◎ Resurrect City, South Arena
「Damn it.」
Naoki groaned and crumbled in place. Naoki had used up all his power and could no longer swing his sword, and the only thing that showed his intention to continue fighting was that he continued holding on to his sword as he collapsed.
But the outcome was cruel. The referee judged he was unable to continue fighting and declared while raising his hand.
「Winner: Vanil!」
And cheers exploded. They were for the overwhelming power displayed by the man in silver armor Vanil, and for Naoki for continuing to fight until the end.
Then in front of the collapsed Naoki the man with silver armor said「It was quite a match, boy」with a smile and left.
◎ Resurrect City, South Arena, Audience Seating
「So Naoki was completely defeated?」
The brother who said「I can't lose in front of Aneki」to Kazane had collapsed.
「That couldn't be helped.」
Jinrai replied while groaning. It was an old man who was intensely regretting not participating. His eyes widened during the match and he wanted to jump out and fight himself. Well, even without Jinrai it was a good match.
On the second day of the main event Naoki battled against Vanil, the man in silver armor. His strength appeared to be comparable to Jinrai, and the speculation was that Vanil's victory was practically already decided. However, it was a good fight because Naoki also displayed his willpower against that reputation.
For 5 minutes he continually switched out magic swords and attacked through various means, and his final assault was furious enough to match Vanil's sword. The sharpness of his constant slashing silenced the venue, but that was it. Vanil defended against everything and defeated Naoki without receiving even a glancing blow. The difference in power was clear.
And in the end Naoki used up all his strength and collapsed without Vanil needing to give a finishing blow. However, there were no voices mocking Naoki, who squeezed out every last drop of strength. The audience kept applauding for the young warrior who gave everything he had in a short time.
「Yeah. Well, most importantly he's safe.」
Kazane smiled with relief from the bottom of her heart. Naoki would disagree completely, but for Kazane the outcome was secondary. The most important thing was that her family member was safe, so she didn't care very much about him losing.
Jinrai knew that Kazane had paled when she heard that the opponent was the man with silver armor Vanil, and while he understood her relief he warned her「Don't say that to Naoki.」Kazane puffed out her cheeks and said Boo, but Jinrai was talking about a man's pride. Naoki would be hurt if he saw such a reaction from his sister ... Jinrai said to lightly persuade Kazane.
「Well, anyway, I think that Vanil person will remain until the final.」
Kazane reluctantly nodded to Jinrai's words and changed the topic to the man with silver armor.
「It seems that way. His opponent will probably be Yumika, Genzo, or Minaka. Because the tournament started suddenly the gathering seems to be worse than normal.」
Like Jinrai said, more famous veterans generally participated. Some well known powerful people were participating, but Minaka defeated one yesterday, and it seemed that Vanil and Genzo each overwhelmed one this morning. This afternoon Genzo would be fighting against a man well known in the Numa arena as Shinigami Zenger, and in the semifinals tomorrow Vanil would go against a stalwart warrior called Axe Devil Gorgol, but Jinrai said that Genzo and Vanil probably wouldn't lose.
「Accordingly, noteworthy new faces became very important. The excessive uproar about all of you was probably because the management didn't have any showpieces.」
「It's a hard life.」
Kazane wryly smiled.
「There are two big tournaments in this area. The powerful people are probably doing final training for the Grand Tournament that will be held in the Numa Republic in three months. Although they probably started this Grand Tournament so quickly so that they wouldn't be too close together.」
As time passed the Numa Grand Tournament would approach. It seemed that starting the tournament so suddenly was a desperate measure. It was all because of worries about war.
「By the way, Kazane, if I remember correctly, isn't your match soon?」
Jinrai was almost certain that her summoning match was happening this morning.
「It's soon, or perhaps I should say, I'm doing it right now.」
「What?」
As might be expected Jinrai stared in wonder after Kazane's reply.
「I'm doing special training with Information Link. Right now I am connected to Yuuko-nee and going to the venue.」
So saying Kazane connected her line of sight to Yuuko-nee's line of sight, and Jinrai sensed that she was looking somewhere far away.
◎ Resurrect City, Middle Arena
「Nya」
Naturally, a high number of spectators came to see the summoning match that Kazane, the Ogre Killing Princess, would participate in. But Kazane didn't appear; only the creature Yuuko-nee was there. And in the center of the turbulent venue Yuuko-nee was standing on two legs and showing a placard to the referee.
「Umm,『I will leave everything to Yuuko-nee this time because I have to go see my brother's match』?」
The referee read the placard aloud and Yuuko-nee replied「Nyaa.」The voices in the center of the arena were amplified by magic and echoed around the venue as the words were transmitted to the audience.
And Yuuko-nee turned over the next placard.
「『In addition, I will leave Yuuko-nee to fight as is, so be careful』?」
「Nya」
「What does it mean be careful, what is that!」
That was shouted by the opposing summoner. He felt like he was being looked down on. Yuuko-nee saw that and took out another placard.
「Nya, nya」
「Ah, yeah, yeah. I should read this.」
The referee read aloud the placard brought out by Yuuko-nee.
「Umm,『All of you bastards will be massacred』?」
The venue quieted down instantly.
Kazane shouted「Aaaah」at the audience seating in the south arena, and Jinrai, Tiara, and Mefirus nearby jumped.
「Nya, nyanyanya」
Yuuko-nee panicked and took out another placard. Apparently Kazane prepared several different ones so that she could answer according to the dialogue of the other party. But in what situation was she planning to use that placard just now? It was a mystery.
「OK. This one. Yeah, it says『Since I'm leaving it to Yuuko-nee she probably won't hold back, so it's a little dangerous』... Ah, so it's dangerous.」
「Nya」
After referee spoke, Yuuko-nee answered while raising one hand.
「Dangerous, that's right. Well then, is it fine to start?」
「Never mind that, let's start immediately!」
The opponent shouted; in no way was he getting cold feet.
Anyway, this time the opponent Grario was using an ordinary summoned creature, a knight type called Sylph Knight with which he would share his senses. Although Yuuko-nee should have trouble with its higher speed, it seemed he would soon be suffering phantom pain from the sensory sharing based on the mincing and burning from yesterday's battle.
Nonetheless, he was a warrior that came to fight. With a deep breath Grario calmed himself before he summoned his Sylphy Night.
After he saw it the referee raised his hand and shouted「Begin.」
「I'll be going first!」
So saying Grario made the Sylphy Night run. Even though the Sylphy Knight was agile, Grario himself was an ordinary human being, and his reaction speed was that of a normal human being. Dealing with Yuuko-nee's speed in a close quarters fight would be a desperate struggle. So he decided to make the first move and thrust with his rapier.
「Nya!」
Yuuko-nee's eyes narrowed at that speed and she glared at the approaching enemy. However, she didn't move. Yuuko-nee motionlessly watched the Sylphy Knight get closer,
And without change she was pierced.
「I did it!」
It was understandable that Grario shouted that, since it looked like the rapier scored a splendid direct hit on Yuuko-nee .... But the reality was different. The figure of Yuuko-nee that should have been pierced shimmered and immediately disappeared.
「She disappeared?」
Grario shouted. It was a Skill used by fire element monsters called『Mirage』that created a distortion with heat. Yuuko-nee had few opportunities to use it herself, but it was a useful Skill for this situation.
「Well then, where did she ... huh?」
Speaking of the real Yuuko-nee, she was standing beside the Sylphy Knight. She raised her bright red claws,
「Nyanya」
And sliced the Sylphy Knight vertically.
「Guaaaa」
Then Grario groaned because of the painful feedback from the summoned creature and collapsed on the spot.
「Winner: Yuuko-nee ...... No, Kazane!」
At the referee's words Yuuko-nee stood and waved with her forefoot. And she was enveloped by excited cheering from the venue.
◎ Resurrect City, South Arena, Audience Seating
「Fuーーー」
Kazane took a breath and sat down on the spot.
「Are you okay?」
Tiara worriedly asked Kazane, but she only muttered「Um. It seems standing up with two legs is tough.」The bipedal appeal appeared to be unpopular with Yuuko-nee.
「Well, she is a cat, after all.」
Jinrai said. She was a cat. Although she could still stand, Yuuko-nee was big, and it was harder for her to stand up than a normal cat. Besides, Yuuko-nee was a proud warrior cat, and any cuteness appeal was unintentional.
「So you won?」
「Well, yes.」
Kazane answered Jinrai's question with fully satisfied V signs.
「I wanted to see it.」
「There is still a part in the afternoon. There is a match to decide the top 8.」
Jinrai replied to the regretful Tiara. Tiara replied「That's right」and pulled herself together.
「By the way, you said that it was special training with Information Link.」
Jinrai remembered Kazane's words some time ago.
「So it can reach even if you are far away?」
「About halfway across the city is no problem. But since it requires constant concentration, it's tiring to do for a long period of time, so that's tough. Well, as long as I'm only connected to a few others I can endure it.」
Kazane replied to Jinrai's question.
「I see.」
By the way, Kazane was apparently practicing by having the Tatsuyoshi-kun series run laps around the city. Currently she was thinking about making a small Tatsuyoshi-kun for intelligence gathering.
Name: Yuihama Kazane
Occupation: Magic Swordswoman
Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer
Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator
Level : 29
Health: 101
Magic Power: 170+420
Strength: 49+10
Agility: 40+4
Endurance: 29
Wisdom : 55
Dexterity : 33
Spell : 『Fly』 『Torch』 『Fire』 『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』
Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』 『Night Vision』 『Crushing Blow』 『Dog’s Sense of Smell』 『Golem Maker: Lv2』 『Rush』 『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』 『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』 『Air Jump: Lv2』 『Killing Leg: Lv2』 『Fear Voice』 『Invisible』 『Tiger Eye』 『Wall Walking』 『Intuition』 『Cheat Death』 『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization』『Regenerate』『Rear Presence』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』
Kazane:「Remote controlling is a major feature of ordinary summoned creatures, so Childstone summoned beings comparatively lack a bit of flexibility.」
Yumika:「More important than that, I wanted to see it! I wanted to watch Yuuko-nee!」
Kazane:「But Yumika, you have your own matches.」