Now it was time for the general division quarterfinals.
The final of the summoning match was already decided to be a showdown of Kazane against Karti.
Kazane's steady advance this time was attributable to the fact that even fewer famous opponents gathered for the summoning division than for the general division, but Kazane had been doing a variety of hidden tricks to enliven the scene with Yuuko-nee, and today her Tatsuyoshi-kun series had performed as a cheering squad. Although the opponent had watched with a pale face and asked「Do I have to fight those as well?」
Anyway, now it was the quarterfinals of the general division. Yumika showed up at the venue with a nervous expression, but
「What is that girl doing.......」
At the venue she saw Kazane with the Tatsuyoshi-kun series and Yuuko-nee cheering for Yumika. Kazane was also dressed in attire like a cheerleader she had somehow obtained and was cheering loudly in high spirits.
(Well, Yuuko-nee is cute, so I guess it's fine?)
Kazane and the Tatsuyoshi-kun series were ignored. Even though she tried quite hard to prepare the costume.
Then on the other side Minaka walked from the west gate. She not only had her beloved katana, but a Western sword as well.
(Is that the magic sword that hits herself with lightning that Kazane talked about?)
She didn't know what it was used for, but apparently it was related to her trump card.
(Although I can only use my Wolf God Transformation for one of my matches today)
No matter her opponent's determination, she couldn't be taken in. She couldn't use her Wolf God Transformation here. Genzo was after this, and Vanil was tomorrow; those two were the opponents to use it against. If she wanted to win the championship, that condition was indispensable. She had to win this match with only her own power.
While thinking so, Yumika walked to the center and faced Minaka.
The eyes of the opposing Minaka were not smiling to hide her fangs like yesterday. They were a pair of eyes that would try to bite her to death with all her power like a carnivorous animal.
(That's frightening)
But it washed lightly over Yumika. She was used to that gaze. When an adventurer faced a monster, the monster always came with the intention of killing them. The time of averting her eyes in fear of bloodlust had passed by a long time ago.
Then Yumika and Minaka took their positions with their respective spear and katana points crossed. The referee confirmed that both were in position before raising his hand and saying
「Begin」
Yumika reacted first to those words.
「Hm?」
She took her distance from Minaka in one go with a back step.
Minaka was in position for her sword-drawing art and couldn't pursue.
(That's probably a sword-drawing technique. She never showed it, but I know about that.)
From the beginning Minaka's nimble sword speed was certified. She wasn't planning to nonchalantly walk into range of her sword drawing. So she withdrew. And although Minaka didn't know it, Jinrai's spear style also had a medium range technique.
「Thunder God Spear!」
Yumika set up and threw her『dragonbone spear』in one move.
「She's suddenly throwing her weapon?」
Minaka was astonished at the folly. But if she was hit by that it would be over. It was too late to move. Then she could only intercept. With that instantaneous judgment Minaka moved her arm, and her sword-drawing art clashed with the dragonbone spear.
(How powerful)
With the godly speed of her technique Minaka could catch the weapon thrown from the front with pinpoint precision, but Yumika's Thunder God Spear was a technique made to battle against dragon types. Its power was enormous.
(But if it's Lightning element...)
In that respect Minaka was lucky. This might have been the end if it was clad with Wind or Fire. No, with what she was planning to extract, there was no mistaking it would become a severe development.
The lightning magic sword that she had prepared was unnecessary, but that was okay.
Minaka calmed down and emptied her mind, then focused on the image of accepting the lightning. And then Minaka absorbed the lightning of Yumika's Thunder God Spear and wore it on her body.
「Thanks for the meal!」
Minaka repelled the dragonbone spear that had lost the power of lightning and faced Yumika. But there was a silver blade in front her eyes.
「There are no seconds!」
Yumika had immediately thrown the dragonbone spear she had received from her master, then quickly took her beloved spear Silky out of her Item Box and thrust at Minaka.
「Clever」
She repelled it with her sword. She was obviously faster than before.
(Speed increasing technique?)
So that was the effect from the lightning covering her body? Minaka's movements were more agile.
「My body is lightning. I have become lightning. And I will destroy you.」
Minaka calmly spoke those words with eyes different from before; it was like they were now wiser and were looking down at her from above.
Her current status was the counterpart of the『Japanese』technique Wind God Transformation called Thunder God Transformation. The secret technique of the Raidou family that covered their entire body with lightning, raised their maximum speed, and affected their mind to increase their reaction speed. At the same time they would enter a trance, as if they were invoking a god.
(I see)
But Yumika wasn't flustered. She had already predicted something like this. She『intentionally』used Thunder God Spear, thinking it would force her opponent to show her hand. She took the chance to hit her with lightning, and as planned she showed her trump card.
She thought it was better to make her opponent use it rather than letting her use it at her own pace.
(Increased speed, consciousness is strange? Won't her attacks be endowed with lightning?)
Yumika used her spear to keep Minaka at a distance while confirming her condition. She felt that her speed and reaction speed had increased, so it seemed like a Status strengthening ability.
However, every day Yumika learned from a teacher whose style was premised on facing opponents with higher Status.
「Here I go.」
Minaka had been continually receiving the spear, and she suddenly stepped forward. The warm up was over, and it seemed she was planning to start going all out.
(But, you're a little late)
The spear technique that Yumika was learning from Jinrai was premised on being handled with one hand. And right now Yumika was handling her spear with only her right hand. And the left hand?
Yumika had a skill window open. And she activated a Skill with her left hand.
The moment she did so the surrounding scenery, cheering sounds, everything disappeared, and everything was simply connected. It was a spear technique learned from Jinrai which he called 『Heart,』generally known as Flow, but was written as『Zone』in her list that maximized concentration. Yumika activated it as a registered Skill.
Even Jinrai had a difficult time entering that state, but Yumika could active the Skill at will with the Window. This was Yumika's trump card to avoid using her Wolf God Transformation. A secret technique to enhance her capabilities to their highest value. And then Yumika's silver spear attacked Minaka, and Minaka's sword speed like lightning responded to Yumika.
The blades continuously collided. That place was dominated by a storm of slashing.
Astonished voices were raised from the spectators at that battle, and the battle between the two girls was so intense that even Jinrai found it breathtaking.
But the battle would eventually end. And the sign of the end came from Minaka. With a sudden snap..... something had run out.
(This is bad. The Thunder God Transformation effect...)
She suddenly felt the sensation of the Lightning power granted by the Thunder God Spear run out. And that situation could be easily grasped by Yumika, who was using Zone. Yumika's Zone sharpened the senses, but her physical ability was not improved. Therefore, she couldn't avoid being defensive against Minaka, who even normally was a good match against her and easily won in speed during her transformation, but now was the time for a sudden turn-around.
Minaka hadn't been able to deliberately switch back to normal after the Thunder God Transformation was dispelled. Because she moved like she was still transformed, an opening was created. As she was now Yumika could easily exploit it, and she instantly stepped forward.
「Winner: Yumika!」
Then the referee raised his hand and declared that.
「I..... lost?」
Minaka saw that she had fallen to the ground, and that question wasn't for anyone in particular.
Yumika had defeated Minaka with the usual『Spin』and immediate spear thrust pattern.
Minaka couldn't move after the damage her body received from hitting the ground.
Yumika held out her hand to that Minaka. Minaka looked at her hand before grabbing it and saying「So I lost.」
「Your proficiency was completely different than it was during training, so I changed my mind and decided I shouldn't make light of you by keeping the Thunder God Transformation in reserve, but...」
Minaka stood up and looked at Yumika.
「You were completely better than me.」
「I wouldn't say it's a mere difference in ability. It's only because I used my head and prepared a way to drive you into a corner.」
Yumika said, and Minaka smiled and replied「It looks that way.」After all, she doesn't think like a warrior, but like an adventurer...she thought.
And the sound of many hands clapping resounded.
◎ Resurrect City, Middle Arena, Audience Seating
「Budding friendship, then affection. Lily flowers blowing all around.」
Kazane softly muttered. There was no particular meaning; she only said what she thought. It was a groundless utterance.
「What are you talking about?」
Tiara asked with a strange expression next to her.
「Nothing. I just heard the voice of heaven.」
It really wasn't anything. This girl had a habit of immediately expressing any phrase that came to mind. Her strange lyrics also came that way.
「Hmm. It was a safe victory.」
Jinrai said. Jinrai thought it would be a closer battle. There was hardly any difference in ability between the two. It was Yumika's Thunder God Spear that disturbed things. Jinrai thought that Minaka shouldn't have been so impatient to use her Thunder God Transformation and should have been more prudent.
(But she did it)
At any rate, Jinrai thought his disciple's growth was promising. It wouldn't be too long before she started approaching his own strength.
「Well then, I'll be going for a moment.」
After watching Yumika leave, Kazane said that to Tiara.
「Are you going to meet Yumika?」
「No. I have an appointment to meet with a person for a while.」
「A person?」
「Ah, although he might not be a person. He's called a god, after all.」
So saying, Kazane immediately left.
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』
Yumika:「Booya!」
Kazane:「Uu, that Yumika that could have been sold as a slave at the start, challenged the goblins without any other plan than muscling her way through, and failed her power-up debut; we would like to announce her unfortunate farewell after that splendid display.」
Yumika:「Shut up! Don't say something like a strange death flag. I'll be troubled if it's taken seriously!!」