“Is this… cold air? Are you cooling the air with magic?”
Rowen, still in a cautious stance with his sword raised, observed my magic. He lacked knowledge of magic, but his ‘Sensation’ skill likely allowed him to discern the true nature of the spell. He instantly understood that ‘Freeze’ was a magic that lowered temperature.
While Rowen continued to watch me, I kept channeling my magic. My MP, displayed on the screen, visibly decreased. The MP cost was far too high to expend on a single person.
However, I felt there was no such thing as “too much” when facing Rowen. Knowing this, I unleashed a quantity of magic that would be lethal to an ordinary person. I fought with the intent to kill him. That’s right, with the intent to kill. Without it, I couldn’t exert my full power.
I consumed a vast amount of magic from a safe distance, aiming to end the match before he could even approach. My strategy was to gather information, strike first, and achieve an overkill without letting the opponent do anything. That was my true combat tactic.
“Cold air magic… I don’t understand it, but it doesn’t seem like something I can ignore…!”
Faced with the relentlessly dropping temperature, Rowen ceased his cautious approach. He extended his sword with ‘Magic Power Solidification’ and unleashed a swift strike at me, who was constructing magic.
I dodged it and retreated. With ‘Magic Power Solidification,’ retreating held little true advantage. However, there was a brief moment even as his sword extended. For that sliver of time, I created distance from Rowen.
Rowen launched a barrage of attacks against me, who didn’t counter. In response, I deployed not only my swordsman’s ‘Sensation’ but also my mage’s ‘Dimension’.
“—Dimension – Decisive Calculation! —Dimension Winter!”
I tracked the trajectory of his sword with dimensional magic, evading it. Then, I took out bags and tubes from my ‘Inventory’ and placed them where his sword would pass.
His sword slashed through those bags and tubes, scattering their contents. The contents were water. I had been carrying a large amount of water for heat countermeasures around the 23rd floor, and I began to dispense it from my ‘Inventory’.
“Water…? —So that’s it!”
Rowen had seen me freeze a fountain with ‘Dimension Winter – Last Frost’ when I fought Rainer. He thought for a moment and immediately understood my intention.
As puddles of water spread across the ground, I moved away from Rowen. My strategy was pure retreat. I would not attack until I was absolutely certain of victory. Increasing the moisture was my priority.
I then took out a water barrel from my ‘Inventory’ and smashed it open. This was water I had prepared for Rustiara, who needed large amounts of water in the labyrinth.
“This is the championship arena! I’m going to use the entire arena, Rowen!!”
Then, I began to interfere with the water using my magic.
“Ah! Don’t hold back!!”
Rowen gladly accepted my challenge. I did as he said, constructing new magic without reservation. It was my first time using this particular magic, but I was confident in its success. The inspiration came from the magic used by Reaper and Arti to dominate their domains. I envisioned constructing a ‘domain’ not to support myself, but to hinder the enemy.
“—Magic: Winter Otherworld…!”
The water flowing from the broken barrel rose as icicles. Furthermore, countless ice branches spread out, scattering ice crystals into the air. The appearance of a single ice tree drastically lowered the temperature within the arena. At this stage, the magic’s effect ended there.
“You’ve made the battlefield your ally… But that alone won’t be enough to surpass me…!”
Rowen brushed away the ice crystals in the air with his sword and, avoiding the puddles on the ground, attempted to close the distance.
“I will surpass you. As long as you fight with a sword, there are many things you cannot cut. Then, I will use those things as my weapon.”
Even Rowen couldn’t cut through and dissipate the cold air. In fact, he was currently unable to stop the dropping temperature and was accumulating a large amount of ice crystals on his body. As is common in games, his defense against magic was weak due to his swordsman’s focus. However, his physical abilities were correspondingly high. He pursued me as I fled, scattering cold air and water, swinging his sword.
I retrieved a spare sword and a new, long whip from my ‘Inventory.’ This was also my strength. I could choose the most effective weapon depending on the situation.
“—Magic: Ice Breaking Sword – Whip Strike”
While deflecting Rowen’s strike with the sword in my left hand, I swung the whip with my right. Rowen, surprised, dodged the whip.
“An ice whip!?”
I swung the whip wildly, attacking indiscriminately. When facing Rowen, who possessed ‘Sensation,’ aiming precisely would only make it easier for him to dodge. Therefore, I chose an attack that would make even I myself unsure. If the whip grazed his bare skin, it would be a bonus. It could freeze and strip away his skin.
“You think I’d fight with just a sword when I know I’ll lose, Rowen!? I’m not a ‘Hero,’ nor am I a proper swordsman! I’m an Explorer!”
“Hahaha, what a disappointing Sword Master!”
Rowen laughed, dodging all the irregularly moving whips with his eyes. A few seconds later, he devised a new Aleis-style swordsmanship on the spot to counter the whip. His prediction of its trajectory was perfect, and he easily severed the whip.
No problem. I had spare whips. Swords, spears, axes, hammers, throwing knives, and arrows—I didn’t need to fear losing any of them. This was also the strength of the explorer Aikawa Uzunami. I switched between various weapons, buying time, and emptied all available water from my ‘Inventory.’ The amount of water I had prepared for surviving in the labyrinth for days was easily enough to fill a small pond.
However, it was still not enough.
“Just a little more—!”
I was continuously tracking a certain number within the space using not ‘Sensation,’ but dimensional magic ‘Dimension.’ This was something I had to calculate using mathematical and scientific knowledge, not just instinct.
“What’s just a little more, Kanami!”
“Until Rowen is checkmated!”
I answered honestly. Rowen chuckled upon hearing this.
“That would be troublesome! Then, I won’t give you that time!”
“Ngh! —Magic: Midwinter of Overcrowded Dimensions! Magic: Ice Breaking Sword!”
Rowen, believing my honest answer, charged forward with gusto. Disregarding the ice crystals in the air, Rowen closed the distance and extended his sword towards me. I discarded the unfamiliar whip, and with my sword and the finest magic, I met his attack. It was the same principle as when I froze Ragune-chan’s sword in the past. The moment our swords crossed, I transferred the cold air to freeze Rowen’s magically materialized sword.
Rowen, whose ‘Magic Power Solidification’ sword suddenly lost its ability to extend and retract, was surprised and delighted.
“Ah, so that’s how it works!”
“Yeah, and this is how it goes!”
However, Rowen quickly understood the principle and responded by breaking off the tip of his frozen sword. His body reacted before he could even be surprised. Just like with the whip, his adaptability was abnormal. But now, I understood the reason. It was all because of the ‘Sensation’ skill. That skill was accelerating Rowen’s adaptability, and consequently, his growth rate.
“In that case, I’ll refrain from sword contact!”
“That would be helpful!”
Slightly. It was only a very slight decrease in Rowen’s momentum. Fighting while avoiding sword contact wouldn’t be a significant handicap for him. Soon, he would likely devise an Aleis-style swordsmanship perfect for ‘Ice Breaking Sword’ right here.
But that slight difference was enough. That little bit of time was crucial for me. The humidity and temperature were now sufficient. The arena, sealed by the Allied Nations’ highest barrier, was approaching the world I desired. The temperature dropped, and the humidity rose. The conditions for my unique world, achievable only on this day, at this time, were being met. A world different from Rowen’s world of swords. Yet, I believed it was a world comparable to his. While withstanding his fierce assault, I performed the final touches on my magic construction. The moisture in the sky began to freeze. I interfered with it using ice magic, manipulating the temperature. This should be possible within a field of merely a hundred meters in diameter. This was not something that existed in the Allied Nations. It was the recreation of true winter. Not ‘Midwinter of Overcrowded Dimensions’ which only emits excessive cold for a moment. It was the construction of an eternal winter world. The magic following ‘Dimension Winter,’ ‘Winter Otherworld.’ Finally, the moisture in the sky turned into crystals and began to fall as solids. Snow began to fall on the battlefield. The vision turned white. It was truly a limited, illusory world, existing only for today, within the sealed arena. But truly—the world had become winter.
“Ti, magic particles—?”
Rowen picked up a falling white crystal and voiced his question. The crystal was slightly different from usual. It had a fantastic and unique crystalline shape.
“It’s ‘Snow.’ You haven’t seen it before, Rowen?”
“I have. But I can’t believe it… to see it here… ‘Snow’ is normally only found at the northernmost tip of the continent.”
“I’m glad. So this world has ‘Snow’ too. Everyone kept saying, ‘Tiālei, Tiālei,’ so I thought this world didn’t have it.”
“How nostalgic… it’s truly nostalgic…”
Rowen gazed at the scattering snowflakes with affection. Then, he adjusted the scarf around his arm, pulled it closer to his neck, and pointed the tip of his sword towards me.
“Is this Kanami’s ultimate magic?”
“Yes… This is where Rowen loses.”
“How interesting. In that case, I shall cleave that confidence head-on. My Aleis sword is a sword that cuts down all evil.”
Rowen seemed to be enjoying himself. Despite my use of underhanded tactics, he still intended to fight head-on. I loved that straightforward personality of his. He was radiant and dear to me, confronting me as a human without losing his human pride.
“—’Magic Power Solidification.’ The field is now on my side. Now, even a sword fight, I can win.”
I picked up my dropped ‘Crescent Pectoral Azure’s Straight Sword’ and extended its length. I returned the spare sword to my ‘Inventory,’ and with conviction in my victory, I closed the distance to Rowen.
The battle resumed. Both Rowen and I attempted to extend our swords to strike our opponent. However, only Rowen’s sword stopped extending before reaching me. The magic blade emitted a creaking sound and solidified. Even without touching, Rowen’s sword was frozen. This was the power of ‘Winter Otherworld.’ Within the deployed space, I could manipulate ice-attribute magic anytime. Only my sword extended, attacking Rowen unilaterally. Rowen, whose sword wouldn’t extend, could only defend. And with a sense of wonder, he soon dismissed it with a laugh.
“Ha, hahaha—!!”
His face revealed his determination to defeat me without using ‘Magic Power Solidification.’ Using a unique footwork, he tried to advance while parrying my sword. But I wouldn’t let him. I had completed setting my perfect trap.
“—’The Winter World Accelerates’—”
I chanted as my heart dictated. The temperature of the world dropped further, and a gentle wind began to flurry. The thickened white snow began to fall between Rowen and me, obscuring our vision. Even so, Rowen, using ‘Sensation,’ navigated to my location. But that was exactly what I wanted. Caused by the sub-zero air, a large amount of snow adhered to him, and ice crystals permeated his skin. There, I transmitted my ice magic.
“—’Robbing all lost souls’—”
I guided the cold air, stealing body heat from Rowen’s feet. This wasn’t the motion disruption by vibration control from ‘Midwinter of Overcrowded Dimensions,’ but simply freezing him. However, the effect was the same. Extremes of cold cause all living things’ movements to slow down. Rowen stopped, feeling a strangeness in his legs.
“What! This is—”
He seemed to have understood my aim and its effect through ‘Sensation.’
“It’s impossible now. Even knowing what’s coming, you can’t defend against this.”
I declared to Rowen amidst the blizzard.
“However, at this level, I can still—!”
Rowen roused his trembling legs and ran through the snow. But it was a vicious cycle. The more he ran through this snow, the more my snow adhered to him. It was the same frustrating situation as in my past battle with Teeda—the more I fought, the more liquid adhered to me.
“…Next, I’ll take your legs.”
I imbued my magic into Rowen’s body and manipulated the snow attached to him, intensifying the cold. Rowen’s body grew colder. He had long surpassed the biologically incapacitating temperature for humans. Yet, Rowen continued to fight as a human. Transcending human limits, he strode through the blizzard.
“Kanami!!”
I drew a whip from my ‘Inventory’ and swung it. Rowen dodged the whip attacking from his blind spot. However, the randomly undulating whip attacked him repeatedly. At the end of this fierce assault, Rowen finally blocked the whip with his sword. If his body hadn’t been on the verge of freezing, he would have countered with an Aleis-style move. If his vision had been slightly clearer, he could have defended himself in other ways. If his body temperature had been normal, he could have dealt with it with clear consciousness. But ‘Winter Otherworld’ did not permit it. Rowen could not fully withstand the attack of the sinuous whip with his sword. As a result, the tip of the whip briefly clung to his body. It wasn’t a significant impact. However, when an ice whip touches human skin, it freezes and adheres. And when the whip detached, it had peeled away Rowen’s skin.
“Kugh—!”
As Rowen recoiled, I swung my sword. Rowen’s sword did not extend, but my sword was still capable of extension and retraction through ‘Magic Power Freezing.’ Rather, thanks to the lowered temperature of the world, its sharpness had increased. Rowen, sensing my attack with ‘Sensation,’ retreated while narrowly dodging the sword. At that moment, I swung the ice whip again. Though the distance increased, the whip’s length, like the sword’s extension, could be elongated with ‘Magic Power Freezing.’ Rowen was invincible against swords, but the whip sometimes caught him unexpectedly. The damage was negligible, merely peeling off a bit of skin. However, I continued to target this. I maintained a distance, froze Rowen’s legs, and gradually wore him down with the whip. Rowen showed a look of desperation.
“It’s cold… My stamina is draining… And this bleeding…!”
Rowen’s seemingly inexhaustible stamina began to wane. The bleeding lowered his body temperature, and his body began to stiffen. The high-speed battle of the early stage, chasing meteor strikes, was nowhere to be seen, and the fight devolved into a speed that the spectators could perceive. In a winter world where even breath froze, the swordsman Rowen was being completely suppressed by the explorer Aikawa Uzunami’s magic. The whip peeled away skin, and the bleeding wounds increased. His weakened body also sustained more sword cuts. Yet, Rowen’s eyes did not lose their light, and he searched for an opening. He continued to move his crippled body, allowing no decisive blow. I held my breath. Logically, a comeback from this point was impossible. Yet, I had a strange trust that Rowen could still pull it off. That’s why I continued to maintain my distance, not holding back until the very end. The exchange of feints and attacks continued, and then—
“—‘—I, will leave—’—”
Amidst it all, I detected Rowen muttering softly with ‘Dimension.’ He was likely intending to unleash an unavoidable strike. However, I was confident I could withstand that magic with ‘Winter Otherworld.’ To evade his unavoidable strike, I wove a new magic with my power. Rowen, staggering, continued his ‘Incantation.’ The air around him was so keen it distorted the world. Mutual tension heightened, and the end could come at any moment. If I could survive this, I would win. This meant this was Rowen’s final attack. The air grew taut. The end of the battle approached. And as Rowen’s ‘Incantation’ ended and his sword began to gleam—
“Ngh…!”
Rowen suddenly groaned in pain and thrust his sword into the ground. This was different from being dazed by a drop in body temperature. Of course, it was also different from falling to his knees from damage. Rowen was afflicted by a completely different kind of pain. I learned the nature of that pain through ‘Dimension.’ Crystals had begun to emerge from Rowen’s body. Crystals appeared from beneath his peeled skin and his cuts, and his skin gradually hardened. The color of his hair changed from coppery red to white from the roots, and the shape of his pupils distorted. His humanity was fading. Rowen was desperately resisting becoming something other than human.
