NOVEL NEXT Chapter 111: Takeshi vs. the Alchemist
**Episode 111: Takeshi vs. the Alchemist**
“Takeshi vs. the Alchemist”
“Wind, oh wind, let us dance together—’Fuudo Enrai.'”
When Takeshi completed his incantation, his spectacular backflip landed in
an empty space. He came to rest about a meter above the ground, exuding an
aura of cutting down with a single stroke.
It seemed to be that spirit magic creating footholds in the air, allowing him
to close in on Glenn quickly. Like a hawk eyeing its prey, he moved
dynamically, using the air as a stepping stone, propelling himself diagonally
with his leg strength.
“Distant!”
Takeshi shouted, closing a distance of about five meters in just a few
moments.
“Come here!”
He yelled again, advancing just a half step.
His unpredictable, hard-to-predict aerial movements made it difficult to aim
fireworks at him. Since he was closing the distance, moving and letting him
get closer wasn’t an option, but hitting him with ‘Firework (Small)’ while
moving was nearly impossible against someone that fast.
“I will catch you…”
Instead of moving, I focused on observing Takeshi while aiming at him. This
allowed me to immediately understand his ability’s characteristics from his
shouts.
“Distant!”
Takeshi’s aerial stepping technique alternated between long and short
distances. If so, his next step would be long. Predicting the trajectory of his
long-distance leap, I aimed ‘Firework (Small)’ at the midpoint of his forward
line.
If I missed, Takeshi would close the distance between us in one more step.
To avoid getting caught in the firework explosion, I leaped lightly to the left
rear, keeping my distance from Takeshi.
Although I floated about four meters in the air and found it difficult to move,
it was better than letting him get close.
“Hit!”
As I wished, the firework hit Takeshi precisely, without any deviation.
However, just as the firework was about to hit, Takeshi swung his sword
from below, not hitting the firework but slicing upwards with his blade.
“Barrier Sword Technique—’Musubi Gatari, Second Sword.'”
As he said this, a rectangular wall appeared from where he had sliced,
extending diagonally from the point of impact, creating a thin green path
downward.
The end of this path was where Takeshi had previously slashed to intercept
the firework from a distance.
The firework glided along the semi-transparent wall, exploding far behind
Takeshi.
“A barrier—connecting realms.”
The wall seemed to connect the space between the slashes of the first and
second swords. Or rather, it severed my attack from reaching Takeshi.
“If it can connect, it can also sever.”
He declared, closing the gap between us to just a few meters. Both
suspended in mid-air, I tried to move again, but Takeshi’s blade was faster.
Fuu was desperately trying to control the foxfire surrounding Takeshi.
“Come here!”
Takeshi closed in another half step.
Before I could prepare for another attack, Takeshi’s approach was faster.
“Prepare yourself! Distant!”
Takeshi grinned fiercely as he finally caught me.
But…
“You should be the one to prepare.”
“What!?”
Two light orbs, the ‘Spiky Brothers’ turned into red ‘Heat Balls,’ struck
Takeshi’s back from behind.
“When did you get behind me!?”
In fact, along with the third firework, I had launched ‘False Souls Yearning
for the Sun’ homunculi as a diversion. The fireworks were a camouflage to
hide their charge.
The fireworks hit the wall and deviated, but the ‘Spiky Brothers’ circled
around Takeshi and attacked from behind.
“I’ve got you. Fuu, now!”
I threw two ‘Smoke Balls,’ obscuring myself and asked Fuu to lift me up.
Taro HP 90 → 55
I realized my HP had drastically decreased.
Why?
“Got it, Taro!”
As Fuu replied, I soared higher and checked my body immediately after
emerging from the smoke.
“Just as I thought…”
Blue foxfire was smoldering on my arms and legs. Allowing Takeshi to get
close meant that the blue foxfire controlled by Fuu’s wind had scattered
flames that touched me as well.
If I took damage, then…
The ‘Foxfire Lantern’ was a friendly fire item, meaning it also damaged party
members and myself. It was a powerful but risky item.
“One second caused this much damage… It can deal significant damage…”
Analyzing the new item’s performance calmly, I directed the ‘Foxfire Lantern’
to flow into the smoke with Fuu’s guidance.
A mass of blue fire swarmed the smoke screen.
“This should end him.”
Judging it was over, I checked the homunculi circling me and fired the last
‘Firework (Small)’ downward.
“In the realm of the Wind God, I am protected…”
The final strike shot straight like a meteor into the smoke filled with blue
flames. However, Takeshi’s low voice from the chaos of blue flames and
smoke signaled that the battle was not over.
“Barrier Spirit Sword Technique—Forbidden Sacred Ground, Shikifujin.”
Takeshi blew away the smoke, scattered the blue mist, and sliced through
the sparks.
The sword swing was invisible. But the cutting force of the blade merged
with the wind, cutting through the smoke, blue flames, and fireworks.
Within a three-meter radius around Takeshi, it was clear that his domain was
imbued with the power of wind spirits.
The sword wind, flashing in all directions, cut through all my attacks.
As the wind barrier dissipated, Takeshi aimed at me with a hawk-like gaze.
“I’m coming, Kourai!”
It seemed my alchemy had not yet reached the level to challenge his godly
power.
If it were Master Daimond, he would have surpassed even divine power.
Then, as his disciple, I must struggle and resist until the end.
“Fuu, keep us moving so Takeshi can’t get close!”
“Got it, Taro!”
I entrusted all aerial maneuvers to Fuu and gripped my short sword in my
right hand, holding ‘Melting Water’ in my left.
“Distant!”
“You won’t catch me!”
“Good, Fuu!”
Fuu’s wind allowed for sharper movements than Takeshi’s technique, giving
us an edge in aerial combat. But if it came to close combat, my chances were
slim. Takeshi likely understood this and continued his relentless pursuit.
“Take this!”
While shaken by Fuu’s wind, I scattered ‘Melting Water.’ Spiraling downward,
soaring upward, dodging Takeshi’s blade while spreading ‘Melting Water,’ I
tried to keep Takeshi at bay. He was persistent.
The tide had turned, and the roles had completely reversed. I would hold out
as long as I had items left.
“What a high-level fight.”
“Air battles, seriously?”
“An angel dancing in the sky…”
“Takeshi slashing through the air…”
“It’s a battle between an angel and a monster.”
“Don’t lose, Takeshi!”
“Crush that Takeshi guy!”
“Go, Angel-sama!”
“Angel-chan, don’t give up!”
The cheers from the mercenary players, Mina, and George reached my ears.
Their voices resonated in my chest, especially in this dire situation.
So I decided to take a gamble.
Fuu was occupied with keeping me airborne. I had few options left.
I sent one of the ‘Spiky Brothers’ with a ‘Heat Ball’ to distract Takeshi.
“Prepare yourself!”
The spiky ball was easily sliced by Takeshi’s blade.
One strike…
“Prepare yourself!”
As Takeshi closed in on me, I pulled out a ‘Flash Stone.’
“Hmm, that is…”
He noticed it. NPCs have such sharp judgment.
Just as I was about to strike the ‘Flash Stone’ with my short sword, Takeshi
also closed his eyes to avoid being blinded.
Both Takeshi and I were not blinded, but only dazed by the bright flash,
indicating our eyesight was normal.
It seemed my attempt to blind him had failed, but—
“You’re caught.”
The remaining ‘Spiky Brothers,’ floating in front of Takeshi, turned bright
yellow and emitted a dazzling light.
“Darn it, I was careless.”
The double-layered blinding attack worked. I made the ‘Spiky Brothers’ emit
a ‘Strong Light.’
“This is my last chance, Fuu! Let’s go!”
“Alright! But, Taro?”
I had used up all my most powerful items. Only my short sword and the Wind
Maiden Sylph, Fuu, remained.
If Takeshi could enhance his sword with wind spirit power, maybe we could
too.
Half-desperate, I wished for one last swing.
“Wind Maiden Sylph, become a blade!”
“Hmm? Hm!”
I wished for my short sword to be enhanced, turning it into a sharp wind
blade.
“Got it!”
Apparently, she understood easily. I raised my short sword high and
witnessed Fuu merging with it.
“Eh!? Fuu and the sword combined!?”
Fuu merged with my short sword, turning the blade a yellow-green color and
extending it by ten centimeters.
This was ‘Fujin,’ or rather, ‘Fuujin’!?
“I can do this!”
This would end it!
I aimed for Takeshi’s head with a powerful downward slash.
“Take this!”
Just as ‘Fuujin’ was about to strike Takeshi’s head, his vision returned a
moment earlier than I anticipated.
“What, why?”
Just three seconds hadn’t passed yet, but—
“I can see now!”
My strike was lightly deflected to the left, and Takeshi’s returning blade
grazed my torso.
As expected, my HP dropped to zero.
: Simulation battle ended
:
: Mercenary player Taro defeated:
: Battle record—valiantly fought:
As the log appeared, I realized my fatal error.
I had miscalculated the effect of the ‘Spiky Brothers’ strong light emission,
mistaking it for the ‘Flash Stone.’ The ‘Strong Light’ only aggroed the enemy,
shortening its blindness duration.