60-Episode 56: Rejection of the Strongest Onmyoji





 The rest of the game had to be postponed until the next day to clean up the huge amount of mud I had created.
 The booing from the audience was terrible, and I felt a little sorry for that.

 And the next day, I was alone in the audience.
 I was looking down on the stage alone in the audience.
 Amu and Yifa were gone. My game wasn't there, so I left them at the inn.
 Today is Kyle's third game, too.
 Aside from Amu, I was sorry to let Yifa see any more of that match.

 As for the key match.
 Mabel had won without danger against the big, brazen spearman.
 As for Reynas' match, this one seemed to have been abandoned by the other player. They must have seen the difference in strength. There's no point in taking on a match that you can't win.

 And.
 The one standing on the stage right now is Kyle.

''........''

 However, the opposing players never show up.
 The MC has nothing to say anymore, and it's getting quiet, and the crowd around him is starting to get annoyed.
 They're getting scared and running away. In this atmosphere, Kyle is still standing alone on the stage with a face as emotionless as ever.

 Hmm, it looks like this match is going to be gone after Reynas........

''Seika Lamprog.''

 Suddenly, he was approached by a side hand.
 When I turned my head, I saw Mabel there.

 She didn't have a two-handed sword, as if she had left it somewhere.
 Her cool demeanor doesn't look like she's finished with the fight just a few minutes ago.

 I smiled at her.

Hey, congratulations. Hey, congratulations, you're coming through. But we're not going to lose in the semifinals tomorrow.
Abstain.

 Mabel tells me shortly.
 After a short silence, I ask back.

"Why?
This isn't the convention you think it is.
I don't know what my idea of a tournament is, but I hate it. If you want to get to the finals, you have to play fair.
I know you're strong.

 I keep my mouth shut at Mabel's words.
 The girl continues, "You're much stronger than you've ever been.

"You are so much stronger than the others. So we may not be able to take it easy.
....
I can't afford to lose. Please, I'm begging you. You don't want to die, do you?

 I'm quiet for a moment, then I lift my mouth up and say, "No.

"No.
....
If you're not sure you can beat me, just say so. Still, I'm not going to give it up.
Don't be silly. You're....

 At that moment, the MC's voice echoed throughout the arena.

'Well, after deliberation, it seems that it has been decided that Zagan will be disqualified. Therefore.........Kyle, uncontested! We've been selected to advance to the semifinals!

 Heavy boos erupt from the crowd.
 It's not surprising. I'm paying the admission fee and they've cancelled two games.

 Kyle turns on his heel and leaves the stage.
 I look to the side.
 Mabel was looking at the scene with a relieved expression on her face.

 I wondered.
 She said something about going easy on herself, and maybe she doesn't want the match to be a life-and-death exchange, but it's a bit tricky.

 Mabel noticed my gaze and said in a bit of a panic, "Anyway, you have to abstain.

Anyway, you have to abstain. I don't know why the academy sent you to do this, but...
Seika?

 I looked back at the familiar voice.
 Sure enough, there was Amu there.

 He has a surprised look on his face.

'I didn't expect to find you in this crowd........ Oh, there were new students there too.''

 Then he smiled wryly.

'I heard you won the third round too. You're good. But he's pretty strong too.

 Mabel stared hatefully at Amu, then.
 She is silent, turns away and leaves.

 I think as I watch her disappear into the crowd.
 I've been told to abstain because I was ordered to win after all.
 From the academy and even higher up.

"Um, Seika-sama...

 Yuki asks me in a whisper in my ear.

'About that story you told me earlier........you don't mean to beat that girl too?
No,

 I deny it in a whisper.
 I'm going to lose to Mabel, as planned. I'm not going to interfere with her mission.

 She abstained because I wanted to join forces with her.
 I'm interested in the way she fights. I'd like to see a few more hands.
 And when I was satisfied, I was going to go out of the room for good.

Seika?
What?

 When I rush to reply, Amu says with half an eye.

'What are you just standing there in a daze? Hey, what's your game now? There's a lot of buzz around.
''Uh ... actually, the second knight and the evil-eyed one were unsuccessful. The only game that was played today was the Mabel match.
'Really? Nah.....

 Amu mutters ruefully.

'I mean, why is Amu here? He should be at the inn.
I'm still concerned about the game. I left Eefa and left her out. I didn't want her to go out with me.
Yeah. It's a shame you had to come all this way.
Well, all right. Can we go home? Tomorrow you and the freshmen have the semifinals...

 Then.
 The host's voice echoed through the arena again.

''Ladies and gentlemen! Good news! As both Reynas and Kyle were unsuccessful in the third round, it has been decided that both players will now compete in the semi-finals today!

 The buzz in the hall grew louder. There were cheers in some places.
 The plan was to hold the semifinals and the final tomorrow, but...maybe the management has decided that it's not good for the show to cancel two games in one day. Another match was just postponed yesterday because of me.

It's a stroke of luck. If I hadn't been here today, I wouldn't have seen this card.

 Amu muttered and turned his attention to the stage below.
 I feel sorry for the guy who was going to come tomorrow but I'm grateful that I get to watch this semifinal first.

Then, let the players enter! The handsome magic knight who uses the four attributes, Reynas Caverns!

 Amidst the cheers, a man in light metal armor, Yuu-man, wearing light metal armor, walks up to the stage with a wave of his hand.

 Even though his opponent is Kyle, he doesn't abstain.
 In other words, I wonder if there is some plan to counter the evil eye.

''Followed by - the slaughterer of this competition! 'Evil-eyed swordsman Kylie!

 A ghostly boy quietly walks onto the stage.
 In his right hand is a drawn sword. It's no different than any other match I've ever seen.

 The auditorium naturally goes silent.

The first match of the semifinals, the semifinal of the tournament, is about to begin. Let the match begin!

 With the voice of the host, a whistle sounded.

 The boy looked up from his slumped face and looked at the young knight with his red left eye.
 However.
 Before the evil eye could take effect, Reynas had already begun chanting.

''Radiant light is white! Spirit of Mercy and Protection, grant me a clear body light to resist the gaze of death.

 As soon as the chanting ended, the knight's body was momentarily covered in a faint light.
 Amu shouted in surprise next to him.

''Evil eye resistance support magic (buff)! That knight could even use the light attribute!

 While the boy's evil eyes stared at him, the five-attribute user Reynas leisurely drew his sword and swung it.

''Haha! You see, boy? Your eyes don't work anymore, do they? Do you want to give up? Or do you want to have a sword fight with me?

 Lightly, Reynas raised his voice.

 Kyle didn't answer.
 Instead, he just took a step forward.

 One step, then another.
 Lowering his drawn sword slackly and looking at the knight with an ineffective evil eye, Kyle quietly closed the distance between him and the enemy.
 There is no emotion floating on his face.
 Like a ghost, he simply walks forward.

 At the sight of this, Reynas pointed the tip of his staff sword as if he was pressured.

''Wha, fireball!

 The fireball that was generated attacked the boy.
 Kyle didn't even resist the attack.

''........What?''

 A boy appears, cracking the flames.
 There's no sign of burning on his hair or clothes, let alone his skin.

"Tch, fireball! Fireball!

 A series of fireballs are fired at him.
 Kyle doesn't even make a pretense of resistance, but he walks on without suffering a single burn.

 Amu mutters next to him.

''........what is that. Does that mean the amulet is working?
'No that would have destroyed itself long ago, emitting sound and light.
But they're all bathed in magic like that?
'It's a reaction to the damage done by the holder. So....

 It means that Kyle has received very little damage from the fireball.

'What the hell are you...! Windlance! Icicle Lance! Rock Blast!

 Reynas unleashed a gusty blade of wind, a spear of ice, and a shell of rock.
 Kyle takes them all.
 A gust of wind slammed into the boy's body, and the ice and rock collided and shattered.
 Even to the numerous magic........Kyle didn't even react.
 Unharmed, he simply walked on.
 The footprints were ------ carved into the ground unnaturally deep.

 Strong durability that prevented not only physical attacks, but even combustion, and extended to clothes and hair.
 There is only one way to achieve such a thing, there is only one thing in mind.

 The same as Mabel's, gravity magic.

''What do you mean by that? Kyle, you don't let the magic get to you at all! It was thought that the evil eye was sealed and I was in big trouble, but I had a huge secret hand!

d*mn it...!

 Reynas suddenly thrust his staff sword into the ground and began to chant a spell.
 Then the soil bobbed and deformed, and a rock puppet rose up from it.
 They were smaller than people in size, but there were more of them. As they watched, the rock dolls sprang up one by one from the soil on the stage.

 Amu says again in surprise.

''You're making such a number of golems in this place! That knight is pretty good....

 Reynas looked pained, as if he was indeed worn out.
 But there was a smile on his mouth.

''You seem quite sturdy. But is that enough to take on a golem.......!

 The golems of Reynas begin to walk in unison.
 Indeed, if they could be held back in numbers, they might be able to block their movements.

 Kyle was the first to stop.
 Then a strange thing happened.

 The boy's shadow suddenly began to growl and groan.
 Then, for a moment, it became circular, and then a large number of thin, thorny shadows shot out of it like spines. They stretched out at a furious pace, each one rushing towards the golem.
 The shadows that had been crawling on the ground, as they closed in on the rock doll, suddenly reared their sickle necks like snakes and pierced its body with their sharp tips. The golem stitched in the air became unable to move and was incapacitated one by one.

''Dark attribute shadow magic........That Kyle, with his evil eye, he could also use ordinary magic.

 Amu muttered, wondering if he knew about it after hearing about it in class.

 Kyle's shadow magic was next, followed by Reynas himself.
 Sharp shadows that jumped out of the ground and attacked hard.
 But the young knight ducked it with his brilliant body language.
 Was the golem a decoy from the start? With such a staggered move that it seems so, Reynas instantly closes the distance between him and Kyle.
 Then he raised his sword at the boy who was in between, and raised his sword.

 Good, he thought.
 Perhaps Kyle's body, which is super-heavy with magic, would even play the sword. But if he could stop it in a jiffy, he could win the judges' decision.

 The only remaining thin winning line.
 But----then Raynas's movement stopped.

 The young knight froze with an astonished look on his face as he swung his sword.
 The audience was also throbbing.

 He could win if he thrust his sword at them, but there was no sign of him moving.
 No ------ they can't move.
 Carefully looking at the stage, one of Kyle's shadows had entered the shadow of Reynas.

 That was........a curse.
 Probably redefining the opponent's shadow as a related object of the main body and stabbing his own shadow to block its movement. It's similar to driving a nail into a straw doll.

 The boy looks up and stares at the knight, who is taller than him.
 There was still no emotion to be found there. Not even a killing intent.
 Kyle raises his drawn sword.
 At the prospect of death, the crowd showed signs of excitement.

 At that time...

 The whistle for the end of the game sounded.

'Oops! The judges have declared the winner here by way of a decision! The winner is Kyle, the Evil Eye Swordsman! We are through to the finals with flying colors!

 The boy almost lifted his sword.
 Surprisingly, he lowered the blade with an open mind.

 Wordlessly, he turned on his heel and left the stage.
 As the boy's shadow returned to its owner, Reynas fell back down as if he had been hunched over.

 The crowd was quiet in the audience, though it wasn't easy to see the match.
 It must have been overwhelming.
 Either by its content or by the unfathomable spirit that Kyle possessed.

 The MC's voice echoed through the arena.

'That was a tremendous match! All that's left is the second semifinal game tomorrow, and then the final! You definitely can't miss out on how the memorable first Imperial City General Martial Arts Tournament will end!''