He was coming… But even after Zaraki transformed into something not human right before their eyes and exuded pressure, the combat miko prepared for battle, almost unconsciously.
They were clad in their miko outfits, their magic energy swelled, and they took formation to keep Yui out of it.
“He’s coming, Raiha!”
“I know!!”
Raiha took a shikigami from her pocket and infused it with lightning, and Setsuna released a wind arrow from her bow. It was an exceptional combo, that was unleashed on Zaraki.
But Zaraki remained composed in the face of this lightning and wind attack. He raised his arms suddenly, and this movement created an intense windstorm.
“Wha…!?”
“Lukewarm attack. There’s nothing else to say.”
The windstorm blew away the shikigami, and the wind arrow disappeared in it.
Raiha and Setsuna were shocked to see their attack being blocked so easily, but Sakura swung her naginata, having used their attacks as an opportunity to draw closer.
“Secret technique ・ Waterfall Dance!! Seyaa!!”
She jumped high, and swung down from above Zaraki.
She was using the weight and centrifugal force of her weapon, and the momentum of the water being sprayed to swing at his head, but… Zaraki blocked the blade with his left arm.
“M-my attack was so casually…!?”
“Like I said, lukewarm. Young lady!!”
Zaraki stretched his arm, grabbed the handle of the naginata that was blocked by scales, and swung it hard.
Sakura could not brace in mid air, and was swung around with it. And after Zaraki let go, she was thrown away hard and hit the rock face.
“Gah, ha…!”
“Sakura!!”
She spat blood after being unable to reduce the damage, and Raiha yelled as she gasped.
Setsuna felt it was dangerous to let Zaraki follow it up with another attack, and moved almost reflexively, approaching him while releasing more arrows.
“Ahhhhhhhhh!!”
“Don’t bother, it’s pointless. Your arrows aren’t gonna reach me.”
Wind arrows fell like rain, but they were swallowed and erased by Zaraki’s wind.
But she was aware this would happen, and she had a plan.
(That wind won’t let my arrows reach him, but…!!)
It was a pure difference in magic energy. Setsuna’s arrows lacked the momentum and power to break through the wind wall.
Then she had to reverse the way she was thinking, and stop trying to penetrate the wall with them.
“Tch!!”
“Muh!?”
As she approached and released arrows, suddenly Sakura’s aim turned to the ground, not Zaraki.
There was an explosion on the ground where a wind arrow hit, and dust was raised, robbing Zaraki of his vision.
(Now!!)
She took a deep breath, kicked the ground, and readied an arrow with all her magic energy.
She was close to him before the dust cleared, and howled while looking him in the eyes.
“Your barrier won’t protect you from this distance!! Eat this!!”
She passed through the wind barrier, and attacked from the inside… It was risky, but Setsuna decided to go through with it because there was a chance it would damage Zaraki.
She released her strong attack from up close, and the emerald green arrow flew towards his chest as if being sucked into it. She saw it hit, and…
“No… way…!?”
It shattered and disappeared without piercing his body, bringing shock and surprise to Setsuna.
“I see, you’ve been thinking. You’re brave and smart. You’re a good woman.”
Zaraki praised her for approaching him and thinking of a way to deal damage, but… That did not mean he would hold back.
As Setsuna found herself unable to dodge or block properly in this situation, Sakura tried to attack once again from behind as he raised his arm, but…
“Too slow!”
“Gufuh!?”
Zaraki smacked her down after turning around, as if he could see her movements behind him.
He dragged her through the ground as he spun, and released her towards Setsuna, hitting her and sending both flying.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Guh, aaaaaah!!”
They rolled on the ground and groaned with pain.
Before they could get back up, Zaraki released the wind enveloping his arms towards them.
“Setsuna! Sakura!!”
Raiha screamed, as she saw them being blown up into the air and smacking down on the ground.
They no longer had the power to get up, and remained on the ground as Zaraki picked up the magic items that fell from their hands. He threw them at Koumaru, and spoke.
“Two down… That leaves the half loong and that sword.”
Zaraki was halfway towards his goal, and turned to his remaining target.
Yui felt fear as she felt his eyes, but Raiha made up her might and released her power, making her magic energy swell to its maximum.
“You’re not going to keep doing what you want…!! Even if I have to use this abominable power…!!”
She used lightning breath to stop Egos in the hospital.
She infused magic energy, released the power of a loong, and glared at Zaraki as that power was brought to its peak.
Golden lightning ran around as Raiha’s power swelled, but Zaraki seemed amused.
He did not move one centimeter, and looked at her with a smile as if testing her. Raiha then unleashed the magic energy she had been storing, and released lighting while letting out the howl of a loong.
A thunderous roar, a flash of lighting, and an explosion. It felt as though her attack hit Zaraki, but when she looked closer to check if it did damage…
“…No way. That can’t be…”
“What’s so unbelievable? Did you think that attack would hurt me?”
When the smoke cleared, Zaraki stood without a scratch.
Raiha was shocked by how her most powerful attack seemed to have been worth nothing, but there was a reality that caused even further despair.
Loongs had many elemental resistances, but the power of other loongs should be a weakness of theirs.
Raiha unleashed all the power of a half loong to attack someone with loong power.
And yet, there was no damage. She attacked with what should be a weakness, but it did not work.
That pointed to the fact that there was an unfillable gap in their power.
“A-ah…!?”
“Do you get it? This is the difference between someone who rejected the power of a loong, and someone who accepted it.”
He said to Raiha as her face was painted with despair.
Immediately after, he approached too fast for her to see, punched her in the stomach, and sent her small body flying back.
Join my patreon to support me and read ahead.
