What's Wrong with Only Having a Shield? My Summoner Hates Me

Chapter 7.6

"Hey Isabel, are you doing all right?" I ask.

"What makes you ask that?"

"Well, you don't look your usual self, and our next match is against, you know..."

Isabel sighs, I guess I was right on the mark. After the battle against Eli, we decided to head straight back to our room to rest. Usually, Isabel would be all giddy after a win, but right now, she was deadly silent.

"Let me ask you this: What's my usual look?" Isabel asks, dodging my question.

"Angry, grumpy, and annoying," I respond.

"You jerk!" Isabel angrily, grumpily, and annoyingly retorts.

The rest of our party members burst into laughter as Isabel attempts to land heavy punches on me.

Finally, Hilde holds Isabel's arm back with tears still in his eyes from laughing.

"It'll be fine," Hilde starts, "I know you wanted to face Aquaria later into the tournament, but don't you think winning the group stages comes first?"

"Of course, I do, and I'm aware that this is a must-win game for us since Aquaria also won her match today," Isabel pauses, "It's just, we've been dreaming of this moment ever since we got our magic affinities."

I guess I understood how Isabel felt, getting your magical affinities must be a pretty big moment for the people of Spirinall, and an even bigger moment to participate in the Summoner Games.

I wonder to myself, after my encounter with Luna, would I be able to raise my shield against her?

I shake my head; it would be unfair to Luna to disregard her efforts by not going all out. Sure, we both are from Earth and new to Spirinall, but I've grown up with multiple media and video games about Fantasy worlds.

The idea of Spirinall and this whole other world may not be entirely new to me, but to someone like Luna who's lived a fairly normal life, this is completely something new to her.

Luna may have the level advantage, but she's still something of a beginner when it comes to fantasy worlds, and I don't want to look down on the effort she's making to adapt.

I may be a lower level than you, Luna, but tomorrow, I'm going all out.

* * *

I was feeling pretty confident. After all, we had defeated Aquaria's party once before, and I had faced off against the duo of Luna and Aquaria in Eskal. I knew that my fire would be strong against Luna's wooden golems, and I was confident that Roy was the better fighter against Lev.

All my confidence and bravado quickly disappeared when Luna instantly slammed her staff into the ground, causing the stage to shake violently.

The audience gasps in shock as the ground cracks up and out of the fractures come up a ginormous hand made out of wood.

"What a shocking surprise! We've never seen Summoner Aquaria's party pull off this trick before!"

Luna waves her staff downwards, and the gigantic wooden hand turns into a fist and slams downward.

"Everyone! Get behind me!" I yell.

I swallow down my shock and quickly make my way to the front of my party and raise my Scutum shield high up into the air. The wooden fist slammed against my shield, despite the impact bringing me down to my knees, I was able to hold my ground.

"You're not the only one with new tricks, Rin," Luna smirks.

"Incinerate!" I shout.

Flames burst out from my shield, and naturally, begin spreading all over the fist.