Chapter 785: Intermission: Far North Star ~ ~ She Who Transcends Ordinary Talent ~ ~ (2/2)

However, enough time should have already passed from the start of the battle, and at their speed, they had already exchanged more than five digits of offense and defense…… but she was still unable to gauge this being named Polaris.

No, rather than being unable to gauge her…… what she doesn't understand is that ”why is the battle still taking place”.

They had already exchanged blows for a while. There was no doubt that Polaris was a strong person with the power of a peak Count-rank who could match her. But at the same time, Epsilon's instincts as a warrior told her, that the woman before was ”a being that couldn't have been her opponent”……

If she were to speak bluntly…… She, Polaris, has ”no talent”. She wouldn't go as far as saying she's incompetent, but describing her as someone whose talent was ordinary, she shouldn't even be on this stage.

Putting aside if it was someone who, after desperate efforts, finally managed to become a High-ranking Demon…… Even with a miracle, a person with her talent wouldn't have been able to reach Baron-rank. However, the fact is that she, Polaris, stands before Epsilon and is fighting against her.

[……You……]

[Unnn? What is it?]

[How many times have you ”exceeded your limits”? How many times have you ”stood before hell”?]

After fighting for a while, Epsilon finally arrived at an answer. The secret of Polaris' strength is her body. In Epsilon's estimation, Polaris' body had been broken so many times that it had become too outrageous to count. It has broken so many times, and been repaired so many times.

And her body continued to grow just a little bit stronger with each recovery as it received the magic power of her Recovery Magic.

It's really a small change that it's barely negligible. It was on the level that even if repeated 10 times or a hundred times, you won't even feel the change…… However, the changes it brought aren't zero. Even if it was less than a decimal point, even if it was only a grain of sand, little by little, she kept getting stronger. Little by little, she was evolving.

Polaris, who never stopped, never crumpled to her knees, and kept banging her fists against the wall…… Her small grains of sand had grown to the point where they could be called a desert, swallowing up any limit barriers before her path.

[……Limits? I wonder, I don't remember encountering anything like that. I don't remember seeing the hell you mentioned either. I've broken down a few ”walls that were blocking my way”, but that's about it.]

[……………………..]

With her answer, Epsilon completely understood. The Polaris in front of her undoubtedly had ”ordinary talents”, but she was a transcender who had broken through the barrier of limits through hard work alone.

If hundreds of efforts aren't enough, make thousands of efforts. If thousands of efforts isn't enough, make ten thousands of efforts…… A transcender with ordinary talents, a monster of hard work who never stops moving…… That was the being named Polaris.

[……Wonderful! You're the very culmination of self-training! I'm grateful to have the good fortune to meet you!!!]

[Is that the face of someone thankful though? That is……]

Epsilon's voice sounded elated, as her smile was so wide that her canine teeth were showing. Thereupon, two horns made of ice immediately grew out of her head and blue flames appeared in her eyes.

[This is starting to get exciting. However…… Have we fought too flamboyantly so far……]

As she muttered this, Epsilon glanced into the sea surrounding the deserted island…… No, to ”a being at the bottom of the sea”.

And at the same time, turning towards that being…… One of the Four Great Demon Dragons, the Dragon King's executives and the being who supervises Demon Realm's oceans, ”Ocean Ruler Water Dragon”, and used magic to communicate with her.

(……If it isn't ”Eingana”-dono. I understand what you mean when you say that you won't overlook any further damage to the seas of the Demon Realm, which is the domain of the Dragon King. However, my apologies, but could you turn your gaze away for ”one more exchange”?)

(………………)

(Thank you.)

There was no verbal exchange between them, but the surface of the water swayed a bit, before settling down, and after a while, the presence of the being under the sea went away.

It seems like Epsilon's wish was granted, and with a smile on her face, Epsilon turned towards Polaris.

[Now then, Polaris-dono. You are a wonderfully strong person. I would like to continue fighting until our strengths are exhausted, but there are various circumstances that make that difficult. Therefore, if it's alright with you, how about we settle this with our next strike?]

[Unnn? Ahh, I don't mind. For my part, I've already identified the issues I need to work on, and it's already enough.]

Settling with the next strike…… After confirming that Polaris nodded to it, Epsilon disappeared with her naginata in hand. Her two horns shone with a pale light, and an ice gauntlet appeared on her right arm.

As she slowly draws back her right hand and gets ready, Epsilon spoke.

[……There's one ”aesthetic” I've been sticking with in my battles.]

[Fumu?]

[I will only name myself with my ”true name” when I am facing an opponent worthy of a serious fight. You can think of it as my willingness to fight with all my might.]

[………………]

[Well then…… I'm of the ”Ice Oni” race, bearing the name ”Ix Nirva”…… and I will put my everything in this strike!!!] (T/N: イクスニルヴァ / Ikusuniruvaa)

[Hmmm, I guess it's polite for me to reply in the same way here? I'm of the ”Witch” race, bearing the name ”Polaris”…… and I'll be accepting it!]

Declaring to each other, both of their fists clashed on the deserted island.

<Afterword>

【Polaris】

A being that has evolved so much that her body screams from overtraining. She's kind of a swindler, as even though she's supposed to be a Witch and was dressed as a magic user, she's a physical monster.

She is an all-rounder who uses magic and fights like a human bullet, but for some reason, she felt like a muscle head. She's the type who thinks that if she doesn't have talent, she'd just raise her level and status.

She's the opposite of Ulpecula, a complete genius type.

【Absolute Ice-san】

She usually looks calm and collected, but just like War King's other subordinates, she's a fighting enthusiast. She loves fighting, and loves fighting strong enemies even more. Her aesthetics of battle is that she will only introduce herself with her real name when she's fighting seriously.

[I thought she was good at Defensive Magic because my blade wouldn't pierce through her at all, but she was just incomprehensibly hard. I just don't understand why. It was a draw this time, but I want to fight her again.]

【Large Sea Snake】

……You guys seriously need to do this somewhere without oceans. Heck, couldn't you put up some wards? Who do you think Magnawell-sama will scold here……

【Pervert】

Whenever the other executives of the Six Kings or Count-ranks were highlighted, her stocks rose. Of course, she's also the ”strongest Count-rank in terms of physical strength”.

In fact, even if her fetishes were something Alice-chan had given up with, she's super capable that the thought of letting her go is zero. In Alice's absence, she had been given full authority over the Phantasmal King Corps, and she even trusts her enough to allow her to pretend to be the Phantasmal King at her own discretion. The only and biggest drawback is that she's a pervert……

Transcendental Beauty : [……Seriously, if she's a decent person, I would have been able to say that she's my right-hand and my most trusted confidant without hesitation.]