“Jeanne d’Arc Alter?”
On the training grounds, the first and second years participating in the Exchange Event had all assembled.
But this time, besides the newly transferred Ritsuka, there was yet another newcomer present.
The second-years—Maki, Inumaki, and Panda—all studied this new arrival.
A cascade of pale white hair flowed down to her calves.
Her skin was equally pale, and coupled with the cold, indifferent expression on her captivatingly beautiful face, she resembled a cold-blooded beauty standing atop a high, distant peak.
She wore a black steel headpiece and was clad head to toe in black armor, which lent her an additional air of grim severity.
She looked like a general who had stepped straight from ancient times into the modern era.
The three-meter-long iron banner-spear in her hand gleamed with a chilling, razor-sharp light, making onlookers secretly gasp, wondering just what terrifying strength lay hidden within that petite frame.
Yet now, with her killing intent reined in and standing quietly at Ritsuka’s side, she looked more like a girl in the middle of a cosplay session.
From a jujutsu sorcerer’s perspective, their first impression of Jeanne Alter leaned more toward that of a cursed spirit—but something felt not quite right, leaving them somewhat baffled.
Still, to think she could summon a shikigami with its own consciousness…
Their understanding of Ritsuka’s technique had once again been completely upended.
Back to the matter at hand.
Speaking of Jeanne…
could it be the famed Saint Jeanne d’Arc of France?
Combining the effects of Ritsuka’s technique with the attire of the girl before them, everyone immediately arrived at this conjecture.
But before anyone could voice their guess, Ritsuka hastened to explain.
“So, not Jeanne d’Arc herself, but another aspect of her existence?
Formed from wrath, hatred, and obsession…
Yeah, she really does sound like a cursed spirit.
So that’s why she’s called ‘Alter’?”
Those with some knowledge of the Hundred Years’ War and the life of Jeanne nodded thoughtfully.
The rest remained somewhat puzzled.
But that wasn’t the focus of today.
“Since Gojo-sensei has said you’ll be taking part in the upcoming Exchange Event, let’s start by getting a feel for each other’s abilities,” Maki said to Ritsuka with a grin.
“So, let’s have a spar.
The best way to understand strength is to experience it firsthand.”
“Honestly, I’m pretty curious myself just how strong your technique really is.
Let me put it to the test.”
“Eh, right off the bat with Maki difficulty?!” Panda exclaimed in shock.
Inumaki added worriedly, “Bonito flakes.”
Maki bristled.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean, ‘Maki difficulty’?!
And this is just a normal spar.
“But you really don’t hold back.
Getting hit by you hurts like hell!”
Panda’s remark prompted everyone present—except Ritsuka and Jeanne Alter—to nod in unison, causing Maki’s veins to bulge.
On the other side, Ritsuka was thoroughly familiar with this routine.
The Servants back in Chaldea were fond of this exact song and dance.
So she stepped forward and declared with a confident smile, “It’s fine.
It’s just a spar.
Besides, my Servant is very strong.
Anyone who underestimates her will be in for a rude awakening.”
At this, Maki grinned.
“Now that’s more like it.”
Everyone cleared a space for Ritsuka and Maki.
Jeanne Alter positioned herself protectively before Ritsuka, facing off against Maki.
Before the fight, Maki produced a Second Grade cursed tool—a long naginata.
“Just so you know, I’m a Heavenly Restriction user.
There’s no cursed energy in my body, and I can’t use any techniques.
But in exchange, my physical abilities are fairly decent.”
A Heavenly Restriction: a binding forcibly imposed from birth, sacrificing one innate condition in exchange for overwhelming strength in another area.
“I’m not telling you this to ask for pity.
I’m saying that even though this is a spar, I won’t be holding back.
I hope you won’t either.”
“Understood,” Ritsuka nodded.
Panda called out the countdown from the sidelines.
“Three…
two…
one…
begin!”
At the signal, Maki and Jeanne Alter launched into motion almost simultaneously, charging straight at each other.
So fast!
Seeing Jeanne Alter’s speed, Maki’s pupils constricted.
Clad head to toe in heavy armor, wielding a banner-spear of undoubtedly extraordinary weight, she had initially assumed the girl was a power-type fighter.
Yet the speed she now displayed was nearly on par with her own—perhaps even faster!
The best way to fight a summoning-technique user was to attack the sorcerer directly.
But the opponent clearly understood this as well.
Combined with the speed Jeanne Alter had demonstrated, the likelihood of bypassing her to strike directly at Ritsuka was close to zero.
In that case, she had no choice but to take her down first!
Thoughts raced through Maki’s mind.
By the time her decision was made, the two had already closed the distance and entered striking range. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Facing the oncoming Jeanne Alter, Maki neither dodged nor flinched.
She raised her spear and met the charge head-on, fully intending to put the other woman in her place from the get-go.
When it comes to pure strength, I’m not afraid of—
“Wha—?!”
Crack.
Boom!!
The instant their weapons collided, Maki felt the unstoppable, overwhelming force transmitted through her hands.
Her eyes flew wide in disbelief.
In her stunned gaze, Jeanne Alter’s banner-spear shattered the Second Grade cursed tool in her grip as effortlessly as if it were made of styrofoam.
Without losing any momentum, it slammed squarely into her body!
Maki’s body was nearly folded in half by the brutal, violent impact.
She was sent hurtling backward with a thunderous crash, tumbling twice across the ground before coming to a stop at the exact spot where she had started.
“What monstrous strength!”
Clutching her abdomen with her left hand, Maki knelt on one knee, struggling to slowly rise.
She managed to stand, but the pain that blow had inflicted on her midsection refused to ease, silently rebuking her tactical blunder.
It was only because of her Heavenly Restriction-enhanced body that she could still force herself upright.
Had that been Megumi or the others, they would have been sent straight to the infirmary after taking a hit like that.
She truly hadn’t expected it—not just speed, but even in raw power, the woman before her far surpassed her.
In a real battle, the moment she had decided to meet her opponent in a direct contest of strength, it would already have been over.
On the sidelines, Megumi, Nobara, and Maki’s constant companions Panda and Inumaki were all staring at the scene in slack-jawed shock.
“Maki-senpai…
was taken down in a single direct clash…”
They knew Maki’s physical capabilities better than anyone.
And yet, this same Maki had been sent flying by a single blow.
Just how terrifying were Jeanne Alter’s physical specs?!
At this realization, everyone’s gazes toward Ritsuka and Jeanne Alter shifted once more.
Ritsuka, however, was not the slightest bit surprised by the outcome.
Though Jeanne Alter looked petite in stature, she possessed the strength to move mountains and the might to shake the world.
In the truest sense, she was a “delicate maiden” with A-rank Strength and A-rank Agility—a true powerhouse of both speed and power.
For Maki to think she could match Jeanne Alter in a head-on clash was, frankly, a bit naive.
“Oi, don’t tell me this is all you’ve got?” Jeanne Alter made no move to continue her assault, instead standing in place and directing a contemptuous taunt at Maki.
Hearing this, Maki—despite the pain still radiating through her body—once again settled into a fighting stance.
She reversed her grip on the broken naginata, now wielding the two halves as a pair of short lances.
Her face was alight with battle fervor as she grinned fiercely.
“Now the real fight begins!”