CH 97

Chapter 3 — Dry scrape, burn and perforate! • Episode 3–4 — Witch Cup ②【Wind VS Dragon & Expansion】

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

Forest Area A, which was chosen as the field for the Witch Cup this year, is covered with tall hardwoods across a beautiful circular area. The 3-meter-high hexagonal pillar-shaped crystal that serves as the base for each team is also included in the outer edge of the forest, and although it is called a base, it does not have any buildings.

「Fly Wing.」

As soon as the transition to the base was complete and the match was about to begin, I leaped into the sky, breaking through the ceiling of layers of green leaves. We had talked about the strategy many times before today, and we reviewed it in the waiting room before the game began. There is no need to talk at length here now.

Each team’s base is located at the edge of the circular field, at an even distance from each other, so at the very beginning, I don’t have to worry about raids and head for the inner layer at full speed.

From above, this broadleaf tree is quite tricky, and it is almost impossible to tell visually what is going on in the forest. The holographic interface projected in my field of vision shows me the location of my teammates, myself, and each crystal, so I won’t get lost, but I may have to go down to actually find the crystal.

The field is moderately large, and even though I was flying through the air, it may take some time to reach the inner layers, so I’ll check our strategy just in case.

My first task is to secure the crystals on the front line. Then I would gradually move back to the middle level, and once I bumped into Ex–Magna-san, who was supposed to come up from the outer level, I would go around and take the other team’s crystals.

Since I and Dragon Call-san should be the only ones who can use Mobility Flight Magic in this competition, we will basically use that advantage to our advantage and prioritize capturing or recapturing the crystals while running around and running away without fighting as much as possible.

Ex–Magna-san will be asked to secure the small crystals near the base in the early stages and to defend the crystals in our own camp from then on. If I meet a Witch who looks like I have no chance of winning, I can either run away and involve the other team’s Witches, or fish to Doppelganger-san’s place and work together to fight her off. As a rule, Doppelganger-san doesn’t move around to defend the large crystal, but stay where she was.

After a few minutes of flying with other countermeasures against each Witch, I arrived at a position where the small crystal shown on the map and my icon almost overlapped.

I went down to the ground and luckily found the small crystal quickly, so I deactivated all magic and pressed my palm against the small crystal while keeping an eye on my surroundings just to be sure.

「I see, so this is how it happens.」

A colorless, translucent crystal about one meter high gradually turned a beautiful blue color from the inside, and after just 10 seconds had passed, it changed completely into a blue crystal. The small crystal shown on the map has also changed from white to blue, which seems to mean that it is now officially secured.

「There’s one for Red Team and two for the Yellow Team?」

As I was checking the map, several crystals changed color to red, blue or yellow at about the same time. All the crystals are from the outer layer except for the one I secured. The leading role of other teams may not yet be able to reach the inner layer.

So far, the Blue Team is the only team that has been able to establish a vast position from the outer to the inner layer. So, aside from the magical power consumption, I now have a slight advantage over the other teams, given the compensation for the increased movement speed.

『One inner layer has been secured.』

『I’ve got one of the outer layers over here too.』

『I’ve got it all mapped out. I need you both to secure the crystal as per the plan.』

As a built-in feature of this avatar, teammates can call each other at any time, so meetings are held to report as closely as possible, except when there is no room.

As I was about to start moving in the southeast direction, a little more easterly than my original route, toward the crystal in the middle layer as planned, someone suddenly appeared in front of me.

「Wind Armor!」

「Fire!」

Faster than I could recognize who it was, I quickly took evasive action backward and activated my defensive magic. Immediately after, a hot wind enveloped my surroundings. The heat was immediately dissipated by the distance and the circulating wind, so there was no fatal damage, but I was still sweating all over as if I had been in a sauna, and my clothes were sticking to my skin. That’s disgusting…

『I’ve encountered Dragon Call-san and Extend-san!』

I could see who it was because I was able to keep the other person in sight from a little distance.

It’s Dragon Call-san flying with Extend-san in a princess carry.

It seems to me that because they were working in pairs, it means that the Red Team secured one crystal. It’s not that they didn’t reach the inner layer, but that they didn’t secure the crystal in favor of destroying the other team’s predecessor.

Behind Dragon Call-san is a large dragon covered in Western-style red scales, leaning against her.

As seen from the videos, Dragon Call-san seems to have the power of dragons in her or uses magic to summon a dragon and borrow its power. But that red dragon, I believe the fire dragon, wasn’t that mobile. At the very least, it’s definitely not a magic trick that can appear in front of you so fast that you can’t follow it with your eyes.

That means…

「Ex :『Time』!」

『Can you escape!?』

『I’ll try!』

This time it isn’t so much that I can’t follow it with my eyes, but still Dragon Call-san is coming at me at a great speed. I guess it was due to the Time Dilation Magic of Extend-san. I was able to establish a position but my path was blocked, so I am flying away in the opposite direction, but Dragon Call-san, who is chasing me, is clearly faster than I am.

「Sextal Tornado Mixer!」

While fleeing away, I tried to check him with a Tornado Mixer by pointing my big stick backward, but he easily evaded me because his time dilation magic is not a simple high-speed movement, but time itself flows differently. Maybe the Tornado Mixer looks somewhat slow to Extend-san.

Although Dragon Call-san’s speed is a little slower than before because she has to avoid the Tornado Mixer, she’s still faster than me. If I don’t, they will catch up with me.

I didn’t want to consume too much magic at this most early stage, but I had no choice.

「Field Magic :『Tempest.』」

A huge storm was generated and enveloped Dragon Call-san and Extend-san, and the next moment the storm was blown away with a tremendous explosion sound.

「Eh!?」

Field Magic『Tempest』 is less powerful at the point compared to Tornado Mixer because it brings destruction over a wide area, and it shows its true value when dealing with a large number or a huge body, but it’s still not weak. If a direct hit is made, an ordinary Magical Girl wouldn’t have time to resist. And even though she was swallowed up by it, I’ll able to drown it out.

Nevertheless, the other party shouldn’t be unscathed. In fact, it’s possible that they are dying now. I’m continuing to fly without slowing down, but I may be able to shake them off.

「Ex :『Space』」

「——Empty Adult!」

With a rustling sound of rustling branches and leaves, Dragon Call-san, holding Extend-san, ran out of the forest and appeared right in front of me, as if she had moved instantaneously. I was too hopeful that it might be dying.

We were being closed in on at a considerable distance, and there was a good chance that my Field Magic and Tornado Mixers would hit them faster than they could hit me, so I quickly used my combined offensive and defensive magic…

「Ex :『Scar.』」

When Extend-san used her magic a beat later with a swing of her spear, Empty Adult burst and disappeared as if it had been devoured from the inside.

I don’t know any magic like that! She kept her hands to herself in training!

「Swing!」

「Guuhh!!」

Without a pause in the magic of Extend-san, Dragon Call-san gave some instructions, and the fire dragon behind her swept its large wings vigorously toward me. I was unable to evade it in time and took the blow with my big stick, but I was unable to stop it. Thanks to my Wind Armor, I managed not to have my whole arm taken away, but I was blown away and dropped my big stick in the forest. Moreover, Wind Armor was also stripped off by the impact.

This is bad. Without my cane, my magic will be less effective. I’m being pushed around by breathless attacks, and if I don’t do something, I’ll be pushed around. I have to do something…!

「Octo Tornado——」

「I won’t let you!」

「Ex :『Time.』」

Even with the great cane in place, a broken Field Magic will not help the situation. The only possibility is to hit the Tornado Mixer. I try to bet on one or the other, abandoning defense, evasion, and control to let Octo Tornado Mixers run amok. But it’s no use. I won’t make it if I don’t!

「Rapid Smash!」

「——!?!」

Just before the fatal blow reached me, a Witch suddenly interrupted from the side and delivered a high kick that blew away Dragon Call-san, and I cancelled my magic and caught the falling girl in a princess-like hug. Oddly enough, it was the opposite of that time.

「Why did you help me, Rabbitfoot-san?」

It was Rabbitfoot-san from the Yellow Team who saved me when I was so close to what would have been a stoppage.

「I’m not trying to help you. I’m just saying that if you lose, I’m the next target and I’m outnumbered two to one. I’ll fight with you just this once. You’ll face Dragon, and I’ll face Extend.」

「…I see. Got it, I’ll drop you off.」

I didn’t have time to look at the map earlier, but it seems that while I was running away, before I knew it, I had reached a place closer to the Yellow Team in the inner layer. So Rabbitfoot-san noticed we were fighting.

Rabbitfoot-san is right, if I lose, it will mean next time. This offer of a joint fight is helpful to me.

Just in time, Rabbitfoot-san’s surprise attack seems to have caused Dragon Call-san to drop Extend-san in the forest, so now they can share the fight.

After calling out to them, I drop Rabbitfoot-san into a nearby tree branch, and I go to defeat Dragon Call-san, who has been blown away.