Chapter 75

"Wow, you want to fight me? You've got some nerve, I'll teach you a lesson...!!"

Elena, her killing intent focused on her sword, charged at Sharo. Upon seeing this, Luisha exclaimed, "So fast!"

Elena had always been strong even when they were in the village, but her current strength was incomparable to that time.

Until now, she had been sitting on her talent, but to find Luisha, Elena had made her first effort in these few months. Furthermore, her days as an adventurer had polished the raw gem that had been smoldering within her.

"Die... now!!"

She unleashed a merciless horizontal slash. A sword flash that a normal person wouldn't even be able to see, but Sharo accurately gauged it and deflected it with the flat of her sword.

"Hehe, with a sword like that, you won't be able to defeat either me or Luisha."

"...Shut up!!"

Provoked, Elena's sword strikes became even more intense. However, Sharo calmly deflected all of her attacks, which rained down like rain.

"Damn, damn, damn!! Why can't I hit her!?"

Elena gritted her teeth. Frustrated by her inability to land a hit, her attacks became more and more exaggerated. Sharo didn't miss this opportunity.

"Right... there!!"

Slipping through the gaps in Elena's attacks, Sharo delivered a sharp kick. The impact of the kick, which hit Elena's right side, penetrated her flesh and reached her liver. The organ, shocked by the impact, screamed in pain, sending a message to Elena's brain.

"Ugh...!!"

Caught off guard by the counterattack, Elena's face contorted in agony, and she let out a wordless sob. Seeing this, Sharo launched a full-scale assault!

"Sakura Hana Youshin-ryu... Brave Sakura Advance!!"

Sharo charged forward, unleashing a flurry of slashes like petals dancing in the wind. At first, Elena tried to withstand the assault head-on, but gradually she began to be pushed back.

"Ugh, by someone like you...!!"

The slashes that Elena couldn't block cut into her skin. Realizing the danger, Elena gritted her teeth and retreated, escaping the rain of slashes.

"Well, are you giving up?"

"Huff, huff, no way...!"

While Elena was panting heavily, Sharo remained calm. It was clear who had the upper hand.

"I absolutely won't forgive you...!! How dare you deceive my Luisha...!!"

Sharo looked at Elena, who was still directing misplaced anger, with a pitying gaze.

She's... like me from the past. Proud of her talent, she throws tantrums when things don't go her way and tries to solve problems with force. Her current appearance is exactly like mine when I picked a fight with Luisha during the entrance exam.

The only difference is that I changed after meeting Luisha. She refuses to change and tries to dominate Luisha, while I chose the path of mutual growth with Luisha. If that's the case, she is the me who never met Luisha in the future. I feel sympathy... but I can't go easy on her.

Sharo, determined to defeat Elena once again, sheathed her sword. Seeing this, Elena was confused.

"...What are you doing?"

"I'm saying I don't need a sword to defeat you."

"――――――――!! I'll kill you!!"

Elena charged at Sharo with a terrifying expression. But this was exactly what Sharo had hoped for. There's no easier attack to dodge than one fueled by anger.

Elena swung her sword at an incredible speed, but Sharo, who had completely gauged her movements, nimbly jumped to avoid the attack.

Then, while still in the air, she twisted her body and aimed a kick at the vulnerable Elena.

"Ki Gong Jutsu Attack Form Three... Shiranui!!"

Sharo's kick, released at super speed, was set ablaze by friction. The fiery kick, now a flaming arrow, hit Elena's jaw with pinpoint accuracy.

"What...?"

Before Elena could even process what had happened, her consciousness faded. The shock to her jaw had shaken her brain at super speed, causing a concussion. Elena's eyes rolled back, and she collapsed to the ground, motionless.

On the other hand, Sharo, who had delivered a beautiful kick in mid-air, landed gracefully and turned to Luisha.

"Yay!"

Sharo sent a V sign to Luisha and smiled.