"Well, look who it is—Lloyd, Sylpha, and Ren. What a coincidence to run into you in a place like this."
Tao leaped down, landing with the lithe grace of a cat.
"What brings you here, Tao?" I asked.
"Exterminating Ghouls, of course. They've been popping up all over the city. I was investigating their movements and ended up down here in the sewers, see?"
Come to think of it, Tao had accepted a request to exterminate Ghouls before we had. It made sense that she would trace them back to the drainage system just as we did.
"This is... a girl from a foreign land! What a darling outfit. That honed suppleness combined with the soft limbs unique to a young girl—it is a masterpiece of balance! Mmm, Tao-tan... I am definitely a fan!"
Jiriel was muttering to himself, his breathing getting a bit heavy. I didn't really understand what he was on about, so I just ignored him.
"I see. If Lloyd is here, then there’s no doubt that the Ghouls’ nest is somewhere further in," Tao said.
"I wish you wouldn't place quite so much trust in my presence."
"These sewers are connected to the city center," Sylpha added. "Given that the Ghoul sightings have been concentrated in town, there can be no mistake. As expected of Master Lloyd."
"But first, we have to deal with these guys!" Ren noted.
The number of Ghouls easily exceeded thirty. This was going to be worth the effort.
"One, two, three... Hey, Sylpha, want to see which of us can take down more? A little contest?"
Tao gave a provocative grin and continued.
"I’ve done a lot of training since we last met. I’ll show you the results."
Indeed, the Ki surrounding Tao was stronger and more expansive than before. It was as if she were clad in a suit of invisible, solid armor. Looking closely, I noticed her clothes weren't even dirty. Her Ki was refined to such a high degree that it repelled both filth and foul odors. There was no doubt she had put in a massive amount of work.
"I don’t mind, but..."
Sylpha glanced my way. She seemed concerned because I had mentioned wanting to use the Ghouls for experiments. While the experiments were certainly tempting, I also wanted to see Tao’s improved fighting style in action. I gave Sylpha a nod.
"It’s fine. Go for it, both of you."
"I understand. In that case, I accept the challenge."
"That’s the spirit! If I win, you have to do one thing I say."
"Very well. With Master Lloyd watching, there is no way I will lose... but if you should somehow defeat me, perhaps I shall arrange another tea party with Master Albert for you?"
I couldn't help but sigh. She shouldn't go around treating Albert like a prize; he was my older brother, after all. Though I suppose that was an effective lure for someone as obsessed with handsome men as Tao.
However, Tao put a finger to her lips and hummed in thought.
"That’s good too, but... I know. If I win, I’ll borrow Lloyd for a bit. For a date. A date! ♪"
Tao looked at me and gave a sharp wink.
"They say if you want to shoot the general, you should shoot his horse first. Master Albert is a tough nut to crack, so getting on good terms with Lloyd first isn't a bad move. Hehehe."
Tao continued to mutter her schemes to herself, but the moment the words left her mouth, Sylpha and Ren began to glare at her with terrifying intensity.
"...Hoh. You have quite the nerve to bring Master Lloyd into this. Very well. I shall face you in earnest."
"Sylpha, I can join in too, right?" Ren asked, her voice cold.
What had gotten into them? The two of them were suddenly radiating incredible bloodlust.
"Mmm-mmm-mmm! To be surrounded by such beautiful girls, and for them to even fight over him... Ngh, how enviably scandalous! But to be able to witness such a sight up close, I’m so glad I came with Master Lloyd...!"
Jiriel was practically weeping tears of blood, but I truly didn't care. More importantly, it looked like I’d get to see everyone go all out. I was starting to get excited.
"Now—shall we begin?"
At Sylpha’s signal, the three of them dashed toward the Ghouls.
The melee was instantaneous and chaotic. Barrages of strikes, slashes, and poison-tipped blows flew wildly, sending Ghouls flying with every impact.
"Here I go—!"
Tao moved like a spinning top, punching as she whirled. Then she would reposition and deliver a devastating kick. By repeating these simple actions, she moved with terrifying speed and weight. I wondered where that sheer power came from in such a small frame as she mowed down the undead.
"Phew—'Consecutive Wheel Collapse'!"
That movement was different from what I remembered. She was likely making expert use of the two elements that composed Ki: Yin and Yang. By switching between the two repulsive forces with perfect timing, she generated a burst of energy that she added to her physical output. If her timing were off by even a fraction, she’d be sent flying in a random direction. That looked fascinating; I’d have to try it later.
"...You’ve certainly improved, Tao. But I am not the same as when we fought together before, either."
Leaving those words behind, Sylpha cut down Ghoul after Ghoul. She wasn't even using her Sword of Light, claiming it wouldn't be fair in a contest. Even so, her dual-wielding swordplay was as sharp and refined as ever. Even without relying on Holy Magic, she made short work of the Ghouls.
"...Sorry, but please die."
In contrast to the flashy battle the other two were waging, Ren moved with quiet efficiency. She repositioned constantly, hiding in the others' shadows to deliver lethal thrusts from behind. She wasn't particularly fast, but by utilizing Magic Isolation to strike while her enemies were completely unaware, she was steadily whittling down their ranks.
The efficiency of the trio was staggering. In no time at all, the Ghouls were nearly wiped out.
"They're incredible. There are only a few left."
"But Master Lloyd, it seems they’re having some trouble with the last one," Grimo noted.
"That one seems to be of a different breed than the typical Ghoul," Jiriel added. "I can sense a trace of intelligence from it..."
Indeed, that Ghoul’s movements were distinct. It was clearly stronger than the others, and although it was fighting purely defensively, it was holding its own against Tao and Sylpha. It even managed to dodge Ren’s surprise attacks. It was moving skillfully, clearly trying to find an opening to escape into a side tunnel.
"It’s going to get away!" Tao shouted.
"The kill count is currently a three-way tie!" Sylpha cried. "Whoever takes that one down is the winner!"
"Guh... It’s... too fast...!?" Ren grunted.
The Ghoul slipped through their attacks, making a desperate break for it.
—Interesting. I felt a bit bad for the others, but I decided it was time for me to step in.
Magic Isolation. First, I completely erased my presence. As I closed the distance to the Ghoul, I began to knead my Ki. This allowed me to build up power while remaining totally undetected.
Then, I switched from Yin to Yang—and in that instant, an incredible force was born.
Ngh, the power was immense. I focused on controlling it, and although the recoil nearly sent me flying, I managed to kick off the ground to maintain my trajectory and took up a position directly behind the Ghoul.
"—!? You..."
By the time it noticed me, it was already over. I switched from Yin to Yang once more and lunged straight at it. While mid-air, I used Radiant Armament to manifest a Sword of Light. The Ghoul tried to shift into a defensive posture, but I slipped past its guard and landed a decisive blow. Just as I had done earlier, I imbued the blade with Holy Attribute poison.
"Gwaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!"
The Ghoul let out a final roar as it dissolved into ash.
The light footwork was Tao's, the swordsmanship was Sylpha's, and the stealthy repositioning was Ren's. Using the Control System Magic "Transcription," I had tried copying and synthesizing their movements, and the results were quite satisfying.
"Master, I am sorr—gah."
With those final words, the Ghoul vanished completely.
Ah, so it really could talk. I felt a pang of regret. I should have let it finish speaking before I killed it.