Who Needs Magic in a Fantasy World Anyway?

Chapter 72: A Changed Person

"The same rules apply here as with Richard's previous match." Conner instructed from the gathering of students as Koko and Richard faced each other. "Don't destroy the academy!"

"Koko, I want to make a bet with you!" Richard yelled across the distance between them.

"A bet? What do you want?" Koko asked loudly enough so that Richard could hear her.

"If I win, then I want an honest answer to the last question that I asked during our previous conversation!" Richard demanded.

"Are you seriously still worried about that?" Koko asked in disbelief. "Aren't there more important things you should be worrying about?"

"This is important to me!" Richard replied. "So what do you want if I win?"

"Fine, then if that's the way that you want to play it..." Koko slowly started smiling as she knew exactly what she wanted. "For the rest of the year, you will forfeit any sweet bowls that the cafeteria provides you to me!"

"Would you two shut up and spar already?! There are other people waiting!" Austin snapped at them, and the two nodded to each other as their agreement was silently confirmed. And seeing as their match had apparently already begun, Koko wasted no time in closing the distance between them before she suddenly had to duck as a bolt of lightning flashed over her head. Though as she stopped to think about what had happened, Koko didn't know if it was more surprising that Richard had actually attempted to hit her with such an attack or the fact that she'd actually been able to dodge it.

"Did you just shoot lightning at me?!" Koko asked, completely baffled as she spotted the smoking arena wall behind her where the attack had landed.

"The priests will be able to heal it afterwards anyway." Richard yelled in his defense. "Not to mention that one punch from you will be like getting run over by a truck, so I'm not taking any chances!"

"If that's how it is, then I'm not holding back!" Koko casted him an evil smile as her body started glowing yellow. And with focus flowing through her, she increased her running speed and was able to dodge two more fireballs that Richard had launched at her. Though when Koko dodged them and finally swung a punch at her opponent, Richard suddenly disappeared, leaving Koko to stumble slightly as she passed through the illusion before she her instincts told her to lean forward. And thankfully she listened to them in time as a wooden practice blade flew in an arc over her head, though Koko wasn't finished with her movement as she placed both of her hands on the ground and kicked out with her feet, instantly meeting resistance as she struck a barrier that Richard had created. Though unlike when Christina had hit his barriers, Richard let out a small shout of surprise as they apparently didn't stop momentum and he soon found himself flying backwards before he landed on skidding feet.

Holding his arm as if the blow had somehow hurt him, Richard looked up in surprise as Koko was already next to him again, this time aiming a punch at his stomach before the swordmage disappeared again. Though instead of an illusion, this time he'd teleported somewhere, which left Koko quickly looking around the arena to see where he'd gone. And after seeing the immediate area begin to flicker with a light-blue light, Koko looked above her to see that a flying Richard was already casting another spell before a bolt of lightning shot towards her. Though seeing as she'd seen it coming, Koko manage to use Skill Cancel against it, dispersing the bolt of electricity instantly before she jumped up and struck Richard's barrier again. Though this time she'd done so with a Serpent's Strike and most of the blow traveled through his defenses.

Letting out a small cry of pain, Richard flew through the air again, though this time he didn't land on his feet as the rolled across the dirt of the arena before eventually landing on his back. And while Koko was already sprinting towards him in order to continue her attack, she immediately slowed down as Richard slowly sat up and she saw a small amount of blood coming from his mouth.