Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Raising the Lowest-Ranked Adventurer, the Heroic Girl – Wasn’t I Just a Substitute Old Man?

Volume 5 Chapter 8   Sieg vs Kana

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Well then, anytime you’re ready.”

Sieg had his weapon ready with the sheath still on. That means he’s serious about fighting Asada.

Well, otherwise he wouldn’t stand a chance against Asada.

If he can enhance himself freely, Asada can unleash attacks on the level of a special class.

Even though it’s close combat, if she can use special class power, she’s on par with Sieg, who can’t use magic.

Both unable to use magic, with similar levels of power, it’s like a mirror match in a way.

Of course, there’s no way not to get serious.

Well, if we’re talking about not using replenishing potions, Asada has less magical power than Sieg, so there’s a difference in the time they can fight.

“I’ll show you my power.”

With those words, Asada wasn’t looking at Sieg, but at us.

Her gaze seemed to be directed at us, but perhaps it was different. She was probably only looking at Miyano, not all of us.

As Asada shifted her gaze back to Sieg, she dashed forward and swung her large hammer towards Sieg.

However, such a grand attack could easily be avoided by someone like Sieg, who was superior in skill. In fact, Sieg effortlessly evaded Asada’s attack with ease.

“Obvious attacks like that won’t hit—oops.”

After evading Asada’s attack, Sieg attempted to counterattack by swinging his sword.

However, Asada left her hammer, which had lightly sunk into the ground due to the swing, and took a step forward, extending her left hand towards Sieg.

“You have to be careful about counterattacks with heavy weapons.”

However, that extended hand was evaded, and in return, Sieg swung his sword downward from above.

From the position where she had half of his body leaning forward, it would be impossible to use a weapon to defend.

That’s what I thought, but Asada kicked up the large hammer with her right foot and intercepted the sword that was about to strike her.

“Whoa, she saw that coming!”

By deflecting Sieg’s downward swing with her large hammer, the momentum was taken away from the kicked-up hammer.

Taking advantage of that, Asada readjusted her grip on the hammer with both hands and swung it down with full force.

The moment the hammer descended, a thunderous roar shook the air and reached us, even though we were a little distance away. It was probably enhanced, but even if Sieg, a special class, took a direct hit from such a blow, he wouldn’t come out unscathed.

However, perhaps anticipating that the attack would be evaded, Asada used the momentum of her swing to perform a handstand on the handle of the hammer, then executed a heel drop.

If we were to describe it solely based on the sequence of placing hands forward and performing a full rotation, it would be an extremely unconventional handspring. However, instead of landing with hands touching the ground, it was the weapon, and the landing was a heel drop. It was not just a little… but rather a significantly menacing move.

Yet, even such acrobatic-like attacks could be evaded.

But Asada didn’t stop there.

Utilizing the momentum from the spin and heel drop, she pulled the hammered that had sunk into the ground, then swung it horizontally.

However, this was also evaded, and Asada readied the hammer for another spin, but it was evaded once again.

Now, what will happen next? Heavy weapons, not just the hammer, gain power from swings, but it’s difficult to stop their momentum and creates vulnerabilities.

Even if Sieg were to forcefully stop Asada’s spinning, his own movements would come to a halt. For now, Sieg was avoiding Asada’s attacks without counterattacking, so if there’s an opening, there’s no way Sieg would miss it.

While contemplating such matters, Asada changed tactics. Instead of completing another spin, she altered the trajectory of the hammer’s swing from a horizontal motion to a downward strike towards the ground, forcefully killing the hammer’s momentum.

By doing so, the weapon’s movement came to a halt, but the residual momentum caused Asada’s body to shift slightly.

Using that shifted body position, Asada stepped forward and delivered a high kick towards Sieg’s shoulder area.

Unrelenting onslaught of attacks that continued without pause since earlier. Even a single direct hit… no, even a mere graze would result in significant damage from this relentless storm of attacks.

However, even the delivered kick was intercepted and deflected by Sieg’s sword.

And with her leg being deflected, her balance inevitably crumbled.

As Sieg moved towards Asada, who was standing on one leg while trying to regain balance after having her attack deflected, he swung his sword, still sheathed, with full force.

“Ugh!”

Asada attempted to defend herself by bringing her arm up, but it was too late, and she was sent flying by the momentum of the sword.

“You’re quite skilled indeed. But I think it’s over.”

“Not… not yet!”

However, Asada, who had stood up after being sent flying, reached into her pocket and tightly grasped something, creating a distinct cracking sound.

…Wait! Could it be—?

As I quickly understood what Asada was about to do, I froze in astonishment.

It’s impossible. There’s no ways she can do it. She hasn’t even fully mastered the prerequisites. It’s even more difficult than that.

“Ugh…!”

That’s what I thought, but immediately after, I heard a groaning sound from Asada.

“Huh?”

“This should do it!”

Asada’s shout drowned out Sieg’s dumbfounded voice.

“Ah—”

Perhaps realizing that he needed to respond to Asada’s shout, Sieg let out a slightly absent-minded voice and quickly assumed a defensive stance.

Then, Asada’s downward swing as she ran towards Sieg collided with Sieg’s upward strike, creating a clash between the two that not only echoed through the surroundings but also sent shockwaves rippling out.

“Sorry, but it ends here.”

However, this seemingly impossible battle between a special class and a first class ended with the defeat of the first class—Asada’s defeat.

Asada’s large hammer, which had collided head-on with Sieg’s sword, was deflected from Asada’s hand and flew away, distancing itself from both Asada and us.

“Amazing…”

Those were the murmured words of Miyano, who had been watching the two’s fight next to me.

Even though she sees her comrades as the ones she must protect, she still doesn’t fully see them that way.

So, even though she doesn’t view her comrades as “enemies,” she unconsciously sees them as “rivals.”

“Phew, I’m exhausted, I’m exhausted. I was a bit anxious there.”

Despite his words, Sieg returned to us without showing any signs of exhaustion.

But in reality, he must have been tired as he said, and I truly believe he was anxious.

Asada, still seated on the ground, seemed to be examining her own hands, perhaps still feeling the impact from her weapon being deflected.

But it’s not just because the impact lingers, I suppose.

“Ugh…”

It must be to recover her energy.

Sieg, who sat down in place, began to tend to his weapon, but after a while, he let out a displeased voice. What’s wrong?

“Now then… so? Is it your turn next?”

Sieg had been rotating his shoulders and moving his body to check his condition, but after a few minutes of rest, he turned to Miyano and asked.

“Yes.”

Upon Miyano’s nod in response to Sieg’s words, the two of them distanced themselves from us. However, Asada was still seated, so we had to do something about it.

I walked alongside the two and helped Asada stand up.

“Come on, stand up.”

“…Ah.”

With a vacant and sorrowful expression, she looked at me, but then her eyes widened as if she had noticed something.

“Oh, yeah, right. Sorry, sorry. I’d be in the way if I stayed seated. I guess I’m a bit tired after all.”

Asada said that and then laughed, but her current face and the one she had a few moments ago were too contrasting.

…Has she become quite unstable?

While I was thinking that, Miyano, unaware of my thoughts, was observing Asada, but her expression showed no hint of questioning her comrade’s state.

And that gaze, which had previously seen Asada as a rival during the fight with Sieg, had returned to seeing her as someone to protect.

…Both Asada and Miyano, they both have quite challenging personalities.

If I leave them be, it’s likely to become troublesome. What should I do…