CH 255

255 – Fenix Party VS Ellie Party 2

『This is the first round of the Red Group of the second stage of the All-Heaven Festival Contest!　Fenix party vs Ellie party! Ready…FIGHT!』

The distribution of roles in my party is plain and simple.

The twin Black Sorcerers, Lyner and Ryan, are on a supporting role with their Black Magic.

The White Sorcerers who hail from the same region, Kent and Jean, support me with their White Magic.

And finally, I, the Undefeated Hero Ellie, shall make short work of our enemies.

At the match start signal, both parties began to move.

First, we go through our usual routine.

「Make Madam Ellie as fast as the wind! Quick!」

「Make Madam Ellie as fast as a thunderbolt! Quick!」

I receive boosts from White Magic.

「Let my enemy experience their feet being stuck in mud, my magic! Quick Down!」

「Make my enemy move as if they were carrying a boulder, my magic! Quick Down!」

The target of the two Black Sorcerers is the one with the least magical resistance, the Warrior Alba.

Accelerating myself with Wind Spirit Magic, I kick off the ground to dash forward.

Heading straight for the Flame Hero Fenix.

『…! Aaand it’s on~! Contestant Ellie has made a mad dash as soon as the match began! And who is she dashing towards? None other than contestant Fenix, the enemy leader! What a bold move!』

Well, what now, Fenix party?

Their movements were just as excellent as we had expected.

「I knew you guys would aim for me!」

Alba did not move. He already concluded that he won’t be able to take advantage of his lauded quick wit while under the effects of Speed Down.

However, despite being a Warrior, he possesses a method of attack without having to move.

His extensible Magic Sword.

The same one he’s shown in the tenth stratum of the Impregnable Demon King Castle.

Simply point the tip at the enemy and activate the Magic Sword.

Black Magic cannot be cast onto weapons, so it will extend at its usual speed to stab the enemy.

His target…are my loyal dogs.

「If you truly belong in the 95th rank, you shall be dealt with accordingly.」

The Hunter Lily let loose a volley of arrows.

They flew through the air, drawing a gentle arc. It was a curved, high-angle shot.

If the arrows were shot past me, they would have been influenced by my Wind Magic and blown away.

So when I try to divert the arrows’ trajectory, a perfect space is created between me and the arrows that require an amount of Magical Energy.

The Paladin Lark moved in front of Alba, whose movements have become slow.

The area that Frost Hero Bella was in charge of was directly above.

「Frozen Sword Rain.」

Sharp, pointed rods of ice were formed.

As the name implies, she makes them fall like rain.

Support Jobs have natural below-average durability, and they require concentration to activate and maintain their magic.

This was a brilliant move that served both as an attack and as interference.

Not just Bella, but all four of them did well. Wonderful enough to be detestable.

『Holy smokes! It would appear that the Fenix party is employing a strategy that aims for enemy support members first! Has their perception towards supports Jobs been changed by the pain they suffered at the hands of the One-Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton in the Impregnable Demon King Castle?』

From the front, Alba. From the sides, Lily. From above, Bella.

Each attacked aimed at my loyal dogs from various angles.

They all see Black and White Sorcerers as enemies that must be dealt with immediately.

It’s a different story if they were hunting them as easy prey.

No, they have formed a solid policy to deal with them immediately because they will become threats if left alone.

People can say all sorts of laudable things with their mouths. But actions speak louder than words.

The Fenix party has truly changed.

If they looked down on support jobs, they wouldn’t have responded this way.

The corners of my mouth curve upward into a smile unintentionally.

「How splendid.」

The Flame Hero Fenix unsheathes his Holy Sword and waits for me.

Despite looking so calm, I could feel an intense pressure like a blazing inferno from him.

I shall deal with Alba’s Magic Sword first.

I drive an Air Staple on top of the extending blade portion.

Like two nails joined at the top by a pole, I drive it down on top of the bellowed connected part of the Magic Sword to fix it to the ground.

This should interfere with its extension and contraction.

「Tsk…!」

I could hear the sound of someone clicking his tongue in frustration. Probably Alba.

『G-goodness!! Alba’s Magic Sword has been pinned to the ground by something invisible! It would appear that it is unable to move!』

「I’m flying.」

With that short declaration from me, the four in the rear respond immediately.

「Yes, ma’am!」

I intentionally used my feet to dash in earlier in order to showcase to the audience the effects of White Magic.

Seeing it live is more surprising than seeing it through a video.

To the eyes of the average person, my speed seemed to increase to unbelievable levels after receiving the support of White Magic.

The fact that I’m a Hero and that I used Wind Magic to accelerate myself is another thing entirely.

It is the truth that I became faster after White Magic was cast on me.

So long as the audience can see that.

I fly towards Fenix using Wind Magic.

I don’t forget to release some Wind Blades to keep the other four in check.

I pulled out a slender, one-handed Holy Sword and slashed at Fenix.

There were several slashes in the blink of an eye.

The sound of metal colliding against metal rang out.

Flames raged, winds howled.

My diagonal downward sing was easily deflected, but even using the force of the deflection to make a sideways swing from a low stance wasn’t enough to catch him as he lightly jumps back to avoid it.

But this, too, was part of the plan.

Aiming at just the right spot where he lands, I fire off two Wind Blades to sandwich him from both his left and right sides.

There isn’t enough time for him to duck. Even if there was, it would be difficult for him to dodge my own follow-up attack.

For some reason, he holds his sword sideways, facing the belly of the blade towards me.

No.

From his point of view, the tip of his blade is facing the right Wind Blade while the pommel is facing the left Wind Blade.

He isn’t going to…

He is!

After a high-pitched sound, he stands unharmed.

The invisible Wind Blades were stopped by the blade tip and pommel.

If he was off even slightly, the Wind Blades would have sliced off his pretty little head.

What courage. What Magical Energy detection. What accuracy.

Furthermore, he obstructed my advance by emitting flames towards his front.

『W-Wh-What a dazzling display of offense and defense! Flying with the aid of Wind Magic, contestant Ellie fires off a series of attacks that defy common sense! Contestant Fenix deals with it all as if he knew they were coming! And then he let loose a flame attack! Contestant Ellie dodged it magnificently! Just how much could happen in a single moment?! A fight between Heroes is truly something!』

It’s like he’s a different man from the Fenix from a few months ago.

Since he had his fearsome Fire Spirit Magic, his skill with the blade didn’t stand out, but this Hero was adequate enough with sword techniques.

He has reached an even higher level of proficiency now.

I suppose this is the result of his training with the Adventurers who took part in the Raid Battle.

Among those party members were the Samurai Masamune and the Warrior Hamill, two of the top five greatest swordsmen in the world.

I wonder what he learned.

I circumvent the wave of fire and move on to my next attack.

While concentrating on the enemy in front of me, I take a bird’s eye view of the entire battlefield.

Alba’s Magic Sword has been sealed.

Lark is protecting him.

My White and Black Sorcerers are being assaulted by a rain of ice swords and a volley of allows being shot in an arc.

The White Magic on me has been dispelled.

Unknown to the masses, I and my loyal dogs help each other mutually.

They support me with their Black and White Magic while I support them with my Wind Magic.

If I am able to predict an attack, I let them know using wind pressure.

If there was an attack aimed at their forehead, I would cast Wind Magic to blow there.

Even if it’s an attack that an ordinary person wouldn’t be able to dodge, it’s possible with the perception of a Hero.

So, of course, they can dodge at a speed many times faster than the average person.

Naturally, even though I let them know that danger is approaching, they have to dodge it on their own.

Therefore, the four people in my party have trained their bodies to heights unthinkable for support Jobs.

Kent and Jean shout a combination of White Magic.

「Quick!」

「Intelligence!」

The speed and thinking ability of all four of them are enhanced.

They quickly evade the falling ice swords.

Perhaps due to the height from which they fell, the ice swords pierce the ground and stick to it without bouncing.

『They move at speeds unlike that of support Jobs! The famous foursome of the Ellie party is famous for their well-trained bodies as well as their good looks- oh my! There they go! The suits! Are! Off!』

By the way, the commentator happens to be a woman this time.

As she said, the four of them have taken their suits off. But not to throw them away. They have just taken them off.

They are more than mere suits, they are Adventurer equipment.

「HMM!」

Wielding their suits like the red cape of a bullfighter, they move to sweep aside Lily’s arrows the moment they touch the suits.

They use it to kill the arrow’s momentum, like winding a thread.

『Th-there it is! Yes indeed, the suits worn by those four are blade-proof! They normally function as armor, but if the need arises, they can also use it as shields just as they are right now!』

However, the timing is quite strict.

This too, in addition to their White Magic enhancements, is possible with the help of my Wind Magic.

「…I see.」

Lily, whose lauded arrow skills are being guarded against, narrows her eyes.

「I understand.」

That voice was Bella’s.

Those words weren’t the only things she produced.

There was Magical Energy as well.

I immediately understood her intent.

An ice wall. She’s going to create an ice wall.

One that will physically obstruct my view of the four of them in the rear.

This is seldom seen in this modern Adventurer industry that doesn’t perceive White and Black Magic as threats, but it is splendid as a countermeasure.

Because White and Black Magic work the same way as offensive magic in that they all need to hit their target in order to work.

It’s invisible, but they work the same.

So if there is an obstacle in the way of the spell, even an invisible spell would be circumvented.

If you can’t see the other side of the ice wall, it would become remarkably more difficult to hit the target.

That isn’t the only amazing thing that Bella will achieve.

If the ice wall is completed, it would interfere with the support for my loyal manservants that come from me.

My Wind Magic that warns them of danger would have to go around the ice wall.

Well done, I’m truly impressed.

Which is exactly why I predicted it as well.

Bella’s petite lips begin to move.

「Ice Wall.」

「By all means.」

I’ll just attack you instead.