25 FIGHT WITH LITTLE SISTERAs always, Iris spent her night embracing Punigami on a fluffy futon.
The time she’d wake up was hard to determine.
Sometimes, she would wake up early only to look at the sunlight, say「Aah, still too early」, and fall asleep again.
From time to time, when she woke up for the second time, she fell asleep for the third time. In such cases, she could easily sleep until the next day.
Just by sleeping, she made the crops grow with her leaking magical power and everyone was happy, so she didn’t feel any guilt.
In the first place, something like guilt because of sleeping and not working doesn’t suit a NEET.
In that way, those, who have a different opinion, are free to work as much as they want.
— Only those with G.o.dly willpower can become a NEET, they are regal existences –.
Just when Iris gave this speech to Punigami in her dream, she heard a noisy voice.
Half-awake, she thought it to be a continuation of her dream but, apparently, it was quite real.
「U-un…….isn’t it still too dark?………Who is yelling so late in the night……..?」
「Punii………」
Even Punigami was still sleepy.
She thought to ignore it but, since she was the Guardian Deity, she unwillingly went outside the church.
Then, she saw a small silhouette floating above the village.
Silver hair, white clothes.
It was Eclipse, no doubt.
However, she felt completely different from yesterday.
There was no sign of her previous smile, she was cold as ice — she gazed at the church with bloodthirsty eyes.
And more surprising than anything was the fact that she held Sheryl with one of her hands.
「Can you hear me, Iris Crisis!? As you see, I took Sheryl hostage! If you want her safely returned, come to the Kurifot continent. If you won’t come, her survival won’t be guaranteed 」
Iris had no idea what was going on.
Just yesterday, Eclipse said that having chocolate was enough for her.
She didn’t seem to lie, however you look at it.
Of course, since she didn’t know Eclipse for too long, she couldn’t judge her personality with certainty.
Even so, she truly enjoyed eating chocolate in the church.
「Eclipse! Stop with this joke! 」
「Me of yesterday was a joke! This me is the real me! 」
She returned a ruthless answer.
Her voice was sharp enough to pierce through all of Iris’ illusions.
Her yesterday’s self was a joke–.
Iris was shocked at such words.
Even though she was happy to have a little sister.
It was a joke, she said.
「Iris-chan, Iris-chan. What should we do about this? Somehow, it suddenly escalated beyond any jokes」
Said Jessica in a rather rare nervous voice as she climbed on top of the hill.
「That’s right! I don’t know how that happened but, since she has a hostage, we can’t make a move! 」
And the usually impatient Marion’s voice turned even more impatient.
Even though it turned into a great commotion, Sheryl didn’t even twitch.
Just what Eclipse did to Sheryl?
「This is unforgivable, Eclipse!」
For the first time in her life, Iris felt『anger』.
Someone acted against Sheryl. Sheryl thought that Eclipse would be able to join the village, only to be betrayed by her.
Two kinds of anger simultaneously welled up inside of her.
Thus, Iris grew black wings from her back and flew towards Eclipse.
Normally, she would take Punigami with her but now, she was alone.
Jessica and Marion were left behind too.
In the first place, they couldn’t follow due to the impossible speed.
Eclipse was surprised by it more than anyone.
「So fast!?」
Same as Iris, she was a biological weapon made from the Great Demon King’s genes.
Even so, Iris’ flying speed was off the charts.
She stood petrified with a look of surprise on her face.
Using that opening, Iris took Sheryl away.
「Ah!」
Eclipse stretched her hand in a hurry to retrieve Sheryl back but was too slow.
Iris put Sheryl on her back and took some distance.
「Someone, take care of Sheryl!」
Having said that, Iris threw Sheryl in the church’s direction as she hoped someone would react.
And Marion, having turned into a dragon, caught her mid-air.
「Leave Sheryl to me! Make sure to educate your little sister properly! 」
「Thank you, Marion! Prepare yourself, Eclipse. Your big sister shall teach you the ways of the world! 」
「Stop right now, you NEET! You, who abandoned her mission and lives a life of sleeping and eating, have no qualifications to teach me anything! 」
「Y-You have too big of a mouth for a little sister!」
Having no room to refute, Iris answered with emotion, not reason.
And at the same time, she made her move.
She manifested more than a hundred light spears. Each one longer than her body.
All of them were simultaneously launched at Eclipse.
Attacking because her little sister got the best of her was rather childish but Iris had an excuse in「My friend was taken hostage」.
It would be alright no matter what she does.
「What an amount of magical power……but naive! 」
A wave spread from Eclipse.
At that moment, the morning sky dimmed as if it was the night.
All of Iris’ light spears disappeared too.
「Magic nullification…..!?」
「Yeah, that’s right. This is my ability. This is my domain. Within the range of my “Eclipse” all kinds of magic dissipate to be absorbed by me instead. No matter how gigantic your magical power is, it will only make me stronger! 」
Declared Eclipse with pride.
I see, what an amazing ability.
However, Iris didn’t feel her magical power diminishing at all.
Most likely Eclipse only affected magical power in the atmosphere.
In other words, as long as one doesn’t discharge his magical power outside his own body, there is no danger of absorption.
「The world is not so easy for you to win with only your natural talent!」
Iris accelerated and approached Eclipse head-on.
She squeezed all of her body’s power and delivered a sound slap on Eclipse’s cheek.
And then there was a bang like that of a falling boulder.
「Bubeeee!」
Eclipse let out a voice of a crushed frog.
But nothing else.
If she were a human, she would have been crushed into red fog leaving nothing behind.
Even dragons such as Marion and Jessica would have their heads rotating around their axis for at least three times.
Despite that, Eclipse only had some trace amounts of blood on the edge of her mouth.
Without falling, without retracting Eclipse, she launched a counterattack. [1]
A sharp chop was approaching Iris neck.
Yet, it was a feint.
The real strike went for the stomach.
Eclipse lightly touched Iris with her fingertip and she felt her magical power rapidly dissipating.
No, it started flowing towards Eclipse.
「Chi!」
With a click of her tongue, Iris kicked off Eclipse and took some distance.
Even while being blown away, Eclipse firmly kept her eyes on Iris.
The she launched a bolt of lightning at Iris from her hand.
The amount of magical power involved was enormous. If Iris were to take a direct hit, even she won’t be able to remain unscathed.
However, she managed to deploy a defensive barrier just in time.
The bolt, released by Eclipse, collided with the barrier creating sparks — and easily pa.s.sed through it.
Iris reflexively dodged sideways but the hem of her pajamas ended up charred.
Iris’ barrier didn’t lose to Eclipse’s electric strike.
It should have been able to easily block it.
However, the surrounding were still dark. She was within Eclipse’s range.
Thus, magical power used in the barrier’s construction was dissipated and absorbed by Eclipse.
At the same time, she learned that even when she circulates magical power within her body without letting it out, Eclipse could still absorb it through touch.
And the most troublesome was the fact that Eclipse could use her own magical power without any restraint.
My magical power is gradually diminishing yet Eclipse is getting stronger and uses her magic without any penalties.
It’s absolutely cheating.
Forget about winning or losing, it’s not even a fair fight.
However, during their short exchange, Iris figured out Eclipse’s weakness. [2]
Most likely it was only possible for Iris to notice it, to put it in simple words, a limit.
It won’t be exposed against any other opponent. It couldn’t even be called a weakness.
In other words –.
「Your Eclipse has an upper limit on amount of magical power absorbed in one go!」
Yes.
Being able to fly even though Eclipse sucked her magical power once was an immediate proof.
「If I used magical power above your limit, even a simple missile would do!」
It was hard to call it a great idea.
Coming up with your own strategy against the opponent’s strategy is considered the norm.
But Iris didn’t see the need.
The reason being, the difference between Iris and Eclipse’s magical power was too big.
She could just brute force her way through.
A lion doesn’t used strategy to hunt a rabbit. He just does his best.
In the first place.
Iris doesn’t like to bother.
She doesn’t want to think about complicated things.
Such is a NEET’s way.
Thus, like pulling out a tangled string by force, she decided to overwhelm Eclipse with her magical power.
「Are you a moron!? Where does all this magical power……….even though I’m the new model, why are you stronger than me!?」
Eclipse stared at the rainbow-colored light released by Iris with a terrified face.
It was about twice the height of Iris in diameter.
There were no attributes like fire or lightning, just a ma.s.s of Iris’ magical power.
Iris could concentrate on making it precisely because of its simplicity.
And then, launch.
The air trembled as the rainbow-colored light sphere approached Eclipse.
「Hii!」
She screamed as she tried to evade.
But it was a wasted effort.
Following Iris’ will, the light sphere homed in on its target.
As long as Eclipse was in Iris’ sight, she couldn’t escape.
Of course, Iris was aware of all three dimensions around her through use of detection magic.
Therefore, all evasive maneuvers were rendered useless.
After a several dozen seconds long chase, the light sphere hit Eclipse straight in her back.
With an explosive shockwave, the village experienced a sudden squall.
The released magical power painted the World of Eclipse in rainbow colors.
After the rainbow-colored light disappeared, the darkness was no more.
As a matter of course, the morning sun was slowly rising up in the sky.
And in the blue sky, you could spot Eclipse falling head down.
Her consciousness wasn’t present.
If you leave her alone, she would collide with the ground.
Due to her being a biological weapon, she would probably survive.
But falling down without any defensive measures will lead to severe injuries.
Having seen this, Iris reflexively approached and caught her.
Because she was an enemy, there was no need to save her.
However, while being an enemy, she was also Iris’ little sister.
In the end, no actual damage was done.
In addition, she truly enjoyed the time they ate chocolate together.
Taking Sheryl hostage was unforgivable but Iris had a hard time resenting her completely.
That’s why she wanted to talk.
Why did she change so much overnight?
What was yesterday all about?
Which one is the real Eclipse?
She needed to hear it firsthand.