Ring! Sound! Clang!

The two blades clash relentlessly.

On one side is a professor who is prepared to accept any sacrifice for his research.

On the other side fights a masked man, a warlord who wants to end a tragedy and prevent a catastrophe.

Sparks fly with every clash and the ground beneath them crunches with every step they take as the flames engulf more and more of the battlefield.

"Mulligan! You simpleton! How can you-"

Huh?

Something is wrong. Wagner's opponent should have gone down long ago. The sword that the professor wields usually makes quick work of his opponents. It bears the title ‘Fulcalibur’ and is a magical weapon that carries electromagic. Each blow releases a large amount of raging lightning. Any opponent who comes into contact with the blade is paralyzed by the painful shock or even dies if the charge is strong enough.

“Why are you still-”

“-Standing?” Nadir grins, “Let's just say I had a bad experience with electricity recently and took precautions to be on the safe side.”

Nadir's blade repels Wagner's blows with ease. The professor concentrates intently on his opponent's hands and stance; then he realizes.

His gloves! They are made of rubber! They won't conduct the electricity!

In the meantime, Wagner's stance reveals open areas; a perfect target for the warlord, who is already making his final move. But Wagner steps on Nadir's foot. Now is the moment for him to show his true strength:

"「 AGORAPHOBIA 」!“

”Huh?"

Nadir realizes with astonishment that his shoe is stuck to the ground. Wagner takes the moment to make a leap at his opponent.

“That's the power of my Lacrima!”

He has won. There is no doubt about it. With the next blow, he will end Nadir's life! That's just the difference between someone who has a Lacrima and someone who doesn't.

“Heh!”

Nadir's grin doesn't seem to want to leave his face. With an elegant swing, he whirls his blade through the air.

What is this supposed to be? Is he trying to intimidate me?

Wagner is not fazed by such a show and continues his attack until the ground suddenly gives way beneath them.

He has cut the floor to free his foot?

The opponents fall to the floor below the library. Numerous burning books fall with them. The rooms are no longer recognizable: By now, everything that is flammable has caught fire. It is difficult to move on the floor full of rubble and ash, but the professor and the warlord continue their battle relentlessly. Burning debris and scraps of paper pour down on them like a fiery rain.

“There you go, Professor...” Nadir seems to have grasped it,

"Agoraphobia. A Lacrima that allows things to stick together. I assume you also used it to lock the windows and doors in the building."

“Hey, you're smarter than I thought, Mulligan.”

"You don't have to be smart to do that. But for you to use your powers for such vicious purposes-"

Another powerful sword slash cuts another deep gash in Wagner's shoulder.

“Urgh!”

He's already been able to close his first wound with Agoraphobia, but how many more times can he do this? Of course, his Lacrima allows him to close his wound again, but each time he loses a large amount of blood beforehand...

He becomes dangerous to me! I have to finish this quickly!

Of course, that's easier said than done, because while Wagner is becoming increasingly exhausted, Nadir seems to be able to keep up without any problems.

No.

He even seems to surpass him! A speed on a par with a former knight and sword strokes whose pressure waves alone are enough to cut someone in half from a distance... Wagner knows that Cyril was raised by pirates, but for Nadir to possess such fighting power should hardly be possible, even for the son of a corsair. How many years of hard training must have gone into his strength and skill?

With each passing second, the blades cross faster and faster. Wagner overcomes his exhaustion and exceeds his limits. In the meantime, the speed has increased to such an extent that the two fighters have become a blur to the naked eye. Two colors clash, sparks fly and only one can win.

Such speed!

Wagner senses that Nadir is far from having reached his limits.

No, the warlord is smiling the whole time. He seems to be having fun waging a fight to the death and Wagner has to admit that he himself is gripped by exhilaration. At no other moment do you feel so alive as when you are facing death like this. Nadir seems to be experiencing the same thing at this moment. The professor has the feeling of looking a madman in the face; the same is probably true of the warlord.

This fight is literally sucking the strength out of Wagner's body and mind, as one blow follows the next. Incessantly. Every stroke of Nadir's sword is elegant. No movement seems wasted or ineffective. He is truly a master of the blade. A luminary of swordplay. If Wagner wants to win, he must use any means necessary!

"「 AGORAPHOBIA 「! AGORAPHOBIA 」! 「 AGORAPHOBIA 」!!!"

Over and over again, the professor activates his Lacrima as soon as the blades meet. With each touch, more objects that fall from the burning ceiling stick to Nadir's rapier. Each stroke of the sword and each new object makes his weapon heavier, but Nadir twirls his blade as if the increasing weight does not bother him. Still elegant and light as a feather.

"Very nice, Professor! Keep up the good work!“ exclaims Nadir, visibly pleased,

”Because I've discovered Agoraphobia's weakness!"

“-!” Wagner is no longer able to speak; the exchange of blows in combination with his activated Lacrima is sapping too much of his strength.

“I noticed it in the infirmary.” Continues Nadir as he continues to deliver his blows with ease,

“I know you're working properly and that's why you should have sealed all the windows with your Lacrima, but when I went to the school garden, one of the windows opened.”

It's true. Wagner had sealed all the windows in the infirmary with his ability. But why was Cyril still able to open one of them?

Wait, don't tell me that-

"Agoraphobia has a limit. It can only stick a certain number of objects together. If the limit is exceeded, the oldest seal comes off."

Damn, that's why-!

“With every new object that sticks to my sword, another seal in the building is released and opens up a new escape route for the students.”

“Hng!”

Shit! Was that his intention? Forcing me to use Agoraphobia so often to free the doors and windows again?!

Whether by design or accident, Wagner has had enough of this and at least his plan B seems to be working; Nadir may be immune to the lightning from Fulcalibur, but his sword is not. All the while, the lightning gnaws at the blade and the damage slowly adds up.

“Now!!!”

Shing!

Nadir's sword shatters with a loud clang. The fragments of the blade glitter among the debris that surrounded the weapon through Agoraphobia. Nadir is surprised and leaps backwards; after a long exchange of blows, the two have regained their distance. But for the next clash, Nadir lacks a weapon.

“There it was, Mulligan!” Wagner says, confident of victory.

“The lightning and my Lacrima did a number on your sword until it finally shattered.”

Nadir is silent and throws away the hilt of his broken blade.

"That is the difference, my dear student. The difference between Lacrima possessors and the talentless. The difference between jewel and pebble. Without Lacrima, you simply don't stand a chance."

Nadir lets out a loud sigh. Has he finally realized that he has lost?

"Yes, Professor. I'm afraid I have to agree with you..."

Wagner grins maliciously and raises his sword, Fulcalibur.

"Glad you've realized it - Mulligan. Apparently you're not a simpleton after all."

Nadir's face is marked with seriousness.

A spark of fighting spirit still seems to burn within him.

No.

The spark has just ignited into a fire!

“Will Wagner, for plotting against Sirenford and endangering numerous lives, I, Nadir, will cast judgment on you!”

Nadir pounds his fists together and closes his eyes.

Wait, what?! Shit!

Wagner seems to have understood. He races towards the warlord. He's never been this fast before. He has to kill him now or-

“DIE, MULLIGAN!!!”

“Professor, if your heart beats only in unison with rage and greed, I will make it stop.”

Nadir opens his eyes:

"「 THALASSOPHOBIA 」."