Senya declares so.

It is like establishing the hierarchy in the place, the message that she is the strongest here is perfectly received. She who looks calm and passive of all, she who has the calmest most tranquil demeanor, and she who is the elder of everyone is the strongest, most ferocious warrior that stands atop.

The rainbow colored sword in her hand is the proof of that strength. The power she is emitting is the proof of her dominance over this battle. Her calmness and stillness are the proof of her confidence. Seeing the spectacle in front of me, even though I was struck down by something violent, made me awestruck.

Senya’s figure is like a reenactment of a legend.

However, since this is a rare opportunity to fight with all I got against someone far stronger, I am not going to back down. With the power of divine possession with Ichirou against her, I don’t think I need to hold back. Also, I have grown since the last time I fought with Nil!

“Miss Senya!”

“Oh, what now? D-Don’t tell me, Asagao…you can’t bear the pain?! Oh…w-what should I ever do!?”

“No, on the contrary, Miss Senya, I would like to continue this battle!”

“Eh? Wait!”

“”

Whatever…

With the blood ragingly boiling inside me, I broke out into a grin as I enter battle mode again. Gripping the sword in my left and tightly clamping my right fist, I stand up and recompose my fallen self.

Whatever Senya used I am going to unravel it through any means. I deploy my all-sensing barrier around the perimeter.  Reaching what my vision can, I cast dozens of small plate barriers around Senya to be my foothold for my usual attack pattern. Due to the prompt appearance of the barriers, Senya tilts her head in confusion.

“What are these…wait…These are all barriers?!”

“[Calm Dragon Tempest!]”

I rush towards Senya again. This time, I plan to charge at her head on and engage in a swordfight. I know a direct confrontation against a master like Senya is a bad idea considering that my current swordplay is amateurish and sloppy even in the eye of Ichirou, however, under any circumstances, I just have to experience how truly strong Senya is.

“You’re really going to do it?!”

Senya worriedly asks with a panicking countenance. I was just wondering if she feels uneasy fighting me because she doesn't want to actually hurt me.

Shaking the thought off my mind, I jump towards a plate of barrier and do my spinning maneuver and jump and bounce off from barrier to barrier. With each leap and jump creates a flash of blue light and as my movement becomes faster, it creates an illusion of vortex. I haven’t attacked yet as I am cautious of Senya’s movement. I rather do not see any openings at all as her eyes catch up to my movements.

“Amazing! So this is how you use Mrothgir’s martial arts! It’s also breathtaking of how beautiful your barrier is and the way you utilize it. However, flashy as it may be, in the end, it is all none but tricks and show.”

“[Shockwave!]”

BOOM!

“Uwaah!?”

As the skill imply, shockwave.

My tempest was neutralized and I was blown away by a strong force that flings me outward and in the process, breaks my balance. The barriers shatter and I lost any hope of fixing my position. This is a good opportunity for Senya to finish the battle but she never moves from her place.

THUD!

I fell to the ground and rolls several times. There were no pain or any discomfort because of my reinforced body but the force of the shockwave did manage to throw me. It might at least be clear to me that she is holding back.

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“You sure are a stubborn one, young lady.”

“”

“Asagao, d-don’t you think Ichirou is right? I don’t mean to be mean but…do Mrothgir’s brutal and stubborn ways rub off on you?”

I’ve always been weak and unable to fend for myself. I always need to rely on others to fight and to be protected. Even now, I cannot deny that I am not fighting by myself. I am not confident enough but I at least want to show that my soul shall not waver, even if it means being stubborn.

In a sense, if Senya wants to stop me, she should beat the hell out of me like my Spartan training under master. It is the kind of training I grew to like.

I am not a masochist just to be clear.

“Miss Senya, I don’t want to waste this chance! This battle may yield to something and also, I want to learn so much from experience and such!”

“E-Eh…aren’t you too much enthusiastic about this…?!”

“Here I go!”

“Wai--! Eh?!”

BAM!

Our sword collides for the first time. Senya hurriedly parries my attack as I suddenly kick the ground and spins for a momentum and finally landing our first contact. Her defense feels like I am hitting a solid concrete wall that it didn’t even budge.

“[Violent Dragon Tempest – Strike!]”

WHOOSH!

Senya breaks off our contact and I draw back two meters away from me when she cast the skill. A rainbow streak of winds which circular in motion suddenly envelopes my surrounding.

WHOOSH!

“Ahh!”

As I came in contact with it, it feels like a sword just slices me. Even with my body strengthened to the limits, the rainbow wind manages to hurt me. The sundress also received some of the slashes thinning it. At this point, I am going to be left nothing but my underwear. The only defense I could put up is the spiritech which does not even receive a single scratch.

I have no choice but to improvise a new technique seeing that my barrier won’t stand a chance against this.

I gather energy around my core and stimulated the power. I deeply inhaled and exhaled as I imagine how the power should burst forth from my body. I tried to recall how Senya did it earlier and picture myself doing it. After a good dozen of seconds, I release the power that swelled from my core.

“[Blooming Thorn – Shockwave!]”

BOOM!

As the power exploded like a time bomb, the rainbow streaks of wind disperse and was completely neutralized leaving no trace of its existence. I felt a little strain on my body but it is still bearable. When I look at Senya, her mouth was gaping a little.

“Asagao, that…you already learned it by just watching me?”

“To be honest, it was my first time doing it.”

“Oh, my…it seems that you are slowly bringing out your talents.”

“These are no talent… it is my dedication to becoming a better person that’s why I need you to teach me. I am going to steal your techniques as much as I can.”

“Oh dear…I am worried for nothing…Well then, won’t you come at me again?”

“OKAY!”

BAM!

Upon Senya’s remark showing the slightest motivation, my grin return and I charge at her again. Like how I did the first time, I gather power again in the sword and held it down. In response, Senya raises her sword overhead and readies herself.

As I close in, I thought that I have the advantage because her attack is milliseconds slower than mine but…

“”

“Too late!~”

“[Violent Dragon Tempest – Counter!]”

BAM!

My mind blanks out in a moment and I found myself flying again towards the ground.

“Ack!...Haa…”

I land and rolls again several meters as I receive another attack that I didn’t expect. My knee feels so weak and another blunt pain courses throughout my body as I tried to catch for breath. This time, I am little prepared so I was able to recompose myself in a short duration.

I stagger as I stand up and gain my gait. I look at Senya eye to eye again…

“Asagao, I think this is enough…”

“Not yet! I can still do this!”

“No…I am serious…let’s stop this!”

“I still have something under my sleeve!”

“Wai--! Listen!”

I dash again but this time, I am going to use that skill when I fought the giant devil in the sea, my own special move together with Ichirou. A special skill that only we can use in this form…

“[Blooming Thorn, Divine Possession – Ipomoea Nil Judgme--!]”

“”

Eh?

Before I could finish the chant, Ichirou releases the divine possession. Because of my forward momentum towards Senya, I wasn’t able to avoid her, not until Ichirou grabs me in the waist.

“Ack…*cough*…*cough*…”

My eyes widen as I saw Senya collapse. The godly artifact Excelsior disappears from her hand like a mist. Before Senya’s body could hit the ground, Ichirou catches her with his other arm.

Eh?

What just happened?!

Just now, I was about to use my trump card against Senya but in that time, she collapses. If Ichirou hadn’t stopped me, I could have killed her. Senya’s countenance becomes paler and her weak legs are unable to walk again.

Since I am in no need for any assistance, I gesture Ichirou to let me go and help Senya instead. He promptly carries Senya in his arm like a princess.

“Hey, you, what happened?! Why did you collapse?!”

“Oh, my…I may be strong but…”

“Is that one of those reasons you cannot leave this forest?”

“Yes…my body…couldn’t use Excelsior anymore like I used to…at the very best…I can use it for five minutes or less…”

“Tsk! Stupid…you should have told us, instead, you made a grand speech!”

“Are you angry?”

“Of course I am! I mean, we could have done something horrible to you. You shouldn’t hide things like this from us!”

“I can see why you are furious but the only thing I can say now is my gratitude. However, if you could stop holding me this way and deliver me to my wheelchair, that would be good. Our audience increases and most of them are those who have fear of men. You should remember that you aren’t allowed inside the mansion.”

Like what Senya said, there are tons of girl who felt our power coursing throughout the place and came to watch us. I really didn’t notice them building up into a huge crowd. Even Mimosa from the research lab came to watch with a satisfied countenance.

From the crowds, I spotted the twins too watching with wonder even though they are covered in sweat and dirt while carrying a sack which I guess has a lot of rocks inside. They are also dressed like me with the color of the clothes as the only difference.

Now that I think about it, I think I went a little overboard there…

There are times when my excitement reaches a certain level, I just get so hyped and wanted to move my body vigorously.

Ichirou carried Senya towards the wheelchair which was blown earlier. After fixing its position, Ichirou places Senya on her trusted steed again.

“Asagao.”

“Yes, Miss Senya?!”

“I think I know now what you are lacking and what things I should teach you.”

“Really? Well, are you not angry at me?”

“Why would I? After all, you are the last disciple of Mrothgir so a little childishness and tantrum from you are to be expected.”

“Eh? That’s not like that!”

“Anyway, I know that you are rushing things but, I would like to know your side of the story and I will tell you mine. After that, I can start teaching you my own technique which I base from Mrothgir’s original martial arts.”

“That is…that…right? The Violent Dragon Tempest?”

“Yes, that is one the reasons Mrothgir is actually refusing to see me for the past years. He did dislike any modification on his martial arts. Knowing that, do you still want to learn it?”

“Yes. However, I want to still learn the original Calm Dragon Tempest.”

“That can be fixed but, time is lacking and I can only teach you the most useful skill in my arsenal. It is an original technique that I came up with.”

“That is…?”

“Calm Dragon Tempest – Counter! A skill solely base on returning an enemy magic attack or any magic imbued one. It is also a subset of barrier magic!”

Ohhh?!