Chapter 26: Dirty Blow
"...Okay...Eve, this is your spot," a maid says, leading me to the enclosed area of the colosseum, where Evelyn-sama is waiting upstairs as I now have a few minutes to prepare.
’The disdain is obvious...is it my appearance?’ I glare coldly at the maid, and she looks at me as if I’m nothing more than a nuisance. They also look terribly at Evelyn-sama.
’This irritates me, why do these fucking bitches act this way towards Evelyn-sama?’ I hate those who treat her badly. I can’t maintain a calm demeanor when seeing this blatant disdain, but that will change. I will make everyone fear and respect Evelyn-sama.
"Hey, why the disdain for Evelyn-sama?" I ask the maid, who ignores me and leaves the room. I decide not to dwell on it too much, I need to focus on the duel and make Evelyn-sama proud.
"Swords..." I look at the swords, all junk, almost nothing is suitable. For my fighting style, I need a medium-sized sword that is not too thin or too thick for defense, attack, and thrusts, so I can maintain practicality and adaptability in a fight.
For now, only common bastard swords more or less fit, but they are not perfect. It seems I need a custom-made sword for the future, but for now, I can only choose the best bastard sword.
"Not this one," I grab one, but soon throw it on the ground. The hilt has a terrible center of gravity, inefficient for my style. If I thrust with it, the sword would slip from my hand. I pick up another and analyze it.
’The edge of this blade is too worn...’ It seems they haven’t been replacing the weapons in this place for some time, causing wear and even rust on some. Without enough cutting or piercing power, they are just defective items.
"Next..." I continue searching for the best blade until I find one that seems suitable. I grab it and start critically analyzing every piece that matters most.
In a sword for me, what matters is the sense of gravity, the hilt, the blade, the tip of the blade, and the edge of the blade. If any of these are problematic, the sword becomes useless for me.
I need to maintain perfect balance for quick attacks, I need it not to slip from my hands when striking, the blade needs to be sharp, and it needs a good tip for thrusts.
’Evelyn-sama said for me to go all out...’ I take a fighting stance with the sword. The grip is good, the sense of gravity it and it generates in me is also acceptable. As for the hilt and blade, they seem okay, and although the edge is slightly worn, it’s not completely ruined.
"Looks like you’ll be my companion for now," I hold it upright, looking at the tip. Good enough for a powerful thrust without too much damage.
Most have chipped blades or dull edges, but good tips. It seems most have forgotten that bastard swords are also thrusting weapons, even if that’s not their main function.
"I think I’m ready...I must do my best, I can’t lose and stain Evelyn-sama’s image," I don’t even look at the armors. I see no value in armor that will only slow me down. My fighting style is simple, focused on quick defense, quick attack, and thrusting.
In summary, attacks focused purely on speed, with shorter defenses followed by counterattacks whenever possible, so I can put constant pressure on the enemy and not give them room to attack efficiently.
"..." I stand in front of the colosseum gate, which opens after 3 minutes. I step forward, seeing the colosseum. It’s quite large and full of maids who came to watch, and the colosseum floor is made of common soil, which gives me no advantage.
’The maids look at me with obvious mockery and malice...they probably think I’ll lose this fight easily...that’s good.’ An enemy who underestimates me is perfect.
After all, my fighting style depends more on constant pressure. If my opponent underestimates me, I can gain an absurd initial advantage.
I see who my opponent will be, some kind of butler. From his posture, I know he’s strong, but I can win. For Evelyn-sama, I need to finish this with minimal damage and maximum speed.
"We are here for a friendly duel between Evelyn Ashcroft and Augustus Ashcroft, a representative chosen by each will fight, the rules are simple," a judge-like figure begins to speak as I stand on a small platform that indicates my place.
"No cheating, cheating is mainly external help of any kind and will not be tolerated," the Judge literally says we can do whatever we want as long as it’s not outside help.
"The second rule, if Evelyn Ashcroft wins, she will receive 1,000 gold coins, and if she loses, she will have to make a pact with Augustus Ashcroft," she adds with a mocking tone, as if Evelyn-sama has no value.
’If I could, I’d cut your tongue off.’ I look at the judge with a clear momentary murderous intent, but let it pass. I’m an opportunistic swordsman, it doesn’t make sense to lose my composure over such simple mockery.
The greatest victory will be to humiliate these arrogant people and show that they can never underestimate Evelyn-sama again.
"Are both masters ready?" She asks, while Augustus gives an disinterested nod, and Evelyn-sama just nods, observing the arena with total focus.
’She looks so cute when focused like that, I must do my best.’ I must not stain her image. I take a ready stance, prepared to start.
"Competitors ready?" The judge asks. The butler just gives a slight nod, not even getting into a fighting stance, as if he sees no threat, while I remain completely still, focused on fighting.
’Fool, he’s forgetting all the basics of facing an enemy.’ I hide my aura, my murderous intent, my presence. I practically become one with the environment, almost like a decoration of the scene.
"..."
"The duel will begin in...3...2...1...now."
Clang!
As soon as she allowed it, I advanced with everything, cutting the distance of meters almost instantly and delivering a powerful thrust. The butler barely had time to defend with two daggers, his defense was almost broken as he was violently thrown back, leaving a trail of his feet on the ground.
"..." The maids look at me in shock, while now Augustus really starts to focus, while the butler looks at me with wide eyes.
"Tsk..." I click my tongue. I had hoped to finish it with the first attack while he underestimated me. They shouldn’t have judged me by my magic, since I’m a swordsman.
"You..."
Clang! Klang!
The butler tries to speak, but I advance with a quick cut that he defends with the two daggers, the metallic sound echoing through the arena as I quickly gain distance, taking a false step back and cutting the distance again in a quick charge.
Swish
I make a quick upward lateral cut, hitting his daggers dead-on, causing one to be thrown away. But without giving him time, I start delivering dozens of thrusts per second, forcing him to stay on the defensive, evading.
I won’t give him time to even think. Before he can adjust to the thrusts, I release the sword in what seems like a stupid way, while he thinks it’s an opening. My sword goes back, spinning counterclockwise, while I lean down and kick him hard on the side, throwing him aside.
As he tries to recover, I stand up and catch the sword that comes spinning towards me. It’s a simple technique that makes whatever I throw back come spinning towards me.
Used as a distraction, it allows me not to give him time to adjust. I quickly advance against him with a top-down cut that he barely defends, the force cracking the ground beneath him, leaving his chest exposed.
But of course, if his chest is exposed, something else is also exposed. I’m not a swordsman who plays fair when Evelyn-sama’s honor is at stake.
I gather all the strength I can in my leg, the world seems to slow down as my kick rises. The butler even notices, looking down, his eyes widening in fear.
With a sickening snap, my kick connects perfectly with his balls, as he doesn’t even have time to close his legs. Everything seems to stop as I leap back.
"..." The butler collapses to the ground. He doesn’t scream, but can’t help the tears as he holds what would one day be his children. I’ve probably just destroyed his lineage if he doesn’t have children already.
"...Hey, Judge, did I win? Or do I need to cut his throat?" I ask, pointing my sword at the incapacitated butler. Since birth, I’ve had memories of fencing and weak points.
In a man, there are some quite obvious ones, just as in women, a kick to the uterus would destabilize most women who are not prepared for that pain.
So obviously a kick to a man’s testicles would incapacitate most who are not ready for that pain.
"O-Oh, of course...the winner of the friendly duel is the servant of Evelyn Ashcroft...with...47 seconds of duration..." The Judge speaks, all disappointed, as silence falls, no one seems to accept what happened, while some maids even whisper something.
But as soon as I look at Evelyn-sama and see her victorious smile, I know it was worth it, even if it was a dirty, underhanded blow.
"Anything for Evelyn-sama," I say to myself as I decide to leave the arena to go to the stands and see Evelyn-sama. As the judge made clear, anything was fair game as long as it wasn’t cheating.
Advancing without letting the enemy attack and using their weak points is totally fair. I’m satisfied just being useful to Evelyn-sama.
’Although taking this long is a flaw in my swordsmanship...’ If I had finished it with the first strike, it would have been better. It seems I lack strength, I must get stronger and defend Evelyn-sama.
"I am your sword, your shield, and the one who will defend you even at the cost of my own existence," I murmur with devotion.