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No, not that there's no way. I mean she just can't.

Knights Association have played their hand too hard now. Add in that rotten Czarny popping up, and there's no way it can go ahead that simple.

Nnh...!

(My... my arm's about to dislocate... his spear—I can't get close at all—)

(—No, even if I did, there's still no way I'd win... what do I do...?)

...Up.

Continue.

(Grit my teeth, and get up.) Nngh...

On the verge of toppling? You really are the image of your 'family knighthood,' struggling for breath.

Up. Continue. The best way to stamp out a knight is to stamp out her dignity.

He taunts! He taunts, over and over! A look of disdain and victory in one, aimed square at his opponent! 'Left-hand' Tytus will make your blood run cold!

Now the prize pool's leaning completely one way, and the odds and figures are both out of control! Don't blink, but the money right now's gotta be on par with every other arena in Kazimierz combined!

Hey! Give it all you've got, Nearl! If you pull it outta the bag somehow, I'll win enough to buy a whole castle!

Are you nuts? How much money did you put on her?

—I put down even more on Left-hand! But I'm making nothing the way this is going, so I'm just hedging my bets a little!

Hgghh... hah... hah...

A visionary without a vision... wants to be a knight too.

I won't kill you. Forfeit. The times of old will not fade for having done so. Abandon this, and you abandon only yourself.

Are you... sympathizing with me?

—Correct. As you do not deserve for me to treat you as a knight.

I've seen footage of your fights. From Szewczyk, through the race, the melee...

I went out of my way to observe 'the Nearl family's new knight,' and every lucky victory of yours was a personal affront to me—look at you. You had the gall to waste my time like this?

Ughh—!

Stand firm, Maria Nearl. I will tell you the worlds that separate you and the Radiant Knight.

Her shining light could drown her opponent's will. Her sheer passion made me tremble. Her sheer talent made others envy her.

And you—victory against you is trivial. I will extinguish your resolve, to a pile of ash.

Airtime! Tytus has once against sent Maria's weapon flying!

Oh, man, this loop of devastation is too much bear, but no problem! The arena isn't just to let flesh and blood fly—it lets knights go on a rampage of pure strength!

Taunting! Pressuring! Destroying! This is 'Left-hand' Tytus, mercilessly disposing of the weak!

(So forceful...! And my shield split apart?! This is the one Margaret left!)

(Traces of Arts on the edge of his blade—his Arts—)

Ugh!

The Radiant Knight had not the Black Knight's strength, nor the Blood Knight's menace. She went against the lowest tier of the Major, and became champion by no more than a fluke—

—Even if I console myself so, I still know deeply the chasm that separated us. Against her, I have only pity for you, seeing your weakness.

I might not... compare to my sister...

But I am still—a Nearl family knight!

...Eyesore.

(One flick of his hand—?!)

Enough! Insult me no longer with the Arts you used on Ingra!

Ungh... ugh...

Do not rise again. No matter your armor's resilience, your pain must be excruciating.

You silently raise your arm again. Your tenacity at least deserves recognition.

Sorry, sorry—make way, make way!

I can finally see her...

...Maria.

What now? You have not even the energy to speak?

Your breaths come wild, your stance is empty... what path to victory could you even speak of?

What—mnph.

The noble knight, the commercial leviathan, the veteran of the Major, Tytus Topola, once more narrows his eyes—

—to the light that pierces them.

卡西米尔 7下

4:12 P.M. \ Cloudy, Kazimierz Fireblade Arena

Independent knight Maria Nearl vs. 'Left-hand' Tytus Topola, one hour and twenty minutes in

Right now, this arena... is host to a once-in-a-lifetime event!

She gets knocked down, and she gets up, again and again! That spark of light still hasn't left the eyes of the audience! It's as if it's taken root in the smeared blood and soil of the arena!

That one spark of light—! Just like a candle lit in the night! Under the ever more oppressive onslaught of Tytus, a man who lives to crush the will of his opponents—

—It's still alive!

Haahh... haaahh...

You... stand once again. You...

I see. The most miniscule Arts to heal your wounds, never running out, all the while looking for weaknesses—

—Does it feel good? Enduring your flesh on the verge of collapse for so long?

Hah... hah... no, I'm fine...

Stubborn.

Nothing more than a parlor trick.

She—she blocks! It's the first time she's done it! Maria has blocked Tytus's attack!

What... did my blade glance...?

No, it was dead on... but you're hitting—a lot less hard.

You... you have to get tired too, Tytus...

I do?

Certainly... I have wasted far too much time on you.

Let me end this.

He hit again—!

The flow's completely changed... Who knows what'll happen now...

Gugh...

Hmph. I know all your little tricks now. No reason to cede you a single chance more.

(Too fast—)

He! Gives! No! Quarter!

A relentless rush! Not letting Nascent Nearl catch her breath! Will this finally put out that last spark of light?!

Can that girl... even hold on anymore? This match's boring now, I'm done...

...That one's Maria Nearl, right...? Margaret's little sister?

Really? I've been coming to the Majors for two years now, and she's nowhere on the same level.

But when they flip the script, that's what's worth seeing, isn't it?

I mean...

Maria!

Maria! Stand up straight!

Vision's blurry.

Don't blink, Maria.

Blink, and they'll never open again.

Maria, you are gifted with a pair of pegasian eyes.

Maria. Stand. Come, come forth.

Grandpa...

Cry not, my child.

What is the motto of the Nearl family?

'Fear neither hardship nor darkness...'

I do not regret the past. It brings me so much joy that Margaret chose to walk a different path.

Margaret...?

In confronting all hardship, all darkness, generation after generation, each of our us have made our own choices.

Margaret chose the path least realistic.

Has she... has your sister ever spoken to you of her vision of a knight?

'To be a knight is to be the noble light that illuminates the land...'