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Hana and Yanagi were left behind and the one they're confronting was a powerful monster with a level that exceeded 6000, which couldn't be defeated even with Katagiri’s magic–a Trent.

And in the midst of such a desperate situation, Yanagi uttered unbelievable words.

"You want to borrow the power of Stock….?"

To be honest, Hana didn't understand what Yanagi just said.

At present, Hana's unique skill, [Stock], could only copy Lv 1 or below skills from others. In addition to that, the power of the skill itself was determined by Hana's status. That’s why no matter how powerful the copied skill was, surely it will hardly be useful.

But there was another thing that she couldn’t understand even more. It was about why Yanagi knew the existence of [Stock] which should have been hidden until now.

As if Hana's confusion was conveyed, Yanagi displayed an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, actually during the dungeon training the other day, we used a sensory reinforcement skill to track the actions of the participants just in case something happens. At that time, we learned that Amane-san acquired a unique skill… After that, we also knew you used Concealment. However, we decided to overlook it as it didn't seem to be used for an evil deed, and it was our mistake that it turned into something like eavesdropping."

"_–"

Truth to be told, she felt unpleasant knowing that she was being eavesdropped on.

However, Hana cannot strongly put the blame on Yanagi and Katagiri as they did this in consideration to her and the others, who were weak, and it was actually obligatory to accurately report the acquired status. It would also be difficult to deny if they said that she and Rin were the unfair ones as they lied about their status.

In any case, that matter would have to be left aside for now. Because there was a necessity to solve the other problem.

"I understand that Yanagi-san knows about my skill. However, Stock couldn't reproduce the power of the people I copied the skill from. Thus, I don't think it can be of any use in this situation."

"As expected that is the case. Even so, there is no problem."

"Eh?"

"I will give the detailed explanation later. Could you please copy the skill [Destructing Sphere] from me for the time being?"

"Y-yes!"

It seems Yanagi has a plan to solve this problem. Albeit still harboring a doubt, Hana touched Yanagi's hand as told.

"_Stock"

Then, the explanation of the skill enters her mind.

______–

Destructing Sphere Lv1: Release a mass of magic power containing the power of annihilation. The power will be determined by MP consumption rate.

______–

"MP consumption rate?"

As she was tilting her head after seeing those words that were new to her, Yanagi said.

"This skill is a special skill which power is determined regardless of the user's status. It is determined by the percentage of the user’s total MP consumed."

Suddenly, Hana remembered what Rin had said to her before.

Some skills have fixed damage depending on the skill level regardless of the user's status. And this [Destructing Sphere] was included in that category.

"I will make an opportunity, so please consume all of your MP and activate the Destructing Sphere, Amane-san. From the feeling I got when I fought it, the level of that Trent should be around 8000. Thus, it shouldn't be impossible to defeat this monster with 100% power of that skill."

"But, if that's the case, isn’t it's better if Yanagi-san activates it yourself?"

"Unfortunately, my MP has already been consumed by 20% just to block the Trent's attack. Rather than the current me, it should be more powerful if Hana-san was the one who used it."

"……!"

Given that Hana has only fought with a sword so far today, she certainly didn’t consume MP at all. That’s why, as Yanagi says, it was correct to let Hana be in charge of attacking.

However, can she really fulfil such an important role?

No, she herself would be the one who dies if she can't.

_There is no choice but to do it!

"Understood. I will try."

"Thank you very much. The Trent is also about to move. Please wait until I give you an instruction!"

The Trent launched another onslaught as if it had been waiting for when Yanagi finished his explanation to Hana, the Trent once again launched its onslaught. Its hard branches and ivy attacked the two vigorously.

"Haaaaaaaaaa!"

Holding the dagger with both of his hands, Yanagi deflected the attacks at a tremendous speed.

Unlike before where he devotes all his effort to evade, he seemed to have quite some difficulty this time. Most likely it was to prevent the attacks from reaching Hana.

(Do it, me!)

When she copies a skill, the way to use it naturally comes into her mind. As follows, Hana pointed both of her hands to the Trent and raised her concentration.

And then finally, the moment has arrived.

Dozens of branches and ivy stretched from the Trent's body and attacked Yanagi. As he nimbly evaded, the branches and ivy pierced the ground causing the Trent's movement to pause for a moment as it tried to pull them out of the ground.

"Amane-san, Now!"

"_Destructing Sphere!"

The ominous jet-black magic power released from both of her hands heads straight to the Trent.

"_-!"

The Trent couldn't evade that attack. The part of the Trent that grazed by the jet-black magic power was completely annihilated. And immediately after that, its body collapsed to the ground.

Then, the sound of the system reverberated in her head.

『Experience acquired – Level has increased by 452』

"… Did I, defeat it?"

The fact that her level went up surely signified that she had defeated it. However, because the Trent died too quickly, and the power she used to defeat it was a borrowed one, she didn’t feel like she had defeated it.

(That's right, how about Yanagi-san–)

Hana searched for the figure of Yanagi because she thought if Yanagi was delighted, she might be able to feel the victory too.

As she looked around, she found Yanagi right away. He was looking at the corpse of the Trent with a smile on his face.

Looking at that, Hana stroked her chest with a feeling of relief.

"We did it, Yanagi-sa…."

"_-It was a real one. Looks like it's worth putting myself through so much trouble just to prepare the stage."

"… Yanagi-san?"

Feeling the madness from Yanagi's smile, Hana cautiously called his name. At that moment, Yanagi suddenly regained his soft smile as if he had regained his senses.

"Yes, Amane-san. Did you call me?"

"N-no, it just, I’m glad we were able to defeat it safely"

"Yes. This is all thanks to Amane-san."

Even the way he responds was the same as before.

(… Was it, just my imagination?)

Hana concluded that it was just her imagination. Meanwhile, still with a smile on his face, Yanagi steadily approached her.

At that moment, an uncomfortable feeling assaulted her. Then, the moment Yanagi was about to arrive in front of her, something happened.

"… Are both of you safe!?"

The voice that wasn't Hana’s or Yanagi’s reached there. When she looked in the direction of the voice, there was the figure of Katagiri.

Yanagi withdrew his eyes off Hana for a moment and looked at Katagiri. And from his expression, the usual smile of his, disappeared for a moment.

Once again, an uncomfortable feeling assaulted her.

"Katagiri-san, you came back. How are the others?"

"I have them waiting on the surface. However, I came back in a hurry when I realized that one person was missing."

That one person was undoubtedly Hana. It seems, he finally realized that Hana was left behind after they made it to the surface.

"But thank god, it seems you are in the protection of Yanagi. At any rate, I see that there lies the corpse of the Trent, but how did you defeat it? Even though I couldn't even injure it with my magic"

"We managed to defeat it with the help of Amane-san."

"What? Isn't she a beginner who doesn't have an adventurer qualification yet? I don't think she can be that much of a help."

"That's not the case, you know? She possesses a very excellent unique skill after all."

(… Eh?)

Yanagi revealed Hana's secret as if it was natural. And the conversation of the two continues beside the confused Hana.

"A unique skill?! H-however, there should have been no report about that last time"

"Looks like she had deliberately hidden it."

"What did you just say?!"

Hearing Yanagi's words, Katagiri was exaggeratedly surprised. However, the one who was supposed to be the most surprised was Hana.

Because even though they didn’t make such promises, for some reason, Hana arbitrarily presumed that Yanagi would be silent about it.

"Y-yanagi-san! That was…"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I should have at least got Amane-san's consent before telling Katagiri-san. I inadvertently thought maybe it's fine to tell him"

"Inadvertently…"

While shyly scratching the back of his head, Yanagi said.

"Yes, inadvertently. That's because_"

And then, he, with a smile like someone who wouldn't even harm a fly, said as if they're engaging in a casual conversation.

"_I will have this person die here now"

Then, the tip of the dagger that Yanagi brandished pierced Katagiri's chest deeply.

"… Ha?"

"… Eh?"

Katagiri, who was stabbed in the chest and Hana, who was looking at the scene leaked their voice at the same time.

The thing that happened, in front of her, just now was–

"Y-yanagi, you, what are you doing–"

"Oops, I forgot. The most powerful skill that Katagiri-san has is Advanced Magic, right? Although I don't feel like it, since you're already here, I will take it, okay?"

"W-what, did you just say…? What, what is this! Chosen as, the target, by the plunderer_"

Katagiri didn't utter any more words as vitality drained from his eyes and he collapsed on the spot.

Just now, in front of Hana’s eyes, a person just died, very easily.

(Lie, it's a lie… Such a thing was definitely a lie–)

Hana couldn't believe that the scene that happened in front of her was a reality. And the perpetrator who created this abnormal situation just sighed as if he was exasperated.

"Haa, after all that effort I did to separate him, he should have just waited on the surface. If he did that, he wouldn't even die. What a stupid guy. Can't be helped, let's just treat it like he was killed in the line of duty, by the monster–Oops, I forgot my real target."

Yanagi turned his sight toward Hana and with just that, Hana couldn't move her body as if she was paralyzed.

Toward such Hana, Yanagi said.

"Such being the case, I will also have you die right now"