The Broken System Chose the Antagonist
Chapter 15: Resolute Attack

Chapter 15: Resolute Attack

Before Nadia could give a reply, Hilda had already moved from her position, quickly crossing the distance between them at a speed much faster than Nadia had anticipated!

Barely being able to react in time, Nadia raised her sword in defence.

CLANG!

Nadia’s expression contorted when the rod made contact with her weapon, the force of the blow being more than she had expected!

’Heavy!’

She was sent skidding back, stumbling. The vibrations that travelled from her sword into her arms caused her muscles to become briefly numb.

The blow was unlike anything she had ever felt before!

Raising her head, she stared in the direction Hilda was. And when she did, she found the German woman making a taunting gesture towards her.

"Come on, where’s all your bravado?" Hilda spat, her gaze colder than before, "Now that I’m fighting back, you’re chickening out? If you’re saying we could’ve saved Mr Affleck, even in the critical condition he was in, then prove it to me."

She then gestured at where she stood.

"For three whole minutes, I will only block your attacks. As long as you can make me move, I’ll gladly admit I’m wrong and hand you my severed head on a silver platter."

Having not expected such a bet, Nadia was naturally surprised, but even more determined to win. Since the only thought on her mind was avenging Ben, Nadia agreed.

"I’ll hold you to that."

She dashed forward and quickly closed the gap between her and Hilda. Afterwards, she made a diagonal downward swing with all her might.

CLANG!

But that attack was then countered with an upward swing from Hilda.

Nadia gritted her teeth as her arms flew over her head.

She then strengthened her abdominal muscles and spun around, making use of the momentum from her failed attack to—

SWISH!

—Initiate a horizontal slash!

Hilda raised the clock hand again.

CLANG!

This loop of attack and parrying continued for the next two minutes. And during those minutes, Nadia grew more desperate in her attacks, while Hilda grew more unimpressed as time went on.

Although there was something that intrigued Hilda.

"Assuming you never fought a Predicament before today, you swing your sword rather well." Hilda smirked, "I’d even say the way you fight is more like it was designed to be against other people, rather than Predicaments, which it should be."

She then narrowed her eyes dangerously.

"Now, who trained you? And who supplied you with that Relic?"

SWISH!

CLANG!

Clashing her sword against the black clock hand, Nadia clicked her tongue.

"Trained? I just grew up in a bad part of a neighbourhood... as for where I got my sword..." Nadia became silent for a split second before hissing, "My dead father. That’s who I got my sword from."

Hilda’s face immediately turned stale and blank; her lips stretched into a thin line.

Blink. Blink.

Hilda blinked repeatedly before turning her face away.

Then, in an awkward and apologetic tone, "Ehm... I’m sorry for your loss... you, uh, cough, have one minute left by the way, cough."

She coughed, trying to change the subject.

Seeing how truthfully apologetic Hilda was, Nadia’s gaze softened a little bit. But then quickly reverted back a second later to how they were before.

"Yeah, thanks... and I’m already aware I have one minute left."

Nadia stepped back several metres before raising her weapon above her head. The silver blade of her longsword then began to rapidly absorb the Vitality she imbued it with.

"Seeing as I can’t take you on the conventional way, I’ll bet it on this one single attack."

Hilda stared at this scene with a serene gaze. She then felt a wisp of wind brush against her skin, fluttering locks of her brown hair as the sword in Nadia’s hands glowed intensely bright—radiating some kind of light blue energy.

After half a minute had passed, the sword even appeared to have grown an extra metre in length. And even deadlier compared to before.

Nadia’s golden blonde hair flapped in the turbulent wind generated by her sword’s energy, her eyes appearing more determined and resolute—she was confident in this attack.

Then, after a minute had passed, Nadia swung down her sword.

SWISH!

And the moment the tip of her sword struck the ground...

An energy wave erupted outward, travelling in a straight line with immense speed as it rose to a peak height of three metres. It came at Hilda like a tall sea wave rolling over each other, threatening to swallow her whole.

This attack was called:

"{RESOLUTION}!"

Hilda cracked a smirk as the attack flooded towards her direction. And at that moment, she began to radiate a thin reddish-black aura over her entire body—causing her to give off a devilish appearance.

Her fingers grew restless.

Crush...!

After stabbing the clock hand into the ground, Hilda aimed her hands towards the attack, with full intentions of taking it head-on.

FWOOSH...!

Nadia’s Resolution closed in on Hilda, kicking up a large amount of dust and wind as it ripped through the ground.

When it eventually reached Hilda, it swallowed her whole instantly.