Kehma Heads to the Holy Kingdom

While steadily getting ready for the duel with the Saintess, we decided that the "mysterious terrorist" had been found.

Instead of Narikin coming here, I'm the one going to the Holy Kingdom. With Soto's help, it's a direct trip.

Right now we're in the filming dungeon's combat training ground making the final preparations.

"… Master. Why can't I beat Niku-senpai? I'm bigger, heavier, and tougher. I thought I'd picked up at least some technique…"

"It's the fruit of Niku's training. Pay her honest respect."

In the end, Narikin still couldn't beat Niku.

… He did manage to win once by catching her off guard by going completely into his Living Armor form, but that's a banned move this time, so it was de facto a foul.

"It'd be reassuring if Niku-senpai could come with us though…"

"Beastkin aren't treated well over there… Well, she's a body pillow here too, but that's besides the point."

"What if she goes by [Possession] into a kobold or something?"

"Niku isn't a dungeon monster, so she can't use [Possession]… Wait, she's also Soto's master, so if Soto spawns a kobold for her, it would work."

To operate our dungeon's monsters, you need someone to work the controller, but you can [Possession] the monsters of your own dungeon.

"If we could register 'Kobold Niku' as a tamer and let her participate in the duel, she'd certainly be a powerful ally… Hmm. Feels like that's not allowed this time."

"Just having her there would make me feel braver. Please prepare at least one kobold…!"

"I'll ask Soto. Pay her with your socks."

Soto collects socks from everyone regardless of age or gender, so Narikin's socks should be plenty of compensation.

While we were talking, Rokuko came into the training ground.

She trotted over with quick little steps and hugged me. She looked up and smiled.

"Hey, hey, Kehma? I want to go to the Holy Kingdom too."

"We're not going there to play… At least use [Possession] into Rokufa."

"Come on. I'm allowed to take a walk outside the village too, you know. Isn't it unfair if only you get to go, Kehma?"

Rokuko puffed out her cheeks.

"You just went to Wakoku the other day. And it's the Holy Kingdom, you know? The dungeon-killing nation's dungeon-killing church's main temple. It's right in the middle of it all. I can't take a dungeon core. That's just suicide."

"Tch. Fine, I'll put up with [Possession] into Rokufa then. In exchange — let me watch the duel, okay?"

"So that was your aim. How about possessing a small bird?"

"I want to cheer out loud. We'll have Rokufa use a small bird."

Ufufu, Rokuko covered her mouth and laughed.

Good grief, she's gotten good at negotiating. She knows exactly where my permissible line is.

"Hey, Narikin. If Rokuko's cheering is in the mix, that means you absolutely can't lose now, right?"

"… I-I'll do my best!"

"You don't have to try hard, you just have to win."

Hey now, don't put pressure on him like that, Rokuko.

"With Master's buffs and the secret weapon you gave me… I don't think I can lose."

"Yeah. The Saintess won't die even if you kill her, so go all out. Worst case, you can be revived too, Narikin."

"Secret weapon? What did you give him, Kehma?"

"… Well, let's keep it a surprise and let you enjoy it when you see it."

"Hmm. Then I'll look forward to it."

It's nothing that'd be interesting to explain anyway. It's not like I made something new.

 

＊ ＊ ＊

 

Arriving in the Holy Kingdom in Narikin's former appearance — terrorist Kyou — I was to meet Saintess Alka right away.

No reason to overstay. With stuff like this, the quicker the better.

When I said, "we've found the Saintess's man, but we can't show him openly," and summoned her to Narikin's room, she came right along.

"Saintess-sama, is there any doubt this is the one you were seeking?"

"… Wh—!?"

"Yo. Long time no see."

I raised one hand in greeting.

"…! …!?"

Saintess Alka looked between Narikin and me, mouth opening and closing. Say something already.

"Hey, Saintess Alka. You're the one who called me, right? What do you want? Say it quickly."

"A, um. Eh? A-Are you… the person himself!?"

"I just came because I was called. Ask your heart for the truth."

"Such rude, arrogant speech…!"

The Saintess turned sparkling eyes this way.

I don't really remember what sort of personality I used to talk her with back then, but I guess this is fine.

"N-No. Not yet. Please let me confirm just one thing. Please fire a [Judgment Ray]."

[Judgment Ray]… No, she means [Elemental Burst]. Back then, to keep up the act, I kept firing without a chant, so she's asking to see the chantless version. It's true a mere look-alike couldn't do it; it's a perfect proof. Even the real Narikin can't fire it. Right, only the real me can.

It wouldn't take much effort, so I could show her, but…

"… Here, in this room? At least get the owner's permission. It'd trash the place."

"Ah! S-So-sorry. R-Right. Then let's go to the training ground!"

"Take a terrorist along with you? Hah, your head's dull. Did you drink too much last night? Still half-asleep, I see."

"—…! N-Narikin-samaaa…"

Saintess Alka looked to Narikin for help, half in tears.

If I fired into the wall, it'd break, and if I shot out the window people would make a fuss.

"Very well. Then please shoot at me. My body can block it!"

"That's called 'deflecting'. The part that gets deflected will go who knows where, making it more dangerous."

"… Mmm. Then what should we do… Hm."

"Ah! Then please shoot into my [Storage]! I'll take everything out, so go ahead!"

Saying that, the Saintess dumped all kinds of weapons, rations, and potions she'd kept in [Storage] onto the floor.

"I won't take responsibility if your [Storage] breaks… [Judgment Ray]."

I casually pointed a hand at the [Storage] space Saintess Alka had opened and fired off an [Elemental Burst].

As requested, without any chant.

Saintess Alka received the torrent of light into [Storage], grit her teeth, and held on. She braced so hard her feet might leave imprints in the stone floor, but she endured it.

"Ggguh!? Gah! Hah—Hah!"

"… Huh. So that's what happens when you receive an attack spell with [Storage]. First I've seen of it."

The Saintess had clearly taken damage. Not to her body, but to her mana.

But thinking about it, [Storage] is also magic. When magic and magic collide, they cancel each other. Such was common sense.

And of course, that phenomenon consumes mana. To maintain the storage space, you need enough durability — that is, mana consumption — to withstand the attack spell.

"W-What…! S-Splendid…! Even at full power, I thought I might not be able to fully cancel it…"

Saintess Alka sank to one knee and regulated her breathing.

"All that from just one shot."

"…!"

"Hey, Narikin. You open your [Storage] too."

"Hm?… Please, go ahead?"

"[Judgment Ray]. [Judgment Ray]. [Judgment Ray]."

I fired about three shots into Narikin's open [Storage], and Narikin remained perfectly composed.

He didn't even flinch.

"That should do, right?"

"Indeed. We'll be dueling later as well. Is this what you mean by equalizing the conditions?"

And that was when I learned the reason.

Our [Storage] now has an entirely different nature. It's turned into Soto's dungeon, after all.

It can swallow a few spells and even 'store' them.

If it gets stored before it hits the back, the 'collision and cancellation' process doesn't occur. (And even if it does collide, there are dungeon walls, so there's no direct damage to our mana.)

If we prepare an absurdly long corridor where the beam slows and stops under [Storage]'s time stop, it's guaranteed… but a normal [Storage] the size of a closet can't imitate that trick.

And when taking things out, you open the opposite end and avoid stopping time — yep, a normal [Storage] can't do that either.

In other words, with my attack just now, Saintess Alka was worn down, and Narikin gained a stock of three shots.

But with this, there should be no complaints about the coming duel. It's three shots. Triple. Three times.

Saintess Alka turned a gaze of shock toward Narikin.

"Hm? What troubles you, Alka-dono?"

"… N-No… Um, are you truly unharmed?"

"Unharmed from what, exactly?"

"Seems the Saintess's [Storage] is rather small, Narikin. Lend her a hand."

"Hm? Is that so. Alka-dono, your hand, please."

"No…! I'm fine!"

As she said that, flames blazed in Saintess Alka's eyes.

… Whoops. Maybe that was an unnecessary extra flourish?