"*Kuh..!*"

Blood drips from his mouth.

He can not move and taking this attack head-on was inevitable.

This is his fate.

-----------------------

"Do you surrender?"

Her voice reaches my ears.

"..."

"You can't fight anymore, right? So, why don't you end your useless effort here?"

"...Surrender you said? *Kuh..!* don't make me laugh... If I giving up here everything that ...I sacrifice would be useless..."

My voice is heavy. It is hard for me to even breathe. Yet, somehow I'm able to answer her words.

Blood is dripping from the wound on my right shoulder.

There also blood on my mouth and my left ear. The side effect of tapping into Alpha's power.

Everything that used to be easy becomes hard to do.

My vision is blurry and the only thing keeping me from falling is the earth techniques that she previously used.

Even though I already limit Alpha's output the damage was still too much for me.

It seems that my body can't handle it after all.

"..."

"So close... But this is my win"

--------------------------

Strengthening 5!!!

With all the strength that is left within me, I use Alpha's ability for one last time.

"!!! You bastard!!"

With all my might I grip the lance that is still piercing me with my right hand locking her in place within my range.

She was surprised by this retaliation.

But thinking that my retaliation means nothing, The only thing she does upon my retaliation is rising her magic shield to protect her body from the income attack.

Within that moment I attack her with Alpha.

Not as fast as before but still fast enough as this is a surprise attack.

I slash her shield with Alpha in a diagonal movement from top right to the bottom left.

Different than before.

'Alpha's blade was able to cut through her shield.'

Her shield was split into two pieces.

The female knight's eyes are wide open as her mind unable to understand what just happened.

Seeing this opening.

Both Alpha and I proceed to do our second attack.

This time it was a horizontal slash.

Aimed precisely at her neck.

Thus my end game move,

'Checkmate.'

----------------------------------

"That's enough."

It was her Majesty the Queen.

'When did she!?'

My attack was stopped.

With her bare hand, the Queen stopped Alpha's Arc.

"...... Is....-Ray, this is....- in."

I can't hear her voice clearly.

That last attack was all my might that is left.

Before my consciousness fade away I felt like there is someone who's calling my name.

-------------------------

"Medical team, bring him inside. Tend his wounds."

With her command, the medical team moves Ray's body to the room inside the palace.

"Naomi."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"Take this weapon of his with you. Keep it save."

"Yes, your Majesty."

"But, *sigh*who would have thought huh?"

She let out one deep breath. Her eyes are directed to a certain female knight who is on her knee.

Then she approaches the knight.

"You should have won that duel you know? Yet do you know why you lose?"

"..."

"You were caught off guard. Even though you are supposedly the superior fighter."

"I'm sorry your Majesty."

"*sigh* you are still young Amanda. There is still so much you must learn. His last strike. That could kill you if I'm not immediately stepping in and stop the fight."

"..."

"I know you are surprised. But, If this is a battlefield. You could have died you know? Even though it is only sparring. I did not tolerate ignorance."

"Yes, I'm sorry your Majesty."

"Well,"

"..."

"*sigh*, But let's put it like this though, what makes him win is not that last strike."

"Pardon?"

"Even though I'm mad at you, because you could lose your life there. But what makes you truly lose, is that."

The Queen pointed at the female Knight's weapons.

Then she pointed at the side area of the training ground.

The shield that she uses was split into two.

there is the sign of bending and deformation in her lance.

And lastly, there are small pieces of crystal scattered all over the side of the training ground.

"You lose because your weapon is destroyed."