NOVEL WEB Chapter 186: Caught in a lie
“Sonoda? Uhm, I’ve never actually had a match before? How does it work?”
The tone of Masamune’s voice showed that he seemed to be a little tired of what was going on but he had no choice but to put up with it for now.
(It doesn’t matter if he notices or if he doubts me. I have to persevere for now in order to achieve my goals.)
“Don’t you have actual battle experience? You’ve only just entered the field but the way you did shows that you’re clearly not an amateur.”
The other heroes moved into the audience as they watched Masamune and Sonoda.
“Sonoda, you seem like there leader now?”
“I didn’t really have a choice in the matter.”
“So are you going to explain?”
“We go until one of us is knocked out. You can understand that much right?”
“Then please take it easy on me at least.”
(Should I lose on purpose? I shouldn’t use any magic that a healer couldn’t use so I am limited to my skills. Although if I used god speed then this would be over in an instant. Sonoda seems to be around level 18, if I’m only level 8 wouldn’t it be strange for me to win against someone who is 10 levels higher than me? )
“What are you thinking about?”
“What?”
(This guy is annoying.)
“Don’t hold back. You understand?”
“I don’t have anything to hold back. I’m just a level 8 healer. Wouldn’t it be strange for me to win? This won’t even be much of a match.”
“Kyogoku was able to change his status to fool others. That means that you can too.”
(What is this guy talking about? Did he talk with Kyogoku?)
“Oh right, I saw that in magical communication. He’s dead isn’t he?”
“He was killed. But more importantly, I can tell from how you talk and the look in your eyes. There is no way you’re level 8 right?”
“What?”
“Chosokabe and Yamanaka are our lowest levels, they are level 8. However they only got there by working really hard and training this past week. They weren’t good at fighting so they rarely participated before this. What I’m saying is, without learning swordmanship or another skill being level 8 is not possible. However your magical power would seem to indicate that you are in fact level 8 so the only other option is that you’re hiding it.”
“I don’t know how to hide it? I’m a healer, you know that? And I’m not lying my level is 8.”
“Hidaka, don’t you see that you are digging yourself into a hole right now?”
“…..What?”
“I will keep quiet? So lets have a good match. I don’t know what you came back for but since you’re leaving I’ll make use of you while I can. I want to see how I compare to someone who has been out there.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hidaka, the others don’t seem to be aware of it but if Kyogoku or Ichijo were here they would notice the moment they looked at your face.”
“I keep saying that you’re misunderstanding.”
Masamune was playing as his former weak self so he never said anything with any strength behind it.
“Stop acting like that it’s creepy. You can act however you want in front of them but when it’s just me stop.”
“Acting? …..What do you mean I’m talking normally?”
“Hidaka, I’ll say it one more time okay? I’ll keep quiet. I don’t want to make you angry.”
“…….What?”
(This guy…..)
“It wasn’t easy for someone with the weakest job to become a hero was it?”
“………”
“Think about it, it’s only natural for me to suspect you right? The timing was just too good, and it has only been a week since then right? I’ve been thinking about it since I saw that article and then here you are.”
Sonoda was convinced that normal healers would not be able to become a hero. He believed that the only one who could was someone who had the blessing that came with being a summoned hero.
“Fu….”
Masamune was somehow able to keep himself from bursting into laughter.
(I didn’t think I would be caught this easily.)
“I won’t tell anyone. For my own sake.”
(I still feel a little sad about this though. I thought that I might have grown up a bit in my travels but it seems like I still get caught on such simple things. But…)
“Sorry, I still don’t understand what you’re saying?”
(This is all just speculation after all)
At that time a magic circle appeared around Masamune’s feet, it seemed like he was more accustomed to using magic than some of the other heroes.
“I guess there’s no choice but to play a match. Although it doesn’t make any sense because I’m weak.”
(Everyone probably just wants to feel relieved by seeing me fail because they were left behind by the others. )
“{Bound spring}”
Sonoda used magic.
“What!?”
(Whats going on with the ground?)
Masamune looked a little impatient.
“Hidaka! I’m not messing around okay? I can’t afford to.”
In the next moment Masamune was launched into the sky.
“Uwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
He pretended to be appropriately surprised.
(This is some strange magic. It seems very similar to the earth attribute magic.)
Sonoda continued to cast even more magic.
“{Dragon fire}”
12 magic circles surrounded the space that Masamune was bouncing on. After a moment snake like flames emerged around him.
“I surrender, I surrender!”
(Is this guy an idiot? This is supposed to be a mock battle whats the point of doing this? Although his magical power does seem to be kind of similar to Kyogoku but its still not quite to Ichijo’s level.)
“I told you that I wasn’t going to hold back didn’t I?”
“No one else in the world can use this kind of magic! Please stop!”
But Sonoda just grinned as the other heroes rushed out onto the field again.
“Sonoda, stop!”
(Is Hiragi protecting me? What are they trying to do now, they never tried to help me before? They always looked down on me.)
“What are you guys doing? We’re in the middle of a match!”
Sonoda didn’t stop though.
“Sonoda, Hidaka isn’t like us, he can’t use attack magic! If he gets hit by that fire…”
“That’s enough Sonoda!”
(Now it’s Iida? ….I really want this bouncing to stop now.)
Masamune was trying to figure out the best way to end this.
“Hidaka is our friend right?”
“That’s why it’s just a match right? If we weren’t friends we would be trying to kill each other.”
“That’s not what I mean! We just met again, can’t we just talk to him normally!? Stop thinking about training for once!”
“Hidaka!…..”
Sonoda interrupted what Iida was saying to call out Masamune’s name.
(I’ve kind of gotten used to this bouncing now.)
“Are you going to tell me?!”
Sonoda asked loudly, Masamune on the other hand just continued bouncing wondering if it was some kind of threat.
“Sonoda!”
Kida called out to him but Sonoda was much like Masamune in the regard that he hadn’t changed. He was someone how lived in the world of books, peer pressure had no effect on him.
“You shouldn’t try to hurt your friends!”
“That’s enough, could you all be quiet? This is a match, we can’t actually be hurt here thanks to the principals magic. You’re all exaggerating.”
Sonoda ignored what the other heroes were saying and turned back to Masamune who had been bouncing but….
“Huh?……Hidaka….why are you floating….”
Iida asked, there was no magic circle that they could see.
“Is that magic?”
Emi asked while Sonoda smiled in secret before answering.
“No…it’s a skill.”
Sonoda was correct, Masamune was using Telekinesis to keep himself off the ground.
“Why….Wasn’t Hidaka a healer?”
All of them were surprised at the sight of Hidaka floating above the ground.
“It’s not really that strange?”
Sonoda smiled, he didn’t seem to be very surprised.
“He’s a hero just like us. Besides healer or not you would be able to use skills, otherwise how could he have survived up to this point?”
So Sonoda’s hypothesis was that Hidaka had a lot of decent skills even if he could not use magic.
“Well, everyone’s watching right? He should probably be able to handle this.”
No one understood what Sonoda meant by that and so they were late in reacting to the 12 flames converging on Masamune all at once. They hid masamune from sight and then exploded.
“Hidakaaa!”
Kida shouted.
“What did you do Sonoda!?”
Iida grabbed sonoda by his collar.
“ What did you do!?”
Iida yelled at him but Sonoda was still looking in Masamune’s direction. The fire had gone out and the students all turned trying to see Masamune. As they were trying to peer through the smoke they were all startled as the smoke cleared suddenly as if something had blown it away.
“Ah!? ………What?…..”
Kida was at a loss for words while Iida was left open mouthed holding Sonoda’s collar.
“See? He’s fine.”
Masamune was still floating where he had been without a scratch on him.
“Wait……Why?”
Iida didn’t know what to say.
“So you were able to defend yourself after all.”
Sonoda spoke as if he had been convinced all along but inside even he didn’t think that his magic would be so ineffective.
“Haaa….”
Masamune just sighed.
“I intended to just celebrate our reunion and then leave.”
Masamune smiled down at the stunned heroes.