The competition site is at the foot of the western wall of the town.
The spectators included Roland, Iron Axe, Tigu, Brian, and all members of the Witch Alliance.
Add a fat pigeon crouching on the watchtower.
To prevent accidental bullet injuries, all spectators must stand on the city walls. The two competitors—Chief Knight Carter Lannis and the Extraordinary Witch Ashes—will engage in a one-on-one duel within a close range of the walls.
Carter's outfit was no longer the Knight armor of old, but a sleek leather bodysuit designed for mobility. A custom-made holster belt cinched around his waist, with a revolver tucked into each side pocket. A short knife hung horizontally at the lower back, ready for emergencies. But Roland knew: if he ever had to fight the Extraordinary with that knife, surrendering would be far better than fighting.
Ash remained in her usual attire, a black robe covering her body. Her long black hair was tied into a ponytail, cascading naturally behind her, seemingly unconcerned about the added vulnerability it might create. The only difference was the large sword—its cloth-wrapped sheath now removed, the dark brown blade gleaming faintly. As Roland had anticipated, the sword's surface was uneven, showing no signs of refinement. The lack of maintenance had left rust marks on the cut edges.
The two entered the shooting range. Carter kept adjusting his position until he was at least fifteen meters away from the target. With over 80% accuracy at this distance, he retrieved two pistols and conducted a final check of the ammunition and firing ports.
Roland commanded the echo to mimic and amplify his voice. "The rules are simple: touch the target, no head strikes, and you may concede! As long as you don't die instantly, Nana Wa's healing abilities will restore you to your original form. Any questions?" After a brief pause, he continued when both agreed, "The contest begins at the sound of the bell!" Ash observed her opponent silently. As a Superhuman, she usually fought instinctively, having learned combat techniques from the court's swordsmen after following Tilly. Yet she found these skills of little use. Her opponent was the Chief Knight beside Prince, carrying neither the usual sword shield nor spear, and even without armor. The weapon in his hand was bizarre in design—clearly not a dagger or other close-combat weapon. The only plausible explanation was that it resembled a crossbow, a long-range strike weapon.
Bows and crossbows pose no threat to the extraordinary, a lesson Ash learned through countless battles. With a light crossbow, she could even catch flying arrows mid-air. Yet Prince's determined expression suggested his weapon was far more formidable than a mere bow.
Her instinct told her to get close to Knight immediately, rather than waiting on the sidelines for him to strike first. Before the duel began, Ash planted the front of her sword into the ground—a pose that appeared harmless but was the most effective way to counter a crossbowman.
Just then, a clear bell rang from the city wall.
Ashes reacted almost simultaneously. She gripped the sword hilt with both hands and thrust it forward with force. The broad blade sent dirt, grass roots, and gravel flying into the air, scattering toward Knight and forming a thick haze of sand and mud.
Chief Knight reacted with lightning speed. His weapon erupted in flames and thundered with a deafening roar, yet he saw no trace of ash—either the enemy had failed to load the arrows, or the arrows had already passed undetected. She favored the latter explanation over the first, nearly foolish mistake.
Under the cover of the mud-sand smoke screen, the ash launched a sideways charge, reducing the distance between them to half in the blink of an eye, while the smoke screen still hadn't fully settled. Most people would instinctively dodge the overwhelming mud and debris, and as long as she could interrupt the enemy's continued firing, she would have already secured a significant advantage.
Yet Carter remained rooted to the spot, his eyes squinting as he aimed the weapon at the approaching Extraordinary One. The sand splattered across his face, but he didn't flinch. With a thunderous roar and a flash of fire, he pulled the trigger again. Ashes shot out in a reflexive leap, but the arrow never left his grip. Meanwhile, Knight had no intention of drawing the bowstring or preparing to shoot.
This new weapon can probably fire in rapid succession, but if two consecutive shots miss, the outcome is already decided!
The final ten steps were a blink of an eye. She raised her longsword to block the path, stomped her feet, and charged at Knight like a bull—no instant death, but enough to knock him unconscious. Even if he clung to life with sheer willpower, the shattered bones in his chest would cripple him forever. In that last breath, the third strike exploded before Ash's eyes. Her sword jolted violently, humming with a sharp sound, then her right side went numb as if gripped by a claw.
Almost simultaneously, she slammed into Carter's chest, sending him flying in a arc before he rolled to the ground.
Only then did she have time to examine the wound on her waist. But the moment she lowered her head, a wave of intense dizziness surged through her mind. She stumbled twice, nearly falling—her extraordinary Magic Power had vanished like water, leaving her limbs unbearably heavy.
Ash clutched her body with a longsword, the numbness of the wound now turning into a searing pain. Her waist felt as if a part of it had been severed, and she could even see her own crimson viscera. Only by gritting her teeth could she avoid collapsing.
...
Roland saw the entire duel last just four or five seconds. He witnessed the extraordinary Witch hurling dirt fragments at Carter while launching a counterattack from the opposite side, swerving mid-fight before slamming into Knight. What caught Roland off guard was Carter's three shots fired before being sent flying.
Facing Ash's lightning-fast movements, Carter struggled to even track his opponent's silhouette. Yet Ash's ability to aim and fire with precision proved the Chief Knight's reputation was well-deserved. The first two misses were expected—indeed, if Ash had continued changing direction at this speed, Carter might have missed even one shot. The decisive moment came with the third strike: in the final five to six meters, Ash delivered a straight-line impact to Carter's chest with his massive sword.
Even a heavy crossbow could only pierce a longsword at this distance, offering no threat to the Extraordinary. Yet the 12mm bullet, armed with a steel warhead, unleashed devastating force within reach. Roland saw only black debris flying and a cloud of blood rising from Ash's side. When she steadied herself, Prince noticed the other's waist was half ripped open—like a beast's bite—his intestines dangling from his side. The lower half of the sword bore a bowl-shaped notch, likely pierced by the bullet. The dislodged warhead and flying metal fragments spun into her flank, creating a gaping wound.
Despite being severely wounded, she didn't faint but remained standing on the battlefield. The Witch's physical prowess was truly terrifyingly high—had it been a lead bullet or a small-caliber warhead earlier, she might have survived by sheer strength. Maxi rushed to Ash's side immediately, trying to support her, but her petite stature left her only able to grasp Ash's legs, her face etched with anxiety.
Nanava had already rushed to Carter's treatment, while Roland hurried over to the exhausted Ash.
She seems to be waiting for this moment.
"I won..." Before Roland could react, the ashes had already fallen straight onto his shoulder.