‘Just who is this man?’

This question ran through Emilia’s mind just as she landed gracefully by doing a back flip and stabbed the ground to use as a stopper after being blown away by the storm-like wind that was caused by Shin’s sword swing.

Watching that Emilia is unharmed, the girls shouted excitingly and the surrounding area overflowed with loud cheers.

But the person wasn’t at least happy.

Their cheers never reached her ears. Her gazed never left Shin even for a second.

It wasn’t that destructive but when a mere swing of his katana made that kind of effect, one would speculate that he still have something more terrifying in his sleeve.

Thinking about that made Emilia more cautious about his existence.

To think that the renowned Emilia Nicolette Von Lateran was being toyed with an amateur fighter whom she just known.. is simply unacceptable to her.

It is not an exaggeration that the entire people in the kingdom know that name. It’s like the word strong is synonymous with her name.

Because of Shin’s unusual skills, she invited him for a duel thinking that he might be good for a spar. She couldn’t be more wrong.

She never expected he was even more than that

The fact lay in front of her.

‘Am I this weak or he’s just too strong?’

There’s only one thing to find out!

Emilia pulled out her sword and raised it into the air.

Dark clouds gathered above where she was standing. Thundering sounds permeated.

“This might be overkill.. but I can’t afford to hold back!”

[Lightning Arts: Thunder Armor]

Together with the loud sound and a blinding light, a massive lightning hits Emilia.

But instead of damaging her, the lightning engulfs all over her body and became her personal armor

Her appearance resemble like the lightning itself.

“Shall we start the second round?”

Her words disappeared with the empty winds as she flashes forward to Shin with breakneck speed.

[Lightning Arts: Aries steps]

Shin slashed the ground and created an [Earth Wall] to fend off her incoming attack but it only lasted momentarily.

He’s effort were futile against the lightning goddess in front of him. The earth wall shattered instantly offering no resistance against her attack.

She easily broke through the wall and in a matter of seconds, her blade clashes with Shin’s sword.

His eyes widened for a second yet it didn’t break his usual composure.

Shin used the sword’s hilt to block her blade much to Emilia’s chagrin.

Infuriated, Emilia let’s out electric charges to electrocute Shin using their weapon as a conductor.

With the common knowledge of modern technology as what that would do to his body, Shin immediately lets go of his weapon and retreated few steps away using [Flash Step].

His weapon then disintegrated almost instantly as soon as it was off his hands.

[Lightning Arts: Overcharge]

It’s like an intense flame rather than lightning.

What a terrifying result. He thought.

He was glad that he immediately lets go of his katana. If he was a bit late of his decision, he probably would’ve end up just like his weapon, disintegrated from metal to ash.

Is she planning to kill me here? I thought this was just a friendly duel. Shin thought.

As soon he distances himself away from Emilia, her silhouette disappeared and nowhere to be found. Shin frantically searches and looked left and right.

Could it be?!

“Where are you looking at?”

*bam!*

Before Shin could respond to those words, he was hit directly in his back by an explosion caused by lightning surges that is coming out from Emilia’s rapier.

His body was blown away by the explosion and the smoke covered his whereabouts.

The crowd cheered blissfully thinking victory is now apparent especially Tia who had a ‘Serves you right!’ face.

Of course except for Shin’s companions who had a horrified faces.

Yuffa kneeled and mumbled Shin’s name helplessly while Clarisse looked away from the battlefield.

This can’t be happening…

Even before the fight began, the girls were rather doubtful that Shin could pull this out. No matter how powerful he is, they think that he could not match up to one of the pillars that is supporting this kingdom in terms of military might.

They should’ve stopped him from the start.

Yet for Emilia, who stood there still in her [Thunder armor], looked seriously where Shin is supposed to be and waited for the smoke to dissipate with a rather grim expression.

Victory is supposed to be at hand but the uneasiness didn’t disappear in her heart.

She gripped her weapon tightly.

She was sure that her attack did hit Shin. But why is it that it felt unreal?

And if it did hit him, she was afraid that the attack might have had killed him instead.

This was just a practice match so going all out was her being clumsy. She felt she couldn’t be indifferent about this matter.

Is he alright? Did I overdo it?

All of the questions and doubts that had been swirling in her head were soon answered. Amidst the smoke was a man standing with his weapon resting on his shoulders, unscathed.

But there was a little different about him.

‘What is that?’

Another doubt floated around the crowd as soon as they finally saw Shin when the smoke disappeared completely.

They were baffled as soon as they saw what was different about him. It’s that both of his arms and legs were replaced by something metallic. Its color silver and design made it looked like straight from science fiction, a cyborg. In addition, his weapon is now replaced by a long and slim orange colored katana.

On his left shoulder, it had a burnt mark.

Shin managed to cast self-enhancement magic at very last second and used his metallic shoulder as a shield from Emilia’s attack.

Her attack was quite powerful so he ends up tumbling over but initially regained his feet.

His gift really defied common sense on this word.

Calling his power a cheat isn’t wrong at all, even Shin thinks so.

Ever since he unlocked the [Invoker] skill which was originally for elemental mastery, he thought that that was only it.

To think that even enhancement magic can be usable… just how broken can he be?

“Spatial Magic and now body enhancement magic… even my attack only leaves a scratch… just who on the heavens are you?”

“I could say the same thing to you. If I was a bit careless earlier, I might have ended up just like my weapon, reduced into ashes.”

“I don’t know about that”

Emilia puts her hand on her firm hips as she asked Shin seemingly impressed at the level of his capability, whereas Shin smiled and expressed his honest opinions.

“You’re really amazing, I’ll admit that. I was even worried for a second. I thought that you might have died from my attack. Guess I was foolish enough to think about that…” She paused for a second and continued “I was a bit doubtful for a while but now I’m sure you are indeed strong, there will be no holding back for real”

“Please go easy on me.”

“Get ready. [Lightning Arts: Multiple electric amplifier rods]!”

With great force, Emilia stabbed her weapon on the ground and countless metallic rods protruded across the field and almost covered the area.

“I’m not done yet! [Lightning Arts: Overcharge]!”

Using her [Thunder Armor] to release a massive volt, lightning travelled from rod to rod and quickly engulfs the entire field.

With no other way to dodge her combo skill, Shin jumped from the ground but Emilia already saw this coming and she was already above Shin.

She lunges downwards to intercept him.

“I got you now!”

This was her plan all along.

Her combo skills were just a diversion.

They were fighting for quite a while so she knew that Shin is also fast, but it’s a different matter when you’re on the air.

With no solid ground, he cannot adjust his body to another direction other than go straight up so Emilia would use this opportunity to end their duel.

So far it’s all going well until she noticed a hot sensation in her chest. She looked at her body and there was Shin’s katana firmly stabbed in her heart.

What? How did he….. ?

Moments later, a total darkness filled her entire vision and lost consciousness.

((((Emilia-sama!!!))))

They all shouted in a terrified voice as they watched Emilia hang her body lifelessly in Shin’s katana as he held it in front of him.

He pulled out his katana and held Emilia in his arms.

No one could survive a stab to the heart.

This was supposed to be duel but to kill one’s opponent is out of the question. It won’t matter if Shin was the one that has been killed but to think Emilia would suffer as such. To them it’s unforgivable.

Sounds of weapons clanking permeated as the girls prepared their weapon and ran towards him with killing intent. Some of them started chanting spells targeting him but they all stopped when Shin signaled them it’s okay with a smile on his face.

He carried Emilia in his arms and walked towards them.

They were vigilant at first but as soon as they saw her breathing, they all sighed in relief and lowered their weapons.

Suddenly, someone grabbed Shin on the collar.

He staggered for a bit because he was carrying Emilia but remained standing when he noticed the one holding him. It was Tia.

Her face was so close to Shin that he could feel her breath on his face.

“Hey, careful. I might trip and drop Emilia-san to the ground.”

“What’s going on?! That doesn’t make sense at all!”

“Huh? What is?”

“Just now, you stabbed Emilia to the heart but how come that she was still alive?! Did you cast revive on her??”

*sounds of footsteps*

“Huff huff.. Yes, I agree. What did you do Shin-sama? I was terrified. I thought you killed her just now?”

“Same here. I was quite afraid what they might do to us when you killed her.”

Yuffa and Clarisse butted in as they catch up to the girls. They too were curious about the welfare of Emilia who miraculously lived after being stab.

They might misunderstand the situation and treat him like a bad guy so Shin only answered their question honestly.

“Oh that… Of course not. I’m not a cleric so I don’t have such skill like that. That just now was one of my sword skills. It’s called [Weightless stab]”

“H-huh? Weitulessu? What’s that?” Tia tilted her head sideways.

“It’s as the word says. That skill cannot inflict damage, wound or anything to the body. But it causes hallucination. That’s all”

“You mean Emilia-sama is dreaming right now?”

“Yes. She’s probably having a bad dream right now.”

Shin bended his knees in order for Tia to take a closer look at Emilia since she is shorter than him.

She watched the sleeping Emilia with a worried look and whispered her name. Maybe reacting to her voice, Emilia’s body twitched and her face contorted a little.

Tia can’t complain on how things go because this is a duel.

But in all things, she was rather grateful to him that he didn’t kill her.

He had the chance and the power to do so. If by chance he’d be a little cruel, he can do it if he feels like doing it.

To think that Emilia whom Tia regarded to as the most prominent in this kingdom was defeated by an unknown man is very hard to believe but evidence showed it so.

Unconciously, Tia had been staring at Shin with a serious face.