Kelvin’s Residence – Underground Training Hall
Nana flew towards us like a fastball. If I or Touya took her head-on, we wouldn’t escape serious injury. So, dodge? It was certainly possible to evade. However, if we chose that option, Nana would collide with the ground at that momentum. With Colette’s secret art applied to Nana, she might be retired from the match, but she wouldn’t die. She’s unconscious, so I don’t think she’ll feel any pain. …But even if that were the case, I didn’t want to make that choice.
“Touya, go ahead and bypass Nana!”
“Hey, you can’t do that—”
“I’ll handle Nana somehow!”
“…!” Understood!”
Perhaps trusting me, Touya deviated from the area where Nana was expected to fly. As soon as Miyabi confirmed Rion-chan had thrown Nana, she seemed to have attacked with her Oni. The clang of swords meeting the Oni’s fist could be heard.
“Miyabi! Create a familiar to catch Nana!”
“I’m fighting right now. You’re a demanding person.”
She seemed to be complaining, but Miyabi would do it if I asked. In fact—
“Skeleton Brigade.”
Even while fighting, she cast a spell. After Miyabi’s incantation, a large army of weaponless skeletons appeared. Apparently, this spell generates skeleton soldiers without needing a medium. There were many, but their quality was poor. Let’s look at it another way: quantity over quality. However, with this, I couldn’t catch Nana.
“Gumi Change.”
Next, Miyabi transformed a large group of the many skeletons into slimes. A mass of springy, elastic slimes gathered. I thought it was a niche spell that could only be used on allies, but now the cushion to catch her was ready. All that’s left is for me to—
“—I will have you release Nana!”
Just before colliding with Nana, I dodged with a hair’s breadth to spare and focused on the lightning cord. If I could finish it in an instant, before the electricity transferred to my sword, perhaps.
—*Clang.*
The sword in its sheath played a satisfying note. Drawing the sword, finished. It was an iai from an unstable posture, but it went as I envisioned. I completely severed the lightning from Nana with『Iron Cutting Fist』, and the slimes absorbed the impact Nana received. Though still unconscious, I succeeded in saving Nana.
“Miyabi, sorry for the wait!”
“Late.”
Touya, who had returned to the fray, was complaining to Miyabi, but that expression was one of inner happiness, wasn’t it? I’ve been with her for so long, I can sort of tell.
Touya immediately joined the close-quarters combat with Rion-chan. With the coordination of Miyabi’s Oni, they launched a fierce assault, pushing and pushing and pushing with all their might. But, frighteningly, Rion-chan handled Touya’s two Sacred Swords, the Oni’s vicious fists, and Miyabi’s Black Magic unleashed at opportune moments. She didn’t even break her smile. The Black Sword’s strength was also extraordinary, not even flinching when it received the Oni’s fist head-on. Uh, we were supposed to be the attackers…
“Nana is safe! I’m going now too!”
“Ooh!”
Touya never looked back once after that. I had to at least put his mind at ease. While they might be a bit weak militarily, I have a large number of skeleton familiars. They’ll arrive at the front lines later than me, but since war is about numbers, they’ll be very helpful.
“I’m sorry. We’ve already set those up.”
“Set up what!?”
“Traps.”
—*Gagagagagaga!*
Immediately after, a tremendous metallic sound came from behind me. With a bad feeling, I used『Heavenly Walk』to change direction and looked behind me.
“…No way.”
To put it simply, everything was shattered. The group of skeletons summoned by the Skeleton Brigade, and the slimes transformed by Gumi Change. And that pool of blood—
“It’s her serious『Slashing Prison』. I didn’t know if she’d use it, but I’m glad I set it up.”
A trap… That place where Nana landed was where Rion-chan was initially positioned, wasn’t it? Meaning, she had already set something that would unleash an attack? In that short amount of time? What kind of ability is that?
Nana was retired and blown outside the barrier. Nana, who arrived as if seated in the spectator seats, blinked her eyes, looking bewildered about what had happened. That was a relief.
“That Oni also seems to be reaching its limit soon, right? It’s clashed with me so many times…”
“Unnecessary worry. My Great, Undead Revenge Oni is invincible.”
“Gr-Gredely…?”
“No. Great, Undead Revenge Oni.”
“…Oni-san, over here!”
“Don’t try to distract me—!”
“Oi, you!”
Miyabi, annoyed that he wasn’t called by her favorite full name, unleashed a lightning-fast backward step and pursued Rion-chan, chasing too deeply. Touya also rushed to follow but was a step behind. Again, I had a bad feeling. It might just be my imagination, but the Oni’s movements also seemed to be sluggish… Even though it shouldn’t know fatigue.
“Miyabi, don’t chase too deep!”
“I know. I’m maintaining an appropriate distance.”
Surprisingly, Miyabi’s voice was calm. She wasn’t as hot-headed as she looked and was chasing Rion-chan while keeping a certain distance. This way, she could respond if Rion-chan tried to do something. Then, what about this feeling?
“If you’re going to run, I’ll weigh down your movements with the sinner’s burden—”
It happened the moment Miyabi tried to chant a spell. Both arms of Miyabi’s Oni, the Great, Undead Revenge Oni, fell off. As if cut by a blade, they fell cleanly.
“Wh-!?”
Even though Miyabi was surprised, the Oni couldn’t cope with this sudden turn of events. The Oni, having suddenly lost both arms, lost its balance and fell.
“Miyabi!”
“Don’t get careless! Something’s coming!”
I forcibly stopped Touya from rushing to Miyabi’s side. That’s it. The source of the bad feeling I’d been having. Two lines, like sword trails, remained in the air. My Detection Skill materialized dangerous areas and made them visible. So dangerous that it materialized and showed them like that.
“Fly, Sky Jaw.”
“…!” Fully jump to the side!”
What had stopped began to move. As if splitting into two directions towards my flanks, Touya and I leaped. The flying slash, which boasted incredible power, was unleashed, deeply gouging the ground. If we had been even a little slower to evade… I didn’t want to think about it.
Meanwhile, Rion-chan was approaching Miyabi. Miyabi, who had landed, seemed to have sent the Oni to intercept, but its torso had already been split in two. Instead, the Oni’s corpse was overflowing with magic power.
“Oni-san, maybe we weren’t a good match. You got weaker each time we sparred.”
“Endless Torture of Suffering!”
Miyabi’s A-Rank Black Magic erupted, and a torrent of black energy spread across the area. It was an explosion of the residual magic power in the Oni’s corpse, a self-destructing technique, so to speak. As an Undead, it could be revived given enough time, but for an Oni like that, a very long time would be required. Even more so if it was used as a catalyst for this magic, which erased all traces. But Miyabi did not hesitate. I think she thought she couldn’t win otherwise.
“Did it work!?”
“Touya, on purpose!?”
I couldn’t help but retort to Touya, who was setting up such an obvious flag. That was my mistake. I let my gaze slip for just a few seconds.
“Unfortunately, I would have evaded it even without the flag. If it weren’t for the overly obvious magical movements before activation, I might have gotten grazed.”
“…Untouched, huh.”
Miyabi seems to have retired. The moment I shifted my gaze back and the timing of Miyabi being blown outside the barrier were simultaneous. Moreover, Rion-chan’s black clothing had not a single trace of damage. In this situation, there was no room for argument. On top of that, around Rion-chan, the previously stopped slashes—one, two, three… I should stop counting, there are more than ten…
“Touya, I’ll clear a path, so follow me.”
“I know telling you not to overdo it is useless. Understood, I’ll do my best.”
With the assistance of the wind fairy, my speed received a slight boost. It was only a little better, but it was still a great comfort to me. *Haa*, my job is to create a path for Touya. With『Iron Cutting Fist』, I can handle those slashes too. I can do it. What else can I do!
“Roaring Thunder Sword.”
Rion-chan’s Black Sword began to roar. What should I do…
