Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 239: Arc 4, Act II, - 84: The Thundering Blade vs The Undying Princess
Her hands ran over the layer of her yellow coat, smooth yet there was a texture; like microscopic spirals and swirls weaved across the entirety of the enchanted garment.
The rest of her adventuring gear, the whites, the blacks all had this gleam under the shaded sunlight, almost akin to metal. The underside of her coat hosted at least a dozen pockets, one of which was much longer—the sheath for her blade.
The rest of her adventuring gear appeared the same except for the collar that stood a little higher to guard her neck.
The browns of her irises scanned all around her. The barracks’ upper and lower floors were all filled with Royal Guards, staff and many troops in desert camo who were invited before their departure.
They cheered, they yelled, every face had a different smile and a different angle of their brows. "Win or lose, this’ll be an inspiration to them all," her eyes fell to Hotaru who spoke while approaching.
"Me kicking the ass of their beloved princess? I’m sure they’ll be."
"Stop smirking and focus," Hotaru held the blonde’s chin tautly.
Jotou’s arm gently hummed with lightning, "I’ve been studying on Webbing Lightning and theorizing on how to cast it. I still haven’t tried it yet-"
"No. I told you not to," Hotaru gave a mother-like stare...
"Alright, alright," Jotou smiled, dissipating the spell.
"I’m rooting for you here. Try not get too injured."
"I won’t promise anything."
"I expected as much," Hotaru planted a kiss on her cheek, causing the entire crowd to hoot and howl. The redhead had rosy cheeks, having forgotten her surroundings.
The two stood on one end of the field while their friends were to their left side. And all the way on the opposite end, stood a tiara-less princess, her purple strands that ended in black tied into a side tail on her left.
Her top was made of browns and purple fabrics; she wore an enchanted brown leather jacket that had been studded with amethyst gems where the stitching would be.
A nearly black, purple pair of trousers made of flexible material matched the top and two layered leather greaves protected her shins. It finished off with dark brown combat boots with little purple gems—Daiyu’s enchanted adventuring gear.
Arabella, Feyan and Niah were to her right. She spun her greatsword till it fell into the grassy terrain. "Ya done smooching over there!?"
Jotou and Hotaru tightened their lips to glare over. Hotaru leaned into the blonde’s ear, "Win this and I’ll let you be on top."
The blonde reddened and pouted, "I don’t need to win for that, I can top when I want."
"Hm, keep being defiant all you want," Hotaru’s tail swished past her coat as she walked away with a titter. The people still on the field gathered into one spot.
"GO JOTOU!" Asobi had an illusory sign held up spelling out what she uttered. Half of the crowd seemed to cheer at the statement, the other half booing.
"HEY! SHE’S THE THUNDERING BLADE OF KRIA! SHE’S GONNA BEAT THE PRINCESS LIKE IT’S NOTHING!" Fumeko shouted back to them.
"Would you like to be announcer then Detective Namora?" Feyan turned.
"Hm, purple suit... Nope, you need to be a medic!" Asobi illusioned Feyan into wearing a doctor’s uniform, complete with a stethoscope.
"Yeah, whatever, I won’t be biased at all," Fumeko’s eyes glazed over.
"I’ll do it," Asobi offered. "And you," she illusioned Hotaru into a doctor’s uniform as well with blue spectacles. "And-"
"Don’t you dare- AH! Asobi!!!" Fumeko wore a yellow top that said ’Thunder to the Lightning’ and a miniskirt, her hands now adorned with illusory pompoms she could not shake off.
Niah backed away behind Feyan. Arabella looked over with her arms crossed. Asobi’s final outfit targeted her, the same attire onto Arabella except a purple top that said ’Protector of the Princess’.
Arabella had the same uncaring expression as she peered down to herself. She looked up, blankly staring as she gave the purple and brown pompoms two half-hearted shakes.
"All done!" Asobi stepped in between the two stretching competitors. She poked her wand into the side of her neck, "Ahem. Welcome Ladies and Gentlemen!!!" her voice projected. The crowd went silent.
Her voice went deep, "Today, we have on the right, the blonde known for her spark, her lightning streaks across the skies, the saviour of Kria and Hartamat, the THUNDERING BLAAAAADDDEEEE!!!"
The crowd cried out loud for her. Jotou beamed, looking all around. ’How did I get here...? Hm. This feels nice.’
"And on the left, the purple-haired ruler of Cravolta, her steps make the earth itself shake in terror, the monarch who refused to fall, the UNNNNDYYYINGGG PRINCESSSSS!!!"
Daiyu chuckled, flexing her arms and waving to those who cheered for her. She thought back to when there were ever this many people during one of her tennis matches; no memory seemed to come. This was, without a doubt, her biggest turnout.
"One round! Any magic goes! No eye-poking or crotch bashing! Hold onto your seats and stand back dear audience, these two will have rocks and thunder flying across the field!
In case of too much magic, please turn and run away! Or stay and find out~! Without further or do, when the countdown hits go, the round begins!" an illusory number ten appeared in white light above Asobi, which then turned to nine.
Asobi ran back to her friends, the countdown still in the middle. The Royal Ministry had special seats behind the six who stood, a few seats empty.
Archduke Guuraj watched in amusement, whilst Count and Countess Keya discussed, "Who do you think will win dear?" the countess queried.
"I have faith in the princess." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎
"As do I, but I also have faith in the other. I’m rather torn."
Three, two, one... GO! The numbers exploded into confetti. Daiyu huffed and rushed forth, Jotou doing the same. "Stone Surge!" Daiyu leapt and stomped both feet to the ground at an angle.
The earth rumbled and the grass ripped apart as connected pillars of stone emerged in long prisms. All in an instant they surged up, like spikes incoming for Jotou.
"Jotou shifts all the way right, sheathing her sword back in! She decides to flip from left to right to avoid the incoming surge. Jotou stands back up, unsheathing her blade back in a second! And now I can’t see anything!" Asobi announced.
The pillars stood slanted ten to fifteen metres in length each, the crowd cheered although a lot of them could not see. The princess did not stop, instead stomping her other foot down, "Stone Surge!"
Jotou was forced to run back to her left, still unable to close the distance to Daiyu before the pillars emerged from the earth below, curving towards the blonde. The blonde dodged out of the way, standing in the centre.
She already began to sweat. ’Two master level spells in a row!? How much has she been training!?’ She should’ve known by now how much Daiyu places importance on a challenge...
However, the ground did not quake and Daiyu seemed to grit her teeth from afar, sweat over her brow. ’How hasn’t she fainted- Wait, didn’t the stones disappear last time...? This spell must need concentration.’
Seeing the opportunity, the blonde sprinted with her blade, each inch of the metal gaining a sparking glow, from the hilt to up her arm.
The field from above seemed like a giant clam decided to engulf it from below. Daiyu decided to rush forward as well, but in doing so, one eye twitched and the pillars on her right side began to rumble.
The princess’s eyes widened and raised her greatsword. "TANG! FiZZle!" "Zap!"
"Rockslide!" Daiyu kicked.
The lightning conducted up the greatsword, but just before the fraction of a second could reach, the dirt beneath Jotou crumbled and rose and- "TFff!"
"Gh!" the dirt shifted and pushed Jotou’s feet away ten or so metres like a treadmill and the dirt settled back. Daiyu shook her hand, feeling the zap giving mild shocks, but not enough to harm her.
"RUMBLE!!" Both surges of stones began sinking back into the ground, causing the princess’s breath to be her own again. "Promise I won’t kill you!" Jotou exclaimed.
"I will win!" Daiyu retorted.
"We’ll see!"
The crowd once again gained a view of what was going on, "And we’re back folks! Looks like the Thundering Blade has staggered the princess!"
"Not what’s happening!!!" Daiyu yelled and rushed ahead. She met Jotou head-on and arced her blade forward. "CLANG! TANG!"
Jotou hit back with both hands on the Skyslayer, "ZAP!" Jotou shifted her sword into one hand, attempting to zigzag up Daiyu’s blade.
"Rockslide! NGH!" Daiyu took the brunt of the zap down her arm, kicking her foot upwards to shift the crumbling earth up from under Jotou’s footing.
"Kickbolt!" Jotou high-kicked one leg and along the sole of her foot trailed lightning. Daiyu’s spell slid the crumbles of dirt up in a little crescent, but was broken by the lightning the blonde kicked up with.
The spell boosted her foot up and Jotou lifted her other leg high to follow the momentum and backflip back up onto her feet. She lowered her knees and sprang herself to Daiyu with her blade glowing.
"CLING!" Daiyu blocked. "Ting! Clllang! Tang! PING! PANG!" With one arm Jotou swiftly hit back and forth, forcing Daiyu to step back, before she stomped her foot down, causing a quake to shiver Jotou.
The blonde smirked, "Got you haven’t I~?" She jolted forward and struck her blade once more.
Daiyu stood in the dirt she had crumbled, "Sand Grip," the bits of brittle dirt formed around the bottom of her boots and trapped her own feet down, "Hardly," she stood steady.
She thrusted her defending sword forward, bashing the wide end of the blade into the sparking sword. The blonde had no chance of knocking her down or even shift her balance.
Jotou kept her focus on her own spine, moving forward upon the tips of her toes. Daiyu released her feet and stomped down, quaking the earth.
The blonde shifted and swayed with her blade, to the princess’s left. Daiyu swung her sword wide, Jotou bent her knees down. Daiyu smiled, bashing the sword down midway as she went across, "GAH!"
The blonde fell into the dirt as a slam hit the top of her head. Something rang in her head. "JOTOU!" Hotaru and Fumeko yelled as Asobi winced.
The blonde swept her feet below in a last-ditch effort. It proved too slow as Daiyu jumped away. Jotou had enough of a sweep to rotate and back away in her usual spinning motion; she stood back up, seeing stars.
"I told you," Daiyu growled lifting her greatsword, "I’m winning."
Jotou squinted and hissed. She threw her left shoulder out, feet parallel on the balls of them, "Shoulder-Charge!" In an instant—"Fizz, BZZZ! Fizz..."—she slid across the grass.
"Sand Grip!" the dirt held her own feet and she brought her sword down to block, but it was not quick enough before the shield of lightning struck into the princess.
Daiyu stood firm, taking the brunt of the attack whilst her feet were held down. The lightning dissipated and Jotou in a grunt reached for any part she could hold, "Zap!" the shock travelled across the greatsword.
The zap made Daiyu wince, but a large portion of the spell fizzled away across the sleeves of her enchanted jacket. "Quake! Rockslide!"
The earth rumbled, shifting the blonde before the dirt treadmill-ed her away. "Upheaval!" Daiyu stomped down. The earth beneath Jotou cracked and lifted into the air.
Without a moment, Jotou was thrusted into the air, the platform beneath her. Her eyes peered down, she thrusted her armed hand downwards.
"CRASH!" The platform sank back in its spot. Jotou stuck the sword into the earth first and pushed herself back, "AHHH!" she fell back, fortunately her new armour taking much of the damage.
She jumped herself up, an eye still winced. ’Hell... I think I broke my wrist...’ Her right hand hurt to twist, but she had no moment to spare as she picked the sword out of the dirt with her left hand.
"Asobi, stop it, right now!" Hotaru ordered.
"No! Wait, give her a chance!" Fumeko countered.
"Not the time! Asobi!" Hotaru glared.
"Uh, uhm... I think we should let Jotou go till she surrenders, she’s smart enough to know that," Asobi stuttered.
"Jotou will crash herself out, please-"
"Let her do it. You can’t heal her in the middle of a fight; especially when we’re fighting an elite or something," Fumeko glared up.
"Hehehahaha..." Jotou’s lowered gaze giggled, turning everyone’s attention to her. Daiyu furrowed her brows, raising her greatsword.
"You’re running on empty. You’re gonna lose and it’s sealed Lan Daiyu," Jotou kept her right hand to her chest. Her head lifted up and her eyes sparked as she laughed, "Come on! I can’t wait to prove how wrong you are princess~"
"The hell got into you!?"
"Oh Yu-yu, don’t be scared now," Jotou launched herself forward. She swung her left arm, completely missing the mark, but Daiyu still took a leap back.
’I’m not as good with my left.’ "But you’re so going down," the smile never left.
A purple ripple flashed across her eyes, "Will you just give up!? I don’t wanna hurt you more!" Daiyu raised her blade.
"Then surrender bitch~" "CLaangngng!" Her armite blade was barely stable. "You won’t give up and neither will I." ’Come on, use up what magic you have left.’
"I’m gonna make this quick so your girlfriend heals you up! Rockslide!" Daiyu kept her foot pressed down, pushing Jotou much further away than usual.
Jotou followed its trajectory and leaped back. "Upheaval!" the land beneath her cracked to another stomp.
Jotou looked the other way and, "Shoulder-Charge!" her feet slid at the second the earth began cracking and lifting up, landing herself safely.
"Upheaval!" Daiyu’s muscles began to lock up, bits of crimson leaked out of her nose and yet her brows remained furrowed, a purple ripple across her eyes in rage.
Jotou was lifted up, but she made no attempt to leave. Instead she turned, the platform thrusting her into the air. However, her sword had already struck the dirt with sparks, stabilizing herself.
She glared down from above to the princess. The tension within Daiyu’s muscles made it feel like they were about to pop, "Stone Surge!!!" whatever mana she had left she pushed forth.
The earth rumbled and stone pillars burst out of the ground in a straight line, angled to the platform in free-fall. Jotou smirked down the emerging pillars, "Thanks~!" she sheathed her blade.
She leapt from the platform onto the emerging stone pillars. "CRASH!!!" The pillars pierced and destroyed the platform. Jotou stood on the growing pillar, only to see another that was connected growing at the same rate towards her.
"Thundering Strike!" lightning energy surrounded her left fist as she punched forward. The lightning hit against the stone, simply passing around it, unaffected...
"BLASSSTTTT! CRUMBLE! CRASSH!!!" The thunder however, turned the rock into rubble and dust. The thunder burst forth down the line of emerging pillars, breaking across the top.
It made one hell of a path down to Daiyu, who staggered back from the shockwave. The audience cheered and shielded their ears, some ducked, some screamed.
A boom went past their heads, pushing their skin and hairs back. "Shoulder-Charge!" Jotou shifted her body down, sliding herself down the crumbling pathway.
As the pillars sank back upon Daiyu’s loss of concentration, she swayed left and right, a massive headache now plaguing her. She eyed up to the blonde’s arrival and lifted her sword...
"Shoulder-Charge!" Jotou thrusted forth.
"Sand grip..." Daiyu batted an eye, but instead only winced in more pain. Some of the dirt lifted, but not enough to grip her down.
"TUFF!" The blonde knocked into Daiyu, staggering her back. Daiyu held onto the blade she stuck into the dirt. Jotou chuckled, "Word of advice; use your mana wisely if you can’t push through the aftermath."
Jotou lifted her leg, "Kickbolt," she swept her leg from left to right across Daiyu’s torso and the blade in the front.
"GRAH!" Daiyu was forced to let go of her sword.
"Kickbolt," Jotou spun back to do the same kick, kicking Daiyu in the ribs enough to knock her down. The blonde panted, "Stay down loser."
Daiyu groaned on the ground, "Was that really necessary...?"
"That’s for the broken wrist."
"Well... Looks like our winner is Jotou Howllett, the Thundering Blade!!!" Asobi announced before sprinting towards them. The crowd cheered and shouted, some muffled their discontent.
A lot seemed to be more observant on the result and wondering for their wellbeing.
Feyan and Hotaru had already rushed, Fumeko blinked ahead. Jotou gave her good hand to Daiyu. Daiyu took it and was lifted up, Arabella helping push her up.
"Are you two insane!?" Hotaru scolded.
"I don’t know, ask the psychopath," Daiyu replied.
"Hey congratulations. You better not do something that stupid in the last stand," Fumeko’s eyes glazed over.
"I make no promises."
"Are you two okay?" Asobi questioned.
"Clearly not," Feyan looked Daiyu over.
Daiyu sighed, lifting a sore hand towards Jotou, "Good game Joey Toes. You got me, you won the bet," she gave a half-cocked smirk.
"Nice of you to admit that," Jotou shook her hand, "OW!" with her right hand...
Daiyu snorted, "Karma." She stuck her tongue out. Jotou responded in kind.
"Idiot," Hotaru shook her head and took the blonde’s right wrist to heal, "Just a fracture, luckily..." she glared—lovingly?
