Reset Life – Chapter 102

Chapter 102: Shall We Talk Somewhere Quiet? (2)

Indeed, the continent’s Eight Strongest 7 years later……

“Are you stupid? There’s no way a human that strong could exist, right?”

“……”

“Well, I guess since it’s a hallucination, it’s possible to make you believe it. But a swordsman experiencing such hallucinations? What have you done with all the training you’ve had so far? Did you sell it to the Imperial Capital junk shop?”

“That’s enough.”

I realized that I had been caught in a weak spot by someone who is in the top 3 of people whose weaknesses should never be exploited.

Today is definitely a day overflowing with realizations. Belated realizations at that.

Lucy changed the subject, as if it wasn’t the time to tease me, or perhaps she was saving it for later.

“Let’s thoroughly examine your mental state later. Can you move your body?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah. No problem.”

I got up and moved my arms and legs. They moved smoothly as usual. Lucy nodded as she watched, then pointed her staff behind me.

“Then help out over there. It’s happening because of you.”

“What? Eh?!”

I unconsciously turned around and was shocked to the point my jaw dropped.

Levidian and the Black New Moon assassins, the ones who looked a bit more intact, were all attacking Artshever at once.

Artshever wasn’t completely dominating Levidian and the Black New Moon, but he wasn’t losing either. However, he wasn’t the absolute being I had seen just a while ago.

Levidian was injured, and when so many people attack one person, it’s actually more disadvantageous for the attackers. Artshever was blocking attacks with a sword he had drawn at some point and occasionally casting magic.

He doesn’t seem like a mage, but seeing him freely cast magic…… Does he have some special item?

“Then, good luck. I need to go over there.”

“Where?”

Where Lucy pointed, Aila was lying down, and Al and the Mangya assassins were tending to her.

Even from a distance, Aila’s condition looked critical. It was clear she couldn’t move.

Lucy got up, leaning on her staff.

“Al―! We’re done here! Go now!”

Al looked this way, nodded, and said something to a member of Mangya before heading towards the fierce battle without looking back. It was such a natural movement that it felt like he had practiced it countless times.

“What are you doing, not going?”

Lucy looked at me as if I was still out of my mind, in other words, with a look that said she would hit me with her staff again. I quickly came to my senses, drew my sword, and ran.

Ugh! Artshever, you bastard! I don’t know who your parents are, but I’m a little sorry for them!

The distance of dozens of meters rapidly closed. And the sounds of battle grew louder.

The sound of steel clashing against steel, something exploding, people running……

And Artshever’s voice.

“Good morning, Sir Arisein! You’re a bit early, aren’t you?”

He waved and greeted me as if we were friendly neighbors who happened to run into each other. A dagger bounced off his waving hand, so it was quite a reasonable action.

But regardless of the clarity of his actions, uncontrollable irritation welled up inside me. It’s not because I’m a person with a twisted mind!

“I’ll put you to sleep so you can never say good morning again!”

I made a wide circle around the left side of the Black New Moon assassins and attacked in tandem with Al, who was charging in from the right.

Although we hadn’t been together for long, Al and I had fought back-to-back amidst countless monsters. Naturally, our attack was perfectly coordinated.

Swish! Crack!

My sword aimed for Artshever’s shoulder. And Al lowered his stance sharply, aiming for his thigh.

Artshever, moving back to avoid the Black New Moon and Levidian, became the point of intersection for the two of us.

“Yikes!”

Despite this, Artshever maintained a composed expression, blocking Al’s attack and bending his waist back sharply. However, my sword, which was aiming for his shoulder, was now heading towards that spot.

The target had changed, now aiming for his neck.

Artshever momentarily met my gaze. He grinned with playful eyes and moved his lips.

“Emergency Dodge.”

“What?!”

Shhh! Whizz!

Artshever’s body slid backwards in that same posture, and my sword swung uselessly through the air. That, that guy! The same technique as Aila?

I gritted my teeth. There was a reason why they couldn’t inflict significant damage even with Levidian, albeit injured, and multiple attackers.

At that moment, Levidian, as if to prove that there was no reason why she couldn’t inflict significant damage, slipped between Al and me like a swallow.

“Haaa―!”

And behind her, like a spreading shadow, the Black New Moon assassins followed. Al and I exchanged glances and nodded.

The next moment, Al and I, along with the Black New Moon, were charging towards Artshever, following Levidian. Levidian was already attacking Artshever.

Clang! Thud! Clank!

Levidian’s swordsmanship seemed somewhat weakened, but its momentum remained undiminished. Her sword targeted Artshever’s vital points.

Artshever was blocking them with his bare hands.

Clang! Crack!

Artshever blocked the sword aimed at his neck with his entire hand and audaciously grabbed it. Levidian tried to pull out her sword, but only sparks flew between her hand and the blade.

He really is overflowing with tricks. But Levidian being caught means you’re also stuck!

I lowered my stance, shifted my grip on the sword, and jumped out from the midst of the assassins. And whether it was luck or a flash of experience, Al also jumped out almost simultaneously.

“Don’t look up!”

A heavy, unfamiliar voice came from behind me. I didn’t know who it was, but I understood it to mean I shouldn’t raise my head.

Anyone would think so, seeing several dull-colored daggers flying excitedly above my head.

“Oh dear.”

Artshever clicked his tongue and kicked off the ground, releasing Levidian’s sword. His body flew backwards, and at the same time, he intertwined his fingers intricately and thrust them forward.

“Physical Skip! Level 2 Activation!”

Negating physics. That shout was truly a magical incantation.

The daggers flying towards him stopped a finger’s breadth away from his body, like a landscape painting, and then fell to the ground.

Anyone could understand from that shout and the phenomenon. Artshever had taken away the physical force acting on the flying daggers.

I clicked my tongue and charged towards him again. Levidian and Al also charged simultaneously, and the three of us attacked Artshever in an instant.

However, it was the same as the previous developments. Artshever skillfully incorporated magic and other strange techniques, not gaining the upper hand but not being pushed back either.

The back-and-forth battle continued for a long time.

Artshever kept retreating, but he didn’t get hurt. However, after I joined the fight, the opportunities to cut his clothes increased slightly?

Despite Al and me joining the fight, Artshever didn’t give the impression of being pushed back, except for retreating.

How is that possible?

I kept thinking and observing while fighting. And eventually, I realized.

His fighting ability is by no means outstanding.

It’s not even close to Levidian’s, let alone Al’s.

However, he possesses an overflowing river of tricks and techniques, with a high degree of application.

It’s a crude analogy, but it’s like cooking.

Just as delicious food is born when good ingredients are handled with excellent skills, Artshever’s skill, as a chef, is at the level of the head chef of the Imperial Palace.

He’s making up for his lack of skill with other techniques, and for the shortcomings of those techniques with even more techniques, creating a synergistic effect.

“Tch! You sneaky bastard!”

“Whoa! Hahaha! Just say I’m resourceful!”

Artshever lightly dodged the sword I thrust and laughed cheerfully.

There’s definitely a magical effect to that laughter. Otherwise, there’s no way to explain why my stomach churns every time I hear it.

Is the current situation that funny?

Boom!

At that moment, the sound of metal plates colliding rang out. Al’s fist miraculously landed on Artshever’s abdomen!

While dodging my sword and blocking Levidian’s Seven Star, he had exposed a weakness to Al’s silent attack.

“Ugh?!”

This time, he finally grimaced in pain and staggered back a few steps. With a sound loud enough to make my ears ring, the impact must have been considerable.

As if not to miss that opportunity, Lucy’s shout rang out.

Finally!

“Alright! Lightning Bolt!”

Rumble! Crackle!

God of Light Lynin! Thank you for granting Lucy lightning!

A white flash bright enough to blind me struck Artshever. The sight of the light exploding with a roar was more pleasing than I could have imagined.

Acrid dust billowed from where Artshever had been standing. Lucy stood in the air and shouted triumphantly.

“Mwahahaha! The greatest mage of this century! The strong and cool! A man among men, Lucy! Now entering the battle! Everyone, be on your guard!”

Aside from the joy, let’s forgive him just this once.

Al spoke to Lucy, who was standing on air, in his usual nonchalant tone.

“You’re late.”

“Haha! Sorry! That lady over there was a bit unique!”

Aila’s condition seems to have improved a lot. If Lucy could leave her side, she must be alright, right? Despite his words, Lucy is quite thorough.

Anyway, I don’t have to worry about the others now. From now on, I can just focus on Artshever.

The dust from where the lightning struck began to settle. I closed my mouth and focused on the silhouette standing upright within the dust.

He was standing with his arms wrapped around himself protectively.

His clothes were scorched in places, and small lightning bolts still crackled and flashed around his body. But his body didn’t have a single wound.

Even a single strand of hair was intact.

“Ugh, are all those related to Risel monsters?”

Lucy voiced the question that had been on my mind lately. Of course, Lucy is also part of that monster group, but Artshever seems even worse.

This talkative Archmage becomes famous 5 years later, in the year 380.

But he doesn’t suddenly become strong then, does he? He must have gradually grown and become stronger to earn such a title.

Thinking about it that way, we can roughly estimate how strong he is now. At least, he possesses skills that put him among the top mages.

To only have his clothes slightly damaged after being directly hit by a spell from such a mage, is he some kind of monster that rolled in from somewhere?

“Cough!”

……But it seems he’s not completely a monster. Artshever coughed up a mouthful of blood. Even if he looked fine on the outside, was he internally injured? No, magic isn’t some kind of advanced martial art, there’s no way it could have such an absurd effect.

“Uh, uhaha! This is the formidable power of my magic! Even if the outside looks fine, it destroys from the inside……!”

“Hey, shut up. Your first laugh wavered, so what.”

I threw a pebble at Lucy and walked towards Artshever with my sword drawn.

The crimson blood he coughed up stood out strangely against his otherwise white attire. Above all, the fact that Artshever, of all people, was somewhat injured was refreshing.

I looked at him and said quietly.

“Are you pushing yourself too hard, Artshever?”

“Hehehe…… I’m human too. As expected…… there are side effects if I draw out too much power. Cough!”

He wiped the blood flowing from his mouth with the back of his hand. It was such vivid red blood that it seemed almost luminous. Indeed, Artshever is human after all.

Seeing that actually makes me feel relieved. Despite possessing monstrous abilities, he’s proof that he’s also the child of a human with red blood.

A person who breathes, eats, and sleeps like an ordinary person. Therefore, it’s only natural that his body would suffer if he overexerts himself.

“Pushing yourself too hard?”

“Enduring until now…… isn’t something a human should do, is it?”

Ah, that’s true.

Honestly, if he had been perfectly fine after being attacked by the Sword King, a candidate for the continent’s greatest mage, and the descendant of a formidable assassin, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him superhuman.

The fact that he endured is important, but if you roughly calculate the time, it’s only been 2 or 3 minutes at most.

Although Aila and Levidian managed to injure him with surprise attacks at the moment of impact, his limits are revealed when facing him head-on. If Levidian

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