Chapter 260

Chapter 260 Strongest Sage, Infers Goal

I"m not gonna prolong this fight like the fight with demons earlier .

Grevil isn"t as st.u.r.dy as demons nor is he able to use defensive magic to cope with that .

This would be over if I could just strike his neck at the right spot with my magically enchanted sword .

--But that"s an extremely tall order .

From the exchange just now, I could tell that he would immediately cover up any opening I made using petty tricks .

I might succeed if I could just set up a trap that would create a huge opening--but he must have antic.i.p.ated most traps already .

Guess I have no choice but to use that hand .

『I could try launching a surprise attack, what do you think?』

Alma offered that suggestion when she saw me pondering how to attack .

But Alma"s arrow is too slow to get in between our fight .

『No, this is not a battle where surprise attacks would make a difference . 』

Besides . . .

『By the way, you"d better stop using comm magic, he"s probably listening in . 』

『Exactly . Your comm magic is quite something for this era, but it"ll only get intercepted with me as an opponent . Better be careful with it . 』

Grevil cut into the comm magic after I said that .

The comm magic we"re using doesn"t look much different than simply talking with our mouths in the face of a skilled magician .

We"d need a comm magic that"s ten times as complex than the one we"re using now if we want to avoid Grevil"s interference .

『Cutting in comm magic . . . is he a monster?』

『I"m a human, not a monster . . . Or rather, I"m actually on the talentless side . Originally that is . 』

Grevil looked disappointed as he said that .

However, his disappointment looks more like it"s directed at the weakened state of humans in this era than of him being weak .

. . . Think I get what Grevil is trying to accomplish .

『Well, there"s no point in talking about this . Let us resume this fight . 』

『 . . . You"re right . 』

Grevil readied his sword once again .

This time Grevil lunges forward toward me .

"My turn to defend now huh . "

I took the parrying posture as I said that .

But this isn"t a defensive posture .

Instead, it"s one for the end game .

It seems Grevil thinks I haven"t noticed, but I know he"s got one fatal weakness .

Though it"s dangerous, I can create an opening big enough to end this fight if I can exploit that weakness .

I stare fixedly at Grevil"s sword, observing him while holding my sword diagonally .

And when Grevil"s sword reaches its maximum momentum--I let down my sword and expose my neck toward his sword .

" . . . Wha?"

Grevil sounded bewildered .

And then--Grevil pulled back the sword he was swinging, with all his might .

It"s as if he was trying to protect me, an unreasonable feat during a battle .

A fatal opening .

I thrust my sword before the neck of Grevil who had taken an awkward posture since he had to forcefully pull back his sword .

Anyone would have won when your opponent took such a move .

"You never intended to kill me, did you?"

I had noticed that Grevil didn"t want to kill us .

Since the demons we met in our way here had some little tricks put on their wings .

As if those magic arts were inserted to prevent those demons from killing us .

" . . . How"d you find out"

"I was certain of it after seeing the magic put in those demons . . . So what"s your goal really?"

"For that is because, killing you shall not--"

"Aah, you can stop your act now . I"ve taken care of that magic tool already . "

I point at the magic tool installed in the corner of the room .

I might not be able to break the magic tools themselves, but making it so nothing gets transmitted to the capital is a simple matter .

Hence, that magic tool had practically lost its functions the moment we set foot in this room .

" . . . My goal is to spread the true magic knowledge in the whole world . "