Manowa Chapter 172

The story of Yumika's arrival started after breakfast.

「Eh, the Rainbow Heart is being aimed at?」

Yumika was staying at the Barnes residence while Kazane and the others were on the quest. That was proposed by Lyle and Emily's mother, Maris.

After spending all day at the dojo, she had eaten dinner and taken a bath there and was told she was welcome to stay. The hotel charge was being paid by the Barnes family, and Louise was staying with Tiara at her mother's house, so now it was only her staying there. She was alone. There was no reason to refuse.

After early morning training, she had taken a bath to wash off the sweat, and after having breakfast in the dining room, Yumika was called out to by a maid and guided to Cindy's room.

And it was there that she was told about the Rainbow Heart in Kazane's possession being aimed at by Outer.

「Since it seems it was flas.h.i.+ly shown off in Dongol City, something like this was likely to happen sooner or later.」

「Ah, that?」

Yumika held her head. If she remembered correctly, Kazane had Hippo-kun Clear hold the Rainbow Heart in its mouth.

「Well, I don't really have to worry about Kazane-san, but...」

Cindy had heard『Jiraid isn't even a match for her』from Jinrai originally and had also heard further information about Kazane from Yumika. Cindy concluded that she could manage somehow or other against Outer. But it seemed she was still worried.

「I think it would be quite difficult for my grandchildren.」

Cindy said. Jiraid and a humanized G.o.do were standing to the left and right of Cindy's chair, and both reacted with a twitch. Jiraid was their father, and G.o.do had watched them grow up. They were worried.

Certainly, Lyle and Emily had outstanding abilities for their age. But Cindy thought that since it was Outer... or rather, they might have insufficient ability to deal with being attacked by any large number of people

「So I was thinking, why not go for a bit and settle the problem?」

「Yes...who?」

「You.」

Yumika sighed after Cindy's words.

Jiraid's wife Maris was a gentle person who had been kind to Yumika. Jiraid was inflexible in some ways, but he was a man who could be more considerate than he looked. However, the real boss of the Barnes family (the family head was Jiraid) was the strict quarter elf loli grandmsama named Cindy. Unlike their first meeting with Jinrai, she was energetic. And while she was strict with other people, Yumika felt her att.i.tude towards herself was particularly so.

She could manage and it didn't feel like it was malicious, but as an example, Cindy would show up in the middle of her training and push unreasonable challenges on her while saying things like「Since you're that person's favorite disciple, you can do it, isn't that right?」

Since Yumika was Yumika, she could complete everything, but she was completely unable to grasp what Cindy thought of her.

(I don't think she dislikes me. If I had to say, it's more like quarreling with a club senpai?)

More important than the challenges themselves, she may have been to trying to grasp Yumika's strength. By the way, Cindy was also a considerably skilled spear user.

「Well, this is a seed we sowed ourselves, right? I'll do it.」

Yumika was reluctant, but she nodded.

「As expected of that person's favorite disciple」

The loli grandmsama nodded with a smile. If it weren't for the slight wrinkles on her face, it would feel like she was talking to a teenager. As one would expect, it seemed a quarter elf aged a little faster than a full blooded one. Her ears were also only slightly pointed. Jiraid looked appropriate for a human his age, and Lyle and Emily had no elven features at all.

「So then, how about that bangle I handed over two days ago?」

「Yes. Fortunately, I've somehow learned to use it. Fornesisan also shared some of her Dragon Spirit some time ago.」

Fang Blaze Dragon Fornesia. It seemed she liked Yumika for some reason and came to visit every day.

「I see. That is something only that person's favorite disciple could do.」

Cindy was a little astonished by Yumika's words. Even if she was capable, Cindy didn't expect her to learn to use the Dragon Contract Bangle in just two days. Also, Yumika had already completely the tasks a.s.signed to her by Jinrai.

Although Yumika said it was an unreasonable demand, she finished the task that was supposed to take her two to three days to learn the day it was given. And that continued the second day. So Yumika had finished everything Jinrai had a.s.signed her. It wasn't noticeable because she was simply learning things as she trained with Jinrai, but she learned things abnormally fast thanks to her『Innate Talent: Spear』Skill.

Although Cindy was astonished by that situation, she kept as calm as possible and continued talking to Yumika.

「That Dragon Contract Bangle is my hand-me-down and might be a little old fas.h.i.+oned, so sorry about that.」

Yumika shook her head after Cindy's words.

「No. I understand Cindy-san's feelings. You're probably dissatisfied that I'm doing it instead, but I will protect master with Cindy's bracelet.」

Yumika responded with rough nasal breathing.

The Dragon Contract Bangle was a safety device to prevent a Dragon Spirit runaway in the Dragon Knight by pooling and releasing excessive Dragon Spirit. And Cindy's bangles had the highest capacity, more than normal Dragon Contract Bangles.

Cindy was wearing several bangles, and she had a new one to replace the one she gave to Yumika. Cindy had that much Dragon Spirit to drain.

And since Cindy had worn the bangle for many years, the Dragon Spirit had crystallized inside the bangle, and an effect was born due to that long acc.u.mulation of Dragon Spirit. It allowed the person wearing it to use『Dragonoidization』like a Dragon Knight with the Dragon Spirit stored inside.

Yumika had received that bangle from Cindy two days ago. At that time, Cindy requested that Yumika help her husband instead of her as she handed over the bangle, since she couldn't leave Hyvern herself. Because of that, Yumika thought Cindy probably didn't hate him, even though she beat him severely.

「Well then. Jiraid, you take her.」

The conversation was over, so Cindy told that to Jiraid beside her.

「Yes, Mother.」

Jinrai responded, but after thinking for a short time, he turned to Cindy and asked.

「And, um, is it fine if I partic.i.p.ate as well?」

Cindy pondered for a short time after Jiraid's words. Yumika thought (they're parent and child, after all) as she saw that behavior that was just like Jiraid.

「I don't think that will be necessary, though.」

Cindy replied to Jiraid, but Jiraid had a grave facial expression.

「There is also intelligence that a.s.sa.s.sin's Dagger Ijika is there.」

Cindy's eyes narrowed after those words. That Outer bodyguard had caused ma.s.sacres in various places over several years, so that name was also known to Cindy. Several Dragon Knights were also killed. So Cindy looked at Jiraid and told him:

「I'll leave it to your judgement.」

「Thank you. Mother」

Jiraid bowed his head to his mother, then left the room along with Yumika and headed for his beloved dragon Mordo.

Then Yumika and Jiraid rode Mordo and reached Crimiona City, where Yumika descended to the target Warehouse District building in her Dragonoid form.

That appearance on the rooftop was Yumika, but her hair was red, her nails had lengthened, fangs had grown, and her eyes were golden. That appearance resembled Fang Blaze Dragon Fornesia, who had replenished the bangle with her Dragon Spirit.

「Alright, looking good.  I can do it with this.」

She tightly grasped her spear. She knew that Dragon Spirit was surrounding her entire body. Her attack power, defense power, and speed were probably 1.5 times higher. Thanks to the Dragon Spirit, she was also endowed with an overwhelming intimidating presence, but the ability increase was less than the Wolf G.o.d Transformation. However, there was the advantage that her ability could be temporarily further increased by adjusting the output of Dragon Spirit. However, the duration of the effect varied based on the Dragon Spirit consumption. It would last 30 minutes if she did nothing. 15 minutes in battle. Around five minutes if she fought at full power.

(I'll have to see if Kazane can charge it with her Dragon Spirit later)

That was also a problem. She accepted the bangle counting on Kazane's Dragonization, but no matter how useful the item, it would be a useless object if she couldn't replenish the Dragon Spirit. She thought they should give it a try immediately after they returned.

And using a dragon's keen senses, Yumika read the signs. Perhaps it was because the sound of Yumika's descent was heard, but the clattering of footsteps could be heard from below. And when Yumika thought a person inside was about to open the door, she kicked it.

The door was destroyed, and the crowd of men squeezed together were sent flying and screamed as they rolled down the stairs.

「……seems painful.」

Yumika said as she entered, and she jumped over the gathering of men standing on the stair landing. This building was a remodeled warehouse with 4 floors, but the 1st to 3rd floor were a wide open s.p.a.ce.

About 60 Outer members were standing by there.

All of them were battle-loving Outer members. They were collected here so they wouldn't cause problems in the city before they took the Rainbow Heart.

Some people had noticed suspicious noises from the rooftop and went to investigate, but after the sound of something like metal being struck hard and what they thought were falling noises, a red haired woman was on the 3rd floor stairwell. She glowed red as if she were on fire.

Yumika jumped from the third floor stairwell and glided down with the dragon's wind power using flight technique. Then she landed in the middle of the biggest Outer group and,

「Skill・Great Earthquake!」

Released that Skill with those words. A sphere appeared at her spearpoint and expanded until it reached the Outer members nearby, then exploded and blew them away.

(I still can't use it『with my own effort』in an actual battle yet)

Barnes Spear Style・Secret Technique『Great Earthquake』. A two-handed spear technique used to send large monsters flying with a single blow. Jinrai had only taught her how to knead her Spirit with one hand. But Yumika could now knead Spirit with both arms to increase the power.

That powerful technique hit the dense ma.s.s of people. There were no corpses, but 10 people were completely incapacitated, and twice that many received damaged and fell to their knees.

「A Dragon Knight!? A Dragon Knight brat did thatーーー!!」

One Outer who knew about Dragonoidization lost his composure and shouted.

The Outer stirred, but Yumika surveyed the surroundings without being distracted by that noise. In her present condition, accurately measuring the strength of opponents like Jinrai was possible. Yumika zeroed in on the notable people and moved to defeat them first...

「Na!?」

A sword abruptly『grew』from the chest of the Outer in front of her. Yumika repelled it, but the sword pierced Outer was cast aside, his blood scattering as he was immediately cast off the sword, and he collapsed to the floor as he died.

「......You.」

Yumika looked at the man『behind』the collapsed Outer with a pale face.

「Kuku, I see. I thought with your tepid features it would be worse, but you're not fragile enough for that degree to shake you?」

The man muttered as he looked at Yumika with a sneer. The mad bodyguard a.s.sa.s.sin's Blade Ijika was standing there.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Adhesion Sword『Gum』, Spell Dagger, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Ogre Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator

Level : 31

Health: 114

Magic Power: 205+420

Strength: 55+10

Agility: 48+4

Endurance: 31

Wisdom : 62

Dexterity : 39

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』

Skill : 『Warrior's Memory』『Night Vision』『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material s.h.i.+eld』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Placement』『Thunder Chariot』『St.u.r.dier Teeth「Dragon」』『Crystallization「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur』『Mega Beam』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』

Kazane:「Don't let this be the end, Yumika.」

Yumika:「Nothing like that will happen! Why would you say that!!」

Kazane:「A character that hasn't done very much suddenly becoming active is a death flag. So don't do anything stupid and finish things quickly. Don't be stupid!」

Yumika:「It's not a death flag. Can you stop with those seriously worrying eyes!?」