NBAA Vol. 6 Chapter 4 Part 1
CHAPTER 4
Two days after the match with Amelia. Reito, disguised as Luna, went to the arena with Ferris. This time, Alice and Grohl also accompanied Ferris as his escorts.
From this match onwards, Ferris arranged for Reito to be assigned a private waiting room as well.
He equipped himself with his Extermination Blade and Reflection Sword to prepare for the match.
“There we go.”
“You’re all ready to go. I’ll pick you up after the game.”
“Godspeed.”
“Uh, yes…”
Ferris, Grohl, and Alice left after ensuring Reito was ready in the waiting room.
Reito, now alone, concentrated his mind until a soldier called him. Though he had practiced the newly learned “Gale Strike” and “Acceleration Strike” several times before this match, unless he tried them out in a real battle, he would not know if they were useful.
Due to the Rotten Dragon causing a decrease in the number of monsters around Adventure City, Reito could not test the sword techniques in a real fight. Today’s match would be the first time to truly test these two battle techniques. Confident but not overconfident, Reito pulled out his swords, clutching his Extermination Blade and Reflection Sword.
“HAAA!”
The sound of wind whistling in the antechamber echoed through the room. For a moment, Reito’s eyes became red before he calmed down. Reito returned his swords when he noticed footsteps coming from the hallway outside the room.
Someone knocked on the door, and a male soldier’s voice echoed: “Luna, it will be time for your match shortly.”
“Understood.”
Reito responded in the highest voice he could muster. He tried to say only the minimum necessary words when he was dressed as Luna for fear that his voice would reveal his identity.
After a final check, Reito opened the door and led by the soldier proceeded through the corridors of the playing field.
“This time, we will be entering through the west gate. Also, please note that there will be no designated ring for the match this time.”
“What…?”
“Also, note that the match begins the moment the doors open. There will be no signal to start the match.”
“Ehhh…”
Reito voiced his confusion after receiving the surprise explanation from the soldier. This time, instead of a designated cobblestone playing field, the entire arena would be used as a battle space, just as in a two-person match. This was the first time he learned that the playing field could change even for singles matches, and he resented Ferris for failing to notify him.
“Again, the match will begin the moment this door is opened. So, please enter the arena immediately after the door opens. Please note that if you take too long, you will be disqualified…”
“Ok…”
Reito nodded at the soldier’s explanation and moved to the door.
The soldier then dashed down the hallway as if he was running away.
Reito tilted his head at the soldier’s reaction but decided to pay it no mind and instead concentrate on the battle ahead.
He looked at the door before his eyes and waited.
Eventually, the doors finally opened on either side, allowing light into the corridor. As Reito entered, he saw a figure of his opponent coming from the opposite doorway.
Reito gripped the Extermination Blade in his right hand and the Reflection Sword in his left.
“Well, who will be my oppo…?”
Reito was taken aback by the larger-than-expected figure. The same was true for everyone. The astonishment the opponent who emerged from the east gate caused all to stare in silence.
“Yawn…!! I’m sleepy…”
A male giant appeared with a carefree and inebriated voice despite the fact that the match had just begun. However, his physique and height were not comparable to an ordinary giant’s. Reito noted he was nearly twice as tall as Gonzo, a fellow giant.
“Hey, what the hell is that guy…!”
“A gi-, giant… I’ve never seen such a large giant before…”
“What guild is he from?”
“Shut the hell up… Be quiet!”
“Eek!”
The crowd shouted, but the giant silenced them with his order. The order was so powerful that the spectators didn’t dare raise their voices, and even Reito winced.
“Hmm? Are you my opponent? Nice to meet you~!”
“Ha-ha-ha… thanks.”
“Ha! S-, Sorry… Rabby here. I wasn’t expecting such a tremendous contestant to participate today. I forgot to make the announcement. And now, let me introduce you! First off, in the west gate, we have the representative of the Dalton Trading Company! Luna, the Black and Silver Swordsman! And then there is Daigo, a contender from… what’s this? He appears to be unsponsored!!”
“Unsponsored…?”
Reito looked at his opponent as the beastwoman announcer named Rabby did her commentary.
Meanwhile, Daigo looked down at Reito, sleepily scratching his eyes and clutching the super-sized “hoe” equipped on his back.
“You’re my opponent, huh? You’re a little fellow.”
“No, you’re just enormous.”
“Really? People say that, but my mom and dad are bigger than me.”
“No way…”
Despite being in the middle of a match, Daigo still tried to stifle his yawning.
Daigo pulled out a huge hoe and swung it with a lazy motion.
“Let’s go!”
“Hey… wait!”
Daigo swung the hoe down vigorously.
The blow easily gouged the ground of the arena. A direct hit would have resulted in death, no doubt.
As Daigo swung his hoe again, Reito activated his “Shrink Ground” skill. The skill allowed Reito to quickly move to Daigo’s feet to avoid the attack.
The swinging hoe gouged the ground again, creating a tremendous cloud of dust.
“Woah!”
“What the hell!?”
Bewildered voices came from the audience.
“It appears the front-row spectators are covered in the dust storm caused by Daigo. I can’t even see anything!?”
Rabby half shouted, and half screamed.
Daigo clutched his hoe and looked for Reito with a curious expression on his face.
“Hey, where did ya go? You disappeared.”
“Ngh… I will crush you!”
“Oh, there you are!”
With a slightly pathetic scream, Reito hurriedly started to run away from Daigo. He feared being trampled if he was too close to the big guy.
Daigo reached out with his hand to catch Reito. Daigo’s huge body’s movements were too slow and sluggish for him to catch the “Shrink Ground” user Reito.
“Damn it!”
“Hey! How did you get there?”
Daigo, unable to catch the nimble Reito, was getting frustrated.
Eventually, he raised his hoe again and swung it down to the ground.
“Helmet Splitter!”
“You’re kidding!”
“Incredibly, Daigo invoked a battle technique.”
Reito could have invoked “Shrink Ground” again, but sensing the danger, he used “Leap” to spring into the air.
“Hmph!”
“AHHHH!?”
The moment Daigo swung his hoe, the ground of the playing field vibrated and a large amount of dust and smoke rose then drifted down to the spectators’ seats.
Looking down at the situation, Reito broke out in a cold sweat. He figured his body would have been pulverized into smithereens if he had been hit directly.
Daigo had dealt a blow stronger than any Blood Bear or Ogre could. When he found Reito in midair, he extended his right arm toward Reito.
“You son of a…!!”
“Damn it… ‘Parry’!”
“Oh!?”
In a risky move, Reito invoked a defensive martial arts technique.
The arm that moved in a circular motion brushed off Daigo’s outstretched palm. Reito successfully dodged the attack and landed on the ground. However, his left arm, which parried Daigo’s palm, went numb.
Reito ran across the playing field, holding his arm.
“Why am I fighting a guy who looks like the final boss in the second round?”
『I will give you my advice if you’re in a pinch. Do your best!』
『I haven’t heard from you in a minute.』
『Teehee!』
As Reito replied to Airis’s words echoing in his brain in a backhanded manner, an explosion-like sound echoed from behind him.
He turned around to see Daigo’s hoe approaching from behind.
At first, Reito thought about escaping by using “Shrink Ground,” but the walls of the arena were already closing in leaving only a few escape options for him. Even if he moved in a direction where the wall did not exist, Daigo was in a position to hammer throw his hoe. So there was no guarantee that he could avoid it.
“Limit Boost!”
With his physical abilities strengthened to the maximum using auxiliary magic, Reito drew out his Extermination Blade and readied himself.
Reito activated his skills “Observing Eye” and “Interception” and swung with his great sword the moment the hoe approached him.
“Parry!”
“Whoa!”
“What a surprise! Luna managed to counter Daigo’s attack!
“Wooooah!”
The audience cheered as Reito deflected the oncoming hoe with his defensive fighting techniques, but he had no time to rejoice, as he had only managed to repel it by activating multiple skills at once. On the contrary, both his arms were numb.
“Kuuu… What a ridiculous power!”
“You’re amazing! I’ve never seen anyone repel my hoe like this!”
“Thank you very much… Ultra Recovery Boost!!”
With the “Limit Boost” removed, Reito uses the magic of “Ultra Recovery Boost” to finally heal his body.
In the meantime, Daigo had his hoe at the ready.
“Alright… let’s get serious!”
“Wait, give me a break…”
“Aah! Daigo has his hoe over his head again! Audience, take cover!”
Daigo raised his hoe. It seems that he intends to invoke the “Helmet Splitter” battle technique that he just used.
Reito readied his Extermination Blade and Reflection Sword. To be honest, if this were a life-and-death struggle, Reito would have had plenty of ways to defeat Daigo, but Reito dared to fight him head-on for their match.
“‘Limit Boost,’ ‘Gravity Sword,’… “Enhancement Boost.'”
Reito strengthened his physical body to the limit. He was oozing red-colored gravity magic into both his hands and strengthened the magic in both hands with the auxiliary magic of Enchantment Boost. He activated his “Observing Eye” ability to use his “Interception” skill.
“Come on, you fat pig!”
“Helmet… splitter!!”
“People in the front row, duck!!”
As the screams of the spectators rang through the arena, Daigo swung his hoe down with all his might.
Reito calculated the orbit of the hoe’s swing and angled his own sword to receive the attack.
“Gale Blast!”
“WHOOOOAAAA!!”
A violent metallic sound echoed through the air, as Daigo and Reito’s weapons clashed.
The next moment, vibrations like a shockwave rushed through their surroundings.
The blade of Daigo’s hoe shattered into pieces.
Reito’s sword, still in one piece, proved he was the winner of the clash.
“Noooooo!”
“We’re not finished!!”
The destruction of the hoe caused Daigo to lose his position.
Leaving no room for error, Reito stepped out with vigor and lept toward Daigo’s face. He then grabs the hilt of his broadsword and longsword and slams them down on Daigo’s brow.
“Ngh!”
“You have the same point as people… right!?”
Even though giants have an inhuman physique, the location of their weakpoint was the same.
Daigo screamed and fell backward just as the hilt of Reito’s sword collided with his brow.
Daigo received a strong blow and lay on the ground holding his head, crying out with a look of pain on his face.
“Ouch!! Ouch!!”
“What’s with this guy… he’s surprisingly weak once he gets hit?”
Reito was surprised. Daigo got up, blood pouring from his forehead. With bloodshot eyes, he grabbed his hoe, its blade shattered making it into a mere wooden stick, and he yelled at Reito.
“You bastard… I’ll never forgive you!”
“You’re a strange one… well, this is getting boring, so let’s just get this over with.”
The technical skill of “Gale Strike” proved useful in the actual battle. Having confirmed this, Reito put the Reflection Sword at his waist, gripped the broadsword with both hands, and prepared to try out his “Acceleration Strike” this time. The effects of the magic had not yet worn off, so the magic gushed from his body, and the spectators were mesmerized by the sight of it.
“Hey, what’s with that girl… she’s shining, right?”
“Magic? But she’s a swordsman, right?”
“I’ve never seen magic like that…”
“What is this? There’s a light leaking from Luna’s body that I have never seen before! Is she wearing a light stone all over her body?”
Drawing a lot of attention from the crowd, Reito grabbed his Extermination Blade, and Reito decided to unleash his full fury on Daigo.
“Let’s go!! Dumbass!!!”
“You little shrimp!!”
Daigo held out the wooden stick toward Reito, who was much smaller than he was, and swung it away sideways. The sight made Reito’s eyes red for a moment, and he swung his broadsword as he stomped on the ground.
At that very moment, Reito was unconsciously applying the technique of “Strike Blade.” He had been fighting with a broadsword on a regular basis and unknowingly used all the muscles in his body to repel Daigo’s attack.
As a result, it produced a blow that surpassed the strength of “Acceleration Strike,” itself a combination battle skill with “Gale Strike” as its base.
“Aaahhhh!”
“Ngh…!?”
For a brief moment, Reito’s body was covered in crimson-colored magic.
The moment Daigo’s stick was severed with the blade of the great sword, a shockwave was generated, and Daigo’s huge body was blown away. Everyone screamed in astonishment at the sight, and Daigo, blown away, hit his head against the playing field wall. The impact knocked him out, and he fell to the ground, moaning and groaning, and did not get up.
“…What the hell… just happened?”
Reito was bewildered by the technique he had unleashed. Before he knew it, the crimson magic that had covered his body was gone, and even he could not understand what had happened.
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