The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

The next morning.

While the meeting was going on in the big library, Kazuki, Inukami-senpai, and I were doing some preparatory exercises at the training ground near the inn, chatting lightly with each other.

"So, what kind of format do you use for mock battles?"

"Well, we can't do anything too extreme since we have the afternoon ahead of us, so ...... I don't know what to do."

"......Kazuki, do you have any good ideas?"

You didn't think about it.

I put my hand on my chin and ask for Kazuki's opinion as he slumps his shoulders in thought.

Kazuki looks at me and me and compares us, and after thinking for a while, he smiles, as if he has come up with something.

"I guess so. How about we play a game of tag, and the one who touches the other wins?"

"I'm not sure I can win a game of tag with my senpai.

"I don't want to be told by Usato-kun, who swings at all physical abilities. ......"

If they came at me at full speed in Thunder Beast mode, I wouldn't be able to run away either. .......

Kazuki nodded in agreement with my reaction.

"What kind of mock battle are you going to have with me, anyway?　Are you practicing for the Thunder Beast mode?"

"Yes, I guess so. To be honest, there are few people in the castle who can handle my speed. Kazuki-kun can ...... fight me on equal terms if I use magic, but there's too much damage to the surroundings ......."

"So that's me. ......"

Well, I'm confident that my reflexes are as good as anyone's, so I don't mind.

Whether or not I can handle the speed of my seniors is something I won't know until I try .......

I understand. Let's give it a try for now. The format is ...... as Kazuki suggested, in the form of a game of tag. ......"

"How about if I touch your right shoulder three times, I win, and if I last three minutes, you win?

"That's a good idea. Let's do it.

I win if I can keep my senior's hands off for three minutes, huh?

It might be a little tough, but I'm excited.

"Oh, if my hand slips and goes somewhere it's not supposed to, ...... please smile and forgive me."

"......"

"I'm just kidding!　Don't look at me like that!"

I was getting impatient with him, as I was getting a rather serious cold look from him.

After exchanging such words, we faced each other at a part of the training ground.

Kazuki is the referee, so I don't have to worry about my surroundings.

The time limit is one hundred and eighty seconds, and it counts if either of us moves. You two may begin at any time.

He nodded at Kazuki's words and shifted his gaze to his senpai.

She is unarmed, as she only needs to touch me three times.

I take a stance, watching her every move.

"Be my guest."

"Yes, I will. I've never been this close to you before, ...... so I'm not going to let it go to waste."

The next moment when I recognized that my senpai's whole body was shining, I saw his hand on my right shoulder.

Stunned, I looked at my senpai in front of me and saw that he had a smug look on his face that was no less smug than that of Mr. Kanoko.

"First time. You can never be too careful, Usato-kun."

"...... as expected."

Senpai is clad in lightning for a moment and moves away from me.

He is faster than I expected.

It's a hell of a speed, but it doesn't mean that I couldn't follow him completely with my eyes.

I clench my cheeks and fully awake, I deploy my right arm with a cage hand.

"May I use your basket hand?"

"If you can get away from my hands, sure!"

Great! ......!

Again, I take a position to draw my right arm to the senior who is clad in lightning and moves at high speed for a moment.

I know you are aiming at my shoulder!

The moment he recognizes the shadow that he saw faintly in his vision, he releases his healing acceleration fist to the right side and accelerates to the left side!

"It missed!　Again!"

He leaps backward to the senior who has been chasing after him.

Naturally, just as the hand of the senior pursuing you approaches you, you change direction in mid-air with an acceleration fist to the side, and you try to avoid his hand, but your fingertips slightly touch his shoulder.

"d*mn, I failed. ......!　You're still too fast, senpai ......."

"Wait a minute, you were obviously moving funny. You just slid sideways in mid-air without warning!"

He said this to me, looking at his fingertip that had touched me in a complicated way.

It was quite frustrating, because I was planning to avoid him completely before he got used to the healing acceleration fist.

"Healing Acceleration Fist. This is a movement method using the outburst of ...... system reinforcement."

"I'm starting to feel like that's a different technology than lineage enhancement. Dare I name it ...... strain blasting?"

Blasting, that kind of thing .......

Blasting is not wrong if you think about the process of activation, but ...... well, that's OK for now.

He again takes a posture as if to draw back his right arm, and puts his magical power into it so that he can produce a healing acceleration fist.

The time is running out as we speak.　One more touch and you win. It's a ...... game whether I get used to your speed first or you touch me first.

"Interesting. Then, let's attack more!"

Lightning flashes across the field of vision.

At the same moment, three electric blasts from my senpai are coming toward me.

"Sweet!

I reacted instantly, and without moving from the spot, I swatted them all away with my baskets.

At the same time, I ducked and dodged a hand reaching out from my side, and my senpai let out a startled voice.

"What?

"Yes!"

He succeeded in avoiding the target!

As long as you can see the target and the slightest movement, you can avoid it!

My joy was short-lived, as I quickly came to my senses, and he didn't move away from me, but kept his hand outstretched, still clad in thunderbolt.

But!　I already knew that!

With the force of my crouching, I thrust my fist into the ground and let out a burst of magic power!

"Nnnn!"

"Kya!"

The shockwave of the magic power generated by the fist hits the senior's leg, knocking him off his balance.

This is the impromptu technique I came up with just a moment ago, the Healing Rolling Fist!

It is a random technique that can cause the opponent to fall down by releasing a shockwave of magic power.

You probably won't have a chance to use it again!

"Ha-ha-ha!　I got this match!"

With the out-of-control senior in his sights, he backsteps as fast as he can and runs away as fast as he can.

I couldn't help but let out a high pitched laugh like a villain, but Senpai was so happy to see me that he smiled.

"You are the man I've always wanted!

"Hmm?

"I shouldn't have tried to hold it against you for two full minutes!　To beat you...

As soon as he said these words, the senior was clearly covered with more electric blasts than ever before.

The blistering blasts bounced off the ground and illuminated the training ground, which should have been bright in the daytime, even brighter.

She, who was apparently in full power mode, shouted to me, whose cheeks were twitching.

"You should have gone all out from the beginning!"

"...... hey, Tai--"

"Here I go, Usato-kun!"

As it was, he disappeared from sight, and tremendous pressure was coming from all directions.

I don't know what to do, but it looks like my senpai is moving so fast that he seems to be altering himself.

.......

"Oh, I'm going to get away with it!

I set up my baskets in order to overcome the onslaught of my senpai.

...... but rather, senpai is completely excited and having fun. .......

I'm not sure I'm going to be able to do it.

"Oh, I couldn't escape!"

I relax my shoulders as I lie down in the field by the training ground.

The result of the game of tag was that the older student had won.

It was indeed impossible for him to escape from his senpai who was at full power.

He only lasted about five seconds. ......!

"You say so, but I was pretty close too. I only had a few seconds left to put on the electric shock.

"It's only a few seconds."

I lost because I couldn't hold out for those few seconds.

I still had enough magic power and physical strength, but it was a very nerve-wracking game.

I felt that I had gained a different experience from the training with Rose, who was always trying to attack me in a way that I couldn't avoid.

"Well, both of you were great. The senior one was able to wear electric shocks for a much longer period of time, wasn't he?

At Kazuki's somewhat excited words, Senpai smiled shyly.

I've tried to devise a lot of things in my own way," he said. The time that I can stay in the Thunder Beast mode is gradually increasing, but it's still not long enough to use it in actual combat, so I try to activate it only for a moment or suppress its output.

Suppress output, huh?

"You were clad in lightning for a moment to save time, so you could make several fast trips in a row."

"Yes, that's right. Now it's like I'm cutting and patching."

My Healing Acceleration Fist is also a technique that uses a not inconsiderable amount of magic power.

I might be able to handle it better if I ask my senpai for tips on how to save my magic power.

"Usato. What did you do with that?

What was that?

That's the move that made you lose your stance. Did you just punch the ground and shake him?

I'm curious about that too. I was so surprised when he suddenly lost his balance. ......

No matter how much you train, there's no way you can hit the ground and cause it to shake enough to knock someone over. .......

Since I have nothing special to hide, I explain the healing rolling fist to both of them.

"How can you come up with such a technique on the spur of the moment? I say this because I've actually been hit by it, but I think it's a technique that can certainly cause a defenseless opponent to be upset."

"It's hard to be sober when you're in the middle of a fight and you have to worry about your feet."

It seems that the Healing Rolling Fist is more troublesome than I thought.

...... I'll have to think of a use for it next time.

"Hmm, Healing Tumble Fist. ...... could be named Healing Tumble Fist?"

"!　I've been thinking about it for a while, you have a great sense of naming things. I respect it."

"Eh, heh, heh, is that so?"

To tell the truth, I was afraid that Nair might criticize me for rolling fists.

No, I think Tumble Fist is not such a bad name, but I'll call this technique Healing Tumble Fist from now on.

Tumble Fist is too direct and has a cool, changeable feel to it.

"Ah, Usato. Do you have any concerns after the first fight?　I'd like to hear your advice or any faults. I'm also open to compliments..."

"Would you like some water, Mr. Usato?"

"Yes, I would. Thank you, Eva.

Eva, who is standing next to me, gives me a glass of water.

I take a sip of water, and after taking a breath, I look at my senpai again.

"......I just thought, from my point of view, that your movements are a bit monotonous and easy to understand."

"I knew it. ...... if you go too fast, it's going to happen. ......, hmm?"

Hmm?　What's wrong?

He tilted his head, looked at me and Eva alternately, and thought for a few seconds before speaking up.

Why is Eva here?

With her words, I finally noticed Eva's presence next to me.

It was so obvious that I had not noticed Eva's presence.

"Oh, that reminds me. Eva, how long have you been here?"

"About a month before Usato-sama and Suzune-sama had their match."

"I didn't even notice you were there, and you were talking to me naturally!　And you've been here for quite some time!"

Even though I got my body and soul back from the curse in Lukvis, the only thing that hasn't changed is that I've been around for some time now. It's like I've been there for a long time.

"That's amazing. I didn't notice it either. So, Usato, is this the princess of Samaritan you were telling me about?"

"Yes. ...... Eva, this is my friend Kazuki.

"Ah, it's nice to meet you!　My name is Eva Urd Samariat of the Kingdom of Samariat!　You must be the brave Kazuki!　I have heard that you are the best friend of Mr. Usato!

"Oh, so you're my best friend. ...... I'm kind of embarrassed."

"Well, I said it correctly this time. ......"

Kazuki nodded happily at Eva's explanation.

Feeling slightly embarrassed that she remembered what I had said about Kazuki at Samaritan, I turn to Eva, who has successfully introduced herself.

"Oh, the fight you two just had, it was so amazing!　You were so fast that I couldn't see you at all, but I could tell that you were really something!

"Oh, thank you!"

I don't know, but this girl's straightforward words make me flinch.

As I was returning her thanks with an ambiguous expression, an older student approached Eva.

"Are you alone?"

"No, the knights are nearby."

You didn't go out alone, but with an escort.

Thank God we're not talking about Eva sneaking out on her own.

As I am feeling relieved, I spot a suspicious sky-blue figure looking at me from near the entrance of the training ground.

"Hmm?"

<>

<<>

...... I saw nothing.

I didn't see the sight of multiple sky-blue knights looking at me.

I told myself that and turned to Kazuki to change the subject.

"Let's resume training, Kazuki. Would you like to stay and watch Eva?"

"If it's not too much trouble ......"

"You and Kazuki don't mind, do you?"

"Of course."

I don't mind.

"Thank you, Mr. Kazuki and Suzune for ......!"

The training resumes with the new addition of Eva and a lively atmosphere.

After the first game of tag with the seniors, it might not be a bad idea to try a different combination next time.

"Usato. Would you mind accompanying me to the sword practice?　Oh, if you're tired, that's fine. ......"

"I'm fine on the physical side. I can't use a sword, is that OK?

"You can fight the way you're good at, Usato. You can use your basket hand if you like.

Then feel free to use it.

I mean, in normal use, these are just hard baskets, like shields.

I don't know how good he is with the sword yet, but I'm going to be as serious as I was with my senpai.