Chapter 118 [Club House Competition] [6]  

"I fucked up."

As my gaze remained fixed on the caramel-haired girl, I grumbled, leaning on the bench.

She wasn't supposed to win so easily, like it was child's play.

She was supposed to struggle, try harder, lose the match, and be upset about it.

This would have made her determined to become stronger.

And when that damn scientist tried to kidnap her, all that would have worked as a catalyst for her awakening.

But it looks like that's not going to happen.

Massaging my temples, I let out a tired sigh.

[...Look at the bright side, she became stronger.]

It won't matter how strong she becomes if she can't awaken. If she doesn't awaken, she would remain the same...

just a normal human.

Only after awakening would she have a leap in confidence, and only after that would she hate losing.

Things shouldn't have turned out like this.

[...And whose fault is that?]

Yeah, I know it was my fault. Now stop being so smug about it.

"Sigh." I sighed again, glancing at Athela, who dashed around the room, waiting for Shyamal.

"Hmm?" My gaze then drifted to my side as I felt the tattoo buzzing. Soon, a white orb emerged from it, turning into a small child.

"Dada!!"

With an excited shout, he grabbed my arm, climbing up on my body.

"Why are you out on your own?" I asked, helping him to climb up.

Can't spirits only come out when their contractor calls them? Or am I just confusing it?

"Dada!!" He exclaimed, grabbing my hair for support while sitting on my shoulders.

'...'

I hate kids.

"Where were you!?" My gaze shifted back to Athela as she asked, fuming in anger.

"Is it our turn?" Ignoring her question, Shyamal asked, looking at the display.

"Yes." Athela replied, shaking her head in defeat, "Just go we are already late."

I stood up from the bench, making sure Willis didn't fall down.

Shyamal walked closer, her gaze fixed on Willis.

"Grrrr."

But as soon as he noticed her, he growled like an animal, glaring at her.

She silently stood in place, her crimson eyes fixed on the growling child.

"Go back, Willis." I instructed, making him lower his head and look at me upside down.

"Dada??" He asked innocently.

"We will play later."

Reluctantly, he nodded his head before glaring at Shyamal one last time and returning to my tattoo.

"Let's go." Walking out, I said, glancing at her.

"We have our team!! From team yellow again, we have— Lucus and Linda." And as soon as I walked out, the announcer's voice echoed, "And from team red, we have Lady Shyamal and our dukedom's son-in-law, Sir Azariah!!"

But the crowd didn't match his enthusiasm as they gave a lukewarm reaction.

Well, that's to be expected. After all, even though I am Christina's fiancé, my reputation isn't good enough for them to cheer for me.

"You aren't famous, huh?" With a straight face, Shyamal mumbled, "That's not the reaction Dukedom's son-in-law should get." "Just focus on the match." I replied, not hiding my annoyance for her.

"Yeah, about that." She whispered, her lips curling up in a small smile. "Good luck."

"...Thanks?" I replied, still confused.

"Azariah!!" My gaze shifted back towards Lucus, his scream echoing around.

"What now?" I asked, taking out my katana and axe-hammer.

I still miss my previous weapon. Looking at the new axe-hammer, I grumbled.

Unlike the last one, which was destroyed fighting against Delwyn, this one doesn't bounce. I wish I could recall it after throwing or something.

"Amm, sure." I replied, shrugging.

From his reaction, I don't think it was the right answer.

His face morphed into that of anger as he took out his saber, taking a battle stance.

"You take on the girl, I will take on Lucus." I instructed, glancing at Shyamal as she took out a scythe out of nowhere.

She nodded, a smile still adorning her face... which I didn't like one bit.

"Ready!!" Daphne asked, looking at us.

We nodded as her voice echoed once again.

"Start!!"

The next instant, I prowled towards them, lowering my katana and axe-hammer on both sides.

A slight pain hung on the tips of my fingers as my grip tightened.

The girl Linda immediately touched the ground below while Lucus rushed towards me, his saber's sharp side hung low.

Just before our weapons were about to collide, his lips parted, "Mairac arts: first quarter."

His saber made a wide arc, close to my midsection.

I blocked it with my katana, but only the saber's tip touched the katana as he jerked his arm back at the last moment before thrusting again.

Shit!

Cursing, I used the axe-hammer to block his saber, narrowly dodging the cut in my midsection.

"Mairac arts: crescent."

A diagonal arc of his saber aimed at my shoulder.

I stepped back, but the first attack was a feint. Retrieving it back, he struck from the same position.

CLANG!!!

I blocked it again using my axe-hammer, his blade falling to my bottom left.

SWISH!!

My pupils shrank as a spike emerged from the ground inches away from my thigh.

Neplh.

A thick layer of ice covered my thigh, blocking the attack. It shattered along with the spike.

My gaze shifted towards Linda, who had an absurd look on her face, her hands still touching the ground.

Then my gaze abruptly shifted to Shyamal, who strolled around playing with her scythe.

"Hey!! Come here!!" I shouted, glaring at her.

"Coming~." Still smiling, she slowly walked towards me.

"Mairac arts: —"

"Shut up!!"

Without a second thought, I threw my axe-hammer at his face.

He sidestepped, avoiding it, his gaze lingering at my hand holding the katana, which lit up in a silver hue.

I swung my body alongside the katana, his saber blocking it.

As I took another step forward, a spike reached out for my guts.

Neplh.

Once again, I covered my guts with ice, blocking the spike.

"Attack his blind side!!" Lucus instructed her as he rushed towards me.

"Mairac arts: gibbous."

His blade blurred out, leaving a silver trail aiming at my head. I moved my head a little, letting it pass just an inch away from my face before taking a step back and lowering my body.

"Hupp!!"

But my instinct kicked in, screaming at me to move, and I did so, ducking, sitting on the ground.

The next instant, a scythe's blade moved where my neck was supposed to be.

With a dumbfounded look on my face, I turned back.

"Sorry, my hand slipped~." With a cute smile on her face, she apologized.

"Azariah!!" Lucus shouted again, his glaring eyes filled with jealousy.

Fucking idiot, I just avoided death and you're jealous because she's acting cute with me?

"Go take care of Linda." I ordered, not bothering to comment.

"Yes~." She replied, strolling towards her.

"Mairac arts: last quarter."

The saber in his hand started to light up as he rushed towards me.

"Sigh... Let's end this."

With a tired sigh, I grabbed the katana before picking up the axe-hammer.

I kicked the ground, my legs burning in a silver hue, giving me a burst of speed.

Crossing my arms, I let the bones in my hands accumulate mana until it ached slightly. When I felt a slight ache, I let it burst out as he also swung his saber.

SWISH!!!

But at the last moment, my instinct kicked in again, making me twist my body slightly towards the scythe rushing at me.

Neplh!!

CLANG!!!

I opened my arms, making a cross with both my weapons, blocking the scythe before it got stuck in the ground.

At the same time, I covered my left arm with ice, blocking Lucus's full-blown strike.

"Arghh." But it wasn't enough as I felt my arm make a cracking sound.

"Huff..."

Taking a deep breath, I gestured for Lucus to stop as I looked at Shyamal walking towards me with a concerned look on her face.

"Are you alright? My hand slip—."

"Whose team are you on!?" I asked, glaring at her.

"Yours." She replied, blinking innocently.

"You sure!?"

"Yep."

"Then why are you attacking me?"

"I was trying to hel—."

"You want to help?" I asked, gesturing towards the bench, "Then go sit there quietly."

"Huh? Why?" She asked, frowning, "I took care of that girl."

"Thanks, now go!"

She looked at me annoyingly, "Why? Didn't I do what you told me—."

"Mairac arts: crescent."

A trail of silver light caught my eyes as Lucus aimed his saber at my left side.

Thinking quickly, I tried to raise my arm to block it, but the pain made it hard to move.

Neplh—. freёwebnoѵel.com

CLANG!!!

But before I could cover my sides again, a pure black scythe blocked his attack.

"Can't you see," Shyamal muttered, her voice cold as the scythe reappeared in her hands, a bridal dress emerging, clinging close to her body, "we are talking here."

A form of energy moved through her scythe as it touched his saber.

The saber crumbled in an instant, shattering into pieces, and at the same time, Lucus's body got thrown away from its force.

"And we have our winners!!"