And then it was time for the semifinals.
　The MC announced on a high note.

Now, Seika's opponent will be Mabel Crane, who is also recommended by Magical Academy.

　I look at Mabel as she walks on stage and smile lightly.

"So that's what you're getting at, Mabel.

'Oops, Mabel, he's changing weapons!　This is a huge battle axe!

　Mabel, who carries a double-edged battle axe nearly twice her height if you include the handle, is standing in front of me.

"Pretending to be brave is over.

　Mabel tells me, holding up her battle axe.

　I'm not sure how heavy that thing is.
　I'm surprised it's able to be grasped or even lifted without magic.

　I look at Mabel and say, "I'm going to have to abstain from the semifinals.

I didn't want to quit the semifinals because I wanted to see how you fared in the tournament. I knew there was something more to come, but I'm glad we talked yesterday.

　Mabel frowns.

'Underestimating?　For the record, I'm still going to win you over.
I didn't have a clue.

　I laugh and say, "You know what?

"Just a fair assessment of merit,
I can't believe that you're so strong. A child of a nobleman, who has lived in peace, can't possibly defeat me.

Although they are both students at the school, they are complete opposites!　Second semi-final, who will win the second game!　Let the game begin...

　A whistle rang out.

''Ha!''

　At the same time, Mabel kicks the ground.
　She raises her battle-axe and gets me in between them in an instant.

　A heavy blade swung down.
　But it's not fast and its trajectory is easy to read.

　I avoid it with room to spare.
　The battle axe is struck belatedly to the left side of it.

　But the next moment.......the ground beneath my feet jumped up.

"Whaaaaat?

　Looking down, what looked like stone material was exposed along with the soil that had flown up.
　Apparently, the strike just now smashed the stone material that had been laid underneath the soil as the foundation of the stage.
　What kind of power.

　To the place where my stance has collapsed, the battle axe of the side cleave attacks.
　I had no choice but to dodge it by shifting. But he had read the destination of the replacement. I'm going to be able to avoid the blade as it strikes again, this time bending down to avoid it.

　I'm not going to be able to get a good idea of what I'm talking about.
　Perhaps they are extremely light when they swing it around. Mabel herself is hardly moving with the recoil.

　This makes it easier to aim.

　I run around and send the Hitogata to the stone that had just appeared on the ground.
　Then I make a sign with one hand.

The Phase of Sun - The Art of Power

　Kinetic energy was added to the stone and shot out to Mabel.
　The battle axe was just cut back. Not in time to use it for defense.

　It was a strange thing for her to deal with.
　The momentum of the battle axe that was supposed to be wielded suddenly weakened. Then, as if the recoil had just been felt, Mabel was swung around significantly. The stone material that missed its aim cut through the sky and shattered on the pillars supporting the spectator seats.

''........Interesting.''

　He muttered to himself.
　Mabel had now put the weight of the battle axe back on.
　If the weight of the weapon changes, the center of gravity changes when the weapon and the user are viewed as a single object. If the center of gravity changes, the center of rotational motion shifts. You'll be swinging from the battle axe to Mabel's side.

　Mabel, who was able to keep her distance from me, threw a sword on a low trajectory.
　When I jumped back and ducked, the thin blades shot out one after another into the ground. I'm not sure if a considerable amount of weight was given to it, but the impact drilled a cone-shaped hole in the ground, and dust fluttered up in a loud dance.

　I squinted at Mabel in my worsened vision.
　It may have been a check on the chase, but the other side let go of one hand from the battle-axe as it fired a throwing sword.

《Wood Phase-----The Art of Vine Binding

　A vine grows up from underneath Mabel's feet.
　I don't have a dagger with me today. It's too late to wield a battle axe now. I wonder if this...

This stuff!

　Mabel waved her hand to the side.
　With that, a few vines were ripped off in one go, as if they had been ripped off by a club.

　I couldn't help but laugh.

'....yes.

　Nice.
　After all, her previous matches seem to have been a good place to start.
　Well, I guess I'll be happy to see this much.

　The original plan was to lose here.
　Now I have to win.
　And I said I'd win in good time. I'll have to finish it quickly.

　Mabel is closing the distance again, and her side-leave battle axe is closing in.
　I activated my jutsu using the invisible Hitogata that I had secretly attached to the belly of the blade as a starting point.

The phase of sunshine - the art of falling fruit.

　The weight of the battle axe increases to a thousand times in one fell swoop.

''Huh?''

　The center of gravity is forcibly shifted, and Mabel is jerked around a lot.
　As her stance collapses, I make another move.

The Phases of Mercury (wood and gold) - the Mercury Vine Binding Technique.

　Faintly blackened vines erupt from the ground.

'Same move!'

　Mabel waved her arms again.
　But the vines didn't tear off this time.
　It wrapped around the arm it touched, blocking its movement, and then the other vines wrapped around her whole body, tying her up.

　Mabel let out a bitter cry.
　The battle axe fell from her hand.

''Why..........''
This is a mercury-filled vine. It's a lot heavier than regular ones.

　Even so, if he had given his all, he might have been torn off, but he had already shown Mabel the 《Vine Binding》 twice.
　He was probably caught off guard because he knew that he was halfway there.

''This much........!

　Mabel grabbed the vine that tightened around her with her only free left hand.
　Then the entire woody vine begins to creak.
　It may have been given tremendous weight, but the tissue breaks down in places and the red sap of the mercury compound begins to leak.

　This won't hold for long.
　I pick up the hilt of the battle-axe that Mabel had removed, and the girl who saw it looks at me.

　The girl sees it and glares at me.

"Oh you're not going to lift it.
It will lift.

The Art of Floating Leaves, the Phase of Yin.

　The weight disappears from the battle axe.
　He swings it with one arm with a flourish.
　He thrust his blade into the captive girl's neck with a snap.

　Mabel's expression distorts.

''You can't even scratch me with such a light axe.
I'm not going to hurt you.

　He smiles and tells her, "I just have to win the game.

'I just need to win the game.

　Then....
　The whistle for the end of the match rang out.

The referee has made a final decision here!　What a surprise!　It looked like Mabel was dominating in the beginning, but it's all been overturned!　No, it was in his hands all along!　'Prodigy Seika Lamprog, you are in the final!

　I exhaled and threw the battle-axe behind me.
　The magic-unlocked battle-axe spun around in the air and then thudded into the ground with a thud.

　I tried to imitate what Reynas tried to do at the end yesterday, and it seems to have worked.

'I'll leave Kyle to you,'

　I tell Mabel, who slumps to the ground in the center of the rotting vine.

"You're all right. You should get some rest.