Chapter 260: Standby

「T-Touko-chan!?」

Haruna was also surprised by Touko’s appearance. She had only heard from Alezel that the match would be held as an event, but she had not been told who her opponent would be. Touko’s appearance was a surprise for the guests, Chinatsu, and Haruna.

「Long time no see, Haruna. We haven’t met for a while, but it seems that you have gotten stronger again. As expected of my rival and Danna’s disciple.」

「Ah, err, thank you! But, why are you here, Touko-chan?」

「I heard from Lily-shishō that Danna is getting married. Well, I have mixed feelings, but I’ve to celebrate it since it’s a celebration, right? When I asked Shishō if there’s anything I could help with, this job came to me.」

Unlike in the past, where she was living on instinct, Touko seems to be somewhat calm. Her wording is mannish and rough, but her femininity can be felt from the gestures even if she’s just standing there. Haruna, who has a keen sense of intuition, noticed the change, of course.

「Touko-chan, isn’t the skirt too short? I mean, I can see it, you know?」

――――The direction is slightly different, though.

「Haha, you don’t have to worry about that. Anyone who wants to see it can just go ahead and see it. All the better if they are enemies, so I can hit my iron fist into their dumb faces, right? This is a good tactic―― yeah, it’s something you call a woman’s weapon. It may be a little early for Haruna, though.」

「But, your opponent this time is me, not a man, you know?」

「…… I-I was ordered to wear this by Shishō. Please guess it.」

Although she gave various reasons, in the end, it was completely Lilyvia’s hobby.

「Lily-san, clothes with too much exposure are no good for a wedding ceremony, don’t you think…?」

「It’s fine. It’s only when the bride is away.」

And she shows no remorse.

「Hey, you girls. Don’t proceed without me, the emcee. I’ll give you a candy later, so keep quiet for now.」

「A candy….」

「Yes!」

「Umu, that’s a good reply. Now, let’s explain about this surprise battle! The two contestants in this battle are wonderful warriors, and the only field of the battle will be on this stage. However, there’s a possibility that they will be out of the stage. If that happens, it will be dangerous for everyone who’s watching it. So, this time, we will use the barrier generators that have been set up around the stage. As the name suggests, this device is capable of creating a powerful barrier. It is capable of completely nullifying attacks up to level 7!」

There was a stir in the venue when the old gentleman explained it. The ones who can’t hide their surprises were mainly the knights, whose occupation is to protect the country and to subjugate monsters, and those who have pride in their abilities, such as the Batten family. ‘Just how much is level 7?’ First of all, it was from there.

「Completely nullifying attacks up to level 7!?」

「Is that possible? By the way, how much is level 7? Please explain it in a way that a level 3 like me can understand.」

「Uh, according to the guild’s official monster’s evaluation standard―― ah, this is useless. It’s written vaguely. I think it’s too exaggerated saying that the county will be destroyed….」

If the league is too different, it is not possible to measure the strength with an ordinary measure. It’s the same in this case, so they can’t understand how great it is.

「Haha, they are surprised. After all, that’s a co-development product of Zex-han and our Quitet Company. It’s incomparable to your ordinary magic items.」

「Fuhahahahaha! That’s right! I used science and a little magic, so if I had to say, it’s mostly science! It’s the latest work that’s also installed in my main body! So, you can go wild as much as you want! Fuhahahaha, fuha, FUHAHAHAHAHAHA!」

Zex is satisfied with himself and he laughs loudly. The knights who are watching him from afar are whispering to each other.

「H-Hey, is that knight okay? Even if he’s drunk, that’s too much laughter. He’s laughing three times….」

「Shh, don’t make eye contact! He’s someone who comes to a wedding in full-body armor, you know? I’m sure that he’s Deris-san’s acquaintance.」

「Ah, I see.」

Deris was hit by a stray bullet. However, since it’s the usual thing, the wound is shallow.

「I got it that it’s an extraordinary barrier. So, what are the rules?」

「Umu. The bride won’t take that much time to change the dress, so it’s not good to prolong it too long. It’s a joyous occasion, so a battle to the death is prohibited. Any dangerous actions that could result in the death of the opponent are prohibited, of course, and other than that will be judged by my own discretion!」

The old gentleman exaggeratedly makes a cross with his arms.

「Isn’t that too vague?」

「Well, in the end, it’s just one of the events. Don’t think too much about it. The most important thing is to have fun!」

「Um, are there any specific rules? I brought my Doggan Staff without thinking much about it.」

「You can use any weapon you want. As for the rules, err, what was it again?」

The old gentleman, who forgot his lines, took the script out of nowhere and read it while nodding.

「The conditions for defeat are as follows: knockouts such as fainting, parts other than the sole of the foot touched the stage three times, and immediate defeat for physical contact with the barrier. There’s no problem with magic, but if any part of your body touched the barrier even a little, a signal will sound. Well, to say it simply, it’s like out of the stage. You have to be careful not to get thrown or rush too much.」

「Um, we can’t touch the stage either?」

「That’s right. This is also a rule to make the match go smoothly. Just like the barrier, the stage also has a function to notify you when you touched it. It counts 1 when you touch it, and it does not count until you stand. You will lose after 3 counts. Be careful not to roll even by mistake.」

「Yes!」

「Yeah, got it.」

After the inspection of the weapon used, both of them went up to the stage. Haruna is not wearing her pouch this time, but her hand is carrying the Doggan Staff. On the other hand, Touko is completely barehanded and she won’t use any weapons.

「…… The rules are strangely favorable for Haruna. Lily-san, are you that confident? Lily-san also participated in making those rules, right?」

「What are you talking about? I think those are decent rules.」

「It’s true that Touko’s Berserk is a threat. But, Haruna has her aiki. Adding a rule of instant defeat when making contact with the barrier is like throwing away the advantage, right? Also, Haruna has a longer reach thanks to the Doggan Staff.」

「Well, it may be disadvantageous for Touko.」

「Then, why?」

「Don’t jump to conclusions. I’m talking about the past Touko. I’ve trained her in this mode after all. She is different now, of course.」

「……? What――」

When Chinatsu was about to ask again, she was interrupted by the cheers of the surroundings. It was time for the match to start. Looking at the stage, Haruna and Touko are starting to take their stances.

「Then, I will give the signal. Now――」

「――Start!」

「Ah, hey, (Aga)Lia!? That’s my line!」