Mob
Kousei No Ore Demo Boukensha Ni Nareba Riajuu Ni Naremasuka: Chapter #49
Translators: Nyx and Ririi Rain
Episode 49:
Objection! (2)
『Yuki!』
Yuki, who
read my intention accurately, moved behind player Sunahara with such speed that
it could be mistaken for teleportation.
A direct
attack at the very beginning of the opening round. With the overwhelming
difference in rank, this was the quickest and best way.
The fast
attack strategy is not well received by the spectators, but this time, it could
not be helped.
It was with
this in mind that I made the quick attack......
"Kh!"
A
pyramid-shaped barrier appeared to protect player Sunahara, blocking Yuki. Yuki
made a second and third follow-up attack, but the barrier did not budge even a
fraction.
The effect
was different from the defensive magic items distributed by the MonoColo side.
That one was .......
"Fu...
well, I never expected that he would try to attack directly with such
speed... To be honest, I was scared. But
it's no use! As a Pharaoh, I am always protected by Bastet, the 'King's wet
nurse.' That’s why!”
Sunahara
proudly explained this while wiping off a cold sweat.
...I see,
that was Bastet's skill. Most likely, the effect is to prevent direct attacks
on the master as long as Bastet is around.
Tsk......, it
seems that hehave not only gathered Egyptian types, but he have also thought
carefully about their roles.......
Moreover,
it seemed that Bastet's effects were not limited to that.
『Master! [Invitation to Dream] is ineffective
against these guys !』
Mea, who
was secretly setting up a sleep abnormal status, told me so through the Link.
Bastet is
the guardian of the pharaoh and a goddess who protects people from diseases.
She doesn't just put up a barrier, but also had the effect of preventing the
party's status abnormalities / ailments.
I had my
eye on the Hathor's influence as B rank, but it seemed that the key to victory
may lie in defeating Bastet.......
"Now
it's my turn! Come on! My servants!"
With player
Sunahara's command, his cards all moved at once.
The Sphinx
approached with an agility unimaginable given her huge body, and from behind
her, Hathor held up her right hand and began chanting a magic spell. The
Bastet...... remained at the side of the player Sunahara.
Either they
were watching out for us, or that the barrier can't be used while she takes
other actions....... Either way, I should pay attention.
First, we
have to deal with the Sphinx.
She closed
in with a booming footstep sound.
『Suzuka,
please.』
『Ah~, it's
me after all. Well, I guess it can't be helped.』
Suzuka,
having been named by me, stepped forward as if she was given a burden.
The Sphinx,
including her lion's lower body, was as big as an African elephant. There was
also a big difference in combat power between the D and C ranks.
To the
spectators, this would clearly appear to be a reckless fight. However,
"...Fu!"
“Nh!?”
The moment
the light bullet released by Mea struck the Sphinx's face, Suzuka took
advantage of the gap and threw her huge body in a spectacular motion.
The Sphinx
slammed into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
There did
not seem to be much damage, but mentally it was different. Her eyes rolled back
to white as she was confused, having rolled over by a lower-ranked opponent.
The tangle
of this counter was, of course, the Link.
First of
all, use the synchro link to improve Suzuka's combat power. Next, she Linked up
with Mea by telepathic link, used a fast-acting elementary attack magic to
destroy the Sphinx's vision and loses balance, and then used that as a
springboard to throw Suzuka's jujutsu--
This was
the series of offensive and defensive moves that had just taken place.
『Oh my! What just happened here?! A clash between a C-rank and a D-rank
that appeared reckless! But it is
the C-rank Sphinx that is lying on the ground!!』
The live
commentary was making a racket, but this was not the end of it yet.
I moved
Suzuka, giving a follow-up attack to the Sphinx, which had fallen down.
Her right
foot, raised high, was about to slam into the Sphinx's throat like a guillotine
blade--just then,
"Tsk!"
A rock spear
flew from behind and pierced Suzuka's body.
『What?!! The moment player Kitagawa's female
demon tried to pursue the Sphinx, Hathor's Earth Piercing struck her! This hurts, player Kitagawa! Even though there is already a
difference in the rank of the cards, one card fell right away... No way! ?
Before you know it, the skewered demon has turned into a log! ! 』
The
astonished voice of the live commentator caused the eyes of the audience to
focus on the log with the rock spear pierced through it, and then to Yuki, who
was holding Suzuka away from there.
『This! Utsusemi no jutsu!! It seems that Kitagawa's lycanthrope
has ninjutsu skills! And the fact that she can use Utsusemi no jutsu means that
he is at least an intermediate level Ninjutsu practitioner! This is fabulous! 』
『I see that
player Kitagawa's new card is a kunoichi! I
see, now we know why Kitagawa has chosen him to show here!』
The
[Ninjutsu skill] is also very popular in MonColo, partly because it is a local
skill in Japan. In particular, girl monsters with ninjutsu skills were called
kunoichi, and even [Elementary ninjutsu skill] was so valuable that their
market price doubled.
This
probably won't erase the strangeness of Renge's absence, but at least the
excuse that I wanted to make Yuki stand out will be accepted.
"Oh~
thank you for your big help. I envy those with rare skills."
"I don't
feel as if I'm being appreciated......."
Suzuka
quickly pushed Yuki's face away and stood up.
Yuki looked disappointed.
『...But
Master, what should we do? There's a difference in rank, and status ailments
don't work, so isn't it a bit dangerous?』
Then,
Mea asked me with a hint of frustration.
『Mm,
well,...... it's definitely a little dangerous, but there's still room for us
to take advantage of. 』
There
are two things I noticed throughout this confrontation.
One
was the poor coordination of the other side. Although I felt that the other
side's cards were trying to work together, I got the impression that they were
moving somewhat individually.
In
other words, the cards were moving without using Links.
The
live commentator said that player Sunahara had only been an adventurer for six
months.
This
means that his career is almost the same as mine, but according to my mentor,
"If you can get to telepath, which is the first step of Linkage, in six
months, you are pretty fast.'
Basically,
Link's development tends to be the most rapid during the adolescent period, and
I am growing much faster than my peers.
Every
person has their own unique trait.
In
addition......, I also observed player Sunahara.
I'd
say he's in his ...... late twenties to early thirties.
My
mentor said: "Apparently, Link's growth stops around the age of 30 years
old." Although it is possible to acquire only telepathic ability
regardless of age, it is absolutely impossible to acquire more advanced ability
more than synchro unless one is rejuvenated by amrita or other means.
In
other words, it was highly likely that Sunahara either could not use the Link,
or even if he could, he could not use it well.
The
first gap was the difference in coordination ability due to the Link.
The
second was that no movement had been seen from Bastet up to this point.
Is she simply
standing guard by her master? However, although she has barrier skill, it is
somewhat unnatural to have her stand by. At the very least, it would be normal
for Bastet to support the others from the rear. If that is not done, then
either that barrier skill can only be used at close proximity or.... it is not
possible to do anything else while the barrier is being used.
......That
Sunahara, seems to have been so rattled by Yuki's initial surprise attack that
he decided to put Bastet in his side.
I
didn't expect him to blatantly make Bastet play guard like this.
It
would appear that the surprise attack was not a complete futile attempt. If we
don't have to devote our strength to Bastet, it is possible to use two cards,
Suzuka and Mea, against Sphinx. Then, if I can get Yuki to deal with Hathor, we
should be able to fight an even battle for the time being.
But.....
First, I was like, 'You've got to be kidding me with the B x C x C
combination!' but
when I thought about it, this situation was not so bad.
In
MonColo, t was a safe way to experience a fight with a superior opponent
without the risk of losing your life and without the possibility of losing your
cards.
The question
is, should I try to use the [True Follower Summoning]......?
"Should
I not......"
It
was a skill I don't want to expose in front of the media too much, and more
importantly, it would be stupid to use this skill here, which could be a trump
card in a fight with the Hound Master.
Also,
given the restrictions of Catfights being limited to girl cards, there was a
concern that calling a male lycanthrope, even if it was a subordinate, would be
cutting it too close to the edge.
I will use
the [Advanced Ninjutsu] and the [Lord of The Territory]. [Breakthrough of
Limits].....will depend on the situation, I guess.
I
felt bad for Sunahara, who was making his debut, but I'll give it my all to hit
him as a preliminary exercise against the Hound Master.
---The
battle from there became a bit of a stalemate.
As
I suspected, Bastet seemed to be unable to take any other actions while using
her barrier skill, and the battle turned into a fight between Sphinx vs. Suzuka
and Mea, and Yuki vs. Hathor.
What
distinguished the two was that Sphinx and Hathor were fighting individually,
whereas our side seemed to be fighting separately, but in fact the three were
firmly working together.
Even
so, the difference in fighting power by rank was so great that even we were
struggling to hold our ground and managing not to miss a beat.
The
audience seemed to be excited by the tense battle, and the venue was quite
lively.
"But......"
I
muttered to myself. Yuki put up more of a fight against Hathor than I
expected,.......
As
a result of being busy investigating the incidents and not being able to go out
and gain experience for fear of being attacked by the Hound Master, her combat
power was just a hair short of the growth limit of the C-rank.
Under
normal circumstances, the difference in combat power should have made it
impossible for her to compete, but so far Yuki had been able to go toe-to-toe
with Hathor, who was supposed to be a genuine B-rank.
On
the contrary, Yuki can even afford to occasionally provide follow-up support
for Suzuka and Mea.
Originally,
between the rear-guard type Hathor and the vanguard type Yuki, Yuki would have
the advantage in a one-on-one fight,......, but even if you subtract that, she
was still fighting well.
Besides,
the fact that Hathor was only using up to intermediate attack magic was a
concern.
As
for Hathor's stats, which was a card I admired, of course I know them in my
head. If I remember correctly, Hathor should have had the [Advanced attack
magic] skill as an innate / inborn skill.
Despite
this, the fact that she hadn't used it even up to this point...
"I knew
it...... she possesses the [Zero existence] skill, huh?"
...I
originally had doubts about the fact that Sunahara, who had no established
career, had a high-ranked card of Hathor.....
Even
though he was a former working adult and had more funds than a student, the
price of Hathor was over a billion yen. Even for a wealthy person, it would be
difficult to purchase a Hathor.
Then,
there was only one answer. Like me... he pulled out the winning card from the
Guild's card packs.
The
Guild's card packs were said to contain B-rank cards, although the probability
was lower than that of a lottery ticket.
If
Sunahara won a Hathor from a Guild card pack, ...... well, no wonder he was so
eccentrically dressed.
I'm
no different, but there were many cases where people were influenced by the
first rare card they got.
You
can't help but build a party around that card.
...Well,
changing your character due to the influence of a card was definitely going too
far.
Also,
six months ago, when Sunahara and I became adventurers, there were typically
cards with [Zero existence] skill in the packs.
If
that Hathor came out of the pack and was a [Zero existence] skill holder, it
would not be surprising if the [Advanced attack magic] skill was downgraded to
an intermediate skill.
I
have heard that B-ranked [Zero existence] skill holders have a greater
reduction in combat power than C-ranked ones.
The
reduction in combat power due to [Zero existence] skill varies according to
rank, with D-ranks having a reduction of 50, and B-ranks having a reduction of
200.
The growth
limit of Hathor is 1400, and if it is reduced by 200, even Yuki can compete
with her because of the boost from the synchro linking and the affinity nature
of the vanguard and the rear guard.
Moreover,
luckily there was a full moon yesterday. It can be said that Yuki's potential
was almost at its peak.
Additionally,
Yuki also had a trump card: her werewolf form.
This could
really be a win...
Just
when I had such faint hopes,
"You're
indeed very good, player Kitagawa! But, I'm not going to wait around any
longer! Use
it, Sphinx!"
"Yes!"
Finally,
player Sunahara made his move.
The
Sphinx turned to Mea and opened her mouth,
"--I ask
of you, Empusa"
This is
bad....!
A
bad premonition went down my spine.
When
the Japanese hear the name of the Sphinx, they think of an anecdote about how
the Sphinx would ask riddles and then devour those who could not answer its
questions.
I
do not know the details of this skill, but it would not be difficult to imagine
that it was something that inflicted some damage on those who could not solve
the riddle.
If
it were the famous 'what walks on four legs in the morning, two legs in the afternoon,
and three legs in the evening?1' it would be quick, but it won't be that
simple...
This
was because, like the riddle of the Sphinx, skills with known answers and
mechanisms were unlikely to be used in their unaltered versions.
At
the very least, they would change the questions......
The
Sphinx wore a devious smile on her beautiful face,
" 'Life'
is also translated as 'battle'. Its heart is?"
E, eh?! It
feels a little different than what I imagined! Ugh, that's certainly a riddle!
"Ten,
nine, eight..."
And it's
time-limited!
"Um,
um..."
Mea
swiveled her eyes and looked left and right.
『What
should I do, Master?! I don't know!』
『Good
luck, Mea! We
probably don't have the right to answer that!』
Since
Mea was designated specifically, there was no doubt that she would be penalized
in some way the moment someone else gave her the answer.
Here,
I had no choice but to let her gather her wisdom.
"Five,
four, three......."
"Uh,
uh.....! I, it has to be that the losers are
the ones suffering the hardest!"
The
cornered Mea uttered the answer in a haphazard manner, but .......
"Fool! The answer... You ought to know it
yourself!"
The Sphinx
smirked. At that moment, Mea's side was gouged out as if someone had bitten off
a chunk, and blood spurted out.
"Gahhhh......!"
"Mea!"
『Ugh ......
Ma, Master!』
『Hold on! I'll put you back now!』
Mea's wound
was a serious one, but not enough to cause Lost. But as long as there was no
one who could use recovery magic, I should put her back on the card now, just
in case.
As I was
about to put her back considering this, I was interrupted by Mea.
Huh......?
『W,
wait......』
『What?!』
『What's,
the, answer?』
『What? You're asking this right now? ......Uh, probably, I think, it's
important to figure out the passion, maybe?』
『I- I see...
Agh, not that, just wait! Although
I'm like this, but I can still do it! Let
me use that skill!』
『That
skill......, you mean [Curse a man, and they will be cursed with two pits]? But
.......』
While I
hesitated, a burning passion flowed in from Mea.
『What is
this skill for?! If it only
serves as a decoration, there is no need to revive me! Even if I don't have something special
like that punk... Mea wants to be standing side by side! 』
『Mea ......』
There was a
blood-curdling scream. From the Link, I could sense her inferiority and ......
more than that, her friendship with Renge.
『......Isn't
it fine? Just let her do it.』
It was
Suzuka who told me this, as she continued to fend off the onslaught of the
Sphinx all by herself.
『Or…do you
think those who are not special have no right to have a little pride? 』
『No......』
I shook my
head and said to Mea,
『All right.
From now on, use everything you can do ......ok?』
『Of course!』
Mea nodded
vigorously, and a black light cloaked her body. [Curse a man, and they will be
cursed with two pits]. The target - is of course, Bastet.
"Wha?! Gah!!"
“B-Bastet!?”
Player
Sunahara was startled when Bastet suddenly received a deep wound to her side.
"Heh,
heh, serves... you right."
After
saying that, Mea turned into a ball of light and returned to her card.
Well done.
Leave the rest to us.
『Suzuka,
Yuki!』
『......Well,
for not being special, it was a job well done, wasn't it?』
『Leave it to
me!』
The party's
morale rose due to Mea's selfless sacrifice. It manifested in the form of an
increase in the synchronization rate.
Taking
advantage of the gap created by Bastet's sudden fluster at the damage, Suzuka
tossed the Sphinx away. She slashed the right eye with her blade straight away.
"Kuh...!
Not yet!"
However,
player Sunahara was not just standing there watching. Although he was
momentarily shaken up, he quickly made the right decision.
"Hathor! Heal Bastet!"
"Yes......
[Drops of Motherly Love]!"
The scent
of sweet milk filled the surrounding area, and a glistening liquid poured down
on Bastet, who was bleeding in pain.
It was
Hathor's inborn skill ...... [Drops of Motherly Love].
The effect
was a complete recovery of a single individual. It can completely recover
wounds, strength, magic, and even the number of times the skill is used.
At first
glance, this skill may seem to be inferior to Renge's [Rain of Amrita], but
unlike [Rain of Amrita], its advantage was that it could be used several times
a day. ...However, there seemed to be a detailed limit on the number of times
the skill can be used.
The damage
that Mea sacrificed herself to inflict was rapidly disappearing.
"......Fu."
When player
Sunahara saw this, his mouth turned up at the corners with a grin - then his
smile froze.
Behind the
newly recovered Bastet, Yuki was swinging her right hand in a big swing.
I knew that
Hathor had a full recovery skill in addition to the normal recovery magic. It
was the card I had always wanted so much after all. Therefore, even if we
injured Bastet, I had expected that player Sunahara would heal her right away.
Then, it
was a matter of making sure that we should be able to make a follow-up strike
right after the recovery.
And even
though, unlike [Rain of Amrita], it can be used multiple times, there is at
least a cool time for [Drops of Motherly Love].
Continuous
use is not possible.
『Do it, Yuki.』
"Ooooooh!"
Yuki's full
force blow pierce through Bastet's chest.
I could
have followed up with more strikes from here and made her Lost. ......But I
didn't go that far, instead sending Yuki back down temporarily. In a Catfight,
it is good manners not to let the opponent's card go Lost.
Perhaps
player Sunahara realized that he had been let off, and he obediently put Bastet
back on the card, although he looked frustrated.
Even though
[Drops of Motherly Love] cannot be used due to its cool down time, Hathor also
had a normal recovery magic. If it was used in spite of the fact that we let
her off, we really have to make her Lost, so I'm glad player Sunahara was calm
and cooperative.
"........................"
Once out of
range, Sunahara and I glared at each other.
This
eliminated player Sunahara's ability to prevent a direct attack. ......Although
the situation was only back to being even. Both sides had two cards in hand,
two-for-two.
The only
thing left to do was figure out how to launch a direct attack...the path to
that was already in sight.
『Yuki!』
『Yes!
Bunshin no jutsu!』
“What!?”
Player
Sunahara was shocked to see Yuki suddenly split into five people.
The five
Yuki all started running toward player Sunahara all at once.
"Kuh!"
Hathor shot
a barrage of bullets at them, but they moved in a zigzag pattern and the aim
was not precise. The bullets that did happen to hit also slipped through Yuki's
body.
The clones
created by the jutsu / skill do not have any real body.
"Kh.
Then ......!"
Hathor,
aware that she could not fend off the approaching five Yuki, quickly changed
her aim. She aimed a direct attack on me.
Good
judgment on the enemy's part. But.......
"No
way......?!"
The bullet
that Hathor released slipped through my body.
I was
watching it from the 'underground' through the Link and smirked.
The me who
had been standing in the arena from the start of the match was a decoy, a clone
of Yuki that was covered with the skill of transformation (Henka no jutsu).
The real me, mindful of any direct attack, was hiding in the underground space that Yuki had created through the Doton no jutsu2.
And......
『This is the
end! Yuki!』
Above ground,
Yuki, who was heading toward player Sunahara using her clone as a decoy, jumped
out behind him.
With a
crisp sound, the barrier protecting Sunahara shattered.
It, meant
the end of the match.
『It's
decideeeed! As expected
of player Kitagawa! He overturned
the rank difference of the cards and won the match with a comeback! He showed his seniority!』
The voice
of the emcee rang out, and the applause of the audience filled the venue.
It's
over.......
I came out
of the ground and crouched down, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
It was
tough....... I didn't expect to see a B rank in a three-star class match......
if my opponent had been able to use the Link properly, I would have lost
without a doubt.
I'm glad I
managed to win...
At that moment,
a shadow suddenly appeared. I looked up and saw player Sunahara extending his
hand toward me.
"Fuu,
that was a good match. I could feel your love for your cards."
"......Yeah,
you showed good love for Egypt, too."
I shook
hands firmly with the opposing player.
I managed
to win the MonColo in the absence of Renge and Eliza.
[Tips] Riddle
Skills
Skills that
impose riddles or trials on the opponent are called Riddle Skills. Skills are
generally exercised in accordance with anecdotes and lore, but if the solution
or strategy is widely known to the public, the content of the question and the
way it is presented will vary. This is because Riddle Skills do not seek
knowledge, but test courage and wisdom.
The more
conditions are required for the activation of a Riddle skill, the more powerful
its effect is.
***
Notes:
1 From the Sphinx anecdote: What has one voice but goes on four legs in the morning, two in the afternoon, and three in the evening? The wise Sphinx posed this riddle, and clever Oedipus guessed the answer. It's a human being, who crawls as a baby, stands on two legs as an adult, and walks with a stick in old age. ↩
2 Ninja technique to hide (or escape) by (or through) soil ↩
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