"Warm, warm, slippery!

　Slice and cut.
　When the ice shark jumps up out of the water, I'm going to cut it in two vertically.
　I don't remember how many ice golems I cut down when I first started fighting here.
　Because of the sheer volume of work I was dealing with, I was paying attention at first, but gradually I was able to deal with it with reflexes only, and from the middle of the fight it became a work in progress, and the way the golem fought gave me time to think, and I began to feel the nuances of the golem wanting to keep me here.
　Moving my body, I gradually feel more and more comfortable, but I try to calmly sort out the current situation with only my thoughts.
　My slashes, connected to the mineral tree, cut through magically-enhanced ice without resistance, just like tofu, and reduce the number of slashes before they regenerate.
　I don't care if they're in the water or not.
　Just cut the water with it.
　It's true that the water is better for defense, but you can ignore it once you've crossed a certain borderline.
　It's a little heavier, but still only by a small margin.
　One after another, they are cutting and slicing at the ice golems that are becoming more and more aggressive.
　You will find that Kaido and the others are doing their best, but you also feel a sense of discomfort.

It's strange.

　A few minutes of time.
　Although it's less than five minutes, only the golem has appeared since a few minutes ago, and as expected, it's suspicious.
　The Kaido who attacked the first time he saw an opening has not appeared, nor can I find Kitamiya, who is probably operating this golem.
　The number of times I cut through the water and revealed the ground is not enough, even if I used all my fingers, let alone one hand.
　It's a little strange that you can't see a shadow of a human being, nevertheless.
　The movement of the golem is smooth.
　In other words, it must be moved by human hands.
　Nevertheless, the fact that Kaido and the others are not visible at all is incomprehensible.

So it's a good thing that ...... was conspired against you. Oh, I see, I see.

　I know my mind is racing and hot, but my head is calm.
　Now, you cut off the golem and guess from its movements where Kaido and the others are.
　The movement of the shark in the water, the movement of the centaur as it slides through the water.
　On closer inspection, it was not a move that could ever be made underwater.
　I thought it might be linked to the golem to keep it in sight, but there was no such golem in the sky.
　But there's no commander-type guy, either.
　Even if there were, I cut off everyone in sight at least once.
　The opponent didn't seem to be perturbed by it either.
　Then it's strange that he could move so smoothly, even behind a pillar, which is visually invisible.

"You made me think I was in the water at the first hallway: ...... elaborate.

　If you say the words and look for the reason why Kaido has not appeared since the earlier move, your mind will be able to figure out the motive of your opponent's move as if you were putting the pieces of a puzzle together.
　How can you think like that, you smile and predict what will happen next.
　When thinking complex thoughts, it is also good to think quietly, but it is more effective and important to put them into words in this way than to think them out in your head, including the meaning of organizing them.
　By saying your thoughts out loud, you will be able to reaffirm them and see if you have overlooked anything.
　Then, after you finish organizing the situation, you suddenly feel a sense of magic and smile at my mouth.

"Are you done with your observations?　South
"Mmmmmm, I'm ready to be a leader, that I am!

　It's not just a matter of how much time you have left on the clock, it's also a matter of how much time you have left on the clock.
　You can find a lot of people who are not concerned with style, laughing.
　I'm not going to be able to get rid of it.
　There is no sign of magic or presence.
　There are no other members in sight.
　And there's no possibility that the existence in front of you is a hallucination.
　Guys with high magic aptitude are generally resistant to the type of magic that produces abnormalities.
　So.

...... You're the rear guard, you must have some kind of advantage when you're in the front, right?
"Well, you're not going to cut corners with this cute little me, that you're not going to let your guard down like a duck is coming?　It would be helpful to me if you could give me a sense of leeway like, "Hahahahaha, my prey is here," that is.
"That's totally the weakest of the four positions. I'm sure you're well-groomed, but unfortunately, considering your personality, it's not safe to show it.

　The real South will challenge me, the vanguard, to a head-to-head battle.
　I'm sure he has a plan when it comes to being suspicious and openly suspicious.
　Knowing the south, I can only assume so.
　It's also possible that the other guys are planning something to buy time with the bluff, but that's okay.

So, that's that. South.
"What is it?
It's time to stop wasting words.

　Just as well, if a hidden entity has come out.
　It would save you the trouble of looking for it.
　I'm tired of the joking attitude of the south, and I'm tired of being stuck in a stagnant situation.
　It's time to change the situation.
　You are going to be able to have a great deal of fun with the help of a great deal of people.
　Speed up the circulation of magic and put your strength into your legs.
　A posture that transforms the crouching-start stance to tell you that you are about to attack.

Let's get started!

　All that's left is to fight.
　The power built up in my legs explodes, and I close in on the airborne Minami like a rocket-propelled grenade.
　I'm not going to let my smile falter, but I've already jumped into a trap.
　I'm not going to change my trajectory and show you a lousy opening here.

"Kieraeaaaaaaaaaa!

　It's better to cut down with the screams.
　It is a good thing that you are not friends with your opponent.

It is good, that it is.

　A wide-eyed south .

"I believed in you, that I did, leader.




　"I'm straight here, that I am.

　He was intercepted by South, who murmured.

Kaha!

　Seriously, I thought when I saw the scene I just saw.
　I felt a pain in my abdomen.
　It was proof that I was damaged.
　And because I was intercepted, Minami is moving away from me at great speed.
　A moment later, at the moment of the crossing, I realized with the pain that my blow, which would have certainly killed Minami if I had come down, had failed to strike.

"Kaa, itte. You've been blown up a lot, and when did you learn that skill?

　I hit one of the supporting pillars and finally stopped.
　The impact of the collision spreads through my entire body, and I'm amazed that I had a moment to almost pass out, albeit briefly.
　You forcefully pull me out of my body, which is stuck against the pole more than ten meters away from where you were before, and turn around.
　Half in admiration of what Minami did, half in reprimanding myself for being so careless, I chuckle and recall the scene just now.

"Aita-tata-tata-tata!　What is it, leader, what kind of a solid body you have, that it is!　It's too unreasonable to say that I who hit him did more damage than him, that he is unreasonable!　You don't hear about taking damage with all your strength, that is!
"There's no way you could hit a guy who was coming at you fast and not be hurt. I can't believe what you just did.

　I smile as I watch Minami thrash about on the scaffolding I've created from a little distance.
　It's hard to believe that this is the same Minami who moved so sharply just now.
　Is this movement of Minami, who reacted immediately to my move, called kung fu?
　When did she practice it? She moved her body smoothly and shot a fist strike straight at my abdomen.
　He stepped in from the timing stage, slipped into the gap between my attacks and put all of his weight on the ground for a brilliant strike.
　The way his body moved reminded me of tai chi or octopus, but I've never heard of him learning martial arts and I don't think he could move like that.
　I'd like to ask him what he did, but...

"Nah, you ain't got time.
"Senpai!　I'm ready!

　There's no way they would give me the time to recover from the damage I've suffered like this.
　Kaido, who had been hiding in the nick of time, comes in for the chase.
　His posture is inadequate, and his movements are slow due to the big one he got in his stomach.
　Against a prepared Kaido.

Let it hit!
I'll give chase!

　It's a good thing that you're not the only one who has been teaching him to use his magic.
　As someone who has been teaching people to make the most of their opportunities, I'm glad to see it.

"Let's try to find the timing a little more.
"Huh?
"Bullshit
"Huh?

　I'm used to taking more damage than you guys.
　I'm not trained hard enough to be slowed down by a mere blow to the gut.

Hey!
"Ugh!"?
"Kaido-senpai!
"Don't look at me, I'm coming!
"Ah.
"Listen to my advice, win!

　The magic is cut away by the mineral tree, creating a beautiful scene of ice crystals glittering, but it plunges through it.
　You are able to half-avoid Kaido, who jumped again and slashed at you from the top step, by half pulling back, and as soon as the blade passed, you grab Kaido's face in the air with your left hand.
　The mouth is covered and a strange voice escapes, and knowing the impossible strain on Kaido's neck, he doesn't kill the momentum, but throws it with one hand against a nearby pillar and slams it down.
　Even though there is no foothold in the air, the body strengthened by the magic crests can cause extraordinary damage to Kaido.
　The struck pole is cracked like a spider's web, trapping Kaido in a corner and sending Katsu to rescue it.
　You can't do that in front of me, and I inwardly tell him that he shouldn't do that.
　Kitamiya's cry is heard, and she turns her off-kilter gaze toward me.
　It's easy to fill in this level of distance if you're out of sight for even a second.

Aga!

　My right knee dug into Katsu, who was in front of Kitamiya, and I swung my leg out of the way.
　The momentum sent Katsu sliding across the surface of the water like a drain, landing on a prop in a good position for me.

And then?　And then there's Kitamiya and Amelia.
...... Is it a sign of composure not to use mineral wood?
Well, would you believe me if I told you I was on the lookout for your magic?
I can't, okay?

　In the blink of an eye, Kaido's party was destroyed.
　It's a good idea to have a look at the situation of Kaido, Katsu, and Minami, with their wands at the ready as they slowly move away from each other.

"If that's so. Well, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have you go with me to test your full strength. I want to see how strong I am now too.

　We took an unexpected attack from the south, but that's about it.
　I'll take my time reflecting on this and checking the mechanism after this battle is over.
　Cover your feet with your magic, walk on the water, and slowly approach the north palace.
　There's no Amelia.
　We thought she was hiding to ambush us or to collect the others, but she didn't appear in Kaido, Masaru, or the south location either.

"You could walk on water.
"I try to learn useful tricks, I'll show you how to do them later.
Yes, I'd love to hear that.

　Not wanting to be kept at a distance, Kitamiya swiftly waves his wand and summons a golem to his side to taunt me.

I've already seen it.



　That movement, the way Kitamiya moved it.
　Over and over again that movement is not threatening to me.
　Once you feel and understand it, it's not my enemy.
　Without stopping, you'll cut down an icy centaur and a shark golem as they pass you by.

"If you have another option, you'd better get it out of there sooner rather than later. But at this distance, I can cut them off before they can activate their magic.

　Thus, bring Ote (check) and Kitamiya to within one step of each other.
　Be on guard, and set up your mineral tree to kill Kitamiya.

Avoid them all!
"All of us are leaving, that is ！！！！

　The timing was right.
　There was a sound like breaking glass, and from the sky, a huge amount of magic emerged.
　Then steam erupted from the water below and took my vision.
　All I heard was Amelia's voice and the south's.
　I guess I saved my trump card until the very end.
　The last thing I saw was Kitamiya, running as fast as he could to escape, firing a shotgun blast of ice pellets to stop me in my tracks for the last time.
　And then, as I stopped for a moment, an azure lightning containing an enormous amount of magical power rained down on me.
　A flash and an explosion.
　My ears and eyes are momentarily dazed by both.
　Oh, I've really been hurt.
　The southern bastard hid Amelia in the wards and unleashed a great magic, a siege spell.

Did he do it?
"Hey, that's a Kitamiya-chan flag!
No, but as expected, even Jiro couldn't do that.　I'd rather go help.
"It's sweet, that it is. That's the leader, that it is. I'm sure he'll be laughing and saying the battle is yet to come, that he will be torn to pieces.
I was attacking with all my might, just like you told me to, but I think that's a bit much, don't you think?

　My eyes and ears gradually recover and I can hear them.
　The area around me is electrified, leaving behind the afterglow of the aforementioned thunder.
　The steam was blown away by the lightning, but the lightning that shattered the pillar was instead scattering dust and blocking my view.
　Kitamiya is excitedly confirming the results of a perfectly executed strategy, but Kaido is flustered by the way he's confirming it.
　Katsura and Amelia seem to be worried about me, and Minami, who dismisses their concerns, says something that makes me want to ask them what they think of me.
　Well, all in all, if you're talking about this result.
　I can only say that I've been let down.
　Kaido and the others have grown up more than I thought they would, and I've been proud of them.
　That's all.
　Then I'll play a little inside maneuver out of respect.
　Normally I wouldn't have gone this far.
　The charge around me is getting gushed out again, harder.

"d*mn, you guys are relentless.
「「「「「!?」」」」
"Ah, the leader is really human, that is?
Well, there may be a few quit parts, but I'm still human.

　If you take a step forward and call out to them, all the members except Minami are surprised.
　It's a good idea to have a good time with your friends and family.

It's a good thing that you are prepared to deal with a lightning or two.
No, it's not right that you're dealing with it in the flesh, that it is.

　I appeared with a cloak of the same color and quality of lightning as Amelia's blue lightning, and the south was stunned when I said such a thing, and said nothing would surprise them.

You're not going to be able to find a way to make it.

　To all those people, I thought I'd answer to these guys for making me feel serious.


　Word of the Day
　Carelessness is one thing, arrogance and leeway are another.