Disappointing Teleportation Magic ~ Even Though The Movement Distance Is Only 1 Millimeter, I Will Rise Through Ingenuity ~ - Chapter 26.2

Those aiming to kill us will target moments when we’re off guard and won’t give us time to recover.

In Dorotheus’ case, he was conceited in his own strength, failed to see my power, and ended up destroying himself.

If he had slashed at me without question, I wouldn’t have been able to activate the severing transfer magic and would have been killed.

“Ughhh…”

I forced myself to stand up, putting strength into my trembling legs, tired from moving around and bruised. Mauroni had taught me to hold my hands out, fists against my forehead, but it felt awkward and difficult to move.

I opened my elbows and took a Muay Thai stance. This way, I could still guard my neck and, if the opponent came from the front, I could cut them before they reached me.

Most importantly, this stance relieved the tension in my upper body, making it much easier to move.

“Hmm, let’s see if changing your stance will help.”

Honestly, I don’t think I can match Mauroni, but I’m getting tired of being beaten constantly. Even if I take a few hits, I want to at least graze him… or at the very least, dodge some of his attacks.

As I silently clenched my fists, Mauroni closed the distance between us smoothly. The wooden sword he held in one hand was suddenly raised, then came at me in a powerful horizontal slash from the right.

“Urah!”

Instead of just taking the hit as before, I swung my right arm to parry it away forcefully. The wooden sword I deflected flew upward, then immediately came down with a loud whoosh.

I parried the downward strike aimed at my head with my left arm and stepped in to throw a right straight punch but quickly pulled my arm back. The wooden sword swept past my retracted right fist with terrifying speed.

If I had continued with the punch, I would have at least been in a lot of pain, if not had my arm broken.

“Good, good… that’s the spirit. You can’t just keep getting hit. Show some determination to fight back. Now, here I come!”

“Shah!”

As Mauroni said, changing my stance didn’t lead to a dramatic improvement, and I was still being beaten up and forced to guard continuously. But now, instead of retreating hesitantly, I steeled myself and moved forward.

I took a hit on my left shin from a low strike, the pain almost making me cry even through the armor. I parried the follow-up horizontal slash with my left arm, enduring the shin pain as I stepped in, only to be pushed back by a thrust to my armored stomach.

It hurts, it’s exhausting… it hurts, it’s exhausting… it hurts, it’s exhausting… it’s infuriating.

Taking a determined step forward with the intent to seriously cut him, Mauroni retreated with astonishing speed.

Seeing me close the distance, Mauroni smiled.

“That’s it, that’s the spirit. With that determination, your opponent will stop in their tracks. If you can make them stop, you will win.”

I have an unblockable attack, albeit with distance limitations. If I can endure the first strike, I should see a path to victory.

“Yuto, your upbringing has made you too lenient towards others. In a peaceful world, that’s fine, but in a place where lives are at stake, it’s fatal. Show no mercy to those who aim for your life, even if they are from the same country.”

Apparently, Mauroni had intentionally subjected me to rough training to bring out my fighting spirit.

“But… it hurts!”

“No buts. Don’t you understand your situation yet?”

“No, if I die, there will be no one to remove Alberic’s mark, and Belnort… will have a chance at the throne.”

“That’s right. You know how disastrous that would be, right? And if you die, the maid will also lose her life…”

“That can’t happen…”