Translator: imperfectluck Editor: Kurisu

  [Character reward card "Mika Uehara"- I wish to be with you forever.]

  [This card has an everlasting passive effect. It cannot be used or disappear.]

  [All basic stats +2 (Connectivity rating has surpassed 100, so an additional +1 to all stats is rewarded.)]

  [All basic stats increased by an additional 5% (Another 5% awarded for connectivity rating.)]

  [All sub-category stats increased by an additional 10% (Another 10% awarded for connectivity rating.)]

  [Additional ability 1: Overload]

  [After using this ability, the next ability, spell, or martial arts technique that you used will be greatly increased in power and effectiveness. Limited to only one use per day. (An extra use per day awarded for connectivity rating). - Use your full potential and surpass your limits!]

  [Additional ability 2: Heroic Guard]

  [This ability is activated when you protect others. Your defense will be greatly magnified for a short period of time. This ability can only be activated three times per day. (An extra two uses per day awarded for connectivity rating). - I shall protect you!]

  [Additional ability 3: Emergency Flash]

  [This ability will be activated whenever you are in danger. You can instantaneously move a short distance in any direction. This ability can only be activated two times per day. (An extra use per day awarded for connectivity rating). - As long as you dodge, you won't be injured.]

  [Additional ability 4: ??? (Prerequisites not met. Temporarily not activated.)]

  [Additional ability 5: ??? (Prerequisites not met. Temporarily not activated.)]

  Just earlier, Seiji had opened his system to check the contents of Mika's card.

  Increasing his basic stats by both a flat amount as well as a percent-based amount? These two categories were obviously incredibly useful. And the additional three abilities added on were all powerful techniques as well. All in all, it seemed quite wonderful… No, not seemed, it was indeed quite wonderful!

  Strengthening his skills, his defense, as well as evasion, not to mention each of them were limited only by the number of times he could use them. There would be no cost associated with using them at all! They were basically the most cliché powers that any hero should possess. What was this if not wonderful?

  And now, Seiji was about to use this newfound power of his.

  [Overload] had the ability to strengthen any spell or technique in his arsenal. Since his connectivity rating with Mika had surpassed 100, he could even use [Overload] an additional time. Since he could use it twice per day, that meant that he could use [Overload] to strengthen itself!

  With [Overload] strengthening [Overload], more than doubling [Overload]'s effectiveness on the next spell that he used, just how powerful would his spell finally end up becoming?

  Seiji wanted to try it out.

  Seiji activated his ability after holding his longsword vertically!

  The minotaur boy and the two girls watching from the side all suddenly detected an abnormal aura coming from him. It seemed as if he was utilizing some mysterious power.

  Suddenly, his aura seemed to increase in strength! His aura became so powerful that it seemed as if the very air had become frozen over.

  'I can't tell what he's doing… I think it really is getting a bit dangerous,' the dog-head girl thought to herself.

  She didn't believe that the minotaur boy would be defeated, since there was a great difference in their power levels. However, if the "knight leader" went all-out, perhaps he really would be able to cause some injury to the minotaur boy.

  This was already quite a high assessment of him. The dog-head girl didn't believe that the "knight leader" would be able to accomplish any more than this.

  Yet, what happened next was completely beyond her expectations.

  Seiji waved his longsword, causing a pure white humanoid spiritual creature to manifest. This spirit instantly gave a tremendous amount of pressure to everyone else present… No, not pressure, fear!

  This white spiritual creature had a very ordinary appearance. It was simply a white and hazy half-translucent humanoid figure. The figure seemed more like it was female, as if it was a hazy female ghost.

  Yet, its existence instinctively brought terror upon the humans! Anyone seeing this existence would definitely feel a sensation of utmost terror that they absolutely couldn't approach and had to run away immediately!!

  "This is…" The dog-head girl widened her eyes in surprise under her mask.

  She couldn't believe what she just witnessed! Such a thing, and such power… seemed impossible!?

  Mika was afraid as well. Not only that, she had no idea why she was so afraid. That "ghost" clearly didn't appear to be that scary. Just about any monster here had a far scarier appearance.

  The minotaur boy's gaze hardened. He also never expected that his opponent was capable of summoning such an existence!

  "White Calamity"—the first ability from Shika's card. This was the ability to manifest a powerful humanoid spiritual creature which possessed the power of Shika's "Reaper's Curse."

  Seiji had tested this ability out in the past. Since he felt it was far too dangerous, he never used it while practicing against Hitaka or Rana.

  Originally, he'd anticipated that he would make use of this ability in his duel against Akatsuki Mitarai. But before he had the chance to do so, the latter was devoured by his own puppet… so this was the first time he was actually using this ability in real combat.

  'Come, possess me!'

  Seiji mentally commanded the calamity creature to enter his own body.

  A faint white glow immediately spread from Seiji's body. He felt an incredibly powerful mystical energy welling up within him, which was far stronger than in his own self tests!

  The double use of [Overload] had indeed been effective.

  In fact, he felt almost as if he could injure others simply by glaring at them.

  And so, he glared at his opponent.

  *Crack!*

  There was a loud cracking sound as the gray runes on the minotaur boy's wrists and ankles suddenly collapsed!

  The minotaur boy shook slightly as he immediately created a seal and cast an even stronger defense spell.

  Many complex spell formations continuously appeared around his body. A dark gray mystical light appeared on him as a large number of runes shone around him.

  Protective spell, [Ninth-level Body]!

  This was the strongest defensive spell that the minotaur boy was able to cast at high speed. This spell was easily capable of reflecting even attacks from tanks or rocket launchers. No ordinary Spiritual Ability user would be able to break his shield.

  However…


  Seiji rushed forward and swung his sword.

  *Bam!!!*

  The minotaur boy blocked this blow, but his defensive spell collapsed completely! He was sent flying backwards from the impact!!

  Actually, he had wanted to avoid the attack. Theoretically speaking, he should have been able to do so. Yet, when his enemy's sword swung at him, he felt like it was impossible to dodge! It was as if the very space around him had limited his movements.

  Wasn't this just like cheating! Why was a novice able to use such a frightening power!?

  After backflipping and catching his balance again, the minotaur boy was now roaring in his mind as some blood trickled out of his mouth.

  Just taking this one blow caused him to suffer internal injuries!

  He never expected that his opponent could use such a technique. It was as if his opponent was just a little kid that he believed would bring out a plastic sword or a toy gun, but actually drove out a fully equipped mecha instead!

  A "somewhat dangerous technique"… The hell, how was this just "somewhat dangerous"!? Did this guy have an even more dangerous technique in his arsenal!!?

  The minotaur boy would rather face a real mecha instead of fighting against such a terrifying power! Yet his pride wouldn't allow him to surrender.

  Seiji continued to attack.

  The minotaur boy immediately cast a healing magic upon himself and did his best to increase his defenses. Only by defending with all his might did he barely manage to forcefully take Seiji's second sword attack.

  *Bam! Bam! Bam!* …Seiji attacked continuously while the minotaur boy could only defend. His protective spell kept collapsing, so he had to renew it continuously.

  "Leader…" Mika's eyes lit up after seeing that Seiji now had the advantage.

  Meanwhile, the dog-head girl smiled wryly under her mask upon seeing the minotaur boy's wretched state.

  'At the very least, I have to slice him once,' Seiji thought to himself.

  'I absolutely can't let him land a blow!' The minotaur boy grit his teeth. If this sword which possessed such fearsome power landed a direct blow against him, even if it was only the back of the sword, it would be impossible for him to handle!

  *Smack!!!*

  After barely managing to hold on for a while, the minotaur boy was sent flying through the air for a second time.

  Seiji instantly caught up to his opponent, swung the back of his sword, and was about to slice down…


  "Stop!" the dog-head girl shouted out.

  Seiji stopped in his movements.

  The minotaur boy backflipped in midair and dodged the attack.

  "If you hit the minotaur boy just now, he would have been seriously injured," the dog-head girl said. "Let's stop here, Mister knight leader."

  Seiji glanced over at her before turning to look at the minotaur boy.

  "Hmph… Butting in unnecessarily." The minotaur boy hmphed before he sheathed his sword and fell silent.

  His behavior was a tacit admittance of what the dog-head girl just said.

  Seiji glanced at him for a while before also sheathing his sword.

  "Thank you for teaching me." He politely concluded the fight.

  The minotaur boy felt that this was nothing but needling sarcasm.