The Water Magician

Ryo stands before the phantom being, Marie.

"I ran away from you back then, Marie."

"Ran away?"

A suspicious expression crosses Marie's face.

"I am a mage. So, there was no need to win with a sword... I convinced myself with such words and attacked, aiming for your weapon."

Ryo's voice is not loud.

But it carries a firm resolve.

A voice that does not waver at all.

"That was a mistake. I can acknowledge that now. I ran away."

He states clearly.

Yes, at that time, Ryo had tried to deflect the weapon that Marie wielded, bringing the fight into magical combat.

Anger flickers in Ryo's eyes.

Anger at his past self for making that choice.

Why did he choose to run away?

"I lacked confidence in winning a duel with sword drawing techniques."

He admits.

He has no choice but to acknowledge it.

To accept the past and the present.

"Are you saying we will duel this time? That you can win? With sword drawing techniques?"

"I will win. No, I will win and move forward."

Ryo answers Marie's question, looking her straight in the eyes.

"With those arms?"

What Marie points to are Ryo's arms, severed from the elbows.

"[Ice Create Right Arm] [Ice Create Left Arm]"

In response to Marie's question, Ryo generates his arms out of ice.

He had done the same when he fought in the Eastern Nations.

He had studied the mechanics of the arms, including the fingers, when he created the ice golem.

Moreover, this time, the arms are more intricate than before.

Back then, he couldn't move each finger, but this time, he can.

He had never expected to face a similar situation so soon, thinking he would be able to handle it better next time...

"Water attribute magic is quite convenient. Last time, I made my right arm out of ice like this too. No, that's not quite right. It's not that water attribute magic is amazing, but rather that Ryo is amazing. That was a close call. If I misjudge that, my head might be cut off again."

Marie raises her right cheek and twists her mouth into a sarcastic tone.

For Marie, Ryo is not an opponent she can defeat without exertion.

She looks at Ryo's severed arm, still holding onto Murakumo, rolling on the ground.

The next moment, the severed right arm, which had been holding Murakumo, "flew" into Ryo's icy grip.

"What?"

Marie grimaces.

She doesn't understand why the sword that had fallen to the ground moved on its own to Ryo.

Marie is a reincarnator.

She retains memories from her life on Earth.

According to those memories, what just happened... felt like psychokinesis.

Psychokinesis, or perhaps psychic power?

This world of reincarnation possesses magic.

However, she has probably never seen psychokinesis.

"If it's a beloved sword with a bond, then something like this is possible."

"Yeah, I think that's different."

Ryo asserts clearly, but Marie firmly denies him.

Without a doubt, Marie has a connection with her beloved sword, Kotetsu, but perhaps Kotetsu wouldn't act like that.

"So, it means it's a type of water attribute magic."

Marie concludes.

That's correct.

She had surrounded the hilt of Murakumo with a thin [Icicle Lance] and sent it flying toward herself... It's really just as simple as that.

In truth, Ryo had just thought of it and tried it, and it worked out well...

After losing both arms, Ryo was understandably feeling down.

However, since he could come up with such a playful idea, it seems he has mostly recovered.

"I can just heal the severed arms later with [Extra Heal]."

He makes such a rational decision.

It would be a big deal if this were Earth, but in this "Fai," there is magic.

Sending Murakumo flying was also done through magic.

The healing of his arms will also be thanks to magic.

Ryo is a mage who uses such magic.

However, he will settle this with a sword against Marie.

Of course, in a duel of sword drawing techniques.

That said, Ryo doesn't believe he can win purely with sword techniques from the front.

It won't be an attack aimed at the opponent's weapon like last time.

It will be a direct duel using sword drawing techniques.

With all his might.

Ryo will pour all of his "strength" into it, with all his might.