Chapter 237.1. Facing The Shadow

Emerging from the cocoon was a tall, bulky man, standing just over 2 meters. 
His unruly black hair reached his shoulders, and his muscular frame resembled steel. He went bare-chested, wearing only sturdy-looking pants. 
His facial features conveyed strong determination, with thick eyebrows and fierce, golden predatory eyes that bore a hint of arrogance as he smugly curled his lips, exuding an aura that declared him a powerhouse.
He was not the king of insignificant small fry, Aegir. He was someone else.
Yet, it was due to being in shadow. His entire body was enveloped in darkness.
My chick-like sharp instinct tells me he’s dangerous.
An unusual atmosphere surrounded him. Because even without choosing to -Fight-, an aura was visible to Miu’s eyes.
Miu couldn’t see the aura of mana. So, if she could see it now… 
What could that power be?
As the wary Miu faced him, the man with a smug beast-like grin tried to walk forward, but pebbles of stone started falling from the ceiling.
“Oh, you’re still holding on, huh?”
“Chichichi.”
The man twisted his mouth with an amused smirk, looking up at the ceiling. 
The trapped Ant-san managed to break free and descended, aiming for the man.
Indeed, it was Holy Knight Level 97. It wasn’t taken down in a single strike.
Magic power gathered in Ant-san’s spear, shining brightly.
[Holy Lance]
The luminous holy spear pointed toward the man as Ant-san rapidly descended to pierce him.
However, with a casual demeanor, the man swung his arm lightly toward the falling Ant-san.
Ant-san was descending from above, contorted its body, and was somehow knocked sideways in mid-air as if struck by a lateral blow.
“Too bad. You bug, you can’t even touch me. The great me.”
Crossing his arms, the man chuckled arrogantly. 
Knocked away, Ant-san was bounced off mid-air as if being attacked at her new position, then sent flying again.
It was sent flying again after landing from her previous flight.
The unseen attacks from the man continued incessantly, and Ant-san bounced around like a pinball, helplessly battered, flying through the air and crashing into a wall, its body getting embedded.
“Ant-saaan!”
The wall shattered with a crash, and debris buried Ant-san.
“It feels like the usual flow, with Ant-san being defeated without doing anything… but what did you do?”
With a sidelong glance at Ant-san, who seemed like tea accompanying a snack, Miu questioned the man.
Other than the initial arm movement, it seemed he did nothing, yet Ant-san was being attacked by something unseen.
Can this guy use telekinesis or something?
Along with that thought, Miu asked Munin to analyze.
“Do you think I’m going to spill the beans?”
“It’s okay to give a hint or something. Nowadays, bosses like to explain their attack methods and even kindly reveal their weaknesses as part of the trend.”
“Is that so? I’ve only recently awakened, you see. I’m not familiar with the current trends. Sorry. And, even with a crow’s insight, you won’t be able to see through me.”
“…!”
With a composed smile, the man stared me down with a glare.
I could hear Munin’s craws, but its calls seemed puzzled.
-M?%2Ga#F’s Shadow: Level *, Weakness *-
The analysis is glitching! That’s the first time something like this has happened. 
Hmm, this guy is no ordinary individual.
With a click of my tongue, I glare at the man.
“My name is Takano Miu. I’m now in my first year of middle school. I’m having a blast with everyone while orienteering!”
“It’s not like it matters if you introduce yourself in your shadowy form. Well, I’ll consider telling you or thinking about it if the little one doesn’t end up dead.”
“People who can’t greet others will get scolded by papa!”
-Fight-
-A Mysterious Shadow Has Appeared!-
Choosing a command causes my physical abilities to surge, and magical power to overflow.
“My old man’s a real nasty one. He won’t get mad about something like that!”
“Let me give you a word of advice!”
I slightly bend my waist, adopting a forward-leaning stance and holding my round hammer to the side.
“Take this!”
[Ground Shrink]
Miu steps forward, and her body vanishes from that spot. 
Only a faint trail of sand and an afterimage remain, and in an instant, she closes the distance between the man and her, swinging the hammer.
“First attack!”
[Mjolnir]
Plasma envelops the round hammer, transforming it into a hammer of scorching lightning. 
The hammer is swung, delivering a deadly blow to the man.
“Hm?”
Zap.
However, the strike from [Mjolnir] is easily halted by the man’s palm.
The plasma discharge electrifies him, attempting to incinerate his body with intense heat, but the man calmly grabs the hammer.
“Ha, the [Mjolnir], huh? But with that attack, you can’t even scratch me!”
“What?!”
He swings the arm holding the hammer.
Miu gets slammed into the ground, creating a crater, and he swings his fist downward toward her body embedded in the ground.
“Mmmph.”
[Cast-Off]
Quickly forming a seal, she activates [Cast-Off]. As the dimensional shift blurs the space, a duplicate of Mius overlays her body, blocking the enemy’s attack. At the same time, his fist digs into her abdomen.
“Take this!”
He roars, tightly clenching his fists, and attempts to unleash a flurry of punches. Each blow is overwhelmingly powerful, generating explosions upon impact. With each attack, my petite body is driven into the ground.