Reverse Chronicles

The Swift or the Skilled?

Block C wins the match and proceeds to next round. Luke also bags his win easily against the competitor from E. H wins against G, I wins against J, and K wins against L. Paul’s match is defaulted because he interfered with Rose’s match. N proceeds to the next round without a fight. And P wins against O.

It is now time for the match between Q and R, Haruka versus me. The Squire of the Sword General against the Squire of the Mythos General. The coliseum rumbles as the two of us enter the arena.

Haruka wields her sword as usual. Gracefully walking with the blade in her hand. With my plan in mind, I wield my own sword ready to fight her head on. Before the match, Syrena told me that defeating Haruka is almost impossible, but there is one way to defeat her.

“The match between Haruka Miyamizu and Alan H. Lancaste will now begin!” the headmaster’s voice resonates throughout the entire coliseum.

At once, Haruka rushes towards me and uses her special skill, Rain of Blades. Her strikes are fast, and I am barely able to parry all of them using Fluid Parry, but everything is going as planned.

“You have to tire her out,” Syrena’s words flashes back in my head. “Rain of Blades is an endless barrage of strikes. It is meant to be used in short battles.”

If I can prolong this fight, I win!

Haruka’s slashes are constant. With speeds similar to torrential rain, her attacks are almost invisible. However, unlike rain, they are silent, only making a subtle sound once they get parried. Her footwork is also top class. Her stance is excellent, always prepared to switch from offense to defense and vice versa. Is this what it means to be the Sword General’s Squire?

Suddenly, a smirk form on Haruka’s face. Her attacks instantly became faster, slowly pushing me away. My eyes can barely keep up as her almost invisible blade dances with her hand.

She is getting faster. If I can keep this up, she will get tired from exerting too much effort.

“However, you still have to be careful,” Syrena’s words pops back into my mind. “There is a secret in Rain of Blades that I do not know. That may be her trump card.”

Is this the ace in her skill, Rain of Blades? An increase in speed?

Out of my expectations, Haruka suddenly does a turn and strikes horizontally pushing me away because of its strength.

That strike is so strong! She’s still not tired? How can that be?

“When a raindrop falls on the ground,” Haruka says as she walks toward me slowly, “it creates ripples. Rain of Blades also create ripples that chip away at your defense with every strike. My last strike is weaker compared to my first ones, but because your defense is weaker it felt strong.”

Sh*t! Is this the ace that Syrena talked about? Her attacks chip my defense?

“Rain of Blades wears me down,” Haruka adds closing in the gap. “But the trade-off is completely worth it,” she slashes at my right flank. I quickly parry, but there was no strike.

Suddenly, I can feel a painful sensation on my arm. The next thing I knew is that my arm is bleeding.

How can this be? I swear I parried her attack.

“I forgot to mention, but Rain of Blades also has an effect on your reaction time,” Haruka moves in again, which made me retreat back. “Because you were used to my speedy assault, you were not able to read that slow attack just now.”

This is bad! She has seen through all of my attacks. Calm down, Alyssa. Calm down, Alyssa.

“Calm down, Alyssa,” I can hear my dad’s voice. That’s right my dad. He used to tell me to calm down when I’m under pressure. That memory long ago, I can still remember it as if it happened yesterday. My very first chess tournament. I won against the weaker opponents, but I was having a hard time with my last opponent. I planned carefully, but they all backfired. Very similar to this situation. In the end, I came in second place at that tournament. However, this time, I won’t lose!

My defense is down but Haruka’s attacks are getting slow and she is at her stamina’s end. This is my time to attack!

I rush her using Feint Attack at the last second, then combining it with Time s***h. Even when fatigued, her stance is still excellent, but her sword is way off creating an opening for me to attack. I use Disabling Thrust and Horizontal Smile at her, retreating back before time resumes.

By repositioning her sword twice, she thwarted my strikes even in Time s***h and at her current state.

How is she able to defend against those attacks? Is it? Wait, no. She was barely able to defend. She repositioned her sword and parried them.

Noticing c****s in her armor, I begin to launch an all-out attack. There is nothing I can do now, but attack and evade, hoping that my attacks will make it before she can regain her strength.

I use Feint Attack sending my illusory copy to attack, while I jump for a Gravity s***h. Before my Gravity s***h could land, I use Time s***h and attacked with Horizontal Smile and Disabling Thrust. This time, my combinations of attacks worked. She assumed that my Gravity s***h is the real deal and guarded from above, but my Horizontal Smile and Disabling Thrust targeted her lower body.

I employ more combinations hitting her at multiple points. My attacks hit her, but she still stands. I used multiple Disabling Thrusts rendering some of her bodily functions unusable, but she still stands. Our situations are completely reverse. My defense is totally weak because of her skill, but my attack is still high. Reversely, her attacks are weak, but her defense is still going strong.

“Those were powerful attacks, but I must finish this once and for all,” her stance returned to its original state. Her sword is poised to attack with the intent of finishing the match.

How can this be? I…Will I lose again?

“Don’t falter, Alan!” Syrena shouts from the gallery. “She’s about to fall!”

She’s right. There’s nothing I can do, but attack. One strike. All I need is one strike to end things.

“You can do it, Alan!” Vale’s voice reaches out.

“Go, Alan!” Mathilde follows with her bright timbre.

I can do this!

With a strike ready to end this match, I rush at Haruka, who is also running towards me. My sword ready to strike. Her attack can finish the match if I get hit. Sliding down the dusty ground, I use Critical s***h hitting her weak points. What happened next? I feel lightheaded.

Did I win?

Looking back at my opponent who lay prone on the ground, a feeling of relief lit inside myself. It’s finally over. I won against Haruka!

“The winner is Alan H. Lancaste!”

My legs feel numb. I can only sit in the middle of the arena leaning against my sword, whose blade I planted firmly on the ground. Healers escorted me out of the arena. Behind me are the cheers of a great crowd. They all cheer my name as my head lands on a soft fluffy pillow.

“You did it, Alan!” Mathilde says. She was with Vale, Syrena, and the others.

“It was a great gamble, but you won,” Syrena adds. “If you join tomorrow’s event, it seems I have to keep my guard up.”

“Please leave at once, he needs to rest for the next match,” healers quickly restored my broken body. I could feel my energy slowly replenishing. From a distance I can hear the victory of the competitor from Block T, who will be my next opponent. But before that, it will be B against F. Johannes versus Luke. 

Another battle between Squires, I wonder who will win?

After my session with the healers, I go back to the competitor’s gallery. The headmaster just called for a brief recess for the next match. Johannes and Luke are already preparing for the next match.

“Who do you think will win, Syrena?” I sit beside her for information that I may gain during the match. “Johannes or Luke?”

“If things go as they are, Johannes will undoubtedly win,” Syrena answers. “However, if Luke is able to pull something big, he might change the tides. But right now, he is in the coast against a giant tsunami.”

Johannes, eh? I guess being the Knight General’s Squire has its perks.

The headmaster ends the recess and the two Squires enter the arena ready to give it their all.