The being that Kirahoshi looked up at exuded an oppressive aura, truly embodying terror.
It was the “Glacial Dragon Ice Ogre.”
A dragon with a slender build and an elongated head.
Its defining feature was its majestic, spreading azure wings, a standard dragon.
Of course, she had seen dragons in videos and streams.
There were green dragons that unleashed poisonous breath that corroded Magical Power, and fire dragons that breathed flames that melted even steel. Kirahoshi, who was a middle schooler at the time, had secretly teared up in terror at the sight of these creatures that defied all standards, even through the screen.
…Am I supposed to fight that?
“Sensei, can I even defeat that…?”
“I’m not saying you have to defeat it. Just try and figure things out for thirty minutes. But there’s a condition: don’t rely on me.”
“Eh?”
“First, try to overcome this difficulty on your own.”
Kirahoshi froze, unable to comprehend the meaning. –On my own?
Was he joking? But Sensei wasn’t the type to joke.
If anything, he was the opposite, the type to go all the way once he decided to do something.
In other words, I have to fight that creature…one-on-one…?
“It’s coming, Kirahoshi-san. If you get hit directly by its breath or laser in your current state, you’ll be wiped out in one shot, so be careful.”
Immediately after, Kirahoshi’s unconscious “Detection” picked up an enormous Magical Power signature.
It was a race between her raising her head and the Glacial Dragon concentrating a pale blue light in its mouth.
She hurriedly leaped backward, and a white laser struck the snowfield where she had been standing.
“…!”
What remained after the light pierced the snowfield was a frozen block of ice—if she had been hit directly, she would have been frozen solid along with it.
Seriously, this is impossible.
Just thinking about fighting something like that…!
“Sensei! I-if that hits me, I’ll die–”
“Indeed.”
Kageichi waved his hand cheerfully.
His gaze was cold, …ah, he’s serious.
She realized that this man was seriously trying to make her fight this monstrous dragon and despaired.
(Impossible. Impossible, impossible. Absolutely impossible!)
Why did it come to this…?
In the first place, Kirahoshi had caused a big problem at school today and had come to Sensei in tears.
This was no time to be fighting dragons.
She wouldn’t stand a chance against such a creature unless she was in perfect condition and had researched how to defeat it.
And yet, why was he making her do something so reckless?
Exhaling white breath, Kirahoshi fled in confusion.
Monsters have no concept of holding back. Like an AI, they automatically attack humans, baring their fangs mercilessly whether their opponent is a baby or a high school girl, and once again concentrating a pale blue light in their mouths.
Why? Why?
If it were the usual Kageichi, he would have taught her how to deal with it properly–
Tears welling up in her eyes, Kirahoshi ran horizontally, trying to cross the Ice Dragon’s field of vision.
The previous laser attack was a vertical sweeping straight-line attack. Its power was instantly lethal, but its horizontal reach was narrow, and if you properly assessed the enemy’s firing angle, you could deal with it.
The dragon’s mouth glowed.
It’s coming, Kirahoshi accelerated further, trying to shake off the attack,
GOREAAAAAAAHHHHHH!
What came flying was not a laser, but a glittering chunk of ice.
The Magical Power-infused energy body slipped past Kirahoshi’s back, scraping the snowy landscape as it landed. Immediately after, with a roar that threatened to burst her eardrums, Kirahoshi’s body was blown away.
Unable to regain her balance, Kirahoshi rolled clumsily across the snow.
…Was that an area-of-effect attack that exploded on impact…?
Coughing out the snow that had gotten into her mouth, she stood up unsteadily—and realized that about a quarter of her total Magical Power had been wiped out by that one attack.
That power, even without a direct hit…!
“T-this is…”
Impossible. It was definitely impossible.
In the first place, the opponent was flying freely in the sky, positioned out of her reach.
Unless she could use a bow like Kageichi–
“It’s impossible, Sensei! I could only fight rabbits and golems after figuring out a strategy, but suddenly fighting something like that is–”
“Kirahoshi-san, you are correct. But if you just say it’s impossible and apologize, will the person bullying you stop attacking?”
“……!”
“Rather, they will attack with even more enthusiasm. They are gluttonous and geniuses when it comes to cornering weakened opponents.”
Kirahoshi’s heart cried out in pain.
That’s…certainly true.
Whether she wanted it or not, the things Kirahoshi hated always approached her on their own.
They put on a good face, saying they were her friends, parents, or teachers, and selfishly approached her, devouring her before she knew it—that was Kirahoshi’s life.
Had they, had those people, ever waited for her?
“Kirahoshi-san. Of course, if you want me to help you, I will. If you come crying to me and beg me, saying it’s impossible for you, I’m an adult, so I’ll lend you a hand. –But that won’t change anything.”
The source of her dependence would just change from a strange adult to Sensei.
Was that the future Kirahoshi wanted?
“Guh…!”
Clenching her teeth, she opened her Inventory.
Kirahoshi didn’t come to Kageichi just because she wanted to rely on a dependable adult.
She wanted the kind of strength he had.
Not just physical or Magical Power.
–What Kirahoshi admired was his spirit.
The ability to firmly reject people she disliked.
The strength to calmly return malice with even greater malice. Kirahoshi wanted to become his disciple because she admired his state of mind.
If that was the case, then for her to cry and beg for forgiveness just because Sensei had given her a slightly unreasonable task…
She would be no different from her old self, when she was still a slave…!
“Haaah…!”
Exhaling white breath, Kirahoshi slowly pulled her hand out of the Inventory.
In both hands, she held the crimson chainsaw that had drained the Magical Power of her classmate.
She started the Magical Power engine, and the whirring sound of the spinning blade excited Kirahoshi’s heart.
Don’t run away.
Don’t be afraid.
I’m not scared. I can do it. That’s why I became Sensei’s disciple.
And if Sensei tells me to fight, then there must be a chance for me to win.
So, I–I won’t run away!
“…Here I go! WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!”
Holding the chainsaw vertically, Kirahoshi kicked off the ground–and soared high into the sky.
A boost to her physical abilities using Magical Power.
Even though it was only a short spring break, Kirahoshi had experienced direct combat, so she should be able to do this much.
And if it was a chainsaw infused with Magical Power, it should be able to cut through even some Breath attacks–!
Or so she thought, but that charge was.
Easily shot down by a tail that was swung through the air.
With a terrible sound, she slammed face-first into the snow, losing 70% of her Magical Power and flipping over pathetically.
Kageichi’s voice, colder than the snow, echoed.
“Kirahoshi-san. Weren’t you told that that chainsaw is for anti-personnel use only and is a difficult weapon to handle against monsters? In the first place, the opponent is a dragon that dominates the sky. A jump attack is like asking it to make you a target.”
“Even if you say that, this is the only weapon I have…!”
“I won’t blame you if your actions are based on a chance of success. But that was just a reckless banzai charge based on emotion. The situation can only be reversed with spirit and guts in the world of manga and anime.”
Kageichi, who had been observing from afar, gently pushed up his glasses and gave her a warning.
“Look at the situation, use everything you can, and do your best to find the best possible method–search for that without giving up.”
“Even if you tell me that…!”
Holding the chainsaw in one hand, she stood up, facing the monster that was approaching from the sky.
While biting her lip, Kirahoshi desperately readjusted her grip on the chainsaw, thinking that it was absolutely impossible.