Deception

The battle between Thompson and Isamaya continued, with neither of them able to close the distance between them easily.

All sorts of mechanical devices stretched from Thompson's prosthetics and rushed at Isamaya's neck.

Watching the mechanical tentacles rush in, Isamaya struck them away with the mace she held.

The mace Isamaya was holding seemed like a cudgel fit enough to be held with one hand. It was the pointer she used in class.

"What is that stick! They say you're a teacher at Constel, do you do caning?"

"Sometimes, yes."

Isamaya held the pointer horizontally, pointing it at Thompson.

For a moment, it looked to Thompson like Isamaya was holding a small ball. The length of the pointer was completely hidden from Thompson's eyes, causing him to lose his sense of distance.

Suddenly,

"....Hah!"

Clang!

When it seemed that the small ball had suddenly gotten bigger, Thompson hastily stretched out his prosthetic. Isamaya's pointer hit the prosthetic and bounced off.

'Woah, it seemed to have gotten longer, no, it really did get longer!'

Just like he said.

Isamaya's pointer grew longer. Despite the considerable distance between Thompson and Isamaya, it reached right before his eyes in an instant.

And then, as if to say when did that happen, it became shorter again, and Isamaya twirled it around in her hand. No, maybe it got a little longer than before. The 'original' length could not be known.

"This weapon technique was originally designed to hide the length from the enemy. Especially for simple weapons like a baton where there is little distinction between the front and the back, it is easier to hide."

Isamaya held the pointer horizontally again. It was mysteriously hidden completely from Thompson's sight.

"But what if a weapon that hides its length actually changes its length? Don't you think it's fun that both of those things need to be considered?"

"....This crazy woman."

Just as Thompson swore.

Clank, clank, a familiar sound came to the two from afar.

Isamaya listened to the sound for a while and spoke softly.

"....It must be the train."

"Huh."

The two stopped moving for a moment. As Isamaya said, a train was coming towards them from afar along the railroad tracks.

Isamaya's eyes sank.

"So, did you do something to those railroad tracks? A bomb, perhaps? Or are you planning to target the train itself?"

Poof, Thompson chuckled.

"As if. We actually came because of your leader. We can't just pass by while that old man is floating around in the sky like that, can we?"

"Oh, you weren't planning to touch the train."

"Of course we wouldn't touch the train. We are Indus. We care about our image. We can't just blow the train up with the Constel students inside. That would cause a whole different level of issues."

The train passed by without incident, like Thompson said it would.

As the sound of the train grew louder, it passed the floating Osprey, and still, nothing happened.

'Frondier was right,' Isamaya thought to herself. 'Their move would happen after we arrived in Cropolis.'

Now that their members were here, that meant the distribution of the cards was already done. Everything was playing out exactly how Frondier predicted.

How annoying, Frondier.

As that thought crossed her mind, tentacles burst out of Thompson's prosthetic arm, spinning frantically like a fan.

"Haha, this time will be different!"

Thompson sent it forward as a shield.

Clang! Clang!

Isamaya took a couple of test jabs with her baton, but the spinning tentacles deflected each one. She let out a small gasp.

"That's a very impressive prosthetic hand."

"Of course it is. It's a-"

"Your prosthesis seems more impressive than you are."

Thompson's prideful explanation was interrupted. His face hardened, jaw clenched.

"I'll rip all four of your useless limbs off."

"No thanks. I respect my body a little too much."

"Shut up!"

Thompson yelled, dashing toward Isamaya. She contracted her baton and watched him approach.

'...Let's see.'

Isamaya made a snap judgement and swung her baton horizontally.

Thompson, who was charging toward her with fury, suddenly ducked under the baton.

There was no anger in his evading eyes. His loss of composure was an act. Instead, his cold gaze pierced Isamaya.

"Hmph."

Thompson's prosthetic arm shot forward. The palm split open, firing a projectile straight at Isamaya.

It was a thin needle. It shot toward Isamaya's face, only to-

Ting-

Hit her glasses.

"...Huh?"

Thompson wasn't aiming for her glasses. Isamaya tilted her head slightly, intentionally using her glasses to block it.

So not only were these glasses incredibly durable, but that meant Isamaya had read Thompson's move.

"...Damn, that usually pierces right through people's skulls."

"I imagine it would."

Isamaya tightened her grip on her baton again. Thompson's face contorted.

"You're good at pretending to be provoked."

At first, Isamaya almost fell for it. She thought Thompson was losing his composure and attacking due to her provocation. But that wasn't the case. From his expression, it was clear it was Thompson's trap.

"Do you think you're the first one to mock me?"

Thump, thump, Thompson said, tapping his prosthetic arm.

"Those who try to provoke dont realize that they are the ones who become vulnerable. Pretending to be just angry enough makes them stick their necks out right into the lion's mouth, but you're a bit different."

"Well, it's true I dont like your attitude."

Isamaya said coldly with a stern face.

Hmph, a light snort followed.

"That's my personal feeling. It's not something to be mistaken about."

"Oh?"

Isamaya tapped her baton lightly.

"So, you have no other weapons? If the circus is over, it might be time for you to exit."

"Still provoking, I see."

"Sorry, it's in my nature."

Every word she said was irritating.

Thompson grimaced, but there were no significant changes in expression or reaction like before. The act didnt work, so he gave up.

'This woman, good at defense. She manages to maintain a situation where she doesn't intend to kill me, but I can't easily attack either.'

The baton, whose length could be adjusted freely to an unknown maximum. It was confusing enough, but she also hides its length from the opponents view.

Thompson thought his prosthetic arm gave him an advantage in preemptive strikes or long-distance, but it wasn't. Isamaya's attack reached him first, and it was retracted before he could even charge.

'Can't help it. The prosthetic will break, but here-'

Just when Thompson made a decision.

Woong-

"Huh?"

Thompson felt a strange sensation and stiffened. His entire body seemed to pass through a flow of light mana for a moment. This peculiar feeling, Thompson knew it well.

"A Rune!"

Thompson blurted out and then looked around. It was somewhat dangerous to do so in front of Isamaya, but depending on the type of Rune, ignoring it could lead to an even more dangerous situation.

'What's with this size? It's not just the aerial railway; it could swallow both valleys and still have room to spare!'

Thompson smirked. With a bit of bravado, he said to Isamaya.

"What are you guys doing! What were you planning to do with a Rune this big? This is too much hospitality!"

...And so he tried to get even a bit of information from Isamaya.

Isamaya's expression, even more scrunched up than Thompson's, was glaring at him, tensely feeling the presence of the Rune.

"W-what's with that look?"

Did you do this?