Death March to the Parallel World Rhapsody

Satou here. I had a friend who, whenever he saw a stray cat on the way to school, would greet it with a "nyaon." Usually, he kept a serious face, but when facing small animals, he instantly became defenseless, which I thought was adorable deep down. I guess he was shy back then.

◇

“It’s moving!”

“A red light—”

“The Demonic Spear!”

Ignoring the crowd's shouts, Liza advanced toward Bōryū while trailing the red glow of her demon blade.

—Huh? She’s not using instant movement?

Because her speed matched that of the muscular warrior earlier, the crowd couldn’t tell, but Liza was only running normally.

Bōryū’s body blurred at the edges.

Seeing Bōryū begin a rapid tail attack with a high-speed turn, Liza suddenly accelerated using her instant movement skill.

Bōryū’s eyes widened in shock, but it was already too late.

A kick from Liza, enhanced with instant movement acceleration, struck Bōryū’s unguarded hind leg.

Normally, the mass difference would have sent Liza flying, but the inflation of her strength (STR) and endurance (VIT) stats from leveling up defied the laws of physics in a shocking way.

Her pivot foot broke through the arena floor beneath, and Liza’s strike sent Bōryū airborne.

—GYUWON.

Before Bōryū could scream and be blown away, Liza raised her palm armored with magic power and caught the tail attack that came flying in with inertia, using only one hand.

“Oh! Who on earth is she...?”

“Could she be an elite from Dragon Valley?”

“The apostle of the dragon god!”

The crowd erupted in excitement at the surreal sight before them.

However, Liza’s expression was complicated.

She realized that the tail she had just caught wasn’t because of her own magic power armor, but from the buff I had given her—her face showed a mix of emotions.

—KWYSHHYYEEEERRRR.

Bōryū was kicked back to the cliff edge, brushed off the rocks atop his body, and stood up.

The distance to Liza was about 100 meters.

Bōryū took an intimidating posture and inhaled deeply.

Seeing this, Liza closed the gap to Bōryū with instant movement.

Following the pattern of the earlier fight between Lord Shippū and the muscular warrior, Bōryū’s rock pellets, flicked by his tail, attacked Liza.

Probably, Lord Shippū had learned this combat pattern from Bōryū.

—Liza’s tail shimmered red.

The demon blade cannon released from Liza’s tail intercepted the pellets.

The deliberately less-focused demon blade cannon didn’t incinerate the pellets but fulfilled its role of sweeping them away from Liza’s path.

Still, it was impossible for Liza to close into Bōryū’s inner range before he unleashed his dragon breath.

“Arisa mentioned—”

Again, Liza’s tail shimmered red.

At a speed approaching my earth shrinking, Liza teleported into Bōryū’s grasp, spun her spear, and struck upward from under Bōryū’s jaw, which was leaking flames from the corner of his mouth.

The dragon breath gushed out with a roar, but it dyed the sky red, not Liza. It vainly heated the air and dissipated.

“—Skilled warriors from another world use the demon blade cannon not to attack, but as a means of super acceleration.”

...Liza, that’s a story from manga (fiction).

Besides, judging by his rolled-back eyes, I don’t think Bōryū heard you.

◇

Bōryū’s daze lasted only a moment as he swung his neck around, searching again with his gaze to incinerate Liza.

But his eyes never caught her.

Because—

“Where are you looking?”

Liza’s question came from above Bōryū’s head.

—KWYSHHYYEEEERRRR.

Bōryū let out an angry roar, shook his head, and hurled Liza into the air.

White fangs gleamed inside Bōryū’s wide-open mouth.

—The dragon’s fangs pierce all.

Bōryū’s eyes twisted with delight, convinced of his victory.

No material in this world can resist the dragon’s fangs.

Therefore, dragons are invincible.

“Let’s correct that misconception.”

Liza kicked off the air with a double jump to escape Bōryū’s chasing jaws and soared to greater heights.