Chapter 60

A loud cheer rang out as I walked through the pa.s.sage from the waiting room to the arena .

“Do your best Arnos-chan!”

“If you’ve come this far you’ve won this Arnos! Get fired up!”

My parents voices ring out .

“You’re looking cool today Arnos-sama!”

“Instant death as usual please!”

“But if it’s instant death we won’t see Arnos-sama’s gallant figure which we haven’t seen in ages!”

“Then please take your time Arnos-sama!”

The voices of my fan union ring out like always .

“Next to appear is a member of the Lognos Demon Sword a.s.sociation! The player who attained perfect victories without getting hurt! Ray Grandori!”

Ray appears out of the other pa.s.sage .

Cheers ring out from the seats .

“He’s here! I’ve been waiting! The demonic sword saint!”

“Show that mixed-race brat the order of things!”

“Yeah! Show those unification faction idiots who are getting all excited how it is!”

The royal faction is rooting for Ray .

It’s turned into a proxy war between the unification faction and the royalist faction .

“Fumu . Sure is noisy . ”

“Isn’t it just . ”

Ray smiles his usual refres.h.i.+ng smile .

It was a natural smile that was full of eagerness . Has he made a breakthrough of some sort?

“Before the match starts the tournament organisers have something to inform you . ”

I thought they would use some petty tricks and here it comes .

“The finals will be performed under special rules . Firstly, each player must wear a bracelet . ”

While the owl is talking guards come over to me and Ray .

“Left hand . ”

I hold out my hand and I’m given a glittering bracelet .

“Not only the sword but if the bracelet is destroyed you lose . ”

Fumu . It doesn’t seem like it cuts off your magic .

I take a closer look .

The

. A tool from the age of myths .

It continuously absorbs the magic power of the person wearing it . For a normal person, this would make using magic almost impossible .

I’d have to break it to stop it but then I’d lose .

They are trying to chip away at my power I see .

“That bracelet isn’t a poor copy Arnos VoldiG.o.d . ”

A voice addressed only to me echoes directly in my head via Thought Transmission

.

Following the magic trail, I look up and see it coming from the owl .

“That

will continuously absorb your power and send it to another location . ”

It’s telling the truth . After activating my demon eyes I can see a magic line sending the magic somewhere .

“If you cut off your magic power Sheila’s spirit disease will worsen and she’ll die . ”

I see . Are you ready to wipe out the rumours that give Sheila life?

“And if you win Ray Grandori will have his origin erased . ”

Fumu . I have no doubt the contracted demon sword will work if it’s activated .

“Well then . ”

Did you say what you wanted to say? The owl cuts off

.

We wear the bracelets under the eyes of the guards . Looking over at Ray’s bracelet I can see that its a fake . It’s not a magic tool .

“We can now begin the final match of the Deiruheido demon sword tournament! Begin!!”

Ray unsheathes Initeio and raises the pure white sword towards me . Drawing my sword a light metal sound rings out as I place it on Initeio in place of a greeting .

“I would have been so happy if I could have just swung my sword around without thinking . ”

“Fumu . I wouldn’t say its totally impossible though . ”

Ray lets out a vague smile .

“Can you fight with your magic being drained?”

“Don’t be reserved . If you go easy on me you’ll die . ”

“I thought so . ”

Ray sets up his sword an I lower mine like usual .

We are already in each others strike zone but neither of us could move .

There’s no gap in Ray’s defence . No matter where I strike I’ll be countered by that pure white sword .

It’s my style to break open any defence no matter how robust by sheer force but this time that won’t work since Initeio will cancel Hiding Magic

and Arms Strengthening

.

I have no choice but to avoid direct attacks and I can’t win anyway since Ray will disappear if I do .

What can I do?

I’m not in a deadlock but it’s still a very troublesome situation .

I was waiting to see how Ray would move but he also was standing still .

Several minutes pa.s.s as we stare at each other but Ray suddenly relaxes .

“I was told to play for time in the finals . ” Ray mutters .

I’m a little surprised he’s exposed that .

“It’s more advantageous the longer I wait . ”

and

consume a lot of magic power plus my magic is also being drained by that bracelet .

If Ray goes on the defensive then beating him with my sword will be difficult .

Me not moving is certainly disadvantageous .

“But I’m bored with that now . ”

At the same time as his words Initeio’s tip blurred and grazes my cheek at a speed that cannot be followed with your eyes .

In order to separate us I swing my sword at Ray’s left hand .

I had thought that Ray would avoid it but he steps forward and our bodies come into contact forcefully stopping my arm .

At this range it’s impossible to swing my sword .

“……Fuu… . . !”

What kind of technique is this? In the small area that impossible for a sword to strike a fist approaches my chin .

Pulling back to dodge it, the snow-white blade approaches my face as I’m off balance .

If I receive that I’ll be torn up .

In that case——

“……… . !?”

Rays sword cuts into my left arm . My flesh tears and the blade reaches my bone where it stops .

“I’m sorry to say but my bones are very hard . ”

“Your body is as random as usual Arnos . ”

Ray pulls Initieo out and retreats setting up his stance again .

Looking at him his left arm is hanging unnaturally .

Thinking about it Ray was also slower than usual and he only used one hand . If he’s used both he would have severed my arm .

“What’s with your arm?”

Ray smiles .

“I want our match to be as equal as possible . ”

“Did you cut the tendons yourself?”

“Yeah . It’s pretty painful though . ”

Ray holds Initeio in his right hand like its nothing .

“Is that okay?”

Giving up on playing for time and cutting his own arm are both acts of betrayal against the royal faction . The contract to treat his mother will be broken .

“Arnos . In the group compet.i.tion I thought I’d finally met you . The opponent I cannot beat even if I stake my all on this sword . I wanted to clash against you with everything I had . ”

He keeps his guard up as he continues talking quietly .

“However, as long as me and my mom are held hostage you cant give it your all . ”

Ray is surely being watched . The mazoku who implanted the contacted demon sword is surely aware of what he’s saying .

“I thought a lot but all I have is the sword . ”

Ray speaks in a determined tone .

“I betrayed the contract and now the contract sword is cutting into my origin . ”

As expected, however, an ordinary person would have already been destroyed at this point after having their origin cut . It’s still only a matter of time for Ray though .

“I’ll be dead soon and my mother can’t be saved either . You don’t have to worry anymore . ”

Ray points his sword tip at my left arm .

“I will win to protect my friends.h.i.+p with you . ”

If Ray destroys the bracelet he wins and if the owl was telling the truth then the loss of magic will kill Sheila .

If I don’t break it it will continue to absorb my magic forever .

He must have judged that I wouldn’t abandon Sheila so he will end his own mother’s life himself .

To protect me you offer your own life then?

“Won’t you ask for my help?” (A)

“You might die . ” (R)

“I won’t die . ” (A)

“Maybe, but maybe not . No matter how much of a transcended being you are, what type of friend would I be if I keep putting you in danger?” (R)

Ray laughs .

“This is the best solution for me as well . I get to finally beat you and protect you . ” (R)

So that it . It’s a story based on me losing on purpose though .

If this bracelet is destroyed then Sheila’s safety cannot be a.s.sured, however, the owl said nothing about my sword getting broken .

In other words their purpose is my magic power . They don’t care about who wins this tournament .

I could lose on purpose, pull out the contracted demon sword from Ray and fight again after crus.h.i.+ng this plot by Avos Dillheavia .

A smart person would do this .

But I can’t do it .

Even in this situation where his origin is being cut Ray wants to fight me .

He wants neither fame nor status he only wants the sword . In his last moments Ray is giving his all to the sword .

You might think him a stupid person but its what he wants .

If I put it off then I’m not qualified to be this mans friend .

“Don’t surrender to the enemy and don’t rely on me, just stick to your beliefs . That’s what my friend does . ”

I take one step forward .

“You don’t have to think about anything anymore Ray . Unification faction or the royalists . Forget about your mother even . There’s only me and you now . ”

Ray smiles a genuine smile .

“Now come . Let’s play . ”

I’ll get in the way of whatever Avos Dillheavia is planning later .

My parents are supporting me, I promised Misha I’d win and Ray is challenging me to a fight .

This has nothing to do with the reborn demon king of tyranny . This is the final match between us two .