Chapter 96: A Defense to Win

A settlement between Kyou and Lily in the hall of the second floor.

The end of the battle between Jack and Ferid in the hall of the first floor.

At the same time where both battles were settled in Imperial Castle, a third battle was also about to be settled at the entrance of a certain detached place away from the second-floor hall.

There was a passage facing the entrance of this detached place.

A place that was by no means wide and suitable for multiple people to fight side by side.

However, conversely, it was the most suitable space for a one-on-one battle.

In such a place, the temperature in the atmosphere had already exceeded minus, and even now it was undergoing a rapid change to a temperature close to absolute zero.

Enveloping the passageway to the Imperial Palace’s main corridor was a permanent ice wall.

There were icicles made of many ice crystals on the floor and ceiling.

In such a place, a girl called the Snow Witch and a person called Zahak, one of the Seven Great Heroes and the brother of the Emperor Hero, were confronting each other.

「…Still… you’re a very quiet girl… 」

Why say such a thing?

Isu-chan instinctively retorted those words.

However, the current situation was not favorable to be taken lightly.

Isu-chan was not weak.

On the contrary, in terms of a simple combat ability, she was considered a powerful person comparable to Hell, the daughter of the Demon King, and two of the Four Heavenly Kings.

However, even if her attributes were similar to Hell’s, her personality and tactics were the exact opposite.

Defensive warfare was what Isu-chan was best at.

After all, she was a pure witch.

Her role was to support the warriors fighting on the front lines and to attack with magic from the rearguard during that time.

She was not meant to use tactics like cutting the enemy lines by herself.

On the other hand, her opponent was clearly a type that specialized in close combat.

Isu-chan’s inferiority was clear when she confronted him.

Even so, she didn’t give up, and used various tricks to bring an even-matched battle.

Rather, in this case, Isu-chan’s ability to prolong the battle so far deserved high praise.

「…However, as expected, it’s about time you ran out of cards…It’s true that the coldness in my body dulls my senses, but it’s still not unbearable…Your tactics are specialized in defense. I know that since I’ve been in many battles before… but there’s no such thing as a match that can be won by just endurance…」

Yes, he clearly explained Isu-chan’s tactics and weakness.

No matter how much she endured the opponent’s attack, in the end it was nothing more than buying time.

If that was the purpose of this fight, then fine. But if not, she would be too naive since there was no such thing as a fight that could be won by concentrating on defense.

「…Is that so…at least I…am fighting to win…! 」

Then, countless swords were created by ice magic that were different from before.

About dozens of them.

Not only did they look decent, but their performance and strength also exceeded that of ordinary weapons.

Seeing that, Zahak let out a sigh of admiration.

「…I’m surprised…It looks like Amines’ creation weapon… I see, did you receive some guidance from that Battle Hero? …I recognize that skill…」

「…Yes…before coming here, I was taught a little…I’m not good at fighting, so I didn’t use my magic to hurt my opponents…but…! 」

At the same time as Isu-chan moved her staff, numerous ice swords formed behind her and flew towards Zahak one after another.

However, all of them were repelled, slashed, or crushed by the sword in his hand.

Even a slight slash was far from fatal.

「…It’s a pity, Snow Witch…you must be an undeniable genius…since you create such weapons with just a few lessons…You can crush your opponent with that talent. If you spent all your time on this, you would have become the strongest hero in the world…it’s really a shame that you didn’t make the most of that talent…! 」

At the same time as Zahak’s professed that affirmation, all the remaining weapons were crushed into pieces with a near-high-speed slash.

This was over.

Convinced of that, Zahak tried to close the distance at once.

「…!? What…!?」

He couldn’t move his body.

No, his lower body didn’t work at all.

Surprised, Zahak immediately looked down and saw his frozen feet.

Powdered snow fluttered down one after another as if it were sealed in a crystal, and his body was wrapped in ice crystals.

「…Is this…the powdered snow from the weapons I just crushed…!?」

「…That’s right…」

Zahak, who immediately realized her true identity, showed his first impatient expression.

The weapons that were supposed to have been shot down and shattered earlier drifted around Zahak as powder snow, which combined with the air of absolute zero temperature and were recreated as a new ice crystal with Zahak at the center.

「…From the beginning, the purpose was to make me break the weapons…This ice space, the groundwork for creating this…Everything was for the sake of this moment from the very beginning…! 」

「…That’s right…just like you said, I’m unsuitable for attacking…that’s why I use defensive tactics from start to finish… 」

Zahak said earlier.

There was no way Isu-chan could win a battle that only focused on defense.

That was certainly true.

Winning without defeating your opponent was not a victorious outcome.

However, there was certainly a way to win against your opponent by sticking to defense.

「…What is the ultimate action in blocking the enemy’s attack? There is only one answer…To contain the very existence of the opponent…Defeating or killing does not necessarily lead to victory…This is my victory. This is my method…! 」

「Ugh…Ugh, gyahhhhhhhhhhh!!! 」

Zahak’s entire body was wrapped in ice, and at the same time he roared and was sealed in a perfect crystal.

After confirming this action, Isu-chan let out the energy in her body that had been supported by her staff until then, and instinctively sat down on the spot.

The magic to seal her opponent drained Isu-chan mental strength considerably. She was greatly exhausted based on the appearance.

Still, she stumbled to her feet and made her way to the door on her weak legs to free her friends from this castle.

However, on that moment.

『…Krrrrr. 』

It was the sound of something cracking.

Isu-chan immediately moved her gaze to Zahak, who was sealed in a crystal in front of her.

There was a slight crack in the surface of the crystal.

No way…

She couldn’t help but think so.

Because this ice seal was the strongest magic that Isu-chan could invoke.

Without her will, the seal would not be broken, and it would continue to exist forever without melting, even for a thousand years.

And yet, against her will, the seal on the crystal was about to be broken.

In the blink of an eye, cracks spread all over the crystal’s body, and in the next moment, as if the seal had been lifted from within, Zahak had returned from within the crystal.

「…Ahh…Ahh…I was surprised, Snow Witch, Isu…」

He professed this line.

This seal had never been broken by a third party.

This was impossible for the technique to go against the will of the caster.

However, of course, Zahak was also hurt.

He forced to break the crystal seal, so his whole body was injured by frostbite, and his left side of his body was completely paralyzed.

Even so, Isu-chan had a clear answer as to which side would have the edge if they fought straight.

「…Just now…what is your ability…?」

Isu-chan tried to make her final bet.

Whether the other party rode on it or not.

Depending on the answer, this outcome of this battle would be settled immediately, and…

「…Ah, yes. My ability only works on things that come in direct contact with me… Frankly speaking, it’s an ability that’s far from the royal road…I slightly regret having such an ability, but still. My ability hasn’t changed…so I’ll use it when I need it…that’s what I’ve decided…」

Among all the Seven Great Heroes, only the ability of Zahak, the older brother of the Emperor Hero, was shrouded in mystery.

This was because there was no one other than his brother who knew his ability.

However, if escaping from the previous crystal was with that ability, what was it?

That’s what Isu-chan thought, but that answer had nothing to do with her right now.

Because she had already won.

「…But you did a great job, Isu-chan… you fought with your own beliefs until the very end…this is just a result of my ability acting on yours…so tell me your last words. You proved yourself to be a shining jewel…but winning or losing was another matter, that’s all…」

Saying that, Zahak slowly approached Isu-chan, and his fist tried to enter her body to settle the fight with her, however…

「…Yes, it doesn’t matter…but I’m the one who won this fight… not you…」

What Zahak saw was a smile of victory.

And then he realized that her gaze was not directed at him, but at the other side…at the door of the detached place.

In an instant, Zahak turned around to see behind his back.

What was there was a door with a special magical power that confined Fitis.

The door was completely frozen in the space of ice until just now, and the ice swords that Isu-chan had released earlier had pierced the place where the keyhole had been.

Could it be that some of the weapons she just released were aiming for this from the beginning!?

The purpose was not just to seal Zahak in the crystal.

The main purpose was to rescue her comrades.

And the slight question from earlier was also to buy time.

Zahak finally understood after coming here.

The girl in front of him wasn’t challenging him to win the battle.

Isu-chan’s fighting style was thorough from the beginning to the end.

Defensive battle.

And the purpose of the defensive battle was…to buy time.

The door of the detached place opened from the inside.

A hero jumped out of there.

She instantly took the ice sword stuck in the door into her hand and closed her distance from Zahak before taking a single breath.

If Zahak was in perfect physical condition, he would have been able to react.

However, it was impossible for him to react to her movements, as the left side of his body was still paralyzed by the ice crystals.

And…

「Yes, it’s “us” who win, Isu! 」

The Gourmet Hero Fitis stroked Zahak’s body, and this time he became fully incapable of fighting and slowly fell on the spot.

「…Miss…Fitis…」

Seeing Fitis who had safely jumped out of the door, Isu-chan slumped down as if relieved.

Fitis reached out her hand to her friend.

The two did not plan for this to happen from the beginning.

Even so, Isu-chan believed that if it was Fitis, she’d act like that.

Fitis also acted that way, believing that if someone came to rescue her, she would do the same.

The root of this battle was the trust in their comrades.

That was all.

「…Uh, uh, you’ve started to shine on your own…Fitis… 」

Zahak muttered after seeing Fitis while lying down.

There was something that Fitis had to ask him.

「Zahak, I have one question for you. 」

That was the focus of this problem.

And the culprit of everything that happened.

「Emperor Hero Rostam…Where is he now? 」

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