"Hey, why are you running away!? This is where you're supposed to fight head-on, right!?"
"I'm tired of dealing with low-level opponents like you."
"Grrr…"
They leaped from rooftop to rooftop.
The footing was unstable, but it posed no problem.
Sofia moved swiftly, jumping with a steady rhythm to close the distance.
As expected of a Sword Saint.
But Lena wasn’t falling behind either.
While Lena had greater power, her speed was slightly inferior to Sofia’s.
Even so, she kept pace without being left behind.
Whenever Sofia tried to widen the gap, Lena kicked off the roof tiles with enough force to rip them free, accelerating.
It drained her stamina, but she refused to give up.
The two of them raced across the city’s rooftops in their high-stakes game of chase until, finally, they landed in a plaza on the outskirts of town.
"Haah… huff… is the game of tag over?"
Having covered a considerable distance, Lena was breathing a bit heavily.
Endurance wasn’t exactly her strong suit.
Sofia, on the other hand, was also somewhat worn out.
Evading someone like Lena without getting caught even once was no easy feat.
One moment of carelessness and Lena would’ve caught her instantly.
That constant vigilance had taken its toll.
"Yes, the game of tag is over."
"Huh?"
"Because here, we can fight without holding back."
Earlier, they’d been fighting atop the city’s rooftops.
Using flashy techniques in such an environment would have risked harming bystanders, making it impossible to go all-out.
But here, there were no such concerns.
The plaza contained only some rubble and materials for building construction.
No innocent bystanders to worry about.
The materials themselves might get caught in the crossfire, but…
Well, whoever they belonged to would just have to chalk it up to bad luck.
Sofia knew she couldn’t lure Lena any farther.
And if she fully committed to running, Lena might give up the chase.
So, turning this spot into their second battlefield was the best decision.
"Ah… I see, so that’s what you were up to."
Lena grimaced.
She was clearly frustrated at having played right into Sofia’s plan.
"Man, I still have a lot to learn. I get warned about this all the time, but I still fall for these tricks every now and then."
"Yet you don’t seem the least bit flustered."
"Of course not."
Lena flashed a fearless grin and raised her cursed sword, Tyrfing.
"Because no matter what tricks you pull, I’ll win in the end."
The confidence in her voice was absolute.
But it wasn’t arrogance.
Lena had the skill and battle instinct to back up that claim.
She was unlike any opponent Sofia had faced before.
Gripping the holy sword, Excalibur, Sofia steeled herself.
And then…
――――――――――
"I wonder if Sofia’s okay…"
After subduing the thugs…
I found myself thinking about Sofia in the middle of it all.
We split up a while ago, and a fair amount of time has passed.
If it’s Sofia, she’s probably already found Lena.
And by now, they’re likely fighting…
"She’ll be fine. Sofia’s not just strong-willed—her body’s practically made of steel. A little scuffle won’t leave a scratch."
"…Licorice…"
"She’s basically a combat doll with a sliver of maidenly heart left. No need to worry."
I get that she’s trying to reassure me, but… maybe she could’ve chosen her words better.
If Sofia ever heard her say that, she’d probably turn Licorice into mincemeat.
"Grrr… woof! Woof!"
Snow barked from Aisha’s arms.
Following her gaze, I saw a thug wielding a cursed sword.
Incredible.
Snow always senses danger before I do.
She’s still so small, yet she’s already this sharp.
Thanks to her, we had time to prepare and launch a counterattack.
I slid my sword back into its sheath and focused deeply.
Then, with the Fourth Sword Form: Lotus Flower, I took down the thug.
"Thanks, Snow."
"Kyuuun."
I stroked her head, and she let out a happy, contented whimper.
"Hmm…"
Suddenly, Aisha looked displeased.
Was she… jealous of Snow?
"Thanks to you too, Aisha."
"Huh?"
"You’ve been navigating perfectly, so we haven’t been caught in an ambush. It’s made fighting a lot easier."
"Ehehe."
Aisha beamed, her tail wagging furiously.
Snow wagged hers too from Aisha’s arms…
Watching them, they really did look like sisters.
That was all well and good, but…
"Hey, Fate… you’ve noticed it too, haven’t you?"
"Yeah."
It was rare to see Licorice so tense.
I was probably making the same face she was.
"This riot… it’s getting worse by the minute."
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