第２７４堀：勇者の技 (Part2)
"Indeed. Watch closely, Eoid. This is what my true ability looks like."
...Though, in my opinion, he’s just showing off for the sake of playing around, just like me.
『And now, the opponent for our 8th-ranked Soel Warber is this man!! A transfer student from Zilba and Enaria whose ranking is currently unknown!! However, because he shares a bond like a brother with the legendary Yuki, I personally hold his abilities in very high regard!! His name is... Taiki!!』
*Waaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!*
"Wait, what’s with that high praise?"
"Come on, get out there."
"Hey, wait!?"
Ratz’s exaggerated introduction whipped the crowd into a frenzy, causing Taiki’s enthusiasm to plummet. In a way, that’s terrifying. Taiki-kun stepped cautiously toward the center of the stage, right to where Soel was waiting.
『Now, as for Taiki-san’s abilities, they are largely unknown. As you can see, he is the type who uses a sword as a medium for magic, so we should view him as a speed-based fighter.』
No, Eris, you know, don't you? You know his combat style. After all, the moment we met, all his wives launched a coordinated attack on him. They took him to the very brink of death.
『That being the case, Soel-san’s style is reportedly to fire away to prevent her opponent from attacking, so I believe this match will boil down to one point: can Soel-san defeat Taiki-san before he closes the distance?』
Actually, the magic of this New Continent is ineffective against someone of Taiki-kun’s level. Naturally, it doesn't work on his wives, either.
『Are you the one who defeated the Principal, Eris-san, and a member of the mercenary group?』
『Er, yes.』
Oh, so the conversation is being broadcast throughout the dueling arena via Vice Principal Lara’s microphone.
『Then, may we assume that Taiki-san is also a highly skilled combatant, much like Eris-san?』
『No. He doesn't quite reach Eris-san’s level.』
Yeah. In many ways, that’s not wrong. If it were a pure, head-on clash, Taiki-kun would have the advantage, but she is feared by every nation because she holds the financial authority over almost all of Weed. Naturally, even Taiki-kun’s country, which has diplomatic ties with us, can’t look Eris in the eye. She’s the one footing the bill for their aid, after all.
『"Not quite," you say... I won’t be careless like Ardes-san. I will go all out from the very beginning.』
『Understood. Let’s have a good match.』
With that, the two put some distance between them. It was the same when I fought; they kept a fair amount of space, seemingly to allow for magic incantations. It comes down to each fighter’s judgment: do you attack with a flurry of strikes, or go for one big, decisive blow?
Then, Vice Principal Lara raised one hand...
"Use your magic and give it your all until the very end!! That is the path to becoming the strongest and gaining the power to protect many people!!"
Her voice, clear and resonant without the need for a microphone, echoed through the arena...
"I hereby begin the duel between Soel Warber and Taiki... Begin!!"
Her hand swept downward.
*Waaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!*
As the cheers erupted, Soel instantly manifested a boulder larger than a human.
『Oh my!! Unlike the first match, Soel-san is looking to attack immediately!!』
『Indeed, Taiki-san uses a sword as a medium, so we can infer he possesses high firepower at close range. Crushing him before he can reach that point is the correct judgment. And there, she has released her magic. That is the earth spell, Stone Shooter.』
Oh, that’s faster than I expected. If that hit a normal person, they’d be flattened, wouldn't they? It would be an instant "graphic content" regulation. Since it’s moving so fast, it should have struck Taiki-kun directly, but...
『Oh? The massive boulder has stopped in mid-air. It hasn't reached Taiki-san yet. Did Soel-san stop it to obscure his vision...? Wait, ohhhhhh!!』
"What!?"
*Ohhhhhh!!*
Amidst the gasps of surprise, the boulder was sliced clean in two and tumbled to the ground. Standing beyond it, Taiki-kun let his sword hang loosely and muttered:
"Dai-O-Zan (Great King Slash)."
Oh, he actually went for the classic trope!? That technique is the quintessential earth-element move for cleaving through hard objects and enemies. Is he planning to perfect that ultimate sword technique right here on this stage? It certainly fits the fantasy world, but the older you get, the more embarrassing it becomes to say the name of the move out loud. Because that was a childhood dream.
...Is Taiki-kun really going to do it!?
『W-what is this!! He cut the incoming boulder!!』
『It must be wind magic. A boulder that has been slashed while in flight shouldn't just fall straight down like that. But looking at it, the cut is clean. One could call that an incredible display of close-quarters magic.』
No, that’s not it. When a human is exhausted, they try to perform the minimum amount of action—that is, movements without waste. An attack without waste is, in other words, maximum firepower; the weapon and physical ability are in perfect harmony, resulting in the outcome of a clean cut.
Though, that’s just a direct quote from a certain teacher’s explanation!! In reality, he’s probably mimicking Eoid’s reinforcement through mana manipulation to increase the sword’s durability.
『However, for some reason, Taiki-kun isn't moving!! Soel-san is taking advantage of that opening, reducing the size of the projectiles and going for a flurry of attacks!!』
『Even so, they are still nearly the size of a person. If she fires them at that speed, it will be a fatal blow.』
Soel-san seemed to be going for a barrage against the stationary Taiki-kun, but... Taiki-kun had been waiting for this. After all, it’s his big moment.
*Thud, thud, thud...*
Heavy sounds echoed as the rocks fell onto the stage.
"No... way..."
Soel-san’s face was one of pure disbelief. And for good reason...
『Unbelievable! Taiki-san has cut through every single one of the countless rocks!! This is incredible!!』