The Absolute Twin Magician

Dueling (Part 2)

Lia was preparing with her Imperial Paladin armor, holding a long spear that became her main weapon. As I expected from the previous fight against the city bandits, it seems that Lia is indeed a trained spear user. It can be seen from the horses at the beginning of the fight. And from the look in his eyes, it was clear that he was aiming for victory. I don't know what he'd want to do to me if he won, but it seems that he really seriously wants to beat me.

Then I should be serious here too.

"Before starting this match, there's one thing I want to ask you" I said. "Depending on your answer, I could have rejected this fight."

"Alright, since you're the one being challenged you're free to give me conditions."

A really honest girl.

"All the magic and skills I will use during this match are confidential. So I want you to keep my powers a secret and not tell anyone, including your superiors at the Imperial Paladin."

"K-why? Do you have a problem with my boss?"

"To be precise, I can't trust them yet. Unlike you who are young and honest, the old men have cunning thoughts that we cannot guess. That's why I don't want to attract their attention."

"That's so ... Then I promise I'll keep it a secret."

"Then we agree" I said. With this, I won't hold back. "Transmutation."

Soon I changed to a fighter form. Both of my hands began to be coated with hard, steel-hard skin that formed magic-coated gloves. A pair of wings made of the same material also formed on my shoulder, making me able to float in the air. The attack of my hair turned black, and some deep black hues appeared on my face. My left eye color also turned black.

Transmutation is the second form, warrior. This form relies on speed and high attack power. But it is quite weak in defense. Also, the range of his attacks was very close. To cover up his range weakness, I could use a Laser Beam.

"W-what's that? What the fuck is that?!"

Lia looked a little shocked and also frightened when she saw this form. Well, it's only natural. To the ordinary person who had just seen it for the first time, this form looked like a monster. Well, my nickname is The Monster, after all.

"This is my magic, Transmutation. What changed from me was just my outward appearance and strength, so don't be afraid of it. Or maybe you want to give up?"

Hearing me say the word surrender, Lia again steadied her horses and looked at me intently.

"No way! How could I give up before fighting!"

"Good, then let's just start this game."

"Then I'll start!"

Lia advanced the first time and directly broke through forward. Because it's not an official game so we don't need to be on cue. But still, attacking directly without a second thought like that, was he really serious? Maybe he thinks victory is on who first attacked. That's true, but if you know any information about the enemy. If you attack without having any information, you can lose later.

Lia darted quickly and thrust his long spear forward. I could have avoided that attack easily. But the next attack was quite difficult to avoid. Because we were so close, he used his leg to land a hard kick towards my stomach. Fortunately, I realized it and was able to react appropriately. But after that, he again gave a consecutive attack with his spear. Puncture and followed by a very fast slash, in the ability it seems that he cannot be underestimated.

"Impressive," I said.

After a while of dodging his attack, I started my first attack. I took advantage of the time when he was launching stabs at me and gave him a quick counterattack. With all my might I launched my fist towards his body. But who would have thought that he realized it and quickly stopped attacking and then pulled his spear to be used as a shield that blocked my attack. Reflexes are so fast. Merely, holding my attack in such a position could be risky.

"Ughhh!"

Shortly after my attack was withheld by his spear, the thrust caused him to bounce far back. It made him lose focus and become easy to attack.

"Not yet!!" My yelling.

I reappeared on top of it and threw a punch down. But because of the previous attack, he chose to dodge rather than hold it. As a result, my punch hit the ground and gave a big enough explosive effect there. Lia who noticed it immediately moved back and began to keep her distance.

"What's wrong?" My toot.

"Hey ... Are you really a witch??"

"That's right, I'm a witch."

Not giving a gap, I went back to making consecutive attacks on him. While on the other hand, Lia painstakingly endured and dodged every single one of my attacks. He had no chance to strike back.

"If you're a witch, why don't you use magic to attack me?!"

"What did you say? I've been using magic from the beginning of this match" I replied.

"What the fuck? You only attacked me with physical attacks! Which part of it is called magic?!"

"My magic is a reinforcement type, it's only natural that I use physical attacks against you?"

"Y-who's right?"

I continued to attack without giving him time to rest. I know it's not a good thing against a woman like her, but I'm sorry I couldn't let you scratch me even if it's just a little.

"If it's like this, I should use it ...." Mumbled Lia.

I don't know what he's going to use, but it seems I should anticipate it before it's too late.

"Noble Spear!"

As he shouted that, an extremely powerful aura instantly burst out from his spear. And at the same time, Lia slashed the spear at me.

Instantly, the spear that should not have reached me extended and spread magic-like energy throughout its attack range. I realized about it and quickly avoided it. But as a result of the attack, the rocks behind me were crushed by the attack earlier.

What was that? The magic? No, I didn't feel Manna in the attack. But I felt something similar to magic. Is this maybe a skill?

Lia again launched a similar attack, but this time much faster. It created a streak of energy slashes that shot towards me that was currently flying in the air. His attack speed was high enough for a spear user. My guess is correct, this girl should not be underestimated.

If it continues like this, I can't go near it and attack it.

"Laser Beam!"

Just to see his reaction, I fired a Laser Beam at him. Beam's laser speed was almost equivalent to his attack speed, but Lia was unable to fend off such a sudden attack.

Laser Beam is a low-grade magic, but if it hits the body it will still cause deep wounds.

Shortly before my Laser Beam hit Lia's back, a protective Barrier appeared and perfectly resisted the Laser Beam's attack. What the hell's going on? Did Lia just use Barrier magic to hold her back? No, is this maybe another magic tool?

When looking at the Barrier, I also realized the origin of the Manna flow that created the Barrier earlier. It came from Lia's light armor. Which means that the armor is one of the magic tools that can ward off attack magic.

So this is the reason why Lia told me to attack her with magic. He knew that magic wouldn't hurt him, so he was confident in the beginning. But he didn't think that I was using physical attacks against him.

"That's so ...." Mumbles.

"Eh? Eh? Since when did you attack me with magic?!"

Lia looks panicked when she finds out her protective barrier has appeared. It seemed that he was completely unaware that I had just attacked him.

"So this is why you told me to use magic? You sly girl ...."

"N-not! I didn't mean it that way!"

Amidst his confusion, I took advantage of this time and advanced to attack him while I could. But who would have thought that he would realize it so quickly.

"I won't let you attack!" Shouted Lia.

"Clone."

Right before Lia's attack hit me, I dodged her and immediately used the Clone. I made 3 pieces of Clone and then moved the spread to confuse her.

"H-hey?! Isn't this cheating?!"

Panicked by the Clone's magic, Lia slashed her spear around and eliminated all the Clones that attacked her from each side. It's just that he forgot about me who was right over his head right now.

"I'm pretty curious how powerful your anti-magic armor is, so I'll test it a little." My speech. "Fire Aura!"

"Eh?!"

The red and hot aura was like fire spreading all over the body and then gathering into my right hand. Coupled with the reinforcement and speed of the Transmutation magic, I will give a full strike to Lia's armor.

And at the same time, the skill Lia used was gone. That way he won't be able to withstand my attack.

"Wait a minute!"

"Inferno Smash!"

One punch filled with enormous magic energy hit Lia's back. As before, the Barrier appeared automatically and resisted my attack. But slowly, it couldn't hold it and then broke. As a result, the effect of my attack hit Lia's body directly and made her bounce forward. I've held it as hard as I can, but it's still the power until it's like that.

And with that attack as well, Lia was decisively defeated and fainted.

"Yes ... I seem to be overdoing it a little."

Since this duel ended in my victory, I deactivated Transmutation and rushed over to Lia who was lying on the ground. Fortunately, my attack just now didn't inflict a serious injury on him. It was just that his armor was slightly damaged because of that. I feel a little guilty, I think I should give her something as an apology. But still, what am I supposed to do with him right now?

"H-hey Lia ... You're okay, right?" I asked while slightly patting his scuffed face due to the duel earlier.

Suddenly his consciousness returned.

"Ughb ... What's going on?" Ask Lia lirih. "D-duels?! what about the duel?!"

"Calm down, you've lost so there's no need to continue" I said.

"B-but I'm still—

"Shut up and rest, you won't be able to fight with a body full of wounds like that" I said. I then gave him the healing potion I stored in Magic Space. "Drink, it'll be a problem if you go back to the city with battered conditions like that, right?"

"Ughb ... Thanks, and sorry ...."

"There is no need to say thank you, let alone apologize. It's my fault for being too carried away and excessive earlier. Think of this as my apology."

"N-no, it was my fault from the start, after all I asked for this duel!"

Really stubborn. And somehow this reminds me of someone I know.

"Ah, that's right! Since you won then I'll keep my previous promise!" Said Lia whose strength was almost recovered.

Ah, right too. We decided such a thing for the winner.

"Then, Zayn. As a winner, you can do anything to me" said Lia confidently. That word is ambiguous, if he says it to a depraved man I don't know what his fate will be like.

But, yes, request. I don't actually know what to ask for. I've got a lot of information anyway today. What better am I gonna ask for?

"Then, Lia. In the future, I want you to help me as long as I stay in this kingdom."

"help you? About what?"

"Anything. This is more precisely, I want you to be my partner for a while."

"Yes partner ... Is it possible that you're also interested in the demon news on the North coast?"

"Yes ... You could say that."

"Hmmm ... Then all right, I'll do it" he replied. "A promise is a promise. As a knight of the Imperial Paladin, and the eldest daughter of the Oxvana Knight family, I swear I will always help you and always side with you."

"Good."

In this way, a loyal and slightly reliable partner is successfully obtained.