Vs. Kane Swara (2)
A blinding flash grazed past Noktia, slamming into the wall. Stone dust rained down over their heads, but there was no time to brush it off.
Right before the corner on the right!
Noktia's right foot stepped on a tile shaded slightly differently. At the same moment, I tapped the wall with the scabbard of my sword.
Rumble rumble rumble!
A wall surged up between us and Kane like a charging train. At the same time, stone spikes erupted in front of her.
"Haaah!"
But Kane, veins bulging in her forehead, shattered the spikes like matchsticks with a flurry of strikes. Barely slowed, she hurled herself through the gap before the wall could close, rolling toward us.
Noktia seized the opening and flung a chakram. Yet Kane planted her hands on the floor like a quadruped, springing aside to evade it.
"Huff... huff..."
She'd tumbled through traps several times already. Her hair was disheveled, her eyes feral, almost beastlike.
"So, you know this maze well, don't you? Huh? Fine then—I'll smash right through the walls and you!"
She'd caught on. We'd been blatantly abusing the gimmicks to harass her, but hoping she wouldn't notice was a bit conscienceless.
Boom!
Another flash whistled perilously close, embedding in the wall. More stone dust flew—or rather, gray slime.
"Ugh, of all places, it hit the lower wall."
This maze didn't run on scientific principles. All creations of the headmaster, the walls' bases were slime-like substances. It wasn't obvious at a glance.
I shook off the slime and glanced back. Kane, her gaze dangerous, was just a few steps away, lunging like she meant to devour me.
[We've still got a bit to the point you mentioned. At this rate, she'll catch us.]
In that case, we settle it here first. Plan A.
I swung my sword into the side wall. Once more, a thin wall rose from the ground, blocking Kane's path.
But unlike before, she didn't leap over it.
Kaboom!
She'd condensed mana viciously into her rapier, blasting a circular hole through the wall.
"This won't stop m—ghk!"
"Looks like you figured out the rising walls aren't that sturdy."
The instant she emerged from the hole, twin chakrams whipped in from the left. My sword thrust at her chest from the right.
A perfect ambush exploiting her momentary blind spot.
But Kane was no pushover. No, among all freshmen, she was near the top in interpersonal combat.
She snatched one chakram barehanded, trusting her mana and protective suit. Twisting her body to the limit, she deflected my sword. With her rapier, she batted away the remaining chakram while thrusting at Noktia.
[Guh!]
Black smoke leaked from four spots on Noktia's abdomen. As she clutched her belly and staggered, Kane's rapier dove for my throat.
But it never reached me.
Clang!
My upward flick bent the rapier's trajectory skyward. Some of the mana infused in it coiled onto my blade.
Riding that flow of power, I launched myself airborne. One full spin in midair. The lingering mana traced a perfect circle along the arc.
{Flowing Moon: Returning Moon}
A spinning uppercut, amplified by Kane's own mana fused with mine, exploded on her.
Craaaack!
"Kyaaah!"
Kane barely blocked, but the impact hurled her into the wall.
"Ugh..."
Great—we'd landed a solid hit. But the big technique left my limbs jelly. Luckily, Noktia scooped me up, widening the gap again.
Good call. If we can eliminate her, perfect; if not, just trap her here.
[Got it.]
Noktia danced ahead, triggering specific floor panels. A wall shoved in from the side, sealing off our path from Kane—and even the slight detour routes.
The triggered walls stayed inert for a while.
And the paths we'd taken were already thick with maze walls.
[All routes sealed?]
"Exactly. Triggers are on our side, so she can't pass."
Just hurry back to the central zone now.
...But things never go smoothly.
An ominous noise started from behind.
Creak! Craaaack!
[Eek?!]
"!"
Everything in this maze was the headmaster's creation. Floor traps aside, the thick walls were tough—even Skala's arrows struggled against them.
"No way that savage sound comes easy..."
There was one sure counter, of course.
"Raaagh! Harné Astel!"
By punching holes in the slime base and crawling through.
[Eww, she figured out the hint from earlier? Still, she'll be filthy!]
"Yeah... she's already a mess. If she catches us, we're dead."
Kane, slathered head to toe in gray slime, charged with a face red as fire.
[Eek, run—er, resume evasion.]
Visibly reluctant to get caught looking ugly, Noktia bolted at full speed. My body bounced wildly with the motion. I hooked one arm around her sturdy neck, idly stroking my chin—then whipped and stabbed my sword into the wall.
"Ha! Just step where you did, and it's done!"
Even this was being countered. Traps half-triggered and fizzled; walls surged at her only to retreat.
Unhindered, Kane closed the distance in a flash. Her rapier pierced toward Noktia's back.
[Guh!]
The blade tip, oozing blue mana, grazed her side. As the follow-up came, Noktia flung me forward and twisted away.
Clang!
Chakram met rapier. Outmatched in strength, Noktia rebounded off the wall—giving Kane an opening on me.
"Harné Astel!"
Rapier clashed with sword, grinding fiercely. Kane bore down, asserting her power advantage.
"What a disappointment. Resorting to such tricks. I must have misjudged you!"
"...Since you say I don't ring a bell, why not tell me the details?"
To clear that scary face—and with trembling arms, I twisted my blade to deflect.
Provoked, Kane sneered, unleashing a thrust that pierced the air itself.
"Six years ago, at the Swara Marquisate's duel tournament—that's when we first met."
"...!"
"I never forgot the one who handed me my first defeat that day!"
Her barrage overwhelmed my weary guard. An ill sound leaked from my vest.
[Harné!]
Two chakrams arced into Kane's blind spot. She clicked her tongue, twisting past one and batting the other with her rapier.
I swung for her neck. Noktia closed in, hurling chakrams and kicking her side.
A clockwork-perfect combo. Kane blocked the sword but ate the kick, tumbling across the floor.
Now.
I spun and fled. Kane sprang up like a spring, pursuing—but Noktia intercepted.
Her battle cry and clanging metal echoed behind.
I didn't look back, pounding the ground. Noktia was holding, but not for long.
"Rapid Fencer."
And sure enough—a gale-force wind staggered me.
Glancing back, Noktia knelt on one knee, black smoke venting from her body.
Wasting no time, Kane pursued with bloodshot eyes.
"Damn."
The chase didn't last. My body was at its limit.
Before I could take more steps, my vision flipped. Kane's kick to my side.
I flew into the wall and crumpled.
"Cough, cough."
"Finally caught you, you slippery eel."
Kane loomed, panting roughly, her face beaming with assured victory.
"That day, you crushed me head-on then dismissed me."
She kicked my sword far away. No resistance allowed.
Her boot ground my shoulder.
"So what's this?"
The ominous noise from my vest grew louder. Noticing, she smirked and pressed harder.
"Forget the frailty—even your pride and dignity are gone."
Her rapier aimed at my brow. Savoring it, she drew it back slowly.
"Now taste humiliating defeat at the blade of the one you scorned."
She gripped it crushing-tight—and thrust.
...Or tried to.
Rumble rumble rumble!
The floor heaved violently. Far beyond prior traps—like an earthquake.
"Wh-what?!"
Kane stumbled. I mustered my strength for a kick to her gut.
"Thanks for the breather. Let me lure you right here."
"Guh, what do you—"
Before she finished, the floor ahead split. A massive wall surged between us.
Too fast for weary Kane to react. It fully separated us.
"That spot was a 'U' shape, three sides blocked. Know what happens if you step on the right panel?"
Kane couldn't keep up. I spoke clearly for her through the wall.
"Oops—all four sides sealed. You're trapped."
This was a special trap zone the headmaster set. Like what Skala and I saw earlier—but prepared just for Kane.
Plan B success.
"...You planned this from the start?!"
"Yes. Better hurry out."
As I spoke, the walls began inching inward, shrinking her space.
Her fate was obvious if they kept coming.
"Eek."
Climbing meant disqualification. No escape visible.
"Crushed? Auto-teleport, but with penalties. Shame."
"Shut your mouth!"
Boom!
Slime tore beyond the wall. Her mana-charged rapier made a hole.
But as she tried squeezing through—
[Pay for your arrogance in not finishing me.]
Noktia blocked the jailbreaker, swinging her chakram.
"Grr, get out of my way!"
[You shall not pass.]
Solemn words, but her gleeful grin was unhidden. Like whack-a-mole, she repelled every peek.
"You damn—"
Panting fiercely, Kane carved more base holes, expanding exits.
More holes meant easier escape. But walls were half-closed already.
"Raaagh!"
Sharp bursts echoed everywhere. I headed toward the loudest, sword ready with feigned pity.
Unfortunately, Kane Swara's rage was misdirected.
After all, I wasn't the real 'Harné Astel'—just a frail girl borrowing her identity and face lately.
Post-exam, I'd call the real Astel lady. Stroking my chin to adjust the 'mask,' I shook my head wryly and jammed my sword into a hole.
Of course, that was that. I'd taken heavy damage from her unfair attacks too. A little petty revenge was fair.
[Whoa... Harné looks evil.]
Keep your hands off your mouth when talking. And blocking escape is necessary, right?
"Raaaagh! Harné Asteeeel!!"
"!"
Our smirks vanished. Her scream was followed by near-simultaneous bursts from three walls.
"Still got that much power left?"
Holes formed or widened instantly. She'd escape before walls closed fully.
I tensed for battle—
Rumble rumble rumble!
"!"
—then froze at what happened next.
"Wha—what's going on?!"
The wall Kane was breaching tilted slowly—toward her side. The undercut base lacked support, toppling that way.
She screamed, recoiling reflexively.
Luckily, it caught on the opposing wall and halted.
If that ended it, it'd be her fortune.
But all walls had weak bases. Unable to bear the lean, the opposite wall dominoed the same way.
"Ah."
Kane's dazed voice.
Then, teleport sfx—auto-elim for crush risk.
Rumble crash!
The wall before me toppled with a roar. Unexpected scenery, but goal achieved.
Rumble boom! Kraaang! Kaboom!
[Wait, the crashes keep coming? What's happening?!]
"...Huh."
Goal met, yet something massive unfolded.
The whole space quaked with roars. Not just two walls.
Falling walls hit the next. Slime bases tore like paper; struck walls tilted wholesale.
Kraaang!
And the mega-domino wasn't linear. Twisted bases nudged sides, chains spreading.
Falling count surged. Even right-angle walls twisted left or right, eventually sameward.
[Harné, walls are toppling toward the central zone!]
I peered urgently through collapsing gaps. Amid dust and debris, walls leaned en masse on one spot.
The central stronghold's massive wall face.
One or two? Fine. But multi-chain dominos hammered it simultaneously.
Too much weight. It began tilting slowly.
Toward the prime team candidates' hub.
Oh shit...
Inappropriate speech detected. Auto-adjusting.
"...We're screwed."
Kabooooom!
A deafening roar tore through the air.