[The system reacts to your determination.]
[The skill 'MONARCH'S FLAME' (Lv.2) has been activated.]
It was truly the first time I felt that I had the ability to win.
Despite the fact that ever since the beginning, I had done nothing but fear the moment my match would arrive.
Immediately after the system's announcement, I felt a heat spread throughout my entire body as if I were burning from the inside.
Dark cracks began to appear across my hands and forearms.
My hands stopped trembling and my breathing steadied.
It was as if I had regained control of my body.
I felt the ether flowing through my body and concentrated it into my legs.
I saw Roderick narrow his eyes. Perhaps he had noticed the change in my posture, or maybe he had sensed the aura now leaking from my body.
If I concentrated all the ether I possessed into the soles of my feet, I should be able to outspeed him.
And then...
I released the ether in a fraction of a second, violently launching myself forward.
...I would have a chance to win.
The scenery of the arena blurred around me at incredible speed and a cloud of dust formed in my wake.
Roderick's eyes widened in surprise and our swords collided in a shower of sparks.
"How..."
He barely had time to push me back with a swing of his sword before I charged again, still concentrating all of my ether into my feet.
Roderick, meanwhile, had chosen to reinforce the strikes of his blade. Every time my sword collided with his, I could feel mine trembling.
It would not withstand this pace for long before breaking. I had to finish this quickly.
With every strike I launched, Roderick seemed closer to failing to react.
He parried my assaults without much difficulty, but he was struggling to keep up with the pace.
"Arrrh!"
Roderick let out a shout and slammed his sword into the arena floor with all his strength.
The blow, reinforced with ether, shattered the stone beneath him and the arena was engulfed in a cloud of dust as the crowd erupted into cheers.
I raised a hand in front of my face to shield myself from the dust surrounding me.
The air was thick and difficult to breathe. I had to get out of this cloud quickly or...
[Kael!]
"If you think I'm going to let you escape..."
I barely caught sight of a shadow in one of my blind spots before Roderick's sword came flying toward my neck.
"...you're mistaken!"
By reflex, I cut all strength from my legs and dropped to the ground while concentrating my ether into my eyes.
Everything around me seemed to slow down.
My eyes burned as if they were about to explode from within. I wouldn't be able to maintain this for long.
I could only use this technique once.
I watched Roderick's blade pass mere centimeters from my nose.
The force of his strike pushed the dust cloud aside, revealing the ruined arena with Roderick standing alone at its center.
Concentrating all of my ether into my legs, I leapt out of the cloud before it reached the edge of the arena.
I found myself airborne above Roderick.
The wind whistled in my ears as I fell.
It was now or never.
I could feel every gaze fixed upon me.
I closed my eyes and concentrated my ether into my sword, leaving my body completely defenseless.
Roderick's silhouette grew closer within seconds as I descended toward him.
Roderick, having likely noticed my shadow on the ground, attempted to evade before raising his sword above his head.
The two blades collided and an enormous shockwave echoed throughout the arena.
The already shattered ground beneath Roderick's feet cracked further and split into massive chunks that exploded apart.
The impact was so violent that a sharp pain shot through both of my forearms.
I heard one crack, then another.
His sword fractured before finally shattering beneath the force of my strike, allowing me to fall to the ground on the other side of his blade.
It was brief, but I had clearly seen Roderick's eyes widen.
After landing painfully on both feet, I turned around and saw Roderick facing me.
I instinctively raised my sword into a defensive stance, but surprisingly, he did not charge.
Instead, he simply stared silently at the broken remains of his sword with his eyes lowered.
Not a single sound echoed through the coliseum.
Everyone seemed to be holding their breath.
Roderick finally broke the heavy silence.
"I surrender."
The referee, still speechless, took several seconds before realizing he had to announce the end of the match.
"V-Victory goes to Kael of House Britain."
The system window immediately updated.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The crowd exploded into a frenzy.
[A great number of people are supporting you.]
[Your 'Monarch's Authority' is strengthening.]
[The skill MONARCH'S FLAME (Lv.2->5).]