CH 99

Inglis and the other four went to the Principal’s Office to ask Principal Miliera and Special Envoy Theodore. Having a match was fine and all, but they needed to tell those two first, claimed Ripple.

「A match, is it? Well, it is you we are talking about, Miss Inglis, so I had thought you would come up with the topic. My prediction hit the mark, didn’t it?」 「You know your students well, Principal.」

Said Theodore with a smile.

「Of course. I am still a proper Principal, after all.」 「I think Glis is simpler than the other kids, though——?」 「That’s right… She only has one thing in her mind, after all.」 「Sounds about right.」 「Hahahaha. Inglis, they’re dissing you.」 「Rather than that, I want to fight fast! We can, right? Principal!? Come on come on come on……!」

Inglis’ eyes were still as sparkly, the excitement didn’t die out one bit.

「Ahahaha…… Well, making her wait feels bad too, so let’s get started. Sir Theodore, please take that one out.」 「Sure. Then, Miss Leone. Here you go.」

What Special Envoy Theodore brought out was a black greatsword Artifact that used to be Leone’s. It was furnished with a Gift that allowed it to change shapes and gigantify following its user’s will. It was broken after Inglis put too much strength into it to impede a flying ship from falling onto the Royal Castle.

「Ah, that’s my……!?」 「Yes. The base used to construct it was the same one you originally used, Miss Leone.」 「Base?」 「Yes. While it appears the same, it’s an improved version of it. There is an additional Gift aside from the original one——An exceptional item equipped with two Gifts at once! It’s a new tech, you see, a new tech 」 「Heeh……」 「Waah! How lucky, Leone!」 「What is the other Gift you spoke of?」 「It can bring the people around it into a subspace and isolate them! It’s the other type of measurement I spoke of that warps people into another space so as not to wreck the campus! Judging from the attribute of your Rune, you are the most suited to wield it amongst your friends, Miss Leone.」 「It is a rushed product crafted at the last minute, so I want you to check the strength of the space it created and the duration of its effect. Please do the mock battle within the area of that Artifact. If there is no problem with the result, then I will distribute it to the other groups as well.」

Following Principal Miliera, Special Envoy Theodore added more details.

「Before, when we were trapped in a subspace created by a Highlander, our Artifact stopped working inside the space. Is this one also……?」 「Of course not! You may use it without worry, Miss Leone.」 「Understood, I will try using it!」 「Then Leone, use it now! Now now!」 「Eeh!? Here?」 「It’s fine. We want to enter and check if the Artifact works as intended too, after all.」 「I understand. Then——」

Leone then grasped the sword’s handle tightly with both hands and focused her mind into it.

「Uuh……! Kgh……Compared to usual, it feels……!」 「You don’t have to rush it. It is a Gift you’re not used to, after all. Take a deep breath and feel the flow of your Rune——」 「Yes——」

Following the Principal’s advice, Leone took a deep breath. Once her breath and flow of mana were well-ordered——the black sword began to distort. Accurately speaking, it was the distortion of space around the blade that made the sword appear to be twisted.

「That’s good, Miss Leone. Keep it up.」 「Yes——!」

By the time the distortion grew and reached its peak, there was no longer anything in their vision. After that, their visibility began to return, and once they could see their surroundings, they were in a large space with no walls or edges.

「……I did it!」

It was as she claimed. All seven of them had entered a different space than before.

「Wah! So we’re here now. It’s really like the ‘Maze of Trials’ and that Highlander’s sorcery!」

Commented Rafinha as she spied the surroundings. Although the subspace was similar, there was no strange illusion here, nor was the use of Artifacts blocked. It was purely a Gift used for isolation.

「Are you okay, Leone? Is it too hard?」

Perhaps because she wasn’t familiar with it, Leone seemed to have a hard time.

「I-, I’m fine. I’m just not used to it. It’s alright, you can start your match.」 「I got it, thank you. Then, Miss Ripple. Please.」 「Nn, gotcha. Let’s take some distance, kay? Miliera, take care of the stray bullets, will ya?」 「Suure. We want to test the strength of the space too, so please start off ve~ry lightly then gradually increase your strength.」 「Yes, Principal.」

If so, then let’s begin with hand-to-hand combat. No weapons, no projectiles. Inglis palmed her fist before assuming a fighting stance.

「Gotcha, Miliera. Then, Lil’ Inglis, come!」

To think I can fight with her so soon, Ripple is really a good person. I’m glad I suggested having her come to the Academy. On top of that, I can still expect more Magic Stone Beasts appearing around her, too.

「Yes! Here I come!」

Inglis kicked the ground and rushed straight ahead with her fist out. No petty tricks, no ace up her sleeve, a head-to-head contest.

「That’s some punch!」

Ker-chaank!!

When Ripple’s open palm caught Inglis’ fist, a high-pitched sound reverberated. It was as though air vibrated and trembled with that alone.

「It’s fast and heavy!」

Ripple curled her other hand into a fist and sent it straight to Inglis.

Ker-chaank!!

「You too, your punch is heavy!」

This time, it was Inglis who caught Ripple’s fist. They stayed in that position in lieu of a contest of strength.

We’re still testing the water, but that’s a Hyrule Menace for you. The feedback is tremendous.

Their strengths were even as they were locked at a standstill.

「Fufu……!」

Ripple chuckled.

「?」

Her fluffy tail then moved like it was a living thing. It was quite long, and—— It crept under Inglis’ open armpit and tickled it.

「Hyau……!?」

Due to the unexpected stimulus, Inglis’ body reflexively twitched and drew back. The moment she slackened her strength, Ripple had already twisted her body and amassed potential force.

「You’re wide open!」

Before Inglis could regain her stance, a whip-like high kick was already right in front of her eyes.

It’ll hit me! That’s a bit unfair, but that’s Ripple for you!

「Release!」

She continued her high gravitational pull training as usual. Of course, she was still doing it now. Once she relieved herself of it——She could respond to things she couldn’t before! With instantaneous speed, Inglis moved to outside the range of that kick.

「No way!?」

Ripple was astonished as she thought her kick would connect. Without a moment’s delay, Inglis rushed forward again. This time, she unleashed a series of fist blows.

「HAaaat!!」 「HYaaah!!」

KAABOOOOMMM!!!!

Inglis and Ripple’s fists collided with each other, raising a thunderous roar that shook the air.

「A-, amazing……! To think a fight like this could exist——」

Overwhelmed, such words leaked out from Liselotte’s mouth.

「But, this is still nothing. They’re still fighting hand-to-hand.」 「……For future references, we need to watch them closely——」

In the high-speed fistfight, Inglis who was free of her high gravity load was gradually overpowering her opponent.

「EEeeeii!」

With Ripple’s arm-guard growing flaccid, Inglis pushed it aside and delivered a blow to her clavicle.

「Ah——hggh!?」

Being shoved to her backside, Ripple’s body was blown back. However, she soon regained her stance and stood up excitedly as though she would hop up and down.

「You’re great, Inglis——!」 「So are you!」

There was numbness lingering in her fist, which was a testament that Ripple’s body was anything but ordinary.

「……Then——About time I do what I’m supposed to do! I’m not much of a hand-to-hand combatant, you see?」

Ripple quickly reached her hand towards Glis. In her palm, a golden cylindrical object appeared glittering.

「——A gun!?」 「That’s how it is 」

Ripple smiled smugly.