Chapter 220: Ulrich Against Valdris: Final

Valdris stood across from Ulrich with rain falling over his black hair and bloodied face.

The ship's deck had become a ruin.

Broken weapons lay scattered across the wet planks. Bodies covered parts of the deck and the gangplank. The remains of the ship's ram continued to burn behind Ulrich, flames flickering weakly beneath the rain. Smoke drifted low over the harbor water.

Ulrich remained on one knee near the broken railing.

Blood ran from his mouth.

His body ached beneath the soaked white shirt. The impact against the wooden ramp had driven pain through his ribs and spine. His right hand remained closed around the black anti-magic sword, though his fingers had begun to feel numb again.

The crimson Orbit Rings around him were almost gone.

Only a few remained.

They moved slowly around his body, weakened and damaged from the battle. The silver aura still spiraled around him, thin streams of pale light twisting across his shoulders, arms, and legs.

Valdris watched it carefully.

"I do not know what kind of ability you are using," he said.

His voice was calm again.

The shock had left his face.

"But I understand enough."

Ulrich raised his gaze.

Valdris held his black sword in one hand. Rainwater ran down the edge of the blade, carrying blood toward the deck.

"You are not teleporting," Valdris continued. "You are not simply increasing your speed. You are forcing the space around your body to fold for an instant. You do not cross the distance. You remove it."

Ulrich said nothing.

Valdris's eyes narrowed.

"That silver aura is the key. It creates a short path where there should be none. A step becomes several paces. A swing becomes impossible to see because your blade arrives before the eye can follow the movement."

He took a step forward.

"But it has limits."

Ulrich's mouth curved into a faint sneer.

"You think so?"

"I know so."

Valdris pointed his sword toward him.

"Every time you use it, you lose more of your crimson formations. Your body cannot endure the force forever. The movement is fast, but it is not free. You must decide where to emerge. You must create a line. You must place your body somewhere before you move."

Ulrich's eyes remained cold.

"And you believe that means you can stop it?"

"I will not allow you the space to use it."

Ulrich let out a faint scoff.

He pushed himself up slightly, though he remained low against the broken ramp.

"I was wondering how much longer you would hide cowardly behind your soldiers."

Valdris's expression darkened.

The insult reached him.

His remaining knights had died around Ulrich. Their numbers, armor, weapons, and serum had failed to put him down. Valdris had ordered them forward because he believed numbers would exhaust Ulrich.

Instead, Ulrich had cut through them.

Valdris's grip tightened around his sword.

Then he moved.

Valdris rushed forward.

Ulrich raised his blade.

Clang!!

Black steel collided with black steel.

The sound echoed through the ship.

Valdris's first strike came from above. Ulrich blocked, but the impact forced him lower. The anti-magic sword in Valdris's hand carried more than steel. Valdris's enhancement magic still ran through his body, strengthening his muscles and sharpening every movement.

Ulrich's knees struck the deck.

Valdris attacked again.

Ulrich rolled to the side.

The black blade cut through the wooden planks where his neck had been. The sword bit deep enough to split the deck. Rainwater poured into the crack.

Ulrich came back to his feet.

A Formula Ring formed beside Valdris's left hand.

Fire burst across the deck.

Ulrich moved away, but Valdris had not aimed the spell directly at him. The flame struck the deck near Ulrich's feet and spread in a wide line, forcing him toward the center of the ship.

A second fire spell formed behind him.

A third appeared above.

Valdris was limiting his movement.

He had understood the silver aura.

Ulrich needed room.

He needed an open line between where he stood and where he intended to appear. If Valdris filled the deck with flames, explosive pressure, and burning barriers, Ulrich would have fewer paths to choose from.

Valdris attacked through the fire.

His sword came toward Ulrich's throat.

Ulrich blocked.

The force of the strike drove pain through his injured arm.

Valdris did not give him time to recover.

He cut toward Ulrich's ribs.

Ulrich turned his body, but the blade still tore through his shirt and opened a shallow line across his side. Blood ran immediately.

Ulrich stepped back.

Fire flared behind him.

Valdris's sword came from the right.

Ulrich ducked.

Valdris's left hand formed another Formula Ring while the black blade continued moving. A compressed burst of wind struck Ulrich from the side, driving him into the burning line of fire.

Ulrich lifted one arm.

A remaining crimson Orbit Ring moved between him and the flames.

The ring shattered.

But it took enough of the heat that Ulrich did not fall into the fire.

He rolled away across the wet deck.

Valdris followed.

Airam stood near the far railing.

Four Valmorian knights guarded her closely.

They had formed a line between her and the battle, their swords drawn, their eyes fixed on Ulrich. The ship's sailors had already fled below deck or pressed themselves against the far walls. No one wanted to stand near the two men fighting at the center of the vessel.

Airam watched Ulrich.

Her hands had clenched beneath her soaked cloak.

She could see him weakening.

The silver aura remained around him, but it did not protect him from everything. Valdris had already learned how to pressure him. Fire closed off his movements. Wind pushed him into dangerous angles. Valdris's sword never stopped coming.

She wanted to help; she wanted to do something, but Valdris froze her veins just in case.

She could only watch Ulrich fighting for his life, her breath coming in ragged gasps while her eyes and lips trembled at each of his small groans.

Ulrich blocked another strike.

The impact sent him sliding backward.

Valdris's blade cut toward his leg.

Ulrich jumped.

The sword passed beneath him.

A fire lance appeared above his head.

Ulrich twisted in the air, but the flame still grazed his shoulder. His shirt caught fire for a moment before rain and his own wind spell smothered it.

He landed hard.

Valdris was already in front of him.

His black sword came down.

Ulrich barely raised his weapon in time.

Their blades collided.

The last crimson Orbit Ring near Ulrich's arm shattered.

The anti-magic sword had destroyed it completely.

Ulrich's hand shook.

Valdris saw it.

"You are finished," he said.

Ulrich's eyes narrowed.

The silver aura moved.

He disappeared.

The sound tore through the air.

Valdris turned immediately.

He had been waiting for it.

A Formula Ring flashed at his feet. Fire exploded behind him, filling the space Ulrich would likely use to emerge. At the same time, he swung his sword toward the left side of his body.

Ulrich appeared there.

The black blade cut across his arm.

Blood splashed onto the deck.

Ulrich had expected the strike.

He pulled back before the sword could enter deeply. The cut opened along his upper arm, but it did not stop him.

He used the moment of appearance to swing at Valdris's neck.

Valdris blocked.

The two black swords met.

Ulrich stepped closer and drove his knee toward Valdris's stomach.

Valdris caught the strike with his thigh.

Ulrich followed with an elbow toward the Valdris's temple.

Valdris leaned away.

Ulrich's elbow grazed his cheek.

Valdris answered with a slash toward Ulrich's chest.

Ulrich used the silver aura again.

The tearing sound returned.

He disappeared from the blade's path.

Valdris moved with him.

This time, he did not swing blindly. He had begun watching the silver aura itself. Whatever ability he was using now was weaker and slower than before because of Ulrich's weak state.

Just before Ulrich vanished, the pale light tightened around a particular part of his body. It gathered in the direction he intended to move.

Valdris saw the shift.

He turned.

Ulrich appeared beside him.

Valdris's sword was already there.

The blade cut across Ulrich's shoulder.

Ulrich grunted.

The strike was not fatal, but it drove him away.

Valdris pressed forward.

"You are predictable now," he said.

Ulrich did not answer.

He raised his sword.

Valdris attacked again.

The fight became faster.

Black steel collided against black steel.

Fire burst across the deck.

Wind tore through the smoke.

The ship groaned beneath them as swords cut into the wood. One of Valdris's fire spells struck the mast, blackening the lower half and setting part of the rigging alight. Ulrich's force magic tore a section of railing apart when he redirected an attack away from Airam's side of the ship.

Valdris drove Ulrich toward the broken prow.

Ulrich tried to create distance.

Valdris filled it with magic.

A burst of fire came from the left.

A wind blade came from the right.

Lightning gathered above Ulrich's head.

Ulrich raised the anti-magic sword and cut through the lightning. He stepped away from the wind blade, but the fire spell exploded close enough to throw him into the side of the ship.

His shoulder struck the railing.

The wood cracked.

Ulrich caught himself before falling into the black water below.

Valdris rushed him.

Valdris's sword cut toward his head.

Ulrich blocked.

The impact drove him down.

Valdris's boot came toward his stomach.

Ulrich twisted aside.

The kick struck his ribs instead.

Pain shot through him once again.

He felt one of the earlier wounds reopen beneath the bandages.

Blood spread across his side.

Airam took a step forward.

The four knights around her moved immediately.

One placed a gauntleted hand before her.

"Princess, remain where you are."

Airam glared at him.

"Move."

"No."

"Move."

The knight did not move.

Airam looked toward Ulrich, biting her lip. She clenched her fists hard enough that her nails dug blood into her palm.

She wanted to intervene, do something, but she was powerless. She could only watch Ulrich, feeling a wave of emotions she had never felt before. A twisted part of her even started to relish this sight, simply captivated by Ulrich.

Valdris had forced him back again. Ulrich's silver aura flickered. His body moved with frightening speed whenever he used it, but every use seemed to cost him more. The crimson rings were gone now. Only the silver light remained, thin and unstable around him.

Ulrich raised his sword.

Valdris struck.

Ulrich disappeared.

He moved through the silver aura again.

The air tore.

He appeared low at Valdris's right side.

His sword came toward the commander's knee.

Valdris jumped back.

Ulrich rose from the movement and sent a short wind spell at Valdris's face.

Valdris turned his head, but the gust drove rainwater and smoke into his eyes.

Ulrich used the opening.

He appeared again.

The silver aura pulled him forward.

His sword cut across Valdris's left shoulder.

Blood ran down Valdris's shoulder

Valdris stepped back immediately.

Ulrich did not let him recover.

He moved once more.

The tearing sound came from Valdris's left.

Then his right.

Valdris raised his sword in panic, pointing in the wrong direction.

Ulrich appeared in front of him.

The black blade thrust toward Valdris's chest.

Valdris barely turned aside.

"Ughnn!"

The sword cut through his coat and opened a deep wound across his ribs.

Valdris staggered.

For the first time since their duel began, Ulrich pushed him backward.

Airam stared.

Ulrich was no longer only defending.

He was attacking.

He used the silver aura in short movements, never giving Valdris enough time to predict the next direction. One instant he stood before him. The next, he appeared at his side. Fire and wind followed every shift, not large spells, but short bursts used to distort Valdris's sight, footing, and balance.

Ulrich's sword moved with him.

A cut toward Valdris's throat.

A thrust toward the gap beneath the arm.

A slash at the knee.

A feint at the shoulder before the black blade turned toward the ribs.

Valdris blocked most of them.

But not all.

Blood appeared on his arm.

Then his side.

Then his cheek.

Valdris's face soon twisted.

He released a fire spell at close range.

Ulrich disappeared before it struck.

Valdris spun.

Ulrich appeared behind him.

The black sword came down.

Valdris barely lifted his weapon in time.

The impact forced him to one knee.

The deck split beneath his boot.

Ulrich raised the sword for another strike.

Valdris released a violent burst of mana from his body.

The force threw Ulrich away.

Ulrich landed near the mast.

He slid across the wet deck, one hand touching the ground to keep himself upright.

His breathing had become ragged as he spat another mouthful of blood.

The silver aura around him weakened.

Valdris rose slowly.

Blood ran down his face.

"I should have killed you there," he said, regretting immediately not having ended Ulrich in that camp.

He'd already thought Ulrich dangerous there, but this was another category entirely.

Crack.

Ulrich this time used a long leap and swung toward Valdris's neck.

Valdris barely blocked.

Thankfully, Ulrich's attacks and swings came less refined and slower than before.

A fire spell appeared beside Ulrich.

He cut through it with the anti-magic sword.

Valdris drove his knee toward Ulrich's stomach.

Ulrich twisted, but the strike caught his side.

Pain bent him forward.

Valdris swung.

Ulrich disappeared.

The silver aura tore around him.

Valdris turned.

Ulrich appeared above Valdris's left shoulder, using the broken railing as a brief point of support. His sword came down.

Valdris lifted his blade.

Their weapons collided.

Ulrich did not pull away.

He pressed down with both hands.

Valdris resisted.

Then Ulrich's left hand released the sword.

Crimson mana appeared around his fingers.

A small Formula Ring flashed between them.

Valdris saw it, widening his eyes.

A force spell exploded against his wrist.

His sword shifted.

Only slightly.

Ulrich used the opening.

The silver aura tightened around him.

The Hollow Core answered.

Silver light flooded through him.

The aura around his body became violent.

The rain near him froze in the air for an instant.

Ulrich moved.

The sound was no longer the tearing of wind.

It was the fracture of space.

Valdris felt the danger immediately.

This was worse than the small leaps of before.

He swung his sword toward Ulrich's path without hesitation, gathering a tremendous amount of mana.

The black blade cut through the place where Ulrich's left arm had been.

Ulrich had already moved.

But the Hollow Core's power had caught part of him.

His body crossed the broken distance.

His left arm did not.

For one instant, the limb remained trapped within the distorted space around him.

Valdris's sword passed through it.

Ulrich appeared behind Valdris.

BOOOM!!

A shockwave rippled around the whole deck, repelling every drop of rain around them before two seconds later they resumed.

And then something dropped on the deck with a wet sound.

Ulrich's left forearm, severed below the elbow.

Blood burst from the wound.

Ulrich did not scream.

His body swayed.

But his right hand still held the black sword.

And the blade had already crossed Valdris's chest.

For a moment, neither man moved.

They stood back to back beneath the rain.

Ulrich's blood ran across the deck.

Valdris remained upright.

Then Valdris looked down.

A huge gash crossed his chest.

The black coat had been cut open from shoulder to ribs. Blood poured through the torn fabric. The wound was deep enough that the strength left his body all at once.

Valdris dropped to his knees.

"Haha…"

He let out a small laugh of disbelief.

Then he collapsed forward onto the rain-soaked deck.