Chương 117: Chapter 10:”Female Warrior Lasla Eighthawk”

It happened right after I shook hands with William. I saw a woman rushing out furiously from the entrance of the shooting range. Holding a sword emitting a bright red shine in her hand. She is wearing something like a gun on her waist, and probably a sheath for the sword. At considerable speed, she comes straight towards me. Reaching right in front of me in an instant. I thought she attacked suddenly, but despite drawing her sword, no killing intent was felt at all.

Apparently, she doesn't intend to attack seriously. Is she testing my reaction? While firmly capturing her approaching face with my eyes, I dared not to move a single step. As expected, the sword without killing intent stopped abruptly at my neck.

"You give quite a dangerous greeting, don't you." When I said so in a sarcastic tone,"It seems you have guts at least." She slowly put the sword back into her waist with a fearless look. Well, if it were the old me, I think I would have flinched and pulled back or run away. No, I was actually surprised, though. My heart pounded too. Of the two watching this farce, Ryuto's eyes are sparkling at the appearance of a new warrior. William, after directing an amazed face at her, apologized to me.

"I'm sorry. This one is like this. I was going to introduce her now, though. Hey, Lasla." When he urged, she turned her face here with a truly curt expression. In a blunt tone, she introduced herself with just one word.

"Vice-Captain of Lunatope. Lasla Eighthawk."

"I am Yu Hoshimi. I decided to cooperate in this operation. Nice to meet you." I held out my right hand, but she just glanced at it and didn't respond. Crossing her arms, she looked at me with eyes as if sizing me up, and then turned to William and said.

"I heard a strong helper would cooperate. But no matter how I look, isn't he a brat younger than Asty? Since when did we have to rely on someone like this?" Someone like this. Certainly, my body hasn't grown since I was 16, so childishness remains fully. But I'm 21 already. Partly because I don't have a very manly face originally, I'm sometimes underestimated as a brat like this. I can't help but think it would have been better if I awakened around 20.

But then, I wouldn't have been able to attend Sacris Magic Academy like everyone else. I might not have been able to get that close. So I think it was good as it is after all.

"He has Kudin's stamp of approval. Now is the time when we want fighting power even a little."

"Hmph, I wonder about that. After all, it's just an evaluation from a Chilion with inferior physical ability. This operation is a top-priority mission. I don't need a guy who drags us down." Saying flatly, she glared at my face with glaring eyes and lifted the corners of her mouth with a smirk. And, she declares loudly.

"I will test directly whether you are useful or not. Fight me, Yu!"

"Eh. Even if you suddenly say fight." I was confused by the challenge letter suddenly thrust at me. Seeing my bewilderment, William, who looks older than her, smiles wryly saying, "That again?"

"I'm really sorry. She's been like this since long ago. A warrior to the bone, or a Battle Junkie. She has a personality that doesn't feel satisfied unless she confirms the ability herself." Being told so, Lasla turned her face away hmph somewhat embarrassedly. I saw her silky black hair tied up in the back.

"Sorry, but if it's okay, could you accept it? I also want to grasp your ability."

"Understood. I don't mind."

"That's the spirit!" Lasla's tone clearly couldn't hide her joy. Where did the unfriendliness from earlier go? Apparently, she just wanted an excuse to fight by picking a fight appropriately. Certainly, such warrior types exist rarely. The best way to convince them is to actually cross hands and show power. Besides, if I show my ability here, it will lead to their trust. Although it is a little troublesome, there is no reason to refuse.

"Oh. Something started! I'm getting excited~." Ryuto, who is a real Chilion unlike adult Ausser-Chilions inside, was honestly excited like a child. His innocent heart was dazzling. William decided the rules. That said, simple ones. Use weapons with no killing power. Fight only within this shooting range. The one who lands an attack that would incapacitate in actual combat first wins. The rest is basically free.

In the space between the shooting stand and the target, where there is nothing but the floor and ceiling, I face Lasla a little apart. William and Ryuto were leisurely watching from the front side of the shooting stand.

"Which one should I cheer for? Hmm... I can't decide. Both do your best~." Ryuto is like this. William also seemed calm, perhaps having experienced this kind of situation many times, watching over us two. Even Lasla opposite has a lively face as if saying she is really looking forward to fighting. It seems she is a genuine Battle Junkie. Now. We can start the fight anytime, but. I was showing a stance ready to move by taking out the Qi Sword immediately, but Lasla doesn't move at all contrary to her vigor.

Wondering what happened. Eventually, she asked with a suspicious face.

"Hey. You don't use a Slaith?"

"Slaith?"

"Don't you know!?" Lasla made a terribly surprised face, pulled out that red sword from her waist, and explained briefly.

"I mean this Laser Sword. Now it's switched to safe training mode, but originally it's a weapon to cut the hard bodies of Natura."

"So that was it. Why a sword, not a gun?"

"For guys with machine bodies, gun-type weapons with a small attack area are hard to be decisive blows. Of course, I use a gun as a sub too."

"I see." Not out of eccentricity, but a sword for a practical reason.

"Wait, you bastard, don't tell me you intend to fight me unarmed?" The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. I am directed a look of contempt by her who misunderstood because I have nothing. I don't intend to do that.

"That's okay. Because I can create weapons myself." I release a white Qi Sword from my left hand. As when I first put it out in this world, the color was thinner than usual. But still, it has strength that won't lose to weapons around there. Since this is a match, I remove the sharpness. Seeing me create a Qi Sword from nothing, she was completely wide-eyed.

"Hoh. You use a strange technique. First time seeing it."

"Well, it's like a special skill I acquired desperately. Shall we start soon?"

"Show me your ability, bastard." I and Lasla stare at each other without moving, holding our swords. We were measuring the timing to engage each other. When the breaths of the two matched, it was her who moved first. While running into me, she unleashes a thrust to the upper stage.

"Sei!" I dodge it by bending my upper body back, and swing my sword aiming for a blow at her empty neck. Before the blade reaches, her body sinks one step. Crouching, she applied a leg sweep in the manner of a roundhouse kick. I dodge by stepping back instantly. Towards her who is full of openings without recovering her posture yet, I swing down the sword with all my might. I thought it would hit, but it didn't go that way. With acrobatic body movement, she goes around to my left side while rolling.

Conversely, she launched a sweeping attack towards my torso. I am still in the middle of swinging the sword. Judging that there is no time to guard, I cancel the Qi Sword once and dodge the opponent's sword with a forward somersault. This time, it was me who exposed an opening. From behind, her diagonal slash approaches. Reading the movement from the air flow, I immediately take out the sword again. Twisting my body and adding momentum to the sword, I caught the sword as I turned around.

The Qi Sword and Slaith clash, making a crackling sound bachi-bachi and scattering sparks. It became a form of locking swords as it was.

"You're pretty good."

"You too." Up to this point, breathtaking offense and defense have been unfolded. She seems to have completely recognized me as a worthy rival. As if the curt side she showed at first was a lie, her face was flushed with excitement and looked lively and shining. Hit by her tone, I felt my mood rising too. Now. Having understood her ability well, I decided to move soon.

"With this, is it okay to do it seriously?"

"What!?" While capturing her who raised a voice of surprise in my eyes. I raise the degree of Qi Reinforcement to the maximum I can usually put out. Up to here was just wait-and-see, and I was putting out about half of my full power. From here, where I have grasped her movements to some extent, I don't need to spare effort anymore. I go to defeat her with all my might. I can't lose a match sold by picking a fight. My arm, which increased its power greatly by reinforcement, pushes in her well-trained slender arm.

She also opposes by putting strength not to be outdone, but perhaps becoming painful, sweat was dripping stickily on her cheek. Eventually unable to endure, she parried by removing the sword contact once. From there, she boldly shifts to a torso slash.

"Haaa!" Predicting that movement, I dodge my body with room to spare. Again, I swing down the sword vigorously towards her. She tried to catch it by matching the sword again, but this time it doesn't work. Because the premise is different. The downward swing that increased momentum by Qi Reinforcement easily repelled the sword along with the arm. No matter how much strength she has. With a trained woman's arm, it is not something that can easily catch my sword which raised its power to the maximum.

Although she managed to avoid a direct hit, from her expression staggering off balance, the composure until then could no longer be felt. It had changed to the face of a warrior in a predicament. With a desperate attitude, she strikes a raging wave of sword attacks.

"Ha! Yaaa!" Spirit is good. As expected, her heart doesn't break. I dodge the demon-like continuous attacks unleashed from her by a hair's breadth. While dodging, I was impressed that her movement was considerable. The sword line is powerful and sharp like dancing. She who got serious certainly has strength enough to be proud of. It can be said enough to be master class. However. The comparison target might be bad. Unfortunately, the impression was that she is still two steps short of Lilna.

Even I feel one step short, but she goes down one more step. If this Lasla is treated as a first-class warrior, I see, Lilna is treated as a monster called by the second name of 『Strongest』.

"Why!? Why doesn't it hit!?" She was starting to be agitated that the sword didn't even graze at all. Reflecting her straightforward personality, unconsciously, her sword line is relatively honest. In the battle so far, I have already "memorized" your movements. I see through completely and dodge at the very limit. That's why it doesn't hit. Eventually, when her attack became large due to impatience, I poke that decisive opening. I stopped the sword exactly at her neck.

"Match over, I guess."

"... Kuh! I yield. It's my loss..." Immediately after, the sound of warm applause was heard from the shooting stand. Clapping hands are, of course, Ryuto and William.

"No. You showed me something good. To think there was someone who could overwhelm Lasla this much other than that Lilna."

"Both were cool~." Since I beat her completely, it's natural, but her pride seems to have been shattered considerably. She seemed quite dejected. I thought I did something a little pitiful, but anyway, I won't be looked down on anymore.

"With this, did you understand my ability?"

"I was wrong to doubt. You, bastard, are really strong." I felt somehow that heat was contained in the eyes looking up at me.

"I'm not a big deal at all. I can't move the moon alone or anything." Recalling other FabLs with crazy powers, I said so mutteringly. I don't think strength is everything, but. Even so, I am too lacking in power compared to them. Still far. I can't see the vision of reaching.

"What. What about the moon?"

"Just talking to myself. Don't mind it."

"I see— I like strong people. Welcome, Yu." The hand she didn't accept even if I held it out before the battle, she held it out from her side this time. When I squeezed it back strongly gyu, she smiled faintly. Then with a serious expression, she stared into my eyes and said.

"I want to become stronger. I want to beat Dielevats. I want to clear the regrets of my killed comrades."

"Comrades... were killed?"

"Yeah. My parents, and my best friend too... I hate them so much I can't help it." Lasla looked down a little and showed a sign of thinking about something. Raising her face, she continues.

"If it's most guys, I can somehow compete evenly or slightly disadvantageously. I reached that far. But, only that guy. Only Lilna. I can't match her no matter what!" She clenched her fist frustratingly. That feeling of lamenting one's powerlessness, I understand painfully well too. William, who had a face oozing frustration in the same way, sighs.

"We are evaluated for having engaged with Dielevats many times and survived. But, we really just survived."

"Yeah. Miserably...!" Directing a sympathetic gaze to Lasla squeezing frustrating feelings, William says.

"The reality is running away and running away, sometimes making ruthless decisions to abandon comrades. We are just barely avoiding total annihilation. Just as Lasla says. It's a miserable story." From his way of speaking, I caught a glimpse of the hardship of connecting the lives of the members somehow as a captain. There must have been many things that couldn't be helped. I can easily imagine the background, and I feel sympathetic too.

"No, but." There, Ryuto interrupts. He said with a resolute attitude.

"That's amazing. Because you survived fighting guys stronger than you all the time, right? For me, I get scared just hearing their names. So, you're amazing after all." It was a pure word like a child. Just because of that, William's heart might have been saved somewhat. His expression had brightened a little.

"Hmph. That's true too. If it weren't me, we wouldn't have done this well. I can't drop dead yet."

"Don't say such ominous things. I'm not yet capable of being a captain."

"No doubt. Honestly, even vice-captain is suspicious for you. A terrible Battle Idiot Vice-Commander."

"Shut up. I'm doing my job properly!" Seeing sulky Lasla, Ryuto burst out laughing pu. Triggered by that, everyone laughed for a while.

"Hey. Yu."

"What. Lasla."

"I must become stronger still. Therefore, you who beat me are also a target to surpass from now on." Staring into my eyes seriously, she pleads.

"So, once again. No, as many times as possible. Fight me again!" Lasla was quite enthusiastic. Since I hate losing too, I understand such feelings as if taking them in my hand. But isn't it too straightforward? Certainly, this is a terrible Battle Idiot... But the reason she wants to become stronger is something I can sympathize with. It's not bad to help her a little. Can't be helped.

"William. I want to borrow a Slaith."

"I don't mind, but what are you going to do?"

"Just use it normally." I receive the Slaith thrown by him. Switching to training mode, I tried swinging it several times. Contrary to the heavy appearance at a glance, I felt it was a light and easy-to-handle weapon. Checking the feel of the new weapon, I transform into a woman. Then Lasla's eyes were shocked as if she saw a ghost. William tried not to show it on his face, but his eyes are swimming after all. I knew it. The reaction when showing transformation for the first time is interesting.

She lost her voice for a while, but eventually said as if squeezing it out.

"I heard you can change gender freely but... It's true, huh... (And quite cute)."

"Yeah. This time I'll go with this side. Equal conditions with the same gender and the same weapon. Since this body is weaker now, surely it will be a good match with me."

"... What is the intention?"

"Doing it with close ability is the best training for each other. Good idea, right?" From the feeling of fighting, I thought it was almost equal if it's the state of a woman who can't use magic. This time, without Qi Reinforcement, physical ability will be slightly higher on her side. I cover with her movements I memorized and experience. Since we are training. It's better for me to learn too.

"Honestly, I hate being gone easy on, though..."

"As for me, I'll do it seriously. Besides, you were the one who underestimated me first, so we're even. Say such lines after you defeat me." When I provoked her slightly, it seemed fire was lit very easily.

"Then. If I win against you, I'll have you do it seriously as a man again."

"Of course. Then, shall we go for the second round?"

"I won't lose this time!" Two Slaithes clashed, making a pleasant sound.