38
Barrett holds her magic gun in one hand.
She's finally made it this far.
Her opponent is Arc.
She knows she can't win.
Even if she's learned to use a magic gun, it's just a quick fix.
She can't really beat Arc.
She only made it here through luck: the right opponents and the right field.
If she'd faced someone like Arc, Medusa, or Surtr early on, she'd have lost in round one.
Still, reaching the semifinals is pretty good.
She owes Arc for it, too.
She wants to show her gratitude by fighting him seriously, showing how she's grown.
This match's arena is mountainous.
That's good for Barrett, since her worst battlefield would be a flat, open area.
Not that it changes her almost zero chance of winning.
But even if she's going to lose, she wants a solid fight.
And so the match starts.
Arc quickly casts magic, throwing chunks of ice at Barrett.
She doesn't fight back; she runs.
She sprints away, and Arc doesn't bother chasing.
Like he doesn't care what she does.
That's Arc's arrogance, but with his power, it's not surprising.
Barrett knows he's not taking her seriously.
She'll use that.
The magically expanded arena is huge, especially for a one-on-one.
But running too long will earn you a penalty.
Barrett doesn't plan to run forever.
She wants the right distance, so she climbs higher in this mountain setting.
Barrett's eyes have a special trait from the Fromarrow family—birdlike vision.
It gives her two benefits:
One, she can see very far.
Two, she can focus intensely in a split second.
That's why her family became great archers.
And that skill helps with a magic gun, too.
From high up, Barrett easily spots Arc.
He's just strolling around like he's taking a walk.
For a sniper like Barrett, that's unbelievably careless.
"He's so relaxed. Well, I get it," she mutters.
Since the prelims, she's stuck to a long-range strategy.
A normal opponent would be wary of that.
Her last opponent was, but she took advantage of one moment of distraction to win.
Arc's lack of caution feels insulting.
Barrett's a bit annoyed.
But she also knows that if he got serious, she wouldn't stand a chance anyway.
"Please notice me at least, because I'm watching you."
She lines up her shot.
They're about three kilometers apart.
Hitting a target at this distance is nearly impossible.
Plus, her magic gun is a pistol type.
She wanted a sniper rifle type, but she couldn't afford it and needed something for closer combat, too.
So she ended up with a pistol.
Naturally, it's not great for sniping.
Three kilometers is the absolute limit.
Landing a shot is practically an art.
Still—
"I'm Barrett Fromarrow, from the bow-wielding family."
She abandoned the bow, but not her conviction.
She watches Arc's every move intently.
He looks wide open. She could shoot anytime.
But the moment she tries, her hand trembles.
He looks exposed, yet there's barely a real opening.
"As expected of Arc-sama."
She sharpens her senses.
Time feels slower.
All her nerves and mana circuits lock onto Arc.
It's like the world slows down.
She exhales.
Sweat drips down her brow.
She stays oddly calm.
He still hasn't noticed.
"――――"
Now's the time.
Her instincts scream at her to shoot.
Before she knows it, she's pulled the trigger.
—Boom.
A low thud echoes as the magic bullet flies toward Arc.
Right then—
A chill crawls up Barrett's spine.
"This is bad...!"
She and Arc lock eyes.
But the bullet's already on its way.
Not even Arc can conjure magic fast enough now.
Or at least, Barrett hopes so.
She only has a split second to think.
It takes almost no time for the bullet to reach him.
But it feels like ages.
Hit.
Hit.
Come on, land a hit!
She prays.
But—
"Zazaza..."
A wall of ice appears in front of Arc.
—Thud.
The bullet never reaches him.
It's useless.
She can't get through.
Her bullet, her ability, none of it reaches Arc.
He's too far above her level.
Barrett feels her hope slipping.
She's been found out, too.
Her best shot—long-distance surprise—has failed.
There's nothing else she can do.
But—
—If I give up now, I won't achieve anything.
She clenches her teeth.
She lines up another shot, pushing all doubt aside.
"Hah... hah..."
More sweat drips from her forehead.
She focuses everything on one single point.
—Boom.
She fires again at the ice wall.
Her pistol can't really break through it.
Yet—
"...!?"
Somehow, this shot pierces Arc's shoulder.
It's the first time in the whole tournament Arc's been injured.
"I... I did it..."
Barrett's so happy she clenches her fist in triumph.
That was her big mistake.
Right then—
"――――"
The ice wall turns into a chunk of ice and rockets toward Barrett.
Like a payback shot.
"...Ugh!"
No time to dodge.
The ice slams into her.
She passes out on impact.