The entire arena held its breath as the audience watched the giant form of Libra, summoned by Leslie, looming over the Emi and most of the arena undauntingly.
"O-oh my goodness, ladies and gentlemen! Leslie Barkley has used her sorcery to-to summon the physical manifestation of the constellation, Libra!" Lur announces while Emi stares up at the massive being Leslie brought into the arena. Emi's eyes widened in awe and a mixture of fear as the celestial figure cast its shadow over her. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she couldn't help but feel both small and exhilarated in the presence of such a powerful entity.
"Emi," Bushin's words resonated in his master's mind, filled with urgency and confidence. "Keep calm and focus. Don't let your opponent's power intimidate you."
With a fierce determination in her eyes, Emi lunged toward Leslie, the glint of her katana catching the light as she poised for a powerful swing. "Right!" she shouted, adrenaline surging through her veins. However, before Emi could strike Leslie, she felt a sudden lightness within her as she started hovering in the air.
Emi was startled, unsure of what was happening, until she glanced up and saw Libra with one of its scales raised, casting a luminous glow around her. The celestial entity had lifted her with its magic, suspending her in mid-air as if weighing her very essence.
"For what it's worth, Emi, I won't take joy in this," Leslie raised her left hand, which matched the glow of one of the scales as Emi was lifted higher. "But for the sake of my dream, I must win!" Leslie declared loudly as she brought her hand down, and suddenly, Emi felt a massive gravitational pull as she was being rocketed down, about to crash into the arena floor.
Star Magic: Libra, Descending Judgement
Panic surged through Emi as she felt the immense force dragging her downwards. Her mind raced, searching for a way to counteract the crushing pull. Instinctively, she twisted her body mid-air, attempting to regain control and brace for the impact, determined not to let Leslie's magic overwhelm her resolve.
Dust and debris shoot up from the ground like a massive geyser upon the impact of Leslie's attack, leaving the spectator on edge to see the state of Emi after being slammed back down into the arena. As the dust settles, Emi is on her back, every part of her body still intact, and a massive slash mark on the ground.
"U-unbelievable?! Despite taking the full force of Libra's power, Emi Mochizuki is still alive and ready to fight!" Lur announces while the audience is still baffled about how the Sword Sorceress survived a devastating attack.
As Jessica sat in the audience, her heart raced in disbelief when she witnessed Emi plummet from an astonishing height—and then miraculously land unscathed.
"Incredible," Jessica gasped slightly, subconsciously voicing her thoughts loudly. "How did she survive that? She should have had her bones shattered."
Lucinda adjusted her glasses as if she were preparing to give a lecture and explained, "I believe I can clarify how Ms. Mochizuki survived it. During the fall, as Emi was plummeting to the arena floor, she was able to rotate her body at a 45-degree angle and use the momentum to land a mighty slash at the ground to mitigate the impact as her body hit the ground."
"I see," Jessica pondered, her brow furrowing as she absorbed Lucinda's explanation. "So, you're telling me that she harnessed the momentum from that slash to cushion her fall? That's impressive."
"Yes, but..." Lucinda dawled as Emi coughed up a bit of blood from her mouth before wiping the corner of her mouth. "She still took some of the damage."
Emi gets to her feet, clutching her side as she knows that she sustained two or three broken ribs, her breathing now labored due to the immense pain she's feeling.
"Lady Emi, are you alright!" Bushin's voice echoed concern for her master as she shortened her breathing to mitigate the pain.
"Y-yes, just a few broken ribs," Emi gasps, her voice a mix of pain and determination. She tightens her grip on her katana, a fierce light igniting in her eyes. Despite the sharp ache coursing through her body, she stands her ground, ready to face whatever comes next.
Leslie, knowing that Emi wouldn't go down that easily, sighed sadly as she dispersed the Libra summoning, pressed her hand again, and began another chant, "I call upon the great hunter. He who rivals the goddess of the hunt, Orion!"
Leslie extended her arms wide, and in an instant, a vibrant portal swirled to life, shimmering with cosmic energy. From this celestial gateway emerged a towering juggernaut, its arms gleaming in chrome and accented with the brilliance of starlight. In its grip, it wielded a colossal club crafted from adamantine, a striking weapon that mirrored the grandeur of a Greek pillar, radiating power and ancient strength.
Star Sorcery: Zodiac Convocation-Orion
The audience gasped in awe at the majestic sight, a mixture of fear and admiration rippling through the crowd. Whispers of disbelief spread among the spectators, many unable to tear their eyes away from the formidable figure that now stood in the arena.
"This keeps getting better and better, everyone! Leslie has now brought forth the might of the constellation, Orion, into the fray! Does Emi have any tricks to endure Leslie's summoning of the zodiacs?" Lur announces as the celestial armored juggernaut strides towards Emi, preparing to break down its club onto the Sword Sorceress.
Emi sidesteps to the left as the pillar-like cudgel makes impact, leaving massive cracks on the arena floor. However, the armor tank proves relentless as it continues a seamless stream of swings with unnatural speed for a heavily armored construct. Emi desperately ducks and weaves through the onslaught, all the while clutching her injured side. As she dodges another attack from Orion, one of Leslie's orbs flew at Emi, gazing at her face as it leaves a gash on her forehead.
"D-damn it!" Emi's thoughts go frantic as she is forced to multitask in dodging Orion's swings while parrying the orbs rocketing towards her. The audience sat on the edge of their seats, eyes wide with a mix of terror and excitement as the battle intensified. Gasps and murmurs of astonishment echoed through the stands each time Emi narrowly escaped Orion's devastating blows. Cheers erupted whenever she managed to deflect an orb, the crowd divided in support between the two fierce competitors, each moment more electrifying than the last.
"Bushin, I'm being overwhelmed. I could use some help right about n-" Emi's plea is short cut as Orion slammed the club onto the club, causing the force of the attack to propel Emi into crashing into the arena wall, knocking the wind out of her lungs as she hits the ground.
"Such force! Leslie's Orion has sent Emi slamming nearly through the wall! Could the Star Sorceress end this, here and now?" While Lur announces this, Emi struggles to get up, feeling the last attack aggravated her cracked ribs. All the while, Leslie watched on with pity glimmering in her eyes.
Leslie leaned forward, a lingering sadness etched across her face. 'I hope Morgana has had her fill. Celestio, please, we need to make this quick!' As she spoke, Orion strode purposefully toward Emi, a determined glint in its eye.
"As you wish, Leslie," Celestio's words rang into her mind as Orion raised its massive cudgel, ready to bring down the weight of the weapon onto Emi.
Before the armored beast slammed down, a loud rending sound echoed as a streak ran from the bottom to the top of the celestial construct. The body folds outward, splitting in half before shattering into dust. Standing before the starry ashes is Emi, now dressed in white samurai armor with orange accents and wielding a large nodachi with a pink edge.
Sword Sorcery: Onna Bugeisha of the Tiger Lilies-Shogun
The audience erupted into a thunderous gasp, their excitement reaching a fever pitch at the unexpected turn of events. Gasps of awe mixed with cheers as they witnessed Emi's transformation, her new form radiating power and determination. Many leaned forward in their seats, eager to see how this newfound strength would shift the tide of the battle.
"Wait... is that... a new Mage?" Lur exclaimed, eyes wide with disbelief, while Leslie stared at Emi's transformed figure, astonishment etched on her face.
Emi marveled at the new armor that enveloped her, feeling impressed by the advancements in her attire. Her eyes were shining with excitement as she admired her new nodachi. With a surge of confidence, she took her stance, ready to face off against Leslie once more. The air crackled with anticipation as the two prepared for their next clash.
"Bushin, this armor is incredible. Now, I can fight with everything I've got!" Emi declared
Emi heard Bushin's calm voice resonate within her mind, "Emi, this armor embodies your spirit and strength. Trust in its power and let it guide you through this battle." Encouraged by Bushin's words, Emi gripped her nodachi tighter, feeling the energy from the armor flow through her veins, ready to face whatever challenge lay ahead. "Now, forward!"
"Right!" Emi shouted as she rushed forward, her blade gleaming with the fierce resolve of her own will.
"Damn it! I have to keep her away from me while I'm summoning another Zodiac," Leslie thought to herself and Celestio as she sent her orbs rocketing at the newly armored Emi.
Before one of the spheres reached Emi's face, a red spectral blade cleaved it in two.
"Wha-?" Emi uttered in bewilderment until she looked over her shoulder, where she witnessed a red, ghostly energy flowing behind her. Manifesting is the upper form of a fully armored samurai with glowing white eyes, with a katana in one hand and a wakazashi in another.
Sword Sorcery: The Indomitable Sword Spirit
"B-Bushin?" Emi asked the spectre of her anime before blocking another orb with her nodachi.
Bushin nodded, his ethereal presence adding an extra layer of strength to her resolve. "Yes, Emi. Together, we will overcome this challenge," he assured her, his voice steady and unwavering. Then, both of them continued to block the attack orbs seamlessly as Emi continued her charge at Leslie.
As the audience gasped in disbelief, Morgana lounged on her throne in the imperial box of the arena, an intrigued and amused grin on her face as she observed Emi's new abilities curiously.
"How interesting," Morgana drawled as her void eye pulsed with delight. "It seems the girl and her Anima have created such a strong bond in a short time. Typically, the Animas act as enhancers to the sorceress's granted power, essentially conduits. But this high school brat has made it so that both she and her Anima can amplify their power equally."
Then, her grin widens as she hissed with glee, "How exciting. Show me! Reveal how far this evolution will go!"
As Emi presses onward, Leslie begins to panic, as she did not expect Emi to possess this much skill with her sorcery.
"Unbelievable," Leslie thought to herself. "D-did she and her Anima unlock a power I didn't think was possible?!"
Once Emi got close, Leslie immediately flew back to avoid the slash and motioned the orbs to surround Emi and Bushin. Then, she slapped her hands, causing the orbs to rush at her all at once to collide with the force of white stars.
Before the spheres could attack, Emi yelled out, "Bushin, now!"
Sword Sorcery: Kage No Domu (Shadowless Wind Dome)
While using the momentum of Kage No Domu, Emi propelled herself into the air, the blades of her and Bushin's whistling sharply in the wind.
"N-no!" Leslie yelled as she desperately controlled her starlit cape to form a thick barrier, humming with gravitational energy. However, it became ineffective as Bushin's blades cut through the cape, allowing Emi to deliver a deep, large wound to Leslie's lower abdomen.
The Peak of the Sword Has Reached A New Stage of Evolution...
Next Time: The Heights of Burden