Shizuku

At Bischof's order, the Adherents aimed at the civilians on the other side of the barrier and pulled their triggers in unison. Those hostages, startled by the water and then the volley of gunshots, panicked and screamed as if they'd been thrown into a cauldron of hot oil.
But not a single fired bullet reached the hostages. Despite making noise like a crashing waterfall, the bullets were all stopped by Shizuku's Noble Art, Shouha Suiren.

=======

"Ah, that's right. Shizuku, can you cast healing?"
"Of course, but… no, you're not telling me you were hurt?"
"No, not me, him."
He pointed at Bischof. The man's bleeding was severe, so they couldn't leave him the way he was, and healing a wound by manipulating water was a skill limited to high-level water users.
"You don't need to connect the arm, just stop the blood. He'll become violent and troublesome again otherwise."
"I understand, Onii-sama. You wouldn't want this man's life on your conscience."

=======

A twin-sword Device crackled with electricity in Suga's hands.
"Too bad, 'supernova'! My ability is lightning, the one most effective against the water you use! It's too bad you got me as your opponent, but don't resent me for your luck! ―Hakuraijin[1]!"
With a triumphant expression, Suga threw a slash of lightning at the unmoving Shizuku.
"Shouha Suiren."
Shizuku tried to defend herself with a wall of water. How could water protect against lightning? Yet Shizuku's Noble Art blocked the powerful current without trouble.
"What!?"
「S-Somehow, lightning had no effect! Commentator Oreki-sensei, what's going on!?」
「*Cough cough* That's probably ultra-pure water….」
「Ultra-pure water?」
「Yeah… everyone thinks that water loses to electricity, right? But no, when water does so it's because impurities like ions and microbes in the water make it conductive. Water becomes less and less conductive as it becomes more and more pure, until it becomes ultra-pure and forms a complete insulator that electricity won't pass through.」
「I see… oh? Then why don't other water users copy this tactic?」
「It's not that they don't, they can't. Completely removing impurities at the ion level is like sifting gold dust from desert sand. Only Shizuku-san's level of magic control allows her to perform such a technique. If an ordinary knight tries to copy this maneuver, won't his mind burn out first? *Cough* As you'd expect for the first-year runner-up… *guh*!」

=======

What a chaotic discussion. Anyway, Shizuku seemed impervious to lightning attacks. What was Suga's reaction, now that he understood this?
"Damn, if that's true, I gotta take some distance."
But Shizuku gave a serene reply.
"And how do you intend to retreat?"
「Ah! How shocking! Contender Suga's feet are frozen to the ground! He can't get away like this!」

-========

"Suiroudan[2]."
Shizuku shot a sphere of water thirty centimeters wide from Yoishigure, and the orb hit Suga right in the face, stopping in midair to cover his head. Suga tried to pull or peel the imprisoning orb away, but water wasn't solid, so he couldn't grab it or shake it off. He desperately sought air and clawed at the liquid, but only splashed and muddled it. Before long―
"…Gah…."
Suga's lungs used up all the air it had left, and when his hands fell limp, Shizuku finally released the watery prison. He collapsed in the ring, and at the same time, the referee made a declaration.
"Shigenobu Suga can no longer fight! The winner, Shizuku Kurogane!"

====================

Their distance was twenty meters.
Touka could cover that distance within a blink of an eye.
But the 《Witch of the Deep Sea》 wasn't someone who would easily allow that!
It was obvious because she had been waiting.
For the moment when Touka would move with all of her strength!
"Freeze―Toudo Heigen[1]!"
Along with those words, Shizuku's footing froze.
That ice froze the entirety of the ring and extended to the walls faster than Touka.

====================
Noble art 《Water Bullet》.
A water cannonball, which could take away the enemy's breath by clinging to his/her face once it touches it (them), was shot from 《Yoishigure》's tip.
Three consecutive shots. It was impossible to dodge those three shots on this frozen plain. That was common sense.

=================
The moment before the lightning slash cut Shizuku.
A water wall with a breadth of thirty meters from the ground came between Shizuku and the slash.
It was the noble art 《Shouha-Suiren》. It was Shizuku's impenetrable defensive technique that didnt't allow any kind of bullets or lightning attacks to pass.

=============Has control over every single molecule of water=================
Shizuku needed to pay attention to every single molecule of water, removing any impurities to create pure water that had an attribute of insulation, to dodge the lightning. It was an extremely nerve wracking, delicate operation.
In comparison, Touka only needed to clad her slashes with lightning and send them flying towards Shizuku. It didn't really require a delicate procedure.
==========================
Touka immediately proceeded to swing 《Narukami》, intending to finish it up with one last lightning attack.
―It was at that moment.
"………n!"
Touka's movement stopped.
Why?
The reason was at her foothold.
Touka's feet were caught up by something.
They were arms made out of water coming forth from the frozen ground.
The water arms froze the instant they caught Touka, effectively sewing her to the ground.
At the same time a shadow was nearing Touka from above, whose movement have been completely sealed.
What is it?
It was too late when Touka took her gaze off from Shizuku and looked above her head. What she saw was a scene where an enormous pillar of ice was falling down at a terrifying speed from a human's absolute blind spot, and it had come so close to her it could almost touch her nose.
―Everything went as Shizuku had planned it out.
If Touka was to go on offense by quickly seeing through her plan, then Shizuku was to counter it by seeing through Touka's plan profoundly.
Shizuku let Touka think that she had the advantage of speed.
She caused her to get the wrong idea that all she could do was be defensive and protect herself like a turtle.
And, behind that facade, she imbued her mana into the ground and made the arms constrain her. On the other side, she used the water that was vaporized by Touka's lightning attacks to create a mass of ice to crush her.
She simultaneously performed three different complex mana operations.
A feat average blazers wouldn't be able perform, but Shizuku could do it.
Her ability to control mana was worthy of being rank-A, because it was at the highest level among humanity, even surpassing Stella's.
Instantaneously, the fallen mass of ice split the ring along with Touka.
Its power was tremendous. The crack from the destruction extended till the audience stands.
It was that powerful of an attack.
And at the center of that destruction was a tombstone made of ice.
There was no way she could still be standing after receiving this attack.
The result of the match was obvious to everyone. It was supposed to be.
===============================

The next instant, her eyes that swung downward saw the blade of Narukami approaching.

"…Uu!?"
It cut deeply into Shizuku's clothing, and she had no time to dodge or think.
「Aaaaahhh! Contender Kurogane Shizuku took a hit from Contender Toudou's sword just now! And it was quite deep! Could this be a fatal wound!?」
However, the instant that everyone thought the match was decided, Shizuku's body suddenly turned pale, turned to ordinary water, and spilled onto the ring. And the real Shizuku was already behind Touka, standing quite a large distance away in the arena.
「I-It was some kind of water clone! Contender Kurogane has avoided Raikiri's sword splendidly… no!」
The live broadcaster's voice suddenly cut short. Why? Because the scarlet color flowing across Shizuku's left hand was visible.
「Blood is dripping from her left hand! She wasn't able to dodge perfectly! In the end, Contender Kurogane was struck! The first one to get in a damaging hit in this match is 'Raikiri', Contender Touka Toudou!」

===============================
The perfect time. What did that mean? The moment Arisuin was about to ask….

The underground training arena. One part of its ceiling caved in with a crash

===============================
Declaring this, Shizuku waved Yoishigure like a conductor's baton from within her sphere of water. In accord with her movement, the mass of water wrapped around her took the form of enormous lashes. From the tips of the many lashes, the gathered water froze.

They took the shape of a thorn-covered hammer, and the hammer of ice swung down upon Wallenstein.
The hammer of ice struck violently without mercy, breaking the training arena floor with a cloud of dust and a thunderous roar.
==========================
"Toudo Heigen."

It would be best to use excessive bullets and avoid physical contact with her opponent. Shizuku thought this, and first froze the battlefield to deprive him of footing. It would greatly reduce the opponent's agility, and more than that—

"Keppu San'u[4]."

Churning the enormous mass of water, she had it form spikes like a hedgehog.

"Fire volley."

The thorns of water fired in all directions without any attempt at aim. In a second, many thousands of high pressure water bullets drilled through the entire battlefield, cutting through concrete.

It was a quantity of water incomparably greater than what she used in the fight against Raikiri some time ago. But it was no wonder. Raikiri used lightning. In order for Shizuku, who used water, to fight against that, she would have to make all of her water pure in order to insulate herself from electricity. Because of that, the quantity of water she could use at the same time was limited.

However, right now there was no similar limit. The amount of water Shizuku could use was several hundred times greater than in the fight with Raikiri. The floor of Akatsuki Academy's underground training arena, the walls, the ceiling—every nook and cranny, had been filled with holes!
======================
Shizuku immediately ended the rain of projectiles from Keppu San'u, and protected herself with the frozen mass of water. With permafrost that had an excellent protective strength, she formed a castle wall. With what should be called a stronghold, she had prepared a defense with perfect readiness
===========================
"Hyakuya Kekkai!"

"Hmm!?"

Shizuku's decision in response was appropriate: promptly raising a screen of mist over the surroundings and disappearing from Wallenstein's field of view. And in the gap of Wallenstein losing sight of her, she froze shut the bleeding wound of her left arm―and ran.

====================== After "dying" she turns into Vapor
Arisuin held Shizuku's fallen body close. A gurgling sound was coming from her wound, while blood and viscera were spilling out rapidly. Her weight. Her life. Sensing that they were fading, Arisuin's view grew dark. Once again, feeling the loss of a little sister he had cherished and wanted to protect, all of his emotions were paling away to nothing. Rage at his own helplessness. Anger at the man who had stolen Shizuku's life. All of them, he couldn't feel anything anymore. He didn't even have the will to cry out.

"This is the reality that have tried to avert your eyes from."

From behind him, Wallenstein's voice came.

"Only power is true. Even though I taught you this, and pulled you to the side of the strong. If you can't even understand this, you are beyond saving."

A dumbfounded voice. Disappointment at a personal disciple who was embracing Shizuku's body, even though it had already become nothing but a corpse.

"I have no need for an assassin who develops feelings for his target. Die."

The sound of wind being cut behind him hit Arisuin's ears. It was probably the sound of Wallenstein raising his sword. Arisuin didn't think of protecting himself. Instead, he thought of peace arriving soon. At this time, the weight of Shizuku in his arms was disappearing steadily. Because he knew he wouldn't recover it again, he didn't have any feelings about the defeat.

Steadily, steadily, the petite body was getting lighter.

Steadily, steadily, the weight he could feel in his arms was disappearing–

Eh…!?

There, Arisuin finally noticed something unfathomable.

The weight was disappearing to the point where he couldn't feel it? That was impossible. Even if all the blood and viscera fell out, the muscles and bones in the human body would still remain. That sense of displacement shined a light into the darkness of Arisuin's view. He looked down on what was in his hands. There, the remains of Shizuku's body was–


–gone. Leaving only her clothes.


And the next moment–

"It's okay, Alice."

Shizuku's voice echoed with dignity through the underground training arena.

"...Eh!?"

"Wh-What!?"

In astonishment, Arisuin and Wallenstein scanned for Shizuku in the surroundings. However, Shizuku wasn't found anywhere. No, on the contrary, even the blood and entrails that had been scattered just a while ago had also vanished.

"Wh-What is this!? What did you do!?"

At the situation that was moving too far beyond comprehension, Wallenstein cried out in confusion. And amidst the confusion of Wallenstein and Arisuin–Shizuku Kurogane appeared.

Rakudai Vol 4 Pg 301.jpg
Appeared like a status formed of gathered mist, stark naked with unblemished body. And she opened her mouth to speak.

"It's okay–because I'll win."

"Shizuku, you're… alive?"

Arisuin stared at Shizuku as if she was a ghost. He hadn't taken in the situation yet. But beside him, Wallenstein–

"How can this be…!"

From his instincts born of many battles, he realized that there was only one way this situation was possible. And in order to make sure, he swung his sword at Shizuku who was standing before his eyes.

Shizuku, without moving to defend herself, received the attack on her body. A cut–Wallenstein's Device once again bisected Shizuku.

But this time no blood sprayed forth. There was no response except a spray of mist, and though Shizuku's form had been split, it immediately returned to normal–seeing this, Wallenstein was convinced.


"Y-You little rat…! You changed your own body to vapor!?"


In response, the mouth on Shizuku's flickering form curved slightly.

"Ha ha ha. As I thought, you're not just that old for show, right mister?"

Shizuku confirmed it with a sadistic sneer. Indeed. That was the true nature of how Shizuku had survived.

"I was defeated in the selection battles by Raikiri, so I've always been thinking."

–That though she had skill, she lacked determination. When facing opposition, there was nothing she could do but take a fatal wound–then how should she deal with it?

"I thought and thought… and suddenly, I hit upon an answer. Ahh, that's right. I take damage because I have a body of flesh."

In that case, she would remove that premise. In doing so, this technique was created. An aspect of water magic, an application of healing techniques for the human body, a Noble Art that disintegrates her own body into mist and dust to the point where slashes and strikes no longer affect her and then voluntarily reconstructing it–


"Aoiro Rinne[7]–I've come up with an amazing technique, right?"


Shizuku spoke with a face that was slightly boastful. At Shizuku's explanation, Wallenstein became more and more pale.

"Come… up with it!? Do you know what you've done to yourself? Do you understand it!?"

Wallenstein's discomposure was natural. Because although Aoiro Rinne was temporary, it was a technique that severs one's own life.

"With a top-class magic control, you can reconstruct something, but it's impossible to do so after dying…! No, even if you could do it, if you make the slightest error in reconstituting the trillions of cells in the human body, I don't even know how difficult it would be…! To use that kind of power on your own body…! Are you sane, you little…!?"

"As long as I try, I can do it somehow or other, right? I'm not something to disregard so easily."

Reconstructing her flesh, Shizuku checked her sense of touch by opening and closing her hand. There was no discomfort in that feeling. It seemed the reconstruction magic had functioned properly.

However, it wasn't like there was no problems at all.

"…The mental exertion was too much. I feel kind of sick."

After processing excessively high-level magic, her head was screaming. The agony as if her cranium was churning made Shizuku aware of her own lack of skill. It seemed it would be best to refrain from reckless magic for a while.

============================ Internal attacks
"What did you say–!?"

At that instant, Wallenstein who had recovered from his attack on Aoiro Rinne noticed something about himself.

"*Cough cough*… gah…!?"

The air he was exhaling was not returning as inhales. His lungs could not be filled with air. As if he was drowning–yes, he was on the verge of drowning.

"If the lungs are turned to water balloons, humans would become like this, right? As I expected of this technique, it's not something other people at school can possibly do, so it's the first time you've seen it."

Shizuku who was using Aoiro Rinne like this had turned all the atmosphere in the whole place the same way. Therefore, she could establish control over all of it–including the air that Wallenstein was breathing.

Wallenstein's ability to control friction certainly was an unparalleled power pertaining to external slashes and strikes. However–

"If it's inside the body, there's nothing friction can do, am I right?"

"Gah… ukk…!"

Wallenstein, drowning in an invisible sea, finally couldn't keep standing and fell to the floor with his eyes wide and his mouth opening and closing like a fish washed up on shore desperately seeking oxygen.

"Hmm? What's that? What did you say?"

"S…Sp–Spare… me!"

"Oh, you want me to let you go?"

It was actually a declaration of surrender. Wallenstein had decided that winning fight was impossible at this point, and was waving the white flag at Shizuku.

"But I won't."

Shizuku gave a merciless smile, and snapped her fingers. At that moment, blood flew from Wallenstein's entire body.

"–GAAAAHHH!"

Flesh tore from inside his body, and dozens of ice spears erupted from within him. That attack completely severed the consciousness of the One-Armed Swordsman. Wallenstein, while discharging blood mixed with water from his mouth, fainted.