To free Iwa from her wielder Dante, I agreed to duel him in the [Wielder Dome] at [Sagittarius Empire] with the agreement of when I win, I’ll get Iwa from him and when he wins, he’ll get Ciana from me. That’s why I can’t afford to lose this battle.

“Then, battle….commence!” the judge announced.

“[Ciana]!” I called.

“Leave it to me!” Ciana responded.

After that, Ciana immediately transformed into a white light and went towards my hand. After circling on it several times, she became a sickle.

“For starters, [Lee]!” Dante muttered confidently.

“As you wish.”

Once she heard her name, the girl beside Iwa became a red light and went to Dante’s hand. She then transformed into a piandao.

“Entertain me, Brat!” Dante said with a grin.

“Haaaahhhhhh!!!!” I shouted and dashed towards him. In a flash, I covered the distance between the two of us.

“Take this,” he said and thrust his sword to me.

*clang*

I somehow blocked it using my [crimson protector]. Thanks to this shield, I can defend and attack the next turn!

“Ha!”

With a short shout, I swung my sword towards his face. It grazed his cheek, making it slightly bleed.

“Why you! [Flame Point]!” he shouted furiously and hit my [crimson protector].

*clang*

“Ugghhhh!” I reacted.

Even with this shield on, I can still feel the heat on my arm! I have to do something!

I then delivered a roundhouse kick on Dante’s side, enough to make him flinch from pain even though he’s wearing a heavy red armor. The strength that he’s applying on his sword got weaker.

The only [special attack] that I can use that doesn’t behave like a [light magic] attack is this!

([Heaven Strike]!)

"Haaaa!!!” I shouted and swung my weapon as hard as I can to his piandao. With just one hit, his sword transformed into a red light and got sent back to the opponent’s standby area.

“Just one hit?” Dante reacted, shocked.

(That’s one down, Raiki!)

But with that, I can’t use [Heaven Strike] anymore.

“Useless! [Lhea]!” Dante shouted with a pissed face.

“As you wish.”

Suddenly, a bastard sword appeared on his hand. “Die!”

Our swords clashed, creating sparks as we try to overpower each other. Suddenly, he gave me an arrogant smile.

“[Flame Dance]!” Dante yelled.

Oh no!

Suddenly, Dante became a flame and vanished. When I looked around, he is nowhere to be found.

Darn! Where will he appear?

“Here!” he shouted and slashed me on the back.

“Ahhhh!!!” I screamed because of the sudden pain.

“[Flame Slash]!” he followed.

*clang*

“…*pant*…*pant*…”

I somehow turned around and blocked his attack using my sickle just in time. Thank God!

“You good-for-nothing brat!” he shouted and delivered a barrage of attacks.

*clang*

*clang*

*clang*

*clang*

Fortunately, I blocked all of it using my sickle. The clanging sounds continued for a while and when he got irritated, I predicted what’s coming next.

“[Flame Dance]!” Dante shouted and vanished once again.

I then closed my eyes and tried to sense him. I’m sure that…he will attack…now!

“Die!” he shouted and prepared to slash me from behind but in his surprise, I managed to jump up very high before it landed.

“What???”

“[Wheel Blade]!!!” I shouted and transformed into a rotating saw-like form. I then descended to his sword and continued rotating.

*spark* *spark* *spark* *spark*

Because of my continuous rotation, his [beast weapon] couldn’t take the damage anymore and went back to the standby area, leaving Dante defenseless for my continuous [physical attack].

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” he screamed as I rotate as fast as I can, damaging him as hard as I can.

*slashslashslashslashslashslashslashslashslash*

After a while, my rotating attack naturally stopped, leaving Dante kneeling on one knee while I am standing proudly.

“Wanna give up?” I asked.

“Now you’ve done it! You’re dead! [Janet]!” Dante shouted with a sudden evil smile.

“As you wish,” Janet replied and a sword with a red blade appeared on Dante’s right hand.

“Hey! Is it just me or the [Flame Master] is losing?” the spectator from earlier asked to the guy next to him.

“Not yet. This is the real start of the battle. He will now use his best [weapon]!”

This is his strongest weapon, [Janet]. Thanks to the battles earlier, Ciana is now at level 25 but this weapon is already at level 27. Not to mention Ciana’s stamina is already not on the good side.

“[Flame dance]!” he shouted and disappeared once again but this time, he is faster to appear behind me.

Darn, I can’t turn around in time!

“[Flame Slash]!” Dante shouted.

“Arrrgggggghhhh!!!” I screamed after the burning sensation slashed my back. Then, an exploding pain jolted me. I almost fell on my knees but I managed to remain standing.

“This…is not over yet!” I said and made a fighting stance after facing Dante.

“Just admit defeat already!” he said and swung his sword continuously. It took all of my energy just to block all of his swings.

“What’s wrong? Tired already?” he asked with a ridiculing smile.

“I..won’t…let…you…have Ciana and Iwa!” I shouted, trying my best to defend from his attacks.

I then swung [Ciana] with all of my strength and produced a spark when it hit his sword.

“Then, better say goodbye to the both of them now! [Flame Dance]!”

Suddenly, he transformed into flames and once again vanished.

“I’m already used to your speed!” I said and swung my sword into thin air.

*clang*

With a surprised face, he reappeared while our swords are clashing.

“You brat!” he shouted angrily.

“Is that all you’ve got, [Flame Master]?” I asked with a smile.

“Then, be defeated by the same attack that defeated you before! [Flame Burst]!”

I’m waiting for that move!!!

Just before his sword exploded, I immediately crouched down and kick his leg, strong enough to make him fall down sideways.

“[Counter Kick]!” I muttered.

When the right side of his head hit the ground, his sword exploded, making his [weapon] attack his own [wielder] accidentally instead of me.

“You did it!!!” Rave shouted in the bleachers happily.

My training paid off!

Afterwards, Dante stood up with a very pissed face and shouted, “I’m going to kill you!!!”

“No, thank you!”

“[Flame Slash]!” he shouted and swung his flaming sword towards me.

“Haaaaa!!!” I followed and swung [Ciana] towards him.

*boom*

Both of our swords clashed and after creating a huge explosion, both Janet and Ciana got sent to their respective standby area, leaving me with no [beast weapon] left.

“I win, Brat!” Dante shouted with an evil smile.

“Are you sure that Ciana is my only [weapon]?” I asked with a confident smile and looked at Iwa.

“Don’t tell me--!” Dante reacted with widened eyes.

Reading my mind, Dante immediately prepared his right hand.

“Iwa, put all of your trust in me because I’ll surely beat this guy!” I shouted, enough to be heard throughout the area. “Believe in me because I believe in you!!!”

“Raiki!” Ciana called with a worried expression.

“[Iwa]!” both Dante and I shouted, exactly at the same time.

The stadium became silent. Not knowing what will happen next, all they can do is to hold their breaths.

Iwa then became a brown light and went towards my left arm. After a while, she transformed into a bronze kite shield. Its length is slightly longer than my [crimson protector] but much wider in width.

“Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh…” Dante reacted with a dumb-founded face.

(Raiki...thank you.)

That's my line, Iwa. Now, let’s win this together!

“Take this!” I shouted and punched Dante using the tip of [Iwa] that slightly passes my left hand.

*pow*

He then flew away and hit the ground with his eyes rolled back.

“Who is useless now, [Flame Master]?”I asked with a smile.

The whole stadium is speechless. It is because of the sudden turn of events that happened here for the first time, a [wielder] getting a [weapon] of an opponent in the middle of the battle.

“W-with all of his [weapons] unable to battle and [Dante] losing his consciousness, the winner of this match is Raiki!!!” the judge announced with a surprised face.

Suddenly, the audience applauded very loudly, cheering my name. They are so hyped up that the cheers became so loud that it is not an exaggeration if I said that it can be heard throughout the whole dome.

“Raiki!” Ciana shouted happily as she run towards me and jumped on my arms.

“C-Ciana?” I reacted with a flustered expression after she hugged me.

*slap*

“Ouch!” I reacted out of the sudden pain in my back.

That familiar slap on the back...

After Ciana drew back, I turned around and saw Rave smiling very cheerfully with Ruby on his left shoulder.

“I know that you will win! Congrats!” Rave congratulated.

“Thanks,” I said and smiled.

“C-congratulations,” Kumi shyly said while still hiding behind Rave.

“Thanks for cheering for me too, Kumi,” I responded.

*ruu-ruu!*

“Of course I won. I promised it earlier, right?” I said to Ruby.

Iwa then transformed back and stood shyly right in front of me.

“Iwa, thanks for trusting me. Because of you, we won this battle,” I said and gave her a smile.

“Raiki,” she said and tears started to drop from her eyes.

After Ciana got healed by Ruby, I called her name and she transformed into a sickle on my left hand.

“Ciana, can I cut Iwa’s collar?”

(Well, as of now, you can’t cut it. That collar is made of the hardest metal so cutting it is really hard. Also, Iwa is still a slave to this territory. By removing her collar, she will be categorized as an intruder.)

“So what should I do?”

(You should destroy the [master’s stone] instead. That way, no one can hurt her anymore using that collar’s function.)

“I got it,” I said and went towards Dante. Then, I grabbed stone on his pocket and cut it into two, making it impossible to use anymore. Ciana then transformed back and gave Iwa a smile.

“You’re now free from Dante. So…can you now answer the question that I asked you ‘that’ night?” I asked to Iwa with a serious smile.

She then wiped her tears and looked at me.

‘Tell me, Iwa. What do you really want to do?’ That’s what I asked her.

“I…I…I…I want to come with you! I want to be always by your side! You’re the only [wielder] I want as my master. Is that…is that…too selfish of me?” she asked with tears welling up on her eyes.

“Of course not. You can come with us anytime. I’ve already said that, right?” I said with a smile.

"Raiki..." Iwa whispered and tears started dropping from her eyes.

"Iwa..." I continued and drew out my hand.

She then held it and nod with a smile. “I’ll become your shield and protect you…I swear, my new [wielder].”

After the decisive battle with the [Flame master] Dante, our party obtained a new member: the level 18 kite shield that uses [earth magic], Iwa.

Suddenly, a centaur with dark brown long hair wearing a light green, full plate armor appeared before us.

“H-hey, look at that!” one spectator reacted with a surprised face.

“It’s the God [Sagittarius]!” everyone reacted in the bleachers.

“What a magnificent battle, Raiki,” he said with a smile. “It’s been a while since I’ve watched a breath-taking battle like that. Congratulations in winning.”

“Th-thank you,” I said and bowed.

“I’ll be expecting you to come and challenge me in my castle for your first [soldier challenge]. I’ll be waiting,” he followed and left.

God [Sagittarius], huh.

I then looked at both Ciana and Iwa and said, “Let’s also win against God [Sagittarius].”

“Yes,” both of them responded with a smile.