The Spearmaster and the Black Cat-Novel

Chapter 405: – Battle with Spirit World Knight Shuhelia

I thought I'd challenge myself, but let's go with a simple character for starters. And I also thought about asking Eva what character would be good, but…in the end, I decided to choose myself.

Alright.

I poured mana into Ado's ring. In response, a pair of wings started to flap on both sides of the ring while its surface swelled up roundly like a balloon, eventually turning into Adombrally's eyeball.

Suddenly, flames spewed out of Adombrally's whole body. It startled me, but the flames didn't feel hot, for some reason.

The crimson flames that skimmed my face moved from the ring, along my finger, to finally wrap up my whole right fist. At the same time I felt like my mana went up a bit…

"Nn, Bobby became a burning eyeball! How cool!" 1

Eva was astonished. Support the translation by reading this series at Infinite Translations

『Your Excellency, isn't this actually a real mana fire and not just an illusion?』

『Looks like it』

The tiny Helme pointed out to me while swimming within my visual field.

"You mean Adombrally with the bobbing eye, right?"

"Nn, since Ado would overlap with Adomus, I changed his name to Bobby."

"Hehe, that's neat. Bobby."

"Nn, Bobby."

The two laughed at each other as they repeated Adombrally's new nickname.

"Still, the bobbing flames' change in gradation in proportion to the distance of the main body looks very pretty…"

"Shuuya-sama, is your arm alright?"

"You're right…it looks like his fist is on fire."

While showing my right fist, I answered, "Don't worry, Inheritor of the Blue Flame. Consider thine specialty as flame user to be vanquished with this…"

My silly comment was completely disregarded.

And as if to add even further silliness, Adombrally exclaimed, "Fuhahaha! My heart is always on fire! The cosmos is overflowing with passion!"

"Nn, the character on his forehead is also shining."

Eva's violet eyes were sparkling in apparent excitement. Did she get enthralled by Bobby?

"For an eyeball monster coming out of a ring…its mouth is weird. The mouth is moving quickly too…"

"How realistic. I don't recall any sorcerer of the Twelve Families employing a similar monster either…"

"Magic Moon Luminary…"

Sana-san put on a sour expression. It sounds like the otherworld Japan had a sorcerer called Magic Moon Luminary, I suppose. The same didn't apply to Hina-san, but she dropped her shoulders as if having touched upon an inopportune topic.

"…It appears to be different in quality from Rebecca-san's blue flames, but I think it can be used as a weapon in close combat."

Kisara tried to touch the flames with a finger. That's why I warned her to give it a rest, preventing her from going through with it.

"――Fuhahahaha! Milord, a part of my power seems useful, doesn't it? I praise that woman for her keen insight! These flames resemble those of Amshabis's, but they are different. They're the magic flames which had engulfed Evil Greater Dragon Thime who inhabited my territory. And it's not like they can only clad your fists either! They also raise your mana and agilityyyy! Moreover, right now they're crimson, but they can also become black flames!" Adombrally explained proudly.

I had tried to carve an A on his forehead, but for that alone to have such a huge effect…and, Adombrally isn't half bad, but him stretching the vocals at the end of words as it's done when singing Enka grates my nerves.

Then my left palm throbbed.

『His laughter is annoying, but…he seems to be a useful evil as he can strengthen you, my vessel. Stiiill, he's quite cheeky. The fist protector isn't going to transform into a weapon like me, right?』

Saraten commented telepathically. For a change, she praised something, but in the end it was just her being vigilant of her own position as a weapon, worried that her own chances to get a turn might decrease, I suppose.

Without answering her, I said, "…As expected of you, Adombrally. The A, err, your name as Demonic Marquis isn't for show."

"Milooord! What a great thing to say!"

Instead of tears, small flames escaped Adombrally's mouth.

"So, how do you feel right now?"

"My forehead and back are slightly itchy."

The forehead went without saying, but even the shape of his wings had changed.

"Your wings' shape has transformed."

"Changing into a unique weapon or armor piece is still not an option, huh?"

"He's going to grow from here on out, right? So, there's a reason why I summoned you. I wanted to introduce you to the Spirit World Knight Shuhelia over here."

"Spirit World Knight, you saaaaid!? Ah, the blond missy, you mean? She's got pretty, golden eyes and…hmm, hoh…going by the quality of the scabbards at her waist, the swords within must be quite decent. Besides, the magic tool at her arm…and magic armor…okay, it looks like she's truly a Spirit World Knight. Who is her lord?"

"A talking eye sphere…" Shuhelia mumbled while staring at Adombrally.

"My lord is Demonic Moth King Zebal-sama. …But, the mana of my precious magic tool "String of Magic Dimensions" was cut off. My lord is fussy about decorum and reputation, so I must have been discharged with my execution set in stone. For this reason, I'm not a Spirit World Knight any longer. I guess you can call me Shuhelia, a warrior wandering the surface of Sela."

Her eyes shifted to me while she was talking. They were as piercing as if she was trying to stab me with them. But, somehow I also felt fierceness from her eyes, as if I was being targeted by a wild female cat.

"I've never heard of any Zebals, but he sounds to be quite importaaant? Is he a rising power? Also, speaking of moths…I heard a moth name at Sturdy Demonic Fortress Gincel which was ruled by Gincel's Hypocritical Demon King."

A moth demon, huh?

"Gincel…"

"Yes, indeed. "Moth Wolf Cycon" was famous in the slave martial tournaments held on the big market."

A slave martial tournament in the Spirit World?

After furrowing her eyebrows, Shuhelia suddenly looked as if she had recalled.

"Oh, I remember. Gincel's Hypocritical Demon King. The laughingstock of a Demon King who fell for the trick of Succubus Princess Dyperil's and got captured together with his big market several hundred years ago. That Moth Wolf Cycon must have been some combat slave or some such? I don't know anyone with such a name."

Adombrally glared at her and rattled down, "To not know Cycon who cut down swarms of ground crawlers… The tournament battles back then were really interesting to waaatch!"

Because he was flapping his mini wings all the while, it seemed as though he had fun, but…

"I cannot help not knowing what I do not know."

"Humph, do you also not know Puppet Master Gunnary of the Illusionary Evil Lizent Rebellion?"

"I heard about Gunnary. The battle in the Large Volcanic Area Ghulkann, right?"

I remember having heard that region's name from the Burning Knights. It sounds like the Spirit World has all kinds of regions, too.

"Yes, that's the one."

"He was a scoundrel who got betrayed by the trap-loving Spirit World Lord Arizon in the middle of that battle. I heard Spirit World Knight Habsol, his former comrade, thrust a greatsword in his back while he was using his puppet soldiers."

"His strength was the real deal. His movements as he coordinated them with his puppets regularly caused huge ovations at the tournament."

"Haah, for him to be a combat slave nowadays…I'd say it's an appropriate place for someone, who never was a real Spirit World Knight, to end up," Shuhelia spat out, her voice blurred with rage and scorn.

Do Spirit World Knights have their own code of chivalry?

Without minding that, Adombrally continued, "…But, it looks like that Demonic Moth King Zebal secured himself quite a territory in the Spirit World to possess enough personnel that he can even dispatch some to Sela."

"Well, he did win a war surrounding one of the Tears. Still, you're talking quite quickly. …And there's a character carved into your forehead…"

I carved an A into Adombrally's forehead, because it's funny.

"Fuhahaha! This? Are you mesmerized by it? It's a mark milord carved onto me! Moreover, it succeeded in drawing out a part of Greater Evil Dragon Thime's magic flame abilities!"

"I heard that a greater evil dragon, an ancient dragon who couldn't be enslaved, was living in the mountains around Hell Volcano Death Law…"

I guess he's a species of dragon similar to the Evil Dragon King. Shuhelia seemed to know about that Thime dragon. I wonder whether high ancient dragons like Sazihali also inhabit the Spirit World. Reading the translation on the translator's site helps to keep it going.

Since it piqued my interest, I asked, "Greater Evil Dragon sounds like he's strong. Is he any different from a high ancient dragon?"

"High ancient dragons are a different species, but there are evil dragon species who resemble them," Adombrally replied.

Sounds like he's not similar to a high ancient dragon then.

"What kind of Spirit World gods live on the Hell Volcano Death Law?"

"The Mountains of Infinite Hells, to which Death Law belongs, are connected to the huge domain of Zea the Angry-sama."

"Hee, so are the kin of the being called Zea the Loincloth…err, Zea the Angry also fight against kin led by different gods?"

When I mixed in such a joke 2, Adombrally twisted his eyeball in obvious displeasure, "Of course, at some places the dark whirlpools of dimension had been exposed after a part of the land was destroyed due to the clash between Zea the Angry and King of Destruction Rashinz Lebioda-sama… One of such places was close to my territory back when I was still a Demonic Marquis. My childhood friend…"

Did his childhood friend die?

"…That's truly a disaster."

"Yeah…"

"You don't know much about the Spirit World, do you spearmaster?" Shuhelia muttered.

"I don't."

"Me neither."

"Nn, first time for me too."

"I do not really know the names of places outside the great desert."

Everyone chimed in.

"Milord, I know a bit about the vicinity of Death Law."

"Roger. It might come in handy someday, but the Spirit World seems to be spacious in its own right. So, the flames of Thime, which are covering my fist, mean you have some kind of connection with that dragon?"

"Yeah, I do. We have been inseparable as friends. We used to fight together in the sky above the volcano, and I also formed a contract with Thime at some point!" Adombrally bragged.

"You look like no more than a clothed globe to me. But, forming a contract with a greater evil dragon is proof of you having possessed a considerable amount of mana. Going by your appearance, you were a kin to Evil God Desalobia?"

"Are you fucking kidding me!? In the past, I used to be one of the sky ruling Amshabis race! And I used to be one of the Demonic Marquises boasting majesty."

"That's a surprise. I wouldn't have imagined that from your appearance. The red light of the unique Amshabis magic is one of the Spirit World's 666 Picturesque Sceneries. I heard Meliady-sama has taken a deep liking to it."

"It's only understandable for you to be surprised. Buuut, right now I'm Adombrally who's devoted to Milord! And one of the Spirit World goddesses…Meliady-sama who governs over demonic life….is a goddess I loved…"

Love, huh? I wonder how he'd react if he met with Soux who lives in the sky of the 20th floor of Pelneet's labyrinth.

And speaking of Meliady…

『Your Excellency, Rubia is a divine child of Meliady, isn't she?』

『Yep. I suppose Baldok's Ancient Dragon Longsword, which I gave here, still is in use. And, being able to cast healing magic without chanting is a valuable skill, too. Rubia should be accumulating precious experience each time she dives into Pelneet's labyrinth』

『Yes. Rubia could become Meliady's princess. I'm sure Meliady is happily devouring all her negative feelings』

Meliady's princess, huh? I wonder whether Meliady had Rubia hunt evil god apostles as part of her growth.

『…It'll be fine as long as Zaga and Bon are around and healthy』

『They would likely be quite interested, if they heard that your Magic Halberd evolved』

『I'm sure Zaga would be astonished and Bon would unleash a flurry of "Enchanto!" if they could now see the spiral-shaped blade that draws a curve around the ax blade like a winding storm cloud』

『Yes, indeed』

"…With that said, Ado, I'll have you go back into the ring for now."

"Eh? Just like that? O-Okeey!"

Adombrally's eyeball was instantly sucked into the ring.

"I didn't quite understand what he was saying since he talked so quickly, but…now he's gone."

"He talked weird and was an eyeball, but his attire suited him somehow. And his small wings also looked cute…"

"Hina, your eyes are gleaming…"

"Hehehe, he was so funny, after all. If goods of him existed, I'd love to have them…"

"Hihi, you're a weirdo. But, I think you can't hope for such things to exist in this world. This house looks modern-styled, but the epoch…"

"The epoch, you say…? True. It uses a modern style and looks brand new, but it carries a feel as if an ancient house of medieval times had been reconstructed with modern techniques."

"Yep. We've just seen one village, so it's hard to judge as of yet, though."

Hina-san and Sana-san talked with each other.

"So, Shuhelia, what are you going to do from now on?"

"From now on? You plan to set me free? You're not going to rape me or anything like that?"

Rape, huh? She's a beauty, so, to be frank, the idea is stimulating, but…it looks like she took my joke seriously.

The real talk starts from here…the other party is a Spirit World Knight, so I have to earnestly invite her to our side without being rude.

Having said that, I'll simply lay everything open and invite her to join our side.

"Set you free? That's yet another possibility…but, let me be honest with you: I'd like to obtain your power as defender for this village."

"My power…"

"Correct. You already heard it, but my name is Shuuya Kagari. And I'm no human, but a Light Demon Lucival."

"Lucival? I've never heard of such a race. Is it a human subspecies as your appearance suggests?"

"Basically, I'm a vampire. A vampire half who likes blood. Well, it could be a subspecies or a new species. Either way, I can create bloodkin called <Head Servant Leader> and <Servant Leader>. And I also possess <Central Pillar of a Greater True Ancestor’s Lineage> and <Crest Tree of the Lucival>… Anyway, won't you become my subordinate?"

The instant Shuhelia heard my question, her body started to tremble.

With her eyes wandering around restlessly, she mumbled, "…For me to be directly…by a being equal to His Majesty…a leader of kin…", under her breath before meeting my eyes again.

Her golden eyes glowed with passion.

"…I've lost Mugh and was discarded by my lord. At this point, I have no choice but to join you. Even if I were to wander these lands, I can clearly tell what the future would have in store for me…"

In the middle of speaking, Shuhelia averted her eyes again while tearing up. The outer corners of her eyes were pronounced.

Suddenly she turned back at me with a force that sent her tears flying.

"――But still! Even if I'm going to become your subordinate, I got a condition!"

"A condition? Quite cheeky for a prisoner."

"Indeed, she is rather conceited."

"Nn, Spirit World Knight codex?"

『Hehe』

Everyone other than the girl nesting in my left eye sounded rather displeased.

"What's that condition of yours?"

Once I asked, Shuhelia let her eyes wander across Eva, Rebecca, Kisara, and even Ciel with her vacant expression. And then she also stared at Sana-san and Hina-san behind her.

Suddenly receiving Shuhelia's stare, the two girls said…

"Eh?"

"Why?"

…and then…

"Would it be better for us to run away?"

"…She looks scary.

"Maybe I should have Matabei come out?" Sana-san touched her bracelet.

"I wonder about that…?"

They continued to talk in whispers.

I think Shuhelia is just curious about their Japanese.

Next she lifted her face, looking at the pillars, atrium, and beams of the first floor's spacious room. For Shuhelia the second floor's construction, which was similar to that of a loft, must seem unusual.

After looking around, she shifted her eyes back to me.

"…It's simple. Fight against me."

"It's quite weird why you'd look at the interior design for that, but…a fight, is it? Sure. Let's go outside."

Did she take a liking with the interior design? I don't know, but her words were definitely befitting for a Spirit World Knight.

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Sana-san and Hina-san stayed back in the house. After letting Helme out of my eye, I arrived at the training place in front of my house.

Because my house and the training ground was situated in an elevated place of Cydale, the outview was nice. You could also hear the buzzing of bees.

"Shuhelia! You do have some nerves to challenge His Excellency. But, it's certainly true that you'll be a decent addition in personnel. So, Your Excellency, please watch out to not kill her!" Helme commented while sitting on the fence that surrounded the training ground.

As she had crossed her legs, it allowed a peek at her seductive, navy blue panties.Moreover, she was spraying water all around her like a sprinkler.

Rebecca and Eva, who had taken Shuhelia along, were present too. Eva was using her <Mind Force> while placing a hand on the fence. She was blocking Helme's water spray by shaping her violet mana into something akin to an umbrella. Muu and the orcs were with her.

"Just what is that…abnormally thick tree trunk? On top of having a handprint in it center, big, white flowers are blossoming…" Shuhelia remarked while being baffled by the Iglued tree.

"That's Iglued. A former evil spirit spear. Having said that,,,I guess you won't believe it anyway."

"This used to be a spear? So this place here is similar to the Spirit World…?" Shuhelia's voice was filled with surprise, trembling.

In the meantime, I put Gol's egg-shaped gem away into my pocket.

"Is it okay for me to smoke a cigarette?" I asked Shuhelia.

"Are you fussing over your health or something? Well, do as you like, "Shuhelia answered without looking at me.

Her eyes were pinned on Iglued. But, without minding that, I put a magic cigarette between my lips and lit it.

"A battle between Milord and a Spirit World Knight, huh?"

"That knight looks just like a human, but…"

Quema and Solobo commented while watching us from beyond the fence.

But, true. Shuhelia resembles an elf or human in her appearance. Maybe her human genes are prevalent.

I shifted my eyes away from Shuhelia to the others.

Thereupon, Kisara said, "It looks like Muu-chan's training is advancing nicely," to the orcs.

However, the two didn't understand. Thus they simply placed a hand on their chest and nodded. Muu moved instead. She used her threads, and tried to communicate with Quema, who had been her spear teacher recently.

Her hard efforts were adorable.

"Nn, her strings are connected to the mysterious magic book."

"Muu-chan is casually using the magic book made out of those strings, but maybe it's an unbelievable treasure or something?" Rebecca answered Eva.

Then the orcs greeted my <Head Servant Leaders>. Of course, they couldn't understand Orcish. But, at some point, Rebecca started to imitate the orcish language, getting absorbed in speaking broken Orcish by parroting their words.

Kisara laughed at Rebecca repeating the orcs' words with a weird pronunciation.

Eva said, "Nn, Orcish difficult," and imitated Rebecca. Muu rolled on the floor laughing while rasping as if to speak.

All of them were smiling, looking like they were having fun.

While Quema said, "They're trying to learn Orcish for us," Solobo got all motivated, and repeated the same words for the girls. I puffed out the smoke of my magic cigarette while laughing at Solobo pointlessly showing off his muscles.

…The mana from the cig felt really nice.

At that point, I looked at Shuhelia. She was still staring at the Iglued tree.

The flowers growing out of Iglued were pretty. The contrast in colors between dark green and jade green was extremely beautiful. The white flowers stood out, too. Lash-san was flying around the tree while surrounded by bees.

As a transparent ghost, the blue sky was visible through her. I felt like she shone dazzlingly when hit by the sun, but it had to be my imagination.

The clouds up in the sky looked like a temple, making for an artistic canvas. It seemed as if the gods of the divine domain were flying around as clouds.

After enjoying the wonderful sky scenery, I focused my eyes back on Iglued.

"Puyu?"

Puyuyu was sitting on a branch, which extended diagonally upwards, letting its feet dangle. It seemed to watch the bees buzzing around the tree.

No, it looks like it's following Lash-san with its eyes?

"Puyuyu, you won't meddle with the battle, okay?"

"Puyuyu!"

It apparently understood as it moved its head up and down several times, nodding.

Though, did it truly get it? I'm kinda worried, but well, I doubt it'll get in the way.

I looked at Shuhelia.

"For me to have to use this to do something like that…" Shuhelia muttered and tore a long string that had been buried in her gauntlet.

And then she used it to bind her shoulder-long blond hair with practiced hand movements, tying it into a ponytail. She was all smiles, but I could sense a dignity befitting a female knight from her.

"What are we going to do about weapons?" I asked her.

"Humph, feel free to use what suits you best."

Shuhelia placed her hands on the hilts of her two swords, and quickly drew them as if crossing both hands. The points of her yellow magic swords shone suspiciously.

And then she brandished her sword with a terrifying speed. It was so fast that I suspected her to have small engines embedded in her wrists. She continued to move her swords to the left and right in a zig-zag as if drawing various figures in the air. At the end, she lowered her waist a bit, readying herself.

While causing a faint, metallic ping, she pointed the tips of her swords at me.

Movements without any openings…and magic swords, huh?

Ink-black mana characters surfaced on the yellow blades.

"…You intended to fight me from the very beginning, didn't you?" Shuhelia observed cheerfully.

"You could say so."

I summoned Baldok. I whirled Baldok's handle around on my palm as if turning a pen. At the same time, I took a step forward with my left foot, shifting my body sideways while keeping Shuhelia in sight.

She moved her eyes up and down as if to check my and Baldok's movements.

I stopped rotating Baldok, arresting its handle under my right arm, pointing the new spear and ax blade in Shuhelia's direction. With a slight delay, I also lifted my left hand in a relaxed manner. I opened its palm towards Shuhelia.

This was one of the Wind Spear Style's basic stances – 『Wind Read』, a slow walking style with one foot in front.

…Now then, it's going to be a one-on.one against a Spirit World Knight. I guess I'll fire myself up and give her a nice greeting.

I rotated Baldok, and while holding the handle in both hands, I cupped one fist in the other hand.

"Shuhelia. I'm the spearmaster Shuuya. Let's have a good fight," I said with a bow.

After responding with a bow of her own, Shuhelia energetically lifted her head, "――Heh, I'm liking you more and more!", and then yelled with a smirk that had her lift one of her mouth's corners, "Spearmaster, let us have a fight! Demonic Twin Blade Shuhelia, here I come!"

Shuhelia advanced with her swords crossed in front of her. A mana vortex manifested in the air right where the blades intersected. A cloud of dust was rising in her wake, too.

The mana vortex was different from the storm Baldok could create. But, it might be a similar technique, nonetheless.

Her <Magic Combat Style>-based mana manipulation showed a high skill, and her Magic Combat Step technique was fairly outstanding too. So she's using her magic swords for some sort of Iai technique?

While watching her blades drawing fan-shaped sword lines in the air as she moved them from the right to the left, I was reminded of Yui's handling of her magic katana.

I activated my <Magic Combat Style> and <Blood Accel>, retreating and thus dodging her magic swords. But, as soon as the mana vortex popped, countless magic blades were created from it.

Those blades pierced through Hal'Konk's protective clothing, heavily injuring my upper body. With a great number of blades stabbing into my body, blood spurts scattered through the air.

That friggin' hurts. Kinda like getting hit by a shotgun loaded with blades from close proximity, huh?

Shuhelia didn't ease up on her attack, slashing at my flank from the left side with the sword in her right hand. I reacted by tilting Baldok's handle downwards.

Stabbing the Magic Dragon Gem into the ground, I adopted a stance as if to block the sword sweep, but in reality, I bent down, and unleashed a Water Wheel Kick, trying to trip Shuhelia.

However, she dealt with that kick by jumping lightly. She easily dodged my ground based kick…no, she didn't dodge, she performed a cartwheel kick aimed at my head.

I quickly lifted Baldok which I had swapped into my left hand, blocking the kick with the ax blade.

At once, I heard a dull thud. Her kick was heavy. It was so intense that it reminded me of Master Achilles's kicking technique. A flurry of kicks rained down like a machine gun. I could hear the dull impacts while feeling the vibrations through Baldok. My forebangs swayed due to the pressure of her kicks.

I guess Shuhelia's boots are special.

Focusing on my shoulder dragon, I had the dark green short-sleeved protective clothing transform into the usual, long-sleeved greatcoat that exposed my right arm.

"――Demonoid Martial Arts <Evil Style>-based?"

Even as her kicks ended, Shuhelia's stance showed no opening as she confronted me with the name of a martial art or skill I never heard before.

"No, it's an elementary technique of the Wind Spear Style," I answered while entering the motion of the 『Flame Style』 spear thrust which I inherited from Master. A beautiful stab with <Thrust> through Zanshin ― a basic blow capitalizing on my speed which I could brag about to have increased.

The spiraling red spear and ax blade were headed for Shuhelia's chest. Yet, she reacted with superb movements as you'd expect of a Spirit World Knight, tilting head and body to the side. Her golden eyes gleamed as she apparently checked out the spearhead of Baldok while it was passing right in front of her face.

With her body slanted, Shuhelia pushed herself with one leg, shifting into a cartwheel to get some distance from me.

"――――――Demonic Eyes <Majin – Nishiobi Blossom>, release――I'll show you a part of a Spirit World Knight's power…that dyed the solemn, white flowers blooming on Alpha's battlefield crimson with blood."

Shuhelia smoothly extended her limbs, rotating her magic swords while activating her Demonic Eyes. Then she charged at me in a forward-bent posture. At the same time, she created ellipses through sword lines, which transformed from yellow to white.

She was fast――grazing the tip of my nose.

In the middle of her slashes, the sword flashes turned scarlet, and countless sword blades approached me.

While evading, I scattered water from <Life Magic> on the ground. At the same time I activated <Superbrain – Hazy Moon Reflection on Water> and performed a rotational evasion centered on my toes as axis.

I continued to dodge her attacks, and although the sword blades grazed my body, Hal'Konk blocked them all. I shifted to defense through Baldok, my armor and <Superbrain – Hazy Moon Reflection on Water>, focusing on warding off her attacks.

Shuhelia's onslaught was fierce, her strength clearly justifying her alias as Magic Twin Blade.

Her technique of intersecting the right and left hand would probably be impossible for normal humans. She was displaying an intense dance that seemed to be skill-based. And her chain slashes were so fast that I saw no chance to step in, vividly reminding me of Crazy-Eye Togma. It was a sword play that was several moves ahead of Yui's <Slash Dance>. I felt as if she had four arms.

Her slashes came diagonally, from above, from below, and the middle at me, but all of them were precisely aimed at my vital spots. But, I was in the middle of my acceleration through <Blood Accel> with my body clad in <Magic Combat Style>. I gradually managed to inflict counterattacks.

After a mid and low kick, I went with a <Water Drill> at Shuhelia's torso. It got blocked, but that was within expectation. Next I unleashed a <Fang Stab> at Shuhelia who was now focusing on defense. A chain attack, going with a low strike after a mid-tier strike.

"Fast――for you to go with a lower chain attack after a fake――"

With her body's acceleration raised, Shuhelia still had plenty of leeway to cope with my attacks. While fending off my kicks, she had repelled my Water Drill with superb defense sword play. And in the middle of her sword dance, the motions of her yellow blades also transformed into stabs.

But, I had already seen through the range and habits in her sword attacks. I took charge of her sword's tip, that came at me from the diagonal right in front with a 卍 motion of Baldok. The storm-clad-shaped spearhead seized Shuhelia's magic sword, and entangled it. Due to the rotational force, Shuhelia's arm got twisted alongside her sword.

"――Gyaa!"

Shuhelia discarded her sword which had its blade stuck in between Baldok's spearhead, and then she used her other sword to try to stab my chest, but she was too slow.

I performed a cartwheel to the left, propping up my body with my left hand. That allowed me to avoid the stab of her sword. In the middle of the wheeling, I pushed myself off the ground, lifting my body. While shifting to a forward-pitching posture, I switched to a forward somersault with enough force to ram my body against hers and hit the side of Shuhelia's neck with a left kick that capitalized on my body's rotational force.

The modified dropkick landed a clean hit as I could sense a proper feedback from my foot's instep.

"――Aaahh."

Shuhelia was blown away. I chased after her with my Magic Combat Step.

She placed a foot on the ground, fixed her posture, and concentrated ink-black mana in her remaining sword.

The shotgun-based magic blades, huh?

But, it didn't activate. It looked like consecutive use wasn't possible.

Of course it's also possible for this to be a feint, but it doesn't matter.

Having stepped into the range of my spear, I unleashed a <Thrust>. The thrust was parried, just as I had assumed it would be. Shuhelia had shifted her attention to defense.

I erased Baldok from my right hand and re-summoned it. And after stabbing Baldok out with a <Water Drill>, I focused on <Call of the Water Goddess>.

I instantly comprehended that I was engulfed by Water Goddess Akreshys-sama's illusion, boosting my speed.

Shuhelia blocked my <Water Drill> with her sword's blade. But, her stance still fell apart.

Slipping into her bosom, I unleashed a <Dark Water Moon Drill> while crouching, before driving a vertical kick into her lower abdomen. My toes struck Shuhelia's magic armor and belly. Being lifted up through the force of the kick, Shuhelia's armor actually got depressed in the shape of my boot's tip.

"Guuooo――"

She floated while vomiting blood. Her expression went way beyond anguish, but without minding that, I raised Baldok overhead, and then cut Shuhelia's belly and chest vertically by having Baldok's ax blade draw a <Dark Water Moon Drill> arc.

Unable to even scream, Shuhelia's body was bent backwards as she flew through the air. Blood gushed out of the wound I had cleaved open. She also let go of her remaining sword.

I focused mana into my feet as I used <Magic Hand guided by Thought>, heading for Shuhelia who was defenseless as she fell towards the ground due to gravity. I performed a backward somersault kick, but she reacted to it.

She blocked the kick by crossing both arms. But, I could sense Shuhelia's weight through the heels of Arzen's Boots. Thanks to the kick's impact, Shuhelia was lifted up into the air once more.

Up there――――I wouldn't use Baldok as a finisher.

『Give me blood…』, a voice groaned from Baldok.

At the same time, I heard a bell tolling inside my head. But, I ignored both as I landed on the training ground. A moment later, Shuhelia limply crashed on the ground, rolling for a few meters.

I erased Baldok which I had swapped into my right hand.

Shuhelia rose with a startled expression due to the impact of having crashed. At once, she pushed a knee against the ground, trying to stand up, but her body only quivered, before she collapsed once more.

"……"

As if telling a tale of the ax blade's might, the wound on her torso is anything but shallow. Even though she might be a Spirit World Knight, it'll probably take time for her injuries to heal.

Shuhelia was lying on the ground sprawled, blood still escaping her body.

"――That has decided it, I guess."

Helme came close while saying so.

"…It's my loss. I lost consciousness when I was floating in the air," Shuhelia muttered.

"…Are you satisfied now, Shuhelia?"

"Of course…but, I can't move anymore."

I immediately cast the advanced spell 《Water Cure》. A shining, transparent water mass sphere came into existence in front of me, before breaking apart in the next instant, raining down on Shuhelia.

After getting healed, Shuhelia stood up, and then picked up her swords from the ground. A sharp glint was visible in her golden eyes that still had 卍 surface.

At that point, everyone ran up to us. Shuhelia drew also close.

"Wait, you're still up for a fight?"

"Nn, give it a rest."

"As I thought, finishing her off with my witch spear…"

"Puyuyu?"

Everyone said so, but it proved to be unfounded anxiety. At the same time as she genuflected, Shuhelia adopted a respectful attitude. She placed her two swords on the ground in front of me.

"Your Majesty Shuuya…please allow me to offer an oath…

What oath? Offer?

"Sure."

"Great! Then I shall pledge to the Spirit World Gods of all ages, now and here, that I shall offer my life to you from this moment henceforth as your shield and sword."

Standing next to me, Helme nodded complacently like a strategist while her water attire shone brightly. Everyone else listened silently.

"Very well. I'll also pledge that I'll provide you with a place to call home at any time. And that I'll never ask you to do something that would stain your honor. I'll cherish your freedom. I promise this on this Baldok and Water Goddess Akreshys-sama."

"Yes, Your Majesty――"

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Translation Notes:

Bobby from bobbingIt's a word game since Angry and Loincloth can sound similar