My Unique Skill [Gacha] Will Save the World - Episode 77: The Colosseum ⑤

Episode 77: The Colosseum ⑤ 

“[Wood Labyrinth].”  

The first move was made by the Elf wielding the staff.  

With a wave of magic, countless trees suddenly sprouted on the stage. They were forming walls that quickly created a pseudo-maze.  

“Damn! We’ve been separated!”  

The maze walls had split Rindou and his companions apart. It forced each of them into isolated battles.  

“Take this! Cut through!”  

Rindou swung his Gale Blade repeatedly. But the wooden walls only shed small branches. They quickly began regenerating, making it impossible to break through to the other side.  

“…Looks like it’ll be faster to find and take down the mage first.”

Accepting that breaking the walls was futile, he turned his attention toward the only accessible path—the one seemingly left open deliberately.  

“Kyousuke and Ayane are strong. That means I’ll focus on one thing—staying alive.”  

For their sake, and for Kyouka, who was still suffering. To Rindou, dying here wasn’t an option.  

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Rindou sharpened his focus and stepped forward.  

(No signs of enemies so far. But since this maze was created by magic…)  

——Swish!  

“Knew it!”  

Suddenly, sharp, spear-like branches shot out from the wooden walls. They were aiming to impale Rindou.  

He swiftly swung his Gale Blade, cutting through the branches and avoiding harm. But even a moment’s lapse in focus could have been fatal.  

(Damn, magic is such a pain.)  

Rindou briefly regretted having removed the [Basic Earth Magic] skill. But there was no time to dwell on it.  

“Again?!”  

Branches continued attacking at irregular intervals. It interrupted his thoughts as he struggled to press forward.  

(What’s with this erratic rhythm?! I can’t keep up!)  

While making slow progress deeper into the maze, the relentless, unpredictable attacks began to take a toll on Rindou’s mental focus.  

“That look of frustration—it’s exactly what I wanted to see!”  

“What?!”  

A voice rang out from above. And at the same time, the branches launched an all-out assault.  

Rindou was forced to use one of his trump cards.  

“No choice—[Reflect]!”  

The damage he had absorbed from the branches was released in a single, devastating attack—not toward the walls but toward the ground.  

——BOOOOM!  

The stage shattered from the impact. The sheer force caused the branches to snap and scatter.  

“W-what is that?!”  

The Elf wielding the curved sword had leapt down from above. Even he was momentarily stunned by the power.  

Despite this, the Elf swung his sword down. He was aiming to finish Rindou in one blow.  

“Not happening!”  

Rindou unleashed a powerful upward slash with his Gale Blade. It collided with the curved sword. The clash left both fighters locked in fierce expressions. But the Elf was ultimately flung high into the air.  

“Damn it! How dare trash like you defy me!”  

The Elf grabbed onto the wooden walls to regain his footing. He landed on a nearby section of the stage.  

“…Heh, that’s a relief,” 

Rindou said, flashing a confident smirk.  

“What are you talking about?”  

“I mean, when I heard ‘strongest race’, I was expecting someone a lot tougher. But it turns out you need your buddies to even put up a fight. That’s kind of a letdown.”  

Though Rindou’s words were a bluff, they were calculated. It was rooted in his understanding of Elven pride.  

“W-what did you say?”  

“You can’t even fight one-on-one, can you? Just now, you only managed to show yourself because you had help. And even then, you couldn’t finish me off. Doesn’t that just prove how weak your so-called ‘strongest race’ really is?”  

“We are the noble strongest race! How dare filth like you mock us! You’ll pay with your life a thousand times over!”  

Rindou knew that Elves were an exceedingly prideful species. By targeting their ego, he was aiming to disrupt their composure and cloud their judgment.  

“Oh? Is that why you can’t do anything without your friends? If you were truly the strongest, you’d fight me alone. But instead, you’re just hiding behind big talk. Pathetic.”  

“Fine! I’ll kill you myself! But I won’t make it quick—you’ll beg for death as I drag you through hellish torment!”  

Enraged by the taunt, the Elf pointed his sword at Rindou and issued a command.  

“Surround us! No one interferes!”  

The wooden walls moved, creating a circular arena around the two fighters.  

“This will be your grave!”  

“That’s more like it,” 

Rindou said with a smirk, though he felt a slight relief inside. Still, the murderous intent emanating from the Elf reminded him to stay alert.  

(This is where it really begins. I’d hoped to deal with the mage first, but there’s no helping it now.)  

“Die, you worthless trash!”

The sword-wielding Elf charged in with a furious roar. And Rindou fixed his gaze on him. He raised his Gale Blade in a ready stance.  

“Let’s finish this quickly. Here I come!”  

The sound of fierce sword clashes echoed repeatedly from within the circular wooden walls.