Frau, the Cleric, pointed to her opponent.
He seemed to be at a disadvantage, a creepy presence whose next move was unpredictable.
Given his age and experience, it wouldn’t be strange if he had a trump card he hadn’t even shown me.
(Still, why Nastasia…?)
Nastasia, who had been chosen, stood up with a slight swish. She pointed her sword at Frau.
Whoa, she was staring with incredibly cold eyes. Could I even say she was glaring?
“Understood. I shall sever the relationship between you and my Master, Derus-sama.”
Her drawn Princess Sword…
It seemed to gleam with an intense light.
“Fufu, Derus-kun, please wait for me. Frau, Older Sister will pamble you a lot.
You’re such a tsundere Hero Assassin, you won’t be easy to pamper, will you? I’ll give you plenty…”
“Do not speak to my Master with such vulgar words!
Furthermore, I will silence you with my strength!!”
Yes, a sparring match that highlighted the age difference, I suppose.
This is usually the pattern where a veteran calmly deals with an impetuous youngster,
proving that experience trumps all—mere youth and attack power can’t win.
(Conversely, it’s also a valid pattern to crush that arrogance and teach them a bitter lesson.)
In other words, Nastasia will win…
“Now then, both of you, please step down temporarily for some preparations!”
Then, the referee changed slightly.
One of the female assistant referees became the main referee.
The previous main referee and the other female assistant referee left, and the fourth referee became an assistant referee. And then…
(Busty Dealer is HERE!!!)
Along with a man, though not like holding hands or anything!
Nare, whose referee uniform seemed about to burst, took her seat as the fourth referee.
The man with her must be the other assistant referee; it seems he’ll be checking the sword and magic duel under the assumption of a magic battle.
“Allow me to re-state the rules. I am Haitou.
If one party uses magic, it will naturally be treated as a magic battle.
Thus, victory will be determined by either magic or sword, whichever ‘lands a hit’ or ‘achieves the shape of victory’!”
… In an arena, clerics are generally at a disadvantage.
They have almost no attack magic, and their weapons are restricted by their profession.
That’s precisely why there are unpredictable aspects to what they might do. And Frau’s staff…
(A staff of light, capable of casting light magic with decent effects.)
It must have cost quite a bit.
I wonder what she sold to afford it…
Well, it’s none of my business. I should stop speculating.
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Ah, Clarice-san, please do.”
“I’ll be right back.”
And then Nataira returned.
After high-fiving Lyra, she sat down next to me, which was next to Otuha.
“Regarding a rematch, perhaps we should allow some time between matches?”
“Speaking of which, Lyra, even if they agree to a rematch, it’s for their sake too.”
“Our captain, Ric, will have to fight two consecutive matches.” “…Ah.”
Right, after the first four matches, their final fighter is Ric.
Whether she wins or loses, Ric will then have to fight the subsequent loser-slave match consecutively.
It’s a disadvantage for me, as I’ll be fighting first… That’s why, by inserting one match in between, Ric can rest.
(Even with healing magic, having some time to recover is a good thing.)
So that’s why. Nataira is so kind.
Of course, this also means we have some leeway.
Even though it’s a disadvantage for me, I wonder if Nina-san is okay with this…??
“I’ll go confirm something.”
I went around behind and headed for Nina.
“What’s wrong? Did Frau’s earlier provocation make you want to be pampered by me?”
“No, it’s not…” “The word ‘pampered’ is too mild for what I can do to you…” “That’s not it!”
“…It’s about Nataira’s rematch?” “Yes. It’s advantageous for the opponent.” “No, it just removes Ric’s disadvantage. It’s fine.”
That’s her way of thinking.
“Understood. I will prepare myself.”
“By the way, what do you predict for Frau’s next fighting style?”
“…She’s pretty tough. With her recovery power, she can act as a tank. So, I expect her to aim for a defensive counter.”
Yes, as a “defensive cleric,”
she’ll draw in approaching enemies as much as possible,
and strike them with magic just as they’re about to land a hit… That’s likely the answer Frau has arrived at.
(With light magic, at extremely close range, it can be faster than wind magic.)
The reason she chose Nastasia, who specializes in speed,
is likely because she predicted she’d rush straight in.
No matter how incredibly fast she charges in, she can win by activating a counter-magic instantaneously.
(That’s probably what that staff is for.)
I explained this to Nina.
“I see. Clarice is also aware of that, isn’t she?”
“Perhaps she went to advise her on that.”
Sorry if I was wrong.
“If that’s the case, there are several ways to deal with it.”
“Well, Nastasia might be able to hit her before she can even activate that counter.”
“However, what if she activates her light magic the moment the ‘start’ is called?” “Even if the sword hits, it won’t count.” “Well, I suppose so.”
The difficult part here is that
magic wins by ‘landing a hit,’ but
for swords, it’s won by ‘achieving the shape of victory’…
(Depending on the referee’s call, it could come down to who’s faster.)
I want to believe Nastasia can handle this.
So, I returned to my seat. After waiting for a while…!!
“It seems preparations are complete. Third match! First, the ‘Derus Flyers” sub-leader,
Cleric Frau, enters with her ‘Staff of Light’ for this occasion! She will challenge this duel with magical attacks!”
“…If I win here, the final battle will be easier. Come at me! Derus-chan, I’m waiting!”
When she calls me ‘chan,’ it means she’s in the mood to pamper me.
“Her opponent is a Hero Assassin belonging to ‘Nina Starlights,’
Ah, Nastasia-player, she’s already on stage! This is fast, too fast!”
“Referee, do we have to have our weapons out already?” “No, not particularly.”
It seems she doesn’t even need to draw her sword from its scabbard.
Is this some kind of psychological warfare…?
“Now then, the duel begins!!”
When the referee comes to the center,
they bow and distance themselves. Again, it’s the same as before, the edges of the stage.
(Nastasia must be incredibly confident…)
The arena falls silent.
The main referee raises her arm,
and as she brings it down with a whoosh…!!
“Now, begin!!”
Frau holds her staff forward,
completely defensive, waiting for Nastasia to approach.
Meanwhile, Nastasia takes something out of her Item Box!!
(That’s… the Assault Rifle of Light!!)
She sprays it at Frau, but
Frau defends herself by creating a shield of light magic from her staff!
Then Nastasia fires two, three shots in unexpected directions?!
“W-what are you aiming at… Aaah?!”
“Yes, I hit you. Your back and your forehead.”
“That’s enough. The winner… Nastasia!!”
The underground arena erupts in cheers.
What happened was that
the light bullets fired sideways and at the ceiling ricocheted everywhere.
(It became like a pinball, hitting me from behind and from the ceiling!)
Yes, the shield was only on the front.
It seemed she couldn’t defend against attacks from behind or almost directly above.
Frau, with a red forehead, confronts the referee.
“Didn’t one of the magic attacks hit outside the boundaries of the arena?!”
“However, an attack is an attack. What hit was valid.”
“It was outside the arena!!” “Even if it went out, it wasn’t a person.”
Nastasia coldly tells Frau, who is visibly agitated.
“…Disgraceful. I am not so kind as to offer you a rematch.”
And so, the third match also
ended with a grand victory for Nina Starlights.
Still, to counter with a magical weapon instead of a sword…
(Ah well, Frau, Older Sister was dragged off the stage by Nare, our fourth referee.)
And now,
it’s finally time for the main fighter.
Ric, adjusting her glasses, walks onto the stage.
“…It’s finally my turn.”
Now, I wonder who she’ll pick as her opponent…??
(If it’s not Nina then, I’m ready to collapse!!)
