The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

It's not the first time I've used a new technique in a rush.

Healing Accelerator ...... or Healing Acceleration Fist.

It is an application of Healing Bursting Palm that gives me a change in my movement. If I can use it well, I should be able to reach Rose with my fist.

Clenching my fist tightly, I run as fast as I can through the woods to the training area.

Rose is waiting for me with her arms folded.

"I'm going to give it everything I've got!　Neah!"

I know!

Blow resistance in the left arm.

I focus my binding spells on my right arm with the basket hand, and approach Rose.

Rose looks a little stunned when she sees me.

"What do you think I'm going to do, just shove you in the same way as before?"

"No!"

When we were within about ten paces of each other, I pulled my right arm back and at the same time burst magic power from my elbow.

I gained tremendous acceleration and added a step to the momentum, and at once slammed my accelerated right fist into Rhodes.

Rose looked at me with wide eyes.

"......!"

"I'm not the same as before!　This time I'm a little faster!"

This is the Healing Acceleration Fist.

This is a technique that uses the impact from the bursting of the system reinforcement to perform instantaneous acceleration.

It consumes not a little magic power, but now is not the time to worry about magic power, so I use it as fast as I can.

"Interesting. Show me more.

"Don't ask me!"

Rose's ferocious smile, which would make a child cry if she saw it, makes me scared inside, but more than that, I'm happy to see that I'm getting a solid response.

Trying not to let my inner joy show on my face, I burst out my magical power from my elbow again and close in on Rose in one fell swoop.

Even if I continue to swing my fist, it will be easily dealt with - but now my punch can literally be accelerated by just one step!

"Cure! Accelerate!"

"I see, that's how it works. ......!"

Rose looks surprised at the sudden acceleration of his fist, but at the same time he avoids the fist that slips through her defense with a light body movement, spins around, and throws a powerful backward kick.

This is unavoidable!　Even if you take it, you will just be blown away!　Then!

This time, he releases magic power from the side of his cage, forcibly pushing himself to the side!

At last! "......"

He manages to avoid the kick just in time to get a little distance from Rose.

The attack is still blocked, but I can feel a different kind of response from before.

"You used a similar technique earlier, did you apply it?"

"Yes, it would have been too easy for them to respond to a normal attack, so I forced them to change my movements.

"So it is an acceleration that can be applied to movement, attack, and evasion as well. It seems to be very useful.

I can tell from fighting him that he really has a lot of insight.

I didn't think that he would immediately notice what I was doing and that he would understand the mechanism of the healing acceleration fist so quickly.

"Ha, you're a guy who never knows what he's going to do. Are you really a healing magician?"

I'm the one who wants to say that. What kind of physical abilities do you have?

"To me, neither of you is a healing magician, let alone a human being."

While going through Nair's words, who is in a don't-know state, I think about the application of the healing acceleration fist, based on the previous attack and defense.

Seeing me thinking, Rose's mouth twists in amusement and she doesn't move from her spot.

"...... aren't you going to attack me?"

"You want me to attack you?"

"No, not at all."

When I answered immediately, she smiled and crossed her arms as if she was trying to tell me something funny.

"I don't have time to think in the face of a superior enemy, one that is seriously aiming for my life. But now is the time to think. Think about it, Usato. What do you need to fight a superior opponent like me?　What do I have to do?　What do I have to find out?　If you can figure it out right now, you'll be on your own."

"One of a Kind ......"

Rose's discipleship.

That meant a lot to me.

"Well, if you don't understand it, you just have to let your body understand it."

"......"

Think hard!　It would be a bonus if we could make them understand with their own bodies!

...... got instant acceleration with the healing acceleration fist. Now we just need to figure out how to deliver the coup de grace to Rose.

The defense is beyond but can be avoided easily.

Moreover, Rose will respond immediately, so we can't show the healing acceleration fist again and again.

"If I'm going to do this, I'm going to have to hit her with an attack she won't be able to avoid."

I have less physical ability than Rose, less reflexes than Rose, less magic power than Rose, and I have Falga-sama's cage and the technique to apply it. And the magic that Nair uses.

I was almost defeated by the misery of the first half of ......, but it can't be helped because this is my present situation.

What I lack, I make up for with my other strengths. Nair, I'm going to do something quite reckless now, will you follow me?"

"What are you talking about now?"

Nair, on his shoulder, raises his wings in disgust.

I am your messenger. I'm your messenger. If you want to do this, I'll go along with it as long as you want.

"Thank you. Let's go then."

He makes up his mind and turns his eyes toward Rose.

"What?　You give up?"

He smiles at Rose, who says this to him in a playful manner, and holds up his fist.

"Huh?　Do you think you still don't know who I am?　I'm a very competitive person.

"......!"

"So, no matter how much of a monster you are, I'll always get up and fight."

Rose's eyes widen.

She shows a slight agitation, but the next moment she smiles.

"Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. I've been sure of it for a long time now. ...... Well, I'm glad I found you that day."

Rose lowered her hand with a small murmur, and the expression on her face underneath was a fierce smile that was at once happy and fearful.

"Show me, Usato. I'll beat you head on with everything I've got."

Then I will go beyond that."

With his right arm held as if drawing a bow, he activates his Healing Acceleration Fist, and using rocket-like acceleration, he quickly closes in on Rose.

"Healing Acceleration Fist!"

He slams his fist with all-out acceleration straight at Rose, but his arm defends it without a second thought.

But this fist is different from the previous one!

I immediately burst the magic power from my fist and pull my arm back at high speed with the same momentum, bursting the magic power from my elbow as before, and slam my fist into Rose again.

Rose's smile grew even stronger as her arm bounced off my right fist, which was almost continuously thrown.

"If you can't go fast, how about with your hands?　Fine. I'll take you on!"

"Oh!"

Rose backs up as she deals with the fist, and I accelerate forward, slamming my fist into her without expending any magic power.

Even so, her guard does not waver in the slightest.

"No, no, ......!"

A series of attacks without a pause for breath, which can only be successfully executed by accelerating the magical power in two stages: drawing a fist and striking.

The name of the attack is "Heal Fast Fist".

Combined with Nair's binding magic, it is an extraordinary technique that can put the opponent in a state of intermittent binding, but at a great cost in terms of the large amount of magic power and the heavy load it puts on the overworked right arm.

"Not yet!"

He accelerates his Kagote even more and swings his fist.

His right arm screams from the strain and fatigue, but he moves forward, slamming his right fist into the ground without regard to the strain.

He is not stopping yet. ......!

You can't stop!

Just because a bone in my arm is broken or a muscle is torn is no reason for me to stop!

Not yet!

I have to show it now, at this moment!

How much I've grown!

How much stronger I came back after being trained by you!

I don't care if you think it's foolish to get serious in a mere mock battle!　This battle means more to me than just a mock battle!

Not yet!　It's not over!"

With each swing of his fist, he recalls the memories of his previous training sessions with Rose.

It was hard.

It was deathly hard.

Maybe I had died once before I knew it.

It was an unbelievable hell.

But it gave me a reason to be in this world when I was lost and didn't know what to do in this other world.

It gave me a place to belong: the Lifeguard Corps.

It gave me a strong but trustworthy group of friends.

I, an ordinary high school boy whose only merit is that he hates to lose, was able to grow so much because of you, my teacher.

That's why, that's why I--

"To repay that debt of gratitude!"

With all his might, he accelerates his right fist and slams it into Rose's arm as if scooping her up, knocking her off her guard.

"Ah!"

Here!

He bursts the magic power from his fist and pulls it back faster than Rose can move.

At last, he has pried open the guard!　All that remains is to strike the main body, which seemed so far away!

With a yell, he unleashes a fist accelerated with a burst of magical power!

"OLLA!"

The fist with the highest speed.

But just before it hits Rose, her hand reacts with extraordinary speed and grabs her wrist.

It was close, but...

No, not yet!

I haven't shown you everything!

He puts his left arm on the basket and shouts with all his might.

"Accelerate!"

This is the real blow!

All the remaining magic power in your body is released from your fist at once!

Healing punch!

"Naa...!"

A dull, cannon-like sound echoed from his fist, and Rose's body jerked backward with a mighty thud.

I looked at Rose, who had retreated while gouging out the ground as much as she could with the magical residue of healing magic drifting from her abdomen, and I fell to my knees due to exhaustion and lack of magical power.

"...... haha, haha, I blew you away,......."

I feel a severe pain in my whole right arm, probably because I made it behave in an unreasonable manner.

Since I don't have the magical power to use healing magic, I endure the pain while holding my shoulder with my left hand.

"I have lost most of my magic power to the restraining spell, too. I'm not sure if it's a ......, but a technique like that that only thinks about beating the opponent with a basket hand, it's not even at the level of being cruel. ......."

"Ha-ha-ha, this is sealed just like the Rengage Fist."

I look fearfully at Rose as she replies to Nair's words without effort.

She is lying on the ground with her hand on the spot where the fist had hit her, silently.

"Hey, hey, Usato. I'm kind of scared.

"That's funny, I'm scared too."

Did I offend you by any chance?

Was it because I used a physical technique that has nothing to do with healing magic?　No, no, no, but it was an accidental technique, and I didn't intend to do it that way,

"Kuh, hahahaha!"

Hahahahaha!""Huh?""

Rose suddenly bursts out laughing, and Nair and I let out a pathetic scream.

She brushes her hair out of her face and looks at her palm as if she is deeply moved.

"I never thought I would be the one to take the hit. Not since ...... him?"　

Him?　Who the hell is he?

Surely there's some monster out there that can hurt a space monster the size of a man?

"...... Ugh."

"Uh, ah, Usato!"

My vision wobbles.

I was so weak that I didn't know whether it was because of the intense pain running from my right arm or the lack of magic power, I almost collapsed on the spot--but Rose supported me just before I fell to the ground.

"d*mn, it seems your lack of forethought hasn't changed after all these years of travel.

Rose muttered in a tone of voice that sounded both amused and pleased, and cast a healing spell on me.

In my fading consciousness, I locked gazes with Rose, who looked down at me.

"Usato. You have become strong. Beyond even my expectations."

"--"

I can't speak.

I can still speak, but I don't know how to put these feelings into words.

I am at a loss for words, but Rose continues to weave her words.

You have done well so far. You are a full-fledged healing wizard in my eyes.

My consciousness fades away after hearing that much.

Rose said something else to me, but I did not catch all of it.

But one thing I do know is that I am truly recognized as a healing wizard of the Rescue Mission.

●

"---Ha!"

"Oh, I'm awake at last."

When I woke up from my faint, the sky was already the color of sunset.

The first thing I saw was the familiar ceiling of my room and the orange light coming in from outside. I look around and notice that Amako is peering at me with a worried look on her face.

"Usato, you look so normal when you sleep, don't you?

"Wait a minute, don't make it sound like I look funny except when I'm sleeping."

What does she say to a sleeping person?

My mind was hit half as hard as when Rose hit me.

I sit up and check my physical condition. Thanks to Rose's healing magic, all my aches and pains and fatigue are gone.

My magic is not fully restored yet, but I can still walk.

What happened after that?

"Nair was resting in her room, and Frana went back to the castle with a kind of enlightened look on her face. ...... Then Rose said she'd go to the Commander's office to talk to Usato later."

Frana,...... no, I won't say it.

But still...the Commander's office. After that mock battle, maybe it's important to talk about something.

...... Oh, yes. Speaking of important stories: .......

"Amaco, I may have to go to Lucvis in the near future. ......"

Discussions in Shikoku, including the Kingdom of Lingle.

Lucvis was chosen as the meeting place and I might be heading there.

When Amako heard this, she put her hand on her chin and thought for a moment.

"I'd like to go with you, but we have an ...... important meeting to discuss, so maybe I shouldn't go."

"I'll ask him if you can go with me when the time comes. I'm sure Kiriha and the others would love to meet you."

Well, I still don't know if I'll ever get the chance.

But I think there's a good chance. After all, I have sent a letter to Samaritan as an emissary, so it would not be surprising if I am ordered to accompany him as a bridge for the meeting.

Hey, Usato.

"Hmm?"

How was your fight with Mr. Rose?

...... fighting Rose, huh?

He crosses his arms as if he is thinking about it for a moment, and then says what he thinks.

I was made to realize that I'm still not as good as the Commander. I feel frustrated, but I'm also ...... a little happy because my master is even more amazing than I thought he was.

I can say with certainty that Rose responded perfectly to my attacks throughout.

The last blow I hit her with was a surprise, but I don't think I can pull off the same trick again.

"I need to train harder ......"

It was nice to be recognized by Rose as a full-fledged professional.

But now that I have a new appreciation of how big my goal is, I feel like I have to work even harder.

"How can you say such a thing after such a competition? Well, that's what makes me feel like Usato.

"Ha-ha-ha, what do you mean by 'like me'?"

Am I being too stoic myself?

Chuckling at Amako's words, I shift my gaze to the scenery outside as it gradually begins to get darker.

Today has been a short, yet very long day for me.

In my first head-to-head battle with Rose, I found what I lacked and new ways to fight.

To be honest, I was fighting with a lot of fear, but I can say that this fight was still very meaningful for me.