Zero´s Partner

The students and teachers waited in silence, the tension hanging in the air like an invisible veil. All eyes were fixed on the entrance to the arena, where Saito walked calmly, his relaxed posture contrasting with the charged atmosphere of expectation. What was going through the mind of the commoner? Was it ignorance in the face of the power he would face, or a hidden confidence that no one could understand? Whispers spread through the crowd, but none could decipher what was truly going on in the young man's mind.

Behind him, Louise and Siesta followed closely. Their expressions appeared neutral at first, but a more careful glance revealed something different: an unexpected calmness, as if something said between them before the battle had made them more confident. Whatever had been said seemed enough to dispel any immediate fear.

In his hand rested his partner, Derflinger. The old sword, already worn by time, was sheathed on his back, but there was something different about it. The hilt, which had once shown clear signs of rust and wear, was now clean and visibly new, as if it had been restored, carrying a subtle energy, an unseen presence waiting to be awakened.

On the other side of the arena, Count Mott watched Saito's approach with an arrogant smile. For him, this wasn't just a duel; it was a personal retaliation. He still hadn't gotten over the fact that Louise had taken Siesta away before he could claim her as his mistress. Since he couldn't take revenge directly on the young noblewoman, he would vent his frustration on this insolent commoner. He already pictured the moment when he would crush that insult with his magic. With a superior look, he thought to himself, 'I'll show this pet the true power of a class Triangle noble mage.'

Saito positioned himself before his opponent, his green eyes shining under the setting sun. Louise and Siesta, in turn, moved toward the teachers, looking for a spot from which they could watch the battle more clearly. Colbert, ever meticulous, took the lead and broke the deathly silence that had settled.

"The rules are simple," he said, his voice firm and impartial. "Killing your opponent is strictly forbidden. I will stop the battle if either of your lives is in danger."

Count Mott laughed, his tone dripping with contempt.

"Don't worry, Professor. A noble should be merciful to their inferiors. But as promised, the jewels are in the possession of Director Osmond. If this commoner lands a blow, his reward will be delivered. However," his eyes gleamed cruelly, "the battle will only end when one of us is unconscious."

Colbert hesitated, his experience telling him that there was something dangerous in those words. He opened his mouth to object, but the Count shot him a cold look.

"Professor Colbert, I've tolerated your interference so far, but do not dare interrupt while neither of us is on the brink of death." He paused, a cynical smile playing on his lips before vanishing entirely. "Do not dare interfere."

Silence once again dominated the arena. The students exchanged nervous glances, feeling that this fight could spiral out of control at any moment. The very air seemed charged with electricity, a foreboding sign of what was to come.

Saito, who had remained silent until then, finally spoke up. His expression was calm, but his tone carried a sharp provocation.

"Great Count Mott, are we going to stand here listening to you bark all day, or are we going to duel?" he said, a slight mocking smile forming on his lips.

The impact of those words was immediate. The arena plunged into absolute silence. The students held their breath, unable to believe what they had just heard. Few would dare disrespect a noble like that, and even fewer would do so in a public duel. Yet, as surprising as it was, no one there could deny how deserved that affront was.

The Count, in turn, felt his face contort in fury. He tried to maintain his noble mask, but the insult had been too direct. His rigid and haughty posture faltered for a brief moment, revealing his true nature: an arrogant man, pampered by power, used to having everyone at his feet.

"I'll show you your place, you filthy pet," he growled, his voice laced with venom.

Saito's eyes gleamed intensely. He showed no emotion on his face, but inside, a fire burned fiercely. 'Let's see who will put whom in their place', he thought, clenching his fist around Derflinger's hilt.

The duel was about to begin.

Professor Colbert had no more reason to wait, and with a gesture, he released his fire magic. A small ball of flame shot into the air, exploding in the sky as a signal. Meanwhile, Saito and Mott stared at each other, waiting for the signal.

Mott no longer hid his hatred and contempt for Saito, wanting to use his intense emotions to fuel his magic.

Saito also no longer hid his feelings. His smile widened as he felt a near-predatory pleasure in finally being able to fight without holding back. He no longer needed to fear hurting his opponent. Now, he wanted to hurt. And he would.

The fireball launched by Colbert exploded in the sky as a signal, and immediately, Saito charged. His body disappeared in a blur while his hand moved swiftly, pulling a dark blue dagger from the air, as if it had been stored in a space only he knew. With a fluid motion, he threw it, and the blade sliced through the air, leaving a thin cut across Count Mott's cheek. A trickle of blood ran down the noble's face.

Mott's eyes widened in disbelief. The students and teachers watched in tense silence, unable to believe that a commoner had injured a noble so easily. How could a commoner dare to harm him? Before he could process what had happened, Saito was already behind him, balancing the dagger in his hand.

"It seems I've already won the jewels," Saito taunted, a cold smile forming on his lips.

Count Mott snarled in fury, his pride hurt far more than his flesh. Whispers began to spread among the spectators, with some noble students exchanging uneasy glances, while others swallowed nervously. With a furious flick of his wand, he conjured stone spikes from the ground. Saito leapt backward, dodging just in time, but Mott was already summoning a wave of lightning. The young warrior deflected the electric strike with Derflinger, causing sparks to explode in the air. Mott kept attacking, manipulating water to form ice lances, which were shattered by a single strike of the enchanted sword.

The students in the audience began reacting in astonishment. "This is impossible! How can a commoner use magic?" a noble murmured, his eyes wide with shock. "This isn't ordinary magic... I've never seen anything like this!" Another student took a step back, their voice trembling with fear. "He's playing with Count Mott!" Someone gasped when Saito disappeared again, only to reappear in the blink of an eye behind the noble, with a new blade ready for the attack.

With a precise move, Saito threw the dagger and teleported to it, appearing behind the noble. Mott felt a shiver run down his spine when he realized that Saito wasn't just dodging his attacks easily, but also appearing in places he couldn't predict. "Damn you...!" Mott hissed through his teeth, spinning furiously to face Saito, but the warrior was already gone. "How...? How do you do that?!" he screamed, growing more desperate.

Saito used his dark blue dagger to disappear and reappear in strategic positions, forcing the count to spin in circles. With a precise move, Saito threw the dagger and teleported to it, appearing behind the noble. But instead of grabbing the same one, he pulled another dagger from the air—a silver one that sent a chilling feeling through Saito as he held it. Mott felt a searing pain when the blade plunged into his flesh. With a cold expression, Saito pushed the blade even deeper, feeling the count's muscles give way. With a cruel twist, he spun the blade stuck in his back, tearing a tortured scream from the noble. Then, without hesitation, he broke it inside the flesh, leaving a shard embedded in his body as he stepped back.

Mott howled in pain and spun around, summoning a lightning bolt at the tip of his wand. This time, Saito wasn't fast enough. The bolt spread through the air and hit his chest squarely. The electricity cut through his skin, leaving a deep gash that ran from his neck to his chest. The pain was unbearable. Saito fell to his knees, feeling his body burn.

"Saito!" Louise screamed desperately, her hands covering her mouth. Around them, some students stepped back, horrified by the scene, while teachers exchanged worried glances about how far this fight could go.

The young warrior tried to rise, but felt the warmth of blood flowing. He looked down and saw the extent of the wound. However, before he could react, something strange happened. Blades began to emerge from his skin, sharp and metallic. They intertwined, and in seconds, the wound was closed, as if it had never existed. Only the scar remained visible.

"This is... a monster!" one student exclaimed, his voice trembling with fear. "He... he healed?!" Shock spread among the spectators, their murmurs turning into a frightening buzz. "This isn't normal... this can't be human!"

Saito rose, his expression dark. Now, he wasn't playing around. He had what he wanted; now he could finish this duel.

Mott watched the scene in disbelief. "What the hell...?!" He tried to cast a spell, but had no time to understand or react.

Saito charged like a whirlwind. Every strike of Derflinger was precise, easily deflecting and countering the count's magic with terrifying ease. Sparks flew as steel met magic, the air filling with the smell of ozone and burned metal. Mott backed away, his eyes wide, sweating profusely. This was no mere commoner. This was a monster.

With impossible speed, Saito launched himself forward, a deadly shadow on the battlefield. In a single fluid motion, he buried the dark blue dagger into Mott's shoulder, pushing it all the way to the hilt. The count screamed, the sound hoarse and broken, but Saito didn't stop there. With a brutal twist of his wrist, he spun the blade inside the flesh, tearing through muscles and nerves. Blood gushed in a hot flow, soaking the noble's luxurious clothes.

Mott tried to push him away with a desperate spell, but Saito reacted before the magic was even conjured. He yanked the dagger out with a cruel pull, bringing with it bits of torn flesh, and delivered a brutal blow to the count's thigh. The blade cut deep, slicing through muscles and tendons with a sickening sound. The pale gleam of bone was exposed, and Mott's leg gave way instantly. He staggered, almost falling, as his leg trembled uncontrollably under the weight of the pain.

The count's left hand was torn apart when Derflinger traced a brutal line through the air, his fingers spreading open to the bone. Blood splattered as the muscles ripped, his hand now useless and hanging at an awkward angle. A final strike slashed his face cruelly, the blade cutting from his forehead to his cheekbone. His left eye exploded in a gush of blood, his vision plunged into permanent darkness. He let out a scream of pure despair, bringing his mutilated hand to his destroyed face.

The count's remaining eye was wide with pure terror. Blood flowed in rivers down his pale skin, his limbs growing weaker.

Saito said nothing. His green eyes glinted coldly, like sharp blades. Without hesitation, he drove his knee into the count's face, crushing his nose with a sickening snap. Mott screamed, spitting blood and broken teeth, his body collapsing heavily to the ground. He tried to crawl away, his fingers digging into the blood-stained earth.

The students, caught between shock and fear, watched as the noble fell, their expressions incredulous. His pride shattered, his blind fury. Professor Colbert was already preparing to announce Saito's victory. "Hiraga Saito is the..." But before he could, Mott exploded in rage, his eye full of hatred and desperation.

"Shut up, Colbert!" Mott screamed, his face covered in blood and sweat. "I didn't lose! There's no way I'm losing to a commoner! You don't have the right to declare me defeated!"

Mott turned to Saito, his fury reaching new heights. "You're nothing but a filthy pet! Worthless trash! How dare you hurt me like this?! How dare you..." The Count stopped when he saw the look on Saito's face. Mott finally admitted something he had been trying to avoid: he was terrified.

Saito walked over to him slowly, Derflinger dripping red. The count tried to cast another spell with trembling hands, but Saito stomped brutally on his forearm, snapping bones with a dry crack. Mott let out another scream, tears streaming from his desperate eyes.

Saito stared down at Mott, the blade still dripping blood. "Now tell me, Count Mott... who has been put in their rightful place?"

The noble foamed with rage, his pride crushed. Before he could respond, Saito delivered a decisive blow with the hilt of Derflinger to his forehead. Mott collapsed to the ground with a dull thud, unconscious.

The battle was over.

"Hiraga Saito is the winner of this Duel," Professor Colbert's voice announced the end of the fight. The silence in the arena was chilling. Once again, Saito had done what everyone thought was impossible.

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Author's Note

I hope it was worth your wait Mr. Korey_Baker.

- AbelWizard.