“Hugo Clay! I’m going to grind you into the dirt! I’ll show you my true power!”
“Whoa, crap!”
With every pulse of light from his rings, the number of Rushes multiplied.
Six in all. Now numbering the original plus his five duplicates, the Rushes leveled their blades at me in unison. They unleashed a relentless barrage of Wind Sickles, one after another.
“Gah!? Dammit! Six against one is just plain cheating! Whoa! That was close!”
“Hahaha! How does it feel to be trampled by the sheer power of a Magic Item? But make no mistake—it isn’t just the item that’s winning this duel! It’s the simple difference in our abilities!”
“It’s hard to sound convincing when you’re ganging up on me! Cut me some slack! I’m not some monster of the week from a Sentai show!”
In the TV shows I loved, the heroes always fought their enemies like this. Now that I was the one on the receiving end, I finally understood how unreasonable it felt.
But wait a second. If we were following that logic, it would mean Rush was the hero, and that just didn't sit right with me.
Besides, people always complained about heroes fighting five-against-one, but they usually had to plow through a literal army of mooks before they even got to the boss. Strictly speaking, the heroes usually started at an overwhelming disadvantage, like fifty-against-five.
I felt a bit guilty for ever making fun of them for it, considering they had to overcome those odds just to reach the finale... Wait, focus! Now is not the time! I snapped at myself mentally. Seeing a momentary opening, I lunged toward one of the Rushes—Clone A—to get inside his guard.
“Too slow, Scum Yugo!”
“Gyah!? You’re totally right!”
Before I could land a blow on one, the other five launched a counterattack. I was sent tumbling backward across the arena.
The students spectating the duel erupted into cheers as I went flying with a pathetic shriek. Meanwhile, Fee and Melt watched with worried expressions, their hands clasped over their mouths.
Fortunately, the damage wasn't as bad as it looked, but I’d definitely lost that exchange in terms of the damage trade. I pushed myself back up to my feet, only to find Rush wearing a smug, provocative smirk.
“What’s the matter? Out of breath already? I suppose I could give you a moment to rest.”
“Seriously? That’s a huge help. I actually needed a second to think of a countermeasure. I’ll take you up on that.”
Laughter erupted from the crowd at my lack of pride. They couldn't believe I’d actually accept a pity break from my opponent.
I didn't care. I tuned out their mockery, focusing entirely on finding a way to break this deadlock.
If I try really hard, I can close the distance and land a single hit. The problem is that the other clones will immediately dogpile me... How do I handle this?
During that last exchange, my fist had definitely connected with Clone A.
However, the damage I dealt with that one punch was nothing compared to the collective damage I took in return. As things stood, I couldn't win the war of attrition.
I could try to increase the power of my strike, but there was no way Rush would give me the time I needed for a Magic Power Charge.
My long-range Dragon Fang Blaster was even worse; it needed a massive amount of build-up time. I also couldn't win a projectile war on his turf.
In short... I was well and truly stuck.
Numbers really are a form of violence. I know I could take him one-on-one, but the sheer math of a group fight is a nightmare.
At this rate, I really was going to be crushed by the "heroic" numbers like some mid-series villain.
To avoid that, I needed a one-hit-kill tactic—something both powerful and sharp. The only problem was that I had no idea how to pull it off.
“Heh... I think your break is over. Time to crush you, Hugo Clay!”
Dammit... if only I had a fast long-range move like Melt’s, I might be able to find an opening...
If I could just use a quick projectile to break their posture from a distance, I might have a chance.
The thought of Melt’s ability—how she produced those purple swords to wipe out the Magic Armor Beasts—flashed through my mind. In that instant, a spark of inspiration struck my brain like a bolt of lightning.
Wait... Purple? That feels familiar... I feel like I'm forgetting something...
The color purple.
The "Sentai" theme that had been playing in my head because of the six-on-one odds.
And finally, the need for a "powerful and sharp" strike. The pieces clicked together in my mind like a gong ringing for the start of a round.
“That’s it... I’ll give that a shot.”
If I followed his style, I might actually be able to turn the tables.
Betting everything on that single glimmer of hope, I dropped my previous combat stance and shifted into an entirely different form.
“Hmm? What’s with that stance? Is it a bluff? Or just a desperate act?”
I clenched my fists and raised them to eye level, elbows tucked in loosely.
My weight shifted back onto my left leg, while my right foot stayed light, almost hovering off the ground. It was an unorthodox, spring-loaded posture. Rush stared at me with a sneer before giving his honest assessment.
“You look like a cat! Hiding your face and leaning back like you’re ready to bolt!”
“A cat, huh? Personally, I was going for a wolf, but whatever. Thanks for the breather. Let's get back to it.”
“I don’t care what you’re planning! I’ll shatter your delusions along with your bones! This ends now, Hugo Clay!”
“...Well now, I wonder if it’ll be that easy?”
I let out a bold laugh from beneath my helmet.
I funneled a precise amount of Magic Power into the crystals at my ankles, boosting my mobility. I locked my eyes on Rush as he prepared to swing his sword and whispered a single line.
“Watch yourself. From here on, I’m quite stimulating.”