Chapter 7 Part 23
Translator : PolterGlast
“No way… Such a thing happened to him…”
After
receiving treatment from Zonne, Tom, and Somia, Lisa was told the general
situation by the three of them who had treated her.
It
would be more accurate to say that the three of them had no other choice but to
tell her.
Lisa
had been healed of her wounds by Zonne's arcane magic, but now that she had
recovered and was feeling better, she began to make a lot of noise, calling out
Nozomu's name.
At
this rate, she might run off in search of him. In fact, as she was about to run
off deeper into the forest, Zonne and Tom had to stop her in a hurry.
At
the very least, she needed to be made to understand the current situation.
After clarifying the cause and effect of the fact that Nozomu was attacked, Tom
decided to calm her down by telling her about Nozomu's secret and the current
situation as far as he knew for the time being.
Both
Tom and Zonne initially considered covering the issue by using vague
expressions, but they decided that a poor cover story could conversely raise
Lisa's doubts and fuel her suspicions.
In
fact, this was the right decision. She had heard the name "Tiamat"
mentioned by Azel to Nozomu.
"Umm
.... Lisa-san, are you okay?"
"Yes,
thank you .... I'm fine now..."
Lisa
was shocked by what she heard from Tom.
Somia
was concerned about her and approached her, but Lisa's response was clearly
lacking in energy.
It
was understandable.
The
dragon that assimilated into Nozomu was said to be the strongest among the
spirit species. Moreover, even within the dragon race, Tiamat is a being that
is considered out of the norm. He was carrying in his body an existence so out
of the norm that it could easily crush such a tiny person.
She
herself had a feeling that Nozomu might have a secret of his own.
It
all started when Nozomu had a close encounter with Jihad at the martial arts
garden. Her doubts were confirmed when Nozomu saved Lisa from being devoured by
Ken, who had become a monster.
Her
memory at that time was vague, but she knew that Nozom had helped her.
At
the same time, this fact made her understand that he was far from the Nozomu
she knew.
However,
the name mentioned by Azel, who had chased after Nozomu, and what Tom had just
told her, shocked Lisa more than enough to leave her stunned.
She
had thought he might be involved in something she didn't know about, but she
had never imagined that he would be involved with something so dangerous.
"Perhaps,
driven by Tiamat's anger, the boy is now out of control and on a rampage.
Before, there would have been room for him to return to normal, but
now..."
"On
a rampage?"
Stunned
by his words, Lisa turned to look at the old man, who was crossing his arms
with a bitter expression on his face.
Somia,
who had been concerned about Lisa, also looked up and turned her gaze to the
old man, who was pondering in front of her.
"When
I arrived in this alternate world, I felt the aftermath of a powerful clash of
forces. Furthermore, considering that the young lady was seriously injured, to
the point of life or death, it is easy to guess how things turned out."
"That's
true……"
Tom
gave a small nod at Zonne's words.
Lisa
Hounds had nothing to do with Tiamat, and even for Azel, her presence was
nothing to think about. She should be ignored like a weed growing in the area.
Considering
the fact that she was lying wounded, it was easy to imagine who did it in what
situation and what kind of result it brought.
"Azel's
removal of the young lady as an obstacle and wounding of her touched the boy's
anger. At the same time, the boy had lost control of his mind after he
unleashed Tiamat's power, and now he is completely in sync with Tiamat's
hatred."
"If
this continues, Nozomu's body won't be able to handle it. At worst, Tiamat will
break his body from the inside."
"If
that happens, Nozomu will..."
"Of
course, he will die."
At
the mention of Nozomu's death, Lisa's pupils dilated. At the same time, she
staggered like a doll with a broken thread.
Somia,
who was by her side, quickly supported her swaying body, but Lisa's complexion
turned as pale as a sick person's. Tom looked at her painfully. Lisa shook her
head as if she were switching her mind and turned her gaze to Zonne.
"U-,
umm! If it's you, old man, can't you do something about the current
Nozomu-san!?"
Somia,
who was supporting Lisa, made a voice similar to a scream.
However,
Zonne's lips remained tightly closed.
"As
I said earlier, if I were to appear in front of Tiamat, there is no doubt that
it will fuel her anger even more. If Mikael is alright, he will be able to
suppress the kid's movement to some extent, but I don't know if he can restore
his reason..."
"Why?"
"The
boy's and Tiamat's souls are connected even deeper than on the surface. I have
tried to confirm the boy's soul in the form of divination before, but it didn't
work. It seems that I am powerless to interfere with the boy's soul."
"No
way..."
"I
don't know why, whether it's because Tiamat is preventing me from interfering
or because the kid is still an incomplete dragon slayer..."
"Does
that mean, there's nothing we can do?"
Even
if they could hold him down, it would be meaningless if his heart did not come
back to him.
Somia
couldn't help but turned her eyes down after hearing Zonne's bitter words.
Tom
bit his lip at the young girl's pained expression.
"I
hope Irisdina-san and the others could get Nozomu-kun back to normal..."
"It
may be difficult. The situation is different from before, and the boy himself
has lost his mind... It would be counterproductive for me to step forward in
this situation."
Tiamat
hated the dragon race. And the dragon race had the means to seal Tiamat. Since
both sides had tremendous influence over each other, it would be difficult to
make a calm decision in such a dire situation.
Furthermore,
even if they were to suppress Nozomu, it would be meaningless if he did not
regain his reason.
How
could they restrain Tiamat's anger?
No,
could Tiamat's and Nozomu's spirits be separated?
At
that moment, Zonne's words from earlier stuck in Tom's mind.
"By
the way, old man, you said that Azel-san was chasing after Tiamat to avenge her
father, Mikael. And you also said that if only Mikael were alright. So, he's
still alive, right?"
Azel
was chasing after Tiamat to avenge her father, Mikael. And from what Zonne had
just said, it seemed that her father was still alive.
Mikael.
Could that existence be deeply connected to Tiamat's hatred?
While
thinking so, Tom frankly asked Zonne the question he had just felt.
"Yeah.
Technically, Mikael still exists in this world. And just like Azel, he should
be trying to seal Tiamat by now. However, the current him has no body or power
as a dragon, and his soul has become the key to seal Tiamat..."
"Key?"
Tom asked Zonne to
make sure.
As far as he heard,
Mikael had already lost his body as a dragon. But he didn't die.
In the first place, if
he was killed by Tiamat, Tiamat must also have the power of a white dragon.
However, Tiamat didn't
have the power of a white dragon.
According to what Tom
had heard from Nozomu, Tiamat was a giant dragon with five colors and six wings,
but the white wings, the symbol of the white dragon's power, were not mentioned
in the story.
Tiamat didn't kill
Mikael. However, there must be a reason for Azel to target Tiamat.
"What did you
guys do to Tiamat? No, what happened to that dragon in the first place?"
Perhaps it all lies in
Zonne's statement, "Mikael is the key to the seal", but
unfortunately, he still didn't have enough information about Tiamat to make a
judgment.
"According to the
literature, Tiamat is treated as an evil dragon who devoured her friends
because she wanted power. However, from what the old man told me, it sounds
like there is more to the story than that..."
"The stories
about Tiamat that humans know today are only fragmentary and superficial
..."
Zonne exhaled deeply
at Tom's question, dropped his shoulders, and began to speak slowly with a
mysterious atmosphere.
"Five thousand
years ago, I was the chief of the White Dragon Clan. At the same time, I was
the one who changed Mikael's appearance and sealed Tiamat."
There was not a trace
of the usual cheerfulness in his voice.
"Before Tiamat
was called the Abominable Dragon, she and her friends worked together to save
the suffering humans and established an order. At the intersection of dragon
veins, where nature raged wildly and disorderly, dragons, humans, beasts, and
all other species cooperated to create a utopia. However, numerous schemes,
desires, and misunderstandings resulted in the collapse of all of them..."
While biting his lip
and with a pained expression on his face, Zonne continued.
"After their
utopia was destroyed by their own hands, we, the Dragon Clan, sealed off the
ruins of the utopia she had built, in order to hold her at bay as she rampaged
through the destruction of everything. In the end, that was all we could
do."
With deep regret in
his eyes, Zonne looked up at the gray sky with a sad expression on his face.
"...It was a sad
misunderstanding. Both Tiamat and Mikael were only trying to do the best they
could for those they wanted to protect."
Zonne spoke only a few
words, as if he was at a loss to say more, and then fell silent.
Zonne's heavy
breathing echoed in the ears of Tom and the others.
Looking closely, they
could see blood dripping from his tightly clenched fist.
Tom and Somia could do
nothing but stare in silence at Zonne's grief-stricken face.
"Kuh~, ugh!"
At that moment, Lisa
stepped out to walk deeper into the forest, her mouth distorted in frustration.
Somia, who was
supporting Lisa's body next to her, called out to her in a hurry.
'Li-, Lisa-san, are
you all right?"
"I'm alright ...
I don't have time to be shocked in a place like this, I'm going to ... Nozomu's
place."
Her voice sounded
impatient as if driven by frustration.
"What are you
going to do when you get to Nozomu's place?"
"I don't know
what to do, but I can't stand doing nothing like this ..."
"... Certainly,
where there's a will, there's a way. But, miss, you're not doing it out of
desperation, are you?"
Zonne's sharp gaze
pierced Lisa.
For him, Lisa was the
key to Nozomu's rampage. If she made a bad move and died, it would be
irreparable.
"If I said I
didn't... I'd be lying. Frankly, I was tempted to slit my own throat..."
Even now, whenever she
recalled the past words she had said to Nozomu, she still felt the urge to stab
her own chest.
"But I can't do
that. If I did, everything that Nozomu has endured up to now would be in vain.
That's the only thing I can't let go to waste... Irisdina-san and the others
made me realize it..."
As Irisdina and the
others said, Nozomu wished that Lisa had to move forward again properly.
Although Lisa's
feelings towards Irisdina for reprimanding her were complicated, she also felt
that she would not be satisfied if she ran away from the current situation.
She smiled as she
dismissed the feelings that welled up in her chest as a natural competitive
spirit.
"I still have a
few words I haven't said to him yet. If I don't say them properly, I won't be
able to move forward... Besides, we can't let him die, and that means the same
for Irisdina and the others, can we?"
Zonne groaned at those
words.
Lisa's words were
right in the sense that they couldn't let them die.
In this case, Lisa was
the trigger for Nozomu's rampage, but in some cases, it could have been
Irisdina and the others.
If Azel had gotten
Irisdina and the others involved, Lisa's position with them would have been
reversed.
Furthermore, they
couldn't let such a situation, where Irisdina and the others facing the
out-of-control Nozomu, go on for too long.
If he were to injure
or at worst killed them with his own hands, it would be an irreversible
situation.
He had established a
deep connection with them, so the despair he would feel when that happened was
immeasurable.
Even though Lisa was
able to escape from the brink of death for the time being, the situation was
still very unpredictable.
'Well, I guess in the
end, we have to act to get it started... Anyway, let's join with Irisdina-san
and the others first."
There was still no way
to solve the problem, but no more time could be spared. Tom, who made this
judgment, decided to join with Irisdina and the others.
Even if they were to
discuss it here, action was always necessary to solve the problem.
Knowledge is power,
but decision is also power.
Tom couldn't deny that
there was no part of him that wouldn't give up, but either way, it was hard for
Irisdina and the others to keep Nozomu at bay on their own.
Then they would have
no choice but to act.
However, Tom's inner
mind was still in a state of shock. He could confidently say that he would
never be able to face Nozomu even in his suppressed state, let alone the
current Nozomu who was in a state of releasing his powers.
He could still
remember Nozomu's figure who was dismantling and disposing of the Undead Dragon
that had attacked him. The black power emanating from his body, combined with
his horrifying figure.
Tom's whole body was
tense. He almost chickened out.
"Tom-san ...
pfft~!"
He tried to smile to
reassure Somia, who looked up at him with an anxious expression, but his mouth
stuck and he couldn't smile properly. His mouth twitched like that of a
squashed frog's.
Somia laughed at him,
and Tom shyly cleared his throat to cover it up.
The tension in his
shoulders had somehow been lifted.
"We'll go, too.
And old man, there is one more thing I want to make sure of."
"What is it? I
don't want to hide anything from you now. Ask me anything."
"That is……"
Tom asked Zonne one
last question as he looked deep into the forest, toward where Irisdina and the
others were probably fighting.
================================
In his bright red
field of vision, Nozomu continued to raise his voice in anger.
He could no longer
tell whether the hatred that welled up with pain was his own or that of Tiamat.
The emotional outburst
was caused by Lisa being injured.
Nozomu's and Tiamat's
souls synchronized and resonated with each other, blurring the boundaries
between the two.
It was like melting
into lukewarm water.
His entire body that
had been pressed down by fatigue was forcibly moved by the power that was
overflowing from within his body.
He could no longer
feel any pain in his body.
He no longer felt any
discomfort from the crimson-tinted vision. On the contrary, the crimson color
that stained his vision gradually deepened.
He only looked at the
glowing white "enemy" in front of him, raised his katana to slaughter
it, and continued to push forward.
(Tet, thank you for
your hard work.)
(Seriously~. Why do I
have to take a human form like this~!)
(I already told you,
didn't I? I told you that if you are the head of a country, you need to have
the dignity to match it. Tet, you're a disappointment on the inside, so you
should do something about your appearance at least, for now, don't you think?)
(Uuu, Mikael is awful
...)
Voices echoed deep in
Nozomu's ears. The voices of those he knew and the voices of those he didn't
know.
The voice he knew had
no anger in it but was tinged with confusion and shame.
The stranger's voice,
which sounded cruel, was also somehow familiar.
Every time he heard
that voice, the pain that pierced his chest increased as well.
(Mikaeeelll !)
A voice filled with
hatred. But Nozomu didn't sense that it belonged to someone else. The crimson
color that stained his vision was already as black as blood, and the anger that
welled up within him knew no bounds.
Nozomu and Tiamat.
Both of them kept pushing forward like a mad chariot while feeling a dull pain
in their chests.
===================================
""
Oooooooooo! ""
An angry scream echoed
through the gray-colored forest.
A young man, stained
with rage, came running forward, slamming his feet on the ground.
In the direction he
was headed was Mikael, who was lying on the ground, helpless. And Irisdina
stood to protect him.
"Mimuru-kun, I
leave it to you!"
"Alright, leave
it to me"
Irisdina picked up
Mikael, which had fallen at her feet, and tossed it to Mimuru.
Mimuru caught the
thrown crystal with a nimble movement and tried to move backward as it was.
Nozomu's gaze turned
to Mimuru, who had caught Mikael.
Along with a roaring
sound, his [Instantaneous Movement] was activated. Nozomu closed the gap with
Mimuru like a gust of wind, and with a fury, he raised the katana in his right
hand.
"Nya-nya !?"
"I won't let
you!"
Mars stood in front of
Nozomu, raising his greatsword as if to intervene.
As Nozomu rushed
forward, Mars swung his greatsword down vertically with all his might.
His physical
abilities, which had been enhanced by releasing his Qi to the limit, and the
weight of his greatsword. Combining the two, his blow had such power that even
a rock could easily be shattered.
"~ !"
However, Nozomu easily
parried the blade that was coming at him.
Mars's blade, which
was swung down with great force, glided over Nozomu's katana and got deflected
to the side.
Nozomu dealt with
Mars's slash as if he were dispelling an insect with one hand. He took a step
forward, and as if to counterattack, he swung his katana sideways.
Nozomu's sword was
swung with his drastically increased physical strength. Coupled with his katana
which already had sharp Qi blades enveloped within it.
If he were to take it
seriously, his blade would cut a human body in half, including the weapon
itself.
Furthermore, with his
greatsword drawn, Mars was in a state full of gaps, with his upper body
completely exposed.
"Don't
underestimate me!"
Just when it looked as
if Nozomu's blade would cut off Mars' torso, the back of Mars' gauntlet burst
again along with a flash of light.
Immediately after, the
greatsword was pulled back at an unbelievable speed, catching the oncoming
Nozomu blade.
*Clang!*
An ear-splitting sound
rang out, sending a shock through Mars' entire body.
"Guu!"
"~ !?"
Gritting his teeth,
Mars firmly caught Nozomu's attack. A slight flutter of agitation flashed
across Nozomu's face, tinged with anger at the fact that his Qi-enveloped blade
had been blocked.
"Ooryaa!"
Furthermore, Mars
forced his body, which had lost some of its senses due to the impact, and tried
to push the greatsword that had caught Nozomu's katana while holding it up like
a shield.
Nozomu also held his
ground and stop Mars who was pushing in.
Both sides were fully
interlocked. Although the sound of metal rubbing against metal echoed through
the air, neither took a step back.
"Gugugu, gigigi
..."
A groan escaped from
Mars' clenched teeth.
The reason why he was
able to compete with Nozomu who had unleashed his Ability Suppression was, of
course, due to the strengthening of the Magic and Qi Combination Technique.
In fact, Tom's magic
formula for enhancing both his strength and physical abilities to the utmost
limit shone through the back of his hand.
However, no matter how
much he used the magic combination technique, it would not be easy to stop the
current Nozomu.
In fact, as Nozomu
increased the density of his Qi, the balance gradually began to shift, and
Nozomu's katana closed in on Mars.
With a rattling sound,
Nozomu's katana began to push into Mars' greatsword.
"Geh~ !?"
Mars let out an
involuntary yelp as Nozomu's blade began to break through his Magic and Qi.
At that moment, Nozomu
lifted his left hand from the hilt of the katana and punched Mars in the side
of the head with his fist.
"Gah~ !? Damn it!
I knew it, a weapon and physical enhancement would not be enough after
all!"
The shock was so
powerful that Mars took a few steps backward.
Even with the
assistance of Tom's special magic circle, Mars was not as good at controlling
his power as Nozomu. The difference in skill level was inevitable.
Nozomu was relentlessly
chasing Mars, who had retreated backward.
Nozomu's blade swung
down at a speed that was unnoticeable to his eyes. Mars gritted his teeth and
raised his greatsword while letting out a cry of anguish at the pain running on
his flank.
*Clang!*.
The two blades
collided in mid-air, producing a deafening, high-pitched sound.
Both sides clashed.
Iron clashed in several strokes, illuminating the gray forest with sparks.
"Zeeeeiii~!"
Along with a scream to
raise his fighting spirit, Mars stomped his feet, determined not to lose.
The impact from his
feet sent out a cloud of dust, and the greatsword that was being swept away
tore through the air, turning its ferocious fangs to slay its foe.
The powerful blade was
so majestic that it was reminiscent of Jihad.
In fact, Mars'
physical abilities, strengthened by the Magic and Qi Combination Technique,
were even close to that of Jihad's.
However, the dragon
slayer in front of him was a difficult foe to defeat, even for Jihad.
Nozomu's katana
technique deflected and knocked down every one of Mars' attacks, and in return,
he slashed Mars' shoulder.
"Guh~! As I
thought, I'm not strong enough on my own!"
Even with the Magic
and Qi combination technique, it was not possible to suppress Nozomu. While
gritting his teeth at the pain in his shoulder, Mars continued to swing his
greatsword.
Even though he was
being pushed, Mars' expression showed no signs of impatience. Even he had
expected this development.
No matter how much he
improved his physical abilities or strengthened his weapons, he would not stand
a chance against Nozomu in his current state. He understood this from their
previous battles.
Yes, if it was Mars
alone.
"Haaa!"
From behind Mars,
Irisdina rushed out while going around him. She swiftly swung her rapier with
great force.
Nozomu quickly pulled
out the scabbard on his waist and repelled Irisdina's slash.
"Guu!"
The impact on
Irisdina's arm was so great that it was hard to believe that Nozomu had blocked
it with one hand.
Nozomu turned to face
her in a fluid motion and swung the katana in his right hand at Irisdina in a
reverse diagonal slashing motion.
The blade approached
Irisdina like a gale.
"Haa!"
The next moment,
however, the sound that echoed around the area was not the eerie sound of flesh
being torn apart, but a high-pitched metallic clang.
Irisdina's rapier was
swung upwards like a flash of light, deflecting Nozomu's blade.
Upon closer
inspection, Irisdina's body was enveloped in dense magic, and multiple
talismans shone brightly on her chest.
This was the same type
of reinforcement magic that used someone else's magic power when she survived
Azel's attack.
If it were normal
enhancement magic, only one talisman would suffice.
However, in order to
match Tima's mighty magic power, she went to the trouble of using a total of
four talismans for the transfer of magic power, activation of the technique,
controlling, and assisting.
Attached to her rapier
was her trump card, the magic sword [Lunar Eclipse].
[Lunar Eclipse],
Irisdina's most powerful technique, is a magic sword that can even go
head-to-head with Nozomu's [Phantom], but it is extremely difficult to control.
While using this magic sword, she cannot use any other magic, including body
enhancement.
So, with the help of
her best friend's vast magic power and boosted by Feo's magic, she was able to
temporarily gain enough physical strength to fight against Nozomu.
"~ !?
Oooooo~!"
A slight look of
astonishment came into Nozomu's eyes, tinged with anger at the fact that his
attack was blocked.
However, Nozomu
immediately corrected the trajectory of the deflected katana. He turned his
wrist and quickly swung the katana to slash the rapier down.
"Haa~!"
However, Irisdina
handled the attacks without fail.
Nozomu repeatedly
slashed like a gale, but Irisdina blocked it with her magic sword, which she
poured all her magic power into, and with her best friend's enormous magic
power, and returned a thrust like a flash of light.
"Nozomu, wake up
already!"
""
Mikaeeelll ! ""
The rapier she thrust
was parried by Nozomu's sheath on his left hand. He counterattacked in return
by swinging down his katana in his right hand towards the rapier that was
already drawn back with all Irisdina's might.
"Guu! Even with
Tima's magic power, he's still too difficult to deal with!"
She called out to him
desperately, like she did when she brought Nozomu back to his senses before,
but his gaze wasn't fixed on Irisdina at all.
His gaze was
completely fixed on the direction behind Irisdina and the others. It was
directed at the tiny crystal that Mimuru was holding, which had lost its power.
When Nozomu went out
of control the last time, he was looking for Irisdina and the others, even
though he was deceived by Tiamat's illusions, and even in his frustration, he
had a little bit of reason.
However, this time it
was triggered by Lisa who got injured, and moreover, her wound was a serious
one. It was not surprising that he could foresee her death.
Nozomu hoped that Lisa
would recover in any way possible. No wonder he exploded in anger to the point
of losing his reason.
(It's not enough to
just call him out. There has to be something, some factor that calls him to
reason...)
"Oooooo!"
"Kuh~!"
Irisdina was desperately
trying to think of a way out, but her thoughts were interrupted by Nozomu's
attack.
Her thinking had
already been slowed down by the effects of the [Lunar Eclipse] control and the
excessive physical strengthening she was using.
Moreover, the current
situation was too one-sided. She didn't know when she would be pushed too far.
"If you ignore me
too much, you'll be in danger, you know!"
In an attempt to
support Irisdina, Mars rushed and attacked Nozomu from the other side.
His slash was enhanced
by the magic and Qi combination technique. However, Nozomu parried it with the
sheath on his left hand.
"He can block my
strengthened attack with just one hand. Such a ridiculous guy, hey!"
Mars and Irisdina were
the ones who crossed swords with Nozomu, but they were supported by Tima and
Feo. They couldn't win even when it was practically four against one.
While letting out a
surprised cry for the umpteenth time at Nozomu's nonsense, Mars slammed the
greatsword down on Nozomu as if he were pushing against him with his entire
body.
"Guu!"
Once again, the two
glared at each other at close range. This time, Nozomu's sword didn't cut
through Mars' greatsword, as it was blocked by the scabbard, not the blade.
Furthermore, Irisdina
attacked Nozomu from the opposite side.
A katana and a rapier
clashed. Irisdina's [Lunar Eclipse] canceled Nozomu's [Phantom -Clad-], and
Tima's strengthening magic stopped his physical strength.
Irisdina and Mars held
Nozomu by pinching him from both sides.
"Guu !?"
"Alright, I've
got him!"
"No matter how
strong you are, you can't fling us back with just one hand!"
No matter how strong
Nozomu was, he couldn't push Irisdina and Mars, whose abilities had been
drastically enhanced, with only one hand. However, neither Irisdina nor Mars
was able to push forward.
"We're counting
on you, Shīna-kun."
In the midst of such a
competitive situation, Irisdina looked at the girl who was waiting behind her.
===================================
After retrieving
Mikael, Mimuru crawled over to where Shīna was and unintentionally jumped on
her best friend's leg and screamed.
"Hiih~! I thought
I was going to die!
She was so scared that
even her tail, which she was so proud of, wagged and shrank.
"Mimuru, thank
you for your hard work. Quick, give me the crystal."
"Gosh, Can you
give me a better word of gratitude !? I almost lost my neck and torso, you
know!"
"For
example?"
"As expected of
Mimuru-sama this Shīna is extremely grateful. Please continue to use me in the
future ..."
"Just give it to
me! We don't have time for this!"
Shīna forcibly took
the crystal that Mimuru had been carrying. As expected, she did not have the
luxury of listening to Mimuru's jokes in this critical situation.
Shīna had already
tried to call Nozomu through the path they previously tied. But all she could
feel was a searing rage.
She had tried many
times to synchronize with Nozomu's spirit, but the synchronization between
Tiamat and Nozomu had progressed too far that it had become difficult to
separate Nozomu's spirit from Tiamat by external interference alone.
Previously, Nozomu's
spirit was cornered, but he remained rational. This time, however, his
reasoning had been blown away by his synchronization with Tiamat.
“Uuu, even though it
was just a joke, ShÄ«na is really cold. Tom, please come back soon…”
"Mimuru, don't
keep dawdling. You still have things to do!"
"... Someone
please give me a smile"
While kicking Mimuru's
ass, who was shedding tears, Shīna immediately tried to connect a path with
Mikael with contract magic.
A crystal that Azel
called Mikael. If her guess was correct, this crystal was Tiamat's childhood
friend and Azel's father.
If so, he may know how
to stop the current Nozomu.
"Mikael, the
royal family of white spirits. Please listen to my words... "
“…………”
With a sliver of hope
in her heart, Shīna poured magic power into the crystal in her palm and made a
simple contract.
However, the crystal
in her palm did not respond.
Shīna's voice must
have reached Mikael, but his reply was silent. As his appearance showed, he was
as silent as a rock.
However, Shīna could
not back down either. She continued speaking, regardless of Mikael's silence.
"Please. Please
help us to stop Tiamat. You are her ..."
(It's no use ...)
"Eh?"
(Her heart is already
painted with hatred. My voice can no longer reach her.)
What was heard was an
indifferent, emotionless voice.
"You and Tiamat
are childhood friends, so..."
(That's why she will
never forgive me. I have no intention of being forgiven either. All I can do is
accept that she and I to be forgotten with time..)
"But in the worst
case, let alone the people who live here, the world will..."
(Besides, I already
have no power as a Dragon. What I have is only the ability to suppress Tet's
power and push her into that world. Even if you ask me to break the sync
between him and Tet, I don't have that kind of power...)
"No way..."
Mikael's reply left
Shīna speechless.
If he's right, that
means he can't bring Nozomu back.
""
Ooooooooooooooo! ""
"Uoo!"
"Kyaa!"
"~ !?
Irisdina-san! Mars-kun !?"
At that moment, along
with a scream, a single shockwave rushed through the gray forest.
Irisdina and Mars were
blown towards Shīna and the others, who were jostled by the shockwave.
"Wait, wait Fu-,
guah~!"
"Fugyaa! Ah, it's
kinda soft ..."
Mars's body that was
blown collided with Feo and blew both of them away. Irisdina's body was firmly
caught by Mimuru as she collapsed.
"Damn, I never
thought you'd use our own attacks that were pinching you from both
sides..."
"Is it no good to
simply compete with force alone?..."
Nozomu, who was being
pinched from both sides, found it difficult to escape due to the force and
suddenly relaxed his arms and immediately crouched down on the spot.
Normally, he would
have been cut down by the swinging blades, but because Mars and Irisdina were
pinning Nozomu from both sides at that time, their weapons collided in midair.
As such, Nozomu adjusted the two weapons' trajectories.
Nozomu, who was free
for a moment, immediately aimed at Mars' back and blew them away with his Qi
technique [Cannon].
"~, Kuh~!? The
control technique is collapsing!"
Feo, who was
controlling Tima's magic, was blown away, and the reinforcement magic on
Irisdina shattered.
"Tch~! Mimuru!
We'll have to manage to hold out together until Irisdina's technique is
repaired!"
"Ue~!? I-, I'm
going to the front!? I can't! I'll die!"
"I can't hold
Nozomu off by myself! I'm not asking you to fight him, I'm just asking you to
distract him. Let's go!"
"Damn it! Every
single person in this party is too rough with
cats~!"
Mimuru pulled out the
dagger from her waist with teary eyes.
But here a question
arose in Irisdina's mind. Why didn't Nozomu slash them down when he escaped
from the restraints?
The question was soon
answered. An enormous amount of Qi was concentrated on Nozomu's left hand.
A strong chill ran
through everyone who was there, including Mars and Mimuru, who were about to
step forward.
It was the preparation
for Nozomu's only and greatest eradication Qi technique.
Qi technique [Light of
Extinction].
If activated, there
would not even be a speck of dust left of the physically weak Irisdina and her
friends. Nozomu was planning to destroy Irisdina and Mars as well as the
rearguards.
"~ !? This's bad!
Everyone, fortify your defenses!
Irisdina hastily tried
to cast barrier magic on her feet, but Nozomu's left arm was already emitting a
blinding light, obviously, she wasn't in time.
"" Ooooooo!
""
In addition, five
different colors of elements erupted from Nozomu's body and flowed into his
left arm.
The shimmering light
of the elements, like a fire, snapped Irisdina's fighting spirit, who was
trying to create a barrier.
If Tiamat's power were
to be added to the [Light of Extinction], even if the barrier magic was
activated in time, it would not be able to block the attack.
Even so, Irisdina was
determined not to give up and tried to deploy her magic.
Nozomu's left arm
swung down toward the ground.
However, his arm did
not reach the ground. A flame bullet fired from behind Irisdina landed on
Nozomu's left arm and dissipated the power that was contained in it.
"I got here in
time…"
"Lisa,
-kun?"
After Irisdina turned
around, she saw Lisa standing there with her crimson hair flowing in a
dignified manner.