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Chapter 17. Muscle-Headed Girl

“...Are all adventurers like this?”

“What do you mean?”

“Throwing up magic from their mouths like that.”

I never imagined someone would spew magic from their mouth. Frankly, it was beyond anything I could have envisioned. It was some bizarre use of magic, but I managed to dodge it with a quick response. Thankfully, it was just raw magic power.

“Don’t call it throwing up. I’ve never seen anyone else use magic from their mouth... I find it handy since my hands are often occupied.”

“The visual is just...”

It’s scary seeing a beautiful girl with tanned skin spew magic from her mouth. Besides, she says she uses it when her hands are full, but as a dual swordsman, her hands are always full.

Nina Violet... She's far more skilled than I imagined. She’s not great with magic, but her dual sword attacks, powered by her immense physical strength, are far stronger than what I had anticipated. I’m deflecting her attacks for now, but if I took one head-on, I’d struggle to withstand it.

“Huh?”

Her wild instinct for detecting danger is extraordinary. Just thinking about activating a simple spell, without moving, Nina sensed my intention and distanced herself.

While contemplating my next move, Nina vanished with a burst sound.

“Damn!”

“Close one.”

Jumping up, her dual swords sliced through the air beneath me. The explosion I heard was the ground cracking from her step. How does a human step so hard that the ground bursts? Her natural physical abilities, enhanced by magic, make it possible. Even so, I’m confident in my own physical abilities. I saw her attack just in time, and if that was her top speed, I could keep up.

“...If we’re both just using swords, aren’t we at a stalemate?”

“Not really. If you can’t dodge my attacks, it’s over.”

“That’s what we call a stalemate. Is your brain all muscle too?”

Sure, Nina’s moves are incredibly fast, but since I’m aware of that, I can adjust and avoid her strikes. I won’t say I’ll never get hit, but I won’t take a direct hit.

“If we’re at a stalemate, I guess I’ll have to use my Grimoire.”

“...I can’t use a Grimoire.”

“What?”

No way. Someone this skilled can’t use a Grimoire? Is she just not good with magic?

No, Grimoires are about the expression of one’s soul... Strangely, she can’t use it if she’s this strong-willed.

“Can you use a Grimoire?”

“I assumed all top students at the academy could... I think someone like Jeremiah can.”

“I see... Then teach me how to use it.”

“Really...?”

As if she could use it just by me teaching her. Besides, I hate showing my Grimoire to others.

“Should we continue like this... I don’t want to use my Grimoire.”

“Then come at me seriously!”

She accelerated toward me, so I deployed a defensive barrier with a simple spell... She shattered it with a second strike, and the third strike pulverized it. Her weapon, just covered in magic power, is absurdly strong.

Well, I’m confident in the speed of my simple spells. While Nina shattered my barrier with three strikes, I created chains with magic power and bound her arms. As she stared at the chains that suddenly appeared, I swung my sword at her unguarded body, but she reacted instantly, wrapping the chains around her and stopping my sword. She even ripped the chains apart and distanced herself using sheer strength.

“Impressive. I’m genuinely impressed... You can use magic consecutively like that.”

“I love magic... My swordsmanship is a bit self-taught, though.”

Now it’s my turn to attack. Given Nina’s overwhelming intuition and physical abilities, staying on the defensive won’t work. I’d need a Grimoire to land a solid hit.

We’re moving so fast that ordinary students would only see sparks and hear the clash of swords... but I can’t seem to outmaneuver Nina. Our speed is almost equal. This puts me at a disadvantage since Nina wields two swords, doubling her attacks.

“This is tough!”

“It shouldn’t be for you!”

To Nina, I’m apparently a monstrous level of strength.

Frankly, having someone this skilled ranked 17th is bizarre. She’s clearly stronger than Princess Elissa. The entrance exams probably took magic skills into account, but in a straight fight, Nina would definitely win against the princess.

I won’t win by just swinging my sword wildly, so I’ll set up a few tricks during this high-speed battle. The decision will come in an instant.

“If this is all, it’s over!”

“Bring it on!”

I activated magic the moment our swords clashed. Even seeing this, Nina didn’t change her movement. She likely thinks she can finish the fight before the magic activates, but she’s naive. Anyone who can fight at this speed would have magic suited for it.

“Ugh!”

The moment she deflected my thrust with her two swords, the battle was decided. As she moved to strike my exposed body, Nina was knocked back as if hitting an invisible wall.

She couldn’t regain her posture and crashed to the ground, but she was likely not incapacitated. Before she could get up, I approached and pressed my sword to her neck.

“What was that?”

“Just pushed magic out as a wall. It’s actually a spell to pierce an opponent, but... I wouldn’t do that in a spar.”

“I see... Then you had won from the start.”

“Why?”

“I was fighting to kill you from the beginning.”

Seriously? Her head is way too into survival of the fittest.