Arc 4 – Ch.52: Clash of characters
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It sounds like Elena is asking me to justify my existence.

What can I say really?

It's not like I asked to be reincarnated.

I did earnestly wish to be reincarnated several times whenever I got fed up with my school life though I guess...

*Clang*
I'm distracted by the sudden sound of weapons clashing that could be heard from the group of knights that surrounded Julia.

Lucas is standing behind Julia with his back facing hers, he seems to be pleading with the guards to stand down.

In front of Julia, only a handful of knights are left standing.
The sound of the clashing weapons came from the one in front of Julia. It's Serena the night-shift guard for the cavern entrance.

"That style of spear-fighting! Where did you learn it?!" (Serena)
She attempted to question the skeleton standing in front of her.

"Huh?!" (Julia)

"It's mine, who else's would it be?" (Julia)
Nothing but agitated bone-rattling noises could be heard emanating from Julia's skeleton though.

"Tsk- even a skeleton..." (Serena)

Serena pulls back her weapon and jumps back.

"My name is Serena! I too look up to the strongest spear-wielding adventurer in history!" (Serena)

"Let's have a match and see which one of is stronger!" (Serena)

"..." (Julia)
Julia's body didn't rattle in response but quietly readied her weapon instead, agreeing to Serena's challenge with her gestures alone.

Lucas looked like he was intending to attack Serena, but Julia raised her hand and motioned for him to stop.

"Aaargh!" (Random knight)

Nearby them, a large black bird was pecking at a guard being crushed under its talons.

Furby seems intent on defending Julia as well.
Does he know Julia too? I'm not sure how he even managed to recognise her though if that's the case.

"Wh- what is this?" (Another random knight)
One of the knights lifted his foot that had stepped into a murky puddle of purple goop on the ground.

His boots began melting off his body as he held it up.

"Uwah!" (Another random knight)

There are several puddles of poison surrounding Furby.

 

*Crack!*

As I'm casually observing all the chaos unfolding around me, a sword is thrust at me, though it broke in half when it hit one of the larger crystals in my body.

"Wha-! My sword!" (Swordsman knight)

"Gya ha ha! Out of the way you novices!" (Ben)

"You won't be able to hurt this thing by conventional means!" (Ben)

*Clang!*
The tall viking-like guild leader equipped 2 knuckleduster-type weapons and hit them together producing an explosive metallic noise.

"..." (Elena)
Elena was still impatiently waiting for an answer with her finger still pointed at me.

"You'll have to wait until I'm done with this one to get your answers kid!" (Ben)

"Well?! Someone as strong as you won't decline a challenge right??" (Ben)

Before I could even answer, he leapt right at me and threw a punch.

I somehow managed to react in time and catch his explosive punch with both my hands.
The impact of the attack sent me flying above the forest and away from the crowd.

As I'm flying through the sky, I look at my arms. My hands have been blown clean off by the impact.

If he hits me with that attack, he'll probably manage to shatter several of my mana crystals.

I should make my body out of something more resilient when I get a chance, I'm way too fragile...

*Crash!*
A dead tree trunk breaks my fall as I crash land back onto the ground. 

I could assimilate the trees in my surroundings using wood magic, but with how brittle all the wood is around here there's not much of a point...

That disaster-grade demon's deadly gas ability seems to have shrivelled up nearly all the trees inside this forest.

*Bang!*
Dozens of brittle trees suddenly got blown aside. Ben appeared from the source of the explosion.

"Come on now! Fight back!" (Ben)

Ugh, I get the feeling this type of character isn't going to settle down without a fight.

My wood magic is the only thing I can comfortably rely on for combat.
I suppose I could also try dissuading him with my mental ability.

Ben's eyes are shining with excitement. He's slowly approaching me with heavy breaths whilst cracking his knuckles.

"Fight..." (Ben)

But would that even work on this guy?

Is this guy a fight fetishist or something?
He almost looks turned on!

(BIND!)
Dozens of dead trees morph into whip-like shapes and swiftly grab hold of Ben's body.

"Gya ha ha! That's more like it!" (Ben)

"Wood magic at this scale huh?! This is a first! Even for more!!" (Ben)

*SNAP!*
Ben flexed his muscles, ripping all the trees out of the ground and snapping the wood in half.

"HERE I COME!" (Ben)

(Hey! Hey! Could this actually be a bad match up?!)

Ben leaps at me with clear intent to pummel me with his giant fists.

Just as his fist is about to hit my chest, as I desperately imagine trying to dodge Ben, bursts of concentrated flames suddenly shot out of my feet.

My body is suddenly launched up into the air as if rocket engines had been strapped to both my feet.

(W- WHAT?!)

I look down and see Ben looking up at me intrigued.

I'm looking down at my feet, equally intrigued.

My wooden legs look half black from being burnt by the intensely concentrated flames under my feet.
Fortunately, the wind from how fast I'm flying is putting out any fires that would've engulfed my body by now...

AFTERBURNER activated.
100 MP converted.

T- this is!
The ability I got after defeating the disaster-grade demon!

*Bang!*
I hear an explosive sound below me.

Ben has punched the ground with both of his fists, opening a large tear in the earth.

From the large tear, several giant molten rocks shoot up towards me in an explosion of fire.

It looks like a volcano opened up out of nowhere!

Ordinarily, I'd be hopeless in aerial maneuvring, but I have ample reference material for this new ability.

I imagine the iron superhero from a certain popular cinematic universe flying through the sky.

(DODGE!)

The flames that had been gradually dying down suddenly exploded again, launching me in the direction I was imagining.

However, flames appeared on the stumps from my arms as well, causing my body to get flung widely around in the air because I forgot to position my arms properly.

(AAAH!!)

*CRASH!*

I eventually crash land back on the ground somewhere.

A tiny glass shaped humanoid slowly walked over to the small crater I had created on impact.
"You certainly are a curious existence aren't you?" (Alcazar)

I look back at Alcazar, one of the weirdos responsible for dragging me into this other world in the first place.

Seems like I landed nearby where the army of knights was fighting everyone.

I'm guessing he's got questions about the hundreds of full potions that appeared out of nowhere.

Several knights swiftly surround us, lead by the important-looking female knight with expensive armour.

Cynthia also seems to have teamed up with them for some reason.

"What vile mana! What are you?!" (Cynthia)

The important-looking female knight with the expensive armour nodded strongly at Cynthia's words. 

"Huh? Little girl, don't you know how to properly address your elders?" (Alcazar)

"I- it spoke!" (Random knight)

"Fwu fu fu... Did you braindead knights already forget about the poor old man you wiped out just the other day?" (Alcazar)

"Th- that laugh!" (Important-looking knight)

Alcazar turned back to me and whispered.

"You wouldn't happen to have some mana to spare would you?" (Alcazar)

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