“All right! Now the training will be closer to the exam! You’re going to fight with someone else, to be precise!”
“Y-yes! So who will team up with me…?”
Right after the break, Yuugo entered the training area with Neries and the others, and explained how it would be.
Neries asked who her partner would be, and Yuugo responded.
“You’re deciding that. Pick who among those three is better suited, and will do best with your fighting style.”
“I-I have to decide? The partner and how to fight…?”
“Yes. That’s how it will be in the exam, right?”
Yuugo said this was best because it was closer to the real thing, and Neries gulped.
Velda spoke loudly to encourage her.
“Don’t worry, Neries! I can blow away any opponent!”
“Eh? Nicely said. Then I have to be at my best too…!”
“Eh…?”
What Yuugo whispered hinted at something, and he started swinging his right arm in a circle with a daring smile.
He brought his gently stretched hand in front of his face, and after a moment of silence, he stretched his right arm like a snake pouncing on prey. He then brought it back in front of his chest and yelled.
“Today in a dark hero sort of way… Henshin!!”
The sound of magic energy blowing strongly echoed, and Blaster in his left arm shined.
Neries sighed as she was entranced by the sort of evil air around the black armor, and asked a question with a doubtful expression.
“I-is my opponent…!?”
“Yes, me. Good luck, Neries…!!”
“E-eek…!?”
Neries was half crying as the dubious aura around Yuugo pressured her like a villain.
She was not expecting to face him… She was somewhat panicking, but Velda was excited.
“Interesting…!! I wanted to have an actual match with you! I’ll take you on! Please power me up, Neries!!”
“Y-yes!!”
Neries flinched as she jolted up and cast a buff on Velda.
She cast an offensive power boost to make use of Velda’s power, and watched him as he clenched his fists and went straight at Yuugo to punch him.
“Oraaaah!!”
“A test of strength? Okay, I’ll take you on!!”
Yuugo matched his punch with a left straight.
His fist clashed against Velda’s bigger fist, and he flung him away after they were together for a moment.
“Wha!? No way!?”
He was proud of his strength, but he was pushed back despite being buffed by Neries.
Velda was shocked, and hit in the stomach with a one two combo.
Rather than driving the impact into him, the attack was meant to blow him away, easily lifting Velda’s large body. After rolling on the floor, Velda got to his feet immediately with a frustrated expression.
“Dammit! Buff me again, Neries!!”
“Stop, Velda. That’s enough. Did you listen to Yuugo?”
Yuugo held back, but it was also thanks to Velda’s toughness that he was still perfectly fine.
He got up, the idea of giving up after being hit once never crossing his mind, but Peewee stopped him as she saw this all happen from afar.
“This is Neries’ training, not your mock battle. Follow Neries’ instructions and think about helping with the training.”
“Uu…!”
Velda got fired up and forgot what he was there for, and stammered as Peewee called him out.
Neries also remembered she was supposed to be giving instructions, became flustered, and Mizari called out to her to calm her down.
“There’s no need to panic. As you can see, Master Yuugo will wait for you to make your move. We’ll help too, so think carefully about how to fight.”
“Y-yes…! How to fight, how to fight…!!”
Mizari’s words seemed to have calmed her a little, as Neries took a deep breath and began to think about the battle against Yuugo.
Marcos gave some roundabout advice to help her.
“Velda’s sacrifice must have given you a hint. Thank him and formulate a plan.”
“Hey! What do you mean sacrifice!? I didn’t die, I’m fine!!”
“Hum, hint… That it will be difficult to take him head on…?”
Neries heard Marcos, and thought back to that clash.
Velda excelled at physical power, and even with her buff, he was no match for Yuugo.
Did that mean a frontal attack was too difficult? She mumbled her conclusion, and Marcos nodded to encourage her to keep going.
“You reached an answer. Now build on it.”
“So I should decide if Velda should fight in another way, or someone else should fight?”
“That’s it. Let’s try tactics you think should work.”
Neries was smart, and understood what Marcos was hinting at.
If she calmed down and thought, it was not so difficult. And thinking about how to fight was not so daunting.
From there, it did not take long until she decided the next move and said it.
“Can I have you fight next, Marcos?”
“Hou? Why me?”
“Well, hum… Yuugo is strong, and he’s not telling us everything he can do, so I want to see him and collect information… You’re the best at defense here, so I thought I should ask you.”
“…I see, not a bad idea. You understand that your opponent is strong, and you’re staying cautious while setting up the next move. And more importantly, you made the wonderful decision to rely on Marcos Bolg! You show promise! Nahhahahaha!!”
Marcos coolly and I intelligently praised Neries’ idea, but… it was spoiled when his real self came out.
His nose stretched like a tengu’s, and Melt and the others were exasperated as they watched from afar how Marcos puffed out his chest to brag about his power.
“Are you sure we can leave it to him? I can only be worried…”
“It’s all right. Despite everything, Marcos really is strong.”
Velda whispered after he saw Marcos act foolish, as Neries cast a defensive buff on him.
Neries also seemed somewhat worried about having him fight, but Mizari responded to Velda with her usual flat tone.
“So you’re next? It reminds me of our first fight.”
“Fuh…! How disgraceful did I look then? But that won’t happen again.”
Both remembered their first encounter, as they talked and transitioned into fighting.
Yuugo took a step closer, and threw a jab as a test and way to keep him at bay, but…
“Fuh…!!”
“Geh!?”
Rather than block the extremely fast jab, Marcos warded it off with his shield, and flung the arm away with his Giga Scissors.
He blocked the attack and threw him off balance with a shield bash… And as Yuugo was surprised that he showed an opening with his first attack, golden scissors approached.
Yuugo twisted his body to dodge them and stepped back, as Marcos watched and spoke with a daring smile.
“Don’t get careless, Yuugo. If you do, you will be the one looking disgraceful.”
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