The Author's Viewpoint-Chapter 87 - Hit Me If You Can

Seated along the edge of the training room, a small group of resting elves watched with quiet interest as Elincia delivered her challenge to Tave. Though most of them appeared relaxed, their eyes were locked onto the scene, and intrigued. Not by the fight itself, but by the sheer audacity of a human stepping up to face the Imperial Knight.

"That’s just Lady Elincia’s way of rejecting the human brat," one of them muttered with a dismissive scoff.

Panpan tilted her head slightly, turning toward the speaker. She let out a soft laugh. "Tave seems determined. I believe he can pull this off."

Another elf exhaled audibly. "No way. Only a madman would try to land a hit on Lady Elincia. She doesn’t hold back."

Panpan smiled again, that same gentle curve of her lips. "But at the very least, shouldn’t we respect this human’s courage?"

The others turned to her with skeptical eyes.

"Actually," one said, crossing his arms, "I’m impressed Lady Elincia even entertained this ridiculous request from a human. He’s just a Gaia Guardian. He only just had his breakthrough. He won’t last a minute inside a Tier 4 Rift. Monsters at that level are leagues beyond him. Entering would be suicide."

Panpan fell silent at those words. Then she turned her gaze back toward Tave and Elincia, now preparing for the challenge duel.

"Maybe... it would be better if Tave didn’t join after all?" she whispered under her breath.

"He won’t," another elf chimed in flatly. "This challenge is meaningless. The outcome’s obvious before it even starts. Lady Elincia’s just having a bit of fun with the human brat."

***

Tave kept his distance, his eyes locked on the woman before him as he summoned his Relic. The sword materialized in his hand, blazing with a fiery aura that licked up along the blade. Across the room, Elincia stood motionless, her posture completely relaxed, as if she had all the time in the world.

"Sixty," she said calmly, as though counting seconds were a bother, making it clear she had no intention of wasting even a moment.

There was no pause for hesitation, no time for shock or second thoughts. Tave’s lips curled into a thin smile.

He immediately began forming hand seals with his left hand. Fast, precise, and in an instant, his body shot forward in a blur. He sprinted around Elincia, weaving and circling, looking for even the smallest hint of a blind spot.

He knew it wouldn’t be easy. It might not even exist.

"Do your best," Elincia called out, her voice as casual as ever. "And just so you remember. I’m a Gaia Archon. So yeah, one hit from me, and you’re dead. That’s just how weak you are, Tave."

And then. He struck.

From behind, his form wrapped in a ripple of shadows, the blade leaving a trail of flame in its wake as he lunged toward her.

Elincia’s lips curled into a faint smile. With effortless precision, she twisted her left shoulder, just as the sword came down.

"Too slow."

And in a split-second, her shoulder slammed forward into Tave’s chest, just a flick, really, but with the weight of monstrous power behind it.

A violent gasp filled the room as Tave’s body was flung across the training floor like a ragdoll, bouncing hard against the ground with each crash, the impact thundering through the chamber.

It looked like he’d been swatted aside like nothing, by a woman who hadn’t even moved her feet.

But, he wasn’t finished.

Mid-tumble, Tave twisted his body sharply, flipping and bracing. Then launching himself again, speeding straight back toward Elincia like a flaming arrow, the fire on his blade now flaring brighter than before.

Tave knew this was impossible. He understood exactly how power scaling worked in this world. The raw difference in strength between them was colossal. Elincia outclassed him in every measurable way.

And even though she wasn’t attacking with intent to kill, even though she stood still, one arm behind her back, and fought him with nothing but a single hand...

But that didn’t matter.

Because Tave wasn’t here to win the proper way. He was here because he had a plan.

His body blurred as he shot forward again, a streak of shadow and flame. His sword swung fast, cutting through the air, and Elincia only tilted her head slightly to the side, eyes casually tracking his movement, just as Tave’s form vanished mid-strike.

Her left hand swept to the right, sharp, efficient. And clang! met the blade from the front with perfect timing.

Tave vanished again.

Then, flash! He reappeared to her right, aiming a sharp kick. She blocked it with a flick of her elbow. He blinked forward, struck from the front. Dodged. Tried to feint left. Boom!

Elincia struck back with a simple palm to his chest.

The force was overwhelming.

Even as he tried to guard with his sword, it wasn’t enough. Her blow smashed through his stance like thunder, and once again his body was hurled across the air, crashing down hard.

He lost control mid-flight, twisting wildly, desperately trying to right himself before impact. Thud!

The floor cracked beneath him.

Damn! This fight was madness. It was a one-sided massacre.

And yet he couldn’t stop grinning.

Because he loved this. The rush, the pain, the edge of death. The thrill!

His hand clenched around the hilt of his sword. Fire flared along the blade.

And once more, he launched forward, ready to crash into the impossible again.

Those watching Tave’s attempt at this challenge remained focused, their eyes following every movement.

To most of them, what Tave was doing wasn’t impressive. Not by elf standards. But still, even they couldn’t deny the effort, the grit, the sheer refusal to give in that the human was showing. And that earned some acknowledgment.

"That’s not bad."

"Yes, this human can fight. He just needs more time."

"But they don’t have time. They’re human."

The irony in the tone was impossible to miss.

"Lady Elincia’s holding back, obviously. That last hit should’ve shattered his ribs."

"Could he have strong regeneration?" freewebnøvel.coɱ

"No, I don’t think so. Lady Elincia’s just playing around. She hasn’t hit seriously yet."

"And yes, there’s no way Tave wins this. It’s over."

Their conversation trailed into silence.

Because suddenly, the training room shifted.

Tave hit the ground hard. Again. His body tumbled and rolled across the floor, and this time... he didn’t move.

Panpan rose slightly, lips parting. "Tave?"

She hesitated, eyes locked on the motionless figure. The others fell quiet, their smug expressions turning into subtle frowns.

And then... Tave moved.

He pushed himself up, fast, too fast. He rose to his feet in a single motion.

But now... something was different.

A surge of flame flared across his back. And from it, wings began to form. Wings of fire.

"Are those... Gaia Wings?" one of the forest elves whispered, stunned.

"That’s too powerful for a Gaia Guardian. No way. How does he have that?"

"That’s from his Relic," another answered.

"Oh really? Just how powerful is his Relic, then?"

In the center of the room, Elincia finally raised both eyebrows, watching as the flames rose behind Tave, curling into shape and radiating intense heat.

She finally spoke, her tone casual but sharp.

"Well, looks like your Relic’s not completely useless after all. Now show me just how less useless your fire spirit really is."

Behind Tave, the fiery wings beat once, slow but steady. And then, like a burning missile, he shot forward. In the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Elincia, sword flashing as he launched a blazing slash directly at the Imperial Knight!