Bab 71: Defeat
The atmosphere at the edge of the sparring area was heating up. The regular members of the Loki Familia watching the fight between Charlie and Aiz were completely stunned.
They were used to seeing Aiz dominate every sparring session, but this time, even though Charlie was only a Level 2 adventurer, he was able to match Aiz's attacks.
The silence that initially felt amidst the spectacle turned into surprised cheers that spread among them.
Raul Nord, known as one of the shy and timid members of the Loki Familia, couldn't hide his shock. His eyes widened as he saw Charlie deflect Aiz's slash with perfect precision. Even he, at Level 4, wasn't sure he could withstand Aiz's attack.
"What the heck? He can actually hold back Aiz-san?! Is he really Level 2?! I believe it if Charlie claims he's Level 4 just like me!" He exclaimed in disbelief.
Raul felt pressured, he couldn't process what he was seeing.
Next to him, Line Arshe, a Healer and Supporter, looked equally surprised. She covered her mouth with her hand, as if she couldn't believe what she was seeing.
"I can't believe... Charlie Avalon can actually match Aiz-san..." She said softly, her eyes fixed on the two fighters, unable to look away.
Alicia Forestlight, who was usually calmer, now also felt the same tension and admiration.
"This isn't a dream, is it? I've never seen a Level 2 adventurer who could last this long against Aiz. His swordsmanship has evolved over time."
Although trying to be rational, her voice sounded shaky, reflecting the sense of awe that the other members also experienced.
Near them, Lefiya heard all this conversation with a face that grew darker. Her anxiety grew every time she heard other members praise Charlie. Jealousy and frustration within her grew stronger.
"How is that possible? Aiz-san should be able to finish a fight like this in seconds, but that hooligan... He can even counter-attack! Is this really a fight between Level 2 and Level 5?"
Her eyes didn't blink, locked on Charlie's movements as he continued to deflect Aiz's attacks.
Lefiya bit her lip harder, her voice sounded soft but full of annoyance.
"I don't understand... How can he be that good? He's only Level 2! How can he fight Aiz-san like that?"
Tiona, unaware of Lefiya's anxiety, just chuckled.
"Maybe Charlie is just talented. The man Aiz likes isn't an ordinary person."
Knowing that Charlie was likely a hero in this era even though he denied it, Tiona considered the scene in front of her normal. After all, in the Hero Era before the gods descended to the lower world, heroes could defeat monsters that emerged from within the Dungeon.
Even without the blessing of Falna from the gods, heroes still fought countless monsters. This is proof that the potential and talent of heroes far surpasses ordinary people.
As a fan of hero stories like most people, Tiona wondered what would happen if heroes received Falna, how strong would they be?
Now this question has been answered before her eyes.
On the other hand, Riveria and Finn were still observing closely, but now they started talking softly between them.
"What do you think, Finn?" Riveria asked calmly.
Finn was wise in every observation, nodding with slight admiration.
"As we already know, the Hera Familia only accepts female members. That's why I don't understand why Hera-sama accepted Charlie Avalon into her Familia. After seeing this, I have to admit that Hera-sama is good at choosing talent, not at all inferior to Freya-sama."
"Considering he dared to go on an expedition to the Dungeon alone, I'm sure it won't be long before he levels up to Level 3 because the Excelia he collected on the Middle Floor is abundant. Worthy of the man Aiz likes." Riveria nodded in agreement.
Back to the fighting ground.
*CLANK*
The vibration from the impact was felt down to Charlie's bones. Aiz's power at Level 5 was like a storm ready to crush anything in front of her. However, Charlie withstood that slash, even though his body was pushed slightly backward.
*SWOOSH*
Aiz didn't stop. She moved to the side with incredible speed, swinging her sword again towards her opponent's left side.
Charlie's instincts worked quickly, he turned with a horizontal slash to block, but Aiz's attack had already arrived there first. The impact forced him to step back, but once again he managed to hold on.
'There's no chance of winning. The gap in basic abilities between Level 2 and Level 5 is quite large even though I'm an anomaly among other Level 2s. Even so, this is a good experience.' Charlie thought calmly despite being constantly pressured.
*SWOOSH*
Aiz further accelerated her attack, disappearing from Charlie's view again, this time moving in a zig-zag pattern at a speed that was even difficult to follow with the naked eye.
Charlie heard the roar of Aiz's fast steps approaching from behind. He spun quickly, swinging his sword with full force. But Aiz was already above him. The sound of air slashing could be heard around him as Aiz attacked from above, the slash aimed directly at his head.
*CLANK*
Charlie managed to raise his sword in time, deflecting the powerful vertical attack.
The impact was so loud that the ground around them trembled, and the adventurers watching could only gape. Their eyes widened as they saw the Level 2 adventurer withstand so much against the famous Sword Princess, recognized as the best female swordsman.
'Maybe my bones are slightly cracked.'
However, Charlie felt his arm start to go numb. The vibration from Aiz's attack was so strong that he felt a piercing pain in his muscles. But this wasn't the time to think about pain. With a quick step, he jumped to the side, avoiding Aiz's follow-up attack that came like a storm.
*WHOOSH*
Charlie darted forward, taking advantage of the small pause between Aiz's attacks, swinging his sword directly at her stomach.
*SWOOSH*
However, Aiz calmly jumped back, avoiding the slash with a light movement. She turned quickly, counterattacking with even crazier speed. Charlie barely had time to react.
*CLANK* *CLANK* *CLANK*
The attack didn't hit his body, but his sword held back the attack again. However, this time, the impact was too great. Charlie was pushed far back, his feet dragging on the ground leaving a trail of dust.
But before he could fully stabilize, Aiz was already in front of him again, a fast slash hitting relentlessly. Charlie tried to block every attack, but he could feel his physical strength starting to drain. His arms trembled violently every time their swords collided. Time seemed to slow down, and Charlie realized he was at his limit.
*CLANK* *CLANK* *CLANK*
Aiz didn't give him any space. She moved quickly, slash after slash raining down on Charlie from various angles. Her sword danced in the air, creating shadow trails that were difficult to follow. Charlie started to lose his rhythm, and at one moment, a hard attack from Aiz hit his sword at a perfect angle.
*CLANK*
The Damocles sword flew from Charlie's hand, flying far and falling to the ground with a resounding thud. He staggered, both his hands numb. His eyes remained calm as he saw Aiz dart forward, ready to end the fight.
In the last few seconds, Charlie tried to step back, but Aiz was already in front of him. With a fast slash that was almost invisible, Desperate aimed for Charlie's neck. However, Aiz stopped the slash just before her sword touched his skin.
Everything stopped.
Charlie gasped, realizing that he had lost. Aiz stood before him, her breath calm even though her body was still in an attacking position.
"I lost." He raised both his hands and admitted defeat.
"You fought incredibly, Charlie. You've grown in the fight." Aiz envied the adaptive abilities of heroes who would become stronger in battle.
"Use this."
Aishia came to hand Charlie a towel and a drink.
"Wow, so beautiful..."
Because of the intense atmosphere of the previous sparring, Raul and the other men from the Loki Familia didn't notice Aishia's presence. Only now did they realize her existence, and they were mesmerized by her beauty.
Seeing the behavior of their male colleagues, the women gave disgusted looks as if they were looking at cockroaches. At the same time, they wondered if Aishia was the Goddess of Beauty, who could charm others with her appearance alone.
However, that idea was immediately vetoed. After all, there is a rule that Gods and Goddesses are not allowed to enter the Dungeon. So it's impossible for Aishia to be the Goddess of Beauty. Even so, her beauty is indeed not something that mortal women can possess.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
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