I Hate Being The Protagonist

I couldn't miss the last match, the finals. Helios managed to climb his way into the endgame, fighting an opponent similar to himself. A woman with short brown hair and an elegant sword.

When their fight began, their afterimages lifted the dust up. Using his lightning magic, Helios continuously assaulted the girl with quick strikes. The girl blocked every single one effortlessly, displaying her virtuosity with the sword.

It was art.

Her sword whistled through the air, creating shining silver crescents. Reacting to attacks coming at lightning speeds was impressive, furthermore by her lack of an affinity.

"She doesn't use a definitive affinity," Lucidel notes. "She just uses magic in its pure form to aid her movements and force behind her attacks. Many soldiers use magic in that way to reinforce and strengthen their body."

"Isn't that natural?" I ask.

"Not for everyone. This girl doesn't do it in an ordinary fashion like we do. She uses her whole manapool for agility and strength. Purely physical, a way that is true to the sword, much more than Helios's lightning."

"Does that mean she is going to win?" I ask.

"If it was a battle of who can wield a sword more traditionally, she would win. However, their sword skills are on par. That leaves the only ingredient to factor in: magic power."

Helios raises his sword, blue lightning cracking loudly as it arcs around the blade.

The girl's face clearly expresses unease, her arms starting to slightly tremble.

Lucidel smirks with his arms crossed, saying that I should watch closely.

The next clash was the indicator and dictator of who's going to carry the 'Best Sword' title. Helios's electrifying attack hailed down on the girl, shaking the whole arena. Thunder echoed through the whole town as the absurd amount of energy discharged.

Magic power won it seems, as the girl laid motionless–her body smoking.

"Is she alive!?"

"She's gonna be fine," Lucidel nonchalantly answers, pulling out a bag of chips.

The medical team rushes into the arena, taking the girl with them. Helios is crowned the winner, receiving his well-eared title.

He sees that I've returned from my quick adventure with Lucidel, asking me what happened.

"We've had some technical difficulties," Lucidel answers in my stead.

"I heard you tracked down some thieves, is that true?" Helios asks with a concerned tone.

"We did. This little guy helped me. What is most important is that we brought the treasure back."

"And what might that treasure be?" Helios asks, curios as to what Lucidel considers treasure.

"You might find out if you defeat Adam," Lucidel asserts.

"That'll have to wait a bit I'm afraid. I've got a Sword Saint to challenge," Helios remarks proudly.

"So, did the youngest Sword Saint come to accept your challenge?" Lucidel asks.

Helios confirms, saying that Yue Zue will fight him in an hour. It was a lucky coincidence that the youngest is coming here, fighting a young prodigy like Helios.

Yue Zue is 7 years older than Helios, so Helios will take the title of the youngest if he defeats Yue Zue. He won't be a record holder, but being more than 20 years younger than all of the others is an achievement.

I couldn't fight Helios, since he needed to recover from his fight in the finals. His manapool was almost completely depleted and his muscles were sore.

-

I waited for that hour to pass, talking with Lucidel. He asked me if I gave out any information about the Sunsword, to which I shook my head. It was still a mystery as to how the perpetrators knew about my treasure. It was definitely a targeted attacks, since that was the only thing they stole.

Once the hour passed, I got to see a Sword Saint for the second time in my life. This time though, I could witness the power and skill of one.

Yue Zue was a short-curly-haired guy that had good looks. He waved to the audience, appearing in a coat that had a sword symbol printed on both sides. The uniform of a Sword Saint.

His aura was the thing which stood out the most. It was comparable to half a barrel or so. Lucidel had a manapool twice the size, but I've already disproven the theory of the manapool being absolute.

"So, who would win, you or him?" I ask Lucidel.

"A Sword Saint would usually beat a general if we went by the average. In this specific scenario, I would win. He is one of the stronger Sword Saints, but I am also one of the strongest generals, if not the strongest."

Yue Zue had a sword that was almost as tall as him, with a giant orange crystal blade.

"That is also a national treasure. It is one of the swords that King Grey used in exhibition matches. This sword was specifically designed for a Sword Saint. Blessed by the strongest swordsman in existence, this is a priceless piece."

"Interesting... so it is like my Sunsword..."

"Your Sunsword was actually used by King Grey, being a weapon he took into combat. That makes your sword worth more," Lucidel remarks proudly.

"King Grey had a thing for crystal blades it seems," I comment.

"Actually, these two are the only crystal blades he wielded. His most used sword was a basic metal sword, at least by the outside appearance. It is said the Graysword is made from a material that doesn't exist in either the Overworld, Heaven, Hell or the Midworld."

"The Graysword? So he did have a sword of preference..."

Helios entered the arena, bowing before the Sword Saint. A traditional ritual took place, with Yue Zue and Helios doing weird acrobatics and dipping their swords in some liquid I couldn't see.

Their fight finally started, the most important battle in these two days. It should've been me fighting Yue Zue, since I'm positive I can beat Helios, but I guess I'll sit this one out and enjoy the fight. Besides, there was no way I could beat Yue Zue...

"How does he think he can beat Yue Zue?" I ask.

"Not everything is in the manapool and magic power," Lucidel responds.

Helios disappears, aiming his lightning-infused sword at Yue Zue. His speed is impressive. It would be the most problematic factor if the two of us fought.

As Helios was about to stab Yue Zue with his elegant sword, the curly-haired Sword Saint raised his gigantic sword. With a single swing, Helios was blown away to the other side of the arena. The crowd ducked down as the air pressure hit them, even through the magical protective barrier that was set up.

"So much for your 'manapool and magic power isn't everything'," I mock Lucidel.

"It isn't. Yue Zue didn't use any revolutionary magic attack or deplete his manapool for that attack. What you saw just now was pure strength. No magic was involved with that slash," Lucidel explains.

"You've got to be kidding me..."

Yue Zue slowly walked towards Helios, while my orange-haired rival charged his sword with lightning.

"I'm not wasting this opportunity!" Helios yells out, launching a thunderbolt from the tip of his sword.

The fight between the 'Best Sword' and a Sword Saint had no restrictions, no rules for using magic in any way. As long as you hold a sword in your hand as you beat a Sword Saint, you will gain their title.

That said, there were also no bracelets with the protection for either swordsman. They were in a duel, one that could result in death. This wasn't a children's game.

Yue Zue swung his sword once again, blowing away the thunderbolt like the wind blows a candle out. I looked as the sparks of electricity vanished before the overwhelming strength of a Sword Saint.

"This year has brought a sufficiently strong swordsman. Helios Ergili, you know how to handle a sword, I'll give you that... However, you are far to green! Not everyone can become a Sword Saint at such an early age," Yue Zue says as he raises his sword once again.

He brings it down, shattering the arena floor and creating a huge crack. Helios dodges the slash, but takes damage from the shock wave.

"I'll honor your work by using my true strength, but know that you still have a long path before you ripen."

Helios tries to block his attack, but it was apparent how this would end. Yue Zue's slash goes through Helios's defense, breaking his sword and knocking the orange-haired challenger to the ground.

Paramedics rush in as Helios loses the fight against a Sword Saint. Yue Zue didn't kill him, but bones were definitely broken.

He'll have things to reflect on as he recovers in the medical area.

-

After the fight finished, Lucidel introduced me to Yue Zue. Of course my teacher knew Yue Zue, as there is no one in this world this general doesn't know.

They weren't good friends though, only acquaintances. Both of them had the utmost respect for one another, just never had the chance to meet each other any further than greetings.

"How did you get so strong and become a Sword Saint at an early age?" I asked Yue Zue.

"I had a friend who trained with me. Talent and hard work make a bombastic combo, along with a good teacher. I had another Sword Saint teach me, so my progress was twice as fast," Yue Zue responds.

After talking to him a bit, it was time to head back to Obiwon. I received a 'Silver Sword' title as I got into the top 10 swordsman of the tournament. I bid Helios farewell, telling him I'd see him in the next tournament. He gave a thumbs up from his medical bed, his arms being the only thing he could move from now.