Vol 2 Chapter 22 (2/2)

I had the option of employing magic to attack; however, there was a possibility it would be evaded when there existed distance. In case of a small scale battle, it was more effective to use magic after a little beating. I learnt that from Alba-san with my own body. Although these two were no threat, complacency was a sin.

First, I targeted the man holding the sword. Driven into a fully powered strike, his sword screeched loudly.

When I tried to chase the man who had fallen back to gain distance, the whip lashed from the side. Like last time, it was a coordinated move.

s.h.i.+fting my body weight to my feet, I back stepped, dodging the consecutive whip strikes.

I, who had my posture destroyed in the process of escaping the whip’s range of attack—――was next bombarded with magic by the two at the same time. Quite troublesome… it was.

(ED Note: Yoda speak -_-)

If I remember correctly, the woman could use Water Magic――in that case, I would have to counter it with Fire Magic. However, the man’s magic was…?

As I willed for 《s.h.i.+eld of Fire》 to invoke, I turned my line of sight to the man. Around his held out palm, particles of flame had started to form. His magic was… Fire?

In the next instant—an Ice Shot and a Flame Shot were fired simultaneously.

Although it would be best if I could dodge, the range of the shots was considerably wide. I would have to counter it with magic.

I stabbed the sword into the ground and invoked magic in both hands.

I negated the Ice Shot with the 《s.h.i.+eld of Fire》 and the Flame Shot with the 《s.h.i.+eld of Water》. As the particles of ice were evaporated by the wall of flame and the particles of flame were thwarted by the wall of water, steam whirled up.

「No way… this guy can use multiple types of magic…? What the actual」

「Somehow… I want to run away」

This time… it was my turn.

There was a prospect of refining composite element magic… However, it would take time. The unification of sword and magic was possible with a single magic, but its potential… Although those two were in a confused state, I had better prioritize speed of invocation over power.

Reducing the volume of the flame to the utmost limit while increasing the density to the utmost limit… shaping it into a blade――I clad the sword in such an imagined flame.

「…Eat this」 ――Beheading Blaze Burst!!

The flame, the image of which had become clearer after having a name attached to it, surged up and charged at the two. The one who stepped forward to defend was the woman. Although I had darted off concurrently with firing the technique having considered the possibility of evasion, she chose to negate it with a counter element.

「S-Such a… thing――Ho-w――――」

Following a *bon* small explosion, the woman who had been blown back tumbled onto the ground.

「S-Sis Rei!!」

Anxious, the man shouted. Without wasting the opportunity, I ma.s.sively slashed the sword through Gyaku Gesa. (TN: He executed Gyaku Kesa Giri which in simpler terms is a cut from hip to opposite shoulder)

With the opponent’s sword snapped and hurled away, I delivered a blow to the side with the back of the overturned sword. As I sensed G.o.d knows how many bones fracturing, the man collapsed onto the ground and lost all movement.

For confirmation, I approached the blown off woman.

Since the mask of the woman had come off due to the shock of the explosion, her face was bare. Black eyes under black hair… unlike westerners, her features had an oriental chic.

「As I suspected… from back then…」

「U… ku, what…?」

「Once again, I’m really sorry. For that candy.」

「Aah… That…」

「As an apology, should I send you a candy in the prison?」

「The compensation will be ten times… stuu-pid――…」

With that parting shot, the woman lost consciousness. That last exchange might have subsided the sour feeling from the matter with Lim; however, it had also furthered my pride. I put grasping and stealing their skills off.

I must go to Logins-san’s support right away.

As I turned back, my line of sight caught slightly distant silhouettes of the two engaged in a battle.

――The slender sword in Logins’ hand, bent, repelled his opponent’s sword strike.

Although the shape of the sword was suited to stabbing, the sword blade, which was capable of slas.h.i.+ng, grazed Serdio’s body as it cut through the air.

「…It doesn’t seem like your skills have declined.」

「You seem to have improved your skills very much.」

「Obviously. Unlike you, I haven’t been living a carefree life…」

As the sword thrust out by Serdio lightly ripped Logins’ left shoulder, fresh blood spilt out into the air. To drive his faltering left side away, the sharp kick he was delivering to his mid-section switched to his upper-section.

Logins had seen through the change in the kick. He unhesitantly swung the hilt of his sword down to smash the knee――kneecap of the foot which he had caught in the process of defending.

The move that faster than even a stroke of blade――Serdio barely dodged it and stepped back.

「――You really believe what that guy spouted?」

「…Seiji-san?」

「That was nothing more than a pathetically bad lip service. I don’t know what that girl thinks, but do you think the lord will forgive you?」

「Not at all. I reckon Albert-sama has been told everything. I don’t think he will forgive me. Even if he forgives me, my being by his side will only add to his troubles…」

In reply to Logins’ words, a voice filled with laughter resounded.

「That’s unfortunate. If you chose to contentedly live your carefree life once again, I thought I could request cooperation of you once more. In future――」

The words that were about to be spun were forcibly interrupted. The slender sword silently struck and tore Serdio’s mask apart.

His blonde hair trimmed short and his ash brown pupils goggling through the white, which occupied the most of his eyes, lay bare. Wiping the blood off his cheek with the back of his hand, Serdio glared at the opponent before him.

「For you… there’s no future.」

「Ku…kuku… are you angry?」

「――Whatever you do, do it efficiently… Use anything that can be used… Who was it that taught me so?」

「I, I suppose.」

「To pick up a s.h.i.+t like me, who was on the verge of dying a dog’s death, I’m grateful from the bottom of my heart. Then you taught me various things… From how to wield a sword――――to how to kill people.」

Inside his eyes filled with the thirst for blood, a slightly different glint could be seen.

Logins, who was confronting him, put a curt reply forth without bringing a change about in his expression.

「Yes」

「But that person, moved by affection, has now retired.」

「…What are you trying to say?」

「What that guy said. Responsibility… The one who raised me to be such a human being was you. So… you should take responsibility… no?!!」

He lunged with a stab; however, it was flicked by Logins.

「‘Take responsibility and kill me,’ is that what you want to say?」

Thereafter, with the softness in his voice gone, Logins’ tone only had a trace of indifference and coldness.

「――…Don’t get excited. I will take responsibility. Serdio… I will kill you right here.」

「Fu… haha! To me, you sound just like your old self.」

――The two exchanged attacks with the intention of taking the other’s life… However, no one could deal a fatal blow.

Only the shape of the swords they were wielding differed; body movement――the way they moved their bodies resembled each other closely.

It was because of this resemblance that they were missing a decisive blow.

Because the one who taught Serdio the art of battle――was Logins.

After crossing swords many a times, Logins pushed his opponent’s body with his shoulder and opened up the distance.

Concentrating his consciousness in that interval, he drew magic out. If an outcome could not be reached with either the Sword or the Body Arts, a different ingredient had to be added to the mix.

Before Logins raised his hand――Serdio had sensed the danger and jumped sideways.

Although Serdio, too, was one of those rare humans blessed with the apt.i.tude for magic, magic itself was the manifestation of an individual’s image. Since chanting and such was unnecessary, what magic the opponent would use could normally only be understood after seeing it.

However, Serdio had predicted as to what magic his opponent was intending to use.

It was further confirmed when he witnessed a stone pillar, which appeared as if it could lock an ankle, emerge where he was previously standing.

「Ha! you expect me to be caught by such a thing――」

「――Exactly」

Logins, who had edged to the side after having calculated that his opponent would evade, stuck his sword out.

However, before the sword could pierce through his throat――Serdio’s body, as if it melted into the darkness, evanesced.

「Magic… eh?」

To the muttered words came no reply.

Serdio, who had concealed his presence, could not be expected to give his location away.

Logins, who was breathing slowly, closed his eyes and set his sword up quietly.

――The moment Serdio appeared behind Logins and raised his sword――as if it had been antic.i.p.ated, the slender sword was thrust at his throat.

「d.a.m.n. How…」

「If I must say… somehow. Well… it’s over.」

The two were so close that they could clearly see each other’s face.

In the mind of Logins, the face of the man when he was still a boy resurfaced.

In such a place as Souven Empire, where the rich cla.s.s and the poor cla.s.s were clearly demarcated, no one would bat an eye even if the poor died in the middle of the street.

Although he picked him up on a whim, he taught him various things since he was blessed with talent.

――Logins held the memories of the days bygone back from resurfacing and put strength in the fist which he was wielding the sword in.

「…Lorent-san.」

What Serdio whispered――was the name that Logins had cast away over ten years ago.

And… it was a name which the boy, who was in no way civil, used to call him by from behind.

――――For a brief moment, he stopped thinking.

I glanced at the two who were engaged in a battle, and confirmed the situation.

Apparently, the battle had come to a conclusion; Logins-san was stabbing the sword at the man.

To have such an evil face… that man was undoubtedly Serdio.

If it were to be over so quickly… it would be too easy on him.

When Alba-san finished hers… it would be all over?

Let’s have Marita come down then.

I called Luna down by waving toward the sky.

However, from the back of Luna, who was descending slowly, Marita screamed.

Where Marita was looking and where I had previously been looking――was the body of Logins-san, collapsed onto the ground.

Under the gloomy sky was the sword of Serdio died red.

How did it… turn out… like that?

「…That’s why I said. You have turned too soft.」

Saying so, Serdio stomped on Logins-san’s body. He, who was bleeding from around his chest, leaked a groan.

「――Remove your dirty foot right now. If you don’t, I will cut your useless ears off.」

「Well… If you went through the same, would that princess come down just as anxiously?」

「Unfortunately… you can’t talk your way to me.」

Aah… he is hopeless. I Guess I will―― kill him.

<script>