Chapter 78: Always on the Battlefield

『[Sonic Blade]』

A vacuum wave was unleashed from Kusanagi, piloted by Kojuro.

Somehow dodging it, I charged in with Lucifer, holding a Kodachi in each hand.

One swing, two swings, three swings—I swung the Kodachi, but every single one was repelled.

I was dual-wielding Kodachi, and he was dual-wielding a katana and a wakizashi. There was no advantage in the number of moves; only a sheer difference in skill remained.

『I can see traces of the Hokushin Itto-ryu… but it’s makeshift swordsmanship.』

“I just learned it, you see…! Asterisk, [Barrel Mode]!”

Magic bullets from the Asterisks fired from Kusanagi’s flank.

Kusanagi jumped backward to dodge them. Just as I tried to step forward to attack, another [Sonic Blade] flew at me as if to block my path. That was close?! I somehow barely dodged it.

“Kuh…! Using a projectile weapon is cowardly…!”

『No, no. You’ve been shooting extensively yourself, Nero-san.』

Koto threw in that retort from behind me. That’s that, and this is this!

That thing is surprisingly troublesome. With a single horizontal flash, he can cover quite a wide area. It can be used to keep me in check, and furthermore, he can unleash it from either of the two swords he holds.

Because of that, even though we had a numerical advantage, we were struggling to go on the offensive.

Even so, it’s strange…? He hasn’t been attacking aggressively for a while now.

He’s gone on the defensive. Well, it’s two-on-one, so I can understand trying to fight cautiously, but how does he intend to win from there… Ah?!

“Crap…! Koto, we can’t dawdle! Reinforcements are coming!”

『Eh?! Ah, the reserve…!』

That’s right. I had completely forgotten. The Pale Gourd, who substituted for the Flashy Guy, is heading this way.

I had assumed he would head for the wide-open Central route, but in this situation, it wouldn’t be strange if Kojuro had called him over here. Or rather, he definitely called him!

We have to defeat this guy before the Pale Gourd arrives…!

I made Lucifer slash in. With a slight delay, Koto’s Tsukuyomi followed suit.

『[Sonic Blade]!』

“Asterisk, [Shield Mode]!”

Deploying their invisible shields, the two Asterisks caught the vacuum waves unleashed toward Koto and me.

『Kuh…!』

Lucifer slashed continuously, and Tsukuyomi’s naginata thrusts were unleashed to weave through those gaps.

Kusanagi repelled my attacks with its katana and dodged the naginata by a hair’s breadth.

As I suspected, the malfunction in its legs must be affecting it; Tsukuyomi’s movements lack their usual brilliance.

I have to do this here…!

『Made it in time, huh.』

When I suddenly noticed those words from Kojuro, a slight vibration was transmitted to my machine.

Doshin doshin, as if something huge was approaching us…!

Turning the main camera toward the ‘School’s’ side of the North route, I could see a gray and navy blue Frame Gear heading this way. Too late…!

No, there’s still some distance. I’ll take this guy out before then, I thought, but at that moment, something was launched from the Pale Gourd’s Frame Gear.

What? Did he shoot something?

While staying vigilant against Kusanagi, I focused on the monitor displaying the Pale Gourd’s Frame Gear—according to the data, ‘Colossus’—and saw that what flew at me was its giant right arm.

It was flying straight toward me… toward Lucifer.

“Kuh…!”

I distanced myself from Kusanagi and dodged the flying right arm.

However, the right arm that passed by turned sharply and flew toward me again.

Don’t tell me this is… a [Floating Sword] Fragarach?!

I dodged the right arm that flew at me again. The right arm that passed by assaulted Lucifer a third time with a definite will of its own. He’s completely controlling it. This is without a doubt a [Floating Sword] Fragarach.

Normally, Titan Frame pilots don’t use [Floating Swords] Fragarach. That’s because a Titan Frame’s selling point lies in its power.

By controlling a [Floating Sword] Fragarach, the operation of the main body is neglected. It defeats the purpose if a Titan Frame’s attacks—which already have low mobility and are hard to land—become even less likely to hit.

Even if they were to use one, it would be an auxiliary-type [Floating Sword] Fragarach… like something to immobilize the opponent. A turret that shoots net launchers, for example.

For a Titan Frame’s [Floating Sword] Fragarach to be used for direct attacks like this…!

Moreover, despite everything, he’s actually good at controlling it…!

If I get punched by an arm that massive, I’ll take an absurd amount of damage. Just as I was thinking about what to do, the arm made a sharp turn and returned.

I see, it’s something with that much weight. The magic power of the [Floating Sword] Fragarach depletes quickly. He can probably only move it for about thirty seconds at most after detaching it, right? That might be the opening to aim for.

While I was thinking about this and that, the main body of his Frame Gear arrived.

It’s huge…! Even among Titan Frames, it must fall into the larger category.

Its legs are thick, and compared to them, its arms aren’t that massive. It’s a type with a heavily built lower body.

Its head doesn’t have twin eyes, but a mono-eye. This is also rare.

The Pale Gourd’s Titan Frame, ‘Colossus’, stepped forward with a doshin and pointed its mono-eye toward me.

『How long I’ve waited for this day…! Nero Silhoueska! I challenge you to a one-on-one duel!』

“Huh?”

What is this guy saying? Does he realize we’re right in the middle of the ‘Inter-School Match’? A one-on-one duel? Is he an idiot?

『I lost in Armed Gears, but I won’t lose in Frame Gears! Fair and square, let’s engage in a fair fi—buuuh?!』

“[Zero Impact].”

I readied my Adamantite dagger and mercilessly slammed a [Zero Impact] right into the blabbering Pale Gourd.

From the sudden attack, the Titan Frame’s massive body was splendidly blown away.

Tch, because it was a short distance and the armor was so thick, it didn’t reach the cockpit.

The collapsed Colossus only had a crack on its chest and still seemed able to move. Hmm, maybe I should ask Lara to use this dagger as a tip and make it into a spear or something.

『You baaastard! I was still in the middle of my introductory speech! You truly don’t know the etiquette of battle, as always!』

The standing Colossus was spewing incomprehensible nonsense.

“Etiquette? Stop spouting half-baked nonsense. If you want to talk about etiquette, then being ‘always on the battlefield’—never dropping your guard at any time, and always fighting your opponent with resolve—is the true etiquette, isn’t it? Are you underestimating me?”

He was completely full of openings, so I attacked. I have no reason to be criticized for that. The one who drops his guard is at fault.

In the end, this guy is underestimating me again. Probably because I’m a commoner, or a woman, or something like that.

I have no need for etiquette with a guy like that. If he were facing my Master, he would have definitely been beaten to a pulp, you know?

『Kuh… Hahahahahaha!』

Whoa, you surprised me?!

While I was exasperated by the Pale Gourd, Kojuro’s laughter echoed from Kusanagi, making me jump in surprise.

『I see, I completely agree! Truly, the way of the warrior is found in death! That resolve, that spirit, I think it’s wonderful!』

No, why are you the one who’s impressed…

『Interesting. Nero Silhoueska. I sincerely wish to have a bout with you.』

『Wha?! Hey, Kojuro! This one is my prey!』

『An opportunity like this is rare. Yield this time.』

『Don’t screw with me! Do you know how much I…!』

For some reason, Kojuro and the Pale Gourd started arguing. What is this?

『You’re very popular.』

“I don’t want this kind of popularity.”

That transmission came from Koto behind me, but I couldn’t laugh at all.

Does this mean I’m being underestimated by both of them? I’m gradually getting pissed off.

“[Zero Impact].”

『Gubweh?!』

Activating [Zero Gravity] once again, I thrust my Adamantite dagger towards the Pale Gourd’s Colossus.

I aimed for the exact same spot as before. It pierced deeper than last time, but it still didn’t seem to reach the cockpit. The chest armor appears to be incredibly thick.

Giving a sidelong glance at the Colossus being blown away again, I made Lucifer turn sharply, charging the machine towards Kusanagi, who hastily readied its katana.

“Bushin Style – [Lightning Spear Kick] (Raisoukyaku).”

『Guuh?!』

Unable to react to the spear-like kick of my right leg unleashed at super speed, Kusanagi took it square in the abdomen and was blown away.

It might be fair to say that regaining its posture immediately and pointing its katana this way to keep me in check is impressive.

But you know, you’ve completely forgotten, haven’t you?

『[Reverse Wave] (Sakanami)』

『Wha…?!』

Tsukuyomi, piloted by Koto, who had stood behind Kusanagi before he knew it, slashed her naginata gleaming with moonlight upward from below.

The naked blade dug into the elbow of Kusanagi’s left arm, splendidly severing it.

“Before you put on airs about Bushido, look properly at the opponents you’re fighting. Isn’t your field of vision a bit narrow?”

『Kuh…!』

This guy had completely focused only on me and forgot about Koto. That is disrespectful to Koto, who is fighting desperately.

Well, I can’t really talk too much about others, though.

『Nero-san, the Titan Frame over there has gotten up. May I leave that one to you?』

“Well, sure, but… you better win, okay?”

『Having the table set this well for me, there’s no way I can’t win.』

Turning my back to Tsukuyomi, I began moving to lure the Colossus heading this way.

Tsukuyomi with a malfunction in its leg, and Kusanagi missing an arm. I wonder which one actually has the advantage.

While checking on the Colossus piloted by the Pale Gourd chasing me dosu-dosu, I checked Lucifer’s status on the sub-monitor.

Due to the repeated use of [Zero Impact], its durability value had dropped.

As for [Zero Gravity] itself, I can probably only use it for a little over thirty more seconds.

I’m not underestimating him, but I don’t want to use it on that Pale Gourd guy anymore.

Against that thick armor, aiming anywhere other than his cracked chest would be pointless. Since the Pale Gourd probably knows that too, he won’t let me land a hit easily. It would just be a waste of consumption.

In that case, I have no choice but to slam a ‘Penetrating Wave’ into him, which ignores the armor and destroys the internals.

I’m really bad at that one… I succeeded in doing it with Armed Gears, but it’s different with Frame Gears.

But I have no choice but to do it. If the enemy is coming at me, I just have to defeat him.

Brimming with fighting spirit throughout my entire body, I pointed my Kodachi towards the approaching Colossus.