In close combat, Nirvana was confident of crus.h.i.+ng Melina. She hadn't got the skills for swordsmans.h.i.+p, after all…

Clang!

"…eh?!"

To Nirvana's complete surprise, Melina parried her mace and knocked her back in one, fluid strike. The blond swordswoman stared at her stunned opponent with a cool, unwavering gaze, refusing to falter. Nirvana clumsily tumbled onto the ground with a huge crash, ending up in an undignified heap.

At that moment, everyone froze. Except Adrian. He seized the chance to break out of the encirclement and withdraw to a safe distance. Of all the duelists on the battlefield, he alone was aware of Melina's skill with the blade, and was unsurprised. While Nirvana's teammates spun around to stare at their fallen leader, he tackled one of them and knocked her to the ground, his Sakura petals cutting her into pieces.

Well, not really. The boundary field was in place to preserve her life, but it was clear that at least one of the members in the opposing team had been successfully eliminated while they were distracted. This was why you don't underestimate your enemy and let your guard down, kids…

Fergus Franklin grinned and pumped his fist into the air.

"That's my girl!" he cheered. Beside him, his father-in-law's jaw dropped in shock as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. I don't know what the deal was with him – were you really that surprised that your granddaughter could fight with a sword? Then again, almost the whole Franklin family had been against Melina learning the sword because…apparently she had no talent for it. Who were these idiots to judge whether someone had talent for swordsmans.h.i.+p or not? Why were they to judge whether someone deserved to learn swordsmans.h.i.+p or not?

I couldn't help but feel gratified at the awe and astonishment on all the spectators' faces. Apparently they had bought into the dumb rumors and never expected Melina to wield a sword proficiently.

Beside me, Miura and Rossetti were also amazed.

"My, my." Miura's lip curled into a smile and she nodded at me, impressed. "It seems like your teaching has paid off, after all."

a.s.suming a sword stance, Melina prepared to fight back against her opponent, who was still sitting on the ground, astounded.

For a moment, Nirvana didn't move. Then she forced a sneer and slowly got to her feet, her aura blazing fiercely once more.

"Heh! What are you getting your hopes up for? You parried my attack only once. That's just a fluke!"

Melina watched her for a moment, and almost looked as if she was going to sigh.

"You're not attacking?" she asked.

"Eh?"

Nirvana stared at her dumbly, but before she knew it, Melina had vanished from sight. The blond swordswoman was already at her flank, her sword flas.h.i.+ng upward in a deadly arc and toward her blind spot. Nirvana spun around in reflex, realizing the danger, but she was too slow to react. Melina's sword caught her in the shoulder and slashed a wound open, sending up a spray of blood.

"Argh!"

Shrieking, Nirvana staggered backward, still uncomprehending. Melina didn't wait for her to recover and mercilessly pointed her sword at her staggering foe.

"Yes!" I cheered, clenching my fist in excitement. "Take that! This is why you should stop calling her incompetent! Watch them both, all of you! They will show you that you can't judge anyone on talent or whatever nonsense!"

Miura chuckled. "You're really invested in your disciples, aren't you?"

"That's the point of being a master," I replied as I leaned back, calming down. "The privilege to be proud of their achievements. But…it's not over yet."

Indeed, Melina was still attacking as ferociously as she could, thrusting her sword and slas.h.i.+ng at Nirvana. The latter was now on the defensive, desperately parrying and blocking whatever attacks the former was throwing at her. Cuts marked her body, blood dripping from her wounds and perspiration trickling down her pale face when she realized how outmatched she really was – by someone she had disregarded as inferior to her in close combat.

It was so satisfying to see her eat humble pie.

The duel was now dictated by Melina, who was setting the pace. She raised her sword up high for a mighty swing, and once again Nirvana brought her mace up to block the blade with her thick, heavy shaft.

However, Melina didn't swing her sword down and instead kicked Nirvana from below, her foot landing squarely on the latter's gut and sending her cras.h.i.+ng down into the ground.

Oh boy. She learned that trick from me, didn't she? I couldn't help but grin. Melina had pulled off the perfect feint attack, drawing her opponent's attention elsewhere and creating an opening, through which she launched her real attack.

"Kuh!"

Lying on the ground, Nirvana glared at Melina. Her fingers curled into a fist as she lay sprawled on the ground, still unable to believe what was transpiring.

"Why…?"

Forcing herself from the ground, Nirvana lost herself to anger, swinging her mace with everything she had. Her crimson mana exploded, ending dirt and soil into the air.

"YOOOOOU!"

Screaming, Nirvana launched herself at Melina. But the blond swordswoman merely swung her sword and blew the cloud of dust that Nirvana herself had caused right into her opponent's face.

"?!"

Nirvana stumbled past a deftly dodging Melina, blinded and gagging from the sand that had landed on her face. Some of it had gotten into her mouth and she was desperately coughing it out. Wiping at her eyes and spitting frantically, Nirvana fumbled around.

"Ack! Bleh! What…?!"

Melina didn't answer verbally and instead slashed her opponent with her sword. The power from her blow was so strong that it sent Nirvana hurtling several meters away, leaving a trail of blood in the air. Nirvana's momentum continued to send her skidding across the rocky ground, her body bouncing up and down like a broken doll. She only stopped when she crashed into a broken outcrop, cracking the solid rock and sending shattered stone raining down on her slumped body.

For a moment, there was silence.

Then the spectators began murmuring amongst themselves, chattering excitedly about what they had just seen.

"That…that child…she's really good!"

"Her swordsmans.h.i.+p is excellent!"

"What an overwhelming display of skills!"

"Ha ha ha ha!" Beside me, Miura was clutching her tummy as she laughed uncontrollably. "Brilliant! That's brilliant! She really fights like you, Richard! You really taught her well!"

"What exactly did you teach that child?" On the other hand, Rossetti was staring intently at me I disapproval. "She's treating this match like a fight to the death. Aren't you supposed to be just a private tutor? You seem more like a military instructor."

"I taught her the same way my dad trained me," I replied seriously. "Tough love, and all that. Adrian too."

On the other end of the arena, Adrian was dealing with the remaining two members of the opposing team well, his vines having rippled out and ensnared them. The one with the whip had been disarmed, while the one with the rapier struggled against her bonds, unable to break free. Adrian had them well in hand, but it would take him a bit longer to finish them off.

As for Melina…

"The fight isn't over yet," I muttered when my gaze rested upon Nirvana's p.r.o.ne figure. Given how arrogant she was, there was no way she would surrender after being humiliated like this. Not only that, she had yet to use her trump card.

"You're right," Miura agreed, an ominous smile on her face. "It's only just beginning."

"Eh? What?" Rossetti looked around, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Do you not know Nirvana's skills?" Miura asked, folding her arms and smiling. "She's a heavy a.s.sault type of mage. She might not have many ranged spells, but her close combat spells are devastating. If Melina receives even a single direct hit, she might go down."

"Oh no…you're right!" Rossetti looked worried. "Melina doesn't seem to have much defensive spells. She appears to be very frail…"

"I did try to teach her defensive spells, but…quite frankly, Melina doesn't have much affinity for them. However…" I smiled. "As long as she doesn't get hit, then it won't be an issue."

Melina was watching Nirvana cautiously, as if expecting her to get up anytime. However, she was not so dishonorable or despicable that she would strike an opponent when she was down. That was not how Saint Teresa Academy trained their mage cadets.

Coughing, Nirvana glanced down and noticed how battered and bruised she was. She then looked up and saw the spectators murmuring amongst themselves, casting pit.i.tful stares at her fallen form. She tightend her grip on her mace.

"That I...a n.o.ble scion…" Gritting her teeth, Nirvana forced herself to her feet through sheer grit and rage. "…would be forced into a corner like this…"

Her mouth opened wider and she began screaming.

"…by you! OF ALL PEOPLE!"

"Eh?"

Melina's eyes widened when she saw the ma.s.sive torrent of mana swirling around Nirvana when she held her mace up high. For a moment, she looked like a demon standing in a maelstrom of destruction, anger and violence coalescing around her brutal weapon.

"Have a taste of my Gargatuan Mace!"

With a roar, Nirvana swung her huge weapon down on a seemingly mesmerized Melina. For a moment it seemed like she was paralyzed, and wouldn't be able to avoid the ma.s.sive blow in time.

"Melina!" Adrian shouted, but he found his way barred by Nirvana's two teammates, both of whom were wounded but still very much in the fight.

Boom!

Nirvana's strike carved a crater into the ground, hurling debris of rock and concrete into the air. Clouds of smoke and dust billowed across the arena, blocking out everyone's view of the combatants. Immense shockwaves thundered across the spectator boxes, causing everyone to flinch even though there was a magical barrier separating them from the battle.

While the spectators hunkered down, anxiously watching the coliseum as the smoke and dust slowly dispersed, white fog continued to swirl around the crater. Amidst the fading cloud of dust, Nirvana stood, straightening up as she heaved from her exertions. Her muscles trembled from the tremendous effort, but when she stared at the crater she had gouged out of the earth, she saw no sign of her opponent. Not even a speck of blood.

"She dodged it," the twin-tailed gladiator muttered in frustration as she looked around. "Where…?"

Nirvana suddenly stiffened.

"!"

Turning around, she spotted Melina's silhouette within the gradually clearing smoke. Melina was kneeling on the ground, seeming exhausted from her evasive effort.

Nirvana brightened up, looking all triumphant. She then proceeded toward the kneeling Melina, giggling maliciously.

"Oh my!" she said mockingly. "Was that too much for a child who has only just learned swordsmans.h.i.+p for the first time?"

She then stretched out a hand in a playful manner.

"Sorry for frightening you. How about this? Since we are friends, I will give you a chance to surrender. If you do, then I'll show mercy."

"…"

Melina was mumbling something so softly that n.o.body could catch her words. Nirvana chuckled in delight.

"Hmm? What was that? I'm sorry, but I didn't quite catch that. I don't understand a single word you're saying."

She then raised her mace high into the air, her mana blazing around the blunt weapon in a demonic manner.

"Maybe you'll speak a lot clearer while receiving treatmet in the infirmary. As promised…I'll be breaking your limbs."

She never got the chance to bring her mace down. Before she realized it, Melina had lunged forward and pressed the blade of her sword against her neck.

"Should I repeat what I said again?" Melina asked sweetly, a fierce glow in her eyes. Blood trickled from Nirvana's throat as the blond swordswoman pressed the blade and cut apart her flesh, but there was nothing the gladiator could do. Melina smirked and spoke clearly this time. "I said that your attack is nowhere as scary as Sensei's."

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