Reverse Chronicles

Arrows of the Sincere

“Block Q match begin!”

Haruka and Xin are both in Block Q. Out of the five in the arena, the two are left standing. An epic battle between two Swordmasters ensue. There are no skills nor special abilities involved in their fight. It is a pure battle of raw sword mastery. Both are quick with their feet and swift with their s***h. They are equal in speed, or are they?

“It’s over,” Syrena suddenly blurts out. “Haruka will bag this one with ease.”

“What do you mean?” I confront her. “They are neck-a-neck with their fight. It’s anybody’s match.”

“Look closely, Alan,” she replies. “As their bouts go on, the other girl is slowing down, but Haruka’s speed still remains constant. You wouldn’t know this, but she has endured the harshest training under General Takiyama.”

As I turn back to the match, Xin is blown away crashing against the wall. It is as what Syrena has said. Haruka wins the match with ease.

“Block R competitors, please get ready!” an organizer of the event shouts at the gallery. I leave the gallery and prepared for the match.

“The winner is Haruka Miyamizu, Squire of the Sword General,” I hear as I climb down the stairs. The cheers of the crowd both pumps me up and unnerves me.

I feel nervous. This feels like the athletic meet.

As I reach the preparation room, I equip the sword. It should suffice in this battle. I exit through the door entering the arena, where the gallery filled with hundreds of people are above it. I see the other competitors entering the arena from other doors. We all get close to the center, stopping when we knew it was the right distance.

“Block R match begin!” the headmaster shouts and the four all rush towards me. Like Johannes’s fight, they are ganging up on me. However, they are all wielding swords. They are attacking head on with everything they’ve got seeing me as a common enemy.

Using Fluid Parry, I move back evading all their skills and attacks.

This is bad, I won’t win if I just keep on defending.

When one of them suddenly attacked, I saw an opportunity to strike back.

This is it!

As he was about to land his blow, I use Time s***h and used Horizontal Smile attacking all of them at once. I retreat behind the four of them as time resumes and my skill materializes. They all lay on the ground wounded from my skill, except for the last one who was able to parry Horizontal Smile.

Is this Prediction?

“That was close,” he hyperventilates looking at his sword.

He is commendable for evading my strike, but I have to win this.

I rush against him and used Prediction. In a split second, I see him sidestepping to the right. I immediately switch to Feint Attack and attacked him as he moved. He fell as my strike moved in, but when I looked back, he was still standing hyperventilating.

“That was really close,” he hyperventilates again.

What? I saw him fall. Did he predict my move again? But I used Prediction against him and the only thing that can stop it is…oh no! Is his Prediction skill on a higher level than mine?

“What’s your name?” I ask him.

“I’m Jermaine,” he replies.

“Jermaine, how high level is your Prediction skill?” I ask him.

“It’s at max level,” he answers. “I’ve been training with Prediction since day one. I’m the best at Prediction in the Academy.”

This is going to be troublesome. However, he seems really tired after using Prediction even once. He is bound to fall if I keep attacking him.

“I understand why General Wisterion chose you,” he suddenly blurts out as I am about to attack. “Your strikes are true and strong. I could barely keep up even with my prediction,” he smiles dropping his sword. “It is futile to prolong this fight. I surrender.”

“The winner is Alan H. Lancaste, Squire of the Mythos General,” the stadium breaks out into thunderous applauses and cheers.

I pick up Jermaine’s sword and joins him out of the arena. We join the others back to the competitor’s gallery and watched as the rest of the matches unfolded. It is still early morning. The sun is still halfway from reaching the peak. The matches for the tournament proper are finally announced and the silent coliseum breaks into cheers once more.

The first match is between the winners between Block A and Block B, Rose and Johannes, respectively.

It is as what Paul said. Rose is fighting Johannes. I wonder how she will pull through this fight?

 The two enter the arena. Johannes enters with his sword and a smile, while Rose pulls a bag with her. She drags the suspicious thing inside the arena.

“First match. Begin!” the headmaster shouts.

“Squire Johannes,” Rose shouts. “As the Squire of the Knight General, you must be well aware that I am in a disadvantageous position. For this I ask that you give me a head start in this match.”

“Sure,” Johannes laughs. “I will allow it.”

Rose pulls out rocks from the bag. She throws and puts them in specific areas in the arena. Finished with placing the rocks, she equips her bow and uses Volley firing several arrows at the rocks. Suddenly, the rocks begin to multiply. Other rocks became larger than some, while some became smaller. The rock pile began converging on Rose’s position forming a rock pile that gave Rose a visual and height advantage.

The rock pile became a small hill that is in level with the galleries.

Is she allowed to use that?

“She’s smart,” Syrena praises. “Those must be magic tools and she used them to her advantage.”

“Is she allowed to use them in the first place?” I ask her.

“Although they are imbued with magic, there are some magic tools that are only used as tools themselves. Those rocks are an example, they do not cast spells, but they do something that is magical although not offensive,” she explains. “Those are fine under the rules. In fact, I think she is smart in using them. Now there is a great distance between her and Johannes. I wonder who will win?”

“Excellent!” Johannes shouts. “There is a tactician in you.”

Rose takes the first shot and lets out a Volley. Johannes, however, is able to move out of the area before her arrows reach him. Attacking him while he moves, Rose surprises Johannes. Using Sure Shot, Rose releases each arrow swiftly and serenely as they soared to their target.

The battle went on Rose’s way until Johannes makes it to the base of the rock pile. Some boulders are larger than the rest providing a safe haven against Rose’s Sure Shot arrows. Her tactic is a double-edged sword. By increasing her vision and height with rocks, she also made safe zones with the rocky topography.

“You’re not getting away!” Rose uses Volley on Johannes striking him from above. The safe zones are not so safe, after all. However, she still did not have visual of Johannes. In fact, after using Volley, she is no longer sure where Johannes is. The truth is that Johannes used Feint Attack and sent his illusory copy behind that rock, while he went around the rock pile.

I wish I could tell her that he is behind him, but that would disqualify me from participating.

“Behind you, Rose!” Paul suddenly shouts from the gallery. Rose hears him and sees Johannes at the back of the rock pile, slowly making his way up. She slows him even further letting out a barrage of arrows.

“She did a great job using the rocks to her advantage,” Syrena utters out of the blue. “But all of that ends here. Johannes will without a doubt win this.”

Oh no! Even after coming all this far. I know you can do it, Rose! Prove them wrong!

Johannes uses Time s***h and moves again to avoid Rose’s arrows. He is now meters away from the top, where his opponent is. Rose notices him and fights on. She suddenly stops and uses Volley on top of her position. The attack made Johannes retreat back, however, it was not enough.

“It’s over!” Johannes reaches the top poised to attack. Then suddenly, Rose does the unthinkable.  She fires and explosive arrow below her. The impact flung her down to the base of the rock pile.

“I got you!” she shouts shooting at certain rocks, which glowed blue when she shot them.

“Impossible!” Syrena shouts standing up as she did. “She erected a barrier trapping Johannes inside. Did she plan this all along?”

Great work, Rose!

“Well, well” Johannes laughs. “Looks like I’ve been caught in a trap.”

“I won’t let you out until you surrender,” Rose replies.

“Rose is winning!” I exclaim.

“No,” Syrena answers. “Johannes is still going to win.”

“But, he’s trapped inside that barrier. He won’t get out unless he surrenders,” I reply.

“Just watch, Alan.”

“Surrender?” Johannes laughs at the idea. “Why don’t you surrender?” Suddenly, a Johannes takes Rose from behind placing a sword by her neck.

What? How did he do that? He was inside the barrier just seconds ago.

“One thing that my general told me is to see the battle fifty steps ahead,” Johannes says. “When you used that magic tool, I knew you would use yourself as bait and trap me inside. However, all you have been battling all along is my shadow.”

“The winner is Johannes!”