*
Right... Running up the stairs was a terrible idea. While I initially had the impression that each flight of staircase had localised inertia, since that was usually how these upside down and lateral staircase labyrinths go... I was wrong. The moment I stepped over a certain point of the staircase that starts the next flight, the direction of gravity changes and we begin to fall. It was fortunate that my skill was geared towards the manipulation of air, so I was able to let us float each time.
But falling down each time and barely getting caught by my wind... It was like a dizzy roller coaster ride... It felt like my stomach was heavily stirred around and the contents were about to spill at any moment. It was also very time consuming as we prioritised safety over speed. We proposed travelling at a speed fast enough to ignore the gravity, but each time we finish a single flight of stairs we felt disoriented... If someone could really build such a impressive labyrinth, wouldn't it mean they're really powerful? Or are they powerless without their labyrinth?
Eventually we made it to the end, but not without regurgitating our breakfast. We walk through another massive stone door, despite the labyrinth's recent creation a half a day ago, heaps of dust fell off the top of the door and form a large cloud around us. Waving away the dust with my first skill, we proceeded to... Run forward as fast as we could. During the hours that we spent in the staircase section, we had plenty of time to think. Why was the labyrinth built on top of the previous inferior one?
The owner had gained some kind of power boost. They could have built this stronger one from the start, but they didn't and they risked it getting destroyed. The previous one was that fragile after all, like paper held tightly in the air. Anyone could punch through it as long as they were a magical girl. That meant that this newly constructed labyrinth was expanding as we speak, a person not used to their new power would start with the outside and slowly worked it inside as the visitors progressed.
We have to outpace their dungeon building! At super high speeds, we simply pass by as arrow and spike traps target the space behind us. We were too fast for the traps in this section to react to or hit. In the first place, why weren't magical labyrinths so popular? Every enemy stronghold we've been to so far has been physical. Even the outskirts of the Sanctuary where we resided in an underground labyrinth for at least a year, was a physical one. It was simple.
It because the upkeep was too high. Like a fish tank that needed its water to be regularly replaced, it needed a frequent source of magical particles. Physically built labyrinths were just that much easier to maintain, either can draw magical particles from the surroundings to recharge itself like a solar battery, but the speed of this recharging is usually not sufficient for completely magic built labyrinths like this one. Usually only an S grade and above could afford this kind of labyrinth because they have the necessary quantity in their own body, to do so for a long while.
Only magical girls and monsters could produce higher recharging speeds than magic tools and formations. That is if they put all their magic into maintaining the labyrinth, they would become sitting ducks in the meanwhile.
Reducing the air resistance with my first skill, our speeds grew exponentially leaving a shock waves as we left the sound barrier. Deep cracks and indents form into the surrounding floor and walls like a transverse cut. Our leaking auras leaving trails of faint mint green and purple. Using my skill to transport the air, it allowed us to converse at high speed despite the absurd velocities that we were travelling at.
"I'll do the entry! You support from behind!"
Despite the convenience of this skill, the wind around us was still roaring loudly as it attempted to split our eardrums. Rather than the necessity, screaming loudly made it easier for everyone to converse. She nodded her head subtly and slightly reduced her speed relative to my own while I start to fly even faster. In the distance, my radar passive has finally picked up on the enemy's presence.
"HaaaaaaaaaAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!"
Approaching a wall, the corner of my right shoe heel made contact with the ground. In the tiny window of time that it made contact I rearranged my body's balance and swung my left leg an entire round, smashing it destructively against the final wall in our way. It took an instant after contact for the ground to cave in heavily under my legs, and for the walls explode violently forward. As if reality could not react in time. It revealed a large black space with countless glittering white spots similar to watch space in the night sky.
"... A maid costumed magical girl? Careful Kaori, we've never seen this type before. We can't predict her skill set." (Myuu)
Without having much time pass by, a strong impact struck my sternum sending me back into the trapped corridor. Myuu reacted immediately by sending her vine spears forward and they were met with... No resistance. The spears completely passed through the french maid costumed magical girl. Her white frills flutter violently from the large air pressure and her body turned slightly translucent. In another instant, Myuu was also sent flying back. It all happened while the girl stayed outside of my range. It looks like she didn't even move a single inch as she was still in her exact Same position.
"... Intangible? She's able to become similar to a spirit so physical attacks won't work!" (Myuu)
"... Then you should invest magical particles into making your attacks stronger! That way it will be magical in nature even if only slightly!"
Her expression froze before she formed more spears in the air and readied her stance.
"Tch... I did! I always put a small amount of magical particles in my attacks to boost their speed... If not they would get swatted like flies." (Myuu)
Crossing my arms, a powerful impact landed on my forearms. This time, I grit my teeth and stood my ground causing large cracks and indents in it.
" Kghh!! Then they are also intangible to magical attacks? How do we deal with her? I don't have skills that expose or create weak points!"
She swings her vine spear in one large sweep before launching it at a nearby space next to me. Blood materialised from thin air and splattered around where the spear shot.
?!... So she was invisible! That would explain the random attacks I couldn't see. But then... Myuu would be able to track her via magical particles. Was she pretending that she couldn't locate her? Looking over, Myuu was waving around the vine spear cautiously. The blood that splattered over the one thrown earlier had gathered into a pool. Some ripples travel across it as the pressure from Myuu's swings carried over to form a strong breeze.
Huh... Blood flow... Why didn't I think of it? I control the wind don't I? I can no longer sense magical particles since the information from my receptors cannot pass through to my brain. But I can still push the wind around.
"First skill prototype technique, gale of consequence."
By rapidly circulating the stale air in this labyrinth, in a continuous circular cycle, I could repeat this circulation over and over and attack a specific target with this high speed wind. My passive allows me to detect substances, but that was just a side effect. Its actual function was suited more towards my first skill, detecting gradients. In this case wind pressure gradient, the wind circulation from my technique will fill up the entire area with wind pressure. But there would be mysterious spots around its range where there is no wind pressure at all. Could you guess what it is?
Magical girls. Looks like she's behind me. Twisting my body with fit agility, I swung my fist coated with magical particles. Combined with the usual reinforcement technique to protect my fist with wind and the propulsion technique for destructive power, a deafening roar rang out. The original maid magical girl had vanished, and a translucent version of her was no standing where I had just punched. Her waist and left shoulder had a large chunk blown out with blood continuously leaking. It looked like she had magical particle manipulation a league above our own ability.
"I see... She's both an illusion user and a spirit. She was hiding under 2 layers of illusion but your propulsion technique... More accurately it's a detonation technique that disrupts the ambient magical particles... So she was especially weak against it. "(Myuu)
".... Okay. Let's finish it. "
" WAITTT!!! "(Amony)
The French maid magical girl released her spirit form, returning to a material existence. In a sense, she was now exposing her weak body to show that she had surrendered. Looking at her stats right now... She was a D grade magical girl who had only awakened recently. She was someone I was able to kill at any moment now. Might as well take up on the offer. Materialising a long vacuum sword in my right hand, I hoisted it readying for a slash.
"Hey! She clearly surrendered! We shouldn't needlessly take her life, we gain nothing from it." (Myuu)
Myuu jumped inbetween us with her arms spread wide, her eyes widened in a panic and her footsteps were hopping. With her small stature and the opponent detransforming into a shorter girl... It really looked like I was a bully here. Well, not that I cared. I threw the vacuum blade and used my first skill to form its trajectory, curving around Myuu and aiming at her neck. A long dark green rod collides violently with the vacuum sword, deflecting it. It was Myuu's vine spear.
"What are you doing?!" (Myuu)
"... What are you? You're facing your back towards the enemy, are you not afraid of a backstab?"
I walked closer. I must wipe out all traces of that organisation. Her skull and blood will be adorned on my resolve. This was the first step of revenge. Drawing blood. I won't back down so weakly just because one more person is standing in my way. This world is too disgusting for me to allow such naivety to exist in me. I have to kill her before she kills Myuu in the back. I don't know how she'll pull it off now that she has u transformed. But that was none of my concern.
Technique, Gale of consequence. This time I got used to its movements, I know how to circulate it slightly more efficiently and which directions give the highest return. Swing down my hand to lay the steel cutting wind on my target - the little girl, walls of dark green tubes and white spikes rose from the ground to protect her. The vine wall easily crumbles down, but Myuu pours in more magic to regenerate it.
It was like a fruit stuck in my throat, a feeling I couldn't accept nor let exist. No matter what, just a little more, I'll fight for my own existence. So it's fine if Myuu dies. It doesn't matter what happens to someone who denies my existence. I didn't ask to be born, but I won't refuse the offer. I'll claw my way out of this hell, I will take everything from this past 'Kaori' and make them mine.
Subconsciously, I release a glare. My eyes make a quick sweep to keep wariness of any surprise attacks. One battle after the another, I kept my wits around me. I'll test the waters with a feint since it's a 1v2 now. I swing my feast to make it as fast as possible but ready to pull back at anytime. Myuu sweeps her leg across the ground to cover the distance between us and gain a more balance foothold at the same time, before she swung her left hand.
"[Extreme governing], self priority. " (Myuu)
A new technique?! Her left palm is open and her fingers flail with a fragile trembling. All her fingers were spread wide except for her third and forth finger which stuck together to make contact with my fist. It felt like a large piston pushed against my arm in that instant, forcing it towards the ground as I pulled back and escaped her range. But even then, it felt like the force continued to push it down so I had to kick it back up with my right leg until it dissipated.
What a terrifying show of power, her entire body's strength was jammed into those 2 supple fingers that look like they would break like twigs. Since the surface area is so small the pressure is even higher than if she punched with all her strength... Compared to my fake punch, my arm easily got overpowered and the force was still pressuring it, ruining my stance. I plant my feet onto the ground and crossed my arms preparing for an attack, but she stood there with a horrified expression.
My passive tells me 2 familiar individuals were walking up to us from behind me. Gerald and Paridia. While I cannot sense magical particles anymore and couldn't judge an enemy's power, my passive is still able to send information directly into my brain and function as an indirect radar. Now, I wonder who's side they'll be on.