Evil Avalon

Chapter 125 golden light

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

"Hey hey... What's the deal with the small fry stepping forward? Does he have someone waiting in the shadows?"

Sagara, the student council president, descended into the arena, glaring at both the members of the First Swordsmanship Club and Tsukishima. Seeing this, Tsukishima wore a puzzled expression and moved only his gaze, scanning the surroundings.

In DunEx, Sagara had received low evaluations like "an incompetent student council president who relies on authority" or "a mere decoration for Kikyo Sera, the next student council president." It wouldn't be unreasonable to think that someone like him stepping forward alone meant he had a subordinate hidden somewhere, ready to take advantage of any opening.

At first glance, Sagara seemed unsociable and arrogant, resembling a typical aristocrat who looked down on ordinary citizens. However, the character reviews from Kirara-chan were overwhelmingly positive, and according to information from Satsuki and Tachiki, he was a once-in-a-decade genius, considered the strongest in the adventurer school. From my own interactions, I could also evaluate him as an honest and fair person. In this regard, relying on game information might not be trustworthy.

The unexpected turn of events elicited varied reactions from the Hachiryu members.

"The president himself is taking on the opponent... that first-year was stronger than I imagined. This is going to be interesting."

"He can perform high-level magic battles, close combat, and an unknown spell that summons magical beasts... I wonder if there's anyone among the Hachiryu executives who can fight him on equal terms."

As Horai expressed his anticipation with a tongue click, Isshiki, with a mask-like expression, focused on Tsukishima, recognizing the potential. Until just before the duel, she had a soft smile like a gentle older sister, but now she looked like a different person. On the other hand, Tatehana, who had raised Ashikaga like a cherished child, had an expression not of anger at seeing his creation being battered but of joy.

"Indeed, Ashikaga couldn't handle that first-year at all, but his opponent now is Sagara. I've crossed fists with him a few times; he's on a different level. It won't be a match."

"No. If that gentleman is the hero-sama foretold by my great-grandmother, even if it's Sagara-sama... we will win."

"Huh? The prophecy of the [Holy Maiden]?"

To Tatehana, who was confident in Sagara's victory, Sera, clasping her hands as if praying, countered. As evidence, she brought up the prophecy of the [Holy Maiden]. In Japan, this prophecy was valued even more than Sera's magic eye, [Tengentsu], as an absolute means of future foresight, so Tatehana couldn't ignore it.

However, the idea of Tsukishima being a hero was probably a misunderstanding. Even if, hypothetically, he was a hero, it was quite normal for heroes to lose — saying such a thing to Sera now would undoubtedly make her dislike me.

More importantly, beyond that, I noticed Suou, Lisa, and Kaworu on the opposite side of the spectator seats discussing something. I became quite curious about what they were talking about.

Those three must have seen something related to Tsukishima before coming here. What could it be? And then, Suou, who seemed excited, was sitting casually next to Kaworu and talking quite intimately. My Buta-o brain was intensely reacting. In the arena area, Sagara and Tsukishima were on the verge of a confrontation, and the situation was tense, with a fight ready to break out at any moment. It was not the time to be distracted.

"Do you all know that I have the authority to expel students if there are valid reasons?" 

Sagara asserted with a piercing gaze. Technically, he only had the authority to appeal to the school administration for the expulsion of specific students, but even that held significant influence over the students, as it could lead to a formal review. The existence of this authority was one of the reasons why the student council held the highest power within the Hachiryu.

The members of the First Swordsmanship Club, who had berated Tsukishima and even emitted their "aura," fell silent at the mention of "expulsion." They knew that this expulsion card worked effectively on nobles who cared about their honor and reputation, but Tsukishima simply smiled and showed no intention of backing down. It seemed that it wouldn't work on him.

"To cling to power rather than rely on your abilities is truly pitiful. However, not a single person will leave this place. If you want to exercise that authority, you'll have to defeat me—Ignis!"

"Gruuu..."

When his name was called, Ignis breathed fiery flames from his gaping mouth, as if mocking, and moved forward. Some members of the First Swordsmanship Club took a step back, visibly intimidated, as his thick tail struck the ground. They hastily prepared their swords.

With sharp fangs, a muscular reptilian body, and reptilian eyes that glared, Ignis appeared powerful, especially when considering the skill he had used earlier to defeat Adachi. However, individually, there shouldn't have been a significant power difference between him and the members of the First Swordsmanship Club. But with Tsukishima's coordination and his unique skills, they had become much stronger together. Judging by their tactics, he had likely practiced summoning beasts for combat in DunEx.

Sagara, seeing that Tsukishima wasn't backing down, took a deep breath and prepared himself.

"You won't back down, huh? In that case, I'll eliminate you. First Swordsmanship Club, step back."

"Are you sure you can handle him alone? Pres..."

"Gruu... Gooah!"

Perhaps he thought that just summoning a beast was enough for someone who relied solely on power, as Tsukishima left his left hand in his pocket and signaled with his right. Responding to the command, Ignis rushed forward like a bullet, raising his massive fist. But...

"Gwaaah...?"

*Boom!*

Sagara burst out with an astonishing burst of speed, and in an instant, closed the gap with Ignis, who couldn't react in time. He delivered a palm strike to Ignis' side, causing the air to tremble and a resounding impact.

Ignis was sent flying backward as if he were kicked, and Sagara accelerated again to catch up, grabbing Ignis by the head and forcefully slamming him onto the floor made of mithril alloy. The vibrations reached the spectator seats about 20 meters away, indicating the significant impact.

Whether it was a fatal blow or not, Ignis remained motionless on the ground, and his magical energy dispersed and dissipated.

Even Tsukishima appeared surprised by this, his eyes widened. I couldn't help but be astonished as well. Ignis, despite being a summoning beast with higher endurance than an average adventurer of the same level, had been defeated in an instant.

"...What the hell was that just now?"

"It's as you saw. Unlike Ashikaga, I won't give you any leeway."

Sagara brushed off some dust from his robes and positioned his left leg forward, assuming a proper stance. He was in his robe with a wand, so I had thought they would engage in a magical shootout, but it seemed he preferred close-quarters combat. However, what was that attack earlier?

"During the kick off the ground, and when delivering a palm strike, releasing magical power to specific areas to gain significant strength, it's a family heirloom martial art passed down in the Sagara family. No one else can replicate it."

"It's too dangerous; I can't do that. Even if I understand it in theory, trying it without proper training would only lead to accidents. I've heard there are similar practitioners in China, but in Japan, only the Sagara family can handle it."

I thought what he just did was a modified use of existing martial skills, but according to Kirara, it involves releasing magical power in specific parts to generate significant repulsive force—something related to magical power manipulation. According to Horai, it imposes a considerable strain on the body, and if magical power manipulation goes wrong, limbs could easily become unusable. I speculated that he had undergone inhumane, life-threatening training from a young age.

In DunEx, there are several skills that enhance attacks by enveloping the body or weapons with magical power. However, Sagara has extended precise magical power manipulation not only to attacks but also to defense and movement. Tsukishima might lose if he doesn't unlock his player skills soon.

"Even game knowledge can't always be trusted... that's what it means, huh? Ashikaga wasn't even a warm-up for me, but it seems you're not lacking."

Tsukishima, wearing a defiant smile, spoke while stowing his wand at his waist, lowering his center of gravity, and preparing to counter. Simultaneously, a faint blue magical power emerged, covering his entire body.

That's probably the [Chakra] learned by the [Monk]. It's a buff skill that creates a magical power barrier over the whole body, enhancing both attack and defense. It can be assumed that, aside from summoning, he also included skills related to hand-to-hand combat in his skill slots.

Despite witnessing Sagara's incredible martial art, the spectators emitted excited murmurs at Tsukishima's decision to engage in close combat. The voices from the First Swordsmanship Club contained mockery, but the Hachiryu members seemed genuinely impressed.

Staring each other down, time seemed to stand still. The first to break the balance was Sagara.

With the same acceleration as when he defeated Ignis, he unleashed a swift straight punch that cut through the air. In response, Tsukishima shifted his body to evade and countered with a back fist. Kicks were exchanged, and with each blow, the clash of magical powers echoed with a low sound.

The battle didn't confine itself to hand-to-hand combat. If the distance widened even slightly, magic projectiles flew between them, seamlessly transitioning into an intense melee while dodging and weaving through the trajectories.

"...Seriously? To think there's someone who can go toe-to-toe with Sagara's magical hand-to-hand combat. It seems Ashikaga  isn't even in the same league."

"The flow of magical power is similar... That first-year might also be constructing his own unique magical hand-to-hand combat technique."

"It might be a new skill we haven't seen before. But in terms of power, Sagara-kun seems superior."

Tatehana praised Tsukishima while leaning forward, engrossed in the hand-to-hand combat taking place below. Isshiki squinted, trying to discern if Tsukishima used similar techniques as Sagara, but what Tsukishima was employing wasn't magical power manipulation. As Horai said, they were clashing using [Monk] skills.

However, [Monk] is generally an obscure job not widely known. With no information and similar magical power flow to Sagara, it's understandable why they couldn't distinguish it.

Still, what all three were articulating was that "Tsukishima, who can hold his own against Sagara, is amazing." If he could go toe-to-toe with Sagara, who had been called a genius and had held sway over the adventurer school as the strongest for a long time, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he's on par with or even surpasses the Hachiryu. But from my perspective, rather than saying Tsukishima, Sagara who can go toe-to-toe with him, is more amazing—

(Isn't it impressive that Sagara is going with with Tsukishima-kun, the player?)

Players are formidable individuals who have defeated heaps of powerful magical beasts, experienced thousands, even tens of thousands, of player-versus-player battles in DunEx, and are the top contenders. Without such prowess, overcoming the horrendous event that led to their arrival in this world would be impossible.

Whether it's Lisa or Arthur, their combat techniques undeniably rank them among the top in DunEx, and naturally, I have that same confidence in myself.

Now, what about Tsukishima-kun? From my perspective, his martial arts skills are extremely high, faithfully adhering to established principles. Without a doubt, he is a formidable martial artist in DunEx. The one who should be praised is Sagara, who competes with such an opponent on equal footing or even surpasses him.

This battle, far exceeding a mere student duel, captivates some with fear, others with gleaming eyes. Nevertheless, everyone is watching with awe.

"Take this! Kikouken!"

"Humph!"

When Tsukishima-kun activates his skill by exploding magical power and thrusting his right arm, Sagara responds as if in harmony, intercepting with an all-out straight punch. The collision of copious amounts of magical power creates a thunderous roar, and a delayed shockwave akin to a whirlwind reaches them.

"Guu..."

Considering Tsukishima-kun's posture, it seems that Sagara has the upper hand. Although he managed to guard against Sagara's roundhouse kick that immediately followed the clash, Tsukishima-kun voluntarily retreated significantly to create distance, preventing the skirmish from turning into a brawl.

Without forcing a pursuit, Sagara calmly observes the situation, kneading magical power with a cold gaze.

In the clash of their recent powerful techniques, Sagara quickly estimated Tsukishima-kun's attack power from the magnitude of his magical power. He adjusted his magical power output to surpass Tsukishima-kun's, demonstrating not only instantaneous judgment but also keen insight. Considering the life Sagara has led until now, it instills a sense of dread.

"Haa... Haha... I thought I could easily beat someone like Hachiryu, but it seems I was too naive."

"Hero-sama! Please show us your strength!"

Seeing Seria rushing down from the spectator seats to provide treatment to Sagara's injured arm, Sagara stops her with his hand.

"Step back. This is nothing. While continuing this fight with you seems entertaining, I have my own circumstances. Let's move on to the main event."

"...What?"

As the blood dripped from his swollen arm, Tsukishima raised it high, and it quickly began to return to its original state. Right after, a golden light poured down, illuminating the surroundings. A healing skill... no, that light seemed different from what healed his arm. As he tried to recall what kind of skill it might be, suddenly, Sagara knelt down, wearing an expression of discomfort.

Poison? No it doesn't feels like that......it must be the light.

"Wha...? My body's trembling on its own... Urgh..."

"I... I feel like my mana is being drained... This seems to be an area attack," said Tatehana, who had turned pale, as he noticed the change in his condition, and even Kirara, who was right beside us, was breathing heavily and clutching her chest.

It appeared that even just looking at that golden light had an adverse effect on their mental states. However, those sitting on the opposite side, like Kaworu and the others, showed no signs of change. It was unclear if the effect had directionality or if those three were equipped with countermeasures. Since the nature of that light remained unknown, it was impossible to say for certain.

(Perhaps it's a "unique skill" of some sort.)

If Kagura's theory about the decrease in MP was correct, then this condition was similar to the one experienced when subjected to "Terror." However, "Terror" was supposed to have a skill effect where red-black mana diffused radially.

Although I didn't have knowledge of all the skills, it seemed highly likely that the light was caused by a unique skill, much like Seria's "Magic Eyes." If that was the case, it was understandable why I wouldn't be aware of it.

In any case, when it came to mental attacks, one needed to have countermeasure items or be at an exceptionally high level to defend against them. Furthermore, once it took hold, it led to critical conditions. As "Terror" instantly induces panic and shatters both the will to fight and any fighting spirit, ultimately resulting in defeat.

"Now, it's time for you to fall under my 'control.' I'll crush any resistance you have and make you my slave."

"Urgh... Fuc-Uwaaah!"

Desperate, Sagara launched a straight punch, but he lacked the strength and agility he had shown moments ago. His punch was easily dodged, and he found himself being hit by a counter body blow followed by a combo, sending him flying. His poor control of mana manipulation was evident.

His glasses shattered, his face swollen, but with sheer willpower, he stood up again. However, even with a calm assessment, there was no chance of victory left for him. Even so, he had risked himself to bring valuable information. This school was clearly something important that he needed to protect.

"(Kusunoki-san, I'm going now.)"

"(W-Wait... Are you okay with that light?)"

"(Mental attacks don't work on me... and your condition will heal with time, so please don't worry.)"

In the realm of mental attacks, it was relatively mild and recoverable, so I'm slightly relieved. However, continuously bathing in that light seems to have negative effects. By now, Sagara is probably feeling like he's facing a god or a demon.

"(But how terrifying it is. That light is the power he's been hiding, isn't it?)"

"(No, it's still just a surface part of his power. Probably, behind that light... is the source of his power.)"

"(Behind?)"

Even with her composed face, Kirara showed signs of tension upon realizing that her arm's recovery and the pouring golden light were likely linked to the same power source. Perhaps Kaworu and the others might have seen it as well.

(Alright, let's go. Hopefully, the plan will work out... Huh?)

As I formulated the plan in my mind and prepared to jump into the arena area, I noticed someone else jumping down from the opposite side.

"Stop right there, Tsukishima-kun. You must not use that power."

Sagara, with blood still flowing from his forehead and a determined expression, stood ready. But before he could react, a female student stepped in, extending her arms protectively. Tsukishima-kun, who had been smiling earlier, now wore a twisted expression.

"...Why did she have to show up like this?" 

With her slender figure and glossy side ponytail, she was unmistakably that girl. This was bad; what was she planning to do?

TL Note- Well translting the chapter took some time anyway let's meet in the next chapter. 

Next

Prev