Neta Chara Tensei Toka Anmari da!

Before entering the cavern, Aisha changed her clothes and thus they are completely prepared.

“Alright, let’s go, Aisha! It might be a little grotesque, are you sure you would be fine?”

“Please don’t say it as if we are going to picnic. And it is kind of late asking that now–”

Since their first meeting, she has already shown a bit, if not a lot of brutal scenes. So her question was indeed too late.

For Aisha, death is always something close at hand.

Because she lived a life where people might die for the most mundane reason.

She was not an exception, nor was her father.

That’s why Nacht’s concern was unfounded.

“I see. Nevertheless, this place was pretty deep.”

When she looked inside the natural cavern, it becomes dimmer the deeper it is.

Near the entrance, there were barricades made of logs, and if someone forcefully enters, a rain of arrows would fall toward them. Even now, Nacht could perceive the people who could hardly wait for the prey to enter and pounce.

Normally, a narrow confined place where nowhere to run or evade like this was a bane for Nacht.

Because Nacht’s main attack means were flashy wide-area magics and she was weak in close-quarter combat. A narrow space like this completely sealed her advantage and heighten her disadvantage. Plus, she needs to tone down her magic to keep the cavern from collapsing too.

“Troublesome…couldn’t I just blow it up with magic…?”

“You can’t! There might be a hostage inside. Don’t you want to save them, Nacht-sama?”

Hearing Aisha’s uneasy voice, the mana that gathers in Nacht’s hand started to disperse.

If there was no hostage inside she might have blasted the bandits together with the cavern.

“Aisha, make sure to stay close with me.”

What’s the most troublesome, the bandits here have good teamwork.

Not only the vanguard, but the people hiding in the forked path also used bait in the middle and then ready to pincer from the side using the terrain to their advantage.

“Ye-yes!”

Then why Nacht decide to push through?

There were two reasons.

One, Nacht did not think any of them has attack power that enough to pierce her defense.

And the other one is to get a legitimate reason to stick with Aisha in a dark place, that’s all.

One step, two steps, they walked. At the third step, a rain of arrows attacked them.

There were ten arrows, which also show the number of the bandits, and most likely they already readied the second volley.

What Nacht observed at first was the kind of arrow they fired. If they were trained in archer class, they should be able to create arrows from magic and fire them continuously.

However, what appears in front of her was a common wood arrow.

It cut through the air, creating an inescapable wall of arrows.

In that seemingly hopeless situation, the only one to hear Nacht’s sigh was only Aisha who stick close to her.

“Boring–”

At that moment, Nacht’s use her mana.

“Kyaa!”

Suddenly a windstorm appeared.

It blows Aisha’s skirt, which makes her bashful and glared at Nacht. It seems she has quite a leeway considering the situation.

The power that appears together with the windstorm quickly comes together and creates a gravitational field that crushed all the arrows that heading toward them.

That’s not all.

The wind under Nacht’s control also creates vacuum blades that moved according to her will. In an instant, three heads flew through the air, the next second six others follow.

“W..h…y…”

Without knowing what happened, the bandit’s consciousness disappears into the eternal darkness.

According to the bandits that fall into Nacht’s illusion, from eighty-three bandits, seventy of them were common farmers. Thus that makes the experienced mercenary numbered thirteen, and even them should not be able to stop Nacht’s magic.

Or probably not, one of them should be able to.

And there is one more thing that picked up her interest.

It’s about the attack used in this world, a strange skill called arts. Apparently, it was the peak of trained technicians that could be obtained by anyone as long they could reach it. Somehow it was kind of different from job skill in Real World Online.

Although could not be dismissed easily as inferior, their power was indeed a bit low.

“Die monster! Arts: The Way of Thousand arrows.”

For example this art. From one arrow that the bandit released, suddenly it split into tens and accelerates. This should be similar to archer first skill shadow arrow and flowing arrow combined.

However even though it should be a composite skill, the firepower was meager.

“Dance magnificently, Wind Blade–!”

The incoming arrow hit by brilliant wind and the coiling arrow disappeared. The arrowheads broke and hit the ground vainly.

“What! Dammit! The way of–”

The bandit about to unleased another barrage of arrows.

Of course, although Nacht allowed the bandit unleashed it for the first time because Nacht wants to see it, Nacht properly stopped the second time.

Just like a clap of thunder, when they noticed the light, it already strikes. Nacht’s disappeared from their sight, and when they noticed–

“Kh! Foohh…”

–Their life already ended.

With Nacht’s extraordinary speed, even though she holds back a little to prevent collateral damage, still too fast for human eyes to perceive.

“Alright–two more I guess.”

Three minutes after Nacht starts to intrude into the cave.

Only two people left to oppose her.

After the enemies were down, Nacht and Aisha advance calmly inside the cavern. However, suddenly Aisha who clung to Nacht shivered.

A strong fighting spirit drifts in the air.

Nacht pays it no mind and looks at Aisha.

Her expression was kind of like a Goddess and somewhat happy.

Well, she was happy.

Because Aisha’s sharp sense–was just purely amazing.

In the first place, what directed to them was no ill intent or desire to kill, but just fighting spirit.

And yet she quickly noticed it and stopped, it proved that her ability to detect danger was high.

“Amazing, Aisha! In the future, you would become very strong!”

Nacht patted Aisha’s head. While from the other side, the sound of steps approached them.

“To be ignored like this kind of make me sad.”

Duran did not hide. He just walked toward them with fighting spirit overflowing from his body, inviting Nacht to fight.

However, Nahct’s reply was cold. She did not show her fangs, something like that.

She ignored Duran and let her focus concentrated on Aisha.

Of course, Duran felt humiliated.

Even his fighting spirit powered by all his power was ignored.

That would mean the girl in front of him did not even consider him as a worthy opponent.

This was the first.

“To think, you are a girl…”

Crysta was also a female warrior who has incredible magic power. But so what. Even compared to Crysta who has an incredible amount of magic power compared to her peer, the girl in front of him was an incomplete different league. That was what he could pick up from her presence.

Inside of him, the danger alarm rang continuously like it was never before.

You must not fight her.

That was what his instinct told him.

The difference in strength could be buried easily with magic.

Even the most outstanding warrior would meet death if they gave the magician time.

“Gender is just a trivial detail–But you are–”

“Call me Duran.”

When he interrupted her words, he also draws his greatsword and warry to the incantation.

“–I see, Duran is it? Why are you here? Although your soul is rough, it was not cloudy. If I must say, it’s just kind of empty.”

Her words sounded like a provocation to Duran.

“GH! Why…no, that doesn’t matter. The blessing told me–The next prey, are you!”

Although they were just conversing, Duran felt as if the bottom of his heart was exposed under her gaze. Contrary to her fascinating appearance, the girl in front of him was even more mysterious. As if her golden eyes could see through all of his secrets.

“I see, so you are playing as a bandit?”

She sounds like blaming him, however, he used that time to calm himself and replied.

“Of course not–after fighting against you I planned to destroy them myself. But you have made it easy for me. The head was inside, tied up. If I lose, you could have him, you could set the prisoner to lose, or get them for yourself, do as you like.”

Duran has planned to destroy this base since the beginning.

He would not let the source of the illusion that haunts him–bandits–roam free.

“You would do something like that just to play with me?”

Nacht did not say ‘fight’.

And thus it sounded like she denied his reason to exist.

He had placed himself on the battlefield, live only in battle. That words denied his existence.

“I want to fight.”

It was just a gut feeling.

However, his sense certainly told him so. The girl in front of him was in a different league from him.

That’s why he wants to quickly taste it.

“If you fight with me, you will die. Instantly.”

Suddenly the air around her exploded.

A crushing pressure overflow in the air.

Nacht has turned on the dragon might. That’s all.

But for Duran, it was an unimaginable pressure.

Although he knew she was above him, the difference in presence was like a human and a dragon.

It’s as if the four great dragons were right in front of him. That was what he felt. Duran did not release his gaze toward Nahct’s eyes even while cold sweat flowing from her body.

Her gaze that looks like an examiner who looked down toward him makes his knee weak.

However, Duran successfully holds the last of his gut and opened his mouth.

“Even if that’s the result.”

Unlike what Nacht expected, Duran’s fighting spirit did not disappear.

Just like how an ant in front of a human, a dragon could crush humans with ease.

Nevertheless, Duran did not run away in front of that kind of pressure.

Because if he did, it would be as if he threw away his meaning of life.

Fighting, and staying on the battlefield was the same meaning as taking back the value of his that has been thrown by his parents that day.

“–Hou.”

Just in a moment, a smile rose on Nacht’s face.

“Do you want to fight now?”

Duran was a genius in fighting. With his wide range of vision, he observed the battlefield and use the most advantageous tactic he won. Other than his personal prowess to lead the army, he also talented in giving appropriate instruction to his comrades.

At this time, at this moment, the best possibility to win against Nacht is–

to seal her movement by aiming at the young girl beside her. If he did that, Nacht would surely protect the young girl, that was his prediction told him.

But is that really okay?

No matter how out of his league his opponent was, to point his sword toward someone who did not stand on the battlefield, is that really allowed?

That conflict born in his heart.

But the doubt only lasts for a moment.

“Prepare yourself–”

Dispelling his doubt, Duran’s body moved faster than his own thought.

When Duran advance, at that moment.

Although Nacht’s only opened her mouth, his full strengthened body could still catch it.

While facing the fast-approaching Duran, Nacht said.

–you could aim at her if you want–

She saw through him.

He did not even actually look at the young girl. And he did not really plan to aim at the young girl. He just pretended to, so it would make Nacht lower her guard and increase his chance.

But Nacht saw through him and even taunt him.

Duran used the thief art–blink to approach Nacht instantly–but he failed.

It’s as if he was paralyzed, no matter what he did, his body did not listen to him.

What is this?

At that time, he noticed the thin shadow twist around his body as if binding him.

“Shadow Magic–Shadow Bind (The traitor inside the shadow). There is no way a magician would allow melee. Stupid.”

For a magician job, keeping distance was one of the most important things.

Keeping the most advantageous distance and bombarding the enemy with the attack was Magician class iron rule, although other jobs also have a similar notion.

“How, D*mmit…!”

Duran could only groan as he saw four magic spheres floated near Nacht.

They have different colors.

Earth, Water, Fire, Wind.

And they hit Duran without reserve.

“Kh! Magic Art–Magic wall–”

The greatsword in his hand absorbed his mana and glowed with dull light.

It was an original skill Duran created by mixing magic and martial arts, the ability to create a durable high wall, specially designed against magicians. That magic barrier was able to defend against the Ice Empress. Thick and violent mana flowed through the greatsword and manifest a wall.

But,

“Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Duran felt fierce pain eating his body.

The pain of flesh burned, dull pain-body hit by something heavy, tearing pain from thousand slashes, additionally, his finger feel numbing pain of being frozen.

“Well, I guess that’s it–”

The ground was caved in, and the vapor that appeared due to the reaction between fire and ice-filled their field of vision. There’s no doubt that Duran wounded all over his body.

Nacht’s was about to break her battle stand, however–

“No, not yet! …I haven’t fought yet…!”

Although the shadows bind his body, and blood trickled from the wound all over his body, he did not fall to his knee yet.

I haven’t do anything, he thought.

I haven’t done anything, he thought.

I haven’t got anything, he thought.

His thirst was dull but it keeps his body standing.

Although his body wounded all over and his expression was severe, Nacht looked at him with her crystal-like eyes with interest.

Her smile even deepened.

“—Hahaha, I see—-Alright. Then give me all you got!”

Nacht clapped her hands.

In an instant, the restrain in Duran’s body was undone.

“My name is Nacht. Nacht Schatten, and I will receive all of your feelings.”

Nacht did not ready any magic, place Aisha behind her, and looked at Duran.

She changed her stance.

It was different from when she was once addicted to PVP, being serious, desperate, passionate, and even willing to bet her life on it.

However, some of the feelings inside her were the same.

A strange sense of exhalation.

“Thank you.”

Duran ready his stance, he lowered his hips and hold the greatsword tightly.

In front of him was the strongest existence he ever faces.

And thus he must produce the strongest attack he could muster ever.

He raised his sword that currently in overhead stance even higher. His body that was supported with quickness and strength boost moved while creating after image. He felt the illusion that all cells inside his body moved together forming a single motion. He always felt the sword as part of his body, and now it was time to put it to test.

A moment of stillness–

The alarming sound of his heartbeats paused for a moment, and then when the next thumping sound resounded, Duran’s body moved according to his instinct.

An attack that could divide the mountain, or sever the land—

It landed in the next moment.

Duran could not see Nacht.

At the moment he swung the sword Nacht has disappeared from his sight.

—-Kiiiiinnnn.

As is the time stopped.

The blade that bearing all of his force screamed, and its falls, pierce the ground.

What left in his hand was, the numbing feeling as if cutting toward a mountain made from steel.

The fact that Duran still able to hold on to his consciousness of course due to Nacht’s leniency.

If she wanted to, she could have severed his head right there right now.

“Original Skill (Race Skill)–Dragon technique, Dragon God’s flash–”

“Haha! ….”

The astonishment and admiration forced him to laugh.

“–You have fought well, now, are you satisfied?”

Although it was a physical skill and not a magical one, Nacht has used the highest rank skill that normally she wouldn’t use against Duran.

It was the result of Nacht valuing his will, and a bit of whim.

The prize for overcoming the dragon might as to speak.

“Yes…Thank you…It’s my loss–”

What he could perceive was a faint and fleeting image.

As if an illusion. But that was enough.

An attack that light as if dancing, fast as if a flash, and ferocious as if a thunder.

It was the power he sought after.

No matter who saw it, they would never doubt it as the true form of power.

Even if that skill drain countless blood, severs a thousand bodies, the beauty would not change.

After seeing that, Duran has nothing left to do.

“Do as you please.”

He offers everything to the defeated.

He didn’t mean even if he was killed there, that was what he meant.

But Nacht only showed an undisguised wry look.

And then she said curtly.

“I don’t need an old man.”

“What!? I am still in my twenties!”

“Eh… Doesn’t look like it…”

Duran’s inherent rugged build and the stubble in his unshaven face make him didn’t appear looked like in his twenties at all.

“Doesn’t look like it…”

Aisha followed suit after Nacht.

“Just…Kill me…”

Although they just told him what they really thought, somehow Duran looked shocked more than the fact that he was lost. And the kneeling figure looks more miserable than before.