The Fastest Evolution of the Unrivaled Slime: My Rejected Skill was a Cheat for Super Efficient Leveling, So I Trained 100 Times Faster to Become the World’s Strongest

84. Scarlet Blossom

“Arx! Use this!”

From the forefront of the stage, Irena hands me a sword.

The moment it touches my hand, I feel its texture. It’s a sword filled with Irena’s determination.

“Thank you. We’ll definitely win!”

Taking the sword, I turn back towards Barry.

“Are you ready, punk? But it’s pointless. You’ve already lost to me once!”

“I won’t lose again. Besides, it seems like you’re the one cornered, isn’t it?”

“…Shut up. I’ll kill you just like you want!”

Barry approaches. It’s the same tactic he used to corner me before.

But things are different now. I have this sword!

“Hah!”

The moment I draw the sword, Barry’s eyes widen in panic. I’m surprised myself.

Sparks fly from the blade. Pulling out the sword with force caused sparks to scatter. This hasn’t happened before.

“Hey, punk… what’s with that sword!?”

The blade gleams. I—or maybe everyone else—am captivated by it.

The blade emits a fantastical, aurora-like light. It’s elusive yet powerful.

Like flames. Flickering yet constant. Confronted with such contradictory beauty, I’m breathless.

“The name of this sword is ‘Scarlet Blossom’! Arx, let’s do this!”

I finally snap out of it at Irena’s voice. I ready the sword, glaring at Barry.

“Tch… what’s the big deal about it? It just looks flashy but doesn’t mean anything!”

Barry strikes. He swings his sword down with the force of a waterfall.

No need to dodge anymore. It’s a direct showdown. I deflect his sword with a horizontal swipe.

“Hah!”

The moment I swung the sword horizontally, flames burst from the blade. With a roaring sound, the blade cuts through the air.

Blades clash. In an instant, a small explosion occurs. Barry is pushed back by the impact, landing and staggering backward.

“Is that sword… a magic sword!?”

I’ve seen it in the first match, but is this what it feels like to wield a magic sword? The sword’s power is transmitted through my palm.

Having wielded this sword, I’ve realized something. Probably, the power of this sword is beyond imagination.

[Hey, isn’t that amazing…?]

[No, no. Magic swords might be rare, but didn’t we see like two in this tournament? It’s not that big of a deal.]

[…Wait! Look at that!]

The arena buzzes. Their gazes are probably fixed on Scarlet Blossom.

As I grip the hilt of the sword and exert my strength, the amount of flames overflowing from the blade increases rapidly. Gradually, the flames become like a thorn, swirling around my body.

In an instant, the flames flare up like blooming flowers. The heat is intense, enough to cause burns even without touching.

[What’s that!? Can a Flame Magic Sword use such advanced magic??]

[No! That’s exceptional! Not just an ordinary sword!]

The heat of the flames warms the air. Barry seems to have noticed that this sword is not ordinary, glaring at me with gritted teeth.

“You bastard!”

Driven by anger, Barry rushes in. His speed is as impressive as ever.

The blade clashes with the blade. However, the difference between the two is clear. In the next moment, flames spew from the blade, assaulting Barry.

“Tch!”

Unable to withstand the intense heat, Barry retreats with a curse.

Now’s my chance. I close the distance between us in one go.

“Don’t get cocky, punk! The real fight starts now!”

In an instant, Barry disappears from the stage. Teleportation—Elgen’s skill.

Where is he coming from!? From above? Or from behind? I glance around, preparing for a surprise attack.

“It’s here!”

Barry appears behind me. Although he changed his position by looking around, he was still found out!

“Kuh!”

I deflect the sword that Barry swings down at the last moment. As flames erupt, Barry quickly steps back.

The sword’s nature and my movements are being read. He’s no pushover, despite being S-rank.

“I got a little scared, but you’re still just a punk!”

He disappears from the stage again, teleporting. A surprise attack from a blind spot.

He’s accurately predicting the places where I’m least mobile!

“What’s wrong!”

Following Barry’s appearance with my eyes, I barely defend against the surprise attack. With flames scattered, the battle intensifies.

Damn, the Flame Magic Sword is powerful, but I can’t damage Barry like this.

The situation is still unfavorable for me. I need a plan…

“What…? Is the sword glowing again!?”