Manowa Chapter 186

The morning after Lyle and Emily learned about Kazane and the others' relation to Yuuko-nee and Tiara's lineage, Kazane was on her way to the bathroom and saw Lyle and Emily staring out the window with dark circles under their eyes.

Kazane was worried by that situation and said「Will they be alright?」but the two people were able to act normally when they ran into Tiara later without any awkwardness, so she was relieved. Later on she also saw Naoki, Jinrai, Lyle, Emily, and Tiara all properly talking together, so it seemed everything turned out well.

Furthermore, seeing Naoki ask the others not to treat Tiara any differently increased Tiara's favorability rating by a ridiculous amount, and Emily was, as usual, choked up with emotion by Naoki treating a comrade kindly, but there was no meaning in picking out specific times when Naoki did something they liked, so those will be omitted.

「The road between Deer South and Dolmu will be designated as an area requiring extreme caution for a while.」

After breakfast ended, Kazane and the others were told that by Guildmaster Benzel.

As expected, it seemed the Earth Core Dragon meat and Childstone being s.n.a.t.c.hed away was quite bad, and they were told the Hyvern army would soon put together a subjugation squad.

「I hope Jiraid doesn't do anything rash.」

Jinrai had a worried expression. Kobold Blues were so dangerous that they were called certain death poison masters. Jinrai also thought Jiraid himself shouldn't make a mistake against a Kobold Blue, but his subordinate Dragon Knights and mounts were another story. If they were to challenge with a brute force approach there was the possibility of the poison causing many casualties.

Although there was nothing Kazane and the others could do now, so the topic was quickly aborted. Their return to Deer South would happen one or two weeks later, so there was a high possibility the situation would be settled in the meantime.

「So Kazane, we'll be immersed in special training the entire day, but what are you going to do?」

According to Jinrai's idea that working up a sweat was better than unnecessary brooding, it seemed the training today would be focused on strengthening Lyle and Emily.

「Yeah. I'm probably not going to use very much Magic Power today, so I'm planning to come by around evening. Jinrai-san seems to want another match against Mino-kun.」

「Mm. Since the last time was without the Knight-sans. I would like to fight them at the same time today.」

This grandpa was super eager.

「It looks like somebody will be coming from Minshiana, so I think I'll be in a meeting with that person and Aikis-san until the evening? I will have Naoki accompany me, so he'll join you for special training in the afternoon. Is that fine, Naoki?」

「Nn, understood.」

Naoki nodded after Kazane's words.

「As a matter of fact, I will also be doing special training in the afternoon.」

Following Kazane and the others' words, Tiara's chest literally bounced as she spoke.

「You'll be studying hard in the morning, though.」

Louise chided Tiara.

It seemed Tiara had been thinking since her previous special training that she should do spear training. It seemed she thought she had reached the limit of her ability to operate the Flame Knights by relying solely on her imagination, so she was thinking she could strengthen them by actually experiencing battle training herself.

Then Kazane and Naoki went to the Shrine Magic Arms Workshop, and the person who came from Minshiana was one of Garua's (the man who once tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate Kazane) subordinate researchers. He had brought an Acc.u.mulator that incorporated a large amount of Truesilver to increase the Magic Power absorption amount, and he proposed using that in the handle of the Crystal Dragon horn sword.

However, it was necessary to insert the Crystal Dragon horn into the center of the handle. Because of that, the handle itself was extended and Muscle Clay was added to the inside. And Kazane had strongly requested『a certain thing』be installed at the end of the handle yesterday, so that was adopted as well.

Also, the Crystal Eyes, which gave the Circlet of Wisdom its remote viewing ability, would no longer be placed in the core of the handle, but would be made into earrings for Naoki instead. They would be auxiliary equipment that would allow the『Magic Sword Operator』Naoki to use remote viewing like Kazane.

Once the details of the item were thus decided, Naoki went to training while Kazane coordinated the schedule. The weapon would take nearly two weeks to complete, and after saying they would collect it on their way back from the dragon village, Kazane also headed to Jinrai and the others.

Then it was time for the match between Jinrai and Mino-kun as planned.

◎ Dolmu City, Nearby Plains

「NuuoO」

「Ah, another one was destroyed!」

The last knight model Golem Knight-san was destroyed by Jinrai's dragonfang spear.

「Grrr, Mino-kun, Hippomaru R, do it!!」

Kazane gave instructions to the Golems with a vexed expression.

Jinrai avoided the Stone Minotaur's 3 meter magic sword mincing attack with backsteps. Then he jumped to dodge the attacks from the crystal horses with horns sticking out of their chests approaching from the left and right and immediately sent one of their heads flying.

「That's it, Mino-kun!」

However, Jinrai was defenseless in the air. The Stone Minotaur swung the 3 meter magic sword again, and Jinrai crossed both spears to block and was sent flying.

「Nu」

A moan leaked from Jinrai's mouth due to that power, but he landed on the ground after about two rotations. He pushed the spear shafts into the ground to brace himself.

「Hippomaru R, attack!!」

Kazane once again sent forth the Hippomaru R.

Those crystal horses were Crystallized Golem horses made using Hippomaru-kun as a reference, and each was armed with a Black Rock Dragon horn sticking out of their chests. The R, of course, meant they were ma.s.s production models. And the headless Hippomaru R also rushed toward Jinrai.

「The head is a decoration! Such excellent」

Kazane was about to say something, but Jinrai ran to the crystal horses and attacked the horn attachment weak points to destroy both of them with his two spears.

「Ehhhh!?

That was completely Kazane's mistake. After being launched 10 meters by the Stone Minotaur, Jinrai was no longer within the Stone Minotaur's range. And Kazane instigated the Hippomaru R to attack Jinrai, who was outside of that range.

Without the additional attacks from the Stone Minotaur, Jinrai was able to intercept the Hippomaru R at full force. Now Kazane only had the Stone Minotaur. This was bad……

「Time's up...」

Kazane's shoulders dropped as the Stone Minotaur collapsed. It was because the 10 minute time limit was exceeded. In other words, it was Kazane's loss.

「Uun, I lost?」

「Unu. I wasn't able to destroy that Mino-kun in the end?」

Both Kazane, who lost the match, and Jinrai, who didn't win by defeating it with his own strength, seemed disappointed.

「Is Kazane planning to build a grand Golem army?」

「And grandpa. Why was he able to resist that by himself?」

「Both of you, don't just stand there in admiration. Remember, it's our turn next.」

Lyle and Emily, who were shuddering at both Kazane and Jinrai's ability, were mercilessly brought back to reality by Naoki's words.

「Your sister will go easy on us, I hope?」

「Remember the last time. Aneki sent out a more powerful Golem corps after losing to master Jinrai.」

Naoki understood from seeing his sister's vexed expression. Was there any chance his sister would go easy on them while like that? She would probably attack them with a new formation with an eye on using it against Jinrai.

「Ah, that was so.」

Lyle feebly agreed. Training, then rest, repeated over and over since morning. And this should be the end of the day, but that ending was severe.

For the time being, the three pulled themselves together and decided to move toward Kazane.

By the way, Yumika was watching while training with Tiara in a place a little separated from the battlefield.

「Yumika is fine?」

Tiara said while out of breath from the exercise she wasn't used to. Since Yumika was training with Tiara, she wasn't able to partic.i.p.ate in the mock battles, and Tiara was worrying about it.

「Yeah. I can see the battle from here.」

「But...」

「Well, if that formation is used again, master will be able to defeat the Stone Minotaur next time, and I think I would be able to win, too.」

Tiara had chills for a moment after Yumika declared that. That was because Yumika so naturally said she would be able to win when that seemed like nothing but a pipe dream to Tiara. And Yumika said it like it was certain truth, or at least without the slightest doubt in her own words.

Apparently the innate talent granted by the Skill had raised the ordinary high school girl into a formidable warrior without her being aware of it herself, and that showed no signs of stopping.

Then training ended, the sun set, then rose the next day. It was finally time for Kazane and the others to eat the Dragon Steak Angel Rudder.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator

Level : 31

Health: 114

Magic Power: 205+420

Strength: 55+10

Agility: 48+4

Endurance: 31

Wisdom : 62

Dexterity : 39

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』『St.u.r.dier Teeth「Dragon」』『Crystallization「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur』『Mega Beam』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-silver Creation』『Poison Claw』

Kazane:「After much effort the Hippomaru R made their debut appearance, but they were quickly destroyed.」

Yumika:「Do you want to try having Knight-sans ride them so they don't fall apart?」

Kazane:「All right, let's try that next time.」