Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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TL Notes:
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Chapter 346


　Surprisingly, Koga's apartment is located in the city center.
　When I asked him why someone who seemed to be bad with crowds like him would live in the very center of the city, where the crowds were at their peak, I received an extremely simple answer.

"If I live here, I can get to most places by the shortest route, even if I'm late!"

　At that moment, I seriously wondered whether I should correct this man's sloppy lifestyle.
　Why do you really put so much unnecessary thought into things like that...?
　I could do nothing but be dumbfounded as Koga cheerfully delivered something that I could hardly believe was said by a man who had once led one of the Demon King's armies, all while making a smug, proud face.

"Is this it, Keira?"
"Yes!"

　After receiving word from Keira, I arrived at the training grounds near the center of the city and looked around at the crowded surroundings.
　It seems that since this was originally something left over from the Demon King's army's training grounds, it is now treated mostly as a plaza, but...

"They're really going at it."

　I could hear the sound of blows that was hardly something one would expect from a plaza for people to relax in.
　Looking in that direction, I saw the people of the city watching the battle from a distance, as well as Koga and Senri-sama fighting with an intensity almost no different from an actual battle.

"Didn't I tell you to stop barging into my room already!!"
"Only by overcoming all the insignificant obstacles that stand in my way can my true feelings be conveyed!"
"That doesn't mean you can just destroy the door with your bare hands!"

　Hmm, they're fighting while arguing.
　Senri-sama seems to be enjoying even this situation, and as she fights, she somehow looks full of life.
　Well, I felt the same could be said for Koga too... Hmm? The person over there is...

"Helena-san"
"Oh, Usato-kun..."

　Helena-san, who is less of a bodyguard for Senri-sama and more of someone tasked with keeping an eye on her, watches the two of them fight with a somewhat resigned look.
　There are also other warriors besides her, seemingly making sure that no harm comes to the people of the city, so it seems they're here to prevent any damage from being caused by this fight? Quarrel?

"I'm glad you came."
"Shall I intervene?"
"Ah, no. Now that they've gotten this fired up, it might actually be dangerous, so I think it would be better to let them tire themselves out like this."
"You're treating them exactly like wild animals."

　Even though she's a princess of Nirvarna, is it really okay to treat her like that?

"Besides, Senri-sama is leading a fulfilling life, so I try not to interfere as much as possible."
"Well, she does look like she's having fun"

　I wonder if the royal family of Nirvarna is some kind of warrior race.
　Seeing her hold her own against Koga in hand-to-hand combat, it doesn't seem entirely wrong to think so.
　...Oh, looks like Koga is going to use magic.

"Please, just let this end with this!"

　Strips made of the black magic power of Dark Magic cover Koga's body, turning him into something resembling a beast in human form.
　Dark magic "Beast".
　A form that specializes in wild movements and tricky attacks using the strips.
　Wearing the magic that had given me so much trouble countless times, Koga charges toward Senri-sama with his enhanced physical abilities.

"Keira, this is a good opportunity, so you should watch Koga's magic."
"Because it's Dark Magic?"
"That's part of it, but...he can use the same technique as me."

　To be more precise, he watched and learned from the techniques and skills that I had painstakingly developed myself.
　Elasticity, explosions, and magic power manipulation.
　It is frustrating, but there is certainly value in watching the movements of someone who has taken the same techniques I use and refined them into completely different techniques.

"!"

　Slightly surprised by Koga, who comes rushing toward her, accelerating with elastic magic power, Senri-sama loosens the fist she had been holding up and steps backward.
　Just like in the first mock battle, Senri-sama is at a disadvantage if things continue like this.

"Then I'll do the same!"

　Did Senri-sama change her stance?
　I tilted my head at her as she took a stance with her dominant right arm pulled far back and her left foot stepped forward.
　Then, just as Koga was about to follow up with another attack, Senri-sama slammed her fist into the ground as if striking something into it, and at that instant, Koga's body was flung backward as though he had collided with something.

"Guoh!?"

　... Koga was knocked back by an invisible wall?
　No, looking closely, I can see something like an invisible, transparent wall between Senri-sama and Koga.
　That was...

"I explained this before. My magic system is something akin to wind."
"Now that you mention it, that's right...! Though this is the first time I've actually seen it!"

　Wind Magic...?
　Even so, it somehow looks different from Nero-san's and El-san's...

"Helena-san, Senri-sama's magic is..."
"Ah, that person's wind magic is a little unusual; Rather than controlling the wind, it's magic that uses magic power to harden the air."
"He~e"
"She rarely uses it since her martial arts are enough for most opponents, but... that person is incredibly strong, after all."

　Magic really does come in so many forms.
　From what I can tell, rather than manipulating the hardened air, it seems to be the type that strikes it against the ground or something similar to fix it in place.

"My magic is a type of magic that has no offensive power beyond hardening the air. Just now, I simply forced it into the ground to create an improvised shield. I didn't do anything particularly special."

　If you think about it normally, it could be considered a somewhat inconvenient type of magic.
　Even if she can create it, all she can do is harden the air, and judging from what she just did, she probably can't manipulate it either.
　... It might be a little similar to Healing Magic.

"But I have never regretted having this magic."
"Hou, why is that?"
"Because these fists are enough to defeat anyone who stands in my way."

　I see, she has a point.
　For some reason, everyone around us tilted their heads in confusion, but I understood perfectly well what Senri-sama was trying to say.

"Man, you're explaining quite a lot. Don't tell me you're looking down on me?"
"No, I simply wanted you to know more about me... Now we've deepened our understanding of each other, haven't we."
"Can't I just pretend I didn't hear any of that!?"

　By this point, I was actually starting to think that she was amazing in her own way when Senri-sama casually turned the palm she had raised in front of her upward.
　As the air gathered as if being compressed, a semitransparent mass of air was formed above her left hand.
　And then she———,

"Hmph!"

　She struck it with her right fist, which she had pulled far back...!?
　As the mass of air flew toward him like a cannonball, Koga knocked it down with a whip of Dark Magic, a look of astonishment on his face.

"What an absurd way to use magic...!"
"Right...! It's just like Usato-san...!!"
"Yes, she's just like Usato-kun."
"..."

　I don't know what it is, but the fact that I can't sense any malice or teasing behind their words somehow hits me harder.
　This is when I miss Nea.

"Now, this is where it begins."

　Senri-sama, who repeatedly hardens the air, punches it, and sends it flying, now leaps forward.
　Perhaps as an application of the same technique, she uses the hardened air as footholds to leap around, and as she throws her punches, she follows up by slamming cylindrical masses of air into Koga.
　But Koga is no slouch either.
　With a ferocious grin on his face, he makes his movements even more inhuman as the battle grows more intense.

"Helena, perhaps we really ought to put a stop to this?"
"Hmm, what should we do? The two of them still seem to have enough sense to be mindful of the people around them, so it looks like they're still fine for now... And they've attracted quite a bit of attention, too, so perhaps we should watch for a little longer."

　... Indeed, when I looked around, I could see a few people who had come to watch the two of them fight.
　I wonder if Koga and Senri-sama's exchanges have become something familiar to everyone over the past month.
　If people have accepted it as a form of entertainment, then perhaps it's fine to watch and see what happens for a little longer.

"I'll keep an eye out as well, just in case anyone around them gets caught up in the fight."
"Ah, please do."

　I activate Magic Perception while preparing to knock down any stray shockwaves with Healing Magic bullets at a moment's notice.

"They're amazing."
"Hn?"

　I look at Keira, who seems completely absorbed in the fight between Koga and Senri-sama.

"Do you think I could do something like that too..."
"Something like that? You mean like Koga? Or like Senri-sama?"
"Both. Using Dark Magic as skillfully as Koga-san, or fighting like Senri-sama..."

　Admiration, huh?
　In a way, it might be natural for Keira to feel that way, given that they both possess Dark Magic and are both women.

"You should hold on to that feeling."
"Eh..."
"It’s important to have a goal."

　I have someone I’ve continued to look up to as a goal, just like Keira.
　I’ve spent all this time chasing after her back, and I still don’t feel like I’m anywhere close to catching up to her.

"Hah, perfect timing! I’ll show you a new technique!!"

　While we were exchanging those words, it seemed Koga was about to do something.
　A new technique...? What exactly is he planning to do?
　Koga, having knocked away the cube-shaped mass of air that Senri-sama had kicked at him, expands the Dark Magic covering his body.

"Go!"

　At that moment, Koga’s Dark Magic split apart, and another Koga appeared.
　... Did he make a clone? No, Healing Perception tells me there is only one real body.
　The other one is just a mass of magic power, but... the clone heads toward Senri-sama with movements completely indistinguishable from Koga himself.

"What kind of technique is that...?"
"I figured it out while I was doing this thing called Magic Power Circulation! I don't really understand how it works either!!"

　No, you shouldn't just casually use a technique that even you don't understand.
　I still don't know whether the movements are controlled by Koga's own will or whether the clone can move automatically to some extent, but simply having another Koga makes it seem like a troublesome technique.

"There’s another Koga-san now... U-Usato-san, what’s happening there...?"
"I think it’s partly the benefit of improved magic power manipulation from Magic Power Circulation, and also because Koga’s own Dark Magic has undergone a change."

　But a clone, huh?
　That bast*rd somehow went and learned a new technique similar to mine...
　Just like my Afterimage Fist, why are our techniques so similar...?

"Can you break through this wall of hardened air?!"

　Senri-sama repeatedly slams the hardened air into the ground, creating something like a large wall.
　A thick shield reminiscent of a castle wall.
　Koga, standing before it, advances without hesitation together with his clone———and reaches out with his right hand to grab the clone’s arm.

"This guy isn’t just some ordinary clone!!"

　At that moment, the clone changes from a human form into a club, much like when I once used Koga as a weapon and swung him around.
　He then swings the club around and slams it into the wall of air, smashing through the wall in a single blow.
　———So he can turn his clone into a weapon.
　With physical abilities on Koga’s level behind it, the force of such an attack must be considerable.
　More than anything, that guy seems to be better at handling weapons than I am...

"...That is undoubtedly the result of Koga-san’s Dark Magic undergoing a change."
"Keira...? Why do you look so frustrated...?"
"Dark Magic really is...!!"

　...Well, anyway, it looks like all this commotion will be over soon.
　Fortunately, the two of them’s quarrel, or rather, mock battle, has been accepted as entertainment by the people of the city, so all that’s left is to keep a reasonable watch over them and wait for it to end.

●
——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

　In the end, the mock battle that had apparently started on the spur of the moment ended with Koga’s victory.
　Since the outcome of winning or losing was more or less meaningless anyway, Senri-sama also seemed satisfied, but as soon as the mock battle ended, Koga came over to us.

"Heh, what do you think of my new technique?"

　So he knew we had been watching.
　To be honest, I think it’s quite a troublesome technique, considering he can not only make a clone but also turn it into a weapon.

"Hmph, you're naive, Koga. I already mastered making clones two days ago."
"How the hell can you make a clone with Healing Magic...?"

　Let me show him.
　I extend Elasticity Enhancement and wrap myself in a thin layer of it.
　Then, using a movement similar to a side-to-side shuffle, I take a powerful step to the side, leaving behind a human-shaped remnant of Healing Magic in the spot where I had been standing until just a moment ago, like an empty shell.

"Wah, the magic power left behind is exactly the same!"
"I wonder if we can really call this a clone. Wouldn't it be more like shedding your skin?"

　Helena-san gave a rather lukewarm reaction, but Keira seemed to like it.
　Pointing at the remnant of magic power as it slowly disappeared, I smiled at Koga, whose cheek was twitching.

"This is the Healing Afterimage Fist."
"That’s just brute force. And it doesn’t even move."
"You’re too naive, Koga. I do this while moving. In other words, it’s like making my opponent think there are several of me."
"Stop turning it into some ridiculously dangerous technique all of a sudden. I really don’t want to deal with that when it’s you doing it."

　Since it worked against Devils and Auru-san, it should be more than practical enough in a real battle.
　But there’s still room for further applications of this technique too.

"Does your clone move freely on its own? Or does it move according to your will?"
"Hmm, somewhere in between. I dunno, but if I give it an order, it moves around and does what I want pretty well."
"What's that?"
"I don't really understand how it works either."

　That vagueness is also very much like Dark Magic, in its own way.
　As we casually talked about the new technique, Senri-sama came over as well.

"Oh, Usato-san, you came too?"
"Yes, I just came to see how things were going."
"Fufufu, I'd like to request a match against Usato-san next time."

　Senri-sama smiles with her hand against her cheek, but... she still looks like she has plenty of energy left.
　The same could be said for Koga, but she really is strong enough that it's hard to believe she's a princess.

"Hahaha, we really can't let things get any more out of hand than this. You're tired too, aren't you, Senri-sama?"
"...I’m not tired, but it is true that I caused a commotion. Ugh, I’m going to get scolded by my father back home again..."

　Helena-san gives a wry smile at Senri-sama, who looks dejected with an expression that says she has made a mistake.
　So even royalty finds it hard to be scolded by their parents...

"Isn't Nea-san with you, Usato-san?"
"Eh? Ah, yes, that's right. Today is her day off, so she's spending some time to herself."

　By now, she's probably engrossed in a book in her room.

"Is that so? Since she's your wife, I just assumed you were always together."
"...Ha, haha."

　I almost want to apologize for lying and tell her the truth.
　Could she have noticed that I lied?
　Wait, hn? It feels like something has been draped over my shoulder...

"Keira, for some reason, your cloak has been put on me."
"Usato-san, what does she mean by ‘wife’? Usato-san?"

　I feel a pressure from Keira, who is standing right beside me, gripping the edge of my clothes and looking up at me, that is similar to Amako’s.
　And I also have no idea why Keira’s magic was put on me just now.
　For now, I’ll explain the situation to Keira later, and when the time is right, I’ll apologize to Senri-sama for lying to her as well.

"Well, I don't really mind anymore at this point."
"Yes? What do you mean by that..."

　When I spoke to Senri-sama, who had indeed muttered those words quietly, she smiled brightly before turning her gaze toward her surroundings.
　Perhaps because of the mock battle earlier, people had begun gathering in this place.

"People are starting to gather, so shall we move somewhere else? Koga-san, don't try to run away. You were given the day off today, weren't you?"
"Wha—hey, you—let go! Don't put my arm in a lock!!"

　Senri-sama grabs Koga's arm as he tries to casually make his escape.
　Thinking once again that she really is an unusual princess, I follow after her and the others, walking ahead together with Keira, who has been looking up at me for a while now.

——— read on seireitranslations.blogspot.com ———

Author's Notes:
[Koga’s New Ability: Clone]
An ability of Dark Magic that awakened through improved magic power manipulation from Magic Power Circulation, as well as learning to cooperate with others by fighting alongside Usato and spending time with him.
His laziness, stemming from the feeling that it would be nice if there were two of him, as well as his desire to compete with Usato, also contributed to the awakening of this ability.

As for the clone being able to transform into a weapon, it simply ended up with that ability unconsciously because being swung around by Usato as a weapon (?) had left him with slight trauma.