use the <Body Flicker> Skill.
And so, realizing that there was no way I would take the attack without a plan, he predicted that I would evade with <Body Flicker>.
My arm that swung down didnāt stop.
The strike from my right hand struck Ainās perfectly timed <Parry>ā¦ā¦
[ā¦ā¦Eh?]
I flung away Ainās shield.
Feeling elation from my plan working, my lips distorted to a grin.
This is something Ain, no, anyone in the world would never know.
The only person in the world who possessed the <Twin Arts> Skill was <Sword Saint Nirva>.
And even Nirva himself had not mastered this skill in the true sense of the word.
The trick was simple.
I used my right hand to use the <Gale Sword> while activating <Shield Break> with my left hand.
Due to <Twin Arts>ās effect, which enables you to āuse a technique performed with one hand to be applied to the other handā, not just my left-hand weapon, but also my right-hand weapon has the effect of breaking through shields.
(I could do this!!!)
With the certainty of victory at hand, I deactivated the Arts on my left hand and thrust my left-hand sword at the Ain, impatient visible on his face.
[Not yet! <Gale Sword>!]
However, Ain didnāt just let himself get defeated.
With the fastest attack Ain can muster, his sword struck forward, intending to mow away my thrust.
Because of the direction of my attack, my body is leaning forward and I couldnāt dodge his attack.
Before my attack can reach Ainās body, Ainās <Gale Sword> will reach my swordā¦ā¦
[āāāā<Parry>.]
My sword parried Ainās sword.
[Whaā¦ā¦!?]
This time, Ainās face was dyed with astonishment.
In exchange for the ability to use Arts with my left hand, the <Ambidexterity> Skill should have made it impossible for me to use Parry with my left hand.
Thatās why, I shouldnāt have been able to parry him here.
Ain must have thought that was the case.
And in fact, he thought right.
ā¦ā¦That is, if only I had not let go of the sword in my right hand beforehand.
The condition for <Ambidexterity>, which allows you to use Arts with your left hand, is that you must have the same weapon in both hands.
In other words, the moment my right-hand lets go of the wooden sword and becomes bare-handed, <Ambidexterity>ās requirements arenāt met, and instead of being able to use Arts with my left hand, Iām able to use Parry.
(āāāāThis is my surprise attack. A killer full course for the clueless!!!)
Even if he outclassed me in terms of ability, Iām still ahead in terms of knowledge about Arts.
And so, Iām going to make use of his cluelessness and the holes in their knowledge to suppress him down!
[Kuh!]
But stillā¦ā¦
Even though he was hit by many unexpected things, had his shield and even his sword blown away, Ainās eyes didnāt give up on the match.
I have no weapon in my right hand right now.
So, I would pick up the weapon within the opening my Parry had opened up, and start the battle again.
Perhaps, that is what Ain thought.
Howeverā¦ā¦
(ā¦ā¦Sorry, Ain.)
I will not be picking up the sword.
Instead, clenching my unarmed hand tightly and firmlyā¦ā¦
(I told you this when I found out you set this match up, didnāt I?)
Thereupon, drawing my right arm like a bowā¦ā¦
[Donāt tell me, waitāāāā]
Before the flustered Ain fished saying those words, telling me to stopā¦ā¦
āāāāāāI said Iāll beat you up for this!!!
And thus, my clenched fist struck the white prince square in the face.