Chapter 288

Tatsuro, forced into a one-on-one fight he had no enthusiasm for, was now brimming with motivation thanks to the prospect of tonight’s entertainment. While he struggled to suppress a grin, Ai watched him with a half-lidded, unimpressed gaze.

Meanwhile, the spiky-haired punk—Yoshiry—wiped the blood trickling down his cheek roughly with his sleeve and yanked the Golden Spear embedded in the ground, standing squarely in front of Tatsuro.

“This is a one-on-one between me and you! Don’t let anyone else interfere!”

“Well, you’re free to get help if you want.”

“I ain’t no coward!”

“Fair enough. Whatever works. So, what’s the rule?”

“Make your opponent admit defeat, and you win! Simple, right?”

“Got it. Let’s get this over with. We’ve got other places to hit up.”

“Hey, but don’t use those Slime Tentacles like before. That’s cheating!”

“Cheating? What are you, a kid? Fine, fine, I won’t use them. Just hurry up and start. You can go first.”

Yoshiry’s face twisted with rage at Tatsuro’s nonchalant attitude, veins bulging, but he calmed himself by gripping his spear.

All he needed was to make a name for himself with this fight. Then he’d force Tatsuro to grovel and apologize.

With that shallow plan in mind, Yoshiry stepped forward with his right foot, gripped the spear with both hands, and charged with a burst of force.

(His Ki isn’t even properly channeled into his weapon. Even if he lands a hit, my Stats’ durability should handle it. But I’ve got no reason to just take it.)

Tatsuro started to lift Amaterasu but reconsidered, realizing it might not qualify as a fair one-on-one. He had Amaterasu retreat and used his Rifle Staff purely as a magical conduit.

“—What? My legs—!”

“All done.”

“—Tch!”

Ice crept along the ground from Tatsuro’s feet, ensnaring Yoshiry’s legs and locking them in place. It climbed up his body, freezing him up to his shoulders.

As Yoshiry’s movements halted, Tatsuro conjured a sharp icicle from the tip of his Rifle Staff and lightly pressed it against Yoshiry’s throat. Unable to swing his spear or move, with a deadly weapon at his neck, it was clearly checkmate.

“Damn it! Using magic is cheating, you bastard!”

“Huh? I’m a mage, and you’re a Spear Arts User. I use magic, you use your spear. What’s cheating about that?”

Tatsuro had deliberately fought without Amaterasu or Tsukuyomi’s assistance. Being called a cheater for using magic was absurd.

Even the Seven Idiots, sprawled on the ground and flailing, seemed to grasp this, staring at Yoshiry with their mouths agape.

“Shut up! Magic’s lame for a guy! If you’re a man, fight without it!”

“Ugh, you’re so stubborn. Fine, if I, a mage, beat you without magic, you’ll have no complaints, right?”

“Y-Yeah, that’s right!”

Yoshiry seemed to realize how ridiculous he sounded but doubled down, his face twitching as he nodded.

“Alright, let’s do it. But if you lose without magic, it’s over for real. Keep whining after that, and I’ll make sure you never walk again.”

“—O-O-Obviously…!”

Yoshiry’s voice trembled under Tatsuro’s menacing aura, but he forced a laugh. Tatsuro melted the ice, freeing Yoshiry, and they reset their positions.

“You okay?”

“No problem. I could probably win normally, but I want to crush him. Time to use my Trump Card.”

“Trump Card? Oh, that. You’re good then.”

Tatsuro focused on the Ring of Reversal on his right middle finger, activating it with a thought. As his abilities shifted, the ring’s black and white segments inverted.

|All skills have been temporarily frozen. In exchange, [Spear Arts Lv. 14] and [Body Strengthening Lv. 5] have been temporarily granted.|

(Not bad for someone with lousy luck like me. Spear Arts, huh? Pretty fitting.)

From his Infinite Item Field, Tatsuro pulled out a massive spear, a forgotten treasure from a dungeon’s vault, and readied it.

Yoshiry froze mid-step, stunned to see the boy who’d been a mage moments ago now wielding a grander spear with an even more imposing presence.

“Not coming? Then I’ll start.”

“—Damn you!”

Convinced it was a bluff, Yoshiry roared to shake off his fear and thrust his spear at Tatsuro with all his might.

Tatsuro deftly tilted his spear downward, parrying the attack, then swung the haft in a circular motion, lightly grazing Yoshiry’s cheek with the end.

“—Gah!?”

“Hm, gauging the force is tricky.”

Yoshiry’s cheekbone was undoubtedly shattered, his left cheek swollen grotesquely. Yet, fueled by adrenaline, he ignored the pain and stood.

“Fwaaah!”

Barely able to speak, Yoshiry refused to accept defeat to a mage—especially with a spear. Clinging to his dwindling pride, he unleashed a flurry of thrusts, thinking he could overwhelm Tatsuro by denying him an opening.

But thanks to the Ring of Reversal and his Ki Manipulation training with Ai, Tatsuro could hold his own even as a makeshift Spear Arts User. Against a novice like Yoshiry, he didn’t budge an inch, deflecting every thrust with just the spear’s tip.

“Why… why won’t it hit!?”

“Because you’re weak.”

“I’m… I’m strong!”

“I don’t know how you got so delusional, but you’re only fooling yourselves. To regular people, you might seem strong, but as adventurers, you’re rock bottom.”

“What did you say!?”

The reality was undeniable: a mage was dominating a Spear Arts User in a spear duel. Unaware of the Ring of Reversal, Yoshiry’s already fragile pride crumbled. As his spirit broke, his Golden Spear—bought with money stolen from the settlement he called a village—was knocked skyward.

“This—ends now.”

“Guh!”

Before the Golden Spear could fall, Tatsuro, now accustomed to controlling his spear, skillfully slashed Yoshiry’s body with precision, leaving only superficial cuts.

A leg sweep and a tap to the forehead with the spear’s haft sent Yoshiry crashing to the ground. Simultaneously, the Golden Spear plunged into the earth between his legs.

“Wanna keep going? If you’ve got the guts, grab that spear. But next time, I won’t stop at shallow cuts.”

As a final warning, Tatsuro swept his spear horizontally, carving a deep line in the ground between them.

“Fuuu…”

Though his injuries weren’t severe beyond his cheek, pain radiated through Yoshiry’s body. The forgotten agony in his cheek resurfaced, and, overwhelmed, he broke into tears, unable to move.

“Not moving means you admit defeat, right?”

“…Yes, I… I lose.”

“Alright. It’s over. Learn from this and think about your strength before acting. We haven’t been adventurers long ourselves, so I don’t mean to preach, but if you want to survive as one, that’s the key.”

Completely broken and reduced to a rag, Yoshiry passed out. Tatsuro didn’t bother healing him with Life Magic and stored his spear in the Infinite Item Field. Suddenly, not Ai but Aarenfrit lunged at him, overcome with excitement.

“Sensei! You’re incredible! Not only a master of magic but a spear expert too… You surpass every prodigy I’ve ever met!”

“Ugh, back off! I don’t need your hugs! And aren’t you only into magic?”

Still under the Ring of Reversal’s effects, Tatsuro gracefully dodged Aarenfrit’s embrace. Undeterred, he pressed forward.

“Sure, I love magic! But that’s why I’m so moved by your skill in wielding a spear as a mage! And sensei, you—”

“Ugh, enough already!”

Tatsuro evaded Aarenfrit’s relentless chatter and advances with deft footwork, sustained by the ring’s boosted Ki. After ten minutes, his stamina gave out, and he stopped.

|All skills have been restored. [Spear Arts Lv. 14] and [Body Strengthening Lv. 5] have been removed.|

“Jeez, this guy…”

“Well, it’s the last day, so let it slide.”

“Still…”

“Haa… haa…”

Tatsuro, exasperated but softened by Ai’s words, held back his complaints as Aarenfrit panted heavily.

Remembering the Seven Idiots standing cluelessly, he melted their ice but left their frostbite and Yoshiry’s injuries untreated.

If the pain was erased, they’d likely forget the lesson. Surprisingly, they didn’t complain and quietly left with Yoshiry.

“Alright, let’s hit the rest of the points.”

“Okay!”

“Neigh!”

“Got it!”

“Haa… haa… We’re going already?”

Ignoring the exhausted Aarenfrit, Tatsuro and the others moved on. They cleared the remaining points without encountering anyone as reckless as Yoshiry, dealt with some monsters, and returned to town.