“Fine, I’ll take you on. But bring your favorite katana. I don’t mind if it’s a live blade.”
“Oh! Then I shall not hold back!”
Kaname drew the sword from her waist with a look of pure delight.
In that instant, the air shifted.
A prickling tension stung my skin.
Simply wearing that armor of lightning gave her a formidable presence—no, it was more than that. It was the sword. The moment she gripped her katana, Kaname’s entire aura changed.
If you step within reach, you will be cut.
The sheer intensity of her samurai spirit radiated toward me.
Then, Kaname moved.
She was fast!
Closing the distance in a heartbeat, her blade flashed toward me. Her speed was incredible—but not so fast that I couldn't react while 'Frenzy' was active.
The screech of metal echoed as sparks flew.
“Ho!”
Kaname’s eyes sparkled, a fearless smile playing on her lips.
“You are quite capable, indeed!”
Relentless, she followed up with a barrage of slashes. From overhead strikes to horizontal sweeps and sudden thrusts—a diverse array of attacks assaulted me without a moment's rest.
As expected of a high-tier character from the original game! Even in the source material, her attack and evasion stats spiked the moment she activated 'Thunder Beast Shroud.' She had been a reliable ally in the game, but facing her as an opponent was quite the headache!
“Hahahaha! This is quite enjoyable, Lord Albert!”
...Well, sure. Since I was stuck entirely on the defensive, I imagined it felt great to just keep swinging!
However, if things continued like this, the victory would be mine.
In the original game, 'Thunder Beast Shroud' was powerful, but it came with a catch: it rapidly drained Kaname’s lightning gauge.
It wouldn't be much longer until the shroud deactivated.
At that point, I would counterattack and claim the win.
—But that would be boring. The real fun was in overcoming Kaname while she was in her 'Thunder Beast Shroud' state.
My eyes and senses had grown accustomed to her fierce assault. It was time. Waiting for the split second when her continuous attacks slackened, I triggered a two-second burst of high-intensity 'Frenzy.'
My perception accelerated.
The flow of time seemed to slow to a crawl. Kaname’s movements, which I had struggled to track just moments ago, were now as clear as day.
Before her next strike could even begin, my blade slid through her guard.
I imbued my sword with magic to counter her electricity.
The next moment, my blow swept Kaname off her feet. She was sent flying spectacularly, rolling across the floor as the 'Thunder Beast Shroud' flickered and died.
“My win, then. Are you still with me?”
As if in answer to my question, Kaname pushed herself up.
“...I surrender. It is my loss.”
“You were strong. That was a good fight.”
“'Thunder Beast Shroud' is a technique I have yet to master. With practice, I shall grow stronger still. However, for that, I require your assistance, Lord Albert. Will you continue to aid me?”
“I’d be happy to.”
It was for the sake of bolstering our forces for the Demon King Subjugation, after all. She needed to keep getting stronger so she could eventually go off and defeat the Demon King alongside Leon.
“Oh, what a wonderful offer! In that case, I consumed a great deal of lightning with that shroud just now. I would like a recharge immediately!”
Wait, right now?
“Come, grant me that lightning magic from before!”
“...Spell, 'Lightning Bolt.'”
“Nhooooooooooooooo!”
Letting out an odd cry, Kaname writhed with an expression of pure ecstasy.
...Wait, by 'cooperation,' did she mean doing this every single day?
The looks Luna and Silvia were giving me were agonizing.
Wait, it’s a misunderstanding! I’m not doing this for my own enjoyment, you know!
Two weeks had passed since the first time Kaname activated 'Thunder Beast Shroud' at the academy.
She had been receiving regular recharges from Albert ever since, and the amount of lightning stored within her body had reached an immense level.
Furthermore, the weather had been on her side.
For the past few days, heavy rain had fallen relentlessly, and not a day went by without the sound of rolling thunder. When the static charge in the air increased, Kaname’s natural charging speed followed suit. High levels of internal lightning always made her feel physically empowered; lately, she had been in peak condition and high spirits.
(Umu, but this is... perhaps a bit too much...)
Until she met Albert, she had never known what it felt like to be overcharged.
It was a new sensation, leaving Kaname with a restless, buzzing itch deep in her bones.
(I should release some of it...)
Kaname stepped outside the school building. Lingering under the eaves, she surveyed the landscape. A torrential downpour lashed the ground, punctuated by the irregular roar of thunder. The schoolyard was a muddy, slushy mess.
Naturally, no students were foolish enough to be out in this weather without cause.
After confirming the area was deserted, Kaname activated 'Thunder Beast Shroud.' It wasn't that she was doing anything wrong, but explaining the transformation to others was always a hassle.
As the lightning flared, the restlessness in her body settled, and she felt a wave of relief.
Even so, she was still brimming with pent-up energy.
(I shall move to my heart's content!)
Kaname bolted into the muddy schoolyard. Each step was so fast and light it felt as though she had become the wind itself.
The falling rain evaporated the moment it touched the armor of lightning enveloping her.
“Haha, hahahahaha!”
A golden blur raced through the rain-slicked yard.
She was far too conspicuous; students in the school building were starting to notice. But she didn't care. In this state, there was no way they could recognize her as Kaname.
A sense of liberation and total omnipotence washed over her.
She felt as though she could do anything right now—
Even run up the walls!
With that momentum, Kaname began to sprint vertically up the side of the building. Gravity tried to drag her back down, but she kicked off the stone faster than it could take hold, propelling herself higher and higher.
Within her vision—tilted ninety degrees—she saw the heavy dark clouds and the flash of lightning deep within them. Kaname felt a thrill at the contrast of black and gold. This was the source of her power, the thing she loved most.
How divine the lightning was!
It was all the favor of Lady Shiunin!
Without slowing down, she reached the edge of the roof and leaped high into the air.
“Lightning is wonderfuuuuuuuuuuul!”
The moment she screamed toward the sky with her arms raised—
A bolt of lightning struck her directly.
“Higyoeeeeeeeeeeeeee!?”
The strike would have killed an ordinary person instantly, but Kaname possessed a natural resistance. Furthermore, her 'Thunder Beast Shroud' allowed her to absorb the energy.
However, she could not ignore the rapid expansion of air caused by the overwhelming thermal energy—the sheer concussive force of the thunderclap.
The impact hit her like a slap from a giant, slamming Kaname back down onto the rooftop.
“Ugh!?”
In that moment, an abnormality took hold of Kaname’s body.
By being struck by lightning, members of her clan could obtain massive amounts of energy. Usually, this was a blessing. However, Kaname's internal stores were already at their limit thanks to Albert’s daily recharges.
What happens when you pour a bucket of water into a cup already filled to the brim?
It overflows.
And this was uncharted territory, a phenomenon unknown even to Kaname herself.
The 'Thunder Beast Shroud' covering her body began to siphon the lightning from her internal reserves, bloating and expanding. It gradually detached from her body, evolving into a massive, four-legged beast of pure electricity.
The Thunder Beast Nue—
The creature turned toward the dark sky and let out a deafening roar.
(T-This is—what have I...!? I have to... fix this...!)
Kaname tried to stand, but her body refused to obey. The shock was more severe than she had realized, and she drifted into unconsciousness.
Without sparing a glance at the fallen girl, the Thunder Beast leaped from the rooftop.
It roared again, louder this time.
“GUGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Bolts of lightning arced from the beast’s massive frame, scorching the schoolyard in every direction.
In an instant, the Academy was plunged into absolute chaos.