“Thundering Claws!”

Tito leaped, gathered power in her claws, and swung down at once.

The snow gouged deeply and scattered.

“W-what do you think?”

Looking back, Usagi shook his head.

(It’s not enough at all. No wonder you can’t win against a regenerating enemy. You have to draw out your strength to the limit.)

“Ugh, how can I…!”

Then Usagi lightly kicked the ground and leaped up onto the rock.

“Like this── Star Drop!”

With his feet covered in power, he spins around like a wheel and delivers a powerful heel drop.

Booooommmmm! The rock shattered, and not only that but the ground beneath it was also gouged out deeply.

(Try it!)

“Awawawa, that rock was smashed with a single blow…!”

Tito looked into the abyss-like hole that had formed where the rock had been and became teary-eyed.

“Ugh, I heard from my master that Kicking Saint-sama is ridiculously strong, but it really is outrageous…! This is impossible…!”

(I’m not asking you to reproduce anything exactly as it is. Steal it with your eyes.)

“Steal with my eyes…? Um, uh…!”

Tito frantically recalled Usagi’s movements that she had just seen.

It suddenly occurred to her.

“I see, if I can use the momentum of the rotation to increase the power… I’ll give it another try!”

She took a deep breath and sharpened her awareness. She twisted her body at the same time as she leaped.

“Haaaaah!”

As she spun in the air, she increased her momentum, and her claws, strengthened with power, slammed directly downwards.

“Thundering Claws – Extreme!”

Boooooommmm!

Snow and dirt fly up violently.

Next to the hole made by Usagi, a hole about half that deep was drilled.

“I-it’s done…! I’m still no match for Usagi-sama… but I think I can defeat the ice army with this…!”

(It is not, “I think I can beat them. I’m going to defeat them.”)

“Y-yes!”

Snap! Usagi nodded at Tito as she straightened her posture.

(You should work hard so that you will not be ashamed as a disciple of the Claw Saint.) 

“Yes, thank you very much!”

＊＊＊

“Boisterous Dance!”

Luna swung her hands sharply, and the surrounding trees were chopped into small pieces.

Looking down at the debris scattered at her feet, she exhaled.

“…I guess we still won’t win at this rate.”

《What’s up? Are you taking a break already?)

Turning at the calm voice, she saw Usagi with his arms crossed.

“No… but as it is now, it won’t work on the ice dolls. Ice dolls are hard, and my string will get repelled…”

(It’s easy. All you have to do is increase the sharpness of your weapon.)

“So, if I can do that, I’ll have no trouble…”

(That’s what the special training is for, isn’t it? I have something good for you.)

Usagi said, and then popped the magic tool in his hand.

“T-that’s… the ‘Snowball Popping-chan No. 4’!?”

(I borrowed it from that glasses girl a few minutes ago. From the looks of it, it’s perfect for your training.)

“Eh? I-I don’t see how it’s perfect for my training──”

(Come on, let’s go.)

Usagi set the magic tool without question and shot out a snowball at Luna.

“Kuh!? Boisterous Dance!”

Luna slices up the snowballs that are shot in rapid succession with the strings that are stretched out in all directions.

Usagi watched as Luna handled the snowballs without a hitch but then suddenly muttered.

(…This isn’t enough. Let’s increase the strength a little more. I’ll kick it.)

“!? T-that’s…!?”

Next, Usagi took out a ‘Very Hard Snowballs, Lots and Lots of Snowballs-kun No. 1.’

“W-wait a minute, Usagi-sama! That snowball is as expected…!”

Not caring about Luna’s panic, Usagi began to make snowballs one after another with the magic tool.

Snowballs as strong as rocks are spewed out one after another.

And then Usagi lined up a large number of snowballs in a row and kicked them.

(Let’s go──Hah!)

“Kuh! This guy is really outrageous…!?”

Luna desperately repelled the deadly weapon that was coming at her at a tremendous speed with her string.

If she is distracted even for a moment, there is no doubt that she will not make it out of there unscathed.

With sharpened nerves, she deals with the countless snow bullets.

(What’s the matter? You’ll never catch up if you don’t speed up more. There!)

“Kuh…!”

At first, all she could do was repel them, but as she frantically increased the speed of her string, she gradually became able to slash through the snowballs.

“…..! I see; by increasing the speed of the string, I sharpened my cutting ability…!”

Eventually, by the time the snowballs were gone, Luna’s feet were piled up with fine shards that had once been snowballs.

“Hah, hah… somehow, I managed to handle it…”

(Okay, don’t forget what you’re feeling right now. Cut this one last time.)

“T-that’s…?”

Usagi showed a snowball that was bigger than Luna.

(I tried to make one myself. It was made with my ears, as I am the Ear Saint. Of course, it’s stronger than a rock!)

“U-Usagi-sama, you can’t be…!”

(Let’s go, get ready. ──Haahh!)

Usagi unleashed a merciless kick at the giant snowball.

“Kuh, Boisterous Dance!”

Luna reflexively swung her arms.

The snowball roared and approached, and countless strings rushed toward it──

Snap, snap, snap, snap!

As if countless cracks appeared on the surface of the snowball, it collapsed. In the blink of an eye, they were transformed into tiny pieces of ice, glittering and scattering in the wind.

Luna was blinded by the unexpected power.

“T-the power of the string has increased…?”

Luna was surprised to see that the string had become faster and more powerful than she had expected.

Usagi nodded in satisfaction.

(With this, no matter how hard the opponent or how regenerating the enemy is, you will be able to counter them.)

“Yes, thank you very much…!”

Luna was fired up with a fighting spirit for the overthrow of the ice army.

＊＊＊

“Fire!

Bang!

Noel pulled the trigger of the magic gun, and the magic bullet ran through the forest in a straight line.

It stopped after blowing down a few trees.

“How about it?”

Noel turned around and saw Usagi watching her and stroked his chin.

(Hou, that’s an interesting one.)

The magic gun was once bounced off the ice wall, but Noel had improved it in a short time using the materials dropped by the monsters of the great flood.

However, Usagi twisted his head.

(Being able to attack from a distance is an advantage, but from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t sound like it’s powerful enough to take on the ice spirit.)

“I guess so…”

(I’d give you some advice, but I’m kind of new at magic and magic tools. …Well, I’ve learned to use some magic.)

“E-even magic? If someone is as strong as you are, you probably don’t need magic…”

(It’s not true. There are several ways to fight against Evil. And thanks to Yuuya, I’ve mastered the Magic Armor as well.)

“? What is Magic Armor?”

When Noel tilted her head, Usagi indicated his own feet.

(It’s the technique of putting magic on a weapon or limb to strengthen it.)

“Magic in weapons? Is that possible?”

(Ye. It may not be possible for everyone, but it’s not impossible. After all, Yuuya and I ourselves have seen it happen.)

Hearing Usagi’s words, Noel pondered.

“I never thought of strengthening it with magic itself… but if I could do that, surely it would allow for more powerful attacks… perhaps it could be applied to magic tools as well…?”

Noel noticed something and began mumbling with a serious face.

“For example, a magic gun can be loaded with magic itself, amplified, and then fired… but since magic guns are delicate, they must be controlled with a high degree of precision. If you inject it badly, there is a high possibility that it will go off, which is difficult even for me. Unless you are a very skilled magician… like my sister, for example──”

Muttering to that point, Noel suddenly raised her eyes.

“Right… I see…”

She bowed her head toward Usagi.

“I’ll make some improvements based on your suggestions.”

(Yeah. But still, a magic tool, huh? It’s interesting stuff. Keep up the good work.)

“! Yes…!”

＊＊＊

Meanwhile, Lexia was watching from the village as Luna and the others trained.

“Everyone is amazing! They’re getting stronger and stronger! …And yet, I’m…”

She remembered that her ‘Breath of Light had been repelled by the ice spirit, and her shoulders slumped.

Then Usagi landed there.

(What’s wrong, you don’t look so happy.)

“Oh, Usagi-sama, please listen to me! I’ve learned to use my special power! But the ice spirit repelled it…”

Seeing Lexia looking so down, Usagi shrugged his shoulders.

(Don’t be so impatient. You have a role that only you can play. It’s true that they’re getting stronger, but… it might be your one quick move that changes the big picture.)

“Eh?”

(There are some things you can’t see with those people fighting on the front lines. It means that depending on your quick thinking and cleverness, there is a possibility that the flow of events will change drastically.)

A glimmer of hope flashed in Lexia’s eyes as she heard this.

“Right… that’s right! I’m the only one who can do it! I’ve managed in the past, and I’m sure I’ll be fine next time! It’s all about spirit! Everyone else is working so hard; I can’t stay down!”

As if in response to Lexia’s enthusiasm, a roar echoed from the forest, and Usagi laughed.

(Huh. Those people seem to be taking their training seriously, too.)

The villagers, too, watched in amazement as Luna and the others trained.

“H-hey, do you see that…?”

“Y-yeah. I heard they were going to train… but is that training…? It’s more intense than the great flood…”

“Wow, it’s like the forest is moving…”

“…Really, maybe those girls can do something about it.”

The village, which had been closed in by the blizzard and was just waiting to perish, is now illuminated by a glimmer of hope.

And as if in tandem with the spread of hope, the blizzard was weakening with each passing day.

＊＊＊

After three days of repeated bloody practice.

“Hah, hah… tomorrow is the full moon, finally the decisive battle…”

Luna wiped the sweat from her forehead as she said this.

Tito and the others were breathing heavily.

The group had been practicing almost without a break since then, and they had wounds all over their bodies.

Usagi, on the other hand, said with a calm face.

(You’re pretty good at following my training, aren’t you?)

“I-I guess it was pretty tough, but I managed…”

“I thought I’d lost it many times…”

Then Usagi said something surprising.

(Well, then, final test!)

“T-the final test, you say…?”

(The only thing you have to do is to touch me. The field is all over this mountain. If even one of you can complete the task, you pass. As long as you complete this task, no matter who you’re up against, they won’t be any match for you.)

“Wha…? I-I never thought the day would come when I would be able to challenge Kicking Saint-sama…!”

“Ugh, i-it looks so difficult… but I have to do my best…!”

 (However, it would indeed be hard without a handicap. I’ll try not to use anything but my right leg.)

Usagi pulled his left leg tighter to his body.

(Come on, don’t hold back. Come at me with all your might.)

“Now we have no choice but to do it…!”

“It can’t be helped; let’s test our skills…!”

Thus began the ultimate game of tag.