Unease (2)
“……This feels strange.”
Aias adjusted the grip on the spear and shield in his hands. He’d never learned to use a spear, never even held one before. This was literally the first time he was feeling the texture of a spear in his hand.
Then why?
“I feel like I understand the reach of this weapon.”
His vision seemed clearer, his mind sharper, than when he held a sword.
It wasn’t that his spear proficiency had suddenly increased. He couldn’t use a spear as well as he could a sword, which he’d trained in. It just felt…right. Like putting on clothes that fit perfectly. The feeling of discomfort and unease had vanished.
“I can feel the immense power of this spear, but it’s a power I can’t control properly.”
At the same time, his thoughts became cold and clear.
“Moreover, my opponent’s skills are far superior to mine.”
Clack.
Aias raised his shield high, holding the spear perfectly horizontal, aiming it at Hermes.
“I can’t beat Hermes. But…”
Thud.
His foot pressed lightly into the dirt, his stance alone marking his territory.
“Let’s see how long I can hold out.”
Aias assumed a completely defensive posture. To an observer, it might look like a turtle hiding in its shell, a picture of fear and timidity.
“…..”
But Hermes’ face hardened, his expression grim.
‘Even though he’s a novice with a spear, his understanding of the weapon is extraordinary. And his physique is nearly perfect.’
In a pure contest of skill, in a fight to the death, Aias would undoubtedly lose.
But Aias had no intention of doing that.
He had no intention of winning, nor losing.
The protector, Aias.
‘Can I break through that defense?’
Hermes thought for a moment, then drew his sword.
His opponent was just a beginner with a spear. What was there to be worried about?
He was a God. Even though his domain wasn’t combat, he could overpower most opponents with his speed alone.
‘Charging head-on against that shield is foolish.’
Hermes made his decision. He would use his speed to confuse Aias’ sight and attack from behind.
Before Aias could get used to the spear, he would pierce his throat.
Thud!
Hermes moved. Closing the distance between himself and Aias, he simultaneously moved left and right, using the wide battlefield to his advantage, trying to escape Aias’ field of vision.
It was extremely difficult for someone at a distance to disappear from their opponent’s sight. Unlike moving the whole body, seeing only required moving the eyes and head. It was only natural.
However,
“!”
Overwhelming speed and changes in direction could shatter that common sense.
“…Ugh!”
Clang!
Aias instinctively turned his body.
Hermes’ sword was blocked.
It wasn’t blocked by the spear or the shield, but by the shield’s inherent properties.
“Tsk!”
Hermes clicked his tongue. Those who lost sight of him due to his speed would normally be stunned for a moment, but Aias had quickly turned around. His instinctual judgment had saved him.
‘I lost power in my attack because I was focused on getting out of his sight.’
Whoosh!
Aias thrust his spear repeatedly, forcing Hermes to dodge and create distance.
The shield Aias held was quite troublesome. If it was a frontal attack, it would block anything, no matter where or how it was attacked. Regardless of the shield’s actual surface area.
However, that defense could be broken through. It was a simple shield, not as sturdy as the Aegis. To put it simply, Aias was currently carrying a giant wall on his arm. It was incredibly difficult to bypass that wall and attack, but the wall itself could be destroyed.
‘He’s more responsive than I thought, so I’ll give up on attacking from behind.’
Hermes changed his strategy. It would be better to simply overpower that defense with a stronger attack.
Buzz-
His shoes shimmered lightly with mana.
Until now, he had been controlling his speed to some extent, considering the changes in direction, but now there was no need for that.
All his speed, focused into power. Hermes’ eyes flashed coldly.
Swoosh-
Claaaannnng!!
The sound of his footfall,
And the sound of two weapons clashing,
Rang out almost simultaneously.
“Grrrr….!”
Aias groaned, enduring the pain. He’d managed to block Hermes’ sword, but he was being pushed back by the sheer force of the attack.
Hermes, in the midst of their struggle, saw Aias’ power.
‘Eclexis is flickering. Is that Aias’ divine power?’
Aias possessed divine power. This was information Hermes was aware of.
However, even Hermes didn’t know its true nature, or which God it belonged to. The fact that Hermes didn’t know suggested that it wasn’t an Olympian God, but…
For Aias, who was deeply involved in the fate of Olympus, to be favored by a non-Olympian God was certainly strange.
‘…But it seems like that God has no intention of intervening in this battle.’
Hermes was certain. Since his own divine power was constantly active, if Aias’ divine power were to activate as well, it would trigger a Pandemonium.
However, it seemed Aias’ God wasn’t pleased with that outcome, and had no intention of helping him.
Or perhaps, it was Aias himself who was refusing that help.
Clang! Clang! Claaang!
Aias countered Hermes’ continuous attacks. His spear movements were clumsy, but his purely defensive movements followed the shortest possible path, making up for his lack of skill with speed.
The metallic sounds of spear and sword clashing echoed. Hermes’ eyes flickered.
‘This kid, he’s reading my thoughts!’
He had initially planned to break through the shield’s frontal defense, but Aias was meeting his sword with the spear. It was a choice one wouldn’t normally make while holding a shield. Aias understood that Hermes was targeting the shield, and was intentionally keeping it close.
At this rate, the battle would drag on.
Just as that thought crossed Hermes’ mind.
“Ah!”
A voice rang out from somewhere.
From the direction he was heading towards, in other words…
“Lady Aphrodite!”
Within the ranks of the 72 Devils, Aphrodite suddenly took flight.
‘Lady Aphrodite has escaped the Pandemonium?’
Which meant…
Elodie, Sybil, Selena… the faces of the Frondier and his companions all turned pale.
The Frondier had been defeated.
Trapped within the Pandemonium.
However, two of them,
Baal and Athena, wore similar expressions.
‘That Frondier lost?’
Both of them knew the power of the Eclexis that the Frondier possessed.
It was difficult for them to comprehend his defeat.
Especially considering they had experienced a similar ordeal.
‘…No way!’
Arriving at the same conclusion,
“Protect Frondier! Retreat while defending him!”
Baal’s roar.
“Catch him! Don’t let him get away!”
And Athena’s scream followed.
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