Chapter 13: The Tournament Part 2: Holy Knight Vs War Cleric

The shock that ran through the audience was real, class F’s Ryujin who was weak and had nothing to show for it had defeated class A’s strongest swordsman making him look like a child in the duration of their fight and by the looks of things he even took everything away from him. But the tournament was not over yet, there was still a few more students who had been paired with many other class A students and the crowds were greatly anticipating some fights that would rock them off their feet instead of the usual pushover battles they saw in the mock tournaments. But not all were happy with this result, some were actually fuming in anger.

“THEY ARE CHEATING!!!THE FUCKERS ARE CHEATING THERE MUST BE SOME KIND OF THING GOING ON HERE!!A FRAGMENT OF THE DEMON KING WAS USED HERE!!”

“Oi Heinz calm the fuck down!”

“Yeah it was just luck!Maybe the other students aren’t as strong as Klaus”

“Yeah that’s right!”

“Dammit”

“Well that is certainly interesting, that girl was raising these kids whilst we were busy making them read things and giving them assignments”

“The next match is about to begin!”

The display of the names rapidly changing accompanied with music seemed to remind of Sae of those fighting games which she grew to play back in her world, character select music that is to say, as the clean up crew took Bolt’s body dragging it along the ground so the next match could begin. It was a matter of who was going to fight who, who was incompatible with who.

GREEN BALKOV VS. JAMES HILMER

The two stood a considerable distance away from each other, this was appropriate for a warrior like James who was stirred up by Green’s current appearance. The weak crybaby boy who he used to protect at all times was no longer there, what stood in front of him was a warrior who was clearly just as strong as himself. But the boy was supposed to be a cleric not a fighter , he would be at the most disadvantage in this fight. It wasn’t just the appearance that Green had, the getup was strange as well, it is seemed to be a hybrid that was fashioned on the design of formal wear and a mage’s technical spell robe, a white shirt that which had its sleeves pulled up, he wore a red vest that matched his red hair with magic symbols etched deep into its fiber, the black trousers he wore were made out of a material that was hard to find unless one dove deep into the S or A rank, the same could be said for the vest he wore: dragon scales and his boots were the kind that one would find a high ranking monk wearing. His hands were covered by black gloves that aided in making him appear very intimidating, this boy’s black eyes were strong and powerful, they were no longer hidden by his hair but in full display as the cursed red hair was pushed back. Green radiated an aura that emitted from his body, showing he lacked an absurd amount of openings. James processed all the information going through his head using the Analyze Skill he had, just when he was about to check his skills suddenly he was cut off from learning anything. Things which were impossible back then were now possible, that dragon proved everyone wrong about what they knew about class F.

“Green-kun you certainly look terrifying now”

“Ah do I?”

“Yes from your clothes to your aura and your unknown skills which you blocked me from. I dread you may have changed as well becoming a monster like that dragon”

“No I have become what I was supposed to become all this time, a true cleric”

“I see, I respect your confidence but you shall fall here. What purpose do I have if the man I am supposed to protect is already strong”

“Well you become the right hand man who gives him advice”

“Green quit using logic in a scene like this, I am provoking you”

“Oh!My bad I am kind of dense at these things, alright then come at me James”

“I SHALL!!”

Green makes a gesture with his hands that invite him to battle with him. James immediately rushes towards Green invading his space unsheathing his sword as he swings it down at him with the said attacked person’s eyes burning in pure anticipation as Green blocks the attack with his glove covered hand which screeches out a sound of high impact that drags along as Green grabs the sharp edge of James’ sword shifting his body to the side and kicking James that causes him to be pushed far off a fair distance away from him. James was certainly sure that those gloves weren’t made out of dragon scales however now that he thought about it, he saw them glow an intense red color, what more the strength that was able to throw a big boy such as himself away as if he were weaker. He stares at Green who merely smiles at him, taking a pose beckoning him to take his chances.

“C’mon you can’t be that weak can you James?Is that how I should do it?”

“…..”

‘If you’re not coming then I am!”

Suddenly from out of nowhere twin short swords appear in Green’s hands as he runs towards James at a frightening speed. 

“SWORD ART: WOLF FANGS!”

“Heh”

James threw a technique which was supposed to cut through his defenses and leave him completely helpless but to his surprise Green dodges this entirely as if he were swinging at air. Green in a crouching position had entered his weapon range and deflects the sword that James almost lets go for a moment however takes it back just to swing it down on him. But that is when the impossible happens and Green vanishes and appears on the blade of the sword with the short swords sheathed as he brings down his elbow on top of James’ head dropping his face into the dirt as he does so. But Green wasn’t done with his onslaught he was still continuing as the drop of a heel at the back of James’ head was going to land pretty soon making James short teleport himself away from Green before the attack even lands. 

“Terrifying”

“Hehehehehehe you really are one tough guy James”

Green puts his hands within his pockets walking towards him as he closes his eyes for a moment smirking all this time. Green was even more scary as he did this, it felt like he was a serpent given form. What happened to the weak boy that he used to protect all the time and felt sorry?What was in its place was a ruthless warrior, at the expense of him thinking such thoughts Green vanishes and appears at close range with the short swords aimed at his weak points. In image they were like the fangs of a serpent that were trying to reach him, he is barely even blocking all of them as is until he sees they vanish and instead of swords he meets  fists covered in complete crimson mana. Unable to dodge these fists of fury he is pushed back and lands on his butt from the knock back that was carried by those fists had.

“C’mon James this cannot be it right?!”

“No it isn’t. SWORD ART: DRAGON CLAWS!!”

A slash is done which takes the form as claw marks heading towards Green who stretches his arm out and receives it with little to no damage gaining momentum enough to crash against the wall kicking off the surface arriving at James at a speed that frightened him. He just stares as Green approaches him once more at a speed which is hard to grasp with a unexperienced eye, he dodges the first slash that Green has ever done throughout his battle and fails to see the kicks that hits abdomen smashing him into the wall but before such happens he jumps to the side rolling out from the axe kick that Green does , with hope burning in his chest he slashes away at him but the attack is blocked the two look at each other face to face.

“You are not using your full strength are you James?You will lose at this point you know?”

“Ugh I got caught huh?Fine I will be serious now”

“That’s it, make me proud James”

The arena explodes in pressure as James breaks the limit he had set on himself, with the immediate action being him pushing back Green. The next action is James plunging his sword inwards to Green whose smirking face grows even larger as he blocks it effortlessly with his hand, the sword drives away from Green changes direction as it goes downwards with Green stepping on the blade once more. He drop kicks James with no time to waste but is blocked with James’ hand and grabbed then thrown to the ground but not before a set of daggers fly at James who blocks them with his sword. Green in the same crouching stance as before invades James’ weapon range just in time for a flurry of kicks and punches all ending in one grab by the collar accompanied by a kick that makes James lay on the ground for a bit. Green fixes his tie for a bit before walking towards James who instantly gets up again just to rush at Green with his sword overhead. The imminent sword clash occurs with sparks flying from long sword and short swords, the pushback of the two occurs once more before the two weapons crash into each other deflecting and parrying the two’s attacks. The two continue like this creating what seemed to be like a light show made entirely of sparks, the two are finally pushed back by their own strong attacks. Green smiles as he puts his hands in his pockets once more with James staring at him also smiling with him stabbing his sword in the ground. His shoulder bleeds out having been enduring a range of unstoppable attacks on his person.

“ha…haha..HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA THIS IS EXCELLENT!THIS IS WHAT I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING ALL THIS TIME AND COULDN’T FIND!!I DON’T KNOW WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME I FELT PAIN BUT NOW THAT I HAVE TASTED ONCE MORE I AM NOT GOING TO HOLD ANYTHING BACK!!”

“YOU FOOL DON’T USE THAT!!JAMES STOP!!”(Heinz)

“That’s right James use it and prove that I am truly a weakling”

The aura around James changed as his warrior class vanished and was replaced by something else more powerful, a berserker. The sheer strength that the attacks that James was now sending were enough to kill a normal human but Green wasn’t human anymore as he clashed head-on without escape and kept on slashing more on his body and armor that the fight was now becoming epic. Each time a kick was thrown a piece of the stadium had crumbled and shatter, each time a sword slashed something broken within the stadium, the two had entered a realm few would reach at their age. This was the realm of the superhumans, the adventurers within the stadium and around the world began to concentrate as their attacks were reaching a level one might die if they landed well.

“I am sorry if I am being rude, but this battle will take too long allow me to finish it in one go”

“Huh?!I AM THE ONE WHO SHALL END IT GREEN!!!”

Green holds his short swords in place as they combine into one with his body being covered in crimson red aura that was akin to flames, it was at that moment James began to sprint because he even in this state instinctively knew the attack that was coming. 

“Tears of Frustration born from Weakness, Hard Earned Strength Gained By Blood Soaked Sweat, Dragons Kneel Before Me, Angels Wish To Seal Me Away, Devils Are Afraid Of My Power. My Name Is-“

“DIIIIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!”

“Jormungand, World Serpent: Fangs of The Serpent Who Rules The World”

The aura turns into a flame covered serpent that envelops Green who disappears inside of it as he opens his obsidian eyes with the snake rushing towards James doesn’t falter in front of it, it swallows James whole and eats away at everything he has only stopping fro, go forward by crashing into the wall. The burnt ground of the arena is the result of this one attack coming from a supposed cleric. The arena instead of roaring in pure excitement are silent as they have been shown another type of strength. The type that could topple even armies, Green begins to walk towards James whose conscience is still very much there.

“You……….just……what kind of knight have you become?”

“Knight?I am not a knight”

“What?”

“I am a War Cleric, I heal people that’s all I do”

“That….battle style isn’t one that consists of healing people “

James retorted Green who was obviously spouting nonsense.

“sigh I said the same thing to Sensei when she told me the description of a battle and war cleric, to be honest this job allows me to really heal those who are in battle at the same time it is pretty close quarters allowing me to attack the enemy whilst buffing everyone up. Since I was good with swords she said I should focus on a style that would allow for me to effectively attack my enemies no matter what class they were and here I am. I had to get classes from Rin-chan who is way more advanced than I am but it was worth it. I am certainly proud of the Jormungand style of battle.”

“I see…….it seems I lost to someone who was levels above me…..”

“That doesn’t change that you have to protect me though”

“Hahahahahaha…ouch…..my family will always protect yours Balkov-sama, even if you grow strong it won’t stop me from being by your side”

“You really are a troublesome big brother type aren’t you James”

“Am I?I am just proud of the fact you grew strong Green”

“It was tough getting there though”

Green casted a gaze at Rin who nods proudly with a humu humu and back at James who laughs even more loudly than before. Just like Ryuujin before him he had suffered a lot to get here. The waves of shock were crashing against the crowd and possibly the world at the sight of these failed drop outs being stronger than before. And it was only continuing.