第１１１９堀：たたかう聖女様 (Part2)
It was a testament to Kagura and her companions' tenacity that they managed to endure the sudden gust of wind, despite having no foothold to brace themselves against.
Initially, they had managed to maintain their altitude by increasing the output of their levitation magic to counter the sudden gale. But there were limits to that, and since they were, at the end of the day, unaccustomed to aerial combat, their momentum eventually stalled, and they were slowly but surely pushed toward the ground.
It was...
"Unfortunately, they have come to a standstill."
"Yeah."
Indeed, the mere fact that they were holding their ground against that blast was impressive. Maintaining a stationary hover in mid-air is considered a high-level feat in aviation technology. While it might look effortless to the casual observer, a helicopter holding a steady position is actually performing a remarkable balancing act. It is a place where even the slightest breeze can sweep you away and break your equilibrium. To remain fixed in such a spot speaks volumes of a pilot's skill.
However, Kagura and her team were in the middle of a battle. And if you stop—or are forced to stop—in such a situation...
"I shall be so bold as to say this: once you stop your feet, you are nothing more than a target."
As Rurua spoke, magic circles manifested in every direction, encircling Kagura’s group. Not that they would have been able to dodge them even if they hadn't stopped.
"W-wait—!"
It seemed Kagura and the others shared that sentiment, attempting to dive through the gaps, but Rurua would allow no such thing. Without mercy, a barrage of magical attacks hammered them from every angle.
"Oh, how magnificent. Though they appear similar at a glance, the spells are perfectly categorized by attribute. Just at a glance, I see fire, water, ice, earth, light, darkness, rock, sand, explosions, flashes, and even magic negation. How does she manage to deploy so many at once? And rather than forcing them to focus on a single defense, she strips away their barriers and strikes them with everything simultaneously."
"That’s a terrifying technique. An attack that’s impossible to defend against or evade."
"Well, for someone of our caliber, one could simply retreat before the attack lands, or perhaps blow away the entire surrounding area, don't you think?"
"That’s a solution for us, Kirika. It’s a bit cruel to expect that of Kagura and her team."
As Kirika noted, if one had the skill, Rurua’s omnidirectional assault could be dodged—or better yet, shattered. But that was only true for those at our level. Kagura’s group, caught in that barrage, either failed to conceive of such a countermeasure or lacked the ability to execute it. They were swept up in the lingering downburst and plummeted to the earth.
They would have crashed into the ground, but Rurua caught them all securely and lowered them gently to the dirt.
"They’re safe, then."
"She is Rurua, after all. She held back appropriately."
I knew that, of course, but watching it still made my heart skip a beat.
"I hope this serves as a catalyst for them to take their training more seriously."
"We don't have much time. Regardless, it’s important that they’ve realized the massive gap between themselves and not just Deryu, but the others as well. Ah, it looks like Deryu’s side has finished up, too."
"Yes. It seems they lasted even less time than Kagura’s group."
"Well, considering their respective strengths, that’s to be expected."
Where I directed my gaze, Deryu was carrying Wazfi and Nairua, bringing them over to where Rurua had finished her training session.
"Let’s go hear what they have to say."
"Yes, that would be best. Oh my, Show-sama’s face is completely frozen."
"Well, anyone would look like that after seeing what just happened."
As we chatted and approached Rurua and the others...
"…I’m still alive."
"Mikos-chan, I really thought I was dead."
"I didn't realize the gap was this wide."
"Yes. It makes me realize, once again, how insufficient our training has been."
"I’ll definitely win next time!"
"…To lose so spectacularly and still be able to say that—it’s truly impressive. Kagura, Wazfi... I don't think I’ll ever feel like I can win again."
It seemed Kagura and the others had regained consciousness. And they were surprisingly energetic, too.
"Well, you know where you stand now, don't you? From here on out, let’s put more effort into our training. I’ll handle the arrangements for your work so you can get some time off. For now, though, I want you to investigate the Academy while we decide on our next course of action. Also, Nairua, Wazfi, there’s something I want to ask you about the Academy."
"Hm? What is it?"
"What’s up? I’ve had enough of training, so talking is much better."
"Have you heard any strange rumors at the Academy?"
And so, I decided to ask about the mystery regarding the Academy that Kirika had sensed. If it was just a misunderstanding, then so be it.
By pinning them down and unleashing unavoidable magic, Rurua is starting to resemble her husband quite a bit. Well, since she doesn't hold back in her training methods either, perhaps she was simply frustrated with Kagura and the others for being so underwhelming.