Volume 7
Chapter 26
Although Irisdina and the others were somehow managing to hold off the rampaging Nozomu, they were being cornered as if the teeth of a comb were falling out.
First, Mars's magic-ki
combination technique gradually began to lose its brilliance.
As the formula carved
into his gauntlet wore down, the control of his magic, including enhancement,
became difficult.
Next, Irisdina's
movements began to slow down. This was a side effect of continuously using
excessive body strengthening.
The continuous use of
magic that brought about an excessive effect placed a great strain on the body.
Furthermore, she was also continuously using her trump card, the magic sword
"Lunar Eclipse Night." Her
exhaustion, both mentally and physically, was significant.
""Ooooooooooooh!""
"Guh!"
Irisdina somehow
managed to parry Nozomu's swept-out katana. At that moment, with a tearing
sound, the muscles in several parts of her body were torn.
On her pure white skin,
which was reminiscent of fresh snow, reddish-black marks of internal bleeding
were forming here and there.
Her movements also
lacked precision, and she was in a state of being at her limit just trying not
to be cut.
"You, just turn
back to normal already!"
Lisa desperately tried
to pull Nozomu away from Irisdina by shooting a barrage of fire bullets, and
Mars also cut in from the side.
Mars, despite the
situation where the control of his magic-ki combination technique was becoming
sloppy, poured all his magic-ki into his greatsword and released it. He used
"Ravenous Beast of Rending Dust"
with the intention of sweeping away everything in front of him and forcibly
pulled Nozomu away.
"Guh!?"
By forcibly using his
magic-ki combination technique, which had become sloppy in its control, a
laceration ran through Mars's arm.
"Are you
okay!?"
"Guh,
s-somehow..."
At the sight of Mars,
whose face was twisted in pain, impatience welled up in Irisdina's and Lisa's
chests.
If they didn't break
through this state soon, they would lose even the strength to execute their
last resort.
The blown-away Nozomu
had, as expected, landed almost unscathed. Without letting up his anger in the
slightest, he was about to attack Irisdina and the others again.
At that moment, Tom's
voice echoed from behind.
"Everyone, the
preparations are complete! Get to it!"
The long-awaited
signal to execute the plan. The moment she heard that voice, Irisdina moved.
While wringing out the
last of her remaining magic power with all her might, she constructed a
formula, and a magic called "New
Moon’s Dense Fog" was activated.
With Irisdina at its
center, a jet-black fog was released, blocking Nozomu's vision.
""!?
Uoooooooooooh!""
Nozomu's eyes widened
in astonishment for a moment, but he activated Flash Step regardless. He dashed
to try and get out of the fog that surrounded him.
The fog that Irisdina
had released, perhaps due to her exhaustion, was not enough to completely block
Nozomu's vision. And if he could see even a little of his opponent's shadow,
his phenomenal concentration would never let his prey's movements escape.
Nozomu saw through his
opponents' movements from the slight movements of the fog that enveloped him.
Of the three shadows,
two scattered to the left and right, and one remained in the center. From the
size and movement of the shadows, the shadows that had scattered to the left
and right were holding long-handled weapons.
Nozomu ignored the
shadows that had scattered to the left and right and charged at the shadow in
the center.
His target was Lisa,
who had been supporting Irisdina and Mars.
She had no weapon. If
he were to get close, she would have no means of blocking Nozomu's slash. He
had intuitively sensed that from her movements.
What was reflected in
the eyes of Nozomu, who had broken through the fog, was the figure of Lisa,
with her eyes wide open in surprise. In her hands, as expected, there was
nothing.
Nozomu raised his katana
and was about to swing it down to eliminate the nuisance.
"Hmph!"
""!?""
But the next moment,
Lisa took a shocking action. She had stepped forward herself.
At the same time, with
body strengthening magic, she strengthened her own muscle strength with all her
might. While looking at the down-swung blade, she reached her hand behind her
back and drew it.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeei!"
What was drawn was the
dagger that Mimuru should have been holding. This was what had been handed to
her from Mimuru during their earlier meeting.
Yes, she had no
weapon. However, that word came with the supplement "her own weapon."
The reason Mimuru had not been able to fight on equal terms with Nozomu was
also because she herself had not had her own weapon.
But it was impossible
to block Nozomu's blade with just an ordinary dagger. Lisa also understood that
from having watched the battle of Irisdina and the others until now.
That was precisely why
Lisa had taken another step forward.
Along with a clash,
the two weapons collided.
The next moment,
Nozomu's rage-filled eyes widened in astonishment.
The blade of Nozomu,
which should have been swung down, had for some reason not been able to cut
through Mimuru's dagger, had dug in halfway, and had stopped as if it were
biting it.
"Guh!"
Lisa was at Nozomu's
feet, kneeling as if to look up at him, and holding the dagger up.
While breaking out in
a cold sweat at her own safety, she was somehow continuing to send magic power
into the dagger that had been cut halfway through.
There were, of course,
several factors that allowed Lisa to block Nozomu's katana.
First, she had blocked
Nozomu's blade at the base of the katana.
Due to its
characteristics, the base of a katana's blade has the worst cutting edge, and
it does not carry the momentum of a swing. For this reason, she had taken the
action of stepping into Nozomu herself.
Another was the
existence of her ability, "Nivea’s
Demonic Hand."
With this ability, she
had temporarily transformed the enhancement magic she had cast on Mimuru's
dagger into a magic sword on par with Irisdina's "Lunar Eclipse Night."
However, since the
blade had already been cut about halfway through, this dagger would not hold
out any longer.
Just by Nozomu pulling
his katana, this dagger would be cut through along with Lisa's body in an
instant.
But for Lisa, this was
fine. As long as she could hold Nozomu off for just one second, that was all
she needed.
"Oooooooooooooooooooooooh!"
"Haaaaaaaaah!"
Irisdina and Mars were
charging in from the sides as if to sandwich him.
Nozomu immediately
tried to cut through Lisa along with her dagger, but in the opening when his
attention was momentarily diverted, Lisa quickly let go of the dagger and
rolled to the side.
Nozomu's katana
cleanly cut off Lisa's ponytail, but its blade did not catch Lisa's body and
cut through empty air.
""!
Ooooooooooooooooh!""
In the midst of the
scattered, cut-off hair of Lisa, Nozomu gave up on pursuing her and quickly
drew the scabbard that was at his waist with his left hand. In that time, Lisa
leaped backward a great distance and escaped.
Nozomu blocked the
rapier and greatsword that were being swung from the left and right with the katana
and scabbard he held in his left and right hands.
Although a
considerable impact ran through both his arms, Irisdina and the others were
also at their limit. Its power was lighter than before.
He would repel them at
once and settle the score.
The moment he put
strength into both his arms with that thought, a flash of light suddenly burst,
as if to envelop the entire area.
What occurred next was
a swarm of purple lightning, reminiscent of countless snakes. The suddenly
appeared lightning snakes attacked Nozomu from all directions.
""Gah!?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!""
"Alright! Just as
planned!"
An intermediate
area-of-effect magic, "Purple
Lightning Snake Swarm."
An intense pain as if
his entire body were being pierced by a spear assaulted Nozomu.
In his vision, which
was being painted completely white, Nozomu caught sight of Feo, who was making
a triumphant pose.
However, his
appearance was clearly different from his usual self.
Increased body hair as
if to cover his entire body, and a protruding nose reminiscent of a fox. His
tail, which had become particularly large, was clad in a bursting purple
lightning.
""B-Beastification...
huh?""
It was undoubtedly the
figure of Feo, who had beastified.
Although the details
differ depending on the race of the beastmen, the unique ability of
beastification basically has a tendency to erode one's own reason and increase
one's physical abilities.
However, in the case
of the fox-tail tribe, it is a little different. They, on the contrary, erode
their own physical abilities and temporarily increase their magic-wielding
ability.
Although he had been
at his limit with the control of the formula he had cast on Irisdina, the
beastified Feo would be able to temporarily create some spare capacity.
And with his increased
magic-wielding ability, he had driven the area-of-effect magic "Purple Lightning Snake Swarm" into
Nozomu at the center.
"No matter how
monstrous his abilities become, Nozomu can't use a barrier magic that can cover
all directions! As expected, it worked, didn't it!?"
Although it was hidden
thanks to his drastically increased physical ability, in fact, Nozomu's
weakness had not changed at all.
That was "the
inability to use a defensive magic that can protect himself from a wide-range
annihilation attack."
Just by shooting it
head-on honestly, it would by no means be effective against Nozomu's
exceptional physical ability and skill.
But by sealing his
swift feet and both his arms like this, that weakness was easily exposed.
""Guuh!""
"Mimuru, now's
your chance."
"Alright! Leave
it to me!"
Taking advantage of
the opening when Nozomu's movements had slowed, Mimuru, who had jumped out from
the thicket, jumped at Nozomu's right arm, twisted his arm, and snatched his
katana.
Nozomu reflexively
tried to strike her away with the scabbard in his left hand, but before he
could, Mars, who had thrown away his greatsword, forcibly snatched the
scabbard.
""Wha!?""
How can they move? Nozomu's
head, which had been dulled by his anger and pain, was further confused.
Mars had been locking
blades with Nozomu until just before. Naturally, he should have been caught in
Feo's "Purple Lightning Snake Swarm."
"The usual you
would never have missed it, but..."
Saying that, Mars
pointed at his own chest. There, the last talisman that Feo had handed over,
which would put up a barrier magic, was shining.
"Haaaaaah!"
And the fact that Mars
was safe naturally meant that Irisdina was also safe.
She deployed a binding
magic by throwing in all her remaining magic power. Dark-colored chains that
had appeared in the air were binding Nozomu's body with all their might.
"Shina-kun,
now!"
Along with Irisdina's
call, Shina, who had been taking aim, released her magic arrow.
A deafening roar and a
shattering sound. The released magic arrow shattered Shina's bow to pieces and
made a single scratch on her cheek.
The magic arrow was
racing at Nozomu's heart at a tremendous speed.
Nozomu, with no katana
or scabbard, and his entire body already restrained. Even if he were to try and
break the restraints that were wrapped around his entire body, there was no
time.
The magic arrow, while
racing straight like a comet...
"You've got to be
kidding me..."
""G-Guuuuh...""
It was blocked by
Nozomu, who had forcibly freed only one arm from his restraints.
While gushing out the
five-colored elemental essence, he tried to crush the caught magic arrow.
"Damn it!"
Mars was about to step
in again to reap Nozomu's consciousness, but the moment he took a step, his
legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground.
He had no magic power
or ki left, and he was at his limit.
The magic arrow, which
had at first been pushing in the chaotic power, was gradually losing its brilliance.
At this rate, it would dissipate without hitting Nozomu.
"Eeeeeeeeeeeei!"
But before that,
Irisdina moved.
Forcibly moving her
body, which had no strength left, she, unbelievably, grabbed the magic arrow
that was on the verge of being crushed and began to push it in.
"G-Guuuuh!"
"Big
Sister!?"
"Hey Irisdina,
don't be reckless!"
She could hear her
comrades' voices trying to stop her, but she paid them no mind.
The power of Tiamat
that Nozomu was wringing out was a non-directional torrent of power. The power
of the Dragon of Destruction that was slamming into her entire body was
mercilessly burning Irisdina's skin.
""Michaeeeeel!!""
"Nozomu! Please,
just wake up!"
Even though she was so
close, even though she was calling out to him so much, Irisdina's words did not
reach Nozomu.
She bit her lip in
frustration. Her chest was on the verge of being crushed by a sense of
powerlessness.
No matter how much she
was by his side, in the face of the existence known as Tiamat, she was so
powerless.
"But... even
so..."
Still, she had wished
to be by his side.
Irisdina had neither a
special connection like a contract like Shina, nor a promise from her childhood
like Lisa.
The only thing that
connected her to him was the confession she had blurted out to him in the
forest.
That's why she had
thought to face it with all her might.
To gather the power
she lacked, so that she could stand by his side even a little...
"Not yet, not
yet..."
She didn't think about
protecting herself.
Even a little, closer
to him... With that thought alone, she forcibly gathered the magic power that
had already been depleted from her entire body and sent it into the magic
arrow.
The price for that
recklessness appeared immediately.
First, the color in
her vision disappeared. It was fine. Even in a gray world, she could still see
him.
Next, the sense of
pain in her entire body disappeared. It was convenient. The thing that was
disturbing her concentration was gone.
Next, the pigment in
her hair fell out, and it turned white as ash. This was a problem. She had
wanted him to touch it...
Finally, her faded
vision, as if falling asleep, was growing dark.
It won't...
reach, will it...
Frustrating. Sad. She
didn't want to give up. But contrary to her will, the magic arrow was slipping
from her fingers, which had lost their strength.
At that moment,
something supported her hand, which had been on the verge of collapsing.
What came into view at
the edge of her fading vision was the angry face of a girl with characteristic
red eyes.
"Hey! What are
you giving up for?! After lecturing me so much, are you seriously going to quit
over something this minor!?"
The girl, as if
rattling on, spurred Irisdina on.
The moment she saw
that face, from her chest, which had been on the verge of breaking until just
before, something hot welled up.
" You've got... To be kidding me... Like hell... I'd give up!"
Strength returned to
her fingers, which had been on the verge of collapsing.
That's right.
I can't lose. Above all, I will absolutely not lose in front of this girl!
It was truly the final
flicker of a candle. From Irisdina's body, a jet-black magic power gushed out
with the force of a muddy stream and flowed into the magic arrow.
The magic arrow, which
had been on the verge of disappearing, regained its brilliance and once again
began to be on par with Tiamat's power.
"Don't mess up,
Lisa!"
"Who do you think
you're talking to!"
Irisdina shouted
Lisa's name for the first time without any honorifics.
Spurred on by her
voice, Lisa activated Nivea’s Demonic
Hand. The magic arrow at once bloated to twice its size and began to tear
through at once.
""!?""
""Gooooooooo!!""
And the next moment,
the pushed-in magic arrow directly hit Nozomu's left chest and exploded with a
deafening roar.
An intense pain and
shock ran through Nozomu's chest. The air was pushed out of his lungs, and his
heart beat loudly.
""G-Hah...""
The enormous magic
power and the suddenly changed heartbeat put a break in the synchronization of
Nozomu's and Tiamat's consciousness.
While feeling the
strength rapidly draining from his entire body, Nozomu's bright red eyes were
rapidly fading in color.
At the same time, the
strength left Nozomu's body, and he was pulled by gravity and slowly collapsed.
It had succeeded. The
moment everyone thought so and was about to let out a sigh of relief.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"
As if he had been
shot, Nozomu sat up.
His faded eyes, only
one of which had returned to a crimson red, and the voice that came from his
mouth was the scream of a woman that could tear silk.
In front of the dazed
Irisdina and the others, he raised his collapsing arm and began to gather the
power of chaos.
No, it wasn't Nozomu. With
him having lost consciousness, Tiamat had temporarily taken over his body.
"Michaeeeeel!!"
An enormous elemental
essence that was converging. Tiamat's target was Michael, but in her line of
fire were, of course, Irisdina and the others. Zonne, who had sensed the
situation, quickly raised his hand and deployed a barrier as if to protect
them.
And just as the
converged chaotic power was about to be released with great force...
"Gah!?"
Tiamat suddenly let
out a pained voice.
The next moment,
countless chains of light appeared in the air and began to bind Nozomu's body.
Tiamat struggled to
tear off the chains of light, but no matter how much strength she put into it,
the chains of light did not budge an inch.
"You again, you
again! He is right in front of me, just a little more! Let go, let
goooooo!"
The scream of Tiamat's
resentment echoed.
However, contrary to
the hatred that was being released as if to curse everything in sight, the elemental
essence that Tiamat had gathered was instantly dissipating.
"Damn it! Damn
it, damn... it............"
Along with the
gradually decreasing resentment, Tiamat's resistance also gradually subsided,
and eventually, her movements stopped completely.
And at the same time
as the chains of light dissipated, Nozomu's body collapsed like a puppet with
its strings cut.
Irisdina and Lisa
hurriedly caught Nozomu.
But since they were
also at their limit, their legs gave out, and they had to support themselves by
dropping to their knees.
"Nozomu! Are you
okay?"
While being assaulted
by extreme fatigue, the two of them checked Nozomu's body.
Countless lacerations
were running through his entire body, and the endlessly flowing blood was
dyeing the bodies of the two a crimson red.
Perhaps his lungs had
also been injured, as he coughed up a lump of blood from his mouth.
But more than that,
there was no sign of him breathing.
His complexion was
also purple, as if he had no blood, and his body temperature was frighteningly
low. He looked like a dead person.
There was no doubt
that his respiratory system had suffered a serious injury.
"This is bad,
he's not breathing!"
"Old man,
Nozomu-kun is!"
Lisa called out to
Zonne in a panic.
On the other hand,
Zonne, who was looking at Nozomu's state, had an expression as if he had come
to an understanding.
"I see... so
that's how it is..."
"Old man, please
hurry!"
"O-Oh! Got it!"
The irritated Lisa
raised her voice, and Zonne hurriedly rushed over to Nozomu's side and began to
cast healing magic.
While looking at
Nozomu's wounds closing and his complexion returning before their very eyes,
Irisdina and the others were finally letting out a sigh of relief.
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