°°°°

The bell rang but the contenders are still not moving. Instead, the leaders of both team moved forward and greeted each other. A loud cheering from the crowd came down once again.

"What are they doing Verion-sama?" Droth standing beside Verion asked.

"According to the informations that I gathered, from what they're doing right now I guess they'll have a match between the leaders of each team. A 2v2 in other words, it consists of the Leader and the Vice-leader of each team."

After that, Droth bowed and continued to observe.

"It's been a year, Sieggen" the Assassin said, with his voice that seems like a man on his 20's.

"It is just as you say, Faust"

"Then, will we do it like we've always done?"

"That's right, let's do it that way!" Seiggen made a gentle smile on his face.

And after that, they separated and went back to their team.

"Nymira, we are going to do it like always. Prepare yourself, I think this duel won't be the same as before."

Sieggen unsheathed his sword and raised it facing Faust. As well as Nymira, she gracefully took a stance with her dual swords on both of his hands.

Faust took his dual Shinobigata and hold them down on his sides.

"Marin, Get ready. We're going to win this time."

"Yes!" The female assassin replied.

They immediately started to move as soon as they saw that both sides are prepared.

Sieggen dashed with an insane speed that following him with the human eyes is almost impossible.

But, Faust is even faster than him. He blinked in a matter of moment when Sieggen charge into him. As soon as he saw that, he focused his strength in his right foot and flashed blocking Sieggen's field of view. Faust charged his Shinobigata into Sieggen but he noticed it and blocked it by his sword.

An then both of the Vice-captains --- Nymira and Marin --- dashed facing each other. And as soon as they step on the range of their weapons, they immediately cross their weapons.

Marin knew that she'll be no match to Nymira if she will fight her head-on, so her plan was to shift and use her speed to surround her and make a fatal attack on her without her notice. She saw Nymira's strike from below and successfully doged it with the tip of her hair, and then it was followed by a heavy strike coming from above. This was the moment Marin was waiting for. She used one of her trunp cards and used her skill [Blink Step] and instantly disappeared from Nymira's front. Nymira reacted at the same time as Marin disappeared from her view and tried to feel her presence.

Marin charge again behind Nymira pointing her right dagger to her. She tried to use [Penetrating Stab] on Nymira but.... That should be Nymira's blind spot, how did she know I'll strike from her back? Did she predicted my intentions? These kinds of questions appeared on Marin's mind.

"If you're wondering why I happen to stopp your attack, It's because I've felt your bloodlust behind me. And the moment you released that, I instantly knew your location." Nymira answered said, as if she know what Marin were thinking while having a poker face.

"....Hm.. that's just a fluke. Don't let your mind loose off just because you happen to stop one of my attacks once." After Marin was done from her talks, she swiftly dashed at Nymira crossing blades with her.

And from the other side, Sieggen were having a hard time facing Faust.

Faust always uses [Blink step] and [Greater Speed] that is very annoying to face on. Whenever Faust disappeared from his line of sight, it was always followed by a strike from his blind spots. That's why all he have done until this time was to defend. Even though Sieggen know where Faust launch his strikes, he can't immediately react to it. It's because he can't follow his speed anymore. So Sieggen has no more choice but to take their fight seriously.

Faust repeated his combo's. He blinked from Sieggen's right side to his left and used [Lighting Slash]. Faust never doubted that his strike will hit Sieggen's abdomen. After that things run on Faust's thoughts, he felt his body shivering. Sieggen released an intense atmosphere surrounding him. That made faust immediately halt his strike and back off a few meters away from Sieggen.

What he felt at that time was danger. If he happena to continue his strike, the match would've ended with him at the losing side.

"You have gotten stronger since last time, Faust"

"Huhuhu, what are you saying? You're a monster yourself"

"I'll take that as a compliment"

"Then I guess it's time for me to also get serious"

Faust lossen up his shoulders and inhaled deeply. Then he closed his eyes as he exhaled making him concentrate even deeper. He opened his eyes gleaming more strength than before. He sheathed his red Shinobigata leaving the black one on his right. He then changed his stance from there. He bent his legs lower and then hold his sword with two hands. He raised up his sword and positioned it from his back pointing the tip of the blade forward.

Sieggen also responded to him. He fixed his position from being disrupted by Faust's attacks. He stood up straight and holds his sword facing upwards close to his chest. He then rotated them clockwise and raised his sword upfront.

The girl's have felt that they're captains are getting serious. They were crossing blades at that time. While Marin was using her speed against Nymira, she's not that fast for Nymira not to notice her strikes. But as the time passes by, Marin's attacks are getting faster and faster. Making Nymira a little bit shaken from her hit and blink strategy.

Nymira took more measures for Marin's strikes but they no longer works. She supposedly wait for her attack and then sense where will Marin attack from using her bloodlust, because that's the biggest weakness for an assassin.

Having a bloodlust is always a bad trait for making a surprise attack. It will make the attacket not only noticable but can aldo turn the surprise attack being failed and then get killed. But, from what Sieggen experienced. Faust didn't have that kind of traits. Whenever he uses surprise attacks, he is not releasing even a drop of bloodlust or killing intent.

And so, Nymira found a counter measure for Marin's annoying strategy. Marin prepared to launch her attack as Nymira was still thinking how would she execute her plans. Marin moved with an insane speed and blink again then prepares her next strike. She saw Nymira was still standing still not realizing where she will attack her.

But.... When Marin is about to launch her strike, fall to one knee and fall to the ground.

"What happened? How did I --- "

"You have fallen to one of my traps that I've set before you charge to me."

"Huh?" Marin, even behind her mask, Nymira could see her frustration for being caught by her traps.

"I see that was [Paralysis] right?

That's right, before you blink behind me, I prepared [Paralysis] beforehand and leave them at a 1 meter cubic area so that when you saw me not noticing your presence you'll blink on my blind spot."

"I see, so this is it huh, I'm sorry Faust-sama"

Nymira then dealt the las blow, she raised up her sword slashing Marin from above. But, from that time she noticed something wrong. She felt that she's just hitting air when he slashed Marin. Because what he saw that time was Marin's afterimage.

"It seems like I can't help myself but to use thid trump card of mine. Faust-sama told me to save this for the final battle but, you are stronger than I have expected."

"Hm... It would also be boring if our match ended up early"

Nymira took the duel seriously and her aura have changed. It was sharper than what it is before and also her face seemed to be more relaxed.

As well as Marin, she raised her daggers holding them facing the blades backwards. She then relaxed her stiffened shoulders and increases her leg strength.

After that, Nymira started to move first. She dashed to Marin at full speed leaving dust in the air. She then attack using her two swords from above with a galloping swing.

That was supposed to be insanely fast but, Marin dodged them with ease. She immediately countered her attack and then used [Poison Strike] on Nymira. It grazed Nymira's shoulders and she immediately backs off.

Now that a poison was dealt on her, she has no other choice but to end their match faster. If not, she'll continue to be weaken as the time passes by, at the worst scenario shell die.

Status ailments strikes are one of the best skills that an Assassin have. Because of her carelessness, she focused too much on the hit and run strategy if Marin and forgot that she that type of skills.

"Haaah" Nymira exhaled.

"I will end this with this last strike of mine"

"Hmm? I'm also planning to do that. It seems that my master is also having a hard time back there." Marin replied.

Nymira gathered everything she have on her final move. She pointed her sword upfront and it started to ablaze. She also increases her speed more than ever and dashed, she traveled with an insanely fast pace that she reached Marina in an instant and slash her, or that should have happened. But after Nymira's sword was ablazed she didn't have the strength anymore to take a single step. She then released a "Kuh!!" and fell down into his knees.

"I see, that is not an ordinary skill right?"

"You are right, that is the skill that I've obtained 3 months ago. It's the most convenient skill for a one hit combo. After you've been dealt with that skill, it will only be a matter of time befor you lose all your strength and die."

Nymira let out a faint smile....

"So I lost this time huh"

As Nymira said her final words she lost her consciousness. Marin then carried her and pass her to Samuel, the Titanium ranked Higg Priest from the Dark Legion.

He has an average built and height. He's also on his 20's. He has brown hair and green eyes but the most promising of all is his baby face on him. He looks like a teenager if you only matter on his looks.

"Heal her immediately, and also, use a [Greater Detoxification] to remove all the poison from her body."

"Yes, thank you very much. You finally won this time Marin-san."

"S..s..stop that.... We're still enemies so..... Anyways don't talk to me right now hmpf!"

After that, Marin with a beet red face runs away from Samuel and returned to Faust's side.

After that, Samuel treated Nymira's injuries and removed the poison with ease. He then looks back where Marin is.

"I see so you've won Marin-chan"

"That's right Sieggen-san"

"Haaah~ Looks like what happened last year has been reversed now. I'm the one who is on the pinch after all" Sieggen smiled making girls within the crowds screaming.

"Then have you greeted Samuel?" Faust ignored Sieggen.

"Ehhh!?~ Why would you ask that kind of thing Faust-sama"

"Ahh! You're horrible Faust.... Oh!? Speaking of Samuel"

When Marina heard Samuel's name again she let out a little shriek lik "Hiie!"

"You promised to him that you'll be his lover if you will win against Nymira this time right?" Sieggen with hesitantly said.

"So you know that Sieggen" Faust said.

"Of course"

"Jeez!! Can we just continue our fight so..... Y...you know.... We can --- "

"We can? What? Is it a date?" Sieggen made fun of Marina.

"I'm done of it I'm going to start this now"

Even though Marina was blushing, she charged at Sieggen giving all she got. She raised her daggers and blinked behind Sieggen.

"Ehh? Wait.....Kidding!"

Sieggen stopped Marina's dagger with his fingers. "You need to focus first you know? Marina-chan" and after that Marina took many steps back and calmed herself down.

"Marina, he's a lot stronger than last year. I don't know but, even with us two, it will still be difficult to defeat him."

"Got it"

"Then I guess it's my turn now" Sieggen said while preparing his sword to thrusting form. He then dashed faster than before, leaving Marina speechless. Good thing she's not the target but Faust.

But Faust easily dodged Sieggen's thrust. He then counters with his sheathed red Shinobigata on his waist anf tried to slash him while he was still out of position. But, Sieggen spins his body dodging Faust's slash by the bone of his teeth.

He then regained his form and continued they're crossing of swords. While Marina was watching then, she was concentrating and waiting for Sieggen to leave an opening. She was standing still when she noticed that the time is almost near for her to initiate her attack.

The captains duel was reaching to it's climax. Faust used lot's of skills to break off Sieggen's guard. He continues his swings and blinking steps but Sieggen blocked all of them. Faust then decided to use his strongest skill [Baleful Onslaught]. It was his Ultimate skill that is a three hit combo. He gained this skill after defeating Orthrus.

The First strike was an inside right at lighting speed, making it impossible for Sieggen to stop it so he was hit on his abdomen. The second was an upper left strike that is slower but it deals more power than before, Sieggen saw that attack and blocked it with his sword but due to the Faust's momentum his block was swept away. And the final strike, the twin blade down slash was very powerful that the aura from the attack made Sieggen shivers.

But, befor it reaches Sieggen, he also used one of his strongest skill [Avalanche]. It was a heavy strike from a longsword that could deal a massive damage when hits a target.

Both of them swingd their blades with full powers and clashes each other's blades. Faust with the thirst for victory used up everything he got to his blades as he pushes Sieggen backwards.

And now was the right moment for Marina to attack Sieggen on his blind spot. She immediately dashed at full speed and strikes below Sieggen's shoulders. That should've ended the match when Marina successfully stabbed Sieggen's side but...

Sieggen was a Swordmaster, he he learned everything he can learn on melee techniques and skills. It's just even though a Swordsman used a sword, he can also have a dagger as a backup weapon.

And that time, Sieggen pulled out a dagger within his armor causing Marina's attack wary and giving Sieggen a chance to intercept her strike.