The Strongest Wizard Becomes a Countryside Guardsman After Taking an Arrow to the Knee

Chapter 425 – The Holy Sword vs the Destruction Lord

Ecces was still bowing to us when Luka said,

「I don’t want to admit this, but Cruz is way stronger than me, right?」

「Well, I think I’m stronger, but Alra here is WAY stronger than I am.」

「Don’t say such things, Cruz.」

It would suck to be forced into a fight just because Cruz blabbed her mouth.

「I am a swordfighter…I would like a bout with the holy hero if possible.」

「Well, okay…」

「Thank you very much!」

Ecces said, almost in tears.

I think she actually wanted to face off against Luka.

As a swordswoman, Luka was quite famous.

「So, if you want to fight, where would be a good place?」

「If it’s okay, here and now would be fine.」

「O…okay, I’m ready when you are.」

「Yes.」

「You can show us whatever strength you got from the god of destruction as well.」

「I won’t use that.」

「Why not? Are you saying I’m too weak?」

「I am a swordfighter. I will fight as one.」

「Hmmm, whatever I guess.」

As soon as Luka gripped her sword, Ecces stood up.

Then she said to Luka, a bit hesitant,

「Um, swordswoman?」

「Hm?」

「May I begin?」

Hearing this, Luka looked a bit confused.

Since she had said,「ready when you are」that meant she was ready from then.

Luka had the look now of「how long are you going to make me wait?」

「I’ve been ready.」

「…」

At that moment, Ecces attacked. Her speed and attack was excellent.

However, Luka just dodged the slashes without unsheathing her sword.

She could see exactly where Ecces’ attacks were directed.

Ecces was a fine swordswoman, but Luka was quite better.

As soon as I thought that, Ecces’ sword seemed to blur instantly.

The blade that Luka had been easily estimating and dodging was now coming right at her.

KLAAANG

Luka jumped up while knocking the slash away with her sword.

Luka suddenly didn’t look so confident anymore.

Then Ecces said to Luka,

「Do you think I’m a match for you?」

「…I think so. Sorry, I shouldn’t have mocked you.」

「Thank you never much.」

「Well, I guess I should fight for real then.」

I saw Luka’s appearance change. It seems that she had acknowledged Ecces as a worthy opponent.

Ecces happily smiled while running with sword towards Luka.

Luka dodged her, taking the blows with her own sword, waiting for a gap in Ecces’ attack.

Cruz was watching the two go at it, and stepped over to me with a smile,

「Hey, Al, Al!」

「What is it?」

「That Ecces is pretty strong.」

「Yeah, I can see why she beat a demon and dragon zombies.」

「She’s maybe at the top of an A class.」

Yureena had stepped over and was nodding as well.

Belda too.

「It looks like Ecces is pushing her back, but…」

「Yeah, I see it too. Ecces is trying to overcome her…」

Cruz answered Belda with a smile.

「You don’t think that Ecces is stronger?」

「Not really. Luka is still hard to overcome. She’s just holding back for a counter.」

Cruz said, explaining it simply.

However, it still seemed that Belda didn’t understand what Cruz meant.

「If she keeps trying to beat Luka, she’s going to lose.」

「Sir Alra, are you saying that if she keeps attacking hard like that, she’ll lose?」

「Exactly, it looks like Ecces is ahead, but it’s still hard to tell who will win.」

I said it was hard to know, but I was pretty sure that objectively Luka was closer to winning.

「I’m guessing it’s a 70% chance of a Luka win…no, maybe 80%.」

Cruz said with a laugh.

「I see, I thought that she was such a hard worker and so talented, but…」

Belda said, a bit sadly,

「Luka’s just way too strong, even though Ecces is good. I was surprised.」

Cruz said, folding her arms in front of her chest and nodding.

「I don’t know what skills that god of destruction gave her, but they might allow her to beat Luka…」

「Sir Alra, is she right?」

「Yeah, but she is very good as your vice agent.」

「Thank you very much. I’m happy to hear that.」

And so the competition continued as we spoke.

Ecces’ attacks became weaker while Luka turned the tables on her.

Luka’s sudden attacks were sharp and fierce, and blew back Ecces’ defenses.

And then Ecces’ sword was on the ground.

Luka took a step back.

「Maybe we should see this destruction power of yours?」

「…as a swordfighter…」

「…we know all that. But shouldn’t you use all your power to defeat an opponent?」

In a sword fight, dropping your sword to an opponent means that you lose, but Ecces hadn’t used all of her power, it was just that Luka had far more experience.

「Since you asked me for a fight, I’m asking you to see what this power is you have.」

「Understood.」

And so Ecces picked her sword back up.

「Thank you.」

「However…you are prepared to see my power, right?」

「I’m prepared for anything you have.」

And with that, Ecces slashed her sword.

Luka went to dodge the sword, and then Ecces stretched out her arm to Luka.

「Ah!」

At the same time, something slashed at Luka from the air.

–CLANG!

「That is some technique.」

「…I never thought the destruction god’s power would be to strike at people.」

「Huh, so that’s the fabled power? Quite an attack.」

And somehow, Luka had knocked that legendary attack away with her sword.

–CLANG! CLINK! CLANG!

After that Ecces attacked with her sword while using the destruction god’s power.

Luka continued to knock both attacks away.

「Well, that’s odd. Seems that Luka can knock away that power of hers.」

I said, while Cruz looked confused and said,

「Of course she can hit it, what’s strange about that?」

「Well, if the power is from the god of destruction, you’d think it would be so destructive that you couldn’t knock it away.」

I guess for Cruz and Yureena, it was just about destroying things.

「…I think it’s strange you can defend from it.」

If I had to fight Ecces, I would have to think about how to handle it.

So I just watched Ecces and Luka fight.

I could see in the corner of my eye Belda watching the match with bated breath.

It still seemed that Luka was just ahead of Ecces.

「Luka really is something. She’ll win even against that power.」

And as I watched, I felt that I could sense the power of this god of destruction.

I couldn’t actually tell why though.

Couldn’t see it, couldn’t hear it, couldn’t smell it, and it was different from magic.

But it was something that I could feel.

「Hm…」

I thought that I could beat Ecces if I had to.