Every time their weapons collided, sparks flew. The golden and steel spear tips traced arcs through the air, painting the scene of a fierce battle.
One thrust, breaking the sound barrier, was parried by the other's spear. A sweeping strike followed, but it was smoothly dodged by sliding the weapon aside.
The onlooking comrades of Svartá watched in astonishment. They had never seen the usually gentle dwarf girl from Pallum fight with such seriousness, and the boy who matched her blow for blow.
Even the young adventurers of the Loki Familia were shocked. A spy holding his own evenly against their much stronger captain was no small feat.
Throughout the fight, the pattern was clear: Finn attacked, Svartá defended.
Neither held a significant advantage. Finn was bigger, being male, but in their case, size didn't matter much. Finn had faced opponents larger than himself his entire adventuring career, and Svartá's assassinations had always targeted those bigger than her.
Though one wielded a long spear and the other a short, their skill and experience, Finn mostly against monsters, Svartá mostly in human combat, were nearly equal.
Finn's magic was a short-incantation enhancement spell, but it came at the cost of his judgment. Against the girl before him, he knew that was a foolish choice. Svartá's magic enhanced her senses, but it required a long chant and couldn't be used now.
Because of this... both fighters, and the seasoned adventurer Gareth watching, could all see the outcome of this battle.
The first to realize it were the top-ranked adventurers. The golden and steel spear tips grazed the fighters' skin. Svartá bled from the wound, but Finn remained untouched.
That alone told them everything: Finn would win this fight.
Neither Finn nor Svartá had many advantages over the other, but the difference that mattered was immense.
It was the difference in their refined blessings. Svartá's weapon and skills simply couldn't pierce Finn's endurance.
Until now, everyone had been captivated by the flashy techniques, but a closer look revealed Svartá drenched in sweat, while Finn didn't even break a cold sweat.
The blessing that enhanced his stamina had raised Finn's limits far beyond Svartá's. Being level 6, Finn naturally outlasted Svartá, who was only level 1.
If their levels were closer, she might have turned the tide. But overcoming the gap between level 6 and 1 is nearly impossible, even for someone with a power like Toki. And Svartá, despite her talent, didn't possess such strength.
Still, there was no panic on her face. She had known this outcome from the start.
The girl who had devoted her life to killing since childhood accepted the gap between them going in.
Moreover, Svartá hadn't given up. Using her limit-break ability, she sought to close the gap just enough, playing defense to conserve her stamina.
Because she hadn't lost hope in the slightest chance, even a miracle, Finn fought with everything he had.
The force of their blows accelerated their weapons' swings, causing headaches as they read not only the opponent's current move but the next one, and the one after.
How many times had their spears crossed? The battle hadn't lasted long, but to both of them, it felt like the longest fight of their lives.
Then,
CRACK!!
The conclusion came suddenly and unexpectedly.
Svartá's spear broke.
This was one of Finn's advantages: their weapons. His Fortia Spear was a first-class armament, while Svartá's spear, borrowed from the Hephaestus Familia's shop, was only second-class.
Her weapon reached its limit before her stamina did.
For a moment, Svartá stared silently at her broken spear, then raised both hands with a wry smile.
"I surrender."
Svartá wasn't only skilled in spear combat. She was proficient in unarmed techniques and other weapons too. But the spear was her specialty. Against Finn wielding a spear, she couldn't win with anything else.
"Understood."
Finn accepted quietly. The Loki Familia members sighed in relief, while Svartá's comrades mourned deeply.
And so, the duel ended, without any unexpected twists or miracles, with Finn's victory.
Random thought: When did Finn and the others start adventuring? Hermes once said they defeated the Zeus Familia and Hera Familia, their biggest rivals, 15 years ago. So it must have been well before that, and they were already pretty strong back then. I guess we'll find out someday. If anyone knows and is willing to share, please tell me.
I welcome your thoughts and feedback!
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