/
The early afternoon having smoothly advanced our journey.
We’ve set up a tent, upon a hill where the great forest called the Forest of Ash is visible from far away.
Somehow it seems Till will be fully participating with us here.
「So, what should I do?」
「Real combat isn’t it.」
What’s real combat.
I’m getting nothing but a bad premonition.
「I understand. Then Till must not use magic, and must not punch me either, kicking and the like is also no good. Since it hurts.」
「Since when did it become my training.」
Since I don’t want to.
「Something more like say, go run 100 kilometers or something, is there no training of that sort?」
「Fundamental training is precious, of course. But what’s called true ability can only be tempered within real combat. What monster or such might be won against by continuous practice swings? It’s impossible isn’t it.」
「Muu

」
Certainly, I suppose that’s so for football and the like.
You won’t obtain actual true power with nothing but practice.
Since there’s also the sort of aspect, of how many matches you’ve had.
It’s called game sense after all.
「I understand, then I’ll take you on with a sense like real combat as 3 people together with oneechan and Eclair.」
「You’ve come to hold back from nothing at all lately haven’t you.」
I don’t like it after all okayy

?
「Well I don’t mind. The other 2 people are also interested.」
「Yay.」
I’ve received permission so I turn around and wink while showing my raised thumb with a jerk at the same time.
『Don’t involve me.』
I suppose the feeling of that silent voice which I inferred from her expression is just my imagination.
Such a thing is unthinkable for my beloved ane and partner.
「Well it’s fine though

」
「It really seems that it’ll cut if this hits the elf shorty won’t it.」
For now I’ve gotten the acknowledgement of these two.
「1 vanguard, 1 rearguard, and Alice as well is it

Kufu, I’m looking forward to this.」
Shishou smiled malevolently.
No she smiled normally.
I’m getting nothing but a bad premonition.
「Then I request for Solt-san to keep a watch on the tent okay.」
「Aah.」
Kurozukume sat down, entrusting his back to a tree beside the tent.
Ilya, Saira and Rin-chan are watching the house so, he has no one to converse with though.
Maa I feel bad for him so I’ll go be his partner in conversation after this.
「Then, I’m going okay.」
「Aah.」
He’s a guy with almost no vocabulary as always.
I suddenly met eyes with Eclair.
Somehow

I’m being looked over with heatless eyes.
◇■◇■◇
Having moved to an open location, we came to commence training.
Till isn’t moving.
With her eyes shut as if she’s sleeping, her arms are crossed and she doesn’t make a slight movement.
It’s her indication saying her intent for this side to come at her.
As such we’re allowed to hold things like strategy meetings without holding back.
「There’s just one thing I understand. Till is a defensive person. She’s already so overly dominant that it feel forgettable but, to be sure, she’s a defensive person.」
「It’s ice magic after all isn’t it.」
Right, ice magic.
I’ve also checked books and such but, throughout history each member among the line of the strongest used fire magic.
Fire magic really is simply suited to battle.
Eclair already said that fire magic was supreme but, in fact upon trying to peruse history it can’t be called a boast.
The 6th generation, among the strongest magicians.
Tillbell・Einshaula alone uses, ice magic.
「But the 7th generation uses lightning magic after all, fixed ideas will break down from here won’t they, surely.」
「I won’t go out of my way to ask who you intend the 7th generation to be but, given that, what specifically do you intend to do.」
I turn around and oneechan has already unsheathed her katana and is judging the her distance from Till.
I suppose she’s doing a simulation of how she’s going to cut in.
「Nn

」
I’m fixedly, staring at that right eye of Eclair’s.
「Im, impossible you

」
Eclair pressed against her right eye in surprise while seeming to have realized my intent.
「Est-san, did control that. Therefore, that is something that can be controlled, Eclair.」
To say this as well, the category was different but Lumina-chan also did it you know.
「

You want to say Eclair’s magic powerpower is insufficient then.」
「Most likely, in the same way as the me who can’t perform the dragon’s contract at the current point, it’s surely impossible for Eclair to control her demon eye without changing her job as well.」
I’m getting a feeling like Eclair would be the strongest if she could fully control it though


If that happens the 7th generation really will use fire magic


「Then what should we do?」
「At the current point, I was thinking that knowing the limit to which you’re able to control it is also a part of training.」
「

」
I know that she abhors it but, because that power is also her belonging isn’t it.
But I suppose that the reason Lumina-chan didn’t once avoid that was, well, the future Eclair’s instruction and that her surrounding environment was good.
「It’s okay, I’m with you now. Since if it becomes painful I’ll immediately seal it.」
「I understand

I’ll try.」
Having made her resolution I opened the seal on Eclair’s right eye.
I intuitively understood the method of release for the seal.
I try praying and, the ring shined.
「How, is it?」
「

I’m not doing anything but, it’s harsh you know.」
I already felt a wave of magic power sufficient to make it hot.
The blazing crimson demon eye is awakened.
「Would it be okay to kiss?」
「Can we do it afterwards?」
I act so as to calm her and, she replies seriously.
「

Then, shall we go give her a surprise.」
「I suppose so.」
Facing the teacher that’s making a yawn while being tired of waiting, I show a fearless smile.
Till is history’s strongest defensive person.
Overcoming that defense is the pinnacle of difficulty.
Thus devoting myself to schemes, I receive the aid of the Eclair boasting the current strongest attack power.
「Hou? Did you receive aid from Est or somesuch?」
Till smiled fearlessly having understood that this side did something.
「I won’t do such an artless thing, time and time again you know. Please look! This Eclair will, be your opponent for you!」
Our training commenced, with the caustic words of the Eclair who’d become thoroughly heated.
◇■◇■◇
The pinnacle of destruction of nature is here.
The grassland has been burnt away, the earth has been gouged, the trees have been mowed down, the surface of the stream has frozen.
I want to speculate on, how much of a fierce battle happened.
「Kufu, it’s finally become you alone has it not, Alice.」
「Oni.」
Fiend.
「You have rather good companions you know, there’s worth in tempering your ane and the demon girl as well so I enjoyed it.」
Oneechan and Eclair have been knocked out so, they’ve withdrawn from the battlefront.
But I must speak of those girls’s gallant figures.
The attack and defense was at a level where I couldn’t see some of it but, Shion-san cut in first.
Using her heavenly sword.
The motion sealing technique with her sakura blizzard from before didn’t get through.
Every sakura of magic power froze before reaching Till, and then ended up breaking.
As expected Till didn’t receive, the slash of Shion-san who thus cut in with sword technique.
It seems she somehow guessed at Senbonzakura’s cutting edge.
The slash that was already unstoppable in Shion-san’s eyes, was handled with an execution that seemed to be relatively at ease, she diverted the katana from its course toward a direct hit by striking it with her palm.
Having such a thing done to her Shion-san became irritated as a swordsman, and when she stepped in deeply――she was blown away in turn.
Most likely, her breath was read and she ate a counter to her vitals the moment she stepped in.
That Shion-san ended up eating it.
The Shion-san with low defense was knocked out there, is she the devil


Next, we frantically followed up in a situation where we’d thoroughly lost the chance to coordinate.
The Eclair using her demon eye was in fact incredible.
Summoning by multicasting Fire, controlling it freely――and furthermore causing Till’s entire wall of ice to evaporate.
It was probably magic with something of an anti ice magic type bestowed on it.
It wasn’t just simple force.
When I thought that being unsuited to evasion Till would finally be hit, it was skewered by an inexhaustible pillar of ice that sprouted from the ground.
This person’s magic power is abnormal, probably, it’s not simply her attributes

is it a skill?
In any case as it became difficult for the Eclair that used overly intense expenditure of magic power to regulate her demon eye, I resealed it.
Just when I thought alright let’s start anew, the Eclair that had been standing next to me was covered in thick ice like an ice sculpture.
Unable to fight

she’s, alive isn’t she?
「This isn’t a joke

」
「What a coincidence, I also don’t like jokes.」
「This isn’t a joke

」
Strong, truly strong.
Something like her magic is just strong, this isn’t at such a level.
After all it seemed like she’d use magic power but, she repulsed Shion-san with hand to hand combat.
「Wh, why are you so strong?」
I let out a voice that was almost about to cry.
Till made a bitter smile at that.
Like, what a troublesome disciple.
「Because it was necessary, with that being the case I put in the effort. Because I had something I wished for, I didn’t tire of that which was necessary to become strong. Do you not have that? Alice.」
「That is

」
There’s a future for which nothing could be done, because I was weak.
「

There’s no better option than to become strong.」
「Then, given that you should come. Your current serious, try showing it.」
Without real combat there’s no meaning to it, if I hold back there’s no meaning to it.
If I don’t challenge her seriously with the intent of being trained by my superior, this opportunity will become completely meaningless.
I take a breath.
「

I’m going!」
「Kufu.」
Lightning god barrier is it?
No, it’s impossible with that.
Given what the current me has managed to learn of Till’s conduct breaking through would be difficult.
As such――I cause magic power to gather in both hands.
「Phantasmal magic――Resonance・World!」
My self that surpasses my current self.
By obtaining numerous experiences, I match off against Till.
「――」
「Hou

? This air, it’s not that which is my spoiled idiot disciple is it.」
「I’ll demonstrate that from here.」
The tension of battle disappeared.
Or rather, unnecessary fear or exaltation and the like, those sorts of excess things were suppressed.
No matter what I’m at a disadvantage in magic combat, as our base quantity is still different.
To find a chance at victory, there really is nothing but hand to hand combat.
「――」
「Muu?」
Ground shrink, I suppose the technique called that is probably Makina’s skill.
To fall into an illusion like within a time that’s almost stopped, only that person is moving.
Like making a distance of 10 a 0.
That’s impossible but, I also apply lightning magic and excel in the field of quick movements.
By the act of supplementing that with a technique that erases my presence I manifest ground shrink’s movement that closes in on the opponent.
I plunge in until I’m directly before Till.
「sSe!」
I strike my palm as if as lightning into the core of Till’s breast.
It reached――! I thought as such but, I was hindered by the thick sensation of ice directly before then.
Pin point block.
Even when her movement is slow, Till’s speed of thought really is menacing.
She’ll supplement herself with any number of spells.
And so ice magic came to attack me.
Take distance――that’s a foolish plan.
Face it head on.
Sticking to her tightly enough that we could embrace, I circulate magic to my limit to defend and endure.
She can’t activate a heavy strike at this distance so, this is sufficient.
Till switched over to hand to hand combat.
I’m the one with more punches.
Even so I won’t hit, I can foresee that well enough from the extent to which she endured Shion-san’s attack.
Don’t be impatient.
Don’t let your breath be disturbed, don’t let yourself be read.
With my expression as a noh mask, I occasionally feint with an impatient face.
――10 seconds? 1 minute?
Due to this endurance contest where I couldn’t loose my focus, Till eventually showed a slight gap.
Attack there――even that is a battle of schemes.
That’s a lure, but I’ll take it.
Pretending to be lured in, I attack in a different location.
But it doesn’t reach.
Defend, Till’s expression doesn’t change a bit.
No, she smiled slightly.
Attack without minding it.
Till’s evasive technique and, the defense of the pin point block she occasionally mixes in.
Which would crumble?
If I’m evaded, there’s nothing I can do.
Thus my aim is――her block.
Aiming at her defenseless torso, the magic block is created as predicted and


That will be――struck open!!
「Lightning・Impact!!」
Striking the ice magic open――my fist probably broke――I threw my all or nothing attack in toward Till.
Receiving the attack with my magic riding on it, for the first time――truly for the first time Till was blown away.
「Kuu

」
Even so the one groaning is over here though


It hurts, my fist hurts


I wasn’t able to follow up on my attack.
And so, even my phantasmal magic came undone


「You’ve returned then.」
I raise my face and, Till coughed, walking over to me while spitting out blood.
Damage where she could say what of it.
I unintentionally ended up showing an expression of despair.
「Kufu, an easily understood person this time. But that’s interesting magic is it not, I was impressed Alice.」
Having walked to the side of my self that is almost able to cry Till, used a heal on my fist.


It seems she knew this side has exhausted its magic power.
This is the signal to say that training has ended.
I released the power from my stiffened shoulders.
「I, I wasn’t knocked out

」
「You’re more moved by that, than the fact that you got a hit in on me then.」
That is, well.
I thought she’d deliver the finishing blow before using heal and made my resolve


「I’m sorry Till, did it hurt?」
「A little, for once after all this time.」
She somehow seems happy for all that doesn’t she.
With our treatment finished, Till snapped and, the ice covering Eclair broke along with her finger’s cry and going「Fugyaa!」Eclair fell while raising a slightly crude scream.
Shion-san on the other hand is raising her body, while scratching her head.
「Now then, I want to have dinner――that’s the occasion but.」
「Don’t move!!」
A group of 10 people with hoods covering them, have surrounded us.
「You’ve purposefully left the forest have you, rare things also happen.」
「Silence! Have you sold us out, you dunce!」
A critical situation, a group that seems like it’ll jump at us even now.
Probably, this is the elf――