Ophelia calmly contemplated her next move while locking eyes with her opponent.
The opponent’s strength was evident, yet strength alone didn’t guarantee victory. Presently, they were engaged in a contest under the constraints of rules rather than a life-and-death struggle.
In such situations, where strength needed adjustment, the advantage seemed to shift away from the stronger side. Ophelia realized that, and began to formulate a plan to exploit the circumstances.
‘In other words… while the opponent can’t exert full power, I can utilize my strength to the fullest. To make the most of this…’
With a clear direction in mind, Ophelia earnestly began infusing mana into her body.
However, channeling magic into a wooden sword to enhance its cutting power violated the rules. Just as it would be inappropriate to wield a steel sword in sparring, neither Ophelia nor her opponent resorted to such tactics.
Meanwhile, observing Ophelia, the silver-haired woman revealed an intriguing expression.
‘Is she seriously going all out?’
Two figures, enveloped in mana, faced each other in a way that might be imperceptible to an outsider.
However, Bahamut, who observed keenly, discerned the thin smoke surrounding them as the manifestation of mana.
‘I see. The smoke that surrounds the two of them… is that the mana described in the novel?’
In fact, Ophelia had already informed him that she was able to use mana. However, it was his first time seeing it in person used in the process of sparring.
Bahamut, initially taken aback by Ophelia’s decision to engage seriously, reassured himself. ‘It’s Ophelia. I shouldn’t worry too much. It’s a simple sparring match; the opponent can’t be that formidable.’
As tension heightened, both opponents, surrounded by mana, collided in the ring with wooden swords.
Thaak!
Thaaaak!
A short but resonant sound filled the air as they clashed, their movements too rapid for onlookers to follow easily.
“Cheh…”
“Hhaaah… ”
In the struggle for dominance, the wooden swords exchanged blows, each party careful not to exert excessive force that could result in a broken weapon.
The burden, however, weighed more on the silver-haired woman due to her superior basic specifications.
Frustration crept into the silver-haired woman’s thoughts, ‘It’s irritating to be limited by a piece of wood like this!’
Attack too forcefully, and the wooden sword might break before accomplishing anything. Yet, the opponent’s swift responses posed a constant challenge.
‘And what’s even more troubling is that this woman is taking advantage of the situation.’
Even if they were not directly attacked, if the wooden sword was broken in Dalian, defeat was certain.
The other side was also aiming for it, so she was attacking the wooden sword with some strength, and that forced the silver-haired woman in a position to focus on defense.
She had previously thought that the opponent was just another ant she could play with, but she turned out to be a wolf, if not a lion!
The restrictions on weapons and actions began to resemble a substantial penalty, turning the encounter into a strategic duel.
But, of course, everything had its limits.
The silver-haired woman also seized the opportunity, attacking the wooden sword with determination.
Ophelia, in a defensive stance, struggled to ward off the assault.
“Haaarrhhh!”
A silver-haired woman attacked by twisting the direction of one wooden sword.
In response, Ophelia quickly switched to defense and deflected it, but…
“You’re too late!”
The silver-haired woman instantly attacked Ophelia’s chest with the wooden sword she was holding in her other hand.
In a situation where she had to forcibly convert attacking stance into defense, Ophelia couldn’t afford to avoid the incoming blow.
As a result…
“Hrrrmmhp!”
“Kuh!”
The impact sent Ophelia to the ground, experiencing considerable pain.
Coughing, Ophelia slowly rose, her gaze meeting that of the silver-haired woman, who expressed interest.
“You’re quite interesting. I didn’t expect to be pushed this far in a spar.”
In response, Ophelia acknowledged her opponent’s strength, “You too… are strong. Out of all the opponents I’ve met… you’re by far the best.”
Despite the setback, Ophelia readied her wooden sword once more, prompting the silver-haired woman to do the same.
‘Is she planning to attack again in a similar way? But it’s okay. This time, I’ll break your wooden sword as well.’
Predicting the number of opponents, the silver-haired woman prepared to counterattack as soon as the opponent attacked.
However…
“…uh?”
The next moment, a look of bewilderment began to set on her face.
Not only her, but even Bahamut, who was spectating, made a serious expression.
‘Now…wait a minute…Ophelia Isn’t that a bit dangerous?’
Bahamut, although unaccustomed to such scenes, noted the significant surge of mana around Ophelia’s wooden sword.
Goblin: This chapter was supposed to come out yesterday, but I had to deal with some issues (as I so frequently do) and, by the time I was done, I didn’t the energy to do anything. So, sorry for the delay.
Please consider becoming a Patron at Patreon to support me if you can. You can also support me and sponsor chapters at BuymeaCoffee! A little support will help me a lot in these tough times.
Check out my other project My Summons Are Special and Dual Cultivation with a Fox Demon
If you enjoy this novel, please take some time to rate it on NU
Become a Supreme Patron for $30 to access all the advanced chapters of all the novels on Goblinslate!
Please point out any mistakes if you find one.
Please whitelist this site in your a*blocker to support the translation.
Patrons, please visit the Patreon page for your advanced chapters.