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435 p3. Noble Faction and New School Year [8]

 

About 15 minutes later, Ria’s condition finally calmed down.

「I never thought something like this would happen… I’m really, really sorry…」

She has a stronger sense of responsibility than anyone else, and she lowered her head deeply while biting her lips.

「It’s okay, don’t worry about it.」

「It’s just as Sie says. We held back Allen-kun from victory in last year’s Sword King Festival, after all!」

「There is no need to worry about it, though.」

The president, Lilim-senpai, and Ferris-senpai gave her warm words, but…

「But because of me…」

Ria, driven by her remorse, clenched her fists hard.

Rose patted her back.

「Don’t worry. You have nothing to fear about.」

「…Rose?」

「The Vice-General match and the General match is after this. There is no way Allen and I will lose, right?」

She uttered reassuring words with a fearless smile.

■

「Well, there were some unexpected incidents, but let’s pull ourselves together. From here on, it’s the Vice-General match! The match between Thousand Blade Rose Valencia and Imperial Academy Maddy Malm will begin!」

As the commentator picked up the microphone again, the audience erupted in cheers.

「Rose of Thousand Blade Academy is the legitimate successor to the famous Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style! A super-skilled swordswoman who overwhelms her opponents with her sharpened swordsmanship! Maddy, on the other hand, possesses full mastership of also a famous school, the Citrus Sword-Style! A power-type swordswoman who overwhelms opponents with overwhelming power!」

While listening to the enthusiastic introductions of the contestants, Rose and Maddy went up to the stage, and sparks flew as their gazes met.

(…She is the Vice-General of the Imperial Academy, Maddy Malm, huh…)

Maddy Malm.

She’s about 170 cm tall. Her beautiful, translucent, long blond hair is tied behind her back with a Citrus-like barrette.

She is a beautiful girl with pure white skin who is characterized by her big amber eyes and a somewhat strong-looking face. She has a very good figure with her big breasts, slim waist, and slender limbs.

She wears a pure white shirt and a red tie on her chest. She has a beige cardigan wrapped around her waist and a black miniskirt underneath, wearing the girls uniform of Imperial Academy.

According to the president’s scouting report, she’s… “A swordsman who stands out from the rest at Imperial Academy, the number two swordsman following Shin Rex.”

「Are you both ready? Then – Begin!」

As soon as the match started, Rose manifested her soul dress.

「Dye -〈Winter Sakura〉.」

A large cherry tree appeared behind her, and a blizzard of sakura petals fluttered down.

「Feew… That’s a beautiful ability.」

Maddy looked at the brightly colored sakura blossom petals and whistled to express her impression.

Rose, on the other hand,

「My soul dress is〈Winter Sakura〉. It gives the user a huge amount of spiritual power until the sakura tree behind me withers. In short, it’s a simple strengthening-type soul dress.」

I don’t know why, but she revealed her own abilities.

Maddy narrowed her eyes in disgust.

「Hey biatch… Are you underestimating me by revealing your own abilities?」

「Don’t get me wrong, this is just my style. A swordsman’s match is a serious match. It just didn’t feel right to me when I’m the only one who knows my opponent’s information.」

Rose wanted a fair and serious duel.

How should I put it… It’s just her way of doing things.

「Hmm, so you just want to be fair…. Okay, then. You’re the type I like.」

As Maddy smiled, her enormous spiritual power surged out.

「Fragrant -〈Blooming Citrus〉!」

The next moment, a pure white sword appeared as if ripping open the space.

At the same time, a huge citrus tree rose behind Maddy. From the green and lush tree, I could feel a tremendous breath of life―an enormous wave of spiritual power.

「My soul dress is〈Blooming Citrus〉! I think you already know, but it’s an ultra pure-strengthening type!」

As soon as Maddy openly revealed her own abilities, she ran straight for Rose.

「Citrus Style – Yuzu Cut!」

The white blade, with Maddy’s entire weight on it, was swung down.

No feints or tactics, just a powerful overhead slash.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Evening Sakura!」

A similar sakura slash with full body weight on it met Maddy’s attack from the front.

The collision between the full blows created a violent shock wave, and both their spiritual powers blew through the entire venue.

「Haha, this is nice!! My opponent is not losing in strength to me!」

「Same goes for… you!」

At the same time as Rose said so, she stepped strongly on the stone stage and used her repulsive force to push Maddy back.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Consecutive Sakura Flash!」

Not missing the chance of the opponent’s landing, Rose immediately launched a series of ferocious attacks.

A storm of thrusts aimed at her opponent’s vital points, such as the neck, armpits, and thighs.

「Too naive! Citrus Style – Kumquat Circle!」

All of Rose’s attacks were shot down with an arc-like slash.

After that, the battle between the pure strengthening-types became extremely fierce.

「HAAAAAAAAAAA!」

「URAAAAAAAAAA!」

Sakura and White – the two colors of sword flashes collided over and over again, scattering bright sparks in the sky.

(What a fierce sword fight…)

Every swing literally contains all their might.

Full body weight, full arm strength, full leg strength, serious slashes that mobilized all of their body flew like rain, carving fresh lacerations on each other’s bodies.

Immediately after that, however, due to the strengthening abilities of〈Winter Sakura〉and〈Blooming Citrus〉, they were completely healed in an instant. Without resting, they slashed at the opponent in front of them.

A deadly battle where even a blink of the eye can be of advantage to the opponent.

At the moment, they were evenly matched in terms of simple muscle strength.

Maddy’s power output was slightly superior.

When it comes to swordsmanship, however, Rose was far ahead.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Lightning Sakura!」

「Guh… you… Citrus Style – Hassaku Thrust!」

Maddy received a slash as sharp as lightning on her shoulder, bit down the pain by gritting her teeth, and counterattacked with a series of ferocious thrusts.

With her quick steps, Rose completely dodged all of them.

「Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style – Sakura Flash!」

Avoiding attacks with the minimum amount of movement required, Rose hit a counter with very little opening.

Reading the enemy’s breathing, reading their thoughts, and reading the sword ahead.

The “Sword of Actual Combat” , Sakura Blossom One-Sword Style, was demonstrating its true value.

(As expected of Rose…)

After training with Bacchus-san, Rose Valencia’s sword had risen to even greater heights.

「Damnit…」

Maddy, who was wounded, drew spiritual power from〈Blooming Citrus〉and instantly recovered completely.

However,

(…It’s getting a little slower.)

Maddy’s healing speed had slowed slightly compared to when the battle started.

The essence of a strengthening-type is “strengthening”, and “recovery” is just a secondary effect.

It’s the same with my darkness. Using the healing power requires far more spiritual power than strengthening.

Rose, who can freely control offense and defense, vs Maddy, who rushes in straight with power.

It goes without saying which one took more damage and which healed more often.

「You’re called Rose, right… You’re really strong…」

「I can say the same for you.」

Rose and Madddy praised each other’s swordsmanship while maintaining a sufficient distance.

Two female swordswomen of the same age and of the same type must have found something in common.

(We can do it. We can do this! Plenty of〈Winter Sakura〉petals remain. The duration of soul dress is fine too! If nothing goes wrong… We’ll win!)

As soon as I clenched my fist so, the atmosphere surrounding Maddy changed.

「…Haa, I was keeping this a secret in order to beat that idiot Shin… but no choice, I guess. I didn’t expect to meet such a good swordsman.」

Saying that, she thrust her Soul Dress〈Blooming Citrus〉into the stone stage.

In the next moment, an explosive spiritual power that cannot be compared with anything up until now erupted.

(…No way…)

This feeling is unmistakable.

But that’s impossible.

Because that… that power…

「Follow the heavenly path, eat the spiritual fruit, and get drunk with the fragrance of Eternity -〈Citrus〉!」

Responding to Maddy’s cry, the blooming citrus tree behind her blossomed into full bloom.

Strong branches and trunk grew while erecting noises, fresh greenery sprouted, and beautiful five petal white flowers bloomed―the large tree bore plump fruits all over.

(The『True Soul Dress』of a strengthening-type…)

The spiritual power emanating from the large Citrus tree was truly “out of the norm”.

Looking at the simple output alone, it would probably surpass even Von’s true soul dress.

Abilities that belong to a strengthening-type do not have the ability to kill at first glance, but they greatly improve basic specs such as spiritual power, physical strength, and reflexes. If it’s a head-on sword fight or a simple spiritual power match, it’s the strongest-type of power.

(As expected of the Vice-General of the Imperial Academy…)

It’s completely unexpected that she has even mastered the True Soul Dress.