"… Hey, champion… Wakey, wakey!"
"… N-no…! NOT AGAIN!"
"Now…!"
An enormous hand grabbed him. His sight instantly went black.
"UH-OH!"
Suiryu woke up with a start, sweat beads cascading down his face. He sat and gasped heavily for air, his eyes frantically bouncing about the room. He made sure what he saw was true, for it was a quite terrible wake up call should he say.
He met Bakuzan at the conclusion of his dream.
"… Damn it!" He cursed under his breath.
Looking at the lumps in the bed he was in, a sense of relief flowed through his veins. As his fear subsided, he reached for his left side and felt a cold metal shaft that latched on him. He finally was convinced that it was a nightmare. One that might still haunt him to the waking realm.
The mound at his right side wriggled. From under the blanket, a mass of raven, silky locks emerged. The sleepy face that hid under it greeted him with lazy smile. She was the girl he decided to take into his party.
And last night was the homage ceremony.
"Mornin', boss~. You wake up already?"
"Ah, yeah. Morning, Nadia."
One Punch Man belongs to One.
Rising of The Shield Hero belongs to Aneko Yusagi.
I own neither of them.
| Strings of Savagery |
A day after the expeditionary forces' return to the capital, the guild of Fighting Falcon swiftly called the requester and sorted out any ensuing problems. In the end, the guy didn't file any complaint since he deemed the Falcons had done the mission. They agreed to cover the loss by seizing both Rodin and Stoss' stashes, thus mending the financial wound they suffered.
The following day, the distribution of coins went fast. Clinks resounded as some people manning a counter handed the members their payment for the latest mission. Each got an amount proper to their role and rank.
That evening, Suiryu and Eclair also took their payment. Aside from a little fat reward for their accomplishments, people showered them with praises. Their tale as a pair of reckless, yet ridiculously powerful fighters had spread throughout the guild.
After some banters and two ale mugs for entertaining their fans, they went out. They had an agenda for that evening. The moment they exited the guild, their new companion had been waiting, leaning her back against the building's wall. She smirked when she noticed Eclair and Suiryu.
"Wow. Those are sweet prizes you get there. And you still want to join me to an arena? Don't you think you're greedy?"
"In the end, it is for your own sake, Nadia. We paid the guild a quite hefty sum to clear you from the threat of jailing. Compared to the original amount, this is just one fifth." Eclair retorted, sighing as she closed her eyes. "Lord Suiryu's kindness has saved you. Now thank him."
"Hey, it's all right, Eclair."
"Ah, sorry about that, guys. Guess I should make up for saving my ass." Nadia cast a wry smile. "Just don't work me like a horse."
"Well, right. Because you are a fish."
"Now, don't be so cruel, Eclair. I've promised to share our earning. In return, Nadia, you'll train me to use lance and some cool magics aside from bringing us to the arena." Suiryu pointed a finger gun at Nadia, showing an eager smile. "Now, lead us to the place where we can earn more, would you?"
"It's take and give, after all. Let's go. We're among main performers tonight."
They left the main avenue, traversing through a city street under the looming dusk. The hustle and bustle of the city for a moment quieted down as light transitioned into dark. Pubs and taverns however would receive their peak visit after sundown.
Some minutes into their travel, Nadia struck up a conversation to banish the silence. Her eyes cast a solemn gaze at Suiryu and Eclair, pulling their attention.
"Oh, by the way, how's the old vampire doing?"
"The guild master said that after they have confiscated her assets, she is being held captive, bound and sealed. Fighting Falcon even had gone into the trouble to bring some specialists to erect a bounded field surrounding the confinement in a dungeon."
"Is she really that strong?" Suiryu asked, knitting his brows.
His lack of knowledge invited the girl's genuine baffled looks. Should he be an active, monster-slaying pro hero in his old world, he probably could have a crash with monsters with such similar traits. Unfortunately, that was not the case. He was just your old, rich scum, fooling around with girls or beating some guys in the arena for keeping his wallet fed.
The closest depiction he could collect about vampire was from movies. And they were just some blood-sucking, heartbroken boys and girls who would get skin-burn from sunlight and anything that reeked holiness. They looked exquisitely frail for the sake of their lore's dramatization.
Stoss was anything but that.
"Boss, seriously? Do you know what Elders were called?"
"No. I don't have any idea. Sorry."
"People once called them nation-destroyers. These days, they're nicknamed genociders."
"That's a pretty awful name. Do they really kill many people? It's just for sucking some blood, right?"
"I once heard that an Elder consumes one person a year to sustain their life. If one has been living for five hundred years, how many people have they eaten?" Eclair explained, earning nods of agreement from Nadia. "Not to mention that they often goes into a rampage or in a grave need of blood. The revenants we saw not long ago were the result of their banquet."
"I see. I guess no one wants to leave their nape open for their fangs." He shuddered slightly, rubbing his arms.
Eclair chuckled at the way he expressed his fear. "That is true. However, you have not told us about how you defeated her."
"Right. She's strong like freak, but how did you beat her? Now I wonder." Nadia looked at him inquisitively, putting on a curious smile.
"Ugh…"
Suiryu's lips sealed tight in discomfort as his hand ran over his spiky locks. He didn't really like to recall that part of him that suddenly burst on impulse, declaring himself as a sadist. He held a growing shame when he remembered how he beat Stoss. Truth be told, it was the most uncool way to bring down such a villainous lady.
He expected a bloody fight, but he ended up spanking her butt.
"… I slapped her butt." He answered with dispirited tone.
"Pardon? Did you say you defeated her by… slapping her rear?"
He gave a halfhearted nod.
"Bfft…! Really? So you beat her by spanking her ass?" Nadia stifled her burst of laughter, but finally gave up. "Ohohoho… Boss… You… You'll never stop amusing me! Guess I won't regret for joining this party!"
Eclair on the other side could only offer a befuddled look as Nadia had the most joyful moment. He didn't know how to respond the girls' reactions. It was his first time experiencing this kind of situation. These girls knew how to fight, unlike those he fooled around with in his old world. His silly act had seriously messed up his pride as a fighter.
Serves you right.
Even his spear coldly worsened his discomfort. His hand instinctively reached his back and clenched the shaft of the holy weapon as hard as he could. Nothing he wanted at that time other than squeezing that annoying weapon into scrap of metal. In return, his display flickered, scoffing at him.
"But Lord Suiryu, that truly is amazing. The fact that you could defeat her with bare hands proves that you are a genuine master of combat art." Eclair complimented, finally looking at him with a comforting expression on her face.
"Yeah. Should admit you're damn fast and skillful, boss. I don't think I can even go toe-to-toe with her without any enhancement spells cast on me." Nadia nodded, seeing Suiryu in a new light, only to revert to her teaser persona. "Still, don't you think you're like a mad husband who punished his cheating wife? That's… a little bit too much, I think."
Suiryu didn't take the jest well. He scowled at her, enough to draw her apologetic look.
"Ah, sorry. Please just take it as a joke."
"Next time, do you want me to spank you?" He bit back, the edges of his lips still curling down.
"Oh, that's surely scary, but also sounds fun. Hmm, then why don't we try it now?" She suddenly taunted, sticking out her tongue and rear, pulling her waist clothes a little to reveal her black undies that shielded her supple rear.
"Are you into that kind of play? Seriously?"
Suiryu was at a loss. He got various feelings whirling in him.
The memory of his passionate night with Nadia resurfaced. Unlike Eclair who prioritized comfort and enjoyment, she was the type who liked to snatch the lead quietly. When he realized it, he was already on the verge of exploding as she sported a winner's face. She playfully hid her impish side, basking herself in ecstasy the moment her partner was aware of his imminent meltdown.
Eclair without doubt couldn't take that. Her competitive spirit went alight and she dove in full force as soon as he recovered. He still had plenty of energy, but she couldn't keep up and collapsed mid way, opening a second round for Nadia. However, it didn't end well for her since he won through sheer power after discovering her trick.
The champ wouldn't admit loss, after all.
Since that event, Eclair's defeat still got on her. She often tried catching any opportunities to take back what she lost from Nadia.
"Wretched wench!" Eclair gripped the chance and swung her hand, aiming at the exposed rear.
"Slow. Try harder, my dear." Nadia caught her wrist from behind and snickered.
"Kuhh!"
"Girls, can you stop it? We got company."
"Oh…"
The instant Suiryu spoke, they saw some thugs appear from narrow alleyways, then surrounding them. It wasn't like they didn't realize that they had been been followed. They were aware and prepared for a messy street brawl as they entered the turf of those hoodlums.
Nadia in response whistled as Eclair tensed up. Suiryu put up his guard, his hand readily gripped his halberd.
"Sup, bitch. You hook up a dog and another slut for yourself? You pretty sure filthy rich this day."
"Oh, are you coming here cause you want me to have another round of drinking?" Nadia coolly responded, losing no composure before the street bandits. "Sounds good, but I'm a little bit busy tonight. Next time, okay?"
"Tch! Bluff as you like. We'll take you for dinner. Boys! Finish the guy and take the women!"
The lowlifes advanced with weapons in hand, but then a vicious wind blew them away. Eclair and Nadia turned at Suiryu, finding his right leg had just swept the air. He put on a bland look as he approached the thug's boss. He pressed the ax blade of his halberd between the guy's legs, the edge's tip biting open a tiny rip in the pants' fabric. He loosed his killing intent and let it flare wildly.
"Hiiii…!"
"You see, we're in rush, but you creeps suddenly pissed us off. Get lost before I slice your rotten rod off."
"… Y-hyesh!"
The leader scampered away, tailed by his underlings. Suiryu's bloodthirst lashed at them until their backs vanished. The tension soon receded as lights in the nearby houses turned on. Eclair and Nadia shared a glance and turned at Suiryu.
"Boss, you sure can be quite savage, huh?"
"I was still holding back, okay? Didn't you say this city can turn enemy if you slip and pick the wrong person? This is just to show who's the boss."
"Yeah. You sure learn the rules quickly. Impressive."
"I've been to many places. This pretty lawless kind was one among them. Still, it's fun cause I could beat up that kind of people every night." He smirked.
"And take one or two ladies to reward yourself." Eclair chimed in, smiling.
"Yeah. Uh!" His smugness waned into an embarrassment. "Yes, that's also one thing, but it's not like I do it every night."
"Oh ho, I see. So that's why you can knock us out for good, huh? I guess it's fine." Nadia grabbed his wrist and pressed her bountiful chest into his arm.
"Well, true. Your experience is a guide for us to reach the highest pleasure." Eclair did the same to his other arm, her cheeks blushing. "I hold no objection."
"So, are we friends already, Little Eclair?"
"No." Eclair shot a cold look.
'Gawd… I'm flying.'
He indulged himself in that situation a bit longer on the quiet street, long enough until the remnant of magenta shade at the horizon turned dark blue, then black. Tough-looking guys who didn't bat an eye at them soon began walking the street, heading for the same direction.
"Um, girls, aren't we off to the arena?"
Nadia threw her signature lethargic smile. "Hmm, yeah. But I think I want to get there a bit late. Let's slack a little."
"Then let me drag her, Lord Suiryu." Eclair was ready to grab Nadia.
"Nah, no need." Suiryu scooped the girls up and used his inner forearms as their seats, carrying them like a pair of grocery bags. "Let's go."
"L-Lord Suiryu…!"
"Aw! What a reliable boss you are!"
When the trio arrived at an inconspicuous bar, they got all the customers' attention. Only the barkeep who remained stoic upon seeing them, cleaning some glasses as Suiryu carried the girls inside.
Driven by embarrassment, Eclair hopped down as she made eye contact with the calm man. He only glanced indifferently at her and looked at his supposed patron. His expression didn't even change when he noticed Nadia's manner of arrival, and neither did Suiryu's presence faze him.
"Yo, Nadia. What do you wanna have t'night?"
"Some flavor of the hardest Spearhead, mixed with Ruin's essence." She replied, easily resting her arm over Suiryu's left shoulder.
"Brozzo." The barkeep gestured with a half tilt of his head and a burly guy signed at them to follow him.
"Is that some kind of password?" Eclair asked as she they passed through a door beside the counter.
"You guessed." Nadia spoke from her love seat.
"You don't feel ashamed at all?" Eclair shot a questioning look at her partner.
"Why should I? We're close, right, boss?"
Suiryu rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you'll look cute if you act more like Eclair does."
"Ow, really?" Nadia raised a brow.
'… But man. Not only is she a busty one. She's endowed with the right richness for her rear. Well, talk about body mass, let's ignore that it's from some whale fat.' His forearm muscle fibers creaked under her butt with every recoil of his step.
"… Still, somehow, why do I feel like you're not complimenting me at all?" Nadia hummed as her mystically bewitching smile haunted Suiryu's sight.
Suiryu's smile bent stiffly. "Oh, I did. Maybe it's just that you got that feeling from somewhere else."
"Hmm."
On the other side, Eclair walked with fidgety steps. She was sure that he liked her because her beauty was among many qualities that dragged him in. But to be viewed as adorable was something her heart nearly couldn't take. The praise made her shiver in delight as she mentally squealed, making the dark corridor they pass seemingly glow pink allover.
'AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH…!'
"Um… Eclair?" Suiryu turned at Eclair in concern.
"Eek!" She yelped, turning her furiously blushing face at him.
"Oh… Seems like our cute little Eclair has turned into a candy. I wanna eat her." Nadia sported an amused smile.
"N-no! O-only Lord Suiryu have the right to eat me!" She denied fiercely.
"You guys done with your lovey-dovey? We're here." The escort announced coldly, opening a double door at the end of the corridor.
They reached a completely different area that seemingly didn't connect with the bar. It was an arena almost as large as a standard football stadium, filled to the brim with spectators and lit by magical torches.
The show hadn't started yet, but they had been cheering as some of them placed their wagers. It appeared that most had known the competitors. When a few of them pointed at some banners hanging below the rafters, Nadia whistled. She had made sure that their team's name was listed on it.
"If ya folks need some weapons and other gears, check out the armory. From here, just walk to the right. You'll see our guard." The escort informed.
"Thanks for the info, dude."
The escort nodded at Nadia and returned to his post.
"So, are we going to check that place first?" Suiryu spotted the armory guard.
"I would strongly advice to do so, Lord Suiryu."
"Sure, why not? I broke the last one and who knows, I can pick a better one."
"Okay."
The trio headed toward the armory. The guard glanced at Nadia once and wordlessly moved aside, allowing them an entrance.
The place was just like a small storeroom, but the variety of weapons was immense. From the conventional ones like blades and polearms to the most harrowing types like serrated knives and giant scissors, the place provided them all. It had no visitors other than them at that time.
"Um, really? Can we take these ones for free?" Suiryu squinted his eyes at a metal-stringed garrote on the display. "They look like they can cover our living cost for some months."
"I cannot disagree." Eclair nodded, picking a silvery zweihander from a rack. "They are of fine quality. Even the armory we visited did not show these exquisite pieces."
"Don't make yourself look like country bumpkins any more than this, please." Nadia reprimanded with a tinge of exasperation. "Alright. You see, there are two standards that run here, in Zeltoble. One for the common public and the other for those who know this shady part. We're in the shady part, so expect some premium stuff rolling around the place. Cause the sponsors are some bigwigs."
"Sponsors, huh? I see." Suiryu nodded as he moved to the pole weapons section.
Eclair still cast a puzzled look, trying to wrap her mind around Nadia's explanation. It wasn't like it was confusing. She didn't have any issues with intelligent, either. To a person who always worked honest field jobs and did straight orders, the system was simply foreign and bizarre.
On the other side, Suiryu had a fair share in that hypocritical system. In the days after he debuted in the Super Fight, some sponsors from big companies around the globe contacted him and enrolled him into several underground tournaments. The nature of their legality was questionable since they featured death-match. Regardless, he won and forked big from there, granting him a lavish life.
Suiryu put a hand over Eclair's shoulder comfortingly. "Don't sweat it. Just think that these weapons are a way for a company to advertise their products. That's why they dare to throw in their best."
"Exactly!" Nadia pointed at Suiryu. "You sure are knowledgeable in this part, huh? I'm surprised."
"Praise me more." Suiryu smiled smugly.
"I see. So it is a way to draw more customers since their weapons make an appearance in a fight." Eclair nodded.
"Right. And if the wielder is a famous champ, imagine how many people would be interested to buy the same weapon, assuming they begin mass production."
"How cunning. That makes me feel a little vexed." Eclair sported a troubled look.
"Why?" Suiryu cocked his head. "This is just a place they provide to support us. You don't need to think too much about whatever they think."
"Perhaps. However, the fact that money has seized such a massive control over here spares me a putrid impression." She admitted, sighing.
"That's how the world works, Little Eclair. You'll seriously only get more wrinkles on your forehead if you keep on wearing that knightly attitude."
"What did you say?!"
Nadia's response was enough to garner Eclair's hostile frown. Since the beginning of their meeting, they often clashed when it came to their views. Fundamental things like ideals unquestionably would spark a fight. It was thanks to Suiryu that none of them ever escalated above some cat fights.
"Eclair, Nadia, enough. If you want to duke it out, I'll ask Loren to arrange a match tomorrow. We're here to fight as a team." He chided as he took a glaive and assigned it into his magical spear's collection.
"You see, boss, I just want to give a good advice, but she got worked up."
"I truly cannot take that as an advice! Such a despicable way of thinking would never sway me!"
"Did you see that, boss?" Nadia pointed at fuming Eclair.
Suiryu grabbed their heads and pulled them closer.
"Eh?" "Ow…"
"You two aren't cute when you're quarreling. Give me a little break and help me, would you?"
They could feel slight pressures, mentally and physically. His big hands that were holding their skulls could squeeze them like a pair of lemons if he truly wished so. They nervously gulped, tilting their heads at their mighty man. His gentle smile that felt as warm as the morning sun was an ominous warning.
"… Forgive us, Lord Suiryu. We would behave properly."
"… Yeah, sorry. We'll make sure to not cause any trouble, promise."
Suiryu gave a displeased look in return. "Why do I feel like a dad scolding his kids?"
Eclair blushed as Nadia's mischievous smile came back. As soon as the pressure died down, they pretty much had the same idea upon the mention of kids, for better or worse.
"W-well, I believe that is because you are prepared to become a father."
"I think so, too. You look like a nice daddy. Honest."
'These girls…' He mentally facepalmed.
Just plant your seeds in them and get some offspring, you wuss!
'And this fool…!' He clenched his jaws at the indignant message on his display.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Get your best seats, for tonight, we have some new contenders in our roster! You should be wondering who they are, right? Thus without further ado, let's begin the show!"
The announcement rang from outside the armory interrupted any thoughts to continue the talk about bearing children. Although there was no visitor other than them, it was more of a reason for the trio to hasten their prep. They checked their gear before heading out. There was no time to indulge in self-sentiment when money was hanging before their eyes.
"I take a new padded armor and this two-handed sword." Eclair said, checking on her new blade.
"I take a leather vest, shoulder pads and a glaive. Are you sure with that, Eclair? It's not your usual weapon." Suiryu worded out his concern over her choice.
"The two-handed is the secondary style I am proficient with. I just need to get a little warm-up to regain the feel." She swung her blade some times.
"All right, if you're sure with that. Then what about you, Nadia?"
"I grab this one. This new kid has sturdier harpoon tip. It's coated with magic and pretty light, I like this." She flicked the blunt side of her harpoon. "See?"
"No protective gear?" Suiryu raised an eyebrow at the absence of additional defensive cladding on her person.
"Nope. Just so you know, this is more protective than your average armor. It has multiple layers of magic that buffs defenses. Don't judge an armor by how skimpy they look." Nadia tugged her sarashi a little, enough to shake her generous bust.
Suiryu squinted his eyes at the white fabric. No matter how hard he stared at it, no additional information appeared on his sight. He turned to Eclair, his look pleading for her wisdom.
"She doesn't lie. I heard that many clothes have been enchanted with magic to grant protection for the wearer. Even among ladies of highborn, there is a common trend where they order fancy dresses and even… undergarments with magical buffs against some elements."
'Dang… Talk about panties made of kevlar.' Suiryu grimaced. 'The standard here is pretty warped.'
"I see. Hearing that, I'm a little bit surprised."
"Besides, you don't seem like an appraiser in the first place. You need to have that skill to see the value and stats of a stuff. Else, you'll only look like a goofy perv, boss."
Suiryu groaned, turning his head away at Nadia's insinuation. He sighed, feeling almost no end of her assaults barrage on him.
"Well, said the one who shamelessly tempted the Spear Hero." Eclair shrugged.
"As if you didn't." Nadia quipped.
Suiryu took the first step, silencing the ladies before they ignited their fight again by pushing them gently. The trio went out from the armory and headed toward the bleacher, blending in with the spectators as the first gladiator match started.
"GRUOOOOOOHHH…!"
The death throe of a beast tiger resonated throughout the arena, followed by the announcer's blaring voice. The winner was a party of three men, armed with battle axes and heavy blade and bedecked in leather armors. They stood triumphantly before the corpse.
"What do you think, boss?" Nadia turned at Suiryu.
He closed his eyes and exhaled. At the beginning the show, he stared at the fighters with serious look, but not a couple of minutes passed and his eyes wandered toward his status menu screen. His interest in the fight went astray.
"You looked bored, you know."
"Honestly, I expected something greater than this. They won, but their performance left much to be desired. Any thoughts, Claire?"
"Like you have said, they performed poorly. The way they wield their weapons looked so amateurish, lacking in finesse. Their teamwork is also awful. The only saving grace is their tenacity. Somehow, I have a feeling that the event organizer intends to put them as a bunch of heroic jesters."
Nadia quirked a brow, but nodded in agreement. "Wow, that's quite harsh, but I think you're right."
"Then, your thought?" Eclair probed.
"It's a custom for the organizers to open the match with gag show to raise the mood."
"So, it is common to throw in starters and low-tier teams into the early match and pit them with monsters?" Suiryu quirked a brow.
"Yeah. Well, it sounds like a joke when you're talking with your neighbor, right? Still, those participants aren't always lucky enough to make it in the next round. Worst, some turned into monster food."
"Now, that's really a bad joke." Suiryu's brow creased when he saw some people hauled the bloody, dead beast out from the arena, reminding him of the sight in a death-match. "Anyways, when will our turn come?"
"Right after this if there's nothing wrong with the schedule." Nadia answered almost absentmindedly.
"What? You should've told us, earlier!"
"And that is what we get from our esteemed guide over here." Eclair smiled sourly.
"Ah, sorry 'bout that." Nadia clapped her hands in apology. "But, what worries you when you're this buffed?"
"Buffed? Do you still think I'm strong?" His face scrunched up in disbelief, prompting him to shake his head. "Do you remember, Nadia? I still have a tough time when I'm fighting using spear. Add that with an enemy who fights by throwing magic, I'm toast."
"Even when you have that legendary spear?" She pointed at the shaft that rested on his back.
Both Suiryu and Eclair shushed her. Nadia covered her mouth, her eyes bouncing around to catch people's reaction. They were too busy to mind the group's conversation and the place was quite noisy, fortunately.
Nadia nearly broke their agreement to not spill out his identity. They made the pact during her homage. She wasn't a bucket-mouthed woman, but her nonchalant attitude sometimes invited trouble.
Above all else, announcing his presence as the Spear Hero in Zeltoble could trigger a new war.
"… Ah, sorry." She muttered her apology as the pair looked sternly at her.
"… Yeah, okay. Even when I got one, I can't be certain about winning the fight."
"I see. Which means..."
"You two will cover my back. I'll be the hammer. Use your freakish magic if need be."
"You mean you'll knock them hard? Sounds easier said than done to me. But okay, I'll try." Nadia nodded. "And… are you two always fought with that style?"
"We more or less followed that pattern when we engaged monsters, but our formation is quite loose. So, whenever there was an opening, either one of us, or both would strike." Eclair elaborated.
"Neat. Then I've no problem in following you. Flexibility is a blessing for a common ragtag group of fighters."
Nadia's reassuring reply convinced Suiryu that she was a real veteran fighter. He staked a high expectation on her and would see the proof, soon.
"Good to hear, but don't make it sound like we're a tattered band of mercenaries."
"But your friends returned black and blue."
"I hope Sir Loren hears this. And the falcon's talons fall down upon you."
"Nah, don't tell him about this, okay, Little Claire."
"Are you scared of Loren?"
"I heard he has two demon girls as his girlfriends or something. He's pretty scary, actually."
"Onto the next match, we have the Topak Family and the Dragon Fangs! You wouldn't believe it, but Dragon Fangs has one among our famous fighters, Nadia! So, what kind of show they'll dish out? Let's find out soon!"
Suiryu's eyes rolled toward the girls. Putting his thought about Loren aside, he got a slight look of discomfort as he gazed at them, a sense of itchiness crawled under his nape's skin. The name "Dragon Fangs" had bugged him.
"Did you two choose to name our team so? I'm pretty sure it came from you, Claire."
"Well, indeed. I was the one who named it. It does sound grand and fantastic."
"And I just went with it, however weird it sounds. But I think it's cool."
'Seriously?' Suiryu facepalmed inwardly.
"I see. Whatever…"
And the Spear Hero's group walked into the arena, bearing that name a kid with edgelord complex commonly spew. Suiryu at that point was too tired to make a fuss about it.
However, the gleam on his blue eyes soon returned as he found his opponents. The champ gonna be a champ, once more.
"Guahh! This guy's too strong!"
A wielder of morning star from the Topak Family gasped as Suiryu's kick wasted his strike, his weapon stuck in the ground. Many times did he attack, but not a single one bit its prey, either flung away by Suiryu's deceivingly powerful kicks or flicked by his sloppy halberd swings. He gritted his teeth, his eyes glancing aside to find his friends didn't fare better.
"Hey, where are you looking at?"
Suiryu's voice suddenly came from behind him.
"DUAMN ITT!" He yanked his morning star for a forceful rotating swing, linking it with the halberd's shaft.
Suiryu blocked the spiky chained ball, fire sparks dancing around their weapons. He twirled his halberd, slamming the ball into the ground again. He couldn't help but put on an apologetic mask as his opponent struggled for his dear life.
"That's it? Where's the confidence you got earlier? Toss your balls already?"
"… Grrr!"
As expected from a bunch of ruffians, they talked big in the beginning of their fight, going as far as slinging rude remarks and obscene gestures at the ladies. However, once they found out how powerful their foes were, they fought desperately like wounded, cornered beasts.
As Suiryu was engaging the morning star wielder, Eclair and Nadia also held their ground gloriously. They had made their respective opponents fight pathetically by just blocking and parrying their plain, heavy slashes. It didn't look like a fight anymore. It turned into a sick jest where rugged guys got bullied by beautiful beings.
"Aw, can you go a little bit rougher than this?" Nadia taunted, bending the arc of her foe's slash with a simple prod.
"Ahh! You…! Bitch!" The man yanked his blade for another angry slash.
"Guess this is the end. Lend me your thunder and shock my enemy. [First Thunder Spark]."
Blue electricity tongues licked the shaft of her bident up to its U-shaped blade. They converged as a lightning sphere, turning the weapon into a literal shocking rod. When her enemy's slash went down, she dodged to the side and thrust her weapon, eloctrocuting him.
"… ABWABWABWABWA…!"
Roasted by thunder, he fell to the ground, scorched yet still alive. His eyes rolled backward in his skull.
"One down, a victory for Nadia!"
"Ah, how boring…" Nadia blew a stray strand of her hair. "Now let's see… Oh, it's Little Eclair!"
The said former knight was fighting another swordsman. She showed no sign of wear, her fair technique working like she said. She blocked the brunt of her opponent's strike with the blunt of her sword. Pushing her enemy's blade to the side, she stepped forward, raised her sword high and hit his right shoulder with the pommel.
"ARGH!"
"Bear the pain!"
As the man jerked in agony from a broken collarbone, she followed the assault with a kick to his left knee, instantly breaking his bearing. He fell to the ground, but before the pain in his knee bit him, a strong kick to his nape shut his system down, sending him rolling on the dirt. Like his fellow, the white of his eyes marked his defeat.
"This demands more of my might, but the result is astounding." Eclair smiled contently at the claymore in her grasp, then turned at the Spear Hero. "I see. So you savor this to the utmost. How enviable."
Suiryu did toy his foe while familiarizing himself with the obnoxious weapon. As he tried some simple spins and thrusts, his weapon shared a piece of its wisdom.
You will never get stronger with this play.
The words strangely didn't resonate like Saitama's did. He couldn't feel the gravity of its advice, but he still thought it over, nonetheless. What he needed was strength he achieved through his effort, and that piece of mind was a feat appreciable enough. At least, he could humor the holy weapon with a question in return.
'If so, don't you have any idea about effective training regimens so that I can wield you properly?'
Ask your new woman about it.
'Thought so.'
He didn't expect much from his weapon. Still, the fact that this spear could talk brashly to him in the midst of a fight baffled him. It added nothing but his belief that it was a cursed item. Letting the distraction pass by, his eyes glided from the text message to the panicking face before him. It was cruelly hilarious.
"Ugh! Why!? Why do ya keep on dodging my attacks!?
"Oh? If you wanna stab me that badly, then feel free."
Suiryu opened his arms wide on a whim, welcoming his enemy's desperate strike with a daring smile. The crude fighter grinned and partook the chance, slamming his morning star into Suiryu's chest. It hit and tore the thin leather armor, down to the shirt underneath, but it didn't faze Suiryu at all. The gash in his clothes didn't even reveal any wounds whatsoever.
"… Eh?"
"That didn't hurt. What's wrong? Too tired to fight?"
Suiryu only did simple strengthening around his chest area, tightening his muscles. Years of [Void Fist] training had shaped his body, implanting the secrets of body-hardening technique into the fibers of his muscles. The technique could block sharp objects, stop projectiles, and most importantly, defend him from impacts that normally would be fatal. The sole reason he survived from Gouketsu and Bakuzan's maiming was this technique, albeit for just some minutes.
"… Ghh! Don't fuck with me!"
"Then you're screwed."
Suiryu stomped the morning star's handle, using it as a step to swing his knee into the man's cheek. His foe revolved like a roulette just above ground. As a finishing touch, the champ threw a roundhouse kick to man's stomach. The last of Topak Family flew in a chaotic tailspin and crashed the arena's wall. The brutal finisher set the spectators in a daze.
"… To-Topak Family… None is left. We… We have a winner! Dragon Fangs wins!"
A stillness clutched the arena, only to be shattered by the spectators' cheers that followed soon after. It was a landslide victory for Dragon Fangs, the Spear Hero's party.
Suiryu's first victory over the arena in this new world.
"… What should we do? I never thought that wench will bring some monsters as her companions."
Seated in a room that was reserved for VIPs were some men, clad in various manners of fine attire. The dimness of the room obscured their faces, but the way they addressed each other showed how well they were acquainted. Their eyes didn't move from the projection of the current situation in the arena, displayed like a holographic screen from a magical crystal ball.
"Not even the Status debuffs can deter them. Especially him."
"He fought too fast. Do you have any idea who he might be?"
"No. But I have a hunch that he is a hero?"
"Hero, you said? How so?"
"The chance is not entirely null. Some countries are having a perilous time when the Wave of Calamity struck. We can expect that those heroes they summoned have roamed many places to build their strength."
"I see. Then how should we deal with them? The big sponsors are infuriated by their presence. We'll lose too much if we do nothing."
"Right. Just look at him. He can blitz his way through the tightest defensive formation and blast his foes away with a single strike."
"And remember, the opposing teams also suffered from quite humiliating defeats. It would be a hard slap to the sponsors' faces."
One hooded figure cast his gaze down, humming thoughtfully. The moment Dragon Fangs entered the arena, they came in while putting on facades like a cheerful group of tourists. This bunch didn't appear ambitious enough to win this tournament.
But they were wrong.
The defeat of Topak Family opened up a curtain of surprises. Dragon Fangs mowed down the teams unfortunate enough to face them in the next three rounds. They literally beat their opponents in a ruthlessly spectacular fashion, no less.
Dragon Fangs at first might have looked like a hastily formed team. Individually, they were strong, almost overwhelmingly. But as a group, their work still seemed unrefined. However, as the combat went on, they used the time to polish their teamwork. When they passed the third round, they showed a surprising improvement. This kind of progress only proved that they were strong fighters who knew the rhythm of combat.
Still, one cannot simply depend on teamwork when individual forceful strike is the quickest answer, especially to show who's the boss. That happened on the fourth round when Dragon Fangs met Mythril Fortress, a group of heavily armored guys, famous as the toughest guards allover Zeltoble. Their long-winding introduction irked the spearman, so much that he erected an earthen wall from the ground with a chop and toppled it over Mythril Fortress with a kick, burying them.
Without doubt, the spectators clamor exploded like never before, a loud requiem for the said toughest team whose dream went into the grave.
And that seriously unnerved these shady gentlemen. They should eliminate this unwanted dark horse lest they incite the fury of their fussy backers.
"We have no choice. Let's use it."
Some nervous gulps and small murmurs echoed in the room.
"You don't mean… that, right?"
"Should we really summon it?"
"This is the best we can take. Murder Pierrot will face them." The man answered with finality.
"Whew. That's a win for us."
"Boss, shouldn't you take the credit, instead?"
The Dragon Fangs had returned to their seats, watching the match as they enjoyed some refreshments. Suiryu got a bottle of cold fizzy drink in his hand, Eclair munched some roasted potato while Nadia had a light booze. The following match looked quite exciting, drowning their conversation in the spectators' cheers.
"Do I need it?" Suiryu asked, his eyes never leaving far from the opposing fighters.
Eclair swallowed her snack. "You should."
"Honestly, boss, you look cool when you can beat them alone. I admit. Problem is, spare us a guy or two."
"I agree. That way, we can at least gain more experience. It is a rare chance we can find stompers in this place." Eclair frowned when she saw one of the fighters got stabbed in his shoulder. "Oh! That should be painful."
"Do you talk about those juggernauts we beat in our way?"
"Yes."
"Well, sorry about that. I got carried away cause their leader was really annoying, talking nonsense about being tough." Suiryu gave a wry smile. "And wasn't you the one who said I'm buffed? I guess showing off a little bit isn't much."
Nadia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that one. Guess I should be careful with what I said to you."
"At least we could improve our way of fighting when we faced the other teams."
"Right. Especially when we fought with Vermilion Petals. I'm sure you enjoyed it. Just look at how they blushed when you tripped them over." Nadia was all smile, but its nature belied her mask, exuding pricking jealousy.
"… They're girls, okay? Of course handling them roughly is out of question."
"Oh, really? So why did you kick me into the ground when we first met?"
Eclair sighed. She didn't want to question her savior's woman-magnet ability, but the way he threw soft finishing moves at those girls had left a different impression.
"Is it true that you want your hands had a little way to their bodies? They are young lasses in their blooming rush, after all."
'Crap. Why do they accuse me of being a creepy perv? On young girls, no less.'
"Did I look like that to you?" Suiryu tried his best to deflect it, sacrificing his little hype when the fighting teams unleashed some second-tier combined strikes. "Besides, Nadia, aren't you the one who wanted to get roughed up?"
The ladies shared a glance and turned their attention back toward the arena. Their boss had a point and they had no good denial. They had learned that he was actually a soft man, a flamboyant. The fact that he spared the thugs on the street was an enough proof. Nonetheless, as women he had drawn into his embrace, they couldn't shake off the biting envy when he knocked some girls younger than them down lightly.
"True, but well… it just looked unfair, you know." Nadia's eyes rolled at him.
"We might have built a deep bond, but I think we are afraid that you will keep on drawing ladies along the way, and we lose you." Eclair explained her worry, puffing her cheeks slightly.
"Oh."
Suiryu felt a sense of guilt welling up in his pit. He remembered the girls he went out with and ended up hurt because he didn't return their feelings. He was just a scum of an opportunist, a trash when it came to reciprocate their genuine affection. As the loud noise of the watchers rumbled in the background, he averted his gaze away up to the ceiling.
"What's wrong? You suddenly turn quiet." Nadia turned at him.
"… My bad." He placed his hands on their heads, tousling their hair comfortingly.
"Huh, boss?" "Lord Suiryu?"
"I… didn't mean to impress them or anything, but sorry. Before I knew it, I suddenly ended up with many girls around me. But thanks for reminding me. Guess my charm's too strong, just like how you charmed me."
The girls blushed. Even Nadia, who normally unfazed by him with such a talk, did. He probably really loved them. The bond they forged turned out to be deeper than it might seem, and he cared for them more than he could have expressed. They felt bad for poking him. It was just his nature that women easily fall for him.
The battle progressed as Dragon Fangs watched in silence. One by one, the fighters fell like withered leaves. The unmercifully prolonged battle finally revealed only two opposing people. They panted heavily, cuts marred their bodies. The fight had chipped away their strength, but the fire of vengeance for their fallen comrades was burning in their eyes.
The cheers of the spectators swallowed the epic declaration each man shouted. Nonetheless, it couldn't obscure their brave looks. The sight was an enough reminder of how far man's pride and resolve could bring them to a clash.
The fighters advanced, their swords crossed and they passed each other. They came to a stop a distance away, far from their starting point. A moment of silence passed like an eternity, only broken by the sound of spurting blood, gushing from their bodies. They fell almost at the same time.
"… That's one hell of an epic fight." Suiryu remarked, his voice barely heard as the spectators went wild.
"Marvelous…" Eclair applauded in excitement.
"Hmm, really?" Nadia hummed, then took a sip of her drink.
"The winner… It's a tie! Both fought to their last with almost equal effort!"
No one won and those men could have suffered such a debilitating injury, but their awesome battle would stay in the spectators' memory, most. At least these people over the bleachers were not a horde of bloodthirsty, battle-maniacs. They still applauded for the good show, not booing just because no one won.
"We're sure that you really enjoyed the match just now. So… Do you think this is the top of excitement we can offer?"
Snapped by the announcer's intrusive words, most spectators shouted their disagreement. They came here not for nothing. Some had placed their bets. Surely what they expected was not a parade of heroic falls. Their 'No' went louder as the announcer theatrically placed his palm behind his ear, rhetorically asking for a confirmation.
"Of course you don't! That's why, only this night! Yeah, only this night, there will be a special exhibition match! Featuring the last remaining three teams at once, and their opponent will be…."
"Nine guys joining in the fray and going straight to the final by fighting one enemy? What kind of rule is that?" Suiryu narrowed his eyes.
"This arena doesn't have any rule to begin with. If you have money to splurge on, you can make the fighter you want win the fight. Bring some cash and ask for it to the organizer, and they'll arrange it right away."
"That's messed up."
The stupidly unfair game aside, the way the announcer hung his words had hinted an omen. Suiryu frowned in displeasure, garnering Nadia's smile. She quaffed the last of her bottle and softly put it near her seat.
"So you know it's gonna be sticky?"
"It's been a while since my sense of danger goes off like this. But I feel like we'll be in a serious trouble."
Nadia nodded. Once again, her boss amazed her. She felt grateful that she worked under him.
"You're sharp. I'm afraid that we'll really be in deep trouble. This time."
"Do you know who is going to fight us?" Eclair probed.
"You'll find out soon."
"… Murdeeeeeer Pierroooooooot!"
The remaining fighters entered the arena. Three swordsmen, two lancers, a heavy warrior, a mage, a priest, and a rogue. Most of them stood firmly until a bizarre clacking sound struck their hearings.
In front of them, a figure in a hooded robe walked in, face hidden by a clown mask. One couldn't guess easily whether this clown was a man or woman, but from the gait, she was a woman. Walking at her sides were eerie-looking wooden marionettes, their joints clacking oddly with each movement.
"S-so this is the Murder Pierrot?"
"Shhh! She can hear you!" A swordsman silenced his mage friend.
Some of the party members eyed Murder Pierrot nervously. This clown had been famous as the fighter-wrecker around the capital for some weeks now, hence her appearance presaged a horrific end. They never thought those bastards of organizers would rig them with this monster.
Suiryu couldn't hide his perplexity at the sight. Rather than scared, he looked creeped out by it. The corners of his eyes twitched with each click of the dolls' joints. He gripped his spear, now taking the form of a glaive, as their off-looking opponent stood at a striking range.
"All fighters in place! Are you reaaaaadyyy?! FIGHT!"
The sound of a gong marked the start of the fight. The front-liners advanced forward altogether save Dragon Fangs'. Suiryu and Nadia stopped Eclair in place before she could launch a charge. They sent reproaching gaze at her as the other team attacked Murder Pierrot.
"… Why?" Eclair frowned in disapproval.
"[Spider Net]."
"Aahh!?" "– No!" "… What!?"
A chorus of shouts was the answer. Eclair widened her eyes when transparent threads bound the attackers. Like insects ensnared by spider's web, they struggled to break free, but their resistance was futile. Though their bodies finally could escape, their weapons remained glued. To make matters worse, the dolls began to move, answering their master's bidding. The fighters could only curse and yell as the marionettes closed in on them, blades in hands.
Suiryu whipped his gaze toward Nadia. She nodded, signaling him to switch to offensive. He swung his glaive aside, reassessing the situation and fixing the targets.
"Let's move!"
Dragon Fangs bolted forward. Eclair and Nadia aimed their weapons at the dolls, sprinting. Suiryu, skipping with some leaps, went for the controller.
"[Bind Wire]."
Threads burst forth from the dolls. Knowing their adhesive nature, Suiryu widened his eyes.
"Don't swing your weapons!" Suiryu shouted.
The ladies evaded the threads in their run. More threads shot at them, but Suiryu smashed the ground with a stomp and kicked the soil chunks consecutively to impede them. The earthen projectiles blasted toward Murder Pierrot and her dolls at a blinding speed. Her dolls received hits, one got mangled beyond repair while the other lost an arm and staggered to the ground.
"–tect me."
Suiryu's attack left no time to cast any counter spells, but before one could crash her, she moved her hands in a weaving motion. Threads wrapped her, forming a cocoon that protected her from the devastating impact. She bounced away from the crashing rock and fell with a harmless thud.
"He used the earth again?"
"… I-it's not magic."
The heavy warrior remarked in exasperation as he finally managed to yank his battle ax with the help of the mage. Their leader, a guy with a saber followed soon. He glared at the cocoon that unwrapped itself from the bundle of strings, revealing unscathed Murder Pierrot.
"Greg, finish the last doll! Eysen, burn the binding strings!"
"Roger that!"
"Leave it to me!" The mage started her incantation. "… [Zweite Fire Blast]!"
As the mage burned the threads to free the fighters, Murder Pierrot outstretched her arms. Threads gathered and weaved before her palms. Occupied by nothing, Suiryu focused his attention at the way she launched her next attack.
" – won't let y–. [Spider Net].
A series of nets hurled down toward the fighters, but a violent gust blew them away. Nadia whistled as she saw Suiryu used the wind from his kick, an insane trick she had taken note of.
"Well, those are quite troublesome attacks you threw."
He exclaimed and lowered his leg, finding himself back-to-back with an effeminate, rabbit-eared, young rogue. The rogue got flustered as he raised his daggers chest-level with back-handed grip.
"Hey, you're really fast. Dodging those threads isn't easy."
"Ehehe… I guess. But you're way cooler, mister! You broke the doll wi–!"
"Save that praise for later." Suiryu winked and shoved the boy away.
"–Uohh!"
The remaining doll shot needles at them. Suiryu spun his glaive to deflect them. When the rogue regained his bearing and noticed the needles scattered near Suiryu, he shivered.
"Slane, are you hurt?" His party leader came over with the priestess in ready.
"Mordo, Ava… N-no. I'm all right."
"Good. Let's help those guys!"
"Right!"
The youngsters ran forth, aiming for the doll and Murder Pierrot. They still had high hopes that together, they could bring down the terror that had rampaged around the arenas and restore the balance.
"[Paralyzing Needles]."
Right when they were passing the broken doll, it exploded and shot needles at them, pricking their skins.
"GaaH!" "Owow!" "Eeek!"
Slane, the rabbit rogue, and his teammates fell to the ground, twitching. They gritted their teeth as Murder Pierrot kept on shooting threads at the fighters. Greg's team that had just escaped the binding soon got tangled once again and paralyzed. Their only hope now was Dragon Fangs.
"Oooh! Looks like Murder Pierrot has many tricks up her sleeve! Her dolls truly are amazing, as expected from a puppet-master! And… it seems like Flaamberge and South Breeze are out. Now… Let's see until how long the Fangs of the freakish dragon can contend with the mad clown!"
"Damn. Using a trap? That's dirty." Suiryu spat, staring at Murder Pierrot in scrutiny, then at her one-armed doll. "And don't call us freakish dragon."
Nadia and Eclair regrouped with him as soon as their fellow fighters were restrained tightly. Saving them wasn't an option. Fighting with Murder Pierrot was their only choice, which was better since they wouldn't mind about the distractions anymore.
"Never thought it'll be this sticky, right boss?"
"Yeah. Can we end this quickly? I wanna have the prize money sooner." He huffed.
Through his observation, Suiryu noted that Murder Pierrot had turned wary after he broke most of her attacks. At the moment, she might be devising a plan to constrain him. He was aware that he was never a strategist, but should it come when the foe is a schemer, he would deal with them with whatever in his store.
"Okay, Nadia, Claire, I need your help." He glanced at Murder Pierrot who turned passive near the edge of the arena. "But first, do you know why I feel like my body turns heavier by the seconds?"
"Let's say that some people don't really like us. And they cast debuff magic on us." Nadia answered as her eyes wandered toward the bleachers innocently.
"Cause they don't want us to win?"
"Yeah."
"Magic, huh? And why didn't you tell us earlier?"
"I forgot. Sorry." The orca smiled apologetically.
Eclair clicked her tongue while Suiryu sighed. He felt like Nadia's unreliability in that part was a fair price for the enjoyment he got from her company. He was already greedy, but he couldn't ask for more. Now, he should use his brain more often than he used to.
"I see. Guess that's a problem we must left. Let's just get this over with and grab the coins." He inhaled deeply and let out his breath. "Okay, this doesn't sound cool at all, but I want you to destroy that doll."
"Isn't that our initial plan?" Eclair asked.
"It is, but I think I need a more dangerous shot. Since we're turning slower, running without being caught by her strings is difficult, so I'll launch you with the swing of my spear. How does it sound?"
"That…?" Eclair knitted her brow in doubt.
Nadia tapped her chin in thought and nodded. "I think that will work. I'll cast some thunderbolts to distract her before you launch us."
A look of surprise graced Eclair's face. If Nadia, a warrior above her league, concurred with her savior, his plan would likely yield victory.
"I see. If that is your choice, then I will believe it, Lord Ryu."
"All right. Now get ready!" Suiryu spun his glaive, switching it with the steel halberd. "After I launch you, I'll catch up with you."
"Ooh! His weapon changed into a halberd! Is that a gimmick of the Dragon Fangs boss' spear? And why does he place it close to the ground? What are they planning, actually?!"
"… Just shut up already." Suiryu spoke under his breath, and turned at Nadia. "Lightning?"
Nadia nodded and waved her bident, pointing it at Murder Pierrot. She smiled, wondering what outcome she would see the moment he mounted his strike. From the tip of her bident, a bluish magical circle appeared as her MP bar decreased.
"As the source of thy power, I command thee! Bring unto me lightning! Smite my enemy! [Zweite Thunder Bolts]!"
Electric whips lashed at Murder Pierrot. She moved backwards and several layers of nets sprang out to block the thunderbolts. Although burned, they managed to disperse the lightnings, but the thread barrier produced a blinding light burst that disoriented her. She lost focus of her surroundings completely.
"Now!"
Suiryu shouted and lauched Eclair, followed by Nadia merely two seconds apart. They flew toward the burned barrier and burst straight for the last doll. Eclair raised her claymore while Nadia pointed her bident. Their weapons landed on their mark almost at the same moment, the claymore crushing the chest while the bident tore through the abdomen. They skidded and broke the remnant of the doll.
The clown still tried to focus her bleary vision, but the moment she regained it, a crashing sound struck her ears. There, she found her last guardian had been torn apart by two women, now turning at her not long after their landing.
"[Bind Wire]."
She cast her magic to restrain the attackers. They were ensnared without resistance, but both women showed expressions of relief and glee, the blush-haired smiling, the raven one smirking. A sense of impending dread suddenly loomed over her. When she finally spotted its source, a huge fist had been flying towards her.
冥躰震虎拳
"[Void Shivering Tiger Fist]!"
"Burst forth!"
"Huh?"
Suiryu's fist met with a foreign metal object that was as long as Murder Pierrot herself. She held it with her hands, but the despicable force of his punch pushed her mercilessly. It flung her with the might of a charging beast, leaving a sonic boom in its wake.
"KYAAAHH!"
A genuine girlish scream followed as Murder Pierrot flew towards the arena wall and crashed into it. The impact left a cobweb cracks in the wall. As she slid down and jerked in pain, her hood and clown mask fell, revealing a youthful face of a mid-teen girl. Her teary silver eyes stared hollowly at her foes as dust and debris dirtied her silver hair.
"– He is too… –ng…" She passed out.
"… Now…! Now! We finally have a winner for this exhibition match! The winner is, Dragon Fangs! Snatching all victories with a smashing finisher!"
The whole stadium exploded in cheers. They praised the name of the new fighters who offered such a hyping battle. As the rumble of their shouts and claps went on almost ceaselessly, Suiryu put on a blank look. He gazed at the ruble where the girl he punched was lying on. The ladies soon came over him, but his face didn't change.
"Yay, boss! That's so cooool~!"
"Lord Ryu, a victory for us!" Eclair paused and cocked her head in confusion. "Is something wrong?"
Suiryu turned at them. He glanced at his right fist and sighed deeply.
"This is tasteless."
"How so?" Nadia quirked a brow. "We win, right?"
"True. But you see, I hit a girl." He diverted his gaze at the place Murder Pierrot lied unconscious, stadium healers soon ran over her and loaded her into a stretcher.
"… Ah, that. Yeah…" Nadia's smile went stiff. "I guess that's quite savage of you."
"Yeah."
Author's Note
Hmm… The underground fight, suddenly.
Tate no Yuusha Volume 10 is all right, and I enjoyed it. The problem is, the repetition of Naofumi exclaiming that he is still under the curse kinda annoying. Still, it's the volume where Sadeena finally appears. And S'yne, too.
So, yes. Suiryu punches the Sewing Set Hero. She's strong in her own right, true. But against people with S-class hero qualifications from One Punch Man universe, she's most likely got stomped, hard into the curb.
Does this mean S'yne will join Suiryu? Find out in the next update. :-D
Thanks for the visit. See you again in the next one. ;-)