Chapter 492
Chapter 492
Chapter 492
Chapter 492: Exhaustion
The battle was evenly matched.
In terms of swordplay, Elna had the upper hand. However, once they stepped into the closer range, where fists could reach, No-Name's strikes were superior.
"Haahhhhh!!"
Changing her pace, Elna slipped into No-Name's range and unleashed a thrust.
No-Name managed to deflect her thrust, but got her shoulder slightly cut.
But, this was No-Name's range.
"Haaahhhhhh!!"
A right fist threatened Elna.
It was too close to dodge.
Even if she took the blow, the damage was inevitable.
So, she decided.
In the blink of an eye, Elna lifted her right foot.
The moment her right foot hit No-Name's abdomen, No-Name's right fist also hit Elna's abdomen.
Their timings coincided.
They were both in attacking stances, so they couldn't avoid it, and were blown away.
"Guuuhh..."
Slamming into the wall, No-Name collapsed.
But so did Elna.
Despite her exceptional combat skills, No-Name's blows were superior.
The damage was not mutual.
However, No-Name wasn't unscathed either.
Slowly, Elna's sword began to find No-Name, and her blows were getting sharper.
The longer the fight dragged on, the more at a disadvantage it would be for No-Name.
Deciding thus, No-Name grit her teeth and rose.
No-Name had been sent to serve under Linares because she desired Linares' blood.
However, she also wanted to learn from Linares' techniques.
No-Name's clan, which had absorbed much blood, was greedy for techniques as well.
They had learned many sword arts. All for the sake of surpassing the hero.
But there might have been a possibility that they couldn't surpass the Brave family through sword arts. That's why they desired Linares' martial arts technique.
If they can't surpass with the sword, then make the difference with body techniques.
Even if they surpassed the holy sword, if they didn't surpass its wielder, they might be defeated.
To surpass the hero, they had to surpass both the holy sword and the hero themselves.
Her judgment wasn't wrong.
"...."
In her line of sight, Elna hadn't risen yet.
Now was her chance.
However, her body didn't move as she expected.
She took a deep breath and rapidly calmed her body.
She circulated magic throughout her body, suppressing the pain temporarily while amplifying her strength.
Her head was still clear.
Her will was present.
All she needed now was for her body to move.
"I will... win!!"
Forcing her body to move, No-Name dashed forward.
Closing the distance between her and Elna who was blown away in the opposite direction.
Even on her knees, Elna still held her sword.
But that was just a faade.
No-Name's sword was swung down from above, and Elna barely managed to block it.
"Naive!!"
No-Name's foot shot up.
Elna, who was focused above, took the kick straight on.
Elna, who was blown away as easily as paper, slammed into the wall once again.
There was no escape.
Now was the time to attack.
No-Name swiftly closed the gap.
"Haaahhhhh!!"
A series of attacks with the sword.
Elna was able to block all of them, but targeting the openings created by the attacks, No-Name continued to throw punches.
There was no longer any strength or space left to dodge.
Elna had no choice but to take No-Name's fists.
If the left fist was swung, she was blown to the right, if the right fist was swung, she was blown to the left.
She was basically a punching bag now.
The spectators in the arena let out cries.
Everyone was taken aback by this unexpected turn of events.
But...
"Should we stop it? Frantz."
"It's not up to me."
"There's no need."
In response to the emperor's words, Al answered.
His eyes were fixed on Elna, who was still being beaten.
"She will die at this rate, won't she?"
"If that were the case, the strong ones here would have stopped it. The fact that they're not doing anything means... it's not as clear-cut as it seems that No-Name has the upper hand."
The emperor turned his eyes to Alida and Theodore who were standing nearby.
Both nodded, affirming Al's words.
Following that, Alida asked Al a question.
"Why do you think so, Your Highness?"
"Elna has not let go of her sword. Also, she taught me something when I was a kid. When you're hit, you need to loosen your body."
It was advice Elna gave Al when he wasn't counterattacking.
A strategy to prevent injury.
By loosening the body, the impact escapes.
And thus, large damages can be avoided.
Knowing this, Al understood that Elna was planning for a counterattack.
"You're going to bleed if you put too much strength in your hand, you know?"
"Shut up."
Leo, who also sensed that Elna was aiming for a counterattack, tapped Al's hand with a wry smile.
Al's fist was tightly clenched. At Leo's words, he relaxed it for a moment, but immediately clenched it again.
Leo laughed at this.
"You worry too much."
Following those words, No-Name noticed something strange about the way the fight was going.
However, her blows were indeed hitting.
They were being deflected.
No-Name realized this possibility, but she thought that only her master, Linares, could do such a thing.
Elna was ultimately a swordsman, not a fistfighter.
That couldn't be the case.
Believing so, No-Name unleashed a full-powered straight punch.
An attack that couldn't possibly be deflected.
However, before her punch could land, No-Name was hit by Elna's slash.
Blood spurted from her abdomen.
Because she quickly retreated, it wasn't fatal.
However, the bleeding was heavy.
She was attacked almost unconsciously.
Because she had been able to attack so one-sidedly, her consciousness of defense had faded.
"Really... You went wild hitting me."
Saying this, Elna wiped the blood from her mouth.
The cost of releasing a single blow was not cheap.
She had loosened her body and let the power of the blows escape, but she couldn't completely evade them.
Her consciousness had nearly flown away several times, but she stubbornly held on.
Everything was for the moment when No-Name released her all-out blow to attack.
"Now, it's my turn."
"Don't underestimate me... you should be shaky too."
"I'm still fine."
"I am fine too."
Both of them laughed simultaneously and their swords clashed.
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