"And why would I seek you out in particular?"
"This is the second time we've crossed paths. From the start, I've been unable to forget your beautiful face."
Shalltear reached out her hand, and lightly stroked her mask.
"...do you have the wrong person, perhaps?"
Brain was at a loss for words. He wanted to ask if he'd gotten the right person, but he immediately abandoned that idea. It was her. There could be no other.
...so she's saying, I can't be bothered to remember a puny ant?
If she wasn't taunting him, if Shalltear truly did not remember, then that must mean she did not have even the slightest bit of interest in him. For an overwhelmingly powerful being like Shalltear, that was not arrogance or overestimating one's abilities.
"No... my apologies. Maybe... perhaps. Yes, this is the first time we've met."
"Is it, really? Well, even if you understand that now, it makes no difference. Perhaps it would be safer to just kill you off. Do you wish to live? To die? If you genuflect before me and lick my shoes, it might please me enough to change my mind."
"Sorry, but I think I'll pass on that."
Brain settled down into a sword-drawing stance as he slowed his breathing. The technique he was using was, of course, ‘Field’. Needless to say, though, Brain knew it was useless against Shalltear.
"Haaaa..."
The dumbfounded Shalltear gently shook her head.
"You don't understand the difference in strength between us, do you? How annoying..."
Actually, I do understand, Brain thought as he looked at her.
Shalltear scared him so badly he wanted to throw up. That much he understood. But knowing this, why hadn't he fled yet?
The corner of his mouth turned up as he thought about this question.
If his heart was a lake, then it was perfectly still and calm. Even in the face of a being that made him want to flee at all costs, he still managed to retain his composure. This serenity was quite unnerving.
Shalltear stalked forward again. It was like a repeat of the last time, and surely the outcome would be Brain's utter defeat. The sum total of his life's work, his effort and dedication and dreams, would be shattered with the contemptuous ease of a child breaking a toy.
That's right. That's how it'll be.
He was terrified.
Up till now, he had been through countless battles, wagering his life on the edge of his blade. Suddenly admitting his fear of death now would be very embarrassing. This battle felt like he was throwing himself off a cliff. Even if could muster up the determination to die in battle, he could not prepare himself to commit suicide.
The thing was, the feeling of abject terror that he'd carried with him, from the bandit hideout all the way to the capital, was mysteriously absent.
Brain recalled the back of a certain young man.
He was a youth who was far, far weaker than him. Who had, even in the midst of a roaring torrent of murderous intent, stood firm, despite his body trembling like jelly.
And then, Brain laughed.
The old man had said that sometimes humans could display unexpected power, but Brain knew that it was impossible for him.
He was not like that youth, who would give everything he had for the princess he served, and he was not like Gazef who could offer his body and life for king and country. Those two could do it, but not him. Brain was a selfish man who could only think of doing as he desired.
Even if that's the case... huh. Maybe this is how I square things with him, by buying him time to flee.
Taking one step at a time, Shalltear raised her left pinky finger, approaching at an unnaturally slow pace.
Was it because his heightened perceptions made it seem as though time had slowed down for everyone but him, or was it because Shalltear really was moving that slowly, to prolong his fear? It felt like both were the case, and he smiled ruefully.
Well, that's just how she is.
Even though they had only met for a total of a few minutes, Brain felt like he understood her better than any other woman he had ever met.
Two more steps, huh... two steps before she enters the range of my sword...
He wanted to run, but more than that, he didn’t want to let go of the weapon in his hands. His whole life had been spent holding a sword. Perhaps it was fitting that it should end the same way.
Brain had found his answer. With that in his mind, he followed Shalltear's silhouette with his eyes.
"Live by the sword... die by the sword?"
In that moment, Brain's mind cleared. The enemy was a distant existence, and his thoughts were sharpened into a single razor's edge.
Brain used ‘Instant Flash’. It was a martial art that no human opponent could detect, let alone defend against.
Even so, he could not touch the monster before him, not even if he stacked the ‘Field’ and ‘Instant Flash’ techniques.
At that level, his opponent could still stop it between her fingers. Therefore, Brain added one more technique to the mix.
The face of Gazef Stronoff rose before his eyes.
If not for him, I would never have ended up here.
He had thought that way at first, but after his various encounters in the capital, he had changed his mind.
Brain now felt nothing but camaraderie for his greatest nemesis— no, his rival. He had accepted that he would die here and now.
Perhaps it's too late... but thank you, my greatest enemy… and dearest friend.
With that, his heart turned calm. Without confusion, he allowed himself to let go. Even the shame of the past had vanished.
"—Aaaaaaaaa!"
Brain cried out like some sort of strange bird. It came from the depths of his soul, carrying the full power of his being.
He executed an incredibly high-speed ‘Instant Flash’, aiming it based on the information gained from the use of his ‘Field’. But it didn't stop there— from the ‘Instant Flash’, he continued into another move.