Chapter-09 · EP-141

Episode 141: Clad in Lightning

Maika floated a large water sphere.

It glowed pale blue, beautiful like a small moon.

"Momota-san, what is that water sphere for?"

Murasakimura asked curiously.

Then Maika scattered that water sphere in a place with no one around.

Splash! The water scattered.

Confused by the seemingly meaningless action, Murasakimura and Sendo stood with their mouths open.

Seeing them, I smirked.

"Now we wait a bit. By the way, Murasakimura, I wanted to ask about your Lightning Magic."

"Lightning Magic?"

Murasakimura looked blank.

"Yeah. How's your Lightning Magic been lately?"

At my question, Murasakimura pouted, looking dissatisfied.

"…It's not about 'how it's been.' I explained, it's a useless dud skill, didn't I?"

"So you haven't been using it at all? What a waste."

"Waste? You say that, but I can't conduct electricity without touching, and even when I do, it has almost no killing power. How am I supposed to use it!"

Murasakimura said with a hint of irritation.

I'd heard that explanation before, but I had a hypothesis.

When I cast Healing Magic on slimes to raise my Healing Magic skill level, my range was extremely short, so I channeled the magic through my wooden sword to reach the slime.

Similarly, why not channel Murasakimura's Lightning Magic through a wooden sword if it normally required direct contact?

"If you can't conduct electricity without touching, why not use a wooden sword to touch them?"

"Huh?"

"Channel the electricity through the wooden sword. At the moment you slash a slime with your wooden sword, send the lightning magic through it. If the wooden sword won't conduct, I'll lend you my iron sword. Anyway, I think imagery is important for magic."

"Through a wooden sword…?"

Murasakimura looked at the wooden sword in his hand after hearing my explanation.

He probably hadn't thought of that before.

"But can electricity even flow through a wooden sword?"

"I don't know. But it's worth a try, isn't it?"

At my words, Murasakimura looked thoughtful.

And then —

"…I'll try."

Murasakimura raised his wooden sword.

He closed his eyes, concentrating.

Beside him, Sendo and Maika watched with bated breath.

I also focused my gaze on Murasakimura's wooden sword.

A few seconds of silence.

And then —

Crackle, crackle!

From the tip of his raised wooden sword, tiny sparks of electricity shot out.

Pale blue light traveled along the wooden sword, sparking at the tip.

"It worked!"

"Wow!"

Exclamations of amazement escaped us, but Murasakimura himself was the most surprised.

His eyes wide, he stared at his wooden sword as if in disbelief.

"Kyoya! That's amazing!"

Sendo shouted excitedly.

"Murasakimura-kun, amazing!"

Maika also clapped happily.

"I never thought of such a method!"

Murasakimura's voice was filled with surprise and joy.

He swung the wooden sword several times. Each time, pale blue lightning shot from the tip.

The wooden sword crackled.

The electricity danced as if alive.

"I'm glad."

I said honestly.

Well, since I could do it with Healing Magic, I thought it was only natural that Murasakimura, with higher magical aptitude than me, could do it.

"With this… with this, when I defeat a slime with my wooden sword, I can also give it an electric shock!"

Murasakimura said excitedly.

"Yeah, that's right. And if you defeat them that way, since you're using your skill, your skill experience should also increase."

"Imagery. We learned that in class, but I only ever imagined shooting lightning from my palm."

"Once your skill level goes up, you'll probably be able to do that too. Lightning magic is cool, isn't it?"

At my words, Murasakimura nodded firmly.

"Yeah! I'll do my best!"

His eyes held a spark of hope.

He no longer had the defeated look from yesterday.

And then —

"Ah, here they come!"

Maika called out happily.

Looking, from deep in the dungeon passage, slimes were crawling out in droves.

One, two, three…

No, not just that. Ten, twenty… still more.

"W-what is this?!"

Murasakimura exclaimed in astonishment.

Sendo's eyes were also wide.

"Why are there so many slimes…!"

The slimes gathered one after another, as if drawn to the water Maika had scattered.

There must have been over fifty of them at a glance.

"This is the power of Momota-san's Water Magic…!"

Murasakimura murmured in admiration.

"That's the idea. Slimes apparently have a habit of gathering around water. Maika's Water Magic lures the slimes, and you defeat them. That should be efficient for leveling up, right?"

At my explanation, Murasakimura was stunned, but then a smile appeared on his face.

"Ichinose-kun, Momota-san, thank you! At this rate, I should be able to level up in two or three days."

Murasakimura said happily.

No, not two or three days – if possible, level up today.

Then Murasakimura readied his wooden sword again.

"Now, try it out! Use your new power!"

At my words, Murasakimura nodded firmly.

"Yeah!"

Murasakimura ran forward.

In his hand, a wooden sword wreathed in pale blue lightning.

He swung the wooden sword at the first slime.

Crack!

The moment the wooden sword hit the slime, lightning struck.

The slime convulsed and crumbled away.

"Yes! It's working!"

Murasakimura shouted in joy.

"Kyoya! That's amazing!"

Sendo was also excited.

Murasakimura defeated slime after slime.

Each time he swung the lightning-clad wooden sword, crackling sounds echoed.

He was no longer the Murasakimura of yesterday.

He had the face of a warrior who had regained hope.

Watching him, I felt a little relieved.

Good, this should be fine.

Maika also watched Murasakimura happily.

Sendo clenched his fists, watching his best friend's success.

And then, immediately after —

I suddenly felt a chill down my spine.

I quickly turned around.

There was no one in the direction I looked. Not a sound.

But I felt an invisible, piercing presence.

This presence… It was him. No doubt. I'd almost forgotten because I hadn't seen him lately.

"Tatsunori Susa…"

At my mutter, Sendo and Maika quickly turned around.

"Huh? Where?"

Seeing no one in the direction of my gaze, Sendo asked curiously.

He was there, though invisible.

I used my "Analysis" skill, but I couldn't see his status. He was probably far enough away that Analysis couldn't reach. But he was watching us.

As we silently looked in that direction, we gradually heard footsteps.

He was approaching us.

And finally, his figure came into view.

"How did you know?"

Tatsunori Susa's first words were that mutter.