Protecting Sutcliff behind him, Leo stood facing Elias as he drew his dagger.
Successfully rescuing Mina and Louis hinged on whether he could buy enough time against Elias for Sutcliff to recover. Sure, he caught him off guard during his last rescue attempt, but he couldn’t think of another surprise attack, so he was stuck challenging him head-on.
What strategy should I go with this time, hm? Out of the corner of Leo’s eye he saw Sutcliff hop to his feet, his injuries already healed. Humans have nothing on the Shadow Tribe when it comes to agility and physical strength. Making him my ally in this might’ve just increased my odds.
“Sutcliff, can you answer me one thing?” Leo asked, his gaze still trained on the expressionless Elias. “You’re the one who put Elias in this state, right? I’m not gonna wring your neck about that right now, but shouldn’t you know how to snap him out of it?”
He sensed Sutcliff meekly shaking his head behind him. “Yeah, ’bout that…I’d planned for him to awaken his powers, but I didn’t know he’d lose his mind in the process. I’m totally unprepared for this…”
“…Put another way, you don’t have a clue about how to undo what you’ve done to him,” Leo groaned, trying his best not to grow depressed after having his one ray of hope squashed.
Looks like Johann is our only hope. Got no choice but to buckle down and live until Johann and Aki come running to our aid.
Challenging Elias to a duel was a suicide mission, but having the Shadow Tribesman around to help was more encouraging than going at it alone.
Anyways… Leo slowly released the air in his lungs. Pessimism won’t beat me before I even try. I’ve got a promise to keep, after all. I can’t go croakin’ until she’s back.
Leo began quietly chanting a Lunar Magic spell, causing Elias to instantly switch into combat mode with the Holy Sword positioned in front of him. Responding to his command, water swirled around his drawn dagger and hardened into a crystal shell of ice.
He was employing an ancient strategy of imbuing a weapon with Lunar Magic, turning it into a so-called Magic Dagger. Only a select few Mages who had mastered physical skill trees were capable of wielding this dangerous class of magic.
A magic user like Leo didn’t stand a chance dueling a physical damage dealer like Elias without hitting him with everything he had up his sleeve.
“…I can’t believe the day has come where I have to fight you for real, Elias.” Leo crouched with a white chill swirling around the magic dagger in his hand.
Running through his mind were the days he used to smack Elias awake in the middle of the night to train during their travels. When he first joined Elias’s party, he had insisted on learning swordsmanship so he could take on any hard bosses the Hero Party might face in the future. Happily going along with his selfish request, Elias joined him night after night in grueling duels.
…I’d always wanted to duel you once. Not as a part of our training or for fun, but a real duel without holding anything back. I wanted you to acknowledge my swordsmanship. To praise me with that heartfelt smile of yours as you said, “You’re strong.”
Who would’ve guessed the day I fought you for real would be this miserable.
Leo curled his fingers around the dagger’s handle. “Elias, I’m gonna view you as an enemy and hit you with everything I’ve got in order to bring you back to us, and to stop you from making her—from making Aki sad. This is gonna be the fight of our lives. No holding back.” He took a deep breath.
Do it, Leo. So that you won’t leave behind any regrets whether you win or lose!
“Here I come, buddy!”
Sutcliff dashed off in the opposite direction to rescue Mina and Louis from the pile of rocks simultaneously as Leo launched himself toward Elias. The pounding of their feet hitting the dirt overlapped.
The others should be okay in Sutcliff’s hands. Knowing that significantly lifted the weight off Leo’s chest.
Sensing Leo’s intent to fight, Elias’s face hardened and he soundlessly kicked off the ground, zooming across the field at such speeds he closed the distance between them faster than most end bosses could.
Such speed! You’re seriously not made like the rest of us, buddy.
The Hero: a legendary and heroic entity born to save the world.
People stayed away from Elias, leaving him to live a solitary existence because of the overwhelming power he was endowed with as the Hero. Gentle spirit that he was, Elias never voiced his loneliness, instead choosing to accept the path laid out for him all the while silently struggling with isolation.
He never once strayed from his path until she appeared like a comet lighting up the night: Aki.
She shined a light on his loneliness by insisting with all her being that he, the man who pretended being a Hero was all that mattered, was just another human being before he was this legendary warrior.
That’s why…that’s why it shouldn’t be surprising he fell for her so hard he lost his mind seeking the power to protect her. It should’ve been expected.
…I don’t care what reasons Sutcliff had, I’ll never forgive him for abusin’ Elias and Aki’s relationship. I’d better snap Elias outta it so the two of us can wail on Sutcliff later.
Leo brandished the dagger in front of him as he sprinted toward Elias and jumped into the air. “Try a taste of this first, Elias!” he boldly taunted, slamming his raised dagger against the ground when he landed.
As soon as the blade struck the ground, icicles erupted in a straight line toward Elias.