Chapter 53: From Conflict To Challenge - Part 6

"For the fifth and final match..." Sylvia's unexpected remark made Arezu quickly turn his anxious gaze from Lynn to her, then to the adventurer who were now stepping into the training area in response to her call. He didn't need an introduction. The dark brown shade of the man's hair—almost rust-colored—spoke of his name. And he didn't need to state his rank for everyone to know how strong he was. The massive buster-sword he carried in one hand said it all. A weapon so large only a few could wield it. "Oi, seriously?" Arezu's muttered complaint was met with a sharp, serious look from Sylvia, followed by an innocent—yet suspicious—smile as he turned to glance at Lynn. The challenge for the title of Dungeon Conqueror was supposed to include only the 12 veteran iron-rank adventurers who still refused to accept the guild's proclamation. So what's a silver-rank adventurer doing here? Arezu wondered. And Rust answered the unspoken question on his face. "You think I'd miss the chance to fight you again, Arezu?" "And why would I ever want to fight you again, Mr. Rust?" Despite Arezu's reluctance, Sylvia approved Rust's participation in the challenge—on the grounds that he, too, had the right to claim the title, and that he had discovered the dungeon of abandoned cursed weapons even before Lynn and Arezu's group. If there was one silver lining in this seemingly unfair match between a silver-rank and a copper-rank warrior, it was that Rust was fighting alone, without his party. Looking toward the audience stands in the direction Rust had come from, Arezu spotted Raven, the female archer from Rust's party, along with Blaze—the average-looking guy Arezu only recognized because of the robe he wore. "Fighters, take your positions." At Sylvia's command, Arezu's gaze locked on Rust, unwavering. Just like during their duel in the uncharted dungeon, Rust wielded his massive buster-sword in his right hand, the blade resting on his shoulder. Aside from the buster-sword, he also carried another sword sheathed at his belt. Whether that second weapon was a sidearm or something more, Arezu didn't have time to wonder. "Final match... Start!" At Sylvia's signal, Rust gripped the hilt of his buster-sword with both hands and charged at Arezu. He imbued the weapon with mana and unleashed a powerful swing, activating his combat skill. 'Cleave' Arezu mirrored the move. He rushed forward to meet the attack, countering with his halberd-axe, also imbued with his own combat skill. 'Cleave' —BAAMMM!— The clash of two massive weapons sent out a thunderous shockwave that echoed through the entire training area and even reached the stands. After the deadlock of their initial strike, Rust pulled back his buster-sword and leapt backward—not to retreat, but to follow up with another attack. Steadying his stance and tightening his grip, Rust swung his buster-sword in a wide, powerful arc. Arezu countered. He spun his halberd-axe to gain momentum and balance before unleashing a full-force swing. 'Shatter' 'Shatter' —BAAMMM!— Another explosive collision rang out, loud enough to discomfort the audience's ears. Strike after strike, the clashing continued. And for a time, the crowd watched in awe. A copper-rank adventurer holding his ground against a silver-rank? Perhaps he truly was worthy of the Dungeon Conqueror title. His combat prowess even seemed on par with Rust's. Or so the audience thought. That is, until the momentum began to shift. Rust's swordsmanship suddenly changed. His strikes grew faster—stronger—more aggressive. Arezu began to falter, slowly being pushed back. "You understand what's happening, right, Arezu?" Amidst the flurry of attacks, Rust spoke. Arezu knew what Rust meant. But he didn't have the luxury to respond. Every bit of his focus was needed to withstand Rust's assault. Regardless, Rust spelled it out. "This swordsmanship isn't mine. It's what the cursed weapon showed me." Arezu was taken aback. It was something he hadn't known. After all, that information wasn't supposed to be public—something the Adventurers' Guild had been keeping under wraps. Though not all the rescued adventurers, a few—including Rust's party—retained their hallucinations and the knowledge granted by the cursed weapons. They remembered the memories shown to them—how to wield those weapons to their fullest potential. Despite the corruption they endured, those adventurers came back stronger than they were before the orc-hunting incident. Which meant only one thing: Arezu wouldn't be able to defeat Rust with his halberd-axe alone. Out of consideration for Arezu's safety—and knowing that advanced combat skills might cause severe injuries despite the veil protection of Aegis—Rust limited himself to using only basic combat skills. Yet, he still managed to overwhelm and push Arezu back. Bit by bit, the tide turned. 'Cleave' 'Reinforce' Now, Arezu was completely on the defensive, blocking strike after strike from Rust's buster-sword with his halberd-axe. "What are you doing, Arezu?! Fight properly and use your weapon right!" Beatrix's voice rang out from the audience. She was standing on her seat now, yelling in frustration rather than concern. Whatever she meant, she didn't need to explain it—to either the adventurers around her or Arezu himself. The next clash made it perfectly clear. —Craack!— The blade of Arezu's halberd-axe snapped in half under the force of Rust's buster-sword. Arezu jumped back, retreating with his now half-broken weapon in hand. He expected Rust to seize the opportunity and finish the fight, but Rust remained still. Arezu hadn't technically lost yet—his Aegis was still intact—but with a broken weapon, his chances of victory were slim. But that wasn't what bothered Arezu. What puzzled him was why Rust stopped attacking. And then, Rust did something even more baffling. Holding the buster-sword in his right hand, he lowered it. Then, with his left, he drew the sword sheathed at his belt and tossed it. The weapon landed at Arezu's feet. "Pick it up, Arezu."