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**—Hom’s POV—**

Master’s ice magic had divided the colosseum into a great cross.

Lady Estea and I were inevitably pushed toward the commentator’s stand, yet it was as if she had anticipated this all along—her Selem Salkh’s blade never ceased its dance.

“Well then, now it’s just the two of us.”

She spoke as though she welcomed being cut off from her teammates. For her, the absence of Ignis’ interference was no doubt a blessing.

“Now neither of us needs to worry about what’s happening around us.”
“Indeed.”

The sword of Selem Salkh gleamed, wreathed in blades of wind, moving lightly under Lady Estea’s command.

“Selem Salkh! Wielding the Wind Magic Sword Seiran with dazzling grace, it challenges Altered to a one-on-one duel!!!”

“I’m coming.”

The instant Lady Estea’s voice reached my ears, her strike was already upon me.

“…Gh!”

I caught the blow on Altered’s gauntlet plating, crouching the frame to absorb the impact before thrusting forward with my right leg.

“A fine machine. But can it keep up with my Selem Salkh?”

*—Surely, this isn’t the full extent of your strength, is it?*

Her tone carried the weight of one who had already seen through Altered’s true nature. But now was not the time to reveal my trump card. First I had to learn more of Lady Estea’s hand. I fixed my eyes carefully on her every motion, waiting to spot the tiniest opening—as narrow as the eye of a needle.

“Estea! Estea!”
“Estea! Estea!”

The crowd’s thunderous cheers shook the arena as the magic display screens finally caught up to the action.

“Estea’s sword strikes are too fast for the eye to follooooow!!! Buuuuut!!! Altered refuses to give ground, countering blow for blow with relentless strikes of its ownnn!!! Neither side yielding an inch!!! This clash of swordsmanship and martial arts—whooo will come out on top!???”
“As expected of you.”

Lady Estea had the composure to praise my movements even mid-fight. Each of her blows was fast and heavy, reverberating through Altered’s armor, yet her swordplay was elegant, almost like a dance. Beautiful—and flawless. A downward slash from the right flowed seamlessly into an upward cut, even using the recoil from my guard to fuel the next attack.

I caught her strikes carefully, returning with a flurry of chained kicks aimed at Selem Salkh’s torso and legs.

“You’ve improved considerably.”
“For these past two months, I have trained for nothing but defeating you. Today, I will avenge that loss!”

I drove Altered’s fist forward with all my strength. Estea tried to deflect it with the hilt of her blade, but the sheer force pushed her back a step.

“Whirlwind Blade—First Blade—Gale!”

*—It’s coming…!*

I raised both arms before Altered, elbows tight at its sides. I knew this technique came as a two-hit combo, and I was ready. Altered’s armor had been reinforced precisely to withstand it.

“She’s unleashed itttt! Estea’s Whirlwind Blade!!! The savage twin strikes are tearing through Altered’s arm plates—”
“They are not!”

The announcer fell silent, and Lady Estea herself let slip a startled cry. Altered’s arms gleamed unbroken, encased in armor as tough as any shield. That plating had been forged by Master from resilient Ithildin, the strongest part of Altered’s frame.

“Unbelieeeevableeeeee!!! It withstood Estea’s dual strike!!! What incredible defense!!! Truly a mecha soldier beyond all standards!!!!!”

Yes—this armor could deflect Lady Estea’s attacks. Even her specialty, the Whirlwind Blade, could be caught and endured, leaving me free to unleash the next strike.

“Fourth Blade—Azure Dragon Dance!”
“I won’t allow it!”

I had already anticipated that Lady Estea would chain her attacks. With Altered’s main camera enhancing my vision, the third eye installed in the mecha tracked the blades of wind she unleashed.

*—I can see your movements!*

The trajectories of Lady Estea’s sword techniques, once impossible to follow, were now clear before me. I deflected her flurry with my armor, then deployed the arm plating. The boosters built into the gauntlet roared, releasing a sharp, crushing blow.

“!!”

Lady Estea’s Selem Salkh reacted quickly, blade raised. But that strike aimed at the machine’s head was only a feint. What I sought was the instant of distraction it created.

“Haaaaaaaah!!!”

I pressed strength into my pivot foot and unleashed a roundhouse kick.

*—I’ve got you!!*

Altered’s right leg smashed into Selem Salkh’s torso, sweeping across it. The enemy unit was hurled backward—but the impact felt startlingly light.

“Magnificent.”

Winds coiled around Selem Salkh’s frame. She had applied the Whirlwind Blade in reverse, using it to fling herself back and dissipate the blow’s force. Yet that distance only favored me.

“Blitzraid!”

The plasma verniers roared, hurling the unit forward as I lashed out with a sharp kick. Yet—it seemed Lady Estea had reached the exact same conclusion.

“Fifth Blade—Sky-Shattering Gale!”

With her thrusters flaring, Lady Estea surged in and unleashed a slash. My kick and her strike collided in midair, detonating in a violent shockwave that sent us both recoiling in opposite directions.

“It’s not over yet!”

I drove the plasma verniers again, closing the gap in an instant to press the attack against the off-balance Selem Salkh.

Altered was a machine crafted by Master for one purpose alone—to defeat Lady Estea.

*—I can fight her.*

I was certain of it. With Altered, I could stand against her as an equal.