After the intense battle with Lady Yukari's shikigami, I found myself completely drained of energy, having used my first and final spell card.
As I slowly regained consciousness, I noticed the gentle breeze coming in through the window and realized that I was lying down, my head resting on something soft.
I cautiously touched the object supporting my head, confirming that it was indeed a pillow. Soft and comfortable. I looked up to see Lady Yukari gazing down at me.
"Lady Yukari..."
"Oh, Shun, you're finally awake," she said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
I sat up abruptly, feeling flustered. "Gah! Lady Yukari!?"
"Hm? What's wrong, Shun? You seem surprised."
"W-Well... It's just that..."
Lady Yukari smirked and leaned in closer, her gaze playful. "How was it? Resting on my lap like a pillow?~"
My face turned beet red, realizing what she was referring to. "I-I mean, yes, it was... really soft. Your... thigh, I mean," I managed to blurt out that word!?
Lady Yukari burst into laughter, thoroughly amused by my reaction. "Oh, Shun, you never fail to entertain me. Your honesty is quite refreshing."
"I apologize for my bluntness, Lady Yukari. I should compose myself better."
She waved off my apology with a dismissive gesture. "No need to apologize, my dear Shun. Your candidness is quite endearing."
So you were rather amused, huh...
After that, the door slid open, and Youmu entered the room, holding a bowl of soup in her hands. My eyes widened in surprise and relief as I saw her.
"Youmu! Where have you been?!" I exclaimed, unable to hide my concern.
She seemed taken aback by my reaction and stammered, "A-Ah! Shun... Haha, I was just taking a walk! Haha..."
My worry turned into a slight frustration as I crossed my arms. "Still! Weren't you supposed to be the one training me?"
Youmu's expression turned apologetic, and she placed the bowl of soup on the table before bowing to me. "Well, apologies. I got carried away."
I sighed, realizing that my worry might have been unwarranted. "Youmu, it's fine... More importantly, are you okay?"
Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she averted her gaze. "Y-Yeah."
I couldn't help but notice her evasive behavior, "You're looking away, though."
Yukari, who had been silently observing the interaction, struggled to contain her laughter. She found amusement in Youmu's flustered reactions, causing her to chuckle.
"What are you laughing at, Lady Yukari?"
"N-Nothing," she replied, trying to suppress her laughter. However, I could sense a hint of mischief in her voice. "Shun, you really are dense sometimes," she whispered to herself, her words barely audible.
I turned my attention back to Youmu. "Now then, shall we start training as usual, Sensei?"
She hesitated for a moment before speaking. "A-Ah, actually... Lady Yukari will also be in charge of your training today."
Surprised by the unexpected change, I blinked in confusion. "Lady Yukari? But..."
Youmu nodded, her expression serious. "Yes, she has much to teach you as well.
"...By the way, how many days did I lose consciousness?"
"Two days," Youmu replied.
My eyes widened in shock. "T-Two... days?!"
I turned around and bowed respectfully to Lady Yukari. "I apologize for any trouble I may have caused. I am looking forward to training with you."
Yukari smiled, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Oh, no need to apologize. It will be my pleasure to train you, Shun."
A few hours had passed since my training began, and I had initially expected to focus on swordplay as usual.
However, Lady Yukari's training took a different approach. She emphasized the importance of bullet patterns, teaching me techniques to enhance my evasion skills and improve my accuracy.
I practiced dodging intricate bullet formations, moving with agility and precision to avoid being hit.
In addition to evasion training, she also shared her knowledge of spellcards with me. She taught me how to harness my own abilities and create unique patterns of bullets that could be unleashed in battle.
But before I could showcase my newfound spellcards, Lady Yukari surprised me with a gift—a steel blade that gleamed with a brilliant shine.
It was no ordinary steel; it possessed remarkable strength and resilience.
"Now then, Shun... Are you ready?" Yukari opens her fan and points it at me.
With determination in my eyes, I shout, "Yes!" as I draw my dual blades
The air crackles with anticipation as we lock eyes, ready to engage in a danmaku.
And within a split second, I unleash my first move. With the Steel Blade in hand, I swing it swiftly, creating a barrage of small bullet pellets that hurtle toward Yukari.
But I didn't stop there as I swing my crimson blade, unleashing a series of slash projectiles that slice through the air with speed.
As Yukari opens her gap portal, my projectiles disappear into the rift, only to reemerge from another gap portal directed toward me.
Reacting swiftly, I evade the incoming projectiles, my body moving with agility and grace.
I leap high into the air and then descend rapidly, aiming directly at Yukari. The sheer force propels me like a rocket, closing the distance between us in an instant.
As I descend towards Yukari with my blades pointed at her, she swiftly opens a gap portal, allowing her to effortlessly dodge my attack and reappear a safe distance away.
"You've gotten faster~" Yukari chuckles. "Now it's my turn."
With a graceful motion, Yukari opens numerous gaps around herself, forming the spell card "Fantasy Nest: Flying Noctilucae's Nest." Instantly, bullets begin to rain forth from the gaps, hurtling toward me with incredible speed.
. I react swiftly, evading and parrying the bullets with my dual blades, trying to deflect them away.
However, I soon realize that the firing direction of the bullets is not fixed. They unpredictably flip and change course to follow my movements.
I parry the bullets at an accelerated pace, using both of my dual blades to deflect them away. Though a few bullets manage to graze me.
As the barrage of bullets finally comes to an end, the gaps around Yukari close, and she looks at me with an amused smile. "My~ You're still alive? Impressive."
I was panting and feeling the weight of exhaustion, yet there were still a few spell cards I had yet to unleash.
A magic circle materialized beneath me, and both of my blades radiated with vibrant light. "Sword Sign: Final Cut!" I disappeared in an instant, reappearing right in front of Yukari, ready to deliver a devastating cut.
But to my surprise, she vanished from my line of sight, leaving behind only a gap on the ground.
Instinctively, I spun around, catching sight of Yukari as she focused her spiritual energy into a distinct manji shape atop her umbrella.
The concentrated energy transformed into a rapidly rotating projectile, hurtling toward me with formidable force.
Damn it!
I gritted my teeth as another magic circle materialized beneath me. "Blood Sword: Scarlet Cross!" The radiance of my crimson blade intensified as I unleashed a powerful slash, cutting through the rapidly rotating projectile and causing it to dissipate into thin air.
"You never fail to surprise me, Shun~ but you're probably at your limit~"
"Not... yet...!"
"Scarlet Sign: Raining Tears." Thousands of crimson spears, knives, and blades materialized in the sky above, casting an ominous shadow. With a slow, deliberate motion, I pointed toward Yukari. "Go."
A torrent of crimson projectiles erupted from above, hurtling toward Yukari with incredible speed and precision.
"Lady Yukari!" Ran's eyes widened in alarm as she rushed towards her, but before the projectiles reached their target, everything abruptly vanished into thin air.
"See? I told you, you're at your limit~" Yukari chuckled, observing my exhausted form as I collapsed to the ground.
"That spellcard... just now," Youmu exclaimed, clearly taken aback.
"Yes, if Shun had remained standing, this place would have been completely obliterated," Yukari responded with a hint of amusement.
Youmu let out a sigh of relief. "That certainly gave me quite a fright as well~"
Yukari fanned herself delicately before walking over to me, gently rubbing my head.