“That was close. I don’t really get what’s going on, but looks like I just barely made it.”
“Yuuki-san!”
“Yuuki-san, desu!?”

Thanks to Near’s skillful support, I was able to invoke my usual [Triple Barrier] and protect Uruna-chan and Owl-chan from the assaults of a giant skeleton and a dragon, but it was seriously by a hair’s breadth. The first layer was shattered and the second has cracks in it. Preventing a series of attacks will be impossible.

“Still, what the heck is going on here? I get the class representative being here, but what are Souji and the others… wait, are they okay?”

(“Their vitals are normal. They are merely asleep.”)
(“I see, thanks Near.”)

If that’s Near’s diagnosis, then it’s reliable. I don’t know how Souji and everyone else got involved in this, but from what I can see, that black dress person must have attacked them and put everyone to sleep.

That black dress is probably the reason everyone at the recreation event blanked out too. If that’s some sort of mental interference ability, this is going to be bad.

“So you’re Yuuki Kousuke.”
“Eh, yeah. That’s me, but…”

The black dress unexpectedly speaks to me. 

I thought this was our first-time meeting, but could we have met before? I don’t think I know anyone who’d wear a black dress like this though…

“I am truly grateful to you, wa. Thanks to your meddling, I was able to attain this much power. In gratitude, I shall also gift you with a peaceful sleep, wa. [Rest].”
““Yuuki-san!””

The expressions of Uruna-chan and Owl-chan fill with despair as they look at me. That must mean an incredibly dangerous attack is coming. I ready myself to invoke my triple barrier with everything I’ve got whenever it’s needed.

“Ara?”
““Eh…?””
“Eh, what?”

Owl-chan and Uruna-chan aren’t the only ones who become dumbfounded. The black dress does too.

“Are you poor of hearing? [Prostrate yourself]!”
“No, I can hear just fine. No, it’s just…”

What kind of messed up play is prostrating myself? Is it cause everyone was fighting just earlier? Heck, the ground is all wet and muddy, and that makes it ever worse.

“My command… didn’t work?”
“No, normally, you shouldn’t listen to strangers.”

The black dress starts panicking for some reason, but confirming everyone’s safety is more important right now.

“[Toy]. Puppets, gather everyone here in one place.”

I hand [substitution tags] to the clay puppets I created with [Toy] so that they can stick them onto the class representative and the others while they carry them to Uruna-chan and Owl-chan.

“Just in case, you guys put these on too.”
“These… what are they, desu?”
“They… Aren’t they substitution tags!!?” 

Owl-chan doesn’t seem to know what they are, but I’ll leave the explaining to Uruna-chan.

I only brought 11 [substitution tags] with me from home. With the 4 in the class representative’s group, the 4 delinquents, the duo of Owl-chan and Uruna-chan, and myself, they are all gone. Near and Urd always have some on, so there shouldn’t be any worries there.

I was afraid Takigawa would mess with them if he found them, so I didn’t bring that many along.

“Well, I guess it’s fine. With this, I can fight without holding back.”

I surround everyone within a triple barrier before then turning my attention to the black dress. The puppets are also within the barrier. Should anything happen to the barrier, they at that time they will move to protect everyone.

“If my orders don’t work, then it can’t be helped, wa. Dragon King, Golden Giant Soldier (Gougan), take him down.”
“[Melt]! [Triple Barrier]!”

The special ability [Melt] dissolves the ground underneath the giant skeleton’s feet and breaks his balance. [Triple Barrier], meanwhile, blocks the Dragon King’s charge.

“Looks like I somehow managed to get through the first wave.”

“Defeating the practitioner would be the simplest method, but considering these circumstances, both the giant and dragon look like they will need to be defeated first.” (Near)
“It’s fine, it’s fine! This is a 3 on 3, so it’ll work out!” (Urd)

A 3 on 3? Me, Near, and Urd against the black dress, dragon, and giant?

Well, from what I can tell, the difference in strength isn’t all that preposterous.

“Ah, should I use that technique and bring out a dragon too?”

I already know [Greatest・Golden Giant Soldier (Greatest Gauguin)] and just now learned [Supreme・Dragon King Manifestation].

“The chant, the chant… uogh!”
“Goshujin-sama, nice dodge!”

When I try to envision the chant, a wooden spear is sent flying at me.

By going through Urd, I can use techniques without needing talismans or chants, but those 2 techniques classified as [Ultimate] seem to be exceptions. Even if I speak quickly, I’ll need about 2 minutes.

That leaves way too big of an opening.

“I’ll just give up on it, [Toy]!”
“I shall also provide support.”

I bulk up 2 of the clay puppets to a size that matches the giant skeleton’s and Near connects to them with spirit threads.

“Creating a giant golem all of a sudden like that, that’s incredible, desu.”
“It’s like a giant monster battle.”

Regardless of what you say, it’s more like a robot battle.

---

T/N: Go for the left and mash the B button.

~Lyfe

<53.2 What are you Doing–?
54.2 3 on 3>