by Yuu Tanaka
Fran focused her mana.
Come on, Fran.
“Hm! Flashing—”
But Amanda cut her off before she could finish. “Invocation: Vaisravana!”
“—Thunderclap!”
With a crack of her whip, Amanda dispelled everything on the field. All the thunder and typhoons disappeared. Soon, a hurricane was closing in on us. It tore up the floor under Fran’s feet, sending bits of rubble flying all over the place. Meanwhile, our mana pool was drastically draining.
“Hrmph!”
Tch!
Even accelerating my perception with Timespace Magic only let me catch a glimpse of what was happening. Amanda lashed out so rapidly with her whip that it produced hurricanes. Her whip looked like it had multiplied by ten.
Physical Immunity was working overtime, and our mana was draining fast. There was nowhere to run. To make matters worse, each lash produced a shockwave as sharp as a knife. It reminded me of the whipmeisters back home who made sonic booms by cracking their whips at the right speed and angle. I was pretty sure Amanda had already broken the sound barrier. She suspected Fran of being faster than her, and her tactic of rapid-fire lashes served to seal off every escape. It wouldn’t be long before our mana ran dry.
Teacher, warp!
Short Jump!
Fran was right—getting out of there was better than having our mana exhausted. I teleported us a short distance, ignoring whatever damage Fran was suffering. We were supposed to teleport behind Amanda, but she was gone. She had already run off to the other side of the arena. We’d pushed our luck too far. She knew our warp habits. A second was all she needed to dodge a blink strike, as long as she could read it. Gaudartha did the same thing, although he was slower. But here was something she’d never seen before.
“Vernier!”
With teleportation unviable, Fran boosted herself towards Amanda. Beloved of the Spirits hadn’t activated yet, so she couldn’t use her Black Lightning. We had to get that first hit in!
“Haaa!”
Fran charged through the storm. She was too fast. Amanda couldn’t dodge.
Claaaang!
We did it! Beloved of the Spirits blocked my killing blow, but that was enough. Fran was close enough to hit her. She turned her blade and swung.
“Tsch!”
I charged myself with my remaining mana. You’re going down, Amanda! I closed in on her as her eyes widened in shock.
Haaaaa!
“Aaaaah!”
Aside:
Amanda
I SCREAMED AS I WATCHED Fran fight Gaudartha. She was so much stronger now. I couldn’t believe it. I knew that she would grow up strong and beautiful, but thought it would take at least ten years. I’d honestly thought she would lose. I certainly would’ve had trouble facing the rhino.
Her growth was abnormal. I had met talented adventurers with potential in the past, but Fran was on another level. She must have been fueled by her desire to evolve, and fought with that burning desire.
And then there was Teacher, her strange sword. I’m sure he must’ve provided Fran with guidance, as well. Teacher himself looked stronger than when I last saw him. His skills were leveled up, and I sensed the great mana inside him. I couldn’t let my guard down.
Fran showcased some strange skills during the Gaudartha fight: Timespace Magic, Thunder Magic, and the ability to rapidly cast one spell after another. And most impressive of all, Black Cat Evolution.
I found Physical Immunity to be her most surprising skill. I only noticed it because I’d fought someone who had it once. She took Gaudartha’s axe head-on without flinching, an impossible feat for even the strongest of barriers. If it wasn’t Physical Immunity, it must be something similar. A dangerous skill, but not without its weaknesses. I could tell that Fran consumed a lot of mana to activate it. Once she ran out, crushing her would be a cinch.
“Not that I think I’m in for a walk in the park…”
I needed to prepare myself. I was actually fighting her and Teacher—I didn’t know where one’s power started and the other’s stopped. The nobles around me shouted as they watched her fight.
“That girl is very impressive. Adventurer?”
“Oh, but she’s a beastman. She must be from the country.”
“I want her in my army. Such strength.”
“I won’t let you get first dibs, old chap.”
“I can think of many ways of employing her beauty.”
“Ho ho ho, like under my—”
Fran was strong and young, after all. Still, I couldn’t just let these disgusting men say whatever they wanted. Which of my spells should I use?
“She would do nicely in the Imperial Guard.”
“She could keep my daughter safe.”
At least some of these people had standards. I’d hold off on burning the entire room. Oh, but Fran had grown up so much…
A Black Cat couple happened to visit me one day over ten years ago. They were adventurers who’d been under the care of my orphanage a few years before. Their names were Kenan and Framere, and they’d come to show me their newborn baby.
We’d parted on unfriendly terms, so I was happy to see them again. It was my fault. I’d prohibited them from pursuing Evolution and becoming adventurers. They just didn’t have the talent for it. They didn’t have much mana, and possessed only an average mastery of weapons. Since they grew up around me, they thought adventuring couldn’t be too hard. But it wasn’t quite so easy that the natural talents of a beastman could get you through. The only future I saw for them was death.
I could’ve handled that conversation better. I should’ve listened to them before voicing my objections. That was why I was so happy when they introduced me to their baby: Fran.
That baby shared the same name, and would be about the same age as my Fran. I’d thought she was dead. I’d heard news that Kenan and his family had died, but baby Fran was nowhere to be found. That’s why I didn’t recognize her when I first met her in Alessa. I thought that little baby had died. But her face reminded me just as soon as I asked for her name. She looked so much like Framere when she was a little girl.
I thought of becoming her guardian. I knew her parents, after all. But I didn’t think I had any right. In the end, I hadn’t been able to protect Kenan and Framere. And, besides, Fran was doing all right by herself.
I decided to keep quiet and protect her in another way, so I sparred with her, to be her teacher and instruct her. Unfortunately, she already had Teacher to take care of her. But that was all right.
There was something only I could do. I could become the wall she had to overcome.
Fran would become one of the great adventurers in history, but there might come a day when her strength would make her complacent. I would be the wall to remind her that there were always stronger people. That she was still young. It was a mission I couldn’t entrust to anyone else.
I couldn’t remember the last time I trained so hard. I even levelled up Whip Arts for the first time in ten years. Fifty was still young for a half-elf, but I’d been using elven years to count my life, and I was slacking off. I had plateaued, and I couldn’t improve everything I wanted, but I got a lot done in those few months.
Now that I was a Whip Master, I could beat Fran. It was a Class I had pursued for years. The best way to get stronger was to have a clear goal.
Today, I stood opposite Fran in the ring. She smiled without a trace of fear. Winning was the only thing on her mind.
“I won’t hold back.”
“Hm!”
I had to put my life on the line. Fran was much faster than me—I’d gathered that much from yesterday’s fight. I also knew that Black Lightning would fry me in one strike. She had gotten even stronger since she evolved.
I had to win this match. I had to become her wall. A close shave wouldn’t cut it. I had to defeat her completely. How could I say to her “You’ve got a long way to go!” if I was half-dead when I said it? I was ready to m
ake my sacrifice.
“Begin!”
“Hexagon Tornado.”
Fran launched multiple spells as soon as the fight started. Teacher was definitely behind most of them. How else would you explain the thunder spells when she only cast wind? She sent lightning and tornados at me—wind to disrupt my whip, and electricity to paralyze me.
Good plan, but not good enough. I used my strongest Advanced Whip Art, releasing my charged-up mana all at once. Using most of my mana in one go was a risky move. If Fran handled this attack, I might very well lose.
“Invocation: Vaisravana!”
My whip lashed all over the arena, so fast that even I couldn’t keep up with it. It blew Fran’s spells away, and I attacked too fast for Fran to dodge. But she still had Physical Immunity. I felt my attacks land, but Fran was unscathed. She was visibly losing mana, though, so I kept up my assault. I had to keep going!
I couldn’t keep this attack up forever. Advanced Whip Arts rapidly ate away at my whip’s durability. If I used it for long enough, my weapon would tear itself to shreds. I loved this whip and I’d had it for a long time, but I was prepared to lose it in this fight. I would worry about the finals after I beat Fran.
Soon, she disappeared from my sight.
“Here it comes.”
Teleportation with Timespace Magic. Easy enough to handle, as long as you knew what you were looking for. I immediately distanced myself from my starting position. I saw her look of shock when she found that I wasn’t there, but she didn’t give up. Fire burned in her eyes. She navigated the storm of whiplashes by skill and magic. She was fast, much faster than I expected. Frannie, you’re so strong!
“Haaaa!”
Claaaang!
Beloved of the Spirits triggered. I couldn’t dodge her attack in time. I was in Fran’s range now. This was bad.
“Tsch!”
Her sword was charged up with black lightning! I had to dodge it!
“Aaaaah!”
***
I was a few inches away from piercing Amanda’s eye when I broke.
Gah!
“Huh?”
Amanda’s attack, still ravaging the whole arena, had finally drained my mana. Physical Immunity deactivated.
Argh!
Receiving the full weight of Amanda’s attack, half my blade immediately shattered. Fran suffered the same fate—a crack of Amanda’s whip sent her flying.
“Oof!”
I could regenerate later. I had to heal Fran! The warmth of her blood ran down my blade. Her body was covered with deep lashes. How many strikes had she taken? Physical Immunity was out of the question, but at least I had enough mana to heal her.
Heal!
Hang in there! Just don’t die yet!
My prayers went unanswered. The Cradle of Time activated, and time reversed.
“What just happened?! Ten seconds in and the battle is over!” the commentator spat into his microphone.
Surely it had been more than ten seconds?
“Fran’s salvo of spells was dissipated with a thundering crack of Amanda’s whip! If you caught anything after that, give us a call, because this commentator couldn’t keep up!”
If our attack had landed, I was confident we would’ve won. But Amanda’s whip was far stronger than I imagined.
“I’ll tell you what I can see, though: the destruction of our beautiful arena! Ten seconds in, and the ring looks like the ruins of a war zone!” The commentator accurately described the arena. What wasn’t broken was severely damaged.
“We…lost?”
Yeah.
Fran picked me up, still dazed. It had all gone by so quickly. “Already?” she muttered, still finding it difficult to believe.
Yeah.
Amanda approached us. “Fran, are you okay?!”
She was panting. That one move exhausted her, knocking out over half her mana. But she was more worried about Fran than herself. Amanda loved children, and it had to have gone against her very nature to kill Fran. Her face was filled with sorrow.
Fran got up and flexed to prove her that she was okay.
“You’ve gotten tougher, Frannie. That was a close fight, but I guess I’m still stronger.”
“Hm.”
“I had to give up my whip, though…”
It was in tatters. The move was so powerful that even Amanda’s weapon couldn’t sustain it for long. I guess that’s what happened when your attacks left craters in the arena. I would probably break, too, if Fran attempted anything like that. Amanda’s whip didn’t look like it was coming back from this. Cradle of Time had only activated for Fran, leaving Amanda without its benefits.
The loser was consoled by being brought back from the dead, while the winner had to carry the burden of victory.
“I knew you were the better swordsman when I watched your quarterfinals. You’re faster and stronger than I am, too. I had to come up with a special tactic to beat you.”
She’d figured all that out from that one fight.
“And you’ve gotten hold of Physical Immunity, or something like it.”
“Well—”
“You don’t have to tell me. I had a hunch when you beat Colbert. You can’t use that kind of defense forever, though. I just needed to hit it enough to break through.”
We’d played right into her hands. She kept her distance and kept pressure on us to drain our mana. We weren’t outclassed in strength—Amanda had outmaneuvered us through her superior knowledge. No wonder she made it to A-Rank.
“I lost…”
“Don’t be so down on yourself.”
“I didn’t train hard enough.”
“Frannie…” Amanda looked flustered. She tried to cheer Fran up, but if she thought Fran was moping, she was mistaken. Fran wasn’t that sort of girl.
“But I’m definitely taking third place!”
She was sad and she had regrets, but she would learn from this defeat and apply it to the next fight. It was a strange kind of optimism that made her an excellent fighter. I felt her enjoyment, too. While Fran didn’t think of Amanda as her teacher or master, she clearly appreciated being stopped by this insurmountable wall.
“Good luck!” Fran said. Amanda looked relieved, and Fran shot her a smile. “You better win the final, Amanda.”
There was only one way to answer that statement.
“You can count on it!” Amanda clapped Fran’s shoulder and nodded. “By the way, are you busy after this? I would love to have dinner together. I think I can win if you pep me up…”
“I’m watching the next fight and going to bed after that.”
“Oh…well, I suppose it can’t be helped.”
They were both sad about it, but Fran needed her rest. She might be restored physically, but her mind still needed to recover.
We watched the next match from our private room. Amanda was roped in by the tournament officials in preparation for tomorrow. She wouldn’t have had time for dinner, regardless. I’m so sorry, Amanda. At least we had a clear view of the arena from here.
“I can see everything.”
Yeah.
Fran fidgeted in her seat, waiting for Forlund and Phelms. I was looking forward to this battle of the giants, too. The crowd burst open with applause. I think Forlund was slightly more popular, if we were measuring it in decibels. As the crowd’s shouting reached its peak, the match began.
It lasted a lot longer than I expected. Phelms evaded Forlund’s multitude of swords, and even managed to cut some down with his threads. With his rapid attacks, Phelms looked like he had the upper hand in the storm of spool and swords.
But Forlund turned it around in a second. He summoned about a hundred swords in an instant, and sent them flying about in the arena. Phelms struggled to find a way out of the sword hell. In the end, they proved too formidable. The swords chased the old gentleman down and ran right through his body.
I guess we’re up against Phelms for third place.
I breathed easy. They
were both strong, but Forlund had the power to copy any magic sword he touched. I didn’t want to think about what would happen if he got his hands on me.
We’re in for a tough fight.
“Powerful strings.”
That was all we could say, really. We knew he was strong, but we’d never fought anyone who used wires before.
“We’ll still beat him.”
We got some hints from watching him just now. We’ll damn well try.
“Hm!”
***
Night fell over the alleys of Ulmutt. A woman screamed as if she was being pursued.
“No, no, no! This is all that girl’s fault!” the young woman shrieked.
She was dressed in mage’s robes, her cheeks were sunken, and her eyes had bags under them. A shame. She used to be beautiful. She moved like a wraith as she shuffled through the darkness.
“What now… What should I do…?! My master would never forgive me…” the woman muttered, turning her head now and then to check for pursuers. “No…! I won’t let it end like this…!”
The woman made her decision. A dark decision, specific only to those who set their sights on hell.
“I need that girl’s sword!”
***
“It’s a lovely day for a fight to the death! We open our festivities today with a match for third place!”
This was the last time I would get to hear the commentator’s excited voice.
What’s wrong, Teacher?
Today’s the last day of the tournament.
More reason to give it our all.
You’re right.
Hm!
Fran nodded enthusiastically. She was having none of my premature nostalgia. Her only concern was the immediate match against Phelms. Very reassuring.
“Coming in from the West Gate: C-Threat Adventurer, the Princess of Black Lightning, Fran! She is without a doubt this year’s breakout combatant! And it’s not about her looks, either! Beneath her cute appearance are fangs that took down an A-Rank! Will she show us her Black Lightning again today?!”