Chapter 02-34 – The Fourth Game of the Main Round
Welm drew his sword while running, and lifted it up to his back with both hands. Being able to deliver a strong attack this way, the stance was fairly good.
Facing him was Alysia, with a katana in her hand. With her right hand holding the handle firmly. she was ready to draw her katana anytime. It was an Iai stance, ready to slash in a flash.
The two were getting closer in high speed as if to collide with each other. If the two of them were to pa.s.s each other this way, it was likely that either of them, or maybe both will end up receiving each other attacks.
“………!”
“……..Ha!!”
*slash!!
The moment when Alysia and Welm pa.s.sed each other, a rubbing sound was heard. However, there were no particular injuries which stood out on both of them.
The truth was, Alysia had used her katana to defend against Welm’s slash attack by blocking the centre of his sword. If their hands had missed even by a little, both of them would have probably went down on their feet by now.
Even if she managed to block the attack, it would soon become an exchange of blows this way. Because Alysia understood that fact, she resorted to pinning down the body of the sword.
“……. As always, how amazing (read:dreadful).”
“You too, well done in holding up your sword.”
“My skill isn’t just for show, you know……Ha, take this!!”
Welm shot a large amount of fireb.a.l.l.s. However, rather than using it for an attack, he just wanted to try out something. Alysia nimbly moved to avoid the incoming fireb.a.l.l.s one after another. It was simply amazing that the end of her long hair and the hem of her dress were not even grazed.
“…..I commandst thy violent wind to beseech power upon mine blade. Wind Blade!!”
Alysia quickly completed her chant while running. That magic was the one Feida had used during their fight on the third round. Alysia had arranged the magic herself, making her own version of it, which chant was something she thought out on the spot.
Slightly visible wind started gathering around Alysia’s katana. The sand around the arena was blown up to the point where one would wonder if it would become some kind of some screen or distraction. Welm’s fireb.a.l.l.s were already almost completely extinguished by the strength of her wind.
“Oi oi…… how scary…..!”
Wind and a vast amount of magic power gathered on her katana. Confirming that, Alysia turned towards Welm.
The katana which was clad in wind was swung down with her utmost strength, enabling quick consecutive attacks. Even if the enemy backed off, she would still be able to hit him if she shot out the wind blades.
“Anyhow, I won’t be able to settle down until you look away from me.”
“Well, that’s true.”
“I’m coming… For the time being, take this!”
Activating the body strengthening magic, Alysia drew near with a speed almost invisible to the eyes. And then, with that speed she sent a single blow with the back of her katana.
*clang!!
Welm defended with his sword at once. However, calling it a ‘defence’ might be pushing it a bit.
“Haa…!”
“Uaaa!?”
If he was only using his sword, taking Alysia’s speed into account, he would obviously get blown away in a grand manner. Without actually killing him though.
As far as the battle goes, being blown away is obviously a disadvantage. The reason being, you would be forced to admit defeat once you take one step outside the designated stage.
*zush!!
“Wha! Dangerous!!”
Judging the danger of flying outside of the arena, Welm hurriedly thrust his sword down into the ground and somehow managed to hold still while in the air. Holding his sword tightly, he managed to barely land on the boundary line of the stage just like that.
“This guy…!! …….. I prayest to thee. I wishest for thy flame, burnst into arrow!! Fire arrow!!”
Eight fire arrows floated around Welm’s surroundings. While scattering sparks, the arrows moved around flickering in the air.
The moment when the fire arrows looked like they were slightly pulled away, they were launched powerfully, aiming at Alysia.
Alysia saw that and corrected her stance straight away. She began running towards Welm, even though rushing into an enemy who shot a barrage of fire arrows would be equivalent to suicide, if you think about it normally.
*Slash!
Alysia gave two slashes towards the incoming fire arrows with her katana. The wind blades which was sprung forth tore apart the arrows.
Her sonic-speed wind blades which was coated in magic power easily cut the flames apart. The wind blade then dispersed and vanished into the air.
When Alysia turned towards Welm, she understood that he was trying to starting a chant, while still somehow a bit shocked. When your opponent is in the middle of chanting, doing something to interfere and obstruct them from finishing is basic. Alysia as well, who’s learned it as a habit, shot out a few fireb.a.l.l.s. Nonetheless, just before reaching Welm, the fireb.a.l.l.s dispersed. He had most likely put a magic barrier in front of him.
Standing there, Welm looked at Alysia and laughed while broadly grinning. It wasn’t the unpleasant laugh like the one she remembered when she first met him. It was a simple laugh. A laugh full of joy and delight.
“Blazing saber!!”
Around him, an enormous flame converged and took the shape of a long straight object. It settled itself into Welm’s grasp. The wind that was blowing became considerably hot, even around Alysia.
“Alysia! Now, try taking my attack too!!”
“Uhh…!”
Welm who might also be using body strengthening magic dashed across the ground with a fairly amazing speed.
On Alysia’s face floated a smile just like kid’s when they just thought up something amusing. As if to say, no time like the present, Alysia immediately started her chant.
Hearest my prayer! I wiseth for thy lightning, surgeth forth and formeth a lance! Lightning Spear!!”
Lightning surged onto Alysia’s dominant, left hand, as if to coil and wrap itself around it. While making a static sound, the lightning stretched and extended, forming a lance with a sharp spearhead on the top.
The lance emitted a bluish-white light. That was a new magic she just improvised, basically thought up on the spot when she saw Welm’s big a.s.s flame sword. What was so amazing (dreadful) about this magic lays on the fact that she completely neglected the synthesis of fire, wind, and water magic, which the conventional, the only known way of using lightning-type magic.
The magic which Alysia was using was in actuality, something that would completely overturn the magic theory of sorcery which had been constant and unchanged for hundreds of years. The audience, Welm, and even the teachers naturally, and obviously never expected this.
“Uwooooooo!!”
However, Welm didn’t flinch and kept going towards Alysia and her Lightning Spear.
——And then finally, the Lightning Spear and the Blazing Saber violently collided.
*Claaaaaaaank!!
The sound which resounded didn’t even sound like weapons clashing anymore.
A short moment after, Alysia was standing next to Welm who had fallen onto the ground. The field of vision was bad because of the cloud of dust. However, as soon as it became clear, the figure of Alysia standing reached the audience.
“….The, the winner has been decided!! The last one standing is the partic.i.p.ant Alysia! She’s advancing to the final!!”
The audience seat was engulfed by an even more than ever loud cheering and shout of joy. It was as a matter of fact, natural. There shouldn’t have been anyone who wasn’t excited to see such a grand scale battle.
However, soon, it was natural for the ‘Alysia Call’ to happen.
–Yeah, it’s good if it doesn’t happen.
In any case, what’s coming is the final round. No matter which one of the Dragonkin siblings Alysia is going to be fighting against, she’s looking forward to it.
TL Note:
Yes, I went back to ‘Alysia’. I think it’s what the author intended to name her in the first place. I’ll be changing the previous chapters as well, soon.