Arknights, but the sickly pretty girl starts

Maria took a deep breath. Before the game started, she started taking deep breaths. She just had to not be overwhelmed by the opponent's momentum - her physical strength was definitely superior to that of the opponent.

That aggressive and brute force style of fighting was quite exhausting, and each match of the Rusted Bronze Knights lasted no longer than twenty minutes - in other words, as long as they could hold out for more than twenty minutes, the opponent would most likely fall first!

The game begins!

Following the order from Big Mouth Mob, the Rusty Bronze Knight on the field jumped over the five-meter distance between them like a tiger that had been released from its cage, and chopped Maria from top to bottom with his axe in hand. The opponent was in great momentum, and it was a jump chop from top to bottom, coupled with the brute force, Maria immediately judged that this was absolutely not something she could take, so she turned around and dodged, avoiding the axe. The opponent's axe slammed into the ground. Maria was obviously not hit, but she still felt a stagger - how much force did the opponent use in that blow?

Rusty Copper once again pulled his axe from the ground and charged towards Maria, shouting, "Face me! Is this the worst the Linguang family has got? Is Radiant Knight just a coward?"

"..."

Although theoretically, you just need to keep hiding... you can just wait for the Rusted Bronze Knight to exhaust his own strength.

But after hearing these words, Maria's body stopped immediately and she turned to avoid and defend. She was ready to take the next attack!

She is indeed the worst person in the Linguang family! But! She is still a member of the Linguang family!

You can mock her, but you can't mock the Linguang family, and you absolutely can't mock her sister! Maria was filled with nameless anger. With the brilliance of her Originium skills, she raised her shield and faced the rusty copper axe blade directly.

But she might have overestimated the durability of her shield... Maria felt a numbness in her left hand. Although the shield had reduced most of the force, the remaining force was enough for Maria to feel the horror of the blow. An unsightly crack was left on the shield, and it was obvious that it could not withstand the next blow. The movement startled Noya on the stage, and he quickly grabbed Kuro's hand. "What happened?"

"Maria took the hit—no big deal, she held on," Kuro explained succinctly. "But I guess it's just one hit. The shield itself isn't made of very good material."

“…In other words…”

"What should I do next?"

Chapter 66: One Sword

Maria felt that her hands had almost lost all feeling. The opponent's brute force was really outrageous. She almost dropped her shield even though she had only taken the blow.

But now it's no different from losing it... The shield has been cracked, let alone taking the next blow. The trouble is that my entire left hand is paralyzed - this is not a good thing.

Maybe I was impulsive... I should have done as Sister Zofia said at the beginning and just hid. I took it out of anger, and now it's bad.

With the shield like this, the error tolerance rate was directly reduced to zero. Not long after the game started, he fell into a disadvantage.

The Rusty Bronze Knight clearly had an absolute advantage. It was no exaggeration to say that while he couldn't fight for long, few could withstand his explosive power. He and Maria were polar opposites. The Rusty Bronze Knight's first twenty minutes were indeed epic, but it couldn't last. Maria, on the other hand, needed a certain warm-up period, hence his provocative words, designed to prevent the Golden Pegasus of the Linguang family from maintaining a constant evasive stance.

This time I only penetrated the shield, but next time, it will be your armor! I hope your armor is as thick as your shield!

The Rusty Bronze Knight smiled cruelly. With his whole body numb, it was not so easy to dodge his attack!

Then... the next blow will be Lin Guang's downfall! ! ! !

The Rusty Bronze Knight raised the axe in his hand high and chopped it down towards Maria from top to bottom. It seemed that he was determined to succeed in this attack and wanted to chop Maria in half. His murderous intent was about to overflow.

Noya couldn't help but tighten her grip on the armrests of her wheelchair. Even without seeing, she could sense the shift in the situation emotionally. Maria was clearly at a disadvantage, and her opponent's surging murderous intent was particularly evident. Compared to Noya, Kuro seemed calm and composed, even offering a hint of a smile.

Indeed, Maria is not a strong person yet...but if you underestimate her, you will suffer.

boom--

The shield fell to the ground. In this situation, Maria actually gave up her shield. Not only the shield, but Maria's whole body shook, and a large number of armor pieces fell to the ground. The armor on Maria's body instantly became lighter. Then she held the sword in her hands with both hands, her eyes burning like a hot flame. Since there was no way to continue to maintain the attack and defense mode... then, there was only one choice.

-

"Maria... Let me ask you, if you had to give up one thing, would you give up your shield or your sword?"

"Eh?"

"In fact, every knight has his or her own preferred moves. For example, I'm better at using a one-handed sword, Zofia is good at using a whip blade, and your sister is good at using a sword and a spear." Mainna looked at the girl in front of him seriously and said, "And you, what will you choose?"

"...If I really have to choose..." Maria looked at her sword and shield with a conflicted expression. These two weapons had accompanied her through most of her training and had long become an inseparable part of her. However, she also understood that while the sword and shield seemed to be both offensive and defensive, they were still essentially centered around the shield. The sword merely compensated for the shield's inability to strike freely. This question wasn't so much about choosing between sword and shield—it was more about asking herself what kind of person she wanted to become in the future.

Maria didn't want to give up her shield, nor did she want to give up her sword...

A shield can protect the people you care about, and a sword can prevent you from being passive.

She is indeed a very greedy person. She wants everyone she cares about to stay by her side. Whether it is Sister Noah or Sister Margaret, they are both very powerful people. They will definitely become very busy in the future, so busy that they will not be able to take care of themselves, but Maria will not always be a burden to them.

then……

"I choose the sword..."

"……Why?"

"I want to protect the people I care about, but a shield alone is meaningless. Protection isn't just about standing in front of them and blocking their attacks. I have to be their sword, removing danger from them. If I really have to choose one, I'll choose the sword—"

"……I see."

-

So... Maria put down her shield and even gave up some of her armor. After freeing herself from the heavy armor and shield, Maria's whole body radiated a faint light. This time, the light was no longer gentle, but rather blazing. That's right... her light was not enough to hurt the enemy, but she could condense this light... to the extreme. Originium skills were her advantage. The blade of her sword gradually took on a pure golden glow. In the brilliance, people saw a proud Pegasus who looked frail... but held a long sword and would never bow to the enemy.

"Shining Knight..."

I don't know who said it first—

But at that moment, everyone seemed to catch a glimpse of the figure of the Radiant Knight from their dusty memories, who had left an indelible mark in their hearts.

"The family motto is - Don't be afraid of hardship and darkness!"

The light condensed on the sword body, and this time it was no longer uncontrollable. The originally thin one-handed sword now looked like a two-handed greatsword... This was the effect of the condensed light condensing on the sword body, which was the true meaning of the [Sword of Light].

Margaret's swords and spears might be too aggressive for Maria, so she chose the sword...

The greatsword she held in both hands exuded a terrifying aura, and was even a little heavy. This sword, condensed from pure light, seemed to be responding to Maria herself, emitting a soft glow, and then became as hot as fire.

"Devote myself to the sword. This is my answer—" Maria Linguang raised the greatsword in her hand and swung it towards the Rusted Bronze Knight in mid-air. The sword's trajectory seemed slow—but it met the Rusted Bronze Knight's axe blade. Immediately... the axe blade shattered. The solid greatsword shattered the craftsman's meticulously crafted axe in almost an instant, and then struck the Rusted Bronze Knight himself. It was such a terrifying attack, but at the moment of being hit, the Rusted Bronze Knight felt no fear...

Not only that, he felt as if the violence that had been lingering in his mind had been purified in an instant. The golden light seemed to burn away the brutality and bloodshed in his eyes, leaving only a feeling of peace...

His body was shot down and his armor shattered. He felt like he had been killed... but he felt no pain.

He lay on the ground, looking up at the sky, which he hadn't looked up at for a long time.

"...Why... did I become like this?"

Chapter 67: Sword of Repentance

The Rusty Bronze Knight went through his life experience like a revolving lantern. He fell from poverty to wandering on the streets, and finally took revenge on the entire Casimir by becoming a jousting knight.

Yes... it was such a clichéd, simple story. However, as Rusty Copper lay dying, thinking about the end of his story, he realized... his story was truly too clichéd, so clichéd that even online novels wouldn't write it that way anymore. Revenge on society? He was still its plaything. Some of the knights he'd violently treated were probably just driven by necessity, while others were even like him...

I just... just vented my dissatisfaction with society on this group of people.

But it's too late now, he woke up too late... He stretched out his hand weakly, looked at Maria Linguang, whose sword shattered and turned into feathers of light floating across the entire arena, with tears in his eyes.

“…I lost…I lost completely.”

The shattered armor could no longer contain his already fragile heart. He no longer cared about the negative impact his tears would have on him, but he didn't want to repent, because repentance was meaningless. Before his death, he wanted only to see this dazzling knight as his last sight. This knight who had slain this demon was undoubtedly... an excellent one, the very person he had always wanted to be...

In the end...I only discovered this...

How stupid...

How sad...

"...Uncle...how long are you going to lie down? The game is over."

"……Eh?"

At this moment, Maria ran over with a puzzled look on her face and tried to support the Rusty Bronze Knight, but this reaction made the Rusty Bronze Knight feel like his brain was suddenly disconnected.

"... Am I... not going to die?"

Maria blinked, confused at first, then suddenly realizing something. She slapped her head and said, "My sword isn't that powerful... It can only shatter armor and temporarily put people into a trance... But it seems to have very little lethality... It's more like, apart from losing the ability to resist, there aren't any other adverse effects from being struck by the sword."

"……what?"

"Yeah, so you're fine. It will be fine soon. Right now, you can't walk. I'll help you."

"...So... I'm not dead?"

“…Hmm?”

"Why... don't you kill me?"

Xiutong really didn't understand. He had already made his killing intent so obvious, so why did the other party show mercy to him? Was he sympathizing with him?

But Maria was a little confused. "Why do I have to kill you? I already won. This is a competition. I won, okay?"

"...Forget it, I can't explain it to you." Rusty Copper, seeing the seriousness in Maria's eyes, suddenly felt that talking to her was pointless. She truly had no intention of harming anyone, she was simply enjoying the thrill of battle. Compared to him, she was truly too pure. He reached out, and with Maria's support, he stood up, examining the gash between his chest and abdomen... Indeed, he had just felt like he had been killed, but the sword seemed to heal his body as it pierced through him.

There was a faint white scar left...other than that, nothing else.

"...What kind of person could develop such a trick?"

The Rusted Bronze Knight couldn't help but shake his head. This kind of swordsmanship that could make people experience a moment of disappointment without actually taking their lives... was something he had never heard of or seen before.

"My uncle named this move the Sword of Repentance. I don't know why he named it that..." Maria said a little embarrassedly, "But it's truly my most powerful move, and it won't hurt anyone. I'm very satisfied."

"Indeed... but perhaps it won't hurt others." Rusty Copper complained, "Others kill the body, but your sword... might be able to kill the soul."

And… even if this sword couldn't actually kill someone, if they were powerless, a child with a knife could still take their life, right? After all, their body would think they were being slain, leaving them powerless to resist. This sword, seemingly harmless, was actually terrifying. The Rusted Bronze Knight couldn't help but look forward to Maria's true growth.

Maybe... although she is different from Knight Yao, she can also become a truly great knight, right?

"Amazing! Not only did Maria defeat the Rusted Bronze Knight, but she even offered to support him after the match! The two knights gave us a wonderful offensive and defensive battle, and afterward, they displayed true chivalry! We have to remember the sponsors of this tournament—"

This unexpected turn of events made Noah's mouth twitch, and he asked Kuro helplessly. "Anyway... is it considered a win?"

"Yes, I won," Kuro replied simply. "It's beautiful."

"Just for a split second... I really thought Maria had killed someone." Noah rubbed his brow with a headache. "The Rusted Bronze Knight's emotion just now was completely like he was dying... like he was going to die at any moment. I was still wondering how to help Maria clean up the mess. After all, killing someone in a competition is not a good idea. So... was it just a misunderstanding?"

"Maria's Originium technique, or rather, her own unique technique, has been used by both Maina and I. It has almost no lethality, but it can trick a person's body into thinking they are dying, rendering them powerless. Maina and I both think it's a very powerful technique... but Maria currently only uses it three times a day at most."

"Three times, that's already impressive." Noah was amazed that Maria had actually developed such a powerful move on her own, and had kept it a secret from her. She couldn't help but feel both happy and sad. "My little Maria even developed a move without telling me."

"Maybe she just wanted to surprise you?"

"I usually call it a shock," Noah said unhappily, "but... everything is fine, that's the best outcome."

Maria's development of a new move was certainly cause for celebration, but it also revealed a hidden weapon. For Maria, who was about to enter the official competition... perhaps this wasn't a good thing... Furthermore, in the instant before, when Maria struck with her sword, she had indeed felt something, as if something dormant within her had been awakened, as if she had seen that sword before...

But that feeling was only a flash...it disappeared before Noah could catch it.

"Forget it, let's go celebrate for Maria first and celebrate her official entry into the top 16." Noah didn't think too much about it and just shook his head. He decided that since he couldn't figure it out now, he would not think about it for now.

The important thing is to celebrate Maria, right?

Chapter 68: First Drink

"cheers--"

At the celebration banquet afterwards, Zofia excitedly raised her glass and, without waiting for anyone else's response, gulped it down, urging everyone else to finish it. Noah's body couldn't handle the alcohol, so she had to drink tea instead. Maria was in the same boat; although she was an adult, she wasn't ready for alcohol yet. As the conversation progressed, Uncle Manna was the only one left who could compete with Zofia in drinking.

Mainna sat at the Howling Guard's entrance all day, blocking everyone inside from even leaving. She waited until the game was over before packing up and heading home. Then, she saw Zofia and Noah happily escorting Maria home. Seeing their lively demeanor, Mainna's lips curled up silently.

There were no remnants of the Witch King participating in this competition. As for the reason, Mainna didn't want to say.

Tolan felt that he had changed. In the past, he would have rushed in, drawn his sword, and rained down light, making the entire Howling Guard pay the price.

But now, he just sat at the door of the Howling Guard all day, with no intention of going in, or even drawing his sword.

But he didn't change. He just thought more about it. Now that Noya was the spokesperson for the Chamber of Commerce, if bloodshed occurred in the Howling Guards during her tenure, and the perpetrator was one of her employees, she would definitely be held responsible, and might even be exiled. For Mainna, eliminating all the remaining Witch King followers in the Howling Guards was not a difficult task, but he had to consider Noya's position.

The current situation is not suitable for him to take revenge, at least not now, so he chose to use his own way to make these guys retract their tentacles -

He never changed—

Of course, if the remnants of the Witch King in the Howling Guard still intend to stretch their claws under his nose, then he doesn't mind cutting off those disobedient excess parts.

Maybe it was because she was too happy, but Zofia drank one glass after another, which made Maria feel terrified. In the end, Mainna, who had been drinking with Zofia, had no choice but to stop her and said, "You've drunk too much."

"I'm happy!" Zofia was already a bit drunk. Ever since Maria joined the Knights' Games, Zofia had often gotten drunk, occasionally needing Mainna to carry her away. Even though she never explained the reason, Mainna still understood. Zofia back then and Maria now were exactly the same. Both had volunteered to participate in the Knights' Games, both had reached the peak of their careers upon debut, and both had made it straight to the official competition. This was probably what it felt like to be so proud of yourself.

But Zofia's journey did not reach the end. Although she won the title of Whip Blade Knight, she stopped in the round of 16.

There was no lack of constraints from the Chamber of Commerce. Zofia participated in the Knight Championship after Margaret was expelled. She was holding a grudge at the time. After Margaret was expelled, all she wanted to do was fight for her dignity. She wanted to stand up for Margaret and let this group of people know that the people of the Linguang family were not so easy to bully.

result……

This is why Zofia was so opposed when Maria originally planned to participate in the competition. If it weren't for Noah's support, Maria would probably have had no choice but to act first and report later.

But now, the closer Maria got to the finals, the more anxious Zofia became. Even after the battle with the Rusted Bronze Knight, Zofia had confirmed that Maria was no weaker now and even had a chance to challenge for the same championship as her sister. But the closer this became, the more complicated Zofia's feelings became.

She was happy for Maria, but also sad for herself. The seemingly indifferent mask melted under the influence of alcohol, and Zofia's crying and laughing appearance completely exposed her mood.

The only two people who know all this are probably Mauna and Noah...