in Aug. 1990.*/Slayers SP  by Hane Kanezaka and Rui Araizumi  translation: Hiroshi Haga"Challenge of Naga"As Lina came back to her inn after eating out, it was on fire.Lina's possessions burning...all her magic items, jewels, etc...People are trying to put out the fire, but to no avail.Then there appeared a person inside the fire.A beautiful woman with black hair and intellignet-looking eyes wasstanding on 3rd floor's balcony.She wore around her neck a pendant with a small skull, and wore adazzling costume which partially covers where it should.  ^_^She was in the evil-sorceress-fashion which fevered a few hundredyears ago.Then the woman pointed her finger at Lina and called out her name.Lina Inverse!Lina: (Oh, no, she can't mean...)Lina Inverse!Lina: Who is that?  Hey, who is it?You!  I'm talking to you!  don't look around!  Yo, amagic-user with brown hair, small height and a black mantle!Lina: Small ?! Well, excuse me!!Then everyone looks at Lina.  ^_6Lina: (Oh, damn!!)Lina figuring out there is no way out for her now,A good question!  I mean to put an end to your legend as'Invincible Princess of Darkness'!  By me, Naga the white serpent!Lina: Princess of Darkness....?  Who do you mean by that!!  (Ack,people are staring at me with white eyes...  ;_; )Lina: (Well, I'm pretty known among magic-users.  I make my *humble*living by destroying a band of bandits or two as I travel around.)^_^Lina: (I don't know why, but I'm labeled as 'very evil andinvincible' for some reason.)Naga: I burned your possessions along with the inn for myintroduction to you.  hohohohohoho.  How do you like it?Lina: Oh, you did, did you?Lina: That means I can avenge my stuff by beating you up, right?Naga: If you can!Lina: Okay, I'll accept your challenge!  Why don't you come downhere!As soon as Lina said that, Naga's smile froze...Naga looks around and muttering to herself.Lina: (Hmmm, she didn't plan how to get off from there, I assume...)^_^Naga: Aaaarrrrgh, someone!Lina: Duh!  You an idiot or something!!Lina shoots Fire Arrows at the balcony Naga's standing.Fire Arrows destroy the balcony and Naga falls into the fire.Lina: My stuff...I avenged you!Lina doing V-sign.  ^_^But then, Lina feels deadly suspence rises around her...People are surrounding LIna now.People: Hey!  What the hell are you thinking, using a fire spell whenwe are trying to put out the fire!!Lina tried to smile and get away, but people are not put off withit, so,Lina tries one of her *cute-girl-disguise*.  ^_6But it doens't work, soLina: Hahahahahaha....Ray Wing!  (this is a flying spell.)People: Ah!  She is running away!Hohohohoho, we meet again, Lina!Naga is bundled up in bandages all over her.she's somhow supporting herself with two sticks she got on each arm.Lina doesn't recognize who *it* is.She can guess that it is a woman from the voice, however...It's no wonder since Naga is all wrapped in the bandage.Lina: Do I know you?Naga: ...hah...Naga tries to point her finger at Lina again, but loses her balanceso she stops.^_^Naga: You're good at feigning ignorance, girl.Naga: I won't let you say you forgot me, your strongest rival, Nagathe White Serpent!Lina tilts her head and says, "Do I know you?" ^_^Lina: (Of course, I'm kidding.  It's kinda hard to forget a personwho got burned in the fire she caused.  But I can't believe she survived....But I never made her my rival!!  Anyway, the joke was more than Naga cantake, it seems.  She's not moving at all.  This might turn out to be fun,so let me watch her while. ^_^)Naga came to her senses when Lina ate her lunch.  ^_^Naga: I-I don't care whether you remember me or not.  What matter iswhether I'll defeat you and take up your title of 'Invincible' or not!Then Naga starts to cast a spell.'Dynast Brethe' it's called.Lina: (Hmmm, I thought this need to hand-waving.Naga is reciting the spell...Then reciting stops at certain point....where she has to wave herhands.  ^_^Naga tries to lift her arm desperately and falls!Trying desperately to stand up....  ^_^Naga tries to stand up a few times....then, "Lina....help me."^_^Lina thought it's kinda leave a bad taste if she just leave Nagahere to starve to death, so she helps her stand up.Naga: heh heh heh, you're still naive, Lina!  Helping your enemy!!Naga: I'll show you my true power this time!!Naga starts casting a spell again, this time the one without wavinghands.Lina: (Show me her true power, eh?  I thought I already saw+one....she's so dumb, I must say.)Lina kicks at the stick which supports Naga.  ^_6Naga falls again.Naga desperately tries to stand up.Lina: (She just doesn't understand her situation...)Naga suddenly stops.Naga: Lina...help me...Lina: Forget it!and Lina walks away...  ^_6Lina spewed the juice she was drinking.Naga: How disgusting...Lina: Shut up!  Who do you think made me do it?!Lina: (Aaaargh, she has recovered!!)In the middle of a busy street in the daytime, a woman who got atendency of exhibitionism is laughing so loud in a weird tone...you canimagine how people are staring at her, I trust.Lina: H-hey, you!  Don't talk to me in daytime dressed like that,please!!People:  Hey, what's this, a show?  Sis, aren't you sexy!  Take offthe clothes!Naga is smiling thinly not minding people around her.Naga:  You're afraid of me, girl?  You did very well the lasttime, but now that my wounds are healed, the same trick won't fool me again!!Lina: (Eeee, I don't want this anymore!  I don't want anything to dowith her!!  I want to cry!!)Lina: (Oh well!  I guess I just have to finish her off and end thisthing entirely!!)Lina: Alright, I understand.  Let's have it out once and for all.Naga: I see.  So you have decided.Now Naga and Lina are staring at each other deadly.Then Lina hears people talking....People: Hey, is she with that weird girl too?  I feel sorryfor her, she's so young...  I wonder what kind of education she had....Lina's face turns all red.  ^_^Lina: (D-damn, I don't think I'll lose magic-fighting her, but shedefinitely got an advantage for not feeling any embarassment...)Lina: We'll fight outside of this town at sunset today, okay?Naga: Humph, you're afraid of me after all.  You're planning to runaway saying something like that, aren't you!Naga: I won't let you have your way!  I'll finish you here and now!Naga casts a bunch of 'Freeze Arrows'The area around Naga and Lina is now in chaos.Naga: Take this, take this!  Hohohoho!  What's wrong, little girl?You can't run forever, you know!!Lina thinking *rationally* this time, dare not to use her magicinside the town.She tries to lure Naga out of town, but she slips and falls onice formed on the ground.Naga: Hohohoho!  Your luck has finally ran down.Naga approaches Lina gracefully.Naga is elated by the fact she's gonna finish Lina, she doesn'tnotice the angry mood of the crowd around her.Naga: From today, the title of the strongest magic-user is mine,Lina Inverse....*bang*Naga fell down on the ground.The one who hit her with a frozen watermelon is the owner of agrocery store.Naga: What's that for ?!!Naga turns to face the crowds advancing on her...Owner: That's for me to say!!  You froze my merchandise, what're yougoing to do about it?!!The several others who were also victimized by Naga's spell nodsilently with full of menace.  ^_^Naga: But...Owner:  But or no, you'll pay us back in one way or another!!Naga: But...I was....Naga is almost crying now.  ^_^Naga looks at Lina appealingly...Lina: Thank you very much.  I was troubled by her as well,  She waschasing me for some unknown reason.  Now, if you'll excuse me....Lina smiles at everyone, turns around and leaves before anyone hasany say.  ^_^Owner: Now!  You come this way!  Work, woman!!Naga: Aaargh, forgive me!!Lina left the town listening to Naga's wail."Hohohohoho, we meet again, Naga the white serpent!  At last,we'll end this once and for all!"Lina said, as soon as she saw Naga.Naga, her lines taken from her, moved her mouth silently.  ^_^They're in a forest now.Naga: Humph!Naga recovers after a while.Naga:  That's right, that's what I wanted to say.  You ran away fromme the past 3 encounters, but not this time!Lina: (I didn't know people called that 'running away'....)Lina: ...But anyway, did you compensate for the damage you've doneto that town?  I thought it'd take you longer, you caught up to me very fast.Naga: Oh, that.  Of course, I paid them back.  I made them buyoranges.  Then, I made orange sorbet by using cold magic.  Oh, it was such ahit!Lina: Oh, I see!  I didn't think of that!!Lina: Yeah, that is definitely gonna sell....Hmmm, you have eyes forbusiness, I tell ya!Naga: Oh, it was nothing, nothing at all.Naga gets embarassed.Lina: Mmmmm, I'll try it next time.  Okay, if you think up anymorenew ways to do business, let me know.  Later!Lina waves to Naga, turns and trys to leave...Naga waves back...Then her smile kinda gets jerky.  ^_^Naga: Hey, wait!  This is not what we were supposed to be doing!!Naga: heh, you're very good, Lina.  I almost fell for your trickagain!Lina: Hmmm, usually people don't fall for this kinda thing....Naga: Shut up!  Now, it's time to fight it out!!Lina: Alright....then...why don't we get over with.Naga steps back intimidated by Lina's tone.But she casts Freeze Arrows at Lina immediately.However, the arrows were deflected by the wind shield Lina put up.Naga's face freezes.Lina: Now...Lina smiles nastily...It's my turn!"Megabland!"Naga blown by the explosion, flies into the air and crashes facedown.  ^_^Lina: (Ah, she doesn't move....  Is that it?Then Naga's body twitches a bit.Lina: (Hey, she's still alive.)  ^_^Naga tries to stand...Naga: ...heh...you're pretty good.  You don't call yourself my rivalfor nothing!  ^_^  But you haven't defeated me!Lina: Aaaaargh, don't be a bad loser!   And you're the one whoclaimed to be my rival, not me!!Naga starts blasting everything around her.Lina dodges frantically.Then, the blasting stopped suddenly.When Lina looked around....she found Naga under a limb of a tree shehad blasted.  ^_^Lina: Say, are you still alive?Lina pokes Naga a few time.Naga looks up.She is muttering something.Lina: Say what?Lina puts her ear close to Nag's mouth.Naga: I'll fogive you this time...Lina bonked Naga's head.  ^_6Naga regained her consciousness in a doctor's house at some village.Lina: Are you alright?Naga: Lina....why?Lina: (...well, when I hit her head that time, she suddenly stoppedmoving, so I dragged her here in haste....but this is better keptsecret. )Lina: ...You won....that's the reason I helped you.Naga: ...huh...?I won?Lina: That's right...I submit to your fighting spirit.Naga: Does that mean....?Lina: Yes.Lina: The title of 'the strongest magic-user' is yours from now on.Naga:  Lina...Naga offers Lina her right hand, with tears in her eyes.  ^_6Lina took it firmly...Lina: (heh heh heh, here goes...)Lina: At last I found you, Naga the White serpent!Lina meets Naga a few days later in some other village.She had followed Naga secretly.Naga: Li-Lina?Lina smiles nastily.Lina: I came to win back the title of the strongest magic-uer whichyou took from me!  Now, let's fight!Naga's face stiffens.Naga: O-oh c-com'n!  That was....I don't want that anymore!!  Ican't take it anymore!!Lina: I don't care!Lina lifts her middle finger upward.Lina: (I wanted to have a role where I can chase someone all the+time!  That's why I told Naga I lost.)Naga: Oh no!!  Please forgive me!!END.--