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chapter 145
Having seen the meteor falling from the sky, I bent my knees for a moment and then leapt straight toward it.
Even though Chairman Richard had supposedly moderated his power, if that meteor hit the ground, the airfield we were on would be completely destroyed.
I figured Chairman Richard summoned the meteor expecting me to stop it, but…
“This is troublesome…”
I concentrated my inner energy into my doll’s legs and shot toward the meteor.
Kwahng…!
As my doll’s legs collided with the meteor, a shockwave erupted. Immediately after, I reached my palm toward the hovering meteor and invoked a word-command spell.
“Shatter.”
With a soft voice, the inner energy released from my hand pierced into the meteor. The secret of the internal strike technique combined with the word-command spell pulverized the meteor from the inside…
Shhaaaa…
As my inner energy tore through the meteor’s core, it disintegrated into dust, scattering in the wind. Having completely stopped the meteor, I landed in the center of the airfield.
(Isn’t that a bit extreme? If that meteor had fallen… no, even if fragments had fallen…)
There didn’t seem to be anyone living near the airfield, so the damage might not have been catastrophic, but the planes here were probably wrecked. Chairman Richard must have known that… maybe he had a countermeasure in mind?
(If you hadn’t stopped it, he would have reverse-summoned the meteor. That’s something he can do.)
(…Was that spell even capable of reverse-summoning originally?)
(I modified it.)
Chairman Richard said that and took a stance for his next attack.
Seeing that, I sighed and assumed a defensive posture.
“…Here it comes…!”
Chairman Richard charged at me like a knight wielding aura.
Kwahng…!
I reached out with both hands, grabbing his shoulders to stop his movement.
Why is a magician engaging in hand-to-hand combat without casting any physical enhancement or support magic…!
Apparently, influenced by the maxim “Sound body, sound mind,” Chairman Richard had been consistently training his body. As a result, he possessed a physique that could overpower most aura masters, and his enhanced body allowed him to manipulate larger amounts of magical energy.
Thanks to him, academies worldwide recommend physical training classes not just for aura users or physical-enhancement psychics, but for magicians and summoners as well…
Just one person had changed the educational curriculum. But that’s not important right now.
Anyway, Chairman Richard was like a truck. My doll had to exert herself just to hold him off, straining my arms.
Even if I don’t channel inner energy into my arms, the impact alone…
Someone might ask why I hadn’t infused my arms with inner energy. The answer is simple: the inner energy remaining in my doll is almost depleted.
I wanted to save enough to return to Korea… but I nearly exhausted it stopping the meteor…
Unlike my own body, which can generate inner energy, my doll’s supply is limited. Before sending her to the U.S., I thought I’d injected enough energy, but apparently, I was mistaken. I had to end this fight before I ran out of energy to control her.
If I use up all the energy here, I won’t be able to recall the doll to Korea.
Thus, to ensure her safe return, I had to rely solely on her physical abilities to fight Chairman Richard.
Paang…!
(Ah, wait…! If I run out of aura while fighting you, I won’t be able to recall the doll!)
I dodged the chairman’s punch as I shouted that. I hoped he’d take it easy, knowing I was not his enemy. But driven by pride, Chairman Richard ignored me.
(Hahaha! Don’t worry! Once the fight is over, I’ll send that doll back to Korea through Morris!)
Well… if he sends her to Korea, I guess fighting is okay? For a moment, I entertained the thought, but I shook my head. While Richard and Morris are trustworthy, there’s no guarantee the entire Albatross PMC is. I needed to maintain control until she safely reached Korea.
“…Huu…”
I exhaled and manipulated the doll. Fortunately, Chairman Richard had deactivated the magic he had been casting alongside the melee. Maybe he considered using magic against a non-aura doll unfair. Seeing that, I analyzed his movements.
Our physical abilities are roughly equal.
If I had to compare, Richard had the edge. His bones of eternal iron and muscles woven from World Tree branches were sturdier than ordinary humans—but I had a chance. Actually, my odds were better.
I can compensate for weaker physical abilities with technique.
Richard’s punches were powerful compared to most aura users, but he was mostly straightforward, relying on his body. That meant he wasn’t systematically trained in martial arts.
Then…
(Hrrya…!)
Richard launched a sudden kick aimed at my side.
…Now.
Shaaak…!
I ducked lower than him, forcing his kick to miss. I seized the opportunity to strike the off-balance chairman.
Puh-uck!
(Huh…!)
My fist connected with his side. Normally, I would have used the internal strike technique to disrupt him from within, but without inner energy, it was a plain punch.
(Kuh…!)
Richard endured it with sheer grit. Of course. I never expected a single hit to finish him.
But it’s not entirely ineffective.
The side is a vital area. Landing a punch there meant even Richard wouldn’t remain completely unscathed. I prepared for the next strike.
(Take this…!)
But he attacked first, so I quickly retracted my punch. Exchanging blows is possible, but in a trade, I’d lose.
I must deflect or evade all attacks.
I was deep within his striking range, making dodging difficult.
Swish…
(Hmph…)
I smoothly deflected his punch. As it struck sideways against my push, his body rotated sharply. I didn’t waste the opportunity.
Thud.
Kudang-tang!
I lightly tripped him with my leg, then leapt and aimed my elbow at his head: an elbow drop.
(Ugh…!)
Richard, sensing danger, rolled to avoid my elbow, so it slammed into the ground instead.
Kwahng…!
A crater roughly 3 meters wide formed where my elbow struck. Standing and seeing this, Richard sweatily asked:
(Were you trying to kill me?)
(No, I just aimed to knock you out with a concussion.)
Someone else might have died from that, but not Richard.
…Actually, there’s a good chance Richard would have gotten up unharmed anyway.
If that were the case, I’d continue attacking until he lost consciousness. For now, I got up and stretched.
(I don’t want to harm the chairman unnecessarily. So please, just faint.)
I hoped to end it here, but judging by Richard’s eyes, that was unlikely.
(Impossible! When strong fighters clash, we can’t stop until the hierarchy is decided!)
(…Haa….)
Hearing this, Morris sighed. Richard apparently treated others the same way. Realizing I’d have to knock him out, I drew the Harmonized Divine Sword from my pocket-dimensional artifact. I couldn’t make a magic sword without inner energy, but this sword, already infused with my energy, was a masterpiece by ordinary standards.
(That bracelet… was it a pocket-dimensional artifact? I didn’t notice…)
Richard, seeing me draw the sword, took out a staff from his own artifact.
(Then I should also draw my weapon.)
From its appearance, the gem on its tip suggested it was a staff to enhance magical power or efficiency.
(Ugh…)
(Why, boss?)
(When I studied magic under Chairman Richard, I got hit by that staff a lot.)
Morris muttered this, perhaps traumatized by Richard’s staff. Drawing a staff in hand-to-hand combat must have that implication.
Even I, unfamiliar with magic staves, can tell it’s expensive… and he used it as a club.
Richard swung the staff through the air.
Whoosh…!
Whoosh…!
“……”
Clearly, he was skilled. Perhaps he had practiced on more than just Morris.
*(Now, artist? Let’s continue!)
Richard swung the staff toward my head.
(…Don’t ask me about this later.)
The staff never reached me.
Thunk.
Its upper half had been severed.
(…What…?)
Richard stared in disbelief, alternating between looking at me and the staff. Until now, he might have thought he could handle me, but suddenly, I displayed overwhelming skill. The reason is simple: I’m a swordsman, not a fist fighter.
(I’m stronger using a sword than with my fists.)
Much stronger.
