Evil Avalon

Chapter 122 Souta Narumi's Strategy

(TL:By Rafael,valhallatls.blogspot.com)

"Guwaa! Aghh!!"

"Whoa there. I've managed to catch a lively one."

Dodging the axe swings of the surprisingly agile Corpse Warrior, despite being a zombie, and kicking away the head of a Skeleton Knight pursuing them with only its lower body, they headed towards the rendezvous point accompanied by a few more Skeleton Knights. Just as they were doing so, Kuga-san appeared, also bringing along a group of undead.

"Huh? Calamity and... Koto-ne-chan is running with undead... but, could it be? This is cunning! Yet effective!"

"If it's that guy, coming up with tactics like these is no big deal. I can't help but sympathize with the hooded girl who was coerced into aiding these malicious actions. However, when you get down to it..."

Using sweet words to deceive the pure and innocent Tenma-san, the maid began to passionately explain my wickedness and cruelty, all in the pursuit of deceiving her into joining the Tenma Corporation. But for now, let's ignore that.

Lashing out and knocking away the undead with nimble movements, Lisa looked at us and her expression turned surprised as she saw the undead we were leading. She raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, hey! You shouldn't be doing that!"

"Lisa, we might have a hard time after this."

The addition of about a dozen more undead significantly increased the burden on Satsuki. Sensing the difficulty, Lisa immediately switched to a rearguard position and began to retreat. She's still quick with her decisions.

Sorry about that. This is all for the sake of successfully completing the event – I mean, for obtaining the Orichalcum ore.

After Lisa retreated with a large group of undead, there were nearly a hundred organ-like flesh masses left on the ground. Those are all [Grudge Organs]. If we manage to pick up all of those, our chances of winning will... no, skyrocket. Just as I was about to step forward joyfully alongside Kuga-san, two figures dashed toward us from the other side. It's Tenma-san and Kano(Hanano).

Well, if it's just lying there, they'll also come to pick them up... but in terms of speed, we have the advantage!

"Let's do it! Accelerate, Kuga-san! 'Accelerator'!"

"I won't lose in terms of speed... 'Accelerator'!"

While slashing through the Corpse Warriors that popped up along the way, I activated a speed buff. A breeze that enhanced mobility surrounded our feet, and with every step, our acceleration increased. We're going to take the lead!

"Big sister, please!"

"Here we go! Earth, shatter completely! 'Earth Splitter'!!"

"What... the heck, whoa!"

Tenma-san jumped while running, raising her massive axe high and slamming it vertically into the ground. Uh-oh – just after I thought that, the ground cracked and shattered into blocky pieces.

Kuga-san and I couldn't stop in time and crashed into the blocky pieces, tumbling over on the spot. Ouch.

"Too bad. I won't be stopped by this level of obstacle."

Even so, Kuga-san, who had a cat-like sense of balance, rotated in mid-air and quickly regained her posture. She stomped on the head of the Corpse Warrior that was crawling out in front of her and returned to an acceleration stance.

And coming from the opposite direction is Kano.

"Become a black wind! Faster than anyone –"

"...You think you can beat me in a speed contest... huh?"

"Be faster! The skill of a true hero! 'Shadow Step'!"

Though Kuga-san exuded confidence in a one-on-one speed contest, everything changed when Kano used an advanced version of 'Accelerator' called 'Shadow Step'. She enveloped her feet in high-density black magic, propelling herself with explosive acceleration that surpassed Kuga-san's.

"Get ready! The representative skill of cheat skills, 'Shadow Step'! If Koto-ne-chan hasn't remembered it yet, things are going to get tough!"

"It's... too fast! What in the world is that skill!?"

'Shadow Step,' unlike 'Accelerator' which only increases movement speed, also significantly raises AGI agility. This affects all parameters related to AGI, such as acceleration, turning, and evasion. Many veteran players included it in their skill slots regardless of their jobs. It's a ridiculously broken skill.

Around the area where the [Grudge Organs] had fallen, numerous undead had already popped up. Once they spotted their targets, they rushed in like an avalanche. In contrast, Kano ignored them all as she weaved through the gaps between the undead, turning into a black wind. Crap, she managed to pick up over ten in that split second.

Faced with a speed difference far beyond expectations, Kuga-san was dumbfounded and couldn't move. But the match wasn't over yet. If we give up here, not only the Orichalcum armor but also Kuga-san's favorability for me will disappear.

"It's not over yet! If we both –"

"I'm here too!"

Brushing aside the soil, I tried to hurry and join in the competition for the grudge organs, but just then, Tenma-san swung her massive axe, blowing away the undead, and sprinted toward us. In the distance, Satsuki and Lisa were also coming back while saying, "Those are ours!" And now, an intense battle over dozens of undead was about to begin.

　*・・*・・*・・*・・*・・*

"Alright then, let's begin the award ceremony for the winner! Please come forward, both of you!"

"Yes, yes, sure!"

"I wonder if we can really create such a dream-like alloy. When we get back, I want to try it out immediately. Kurosaki, have you been taking proper notes?"

"Of course, my lady."

Arthur raised the Orichalcum ore, the winning prize, above his head and loudly announced the start of the award ceremony. As if she had been waiting for it, Kano, with dust on her clothes, stepped forward energetically, responding with vigor. While Arthur was handing her the prize, Tenma, whose armor had been polished thoroughly by Kurosaki, looked at a leather bag filled with numerous [Grudge Organs]. She took one out curiously, observing it from various angles and tilting her head while wearing her headband.

Yes, the winners were those two. In the end, being picked up so much by Kano turned out to be a decisive factor. Perhaps it could also be attributed to our strategy being read like an open book by both Kano and Lisa. I was so confident we could win...

"Ugh, if only Souta hadn't done that, it would have been ours. Ei, ei!" (finger poking Souta's cheek)

"Since it turned out like this, we'll have to endure for our share. Ei, ei, ei!" (finger poking Souta's cheek)

I was murmuring regrets as Satsuki and Lisa's grumbling as they poked and prodded my cheeks repeatedly. It wasn't a good idea to interfere and try to win. If only I could have at least raised Kuga-san's favorability...

Casting a sidelong glance at the hooded girl, similarly covered in dust, I tried to catch her gaze, but she looked away the moment our eyes met. She seemed sulky. It seemed like negotiating with Arthur behind the scenes might be the only way to appease them.

(Well, at least Kano and Tenma seem happy.)

They chatted enthusiastically about what to create with the awarded ore. After this, Kano was planning to visit Tenma's company workshop and observe the refining and processing processes together. It seemed like they had managed to establish a good relationship as planned. But even though she's so easy to get along with, she is still a noble. I need to make sure to remind her to be respectful.

(Now then, the event is over, so I should head back.)

Putting away my removed armor in the Magic Bag, I noticed Kurosaki, who had thoroughly polished Tenma's armor, peeking into a leather bag filled with [Grudge Organs]. She seemed intrigued. Taking one out and observing it from various angles, she tilted her head, asking, "Arthur-sama, may I inquire what these are to be used for?"

"Perhaps they could be considered a delicacy? I'm quite curious about their taste myself."

"You shouldn't eat them. Oh, right. Let's go for the finale now. Stay here, it could be dangerous."

While they resembled meat, Tenma-san mused that they might taste good if grilled like hormone-yaki (a type of Japanese grilled dish), but Arthur swiftly made a chopping motion with his arm, implying that it's absolutely not okay to eat them.

We had collected over 200 [Grudge Organs] this time. Arthur hoisted the leather bag containing them onto his back and floated gently into the air with "Fly," ascending until he reached the pattern faintly depicted above. He tossed the organs into the pattern. As the meat pieces plopped onto the ground, the pattern started to glow a dazzling vermilion color, and a reddish-black mist-like magic power began to drift through the entire Undead Feast.

Multiple simultaneous summonings of Bloody Barons.

The small meat pieces squirmed and combined, forming around twenty large chunks. In other words, around twenty Bloody Barons were being summoned simultaneously. Numerous Bloody Knights, escort knights wielding various weapons, crawled out innumerable from around them.

Though it was far beyond what I could manage... 

Arthur, floating in the air and observing, broke into a satisfied smile. With a single nod, he lit blue magic power on his index fingers and began drawing a magic circle larger than life itself. A steady stream of dense magic power poured into the circle, causing the air to creak, and a dark vortex opened up in the sky, allowing a stream of light to pour in.

With eyes wide, Kurosaki hastily stepped in front of Tenma-san as if to shield her. Meanwhile, Kano and Tenma-san behind them were busy moving their heads around with deep interest, watching the scene.

"... That resembles a Greater Demon's 'Madness Skill,' but... is it a similar kind of magic?"

"It's more likely a higher-level magic."

Kuga-san, drawn to the magic circle Arthur was drawing, appeared beside me and inquired. She had approached without me noticing. What Arthur was about to unleash was a wide-range annihilation magic he often used during the game era. Its level had been significantly reduced, so its power had also been diminished, but it should still be more powerful than the madness skill the Lesser Demons used.

One by one, Bloody Barons continued to be born and descend into the Undead Feast. They roared with a grudge, glaring at the aerial demons. Arthur completed the last symbol and raised both arms high, chanting the name of the magic as he swung them down.

"This is the finale! Let everything be blown away! 'Meteor Strike'!!"

With a voice that hadn't quite reached maturity yet, he howled, and countless pale blue light spheres erupted from the massive magic circle above. Transforming into meteors, they poured down on the entire area of the Undead Feast. Upon impact, a series of earth-shaking roars followed, and the ground, having been lifted high, merged with the torrent of light raining down. The twenty or so Bloody Barons that were there probably didn't survive within that.

What a dazzling display of fireworks.

Everyone was excited, having witnessed an Extra Skill that even surpassed Danex. Kano and Tenma-san pulled Kuga-san's hand, inviting her to go look at the dropped items. Satsuki invited me as well, but I declined since I was a bit tired.

(I wonder if we'll get along well. It's really a relief.)

Seeing Kano and Arthur engaged in conversation, I let out a long sigh of relief. Since Kano and Tenma-san have unique positions, I was worried whether they would blend in with the others, but judging from their behavior, this event can be considered a success, for now. Well... except for the fact that my favorability with the girls has dropped considerably.

Stretching my stiff muscles as if to release tension, I pondered the duel tomorrow with Tsukishima-kun and the First Swordsmanship Club's Ashikaga.

To be honest, I had no idea how it would turn out, or rather, I had no clue how far Tsukishima-kun was willing to go. Nonetheless, I had made as much preparation as I could. I've acquired everything I wanted, so in that sense, today's gathering was quite meaningful.

Over there, Kano and Arthur were energetically running around collecting dropped items. They were probably eagerly gazing at them, forming yen signs in their eyes. If those two were to enroll, it seems like things would become lively, but for now, I'd like to enjoy a peaceful school life at least until then.

TL Note- I missed my breakfast to do this......enjoy reading. 

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