Chapter 139: A New Ability

“Aya!” Seeing Shiina kick Hotaka Aya away, Tachibana Tomoe waved her chain wildly in apparent desperation. The simple attacks did nothing to hinder Shiina. She closed the distance with ease and struck Tomoe unconscious with a knife-hand blow.

“Clang!”

Just before the Blaze Fang chain vanished, it collided with Hotaka Aya’s knight lance. Though Aya had not lost consciousness, her entire body was limp and unable to move. The knight lance spun from her hand and flew away, landing precisely where Nightstar was standing.

The lance tip was about to pierce Nightstar, yet he showed no reaction whatsoever. Although a Blaze Fang could not injure the body, surely that was no reason to remain this unconcerned. Tsukimi Rito complained inwardly but made no move to intervene. If the lance struck him without obstruction, it would certainly be entertaining.

“Shiina, be more careful next time you fight, all right? Though I suppose this isn’t really your fault.”

The knight lance was enveloped in a pale blue radiance and hovered before Nightstar’s forehead. It was close enough that the slightest upward movement would make contact. Bai Ji flicked open her white jade folding fan, sending the lance flying back along its original path until it came to rest beside Hotaka Aya.

Once Shiina had finished dealing with the others, Kanade Tachibana stepped forward and bowed to her face-to-face. Kanade did not enjoy fighting, but this academy taught combat techniques, and she still believed one ought to attend class seriously.

Facing the opponent she had known since the world after death, Shiina did not dare let down her guard. She summoned the two short blades that had already become Blaze Fangs. Then she entered a concealed state. She knew very well that, given Kanade’s personality, Kanade would never initiate an attack.

When Shiina disappeared, Kanade gazed around in confusion. Even Nightchen and Bai Ji—the two strongest among the group—would have difficulty detecting someone in a concealed state, let alone Kanade. She could only sense Shiina at the instant she launched an attack.

“Blaze Fang.”

Sacred white wings unfurled, while pure-white feathers drifted weightlessly through the air. Light and graceful, they danced upon the currents, yet not one touched the ground. Kanade keenly noticed that several feathers on her left moved with unnatural pauses and deviations. Then she sensed a current of air, even fainter than a breeze, approaching her ribs.

The wings behind her swept forward to shield her side. A short blade halted against their feathers. Had Kanade not made that move, the blade would certainly have entered her petite body. With a nimble twist, the wings flung Shiina aside as she attempted a second attack.

Under Kanade’s control, the wings moved as flexibly as arms. Shiina concealed herself again as she landed, and the feathers Kanade sent flying struck nothing. Once more deprived of a target, Kanade found herself at a disadvantage against Shiina’s troublesome ability.

“How will Little Kanade deal with this? Shiina’s ability is awfully difficult to handle, wouldn’t you say, Nightchen? Or would you rather lie here a little longer? I don’t mind.”

Bai Ji knelt on the grass, with a head resting upon thighs so exquisite they could have been carved as a work of art. Combined with the gentle smile on her breathtaking face, the sight was enough to make anyone envy the person receiving such treatment.

“It makes no difference whether my eyes are open or closed. Even lying here, I can follow every detail of Shiina and Little Kanade’s battle.”

Nightchen lay on Bai Ji’s soft, comfortable thighs, reluctant to get up, and answered her. After spending some time figuring out his new ability, he had been driven outside by the bored Nightstar, who had grown tired of remaining indoors.

“Have you figured out what it does?”

Bai Ji toyed with Nightchen’s hair, which had grown long from being left uncut for too long.

“I have. How should I put it? It’s a fairly useful ability, and I don’t think I’ve reached its limit yet. Would you like to see it?”

Nightchen asked as though he wished to satisfy Bai Ji’s curiosity.

“No. There will always be a chance to see it later.”

Her answer was exactly what Nightchen had expected. In Bai Ji’s eyes, demonstrating an ability outside of practice merely wasted energy and allowed others to prepare against it. There was no benefit.

“Delay. Sonic Blade.”

After some time spent struggling to deal with Shiina’s attacks, which could come from anywhere at any moment, Kanade used the skill she had created in the world after death. Delay was unquestionably one of the finest among them.

The moment she was attacked, she would suddenly accelerate on her own, leaving digital afterimages as she moved. As soon as the ability was activated, the situation changed completely. Whenever Shiina attacked without warning, Kanade no longer needed to devote much effort to guarding or responding. Delay allowed her to evade with ease, circle to Shiina’s other side, and launch a counterattack.

One of them appeared and vanished unpredictably, while the other left digital afterimages whenever she moved. To an ordinary observer, the scene would have been dazzlingly confusing. Shiina appeared once more, her short blade thrusting toward Kanade’s back. She had no expectation that such a casual attack would land.

Yet this time Kanade used neither Delay nor even an evasion. She turned and caught Shiina’s razor-sharp blade. Looking closely, Shiina saw that Kanade’s hand was covered by a thick layer of feathers. The blade had sunk into them but failed to penetrate completely.

Shiina sprang backward, but Kanade had no intention of letting her escape. She pursued her at once and thrust out her Sonic Blade. Realizing she could not flee again, Shiina decisively drove her remaining short blade forward as well.

“You two are taking this far too far! It’s only an ordinary sparring match, so why are you fighting like this?”

Nightchen caught Shiina’s blade with one hand and seized the Sonic Blade with the other. Several drops of blood welled from the center of his palm.

“Why are you hurt? I’m sorry, Nightchen.”

When Kanade realized that her Sonic Blade had cut Nightchen’s hand, she apologized in deep remorse.

“That’s only natural. A Blaze Fang can’t harm the body, but your Sonic Blade isn’t a Blaze Fang. Did you forget that?”

Nightchen lightly tapped Kanade on the head and pretended to scold her.

“I’m sorry.”

Kanade sank into even deeper self-reproach. She was kind-hearted, and harming anything filled her with guilt—especially Nightchen, whom she regarded as family.

“I forgive you. It’s only a minor wound. Just remember this from now on: companions shouldn’t fight one another like that.”

Nightchen rubbed her head as he spoke.

“Nightchen, give me your hand.”

Shiina removed the scarf she had worn around her neck for years. From her expression, it was obvious that she intended to use it to bandage his wound.

“No need. It’s only a small injury. It’ll heal soon!”

Nightchen knew that Shiina had worn the scarf since childhood and that it must be precious to her. Naturally, he would not allow her to sacrifice it for him.

“Let me take care of it.”

Bai Ji had some knowledge of healing and offered to help.

“No need. Didn’t I tell you? This is what my new ability does.”

Nightchen opened his palm. The wound, which should have taken at least several days to heal, closed before their eyes. Soon, not even a trace of injury remained.

“My new ability allows me to recover from injuries at incredible speed. Though it seems it can only be used on myself.”