The Sword and The Shadow

[So she realized,] Gahrona said exasperatedly, [Annelotte is the greatest in talent, physical ability, reaction time, intelligence and analysis skills, I've seen. You won't win.] [Huh? What did she realize?] Leguna snapped.

[Think about it! It won't be too bad to suffer from time to time.]

Seeing that Gahrona wasn't willing to reveal more, Leguna gave up getting an answer. He took a deep breath and prepared to unleash his third attack.

Annelotte lifted her hand and posed in a manner that allowed her to use a spell at any moment. However, she hadn't started dictating yet.

Leguna looked at her, and, once he was certain she wasn't a threat, carefully approached for his third attack. He had a rough grasp on the girl's movements. If he was allowed to continue his probing, his future attacks would have a real possibility of harming her.

"Oh, I don't see a trace of Ley at all, but Miss. Annelotte's movements suggest he's made several attacks already," the announcer said, "Is it a secret technique? Or is Miss. Annelotte preparing for Ley's next ambush?"

The dagger once again appeared from thin air, followed by Leguna's wrist. The air wavered and revealed part of the boy's silhouette. It was clearer the closer one was.

Leguna chose to attack from the front. The past two attempts had shown him how amazing Annelotte's reaction was. Instead of taking advantage of the minute delay, Leguna decided to target the weakness in her mobility. Backing off was the hardest movement to make.

Annelotte didn't seem surprised, however. She looked at his silhouette teasingly before pushing out both hands, ignoring the dagger piercing towards her.

An instant later, five crystalline projectiles appeared in front of her hands and shot out at Leguna.

Leguna's dagger slammed into her side, but it only clinked off her stony skin. Leguna instantly started withdrawing, but the projectiles slammed into his face mere moments later.

The pain was oddly enjoyable and familiar. He realized a moment later why, had Legg not beaten his face just a fortnight ago?

[If you can't hide your trace right after your attack, you'll be hit every time. If a magus is prepared, they can start attacking right away,] Gahrona chimed dutifully.

[Not the face, sheesh! Do I look so punchable? Everyone is going for my face lately.] [Now that you mention it… I do feel an itch to pummel your face into a pulp every time I see it.]

Leguna almost snapped. But he couldn't argue with his teacher; a wave of heat was rampaging in his direction. Leguna's heart winced, and he exploded with energy. He flipped backwards and withdrew a further five meters as he finally disappeared again.

Bam!

Despite that, he felt his face sizzle under the heat and his hair curled and evaporated. Annelotte specialized in ice spells, but her penchant for violence and brutality had inclined her to researching destructive magic as a second specialty and fire spells were famous for their rampaging fury.

[I swear that girl hates me! She wants to kill me!] Leguna cried.

If the fireballs had hit just centimeters from where they had, he'd be dead; if he'd reacted just a moment too slow, he'd be dead. Even if he didn't die, he'd be half cooked!

[Shut up!] Gahrona chided, [Annie asked you to go all out. You better shake off that joker strain of your. You're not her match. If you don't fight with everything you have, you might not make it out of this without a very serious, even crippling, injury.]

Leguna didn't respond. Annelotte sounded confident, but Leguna didn't agree that they were so far apart in strength.

After all, he had defeated two high-order magi and a high-order assassin before. No matter how strong Annelotte was, she was only mid-order. He never said it, but he believed that if he fought seriously, he could take her down quickly and easily.

He had conveniently, or tragically, as it may turn out, forgotten that Annelotte was not normal either. She'd held out against the very people he assassinated for quite a long time, and she had been far weaker at the time than she was now. One could even say she'd been suppressing one of the high-order magi.

She would never have been injured if she hadn't chosen to take that attack for Vera. Leguna only defeated the enemy because Annelotte made the window for him.

[What? Dissatisfied?] Gahrona mocked.

[Your disciple doesn't dare,] Leguna replied, stiffly.

[What part doesn't?] Gahrona fumed. [All you did was kill two high-order magi. Do you really think nobody can stop you? Let me ask you, if Annie had used fireballs instead of normal magic missiles when you broke out of stealth just now, how would you be?]

Leguna didn't have words. He hadn't considered that.

What would've happened if Annie instantly cast a fireball spell?

[Annie's holding back. You better take this seriously. You won't win against her, but at least try to lose with some dignity still intact, will you? I'll drag you through hell if you haven't at least singed the edges of her clothes when this is over!] [I understand, I was wrong. I'll do my best.]

Leguna was no idiot, it may take him very long to admit his faults, and he may only do that partially, but he at least had that capacity.

He got up slowly, dagger in hand. Since he had been forced out, he knew he wouldn't have another chance to sneak attack. He could only count on his speed now. He sheathed Ebony on his upper thigh and emptied his hands.

What should I do if he's going to rely on Shadow Blink? Annelotte wondered. Without Host of Darkness and Shadow Blink, she was 80 percent certain of victory. But if those two gifts were brought out… though the chance wasn't large, it was still decent enough to consider seriously. She despised having to admit it, Leguna had quite decent gifts, enough to make normal people cower, at least.

"Be careful," Leguna reminded.

Annelotte squinted. She could tell he was getting serious.

Looks like his attacks are finally becoming decent.

She had never cared about what went on in Lance, so she wasn't aware of Leguna's fourth gift. She had seen his match with Legg, however, and already had an idea what it was.

She fired two magic missiles at Leguna to distract him and dictated a defensive barrier.

Leguna's needles rained down on her just as the barrier activated. She started slightly when she saw the needles closing in from every direction and pushed herself to avoid them.

At the end of the day, however, she was a magus. She was more athletic than was the norm, but she couldn't match the likes of that brat.

She hard the clanging of needles on her skin like rain on a tin sheet. The barrier would soon break. If she didn't end her enemy quickly, it would be over.

Annelotte saw Leguna rushing over through the needles. She dropped the idea of dictating another barrier. The needles did both physical and corrosive damage, she'd need two barriers, and there was no time. Leguna would be on her shortly, her time would be better spent preparing to face him.

She dictated swiftly and completed two spells before her barrier shattered, a mirage spell and a blink spell.

[Behind you!] Gahrona couldn't stop herself from warning her disciple.

Annelotte had wisely chosen to create an afterimage to keep Leguna's attention while blinking away.

The girl knew he wasn't a rookie. A simple blink might not win her much time. Even just an extra half-second was enough to turn the tables.

Leguna was shocked. He had been running and flinging hidden weapons. It took most of his attention, he hadn't noticed Annelotte's tricks. He would have continued chasing her afterimage if not for his master's warning.

He hurriedly turned around and saw Annelotte raising her right hand. A moment later a beam suddenly appeared, already just two meters from him.