"Seriously...?"
"This guy, so annoying."
Cold sweat trickled down Udoo's temples. The murderous intent piercing his skin was razor-sharp. The distance between them was a little over five meters (16,4 feet). For Udoo, that was just two steps away from striking range.
Terrifyingly, this distance was already within the opponent's reach.
If he wished, the enemy could strike even from that position. Udoo, who had accumulated combat experience, could tell.
The half-moon warrior slowly readied his spear. From the tip to the handle, it formed a straight line, appearing as nothing more than a point from Udoo's eyes.
Even in its casual stance, it was top-notch. Udoo had grasped the spear's length initially, but not being able to see the overall picture made predicting the attack considerably difficult.
Udoo drew both of his short swords, one in each hand. It was a natural two-sword style.
If the opponent could seize the initiative, there was no reason to hold back. Besides, there was no need for Udoo to defeat the enemy using only his strength at the moment. If he could parry the attacks, Kishijou's magic could take care of the rest.
Udoo switched from a reverse grip to a normal grip for the same reason. Holding the spear in a reversed grip, thus eliminating the advantage of length, would prevent him from revealing the weapon's reach, catching the opponent off guard and providing an unexpected defense.
If he chose to solely defend, the normal grip would be much more effective.
"Do it, Kishijou!"
"I already know that, you don't have to tell me!"
Kishijou yelled, and music resounded from behind. Udoo couldn't estimate how long it would take for her to finish this, but it certainly wouldn't take more than a minute.
He could endure that much.
With that thought in mind, he exhaled softly.
That was when the half-moon warrior made its move.
Its thrust was aimed at the gap in Udoo's consciousness. It approached the center of his chest, a speed comparable to a bullet. Accompanied by the sound of slicing through the air, the spear's tip closed in on Udoo's heart.
Udoo hadn't consciously reacted in time. His body had instinctively responded to the overwhelming killing intent.
"Ugh!"
Udoo dodged the thrust, shifting his body away while using his short swords to block the spear. The impact was tremendous.
Amid the sparks exploding in the gray surroundings, he managed to deflect the fatal blow, but not without consequences. His body couldn't entirely mitigate the force, and he was thrown backward, experiencing a dull pain throughout his body.
Nevertheless, Udoo rolled and immediately regained his stance.
The half-moon warrior stared at Udoo, readying its spear with unwavering vigilance. If it had pressed the attack just now, Udoo wouldn't have been able to react.
But then, the half-moon warrior wasn't concerned about Udoo; it was Kishijou's 'Senshu Kagura' that had its full attention. The black cracks expanded alongside her singing, closing in on the half-moon warrior.
Seeing this, it would be troublesome if he distanced himself here, Udoo thought.
Still, ignoring the dull pain and gritting his teeth, Udoo adjusted his grip on the short swords. He had discerned the speed of that thrust. If he could evade the initial strike, he could close in, rendering the opponent's legs useless.
As he was about to start moving, Udoo witnessed an unexpected scene. The half-moon warrior lowered his spear and relaxed.
Even though Kishijou's 'Senshu Kagura' was closing in, the half-moon warrior showed no intention of defending or escaping.
(Does this guy not recognize the threat of magic? How foolish.)
Kishijou's reaction was evident. She must have believed that the 'Senshu Kagura' could be underestimated.
Her volume increased, and the tempo quickened. The lyrics gradually grew more intense, and in response, the cracks became more aggressive.
The space creaked, and the wild wind howled in response to her song.
Countless branches of death rushed toward the half-moon warrior. There was no way for it to dodge them anymore.
In contrast, the half-moon warrior raised its head and stared at the cracks.
"Katsuuu!" (T/N: a shouting voice for power in Zen Buddhism. Used in Judo, Kendo, etc.)
With a thunderous sound, the cracks shattered, and the world trembled.
(That's... crazy.)
Music, words, and spellwork—all of the meticulously crafted elements of the 'Senshu Kagura,' built up by the Kishijou family and perfected by Saki's overwhelming talent, were overcome with a single word infused with magic power.
The meticulously crafted deadly magic was shattered by ruthless violence.
In the aftermath, Udoo's mind was rattled, and he couldn't get back on his feet. He found himself in an unfavorable position both physically and mentally. But it was Kishijou who acted in the midst of this adversity.
"Damn it!"
She, like Udoo, was struggling due to her rattled mind. However, no one could expect her to remain silent after her most powerful magic had been broken so brutally. She silenced the music from the speakers and switched to microphone mode.
If they were going to play rough, she would do the same.
The intensity of her determination, even without words, overshadowed the pain. Kishijou gathered all of her magic power into her throat, forcefully constructing a spell.
A reckless attack, no consideration for consequences. Her vision turned red, her throat burned, and her pain was excruciating.
Yet, Kishijou did not stop. With extreme concentration, she activated the magic and turned her anger and magic power into a single spiritual word.
"'Crush!'"
The amplified sound through the microphone became a black lightning bolt of unimaginable violence heading straight for the half-moon warrior.
The word-based bombardment of all her magic power was no longer just cracks; it was a ferocious black bolt of lightning. The opponent raised its spear to fend it off.
With a sharp sound slicing through the air, it readied its spear. Its helmet's visor opened, and it roared with determination as it thrust it forward.
Then, the tip of the spear and the spiritual word collided.
The spiritual word extended through the spear, turning it black, and the magic power-clad spear continued to repel it. A piercing scream echoed throughout the area.
Just a little more, and the spiritual word would reach its target.
At that moment, the ground near the half-moon warrior erupted as if in an explosion, and its spear went wild. It roared fiercely while attempting to break free from everything that clung to it.
Every time the silver flashes occurred, the spiritual word faded away.
"What... the... heck..."
With a hoarse voice, Kishijou muttered curses as she collapsed. She had used up all her magic power, making it difficult for her to even stand. She did her best to keep consciousness from slipping away.
While keeping Kishijou in his peripheral vision, Udoo stared down the half-moon warrior with all his might.
Right now, he needed to take action to save her, not escape.
The half-moon warrior had used a considerable amount of magic power to defend against Kishijou's magic, and its position was precarious after exerting all its strength in that attack.
So, he had to seize this opportunity; otherwise, he had no chance of winning.
Udoo enhanced his body while exerting all his strength, pushing off the ground. It was now a race against time. He would close the distance to the half-moon warrior without giving him a chance to recover.
Amid the black dust swirling like cherry blossoms in the wind, Udoo dashed forward. It took less than a second to close the gap with the half-moon warrior.
However, in that brief moment, the half-moon warrior had already retracted his spear. Dodging an attack at this distance was impossible.
Therefore, Udoo needed to seize this moment.
The half-moon warrior lowered its stance and gripped its spear as if twisting it.
——It's coming.
Udoo judged this and had already activated his magic. It wasn't as destructive as the 'Senshu Kagura.' Its versatility was low, and it could only be used at crucial moments. However, it specialized in countering magicians, effectively taking them by surprise.
He used 'Tenchi Kaeshi'—a ritual that forcefully reversed the effects of magic, turning the world upside down. The half-moon warrior's position was forcibly swapped, with his head in the ground and his legs in the air, completely turning his body upside down. It was truly an astonishing event.
Udoo's reverse-gripped short sword, his physically honed body, everything was for exploiting this opening.
"Shia!"
Udoo smoothly closed the remaining distance, moving like a wolf crawling on the ground.
The possibility of a counterattack from the enemy was unimaginable. His legs, braced for a thrust, were suspended in mid-air, and the spear and armor had become unstable weights pulling him towards the ground. Taking a defensive posture was difficult, if not impossible.
The target was the neck. Udoo intended to cut through it at top speed without hesitation.
Udoo's right hand flexed, carrying the running momentum into the tip for a deadly strike.
Or at least, that was the plan.
But something astonishing happened.
The warrior's thrust pierced Udoo's side. The cold blade slipped into his flesh, accompanied by searing pain and the sensation of blood pouring out.
"Ugh!"
The fact that it didn't strike his heart was nothing short of luck. It was a matter of chance that the right short sword he was using to attack clashed with the spear, causing the aim to go astray.
While executing the 'Tenchi Kaeshi,' the half-moon warrior had supported his entire weight with his left hand, using only his right hand for the thrust. It was an unexpected counterattack.
Udoo struggled to regain his balance while blood sprayed out, trying to get back on his feet. However, his high-speed body was difficult to control, and he clumsily rolled on the ground, scattering leaves and dirt as he continued rolling, trying to put some distance between them.
Udoo knew that this was futile. Even if he managed to get up, his body wouldn't respond as he wanted. His focus wavered, and his body enhancement was almost fading.
(Oh no... I messed up.)
He never expected to be counterattacked from that position. It was the result of overconfidence in his magic. At this rate, both of them would be killed.
Although he feared his own death, he could come to terms with it. After all, he was born into a family of magician, and he didn't expect to live a long life in such a profession.
But if he lowered his gaze behind him, he saw Kishijou had collapsed.
(Saki, I can't let her die... I can't show my face to my parents like this.)
With that determination in his heart, he exerted strength in his fingertips, scraping the ground and grabbing hold.
Udoo Shinri and Kishijou Saki had been childhood friends since they were young. Their friendship wasn't limited to just the two of them; their families were also closely connected.
This was something that should never have happened. The Udoo family was particularly despised among anti-demon and magicians. Their lineage traced back to catching rogue magicians who disrupted society with their private use of magic. If they traced the family histories of other magician families, someone from the Udoo family would likely have dealt with them. Logic and emotions were two different things, and this history created an insurmountable divide.
The world of magicians was small, and Udoo's life as an outcast had been filled with loneliness and anger. In such a world, only Saki dared to defy Shinri. She was fearless by nature and had no concept of intimidation. Even at that time, when she was touted as a genius, she treated Isumi Tsukiko, who was considered Shinri's rival, as an enemy and actively sought to learn Shinri's techniques.
Saki and Shinri oddly got along well. The people of the Kishijou family had treated Shinri well, despite the fact that he was despised by others. Shinri didn't know why Saki had stayed close to him. Perhaps she had considered him as useful as a good servant. But that was fine. In this life saved by her, he had to find a way to repay her, no matter what.
"Ugh... damn it."
The wound in his side hadn't reached his organs. If he could stop the bleeding, he could still move. But even if he managed to get up here, what could he do?
Before Udoo's groans, the half-moon warrior stood swaying. The black eye sockets peeking from under his helmet looked down upon the defeated.
"Saki, run!"
He didn't know if she could hear him or not, but he couldn't help but say it. There was nothing more he could do for himself.
"Shinri!"
Saki's voice, even if it could be heard, was in vain as the warrior raised his spear. The blood-soaked blade glistened in the ashes, its tip aimed at Udoo's heart. Udoo was prepared for death, but as he stared down the spear, something unthinkable happened.
Something flew over Udoo's head and charged straight at the warrior.
Its identity was unclear, but one thing was certain: the surprise attacker was not enough to shake the half-moon warrior. The spear immediately shifted its aim from Shinri to the intruder, gaining explosive acceleration.
In mid-air, there was no way to evade. The intruder, whose identity and origin were unknown, should have pierced a vital spot and died.
However, that expectation was betrayed with a sharp metallic sound.
The spear was deflected significantly, causing the half-moon warrior's upper body to recoil.
Even in mid-air, where the intruder couldn't brace themselves properly, they had managed to fend off that deadly thrust.
"What...?"
Shinri, who had actually taken the spear, understood it best. He knew the level of difficulty involved. It had taken all his strength just to deflect it, let alone receive it. To deflect it with sheer arm strength was beyond human capability.
As if mocking Shinri's surprise, the intruder's movements didn't cease. The moment their feet touched the ground, they twisted their body and kicked the half-moon warrior's exposed abdomen.
Thud! The massive body was forced upward and pushed back forcefully.
(Who on earth could do something like this?)
It was impossible for Tsukiko, who was fighting up ahead. According to Shinri's assessment, Koresawa wasn't the type who excelled in close combat.
Standing between Shinri and the warrior was the back of an unfamiliar person. His attire of a short-sleeved shirt and jeans seemed completely unsuitable for the situation.
Yet, he emitted a distinct presence, holding an old and battered sword in his right hand. The blade was worn and looked as though it might break at any moment.
With a unique posture, the man faced the warrior.
At this point, it didn't matter who this man was. What was clear was that their fate depended on the outcome of this man's battle.
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