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Draft 12（第5页）

“Youwouldslaughterherandbreakhersword.No.Youmaynot.”

“SoYhnesswouldshowpresence?”

“IfIshowmypresehenshewoulddieassheisnotyetabletowithstandmystrength.Amagicdollwillrepresentmyselfandacceptherchallenge.”

Arashiwaitedatthefootofthemountain，withtheguardsofHimeyamastandingalertatashortdistance.Sheimagihatmaybeshewouldbeiothetrainingfieldforanhonorablebattle，ormaybetheFivewouldedownthemountainthemselvestoacceptherchallenge.

ArashiexpectedtofightRyōfirst，andslowlymoveherthehierarchy.ShewasfairlycertainthatshecoulddefeatRyō，andifshecouldridallmagicelementsinhersurroundings，thenYayoiwouldlosethemediumnecessaryforherspell.

ShehadenoughreasonstobelievethatherbattleagainstKasumiandMidoriwouldbeextremelydifficult.Shemightdie.Ifshewasfortunate，intheendshemightsurvivetofaceYukari.Atthatstage，allshecouldpossiblymanagemightbesimplytogetupfromtheground，standowofeet，holdhersword，andkeepbreathinguntilYukarideliveredherattack.Shewouldbeobliterated，butshewoulddiestanding，asafighter，andremoveKageyamafromtheshadowofimpendingdoom.

Ifherswordmaosurvive，evenifitwasjustasmallfragmentofit，ArashiwouldlikeittobereturoKageyama.Shethoughtabouthowtomaketherequestwithoutincurringfurtherplications.

Thecaptainoftheguardsarrived，andwithafewshortuardsandattendantsretreatedtokeepasafedistance.Arashilookedupatthemountainpath，expegamessenger，ormaybetheFivethemselves，butsawnoone.

Magicelementsstartedtoglow.Emittingpalepurplesparklesoflight，theygatheredtogether，assembledintoahuman-likefigure，andassumedthelikenessofYukari.

“Whatisthemeaningofthis?IchalleheFivetoabattle，andnowIamlookingatamagicdoll?Areytohumiliateme!”

“Firstdefeatthedoll，thenyouwilltakeonanattackfrommyself.Iamtreatingyouwithrespectbyhavingyoufacemeasyoursoleoppo.”

Yukari’svoicesouhroughthedoll.

Arashidrewherswordandreadiedherself.

Thedollraisedherrighthand，andasphericalboltoflightningformedimmediately.Thedollshotthelightning，whichsizzledtheairasitwashurledtowardArashi，withlightpurplesparksjumpingonitssurface.

Arashi’saurabegantoglowinfaintsilver，anditcoveredherentirebody，alongwithhersword.Inoneswiftandsmoothmove，Arashideflectedtheattack，andthelightningflewtotheside.Heraurawasenough;thelightningdidnotevenmaotouchthesurfaceofhersword.

Arashiexpectedtohearacrashoranexplosionohepalepurplelightninghitatreeortheground，butitsimplydissipatedwithoutanyoutsidea.

Thedollthenraisedherhandslightlyupward，andaspellbegantotakeshape.Arashiswungherswordatthetorsoofthedoll，andherauradashedforthfromthetipofhersword，facuttingblastasitlashedoutatthedoll.

Thedolljumpeduptoevadetheattack，andwithbothhands，castspellsbehandaboveArashi.Anenormousmatrixwasinstantlypleted，anditwouldimprisonArashi，thenmagiclightningwouldcharArashi’sskintoacrisp.

Arashitratedallhermightontohersword，andattackedthematrix.Sheandherswordweremeanttobelifelongpanions;theyhadfaithineachother.

Themagiplexwasslicedopen，andtheaftershockspushedawayallthemagicelementstotheperimeter.

Seizingtheopportunity，Arashileapttowardthedoll，whichwasjustabouttolandfromitspreviousjump.Arashiaimedatitswaist;thiswouldbeanattackthatwouldbemoredifficulttoevade.

Neckwouldbetoomobile，andtheattackcouldbeavoidedbybendingbackwards，bytiltingtothesides，andbybendingone’sknees.

Astabaimedatthechestcouldbeavoidedbyturningtoone’sside.

Thewaist，situatedrightinthemiddle，wouldbeperfectforthisoccasion.

Arashiclosedinonthedoll，andswungherbladehorizontally，withenoughenergytostartawhirlwind.

Thedolldidnottrytoescapebyblogtheattackwithaspell，whichwouldbequiteeasy，giventhemagnitudeofmagicthatouredintothisdollwhenYukariformeditwithasimpleintation.

ThedollcasuallyknockedArashionherchestwithitslefthandastheswordsliceditinhalf.

Thedolldidnotexplode--itwasjustliketheprevioussphericalboltofpurplelightning--insteaditgentlyvanished，disiingbacktotheelementsthathadformeditafewmomentsago.

Arashididnotgettoenjoyavictorycelebration.Asthedollseeminglyhitherlightlyonherchest，withsuchrelaxingmovementsthatonemightevenwonderifitwasactuallyiional，Arashiflewbackwardthroughtheair.Heraurahadprotectedhersuffitlythattheblowdidnotincurbrokenribbones，butsheheardcragnoisefromalloverherribcageduetostressfractures.

Herlungspletelycollapseduponimpact，andbloodwasfillingthemicroscopicairsacs[alveoli].Lyingonherback，Arashitriedherbesttocough，lestshesuffocatefromdrowninginherownblood.

Atlast，shemaopushwithherabdomenwithenoughforcetospewoutthebloodwithaviolenthagcough.Arashigaspedandgasped，herarmsandhandsshaking.

Slowly，thetasteofsiingsweetnessandrustsubsidedinhermouth，andsuppherupperbodywithherarms，Arashisatup.

Shegraspedherswordwithherrighthand，andstuckitstipintotheground.Leaningonhersword，Arashimaoliftherheadup.

Gatheringupthelastofherstrength，Arashispokeloudlywithcleardetermination.

“YhnessdotomewhateverYhnesswoulddesire，butIaskYhorefrainfringharmtoKageyama.Ialoneamresponsibleforallmyas.”