Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 987: Test Of Will

The test of will was a gate inside the Aurum Colosseum, standing proud in the very center with just enough room for a single person to walk through. Once they had passed, a crackling portal of their remnant energy gave way for a recreation in phantom. Another you with the same memories, some appearance, and powers walks out, ready to test you against yourself. Seeing the gate for the first time, Helga grew curious about its inner workings; however, with Charlotte standing on the other side of the arena, the Valkyrie’s curiosity would have to wait for another time.

"Moeria, you ready?" She asked, looking over her shoulder at the pale ghost of the woman who’d temporarily slipped herself from her mortal flesh.

"She seems powerful, but nothing we can’t handle."

"You said the same thing about Bellona."

"We could’ve handled it, just one mistake–"

"The mistake that got you killed and left me with just a head rolling on the ground."

"But you didn’t die, at least."

"Only because she wanted me to see how I’ve failed everyone around me."

"Ey! Who are you talking to? Focus upfront! I’m right here!" Lifting her hammer, the duchess pushed back the frills hanging from her twin buns. With them moved to the side, she rolled up her long sleeves and charged her weapon with a winding spin of her arm.

Soaking in all visible information, Moeria locked herself tighter around Helga’s neck before moving her lips next to her ears to whisper.

"Cosmic wizardry, that weapon’s created from a shard of a metroid–expect an effective blow, broken wrist if the strike lands directly. Mostly likely an anti-magic material, so your magical defenses are useless."

"Only defense, right? I can still punch her with all I got?" Helga inquired, narrowing her gaze at the winding weapon.

"Negative, you will kill her, and the audience members might go deaf from the echo in the colosseum." Clicking her tongue, the valkyrie reminded herself that she was being watched by numerous soldiers as well as the consulate members. "I advise going bare fists. Your offensive abilities and reflexes should be enough to best her."

"Alright." Unclipping her gauntlets, Helga put them back into her dimensional pocket. Watching her do so, Charlotte’s expression contorted. Staring daggers at the valkyrie, she finally set her charge forward with the manner still spinning her hand by its end ribbons.

"Upchin strike," Moeria predicted, watching the massive human woman closing the distance between them in just a second.

Moving her hand under her chin, Helga felt the blunt weight of the hammer and its awkward star ends digging into her flesh. However, before it could do any real damage, she jumped to match the trajectory of the hammer, ending up behind Charlotte after a full swing.

"Where did she go?!" Screamed the human giant, looking around everywhere.

In the meantime, preparing her fist, Helga focused just under the woman’s heart before slamming her fist against her back. Like a bolt of lightning shutting down one’s body in an instant, Charlotte felt a second of sharp pain coursing through her body. Knocked out and flung towards the crowd of her own followers, the duchess dragged her soldiers along until their bodies were pinned against her and the colosseum wall.

"Estimated time for recovery, two minutes," Moreia predicted with an eyebrow raised.

"Isn’t that too quick for a regular human?"

"Affirmative, she’s not regular as implied by her stature. Though I can’t pinpoint if she’s a mixed breed, hence–most likely a really tall woman through sheer genetics."

"Nearly eight feet tall..." Shaking her head, Helga folded her hands and watched the mess in which the duchess now lay. "I can’t imagine the back pain."

"Your attack surely won’t ease the pain either."

"Alright, enough. Get out of my head." With a wave over her shoulder, Helga brushed Moeria away from her. The spirit was slightly reluctant to go away just yet, but knowing how much it irritated her idol when someone didn’t listen to her, Moeria slipped her consciousness back into the replica body of Mono.

By this point, everyone was rushing to tend to the unconscious duchess. Her maids, her soldiers, and even members of the consulate. Despite being apparent enemies, Joselia and the others couldn’t afford–or rather, risk losing trade contracts from Charlotte’s territory. Especially since there was a chance that only she would honor any trades from them after they’d abandoned the god Hamleth.

Getting closer to Charlotte as well, Helga grabbed the star-engraved hammer and tried to lift it. Feeling resistance on the weapon, she strained herself further until eventually her arms were wrestling against the weapon’s magical pull. Its attempts to get back in its wielder’s arms were failing, and in its desperation, the hammer began flailing like a desperate fish.

"What in the–" Letting go of it, the valkyrie jumped back.

The weapon quickly returned in Charlotte’s hand, crushing a few soldiers’ backs on its return to its wielder. In a matter of seconds, the duchess’s eyes fluttered open, but instead of seeming hurt, she jumped upright at once, startling everyone.

"Where did she go?!" She screamed, her mind still stuck in time from before being struck by Helga.

"It’s okay...I won!" The valkyrie exclaimed, paranoid over the cosmic wizard weaponry.

Her eyes never left the hammer even as Charlotte flung it over her shoulder and stared daggers at her smaller frame.

"What do you mean you won? Our fight just began!" Gritting her teeth, the duchess stepped forward, ready to swing her hammer yet again. To her surprise, her two maids moved in front of them and thought they spoke not a word; the lidded and teary look in their eyes made her reluctantly take a step away. "Tsk, what happened?"

"You servants can handle the explanation, I’m sure." Saying that, Helga took her leave, no longer interested in the fight and yet curious about Charlotte’s weapon.

’Linkle would know more about that weapon.’ She thought because what better person to find the answer about a cosmic relic than a cosmic sorceress herself? In the meantime, however, convincing Charlotte to calm down and even come to terms with the fact that she now has to abide by her own deal was, to say the least, a turbulent experience.