Chapter 5 Part 27
Translator : PolterGlast
The moment Shīna saw
Nozomu rise from the rubble after he blew the burning hut away, She was
startled by Tiamat's immense power that suddenly strengthened, and Shīna's
field of vision was instantly dyed black.
"~...!"
As her field of vision
dimmed, a surge of storm-like power passed through her body. A burst of power
hit her which made her entire body feel like it was falling apart. The scariest
thing she felt from it was the hatred and condemnation towards the entire
world. Her whole body trembled and turned cold. As she felt the enormous
embodiment of death, she fell to the floor like a sinner begging for
forgiveness.
After a moment, her
pitch-black field of vision suddenly turned into blazing flames. The crimson
flames that spread out in front of her illuminated the already burnt buildings
and some things that were once humans lying around. It was definitely the sight
of Arcazam that Nozomu currently seeing.
"Ugh~!"
The smell of burning
flesh in her nose made her nauseous.
"T-this
is..."
Shīna tried to use
spirit magic to help Nozomu get out of the burning hut. However, because she
originally possessed the power to respond to spirits, and because she was
sensitive to the power emitted by Tiamat, she also caught a glimpse of what
Tiamat was showing Nozomu right now. She was taken aback by the sudden
occurrence, but at that moment she heard a man's voice in her ear.
"Everyone! Where
are you!!"
"No-zomu-kun?"
Shīna looked around in
search of the source of the voice. Then, she found him standing a little away
from her.
"Nozomu-kun!!"
Shīna raised her voice and headed for Nozomu. She kept running even though she was out of breath, the burning flames suffocating her. She could see his figure gradually growing bigger. Perhaps Nozomu sensed Shīna's presence approaching, he turned around and turned his gaze towards her. She felt relieved and softened her expression as Nozomu's eyes caught her.
"Nozomu-ku..."
"...So you want
to get in my way..."
However, Shīna's
expression froze in an instant due to the bloodlust released by Nozomu in the
next moment.
She didn't understand
why he was so hostile towards her.
(Why...)
When she reached out
her hand to reach him, she was at a loss for words after her own hand came into
her sight.
"......Eh?"
Her hands were covered
with shadows like the black demon beast.
She immediately
checked her body, and she was very surprised. Her entire body was covered with
the same shadow as her hands.
"...I don't have
much time. If you get in my way, I'll make you retreat by force!!"
Nozomu pointed his
katana toward Shīna.
At that moment, Shīna's
eyes caught a giant mountain-like shadow with six wings reflected in the shimmering
flames behind Nozomu.
"No way ..."
(... Elf, I'll use you
as nutrients for my resurrection.)
At the same time as
the voice of someone other than Nozomu echoed in her head, Nozomu moved towards
her. Seeing Nozomu's crimson eyes, her spine froze.
===============================================
On the other hand, in
reality, Nozomu was also glaring at Irisdina and the others with his crimson
eyes, releasing his bloodlust towards them.
"~!
Nozomu!!"
Irisdina's sorrowful
voice echoed in the air where sparks danced.
The worst-case
scenario came back to her mind. Her premonition that Nozomu might have been
swallowed by Tiamat pierced her heart. Her chest tightened and felt painful.
(That's impossible!)
She desperately raised
her voice and kept calling his name.
However, her voice
didn't reach the current Nozomu. What Nozomu saw was the revival of the
nightmare he had seen since he killed a dragon. Burning Arcazam and voices of
people calling for help. And humanoid shadows standing in front of him, and the
scent of death that enveloped him.
(I need to find
everyone as soon as possible!)
While being rushed by
such impatience, Nozomu was desperately trying to find his disappeared
companions in that hellish place.
"Oooooooooo!"
Nozomu glared at them
with his crimson eyes and moved with his legs.
Blood dripped from his
entire body without stopping, dyeing his entire body red. It was due to the
accumulation of the backlash from yesterday's and today's battles with the
Undead Dragon and the release of ability suppression. No matter how much damage
could be minimized, his body's limit was near. Still, Nozomu didn't stop.
Apparently, he couldn't see Irisdina and the others in front of him.
This makes sense. To
the current Nozomu, Irisdina and the others were not seen as irreplaceable
friends, but as humanoid shadows that stood in his way as he tried to find his
companions. Nozomu moved towards Irisdina. However, Irisdina couldn't move
because she was currently supporting Shīna's body.
"Kuh~!!"
Seeing Irisdina unable
to move, Mars used his greatsword and cut in between Nozomu and Irisdina.
However, Nozomu had activated [Phantom -Clad-] on his katana blade, and if Mars
received Nozomu's attack as is, his entire greatsword would be severed.
As long as he couldn't
take the attack head-on, he had no choice but to hit the side of Nozomu's
katana and divert his slash. Mars desperately tried to predict Nozomu's slash
direction.
"Get out of the
way!!"
However, Nozomu's
movement was too fast, exceeding Mars' expectations. Along with Nozomu's
scream, an explosive sound was heard again from Nozomu's feet, further
accelerating his speed.
"What~...!"
Nozomu closed the gap
with his instant acceleration. Mars' response was delayed as the distance to
the other party suddenly changed. And the current Nozomu wouldn't miss this
opportunity to launch his deadly attack. Nozomu's slash approached Mars' nape.
The moment when the blade was about to cut through Mars' neck.
"~!!"
*bang!*
A flash of lightning
exploded in the air with such a sound. Nozomu's katana was parried towards the
opposite direction in an instant for some reason. In the next moment, a single
shadow leaped towards Nozomu.
"Te~eiyaaaa!"
A knife was thrust in
together with a shout. The one who leaped in was Mimuru, one of the people who
had stopped the Undead Dragon earlier.
She saw Nozomu rushing
at Irisdina, and she immediately rushed following the thunderbolt that Feo
reflexively fired. Feo tried to get Nozomu's attention to help Irisdina and the
others who couldn't move.
For that reason,
Mimuru made herself stand out by shouting. Sure enough, her knife was easily
blocked by Nozomu. Nozomu's murderous crimson eyes were directed at Mimuru now.
"I-Irisdina-san!
Immediately, bring Shīna...a, uwa~!"
As her eyes met
Nozomu's murderous eyes, Mimuru seemed to back off on reflex.
Nozomu, who saw her
falter, tried to push her away at once.
Nozomu pushed her back
with his katana. The katana blade enveloped by [Phantom - Clad-] encroached into Mimuru's knife and tried to
slash the blade with her arm.
Mimuru let go of the
knife handle she held in her hand and took a distance in a hurry. The next
moment, her knife was cut in half by Nozomu's slash and fell to the ground.
Fortunately, Mimuru
was able to escape from Nozomu's attack range before her knife was cut.
However, Nozomu showed a pursuit stance.
Nozomu tried to
activate his [Instant Move] by stomping his legs.
However, in the
meantime, Mars, who had regained his posture, swung the greatsword from behind.
"Teyaaa!"
Mars aimed at the
belly of the katana so as not to hurt Nozomu, and Mars sent as much Qi as
possible into the greatsword and swung it downwards.
However, Mars' attack
was repelled by Nozomu's scabbard. Mars was taken aback when the attack that
looked like a casual blow sent shock into his arm. Nozomu turned around and
swung the scabbard down at Mars' head.
"Kuh!"
Forcibly suppressed
the numbness that ran down his arm. Mars quickly pulled back his greatsword and
placed it over his head. He filled his entire body with Qi, strengthened his
body to the limit, and tried to block Nozomu's scabbard.
"Gah~hhhh!!"
Even Mars' full
strength couldn't withstand Nozomu's slash from the front.
*Bam!!*
Along with a roaring
sound, Mars' arms were pressed down as if they were weighed down by a large
rock falling on him, and he knelt on the ground involuntarily.
"Th-this is too
heavy...!"
If Nozomu had swung
down the katana with [Phantom -Clad-] activated, Mars' body would have been cut
in half together with his greatsword.
But soon Nozomu swung
his katana again, trying to slash Mars, who was looking up while he knelt on
the ground.
"Ku~……
ga~a!"
Mars desperately tried
to escape Nozomu's attack range. However, he was pressed down from above by
Nozomu's scabbard and couldn't move. His arms alone couldn't withstand Nozomu's
strength, and his greatsword gradually dug into his shoulders.
Nozomu and Mars' eyes
crossed, and cold sweat ran down Mars' face as he looked into Nozomu's crimson
eyes. The katana that was swung is about to slash Mars.
At that time, Nozomu's
eyes trembled, for some reason, the power holding down Mars weakened for a
moment.
"~!... Ooo!"
In that short gap,
Mars pushed Nozomu with all the strength he put on his legs.
"Mars-kun!"
Next, Tima released
[Driving Mass of Wind] from the side to help Mars.
The mass of wind moved
like wild beasts running across the ground's surface.
Nozomu who saw the
scene quickly jumped back. He immediately cut the orbit of the wind mass
approaching him and avoided the wind with minimum movement. Nozomu, who avoided
the mass of wind, immediately ran as soon as he landed, and dashed towards
Tima, who had just launched an attack.
"~!"
Tima reflexively
swallowed her breath due to Nozomu's piercing gaze and bloodlust. In such a
feeling of tension, she tried to activate [Sharp Rock Dance]. A huge rock spear
gradually formed in the air.
However, Nozomu
quickly traversed the distance. He tried to reach her with his katana before
Tima completed her chant.
"Uuu......!"
Tima was startled by
Nozomu who was heading towards him at an unusual speed. The control of the
magic she was trying to cast became unstable, and the rock spear that was still
forming in the air stopped.
However, even if she
continued to chant, she couldn't make it in time. Nozomu was already swinging
the katana in his hand. Originally, Tima who could barely do close combat had
no way of escaping from Nozomu's slash.
Judging that the
humanoid shadow was an enemy that should be defeated immediately, he pointed
his katana at Tima and swung his katana down.
"~!!"
"Eh?"
However, Nozomu's
appearance changed again. Nozomu stared at Tima's face for a moment. Along with
that, the trajectory of the katana he was trying to swing slightly deviated,
and for some reason, the katana just grazed Tima's cheek. Nozomu missed the
chance to kill her. At that moment, silence filled the place.
=============================
Nozomu missed his
chance to defeat the humanoid shadow. He was confused. He didn't even know the
reason himself.
"……Take
this!"
He flipped the katana
he had swung upwards and tried to slash at the humanoid shadow in front of him
again. A half-finished rock spear could be seen beside this humanoid shadow. A
huge rock spear that was still not fully formed, but it was already gigantic
enough. Considering its size, the magical quality of this humanoid shadow was
definitely comparable to an S rank.
No matter how much the
ability suppression was released, this humanoid shadow's magic could not be
ignored. Moreover, his blood continued to drip. The wound that had been closed
had now reopened, and the amount of bleeding increased over time. The severe pain
that engulfed his entire body could no longer be felt, and instead, a numb
sensation covered his entire body.
(I don't have much
time left. I need to find everyone quickly...)
While thinking so, he
swung his katana upwards.
However, he felt a
sense of incongruity again in his head. While having such thoughts, his katana
that was swung upwards only passed through the tip of the nose of the humanoid
shadow.
Meanwhile, the mouth
of the humanoid shadow in front of him moved as if chanting a spell. In the next
moment, the half-finished rock spear exploded and a myriad of rock shards
attacked him.
"Kuh~!!"
Nozomu jumped sideways
to dodge the large number of rock shards that attacked him at close range.
However, the gap gave the previous humanoid shadow a chance to retreat.
Furthermore, a shadow with staff in its hand attacked this time to replace the
previous one. If Nozomu continued his assault, he would miss the timing. But,
on the contrary, he was still trying to head towards the retreating shadow. But
the moment he focused his Qi on his leg and activated his [Instant Move], the
staff-wielding humanoid shadow was throwing something. Coupled with his own
accelerated speed, something was approaching in front of him at high speed. It
was a throwing dagger.
"Tch!"
Nozomu immediately
dodged the thrown knife with his [Instant Move -Curve Dance-]. The moment he
tried to slash the staff-wielding humanoid shadow with the same momentum, a
wall of sand emerged from the ground in front of him. It was the [Castle Wall built
on Sand] magic that created a barrier made of sand. Probably it was the magic
of the humanoid shadow that retreated earlier.
"Haa!!"
Nozomu swung his
katana enveloped in [Phantom - Clad-] towards the sand wall that appeared in
front of him. The [Castle Wall built on Sand], which was a wall made of sand,
was torn apart in one slash in front of Nozomu's katana slash. However, it soon
returned to its original state.
Then, he backed away
and took some distance. He held his katana and took an archery-like stance. He
slammed his katana blade with his extremely compressed Qi and turned it into a
shining blade He took aim. The aim was the center of the sand wall. He intended
to destroy the humanoid shadows hiding behind the wall with the Qi technique
[Core Piercing].
Qi that was compressed
to the limit would easily penetrate the walls made of sand. Countless exploding
blades would slash through the humanoid shadows hiding behind the sand walls
and turn them into a fine dust.
Nozomu tried to take a
step forward, ignoring the fact that both of his legs were spewing blood.
However, the moment when Nozomu was about to start running.
"~, gah!!"
This time he was
electrocuted and felt a thunder-like sensation run through his head. Nozomu's
body staggered. He was still able to move his legs forward, but then something
approached from behind with incredible speed.
"Kuh!!"
Nozomu turned around
and swung his katana intuitively. The katana he swung managed to deflect the
thrusting greatsword as it let out a high-pitched sound. It was the
greatsword-wielding humanoid shadow that rushed in. Perhaps because the
momentum was too strong, it passed through Nozomu's side and his back was left
exposed.
"Give me bre-...!
Kuhh!!"
Nozomu tried to slash
at the greatsword-wielding humanoid shadow's unprotected back, but once again,
the sensation of being electrocuted hit Nozomu's head.
"~! This is
nothing!!"
Ignoring the headache
that kept running through his head, Nozomu tried to launch another slash, but
the humanoid shadow managed to dodge and escape from Nozomu's attack range.
Nozomu's slash cut through the empty air without reaching the humanoid shadow's
body.
Furthermore, a
gigantic rock spear was launched into the sky from within the sand wall in
front of him.
The [Sharp Rock Dance]
that was launched into the sky fell towards Nozomu parabolically due to
gravity.
Nozomu tried to
quickly escape from the place with his legs, but this time, he noticed that the
ground beneath his feet glowed blue, and a bolt of lightning struck him through
the ground's surface.
"~!!"
The numbness that ran
all over his body deprived Nozomu of his freedom for a moment. Nozomu thought
something was wrong, so he looked around. A staff-wielding humanoid shadow was
slamming a talisman on the ground with its hand. The numbness that attacked
Nozomu earlier was probably due to some kind of talisman technique.
In the meantime, the
falling [Sharp Rock Dance] exploded. It became a countless number of rock
spears and attacked Nozomu.
"Kuh~!!"
Nozomu decided that it
was no longer possible to escape from the rock spears that fell like heavy
rain. He sent his Qi into his katana and scabbard, which he held like a dual
sword, and confronted the oncoming cluster of rock spears that were falling
down towards him.
"Oooooo!"
A katana and scabbard
swung at a speed that couldn't be followed by the eyes. The brilliant traces of
Qi infused into it ran endlessly in the air, repelling countless rock spears
that fell like walls falling from the sky.
However, Nozomu's body
was already nearing its limit. His movements gradually slowed down, and it was
impossible to repel all the rock spears that fell towards him. The rock spear
that slipped through his slash hit his body.
"~!!
Aaaaa!!"
With such a loud shout
of fighting spirit, Nozomu activated [One Billion Severance] from both the
katana and the scabbard in his hand at the same time. Countless blades crushed
all the approaching rock spears.
Nozomu further
continued to send his Qi into his katana and scabbard, and continuously
released [One Billion Severance] towards the rock spears. Katana and scabbard that swung at high speed,
and a myriad of blades that released from it, combined and developed into an
offensive barrier with terrifying power. All the rock spears that touched the
blades turned to dust.
However, the
continuous use of Qi further burdened Nozomu's body. The sound of his muscles
tearing could be heard by his ears.
His heart was beating
so fast that it nearly exploded, pumping excess blood throughout his body.
The blood that had
accumulated in the capillaries of his eyes filled his field of vision in red
and combined with the red color of the blazing flames, the scene before him was
dyed black.
Eventually, the rock
spears that fell like an avalanche disappeared.
Perhaps because the
countless rock spears were crushed, smoke was billowing around Nozomu.
"Haa, haa, haa
..."
Nozomu kept breathing
roughly. His breathing was more turbulent than ever. The limits of his body due
to the release of ability suppression caused constant headaches and it further
drained his mind and body significantly. He tried to calm his breathing, but a
humanoid shadow broke through the smoke and attacked him.
Nozomu swung his
katana to fend off the opponent's weapon that was attacking him. Since Nozomu
handled countless rock spears earlier, his body limit was near. Nozomu thought
it was still possible for him to defeat the humanoid shadow in front of him.
However, the exchange between Nozomu and that humanoid shadow… still continued.
"Haa, haa ...
!!"
As he clenched his
teeth and endured the pain running through his head, Nozomu felt a fierce sense
of discomfort within himself.
(Why do I feel so
hesitant about slashing at these humanoid shadows….)
A headache that never
went away.
A feeling of
resistance and discomfort that can't be erased.
If he were to activate
his [Phantom - Clad-] while slashing at the humanoid shadows, he should be able
to kill them easily, but for some reason, the current him hesitated to use Qi
on his katana.
Something didn't feel
right. The questions that popped up in his head grew further at an accelerating
pace.
The flash of his
katana trembled, and he couldn't control his slashing strength.
(Why, why, why...)
Nozomu kept swinging
his katana without finding an answer. The two humanoid shadows joined hands and
combined their attacks. Three weapons interlocked at the same time, and it
became a fierce battle. However, at that moment, Nozomu saw a humanoid shadow
standing at the edge of his field of vision.
The humanoid shadow
had not attacked him so far, so he left it alone, but apparently, this humanoid
shadow was also going to participate in the fight.
The humanoid shadow
slowly wielded its weapon. It had a rapier in its hand. The rapier shone
brightly, reflecting the blazing fire.
"~!!"
At that time, he had
an unprecedented headache. The rapier-wielding humanoid shadow in front of him.
It had a slender outline that is so feminine and something flowed on its back
like long hair fluttering in the wind.
"U-uu……!"
While holding his
head, Nozomu's field of vision became blurry due to the headache that kept
coming like a sandstorm. At that moment, the humanoid shadows in front of him
suddenly retreated. The rapier-wielding humanoid shadow rushed towards him as
if to take their place. While watching its figure, Nozomu was still able to
hold his katana.
Within his raging
field of vision, Nozomu felt the discomfort he had felt since earlier spread
explosively inside his head.
======================================
"Nozomu! Stop
it!! Can't you recognize us!"
Irisdina cried while
supporting Shīna's trembling body beside her.
(Even though it was
just a little bit more …….)
She thought that they
would be able to reveal their true intentions and feelings that they had hidden
from each other, make up for it, and walk side by side again…
Sadness and regret
brought tears to her eyes.
As he had said before,
there was an existence different from himself within him.
She thought Nozomu had
been swallowed up by Tiamat, a legendary existence on this Arkmill Continent.
She couldn't stop
crying when she saw him pointing his blade at the people who wanted to be
friends again with him.
(Why is this happening
…….)
Nozomu unilaterally
hunted down Mars and the others. Although anger arose due to the unreasonable
reality, Irisdina could only bite her lips while crying. However, at that moment, Nozomu's blade
barely grazed Mars and the others...
"...Did what we
said reach him?"
At that moment, a
question popped up in Irisdina's head.
"...Why? Nozomu's
blade didn't hit Mars-kun and the others?"
Nozomu is in the state
of releasing ability suppression. And in that state, he can overwhelm Rugato
before. At the very least, what Nozomu was currently using was undoubtedly his
katana technique.
If Nozomu's will
disappeared and was replaced by Tiamat's will, it was unlikely that Tiamat, who
was originally a dragon, would be able to use the swordsmanship used by humans.
That's not all. If
Nozomu was swallowed up by Tiamat's will and completely dominated, at least one
of those who fought him now would have been killed.
Irisdina carefully
watched Nozomu's fight.
Nozomu's two
consecutive attacks on Tima cut through the empty air, and even when he tried
to cut the back of the rushing Mars, his katana didn't hit Mars. Despite the
power gap, his blade couldn't hit Tima's body.
"...
Perhaps"
One hypothesis came
into Irisdina's mind. When she tried to get up to ascertain it herself, she
felt her arm was being pulled hard.
"Haa, haa...
I-Irisdina-san..."
It was Shīna, who was
by her side, who pulled her arm. While staring at Irisdina, she was sweating
profusely and breathing wildly.
"~! Shīna-kun!
Are you alright!?"
"Y-yes. I'm
alright... I just got hit by a bit of Tiamat's power... And more importantly,
right now Nozomu is trapped in an illusion created by Tiamat..."
Irisdina supported and
helped Shīna who was about to stand up.
However, she frowned
at Shīna's sudden words.
"Illusion
..."
"Yes, within the
illusion, Arcazam has collapsed and we disappeared. He is now desperately
trying to find us in the burning Arcazam..."
Shīna saw the battle
unfolding in front of her.
Nozomu used the katana
and scabbard in his hand to repel the myriad of rock spears that had poured
into him.
Shīna was originally a
girl who had the extraordinary ability to connect with spirits. At the same
time, because of that ability, she was exposed to Tiamat's power. She caught a
glimpse of what Tiamat showed Nozomu, albeit in fragments.
Nozomu's uniform was
dyed bright red with blood pouring out of his body, and blood clots formed at
his legs.
"Now we can only
be seen as obstacles standing in front of his eyes. Our appearances look like
shadow beasts, and our calls are also interrupted. He couldn't hear us..."
The current Nozomu's
body is so full of wounds that it is difficult to find a place where he isn't
injured. At this rate, he would definitely die.
"Tiamat's purpose
is probably to resurrect itself... For that reason, it is trying to destroy
Nozomu, along with the chains that currently bind it. Both mentally and
physically..."
If Nozomu were to be
killed, the chains that bind Tiamat will also disappear. Perhaps Tiamat was
trying to destroy his spirit by making Nozomu kill his friends with his own
hands. If that were to happen, it wouldn't be difficult to kill Nozomu who had
fallen into despair.
Perhaps he would
continue to use his powers with anger and hatred until he died, or he would
commit suicide.
Irisdina once again
stared at Nozomu, who was trying to point his blade at them. Certainly, as Shīna
said, that was Tiamat's aim. But when Irisdina heard Shīna, she still wondered
if she could do something about it.
"...Shīna-kun. He
hasn't been completely swallowed up by Tiamat, but he can't see us. In that
case, Mars and the others who fight him won't be safe."
“…………”
While listening to Shīna's
impatient voice, Irisdina told Shīna about the doubts that she just felt.
"Also, there's
some hesitation in his slash since earlier. Maybe we can still make it in
time..."
Unlike when fighting
the Undead Dragon, Nozomu's movements seemed to be hesitating. If he hesitated
even when Tiamat showed him an illusion, that hesitation might be a factor that
could break through the current situation. The question is how to get rid of
Tiamat's illusion.
"……What should we
do then?"
"...We should
call out to him"
Irisdina returned a
very simple answer.
"That's not
possible..."
However, their call
couldn't reach Nozomu. That alone rendered that option meaningless.
Irisdina herself
understood that, and she nodded obediently to Shīna's words.
"I know. Even so,
we should somehow deliver a word to him ..."
Even so, she still
told Shīna her intention to deliver words to Nozomu once again. Hearing
Irisdina's words, Shīna put her hand on her chin with a difficult expression.
She was pondering for a while, but she eventually faced Iridina and opened her
mouth as if she had decided something.
"... I
understand. I'll do something about it."
Shīna puffed out her
chest and proudly declared so.
Looking at Shīna's
face approaching hers, Irisdina asked a question.
"What on earth
are you doing?"
What spread out in
front of Irisdina's eyes, who spoke about her doubts, was Shīna's face.
"……Eh?"
"N~..."
A soft touch
transmitted to her lips. Magical power flowed into Irisdina's body along with a
rusty iron-like taste on her tongue. The slimy sensation that invade her mouth
made Irisdina reflexively leak a shocked voice.
"W, wh, what are
you doing all of a sudden...!"
After she regained her
consciousness, Irisdina instinctively yelled and distanced herself from Shīna's
body. Both Irisdina and Shīna had bright red faces and their bodies trembled.
"D-don't get me
wrong! There is a reason to it!"
"Wha~,
reason?..."
(Y-you can hear me,
right?)
Shīna shouted as if
coming up with an excuse. Irisdina listened to it involuntarily, but at that
moment, Shīna's voice echoed in her head.
(W-what is this?)
(I-I made a simple
contract between you and me. I will become the bridge between you and him, so
take this opportunity to call him out.)
(I-I see...)
It was a spirit
contract executed by Shīna, the elf.
Originally, she used
contract magic to share her magical power with spirits and made a contract to
cast spirit magic.
However, because the
other party was human this time, she made a contract by kissing and exchanging
magical power through blood.
Moreover, since she
had not yet made a formal contract, the effects would not last long, especially
for beings who had a clear ego like humans and had low relations with spirits.
The only thing that can be used by forming contracts with humans was telepathy
which conveyed one's will to the other party.
(And I don't know how
strong Tiamat's illusion is. I'll try to increase the power of telepathy with
magical powers, but the probability of breaking through the illusion with just
our calls is… Sorry to say this but I think it's low.)
(I see……)
It was a fact.
According to Nozomu's story, dreams seem to have been the main means of
interference, but this time, Tiamat probably entrapped Nozomu in illusions by
taking advantage of the release of ability suppression. Since the opponent was
a legendary creature, they didn't know how much they could interfere with
Tiamat's illusion. That was almost impossible. Even so...
"But, if it's
him, I think he can do it. I believe him"
Clearly speaking so,
Irisdina looked straight at Nozomu. Probably Tiamat hadn't been able to
interfere with Nozomu. That was why Tiamat resorted to interfering in a vague
way by using illusions.
From Nozomu's
behavior, he seemed to hesitate to swing his katana seriously. If they were
able to call out to him and disturb the illusion from inside and outside...
maybe it's possible...
After exchanging words
and confirming each other's intentions, they began to act to fulfill their
respective roles.
"...Alright,
then, we'll go as we planned"
"I
understand."
In front of their
eyes, Nozomu, Mars, and Feo fought as their weapons intertwined. Irisdina took
a step towards the battlefield.
"Mars-kun,
Feo-kun, leave the rest to us."
"Wha~! Are you
serious!?"
"Yes, we are
serious"
Mars, who was
confronting Nozomu, let out a surprised voice.
Irisdina pulled the
rapier on her waist and spread magic power throughout her body. Align the tip
of the rapier with her eyes and stare at Nozomu's eyes from the front.
"~!!"
As Nozomu and
Irisdina's eyes crossed, Nozomu clutched his head in pain.
"~! Back off!
Better leave this to the two of us!"
"... Alright!
Irisdina, I'll leave Nozomu to you!!"
Nozomu showed more
agitated behavior than before. After seeing the situation, Mars and Feo
immediately decided to entrust Nozomu to Irisdina and Shīna. They temporarily
retreated and joined Tima and the others.
The moment she saw
Nozomu holding his head and groaning, Irisdina immediately took advantage of
her immediate deployment and moved straight toward Nozomu, while enveloping her
own body with strengthening magic. Shīna was a few steps behind Irisdina
waiting for her opportunity to come.
(As I thought, Nozomu
hasn't been completely swallowed yet!”
With those words in
her heart, Irisdina launched a piercing strike at Nozomu.
"Sei!"
Nozomu swung his
katana while holding his aching head towards the approaching rapier. The attack
was parried by Nozomu's katana. He counterattacked with a reverse slash.
Despite using only one hand, the slash was still able to approach Irisdina's
torse with enough force to bisect her.
However, just before
the katana reached her body, Nozomu's face stiffened and the slash was clearly
shaken.
In the meantime,
Irisdina lowered her posture and dodged Nozomu's attack.
"Haa~!"
Nozomu's slash passed
over her head. It cut and scattered some of Irisdina's hair. She bounced her
knees like a spring and pushed forward towards Nozomu with a jump. Nozomu took
a step back, twisted his body, and swung his katana. A high-pitched metallic
sound resounded once more. Two people collided with each other while scattering
sparks and rebounding in the opposite direction.
Nozomu was the one who
regained his posture first.
"~!!"
In an attempt to
counterattack, Nozomu shot his katana at Irisdina. However, just before his
slash hit her body, the speed of his katana slowed down.
"Seyaa!"
Irisdina placed her
rapier between Nozomu's katana and her own body and parried Nozomu's attack.
Obviously, Nozomu's attacks weren't strong, and Irisdina could sense his
hesitation through his attacks. Although Nozomu outperformed her physical
strength and swordsmanship, every time Irisdina was in a dire situation,
Nozomu's attacks always dulled before reaching her body.
"Ha, hah,
hah..."
However, Irisdina was
also exhausted. Even if she knew that his attacks would be dulled just like
before, it couldn't be helped if she still felt extremely tense.
Following the number
of slashes she parried, a large amount of sweat trickled down Irisdina's
forehead. It showed how severe her
current situation is.
(I don't want to give
up……!)
Even so, she didn't
want to give up. Irisdina didn't have the slightest intention of giving up on
Nozomu. What returned to her mind was the bright smile Nozomu showed when he
tried to confess his thoughts.
At that moment, she
finally felt that she could communicate with him. Nozomu was swaying between
his desire to be accepted and his anxiety that he might be rejected.
(Once again, with
everyone...)
Nozomu was about to
confess his thoughts and feelings again. However, Tiamat was using Nozomu's
feelings for its own advantage. That's why Irisdina couldn't forgive Tiamat.
"Nozomu! Can you
hear me!"
(I have to get him
back no matter what!)
With such
determination, Irisdina raised her voice and called out Nozomu's name.
"Is this what you
had been hiding from us? I see, it's certainly powerful! In front of this
power, our strength may look inferior to that of a puppy!"
Irisdina, who stepped
forward, thrust her rapier as she charged at Nozomu with her feelings.
"But, you are... kuh~"
However, her rapier
was easily blocked by Nozomu's katana, and an immediate counterattack was
approached her body. As expected, Nozomu's movement lacked its brilliance just
before it reached Irisdina, and Irisdina managed to block it with her rapier.
Their weapons were interlocked with each other. The two of them were so close
that they could feel each other's breath. Irisdina's jet-black eyes projected
inside Nozomu's crimson eyes. Nozomu's eyes trembled.
"Nozomu!!"
"~!!"
The voice of his
friend calling his name echoed right in front of him. Even if the current him
couldn't hear her voice, at that moment, Nozomu stepped back, perhaps because
her words shook his heart.
"Now!"
Shīna's voice echoed
behind Irisdina.
She ran straight at
Nozomu with all her might.
Shīna moved and leaped
at Nozomu. Nozomu tried to confront Shīna, who leaped at him, but Irisdina put
more power into her weapon and blocked Nozomu's movement.
"Uuu...."
Nozomu, whose heart
was still in shock, couldn't push Irisdina back.
Shīna jumped towards
Nozomu's neck and pressed her lips against Nozomu's lips.
"Nn~!"
"~!!"
"U~..."
Nozomu's eyes widened
in amazement. Shīna's aim was to use a simple contract to send Irisdina's voice
straight to Nozomu's heart.
She didn't know how
far Tiamat's illusions affected him, but since he was hesitant to swing his
katana at his friends, she decided that Nozomu's heart hadn't been swallowed by
Tiamat yet.
The problem was
whether Shīna, who would act as the medium, could make a simple contract with
Nozomu this time...
"Haaa!?"
"Ehh!?"
"A-ara..."
"Shi-Shīna-kun!
What are you doing...!"
The others who were
not informed of anything were taken aback by the scene that suddenly unfolded
before them. It made sense that they would be surprised if such a kissing scene
at such a time was shown in front of them, and of course, she did this for some
reason……
"The simple
contract is a success! Now he can hear your words through me! Tiamat's
influence is so strong that I can't keep it for long! So hurry up...
kyaa!!"
"Kuh~!"
The moment Shīna
released her lips and spoke to Irisdina, she was released from Nozomu's body
due to an explosion. Shīna and Irisdina were blown away by the Qi released from
Nozomu's body, but they managed to kill the momentum by rolling on the ground
and immediately stood up.
On the other hand, the
appearance of Nozomu who had blown up the two of them had clearly changed. He
swayed while holding his head, and his eyes were out of focus. Every time his
eyes blinked, his eyes were switched back and forth from crimson to black.
Not much time left.
According to Shīna's words, the time for her to send telepathy to Nozomu was
limited.
"I……!"
Irisdina desperately
racked her thoughts for words.
(What should I say?
Something that could bring him back?)
Nozomu who staggered
in front of her tried to wield his katana again, but in such an emergency,
Irisdina's head went blank and no words came out. Nozomu's eyes were directed
at Irisdina. His gaze, which had turned back and forth between crimson to
black, began to emit bloodlust once again.
"I...!!"
Still, her mind was
blank and nothing come to mind.
(I don't have much
time!)
"I want you to be
by my side"
(I have to tell him
anyway!)
The words she spoke
were her true feelings and desires.
"I want to
protect your back! I also want you to protect mine!!"
It was the scene she
had hoped for. She wanted to protect his back and she wanted him to protect her
back. Back-to-back protecting each other. But as soon as she put her wish into
words, her feeling suddenly swelled up rapidly.
*Ba-dump, ba-dump*
Her heartbeat inside
her chest suddenly could be heard, and the words that escaped from her lips
were her true feelings.
"That's
why……"
The pain running
through Nozomu's head reached its climax, and with a *Snap!* sound, cracks
appeared in his burning field of vision.
"~ ... U-a~,
~!"
"Please come
back! Stay by our side!!"
"U-uu...
oooo!"
Nozomu moved towards
Irisdina as he couldn't stand the pain. Nozomu rushed at Irisdina with Qi
enveloping his entire body while holding a katana in his right hand.
"Nozomu!!"
Nozomu rushed over and
tried to slash Irisdina. The moment Irisdina shouted Nozomu's name, cracks
appeared on the humanoid shadow reflected in front of him, and parts of the
shadow's body peeled off. Jet-black eyes peeked through the peeled gap.
"~!!"
The moment he received
her gaze, Irisdina's figure appeared in
Nozomu's mind.
Her jet-black hair
swayed down her back, her white skin was like fresh snow, and her dignified,
jewel-like eyes called out to Nozomu to "come back."
(Then, these humanoid
shadows are...)
Nozomu noticed who he
was pointing his katana at now. The next moment, the sound of water droplets
falling on the surface of the water echoed in his head, and countless cracks
ran through the burning Arcazam. Cracks that spread rapidly filled Nozomu's
field of vision like ripples and the burning Arcazam in his vision was
destroyed with a cracking sound. The next moment, what appeared in Nozomu's
eyes was the sight of his katana approaching Irisdina's neck.
"This is
bad……!"
Nozomu hastily
reactivated his ability suppression on his body. Invisible chains entangle
Nozomu's body, trapping Tiamat's power and trying to contain its power back.
However, as his Ability Suppression shut down Nozomu's power, his body, which
had already moved, cannot be stopped halfway. Following the momentum of
inertia, Nozomu's body moved forward, and his blade tried to steal Irisdina's
life by slashing her neck.
"Aaaaaaaa!"
Nozomu stretched out
his left hand. He tried to prevent his slash by catching it with his own hands.
However, his hand only caught empty air.
"Nozomu-kun!
Irisdina-san!!"
Shīna's scream
resounded.
In the end, Nozomu
couldn't stop the momentum of his body, and the two bodies collided and were
thrown to the ground.
===============================
In her faint
consciousness, Irisdina woke up due to the weight on her entire body and the
sensation of something warm hitting her cheeks.
Perhaps she hit her
head while being pushed down by Nozomu, her vision was blurry and unclear.
"U-umm......"
Her eyes opened as she
groaned. What her eyes saw was blood dripping from Nozomu's blood-soaked face.
Nozomu's body was on top of Irisdina's body. And Nozomu's katana stuck in the
ground right beside Irisdina's neck. Nozomu's thrust katana pierced his own
left arm, thanks to that, his katana was deviated and did not penetrate
Irisdina's body.
"Uuu...."
"No-zomu..."
His face was right in
front of her. His eyes were no longer dyed crimson. It was his usual normal
face. However, his eyes were shaking irregularly, and his left arm that was
pierced by his own katana also quivered.
"I ... I
..."
"Nozomu ..."
Realizing what he was
about to do now, Nozomu's expression turned blue.
Nozomu, who was facing
Irisdina up close, gradually became more aware, and the voice calling his name
gradually became clearer.
"I... to everyone
... this time..."
Nozomu was frightened
by the fear that his own power would be running wild and hurt his friends. The
feelings of anxiety that struck him now were immeasurable. In fact, his body
was trembling like never before, and his complexion was so bad that his face
looked like a dead person.
Facing such Nozomu,
Irisdina was …….
"Nozomu!!"
"I,
I-ris..."
She shouted his name
and snuggled against his chest.
"Are you okay!?
Do you understand us!?"
Irisdina leaped up,
put her hand on Nozomu's shoulder which was covered in blood, and looked
straight into his eyes while keeping the body in close contact without worrying
that her whole body was wet with blood. She was just worried about Nozomu.
"Iris ... I
am..."
Suddenly being hugged,
Nozomu was shocked and forgot the anxieties that were starting to arise in his
heart.
"I thought you
were going to leave me. I was so scared you wouldn't come back to us
again..."
The anxiety and relief
that came out of Irisdina's mouth echoed in Nozomu's ears. Perhaps she was
relieved that Nozomu's consciousness had returned, her body leaning against
Nozomu as if she had lost her strength.
Tears continued to
flow from her eyes, fell onto Nozomu's bright red clothes, and soaked his
shoulders with a different warmth from the blood that was pouring out.
"But you came
back to us. I'm glad. I'm really glad..."
"Iris..."
Her voice wasn't loud
at all. But Nozomu couldn't say anything and felt her weight on his shoulders.
Irisdina always showed her dignified appearance and had always been many
people's goal. She is a noble girl who always walks in front without being
overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the household she was born into. But
now, the girl who was crying in front of Nozomu didn't have that kind of
nobility. But the current Nozomu was taken aback by the appearance she showed
him.
"Nozomu-kun
!!"
"Shīna ..."
Nozomu had just
received Irisdina crying in his chest, but then he turned his gaze towards the
voice calling his name, he could see Shīna rushing towards them. She came to
Nozomu and Irisdina's side, knelt down, put her hands on Nozomu's cheek, and
looked straight at his face like Irisdina did.
"Are you
alright!? Is your consciousness clear!?"
Shīna anxiously waved
her hand in front of Nozomu and touched his body to see the wound. She stroked
Nozomu's body without stopping with her thin white hands. When Nozomu saw her
face, there was blood all over her. Irisdina's body that was hugging him was
also dyed bright red.
"Everyone ... is
injured ..."
"I'm not. This is
your blood."
Nozomu muttered in
shock because he thought he had hurt them. A sense of regret and remorse welled
up in his chest.
However, Shīna held
Nozomu's face in her hands and turned his gaze towards her, and she spoke so
straight in front of his face.
"You didn't hurt
anyone. You were caught in the illusion created by Tiamat, but your attacks
never reached us even once."
"Didn't...
reach?"
She nodded slowly but
clearly, to Nozomu, who listened back to Shīna with a surprised expression.
"Yes. You
protected us from Tiamat. The proof is that everyone here is still able to
stand on their feet, right?"
Nozomu's eyes are
directed toward Mars and the others who can be seen behind Shīna. Although all
of their appearance walking towards him seemed to be tired, everyone was still
able to walk firmly.
Nozomu's eyes were
directed at Mars and the others who could be seen behind Shīna. Even though all
their appearances were walking towards him looking tired, everyone was still
able to walk steadily.
"Everyone... are
they safe?"
"Yes, everyone is
alright. We're alive and here by your side."
"I'm glad.
Everyone is alive ..."
When he found out that
everyone was still alive, Nozomu smiled in relief. However, his smile soon
became cloudy.
"... But I
was"
Nozomu was still
concerned that, for whatever reason, he pointed his blade toward Irisdina and
the others. For Nozomu, who was most afraid to hurt his friends with his own
hands, it was enough to remind him that his anxiety would become a reality if
he wasn't careful.
Shīna put her hands on
Nozomu's shivering cheek and turned his face towards her.
"You didn't hurt
us when you were controlled by Tiamat's illusion. You might have pointed your
weapon at us, but you were unknowingly still resisting being manipulated. So
please. Don't blame yourself so much ..."
Perhaps Irisdina had
the same feelings as Shīna, she nodded with her face still buried in Nozomu's
chest. When Nozomu turned to Shīna, she was staring straight at Nozomu. Her
eyes stared at him as if telling him that her words were sincere. However,
Nozomu's expression was still not good.
"But I... I
was..."
Even after hearing Shīna's
words, Nozomu couldn't keep looking straight at her eyes. Although the worst
situation did not occur, the fact that he pointed his weapon at Irisdina and
the others could not be cast aside, and it remained as a wedge in the depth of
Nozomu's chest.
"Nozomu! Are you
okay!?"
"Nozomu-sa~n!
Ane-sama~! Are you two alright?!"
"Norn~! Hurry,
treat Nozomu's injuries~!!"
"I know! I know,
so please don't pull me so hard!"
Although Mars and the
others came surrounding Nozomu and Irisdina, Nozomu still looked down and can't
raise his face.
"Nozomu-kun, let
me see your injuries ..."
"~ ..."
"a ……"
Anri reached out for
him and tried to heal Nozomu's wounds, but Nozomu reflexively stepped back. The
indescribable silence filled the place.
Nozomu put his right
hand on Irisdina's shoulder and gently tried to release the hug. It was like
dealing with treasures that he shouldn't touch.
However, Irisdina did
not let go of Nozomu's body but instead stared at Nozomu with her eyes filled
with tears. Nozomu tried to pull her apart several times, but each time he did,
Irisdina's eyes glared at him.
Even so, he still
tried to pull Irisdina apart. He couldn't even turn his face towards Irisdina,
who was glaring at him, and he just kept silent.
"Hey, Nozomu. Are
we ..."
Mars couldn't stand to
see Nozomu's painful behavior and tried to call him out. However, at that
moment, a pure white light wrapped around the area.
======================================
"... I see, the
worst-case scenario didn't happen. However, no matter how much the elf helped,
it was almost impossible to break through Tiamat's interference in such a short
amount of time."
The voice of someone
wearing a hood resounded in the darkness.
The complex and
mysterious magic formations still shone under his feet, and the ball of light
floating in the air reflected the figures of Irisdina and Shīna embracing
Nozomu.
"But that doesn't
make sense. In his current state, Tiamat's resurrection is only a matter of
time."
Within the projected
ball of light, Nozomu dyed his face dark blue and trembled. Obviously, he was
mentally unstable as he blamed himself for what happened.
"Then, do I need
to make another move? Originally, this move is to counter Tiamat, but let's use
this to test the vessel instead."
The hooded person
touched the magic formations under his feet. A number of complex and mysterious
magic formations disappeared one by one, and every time the magic formations
disappeared, they began to be drawn under the corpse of the Undead Dragon that
was projected in a ball of light.
Eventually, when all
the magic formations under the hooded person disappeared, the magic formations
surrounding the Undead Dragon shone all at once.
"Well then, the
current you can't beat this guy without Tiamat's power. Will you fight this guy
without using Tiamat's power? Or will you be swallowed up by Tiamat? Or will
you stand up once again ..."
As the magic formation
surrounding the Undead Dragon shone all at once, the dragon's body collapsed
like a sand sculpture blown by the wind. Amputated legs and tail, severed neck,
slashed torso and protruding internal organs. Everything disappeared and became
grains of sand, leaving only a ball of white light shining in its place.
Only the soul of the
Undead Dragon, in the form of a ball with a light that glittered like the flame
of a candle, was left behind.
The magic formations
moved again.
The surrounding magic
formations gathered and merged together. The magic formations overlayed each
other and began to emit particles of light. Eventually, the particles of light gathered together, and
contrary to the previous state, a colossal statue was created with the soul of
the Undead Dragon as its core.
The hard surface of
the statue glowed in white. A body made of metal, not a biological one. On its
back, its wings were not like those of dragon's wings, but bird's wings, its
feathers are like a bunch of swords made by a master craftsman. Its neck was
also covered with metal in white color like the torso, and its eyeballs glowed
blue like the blue sky.
"Kiiyaaaa!"
A Metal Dragon that
imitated the appearance of the Undead Dragon made its first scream. The roar
was like the sound of metal rubbing against each other.
"... Probably
this will be an omen. The rest depends on your choice. Choose your favorite
one."
The Metal Dragon spread its wings on its back and its eyes locked on the target. Beyond its line
of sight was Nozomu. Once again, the Metal Dragon roared and flew into the
sky.