Chapter 114
Chapter 114. A Game Beneath the Moonlight (2)
"Infuriating! This knockoff not only copies my moves with perfect precision—she's also inexhaustible, getting stronger the longer we fight."
Faced with "Anya's" relentless, ceaseless assault, Anya had no choice but to fight a retreating battle, constantly trading space for time.
"This can't go on—I can't find even a moment to catch my breath!"
Tilting her head back to dodge a sword strike, a lock of chestnut hair at the girl's forehead was sheared off by the passing blade; a faint line of blood bloomed at the corner of her brow.
"Where's Luo Nan's ringside support? How is it still not coming?!" The girl was growing anxious.
She was nearly losing already—why was Luo Nan still not speaking up to help?
If he stayed silent any longer, she was going to forget all those instructions he'd given her!
"It's time."
Luo Nan, who had been watching the two of them fight with close attention, saw that Anya was on the verge of not being able to hold on, and finally called out:
"Anya, Twelve Seven!"
Twelve Seven was one of the instructions Luo Nan and Anya had worked out in advance.
Before entering the Moonlight Greenhouse, Luo Nan had questioned her in detail about every combat technique she knew—not a single move or form from even her childhood street brawls had been spared.
It was also thanks to Anya's photographic memory for any moves she had ever used herself that she was able to recall the full-of-holes "techniques" she'd employed as a child.
And Twelve Seven referred to the "Body-Slam Charge" she had used at the age of twelve in a brawl at the docks of the Lune River.
This move might have some effect on ordinary people, but against a Supernatural Practitioner……
It was absolutely useless!
As long as the opponent's agility exceeded one's own, they could easily sidestep it and counter in the same motion.
And so, even though Anya had won that brawl, when she afterwards reflected on the experience, she had immediately come up with a countermeasure for it.
She didn't understand why Luo Nan wanted her to use that move.
But it didn't matter—her subconscious just did it.
No sooner said than done: Anya instantly ducked her body, drove power through her legs, raised her elbow, and charged straight at the knockoff.
Body-Slam Charge.
"Twelve Seven Modified!"
Twelve Seven Modified was precisely the counter-technique Anya had devised to defeat the "Body-Slam Charge."
Upon hearing Luo Nan's command, Anya instantly halted her footsteps and redirected her gaze back onto the knockoff.
That knockoff was executing the exact same "Body-Slam Charge" as her!
'What's going on?' The thought flashed through Anya's mind in an instant.
No time to think—combat instinct drove her to immediately deploy the counter-technique: knee-and-elbow up-down pincer strike!
Crunch……!
Unsurprisingly, Anya's knee and the weapon in her hand landed with precision on the knockoff, who had no time to change tactics.
Struck simultaneously by the two most offensively powerful parts of the human body, and in a vulnerable target area like the throat to boot——even "Anya" at Tier Two Peak couldn't help but stagger, her figure swaying dizzily backward.
"So that's it!" Anya seemed to understand why Luo Nan had told her to use that move.
The knockoff across from her could precisely replicate all her moves—but……she appeared to be an utter idiot!
She couldn't tell good moves from bad ones; she only knew how to copy and paste mindlessly.
Especially the first move Anya executed!
Replicating a move Anya had never used before—this instruction seemed to have a higher priority than defeating her!
In a flash of lightning, Anya saw through this key detail; she pressed her advantage, sword in hand, lunging straight at the knockoff still in a dazed state.
This time she used the Starfall Sword Art's Sixth Form—Pierce Rainbow!—a technique she had never successfully executed before, one that still had major flaws.
Sure enough, the moment she deployed it, "Anya" immediately began mimicking her "Pierce Rainbow."
"You idiot—this is a move even I haven't managed to master; the flaws in the motion haven't been worked out yet!"
The Pierce Rainbow Anya had just deployed was nothing more than a hollow imitation, completely devoid of the momentum and spirit the Starfall Sword Art should possess.
On top of that, she had seen through the knockoff's combat logic before she even used the move.
Therefore—
Anya instantly pulled back the technique. "Flashstep!"
The technique activated; Anya immediately darted forward,
"Starfall Sword Art, Second Form: Star Flash!"
A chill gleam burst from the sword's tip; the girl's momentum was like a rainbow as she thrust straight at the knockoff's throat.
Thud—
The silver-grey longsword drove into the throat without any surprises; blood mist diffused within.
"Phew……"
Anya withdrew her longsword, letting the knockoff crumple powerlessly to the ground.
"I'd suggest going back to train your brain before coming back!"
The girl touched the corner of her mouth, flashing an easy, bright smile.
"Luo Nan, I won!" She turned and waved at the man standing on the sidelines.
Watching the golden-eyed girl before him, bouncing with excitement, Luo Nan gave a faint smile.
"Mm, you won. Congratulations, Anya."
"Hehe~~ even though I was the one doing all the outputting the whole time, you do still get that one-percent share of credit." The girl accepted Luo Nan's praise without the slightest modesty.
Even Anya herself hadn't noticed: she, who was ordinarily bad at accepting other people's compliments, responded so naturally when it came to Luo Nan's praise.
"Right, how did you see through that knockoff's weakness?" she asked.
"Secret." Luo Nan returned to being enigmatic.
He could hardly tell Anya that he'd gotten the intelligence from The Shining Myriad Trails, could he?
Ignoring Anya, who still wanted to press further, Luo Nan walked to the round table and took his seat. "Lady Aeldelin, Round One…… how was it? Are you satisfied?"
"Worthy of Mr. Luo Nan—always bringing me unexpected surprises~~"
Although she had lost Round One, Aeldelin showed not the slightest anger or displeasure.
She beckoned lightly; the knockoff Anya on the ground melted and was recast into the vivid blood-red core, which floated back into her palm once more.
"Just like Miss Anya, I'm also quite curious as to how Mr. Luo Nan saw through the design flaw of my 'Mirror.'"
Upon hearing Aeldelin's words, Luo Nan likewise did not respond directly.
"There's no need to rush, My Lady. Once you've won the game, everything I have—all my secrets—will belong entirely to you."
"True~~"
Aeldelin snapped her fingers once more; in an instant, the red glow and cyan glow in the sky above, along with the great tower beneath their feet, vanished in a flash.
The group returned to the Moonlight……Daylight Greenhouse.
The blood-sun remained; the suffusing red light draped a layer of murderous chill over the flowers and green plants.
Luo Nan felt the pressure that had momentarily dispersed settle back onto his shoulders once more.
"……"
'What's Aeldelin's deal? Is she deliberately making things hard for me?'
'But at least this Young Master has already gotten used to it. Just you wait, woman!'
Luo Nan clenched his jaw, put on a composed expression, and continued: "Then…… Lady Aeldelin, shall we proceed to the next round?"
"We may," the crimson beauty stretched her graceful neck, her rosewood lips parting slightly as she let out a light yawn. "Ha……~~ Round Two—what theme has Mr. Luo Nan prepared to present to me?"
"Lord Aeldelin, one thing first: Round Two will be me facing off against you directly—do you agree?"
"Oh? Mr. Luo Nan intends to take the field himself? I thought you were going to keep sending Miss Anya out." She raised her delicate brows, looking somewhat surprised.
"Naturally it has to do with Round Two's theme. I, Luo Nan von Medillion, am a man of my word—I said before that I would provide you with three completely different experiences, and I will not go back on that."
"Mm, as you like." Aeldelin gave a small nod.
"Hey hey hey—Luo Nan, Round Two definitely doesn't need me?" Anya had just scored a resounding total victory and still had fight left in her.
She was still eager to go.
"None of your business—I have my own arrangements for what's left. Go take a break." Luo Nan waved her off.
"Hmph, you better not regret it!" The girl pursed her lips, sheathed her longsword, and moved to find maidservant Aina on the long bench.
"The two of you get along quite well……" Aeldelin remarked, seemingly teasing, seemingly envious.
Luo Nan paid Aeldelin's teasing no mind and said in a low, measured voice:
"The theme of Round Two is—'Mind.'"