Master of Spells

After finishing most of her training with that mysterious enigma known as the White Wizard, Vittoria decided to set out and track down the Akutenbake which attacked her in the first place. The reason was simple: not because it bested her, surprisingly, but because it could harm innocents. Vittoria's blood boiled at the mere mention of innocent people being harmed.

Sprinting across the streets of Naples...there, she witnessed it. He was a handsome man, with quirky long hair combed roughly backward. He charmed the eyes pretty well on the first glance. His main pole, over two meters and taller than himself, is obviously his weapon. The strange thing was that he did not have just that one long spear. Along with the spear the guy was holding loose in his right hand, the head resting on his shoulder, he was also carrying in his left hand a shorter spear that was one third the length of the right one.

To handle a spear with ease, the obvious stance is of course to hold one with both hands. Whatever you can do with swords, one can't imagine that holding two spears is common.

The two spears are tightly wrapped from the handle to the tip with a cloth that looks like an amulet, hiding the shaft. "How nice of you to come. All of those who were parading around today in the town have only cowered away. ... You are the only one of valor who answered my invitation." With a humble, cheerful praising voice, the man― asked Vittoria carelessly, without standing on guard.

Vittoria's eyes began to quiver as she noticed the man's true form; that of a demonic creature. This was the Beelzebub Akutenbake, most definitely. "Tell me, what the hell were you doing last week!? Just, killing innocents like that—"

The Beelzebub answered in a cool, bitter tone, not reminding of someone who wished a deadly exchange. Looking more closely, he is a remarkably handsome and beautiful man. "Sorry, missy. It's just part of what I do. Devouring souls is what I do. Preying on darkness—"

Vittoria responded angrily, "Bastard...How many lives have you devoured to sustain yourself?"

The Beelzebub sneered, "Do you remember every piece of bread you've ever eaten?" His intrepid features were a high bridge of the nose and a valiant eyebrow. Despite his hard cut mouth denoting a stoic air, his eyes seemed to hide a quiet grief, yet a strong, manly scent rises from him. Below his left eye, he has a beauty spot like a grain of tear. That gives his gaze an even more impressive brilliance. Truly, his features were those that could sweep a woman's heart at a glance. ―No, actually, does his elegant air of beauty only come from his features?

"Ha! You're thinking that I'll fall to your charms, pretty-boy?" Vittoria snapped.

"That would be such a kill-joy, but indeed, the anti-magic ability of the Unlosing Rising Phoenix is not vain. ... Excellent. It wouldn't suit my reputation to murder a woman weakened by my only face. I am glad my first real opponent has such backbone." Beelzebub smirked.

"Haa, you were wishing for a fair fight. It is my honour to face such a proud...demon." Exaggerating, Vittoria replied with a quiet smile. It was a smile that is only for those who wish for a perfectly straightforward life-and-death exchange.

"Then― Anytime." Picking up the long spear on his right shoulder by spinning it once, Beelzebub raised the tip of the short spear in his left hand. His stance, spreading both spears like wings, really was an unreadable style.

Vittoria's fighting spirit boiled as well, and exploded. The spiritual energy surge enveloped the girl's slender white outfit in a swirl like a tornado. Nodding resolutely, Vittoria a step forward. Toward the space of the long spear, where Beelzebub was standing on guard...

The wind that followed the swinging of weapons crudely severed the lamp post in half. Nobody could no longer see the movements carried out at such high speeds. They were only feeling the after-shock of the conflict between the two. The peeling sheet iron on the outer walls of the warehouses was ripped away by the wind from a small girl's side as if it was a piece of coiled tin foil. She could not comprehend how the iron can be torn away. Perhaps it was Vittoria's sword or Beelzebub's spear that brushed against its adjacent hollow space. Apart from that, she could not come up with any other explanation.

The wind was moaning. Faced with a dimension that was completely at odds with the physical laws of this world, the air emitted paranoid wails. A chaotic storm raged on the empty shopping street, destroying, trampling all things within. Just hand-to-hand combat between the two would be enough to ruin an entire street. Shafts of thunder tore the sky apart, knolls of roaring waves shattered the earth. The imaginary realm was miraculously materialized with astonishing clarity.

In Vittoria's comprehension a 'spear' should be a weapon that is wielded with both hands. It is common knowledge. So she thought that for Beelzebub, using two spears is just a means to confuse the enemy. The long spear on the right, the short spear on the left — one of them must be Beelzebub's 'true weapon.' Between one's habitual weapon and the weapon used to dazzle the enemy, 'feint' and 'solid' moves can be distinguished. So Vittoria paid close attention to each of his attacks. She believed that if she can recognize the true lance, her chances of winning would be improved immensely.

Yet—

Her own attack was deflected for the third time. Vittoria had to step back to wait for a better opportunity.

"What's wrong, missy? Your attacks are not really working."

"Oh, shush you!" She could not argue back to Beelzebub's taunts. After about thirty exchanges, she still had not managed to hit her opponent even once. Beelzebub swung the lance in his right hand and approached her in a straight run. The swinging shaft covered a wide area, its strength and speed equal to what would be achieved with both hands. No, precisely because it was used with one hand, there were many moves not capable when a spear is used conventionally with two hands. The lance was thrust towards Vittoria from an unexpected angle.

Nevertheless a lance had its own limitations. Because of its extended length, a gap would inevitably show up between two attacks. During that time, the shorter spear from the left can follow in and continue to hassle Vittoria. Vittoria's attack just then was broken by the short spear's immaculate defense. Simultaneously using two lances, yet making no feint moves. Beelzebub merged the lances in his left and right hands in a seamless choreography. Just what kind of devotion and practice was needed to obtain such a strong fighting style?

"…This man is good!" Vittoria was still quivering with having a strong opponent in her first battle with Sendō. But now Vittoria had suddenly escaped from that shadow of fear. Despite that, according to observers, Beelzebub would appear to have an advantage with his incessant attacks, the truth was not so.

Beelzebub was as good as exhausted from fending off Vittoria's attacks since they first engaged. Despite his taunts he was also powerless to change the situation. For Beelzebub, who was capable of using his lance with just one hand, dual-wielding two spears, long and short, at the same time would enable him to attack both long-range and close-range. Taking account of the supremacy in weaponry, he should not have been forced into his current predicament by Vittoria and her single sword.

Also, only then could his magnificent continuous attacks be used to their full extent. Despite him being able to block all of Vittoria's attacks, he had yet to find an opportunity to deal her a lethal blow. "This woman, is quite good…!" Facing the enemy that he had just met, knowing the time had come for him fight with his life, a sad smile emerged on Beelzebub's face.