[Shiha's Perspective]
""Lower-level Dark Bullet"!!"
""Intermediate Thunder Shield"!!"
""Lower-level Dark Arrow"!!"
""Intermediate Thunder Shield"!!"
""Lower-level Dark Cutter"!!"
""Intermediate Thunder Shield"!!"
The magic Rain sent out was all blocked by shields clad in purple lightning. Watching this, the man grinned gleefully. ...It's frustrating.
Even Rain has undoubtedly grown stronger through this special training. Even among E-rank, she's top-notch in firepower... Yet none of Rain's magic seems to affect him. It's frustrating to see it so easily blocked.
""Twin Tiger Strike"!!"
""Shadow Fist"!!"
"Ugh...!?"
He countered my punch with a fist cloaked in darkness. His blow caught me in the abdomen, sending a shockwave through my body in an instant. Unable to withstand it, I'm sent flying through the air, vomiting.
With each thud, I bounce off the ground repeatedly. Like a rubber ball, I keep bouncing, until finally, I drop to the ground with a thud. Intense pain racks my entire body, and my vision blurs.
My body is powerless against his strength. The difference in ability is just too great. Even Rain looks frightened.
"No matter how many times you try, it's the same!!"
The man laughs boisterously.
We understand that best of all. We E-rankers have slim chances of winning.
But even so... running away is futile.
He seems like the persistent type, so even if we flee, he'll likely corner us. That's why we only have one choice left.
"We have to win no matter what."
"Y-yeah... Yeah, that's right."
With determination, I stand up.
Rain, too, steadies her trembling knees and glares. From her slightly confident tone, it seems she's made up her mind too.
"So, you've made up your minds? Pathetic resolve to accept defeat!!"
"No... I'm resolved to fight you."
"W-We... will win!!"
Verbalizing it solidifies our resolve even more. If we lose here, considering his crude nature... we don't know what he'll do to us. Surely, it'll be something vile and cruel.
That's why defeat is not an option.
That's why we can't run away.
That's why we have no choice but to win.
Slapping my cheeks, I reaffirm my resolve.
There's no future for us except victory.
Absolutely, we must, we will win.
"Once you've made up your minds, can you become stronger?"
"...Yes, that's right. We'll defeat you."
"Gahaha!! That's just too much like a manga!"
"N-no... We'll prove it!!"
"...Then, I'll show you reality!!"
His angry voice shakes the air.
I might have lost my fighting spirit just moments ago, but now I'm fine. Because I've made up my mind.
I take a deep breath.
And--
"Now--we'll win!!"
"Y-yeah!!"
Under the watchful gaze of the moon, we charge forward.
***
"--Understand now? The despairing difference in strength."
Just ten minutes, and in that short time, we were lying on the ground. Neither magic nor martial arts, nothing we did could touch him.
He was strong beyond our expectations. No matter what we did, nothing worked against him.
"You can't win against me!!"
"Ugh... guh...!?"
He kicks Rain's abdomen as she lies on the ground. Even with Rain's ample belly, it seems impossible to withstand his powerful kick... Rain vomits and collapses on the ground.
I can't do anything as I'm wracked with pain throughout my body, unable even to stand up. It's... frustrating beyond belief.
"Heh, just bullying a fat girl is boring. Let's both give you a huge dose of pain."
Grinning unpleasantly, he activates his magic. From the yellow magic circle emerges--
""Advanced Thunder Strike, Lightning Bolt"!!"
Purple lightning.
Crackling, it approaches us.
And the lightning hits our bodies--
"Ugh--!?"
"Ah--!?"
It hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts.
Hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts.
Hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts, hurts.
It's a pain that can't be described in words, an incredible agony that overwhelms my entire body. It's as if I've been struck by lightning, a level of pain far beyond that.
"Gahaha!! Make them suffer more!!"
Is he... insane?
To find joy in watching us suffer so intensely, it's incomprehensible. Seeing us writhing in pain like this, finding it amusing...
Because of the intense pain, the resolve I had earlier wavers. Right now, all I can think of is escaping. I've realized that there's no way we can win against him.
"Psh... Well, it's time to end this."
Finally, he finishes the lightning.
Ah, finally... I'm released from hell.
Relief washes over me, and I exhale deeply.
There's no fighting spirit left in me. Because of the intense pain, my mind is dominated by the words "escape". I just want to leave this place right now.
There's a bit of regret.
But... I don't want to experience that pain again.
That's all that's occupying my mind. Rain, trembling in fear, probably feels the same way.
"Ah, guh... Ah..."
"Guh, guh, ah..."
Unable to speak properly due to the electric shock, and my lower body is completely limp. It seems my bladder is acting up too, and I end up wetting myself. The feeling of fear overwhelms any sense of embarrassment.
We crawl, attempting to flee desperately. Enduring the unbearable pain, we try our best to escape. But--
"Don't you dare run away."
"Eh-- Guh!?"
It doesn't take long for us to understand what's happening. He steps on my ankle, and then there's a crunching sound echoing through the park.
It hurts, hurts, hurts.
But it's better than before.
There's still a throbbing pain, but it's much better than earlier. So now, I'll--
"That's right, you think you can escape?"
Crunch, crash.
The sound of bones breaking.
Another intense pain shoots through my ankle.
But... I can still endure it.
I desperately try to crawl.
I try to escape somehow.
But-- my hair is grabbed.
"You students from Yamayu High School, I'll never forgive you. You embarrassed me, Shion!!"
I don't understand the meaning of his words, but I understand from being unable to break free. We're surely going to experience... something terrible here. Running away was never an option from the beginning.
Tears overflow.
Ah... It's frustrating.