CH 108

While being wrapped by the blue effect of her auxiliary magic, Ruffie opens her mouth with her fist poised.

"Are you kidding me that you waited for me to finish casting the spell? Don't you know the word "Carelessness is the greatest enemy"?

"If this was a real battle, I would have cut you down in a moment. But... this is just a mock battle. Besides, what's the use of fighting seriously against a weak enemy?"

Nagisa stares back at Ruffie's sleepy eyes and speaks in a calm tone.

"If you can become a strong fighter even if it's instant, that's what I want. So, I'll give you the lead. Go for it."

"Hmm? That means... you're really underestimating me. If you insist... let's make you regret it a little!"

Ruffie kicked the ground.

Her speed is increased by her auxiliary magic, and she instantly steps into Nagisa's range.

She then swung a sharp fist at Nagisa's face.

"I see... you're fast."

Nagisa tilts her head and ducks the fist coming at her face.

If she had been even a little slow in evading the fist, Nagisa's fair face would have been a mess.

"Besides, that is a good attack without hesitation. You don't hesitate to aim at a woman's face, and I can see your mercilessness."

"I'm not so good at taking it easy on people I don't like."

"Oh? I've never heard that you don't like me. I can hardly remember having a conversation with you."

"I don't need a reason to dislike someone!"

Ruffie closes the distance and starts to deliver fist blows after fist blow.

Nagisa deals each blow one after the other with her sword in her hand.

The fierce battle is breathtaking. The students around them are watching the battle with bated breath.

"Hmm, she's strong. More than I expected."

I nodded my head in admiration.

Of course I knew that Nagisa is strong, but I had not expected Ruffie to put up such a good fight.

Even without the reinforcement by auxiliary magic, she is doing quite well.

"Well, she has been partying with Brave for a month now... and she seems to have been through some rough times. This makes me wonder about Brave's growth."

If his friends are growing up, it means that Leon, the leader of the party, is also growing up. I'm looking forward to the mock battle that follows.

"Haaa!"

Ruffie kicks Nagisa this time. But, Nagisa avoids a whip-like high kick by bending her body away from the kicker.

"You avoided this one, too. I don't like it."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Well then, it's time for me to counterattack..."

"I won't let you do it. Won't you stay put?"

Nagisa tried to counterattack with her sword, but Ruffie quickly moved in to block her resistance.

Ruffie fights with her hand armor, while Nagisa's weapon is a sword.

Although Nagisa had the advantage in terms of reach, but on the other hand, she could not do anything if Ruffie stepped into her range.

Ruffie skillfully closed the distance so that Nagisa could not swing her sword.

"At this distance, 'Swordsman' can't do anything, can they? I won't let you leave!"

"Mu...!"

Ruffie's fist grazes Nagisa's cheek.

The sharp blow caused a gash on Nagisa's cheek.

Nagisa tries to backstep away from Ruffie to counterattack, but Ruffie moves in closer to prevent her from making room to swing her sword.

Ruffie's fighting style should be called 'skillful' rather than 'strong'. She played Nagisa, who was a superior fighter, at her mercy.

"If it continues like this... Nagisa-san will lose. Ruffie-san is completely controlling the flow of the battle."

"This is what happens when someone didn't defeat their enemy when they can, desu~no. She's really licking her wounds, that's too bad, desu~no"

Aeris and Urza say something like that together.

It is true that Nagisa will be defeated if the battle continues.

Although there is a time limit for auxiliary magic, it is very difficult for her to endure the onslaught until then.

"But... that's only if it was Nagisa before she joined me. The Nagisa of today is different from the Nagisa of the past."

As soon as I mutter this, Nagisa takes action.

Ruffie swung his fist to strike Nagisa, and at the same time, Nagisa slammed her sword into her metal hand.

The slash, which was not even swung hard enough, had almost no offensive power. It was not a damaging blow, but...

"Kuh!?"

Ruffie's fist is knocked away by the light attack, and she falls down.

Her sleepy, half-open eyes widen for the first time, and she looks shocked.

"Counter parry... that's what called."

I snap my fingers.

It was a technique used by the player in the game.

By slamming the attack into the center of the opponent's attack area, it would knock the opponent off his feet and take him down.

And seeing Ruffie, who was supposed to have been attacking unilaterally, suddenly knocked down, the students around them are confused.

Ordinary people would not have been able to understand what Nagisa had done.

"Seikai Itto-ryu — Hidden Technique — 'Reverse Wave Flow (逆波流し)"

Nagisa murmurs quietly as she throws Ruffie away.

Counter parry is called 'Reverse Wave Flow' in Nagisa's sword school, and it is said to be a technique that was lost after the death of her father, who was her master.

But Nagisa has grasped the secret of this technique under my tutelage, and has succeeded in bringing this once lost art back to the world.

"Well... this is my victory. You have no complaints, right?"

Nagisa thrusts her sword at the fallen Ruffie.

"..."

The tables have turned in an instant. Ruffie frowns slightly at the tip of the sword in front of her... but then her shoulders slump in resignation.

"...Yes, yes. I give up. You're not going to complain now, are you?"

She raised her hands and pursed her lips in a sultry manner.

Nagisa nods in triumph and draws the tip of her sword.

"Astoglow, you were not bad. But I must correct you on one thing."

"What is it? Are you being sarcastic?"

"My job is not 'Swordsman'. I've just received an oracle and changed my job to 'Samurai Master'. So, change your perception."

"..."

Nagisa said without a hint of triumph, and turned around while leaving Ruffie lying on the ground.