14 Chapter 14: White Knigh (2/2)

”Ready…”

A gigantic knight in white armor appeared behind Doug. Within the visor, a single red light blazed demonically. No one else could see the behemoth. All the girls were cheering as they were fixated upon Doug's handsome features while the guys were hurling abuse at him and telling me to wipe the floor with him. None of them had noticed the behemoth knight in silver, gleaming armor that held a gigantic lance and shield, towering over Doug's lean figure.

What the hell is this!?

Swallowing, I took a step back. I instinctively understood that this match would be decided in an instant. If I allowed Doug to attack, no matter what sort of defensive firewall I conjured with Vermillion Phoenix, he would just smash through it with a single sword strike and lay me low. This match would definitely end in just one strike.

This guy was…a dragon slayer. Or a monster slayer. No, he was a monster in human form.

”Fight!”

Teacher Fielding swung his hand down.

Doug immediately lunged at me, almost as if he had exploded off his feet. Surging toward me like a rocket, he swung his sword mercilessly.

Behind him, the shimmering white knight also seemed to swing its sword, but it wasn't real. It was merely an illusion generated by the potent killing intent that Doug was emanating. His form was perfect, his sword strike so precise that I wouldn't be surprised if it cut down to the nanometer. There were no wasted movements, no trash-talking, nothing.

Just pure action.

At the same time, Vermillion Phoenix immediately conjured a firewall, but just as I suspected, Doug obliterated it with a swing of his sword immediately, slicing through the torrent of flames and dispersing them effortlessly.

Then his blade swung at my neck.

”!!!”

The sword slashed through empty air.

Doug's eyes widened in shock when he realized that I had dodged it by a literal hair's breadth. As it was, a few strands of my hair were considerably shortened as his keen blade cut through them. A millisecond slower and I might actually have a bald patch on my head.

Without even thinking, I slammed my palm into his chest in reflex, driving him back. Using the extremely basic palm strike that I had just learned in close combat class just this week, I forced him back. Doug staggered backward before skidding to a stop, and he shook his head.

”You actually dodged that?”

”Damn it…”

I realized how little effect my palm strike had on him. My arm throbbed – it felt as if I was the one who got hit instead of him. In contrast, Doug didn't seem hurt at all. He was a lot more astonished than injured. He didn't even bother to clutch at his chest, probably because I didn't even leave a single injury.

However…

Vermillion Phoenix spread its wings as it prepared to launch a torrent of flames at Doug. However, before it did, Doug dropped his sword and raised both hands.

”I surrender.”

”…eh?”

Being tied to my mental state, Vermillion Phoenix also halted its attack. Around us, the spectators gaped at Doug's motionless figure.

”Are you sure?” Teacher Fielding asked.

”Yeah. I lost this.” Doug nodded and flashed me a grin. ”That was a good match. Thanks for indulging me.”

While I honestly couldn't care if he threw the match or not, his teammates were less than impressed.

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”What is Doug playing at?!” Elena howled. ”Why did he suddenly forfeit the match?!”

Nick's brow furrowed. ”Isn't he still unscathed? Even if the opponent managed to land a single strike on him, that shouldn't be enough to hurt Doug.”

”In fact, Doug was lucky that the opponent wasn't capable of more than the most basic of palm strikes.” Louis shook his head. ”If the opponent had launched a more advanced combat technique in his counterattack, it would have been over. But he didn't…”

”No. Doug lost.”

Everyone turned to look at Cecilia in surprise. She was studying the stage where Doug and I were still on as we conversed. She was frowning, but she had an inkling of what happened.

”Doug staked everything on the first attack. The moment he failed to take out his opponent with his sword at the very first second, he lost. The palm strike wasn't what defeated him. Doug knows that the real counterattack is beginning.” She gestured toward the Vermillion Phoenix who was hovering high above the stage. ”He knows that he has absolutely no defense against that monster's attack, and so wisely forfeited before he got hit by it. He's smart enough to avoid taking unnecessary injuries if he doesn't have to, especially since this is a friendly match.”

”Even Doug has lost…” Elena slumped in her seat. ”What should we do now?”

”We're down to our last member,” Nick added tersely. ”This is unprecedented. This is impossible. We're on the verge of getting wiped out by a single student from a no-name school?!”

”That might not be the case.” Cecilia paused as she scrutinized the Vermillion Phoenix. ”That monster may be formidable, but it's not invincible.”