BXBX NOVEL Chapter 80 - Darkness and Sword King Festival [11]
(The battle thus far was just a prelude, so to speak. From here on out, it’s a real battle with everything we’ve got!)
I focused on Idol-san with fighting spirit burning in my heart.
The moment I blinked, Idol-san, who was in the center of my vision, suddenly disappeared.
「What?!」
As I widened my eyes in surprise,
「-Over here.」
I heard her calm voice from behind.
I reflexively crouched as low as possible on the spot, and a side sweep flashed over my head.
And in succession, she delivered a powerful front kick.
「-This is going to hurt a little.」
I crossed my arms in front of my chest while turning around, and defended against the kick from the front.
However,
「Guh…!」
A violent impact, which was released from her thin leg, blew me away.
(What… power!)
While being blown back, I backflipped in mid-air to kill the momentum, and performed ukemi to land safely.
Idol-san slowly lowered her slender right leg, which she delivered the kick with, and assumed a unique stance of Two-Sword style – no,『Two-Lance Style』.
I spoke while maintaining Seigan no Kamae.
「…You’ve gotten even faster.」
「Thank you. But I’m still getting started!」
The next moment,
「Flying Thunder God – 20 Million Volts!」
A bluish light was emitted from her whole body, and a crackling lightning sound rang out.
(Is she electrifying herself?!)
Powerful electric current flows through her body to stimulate her cells.
This greatly improves muscle strength and reaction rate, which makes the superhuman speed she demonstrated just now feasible.
(The ability to manipulate electricity, huh… This is going to be tough…)
As I was analyzing Idol-san’s abilities,
「Thirty Million Volts -〈Lightning Strike〉!」
From the tip of her azure lance, a raging lightning was released in a straight line.
「First Sword – Flying Shadow!」
My flying slash was drowned out by the azure lightning.
(As expected, it is difficult to intercept with Flying Shadow…)
After confirming the difference in output, I immediately jumped to the left.
When I safely avoided the lightning strike and looked up, Idol-san was standing right in front of me.
「Thunder Style -〈Thunder Clap〉!」
Waves of consecutive attacks descended on me like a storm, not allowing me to catch my breath.
「GUOOOOOOHHHHH!」
Thrust, Slash, Mow down – Just when I somehow managed to defend the first three consecutive attacks,
(No good! Her attacks are too fast!)
It is impossible to defend all the consecutive attacks.
Having made a quick decision from my previous experience, I jumped back while bracing to suffer some damage.
The sharp edge of the lances cuts off my flesh, on the side and left foot slightly.
「Guh…」
I somewhat managed to swallow the searing pain.
Immediately upon landing, I ran towards her to close the distance.
「-HAAAAAAAAAA!」
(The situation will get worse if I’m just stuck on defending…)
I have to keep attacking Idol-san so as not to give her the initiative to attack!
「Eighth Sword – Yatagarasu!」
「Thunder Style – Heavy Thunder!」
Both of our slashes intertwined and disappeared.
「UOOOOOHHHHHH!」
「HAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」
Sword and lance clashed fiercely, as sparks flew and dull metallic sound echoed again and again.
However,
(Kuh… Too far…)
I can’t completely close the distance between me and Idol-san.
The difference in reach between a sword and a lance is roughly『twice』as much.
Too far – Too hopeless of a distance.
Before my sword reaches her, her lance will surely reach me first.
(Shit…)
One by one, lacerations on my body increased.
Unable to endure anymore, I jumped back and took distance temporarily.
「50 million volts -〈Lightning Bird〉!」
Idol-san fired a huge lightning bolt which transformed into small birds with immense force.
The number was slightly more than a hundred.
「Kuh, Eighth sword – Yatagarasu!」
The eight slashes were spread in all directions as a barrier to protect myself.
However,
「Ga, ha…!」
In the face of a flock of more than a hundred birds, the barrier was too small.
Almost all the lightning strikes showered on me, and I involuntarily knelt on the spot.
(This is… bad…)
It is different from being cut, burned, or blown up.
I guess this is called『Electric Shock』.
The『shock』that assailed my body almost made me lose consciousness.
And Idol-san didn’t miss the huge opening when I knelt on the spot.
「70 million volts -〈Moby Dick〉!」
As the match reached its critical moment, she unleashed the biggest lightning strike yet.
It took the appearance of a colossal white whale with an inflated stomach, and flew towards me with its mouth wide open.
「F-Fifth Sword – World Judgement!」
The moment when Moby Dick was cut by the strongest attack that cuts through space itself,
「-Diffusion.」
「Wha!?」
Moby Dick unleashed the vast amount of lightning accumulated in its body, all at once.
My whole view was dyed white. An unprecedented electric shock ran through my whole body.
「Ga, ha…」
I desperately held onto my fading consciousness. I whipped my legs which were about to give out and somehow managed to stand back up.
「Haa… haa…」
The air feels heavy.
No matter how much I inhale, it doesn’t fill up my lungs.
In such a desperate situation, I assumed Seigan no Kamae.
「Y-You can still stand…?」
Idol-san’s trembling voice echoed throughout the venue.
「The current attack would’ve been an instant death for ordinary people. Even a first-class swordsman would be laid in bed for a month. -…Are you really human?」
「Yeah, but… it surely… had an effect.」
I’ve never experienced such an attack before.
My body was already battered.
Even right now, I’m only barely standing by mustering willpower alone.
「I see… Allen’s greatest strength might just be that monstrous『mental strength』. However, I’m sorry, but it’s over.」
Saying that, she pointed the azure lance towards me.
「You, who haven’t manifested soul dress, have no chance of winning. Any more than this would be pointless. Give up.」
Idol-san advised me to surrender in a blunt tone.
「Certainly, I haven’t expressed my soul dress yet. From Idol-san’s point of view, who can use〈Neba Glome〉at will, even a person who can somewhat use soul dress would be a better opponent, I suppose…」
As I said that, I let my consciousness sink deeper; deep into the depths of my soul.
「But, there’s something even I can do.」
「What can you do with that body?」
The next moment, Idol-san disappeared from my sight.
「-This is the end.」
I heard her voice and the sound of wind being cut from behind me.
I’m sure she came to settle the match.
I don’t have the power to dodge that attack anymore, not even the power to look back.
However, I have one『last resort』up my sleeve.
(If I use this with all my might, my Sword King Festival will definitely end here…)
I still can’t endure that shock with this undeveloped body.
At minimum, I will fall asleep for at least a day.
(President, Lilim-senpai, Ferris-senpai… I’ll leave the rest to you.)
Without looking at the attack approaching from behind, I poured all my spiritual power into the depths of my soul.
At that moment,
「HAAAAAAAA”A”A”A!」
『Darkness』of unprecedented scale overflowed from my whole body.
「What… Is this?!」
Idol-san widened her eyes in surprise by the unexpected situation, and jumped back greatly.
The jet-black darkness enveloped my whole body as if it were an『armor』.
Then, strangely, the pain that was assailing my body slowly subsided.
Apparently, this darkness also has healing properties.
「No way, soul dress?!」
She asked with her eyes widened in astonishment. However, I was no longer there.
「-Over here.」
「……!?」
I captured Idol-san’s rear in an instant, and delivered a side-sweep flash.
She reflexively crouched low on the spot and avoided the blow.
「-This is going to hurt a little.」
I delivered a front kick clad in darkness.
Idol-san turned around with her arms crossed in front of her chest, displaying perfect defense.
However,
「Ka, ha…!」
Her defense collapsed brittlely in front of the『blow of darkness』, and was blown away like a ball.
(No way! Defense is useless?!)
Unable to kill the overwhelming momentum, Idol-san crashed into the wall of the building.
It’s the kind of damage where one would’ve lost consciousness, but…
She slowly stood up.
「Ha-haa haa… What, is that power!?」
She was bleeding from the forehead, and breathing raggedly, but there was no decline in her fighting spirit.
「It is Darkness. Well, it is like an『unsuccessful soul dress』or something like that, I think?」
Darkness is, after all, no more than darkness.
I am still far from the『Black Sword』, and the road of training is endless.
(But, I’m definitely getting closer!)
The feeling of the growth was very, very pleasant.
「Idol-san-san… It’s about time to settle this match.」.
「Fufu… To be pushed this far… You’re the best, Allen Rodore!」
Thus, the battle between me and Idol-san entered the final act.