The Opportunity From The Game Becomes Reality Episode 70
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The Opportunity From The Game Becomes Reality Episode 70
21. Saintess Contest (1)
Sure enough, close-quarters combat against a Master-class Vanguard is brutal.
An ordinary Vanguard's attack can be deflected with a 5th Circle barrier if you just adjust the angle properly.
But a Master's Aura Blade requires at least a 6th Circle barrier to deflect.
The problem is that 6th Circle magic needs even a brief cast time, making it hard to defend in time.
So instead of defensive magic, I chose to evade attacks with attacks.
-Whoosh!
-BOOM!
An Aura Blade carving in at a terrifying speed.
But the Aura Blade aimed at my throat never reached me it was swung off in a random direction.
"Had a bit too much to drink?"
"Tch!"
A pinpoint-targeted Explosion spell had knocked Count Felix's wrist aside, redirecting his attack.
It's absurd that an Explosion spell on the level of an anti-tank missile is being used for a mere wrist strike, but there's no helping it.
A Vanguard isn't a human in armor it's a killing machine from the future.
-BANG!
Following that, a Wind Pressure spell detonated behind his now off-balance back.
Count Felix stumbled "Whuh?" about three steps toward me, and as I sidestepped him and tripped his foot, the proud Aura Master flopped helplessly onto the ground.
-Thud.
A disgraceful turn of events, regardless of the Count's resolve to never let his guard down and fight with everything he had.
His face flushed red so hot it looked ready to burst as he rose using his body's momentum and thrust his sword out in a surprise attack.
-Swoosh!
"Oof."
Unfortunately, I'd seen that strike coming long ago.
I tilted my head back, and the crescent-shaped Aura Blade grazed past my forehead.
-Swoosh!
No matter how stacked I am with buff magic, I can't beat an Aura Master in raw strength or speed.
But there were exactly two things
where I surpassed Count Felix: the 'real combat experience' from fighting millions of monsters in a game where real senses were shared, and the 'dynamic vision' honed through those repeated battles.
-KRAKOOM!
Once again, I knocked his sword hand aside with magic to change its trajectory.
But this time, as if expecting it, he used the recoil to snake his blade toward my shoulder.
Good attempt.
But I struck the back of his knee with an Explosion spell, forcing it to buckle.
As a result, the Count's sword only sliced empty air.
"Grr."
He's probably frustrated.
Unlike swordsmanship, where the attack path is determined by the arm and wrist connected to the shoulder, magic can manifest from anywhere, unrestricted.
Not only did I bend his attack paths with Explosions, I made the floor slippery, dug pits, and harassed him so he couldn't move freely denying him his own swordsmanship and combat style.
-KRAKOOM!
"You coward!"
"Why? Is it cowardly for a Mage to fight in close quarters?"
So, thinking he couldn't keep this up, the moment he went for a big attack or increased his speed even slightly, his precision dropped and openings appeared everywhere.
Just like how, the moment his three-hit combo thrust, diagonal downward slash from upper right, upward slash from lower left was broken, his flank was laid wide open before my eyes.
"Ugh!"
An ordinary Mage would use that opening to create distance, but I instead stepped closer and struck his chin upward with my Magic Staff.
At the same time, a fully cast 6th Circle Laser Cannon spell traveled along the staff and fired at his chin.
"Where do you think you're !"
Was it the lesson from the first Spar, when he was knocked out by the Laser Cannon?
As if refusing to be caught by the same trick twice, he desperately retreated even while off-balance.
But that choice was a blunder.
He must have forgotten mid-melee I'm a Mage.
Aren't Mages supposed to excel at ranged combat rather than close quarters?
"Perfect distance for a 7th Circle spell."
His big evasive movement turned him into a target.
And I gifted that target a grand spell.
'Aqua Blast.'
Thanks to that, Count Felix had to receive a grand spell from an awkward stance.
-WHOOOM!
Still, I suppose he really is an Aura Master.
Even from an awkward position, he somehow managed to nullify the spell.
Aqua Blast is a high-pressure grand spell that pierces everything in front of it.
But the collision with the Aura Blade weakened its power, and it failed to pierce the Force Armor's defenses.
"How long do you think such cheap tricks will keep working!"
Did he think he had blocked my decisive strike?
As if his displeasure had vanished, Count Felix shouted triumphantly.
He curled up the corners of his mouth and straightened his posture, but...
"Huh?"
It didn't take long for the smile to disappear from his face.
Because my Magic Staff, appearing through the water curtain blocking his vision, had arrived right before his nose.
Count Felix's eyes flew wide open.
"Light."
And the Solar Plexus that never fails to appear in scenes like this.
The so-called 'flashbang attack' burst forth.
"Gah!"
Force Armor didn't block Light, a simple manifestation spell, and even an Aura Master couldn't do anything about the unexpected flash grenade attack.
Count Felix squinted his eyes in pain.
"Y-you son of a bitch!"
But isn't this a battle right now?
What does it mean if you close your eyes during a fight?
'It means you're asking to be killed.'
Pressing my Magic Staff against his defenseless abdomen, I detonated my 18th attack, Flame Blast, at zero range.
A thick pillar of fire laden with destructive energy swallowed Count Felix like a giant serpent opening its maw.
"Guh!"
-BOOOOOM!
Following that, a familiar scream heard several times today was accompanied by an explosion that shook the entire duel arena.
I checked Count Felix's condition through the Myriad Mirror.
It wasn't like the Second Round, where I poured out ten consecutive 7th Circle spells, but taking a 7th Circle spell enhanced in form and at zero range while completely defenseless must have been a significant shock.
'Oh, as expected, an Aura Master Vanguard is tough.'
A moment later.
When the flames subsided, Count Felix reappeared, recreating his state from Round 2 exactly.
He was barely managing to stay upright by planting his sword into the ground.
Following the Second Round, his Force Sword and Force Armor had been shattered to pieces once again.
Once his support was gone, Count Felix collapsed weakly to the floor and, with a suppressed groan, spat out those words.
"I-I can't accept this..."
The third knockout.
If he had responded properly, his Force Equipment might not have been destroyed this time, but taking the hit while defenseless was what did it.
Thanks to that, a poor pair of Force Equipment sets went to waste.
One broadcast appearance, and his pride was shattered while incurring a loss of a hundred billion.
Once he gets home, it's pillow-kicking time for sure.
"M-medics!"
As he writhed like a frog, still stubbornly refusing to concede, the cast and crew of the comparison variety show 'Anthony' erupted into chaos once again.
This time too, the medical team including Ibril rushed out in a crowd, and when I looked at the referee, whose mouth was hanging wide open in shock, he flinched both shoulders and declared my victory.
"The winner of the Third Round is, once again, Marquis Lawrence!"
"Eeeeeek! Oppa!"
"Woooooah!"
With the victory declaration, not only the audience but also the cast and crew let out exclamations of admiration.
When I returned to the cast's seats, questions poured in from all directions once again.
If the female cast members had shown great interest in me before, now all the male cast members looked at me with sparkling eyes, as if they had all become my fans.
"I never even imagined a battle like this. I always thought Mages primarily ran around and fought from range."
"Mages also possess mana like Knights have Aura, and among spells, there are many ways to reinforce the body, so I wanted to show that a slight shift in thinking can make this possible."
"To dominate an Aura Master equipped with Vanguard gear like this without Vanguard equipment, aren't Aura Masters and 7th Circle Grand Mages simply on entirely different levels of combat power?"
"That's hard to say. Vanguard equipment displays high destructive power, but it has the drawback of making attack routes monotonous. And Count Felix, perhaps due to a lack of real combat experience, showed many signs of being easily agitated and lacking in quick reflexes. He seems to need more varied experience."
"So in the end, it comes down to how you use your power."
"Yes, exactly. It's not as if every Grand Mage can fight like I do."
"True..."
The self-proclaimed experts who had argued against my words before the battle offered their apologies, admitting they had been too rigid in their thinking given the unexpected result.
With the magnanimity of a big man, I said it was fine and picked up the beverage the production team had prepared.
"What is this? It's quite delicious?"
"It's not a PPL."
"Oh, is that so?"
How long had we been talking like that?
I could see Count Felix raising himself with the help of the medical staff.
At that, National MC Baron Jimmy showed a worried reaction.
"It seemed like Count Felix never conceded until the very end. What if he asks for a rematch?"
"Then we fight. I've already figured out his combat pattern, so it'll end even faster next time."
At that confident, cool reply, Baron Jimmy was left speechless.
That wasn't just empty words.
Unlike him, I still had far more spells I hadn't used.
I continued speaking with a refreshed expression.
"But I don't think that'll be necessary anymore, right?"
"Pardon?"
"Because Count Felix is the one who would feel most keenly that he can't win in this state."
Unlike him, who was always desperate, I had left myself room.
Count Felix isn't a fool, so he must know I wasn't going all out.
And that guess wasn't wrong.
"Tsk!"
Though he didn't concede the result, he seemed to have no intention of fighting again after finishing his treatment and tidying up briefly, Count Felix merely clicked his tongue at me and quietly took his seat.
"Th-then, let's resume the debate."
MC Baron Jimmy let out a small sigh of relief and continued the show professionally.
As expected, now that something had been shown, no one took a mage's combat ability lightly anymore.
However, since one couldn't deny that Aura Masters were still superior in sustained combat and group battle efficiency, my performance notwithstanding, mage combat ability still couldn't claim superiority over Aura Masters.
That's only natural.
It's just that I'm not ordinary.
But...
Through this variety show, my combat scenes spread across the world and caused a massive sensation.
* * *
[Marquis Adrian Lawrence isn't just great he's special. Praise for Marquis Adrian Lawrence pours in from mage organizations worldwide...]
[Bringham Empire Imperial Mage Tower: His combat is a result that's only possible with immense practical experience or combat sense. But with a little research, mages returning to the front lines seems entirely feasible.]
[A wave of defectors from around the world. Battle mage hopefuls seeking to become Adrian Lawrence's disciple.]
[Adrian Lawrence: I have no reason to stop mages who come to me willingly. But since I can't accept everyone, I plan to hold separate interviews.]
[Regarding Miss 'Ibril Barnet,' who has received much attention in tandem with Marquis Adrian Lawrence's explosive fame...]
"What kind of trick is this."
-Bringham Empire, Francis Ducal House
A war with the Republic was underway, yet all the knights could talk about was the name of a man from another country.
Duke Francis, who was planning to send his own daughter to the Saintess contest this time, expressed his bewilderment at the sight of 'Ibril,' whose face was becoming known worldwide alongside Adrian's.
Unless he was a fool, he couldn't help but realize that Adrian's actions were meant to raise the profile of Ibril, a Saintess candidate.
"In all my years, this is the first time I've seen someone peddling a Saintess candidate."
Duke Francis, one of the four great dukes of the Bringham Empire, is a Grandmaster regarded as the equal of an 8th Circle mage one of the strongest of the strong representing the world.
The military strength of the Francis Ducal House alone was enough to annihilate an average kingdom, and his vast territories and 50 million subjects were enough to warrant calling him a king of a kingdom.
What he had been most focused on lately was making his third daughter, 'Evelyn Francis,' a Saintess.
But with some filthy fly buzzing right before his eyes, it was only natural he'd be irritated.
"Gregory."
"Yes, Your Grace."
At that, Duke Francis commanded 'Gregory,' his shadow and right-hand man.
"Handle it."
It was a direct assassination order for Ibril.
Without a single question, Gregory simply bowed his head and said he understood.