[LN] Volume 4: Chapter 4.4

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......!"

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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