Chapter 6: Good Bonds, Bad Bonds
「Hey there, Fran-san. Can you lend me that sword for a moment?」
「!」
『So, he's not dead after all!』
「Zelyse...」
Standing there was Zelyse, a handsome young man with a smirk on his face. He held the brilliantly colored magic sword Zelyse in his right hand and gazed at us.
「That time, the man who approached me. Wasn't he some kind of incarnation of that sword?」
「What are you talking about?」
「Hehe, if you don't want to say, that's fine too. I'll understand once I take that sword apart.」
Fran emitted a strong killing intent, but she didn't make any aggressive moves toward Zelyse. We were both in no condition to fight, given our current battered state.
Furthermore, Zelyse wasn't alone. Next to him, a mage in a black robe hovered silently. It was eerie, as their magical presence was extremely faint.
From within the pitch-black robe, empty eye sockets of a skull stared at us. The skull's face was not a mask; it was a genuine undead. The quality of their magic power was clearly different from that of a human.
Moreover, they were not a typical undead.
The two holes in the skull appeared as if they were filled with boundless darkness.
From that darkness, something ominous seemed ready to overflow and engulf us, creating an eerie and unsettling sensation.
Fran shivered, just like me. She must have sensed something, just as I did. The unfamiliarity and the palpable malice in their presence. This guy was undoubtedly powerful. The fact that their true strength was concealed indicated that, despite being an undead, they possessed the skill and intellect to hide their power.
「Kukukuku—」
The eerie undead let out a raspy laugh.
「Kukukukuk! I never expected to reveal myself to you here!」
What did they mean? Their words seemed to imply that they knew Fran...
「?」
Of course, I had no memory of what Fran might remember. I tilted my head in confusion.
「Who are you?」
「It's not surprising that you don't know. I don't have direct knowledge of you either!」
So they must have heard it from someone else? I decided to appraise the person in front of me. For the first time in a while, I felt the sensation of a successful appraisal. Recently, my appraisal had been unable to identify individuals due to their significantly higher status, aura of malevolence, or being spirits. It had been frustratingly ineffective.
＊ ＊ ＊
『Fran! This one's strong!』
（Really?）
『Yeah, individually, it's at least a threat level B. And it's a necromancer on par with Jean!』
In terms of overall threat level, it could even be considered an A. It didn't match up to the lich we fought on the Floating Island, but it was definitely stronger than the Legendary Skeletons under its command.
「One of Zelyse's subordinates?」
「Is that what you think? Don't say stupid things! I am the esteemed leader of the Black Corpse Brigade, the First Seat! I am the commander! We are the newly formed, strongest legion in the Raydoss Kingdom! We shall become legends, surpassing the Red Knights! I am lending my strength this time only because of the Duke's intervention!」
「The Black Corpse Brigade! Iceman mentioned it! Charredman too!」
「Oh? If I couldn't get in touch with them... It must be you, then!」
「Are you their leader?」
「Exactly! I am the King of the Undead, Nameless! Remember it! No, you won't be able to remember anything if you die here.」
「Hmph.」
This guy was as arrogant as Zelyse. He leaked information without any provocation.
「The Black Corpse Brigade is an undead unit?」
「That's right! The strongest legion created by my secret arts, consisting of the most powerful undead produced through my spells! That annoying necromancer will also be offered as a blood sacrifice in the next battle!」
So, Iceman and Charredman were created by this guy using necromancy. However, with this guy's magical skills and abilities, it wasn't impossible.
And their target was Jean. Well, for the Raydoss Kingdom, he was like a natural enemy, so it made sense that they would take measures. In reality, they had the strength to carry out their plan to kill Jean.
「Hehehe! If you're going to die here, I'll kill you painlessly and make you part of my subordinates—Normally, I'd say that to an ordinary opponent, but...」
「!」
Fran immediately tensed up as an intense killing intent radiated from the Demilich. It wasn't just killing intent. Anger, hatred, and resentment mixed together, causing goosebumps on Fran's skin. Undead created from grudges harbored intense hatred towards the living. However, it seemed like this was more than that.
「I'll kill only you here. It must be done...」
「Why?」
「You're the one shouting.」
「Huh?」
「The grudge of the Lich Emperor, which has fused with me, is screaming for you to be killed! Repay the debt from the Floating Island!」
The Demilich, Nameless, covered its white skull with its bony, twig-like right hand.
It was a gesture that seemed like the tragic protagonist mourning a tragedy, but it wasn't. Rather, it seemed like an act to restrain its impending explosion of fury even a little. Evidence of this was the dark emotions leaking from its eye sockets, which were barely visible between its thin fingers.
「The Lich, as in that Lich?」
「Hehehe! It's referring to that individual, the Dungeon Master who fell on the Floating Island and was an experiment of the Raydoss Kingdom!」
Seriously? The connection between the Lich and Demilich with ties to the Raydoss Kingdom was surprising!
「I must say, I'm rather thankful to you. Thanks to you, I was able to retrieve fragments of the Lich's grudge!」
Now that it was mentioned, there might be a resemblance. Well, they both looked like skeletons, so some similarities were to be expected.
「But I was created by absorbing fragments of the Lich's grudge recovered from the point of impact on the Floating Island! The faint remnants of the Lich's memories left within me are telling me that you're my enemy!」
I see. If he inherited the memories and grudges of that Lich, he would have a motive to resent Fran.
「That's why! You! Die here!」
With that shout, the Demilich charged at an incredible speed.
「Grr!」
「Don't run away!」
『Let's retreat as is!』
In this condition, could we even fight?
「Woof!」
「Well, well, just hold on a second!」
Nameless was indeed strong even in close combat, but he was more suited for a leadership role. However, after a brief chase with Urushi, he couldn't win.
However, there were two opponents now. Zelyse blocked Urushi's path when he tried to escape. Although Nameless had lower combat ability, Zelyse had an eerie unpredictability.
「Urushi, hang in there!」
「Woof!」
「Grr!」
Nameless, while flying at high speed, attacked us.
「Gulu!」
Amazing, Urushi! He was using his front paw to block Nameless's punches, and he even used his fangs, managing to hold his ground. The only sound that could be heard was the impact, and they were momentarily deadlocked.
However, this was exactly what they had planned. While Nameless kept us occupied, Zelyse's magic struck us. A massive black vortex swallowed us, and the scenery in our view changed drastically.
「Arf?」
「Eh?」
『What... what's going on?』
It was probably a spell like a Dimension Gate, connecting different spaces. It was concealed, and the vortex itself seemed harmless, so our detection-type skills were slow to react. Well, Fran and I were considerably weakened at the moment, so if Urushi hadn't noticed, there was no way we would have.
However, the destination connected by the portal was an extremely dangerous place. Before us was the body of the giant magical beast, and its writhing tentacles were visible up close. We had been teleported right in front of the giant magical beast. The tentacles reacted to us and attacked. Could it be that they intended to dispose of us using the giant magical beast?
「Hahaha! I'm certainly interested in that sword of yours, but more than that, eliminating you takes precedence! You're my natural enemy, you see!」
「Hmph!」
Fran glared at Zelyse, but he soon disappeared from our sight. Countless tentacles began to cover the area around Urushi's barrier.
「Hehehe! Get swallowed up by the magical beast just like that!」
In response to Nameless's shout as he had already retreated, the tentacles of the giant magical beast wriggled as if echoing his call.
We're in a pinch. The giant magical beast's tentacles have ensnared us and are trying to swallow us. Urushi's barrier is still holding up, but it'll reach its limit in less than ten seconds. I can tell that the magical power in the barrier is rapidly diminishing.
However, it doesn't mean we can't escape. We just need to use teleportation. The problem is that using it would completely drain my magic power. After that, we'll have to rely entirely on Urushi.
『Urushi, I'm counting on you.』
（On!）
Urushi nodded vigorously in response to my words. He must know what needs to be done.
『Alright, here we go—no, wait!』
I just noticed that the surrounding magical power was strange. An unusual magical power covered the area. It wasn't from Zelyse, Nameless, or even the giant magical beast. There was no aggressive intent, but rather a reassuring feeling of protection. And the walls of tentacles that had covered us were beginning to peel away with a force as if blown away.
With a dull explosive sound, something collided at high speed, and our field of vision started to open up.
Juzeka, perhaps! She must have come to our aid again.
「What just happened?」
Nameless also seemed surprised and raised his voice. Moreover, it wasn't just support. Our physical strength, Fran's and Urushi's, had all slightly recovered.
「Hurry up and escape.」
From somewhere, Rhyn's voice could be heard. It wasn't as if she was directly speaking in our minds like telepathy. It felt more like Rhyn was whispering in our ears. She must have shared some of her power with us.
「In a few minutes, Weena Rhyn's 'thing' will arrive.」
『A trump card, huh?』
「Well, I can't assist any further... Do your best, escape...」
Rhyn muttered with a hint of distress, and her voice disappeared. But right now, worrying about Rhyn wasn't the priority.
『Urushi, let's go! We need to escape before it's too late!』
「Woof!」
Judging by the urgency in Rhyn's voice, we were likely running out of time.
「Hehehe! I don't know what you've done, but I won't let you escape!」
However, there was a figure standing in our way. It was Nameless. He had been surprised by Juzeka and the others' support, but he quickly regained his composure and was now waiting for Urushi.
「Ruuuaaaah!」
「Grrrr...!」
Every time Nameless thrust his fists left and right, shockwaves were generated, attacking Urushi. Furthermore, these shockwaves were sent out over a wide area, almost as if they were meant to block Urushi's escape route. Some seemingly safe paths were obviously traps, with Zelyse waiting beyond them. It seemed like they intended to corner Urushi like a hunted animal and finish him off. However, Urushi instantly saw through Nameless and the others' intentions.
「Ruuuluuu! Oooooo!」
「What?! He's breaking through there!」
Urushi intentionally charged into the thickest part of the barrage, using dark magic and barriers to counteract the shockwaves, forcibly pushing through."
He broke through the shockwaves unleashed by the Fist Saint Technique head-on. But it wasn't without consequences. Urushi's entire body was injured, and blood was spurting out. It seemed that the barrier he had thickened on his back to protect us had a deficiency in strength to protect himself. However, Urushi completely ignored his own injuries and continued to push forward.
「Let them escape—Who are you!」
「I'm nobody significant, but I won't let you interfere!」
Juzeka suddenly appeared and blocked Nameless, who was about to turn and chase after us.
「Go, Black Wolf!」
「Gaa!」
Juzeka, who was already exhausted, was engaging the formidable Nameless head-on. It seemed like she was using an Orichalcum spear, and they were evenly matched. We were saved for now, but it wasn't over yet.
「So, you won't let them escape!」
Zelyse, who had teleported ahead of us and circled around, unleashed an attack. His tone remained casual, but the technique he unleashed was nothing short of deadly.
Countless magical energy bullets imbued with space-time attributes were simultaneously fired. The quantity and density were such that it seemed like a massive wall. Originally, this technique was likely prepared to eliminate us as we fell into a trap. The magnitude of the magical power it contained was enough to make me shudder.
The individual power of each shot exceeded the Fist Saint Technique Nameless had used earlier.
This was bad. After all, it had time-space attributes. We couldn't escape with Dimension Shift. Moreover, it covered a wide area, making it difficult to dodge. We had no choice but to open the barrier to its maximum and endure it. However, just as we thought that, Zelyse started concentrating magical power to release a second wave.
Could it be that he could fire them consecutively? No, if Zelyse and the magic sword Zelyse took turns firing, it would be possible! The annoyance of the Intelligence Weapon was showing itself now! Nevertheless, Urushi's feet didn't stop.
『Urushi! What are you...!』
「Gaaaargh!」
While fixing his sharp gaze on the wall of magical energy bullets, he charged straight into them.
Screeeee!
With a high-pitched sound like metal scraping against metal, shocks ran through the barrier covering our surroundings. Each time, it became clear that the barrier was thinning. But that wasn't the problem.
「Urushi!」
『Create a barrier for yourself too!』
「Woof!」
Urushi still had only set up the minimum barrier on his own body. He was focusing on deploying the barrier mainly in front to protect his head. Bullets grazed the side of his body, shaving off bits of flesh and causing copious amounts of blood to spurt out. Even so, Urushi's forward momentum didn't stop.
While scattering a large amount of red blood from his body, he forcibly broke through the barrage of bullets.
「You've gotta be kidding me!」
Zelyse seemed genuinely surprised by this. His eyes widened, and he raised his voice. However, his actions didn't stop. Zelyse quickly raised his magic sword, preparing to release the second wave. Furthermore, he took a large magic stone from his pocket and smirked. Considering the vast amount of magic power it contained and the crisis detection skill ringing alarm bells, it was likely an incredibly dangerous magic stone weapon. Their plan appeared to be to stop Urushi's movements with magical energy bullets and finish the job with the magic stone weapon. Or so they thought.
However, they were underestimating Urushi. Urushi wasn't just an accessory for us. He had evolved into a reliable partner who had even reached a new level.
「Gaaargh!」
「!」
Urushi suddenly accelerated. Yes, he had been pretending to flee at full speed, but in reality, he wasn't at his top speed. It was a consideration for Fran on his back.
However, thanks to that, he was able to outmaneuver Zelyse. Zelyse, who had rapidly closed the gap at a speed beyond imagination, showed a panicked expression.
Fran had a pained expression due to the sudden acceleration, but she didn't make a sound. Urushi, aware that his master was in pain on his back, didn't slow down either. All of this was for this one crucial moment.
「Grr, Goooaargh!」
「Even so!」
As Urushi charged in, Zelyse swung his magic sword horizontally, dispersing magical energy bullets. Due to insufficient charging, the attack was less powerful than before, but it was more densely packed. Dodging this barrage would be impossible for Urushi. It would undoubtedly hit him. Zelyse's expression showed a slight return of confidence. Indeed, the power of this attack was tremendous. A direct hit would likely obliterate even a Threat Level C magical beast.
But did they really think they could defeat Urushi with this? He had become stronger through training.
「Gruooogh!」
Urushi activated his trump card: Level 7 Dark Magic, Dark Embrace. Originally, this spell enhanced defense and physical abilities by shrouding the entire body in darkness.
However, through his training, Urushi had successfully modified the spell in his own way. The created pitch-black darkness covered only Urushi's head. By doing so, he enhanced only the biting force. Simultaneously, Dimension Fang was activated.
When the massive wolf Urushi bit down seriously, even Orichalcum would shatter like candy. This was a super-powerful strike combining the Dark and Space-Time attributes.
It wasn't a combination technique with Fran but a move he had devised to finish off enemies by himself. This was Urushi's ultimate fang technique. Amanda, who named this technique "Fang of the Severed Boundary," said that even she wouldn't be able to avoid fatal injuries if it hit her directly.
「Gruaaaaaaah!」
「Gugaaaaaaah!」
While deflecting Zelyse's space-time bullets with a barrier of darkness, Urushi returned to his original size and sank his teeth into Zelyse's body. You could see Urushi's fangs, each the size of a log, crushing Zelyse's lower half.
「Mmph... Listen, you...,」
Only Zelyse's upper body remained airborne, muttering something.
I see, Zelyse might have obtained information about Urushi from becoming a magic sword. Alternatively, if he knew that Urushi was a Dark Wolf, he might have been able to anticipate its evolution.
In its shrunken form, Urushi should have appeared like a Dark Night Wolf or Gehenna Wolf. Both didn't have particularly high direct combat capabilities. That's why Zelyse had underestimated Urushi's combat strength.
Despite his severe injuries, Zelyse's life force hadn't run out yet. On the contrary, signs of regeneration were beginning to show.
「Huh? Regeneration is... slow... What on earth... is that wolf...?」
Zelyse had no sense of danger in his eyes, only curiosity. Even in this situation, he remained an unwavering freak.
No, he probably had the confidence to escape even from here. As long as he had the magic sword Zelyse, various abilities could be activated. He put away the magic stone weapon and brandished the magic sword Zelyse. However, Zelyse had suffered significant damage, and he couldn't move freely. It was a chance to defeat him.
「Gru Lulu...」
Urushi still couldn't move. The recoil from his powerful attack was taking its toll. Fran and I didn't have the strength to launch an attack that would finish Zelyse. We were so close!
「Well, for now, I'll take my leave for today—」
Damn it! He's getting away!
「—Huh?」
What's wrong? Zelyse should have activated teleportation, but nothing happened. Did it fail? Just when I thought that, there was a presence around Zelyse. I couldn't say exactly what it was, but I was sure.
It was Rhyn! As a spirit of time and water, Rhyn could interfere with the opponent's teleportation!
That's when, for the first time, a look of panic appeared on Zelyse's face.
「Damn it... Subspace Submersion isn't activating!」
Subspace Submersion? Is that the true nature of Zelyse's invincibility mode? It probably had an effect similar to Dimension Shift. With Zelyse's dexterity, he might be able to activate it without revealing any magic power movement.
「Something is interfering...? Annoying—Guah! What is this!」
「Ha!」
It was Fran. She had further strained her already heavily used body and fired a magical energy bullet. Its power was minimal. It might not even be enough to kill a goblin. However, it seemed to have disrupted Zelyse's posture. Fran looked at me. I got it. I'll do my best too!
『Raaaaah!』
What I activated was telekinesis. Just for a moment. But in his current state, with his lower body gone and his sense of balance lost, Zelyse couldn't resist the sudden force applied from an unexpected direction.
Zelyse was forcefully pulled downward from his perspective, but that's all there was to it. That's all there was, but...
「Eh?」
Countless tentacles were entwined around Zelyse's body. Of course, Zelyse had been avoiding the tentacles squirming around him the whole time. However, I had managed to drag him down the trajectory of the tentacle extended by Urushi. I didn't think this would defeat him, but it should buy us some time to escape.
「What's this...?」
「Let me go! Alchemist!」
Zelyse tried to shake off the tentacles coiling around his body. I thought he might be able to escape by phasing through them, but there was no sign of that happening. Juzeka seemed to be interfering with his space-time magic. She had mentioned that she had countermeasures against space-time magic because it was her specialty.
「Darn it! Who are you? No, your appearance...! Could it be?」
「Oh? You noticed?」
「The Phantom—no, you've become the Crimson Eye now, haven't you? Why are you here in a place like this?」
「Now, it's for the sake of the kingdom. Your rampage can't be left unchecked.」
Come to think of it, the enemy of my enemy is my ally—Zelyse had explicitly stated that he was Zelyse's enemy. There seemed to be some kind of grudge. However, Juzeka couldn't attack Zelyse while he was harassing him in some way, and she was just staring at him with her crimson eyes.
「This is terrible! I've been working hard for the Kingdom of Raydoss, thinking of its welfare!」
「I learned about you during the Bulbora incident in the Kingdom of Kranzel. Our agent who had infiltrated Bulbora disappeared, right? While investigating, we traced it back to you. Working for the Kingdom of Raydoss's sake? I already understand that you're not someone who works for others. Wretched creature!」
「Everyone treats me like a bug! Seriously!」
Zelyse was struggling to stay afloat in the air to prevent being dragged down further. He probably had to allocate magical power for regeneration. Furthermore, he had to use magic to fend off the swarming tentacles.
「One of the Six Great Commanders of the Red Knights, Juzeka, the Crimson Eye! I heard she's the most elusive and troublesome opponent, but it's true! Fran-san! She's a high-ranking official of the Raydoss Kingdom! A dangerous one, directly under the Prime Minister! Should we just leave her alone?」
The current Zelyse was employed by the Kingdom of Raydoss. If they both belonged to the Kingdom of Raydoss, it wouldn't be strange for them to know each other. With a wry smile, Zelyse looked in our direction. Perhaps he was hoping that Juzeka and Fran would turn on each other. However, Fran was completely ignoring him. She was being aided by Juzeka, and in this situation, Zelyse was by far the more troublesome one.
「I dislike you more than any of those important people in Raydoss.」
「Eh? That's not fair!」
「Hehehe, it seems you've caused quite a stir, Alchemist.」
「Crimson Eye, is it really okay for you to be here at this time? Weren't you supposed to be guarding the capital while the king is absent? I heard that the court nobles are at odds trying to install a convenient king, and the kingdom is on the brink of civil war. Isn't the Prime Minister alone incapable of handling this situation?」
「The Prime Minister merely ignores those fools. Besides, your information is outdated. A new king has already been chosen. In the first place, the idea of choosing a king? It seems those power-hungry villains who know nothing were having a pointless dispute. The king is not someone we choose, no matter what anyone says. The king is the king.」
「I've always been curious. My employer is one of the Four Dukes, Duke Westward Expedition. He's known as a lunatic. If it benefits him in any way, he'll use any scoundrel and accept even dangerous inventions created with crazy design philosophies. He's a duke with boundless ambition, greed, and ambition. Raydoss Kingdom is on the brink of civil war. There are so many opportunities to seize the throne, gain independence, and engage in all kinds of sinister conspiracies. Yet, no matter how devious plots they hatch or how much they ignore orders from the Prime Minister, they seem to be careful not to go against the royal family. From the start, it seems they never considered opposing the royal family.」
While speaking, Zelyse seemed to be searching for a way to escape his predicament. However, this was a rare opportunity to gather information about Raydoss. Please keep talking.
「He's not someone with loyalty. The dukes revere the royal family for a different reason. I wonder what that reason is? I'm really curious. Please tell me.」
It seemed like Zelyse wanted to convey to Juzeka that he had noticed some secret related to Raydoss. He rambled on about his own speculations while being entangled by the tentacles, presumably to induce agitation and unlock Juzeka's magic. However, upon hearing this, Juzeka didn't appear flustered at all; instead, she smirked.
「I've heard something interesting. It seems that Duke Westward Expedition isn't crazy enough to blabber secrets to vermin like you.」
「Ugh! Darn it!」
The number of tentacles coiling around Zelyse's body increased. Could this be for real?
「Hahaha! What a foolish appearance! Zelyse!」
「Just hurry up and help me!」
「Hahaha!」
Darn it! Time's up! Nameless had arrived. Even Urushi, carrying Fran on his back, wouldn't be able to defeat Nameless. We should take advantage of their momentary lapse and escape. Urushi seemed to understand this too, as he was slowly retreating. We were so close to defeating Zelyse with Juzeka's help!
However, right after that, an unbelievable sight unfolded before us.
「Hahaha! Do you really want my help that badly?」
「Guh?」
「Why do you look so puzzled, Alchemist-sama?」
「Ha... Haha. At a time like this, please spare me the jokes.」
Instead of helping Zelyse, Nameless suddenly grabbed Zelyse by the neck. He laughed loudly, exerting just enough force.
Zelyse appeared to be in pain, but he still maintained a somewhat composed demeanor as he responded, "Hmph, not a joke, Nameless."
An aura-like substance, dark and filthy in color, overflowed from Nameless's arm, like stagnant black sludge. Just staring at it filled one with a disturbing sense of unease, akin to what one might feel from the overflowing resentment that came from the Rich. However, this was several times more terrifying. It was as if resentment had been condensed and concentrated. Resentment crept over Zelyse's body, gradually covering him.
「Huh...?」
Zelyse tried to raise the magical sword, but the sword didn't respond at all. It seemed to have become nothing more than a silent, ordinary sword.
「Huh...?」
「Hahaha! Hahaha! What a shame! I don't want to lend you my power!」
「Idiot...」
「Soaking you in resentment, making you my underling... Hmm, perhaps that's it? You can't stand the idea of existing?」
「Who are you... talking to...」
「Hahaha. Who? Your other self? You can understand once you've lost your body. Identity is quite important for maintaining one's sense of self. To become the sole Zelyse of the sword, you are nothing but a nuisance.」
「Haha, I see. By becoming the sword, in the end, I became a different entity... I understand...」
「I don't dislike your curiosity and greed, but... for the sake of our goal, your existence is still a hindrance. You may die for our cause.」
*Crack!*
When Nameless exerted pressure with the hand holding Zelyse, Zelyse's neck crushed easily, and his head slumped to the side.
「Hahaha! Farewell, mad alchemist.」
Nameless released his grip, and Zelyse's body fell toward the giant magical beast. He seemed to still be alive, but likely unable to move. Then, he was ensnared by the tentacles.
Entangled and compressed by tremendous force, Zelyse was swallowed up by the gigantic creature. The sound of flesh and bone being crushed resembled that of a massive creature chewing on its food. There was no longer any sign of Zelyse, not even a trace of life.
Had he died? Was that stubborn Zelyse gone for good?
However, we didn't have the luxury of being in a state of confusion.
「Woof!」
Urushi barked in alert, growling.
『Damn it! The magic in Weena Rhyn's location is incredible! They're coming!』
「Juzeka! Let's run!」
「I'll be fine. You've helped me this time.」
「Same here.」
「You can report about me anywhere you like. Our country's fools have caused trouble.」
The woman who had been called the commander of the Raydoss Kingdom's Red Knights lowered her head. I wanted to ask for more details, but there was no time.
「I hope you can escape safely. When we meet next, we may be enemies. Farewell.」
Juzeka said that and then disappeared with a teleportation spell. Given her condition, I wasn't worried. As she had said, we were the ones in greater danger. We needed to leave that place at full speed before Nameless arrived. Urushi put in all his effort, running across the lake.
『Come on, Urushi!』
「Ahh, woof!」
Urushi continued running, even as he vomited stomach fluids. Just after we managed to escape with his persistent effort, a massive water sphere appeared above the giant magical beast. It was likely over 100 meters in diameter.
「Wow, that's amazing.」
『Yeah, no kidding. It's an incredible divine aura, I said.』
「Kuhn...」
The amount of magic power contained was immense, beyond comprehension. The sphere emitted an intense divine aura that covered the entire area. It felt similar to when I used the Sword God Transformation, but on a much larger scale, encompassing the entire water sphere.
Could it be that the entire water mass had been imbued with the divine attribute?
It was fortunate that my perception abilities were dulled due to the aftereffects of overexertion. If my usual sensing abilities were intact, I might have been overwhelmed by the overwhelming presence and vast amount of information, potentially causing panic. In fact, Urushi seemed frightened, with his fur standing on end and his ears flat against his head.
「Arf...」
Urushi continued to run with his tail tucked between his legs, a worried expression on his face. He was running at full speed. Fran was groaning as she was jostled up and down, but Urushi didn't slow down. Seeing that divine aura up close, he probably couldn't find comfort no matter how much distance he put between us. It was also for Fran's sake.
It was a relief that the activation happened after we had managed to create some distance.
Or perhaps it was waiting for us to escape? Well, Weena Rhyn may be a bit eccentric, but that doesn't make her a villain, so she might have been willing to wait for a little while.
As we watched, the divine water sphere underwent a significant transformation. It began to expand horizontally.
And then, before we knew it, it had transformed into countless small water spheres. Well, when I say small, I mean they were each about the size to swallow Fran whole. Just as I was thinking about that...
*Splash!*
With a heavy and sharp burst, deep furrows were gouged into the body of the giant magical beast. It appeared as if lines were running straight from top to bottom. The high-speed water spheres released from above had effortlessly cut through the creature's body. The speed was so tremendous that even we could only barely perceive the shadows.
What followed was a scene that seemed too unreal to be happening in reality.
*Boom! Boom! Boom!*
Explosions resounded in succession as the creature's body was rapidly whittled away.
Water spheres were being shot from above at godlike speed, continuously piercing the magical beast's flesh.
As the water spheres pierced through the magical beast's body, they naturally collided with the lake. Every impact produced a nearly fifty-meter water column, a sight that left us speechless. Despite the magical beast generating over a thousand Water Arrows, they seemed insignificant compared to the power on display.
Yet, the enormous tsunami generated disappeared unnaturally quickly over a short distance. Perhaps Weena Rhyn was controlling even that.
I couldn't fathom the kind of magic or skills needed to achieve such a feat, but that had to be Weena Rhyn's ultimate move.
Already, more than half of the magical beast's body had vanished, and the water spheres kept coming.
We could see that the massive water mass floating above the magical beast was gradually shrinking. However, there was no sign that the number of water spheres whittling away at the magical beast's body was decreasing. Upon closer observation, it became apparent that the lake's water was rising like tendrils, breaking apart in mid-air to form new water spheres. Moreover, those water spheres emitted a divine aura. Was it imbuing them all with the divine attribute?
The new water spheres ascended in a straight line to the sky, as if playing a reversed playback of a rain scene. Then, once they reached a certain height, the water spheres began to fall as if drawn by gravity, showering down upon the magical beast.
As long as this cycle continued, the assault on the magical beast would not cease. Well, as long as Weena Rhyn's magical power held out.
However, could we really defeat it like this? The reduction in the magical beast's size had come to a halt. No matter how much it was attacked and its flesh whittled away, it instantly regenerated. It might be more energy-efficient to focus its power on protecting the smaller body than maintaining the gigantic one.
Weena Rhyn continuously fired water spheres with destructive power equivalent to our Heavenly Judgment, and the magical beast simultaneously employed a formidable barrier and instant regeneration.
In just a few tens of seconds, it was impossible to imagine how much magical power had been expended.
Nonetheless, Weena Rhyn and the magical beast continued their battle of attrition.
We couldn't even intervene. We were merely swept up in the aftermath, and we would probably be annihilated if we tried to do anything. All we could do was watch this legendary battle unfold. I was dumbfounded. Urushi was frightened. And Fran seemed somewhat frustrated.
『What's wrong, Fran?』
（Weena Rhyn and the magical beast, they're incredible.）
『That's because it's a battle between those at the very top in this world...』
（Still, it's frustrating.）
『I see.』
（(Hmm. Besides, someday I'll have to defeat a giant magical beast like that. I can't just say it can't be helped...）
I never expected to feel frustrated immediately after witnessing that battle... Aren't you feeling any fear? No, that can't be the case. Anyone who doesn't feel fear after witnessing that must be insane. Instead, they probably overcame their fear by motivating themselves with frustration.
As expected of Fran. I can't just stand around dazed either! That's right, someday we'll break the curse of the Black Cat Tribe. That means we'll have to defeat a monstrously evil enemy like that giant magical beast with our own strength.
「Woof!」
Somehow, Urushi had lost his fear without me noticing. He must be feeling the same as I am. He turned to look behind us with a determined expression, ready to witness that battle with his own eyes.
『That's right. We can't just say it can't be helped.』
「Woof woof!」
「Nn...!」
While watching the mythic battle between the High Elf and the giant magical beast, we managed to put some distance between us and what seemed like a safe zone. Even here, there was no shortage of aftershocks, which was discouraging.
However, after a while, something changed in their back-and-forth struggle.
「Has it stopped?」
「Woof?」
The storm of water bullets that Weena Rhyn had unleashed suddenly came to a halt.
『Could it be that Weena Rhyn has run out of magical power?』
Considering the extent of the attacks, even though she's a High Elf, the exhaustion must be tremendous.
It was entirely possible for her to run out of power before defeating the giant magical beast. In fact, the regeneration of the magical beast's body had already started slowly. Well, it might look slow due to its enormous size, but in reality, it was quite fast.
『And now it won't take damage from the divine attribute!』
Could this be bad? Maybe we should make Urushi put in more effort to escape...
「Master, look at that.」
『Huh?』
While I was lost in thought, Fran suddenly pointed to the lake. When I checked over there, a strange phenomenon had begun once again.
「Threads?」
「Arf?」
『Certainly looks like threads...』
As Fran said, it was clear that the lake's water was deforming into thin, long threads. It was like an invisible hand was twisting and turning the water, converting it into threads.
The threads extending from the lake's surface multiplied at a tremendous speed. In just a few seconds, countless threads covered the entire lake. These threads, like the water spheres earlier, ascended back into the sky.
The number would easily surpass a thousand or two thousand. It was likely well over ten thousand.
「Is that also Weena Rhyn's doing?」
『It seems so. I can sense the divine attribute from each of those threads.』
That's right. I could sense a violent divine attribute presence from those threads. Weena Rhyn's trump card hadn't stopped; she had simply changed her approach to attacking the giant magical beast.
「Can it move...?」
『Woof!』
It seemed that Urushi had sensed the movement of magical power. After Fran erected a barrier, he began to run at full speed once again. Right after that, the threads all wriggled at once and surged toward the giant magical beast.
『Amazing...』
「Nn.」
「Arf.」
The three of us watched in astonishment.
Each thread was incredibly thin, so thin that it was difficult to even recognize them as threads. It didn't seem like being entangled by such thin threads would have any effect on the giant magical beast. But what if there were a thousand of them? Ten thousand? Even more?
The answer was right in front of us. The giant magical beast, entangled by an immense number of threads, was completely covered, to the extent that it looked like its original color might have been white. Furthermore, the magical threads gradually tightened around the entire body of the giant magical beast, restraining it.
However, Weena Rhyn's goal was certainly not just to stop the giant magical beast's movements.
The lake's surface, where the threads extended, began to ripple over a wide area, and the waves gradually grew more intense.
「Hey, doesn't it look like the giant magical beast is getting bigger?」
『Now that you mention it... No, it's not getting bigger—』
「Is it breaking free from the seal?」
『Yes, exactly! It seems like that!』
Was the giant magical beast trying to break free from the seal? That's what I thought at first, but it seemed different. It looked more like it was being forcibly dragged out.
The giant magical beast let out a scream, unmistakably a cry of distress.
「Aaargh!」
And then, the giant magical beast's body was suddenly pulled completely out of the seal. It was as if a multitude of dark red spots were being forcefully ejected from a narrow hole.
Well, even though I say "narrow hole," it was probably several dozen meters in diameter.
Because it was forcefully pulled out of the seal before its body could fully regenerate, its physical strength seemed to be significantly weakened. The flesh that overflowed onto the lake's surface, when touched by the divine-attribute water, crumbled and disintegrated.
Furthermore, even the parts that had already emerged from the seal earlier and had been subjected to our attacks had lost their original form. Those threads weren't just ordinary threads; they seemed to possess offensive capabilities as well. They appeared to have the role of shaving the parts they touched and inhibiting regeneration.
The threads of water attacking the giant magical beast were still multiplying. In this way, the lake surface with a radius of around 500 meters was likely entirely under Weena Rhyn's control.
The giant magical beast had no way to escape anymore.
「Aaaaargh!」
The roar that the giant magical beast emitted sounded like the lament of a tortured sinner. And after that, the giant magical beast never roared again.
Its entire body had already crumbled into pieces, and not a single one of its numerous mouths remained.
The creature that had seemingly boasted infinite vitality had met its end.
The threads that had enveloped the giant magical beast like a giant cocoon slowly began to unravel. And when all the threads returned to the lake's water, there was nothing left.
There was no trace of the giant magical beast remaining.
The lake, which had been so turbulent just moments ago, calmed down so quickly that it seemed as if the battle we had witnessed was a mirage, so serene and undisturbed.
『Is it over...?』
「?」
「Woof?」
No matter how much we searched the surroundings, we couldn't detect even a fragment of the giant magical beast's presence. The remnants of the battle were nothing more than a faint sacred aura emanating from the water's surface.
The end of such a fierce and large-scale mythic battle was surprisingly quiet. Fran and Urushi shivered, and the silence was somewhat terrifying. I felt the same way.
『Let's go to Weena Rhyn.』
「Woof.」
Urushi raced across the surprisingly calm surface of the lake.
『I guess there are no traces of the giant magical beast...』
「Nn.」
『And Vivian Guardian has disappeared too, somehow.』
「Woof.」
Until now, we should have been attacked by Vivian Guardian around this area, but there was neither a shadow nor a form.
I thought it might be related to the demise of the giant magical beast, but I didn't know the details. We hurried to the one who knew the details.
「Weena Rhyn, are you here?」
「Woof!」
『It seems you're safe. Well, I didn't think you would self-destruct, though.』
I saw the white stage where Weena Rhyn and the others had performed the ritual. It hadn't collapsed or been destroyed in the previous battle. How about Romeo? Were they all safe?
As we got closer, I could feel Weena Rhyn and the others' presence. Weena Rhyn, Romeo, Sierra, Zelos Reed. They were all there. However, being alive and being unharmed were two different things. When we arrived on the stage, that fact became clear to us once again.
Romeo was still unconscious, but there were no problems with their vitality or breathing; they were merely unconscious. Sierra and Zelos Reed seemed to be fine as well, judging by the fact that they weren't panicking. They would probably wake up soon.
Sierra and Zelos Reed, on the other hand, were in bad shape. Their bleeding had stopped, but their vitality had not yet recovered. It seemed that, like us, their regenerative abilities had decreased due to overexertion.
However, both of them were conscious, and as long as they drank potions and stayed still, they shouldn't get any worse. But Weena Rhyn was a different story.
『I can't believe it...』
「Weena Rhyn... Are you okay?」
「Hehe... I can't exactly say I'm okay.」
With a weak smile, Weena Rhyn replied. Part of Weena Rhyn's body was covered in something black, like the embodiment of nighttime darkness. It covered part of the right eye, right ear, and even extended from the right wrist and beyond, peeking out from under the sleeve.
It wasn't magic power, miasma, or evil aura. From that black substance, I couldn't sense any magic power or presence at all. In fact, I couldn't even detect the presence of Weena Rhyn's physical body, which should have been inside it. No, did their physical body even exist? I initially thought the black substance was covering it, but it also seemed like the flesh had transformed in some way.
Either way, I couldn't even begin to imagine what had happened.
「What's going on?」
「It's hard to explain, but... think of it as a down payment for the future?」
「?」
「Yes, I borrowed from the future.」
Borrowed from the future? I don't quite understand. Fran and Urushi also tilted their heads in confusion.
「Do you know that I have a contract with Rhyn?」
「Nn.」
「Rhyn's attributes are time and water.」
「I know that too.」
「The skill I possess, 'Divine Water Creation,' is a power that resulted from the combination of Weena's water manipulation abilities and Rhyn's power as a water spirit. It evolved from the Holy Water Creation skill I originally had.」
「I see.」
So, the power Weena originally had was enhanced through fusion with Rhyn.
「In addition to that, there's a powerful influence from Rhyn. That's what I borrowed from the future. It's essentially the ability to generate the magic power that my future self would create ahead of time within the time-space continuum.」
「So, you're borrowing magic power from your future self? Hence the 'Advance Loan'?」
「That's one way to put it. For a few days, I won't be able to use any magic power at all, but in exchange, I can generate an enormous amount of magic power in an instant. Think of it that way.」
「Is the aftermath of using that last resort what's causing the black part?」
「Partly correct. But to be precise, my last resort isn't the Advance Loan or the Divine Water Creation.」
「Then what is it?」
Fran asked innocently. I thought Weena Rhyn might not reveal their last resort so easily, but they explained without hiding anything.
「A High Elf's last resort is the ability called 'Transcendence.' The effect is simple: it boosts your stats and enhances your skills. Well, the extent of the enhancement is outrageous. Especially in the case of skills, while in the Transcendent state, they can perform at a level that could be described as evolving into a higher-tier skill.」
「So, you used Transcendence and then used Advance Loan and Divine Water Creation?」
「Exactly. This body is the result of using a Transcendence enhanced Advance Loan for an extended period.」
When used in the Transcendent state, Advance Loan can apparently extract something other than magic power. What that something is, even Weena Rhyn doesn't know.
「Don't you know?」
「I borrow something I don't quite understand from my future self and gain incredible power from it. That's how it works.」
「Aren't you scared?」
「I am scared. But during that time, the enhancement from Transcendence is beyond belief. Still, whether it's enough to completely defeat the giant magical beast is a gamble. I had no choice but to do it.」
So, a High Elf, already a formidable being, becomes further enhanced through Transcendence and then even more so through the Advance Loan while in the Transcendent state. In that state, activating the combo of the Divine Water Creation skill and the Grand Ocean Magic Aquarius allows them to bestow godly attributes on water within a radius of 500 meters and manipulate it at will.
「Amazing... But what's that 'something' you borrow?」
「...Who knows? But seeing this situation, you can tell it's not something normal, right?」
「So, is that black part a consequence of Transcendence Advance Loan?」
「Yes, that's right. In this state, I have no sensation, and I can't move. I can't even see from my right eye, and I can't hear from my right ear.」
Weena Rhyn raised their right arm to show it, but their fingers didn't move at all. They were frozen in the shape of a hand using a mouse, just like when they were using it. They couldn't move it with their own will.
「Will it heal?」
「It'll return to normal in a few years. It was the same the last time.」
Years! Well, considering the incredible power they used, it wasn't that heavy of a price, was it? Especially for a long-lived High Elf... Well, even so, years are still a long time.
「This is the first time I've used it to the absolute limit, so I can't say for sure.」
「The absolute limit?」
「Yes. If I had used Transcendence for another ten seconds, I would have died.」
「Eh?」
「If this black part had reached my brain, my brain would have naturally shut down. Indeed, if my brain and heart stopped, there would be nothing I could do.」
Weena Rhyn shrugged and said so.
「If you hadn't weakened it, I would have died before managing to defeat it. Thank you.」
Fran nodded with a complex expression. After witnessing Weena Rhyn's battle with the giant magical beast, they might have felt that their assistance was insignificant. However, Weena Rhyn didn't seem to be lying. That meant their help had truly been valuable. But Weena Rhyn's cost had been significant. They seemed to be thinking that if only they were stronger... I could understand that feeling. I felt the same way.
「No need to look like that. Even in this state, I can still use spirit magic, and if my legs work, I can go anywhere.」
Fran seemed to switch her focus to Weena Rhyn's words. She nodded, as if realizing there was still an important question she hadn't asked.
「Has the giant magical beast completely disappeared now?」
「Yes, without a doubt.」
Weena Rhyn asserted it with confidence. If she was making such a firm statement, she must have been quite certain. It seemed there was no need to worry. In that case, I had one more thing I was concerned about.
「Where's Rhyn?」
「Woof?」
Yes, I was concerned about Rhyn's condition. They seemed to have exerted themselves considerably. Moreover, they had pushed themselves beyond their limits to help us in the end. Since then, we hadn't sensed any presence from them. There had been no response even to my spirit detection.
Was their presence simply too faint for my spirit detection to grasp, or had they exhausted their strength and vanished? No, if Rhyn had disappeared because of helping us, Weena Rhyn would be much more furious. So, I believed it was the former...
「I'll call for her now.」
Good, it seemed Rhyn hadn't disappeared after all.
Weena Rhyn closed her undamaged left eye and concentrated slightly. Immediately afterward, a magic circle appeared on the ground a few meters in front of her, and from within it, a white figure emerged, floating up as if it were a ghost.
Golden hair, heterochromia, elven ears. There was no doubt it was Rhyn.
However, their appearance was ghostly, as if they were a phantom. It might not be strange for spirits to be somewhat translucent, but their very presence seemed to have faded significantly.
「Thank you. Thanks to all of you, Weena Rhyn and Romeo are both alive...」
Rhyn's voice was barely audible, but it was definitely heard.
「Are you okay?」
「Yes...」
It didn't seem like they were completely fine, but Rhyn nodded with a smile on their face. Rhyn must have paid a heavy price, but they appeared satisfied with the outcome.
However, Weena Rhyn, who had a look on her face as if she had bitten into a bitter bug, had a different expression.
「Rhyn, why did you exhaust yourself like this? I understood that you did something when Fran and the others were launching their attacks, but...」
「...There were various reasons.」
Weena Rhyn was likely referring to that mysterious time when Rhyn and the others connected here and there, enabling them to communicate with Fran, who had turned gray, and me. It seemed she hadn't told Weena Rhyn the details. Rhyn's exhaustion was evident even to us, so there was no way Weena Rhyn hadn't noticed.
「You can't tell me?」
「Because it's not over yet...」
It wasn't over yet? What did that mean? Had the connection not been severed?
Maybe the Fran on the other side hadn't been saved yet, or was that what she meant?
「Weena Rhyn, at this rate, I won't be able to return to myself. Do you understand?」
「No problem. I can return the power of Rhyn within me to you.」
「No, that won't work. You won't be able to endure it. Separating will require a considerable amount of power.」
「I understand that, but if you can return to being Rhyn, I don't need my life.」
「That's why it won't work.」
Rhyn shook their head with a sad expression. Saying you didn't need your life was rather grim. Everyone had survived without losing their lives while defeating the giant magical beast. It was a cause for celebration, wasn't it?
「What do you mean?」
「To be honest, I've used up quite a bit of my power. If this continues, I might naturally disappear.」
「But if I return the power, there won't be a problem.」
「If you do that, you'll die. You're on the edge right now, you know? If you deplete yourself further by separating, there won't be any life left.」
In the current state, Rhyn might disappear. To prevent that, they needed to separate Rhyn's power, which was fused with Weena Rhyn, and return it. However, it seemed that Weena Rhyn couldn't endure the process. The cost of their previous borrowing was evidently more significant than it appeared.
In other words, it was a choice between saving either Rhyn or Weena Rhyn.
「That's tough.」
「Oh, oh!」
Fran wore a shocked expression that only we could understand.
「If we had shaved off more of the giant magical beast...」
「...I'm sorry.」
Unnoticed, Sierra had approached us. She was in a condition where she could barely walk, using the magical sword Zelos Reed as a makeshift staff. She must have listened to the conversation and arrived at the same conclusion as Fran. She looked frustrated.
However, Sierra's face didn't exude the same intensity as before. Perhaps she had witnessed Zelyse's death. Their primary objectives had been revenge against Zelyse and the rescue of Romeo and Zelos Reed.
While Zelyse's whereabouts were unknown, human Zelyse had perished, and Romeo and Zelos Reed had survived. With most of their objectives accomplished, the sense of sadness or despair that Sierra had carried seemed to have dissipated considerably.
「No, it's too early to apologize... Fran, your help is needed.」
「Us? Me and Sierra?」
「No... Fran and the power of that sword. Have you gained the ability to cut spirits?」
「Huh?」
I wasn't sure about the ability to cut, but I had a clue.
『The power to cut spirits, you mean?』
「That's right. With that power, you can sever the connection between Weena and me. Once the connection is severed, our powers will naturally separate. Weena's exhaustion will be minimized.」
「So, both of you will be saved?」
「Yes. Knowing that it might burden you, I'm asking for your help. Please, save us.」
Rhyn lowered their head quietly. If it could save both of them, we would be willing to push ourselves a little...
『What's the specific method?』
The recently acquired skill, "Spirit Hand." To be honest, I hadn't used it even once, so I didn't even know how it felt. Was it a skill with offensive capabilities? And if it had a significant cost, it must be a highly draining skill. However, if it could save Rhyn and Weena Rhyn, it might be worth pushing ourselves a little.
「What should I do?」
「Use the Spirit Hand to sever the connection between Weena and me. By doing that, Weena and Rhyn will naturally separate.」
「The connection?」
「The bond that defines Weena and Rhyn as a single entity. It's the very cause of making Weena and Rhyn into Weena Rhyn.」
「Huh?」
Fran tilted her head. The so-called bond was entirely invisible. No matter how much I probed with magic, I couldn't see anything. Even if I was told to sever something invisible...
「Where is it located?」
「You won't be able to see it. But if you have Spirit Sense, you should be able to feel it.」
『I see.』
Spirit Sense, huh? It seemed it was something unique to spirits rather than a magical connection.
（Master?）
『Yeah, I get it.』
I focused on my Spirit Sense. When I searched the surroundings, I could faintly sense the presence of Rhyn, who was a spirit. However, I couldn't feel this so-called bond at all.
『Is this bond between Rhyn and Weena Rhyn?』
（Yes, that's right.）
Rhyn nodded. It seemed to be something located there...
『Hmm.』
Unfortunately, I felt nothing. Maybe I should instruct Rhyn to show me, and I could cut it using the Spirit Hand? Sort of like pointing it out and then slicing it with the Spirit Hand.
However, Rhyn shook their head.
（Usually, that would be fine.）
『Usually?』
（Spirit Hand is a skill that consumes a lot of energy. Moreover, to sever the connection between Weena and me, there should be significant resistance. In your current state, you'll definitely reach your limit halfway.）
So, using the Spirit Hand casually and swinging it around would likely result in a situation where my magical energy consumption couldn't keep up. With my current depleted state, I'd surely run out of gas.
『Understood.』
In the end, it seemed I would have to rely on Spirit Sense. I closed all other skills and focused entirely on Spirit Sense. All the surrounding presences disappeared, and I immersed myself in a world of nothingness, searching only for the presence of spirits. However, apart from Rhyn's presence, I felt nothing.
It seemed that I was indeed not very compatible with spirits. I tried multiple times, but it was futile.
『Hmm.』
（Master, no luck?）
『Yeah. Other than Rhyn, I can't sense anything with a spirit-like force.』
（There's something between Rhyn and Weena Rhyn.）
『Does Fran understand it?』
（(Hmm.）
In contrast to me, it seemed that Fran had a good affinity with spirits. I stared at the same spot Fran was looking at, but I couldn't see anything. Then, Fran stepped forward a bit and reached her hand out into the air.
（Here. It's here.）
She moved her hands left and right as if caressing something invisible. There, it seemed to be the spirit's power connecting Rhyn and Weena Rhyn.
If I knew it was there—.
I focused even deeper, concentrating harder. I kept sharpening my senses, and suddenly, I was struck by a strange sensation as if I was synchronizing with Fran. What Fran was looking at, I could see it too...?
First, I felt Rhyn's presence more strongly. It wasn't vague anymore; it felt like I could properly sense what a spirit was.
So, this was a spirit. The moment I felt that, it seemed like there was something between Rhyn and Weena Rhyn. I followed the slight feeling I had remembered and concentrated my senses even more.
Was it this? My heightened senses had definitely grasped something there. Once I understood it was there, it suddenly became clear.
In simple terms, it was like a complex, intertwined, sturdy rope? One thick rope stretched out from each other and tangled and intertwined, binding together at some point. The knot was like a child had tied multiple knots and passed the thread through them over and over again.
Especially the shape of the rope stretching out from Weena Rhyn seemed distorted. It looked as if it was trying to swallow up the thread extending from Rhyn with its thread.
『I see it. Is this the so-called bond?』
〈Spirit Sense is showing a response. Based on the information provided to Rhyn, the likelihood that this is the crucial element of the bond called the 'connection' is 96%.〉
『So, can I just cut it with Spirit Hand?』
I hadn't activated this ability even once, but would I be able to do it well? However, Announcer-san denied my words.
〈No. With the current individual named Master's magical power, Spirit Hand cannot be activated sufficiently.〉
『It consumes that much?』
〈Yes. Even as a unique skill, it has a high consumption.〉
That's troublesome.
『I don't have a way to recover magical power either...』
There were no more magic stones or potions. The only option left was something like magical power absorption, but around us, there were only Weena Rhyn, Rhyn, Sierra, and others who were as exhausted as we were. If I were to absorb magical power from them, it could lead to the worst-case scenario.
Among them, Urushi and Zelos Reed were relatively energetic. If I could get magical power from these two, maybe we could manage?
『What do you think, Announcer-san?』
〈Yes. It's possible to secure the minimum required magical power.〉
『Alright.』
Now, it was a matter of how to obtain the magical power. Should I try absorbing it through magical power theft? But in Zelos Reed's case, he housed evil energy. Even if I were to absorb it directly, I wasn't sure if I could convert it into power successfully. No, now that I think about it, I had just acquired a skill for controlling evil energy. If I used that, could I convert the evil energy into magical power?
However, to achieve that, Zelos Reed's cooperation was necessary. I explained this to Fran and decided to obtain Zelos Reed's consent.
「Hey.」
Fran! I get that you're not pleased, but couldn't you speak a bit more politely?
「What is it?」
However, even in Fran's brusque words, Zelos Reed responded with a sincere expression. While his tone wasn't exactly polite, his attitude clearly indicated that he intended to listen to Fran's words.
「We don't have enough power to save Rhyn and the others. I need your power.」
「Understood. Use as much as you want.」
Saying so, Zelos Reed immediately nodded. Perhaps he had been planning to agree no matter what from the beginning. It was that quick. However, not everyone was satisfied.
「Wait a moment. Are there no risks for you, Mr. Zelos Reed? And isn't it difficult for an ordinary person to control evil energy?」
Sierra said this while directing a worried gaze toward Zelos Reed. Well, for Sierra, saving Zelos Reed was arguably her top priority. It couldn't be helped. Even I would worry if Fran were to offer magical power to someone I didn't fully trust.
「The abilities of the sword.」
「...It's not just an ordinary sword, huh? I had a feeling it had some special power.」
「But...」
Sierra still couldn't be convinced. However, I couldn't explain my situation, so should I push the conversation a bit more forcefully?
「I'll call you Sierra, okay? It's fine.」
「But...」
「Besides, I entrusted my life to Fran a long time ago. Whatever happens, I don't mind.」
「What do you mean by that?」
Zelos Reed explained the agreement he had with Fran to Sierra, who looked surprised with wide eyes.
After this battle was over, instead of Fran taking Romeo to the Bulbora orphanage, Zelos Reed's life was at Fran's disposal. That was the content of their agreement.
Already, the contract between Romeo and Zelos Reed had been revoked by Weena Rhyn, and the battle was over. So, his life now belonged to Fran.
From Zelos Reed's perspective, his life belonged to Fran, so he didn't mind how it was handled. Even if it meant dying, there was no help for it, so Sierra shouldn't hold a grudge against Fran. He probably wanted to convey that.
However, Zelos Reed's inability to read the subtleties of human emotions had clearly taken a negative turn. I didn't know much about this man, but there was no way he was good at normal human interactions.
Naturally, hearing such a story, Sierra couldn't possibly feel reassured.
「No way...」
Sierra glared at Fran. Well, that was to be expected. After all, Fran resented Zelos Reed, and Sierra should have been aware of that.
In that case, there was no reason to consider Zelos Reed's life. He must have thought that there was a good chance that I would absorb evil energy and magical power from Zelos Reed, potentially killing him. Even if I were in his position, I would definitely be skeptical.
Approaching Sierra, who was like that, Fran raised me so that I could be seen more clearly.
（Master, may I speak?）
『...Is it about me being an Intelligence Weapon?』
（Yeah）
『...And you think Sierra will be convinced of that?』
（It's fine. Once Sierra knows about you, she'll definitely understand.）
『Is that so?』
（Yeah, definitely.）
『Well, if Fran says so...』
Was Fran trying to convey that it was me controlling the skills, not himself? Even so, I didn't think Sierra's suspicions would completely disappear. I didn't think there was any issue with talking to her. After all, Sierra and the others were Intelligence Weapons and their wielders. They wouldn't do anything to harm each other willingly.
「...What is it?」
With the sword still visible to herself, Sierra directed a suspicious look at the silent Fran. However, Fran didn't mind and spoke up again.
「The name of this sword is Master.」
「Master?」
「Yeah. Master is an Intelligence Weapon.」
「What...?」
Sierra's face displayed a clear expression of surprise. Around this time, she was probably still a child despite trying to act tough. Her poker face frequently crumbled.
『Hey. My name is Master. I'm Fran's sword and guardian. Nice to meet you.』
「Is that... really true?」
「Yeah. I use Master's skill, the Spirit Hand.」
『For now, I don't have any intention of getting back at that Zelos Reed guy here. Right now, Rhyn and the others are our top priority. Besides, Romeo would be sad, wouldn't he?』
I decided to express my honest feelings for now. I thought it was better to be honest here rather than tell lies. In response, Sierra's attitude changed surprisingly dramatically. After a moment of confusion, she had an oddly happy expression.
「I-I see. You're an Intelligence Weapon...」
「Yeah.」
「...」
「...」
Sierra fell silent for a moment. Perhaps she was having a conversation with the magical sword Zelos Reed.
「Understood. I'll trust you now.」
「Thank you.」
Why? I only greeted her briefly, but why did she suddenly believe me?
（Intelligence Weapons are comrades, so I thought she would understand if we talked properly.）
I thought it was absurd, but maybe it was actually true. Transported from different eras and with no one else to consult or rely on except for the magical sword Zelos Reed, Sierra and I were the only ones like each other. For Sierra, this was her first encounter with someone of the same kind. Furthermore, two children in similar situations could naturally feel sympathy for each other.
Well, now that Sierra no longer opposed it, we could calmly obtain power from Zelos Reed. Since the secret was out, I decided to give direct instructions.
『Zelos Reed, I'm going to borrow your power now. Don't resist, just stay still.』
「...Understood.」
There must still be some discomfort in talking to a sword. Zelos Reed seemed unsure of how to react, hesitating as he nodded.
As everyone watched in silence, I activated Evil Energy Manipulation. It was indeed manipulation. I could control the evil energy leaking from Zelos Reed as I wished. Next, it was the evil energy within Zelos Reed.
『Let's go.』
「Yeah.」
I expanded the target of evil energy manipulation to the evil energy inside Zelos Reed.
Zelos Reed's expression remained unchanged. He must have been prepared to endure anything.
Even in this calm state, evil is still evil. Within it, malevolent energy flowed and swirled. This must be the malevolent energy generated by high-level malevolent beings.
With evil energy manipulation, I could now sense evil energy in more detail than before, but it still felt oppressively cold. Nevertheless, I continued to use evil energy manipulation and increased my interference with Zelos Reed's evil energy.
I could tell that Zelos Reed's surrounding malevolent energy was gradually beginning to follow my will and separate from him, flowing toward me.
『All right, keep it up.』
「Hmph.」
Zelos Reed twitched slightly. He probably understood that his own malevolent energy was being manipulated from the outside. However, there was still some resistance.
While Zelos Reed was undoubtedly surrendering himself completely, it seemed that I couldn't perfectly control the malevolent energy within him. Perhaps because it was malevolent energy under the control of others. Especially when it came to controlling the malevolent energy of a high-level malevolent being like Zelos Reed, the difficulty level should be quite high. Conversely, it would probably be easier to draw out the malevolent energy if it were against a Goblin, for example.
Nevertheless, I persisted with the skill patiently, and little by little, I could tell that malevolent energy was being extracted from Zelos Reed and flowing into me.
Self-praise, but wasn't this going better than I imagined? Maybe I'm good at manipulating magical power and mental power. Since I didn't have a physical body, I experienced less physical strain, and I was used to controlling the flow of magical power and similar skills for everything I did. I was more accustomed to these types of skills than an ordinary human.
『Now, do I convert this malevolent energy into magical power?』
I hadn't tried it yet, but it seemed that with the evil energy manipulation skill, I could disperse the malevolent energy and convert this power into magical power. However, Announcer-san denied that idea.
〈No, thanks to the effect of the Evil Energy Manipulation skill, you can directly use the malevolent energy.〉
『Huh? So, you mean I can use both magical power and malevolent energy?』
〈Yes. While it may be less efficient than converting it, you'll obtain more power by directly using malevolent energy compared to the decrease caused by conversion.〉
But was that really okay? Even if I had the skill, using malevolent energy as it was... Could I endure it in my current state?
『Is it safe to let the malevolent energy flow into me?』
〈In the calculation, temporarily, there should be no problem. Furthermore, with the provisional assistance of Announcer-san, it is possible to minimize the temporary effects of malevolent energy.〉
『Oh, is that so! As expected of Announcer-san!』
〈We will prioritize dispersing the influence of malevolent energy within the entity named Master to less vital areas, protecting the core.〉
So, it means distributing the damage caused by malevolent energy to less important areas, right? Additionally, if the damage to one area is minor, it should recover quickly. Still, it's concerning.
『Is Announcer-san okay with this?』
〈Yes. It will only result in temporary ability reduction.〉
『That means... No, now is the time to do it. Announcer-san, please!』
〈Affirmative. Leave the control to me.〉
Alright, now it depends on Zelos Reed's condition. I'll continue absorbing malevolent energy little by little.
『Now, it's Urushi's turn.』
「Woof.」
『You're probably having a hard time too, but hang in there.』
「Woof!」
『Good response.』
I used the simultaneous computation skill and continued using magical power absorption consecutively. In Urushi's case, perhaps due to our magical connection, I could absorb magical power quite smoothly.
〈Required magical power filled to 12%.〉
「Ku...」
『Just a little more. Hang in there!』
「Grr...」
〈Required magical power secured.〉
『Great!』
As soon as I stopped magical power absorption, Urushi silently lay down in place. He seemed to be conscious, but fatigue seemed to have robbed him of his voice. Regeneration had also stopped, and blood could be seen seeping out.
However, it wasn't the time to apologize.
『You endured it well, Urushi! Thanks to you, my magical power has recovered considerably!』
「Arf...」
I'll give you a good petting with telekinesis later.
〈Evil energy filling completed.〉
『All right!』
Then, let's get this over with!
Using the Skill of Spirit Detection, I reached out toward the connection between Rhyn and Weena Rhyn that I sensed and activated the skill.
『Spirit's Hand, activate!』
An invisible force extended toward the entwined connection. Contrary to its name, the Spirit's Hand didn't have a hand-like form. It had a more amorphous appearance, like manipulating a lump of an indistinct force. However, I had no trouble using it. The Spirit's Hand felt similar to telekinesis. I could manage it somehow.
Spirit Detection was also working perfectly. After detecting it once, it seemed I could recognize the connection. It felt like the frequencies matched well. With a little concentration, I could see the connection.
I moved the Spirit's Hand and tried touching the connection slightly. It didn't react to a gentle touch, but what if I put more force into the Spirit's Hand?
『Is it okay if I break this?』
「Yes, please.」
『Alright!』
I poured power into the Spirit's Hand and tried to sever the connection between Weena Rhyn and Rhyn, but...
『Tch!』
It had no effect at all. I couldn't even make a slight scratch. What's more, I could see that the magical power I had received from Urushi was rapidly decreasing.
『So Announcer-san was worried about this!』
「Hang in there!」
「For the sake of saving Rhyn, please...」
Weena Rhyn, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke up after a long silence. Perhaps she had remained quiet to avoid disturbing our concentration, but it seemed she could no longer endure it.
『This calls for giving it our all!』
There was no time for caution. I focused my remaining strength into the Spirit's Hand. At the same time, I kneaded the malevolent energy together with it.
『Ugh...』
Ah, this was bad. The moment I released the malevolent energy, a chill ran down my spine. It might sound strange to say I had a spine, but it was a sensory experience. My mind shivered, and I felt a disturbing, creeping sensation.
To be honest, I had felt this several times before.
When I pushed my abilities to the limit and was on the brink of breaking, or when I devoured Fanatics. I experienced this chilling sensation every time I was in a crisis like this. So, it meant that I was in danger right now.
『Could it be because of the malevolent energy?』
〈I have recalculated the dispersion efficiency of the damage caused by malevolent energy. Additionally, I will reduce the influence of malevolent energy.〉
『Is it possible?』
〈Yes. Please concentrate on using your skill, individual named Master.〉
Announcer-san relayed this to me just after her declaration. True to her words, the chilling sensation I had been feeling suddenly eased.
『Thank goodness!』
With the reduced burden, I poured all my strength into the Spirit's Hand.
『Noooo!』
Alright! The connection that hadn't changed one bit until a moment ago began to warp under the influence of the Spirit's Hand!
Since there was no substance in the connection, there was no sound, especially not the creaking sound of something being severed. However, I felt like I could hear a sound, like creaking or crunching, as if the connection were being twisted while I was wringing out a wet cloth.
It wasn't breaking easily. It seemed to symbolize the strength of the bond between Weena and Rhyn.
And then, the moment I applied even more force.
As if the struggles I had endured until now were lies, the connection shattered easily. Well, that was just my perception. In reality, the power that had lost its substance crumbled into tiny particles.
My Spirit's Hand's interference power seemed to surpass the strength of the connection.
『All right! How about that, Rhyn, Weena Rhyn!』
I immediately checked on Rhyn's condition.
「...」
「...」
Huh? Both Rhyn and Weena Rhyn remained silent. They stood still with serious expressions.
Could it be... a failure? But I had definitely destroyed the connection, hadn't I?
『Hey, both of you?』
As I was about to call out again, that was when it happened.
「...it's gone.」
「...yes.」
Rhyn and Weena Rhyn murmured.
Short, just a single word. But it was filled with a myriad of emotions.
Joy, sadness, loneliness, relief, sorrow, hope. These were thousands of years' worth of feelings that only Rhyn and Weena Rhyn could understand completely.
Tears quietly ran down Weena Rhyn's cheeks. The sight of the beautiful elf shedding tears in silence held a sense of mystery and tranquility.
However, we didn't have the luxury of being captivated by that sight. A tremendous amount of magical power began to radiate from Weena Rhyn's body. This magical power was similar to Weena Rhyn's, yet not exactly the same. And it was clear that Weena Rhyn had no control over it.
Normally, magical power released without purpose would dissipate into the atmosphere and disappear. However, this magical power was different.
「Rhyn... I'm giving it back.」
「Yes, thank you, Weena.」
I could see the immense magical power being drawn toward Rhyn.
Then, after the flow of magical power from Weena Rhyn to Rhyn had stopped, there were the same appearances as just moments ago—Weena Rhyn and Rhyn.
However, if you looked deeper, their presence had transformed to the extent that they almost seemed like different people. It wasn't that they had become stronger or weaker; rather, it was the wavelength of their magical power and aura that had changed.
It seemed that with the severing of the connection, Rhyn's presence within Weena Rhyn had separated and returned to Rhyn. In this case, it made sense for Weena Rhyn's aura to change, but why had Rhyn changed as well? Well, perhaps it was natural for a divided existence to return to its original state, where the missing parts were restored, and it regained its true form.
However, Weena Rhyn appeared to be so exhausted that she could barely stand. Immediately afterward, she collapsed to the ground.
「Weena Rhyn? Are you okay?」
「I'm not Weena Rhyn anymore. I'm Weena...」
Weena Rhyn—or rather, Weena—said that and then lost consciousness.
『Oops!』
I had almost exhausted all my strength, but I activated telekinesis for a brief moment. Weena Rhyn's fall was slightly softened, and Fran managed to catch her body.
「Weena?」
Even when Fran gently shook her, there was no sign of awakening. It seemed that various forms of exhaustion had taken their toll.
『Her life force has greatly diminished...』
「For now, let her rest.」
「I understand.」
Following Rhyn's instructions, we carefully laid Weena down.
「Is she going to be okay?」
「She should wake up in a while. Her strength will have significantly decreased, though...」
She wouldn't die, most likely. Unlike Weena, Rhyn was full of vitality. He had regained his strength and appeared to be completely out of danger.
「...Thank you. Thanks to all of you, Weena has been saved.」
Rhyn said this with a deep bow.
「Of course, I feel the same way...」
『Hey, Rhyn, how much did you know?』
I decided to ask something that had been on my mind for a while.
『Before, you said you couldn't see the future, but... despite that, you were taking various actions to change it, right?』
When I made contact with the Fran over there, there must have been Rhyn's assistance, without a doubt.
If Rhyn hadn't conveyed something to Announcer-san, I wouldn't have used my latent potential release. In that case, I wouldn't have met the Fran over there, and I wouldn't have gained the new skill. Furthermore, Weena and the others might not have been saved.
Moreover, if the Rhyn over there hadn't sent Sierra, Zelos Reed, and Zelyse to this side, there was a possibility that I would have completely turned into a sword.
I couldn't believe that it was all just a coincidence. However, I didn't know how much of it was a coincidence and how much of it was in Rhyn's control.
No, even if it was all under Rhyn's control, I had no complaints. After all, it was thanks to that that I was saved. I was more than grateful. But there were still things that bothered me.
「...As a not-quite-god like me, I cannot foresee the future. I mentioned this before, didn't I?」
『Yeah.』
Moreover, even though she said she wasn't a god, the chaotic goddess I had met before had also said that even gods couldn't see the future. Considering that, it was probably impossible to have complete clairvoyance.
『But you do have the power to choose better options, right?』
「It's not that significant. I just have a vague sense of how my actions will affect me. In other words, it's intuition.」
It seemed that if it was about the immediate future, they could make predictions based on that intuition.
However, if they tried to explore further into the future, it would be incredibly exhausting. If they ever tried to feel years ahead, Rhyn might even risk disappearing.
This was just my speculation, but was Rhyn unconsciously performing advanced calculations? Using their ability as the Spirit of Time, they could instantly simulate various possibilities, and the result appeared as intuition.
Well, the further they tried to foresee the distant future, the more exhausting it would be, given that the information to process would increase exponentially. I knew that well, as my simultaneous computation skill was somewhat similar.
「But this intuition has indeed been very helpful... That's right. It all began with a certain encounter.」
As Rhyn muttered this, they looked towards Sierra and the others.
「One day, an immense malevolence appeared by the lakeside. Naturally, I went to check its source. There, I found a young boy and a sword emitting malevolence.」
There was no doubt. It must have been Sierra and the magic sword Zelos Reed. When they appeared at this time, Rhyn had already recognized their existence.
「While I can't see the future, looking into the past is quite simple. After all, it's just reading what has already happened.」
Although foreseeing the future and looking into the past seemed equally difficult to us, it was apparently a straightforward task for Rhyn to view the past. As a result, she encountered an enigmatic fact.
「However I looked at it, the boy and the sword were living in the future.」
Rhyn, who had seen Sierra and their group's past, obtained a lot of information.
「Then, I received a silent message from my other self over there. This boy is the beginning of our hope.」
Sierra's eyes widened in surprise.
She probably hadn't expected that they were known from way back.
「And then, when I found them, I attempted contact to see their past more clearly.」
「Huh?」
Sierra couldn't hold back her bewilderment any longer, her voice sounding puzzled. Her face showed a hint of confusion. Most likely, she didn't remember anything about Rhyn.
「At first, because I hid my appearance as a spirit, I doubt you noticed me. After that, I changed my appearance and greeted you.」
The one who initially came up with this plan—or rather, decided to bet on the slim possibility of salvation—was the other Rhyn. Contacting Sierra and Fran from here must have whispered to her intuition that there was a chance to avoid disaster. To turn that faint hope into reality, the other Rhyn sent Sierra, Zelos Reed, and Zelyse from there to here. Then, our Rhyn made contact with Sierra and inherited that hope.
「Neither here nor there, no one has to meet an unfortunate end. Such a thing is impossible. But what if we could reach such a future? Don't you think it's worth risking everything for?」
Rhyn had made her determination. She would definitely save everyone.
「However, things only started moving recently.」
Zelyse's whereabouts were unknown, and Fran and the others' identities were uncertain. Ultimately, while supporting Sierra from behind the scenes, we had no choice but to wait for the right moment.
「Besides, I had intended to somehow resolve the situation without resurrecting the Greater Beast, but... it ended up as a failure.」
It seemed that Rhyn had planned to maintain the seal on the Greater Beast without erasing it. However, due to Weena Rhyn's stubbornness and Zelyse's interference, the resurrection became a certainty. That's why Rhyn chose to release the seal, allowing the Beast to return in an imperfect and weakened state, rather than complete resurrection.
However, Sierra had something else on her mind.
「Have we been helped without us knowing...?」
Sierra muttered in astonishment. Well, it wasn't entirely unfathomable.
If Rhyn had managed to avoid the impending doom that should have befallen Fran, the process might not matter. Even if everything had been orchestrated by Rhyn. However, Fran might not accept that. After going through intense battles and adventures, it might be unsettling for her to learn that it wasn't entirely her own power that got her through it.
In the same way, it was a fact that could shake Sierra's accumulated confidence.
「Just so you know, my help was minuscule, alright? I directly intervened only three times. The first was when I guided a Guild member to the guy who was weakened. That's one. When you were surrounded by dangerous magical beasts, I only slightly diverted the magical beasts' attention to assist your escape. That's another one. The last time was when you were on the brink of death from illness, and I used my healing power to restore your stamina. That's one more time. That's about it, I think?」
Whether that could be considered minuscule or not, it didn't seem like everything was entirely in Rhyn's control.
「I see...」
Sierra seemed to accept it for now. Probably because the number of times Rhyn had helped was fewer than she had imagined.
Well, saying that she hadn't directly intervened meant that she had indirectly lent her power multiple times. It might get complicated, so I'll just keep quiet.
「In the meantime, Zelyse appeared in this area and started to act behind the scenes, and things finally started to move. Then, this Sierra—Young Romeo showed up, and Fran arrived.」
Rhyn opened a food stall in advance to make contact with Fran and get to know her.
It was because Rhyn's intuition only worked on those connected to her. In simple terms, the closer someone was to Rhyn, the easier her intuition worked.
For that reason, Rhyn engaged in conversation with Fran to build a strong connection.
「Huh? I just chatted a bit with Rhyn?」
「Well, in my case, I don't know many people other than Weena Rhyn. That's plenty for me.」
In other words, Rhyn was a loner, so even a brief conversation made her consider Fran a friend?
But that contact clearly had a purpose.
「After that, it was really tough. Sierra, Fran, Romeo, Weena, Zelyse. I kept a close eye on everyone's actions, moving around to avoid the worst outcomes...」
Directly intervening was difficult for Rhyn. Because she used her power to choose the future, she couldn't wield great power. Therefore, she only made slight adjustments in the worst-case scenarios, slightly modifying the course of history. As a result, she fought alone, constantly battling loneliness in this history.
However, it was bothering her that she had left Zelyse alone. But when I thought about it, it might have been difficult to stop Zelyse and the others indirectly.
「I never thought I'd be able to grasp the results like this.」
「Are you satisfied?」
『Weena and Rhyn are both heavily exhausted... Weena won't be able to recover her strength for years, and the same goes for Rhyn, right?』
Rhyn's exhaustion wasn't just temporary power loss; it seemed to have reduced her stature as a spirit. If she used to be a Great Spirit, she was probably at most an Intermediate Spirit now.
「No, I'm satisfied. The Greater Beast has perished, and we were able to return to Weena and Rhyn without losing our lives. What more could I ask for?」
『Well, that's true, but...』
「Romeo, Sierra, Zelos Reed, they're all safe, and Fran and the Sword are not going berserk. The only worry was Zelyse, who ended up losing her life, but she had a positive impact on the other us over there. The country hasn't fallen, and the damage to the people is minimal. It would be greedy to ask for more.」
Rhyn must have excluded the option where everyone would be safe from the start. Compared to everyone, including herself, dying and the Greater Beast running amok, she probably thought it was better if some people survived.
『Certainly, asking for more after facing such a monster might be too greedy...』
「Exactly. Besides, we're not gods. To regret not saving everyone is arrogant.」
Rhyn said this while closing her eyes quietly, as if praying for the souls of all those who died in this incident.
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