A loud cheer rang out as I walked through the passage from the waiting room to the arena.

“Do your best Arnos-chan!”

“If you’ve come this far you’ve won this Arnos! Get fired up!”

My parents voices ring out.

“You’re looking cool today Arnos-sama!”

“Instant death as usual please!”

“But if it’s instant death we won’t see Arnos-sama’s gallant figure which we haven’t seen in ages!”

“Then please take your time Arnos-sama!”

The voices of my fan union ring out like always.

“Next to appear is a member of the Lognos Demon Sword Association! The player who attained perfect victories without getting hurt! Ray Grandori!”

Ray appears out of the other passage.

Cheers ring out from the seats.

“He’s here! I’ve been waiting! The demonic sword saint!”

“Show that mixed-race brat the order of things!”

“Yeah! Show those unification faction idiots who are getting all excited how it is!”

The royal faction is rooting for Ray.

It’s turned into a proxy war between the unification faction and the royalist faction.

“Fumu. Sure is noisy.”

“Isn’t it just.”

Ray smiles his usual refreshing smile.

It was a natural smile that was full of eagerness. Has he made a breakthrough of some sort?

“Before the match starts the tournament organisers have something to inform you.”

I thought they would use some petty tricks and here it comes.

“The finals will be performed under special rules. Firstly, each player must wear a bracelet.”

While the owl is talking guards come over to me and Ray.

“Left hand.”

I hold out my hand and I’m given a glittering bracelet.

“Not only the sword but if the bracelet is destroyed you lose.”

Fumu. It doesn’t seem like it cuts off your magic.

I take a closer look.

The <Demonic Imbibing Bracelet>. A tool from the age of myths.

It continuously absorbs the magic power of the person wearing it. For a normal person, this would make using magic almost impossible.

I’d have to break it to stop it but then I’d lose.

They are trying to chip away at my power I see.

“That bracelet isn’t a poor copy Arnos Voldigod.”

A voice addressed only to me echoes directly in my head via Thought Transmission <Liikus>.

Following the magic trail, I look up and see it coming from the owl.

“That <Demonic Imbibing Bracelet> will continuously absorb your power and send it to another location.”

It’s telling the truth. After activating my demon eyes I can see a magic line sending the magic somewhere.

“If you cut off your magic power Sheila’s spirit disease will worsen and she’ll die.”

I see. Are you ready to wipe out the rumours that give Sheila life?

“And if you win Ray Grandori will have his origin erased.”

Fumu. I have no doubt the contracted demon sword will work if it’s activated.

“Well then.”

Did you say what you wanted to say? The owl cuts off <Liikus>.

We wear the bracelets under the eyes of the guards. Looking over at Ray’s bracelet I can see that its a fake. It’s not a magic tool.

“We can now begin the final match of the Deiruheido demon sword tournament! Begin!!”

Ray unsheathes Initeio and raises the pure white sword towards me. Drawing my sword a light metal sound rings out as I place it on Initeio in place of a greeting.

“I would have been so happy if I could have just swung my sword around without thinking.”

“Fumu. I wouldn’t say its totally impossible though.”

Ray lets out a vague smile.

“Can you fight with your magic being drained?”

“Don’t be reserved. If you go easy on me you’ll die.”

“I thought so.”

Ray sets up his sword an I lower mine like usual.

We are already in each others strike zone but neither of us could move.

There’s no gap in Ray’s defence. No matter where I strike I’ll be countered by that pure white sword.

It’s my style to break open any defence no matter how robust by sheer force but this time that won’t work since Initeio will cancel Hiding Magic <Najira> and Arms Strengthening <Adeshin>.

I have no choice but to avoid direct attacks and I can’t win anyway since Ray will disappear if I do.

What can I do?

I’m not in a deadlock but it’s still a very troublesome situation.

I was waiting to see how Ray would move but he also was standing still.

Several minutes pass as we stare at each other but Ray suddenly relaxes.

“I was told to play for time in the finals.” Ray mutters.

I’m a little surprised he’s exposed that.

“It’s more advantageous the longer I wait.”

<Najira> and <Adeshin> consume a lot of magic power plus my magic is also being drained by that bracelet.