Volume 4 Chapter 4.4
With the Strength of Our Bonds Part 4
Translator : PolterGlast
The gigantic Qi-blade
destroyed three of the four-layered magic barriers installed in the arena.
Immediately afterward, the spectators' seats were struck by a shock as if they
had been hit by an earthquake.
Eventually, the
billowing smoke cleared up, exposing the arena to the public. Everyone was
speechless at what they saw.
A deep scar was carved
into the ground. The artificial trees were toppled outward, and most of them
were shattered.
And on top of the
collapsed artificial tree, there was the figure of Nozomu. His body, which had
slumped down, did not move even a twitch.
"Ah......."'
A dull voice escaped
Lisa's mouth. Her eyes were wide open and her face was pale.
[~, W-Why!?]
While Mefi, who has
been assimilated into Lisa, was shaken, Lisa's emotions, which she had been
desperately trying to contain, erupted. Lisa's whole body went cold as if she
had fallen into an icy lake, and only her heart was beating rapidly.
"A,
aah......."
Nozomu was lying on
the ground. Seeing this figure brought back memories of her father's death in
Lisa's mind.
He had turned white
and cold, like a wax figure. Her mother broke down in tears, and.........
"I-I have to help
him!"
"Lisa!?"
Lisa shook off Ken's
hand and ran. His pleading-like voice and the noise buzzing in her head were
distant now, and she forgot all the anger, sadness, confusion, and conflict
she'd felt toward Nozomu.
If I don't
help him quickly, he's going to die!
That was the only
thought that occupied her mind.
But Lisa's steps were
stopped at that very moment. Two girls ran past her at once.
"Nozomu!"
"Mimuru, hurry up
and fetch Norn-sensei!"
"Ah......"
Irisdina and Shina's
screams pierced Lisa's ears.
Her voice leaked out
with a hint of loneliness and emptiness, and the black emotion instantly
quenched the overflowing impulse.
[A~aah, see? There's
always someone to take your place.]
Mefi, taking advantage
of Lisa's emotional breakdown, intensified her interference with Lisa's psyche.
She quickly sealed up the memories that Lisa was about to recall along with the
emotions.
"Why in the world
did I......"
Lisa's eyes, which
were filled with turmoil, once again caught Irisdina and Shina as they tried to
rush to Nozomu.
Her expression was no
longer the one of impatience, but a cold indifference.
(What a bunch of
idiots, they're just going to be betrayed just like me anyway......)
With dismay and pity,
she spun around on her heel and tried to get back to Ken and the others.
At that moment, a
single tear began to well up from her glassy, vacant eyes.
(Huh? Why?)
Unintentionally, she
reached out with her hand to wipe the drop that trickled down her cheek. The
tear on her palm was somehow very hot.
‡
Irisdina and Shina
tried to rush toward the fallen Nozomu, but their way was blocked by the last
magic barrier surrounding the arena.
"Inda-sensei,
please disarm the barrier quickly!"
"I know. Wait a
moment."
Urged by Irisdina's
desperate cries, Inda ran her finger across the control panel of the magic
barrier. Norn, the infirmary doctor, was standing by the barrier with a
stretcher ready to go.
Irisdina and Shina
were anxiously waiting for the barrier to be lifted, restlessly pacing left and
right in front of it. However, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
"Ouch~!"
"......Wha!?"
Nozomu, who had
collapsed, got up on his own feet, albeit dazed and unsteady.
The uniform he was
wearing was blotched with red spots in several places, and his forehead was
bleeding unceasingly, perhaps caused by a rather deep cut.
"Although I held
back, he should not be able to move right away......."
While everyone was
speechless, Jihad's mutterings were heard in the silent arena.
The extreme Qi-blade
ran past Nozomu's side, only to blow his body away. Jihad intentionally missed.
However, with such
power, the aftermath alone was more than enough to inflict damage. The vacuum
blades that clung to the Qi-blade ripped through Nozomu's body, and the violent
storm certainly severed his consciousness.
But instead of losing
consciousness, Nozomu stood up on his own feet.
His ability to sense
danger, literally ingrained in his bones, moved his body precisely in the realm
of reflex, where there was no room for thought. In that brief moment, he discerned
the gap between the vacuum blades that clung to Jihad's [Single Strike] and
twisted his body forcibly into it.
"So stubborn
indeed. Should I praise your master who trained you so well, or should I take
my hat off to you for having reached this level at your age? ......"
But if Nozomu had not
been so, he would not have become a legendary dragon slayer, and he would not
have been able to defeat one of the Six Bad Omens.
But even if the
current Nozomu is still not really at his full strength, from Jihad's point of
view, this student is already out of the norm.
"Haa,
haa......"
Jihad was in a state
of admiration akin to dismay, but Nozomu, on the other hand, did not have the
luxury of responding to the praise.
His whole body
trembled, and his vision began to darken and narrow. He could not hear well.
His senses were no longer functioning properly due to his exhausted Qi and the
damage he had sustained.
"The mock combat
ends here. Both of you, put your swords away."
Inda's voice echoed
through the arena. All those who had been watching this mock combat let out a
deep exhale.
It was such a fierce
battle that everyone present forgot to even breathe.
But Jihad still did
not sheathe his treasured sword and did not turn his eyes away from Nozomu.
Nozomu, too, clutched
his bloodstained scabbard, sheathed the katana he held in his right hand, and
lowered his waist.
"Nozomu Bountis!
The mock combat is over, stand down!"
Inda's voice echoed
through the arena as though scolding him, but Nozomu did not respond to her
voice at all.
Nozomu, with his
outstanding concentration, has his entire attention focused on the powerful man
standing in front of him. He is also in an extreme state of exhaustion due to
the rapid consumption of Qi and his injuries. He is subconsciously shutting out
all information that is irrelevant to the battle.
Even if he had heard
it, however, Nozomu would not have backed down.
It was not only about
Lisa and Ken that he had been turning away from. He has also been turning away
from the school itself. In fact, Shino once pointed this out to him.
But now that he has
decided to face Lisa and the others, he must also face this school as well.
If so, I must
stand up with my chest puffed out until the very end.
Nozomu's eyes caught
sight of the invisible chains wrapped around his body. As he gripped the
chains, he noticed Irisdina and the others rushing toward the arena.
Their eyes were moist
with worry. He felt sorry for making them look that way, but he was also
overcome with a sense of joy.
Even though Tiamat had
misled him, to the point that he had once turned his blade on them with the
intent to kill them. And yet, they are still concerned about him. Just by
knowing that alone, he felt power welling up from deep within his body.
I don't need
to use this power after all.
Nozomu then let go of
the invisible chains he had been holding.
The skills he had
cultivated and the feelings he had received from those who had supported him.
To answer them is not to use the violent power hidden within him.
Then, he swiftly
picked up a stone that had fallen at his feet.
A crushed piece of
artificial tree. A sharp piece of stone, pointed like a needle. He poured his
Qi into it and compressed it.
What on earth is he
planning to do? While everyone in the martial arts garden, including Jihad,
wondered so, Nozomu turned around and threw the piece of stone filled with Qi.
The stone pierced
through the last barrier that had become unstable due to Jihad's blow, and
pierced the control panel that stood in front of Inda.
"Wha......!?"
In the next instant,
the control panel began to explode in a series of small explosions, scattering
sparks. The magic power that controlled the arena's barriers and environmental
control lost its course and went on a rampage, destroying the formulas engraved
inside the control panel.
"To think he
would do such a thing......!"
Inda let out an
inaudible scream, and Jihad also contorted his face.
The next moment, the
forest in the arena where Nozomu and Jihad were standing suddenly collapsed and
began raging like a stormy sea.
It was as if an
earthquake and a storm had suddenly struck simultaneously before their eyes.
The ground repeatedly rose and fell, and the magic power leaking from the
arena's underground began to erupt like a geyser. The crumbling artificial
trees that turned into sand were mixed with the spewing magic power and became
a localized sandstorm that engulfed the arena.
"......!"
While everyone was
shaken by the sudden turn of events, Nozomu kicked the ground.
"Stop right
there, Nozomu Bountis!"
Faced with Nozomu, who
was surging with fighting spirit as he shook aside Inda's attempts to stop him,
Jihad also readjusted his giant sword and intercepted him. The [Jaw Drop] was
swung out to blow away the approaching Nozomu from the flank.
"~!?"
However, Jihad's giant
sword failed to reach Nozomu. Suddenly, the ground rose up in front of his
eyes, stopping him. Meanwhile, Nozomu, riding on the raised ground, attacked
Jihad from above. The blade being swung down was naturally infused with a
Qi-blade compressed to the utmost limit.
"Kuh~!"
Jihad reflexively
repelled the blade coming at him from above his head with his mithril gauntlet.
The blade was so sharp that if he misjudged his timing even for a second, he
could have had his arm severed. The skill with which he was able to repel it,
even in the most unexpected circumstances, is remarkable. Then, Jihad swung the
giant sword, which had been dug into the raised ground, forcefully toward
Nozomu, who had landed on the ground. The raised ground was smashed, scattering
dirt and stones.
However, the Jihad's
horizontal cleave did not catch Nozomu.
"Hmm......!?"
This time, the ground
beneath Jihad's feet began to cave in. His feet were caught in the sinking
sand, and the horizontal cleave he swung was momentarily slowed down. In the
meantime, Nozomu leaped. He escaped from the [Jaw Drop]'s blade range and
disappeared into the sandstorm.
A few seconds later,
Jihad turned around as quickly as he could, raising his giant sword at the
Qi-blade that came at him from behind. By that time, Nozomu's blade was already
before him.
A metallic clang
resounded. Nozomu's [Mumei] blade slashed and tore Jihad's cheek shallowly.
"Ugh!"
A cry of anguish
escaped from Jihad's mouth. He counterattacked with his blade, only to have it
stopped again by the rising ground. In the meantime, Nozomu disengaged again.
With Jihad, who had been caught flat-footed, in his vision, Nozomu pounced
three times from the opposite side with his [Flash Step・Curved Movement].
Blades attacked one
after another. Jihad cannot fully block with only his treasured sword, but
somehow manages to keep blocking by using his mithril armor in conjunction with
his [Qi-jutsu・Steel Body Technique].
(This guy......!)
Jihad shuddered. The
arena is in a state of disarray, repeatedly rising and sinking. In a place
where a normal person would not even be able to stand, Nozomu was running
around freely in all directions.
The story of Nozomu,
which Mena had told him, came back to his mind.
(He has no discrepancy
at all between what he imagines of himself and his actual bodily control. No
matter what state he is in, he can embody the best movement he can do at that
moment without the slightest deviation.)
Jihad finally understood
the words of his comrade-in-arms who had actually crossed blades with Nozomu.
It doesn't matter
whether the ground is raging or a sandstorm covers his field of vision. He
looks like a water strider running on the surface of water, a mountain goat running
around a cliff, or a panther. His movements are not those of an unstable
bipedal creature.
"Guh......."
Jihad was nothing more
than a tortoise on the defensive. What's more, he had no means of escaping
gravity. Regardless of his own will, his feet were caught in the raging ground,
and his armor was carved with scratches one after the other.
(But, he is already at
the end of his rope, huh?......)
A situation in which
he is cornered. Even so, Jihad's excellent eyes could see through the deep
color of fatigue on Nozomu's face. His complexion was already blue, and he was
clearly on the verge of exhaustion.
(No, in the first
place, the fact that he can fight this long with his ability under Ability
Suppression is extraordinary in itself.)
In his mind, Jihad let
out a sigh of lamentation for what may be the umpteenth time today, while
fiercely focusing his Qi with all his might.
There was no longer
any need to go easy on him. In fact, if he did poorly, he would be killed
himself.
Pushing aside the sandstorm
raging throughout the arena, a torrent of Qi began to billow around Jihad.
He thrust his Qi as
hard as he could toward the ground with his legs which were as thick as tree
trunks.
"Hmph!"
Leap. Blowing away the
raging ground, Jihad reached a height of about ten meters and infused his Qi
into the [Jaw Drop] he was holding.
Nozomu's face, which
had been showing a deep color of fatigue on the ground, turned red with
surprise. Inda, who had been struggling to control the outburst of ritual magic
beside the arena, also shouted, her face twitching.
"R-Retreat! All
students in the waiting area, take up defensive measures with everything you've
got!"
The falling Jihad
swung his giant sword down.
[Qi-jutsu・Single Strike]
Immediately afterward,
with a huge explosion, the martial arts garden shook violently. The released
Qi-blade smashed the arena and gouged out the engraved formula beneath it.
"Uwaaaa!"
"Kyaaaa!"
Screams erupted from
the waiting area and the spectators' seats due to the impact and the large
amount of dust and sand that were blown up.
Meanwhile,
Jihad, amid the cloud of dust and smoke, maintained a tense
expression as he readied his [Jaw Drop].
In direct contrast to
the screams that flew about, the arena, which had been raging wildly earlier,
was quiet as if it had been a lie. This is because the [Qi-jutsu・Single Strike] had completely destroyed the
formula engraved in the martial arts garden.
Ignoring the
earsplitting cries, Jihad sharpened his awareness. Immediately afterward, a
shadow leaped out from the cloud of dust behind him.
"You dodged it,
after all!"
Jihad's mouth hung
open in a scoff as he raised his giant sword and turned around.
The previous [Single
Strike] was originally a blow to destroy the ritual magic formula that had been
applied to Arena. Jihad himself never thought that the aftermath of the attack
would be enough to finish off this skilled swordsman.
But even so, this
swordsman must have reached his limit. Even if he had managed to maintain that
sharp Qi-blade, he would no longer be able to even strengthen his body.
All that was left was
to parry Nozomu's last attack, strike the final blow, and be done with it.
That's what Jihad
thought, but then his eyes widened at the scene that followed.
"Mu!?"
What was unleashed was
not a sword imbued with Qi, but a fist. The sword, which was supposed to have
been infused with Qi, was placed in the scabbard at his waist, and his fist
struck Jihad's giant sword in a swinging motion.
While Jihad was
surprised at the unexpected spectacle, Nozomu drew back his right hand, and
this time he swung his left fist forth. With the same momentum, he rotated his
body and released a spinning kick, then began to attack Jihad in a dance-like
motion, using every part of his body, including elbow strikes and palm strikes.
"Hou~, splendid
...... but too weak."
The dance was based on
circular movements, up, down, left, and right, linked together without pause.
However, Jihad, while
impressed with Nozomu's movement itself, declared that his judgment was poor.
He might have
concluded that a mere Qi-blade would not work, so he resorted to a deceptive
strategy, but whatever the strategy was, the current Nozomu did not even have
the minimum strength to pull it off. A bad tactic would only endanger oneself.
"Did you perhaps
make a mistake in your judgment? Well, you're still young. It can't be
helped-...... what?"
Jihad, who was sighing
even as he blocked Nozomu's fist, tilted his head at the discomfort his hand
was relaying to him. The impact he felt through the giant sword from earlier.
It was still weak, but it was gradually increasing.
Looking through the
giant sword, he saw Nozomu, clad in a swirling trail of light.
"This is light of
magic power ....... Don't tell me, this is a ritual body art technique!?"
[Ritual Body Technique・Rebirth Revolution]
It is a special magic
technique that does not belong to either the chanting method or the formation
method, but is a technique that manifests magic by establishing one's own
movement itself as a technique.
The martial forms
themselves are established as ritual magic, and while gathering the magic power
of the surroundings, they invoke an unlimited amount of reinforcement magic on
one's body. Fused with Nozomu's Qi-jutsu, the effect is further enhanced.
Qi and magic, which
were supposed to be opposing by nature, did not conflict with each other, but
rather blended in harmony, an ultra-high level technique known as the magic-Qi
combination technique.
"......I see. You
got me there."
The magic power
throughout the arena swirled and converged on Nozomu. The sparkling, powdery
snow-like light of magic power was so magical that the scene was like diamond
dust.
Nozomu's blows, felt
through the giant sword, soon grew to the point that even Jihad could not
ignore them, and now, his punch sounds were so intense that they seemed to
resonate to the very core of his being.
"But it's
regrettable."
However, that was
still not enough to break through Jihad's defenses. Not that there was anything
wrong with Nozomu's dance itself. The magic power that is now converging in his
body is comparable to the magic power of the best mages.
However, the effect of
his Ability Suppression was still significant. The effect of the reinforcement
was so low compared to the magic power he clad himself in that he was unable to
break through Jihad's defenses which were like castle walls.
And so, Nozomu's
dance, which seemed to go on forever, came to an end.
"Haaaaa!"
Nozomu twisted his
upper body greatly and swung out a spinning kick with all his strength on it.
At the same time,
Jihad quickly boosted his entire body's Qi and prepared for the impact.
However, Nozomu's leg
struck the ground without even hitting Jihad's [Jaw Drop].
"What!?"
A billowing cloud of
dust obscured Jihad's vision. Immediately afterward, Nozomu took another step
forward with all of the magic power he had gained from the ritual body
technique infused in his left hand.
By interrupting the
ritual body technique midway through, the magic-Qi left Nozomu's control and
lashed out at the user. Although his left arm's skin was ripped and its muscles
shredded, he ignored the pain and slammed his left hand against the [Jaw Drop]
held up by Jihad.
Simultaneously, all of
the magic-Qi that he had been suppressing with his mental power was released.
The released power was like a muddy stream, swallowing Jihad's [Jaw Drop], and
finally caused the huge, rock-like sword to flung upward.
"Nnnn!?"
Jihad's defenseless
upper body was exposed. Nozomu immediately put his hand on the katana at his
waist and stepped forward, snipping the koiguchi.
With a single, ragged
breath, he put as much strength as he could into his leg, and at the same time
squeezed all the Qi he had left and compressed it to the extreme. He circulated
the compressed Qi through his elbows, hips, and torso, in coordination with the
interlocking muscles.
Ninety percent of his
fading vision was completely enveloped in darkness. it was the cost of
squeezing out even more Qi from his empty body. Still, he followed his
intuition and unleashed his best strike.
[Mikagura-style,
Phantom・Flash]
With a flash of light,
a single sword of penetration approached Jihad's torso with frightening
precision.
"!!"
Jihad, however, was
not intimidated. Reflexively turning his wrist, he flipped the giant sword
upside down, forcing it into the trajectory of the [Phantom・Flash].
Immediately after,
with a thunderous clash, a numbing shock struck Jihad's arm.
"Kuh!!
Ooooooooo!!"
The blow was so
powerful that it was hard to believe coming from someone who was exhausted, and
an unintentional exclamation escaped his mouth.
He was even terrified
of Nozomu, who had driven him to this point despite his Ability Suppression.
But this should really
be the last. And just as Jihad had expected, the pressure on the giant sword
loosened all at once.
At that moment, he
took the opportunity to raise his blade and tried to slash Nozomu by force.
Jihad himself did not
realize it, but he had already lost all sense of restraint.
"~!?"
However, Nozomu's body
suddenly sank and disappeared from Jihad's sight.
[Mikagura-style・Rolling Talon]
A sword technique in
which one steps forward while diverting the opponent's power to attack. Jihad,
who had been distracted by [Rebirth Revolution] and [Phantom・Flash], was obviously slow to react.
(Those attacks were
just diversions!?)
As Nozomu's blade
loomed, diving under the giant sword, Jihad reflexively turned himself around
while jumping.
It was a desperate
move to get his body away from Nozomu's blade, even if only a little. A silver
flash passed by his side.
*Slash*......
something flew in an arc accompanied by a sound that cut through the air. Then,
red droplets danced through the air.
"Ugh!"
It was Jihad's left
arm, which had been severed. He managed to avoid the blow to his torso, but one
of his arms could not escape from Nozomu's attack range. The moment he realized
it, he felt intense pain in his missing arm.
"Guu......
ooooooooooo!"
With a cry of rage
escaping from the depths of his throat, Jihad swung his giant sword with his
only remaining right hand.
A large, desperate
cleave. However, Nozomu, who had used up all his strength to the limit, did not
have the strength left to avoid the counterattack.
The giant sword roared
out, closing in on him. But just before Jihad's blade seized Nozomu's back, a
myriad of magic circles suddenly appeared between Nozomu and Jihad. The
multi-layered magic circle formed a wall and intercepted Jihad's giant sword.
Jihad's face was dyed with surprise.
"Both sides,
please sheathe your swords!"
Immediately after
that, the barrier surrounding the arena was lifted, and Irisdina and Inda
rushed toward the arena in a panic.
With what little
hearing remained, finally, Nozomu was able to hear Inda's restraint. He exhaled
in relief and tried to raise his body. However, his whole body was unable to
muster the strength to do so, and he collapsed on the spot.
The [Mumei] fell from his
hand and landed on the ground, making a dry clang sound.
"Nozomu!"
"Jihad-sensei,
you're bleeding......!"
"I'm fine."
Irisdina clung to
Nozomu, and Indah's face tightened when she saw Jihad's severed left arm. In
front of such assistant's face, Jihad contracted his muscles while focusing his
Qi on his left arm. The blood that was flowing out vigorously was stopped. Then
an elderly man carrying a stone cane walked over to him. It was Fadrey.
"What a fierce
battle."
"Fadrey-dono. Are
you the one who made that barrier?"
"Umu, I couldn't
let things go on any further. So I had to intervene. I hope you both receive
medical treatment immediately. Especially that student of yours, he's at his
limit, isn't he?"
"I'm, fine. I'm
okay......"
"His body is
getting cold ....... Norn-sensei, hurry up!"
Nozomu had not lost
consciousness, but his face was pale. His smile, which he wore in an effort not
to cause worry, was strained, and it was clear that he was in an urgent
situation.
"You've used your
Qi excessively. Anyway, I should maintain your body temperature-."
"I-I'm fine,
Iris. I haven't lost consciousness yet......"
"Silence! You
should keep your mouth shut!"
"Jihad-dono, you
need immediate medical treatment, too. You need to accompany this
student."
"I understand.
Inda-sensei, please take care of the rest here."
"Y-Yes,
sir!"
Following Nozomu who
was taken away by Irisdina, Jihad also picked up his severed left arm and left
the martial arts garden with Fadrey. Then, the joint class was postponed due to
excessive damage from this mock combat. Inda, who was left behind, was forced
to deal with the aftermath with a pale face.
‡.
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