Chapter 145: Two Battles

【Let’s begin, shall we…】

「NYAN(Ready when you are)!」

Tama was sent into the same space as Aria at the same time.

The only difference was that the Shrine Maiden who fought Aria was armed with a sword of light, while the one facing Tama was surrounded by four elemental swords.

The swords were red, blue, green, and black, each clad in a seemingly familiar aura.

「Nyan（《Flame Missile》）!」

Tama tested the water with one of his 《Elemental Bullets》. The 《Flame Missile》 appeared before him and rushed toward the Shrine Maiden.

However, the Shrine Maiden lightly stepped away and dodged the incoming attack.

「Nya!?」

Tama let out a shocked voice.

He wasn’t shocked because the Shrine Maiden had easily dodged his attack. He was shocked because, at the next moment, the Shrine Maiden was right in front of him.

GAKIN!

The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out.

The Shrine Maiden used one of the swords floating around her to ambush Tama in a swift attack. Tama used one of his 《Elemental Tail Blades》, 《Flame Edge》, to catch the blow.

【Quite impressive for someone with such an adorable appearance…】

Tama looked at the Shrine Maiden with clear eyes. Thereupon, a deep crimson sword suddenly appeared in her hand right.

（Kuh… so it really is an elemental sword, huh!）

Tama, who had already predicted that, used his 《Flame Edge》 to open some distance between him and the Shrine Maiden.

And then—

「NYAN（《FLIGHT》）!」

He used “flight” to soar in the sky like an ironcat.

He gained the high ground and fired one of his 《Elemental Howls》, 《Rock Howling》, toward the Shrine Maiden.

【Flight skill… Interesting…】

The Shrine Maiden quietly muttered those words when she saw the earth pellets raining down upon her.

Then, she jumped. A green sword appeared in her left hand at the next moment.

As if that wasn’t enough of a surprise, she jumped straight toward Tama, enduring the earth pellets, which incessantly rained on her, with an elemental sword in each of her hands.

「Nyan（《Elemental Manipulation Canon》）…!」

Tama suppressed his shock upon seeing the Shrine Maiden’s bold attack. He invoked his next skill.

He fired a few wind shells from one of his 《Elemental Manipulation Cannons》, 《Aether Bit》.

Facing that, the Shrine Maiden thrust the flame that had formed from the sword in her right hand and the glaze that had formed from the sword in her left hand toward Tama.

The combination of the two swords formed an explosive blast that swept through each shell Tama fired with 《Aether Bit》.

Tama flapped the pair of wings on his back even faster to increase his gliding speed.

However, the power of the explosion was so terrifying that it set his right wing on fire.

（Kuh… Such power! Those swords might be related to the power of the spirits…）

Tama landed on the ground and took some distance from the Shrine Maiden. His guess was right; the Shrine Maiden was really powerful.

His exchange with her had just proved that.

His opponent, the Shrine Maiden, had yet to use her other two swords. In short, she was still holding back.

（Now, since Master isn’t here with me, I might be able to…!）

Tama realized that he couldn’t beat his opponent unless he used that “power.”

Therefore, he decided to unleash his most powerful form.

◆

「《SACRED BLADE》――!」

Aria swung her sacred blade while still under the effect of her inherent skill. However, the Shrine Maiden received that attack with her shining sword.

【Take… this…】

「… GUH!?」

Aria let out a groan. Not even a moment had passed since the Shrine Maiden had received Aria’s sword slash, yet she had kicked Aria’s abdomen.

Nevertheless, Aria wasn’t a girl who would get done in with such a kick. She controlled Tempest Bringer and used its ability to get away from the Shrine Maiden, reducing her kick’s power at the same time.

（She can block an attack that has combined the speed of 《Acceleration》 and the power of 《Sacred Blade》… In that case…）

Aria understood something at once. Her opponent could see through her techniques even though she had only seen them for the first time today. Aria concluded that any half-hearted attack wouldn’t work against the Shrine Maiden.

That was why―

「《Acceleration》!」

Aria accelerated again. She jumped above the Shrine Maiden again.

And then—

「EX― CALIBUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUR!!」

She invoked the sacred blade’s strongest power, her trump card. The next moment, a torrent of light swallowed the Shrine Maiden.

◆

RUMBLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

A terrifying roar shook the space. Tama had used his trump card, Behemoth second Form.

《FLAME HOWLING》!

He fired his crimson breath toward the Shrine Maiden.

On top of that, he also deployed all four 《Elemental Bullets》 and 《Elemental Manipulation Cannons》, locking the Shrine Maiden with an omnidirectional attack.

Even after seeing that, the Shrine Maiden only looked a bit surprised. Then―

【Time, to go… all out…】

She muttered those words. The two swords in her hands and the other two floating around her shone even brighter than before.

Tama’s all-out attack rushed toward the Shrine Maiden, then―