Chapter 351: We Lightly Break Through the Semifinal, the Final. No Way Duran Loses…!

Semifinal match 2 is our Order of the Capybara versus rank-2 Order of Yellow Thunder.

"Everyone. Sorry. To recover Marvela and Ana who were injured earlier Iria used her skill exceeding the limit. That fatigue is intense and she cannot appear in the semifinal. There was no time to recover her stamina. Let us fight with us four."

"Umu. Understood."

"Un." (small voice)

"Understood." (small voice)

"Also Mazorov... Do not think of intentionally getting injured to have treatment okay? Because numbers decreased the weight of one loss is different okay?"

When I stared Mazorov nodded small.

"Do not expect that if you yourself get injured you will receive a cock in the anus okay? If you intentionally get injured I will throw you into the capybara-water pond okay?"

"I get it..." (small voice)

The instant Esty-san’s identity is exposed everyone except us has the possibility of becoming enemies.

If we three of me, Duran, Mazorov cannot get three wins I will have Steisan take a walkover loss.

"We will absolutely win! Beaver!"

We formed a circle, stacked fists, and entered the match field.

Match order because Iria is missing shifts one forward.

Vanguard Duran, next-vanguard me, middle Mazorov, vice-general Steisan, no general.

And we won.

The opponent team were all men so there is no particular need to remember.

Thus the Order of the Capybara decided advance to the final and fighting the Order of Red Iron was decided.

Unluckily because when the semifinal ends the final immediately starts we have consecutive fights.

Without exiting we wait as is for the Order of Red Iron to enter.

Iria is not here but Ana also became an injured absence. That Ana is not treated as missing is probably because before she came to the subspace spectator seats she reported one word to attendants Lulu and Nono I suppose.

The final is 4 versus 4.

Our appearance order is the same as the semifinal.

Vanguard Duran, next-vanguard me, middle Mazorov, vice-general Steisan, no general.

Here there was misfortune.

Ah no it may not be enough to call misfortune but...

Because I appeared as middle in the first and second rounds È who hoped to fight me came out as middle. È does not know Iria’s absence so he did not know our order changed.

Because the Order of Red Iron from Ana’s injury forfeited the vanguard match both teams’ orders are like this.

Vanguard match: Duran versus Ana (absent)

Next-vanguard match: me versus nameless knight A

Middle match: Mazorov versus È

Vice-general match: Steisan versus nameless knight B

General match: Iria (absent) versus nameless knight C

However by match rules when like this one vacancy each appears those without an opponent fight each other.

Therefore the combination changes like this.

Vanguard match: Duran versus nameless knight C

Next-vanguard match: me versus nameless knight A

Middle match: Mazorov versus È

Vice-general match: Steisan versus nameless knight B

"This is a little troublesome. An opponent with bad compatibility with me."

After murmuring Duran turned her gaze far to the northern sky.

I was pulled and also looked up the same direction.

In the north as if symbolizing the severity of our situation dark clouds spread.

This tonight or tomorrow’s weather will be stormy—

While thinking Dura-san talks with a heart voice.

’Masaharu-san. It is painful but expecting Esty-san may I lose.’

’Eh? Dura-san cannot win?’

’Yes. My opponent is Battle Power 2200. Against that I am Battle Power 3. Because the opponent fights magic-main filling the power difference with technique is difficult. From information when watching the first and second rounds I predict I will be defeated in 2 minutes 42 seconds. Of course if I transform into a mecha girl I can one-sidedly win whoever the opponent. However... I cannot say in detail but now please let me preserve power.’

’Understood. Please do not get injured.’

’Thank you. The place you say do not get injured not break down I like. I do not intend to lose on purpose. During the match I will search for victory as much as possible.’

Duran removed her shield.

"I cannot destroy it so please hold it."

"Ah. Got it."

Duran went up the stage. From that back I cannot read any emotion.

Facing her is Tauro Dag.

Tauro is a stout man and instead of armor wears a red long robe over a blue vestment.

I have memory. That vestment the Lute Church priest wore at Monvan’s status exam.

Meaning he is an existence like a military chaplain. In medieval Europe too priests accompanied armies, mourned the dead, listened to soldiers’ consultations, and sometimes themselves took weapons and fought it is said.

The match started.

"Go! Duran!"

Without watching the state Duran raised her sword and advanced.

This is rare. Duran is a counter type. After making the opponent attack she sees it through and counterattacks. Because she sees through the opponent’s action pattern with future prediction from overwhelming calculation power she has very good compatibility with swordsmen and has piled victories until now.

That she herself launches an attack this time means aiming at counters would become disadvantageous I suppose.

Even though nearly 2-meter armor fiercely approaches with small sound Tauro without a flustered appearance raised his right hand in front of his chest and with fingertips cut a cross—I do not think so but some letter or symbol.

Gan!

Duran’s sword faster than reaching Tauro hit something invisible in midair.

"I have memory. That is magic he also used in the first round..."

A hard-to-understand magic that turns faith power into physical and into impact force. Compressing wind or something I suppose.

From doctrinal reasons priests cannot use strong-killing-power magic like flame or lightning so they apparently use this magic instead. But if fighting an armored knight I feel rather than popular five-attribute magic the killing power is stronger.

Evolution of handheld weapons excluding firearms roughly speaking starts with blunt weapons of wooden sticks and stones then with development of iron-making technique swords are made. When armor that prevents swords appears in the world hitting with blunt weapons is more effective so maces and clubs become active again.

In other words the magic Tauro uses is ordinarily vicious.

And probably for Duran something like magic is hard to calculate and hard to fight.

In the gap of stopping Duran’s attack Tauro with speed unsuited to a stout body retreated left-back. Because his feet faintly shine he is moving with some magic I suppose.

Duran pursues but cannot chase Tauro straight. She suddenly changes direction in a place with nothing. Rather than being wary of the opponent’s attack it is as if avoiding something invisible floating on the match field.

When Tauro stood at the stage corner he raised a finger around his brow and began some chant. Apparently the prior invisible technique was stalling time to use a big technique.

Duran reached the corner and swung down a longsword but Tauro prevented it with the back of his left hand.

Not armor meaning armor but armor meaning the outside of the hand he prevented with.

"Body strengthening...? He won the first round with that right."

Tauro swung a fist. From me who had watched Earth’s martial arts on TV it is only a simple motion that can even be called crude but power is apparently sufficient.

Duran’s upper body that parried with the sword side tilted back and that instant Tauro flipped his body and changed standing position.

A positional relation as if Duran was driven into the match-field corner.

Tauro stepped back a little, outside Duran’s reach raised about 5 meters distance, and from long range put out fists many times.

Shockwaves assaulted Duran.

Duran one-sided defense.

No way that Duran whose losing figure I could not imagine at all...!

A lie...

"...Do your best. Do your best! Duran!"

Not to lose to the intense combat sounds on the stage I raised my voice.

From the spectator seats too everyone puts out voices.

Aah. Already Duran’s heels seem about to fall from the stage.

"Nuuu...!"

Duran raised both arms guarding her head and leaked a pained groan. Already she cannot put out hands or feet!

Zugan, dogon. Tauro’s magic explodes many times.

"Duran! I do not want you injured. But I do not want to see you lose!"

Goga!

Duran’s both arms were bounced. Bad. The guard comes undone.

"Toria!"

Eh?

Ah!

Nutria. That just now was not a groan.

Tauro twitched biku. Probably because Duran shouted he was wary of some attack.

"...! A bluff! With this I will knock you outside the field!"

Tauro joined both hands and thrust them forward.

Zudon!

The maximum-power magic of this match was released.

An unidentified hard-to-understand invisible attack.

"—Analysis complete."

Tan.

Duran jumped. She kicked empty midair—the position of Tauro’s magic!—and further leaped.

Heavy armor lightly danced in midair and at the same time as landing she thrust a sword at Tauro’s throat.

"Until there!"

Giesch announced match end.

But—

"Winner Order of Red Iron Tauro Dag!"

Giesch announced Tauro’s victory.

Just why.

’I am sorry. I could not win.’

’Dura-san thrust a sword at the opponent’s throat so is it not a win?’

’Yes. By match rules it is my victory but I lost to this era’s civilization.’

’Eh?’

Spectators also seem to wonder and murmur here and there.

To settle the customers Giesch began explaining.

"Order of the Capybara Duran thrusting the sword tip was after all the hourglass sand fell. Therefore Tauro who fought dominant throughout is made the winner."

S-such...

Judgment is rare and it often ends in a draw...

’My miscalculation. I intended to devote to defense and reverse at the time limit. I thrust the sword at match time 2 minutes 59 seconds but the sand had all apparently fallen. I could not calculate this era’s hourglass precision and error from human handwork. That I could not make use of everyone’s cheers I feel regret.’

’I see. Won the contest and lost the match...’

If instead of thrusting the sword and urging surrender she had beheaded the opponent it would be Duran’s win. If this were actual combat Duran would have won!

My Dura-san has not lost!

’Leave the rest to us!’

’Yes.’

Duran lowered her head toward the royal tent, then in order to the east south west spectator seats, then descended the stage. At that time to my ears applause larger than winner Tauro’s seemed sent to Duran.