Finger Gun Demolition
"Ah, for real!!!!!!!!!!" My scream echoed off the underground prison's ceiling.
"No way, this is bullshit, right? You said this was your first time today—how the hell are you blocking every single stone I place?"
"Bullshit? Perish the thought. This lady merely reads several moves ahead of you."
With that, Leoness started humming a tune with elegant grace.
"This is the ultimate ultimate technique this lady devised: 'Star of Austria'."
"…"
"Now, where will you place it? Block horizontally, and the diagonal opens up. Block the diagonal, and you can't cover the horizontal. Out of mercy, this lady will count to ten to give you a chance. If you don't place it by then, this lady wins again…"
"Ah. Screw it! I'm done! Fuck this!"
I slammed the pebble I was holding onto the floor.
Total record: 2 wins, 43 losses. And those two wins? The first game where she didn't know the rules well, and one where she deliberately lost because she felt sorry for me. That was it.
"Tsk tsk. Fleeing from competition—the empire's lady shows a truly pathetic sight."
Leoness clicked her tongue, basking in the victor's leisure. That infuriating voice. I wanted to punch her, but the iron bars stood in the way.
"This feels way too unfair for me. How about a different game now?"
Leoness wasn't lying about being a master of number games. An Intelligence stat of S wasn't for show.
"Are there still games left for you? You're quite the polymath."
…though hopeless at games, she added. I shouldn't have given her those cookies in advance.
'Now she's all cocky…'
"No more brainy games."
Chess, Othello, Go. We'd tried every board game we could play all day with just a few pebbles and our voices.
'Oh, if I do this, it'll be checkmate.'
'Placing my black stone here wipes out all your white stones.'
'You're losing so much it pains this lady's heart. Just connect that line. Yes. Your victory, this lady's defeat.'
And I'd been thoroughly toyed with.
Time to switch genres.
"Oh? Planning to make up for it with your body?"
An intrigued voice came from beyond the bars.
"Regrettably, both this lady and you are imprisoned. Intense sparring is impossible."
"Who said anything about fighting? I just don't vibe with these games."
I huffed in excuse.
Silence fell for a moment. Then Leoness spoke in a dignified tone.
"In that case, have you heard of 'debate sword,' my lady?"
"Debate sword?"
I echoed the unfamiliar term, and Leoness snorted as if she'd expected it.
"As expected of the empire's nobles—they know nothing of martial depths. Debate sword is a training method popular among this lady's kingdom knights."
"So what is it?"
"Clashing without moving the body, solely with the mind. True masters decide victory with aura alone, without crossing blades, no?"
Ah. Like those mind-sword duels from wuxia novels. Basically, image training battles.
"We set up hypothetical scenarios and terrain, then exchange attacks and defenses verbally. It might be tough for someone not bright like you… but better than Go, surely?"
Sneaky provocation. But Leoness was overlooking one thing.
I'd used every technique in this game. Swordplay, magic, skills, cooldowns, hitboxes, startup and recovery frames. If it was data combat, not just wits, I had confidence. No, I couldn't lose.
"Fine. Let's do it. But no whining if I win."
"Heh. Your confidence is at least appealing. Very well. Perfect timing, as this lady's body was stiffening in this cell. Behold the pinnacle of Austria swordsmanship."
///
"Rules are simple. Recite your moves; fail to counter, and you lose."
"Got it. Bring it."
I sat comfortably and closed my eyes. Leoness's voice flowed calmly.
"Close your eyes and take deep breaths."
"Suuu… haaa…"
Breathing deeply made my already ample chest rise and fall dramatically.
"Now envision your opponent and sense their aura."
"…"
Is this right? No clue.
"…Hm?"
Even Leoness across from me sounded puzzled.
"Are you focusing properly?"
"I am?"
"Strange. Normally, you'd feel the aura in your mind's eye… but from you, nothing. Like empty void—no, a dark abyss."
"Ah."
Well, yeah. No mana core here.
"Must be the black magic."
"Hmm. Intriguing. Very well, you take first strike."
I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. A virtual space unfolding in darkness… would be nice, but it was just pitch black.
'Whatever, imagination will do.'
My only attack skill was Bullet.
"I widen the distance and fire a bullet. Trajectory: your torso."
Leoness scoffed.
"Slow. This lady draws her sword and kicks off the ground into a leap. Your bullet grazes my afterimage."
"Dodged? Then I fire the second bullet right away. Trajectory: your landing spot."
"Ha! This lady launches sword energy midair for recoil, redirecting course, and dives into your blind spot."
"Then I twist toward the blind spot and unleash a barrage of bullets."
"Barr age? How can you spam magic like that! This lady may lack magical knowledge, but even I know that's idiotic!"
Leoness countered. Fair point—for a normal mage. Mana gathering and incantations are standard.
But I'm a black magician.
"Black magic uses life force, no casting needed. Just shoot."
"Urgh… cheating! Defies magic principles! Then this lady… this lady…!"
She shouted desperately.
"This lady spins her sword like a windmill, deflecting all your bullets!"
"Then I'll keep firing until you're exhausted."
"……Ha."
A deep sigh echoed.
"Enough unreasonable tactics to win."
"Unreasonable? It's real."
"No power comes free. Spamming magic without mana or chants? Absurd."
"No, the cost is my life force—my lifespan and vitality."
"Life force? Lifespan?"
Then she burst out laughing.
"Using lifespan for magic? You expect me to believe that?"
"No, that's how black magic works!"
"Lies! This lady's doubting you're even a black magician now. No mana aura— what mage is that? Just admit defeat!"
A loud thud against the wall.
"This debate sword? This lady won't accept it!"
Leoness seemed to have shot up.
"It's just wordplay!"
You suggested it first.
"In reality, this lady's sword would've pierced your heart before you twitched a finger!"
"Dunno? My reaction speed's so fast, the bullet hits your forehead before you even draw."
"Don't make me laugh! You, a mage! That flabby body of yours couldn't dodge my sword— a graze from my sword energy would cleave you in two!"
"Then prove it. Less talk, more show."
"Prove? Ha! Listen well!"
-Whish! A sharp, deadly air-cutting sound.
Followed by.
-Slash!
"Hear that? No magic, no aura, not even a sword! Pure hand blade strike!"
Leoness crowed triumphantly.
"This lady just carved a deep sword mark into the wall barehanded! Your soft body needs only this lady's hand edge!"
"…"
Damn. Honestly, impressive. I knew her Swordsmanship stat was high, making her tricky. But slicing wall barehanded?
Still, no backing down.
"That all you got?"
I sneered, twisting my lips.
"Bragging over a little wall scratch."
"B-bragging? Scratch? What did you say?"
"And you used your hand edge. I can do it with one finger."
"Hmph! Bluffing to the end. Doubt your precious bullet even scratches the wall."
"Ha, wanna bet?"
I glanced at my status window.
Overflowing since yesterday's Equivalent Exchange.
'To shut down that princess, need a solid hit.'
A weak shot leaving no mark would mean admitting defeat. Time for a power test too.
Just 100 life force. Enough for a wall dent.
"Fine. Watch. What black magic really is. Don't faint."
I rose slowly. Playfulness gone.
Not toward the corridor—toward the outer prison wall. Slowly extended my arm.
Thumb and index as a gun shape.
"Listen up. This is my 'finger gun.'"
"Finger gun? What…"
"Bullet."
Activated the skill.
'Consume 100 life force.'
My heart pumped wildly at my words. From its depths, black, sticky tar-like substance flowed through veins to my fingertips.
"Y-you! Count it as my loss—don't shoot! Bad feeling."
Leoness sounded uneasy at the ominous aura.
'Leoness, I'm scared too!!!!'
Too late to gather. Gotta fire somewhere.
"Bang."
Mouthed the sound, flicked my finger.
-KABOOM!!!!!!
Deafening roar assaulted my eardrums. Flash blinded me.
Recoil alone knocked me on my ass.
"Cough, cough!"
Dust filled the cell. Ears ringing.
"…Huh?"
I waved away the dust, jaw dropping at the sight.
What the fuck.
Dent? Hole? Way beyond cute.
Where my finger pointed—the prison wall imprisoning me was gone.
The cut edge glowed red-hot like melted by extreme heat, black smoke curling up.
Insane. I stared blankly at my finger.
This wasn't wall-breaking; it was siege cannon level.
"….."
Silence.
Neither Leoness nor I could speak.
"Whoa, Princess. What now?"
"D-don't ask me! Your solo stunt! This lady knows nothing!"
"No, you provoked me! Take responsibility!"
"What nonsense! This lady made a light scratch; you blew the prison away!"
Cold night wind whistled through the hole. Thought underground, but a sheer cliff loomed beyond. Academy prison built into a cliffside, apparently.
Then.
Step, step.
Footsteps from corridor end, stairs.
"Eek!"
"S-someone's coming!"
We clamped mouths shut. Any witness would mistake it for jailbreak.
No— we actually broke the wall. No excuses.
"W-what do we do? Cover it? With our bodies?"
I rushed to block the hole. But too big. Even my huge chest couldn't cover.
Chill wind whooshed behind.
"Straw! Straw to plug it!"
"This hole's massive—how with straw!"
"Argh, move! This lady'll throw some too…!"
Bickering as footsteps neared.
Finally, stopped before our cell's iron door.
"…"
Please Lilliana! Please Esilla!
Please. Familiar face might let us beg off. Lick shoes? Maybe forgive.
Creeeak.
The door opened.