Nix walked towards Amira with enthusiasm, but when he was about to speak to her, he was at a loss for words. Until now, she had seemed somewhat distant, so she had spoken in a respectful manner, even though she was older than Amira. And now, when he approached her again, Amira looked the same as before, and Nix's legs trembled a little as he remembered those days.

　Back then, there was a tendency to think that the strongest attacker was the greatest, so Nix had looked up to Amira, who could use dragonization. But it was different now. The environment has changed. It wasn't even the same clan. Nix decided to call out to her.


'Yo, Amira.'
'Oh?　Ah. You're Nix. You in?
Oh, yeah.


　Nix got the white mage to grant a powerful barrier to Amira, who surprisingly responded immediately, while Nix became slightly suspicious of her behavior. And against Amira, who immediately prepared her greatsword, Nix also prepared a rapier.


''Let's go!


　She stepped forward with her rapier in hand to fight back against Amira, who rushed at her while flapping her long red hair.

　Nix isn't as much as Leleia, but he's been a person who has been quite concerned about Amira. At the time, he was yelled at the most because he was the deputy clan leader, and sometimes he was killed by mistake when he was unconscious dragonized. So he is the one who studies Amira as far as her fighting style is concerned, thinking that one day he will get his revenge.

　The large sword is a difficult weapon to deal with in an opponent's battle. It's not always easy to swing a large sword, especially if you are approached, and it often becomes one-sided. So Nix is also going to decide to get close at once.

　However, since Amira has learned this lesson, she does not expose any gaps. It's a good idea to keep your distance, and swing your big sword like an idiot from out of rapier's range.


(If it hits like this, he'll take one of your arms.)


　The great sword wielded at a terrifying speed almost made Nix lose his will to fight, but he still went on to win. When he had been enrolled in Amira's clan, he had been miserable. Losing a real battle to the female Amira was still good. Nix had joined the clan because she was drawn to follow Amira, and most clan members would have been.

　But Amira was very selfish and the clan was very dictatorial. Still, the hierarchy was being updated and the results were coming in, so everyone followed along, but when they were completely stuck at the fifty level, Amira started to hit everyone around her.

　It's not an exaggeration to say that Nix, who was the deputy clan leader, was hit the hardest among them. She was thoroughly criticized by Amira for her unique skills, and the confidence she had in herself quickly disappeared. However, because of his position as deputy clan leader, he's not necessarily the same as the clan members. He had a strong desire to do his best because he was the deputy clan leader.

　From then on, she was caught between Amira and the clan members, and that continued until a boycott occurred at the 50th level. And by the time he left the Clan, his spirit was in shambles. Fortunately, he was picked up by Aldoret Crow soon after and regained his confidence, but it wasn't surprising that he would have been crushed like that.


''Ha!


　He is different now than he was in the past. Through friendly competition with his friends in Aldoret Crow, Nix had put in a lot of effort. So even if it was a mock fight, he was confident that he had the ability to be good enough for Amira.

　A thrust from Nix's quick step in caught Amira's chest in a great way. The barrier that was protecting the chest cracked. All that remained was the barrier with the markings on her belly and legs. If it was destroyed, Nix would win.

　In contrast, Amira looked surprised at receiving the thrust to her chest and then let out a light tongue strike.


''Dragonization.''


　Her red hair began to glow a deep red, and the scales on her neck glowed. Dragonization. A unique skill given only to the chosen one. A great sword that suddenly came in front of me. Nix is blown away as if he was hit by a bullet.

　Like Amira, the barrier with the markings on her chest was cracked by Nix. You can find a lot of people who are in a hurry to get to know you.


''Amiraaaa!


　Nix approaches, looking agitated. A straight line of movement. Amira swings to place the great sword on that straight line. The great sword struck Nix in the stomach.

　The marked barrier is cracked, but Nix approaches to follow the great sword as it is. Relieved that her plan was working, Amira pulled the great sword as if in a panic and prevented the slash with her rapier.


''Double attack.''


　From there, Nix repeats the incessant attacks like a chinking needle. Even if Amira falls far short of her physical power, Nix will do his best to catch up with her and always strike first. They attack before they are attacked. That's the countermeasure Nix has arrived at for Amira.

　Nix's earlier rage is a lie, as he is now thoroughly focused on using his hands to hunt down Amira. When things don't go her way, Amira tends to get frustrated and her movements tend to fall into line. Knowing this, Nix was going to push her slowly.


'Peh!


　But that battle strategy is something that Amy has done to her, and Amira has already taken measures against it. Amira spits out the breath of fire that she has finally been able to breathe out recently, as if it were spit. It wasn't yet as intense as Camille's, but she was still able to spit out enough to get burned.

　As if being spat at with heated spit was not expected by the stone, Nix hurriedly leaves, covering her face with her hands. The fire spit that he had learned after the mock battle with Amy was not the information that Nix was getting.


'You're away, huh!　From me!


　And once she regains the spacing of the big sword, Amira is on her own. In addition to Amy, she has also held mock battles with Garum, Daryl, Leleia and others. All of them are stronger than Amira and she has lost many times.

　But that's not the only reason why Amira has been defeated. I've been reflecting on the mock battles and growing every day. It's not just a matter of time before you get to the point where you'll be able to see the same level of practice as Nix.


''Olaaaaah!


　Compared to Garum and Amy, Nix was weak. Then Amira's one-sided attack began to come through, and then the great sword, wielded like a blunt instrument, scooped up Nix's leg. His vision flipped, and Nix grunted as he fell from his shoulder to the ground.

　The white mage who had come to heal Amira healed her torn arm and leg, and Nix was forced to heal her dislocated shoulder. The rough treatment seemed to be so painful that even Nix, who had been killed by the dragonized Amira, screamed.


(..........Still can't win.


　Nix, teary-eyed from being forced to heal his shoulder, gritted his teeth in disappointment. He had taken measures. But Amira was stronger than expected, stronger than before, and that was something she wasn't even aware of: fire spit. But a loss is a loss.

　Nix called out to her with a face that seemed to be buoyed by the heat.


Nix, let's take it further. I'm going to take two. Or do you want to surrender now?
Of course I'm going to do it.


　Nix took advantage of Amira's cheap provocation. The two then played a number of mock matches, but Amira won nine. Nix ended up winning one. When the mock battle was over, Nix fell down to surrender and Amira was cured by the waiting white mage.


''d*mn ... how much strength do you have?
'Ha, not quite there yet. Nix.


　To Nix, who was out of breath after the ten battles, Amira was only slightly breathless. Nix looks down at Amira, who looks proud of her victory. In ten fights, he had only won once. Of course, it's better than before, when you couldn't even win a single game, but it's frustrating.


But he was strong. .........No.......Well, what can I say, you were strong to begin with.
...What?


　Nix was sincerely surprised by Amira's awkwardly averted eyes and her words. It was unthinkable that Amira would praise someone.


'You've been telling me for years that I'm weak, haven't you?'
'I really thought that at the time. But that was just because I was weak and it looked that way. In fact, I fell into Aldoret Crow and you were picked up.


　Amira shifted her gaze restlessly and stopped moving as she giggled when she saw Nix's stunned expression. Then, after scratching her red hair with one hand, she lowered her head with a bang.


''I'm ... sorry. I didn't see what was going on around me back then.
Oh, well...


　Nix, who had never dreamed that he would be apologized to in such a straightforward manner, stood up, looking scared and unafraid of the sudden apology. And although he looked at Amira, who raised her head, he didn't seem to know how to start a word.

　However, since Nix joined Aldoret Crow and was promoted to the third army, his hatred for Amira had honestly faded a lot since he joined Aldoret Crow and was promoted to the third army. At the time she was angry, but even though she was the daughter of the guild leader, she was only sixteen years old. She is treated as an adult in this world, but that doesn't change the fact that she is younger than Nix.

　The reason I challenged her to a mock battle this time was just to get back at her a little bit, and I didn't harbor any deep resentment towards her.


The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you can't say a word about it because it's so unexpected. You've changed, Amira.
Shut up!
Hey, come on, man. They need to hear it.


　When Nix, who can't quite grasp the distance between her and Amira, turns around with a half-smile, the men of the former clan members who were waiting for her look bewildered. Amira also follows Nix with a somewhat uncomfortable look on her face.

　She also apologized to the two men behind her for her previous behavior. The two men, who looked suspicious at first, gradually opened up to each other through the mock battle at the end.


''You, when did you become so rounded?''
Shut up!


　Leleia looked at the four of them, including the former Clan member and Amira, with a sharp eye.