Table of Contents

1. Chapter 1: Once Again, The Fellings of The Past

2. Chapter 2: Smoldering Fire
3. Chapter 3: Revelations of One's Evil Deeds
4. Chapter 4: Ripples of Warning
5. Chapter 5: Un-Harmony Quartet
6. Chapter 6: Once Again, Starting Over
7. Final Chapter: Intersection, The Harbinger of Perdition
 Chapter 1: Once Again, The Feelings
of The Past

The chains that restrained me have been broken, and now

the chains are being tied up again, but their shackles are
slowly loosening, and the creaking sound is foreboding my
resurrection.

Somehow, I can think reasonably well compared to when i

was in the sealed world, perhaps because I've lost some of
my power to this human being.

I wasn't aware of it myself as i peeked into his memories. He

has feelings that are too petty to be ignored, let me help
make him unleash his anger. At least, he would have my
gratitude because he too would have been satisfied as he
gone to the afterlife.

In a fluttering, crystal-clear dream, As Nozomu witnessed

the hellish scene, he felt a burning heat and a single,
emotion-drenched thought. Intense anger, a glare, looking
down at his own hands, covered with jet-black scales and
reddened claws and hands...

(This hand is that guy's.)

Before he could clear his head, he wondered why he was

staring down at Tiamat's hand, and then the dragon's hand,
stained with blood, somehow transformed into the hand of a
person holding a sword with a curved blade.
(Why, what in the world...?)

In a state of confusion, he looked up to see what had

happened, and there it was...

"Hmm…"

He raises himself up as if he were leaping.

"…Eh?"

The sun had already risen, and the morning sun shone
through the window, shivering Nozomu's cold body as he
checked his surroundings in his room. He is plopped down at
his study desk.

He seemed to have fallen asleep until morning, leaving a

number of letters on his desk, shaded in black ink and
forfeited.

"Ah, that reminds me..."

After confirming as much, he remembered what he had

been doing yesterday. He was writing a letter, but he didn't
know what he should write, and he fell asleep while he was
struggling with the letter.

(That dream felt strangely real, even though I knew it was a

dream that reminded me of the dream I recently had.)

His heart beat faster, an unspoken sense of unease crept up

his neck, and his hand tightened as he found himself
squeezing the letter he'd been halfway through. He hastily
unfolds the letter, but the letterhead is wrinkled and
completely unusable.
He takes out a piece of unused letterhead, inserts a dry quill
pen into the open inkwell, and then takes out the letterhead.
In the aroma of ink that pokes his nose as he stirs the ink
that was about to harden, Looking outside, the sun was
already peeking over the shingled roofs.

"That reminds me, I had an early morning training session

with Iris and the others today."

The latter had to be written up as soon as possible,

considering the time to go to the outer edges, there was no
more time to do so.

After taking a deep breath to refresh his mind, he returned

his gaze to the letter on his desk and readied his pen.
Unable to come up with words, the contents of the letter
that he had just ruined no longer seemed to fit.

(As it turns out, she's not lying. Lisa-kun, she’s serious, and
she is aware that you have betrayed her.)

(I have something to tell you. What i saw, and what Lisa and
the others saw, and what i realized now...)

Nozomu bit his lip as he recalled the conclusion he had

drawn from the words of Irisdina and Shina, something he
could only imagine if he thought about it carefully after he
and Lisa had parted. Considering what happened...

"I didn't notice, or didn't try to notice it."

For a moment, his cheeks became even tighter as black

emotions welled up in his chest.

Nozomu's lips twisted and froze, but he eventually ran his

pen and began to write a single sentence on the letter.
Without bothering to check again, he sealed it and put it in
his pocket. Then, picking up his beloved sword and his
belongings, he left his room to go to a nearby site to the
east. On the desk was an open inkwell and a quill pen that
spread black stains on a crumpled-up letter.

Outskirts of the Arcazam urban area. At the outer edge of

the city. In the field that followed, Nozomu was in a scuffle
with a dark-haired girl, and the girl's name was Irisdina. She
is the daughter of a prestigious noble family from the
Kingdom of Forsina, the Francylt Family, and is the top
student in her third year at Soluminati Academy.

Irisdina, who is further accelerated by the magic light that

overflows from her well-proportioned limbs and fills the
slender sword she holds, swings her weapon as she dances
gracefully like a butterfly flitting about in the field.

"Haa!"

At such speed, it is just like a flash of light. The continuous

blows that are unleashed in all directions strike at Nozomu
like a mesh.

"Fiuh! "

A continuous barrage of flashes of light that approaches, At

first glance, it appears as if Irisdina is pushing him in. She
was aware of this, but she had no clue what she was doing.

The fact that there is not the slightest hint of impatience in

Nozomu's eyes as he deals with the approaching blow
proves that even though he seems to be under pressure, it
is all within his control.
(I can't believe you've surpassed it so perfectly.)

Despite the reality that she could not push through even if
she really wielded her sword, Irisdina genuinely had respect
and admiration for him.

His sword is straightforward and powerful, despite such

handicaps as ability suppression that limit his ability. The
heat rising up from deep in her chest makes her mouth
relax involuntarily.

(Then, how about this?)

The next moment, the ground beneath Nozomu's feet rose

up like a mountain. It is elementary magic that manipulates
soil. Irisdina does not perform the chanting that is required
to activate the magic.

The only reason why the magic was triggered in the first
place was due to her ability.

Immediate deployment,

Her magic didn't have much of an effect, even though

Nozomu was suddenly caught flat-footed by the rising earth.
Rather than trying to resist, he let gravity do the work for
him.

Rolling on the ground, avoiding Irisdina's bladed area, she

shoots a follow-up magic bullet at Nozomu's evasive spot,
but he rolls and unsheathes his sword belt, deftly repelling
only the magic bullet that strikes him directly.

(What the hell are you doing?)

Even with his vision spinning around in circles, he was

impressed by Nozomu's crisis-sensing ability to accurately
intercept the magic bullet that was approaching him.

Irisdina immediately invoked her magic, and as soon as the

magic circle appeared at Nozomu's feet, four black chains
flew out and wrapped around his arms and legs.

When she was sure that she had completely blocked her
opponent's movement, Irisdina leapt while releasing a
follow-up magic bullet.

At the same time, Irisdina's magic sword, which is a magic

sword that applies further strengthening magic to her
mithril sword, "Silver Wings of the Evening Star," which is
infused with magic power, is used in the enchantment that
she possesses.

Magic sword Lunar Eclipse Night,

It is certainly a powerful magic sword. Even if you are a

strong man of A rank, it will be difficult to surpass the
various magic attacks with only sword technique.

"Fuhh…"

However, Nozomu cut down all of them and threw them

away. With a simple turn of the wrist, the dark chain that
touched the blade was cut in half, and the sword was placed
back in its scabbard.

Which strikes the magic circle on the ground with the butt of
its sheath, shatters the magic circle at his feet with a series
of blasts and blows, completely obliterating the remaining
chains of darkness with a popping sound of explosion.

"Mwahh...."

"Kuh...."
Then he continued and poured his qi into the blade again to
intercept the Irisdina sword with a return sword.

Mikagura-ryu Dust Breaker.

The flash of the sword was made in the same way as the
first one. The countless qi blades collide with the swarms of
magic bullets that follow and shave them off. The sword also
has the same strength and sharpness as the sword that
Irisdina worked so hard to create.

On the other hand, Nozomu's qi blade was made in less

than half a second. Despite this, the density and precision of
the qi-blade are as strong as a sword of the same caliber.

No wonder. She managed to create this magic sword while

working at her craft. The two of them leapt backwards as if
to show each other.

Then, each of them took the stance that they were best at.

"Honestly, I'm near the end of my limit. I think this is the

best I can do."

"As usual, you're a man who can do the unthinkable with no

regard... "

For the first time to this day, Irisdina let out an impressed
expression. The two swords clashed, the qi-blade and the
magic sword competing with each other.

Sparks fly, the air is scorched, and the two laugh at each
other's noses. Irisdina thrusts her left hand out and quietly
raises the tip of her sword in a thrusting posture, while
Nozomu leans back and shows the form of swordsmanship.

And then it came out,

"Haaaaah!"

The first to move was Irisdina, who at once increased her

magic power and then launched a series of reinforcement
magic spells into her body, instantly raising her physical
abilities as she stepped forward with all her might, while at
the same time generating five magic bullets in time with the
movement of her thin sword, a magic sword technique that
spirals and twists five magic bullets into the lunar eclipse
night and then unleashes a thrust with greater penetrating
power.

Magic Sword Black Comet Strike

After the battle with the luminous Rugato, she developed a

new technique in which the magic power concentrated on
the tip of the thrusting blade pierces the air in a spiral, and
the figure of the blade as it races toward Nozomu is like a
black comet slashing through the moonlit night.

At the approaching black spot that will strike, Nozomu takes

a whole second to concentrate all his energy. The vision
turns gray, and all movement in his eyes is stagnant.

In the slow world, he steps forward with his right foot and
strengthens it with all his might while drawing his sword and
making a high-pitched metallic sound.

Qi-jutsu Phantom

The clash between the two figures, their shadows

crisscrossing, made the outcome momentarily obvious.

"Hmm, looks like I lost..."

Irisdina ran across the field and gently laid her fingers on
her abdomen, making a shallow scratch on her uniform.
"Ah, I'm sorry, your clothes, are you okay?"

Following Irisdina, who dissipated her sword, Nozomu also

released his posture. That's when something unexpected
caught his eye, glimpsed through a gap in her slashed
uniform.

Irisdina's white abdomen, her lovely navel peeking out of

her silky skin with a single stain.

"Umm? What happened?"

"No, it's just..."

When Irisdina noticed Somia's gaze first, she began to pick

up the edges of her cut uniform with a smug and nasty look
on her face. Nozomu's face was flushed, and he looked at
her in a panic as her white porcelain skin was exposed.

"Miss, you're being unmodist."

Someone said that when Irisdina enjoyed Nozomu's

reaction.

A mature maid with light purple hair, neatly tied in a bun,

came to admonish her, a maid who had accompanied the
head of the Francilt family, Mena Manat, and who had been
a member of the family for many years.

Now in the hands of the awesome swordsman who is taking

care of and guarding Irisdina's sister, Somia, she has a
replacement uniform, A simple changing room had been
built on a nearby tree, with curtains hung before they knew
it.

"I know, I wouldn't do that to anyone else."

Irisdina picked up the replacement uniform in a lighthearted
tone. Mena led the way to the simple changing room, and as
her figure disappeared behind the curtains, Nozomu
slumped his shoulders and sat down on the spot, as if he
were tired.

"Ah, Ts... "

"I'm sure my sister enjoys her time with you, Nozomu-san."

Somiliana Francilt, Irisdina's younger sister, looked into

Nozomu's face as she fluttered her shiny black hair, the
same as her sister's, and asked him to come over to her.
Smiling face of a little girl.

"Ah, Somia-chan, Should I be honored or should I complain

that I'm being toyed with?"

"If it's like you think, look over there."

The ones Somia pointed to, Mars and Tima, were training in
magic.

"You're right, there are two wind masses in the hands of

thriving Mars, and they are getting a little bit bigger and
bigger."

It's a very advanced training to change the scale of the

magic while using multiple magics, but it seems that the
control is still not quite right, and the shape of the wind
mass in both hands is also not quite right.

Slowly becoming unstable.

"Mars-kun, you have to keep your magic more under

control!"
"Ts, gu, gah!"

Tima approached Mars, perhaps because he tried to restrain

her with a cage. On the contrary, the excess supply of
magic power causes the distorted wind mass to expand at
once, scattering turbulence.

"Oh, no!"

"Soar, O wind!"

However, just before the wind mass burst, Tima moved,

instantly enveloping the wind mass that was about to burst
with her own magical power.

The raging wind was released into the sky, creating a strong
updraft but without causing any damage to the
surroundings. Her slender thighs were exposed, and
Nozomu sensed what was about to happen.

The moment he tried to reflexively avert his gaze

"Nozomu-san, no!"

"Gukyo."

Somia, who was next to him, twisted his neck as hard as she
could. To the sound of gurgling and bones crunching,
Nozomu writhed in agony from the pain.

"Ah, I'm sorry!"

While the panicked Somia clutched at Nozomu, Tima

finished dispersing the magic that was about to burst out.
With cheeks puffed out in a grin, she approaches Mars.

"Mars-kun, I told you, you can't control the magic!"

"I thought I could..."

"I've been thinking for a while now, Mars-kun, that you are a
little too proper! You know what I'm talking about. Magic is a
very dangerous thing."

Tima is apparently very upset with Mars for wanting to rush

things along so quickly. It was a very unusual attitude from
her, who was usually quiet and not very good with men.

"I know what I'm doing."

Mars turns awkwardly toward the morning sun. Maybe he's

upset by what he just experienced, maybe he's upset by
what he just saw, or maybe he's upset by both, but if you
look closely, you can see that Mars' cheeks are slightly
flushed with red.

"Really? Then why are you looking at me like that?"

"No, now's not a good time."

"What is it about?"

Tima raised her eyebrows at Mars, who stammered. Then

she finally noticed where he was looking at her, and her own
scatted face turned red at the flickering point of her
awareness.

"Tsu, did you, did you? Did you see it?"

"No, I didn't see it! Just a little bit... "

The next moment, an inaudible scream rises from Tima's

mouth, and at the same time, the magic power reacts to her
overflowing shame.

The water spurts out with a roar and blows Mars away like a
leaf. and erupts with a roar, blowing away Mars like a leaf. It
seems that the continent's strongest class of magical power
was enough to send a single adult person into the air, even
without any chanting or other techniques.

"I wonder if Mars-san is all right?"

"I'm sure he'll be fine, cause he was using qi as a reflex."

At that time, Nozomu's eyes turned toward the city.

"Nozomu-san, is something wrong?"

He stood up and looked at the border between the outer

edge of the city and the city center, a place where crates,
faded lumber, and other miscellaneous items were placed.

Fine pieces of wood danced as they approached the cargo

and began retreating from the rotting wood planks, while
dust irritated the nostrils.
Soon the stone wall hidden under the wood was revealed,
and Nozomu put his hand against the cool, damp stone wall,
the scent of rotting wood mingling with the smell of rotting
wood. A slight smell of burning or a sniff of a burning smell
on the nose.

"Nothing... no, just the residue of magic?"

Mingled with the feel of cold stone.

A slight heat of magic, and if you look closely, you can see
that one part of the stone wall has been charred black, and
when you run your fingers over it, a film of charcoal falls off
in pieces.

Nozomu frowned as he picked up a piece of charcoal that

had fallen to the ground, but there was no longer any
residue of magic in the air. It disappeared into the late
spring wind.

"Yabai!"

The moment their eyes meet with the reflection in the

mirrored oval in mid-air. At the same time, he disengaged
the magic he was exercising and ordered the medium that
was receiving the images to destroy itself.

"Kukuku! I wonder what kind of sense of presence he has

that even Mena Manat didn't notice, but..."

What follows is a look of pure interest on his face. He is

surprised at his ability to do more than he imagined, but at
the same time, he accelerates his interest in the subject of
his investigation.
"I've been doing this part-time job for a while now, and it's
been a lot of hassle, but I think I've hit the jackpot this
time."

With his bag, golden ears, and tail wagging, he takes his
bag at a leisurely pace and leaves his room. The blue
nameplate indicating the second class of the third grade
was attached to the name tag.

Many people were heading to their workplaces on the main

street of Arcazam, leading to the central park.

"Wow, she's very beautiful."

"Beautiful dark hair, is she from the academy?"

The people who stood around glanced at Irisdina and the

others. The beautiful girl with lustrous black hair and a
dignified appearance attracted people's eyes as usual, and
so did Tima and Somia, who walked next to her.

They have a figure that would stand up to the likes of

Irisdina, so it's no wonder that they naturally draw the eye
when they walk the streets. While looking at them from the
side.

Nozomu's attention turned to the letter in his pocket—this

letter he had written to give to her today.

(I had been running away from it all this time, and now I
needed to face the past once again.) While he was thinking
about how to give it to her, Irisdina called out from next to
him,

"Nozomu, what's wrong?"

"Wha--, What?"

"You look a bit tense. Or did I push you a little too hard in
the workout we just had?"

She tilted her head prettily and asked, and Nozomu gulped,
his hand almost reaching into his pocket for the letter.

"No, I'm fine, I was just a little preoccupied thinking about

today's class."

"Today's class? Ah, I remember that we had a joint class

before the special general training. Is it that time of year
already?"

"Well, that's just it."

Nozomu, quickly suppressing his agitation, averted his eyes

from the fact that this is a comprehensive exercise that is
conducted in the third grade of the special training.

To put it simply, the content of the third grade class was

symbolic of the fact that it was different from the previous
two years. Teams were formed.

The Spasim forest is a forest overrun with demonic beasts,

so naturally it is necessary to have the appropriate skills,
and the results of the special general training are directly
tied to an individual's grade, even to Nozomu.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"What do you mean?"

"During the special training period, you'll be paired with the

same rank on the first day of the two-day exercise, but on
the second day, you'll be paired with a different rank."
"Well, um..."

It is different from the previous classes in that we are

considering working with other ranks.

The first day, you'll be paired with the same class, and the
second day, you'll be paired with another class.

"Now, I just need to find a partner for today's joint class, if

there's anyone willing to work with me."

Today's joint class is designed to find a partner to work with

in the special general practice,Most of the students in all
classes participate in this event, and this is where they find
their party partners, but both Nozomu and Mars have a lot
of bad rumors in the academy.

Nozomu is at the bottom of the class, and Mars is the

ruffian. It was obvious that they would have a hard time
finding a partner from another class to team up with.

"I see. Well, then."

Irisdina, who had been looking at Nozomu in distress and

looking a little hesitant, opened her mouth, but before she
could say a word, she was already in the middle of a
conversation with Nozomu.

A cool chirp echoed through the air between them.

"Chuuu, chu-cchu!"

"Wow, what a beautiful little bird!"

A beautiful lapis lazuli-colored bird appeared, and the long

tail feathers, which are two or three times as long as its
height, as well as the eye-catching colored body feathers
that Somia admired.

The small animal rests on Nozomu's shoulder, and the little

bird has a kind of magic. Irisdina and Tima are wide-eyed,
and their surprise is understandable, for this small bird has
become very famous recently.

"Um, Razward, what are you doing here?"

"Chuu chuu" (Hey, Nozomu, you're still making funny faces,

aren't you?....Oh, yeah, that's right. You can’t hear my voice)

"Spirit."

Razward is a small spirit who has a contract with the elves,

with whom Nozomu became involved some time ago.

[It's been a while since I used my own voice, it’s little weird.]

Instead of a cool bird chirp, what coming out from Razward

mouth was a voice like human, but somewhat sounded like
sound of wind that enchoed in a cave.

Communicating directly from thoughts to the soul is not

necessity for ordinary spirit, however Razward recently gone
his way to make his voice sounded like this.

[Why am I here, of course, because I saw you on Shi-jou's

way to academy?]

As he said this, Nozomu and the others looked beyond

Razwad's gaze and saw three students coming toward them.

"Hey, Nozomu, How are you?"

Her name is Mimuru. She belongs to the third grade level

and is a very talented person
"Good morning, Nozomu-kun."

Tom Dale. An alchemist who is in the same class as Mimuru

and, at the same time, is her pair.

He is a member of the Arcazam staff and is a brilliant person

by oath.

Curious and eager to learn, he is an apprentice at the

Gloaurum Institute in Ar cazam, one of the leading research
institutions on the continent.

"Good morning, Mimuru, and good morning to you too,

Tom."

"Good morning. I see you and Irisdina are going to be

working out today."

Then the last person comes to Nozomu. The first person

who approached him was a girl who is a member of the
Neko tribe. When Mimuru replies, Nozomu exchanges
greetings with a human minor.

The girl has long, fine hair reminiscent of a woman's and

long ears that peek out from her long hair. It was a
particular climb for the elves, the most spirit-loving race on
the continent.

"Good morning, Shina-san."

In Arcazam, where the best and brightest races from all over
the continent gather, there is only one elf and one nozomu
friend, she is Shina Yuriel.

She walked up to Nozomu with a nonchalant expression,

shedding the gathering crowd that had fought with her
when they were attacked by a dangerous demon beast
called the Abyss Grief.

The elves are not very good at expressing their emotions,

and they are not very good at expressing their feelings to
other races.

The reason is that they have been with the spirits since they
were very young and are used to being able to
communicate with others through their hearts.

This meant that she had great trust in Nozomu, while

Irisdina and the others were surprised.

Shina saw the spirit perched on Nozomu's shoulder sigh and

let out a sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, it sounds like Raz has been bothering you."

"No, he hasn't, but..."

[Yes, that's right—I haven't done anything yet!]

"Does that mean you're going to do something?"

"Why?"

Shina, who had grabbed Razward in an instant, was so

excited that he told her in detail about today's underwear
and made her go into a heat.

It was mixed with a sound like squeezing a rag that started

to tighten up the spirit in the hands, and it was messy.

Although Razward, the spirit that emitted screams, must

have lived for more than a hundred years, his personality
was strangely eccentric.
"By the way, Shina's underwear is light blue."

Mimuru, who always likes to have fun, tries to get in on the

act, but of course, Shina would never allow it before the
most sensitive information is revealed.

The elf girl's powerful iron claws explode on Mimuru, who

was originally good with a bow and has a grip so strong that
it's hard to believe she's a slender elf.

Shina even uses her magic to strengthen her body. She digs
her fingers into Mimuru's neck.

"I got it, I got it! Shina, you'll make my head explode."

[Me too! It's in there. It's all in there. It's all out.]

"I think that's fine. Raz is also a little bad."

The first is that the original elements seem to have been

dyed. They need to be refilled, one girl and one bird are
dying while the rest of the world screams for them to go
away.

Nozomu was almost tempted to have an evil imagination

when Mimuru said, "Water!"

"Nozomu-kun, you're not thinking anything weird, are you?"

"Of course not!"

Nozomu reflexively responded in a respectful tone of voice

to the expression on Shina's face, which was twisted into a
smile.

The slightly pink image that popped into her head was
immediately discarded as Nozomu broke out in a cold sweat
under the intimidating gaze of Shina.
Eventually, she let out a sigh and released Mimuru and
Razward. They fall to the ground.

"Oh My God, these two."

"Haha, but as usual, everyone gets along, even if

unwillingly."

Looking down at the stretched Mimuru and Razward,

Nozomu and Shina smile at each other, their gentle laughter
flowing, followed by a few seconds of silence, a quiet
moment.

The air is slightly sweet, and Shina's cheeks are gradually

turning red, though she does not feel it.

"Mmm-hmm! Nozomu, you seem to be very close to Sheena

and her friends."

"What? Uh, I guess so?"

As if to break the lukewarm silence, Irisdina called out to

him, looking a little disgruntled at the mention of a word she
had said to him.

Nozomu and Shina are quick to look away from each other,
and Shina, a mystery but at the same time an exclusive elf,
is the reason for Nozomu's trust in Shina.

It is in her past—an incident that happened some time ago,

twenty years ago, during the Great Invasion, when she was
attacked by an unidentified demon beast called the Abyss
Grief.

Losing his home and family not only because of that but
also because of trauma, She even loses her ability to
contract with spirits the most important thing as an elf, and
her disappointment at losing everything is immeasurable.

"Well, I'm sorry, that was a weird thing to ask."

It was Irisdina who broke first, she exhaled quietly as if to

calm herself, eyes down.

"No, I'm sorry, my friend interrupted your conversation with

him, so I'll see you at academy, Nozomu-kun."

"Uh, yeah, see you."

Shina, on the other hand, gave a small nod, swallowed

Irisdina's words, and then turned to Mimuru and Razward,
who had done the same for her, dragging them to the
academy.

"Um, Iris? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Irisdina was staring at Nozomu, who looked even more

dissatisfied than before. Nozomu's face breaks out in a cold
sweat as he looks at her.

"Never mind. I'll go first, then."

"Eh, hey, Ai."

"Hah, come on!"

Irisdina put on a bushy face and stammered on ahead. Tima

and Mars rushed after her, and Nozomu was stunned by her
suddenly stiffened attitude, while Somia, who was left
behind, tilted her head in thought and opened her mouth
abruptly.

"Nozomu-san, will you go out with me on my next day off?"

"Ah, that's fine."

"Great! Okay then, I'll see you at Central Park before noon."

Somia's sudden words made him nod his head. Before he

could confirm it, the girl flashed a smile like the sun.

Nozomu, who was in a panic because of the situation, as he

look at the the little girl which was changing like spring
weather running away to Ekross, remained completely rigid
until the bell rang for the morning class.

In one of the many classes at Soluminati Academy, students

from all three grades were gathered together, perhaps
because they were from classes that do not usually meet
together. Relaxation is filled with a heavy atmosphere in
such a situation.

On the podium stands a great man, Jihad Raundel, hero of

the Great Invasion of twenty years ago and a man of great
strength. He is the de facto chief executive officer of
Soluminati Academy.

"You have entered a new phase of your life as a third-year

student. Until now, the difference in ability in terms of rank
and hierarchy has been a major value for you, but now you
are in a new phase of your growth as a third grader.
Because there is a limit to what one hero can do alone, we
must become one that can utilize diverse abilities,
personalities, and values."

The special general training is different from the previous

ones, especially on the second day, because it is assumed
that the participants will be paired with other ranks, so there
is an added benefit to having more differentiated parties.
"I hope that through this exercise you will reach greater
heights and save this continent from the threat of demonic
beasts."

As Jihad finished his greeting, Inda Metis, who had been

standing behind him, stepped forward.

She is a teacher and assistant to Jihad and is the homeroom

teacher for the first and second grades.

"All classes in the third grade will now begin joint classes,
and until the end of the class, each student should find an
opponent of interest."

After the supplementary explanation, all the students in the

training area began to move together.

"Hey, you there, you got a minute?"

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to work together?"

"Hey, man, can I come with you?"

"What can you do?"

"I know a little bit of supplementary magic, a little bit of

medicine, and some..."

Both upper and lower ranks are desperately searching for

party members, and there are many different ways to find a
partner. In some cases, the decision is based on a light
mock battle, and they are desperate because it directly
affects their own performance.

Meanwhile, Nozomu, on the other hand, was not approached

by anyone. It is no wonder he was neglected. The lowest-
ranked student with suppressed abilities is seen by them as
nothing more than an obstacle, and he stood still without
making any effort to approach the people around him.

"I'm not sure, Mars, if it isn't a good choice. You don't have
to go."

"Why do I have to work with these women, Matata and

others, who only give a shit about anything?"

"Yeah, well, that's going to put you at a disadvantage in the

exercise."

"What's the problem, you and me? We can take them all
down."

He folded his arms, as if refusing to speak any further, and

fell silent in contemplation, his loner temperament as strong
as ever. He is avoided by the other students, but in
Nozomu's eyes, he is somewhat unsettled. He is also a bit of
a dilettante, or so he seems to be.

(What's going on about those women? You seem a little

irritated...) While Nozomu was a little worried about Mars'
words and actions, a slow voice called out from the side,

"Nozomu-kun, have you found your partner?"

"Anri-sensei, no, I haven't..."

Henri Var, the homeroom teacher for Nozomu's class, is

apparently making the rounds of the students in her own
class, and she is disappointed that Nozomu and his
classmates have no one to partner up with yet. Immediately
put a cheerful face on it.

"You can get anyone you want! However, if it's Nozomu-kun

now, you'll be fine! I'm sure."
"I hope so, but ah..., yes, Anri-sensei, I need to talk to you
about something."

Nozomu talks to Anri about the stares he felt earlier this

morning while training in the outer area and the residual
magical power.

"Okay, I'll check it out if you're interested. I don't know if it's

just a question, but if you're interested, I'll look into it."

"Thank you very much."

"It's okay, it's my duty as a teacher to assuage my students'

fears, and when I'm done talking to them..."

"Hey, Nozomu, who did you team up with?"

As Nozomu looked away from Anri, this time the silver-

haired beastman spoke to him in a loud and commanding
voice.

Kevin Ardinal, a beastman known as the Silver Wolf Tribe

and one of the few A-ranked and talented people in the third
grade. Since they fought together with Shina against Abyss
grief, he has a keen interest in Nozomu and has come all the
way from where the first class is gathered to check on him.

"Kevin, uh, not yet."

"I didn't expect that."

At Kevin's words, he then pointed to an area of the training

grounds where he saw Shina and Razward surrounded by a
large number of students. Beside her, Mimuru and Tom are
always together, and Shina is the only elf in the academy
and the only one who is always with them.
A presence that can contract directly with spirits, having
regained the ability to contract with spirits as a result of one
of the Abyssal Griefs ahead of her.

"What an amazing number of people!"

Everyone is trying to form a party with her, and Mimuru and

Tom seem a little bewildered by the students who have
gathered, but the important thing is that Shina and the
others themselves are maintaining a blank expression
toward the students who have gathered.

Razward, perched on her shoulder, was apparently

uninterested and just yawning.

However, Nozomu was not sure if he would be able to find a

way to get a party. He doesn't know. For Nozomu, who keeps
Tiamat a secret, every little thing can reveal his secret.

"Considering the situation I was in at that time, I don't think

I can beat you in individual combat.

But this time, it's a team fight. "

"What's this, a rival thing..."

"It's natural to be concerned about what your opponent are

up to. Well, I'm not strong enough to be a rival, but..."

"By the way, what are you doing here?"

"Huh, it's not too much to ask. She's now an "A" student,
just like me."

Kevin knows that Nozomu is able to release his ability

supression, However, the source of the power, the Dragon
King, is still mysterious to him, yet with a belligerent
expression on his face, Kevin dabbled in wariness. Nozomu
was sweating from his words and actions.

"Uhm, more importantly, I see that you have already chosen

your partners over there."

"Hmm? Yeah, it's always the same guys, and it's a little too
late for us to be working together with another class."

Behind him were about 20 students, half of whom were

members of other ranks who regularly worked with Kevin in
the Adventurers' Guild, although Kevin himself was very
capable.

At the same time, he is the leader of the largest party in the

third grade, and unlike other students, the members of the
Kevin Party, who are often mixed with students from other
classes, look at each other when they look at Nozomu.

They waved and smiled at him lightly. They were also those
who fought against Abyss Grief, but they were wounded
during the battle and were saved by Nozomu. They did not
have the same disdain for Nozomu as the other students, in
fact, they saw him as one of their own.

"Hey, what the heck are you doing?"

At that moment, a girl from the wolf tribe, who was standing
behind Kevin, put her face close to Nozomu's ear with a
bushy eyebrow.

She is Calanti. She is Kevin Party's second-in-command.

"What I'm doing, I'm looking for a member..."

"Hah, then, you'd better get your ass in gear, because it

looks like they're ready for it too..."
Calanti had previously harbored ill will toward Shina, which
she attributed to the actions of the elves who had not
heeded their advice during the Great Invasion. She was also
helped by Shina in the Abyss Grief Case.

The distance between them seems to have disappeared by

now, as Calanti whispers in his ear, reminding him to keep
his eyes on the road ahead.

When Nozomu looks at Shina again, and for some reason his
eyes meet the elf girl's, and she notices that Nozomu is
looking at her, Shina gives her a small smile back.

"You see..."

"Well, you're just saying that..."

"Oh, man, you're a wimp...."

She spits at the simmering Nozomu, then swoops away and

back next to Kevin again.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, Leader."

Kevin chuckles and shrugs at his deputy, who looks at

Nozomu again.

"Nozomu, what happened to Irisdina? Didn't you used to

party with her?"

"Uh, no, you see..."

Nozomu now turns his attention to the first class. Ahead of

his gaze, he saw Irisdina and Tima.
As expected, Irisdina, who was also surrounded by students
of other ranks, was the top student in her class overall, and
Tima, who had the strongest magical power of all time, was
being sought after.

The dark-haired girl's eyes were fixed on Nozomu, and their

gazes met, and then Irisdina's cheeks puffed out in a sulky
expression, and she turned her head to the side.

"What the hell? Did you get in a fight?"

Kevin smiled meaningfully and squared Nozomu's shoulders,

then leaned in to face him,

“I don't think it's like that.”

"Man, you'd better get her in a good mood, because women

don't like to be kept waiting."

"She and I aren't like that..."

Although he did learn of some unspoken family matters,

Irisdina and Nozomu didn't have a special relationship, as
long as Arcazam remained a freely inhabited city without
regard to the status of the person's family.

The difference in status between the two of them is so great

that it would have been impossible for them to even see
each other, let alone talk to each other.

"...At least you and Irisdina are not too bad with each other."

Nozomu is impressed by Kevin, who seems to have an

affinity for women, perhaps because Kevin has a fiancée
and can give him good advice. He only responds half-
heartedly and partially raw, though He appreciates the
advice.
Nozomu, who didn't have the time to listen properly at the
moment, turned his gaze away from Irisdina to the other
side, where an red-haired female student was talking to a
student from another class.

Lisa Hounds, she is Nozomu's former lover. It was his desire

to support her dream that brought him to the Soluminati
Academy, and it was also her support that brought him to
this academy.

"Traitor"

Since then, the whole academy has been looking at him

with a cold eye. Iris said Lisa wasn't lying, and considering
Shina's story, he didn't think she was lying.

With the letter in his pocket, Nozomu turns his attention to

the handsome blonde boy who is standing next to Lisa.

"I thought you'd just barge in on me out of the blue, talking

about women, or are you just a horny wolf in heat?"

At that moment, Mars, who was standing by Nozomu's side,

started to intertwine with Kevin with an overtly unhappy
voice, and Kevin's eyes, which were crossed over his
shoulders, turned to Mars.

"Nozomu, who is this guy?"

"He is Mars Dickens, from the same class. We're going to

team up for this special training session."

"Oh, that lone wolf guy..."

"Hah?"
The tension between Kevin and Mars is tense, and the two
bloodthirsty men are trying to make the wrong move. Mars
glared at the silver-haired beastman, who was sure that the
situation would turn sour in no time at least. The two of
them are now in the same room, looking at each other, but
Kevin, on the other hand, sniffs a little, letting his gaze drift
away.

"What the hell, you bastard!"

"No, I've heard a fair amount of gossip, but not as much as I

would have thought, considering that Nozomu is working
with you."

The atmosphere was growing increasingly grim, and not

only Nozomu, who was caught in the middle, but also
Kevin's party members, all had their faces tightened.

"The only thing you can do is herd people together."

"You know what they say about those who can't even form
their own herd? Do you know what a lone wolf is? A lone
wolf is a weak man who is forced out of his herd, It's a
statement, ain't it!"

Mars, whose voice was raised, He raises his fist at Kevin,

assuming that this class may include a mock battle. That's
why he's also equipped with a gauntlet for everyday use as
an addition.

His arm is also strengthened with qi, a blow that would

surely seriously injure an ordinary person. However, Kevin
easily catches Mars' fist blow and smiles with a comfortable
grin.

"As they say, it's easy to get your blood boiling in your
head, and I can take a lukewarm fist like that with my eyes
closed."

"Damn you..."

"Hey, Mars, calm down!"

Nozomu leaps at Mars in an attempt to stop him. Perhaps

sensing Nozomu's inability to pull him off due to the large
difference in their physical abilities, Kevin simply brushes off
Mars'

hand, and with a jerk, he steps back and moves away from
him.

"Well, he certainly has power, but that's all he got. You seem
to know how strong he is, but that doesn't mean you is good
enough to stand next to Nozomu."

Kevin turned to Mars as he added in a small voice. He could

say the same thing about him, but he took that gesture of
waving his hands as a provocation, and Mars struck again.
Kevin readied himself to intercept, but before his fist could
swing out, another shadow intervened.

"Well, well... You've got to stop there."

A young beastman man with a golden tail and ears

appeared with a strangely relaxed air, dressed in a modified
uniform with an open front and a red and white shirt on the
back. His appearance was quite well-defined, though he
exuded an air of clumsiness with beautiful yet lined, narrow
eyes.

"Hah? Who the hell are you..."

"Feo Rizta, it is unusual for you to interrupt me."

The young man, whom Kevin called Feo, smiled wryly.

That's..., could it be a fox-tail?

Feo's tail and ears are almost golden yellow in color, but the
tips of the tail are turning white, which was characteristic of
the fox-tail tribe. The fox-tail tribe was skilled in controlling
magic, which was rare among the beastmen.

At the same time, they have a strong sense of

independence, and many of them do not belong to any
particular country.

"Heh, I don't know if you know me, but I was called earlier,
yes, I'm Feo Rizta, second class."

"Tha...Thanks"

Feo smiled innocently and showed his white teeth, and his
easygoing attitude made Nozomu's eyes twitch involuntarily.

He belongs to the second class, but if Kevin remembers his

name, there is no doubt that he is a very talented person.

"Yohohoho..."

"..."

He tried to be attentive, but Feo's tone and gestures were

like an octopus's. The fox, which was relieved of tension by
all means, and Kevin as well, had slumped his shoulders.

"... As usual, you're a shady fox..., well then, Nozomu, I'll see
you in the special training exercise."

"Hey, hold on!"

Kevin turned on his heel and walked away with his friends,
and Mars was about to jump on his back, and his fist was
once again covered with the qi light.

"Hoho, stop it."

But Feo stopped Mars from doing so. He panned a square of

paper the size of his palm onto Mars' arm. Then, in the blink
of an eye, Mars' qi was gone.

"Nah-tsu..."

"Mock battles are fine, but no fighting."

Mars tries to peel off the paper from his arm, but the paper
is still stuck on his arm, and if he looks closely, he can see
that the paper has a snake-like writing and a magic circle on
it that he has never seen before, and it is glowing with a
faint magical light.

"It's a sign to inhibit your qi. You can't easily remove it."

"Fujutsu."

"Oh, so Nozomu knew about it."

Fujutsu is one of the magic systems used in the East. It is

classified as a jin-jutsu and is a magic that is activated by
pouring magic power into a special piece of paper on which
a magic circle is drawn.

The use of paper, an extremely portable medium, has the

advantage of allowing for a wide variety of magic to be used
in different situations. In the process of trying to bring in
technology from the East, it has drifted to this arcazam.
However, the number of users is still very small. There are
many differences between the Eastern magic technique and
the conventional one. Because the systematization of the
art is still in its infancy, those who are proficient in the art of
symbolism will naturally be able to use it to their advantage.

A hint of caution comes into Nozomu's gaze, as if he were

aware of the attention directed at him. Feo starts scratching
his head a little awkwardly.

"Yeah. Did I overdo it? Well, yeah. I just need a little favor."

"A favor?"

"Yeah, can i join to Nozomu's party on the second day?"

Nozomu's eyes widen for a moment at Feo's words, but then

he quickly regains his composure, his mouth hanging open
as Nozomu looks at him for a reason.

"That Irisdina Francilt, Kevin Ardinal, and even Shina Yuriel

care about you. It's hard not to be interested, unlike before,
it seems other interested parties have been showing up
around here and there..."

Feo glanced sideways and saw several students spying on

Nozomu, although they were in the lower ranks, from the
tenth to the eighth.

The puzzlement and the slightest hint of expectation in their

eyes made Nozomu, who had been ignored until now, feel
confused.

"Well, it seems that Nozomu has someone else in mind, but

please think about it. I may look like this, but I am quite
useful."
Feo shrugged his shoulders as if to say that he had no other
intention, and then he put his arms around Mars' neck and
began to tighten his grip on him.

"Guah..."

An inarticulate moan escapes Mars' mouth.

"Nozomu has something else to do, don't you? Why don't

you leave this one to me?"

Apparently, he can keep Mars from running amok. Based on

previous actions and results, Feo is equal to Mars.

At the same time, doubts about the extent to which this

young man is capable, or even more capable than that, are
also on Nozomu's mind. Nozomu wonders if he is aware of
their situation.

But after a few seconds of hesitation, Nozomu shakes his

head and quietly shakes off his doubts, for now, with a
change of heart that had other things to do, Nozomu begins
to walk.

The destination, a large crowd of people, perhaps

preoccupied with their own negotiations, no one noticed
Nozomu as he made his way through the crowd, but it was
only a matter of time before one of the students spotted
him.

"Oi..."

"What in the world... Eh?"

One person notices, two people notice, two people notice,

and four people notice. In an instant, the turmoil spreads.
Upset turned to bewilderment, and the next thing these
students realized was that they were naturally giving way to
Nozomu, they are students much higher in rank than
Nozomu.

It was a breathtaking and unusual scene, and the

surrounding noise was a riot of excitement, the red-haired
girl, Lisa, whom Nozomu was going to meet, also heard
about it.

"Wha... why..."

When Lisa and the others saw Nozomu approaching, their

eyes widened in surprise, but although she was
momentarily flustered, her eyes quickly changed to the
color of anger.

Even as the crowd around her widened slightly and she met
their angry stares, Nozomu's steps did not change, and as
he stared back at her, Lisa's anger grew even more intense
than before.

He had been looking down for a long time, which was not
the way he was supposed to behave, and it must have
agitated Nozomu's state of mind.

Red magic power gradually overflows from her body.

"I need to talk to you."

"I don't want to."

"Then I'll speak for myself, you said I betrayed you, but i
never did that."

In an instant, Lisa was so enraged that she didn't even have

time to deploy her magic, drawing the saber from her waist,
despite the fact that she was drawing the sword with her
bare physical strength.

The speed was so fast that even the students surrounding

around could only see it as a flash of light, for the fact that
the saber was swung so fast, and most of all, for the fact
that it was suddenly pulled out.

"Nah..."

A momentary blank in the consciousness of those who had

been surrounding the area, but when they recognized the
scene before their eyes that followed, they were more
shocked than the seriousness of the blade of Lisa, which
was wielded like a gale.

Nozomu grabbed it firmly with his bare hands, blood

dripping and leaving red spots on the training ground,
Nozomu withdrew his grip on the saber and faced Lisa at a
close distance.

"What the..."

"I didn't betray you!"

The sound of a strong declaration slamming down from his

mouth. Even though it was full of abuse and hatred, it was
still a great upset. Camilla, who is with her, is also frozen in
the sun at Nozomu's unprecedentedly strong determination.

"How dare you say such a word after all this time!"

After a moment of silence, Lisa's body turned red. The fresh

blood flew in the air as it was presented from Nozomu's
hand. She was so angry that she let her passion rise up, let
out her magic power, and blew up Nozomu. She pulls out
her other sword and crosses it with her arms around
Nozomu.

The power that responded to her rage was spread out and
poured into her beloved sword, which began to glow with a
tilled color. Suddenly, the students in the surrounding area
were all distancing themselves from the powerful magic
power that was suddenly unleashed.

"Hey, Lisa."

While Camilla was raising her voice in impatience, the magic

power that was poured out in anger turned into a flame and
rolled around in a single movement.
Peacock Flame Vortex, a intermediate-level magic of the
whirlpool of fire, Enhanced by Lisa's ability, "Nibei's Wicth
Hand," it is as powerful as high-level magic.

"Lisa, no. It's not even a mock battle, and that magic is
indeed too much."

"Ken, but he...!"

"It's okay. I've got it."

However, Ken intervened there, and while Lisa let out an

angry sound, Ken admonished her nonchalantly and turned
his gaze to Nozomu.

"Lisa, no. It's not even a mock battle, and that magic is
indeed too much."

"Ken, but he...!"

"It's okay. I've got it."

However, Ken intervened there, and while Lisa let out an

angry sound, Ken admonished her nonchalantly and turned
his gaze to Nozomu.

"Nozomu, are you still going to lie like that? How pathetic
are you going to continue to be?"

"Which one is lying or telling lies?"

Nozomu's gaze also shifted from Lisa to Ken.

Sparks flew between them, and they both moved at the

same time.

"Huh!"
Ken's well-trained blows, regardless of his magical
background, are aimed at the center line of Nozomu's body,
and the wind blew.

"..."

However, Nozomu's body seemed to flare slightly and then

begin to flow sideways as if deviating from the trajectory of
the palm strike, like flowing water, a movement so natural
that it was hard to even feel a sense of discomfort.

"Tsk!?"

Nozomu avoided the palm strike, which opened Ken's eyes,

and grabbed his opponent's right arm with his left hand. He
pulled his body close and inserted his right elbow into his
opponent's side, cutting his waist while controlling his
center of gravity and mowing down Ken's legs.

"Ugh..."

When Nozomu was about to throw him by pulling his left

hand, Ken's magic power was so fierce that he removed his
right arm from his grasp with a claw, and he held the back
of

Nozomu's head with his left hand, and Nozomu, who was
about to fall to the ground, dropped himself on the contrary
and separated the leaping distance by using the backlash
from the ground.

"Enhanced magic? Is he using some kind of magic to

enhance his body?"

Ken, on the other side, also lands with one knee on the
ground. He quietly stands up and glares at Nozomu.
"Hey, what's going on?"

"I think the bottom of the barrel is that he was about to

throw Ken over the edge, but I'm not sure..."

The turmoil around them grew even louder, even though

those students, originally said to be unable to fight as far as
they were concerned due to the suppression of their
abilities, had let their guard down. He was on the verge of
throwing a student in the top class of the academy.

No wonder they were upset, they had only known Nozomu

when he had turned a blind eye to his own escapades. The
air between Nozomu and Ken grew tense, as if it were about
to burst, but then the tension was over.

"If you're going to have a mock battle, make it a proper

one."

Nozomu's quiet but dignified voice came from a large man

in silver and white armor, Jihad Raundel, the academy
principal, who had just given an instruction in front of the
whole class.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cause a ruckus."

Nozomu's heightened fighting spirit is extinguished by

Jihad's appearance, and he turns on his heel.

As he leaves, he looks at his former lover and friends. Lisa

was quiet, but she looked straight into Nozomu's eyes, and
Camilla also looked somewhat surprised, only Ken stared at
Nozomu with icy eyes.

He turned his gaze to something inserted in her bosom and

quietly left, and after he walked away, Lisa was surprised to
find herself violently upset, words directed straight at her,
and eyes that should have been stained with anger from a
year ago.

Lisa is confused and shaking violently. While Lisa was having

a hard time understanding her feelings, Ken and Camilla
came over to talk to her.

"Lisa, are you okay?"

"Uh, un, yeah..."

"Who does he think he is, to say such a self-serving thing in

a place like this without learning his lesson!"

Their words reminded Lisa of her own anger.

(Right, what are you talking about after all this time? You
betrayed me all by yourself.) Lisa still remembers the
despair and anger she felt at the time, and how she had
asked Camilla to help out, and they had stayed up late
doing research together in the library, and on the way home
she had found him walking with a woman she did not know,
a small woman who looked different from herself, somewhat
frail and quiet, and they had locked arms, smiled at each
other, and kissed, and she could not believe it.

She didn't want to believe him, she didn't want to believe

what he was doing, but he betrayed her. He betrayed her,
he said coldly to Lisa as she stormed up to him, wildly
stuffing herself and screaming at him.

"Sorry, I don't need you anymore..."

The next moment, Lisa's eyes turned red as she was

confronted with the reality that she had been abandoned by
her most important person in the worst possible way. The
next moment, she was confronted with the reality of what
had happened. So, Lisa thoroughly rejected and denied
Nozomu.

He is no longer the person she was attracted to. He is a

bastard who tramples on people's feelings in the worst
possible way.

"...Don't worry about it, it's just some lousy man's

nonsense."

"Come on, Lisa, let's go."

"Yeah..."

With Camilla's urging, they change places, and Lisa walks

away.

When she looked back, she caught sight of Nozomu's back

as he walked away, and she told herself once again that he
was the worst and that he deserved it, but every time she
thought that, somehow Nozomu's eyes that he had just
turned on her were gouging her heart, and she wondered
why they were so straightforward, as if nothing had
changed.

Whenever she thought about it, the scene of the betrayal

flashed back to her, along with the cold stare and words she
had received. Lisa shakes her head and brushes off the
doubts that have been floating around in the back of her
mind, along all those wrenching memories.

(That can't be. Something must have gone wrong back then.

At that moment, a slight feeling of discomfort ran through

her chest, and when she put her hand on her chest, she felt
something square.
"Lisa, what's wrong?"

"This..."

The letter was sealed and unaddressed, and when she

opened it, she found a letter with the following message.

[I need to talk to you about something that happened two

years ago.]

The only other thing that caught her eye was the time and
place of the day. The only other information given was the
time and place, but the words looked familiar to Lisa. It was
Nozomu's letter. Beside her, Ken was looking down at
Nozomu's letter with the most severe gaze she had ever
seen.

Nozomu was taken by Mars to the central park's wooded

section for lunch following a joint class.

"Mars, what brings you here?"

"Come with me for a moment."

Mars says this before abruptly drawing the large sword from
behind him.

"Training? But if we're going to do it, I'd prefer to do it after

academy on the training grounds or the outside rim.

"I don't want to be too visible. Furthermore, she will appear

if I do it in a noticeable place..."

Nozomu was unable to hear the second half of Mars' voice

since it was so quiet, but his countenance indicated
considerable irritation. Although Nozomu was worried about
his condition, he was forced to draw his cherished sword by
a brief glance.

"Great, now let's go."

"... Enhancement magic?"

When Mars invoked the magic of physical strengthening

through chanting, Nozomu also strengthened his whole
body with qi, and then he stepped toward Nozomu, and a
slash with a large sword was launched.

"Wind!"

"Hah!"

Mars' slashes with reinforcement magic are much weaker

than his normal ones because he is now using magic to
strengthen his body, not his qi. He has a high aptitude for
both qi and magic, but there is a considerable difference in
his skill level, which comes from his fighting style, which has
been mainly focused on qi-jutsu.

"...?"

However, Nozomu felt a strange sensation. Not only magical

power but also a presence of qi began to flow from Mars'
body.

"Mars, are you using qi-jutsu too?"

"Yeah..., that's right!"

Nozomu's face turned pale at Mars' words. Magic-qi

combination technique. It is a very difficult technique that
doubles the output by simultaneously using both qi-jutsu
and magic, which would normally be opposed to each other.
Certainly, when mastered, the combination of qi and magic
is a super-efficient strengthening technique, but it requires a
high degree of control over both qi and magic power. Failure
to control both powers can easily lead to an outburst of the
technique, causing great damage to the surroundings.

"Wait a minute! If you fail to do that..."

"That's why we're doing it here, where it's out of sight...!"

Two powers leaking from Mars' body are jostling each other
with a buzzing noise, and they don't seem to be under
control at all....

"Ah!"

At the moment Nozomu was expecting the worst, Mars'

movement was clearly premature.

Seeing through the slash that slipped past him, he struck

the great sword that had been swung down and stabbed it
into the ground.

Then, as if to say it was the end, he cut back the sword he

had swung and drove the tip of it into Mars' neck.

"I guess, I'm still no good..."

Mars gave a regretful look, lifted his qi-jutsu and magic,

then settled his greatsword.

"Why did you start using combination technique?"

"I've been studying magic with her for a while now, and she
just happened to mention it to me.

She said something about being able to get explosive

power..."
"Yes, it's true, but... Isn't it too risky? If it gets out of
control..."

"She said the same thing. It's too early to put it into
practice. Well, actually, I'm just not ready to strengthen my
body with a sword yet..."

I'm not ready to strengthen my body yet. Nozomu feels a

strange tugging at his words.

"Hey, you were doing something really unusual in class

earlier, weren't you?"

"Something unusual?"

"Your ex-girlfriend and childhood friend, you've been so

quiet about it this whole time, what's changed your mind?"

The unexpected action of Nozomu, who had always kept his

mouth shut, seemed to be bothering Mars, however... before
he had time to answer, he was interrupted by a voice from
the other side of him.

"What an interesting thing you've done."

The student who appeared was Feo Rizta, a student of the

second class who had just spoken to him at the joint class.
Following him, for some reason, were students from the
tenth grade.

"You are..."

"As I introduced earlier, Feo Rizta a student in the third year

from second grade, behind me, they are people who want to
work with you."

"Huh?"
Nozomu looked at his classmates again with a surprised
expression on his face. There are five students from the
tenth grade who came here, three boys and two girls.

They are the ones who never laid a hand on Nozomu, but
they never protected him either. They are the numerous
non-interventionist students.

Jin and Tomi, long sword users, and Deck, spear user. Then
Cami, the bowman, and Hamuria, the magician, who would
be in charge of the rear guard. Jin, the longsword wielder
who is the leader of the five, steps forward.

"Nozomu-kun, I want you to add us to your party on the first

day of exercise."

At Jin's words, Nozomu glanced at his partner next to him.

He thought that Mars, a man of extraordinary ability in the
tenth grade, had spoken to them in order to team up with
him, but Jin's eyes were on Nozomu, not on Mars.

Nozomu is pressured by the straightforwardness of his gaze.

Neglecting him, Jin begins to explain why he approached
Nozomu.

"Since the end of last year, I saw that you had somehow
improved your strength to the point where you could
compete with Mars. I thought, I can't go on like this..."

The other four were also looking a little too nervous, but
that was to be expected. In the first place, they are the ones
who had their hearts broken in the academy meritocracy.

Frustrated and distrustful of their own lack of growth, they

have surrendered to the daily routine and comforted
themselves by finding those who seem somehow inferior or
lower in status than they are.
However, their stereotypes were overturned. Nozomu, who
they had thought was below them, was shown repeatedly
going head-to-head with Mars, who was recognized as the
top player in

his grade on the basis of ability and skill alone. When

confronted with a reality they could not face, their despised
response was to continue to ignore it, deny it, or reflect on
themselves.

"I know I'm being convenient now, but I still don't want to
leave this academy, and I'm well aware that this is a selfish
request that will greatly benefit my performance depending
on the outcome, but... please, I need your help!"

Jin bowed deeply to Nozomu, and the other members

followed. Meanwhile, Nozomu's confusion only deepens due
to the unexpected situation. Then, Mars opens his mouth.

"It's okay, it seems like they're willing to go for it, and the
more strength we have, that's better."

"... I understand. We can work together if you want."

"Ts! Thank you."

Jin and the others raise their heads and look relieved, while
Feo claps his hands in joy.

"Okay then, I'm going to apply to the academy for a party

member!"

"Hold on, fox. Why are you going to apply?"

"... What? I'm a member too, aren't I?"

At Feo's words, there is a moment of silence.

"Wait, you're second class? You're in the higher ranks,
right?”

“You said earlier that we'll be working together on the

second day."

Nozomu remembered that he had asked for a tea party on

the second day, and that's why he was so excited.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, that's right, that's right, that's exactly what
it was..."

"Nozomu, you totally forgot, didn't you?"

"Hey, stop it!"

The air, which had been somewhat tense, relaxed at once.

"Yeah., well, I'm okay for the second day."

"Yes! I got a bite of the pawn!"

While posing his guts with Yosh! From beside him, a voice
echoes, much like the sound of a gentle wind.

[I found you, Nozomu. Come here for a minute.]

When Nozomu turned to look at the voice, a small lapis

lazuli-colored bird with a distinctive long tail was looking
down at him.

While everyone was surprised by the unexpected

appearance of the bird, Razward, who had been flapping his
wings in the air, quickly approached Nozomu and deftly
wrapped his tail around his arm.

"Razward? What on earth are you...? Hey, whoa!"

[Easy…dipsy, just come hang out with me for a minute.]

Razward, who was stronger than it looked, began to pull

Nozomu along with him, ignoring the stunned Mars and the
others, and took Nozomu away.

After the morning joint classes were over, Shina visited the
cafeteria to have lunch alone, while Mimuru accompanied
Tom to the Groaurum institution, which was originally the
most important institution in Arcazam and therefore not
accessible to ordinary students.

They have become very familiar with each other as a result

of following Tom around as his research assistant. In a
sense, the reason why Mimuru follows Tom around so much
is because of her feelings for her boyfriend, which is typical
of the love-crazed Mimuru, but it has been making Tom
especially noisy lately.

It is mainly about a classmate who has recently been a

great help to her....

"No, he's not here..."

Looking around the cafeteria with a tray of lunch in her

hand, she doesn't see him. Maybe he doesn't eat lunch in
the cafeteria.

"Chi chi chi (Too bad, Shi-jo, that Nozomu guy, it looks like
he's not here.)"

"Yeah, it looks like that. Huh..."

After letting out a small sigh of disappointment, she sat

down at the vacant table and began to eat.
Shina's appearance, which was also that of an elf, was so
beautiful that the students having lunch nearby could not
help but gasp at the somewhat melancholy expression on
her face, which drew the eyes of those around her without
her being aware of it.

"Chi chi chi (Shi-jo, let me taste it too...)"

"Again? Isn't there a little too much sentience sharing

lately?"

Razward, who has a contract with Shina, is a creature that

takes in the surrounding elements and can share its senses
with her.

He enjoys using Shina's tongue to taste the food of humans,

as they share senses that the spirit does not have.

"Chui chui (It's good, ain't it? It's not like it's going to
decrease.)"

"No, I've been having a bit too many of those lately, and
since knowledge is not inherently part of the spirit, you
know, I should probably just pull my own weight."

"Chui---(knowledge---)"

Razward, who had been hopping around on Sheena's

shoulders and head in search of a sensory sharing
connection, eventually gave up and returned to Telepaty,
letting out a disappointed squeal.

"Chui chui, chui chui (That reminds me, Shi-jo, that Nozomu
you mentioned earlier, he really did it.)"

"Yeah, uh, that's right...."

"chi, chu chui (God, they are so cringey.)"

Shina understood the reasons for Nozomu's actions, in a

sense, better than anyone else at the academy, as he began
moving to prove his innocence.

In her mind, a scene from before comes back to her. It was

after she finally ended her battle with Abyss Grief and
finished her report to the academy, the man who helped her
without regard for himself and even gave her a chance to
reunite with Razward, whom she thought was gone. Shina
wanted to thank him for that. Out of that single-
mindedness, Shina told Nozomu a certain truth.

"What's happen?"

“The reason I hated you... was because I saw you hurting

Lisa-san with your horrible words."

Shina had previously witnessed Nozomu's brutal behavior

toward Lisa, which had led her to hate Nozomu more than
the other students, but this was in fact a mistake.

"Yes, it was not you. It was someone else imitating your

appearance and voice."

"Is it magic? If it was magic, they would have noticed it..."

Magic is originally an indefinite and ambiguous force, and

when magic is used, the residual magic power is naturally
released. Therefore, no matter how careful you are, you can
sense it when you use magic. Shina shakes her head in
denial of Nozomu's words.
"No, that was not magic, it was a spirit's magic, and it was
made from the source element."

"Source element..."

"When I lost the ability to contract with spirits, I didn't

realize it because my senses as an elf were also quite
dulled, but I'm pretty sure."

Source element. It is neither qi nor magic, but the very

essence of the soul. There are very limited beings that can
use this power, and only a few, such as spirits, are able to
handle it on their own.

"It's not the same spirit as your friend, is it?"

"I don't know, there was no sign of a spirit. That makes it all
more strange."

If the source element is to be used directly, it is necessary

to use large-scale ritual magic, or...

"Abilities..."

"Yes..."

There are a few individuals who have special abilities that

manifest themselves, but it is hard to think of anyone else
who has them.

"Also, I hate to say it, but when I think about who benefited
the most from your separation from Lisa-san..."

Nozomu fell silent at Shina's words. Who had been there for
him and Lisa when he was desperate? Who was close to Lisa
later on?
As the pieces came together in Nozomu's mind, his chest
began to ache and his vision narrowed, and all the things
that he had been trying not to look at, all the things that he
had unconsciously avoided thinking about, came together to
weigh on his mind.

"Thank you for telling me..."

Nozomu bit his lip to hold back the aching pain and thanked
Shina for her help. Shina, on the other hand, looked at
Nozomu with a somewhat apologetic expression on her face.

Nozomu tilted his head and wondered why she was looking
at him that way, but he soon realized that she was thinking
of him and he smiled back.

His smile, which he had tried to force onto his lips, was so
absurdly distorted that it was hilarious.

"So, what will you do?"

"... I don't know. But...I knew I couldn't just stay like this."

Unable to answer, Nozomu fell silent, and his silence

showed the depth of shock he had felt.

"Once again, thanks for your help in telling me this, I'll take
care of the rest on my own."

After a moment of silence, Nozomu looked up, smiling

wickedly. The agitation that had been floating around had
calmed down somewhat, replaced by a determined look that
peeked through, as if he had made up his mind to do
something.

"I understand. Let me know if you need a hand, because

you've been a big help."
Shina couldn't say anything more, and they parted ways.

Remembering that time about two weeks ago, Razward

exhaled a big breath.

"Chu..., chui... (I don't know why you backed out... Maybe

you wanted to tell him something else...)"

"Um, but, uh... I didn't know what else to say."

Razward pointed it out to her, and Shina looked down and

started wriggling, intertwining her fingers on both hands.
Actually, she wanted to say, "Are you okay?".

Shina really wanted to offer her help, but she felt ashamed
of herself for being so confounded by his face, which was so
deeply wounded and yet soaked in rejection, and at the
same time, it stirred her heart.

"It's okay, maybe..."

Shina looked up and stared out the window with melancholy

eyes, as if looking for him, who was not here.

"Chu, chu chui? chu chu (If you're curious, why don't you
just go see him now? I'll go look for him?)"

"..."

"Chu--, chu chu (I can't hear you, you've started worrying in

a weird way again, it's the first time I've seen you like that. I
guess it's understandable...)"

Razward's voice didn't seem to reach Sheena, who was still

in a daze. Leaving his childhood friend lost in her thoughts,
Razward thinks back on what happened in the morning and
wonders if that's what it was all about.

(When I saw that Ken guy, he was different from ordinary

people, but I can't say what it was.) The world that Razward,
a spirit, sees is different from the world that ordinary
humans see, and because they are born from the source,
they are sensitive to the qi and magic that come from the
source.

The quality of the power that can be seen can be used to

identify the individual, especially the source of the person
with the ability, which is obvious from Razward's point of
view, but it is

also obvious that the quality of the person is different from

other humans, and the image that is evoked is completely
different.

(These guys around Nozomu are particularly easy to

understand.) Shina, the lyre played in the breeze, Irisdina,
the silver moon that lights up the dark night, Tima, the four-
colored light that spirals, Mars, the tornado that rages, and
Nozomu, a myriad of chains that bind something very
strongly.

These chains are so strong and solid even make the bound
object cannot be seen, and that is the shape of their souls,
as Razward recalled them.

(Yet, Ken Nortice isn't, by all accounts, a normal human

being. That's why he's strange.) Razward's image of Ken
was water. Nothing more definite than that came to mind. It
is a common soul, nothing special, and that is why he
cannot shake off the feeling of discomfort.
(I've lived quite a long time, and the people around Nozomu
are the kind of people I've never seen before. Well, I've
never been closely associated with the human race
myself...) Razward is a spirit born in the Nebula Forest. It's a
place that was rarely visited by humans, which is why
Razward himself didn't have much contact with humans.

(This could get messy... Still, you saved Shi-jo. I'll keep an
eye on you...) Rarely does a spirit help a human being, and
only a few special people, such as heroes and kings in
history and legends, are likely to do so.

However, for Razward, Nozomu was a benefactor who had

saved a precious contractor and had contributed to his
resurrection. Therefore, he had no hesitation in lending his
help when needed.

(Fluffy one—I was not there... but still, Shina, I hope you'll
get back to sharing your senses soon...)

However, whether it was the spirit or his own personality,

Razward's serious thoughts did not last long. Still staring
outside in a teasing manner, he spits at his childhood friend,
an elf who is unknowingly charming the students around
her.

She also started to make her own lunch. She must really
want him to taste her food.

(Good...)

Razward, who had an idea of what he should do, flapped his

wings and flew off somewhere, leaving Shina alone.

"Huh... Hey, Raz? Where'd you go?"

Shina had been dazed for a while after Razward flew away.
Shina, who had been dumbfounded for a while after
Razward flew away, finally returned to the cafeteria.

However, when she saw Razward's return, Shina couldn't

believe what she saw.

"Ha..ha...ha ha, What the heck is this, suddenly pulled me

out of nowhere..."

"Nozomu-kun..."

Her childhood friend, a spirit, brought her the benefactor

she had been thinking about for a while. Shina's face turned
pale when she saw Nozomu, who had obviously been
forcibly dragged to the cafetaria and was out of breath.

[How about this, Shi-jo. I brought you the person you

wanted... Gah!]

Razward, who was puffing out his chest proudly, was rushed
up to her at high speed, instantly tightened up, and was
punished. A scream echoes through the cafeteria. The
students around are stunned, and Nozomu smiles dryly.

"I'm sorry! Raz has done terrible things..."

"I don't mind that one.... Shina-san, is there something

troubling you?

"What? Why?"

"Well, but you were acting kind of weird."

"No, it's okay, I'm fine. Yeah, so, um, what can I do for you,
so…"
Thump, thump, thump... It was quiet when they were facing
each other, and her heart was beating wildly... Confused
mind can't come up with a good idea.

"Um, would you like to have lunch with me?"

Before she knew it, she had unintentionally invited him to

have lunch with her.

(Aaah! What am I talking about? He would definitely think

I'm acting weird again!)

"Um... Okay, just wait a minute."

Shina is in a state of confusion, with a frozen expression on

her face. Nozomu, too, was puzzled by her strange
behavior, but then remembered that he had not yet had
lunch and agreed that it would be fine.

He left her, placed his order at the counter, and immediately

brought a plate with bread, soup, stir-fried beans, meat, and
a salad. They sat down at the table where Shina had just
been sitting, facing each other.

"No~Nozomu-kun, you are not using the academy

cafeteria?"

"Not so at this moment, I usually don't have a lot of money

in my pocket."

Nozomu smiles bitterly, and Shina finally calms down and

gives him a little smile. Despite the unkind glances from
those around them, each of them proceeded with their meal
quietly for a while. It was Shina who first managed to break
the silence.

"At the morning class....."

"Un?"

"Lisa and the others were stuffing themselves with..."

She speaks in a reserved manner, and Nozomu stops eating

to answer her clearly.

"I wanted to make sure. I've been running away from it all
this time."

"Running away?"

"Yeah, you know... from a lot of things."

Saying so, Nozomu brings a bowl of stir-fried beans and

meat to his mouth. There is a brief pause between the two
of them.

"What made you decide to move now?"

"I wonder if it was because I saw Shina-san at that time..."

"Me...?"

"Yeah. I was broken, desperate.... Yet, in the end, before I

could face the present, I would have to look at the present
and move on..."

Scenes from that time come clearly back to her mind. Shina
recalls the image of Nozomu, who came to her rescue
despite his trauma and the abusive words she hurled at him.

"Ah, thanks..."

Before she knew it, Shina was thanking him for his help.

"Hmm? Why did Shina-san give me gratidude? "

"Never mind, I just wanted to say it..."

Even though she can't repay him enough. The ache that had
been tingling in the back of her chest until a few minutes
ago, is now gone.

"As I said before, if you need me, just let me know. You
saved me and Raz, as an elf, I should repay you for that."

"That's not really something I think you need to worry

about. I mean, it's quite enough that you told me about
that..."

"Nope, I'm still not paying you back enough for all this."

"You're not what they call stubborn, are you?"

"Not as bad as you, who came to save me after I cursed you

so much. Hmm..."

Nozomu smiled back at the girl, who let out a small chuckle.
For a moment, a gentle breeze quietly flowed between
them.

While Nozomu and Sheena were eating in the cafeteria,

Irisdina and Tima were having lunch with Somia on the
grassy area in the central park. However, the lunch itself did
not seem to be going very well.

"Tima, what's going on with Mars-kun?"

Tima's eyes widen for a moment at the sudden question

from her closest friend, but then she remembers that her
confidant was very good at sensing people's subtleties.
"Um, nothing's wrong. It's just, Mars-kun, he hasn't been
feeling so well lately, so..."

She puts down the bread she has been eating and begins to
talk about her recent activities with a small squeeze of her
shoulders. Tima had been studying magic with Mars
recently. Although she had always been shy and had a
strong aversion to men, she had been able to speak
somewhat normally to Mars since he helped her during the
Waziart family attack.

She was also a graduate of the first generation attached to

the Soluminati Academy, called Ecross, and had studied
advanced technology on the continent for a long time,
which made it a big advantage for her to train with him in
magic. However, it seems that their training has recently hit
a wall.

"What have you been up to lately?"

"Training in the basics of intermediate magic, learning how

to apply it in battle, and improving control by using two
types of magic at the same time, although only the wind
attribute."

"That's..."

So far, Mars has used only qi-jutsu in battle. This is mainly

due to his own personality.

However, when Rugato, the steward of the House of

Waziart, attacked the House of Francilt, he was brutally
defeated. Since then, he has been trying to find a new way
to make use of his inexperience in the field of magic.

"Mars-kun, it seems that he not only has a high level of qi-

jutsu but also a high level of magic, but he wants to go
further..."

Mars is a rare person who can handle both magic and qi at a

very high level. Furthermore, he has the ability to increase
the effectiveness and control of both magic and qi-jutsu,
even though

it is limited to the wind attribute. However, according to

Tima, he wants more power than he has now.

"Don’t tell me?"

"Combination of qi-jutsu and magic. It's magic - qi

combination techniques."

"That's... ridiculous, isn't it? It's the most difficult

technique."

"I agree with you, but Mars-kun didn't listen to me..."

Having a high aptitude for both magic and qi, Mars may
indeed be well suited to doing so.

However, he uses magic sensitively, and his control of

magic is not as good as his control of qi.

Obviously, it was not yet possible to use the magic qi

combination technique. That was Tima's thinking.

"I wonder if it's because of what happened to Nozomu.

Maybe he's still training somewhere during his lunch break."

"Huh, that..."

The events of a month ago come back to Irisdina's mind.

Due to the past history of the Francilt family, a vampire tried
to steal Somia's soul. Irisdina was on the verge of losing her
most beloved sister to an extremely powerful being,
equivalent to an S rank.

In such a crisis, they were saved by Nozomu, who had

released his suppressed abilities. He rescued Somia by
overwhelming the vampire with a power so powerful that it
was unimaginable from his usual appearance.

"Vampires are a prominent and powerful species on the

continent. His power is enough to overwhelm them. Release
of ability suppression... I'm sure there's more than just
that..."

With her fingertips, Irisdina gently strokes the light-colored

strands of her own black hair. It was a present that she had
begged Nozomu to buy for her. Irisdina's expression turns
melancholy as she thinks of Nozomu, who must be
somewhere out there.

"After, what happened at..."

Why is he still staying at this academy?

Why did he suddenly decide to confront Lisa and the other

students?

How did he acquire such powerful strength?

How could he have acquired such great swordsmanship?

Why... does he always have such a painful expression on his

face?

Numerous "Why" come to the mind. Her curiosity for him

continues to light up. However, her feelings have been
changing a little. Previously, she would think of him only
once or twice a day. Recently, the frequency has been
increasing. It is still the same, as soon as his face appears in
her mind, the desire to know him accelerates in the blink of
an eye. It is so difficult to stop...

"Ane-sama, did something happen to Nozomu-san?"

"Ah, yeah, actually..."

Irisdina told Somia that they had been in a joint class in the
morning. Somia herself was surprised to hear about
Nozomu's behavior.

"Nozomu-san, what's happened to you?"

"I think we've figured something important about the

rumor."

As soon as she puts it into words, the inexpressible

frustration leaks out like a weir. Yet, .... A hesitation arises as
to whether or not it is appropriate to ask him.

(Come to think of it, I don't know much about him. I wonder

if a person like him should get involved any more than he
already has...)

Moreover, since this morning, she has been unable to think

clearly. Feelings that can't be described are swirling around
in her head, and she even feels numb in her hands and feet.
At last, she even acted as if she were avoiding him in an
obvious way.

"Shina Yuriel, maybe she knows something about Nozomu?"

The only elf in the city who lost the blessing of the spirit.
However, she has regained her power and is now an A-
ranked student like Irisdina. Considering the trust she puts
in Nozomu, it is easy to see that he is deeply involved in the
fact that Shina is able to contract the spirits once again.

Still, she knows nothing about what really happened—

nothing at all. A sense of frustration and sadness, combined
with the feeling of being outside the line, stirred her heart.
Irisdina found herself biting her lip and clutching the edge of
her skirt tightly.

"Ah, everyone, were you in the middle of your lunch?"

While Irisdina struggles with her emotions, a familiar voice

echoes in her ears. The voice is that of a maid with light
purple hair, tied up in a small bun, whom Irisdina knows
very well.

"Mena, what are you doing here?"

"I went to visit an old friend at this academy for some

business. By the way, Ojou-sama, is there something wrong
with your hands like that?"

"Such as it is..."

"You were like a little girl who was not being cared for by her
father, you know?"

She is a maid who works for the Francilt family, also a friend
of the current head of the Francilt family, and she is more
reserved with Irisdina and her family than with the other
household members.

"Mmm, I don't have that look on my face. I just have a few

things on my mind."

"Is this about Nozomu-sama? Did something happen?"

"Eh, that, you know..."

After a stiff response, Irisdina recounts the morning's

incident to Mena. She said that things got tense when
Nozomu approached her ex-lover, Lisa Hounds, and then
confronted her current lover and childhood friend, Ken
Nortice.

Of course, she didn't mention the fact that she avoided

Nozomu in class just to spite him.

"I understand, that's why the young lady is so worried."

"Mm, well, yeah, I guess."

"If that's the case, wouldn't it be best to be honest and ask

him what's going on?"

"But..."

"Whether to answer or not is up to Nozomu-sama, so it's not

a problem if you just ask him, is it?"

"That's right..."

"Okay, so it wasn't just about the ex-lover but something

else as well, wasn't it?"

Irisdina was at a loss for words at Mena's sharp observation.

Since her mother died early in her life, Mena, who was her
mother's best friend, was a close person who understood
her very well. Perhaps because of this, she immediately
recognized the reason for Irisdina's disturbance in her
unusual behavior.

"That reminds me, have you talked about [Mumei], Nozomu-

sama's signature sword?"
"Nope, not yet."

Mumei. Mumei is a synonym for a few swords that are not

worth inscribing a name on, but it has a completely different
meaning for Nozomu's beloved sword. It is a special sword
made by a well-known blacksmith in the East.

It is a general term for a sword like a mirror that can acquire

various special characteristics depending on its owner.
Nozomu's sword is one of these [Mumei] swords.

Although it is still in its unawakened state, or perhaps it

does not have any special characteristics that stand out at
the moment, there is no doubt that it is of the same quality
as those sacred and magic swords of the continent.

"I'm sure Nozomu-sama would be interested in knowing

about anything related to his master, and this would be a
good topic to talk about, so why don't we ask him together
then?"

"Umm~~~n....."

Mena suggested asking Nozomu what was bothering him on

the matter of swords, but Irisdina's response was not
positive. She looked away awkwardly, and a silence fell
between the master and her servant.

"If Ane-sama doesn't feel comfortable talking to him, would

you like me to do it?"

"Huh?"

"I had planned to have a date with Nozomu-san on my next

day off, so I think it's a perfect time."
The silence was interrupted by Somia, who until then had
been listening. At the same time, a strong shock hit Irisdina.
For a few seconds, there was silence, as she could not
understand the words she had heard.

"Wha--, Date!!?"

"Wait a minute, Somia! I didn't know that!"

Immediately afterwards, a voice so loud that it could reach

the entire lawn area echoed from Tima and Irisdina,
incidentally, Irisdina's voice was several times louder than
Tima's.

Meanwhile, Somia, the key person behind all of this, is

looking very calm and happy as she talks about her
relationship with Nozomu.

"I didn't tell anyone, besides, I wanted to keep it as secret

as possible."

"Well, it seems that Somiliana-sama is more aggressive

when it comes to affair, so who made the offer?"

“From me! I've never been on a date with a man before, so I

didn't know what to do, I thought it would be a little bit too
rash, my first date with a man would be with Nozomu-
san~~!”

Date? Somia? with Nozomu?

A shock that was incomparable to the previous one hit

Irisdina, and her thoughts were jumbled into a mess.

"No, you can't....."

"Oh, even if my sister says no, I will go, so please don't hide
and do not follow me or disturb me."

Irisdina was frozen in her seat with her lip open, while her
sister, the source of the problem, finished her lunch quickly
and packed up her lunch box, then went back to the Ecross
academy building, leaving her stiff sister behind.

"Ah, Ai, Ai! Are you okay!?"

"This is hopeless. She is completely stunned."

"E, e? E e e e!?"

"I should be happy for your sister's growth, but she's looks
more like a wife... Irisdina-ojou sama, please be persistent."

Mena slapped her master's daughter on the cheek with a

flick of her hand. The way she did it was strangely familiar.

(This maid doesn't usually do this kind of thing, does she?)

While Tima is wondering these questions, Irisdina, whose
cheeks are swollen, finally notices.

"Hatsu! I just had a strange dream that Somia was having a

date with Nozomu..."

"Unfortunately, it is not a dream. Actually, it's not real yet,

but it's already too late for you.

Afternoon classes are about to begin. Please return to your

classrooms as soon as possible."

"Wa~wait. We need to hear Somia's true intentions. Hey, let

go of me, Mena!"

Right on time! The academy bell begins to ring. As the bell

rings, Mena grabs Irisdina from behind as she tries to run
toward Ecross.

"I won't let you go. Please be quiet. Fortunately, I have some
business to attend to today, so I'll be on my way."

"Huh? Well, I was wondering why Mena wanted to visit the

academy... Forget about that stuff, it's Somia. Somia! I don't
think you're ready to date the opposite sex yet!"

"Hai hai, be quiet, please, there is no one here. Well then,

Tima-sama, let's get going."

"Is it okay?"

Prompted by Mena, who was pulling Irisdina slowly back

from the area, Tima went back to the academy. Incidentally,
Tima was questioned by a teacher because of her best
friend, who was being a bad influence, and Irisdina was in a
bad mood during the whole class, but that is a different
matter.
 Chapter 2: Smoldering Fire

Jihad Roundel, the head of the Soluminati Academy.

Although most of the work is simplified, there is still a lot of
information to go through.

"I see, the Silver Rainbow Knights have entered the

southeast of the Spasim Forest..."

"Yes, the purpose is to regularly defeat monsters and

beasts. We have been informed of this as well."

While eating a light meal of sandwiches prepared for him,

he looks over the documents given to him by his confidant,
Inda.

"Which unit are you going in with?"

"They said it's the Fifth Unit. So, regarding Nozomu

Bountis..."

"Yeah, it looks like the starlight edge has made contact. I

apologize for the immediate contact, but it looks like
lowering the alert level on his side should not be a
problem."

"Any new information?"

"I got a bit more information from an old acquaintance who

knew him."

"I know you've done this before, but who is it?"

"Mena Manat."

When Inda hears Mena's name, she looks a bit surprised.

"The knight of the crucifixion. She is here in Arcazam now?"

Knight of the Crucifixion. That was Mena Manat's name 20

years ago. At that time, during the great invasion, she was a
member of the army sent by the Kingdom of Forsina to
defeat demonic beasts, and she killed many demonic beasts
with her excellent sword.

It was during this time that she became acquainted with

Jihad, and the two fought together on many battlefields.

"Yes, the head of the Francylte family, whom she serves,

sent her here to protect his daughter, who is now staying in
town because of the incident."

At that time, it was a chaotic time in many ways, and

naturally, they were struck by various hardships. Perhaps
because they had overcome such hardships together, Jihaid
himself regarded Mena with admiration.

"So, she is interacting with Nozomu Bountis. From what I've

heard, she doesn't have the personality to be scheming, at
least not in a conspiratorial way."

"I've been looking into the Abyss grief case, too. It seems
he's a bit... There are some bad rumors about him."

"Well, I know that too. However, we do not have jurisdiction

over the relationships between students, nor do we know if
they are true or not."

On this continent, students are considered adults at the age

of 15. Therefore, the school does not interfere in the
relationship between students, even if it is about grades.

Students' capability to handle interpersonal relationships

smoothly is also judged as a measure of competence. As
long as it is not disruptive to the order of the school, it is
basically left alone.

"There is one more thing. I heard that he has ability

suppression, but even though there is a difference between
a sword and a katana, his swordsmanship cannot be
understated..."

Knock, knock, knock. In the middle of the conversation,

there is a knock at the door of the private office. Jihad urges
the man to enter, and the door opens to reveal a tall, lean
man dressed in well-tailored clothes, a six-pointed star-
shaped badge shining on his chest.

"Jihad-dono, may I have a moment?"

"Carlvis, you are very welcome."

Jihad and the lean men smile at each other as they shake
hands. Carlvis Spartaim Pruma. He is a former nobleman of
the Cremazone Empire and one of the councilors who now
leads the administration of Arcazam.

He is also the head of the Arcazam branch of the

Adventurers' Guild and is a very versatile and busy man. He
is also one of the city's most influential figures, serving as
the link between the council and the academy.

He was originally the first court magician to serve and

advise the emperor at the imperial court and the person
who advised the emperor to dispatch an army against the
invasion of demonic beasts at the time of the Great
Invasion.
Although the emperor agreed to dispatch a force to defeat
the monsters, the empire, which had latent conflicts, took a
long time to organize the army and ended up being invaded
by monsters in its own territory.

As a consequence, the man in charge of organizing the

army was forced to resign from his position as court
magician and was sent to Arcazam.

"Here is an sample of Abyss Grief's stocking."

"Did you find out anything?"

"Please see this page for more information."

Carlvis takes the document out of his bag and hands it to

Jihad. It was a report of the earlier investigation into the
location of Abyss Grief's death.

"Upon investigation, we found a disintegrated corpse, but

only a black stain under the soil and a few bones and other
parts. No reaction to magic, qi, or source material. None of
them showed any response."

"Which means all that's left is the Abyss Grief magic

stone..."

"The Gloaurum Institute is currently investigating this

matter as well. The director, Marzen-shi, is taking the lead in
this investigation."

Like Carlvis, Marzen is a former member of the Cremazone

Empire. He is currently the head of the Gloaurum Institute
and the institute's founder, which is a center for the study of
magic in many different countries.
He was one of the most important people on the continent
because of his achievements in the field of magic.

"Then, as for the Silver Rainbow Knights..."

"I have just received a report from Inda-sensei."

The Order of the Silver Rainbow was created after the Great
Invasion by gathering the most powerful people from
various countries.

The Silver Rainbow Order is a single organization with the

highest ranks in the current state, to which Jihad used to
belong. The total number of members is around 50.

Although it is small in size, it is the strongest knightly order

on the continent of Arkmill simply in terms of the skill level
of its members.

"There is a correction to the information over there. It is not

just about thinning out the demonic beasts. They are also
including a search for other Abyss Grief that may be there!"

"I see... It's certainly an urgent situation."

"The 5th Unit, 1st through 3rd, are deployed to the

Sumahya Union and the Demon Beast Dominion area to
undertake the investigation."

"What about the 4th?"

"They're on the lookout for the six deadly ones in the delta
area, including a sighting of a rainbow-starved color spider."

[Six Deadly]

Among the demonic beasts that caused extensive damage

during the Great Invasion, there are currently six that have
been able to survive the attack.

All of them are so powerful that even those who have

reached the S rank are said to be unable to defeat them
single-handedly. They are said to be hiding independently in
the human realm,

most of them in the disputed Delta Zone and the Central

Mountain Range, which are inaccessible to people.

"I understand. Thank you for your assistance, Carlvis-dono."

"No, sir, I just wanted to see you for the first time in a while,
so I heard that there will be a special exercise coming up
soon."

"Yes, I think we have a number of students who are quite

promising, Irisdina Francilt, Tima Lime, and Kevin Ardinal..."

"Lisa Hounds and Ken Nortice. As for me, I'm curious about
these two as well."

"Plus, there's Shina Yuriel, who has regained the ability to

contract with spirits."

As Jihad and Carlvis are folding their fingers to list the

names of the A-rated students they're paying attention to,
Indah adds another compliment.

"Oh, I heard about it. The elf girl who fought against the
Abyss Grief. Thinking of her hometown, the Nebula Forest,
one would think that she would be alone... Gohoho!"

Carlvis, who had been smiling cheerfully against his

complexion, coughed alarmingly.

"Is everything okay?"

"Goho goho, hmmm! I'm sorry, I got overexcited. I'm not
very strong to begin with. Anyway, that's all I have to say. I
look forward to working with you in the future."

Carlvis, who had been hiding his mouth in his clothes, finally
calmed down and sat up slightly.

He then bowed to Jihad and his colleagues as he quietly left

the office.

It was a day off on a slightly sunny spring day. Nozomu was

waiting for Somia in the central park a little earlier than the
promised time.

He thought it would be no problem to accompany her on a

little outing since Arcazam is a free city where national
status is not taken into consideration.

However, he soon found out that he had been completely

wrong.

(Geee~~~~)

An intense gaze from the grassy plain. He knew who it was.

It was Irisdina Francilt, the sister of the person he was going
on this date with.

Behind the grassy plain, there were several signs of people

besides her. It was probably Tima and the others, who were
being forced by Irisdina to join her with her sword.

"Though I can understand Iris's feelings. She might be

worried if she hears that her only precious sister is dating a
guy, even if she knows him a little."
Come to think of it, it had been a long time since he went
out to hang out in this way. When he was dating Lisa, he
was training hard to catch up with the two excellent
students at the school.

The pain in his chest made him look into the distance. The
unjustified abuse. The image of his former lover, who had
refused to speak to him, comes back to his mind, and the
hand he had been holding down naturally clenches tightly.

Since realizing his escape, Nozomu has occasionally felt a

sense of hopelessness, emptiness, and anger toward reality.

"Nozomu~san! Thank you for waiting!"

While Nozomu was lost in thought, Somia came running with

a loud voice from the road leading to the administrative
district.

She is wearing a beautiful white dress with ruffles on it and

a pair of slacks with an anchor down. She wears a hat with a
pretty ribbon on it to protect her head from the sun, and her
glossy black hair sways in the air.

"Ha-ha-ha~. I'm sorry. Did I keep you waiting?"

"Um, not really. I just got here a few minutes ago. You're in a
rush. I don't think you should be in such a hurry..."

With the handkerchief he took out, Nozomu gently wiped

her sweat.

"Ah, thank you very much. But, it will shorten the time we
can play together."

"... Yeah, certainly. Let's go then."

"Yes!"

Somia's slightly puffy face turned into a beaming smile, and

she jumped into Nozomu's arms and began to pull him along
with her.

She must be looking forward to the date with Nozomu. Her

appearance erased the gloomy mood he had been in earlier,
and Nozomu's cheeks naturally relaxed.

Although he was concerned about the presence behind him,

he wanted to let the girl enjoy herself as much as she could.

Thinking of this, Nozomu ignores the needle-like glances she

receives and heads into town with Somia.

Irisdina, who had been following Somia from the mansion,

was staring intently at them as they headed toward the
commercial district. Behind her, an involved Tima is tugging
at the clothing of her best friend with a queasy tone.

"Hey, Ai, let's not do this."

"......"

"No. She’s not listening."

"Au...."

As Mars, who was standing next to Tima, pointed out, she

dropped her shoulders with a jerk.

Irisdina continues to stare at Nozomu and Somia in the

distance, while the two others continue their conversation.
"Somia, my little sister, I don't think you are ready for a
dating situation alone with the opposite sex. No, I don't
think Nozomu is a bad person, I don't think he's wrong, but
it's not absolute, and you two are too close to each other,
you should be further apart......"

Irisdina's mood suddenly drops when she sees her sister get
wiped off by Nozomu.

"So, what are you going to do? I want to train."

"I'm in trouble! Please help me stop Ai. I can't do this on my

own!"

"I mean, stopping her... What are we going to do to stop

her?"

Tima couldn't answer Mars' question, and now Irisdina is

going out of control in many ways.

What can they do to stop her?

Tima was not sure if she would be able to stop her "sister's
loving" if she tried to use her power, could she be able to
stop her?

Honestly, Tima has no confidence at all.

"Ah!"

Irisdina let out a small scream in the midst of Tima and

Mars's anguish. Looking beyond her gaze, she sees Somia
holding on to Nozomu's arm.

(Uwaa, Somia-chan, you're so bold...)"

Somia pulls Nozomu's hand, then disappears into the crowd.

"Let's go chase them!"

"Eh? Hey, Ai, wait! Mars-kun, let's go!"

"Hey, don't pull my arm, o, oi!"

Irisdina, who had begun to pursue Nozomu and Tima, pulled

Mars's hand so as not to be left behind. Soon after, the
chase by the unusual trio began.

Looking like brothers and sisters who are far apart in age
from each other, Nozomu and Somia walk through the main
street in the commercial district.

"So, where are we going to go?"

"Ah, actually, there's a store I'd like to visit."

Nozomu asked her where they were going, apparently she

already had something planned.

"Hmm, what kind of store?"

"It's a fortune teller, and lately it's been getting a lot of

attention in class for its accuracy."

"Fortune teller... Do you know where it is?"

"Yes, I heard it is in the commercial district. I have been told

the location!"

Lured by Somia's cheerful voice and smile, Nozomu

naturally smiled as well.

(The problem is Iris in the back...)

Nozomu glanced behind him as he exhaled inwardly. His
black hair, much like that of the girl beside him, was sticking
out from behind a store sign. When he intentionally
tightened his gaze, the protruding black hair quickly slipped
back into the shadows.

"Is something wrong, Nozomu-san?"

"No, it's nothing. Let's just get on with it. It would be a waste
of time if the store closed later."

"Yes, that's right. Let's go then!"

Somia tugs on Nozomu's arm again. With a small hand

pulling him along, they began to walk a little faster. After a
short distance, they arrive at their destination. Nozomu
checks out the store in front of him and frowns.

"... Somia-chan, are you sure this is the place?"

"Yes! The appearance of the store matches what my friend

said, so there is no doubt."

"But this store....?"

The store itself is not that big. It would be better to call it a

stall rather than a store. There are cards and crystals lined
up on a table.

Hanging on the wall without any space between them are

paper charms and accessories to ward off evil deities. A
goat skull sits in the center of the store.

The store is a true embodiment of chaos, crowded with

items the owner has collected for no known purpose.
Nozomu was familiar with this unforgettable store. He also
knew the owner of this store.
"Ah, there's a visitor."

".... As I thought"

From behind the store, Zonne, the old man who had
previously tried to sexually harass Irisdina, appeared.

"What brings you here, kiddo? As you can see, I'm a busy
man. Get out of here."

"What kind of a greeting is that, you erotic old man. You look
like a man with a lot of free time, apparently."

Nozomu also replied to Zonne's rude attitude upon seeing

him. It was an unusual attitude for Nozomu, but he knew
that the old man would take advantage of him if he was too
modest.

"Hmph! Young people these days don't know how to show

courtesy to their elders. That is not the attitude to treat
one's elders."

"I'll do it if you show me some dignity. However, after the

last ugliness, that's not likely to happen."

"Ha~~! This is why young people are so verbose and

complain so much. They are so self-conscious that they take
it easy to be so rude to us."

"I don't want to be told by an old man who can only sexually
harass and pick up women because he calls himself a good
man in love. Your way of speaking is too slippery, that's why
people think less of you."

"You've got some guts, kiddo."

"You too..."
Nozomu and Zonne suddenly begin to glare at each other,
and Somia is horrified by the sparks flying, but she has the
courage to speak clearly.

"Ah, um. I want you to tell my fortune!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, young lady. I got distracted by that cheeky

little kid. At the request of a promising young girl, of course
I'll read your fortune."

"Ah, thank you very much!"

"Okay, let's start with the palm of your hand."

"That's not gonna happen."

"What the hell, kid? Get out of my way."

"If you do it, you'll know..."

"Here you go, young lady! Touch this crystal!"

Nozomu restrains Zonne, who tries to touch her on the

pretext of fortune-telling, as he did to Irisdina. Of course, he
makes the gesture of pulling out his sword as a sign of using
violence.

Somia sits across from Zonne on the table with the crystal,
and Irisdina, who is watching from afar, looks at her with a
fierce gaze.

If Nozomu had not restrained the old man in front of him,

she might have charged at him.

Somia touches the crystal, and the transparent sphere

begins to glow with a pale light.
The color changes from pale white to red, purple, and gray,
and then fades away.

"Well, it seems the young lady is having trouble now, and

the gray, a vague color, is proof of it."

"...Yes, that's what I'd like you to tell me...."

"The first white color is the young lady's reflection, the red
color is your goal, and the purple color means insecurity. It
is likely that this is why the young lady is feeling uneasy."

Confirming Zonne's words, Somia nodded silently, while

Nozomu looked surprised at her reaction. He was surprised
at her expression, because as far as he could see, this girl
was always full of energy and never showed any signs of
being distressed.

"It is probably red that you are struggling with. Red means
energy and vitality, but in your case, is it about your goals?"

Somia nodded to Zonne's words again, regardless of how

much trouble she was feeling.

"However, both your anxiety and hesitation are important

for the young lady, who is still a young girl. It is good to
keep running toward your goal, but sometimes it is
necessary to look back."

"Look back?"

"If you have doubts, don't lose sight of what is important to

you at the moment. If you are feeling insecure, it is
important not to keep it all to yourself. Human beings are
too weak to live alone."

"Yes, sir."
"You have someone you love, right? Then it's okay. Your own
color is white and bright, and you have a soft color because
you are a kind girl who can cherish someone just as much
as the person who cherishes you."

Like a grandfather treating his grandchild, Zonne smiled

calmly as he spoke to Somia. Nozomu was surprised to see
Zonne, who was not the same unpleasant old man he had
seen before.

At the same time, he was impressed by the way he saw

through Somia's problems and offered a solution in a short
period of time.

Simultaneously, he looked a little chagrined. Even if he had

heard her problems, would he have been able to give her
such a clear answer and lighten the weight of her heart? He
wondered.

"Uh, thank you very much! Um, about the cost..."

"Don't worry about it. It's your first time, so this time it's a
free service. But if it's okay with you, how about a date with
me about 10 years later!?"

"Eh, ehm..."

"You have a very promising future ahead of you, and I would

do anything for you if you would go on a date with me."

"Just when I thought you had a good thing to bring about,

take this!!!!"

Nozomu, who had been impressed by Zonne's unexpectedly

profound talk, quickly revised his evaluation downward and
struck Zonne in the head with his hand without any
restraint.
"Goof! What are you doing, hitting me on the head each
time you encounter me!"

"That's my line! Do you always pick up on women every

time you see them?"

"How can you say that! I have a sense of discretion, too - I

choose the women I want to approach!"

"What kind of sense is that!"

"To begin with, she is definitely beautiful, such as the dark-

haired one I saw the other day, who is indeed my favorite! I
don't know why she was with a little kiddo like you, but I'm
sure a fine woman like her could have found a much nicer
man like me...."

"You dirty old man...!"

"Ah, wait, Nozomu-san."

Somia desperately tried to calm Nozomu, who was reaching

for the hilt of his sword again.

Nozomu himself knows that he is not suitable for Irisdina.

Irisdina is a very desirable woman. She has impeccable

looks, a noble mind, and a strong will to carry it through.
She is, to say the least, too highly regarded for him.

While he understands that it is absurd to compare herself to

someone who has escaped from his past and never tried to
understand the reality in front of him, it still makes him
angry to hear this old man's words.

"Another promising girl like this young lady is next. Oh,

young lady, don't get me wrong, I'm not the kind of person
who breaks the wrists of young flowers, but I love it. It is a
man's duty to patiently wait to see what color the still-
blooming flower will show in the future!"

"... This old man, I'd better cut him down. He won't die
anyway, he’s just like my master."

"Nozomu-san! Wait, hold it down!"

"In the end, these flowers retain their beauty even after
they fall. Indeed, they no longer have the beauty of the
past. Age has robbed them of their fair skin and beautiful
hair. How despairing they must be to lose the petals that
make a flower shine....."

Raising his hands high to the sky, Zonne continues to shout

as if he is about to give the speech of the century. Passersby
around him are giving him stares, but the old man is so
absorbed in his own world that he does not pay any
attention to them.

"However, they nevertheless attract people's eyes. They

have lost their former beauty but still shine, proving that
they have already acquired a beauty that not even the
passage of time can easily take away! Then I can only stand
in awe of these people who have obtained a flower that
cannot be taken away from them!"

The content of the story itself may have been excellent, but
even his words of wisdom could not overturn the reputation
of an old man who had even hit bottom due to his previous
statements and actions.

"You're probably saying something good, but it's all ruined

by what you've got to say before it..."

"Ah, ha ha ha...."
"How dare you! You have such a delicate tone! You rarely
see such dazzling beauty, dear boy.

If I were you, I'd ask her to marry me immediately."

"You're still so oblivious, you know that? Why don't you show
a bit more self-control!"

"It's better than not telling them anything at all. Hiding

things from others sometimes hurts both you and the other
side the most."

The words pierced Nozomu's heart, and he shuddered,

forgetting for a moment the abusive things he had said
before.

"If that is the case, I choose to tell rather than keep it

hidden. If I have to hide it, I will hide it so thoroughly that
the other person will not notice a hair of it. Half-heartedness
is the worst kind of cruelty. Neither for the other person nor
for yourself. I had a hard time before when my Shunga was
found hidden by my family ...... I should have just told her
that I had it...."

Zonne looks at something far away and starts to play with

his belongings. His eyes seemed to be moistening somehow.
While Zonne was thinking about the past, Nozomu's
eyebrows were quivering, and he was biting his lower lip
tightly.

"Hmmm...time to close up, young lady. Come again. Cute

girls are always welcome."

"Ah, yes. Thank you very much!"

When Somia was smiling and greeting Zonne, Nozomu just

stared at them in silence, trying to stifle the irrepressible
sensation that was swirling inside him.

Nozomu left the fortune teller's store and walked through

the main street of the commercial district again.

What comes to mind is what Zonne said earlier. The

situation that is being kept secret, including his being a
dragon slayer, he want someone to know about this big
secret. Such a desire always rises in him.

(But if I told them...)

They're not going to reject me, right?

Anxiety continues to ignite and gradually grow.

"Nozomu-san? What's wrong?"

"Eh? No, it's nothing."

Somia, who was walking with him, spoke to Nozomu, looking

into his face. Sinking into his own thoughts, he remembered
Zonne's words earlier and quickly acted as if nothing was
wrong.

However, his voice trembled slightly, indicating his

agitation.

"Anyway, Somia-chan, what are we going to do now?

There's still plenty of time..."

"Hmm. What shall we do? What is it? Something smells

sweet."

"This is..."
As they were walking on the street, a sweet aroma brushed
their noses. Nozomu and Somia looked in the direction of
the scent and saw a small stall where children were
gathering to buy candy.

"Come on, sis! Give me some of that candy too!"

"Ah, sure! I was going to get it!"

"Hey, hey, don't fight. I'll make it for everyone."

In a stall at the end of a long line of people with echoing

cool voices, a girl was dexterously making candy crafts with
her azure hair.

"Shina-san?"

"Nozomu-kun? What are you doing here?"

Shina's gaze turns to Somia, who is standing next to him.

"..... date?"

"Well, yeah, I suppose so. You know... Why are you selling
candy here? By yourself."

"I was on a miscellaneous request for the Adventurer's

Guild. Actually, Mimuru was supposed to be with me, but
she didn't show up, so I'm doing it on my own because I
have no choice...."

The stalls are lined with many customers, and if you look
closely, you can see that there are many children but also
young men.

"May I help you?"

Somia offer to help Shina.

"You sure? I mean, weren't you in the middle of a date with
him?"

"Uh, yeah, that's true, but...."

Two peering gazes are turned toward Nozomu.

"Nozomu-san, may I?"

".... I think that's a good idea. Let me do the same thing you
did. Shina, can I help you?"

"I understood. I'm Shina Yuriel, nice to meet you."

"My name is Somiliana Francilt. Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you... Francilt?"

Shina, who did not know that Somia was the daughter from
the Francilt family, had her eyes bulging when she heard her
last name.

Shina's eyes widened, and she turned her head to look at

Nozomu with a shudder and a muddled sound. Her gaze
asked Nozomu if it was true.

"Well, I guess that's the way it is. You'd be surprised. I've

had that happen too."

"Haha... You're really strange."

Shina is surprised by Nozomu's friendships, but she also

wonders how he could get acquainted with such a high-
ranking aristocrat.

If it had not been for the incident with the Waziart family,
they would never have had this opportunity to talk to each
other in the first place.
"Um, Shina-san! How can I make this candy?"

"Let's see. I'll make that one. Can you do the wrapping?
Nozomu, can you help me?"

"Okay. You want me to deal with the customers?"

"Yes, please."

At Shina's request, Nozomu takes care of the customers.

"Thank you, Onii-chan!"

"Shit, it's a guy...."

"Not you. I want it from the beautiful elf there or the little
girl with the black hair."

"I wonder, why a guy like you would be friends with all those
beautiful girls. Drop dead."

The children who genuinely wanted candy thanked him,

while the men who came to the store for Shina cursed at
him.

Moreover, the addition of Somia, who is as good-looking as

Shina, makes them want to kill him.

That is why it seemed unbearable to put Shina and Somia in

front of such instinctive men, so Nozomu was serving them
with a masked smile on his face.

(They are crows, I am a Scarecrow, they are crows... Ouch!)

Some of the male customers, who were deadly, kicked him
in the shins over the shade of the stand as he received his
candy.
In order to make it easy to move, this stall only had a frame
made of wood and covered with cloth. This meant that the
customers could kick Nozomu's legs as much as they
wanted.

Nonetheless, Nozomu did not change his expression and

continued to deal with the situation.

This is nothing compared to how he was treated at the

school.

Nozomu was thinking as he endured the pain in his shins

that his awful experience had helped him. The line had
thinned out and the peak of the customers had passed
when a very strange person visited the stall.

"Welcome! eh?"

A person wearing a cloak over its body and a deep hat

covering its face.

Although the person was clearly suspicious, Nozomu was

very familiar with this person's presence.

"....Iris, what are you doing?"

"Whoa, my name is not Irisdina, I'm just a customer."

(Your voice is still the same... Rather, what's the point of

saying your own name...) Nozomu's attention was drawn to
the beautiful girl, who threw off her usual dignified
appearance and gave off the stench of disappointment.

"So, what does Iris want? If Somia-chan finds out, she'll be

pissed, you know?"

"I'm not Irisdina..."

"Yeah, I can hear your voice. You'd better hurry up. You're
getting too much attention."

Irisdina's shoulders trembled unnaturally whenever Nozomu

pointed out that something was wrong, and her eyes shook
behind her hat.

Somia, who was concerned about Nozomu's strange

behavior, approached them.

"Nozomu-san, is there something wrong?"

"Ah, no, it's nothing, Mugyu!"

Irisdina grabs Nozomu by his collar with a tremendous claw,

puts her face close to his ear, and whispers in a low voice.

"Remember, Nozomu, make sure you don't make mistakes!"

"No, I mean, what kind of mistake would I make if I were

dealing with an eleven-year-old girl..."

The intense glare and curse-like tone of voice directed at

him from a close distance. However, for some reason,
Nozomu feels more weak than fearful.

"Nozomu-san?"

Seeing Somia approaching, Irisdina hurriedly snatched up a

bag of candy, placed the money in Nozomu's hand, and ran
away.

"It seems you were involved with a strange customer. Are

you okay?"

"Oh, yeah, I'm okay. hah..."

Lightly waving his hand at Shina's concerned voice, he looks
down at the pressed payment in his hand.

"Nah, five silver coins are too much."

By the way, the candy costs three common copper coins. It

is about 17 times the price of the candy.

While throwing silver coins into the payment box, Nozomu

was again distorting Irisdina's outburst.

Shortly before Irisdina rushed into Nozomu's stall, where he

was selling candy, Tima was once again admonishing her
best friend, who was peeking at them from the shadows.

"Hey, Ai, you don't have to worry so much."

"But earlier, Somia was almost touched by that old man.

That filth...!"

"Yeah, but Nozomu did something about it..."

Irisdina's whole body was ablaze as she recalled the earlier

incident at the fortune teller's store.

Nozomu was so protective toward Somia that she did not

notice, but Tima and Mars were still desperately trying to
stop the older sister from charging into the fortune teller's
store.

"Hey, maybe it's not a good idea. Nozomu knows we're

here, and if we persist too long, she'll find out, you know?"

"Yes, that's right, Ai. You don't want to be hated by Somia,

right?"
"Tsu!!?"

A single word of disapproval from Somia is enough to drive a

wedge into Irisdina's heart, causing her to lose her temper.

"U, u, ugh~~~"

A conflict arises in her runaway state of mind, and she

cowers in place. She glances at the stall, looks down, shakes
her head, and grunts repeatedly.

(Ah, it seems that Ai is not only worried about Somia but

also about Nozomu, who is going with her.)

Tima noticed that when Irisdina looked at the stalls, she was
staring not only at Somia but also at Nozomu each time she
touched the hair ornament he gave her.

Tima exhales heavily, holding her head in an intense,

ongoing state. She looks at her best friend, Irisdina, her first
friend at school and her best friend, but she has never seen
her sulk like a child.

(Is that how much you care about Nozomu-kun? There's also
the matter with Shina-san...) Shina Yuriel.

Shina Yuriel is an elf girl who has suddenly become friends

with Nozomu. Sensing the relationship between her and
Nozomu, for the first time, Irisdina reveals her jealousy,
which is something that Tima never knew about her best
friend. It was a surprise and a little joy to see another side
of her.

"Hey, it's going to be okay, right? At least it won't be a big

deal."
"...Mars-kun, how would you feel if you saw Ena-kun walking
with a man you don't know?"

"Huh? What's with you all of a sudden? I think nothing of it."

Ena Dickens is the younger sister of Mars and the daughter

of the innkeeper and bar "Gyutotei"

which is his family's house.

She is a bold girl who speaks out against her brother, who is
a troublemaker.

For him, his sister is in many ways a headstrong person, but

she is certainly an important member of his family.

Actually, the way Mars looked at his sister and stifled his
voice, it was obvious that he was feeling the opposite of
what he said in his speech.

"I am worried. What if Somia and Nozomu are...."

Irisdina's face suddenly turned bright red, and she looked

down and stiffened. Then she began to let out an
inarticulate sound.

"... What are we going to do? This is a totally messed up

situation."

"What am I going to do..."

Honestly, Tima wants to know what to do to help her best

friend, too, but at that moment, Irisdina's gaze catches a
clothing store near the central park.

"Yeah, this would be a good idea...."

"Hey, Ai, where are you going?"

Not answering Tima's call, Irisdina rushed into the store. She
came out of the store not too long later, and Mars and Tima
were stunned by her appearance.

"Hey, who was that?"

"Um, maybe it's Ai. I don't know why she's dressed like
that..."

She was wearing a long jacket and a cloak that covered her
entire body, along with a deep hat.

Irisdina, wearing a deep hat and dressed as a complete

prowler, makes her way to the stand where Nozomu and the
others are working.

"....Don't tell me that she's going there dressed like that?"

Tima was speechless at the thoughtless actions of her best

friend. Nozomu, who had noticed Irisdina, was staring at her
with a dumbfounded face. She was completely exposed.
After just one word of conversation, she began to shake
unnaturally and reveal her agitation.

Getting more and more suspicious. Finally, Somia, with her

head tilted in her direction, appeared. Feeling that her
sister's appearance was a bad idea, Irisdina grabbed
Nozomu's bag of candy, looked at him once, and then ran
away.

"...It's all messed up."

"...Yeah."

Behind the shadows where they were hiding, they dropped

their shoulders with a resigned sigh.
†

Nozomu and Somia, who enjoyed their little work

experience, expressed their gratitude to Shina and left the
stall with candy in hand in exchange for a payment.

They moved from the commercial district to the central park

and took a rest on a bench. The sun was setting, and the
surrounding light was gradually turning red.

"Huwa, that was so fun!"

"Somia-chan, you were so lively. You even made your own

candy at the end."

"Yes! Although it's a little bit oddly shaped."

While saying so, Somia takes out a piece of candy from a

bag in her hand. A round face with strangely sharp eyes. A
slightly protruding nose. It is clear that it is made in the
likeness of an animal, but it is hard to tell what kind of
animal it is."

"Not at all! It's a box!"

Box. Nozomu's eyes flashed at the sight of that word. It

certainly doesn't look like a box, after all.

"What kind of candy did you make?"

At Somia's request, Nozomu takes out a piece of candy he

made. It has a long torso and thin arms and legs. The face
at the end of its elongated neck is also small.

"A goat, is it?"

"Horse... It was supposed to be..."

"Gusyu..."

"Ha ha ha!"

On this occasion, Somia's eyes flashed. Both of them looked

at each other's disgusting candy and couldn't stop laughing.

After a short laugh, the two of them sit side by side on a

bench in the park and taste each other's candies.

"Mmm~~, yummy!"

"It has a slight fruit flavor. It's sweet, yet not too much so, I
like it."

The moderate sweetness and fruity flavor soaked into their

tired bodies and soothed them from the fatigue of their
work. Somia, too, was smiling at the sweetness of the
candies, her legs dangling next to Nozomu's.

"....Nozomu-san. Thank you very much for your time today."

"That goes for both of us. I enjoyed it too, and I even got to
try some candy crafting. As for the result... It was not so
good."

The looming lines crossed, and a gentle air flowed between

the two. For both Nozomu and Somia, this date was a very
pleasant memory.

"Say, Nozomu-san. Will you please listen to me?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"About what I asked the old man in today's fortune-telling,

you know, that ...."
"Is it okay if it's me? I'm sorry to have to ask this, but are
you sure you want me to? Maybe you should talk to Iris."

"Not my sister. Cause...My trouble is, it's about my sister...."

Apparently, she was distressed about Irisdina. She nodded

her head in approval and began to talk about what had been
on her mind.

"Nozomu-san, because you knew. I want to be like my

sister."

"Ah!"

Somia's goal is to be like her sister, Irisdina. That's what she

told him when he first met her in this park.

"My sister is so wonderful. She's beautiful, strong, and can

do anything...."

Nozomu nodded at Somia's words. She is certainly a very

attractive woman. She has a beautiful face and a good
command of both literature and the military arts.

There are many people in the academy who are attracted to

her. Moreover, her family is a leading figure in the Forsina
Kingdom, and she is their heiress. To tell the truth, it is
difficult to find a fault in her.

(Well, it looks like it's different when it comes to Somia-

chan...) Nozomu turned his attention to the corner of the
park, trying not to be noticed by Somia. The presence of
Irisdina and the others still persists. Though unseen, they
were still following him.

"Although I love my sister as much as I love myself,

sometimes I have unpleasant feelings about her. I envy her,
think she's awesome, and so on. I know that my sister has
worked hard to become able to do what she has done, but
sometimes I still feel that way."

"...Did you have a problem with it?"

When Somia and Nozomu talked, there was a small smile on

their faces. It's an important family matter, and they admire
it.

However, sometimes she feels inferior to her older sister,

who is very talented. At the same time, she hates herself for
having such feelings. Even more so because she has seen
her sister's efforts so closely.

Touched by Somia's feelings, Nozomu put his hand over his

mouth and considered. He wondered how he could relieve
some of her burdens. Just then, Somia suddenly opened her
mouth.

"In the past, I used to hate my sister."

".....Eh?"

Nozomu couldn't believe what he was hearing next to him. It

was an unthinkable ease for the current girl, who loves her
sister so much.

"I have never seen my mother's face. She died soon after
giving birth to me, so I don't even know what kind of person
she was. All I have is a portrait of her in my father's room at
home...."

Nozomu listens quietly to Somia, who begins to speak in a

soft tone.
"She never held me in her arms, sang me lullabies, or slept
with me. My sister used to tell me stories about our mother.
She had dark hair like us and was a very kind person."

She continues to talk about it, and the loneliness on her

face... seems to be sorrow at the ocean.

"Looking back, I think she wanted me to know a little bit

about our mother. But at that time, I thought she was
making fun of me for not knowing my mother. Maybe she
resented me for taking her away from her..."

"That's..."

"That's why I never spoke to my sister or my father. If they

hated me, I hated them too, so I thought of it that way."

The bag of candy Somia was holding made a crumpling

sound and was crushed.

"I feel like no one cares about me. I think they don't even
worry about me. That's why I ran away from home."

"..... Eh? What?"

Nozomu's voice leaked out of his mouth in surprise. She was

the daughter of one of the most prestigious families in the
Forçina Kingdom. T

here must have been tight security at the mansion.

Moreover, Somia's age at that time was in the single digits.
It may be easier to get out than to get in from the outside,
but it was a very impulsive move.

"Having been in the mansion all those times, of course I had

nowhere to go. When the sun went down, I could do nothing
other than sit in the corner of the city. Frigid, cold, and
helpless. Still, I couldn't think of going home...."

The loneliness of this innocent and cheerful girl. He had

heard a little bit about her from Irisdina before, but once
again he was at a loss for words. He wondered how much
loneliness she had to suppress in her little body.

"Finally, it started to rain. I was soaked to the skin and

trying desperately to hold my clothes in my arms to stand
the cold, but my body was shivering and I couldn't get warm
at all. When I started to lose consciousness, I heard a voice
calling out to me."

Before she realized it, she was hugging her legs, which had
been hanging limply in the air. In this image, Nozomu
catches a glimpse of a girl soaking in the rain, unable to go
anywhere.

"At first, I felt it was impossible. Because I thought, Who am

I? I didn't think there was anyone that cared."

The girl's body shakes as she holds her knees.

"I looked up and saw my sister soaking wet just like me. She
had run out of the house all by herself to look for me."

With the disappearance of the two daughters of the head of

the family, the main house of the Francilt family would
surely have been in turmoil.

"However, at that time, I said to her, What are you here

for!? I said something terrible, even when I think about it
now."

After that, it was a fight between the older sister, who

wanted to take her home, and the younger sister, who
stubbornly refused.

Remembering his own ugliness at the time, Somia gave an

ahahaha .... She smiled bitterly. In the end, their father and
Mena, who had also come looking for them, found them and
took them back to the mansion for a lecture.

"Then, I told everyone everything I had been thinking.

What's wrong with my mother! Why does everyone hate
me! If you hate me so much, leave me alone! I was yelling
at them. Then my sister, who was being lectured with me,
slapped me hard."

Somia suddenly stroked her left cheek. That must be the

place where Irisdina hit him.

"I was so angry that I wanted to slap her back, but when I
looked at my sister, she was crying too. She was
desperately trying to hold back her tears, but they didn't
seem to stop..... She was always smiling in front of me, but
when I think about it, she must have been sad for a long
time after our mother's death. Yet, she didn't want to show
it and tried hard to hide it, but when I said those words, the
things she hid overflowed."

Irisdina was about ten years old at the time. It is not

surprising that the death of her family member was hard on
her to bear, no matter how much she was proud to be the
next head of the family.

"After that, my sister and I were crying and yelling at each

other, until we came to our senses.

Shortly after, the things that I used to hate about my life

disappeared before I knew it...."
From then on, Somia began to grow attached to Irisdina. She
wanted to be like her.

Finished, Somia exhaled heavily and stretched her back to

loosen her stiff body.

"Haa~~. I feel better now!"

"Hey, Somia-chan. Why did you bring it up to me?"

Nozomu expressed his honest feelings and doubts in his

words. For Somia, both the word "past"

and the word "now" are the core of her identity. At least,
they were not words that could be easily spoken to others.

"Hmmm~~. I don't know! It's just something I wanted to

talk about."

"Did you want me to hear it?"

"Yes, I wanted Nozomu-san to get to know more about me.

That's why I was talking so freely!"

She smiles as she says so. Her face is not the stiff
expression that was on her face just a few minutes ago, but
her usual sunny smile.

Then Sozomu thinks something along those lines. After all,

she is a girl who is not like her sister....

".... Somia-chan. I don't have a sibling, so I can't truly feel

your concerns about Iris. But... I've had a lot of thorny
feelings for someone."

Nozomu himself has strict jealousy.

Within himself, he envied Lissa and the others, who were
getting more and more strong, feeling sorry for himself that
he was being left behind.

At the time, he covered it up with various reasons, such as

his commitment to Lisa, but looking back now, he is sure
that he had such dark feelings.

(Somia-chan must have been so distressed because she has

hurt her sister with that jealousy before.)

(I don't know how to say it myself, but you still care about
Iris, don't you?)

"....Yes."

"I guess that's okay, then. You felt that if you told Iris about
it, she would be hurt, right, Somia-chan? That's why you did
the fortune-telling and then said it to me."

That's why she was afraid of people knowing that she was
jealous of her sister because she had hurt her with her
selfishness in the past, and it left a deep impression on her.

"Yes. After our mother passed away, my sister tried her best
to smile through her sadness and took good care of me.
When I remembered how I had hurt her, I couldn't talk about
it...."

Somia looks down, letting out a somber voice.

"Then it's okay. No matter how much you are jealous of Iris,
the most important thing in Somia-chan's heart is that she
loves her sister."

"Ah...."
She didn't want to hurt Irisdina, so she couldn't tell her.
Then that proves that her sister is more important to her
than anyone else. At Nozomu's words, Somia looks up with
her eyes shining brightly.

"Yes, I do love my sister!"

Somia then reiterates clearly that she loves her sister.

Her face, illuminated by the sunset light, was shining like

the brightest star.

"Okay! It's almost dark, let's go home."

"Ah, wait a minute, there is more."

Somia held Nozomu back when he tried to sit up, apparently

she still wanted to talk to him.

"Eh, what's it?"

She turned to Nozomu and took a deep breath. She looks as
if she is about to make a major life decision, and Nozomu's
body naturally straightens.

"....When I almost lost my soul before, Nozomu-san saved

me, didn't he? I haven't thanked you properly for that time."

"What? I'm sure you've already done enough to express

your gratitude....."

She is definitely referring to Rugato from the Waziart

household. However, he was invited to the mansion
afterwards and given a formal word of thanks and an
honorarium.

In fact, Irisdina even gave him the crest from the House of
Francilt, which is a bit too much for a commoner to carry.

"Yes. As for the Francilt family, that's true. But this time, I
want to thank you personally."

Nozomu felt it was enough, but for Somia, it wasn't. She

looked straight at him, her eyes glimmering with a quiet yet
strong will.

Nozomu did not know what had made her so determined,

but he did not want to let her determination go to waste.

".....I get it. If Somia-chan wants to give me a gift, I'll take

it."

"Ah... yes!"

Somia's voice bursts at Nozomu's approval, and she stands

up on Bench's. Eleven-year-old Somia and seventeen-year-
old Nozomu. Their eyes are now at the same height.
"Um, please don't move."

"Hmm? I wonder what's going on....."

Just as he was about to turn his head away from the nervous
Somia, her hand was gently placed on Nozomu's cheek.
Then Somia's face loomed in his field of vision.

"N...."

Shortly after, a soft touch spread over Nozomu's lips.

Nozomu's thoughts went blank at the sudden event, and he
was completely stunned.

"Ehehe. I kissed you."

"Huh, What?"

"As a gift, it's my first kiss, the first time I've ever had it
done on my lips."

The soft touch disappears, followed by Somia's mischievous

smile in Nozomu's vision. It is clearly stained with vermillion
in the light of the setting sun, resembling her sister's, and
makes Nozomu realize that they are sisters after all.
"....I knew it. You look exactly like Iris."

"Is that so! I'm glad to hear you say that."

"A h."

"Hi!"

Somia's shoulders trembled at the sudden sound of the loud

voice. Reflexively, she turns around to see Irisdina standing
up from the shadows, trembling, and pointing at her.

"Na, na, na na na..... No~zomu~~!"

"Hey, wait a minute... Gah!"

She rushed straight to Nozomu and grabbed his shoulders

with both hands.

The claws began to tighten and dig into his shoulders,

causing Nozomu to lash out in pain, but Irisdina's hands
were unmoved, perhaps by the strengthening magic she
had used on him.

"I told you. Don't make any mistakes....."

"Y~Yes...."

"So what the heck is that supposed to mean...."

"Eh, That's.... Giya~~! It hurts, it hurts, Iris, please let me

go!"

"No, I won't. If I let you go, you'll run away. Now, let's get a
good explanation...."

There was a piercing glare and a vindictive voice echoing

from the depths of the abyss.
Nozomu's mouth let out a scream as his flesh was
constricted by the immense power within her. But then the
voice of the savior came out.

"It is my sister who should explain. What is this about? I told

you not to follow me, right?"

"Ah, no, that..."

Somia stares at her with a glare, and Irisdina suddenly starts

to lose her temper.

"In addition, you even got Mars-san and Tima-san

involved.... Which ones are wrong, Ane-sama?"

"N~no. You know, I'm worried about Somia, that's why...."

"There's no need to worry about it."

Thereupon, Somia's lecture time began. Nozomu, who had

escaped from the detention, watched them from a distance
and took a piece of candy out of the bag and put it in his
mouth.

Irisdina looked at him as if she wanted to ask for help, but

Nozomu looked away and pretended not to know. She is
completely at fault in this matter, and she will be given a
hard lecture.

"Hey, Nozomu."

"Go~good evening."

Tima and Mars, who had been hiding in the shadows, also
showed up and made their way to him.

"Good evening. I'm sorry you are also having a hard time."
"Yeah, that Irisdina guy didn't hear us at all, and.... I'm
surprised you noticed us."

"Yeah, but Somia-chan didn't seem to notice, and if I told

her, the date would have been ruined immediately. I
understand how Iris feels, so at least I wanted her to keep
an eye on her from afar....."

"Ahaha...."

A dry laugh came out of Tima's mouth for the first time
today.

"Honestly, Ane-sama, how could you think of that!"

"Uh~huh...."

While Nozomu and the others were having a conversation,

Somia's lecture gradually heated up. Before Irisdina knew it,
she was sitting on her knees in front of her sister, her
shoulders slumped.

Nozomu's cheeks relaxed at the sight of the two, though he

could not see a trace of her usual dignified appearance.
Somia's worries seemed to have been lifted, even if only a
little.

"Right. I need to punish my sister for being such a bad girl."

"Punish....!?"

"Yes. In the first place, I was the one who invited Nozomu-
san on this date. Therefore, it is only natural that my sister
should apologize to Nozomu-san."

"What do you want me to do?"

Iris nervously awaits Somia's words. She looked like a sinner
waiting to be sentenced to death.

"It's simple. Please team up with Nozomu-san at the next

special training exercise."

"" .....Eh?""

Nozomu and Irisdina were stunned by the sudden

conversation.

"As I recall, it's possible to start on the second day, right?

Nozomu-san, do you mind? By the way, you don't have the
right to refuse."

"Um... I'm fine with it..."

Nozomu looked at Irisdina. She turned her face away from

him, her face turning red.

"Ane-sama, that's good."

"A~Ah! I understand! So that's why, Nozomu, I'm counting

on you..."

"Me too..."

Iris reaches out her hand to him, and they shake hands, but
her face is still red and her hand is still shaking, Only Somia
is smiling as she watches the scene.

(I've been swept away by this girl from the beginning to the
end of the day...) Possibly she had intended to do this from
the beginning. These thoughts crossed Nozomu's mind.
Then he noticed that the sun was beginning to tilt to the
west.

"Sorry, Somia-chan. The sun is about to go down...."

"Ah, yes. I think we're done for the day now, since my sister
has gone off on her own. Well, then, Nozomu-san, I'll go get
my sister. Let's go, Ane-sama."

Somia thanked Nozomu once again, pulled her sister out of

her reverie, and returned to the mansion.

"Then I'm going home, too. It's been a disaster today......"

"Ah, ha ha ha ..... Sorry about today, Nozomu-kun and Mars-

kun."

"It's not your place to apologize. It's that sycophantic

aristocrat who's the source of all this."

"Uh~huh. Okay, bye."

Tima apologizes with an expression of sympathy, but Mars's

follow-up makes her feel a little better, and she heads
home, waving her hands in the air.

"What are you going to do now, Nozomu? You want to eat at

my place?"

"No, I'm leaving too, I have some business in the Spasim

Forest."

"For? Right now? Isn't the sun going down? Well, I'm sure
you'll be fine in the forest...."

Nozomu gives a faint smile at Mars' question, then turns

around on his heel. Nozomu leaves the place, sensing the
eyes on his back. Instead of going back to the dormitory, he
heads out of town to a place a little further in the forest,
away from the main road.
It is a secluded spot, rarely visited by Adventurers' Guild
members. That's where he wrote in his letter to Lisa.
However, it was not her whom Nozomu had called.

"You're a pretty nice guy to call Lisa here, Nozomu."

Ken Nortice, Nozomu's childhood friend and Lisa's current

lover. He fluttered a letter addressed to Lisa in his hand and
spoke to Nozomu in a rude manner.

Nozomu frowned at the appearance of someone different

from the person he had called.
 Chapter 3: Revelations of One's Evil
Deeds

In the forest of Spasim at the time of dawn, Nozomu and

Ken were facing each other. The light of twilight shines
through the trees, illuminating them both in a reddish hue.

"Why are you here and not Lisa?"

"Why would she bother to answer your call after you hurt
her? I told her that I would listen to you for her."

Ken says as he tosses away the letter that Nozomu gave to

Lisa, not even trying to hide his displeasure.

"....Well, I'm sure you had some questions you wanted to

ask me too, and the fact that you're here for a reason
confirms it, I guess."

Nozomu, on the other hand, meets Ken's glare squarely in

the eye and retorts.

Nozomu wrote only one sentence in his letter, "I want to talk
to you about what happened two years ago," which would
have normally been ignored, but Ken himself must have had
a good reason for coming here.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. You're the one who
set me up and turned me into a scumbag traitor."

"...Huh? I don't know what the hell you're talking about."

Nozomu continues to speak in response to Ken, who is
completely pale.

"You must have had a good reason to convince Lisa back

then. That is why you used my appearance and voice to
convince her to believe your lies."

"That's absurd. If it was magic like that, even Lisa would

notice."

"Yeah, that's why it's strange. You know I've been working
out so much that I don't have time to cheat on her, right?"

“"Hmm? I'm not with you all the time. I don't know what
you're doing. I don't keep track of your every move, and it's
entirely possible that while I've been away for a little while,
the devil got in the way and .... It's quite possible."

Ken's mouth twisted into a smile as his eyes clearly showed

his disdain for Nozomu.

"Still, whatever happens, it doesn't change the fact that you

betrayed her...."

"Yeah, that's why it's so strange."

"....What are you trying to say?"

"Lisa... If it were her, she would have tried to make sure. But
she never once confronted me about it."

Lisa Hounds' banditry is straightforward, for better or worse.

She is the kind of person who will see the truth with her own
eyes, but Nozomu was never once questioned by Lisa until
she suddenly abandoned him.
However, there was one person who actually saw her
questioning me, and told me that I wasn't the one who
rejected Lisa at that time.

"That kind of testimony is proof of nothing. It could just be a

mistake, right?"

"Was it Shina Yuriel who was watching?"

Ken's expression hardens at the name of Arcazam's only

elven tribe.

"Elf's sensitivity to the source is far superior to that of

human beings. Normal humans would have difficulty
sensing the source element."

Shina's only conclusion from the sensations of the elves she

saw was that it was not magic but a more extraordinary
power that had been used.

"Ken, you were using your ability. Moreover, you didn't

declare it to the academy...."

Nozomu was convinced by Ken's frown, which was gradually

becoming more tense as his air of aloofness became more
intense.

"What's more, you have someone to work with."

The next moment, Nozomu picked up a stone that had fallen

at his feet and threw it into a gap in the trees behind him.

"…Tsk!"

A third person's voice, neither Nozomu's nor Ken's, leaked

out, and just as the thrown stone was about to enter the
shadows of the trees, it bounced back with a high-pitched
"kan! The thrown stone bounces back with a high pitched
sound just as it enters the shadows of the trees.

Then the person who had faded into the scenery slowly
revealed itself.

"Camilla, it must be you..."

It was Camila Vecknoss, a academygirl who had been a

close friend both to Lisa and to Nozomu. She was holding a
cane that had bounced off the stone thrown at her and
looking at Nozomu with shaken eyes.

"How did you know? You, bottom..."

"Even though I couldn't see anything, it didn't mean that its

presence had vanished. I felt the gaze of someone who was
not a beast, and there was a slight discomfort in the way
the grass and trees swayed. Also, the flow of air on my skin
was slightly off."

"....You're not making any sense."

Camilla probably didn't expect Nozomu to notice her. She

was upset, and Nozomu turned his gaze back to Ken.

"Two years ago, you collaborate with Camilla."

"I didn't think you actually noticed. But how foolish are you
to take two years to realize it?"

Ken cowered his shoulders in a gesture of amusement,

adding that it was too late and there was nothing he could
do about it. His provocative attitude struck a nerve with
Nozomu.
"Two years ago, your rumors were already confirmed as
true. No matter how much you raise your voice, you have no
proof, and no matter how much you try to change it, you will
never be able to."

The majority of people identify facts by the atmosphere, not

by the truth. Once a first impression is made, there is little
that can be done to change it.

In the case of Nozomu, it would be hopeless, considering

that many people saw the moment he was rejected by Lisa.
This is why Ken did not hesitate to reveal the truth.

Although the fact that he is close to Irisdina Francilt is

worrisome, there is no proof. There is a world of difference
between what you can do and what you can prove you
actually did. Nozomu clenched his fists in anger at Ken's
smugness.

His claws dug in, piercing the skin of his palms, and blood
trickled down.

"So why did you do it?"

"Why? Because you're never going to be able to protect Lisa

from anything!"

Ken's voice couldn't have been more high-pitched and full of

anger as Nozomu's words were stifled.

"She will become an excellent adventurer. She will be the

center of attention. Would you be the one to protect her?
Absolutely not..... Impossible."

Ability suppression. The reason why Nozomu fell down in

those days. With a look of disdain on his face, Ken raises his
voice.
"Her father was an adventurer and died in action. Still, Lisa
is kind. She would not have abandoned you, even if you
were unable to do anything due to the suppression of your
abilities.

That's why ......"

After a moment's pause, Ken took on the form of a demon.

"I can't allow you to exist.....!"

The next moment, Ken suddenly drew a long sword from his
waist and slashed down at Nozomu.

In the face of the sword slash, which was clearly intended to

kill, Nozomu reflexively draws his beloved sword straight out
of its scabbard.

"Ggh!"

A groan leaked from Nozomu's mouth as he felt the impact

on his arm from the slash. Ken's eyes, glaring at him from
close range, were somehow tinted with the look not of
contempt but of a droll gift of evil.

"You are dragging Lisa down and putting her life in danger!"

"That's why you're doing this!"

"It is necessary! To release her from your fetters."

Ken swung his long sword as he pushed Nozomu away with

all his strength. As one would expect from an A-rank
student, his sword flash was sharp and full of sincerity, while
his bodywork was fluid and lean.

"I told it over and over again! I told her to give it up! Tell her
to go back to Oire Village! But Lisa wouldn't listen!"
Nozomu was able to parry the pressure of the swords, but
Ken, maybe taking this as a sign of a lack of mercy,
continued to apply even more pressure.

"Dream? Desire? No, it's not a dream, it's a life! You're

delusional, overly naive, and blind to the reality!"

Ken swung his sword with fury, throwing away Nozomu's

wish and Lissa's dream. The deafening sound of steel was
scattered around Ken's body, as if to reveal his long-held
fears.

"That's why I gave it to her! I showed her the reality! Finally,

she understood!"

"Tsk! You tricked her, what the hell are you talking about!"

Nozomu finally lost his temper as Ken justified his own

actions. In an instant, Nozomu's qi is focused on the blade of
his sword, and with a single blow, he cuts Ken's long sword
in two.

"Cih...."

With a reflexive kick, Ken makes Nozomu move out of range.

"You've built up a certain amount of strength, but it's

useless!"

Although he was momentarily surprised to see his sword cut

in two with a single swing, Ken calmly and quickly finished
his chanting.

At the same time as the words were spun, a new translucent

sword blade was formed on the long sword that had been
severed in the middle.
The blade is reminiscent of a clear crystal. It is similar to
Irisdina's magic sword "Moonlight Eclipse Night", but it is an
extremely advanced magic sword with physical substance.

"Fiuhh....!"

Two consecutive strikes are delivered, leading from up to

down and then to the side. The first strike is so powerful and
fast that an ordinary student would be crushed by the first
strike and knocked down by the second strike.

Nozomu, who is under Dragon Power Suppression, would

never be able to defend against it.

Ken was confident of this.

"Ts, damn it!"

However, such sure faith is quickly overturned. Receiving an

approaching up-down slash using the blade, he kills the
high-speed strike with a twist of his body.

Then, after shelving Ken's second slash without any

problem, he immediately counterattacked.

He immediately counterattacked with a strike that carried

the momentum of the second strike.

"Ts!"

Ken reflexively moves his magic sword into the path of the
oncoming slash. Nozomu's blade, however, is only a single
strike, and Ken's face is stained with surprise as it bites
deep into the middle of the magic sword.

(This can't be. It's unreal!)

Irritation wells up in his mind as he recalls the time when
Nozomu was about to put him in a tight position. It is
unbelievable, he cannot and will not admit it! His
impatience quickly turned into anger. Driven by his rising
anger, Ken unleashes his full power without any restraint.

"This guy is so annoying!"

In the next moment, the magic sword expands and

transforms into countless needles. The tip of the sword was
pointed at Nozomu. Nozomu quickly lowers himself and
activates his qi-jutsu flash step.

As soon as he escaped to Ken's side, a burst of sound was

heard, and countless needles were launched, piercing
through the air where he had been just a moment before.

"Damn, I let him get away. Hey Camilla, what are you
doing!"

"….Nothing. If you just want to relieve your stress, do it

yourself."

Ken quickly turned to Nozomu, though he was annoyed with

Camilla, who did not care about Ken's complaints.

"I won't let you get away with it...."

Ken swung his blade again at Nozomu, who had gotten

away from him. Then the ice blade splits into several pieces
and swoops down on Nozomu, flailing like a serpent.
Serpentine Blade.

The sword blade is too finely divided to be used as a sword,

but by combining magic, qi, and another power, it can be
used to make a varied and flexible slash.
Nozomu ran around in the thick forest with his legs and
curved dance, but the serpentine sword, controlled by
magic power, quickly blocked his escape route and was
about to tear his body into pieces with its sharp, saw-like
blade.

"Futsu"

Faced with the approaching serpentine sword, Nozomu

chose to intercept. As he slashed up, he simultaneously
released his qi-jutsu dust-breaker.

With a sharp flash, the qi blade is released, slicing through

Ken's sword and exploding at the same time. The blade
scattered along the slash line, shattering the severed magic
sword into pieces.

"Damn, it's all for nothing!"

However, the shattered sword instantly regenerates when

Ken puts his magical power into it.

Once again, it attacks Nozomu. The battle between the qi-

blade and the shattered sword repeated itself over and over.

However, Ken's expression was gradually losing its

composure. Nozomu shows many brilliant techniques. It was
because they were being shown in front of him, which even
vampires who had lived for several hundred years had been
amazed at.

He should have been weak. He should have been pathetic.

He should have been a loser, just crouching on the ground.
In fact, by the time he was a freshman, he had been beaten
so badly that he couldn't even stand up.

(Why, what the hell, damn it! How could this.....)

Ken could not feel the same weakness in Nozomu as he had
then. Even with his best efforts, Ken could not imagine a
situation in which his attack would be able to hit Nozomu.

He had rarely experienced anything like this before, even

against an instructor, and he had never felt that he could
not reach Nozomu at all.

The only exception is Jihad Raundel, the only hero in

Arcazam to reach the S rank. ..... At that moment, Ken's
gaze crossed with Nozomu's, and a chill ran down his spine.

(Whether it will be admitted or not!)

For a moment, he was overwhelmed. Forcing that fact aside,

Ken swung his serpentine sword.

(Yeah, even if he's a little better at it, he's still way out in
front. There won't be much energy left.....)

Nozomu, whose power is limited by his ability [Ability

Suppression], is hardly able to use his energy to attack.
Moreover, Nozomu is now unable to even get close to Ken's
serpentine sword.

(That's why that guy's a sure loser!)

Ken poured his maximum magical power into the sword,

while shouting in his mind as if to say to himself, I'm not
going to let you do this to me.

The Serpent Sword, which was filled with so much magic

that its phosphorescence overflowed from its body,
accelerated at once. The ice serpent crawled on the ground
and drove Nozomu to the side of a large tree that grew
nearby.
"I got him!!!!"

The sword swirls around Nozomu like a whirlpool,

enveloping the entire tree and blocking his escape route.

It was like being trapped in a tornado. Realizing that his

escape route was completely cut off, Ken triumphantly
began to close the whirlpool of his sword at once in an
attempt to overtake and finish off Nozomu.

"This is bad..."

Ken tries to unravel the whirlpool and put back the

serpentine sword, but Nozomu, who obviously can't get to it
in time, comes at him at once and swings his blade to the
ground.

"Mefi! Stop him!"

"Nah...!?"

However, immediately after, the water broke through the

ground and flew out, groaning like a lasso, binding Nozomu
to the spot where he had been. Nozomu's sword was
stopped just before it reached Ken.

[Ken, are you okay?]

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Mefi. Camilla's not cooperating."

Suddenly, a voice echoes through the air. The voice was like
clear water, but different from that of human beings. Then a
mass of water floated in the air, which made a bubbling
sound, broke apart, and a girl the size of the palm of a
human hand appeared.

[It doesn't matter. Ken has me.]

"Ah, I know. I'm sorry."
Her appearance is reminiscent of that of an adorable young
child with light blue skin. On her back are two pairs of
translucent eyes, like butterflies flapping their wings. She is
clearly non-human in appearance.

Above all, the majestic power that she wears reminds

Nozomu of the true identity of the girl.

She is a spirit.

A race that is the most mysterious on this Arkmill continent.

Moreover, this light-blue spirit has a conscious will and
probably belongs to the "small genies" among the genies.

"She is Mefi. My contracted spirit. She's my blessing......"

In the midst of Nozomu's confusion, Ken raises his left hand,

and a mysterious blue light begins to gather in response to
his magical power. It was neither qi nor magic, but the
primordial source of the world, which is the water molecule
itself. It was the very essence of water.

"I have the blessing to make a contract with spirits. This is

my speciality and proof that I am the chosen one. I am the
one who is worthy of Lisa."

[That's what you're saying! If it's humans who can use our
spirit power, you're right, it's just the best!]

The small spirit called Mefi nodded her head in agreement

with Ken's words.

"Somehow I thought you had some ability to do that...."

"Abilities? Don't put me in the same category as that lowly

thing, I am [descendant of the spirit], you know?"
Humans cannot make a contract with spirits. However, there
are exceptions to everything. That is, the descendants of
spirits are one of the exceptions that occasionally appear in
the long history of the Arkmill continent.

A human being who, despite being mortal, is able to

communicate with a spirit and make a contract with them,
the scale and types of magic that can be performed by
borrowing the power of spirits can no longer be compared to
existing magic, and therefore, without exception, these
people have greatly influenced history.

That's exactly what the "Dragon Slayer" is.

However, at the same time, a question also comes to

Nozomu's mind: if he is that much of a presence, no matter
how dull Shina's senses were, wouldn't she be able to sense
Ken's oddities?

"How could the elves not notice my presence? This is

Arcazam. When you are as special as I am, there are many
ways to fool their eyes."

[Plus, it's even easier if you're an elf who has lost itself! It's
so foolish to believe what such a person says~~. Kuskusu.]

While Nozomu was angry at being forced to listen to this

story, Mefi twisted her hand and raised it in a gesture of
grace.

[When it comes to Ken, you are not important. That is

why....]

As soon as like a "Mere Old Man" snapped his fingers, the

water arm that was restraining Nozomu was impacted.

"Gg, gah...!"
The echoing, amplified shockwave strikes Nozomu's entire
body, taking away his power of resistance in one fell swoop.
No longer able to move.

Mefi, realizing that Nozomu was no longer able to move,

released his hold. His body, now powerless, winds up on the
ground.

"Oh gosh, that was a lot harder than I thought it would

be...."

[It's true. He's scum, but he's still struggling. Really, he's a
disgrace.... By the way, why didn't you cooperate?]

"….Well, I didn't need to."

Mefi turned her condemning gaze on Camilla, who had

remained silent. Camilla, on the other hand, looked away
from Mefi, who questioned her, and pushed her away in an
unconcerned tone.

[H~~mmm. You've got quite a cocky mouth, don't you?]

"Stop it, Mefi. She's working with us. Don't be rough with
her."

Ken intervened between the two, as if Camilla were

someone he couldn't disregard. Mefi looked unhappy in his
presence.

[But....]

"Forget it. Leave it to me."

Mefi can't hide his dissatisfaction, but she relentlessly backs

down in response to Ken.
"Camilla, we've been working together for two years now. It
is, of course, a mutually beneficial relationship. That's why
we sometimes have different intentions...."

Ken grabs Camilla by her chin and pulls her toward him.
Camilla's mouth wrinkles, and her forehead furrows in a
deep crease.

"Let me go....!"

"Still, a deal remains a deal. As long as you are my partner, I

owe you my support. However, if you decide to leave, then I
have no choice. You can go ahead .... In that case... You
know what will happen, right?"

"....Hmm, I understand."

"Well then, you better make sure we don't get the wrong
idea."

Several seconds of silence. Eventually, Camilla gave a small

nod, and Ken gave her a nail-biting glance that made her
look back at Nozomu, who had collapsed to the ground.

[So Ken, what are you going to do about this guy?]

"Just leave it in the cold. Nothing can be done now anyway.

The beast will take care of it. Now, just in case, can you turn
his mind and memory back on?"

[Got it~~! Leave it to me. Alright, let's get this over

with~~]

The spirit called Mefi looks happy and raises her hand
toward Nozomu, who has fallen to the ground. A light blue
source material seeps out from her palm and envelops
Nozomu. His body shivered.
The power that the spirit has is the power of the soul. It
would not be impossible to freely tamper with the power of
the spirit or another spirit.

[Oh~ oh~. Poor guy. It can't be helped, though. You lost~~.

I feel a little bad, but I'm going to erase all those memories.
Of course, the most precious thing to you is your beloved
girlfriend~~.]

Mefi's mouth twists into a grin in front of Nozomu, who is

now unable to move.

[Good for you~. You won't be in pain anymore, but instead

you'll be a total mess.]

Her innocent yet infinitely cruel smile is too perverse to be

displayed by a mysterious being like a spirit. In front of such
a spirit, Camilla, who had been silent, murmured quietly.

"...Wicked"

"I think you should be aware that you've been a part of that
wickedness."

Camilla fell silent at Ken's words and looked down at

Nozomu with a somewhat pained expression. She quickly
averted her eyes to avoid what was about to happen.

"You damned spirit...."

Nozomu's voice makes Mefi's eyes widen for a moment,

followed by a lecherous smile.

[Oh~, That's what you say~~. It's Terrible~~]

"Agh, aaahhhhh!"
As Mefi snapped her fingers, the source material enveloping
her body began to eat away at Nozomu's perception of pain.
Nozomu's consciousness was bleached white by the pain,
which felt as if countless needles had been inserted into
every nerve in his body.

[Kiya-ha-ha-ha! This is fun~~!]

The way she looked at Nozomu struggling happily was

similar to that of a little child who catches an insect and kills
it playfully. When he stopped moving, Mefi nodded in
satisfaction.

[Okay, now, first of all, I'm going to erase all those

memories... What?]

Just as he was about to let his power seep even deeper into
him, trying to erase the memory of Nozomu, a strange
sensation shot through Mefi's entire body.

"Mefi, what's wrong?"

[What is this, huh?]

It was the coldest sensation she had ever felt. However, the
gaze that peeked out from behind it was stronger than
anything she had ever felt before and held tremendous
heat. A heat that would obliterate her in an instant.

The next moment, five-colored elements erupted from

Nozomu's body, unilaterally blasting away Mefi's power.

Nozomu bites his lip, feeling a strong sense of helplessness

and a searing sense of sorrow. All the times he was scorned
and humiliated, it was all because of these people!
The pain running through his body and the taste of blood
spreading through his loins only added to his anger.

[Hmm, that's hilarious, how ignorant and arrogant to say

that he was chosen and deserved it at that level. Don't you
think so?]

A dragon with five colors six wings. Tiamat speaks to

Nozomu heart in a heavy, seductive voice.

[Let them know. Make them aware. Tell them how ignorant
and narrow-minded they are. how powerless and small they
are. Remember, You deserve it, and you have the
qualifications to do it, don't you?]

An extremely dangerous dragon. Still, the voice of the giant

dragon gradually seeped into Nozomu's heart.

(Qualifications.... Yes, that's right, those are the ones....!)

[Now, let go of the shackles that bind you, and you will no
longer have to endure, won't you?]

(Yeah, that's right. There is no need for selfishness!)

His hands trembling with hatred, he seizes the chains that

bind him and rips them off. In order to break up all those
who have conspired against him.

Ken and the others screamed as they were blown away by a

sudden outburst of power.

[Kyaaa!]

"Damn, Mefi, what happened?"

[I don't know! W-What on earth is that!]

Nozomu, who had collapsed, stood up in front of Ken and

the others, who could not hide their confusion. They gulped
at the sight of him. Enormous amounts of qi erupt from
Nozomu's entire body.

A force that could not possibly be contained by a human

being swirled around him, rising into the sky like a tornado.
Nozomu's steeple-colored eyes turned red, and his pupils
split vertically, transforming him into an almost inhuman
presence.

What made Ken and the others tremble were the five-
colored source elements mixed in with the immense amount
of qi. The origin power, which no human body could handle
or use with their will, was mixed with the outpouring of qi.

["I WILL KILL YOU."]

Nozomu and someone else, an unfamiliar yet intensely

frightening voice, overlap.

In the next moment, the blade of the sword in Nozomu's

hand is enveloped in a five-colored elemental qi, and as if to
follow the will of its wielder, the [Mumei] absorbs power
greedily, creating something that no ordinary weapon can
ever be able to fully contain.

The sword easily accepts Tiamat's elemental power, which

no ordinary weapon could ever absorb, and dyes its blade a
deep black color.

"Tsk, Scatter!"

At the same time Ken yells out, a great sword is brought

down. The five-colored sword splits the ground, cutting both
sides of the forest behind it and leaving a huge scar on the
land.

[It can't be, impossible! How could a human being be like

that...]

"Camilla, give me a hand! This guy's dangerous!"

"I know!"

As the falling debris was burned by the five-colored source

material, Camilla readied her wand and quickly finished her
chanting.

She specializes in supporting magic, and the name of the

technique she uses is Chimera's Demon Fangs.

Camilla's magic power is applied to Ken through the spell,

and his physical ability and the strength of his magic sword
increase at once.

Moreover, Ken's magic sword is become a poisonous color

and has a paralyzing effect.

This is a magic that strengthens the body, strengthens

magic, and grants magic effects at the same time, and it is
one of the most difficult of the supporting magics that can
produce three different effects with a single chant.

"Mefi, your strength!"

[Uh, yeah!]

In addition, Mefi transfers more power to Ken. Mefi's poured-

out source material enveloped Ken's entire body, not only
enhancing the effects of the supporting magic cast on him
but also turning him into a formidable armor that repelled all
attacks.

Ken, who had not only the support magic but also the power
of the spirit, stepped toward Nozomu, who was releasing an
enormous amount of qi. His speed was definitely fast
enough to reach the S rank.

"Fuhaaaaa!"

A massive sword with an enormous amount of qi poured into

it is reaped, approaching Ken.

(Too great for a single strike! Like the swing down just now,
he's out of control!) Ken slides into Nozomu's feet, lowering
himself and dodging the sword's side slash. Nozomu's
movements are sloppy in contrast to the enormous amount
of qi he possesses.

Ken instantly saw that his opponent was not prepared to

wield such a massive weapon. If he could avoid the first
strike, he would win. Ken avoided Nozomu's full-force swing,
confident that he could avoid it, and he raised his blade to
counterattack.

Source Sword Style Flowing Scattered Dew

Combining his magic sword with the power of Mefi, the

spirit, Ken's sword is a deadly blade.

It reacts instantly to Ken's thoughts, transforming into any

form and striking Nozomu like a gale—a powerful and
incomparable blade that cuts through not only his
opponent's body but also their souls.

"I got... what?"

However, the deadly blade did not reach Nozomu's body.
Nozomu's great sword was instantly gone, and at the same
time, his body slid to the side.

Ken's blade, which was released as if to slash up, was

completely missed and cut through the air.

(Bait...!?)

As Ken was upset, Nozomu grabbed his opponent's arm with

his right hand and dived into his opponent's bosom.

Then, just as he pressed his left shoulder against Ken's

chest, thud! A powerful impact pierced through Ken's body
with an abdominal impact.

"Guahhh-------!?

Mikagura Style Oscillation

It is a pure body technique that requires no qi at all and is

an immersion movement released by twisting the entire
body.

The power of Nozomu's [Oscillation] a technique aimed not

at demonic beasts but at people, is tremendous, the impact
was felt in the chest area of Ken, who was supposed to be
clothed in a spirit suit.

The impact caused an unintentional wound in his lungs and

inner body.

"Go, fu....."

[Ken!?]

Ken is choking on his own blood and crouches down. From

above his head, a slash was unleashed with incomparably
more precision than the previous one.

Mefi hurriedly used her power to create countless water

snakes from the ground to restrain Nozomu, but he changed
the trajectory of his downward slash to a sideways swipe
and launched dust breaker, slashing away at the
approaching water snakes and dropping his blade to reap
Ken's life without a second thought.

At that very moment, a girl with fluttering red hair jumped

from the grass next to them.

"Ts, Nozomu!"

It was Lisa Hounds, who was not supposed to be present

here.

"Ken, are you okay? Camilla's away on an errand at the

moment...."

Lisa's voice is filled with anxiety as she settles into her

favorite teahouse. The tea is left on the table, her slender
fingers tapping the tabletop as the tea cools down. The
reason she is so worried is because of the letter Nozomu
gave her.

There is no need to accept a call from someone to whom

you should not owe a thing. However, deep in her chest,
there is a pain that continues to throb, as if to denounce
such an opinion.

When she was frustrated by the unrelenting pain, Ken said

to her, "You don't have to go. I'll go for you,".
Once she was relieved by his words and gave him the letter,
soon after, the moving season began to torment her again.

"Ah, jeez!"

Eventually, she couldn't stand it any longer, so she quickly

paid her bill and started walking to the place mentioned in
the letter, the Spasim Forest. On her way, however, she saw
an unexpected sight.

"Is that Camilla? Why is she with Ken ...."

It was Camilla, who had supposedly said she had other

business, who joined up with Ken. The scene of the betrayal
two years ago came back to her mind. Swallowing down the
uneasiness that welled up in her, she followed them through
the Spasim forest.

"No! That's impossible. Ken and Camilla are not like him!
They would never hide anything from me...."

Just like Nozomu suffered trauma due to his isolation, she

also had a great deal of hurt in her heart. She was betrayed
by a man she loved and trusted.

This belief caused her to experience a variety of negative

emotions. She was a cheerful person, but these feelings
made her distrustful and paranoid toward others.

As a result, she was consumed by negative emotions that

came up at a moment's notice, and she began to feel fear.

She has a fear of strangers.

Nevertheless, it is her talent and appropriate training that

have earned her a good evaluation at the Soluminati
Academy, where she is as talented and respected as
Irisdina. Above all, it was because she was more focused on
her childhood dream of [becoming an adventurer and
seeing the outside world].

Indeed, she forced herself to look forward, clinging to her

broken dream at the same time as she presented Nozomu
on her behalf.

However, this was nothing more than an act of turning away

from the wounds carved deep in her heart. That is why, out
of the suspicion born in her heart, she secretly started to
follow them.

As she was feeling guilty about her inability to trust Ken and
the others, the sound of a sword fight drifted in from deep in
the forest.

"That's..."

Lisa's bad premonition was accelerated, and she ran

through the forest with the faint sound of metal in her ears.
About 30 meters behind the bushes, she caught sight of the
people she was looking for.

"Ken, Camilla? Also, that's a... Spirit?"

However, what caught her eye was an unexpected sight.

Nozomu was lying on the ground, while Ken and Camilla
were standing still. Floating beside them was a being she
had never seen before.

A light blue figure with wings. It is clearly a small spirit with

powers beyond human comprehension. Moreover, the spirit
is standing by Ken's side, showing a deep connection with
him.
Moreover, Ken is smiling at Nozomu, who is being detained,
with a smile that could not be more twisted.

"I don't know, I didn't know Ken had this kind of power...
Also, I can't believe he looks like that...."

That's the Ken that Lisa doesn't know. However, she cannot
hear what they are talking about with Nozomu, and the
place where Lisa is now is far away from where Nozomu and
the others are.

"No, I can't hear anything. What are they talking.... Eh!"

Just as Lisa was about to sneak up on them, an incredible

amount of qi erupted from Nozomu, who was being
detained, and blew away the water rope.

["I WILL KILL YOU!!!"]

Nozomu's voice was filled with murderous intent. Ken also

attempted to counter Nozomu's slash with the help of the
spirit beside him, but Nozomu's slash was avoided, and Ken
attacked with surprising speed. His speed was definitely
comparable to that of an S rank.

"Guahh-----!?"

However, Ken was overwhelmed by Nozomu and was

quickly driven into a state of inability to fight. The blade of
Nozomu's sword was about to reap Ken's life.

"Ts, Nozomu!"

Lisa found herself leaping out of the way with all her might.
She pulled out the two swords at her waist and lunged at
Nozomu as if she were going to slam her body into him.
However, Nozomu easily caught her as she lunged forward,
intending to flick her off. Nozomu's eyes, glistening with
murderous intent, turned to Lisa, who had interfered.

["You've been looking in on us....."]

The two voices overlap unnaturally, and Lisa feels a strong

sense of uneasiness.

"Who are you? You're not Nozomu?"

["You heard that, and you still defend these guys."]

"What do you mean, hear? I was... Aah!"

The overwhelming difference in strength made Lisa leap up

and down like a child, falling on her bottom. Nozomu's eyes,
stained with anger, looked down at her coldly.

["As far as I'm concerned, I've always had feelings for this
bitch, this stupid woman...."]

With a clear intent to kill, the tip of the blade is aimed at the
red-haired girl. While Lisa was stunned by the absolutely
freezing stare, a drop of water fell from Nozomu's eye.

"Nozomu... Are you crying?"

Tears flowing at the edges of his intense eyes. It made Lisa's

stunned mind recall a question.

Wasn't it you who betrayed me... ?

An unspoken question.

Nozomu looked down at her with anger-tinted eyes and

thrust out his sword with the intent to kill.

†
I pushed Lisa out of the way when she interrupted the fight
and pointed the tip of my sword at her. Yeah, it's so stupid. I
feel really silly and stupid for having suffered so much. I
should erase it. The ex-friend who set me up, the ex-friend
who helped him, and the ex-lover who interfered.

....Really?

Lisa, who had fallen to the ground, looked up at me with a

stunned expression. The expression on her face makes my
heart flutter.

The sludge that had been stagnant and building up in my

chest began to flow away. Losing myself in a sensation close
to euphoria, I pour the power I have drawn out into the
sword that my master left me as a memento.

A tremendous amount of qi and five-colored radiance

poured into the blade of the sword. It was definitely the
sword of the dragon.

All the emotions I had been avoiding to feel, along with the
years of accumulation, have vanished before I know it. In
their place is a dark sense of superiority. The despicable
feeling of "fuck you" is burning my brain with the greatest
comfort.

"Lisa!"

Ken and Camilla rush toward me from the corner of my eye,

their faces are pale, but they can't defend themselves from
my blow, no matter whether they get it in time or not. I
don't care if it's a spirit or not, I'm going to turn them all to
dust.

So, is that okay....?

At the edge of my mind, which had turned red with anger, a
hint of reason peeked out.

Is that what you really want?

Multiple times, pieces of my mind kept repeating the same

question to myself.

The desire for vengeance, which was brought on by an

extreme power of concentration that even left one's sense
of time behind, denied the call of my mind completely.

That's right. Right here, right now, erase everything. My

pain, my anxiety, my past, everything!

Lisa... didn't even know she was tricked...

That's something. I don't even fucking care. I don't need to

know! I don't give a sh*t about anyone else! I'm here to put
my pain and my suffering on them!

Something warm flows out of my eyelids. It is a drop of tears

from the sadness hidden in the depths of my anger.
However, the vengeful spirit that runs rampant does not
recognize it and thrusts out my blade.

Mikagura-style core piercing.

It is a deadly qi-jutsu that pierces the opponent with an

extremely compressed qi-blade, causing it to explode and
obliterate the opponent from the inside.

The technique that even cut off the Abyss Grief is about to

be unleashed on the girl whom I have carefully determined
to protect, with the power of Tiamat added to it.
Then, I saw my face in the eyes of Lisa, who was staring up
at me. Her mouth was twisted in an ugly smile, and her eyes
were shining with joy. It was the exact same look Ken was
giving me just a few moments ago.

No.....!

Reflexively, I reapplied the ability suppression immediately.

The power that had been welling up suddenly faded away.
However, I could not stop the technique that had been
activated. A blade of compressed qi shot out and tried to
pierce Lisa.

Stop!

I beg as if I were trying to reach out into the heavens.

Then, the blade of my master's sword glowed, and a white

chain wrapped around the qi-blade.

The chain wrapped around the expanding qi blade released

a huge amount of power toward me.

"Lisa!?"

The shockwave that ripped through the weapon blasted

away Nozomu's body while carving countless lacerations in
it. He was slammed into a tree and fell to the ground.

".....Ah."

A sudden realization of what had just happened in front of

her eyes made Lisa's voice fly out of her mouth. "I need to
get up," she said.
Forgetting all her anger, Lisa sat up to get close to the fallen
Nozomu, However, as she reached for him, someone
grabbed her hand from the side.

"Lisa, what are you doing here!?"

"Er, Ken. Nozomu is at... Kyaa!!!"

"Camilla, you take Lisa!"

"Wait, Gohoh...."

Ken restrains Lisa as she tries to approach Nozomu and

pushes her body toward Camilla.

Camilla caught Lisa's body and, taking her hand, forced her
to go on and take her away from the place.

Ken, who had seen them disappear behind the bushes,

exhaled roughly and walked closer to Nozomu, who had
collapsed.

"I have to kill him. I have to kill this guy right here...."

[Ken, hurry! There's something approaching!]

His face tense with impatience and nerves, Ken raised the
sword that had been severed from his midsection.

However, the sword he swung down was grabbed and

stopped by Nozomu, who suddenly raised his upper body.

"Nah!?! Uwaaaaah!"

[Guuuuooohhhhhh!]

With a yell, Ken is thrown away by the force of a powerful

arm.
[You son of a bitch! I'm almost at the end already!]

Furious shouts emanated from Nozomu's mouth. The voice

was not his own. His voice was somewhat feminine, yet it
had a tone that conveyed nothing but hatred and
resentment.

It was a rage that seemed to demand killing everything that

existed in the world around it.

It was undoubtedly the voice of Tiamat, the sealed soul

within Nozomu's body.

"Ugh, gah..."

[Ken....!]

In the midst of Ken's panic, who was hit by the hatred of the
Dragon King, Mefi suddenly shot a light blue ball toward the
sky.

The ball of light bounced in the sky and scattered light-blue

elements all over the area.

"Mefi, what are you..."

[I've attracted every demon beast around here at my

disposal.]

"What...."

"Guuuooooo!"

While Ken was surprised by Mefi's behavior, Mad Bear

appeared from behind the bushes and attacked Nozomu.

The danger level was such that an ordinary soldier or

adventurer would immediately decide to retreat.
[Don't interfere!]

However, with a single swing of his arm, Nozomu's weapon

turned the Mad Bear into a piece of meat. In the meantime,
beast after beast appeared and attacked, but they were all
slaughtered.

[C’mon, Ken, get out of here while you still can!]

Ken, whose face was drawn into a fearsome mess, forgot all
about the plan to kill Nozomu and fled in a panic.

Meanwhile, Tiamat, which had temporarily manifested itself,

was attacked. Upon closer inspection, an invisible chain is
wrapped around Nozomu body.

[Ah, no, I can't move! That brat still ties me up!]

Tiamat spat out five-colored elements and attempted to

break the binding chain.

Crack, crack....

The chains that bind Nozomu are cracked, and fresh blood
pours out of his body. Yet, Tiamat still could not move from
the spot at all.

[I gave you a chance to fulfill your revenge, you

fucking......bastaaaarrrddd!]

Soon, the shackles of ability suppression begin to push

Tiamat's consciousness back into the depths of Nozomu's
soul.

Nozomu's body collapsed on the ground as soon as he let

out a resentful scream. With a chatter, a flower of blood
bloomed on the ground.
Nozomu's body was already at its limit due to the reaction of
the power of the sealed dragon king and the base shot of
the core piercing.

[Wait, how is it that I feel the power of a spirit I don't know

and come here, what's going on!]

Then a flying lapis lazuli figure appeared. It was Razward, a

small spirit contracted by Shina.

He saw Nozomu lying on the ground and landed beside him

with a great rush.

[This residual remarks..... Power of a spirit? But this is the

power of something much higher-ranked than me.
Besides,.... that's not even the point!]

Razward was puzzled by the power of the Dragon King, but

when he saw Nozomu's torn body, Razward immediately
unleashed his power. He begins to heal the wounded
Nozomu.

"There you are...."

There, a distant presence was heard from a third party, an

individual wearing a deep hood.

There, a distant presence was heard from a third party,

someone who wore a deep hood. The voice was of a kind
that barely indicated that it was a man.

However, Razward's eyes couldn't be more open at the sight

of the hooded figure.

[Who are you....?]

"Keep quiet, little spirit one. We cannot awaken the one who
devours his body now."

While Razward continues his treatment, the hooded figure

touches Nozomu, who has collapsed on his face.

"Hmmm, it's sealed. I never thought that a mortal could

contain a dragon...."

Nozomu's hand on his back radiates a white glow.

"I can't make a path. I see. No wonder I'm not aware of

this..."

However, the unstable light was soon gone, as if it had been

suppressed. The hooded figure said something to the effect
that he had understood the situation.

After checking on Nozomu's wounds, he turned his attention

back to Razward, who was still treating him.

"That's enough, little spirit. If you put any more energy into
him, I fear it might awaken once again."

[Ah, That....]

While Razward still cannot hide his surprise at the hooded

figure, the hooded figure continues to talk quickly.

"You seem to have made a contract with someone who lives

in this city. I'm sorry, but I have to shackle you. I can't let
you know anything at this time."

[Wai....]

The hooded figure puts his hand over Razward's, and a light
identical to the one that had just been aimed at Nozomu is
emitted. A white ankle ring appeared on Razward's right leg
and disappeared as if melting into his body.

"I forbid you to speak of what happened here and about me.
Not even to your contractor."

[Wa~wait a minute....!?]

"I have to hurry up...."

As Razward screams in bewilderment and grief, the figure

stands up and flashes his right hand.

The next moment, countless magic circles enveloped the

figure. After the light subsided, the figure vanished into thin
air.

The body is a slender shadow with a thin sword with a

handle that resembles the wings of a dormouse. A shadow I
have seen somewhere before. However, this sense of déjà
vu is swept away by a surge of rage and amusement.

Get out of my way!

Irritated, I charged at the shadow that had interfered with

me. Surely, those are two strong colors in their way.
However, they are far beyond me at this moment.

I cut down a large sword with a single stroke and cut down
the large shadows with the next slash. Then I slash at the
shadow holding the braided sword.

With some swordsmanship and a certain skill with a sword,

this shadow managed to block my attacks with several
blows. Yet, that was the limit.
Just by tightening my armpits and changing from horizontal
sword thrusts to raising my sword, the thin sword held by
the slender shadow was bounced away. I returned the tip of
the sword, and got the shadow of the body right in the
chest.

Again, as you see. It's easy.

"Nozo....."

"Hmm…."

The shadow, pierced through the chest, reaches out for me,
but I pull out the piercing blade and cut off the slender
shadow's head. Suddenly, the surrounding vision becomes
clear.

"Eh?"

I saw crimson flames burning in the ruins of the building,

and the shadows covering the figure began to clear, and I
realized what I had been slaying.

Countless people were lying on the red ground. It was the

true form of the shadow that he had just chased with his
own enjoyment. Those lying on the ground were people that
Nozomu had known.

All of them, Anri, Norn, Tima, Somia, and Mars, without

exception, were lying on the floor as corpses, their legs
dragging, kneeling on the spot, and looking down with their
heads held up like children, he trying to reject the scene in
front of him.

"A~ah...."
However, no matter how hard I tried to deny it and shut my
eyes, the blood-like rusted iron and the poisonous sound of
the crumbling building kept confronting me with the reality
of what I had caused.

At that moment, the face that I had just cut off fell at my

feet as I nodded my head. The face that floats in the light of
the crimson figure is that of a girl I know very well.

Instead of the sunny smile she used to give me, she has a
blank, dead face. No wonder she is dead because I killed her
with my own hands.

"Uwaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

As my screams echoed through the collapsing Arcazam, my

shadow transformed, and a giant dragon with five colors
and six wings was formed.

[If you had just let your anger take over, you would have
been able to fulfill your desire for revenge.... Instead, you
paid for my help. This is the price for that.]

Soon, every bone in my body was crushed, and that giant

dragon began to eat me up from the inside out. My skin
peeled, my flesh ripped, and a stretched shadow began to
pulsate.

I heard the sound of a searing pain.

Finally, my consciousness faded into despairing darkness.

"Ugh!?"
I reflexively leaped to my feet and immediately shrank back
from the intense pain that shot through my body. At the
edge of my vision, shaken by the pain, I saw my beloved
sword soiled with dirt.

Perhaps it is due to the leaking tears or the night, but my

eyes are unfocused, the scenery is gray, and I am unable to
perceive things properly.

"Wait, what the hell happened to... Huh?"

I reach for my beloved sword, which has fallen beside me.

Just by doing so, my whole body screams. It was as if every
muscle in my body was torn.

I felt a cracking sensation all over my body, and a strange

iron smell hit my nose.

I reach into the pouch at my waist and pour over my body

the potion that I always have with me.

For some reason, the potion heals the wound that had
almost closed up completely, but the weariness and dull
ache that envelop my entire body do not go away.

I manage to move my body, grab the sword, and pull it close

to me, whereupon I feel a strange sensation.

"What's this?"

The sword blade is wrapped with something. The sword's

blade pattern, which is reminiscent of a clear stream, has
somehow changed into a chain shape. It did not look like
this until just now.

What in the world happened? In a daze of consciousness, I

wiped off the water on my beloved sword, put it in its
scabbard, and tried to stand up. The strange smell seemed
to have increased.

"I'm pretty sure I'm at.... tsk!"

A vivid scene comes back to my mind in the next moment.

Driven by the rage that welled up in me, I synchronized with
Tiamat. Delirious with the heat and euphoria of revenge, I
happily used my power and wielded my blade.

With the intention of... killing them.

What followed was intense self-loathing. Then came the

fearful realization that I could be so cruel.

"Ugh ts...."

At the same time as the color finally returned to my vision, I

realized what the strange smell was. Pieces of debris were
scattered all around, and they were pieces of meat from
monsters and beasts that had been scattered all over the
place.

My surroundings are stained red and have turned into a sea

of blood. The gruesome scene overlapped with the dream
that I had just had, and it crushed my heart.

"Ugh....Guheee....."

Unable to bear the negative emotions that were too heavy

to bear, I involuntarily vomited out the things inside my
stomach. The smell of acidity stung my nose, and stomach
acid burned my throat.

However, even the discomfort was not so bad considering

the devastation that was etched in my mind. The
combination of my own actions and the nightmare scene
convinced me. There was a strong possibility that I might
have caused it myself.

giggle giggle giggle.......

Unspeakable fear swirls in my chest.

"I'am...."

Looking away did not erase the scene that stuck in my

mind. Dragging my feet, covered in dirt and grime, I left the
place as if to run away.

After escaping from the rampaging Nozomu, Ken and the

others were back near the west gate of Arcazam. It was
already dark, and lights were lit around the gate to keep
watch.

"Ha, ha... I think we've made it all the way here."

As Ken catches his breath and is relieved to see the lights of

the west gate behind the bushes, Lisa turns back to Ken.

"....Ken, tell me. What happened?"

"He attacked me suddenly..."

In response to Ken's nonchalant reply, Lisa senses that Ken's

words are a lie.

"Okay, what's with this spirit?"

Distancing herself from the two, Lisa stared with suspicion

at the small spirit floating beside Ken. For the latter, she was
completely unfamiliar with it. Moreover, Ken clearly seemed
to be close to this spirit.
"It's my contracted spirit. I've been trying not to tell anyone
about it because it's so special and unique."

Ken's peaceful smile is the same as the one Lisa knows.

However, the smiled when he looked down at Nozomu, who
was detained. The look of frightening cruelty on his face,
unable to wipe away the feeling that collapses under the
feet.

"So, why does Camilla know about this small spirit?"

Lisa turned her attention back to Camilla. Camilla's

shoulders shook as she looked at her. The eyes of Nozomu,
which had not changed.

The images of Ken and Camilla that she had never seen
before. Doubts kept rising in Lisa's mind, as if the two sides
of the coin had been turned inside out.

"It was...."

"In our freshman year, she found out by accident. I asked

her to keep it quiet."

Ken answers for Camilla, but Lisa's expression remains stiff.

"Nozomu tried to cover up what he did, but he snapped and

attacked me, but I'm fine. I won't let him touch Lisa."

Lisa couldn't understand what Ken was talking about.

That's not what she wanted to hear. It's what he's hiding,
and that's why he won't talk about it.

That means there is something he doesn't want her to

hear....
The distorted face of Ken from earlier comes to mind. The
face reminded her of the one she had seen two years ago
when she had said goodbye to Nozomu.

"Lisa, it's all right...."

Ken quickly reaches for Lisa's cheek.

Before she knew it, Lisa was clearing her hand of Ken's hand
with a pan.... and was wiping Ken's hand away.

"Ah..."

"Li..sa?"

Ken's face was in disbelief as his hand was swiped away.

Lisa also froze, surprised at her own actions. Mefi, who had
remained silent until then, quickly approached her.

[Hmm~~. You doubt it. Ken and me...]

"That's..."

A small, light blue spirit looks into Lisa's eyes from a close
distance. She smiles at Lisa as if she can see right through
her and points her cold palm at her.

[I guess I have no choice but to do this now. Ei!]

"Ah...."

The next moment, a light emitted from Mefi's palm

enveloped Lisa's head, and she fell to the ground without a
struggle. Camilla's voice was raised by Mefi's sudden action.

"Ts, what did you do!"

[Don't be so mad at me. I'm just make her not to remember
the last few hours.]

"Ts!"

Mefi does not seem to feel a shred of guilt for having

manipulated a person's memory. Camilla's face turns red
from anger. She tries to grab Mefi, but the little light blue
spirit easily loses her hand.

[It can't be helped. She's already convinced of it. Don't

worry, the more times she repeats it, the stronger it gets, so
if she doesn't remember, it'll go away eventually.]

"That's not the point! This is not what it's all about! We
worked originally for Lisa from...."

"... No, we need this."

"You!"

When Ken expressed his agreement, Camilla looked

incredulous and rushed at him. However, Camilla's forehead
was sweating, and she did not make eye contact with Ken.

"Nozomu is... He's dangerous. He tried to kill Lisa, and we

shouldn't let him near her."

Ken, while chewing his nails and constantly saying that

Nozomu is dangerous, was not normal.

"....You don't care about Lisa. You just care about yourself."

"Let's see what you've got. You're the same one who's trying
to save your own ass."

"Wa..."
At Camilla's words, Ken's face twisted into an ugly
expression, and he grabbed Camilla's neck with his one
hand.

"You can tell the authorities about your own gore. I'm sure
they'll take you back to your own country. If that happens,
your mother will be brought back too, like a sack of
potatoes..."

[Ken, it's time to wake up the princess.]

"Betray me, and you're screwed too..."

Lisa begins to awaken as she is being pressured at close

range, clamping down on her neck.

Mefi disappears, and Ken releases Camilla to push her away.

He walks up to her.

"Lisa, are you okay?"

"Ah,.... How did I get here?"

"You said you want to see the exercise site a little bit
because the Special General Exercise is coming up."

"Yes, I think it was... Hey, but I'm pretty sure the exercise
location is..."

"You look tired. You should go to bed. I've been so rooted

lately. Camilla, take Lisa...."

"Lisa, let's go."

Before Ken could finish his sentence, Camilla was on her

feet, taking Lisa's hand, and heading straight to the west
gate. It was as if she wanted to get away from Ken as
quickly as possible.
As Ken stared at their backs as they left, he remembered
Nozomu's appearance earlier and bit his back teeth.

[Ken, what are you going to do?]

Ken pondered over Mefi's words. The biggest problem is

Nozomu. It would be impossible to reverse what happened
two years ago, even if he were the only one shouting about
it now.

However, he was now a pure threat and an object of fear.

"Mefi, what did you see in Nozomu?"

[I don't know, but I feel something... really terrifying.]

"That's dangerous. It's not just me, we need to do

something now for Lisa's sake ...."

Ken's mind was racing with frustration. He wondered how he

could get rid of Nozomu.

How does he get rid of Nozomu so he will never have to see

his face again?

How does he get rid of him from Lisa?

The mighty danger before Ken's eyes distorts his skewed

perceptions even further. However, Ken himself is unaware
of this.

He has directed his immense power at Lisa in an attempt to

kill her.

The fact that Ken did that superimposes on the reason for
protecting Lisa and justifies the act he is about to commit.

[What?]
Ken's gaze turned to Mefi, who was standing beside him, as
if he had just thought of something.

There was a dangerous light in his eyes.

 Chapter 4: Ripples of Warning

The first day of the exercise

The sky was clear in late spring. In Arcazam City, a

command center for the exercise and a simple clinic had
been built, while the students of the three grades who
would participate in the exercise were going through the
proper formalities.

After completing the formalities, the students were given a

pendant containing a cloudy white stone and gathered in
front of the command center. Among them were Nozom,
Mars, and Jin.

This event will directly affect their academic record, but at

the same time, it is a great opportunity for the students,
which is why their faces are filled with a sense of
expectation as well as a sense of accomplishment.

"Hmph. This looks kinda interesting...."

Feeling the tension in the atmosphere, Mars smiles wryly.

For a man who genuinely wants to be invisible, the training
camp has created a good opportunity to test his abilities.

"Anyway, what's up with you...."

Mars frowned and looked next to him. There was Nozomu,

who was still looking down.

"....Eh? Huh, what?

"Hey, be serious, the exercise is about to start."

"Uh, yeah..."

Mars gave a stern look to Nozomu, who seemed to be

somewhat unfocused. Meanwhile, Nozomu looked up but did
not make eye contact with Mars, just staring blankly at the
stream of students passing by.

"Ah, good morning...... Nozomu-kun, Mars-kun"

At that moment, a quiet voice called out to them. Mars

looked in the direction of the voice and saw Tima and
Irisdina walking up to them.

"Oh, you're both here."

Irisdina, perhaps still reeling from yesterday's

lasciviousness, is looking embarrassed with her hands
folded behind her back in front of Nozomu.

The young lady is looking shy with her hands folded behind
her back.

"No~Nozomu, good morning...."

A quiet, peek-a-boo greeting. However, Nozomu was not

paying attention and didn't seem to notice Irisdina's
appearance.

"....Nozomu?"

"Eh? Ah, uh, good morning.... Iris."

Nozomu, who finally notices the presence of Irisdina and the

others for the second time, returns the greeting in a
panicked tone of voice, and Irisdina frowned at his brusque
tone of voice.
"Ah, There you are. Hey~, Nozomu!"

Then the voice of a man came over the line. It was Feo's
voice. Waving his hand, he comes closer to them, and at his
side are Shina, Tom, and Mimuru.

As Nozomu returns the greeting and looks at Shina and the

others, she nods her head with a small smile.

"Yes. Since we were in the same class, we decided to team

up just for the first day. Right, Mimuru?"

"Wa, yes! That is indeed right!"

Shina smiles smugly, saying so. Her cool maiden's smile is

very attractive from the outside, but her whole body is filled
with an indescribable sense of intimidation.

Mimuru, next to her, was shaking with fear. Perhaps she was
chastised for throwing out the request. In the end, Unable to
bear the silent pressure from her close friend, Mimul jumped
into her lover's arms as if to escape.

"Awawawa....."

Tom patted her back as she curled her tail and trembled,
letting out a wry smile. Meanwhile, Mars and the others,
who do not know what is going on, involuntarily shut their
mouths in the face of the grin that sticks to their faces.

"Well, that's what it's all about. Now that I'm officially in
Shina's party, we're enemies today, not tomorrow. Take it
easy."

"Wow, that's nice. I was wondering what you could do."

Feo's statement was met with a belligerent look from Mars.
However, only Shina looked at Nozomu with a worried
expression on her face.

"Yo, Nozomu, Shina."

"Kevin...."

Kevin and his team joined them. They came up to them,

their silver hair and tails fluttering. He lifted the end of his
head and his rosary as he looked at Nozomu first, and then
at Jin and the others behind him.

"I see that you have finally set up your own [party]. Now I
can finally challenge you, don't fail out so soon."

"Challenge..."

Kevin's desire to fight is rising, but he frowns for a moment

at Nozomu, whose voice has no energy in it, and then he
unkindly squares his shoulders. He then leans over and
whispers in his ear.

"So, that's why...get your spirits up quickly."

"....Eh?"

"You look like Shina when she was depressed. You're the
leader of the party now."

You are the leader of the party. Kevin's words made Nozomu
gasp. Until just a few minutes ago, he had been so busy
thinking about yesterday that he had not realized it. Yes,
today Nozomu must lead them properly.

"Remember, the leader's role is to relieve the anxiety of his

fellow members within the group.
If the leader is insecure, the whole group will know it.
Anxiety is infectious, and if you care about your comrades,
you must leave behind all your dark feelings and never let it
show on your face."

If not, the worst thing that could happen is that the whole
group will be wiped out. Kevin says these words and quickly
steps away.

Nozomu glanced sideways at Jin and the others who had

been partnered with him this time.

They seemed surprised to see Kevin's friendly attitude

toward Nozomu.

Meanwhile, Mars, who had sparked a fire in the previous

joint class, gave Kevin a flea-eyed look.

"What the hell are you talking about...."

"I was just giving him a little advice on how to be a leader. I

don't care if you're a lone wolf or not."

"What?"

"Mars, stop."

Perhaps sensing that he was being provoked by Kevin's

slight remark, Mars overreacted. It's not a good idea to
cause a ruckus here and now.

Nozomu, who had regained some of his composure,

reflexively called out a halt to Mars, who looked as if he was
about to lash out at him.

"Damn..."
"See you later, Nozomu. Don't let anyone beat you until you
fight me."

While Mars is hesitating at Nozomu's restraint, Kevin quickly

takes his fellow members to the first level.

"See you later, Nozomu~~!"

"Good luck."

Tom and Mimuru are also heading to the gathering place

with Feo.

Only Shina remains, but she still looks at Nozomu with a

watchful gaze.

"Hey, what's wrong?"

When Nozomu asked her about the meaningful look in

Shina's eyes, she opened her eyes with a rather melancholy
expression on her face.

"Nozomu, are you okay?"

"What?"

"Kevin said you look pretty down. Did something happen to

you about that?"

Nozomu's heart leaps with a thump.

".... What is it exactly?"

Nozomu was at a loss for words when Mars, who did not
know what was going on, asked him about it. Irisdina, who
was standing behind Nozomu, was also watching him with
narrowed eyes, as if she were curious about what they were
talking about.
Their eyes were filled with concern. The reflection of himself
behind those eyes reminded Nozomu of the image of
himself when he lost control of himself in anger.

At the same time, the nightmare returned. Pain with fear,

anger, and anxiety. One after another, the negative
emotions surge to the surface and then replaced by a rush
of blood.

"It's nothing. It's almost time to go. Let's get going...."

He don't want them to know.

Nozomu bites his lip as if to endure, looks away, and heads

for the meeting place.

[Anxiety is infectious, and if you care about your

comrades, you must leave behind all your dark
feelings and never let it show on your face.]

Remembering Kevin's advice, Nozomu was getting

frustrated with himself for being so half-hearted about
everything. Most of the students from the three grades had
already gathered in front of the administration tent.

When it was confirmed that all the students had gathered,

Jihad was raised on the podium set up in front of the
headquarters.

"Well, everyone. Before the special exercise starts today, I

would like to explain the rules of this class."

Jihad takes out a pendant from his pocket. It was the one he
had been given earlier at the administration center.

"First, this pendant, distributed to each student at party

registration, will be yours lives for the duration of this
exercise. It is a magical tool that detects damage sustained
by the owner."

These magic tools can be created by engraving a formula on

a special stone called "Curbstone"

and pouring magic power into it. The stone itself is rare, and
the formula requires a special technique.

"The pendant glows red when it detects a certain amount of

damage. At that point, the player is disqualified, and the
pendant belongs to the other party. Of course, losing the
pendant also disqualifies the participant."

Also, each pendant is assigned a score based on each

student's past performance. This means that the higher the
rank of the student, the higher the score.

That means that they are more likely to be targeted by

other parties. Probably to keep the low and high ranks in
harmony. It is especially important to have a good chance to
fight against other students who have reached a high rank,
such as Irisdina and the others.

"If a party is wiped out, all the points that the party had
earned before that will be given to the other party. The
points earned by a party are counted at the end of today's
class, and everyone starts from zero again tomorrow."

"There's also the looting of points. Street robbery is going to

be rampant all over the place...."

"Just because you have earned points does not mean that
you can rest easy. If you are wiped out, you are right back
where you started. Even though the points for the first and
second days are calculated separately, it is important to
survive."
"The pendant glows red when it detects a certain amount of
damage. At that point, the player is disqualified, and the
pendant belongs to the other party. Of course, losing the
pendant also disqualifies the participant."

Also, each pendant is assigned a score based on each

student's past performance. This means that the higher the
rank of the student, the higher the score.

That means that they are more likely to be targeted by

other parties. Probably to keep the low and high ranks in
harmony.

It is especially important to have a good chance to fight

against other students who have reached a high rank, such
as Irisdina and the others.

"If a party is wiped out, all the points that the party had
earned before that will be given to the other party. The
points earned by a party are counted at the end of today's
class, and everyone starts from zero again tomorrow."

"There's also the looting of points. Street robbery is going to

be rampant all over the place...."

"Just because you have earned points does not mean that
you can rest easy. If you are wiped out, you are right back
where you started. Even though the points for the first and
second days are calculated separately, it is important to
survive."

"Also, the assignments are written on the form provided at

the time of pendant distribution.

The teacher will be in charge of these assignments, and if

they are accomplished, points will be allocated to the
students according to the objectives of the assignment. The
teacher will be in charge of the assignment and will judge its
success or failure."

"Make it happen. We can earn more points if we do the

assignments, but ...."

"...I honestly don't know how the other party works, so I

can't say for sure, so I'll include it in my complement card to
use for initiation."

Jin asked Nozomu to make a decision on what to do, but

Nozomu held his position on the matter. It would be good if
he could earn points by doing the assignment, but the rest
of the party would obviously be old enough to take up the
position.

The question was whether to earn points aggressively or to

hide and think about the existence of the profit margin and
ability as well. The decision between the two is also
important.

"Moreover, the area around the main headquarters is

designated as a non-combat zone. Any party who engages
in combat within this area will be penalized with several
points."

In a sense, this is to be expected. It would be unbearable if

the place was too close to where the management needed
to operate and the management was too busy with the
work.

"There will be a special target in the exercise area. The

party that defeats the target will receive the highest points
of any of the assignments. However, this special target will
attack you and steal your points. If you win, you will get the
points that the special target has taken from everybody
else."
"The teachers will be participating, too...."

"Maybe it's playing the role of a powerful demonic beast."

Cami, behind Nozomu, has her head in her hands, and Jin is
holding his hand over his mouth and groaning.

Maybe they are trying to stir things up around them so that

the exercise does not become a stalemate. Either way, it is
a major obstacle.

This ends the explanation of the rules for this exercise. I

wish you all the best... That's all.

After the explanation of Jihad, a bell is brought to the stage.

When this bell rings, the exercise will begin.

"Nozomu, what are you going to do?"

Jin asks Nozomu for his opinion. Nozomu muttered in a small

voice so that those around him could not hear him as he
looked sideways to see the bells being prepared.

He muttered in a small voice to avoid being overheard.

"....First, we need to get out of here as far as possible and

plan our strategy. If we do not move quickly, we may be
attacked by another party or get involved in a battle, and if
that happens, we will be the first to be wiped out."

The other members nodded at Nozomu's words. They slowly

moved to the edge of the meeting place. They are trying to
get a head start and leave the place as soon as possible
when the signal to start is given.

"As soon as the signal is given, we run as fast as we can.

We're going to the west side of the exercise area. Ready?"
Nozomu again confirmed the actions to be taken in the
coming time, and when everyone nodded their heads, the
bell was ready to ring.

"Hmm?"

Nozomy was prepared for the signal to start the exercise

when he suddenly felt a gaze directed at him. His eyes
turned to a part of the crowded space, where he found Lisa
staring at him. A surge of passion, accompanied by pain,
made his heart beat violently once again. Reflexively, he
averts his gaze.

"Nozomu, what's wrong?"

".....Nothing."

Swallowing his anger along with his own inhalation, Nozomu

pushes himself to stand on his feet.

"Alright then. Let's begin this year's Special General

Exercise!"

In the next moment, the bell rang with Jihad's declaration,

and Nozomu and the others ran to the street with all their
might. All the students scattered in four directions as if they
had been ejected.

Soon there were no more people in the meeting place, and

at the same time, roars, shouts, and screams began to be
heard from everywhere. It seems that the moment they left
the non-combat zone, fighting started here and there.

"Hey, Nozomu! Where the hell are we going?"

"To the west of the exercise area for now! The grass and
trees are thick there, so it's easy to hide!"
Nozomu and his team run as fast as they can to avoid
getting involved with the other parties in the battle. He had
been forced to run through the Spasim forest many times
during his training with Shino, so he was well acquainted
with the surrounding forest vegetation.

The western forest.

The forest on the west side, especially near Arcazam, is

densely covered with tall trees, and there are relatively
many places to hide.

This means that visibility is poor, and you need to be careful

of unexpected encounters. .....

"Tsk, there they are, the tenth class, the suckers!"

"Shit! Go to...."

"Don't stop, run!"

Unfortunately, Nozomu and his party encountered another

party as they crossed each other's paths. The other party
consisted of five students from the eighth grade. Three in
the vanguard and two in the rearguard.

Perhaps, like Nozomu and his party, they had changed

course in the process of evading, and their directions of
advance had crossed each other's.

"Perfect, a good way to get some air!"

"While Jin and the others are in a panic, Mars is happy to

begin his offensive."

"Hey, this guy's a 10th-class Mars!"

"Just hold them back! Get the bottom feeder off quickly...
Gahh!?"

While the opponent was momentarily shaken by Mars'

presence, Nozomu also activated his flash step. He strikes
one of the vanguard guys in front of him in the jaw with a
fist and rips off the pendant.

"This guy!"

The other, enraged by the defeat of his fellow, pulled out his
sword and slashed furiously at him. It was a monotonous
slash, as if he was counterattacking on the spot. Nozomu
drew his

sword in a fluid motion and moved to the rear, easily

parrying the approaching sword to the side. Then he struck
the empty back with a single strike.

"Nah....Guaah!?"

The pendant turns red with a single blow from a slash on an

unprotected body. Now there are two. While his opponent is
distracted, Mars throws down one more vanguard and one
more rearguard.

"Uwaaa!"

Suddenly, the party is almost wiped out, and the last one,
cornered, screams and raises his staff in his hand. The tip of
the staff glowed as magic power poured into it.

Possibly, the wand itself is infused with a magic circle. The

magic was activated without chanting, just by pouring
magic power into the wand, a light bullet was released
toward Nozomu.
Nozomu reflexively tried to cut through the approaching
magic bullet with his qi-jutsu

[Phantom]....

As a result of the burden returning to both arms, he frowned

without a second thought.

"Kuh!?"

The approahing magic bullet, which cannot be cut off.

Nozomu, in response to the unexpected situation, he
reflexively twists his body to catch the magic bullet with his
entire body.

"Nah-tsk!?"

"Fuh!"

He changes position, steps forward, and strikes his

opponent in the jaw with his left fist. He snatches the
pendant from his opponent, who collapses unconscious, and
starts to run again.

Following Nozomu, Mars follows closely behind, not even

pausing to catch his breath.

"Amazing...."

"They just took down five people in seconds, those two..."

As the following teams let out a surprised sound, Nozomu

looked down at his beloved sword, which he had just drawn.

(I couldn't get through. How come ....)

Nozomu tried once again to put his focus on the sword while
running, trying not to be noticed by the others. However,
nothing changed on the sword's blade. The blade suddenly
altered.

Something could be wrong, but it was worse than he had

expected.

He cannot create a qi-blade. This meant that Nozomu, who

had been under the influence of ability suppression, had lost
his only weapon that he had been able to use.

(Is this even possible....)

It's gone. All the things he has built up.

"Ts...."

Nozomu moved his legs frantically to cover up the sense of

loss as his steps crumbled under him. He kept running for a
while. Finally, they all stopped.

"Ha, ha, ha... Hey, we're good now, right?"

"Yeah, I think so. I don't think there's anybody around

anymore."

"Fu... Fu... That's good."

Jin voiced his concern at the reduced guidelines, but

Nozomu shook his head at his words.

Among them, only Mars, who has a lot of energy, and

Hamuria, a magician, have an effective defense against
magic attacks.

Considering the fact that they would be fighting against

higher-ranked opponents, their numbers would be small,
and a head-on battle should have been avoided as much as
possible.
"That's why. Split the party into two groups in order to do
the assignment and the defense at the same time."

"But, we don't have time to build a significant defensive

base, you know?"

"It doesn't matter. We are not trying to build a solid fortress.

It's enough just to distract them.

Moreover, if the time comes, we can just abandon it."

Nozomu reminds everyone that the important thing is to

survive.

"Then maybe this will help?"

Saying these words, Jin took out two stones from his pocket
that were as transparent as crystals.

Symmetrically made, they were clearly some kind of magic

tools.

"Is this the twin stone of misfortune?"

At Nozomu's words, Jin nodded as he handed the two stones

he was holding to Nozomu and Mars. They are stones whose
states are linked to each other; if one is broken or
discolored, the other will be in the same state as well.

"....I see. So this is how we can know each other's

condition."

"It's a good idea. There is a big tree north of here and a big
rock beside it, so in case of an emergency, we will meet up
there. If we can't meet up with each other after an hour,
assume we've already wiped out. In that case, Mars will be
in charge...."
While Nozomu is giving instructions in case they get beaten
up on their way out, Mars stares at him, toying with the twin
stones of misfortune in his hands.

"Mars, what's wrong? Is there something you don't agree

with?"

"No, I'm clear. Let's go."

Mars, who looked as if he had something to say,

immediately put the twin stones in his pocket as if nothing
had happened and disappeared behind the bushes, with
Tommy and Cami following in close pursuit.

Although he was a little concerned about Mars' behavior,

Nozomu's attention went immediately to the sword at his
waist. He put the sword in its scabbard and once again sent
his qi to it.

Again, there was no sense of qi flowing into the sword.

"Nozomu, what should we start with?"

"Ah, uh... Let's start with something simple and easy to set
up, like a trap."

Perhaps it would be better to be distracted by some physical

action. Nozomu swallowed down his frustration and
immersed himself in the work of creating traps with Jin and
the rest of the party.

A single spirit was heading deep into the Spasim Forest,

which is riddled with demonic beasts.
Mefi, a small spirit with a figure reminiscent of a light blue
fairy, remembered what her contractor had asked her to do,
and let out a sigh.

[I'm going to finish off Nozomu in the next special training

exercise. I need your help.]

That's what Ken asked her to do.

[That's not good~~. I remembered the strange power I had

seen, and I knew he was definitely a dangerous person.]

A gloomy look crossed her face as she recalled the unusual

power she had witnessed.

It was about six years ago, when he was still a child, that
she made a contract with Ken. She met Ken when she
visited his home village of Oire on a whim and found him in
the shade of a tree, looking at Lisa in the distance.

[It's been six years since we met. From the point of view of
someone who only has a short life, that is a long time to be
in a relationship.....]

Since then, Ken has been attracted to Lisa. He wanted her

to look at him. He looked at her with such a faint feeling.

However, Lisa already had someone in her life. Nozomu

Bountis. Ken's childhood friend and best friend. At the time,
Ken was concerned for Lisa's happiness and took a step
back from the relationship.

[Well, that's why I was curious~~. He had such lovely

feelings.]

The small spirit, which reminds one of a small child, emits a

colorful exhalation that bears no resemblance to its
appearance.

Spirits rarely appear in public. The chances of them signing

a contract are as slight as a star falling from the sky.

However, Mefi was attracted to Ken's emotions, swallowing

her own feelings and thinking about the happiness of her
loved ones.

The fact that she was originally quite young for a spirit,
having been born only a few decades earlier, may have also
encouraged her to sign a contract with Ken.

Because her thoughts were so infantile and her emotions

often swung to such extremes.

Still, Mefi was convinced that she would have made a deal
with Ken. The boy's emotions were that attractive to this
spirit.

[That's what he did in the past. He said he would do

everything he could to make Lisa happy.....]

When Mefi arrives at her destination, she quickly slips her

body under the ground. Eventually, she arrived at a huge
subterranean space.

The half-spherical hollowed-out earth is illuminated by a

pale light, despite being underground.

When Mefi arrives at her destination, she quickly slips her

body under the ground. Eventually, she arrived at a huge
subterranean space.

The half-spherical hollowed-out earth is illuminated by a

pale light, despite being underground.
It is the light of the source elements that seeps out of the
walls. At the bottom of the cavity, a huge shadow lurked.
Wrapped in a shiny black shell and coiled like a serpent, it
lay motionless, as if asleep.

[Now, I'm sorry to interrupt your sleep, but I have to borrow

your body.]

As Mefi approached the head of the giant body that existed

underground, she was dissolved and assimilated. When her
body was completely melting away, there was a purple flash
of light in the underground space.....

A purple flash of light appeared, and a shadow resembling a

crown appeared on the head of the giant. Then, four pairs of
eyes light up, and the giant shadow slowly rises.

Mars, along with Tomi and Cami, were making their way
through the forest to accomplish an assignment. The subject
was to collect Regina's flowers.

The nectar and sauces of these flowers, which bloom in the

spring season, are one of the ingredients that considerably
increase the potion's effectiveness.

Mars knows how mobile Nozomu is when he chooses the

assignment for something as easy as carrying a flower.
However, the two behind him were not so sure.

"... Hey, are you sure it's okay with him?"

"I don't know, but I don't have a choice. Jin said, This is the
only way..."
"If you're not pleased, you can go away, cause we don't
have to deal with you guys."

Mars brushes aside the uneasiness that leaked out of the

small voice. He glared at them sharply, making Tomi and
Cami look away uncomfortably. This attitude irritated Mars
even more.

"After all, it was you guys who brought up the idea. As far as
I'm concerned, your leaders can't even unify within his own
teams."

The two who had been made fun of by their leader now
glared back at him. Cami looked as if she was about to pull
out the dagger at her waist.

"Hmm~~. I was expecting you to freak out, but I guess you

have a little pride left in you...."

"Don't make fun of us. We may not be as good as you, but

we're proud to still be a part of this academy..."

"That's right! What about you? You seem to have a lot of

faith in Nozomu. I'll be damned if I'm gonna come back and
find they've all been wiped out."

Mars smiled at the two who were coming at him, determined

to beat him in a fight. It would be meaningless if they didn't.
Mars refuses to accept people who only look down or raise
their voices at this level.

"Come on, you saw the fight earlier. We're serious about
winning. You're going to show me what you can do, aren't
you?"

"Fine. Peel your eyes out and watch!"

Cami, weighing herself with force, and Tommy, nodding with
strong eyes in agreement with her, declare to Mars
powerfully, and he is satisfied with the way they are looking.

(Come to think of it, I used to think that Nozomu was a bit of

a high-spirited guy until just the other day....)

A thought popped into his brain...... The first person who

could be called a "friend".

Maybe that's why. At the same time, a question that has

been nagging at him lately is also coming to the surface.

(.....What is he hiding?)

For some time now, it has been clear that Nozomu was
hiding something, but today he was acting particularly
strange. He is a man of extraordinary concentration and
fighting skill when it comes to fighting, but his appearance
is lackluster. He even failed to cut through a mere eighth-
grade magic bullet just a few moments ago.

(Damn, what the hell is wrong with him,.....!)

Mars was irritated by his appearance. He has gained power,

he has become strong, so he should stay that way, he
thinks, and then he shakes his head.

(Forget about Nozomu. Now I have to learn to use that

thing...) Magic qi combination technique. A technique he
discovered in the course of his study of magic.

When Mars sees Nozomu overwhelm Rugato, Mars knows

that he has the potential to reach his own realm.

However, the road to that power is long, and still not even a
glimmer of light has been seen.
(Damn...)

Nozomu and himself are at a standstill. He unconsciously

clenches his fists in impatience.

"Mars, we're almost there."

At Tomi's words, Mars regained his composure and

continued onward. Ahead of him, the darkness of the forest
had broken, and the sun was shining through the trees. In a
slightly open area, there was a large fallen tree.

Near it, several white-petaled flowers were blooming. Look

closely, there was another party.

There were four of them. They must have come to pick

flowers to accomplish the task, just like Mars and his party.

".... I found it. Though there's a little something extra.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I know what I'm going to do."

Hiding in the bushes, Mars shoved his frustration about

Nozomu and his irritation about himself—all of his
frustration about himself—into his chest and concentrated
on swinging the sword, just to survive this exercise and
become stronger.

By the time Mars and his team found the Regina flower,
Nosom had finished making a simple anomaly in the
surrounding area of the base. The thing called "wings" is not
a dog-tailed thing.
Even the wings were little more than a child's play, using
tied grass to pick up feet or a bent tree to strike down an
opponent.

Yet, that's fine. The goal is not to disable the opponent. It is

enough to stop them in their tracks and disrupt their
concentration.

(Don't stop thinking. Keep your face up. Look around you
and take care of yourself. That's what you said, Shisou.)

As he looked at his beloved sword, which was no longer able

to transmit qi, Nosom remembered what Shino had told him.
If the qi-blade can no longer be used, he has no choice but
to use other means of survival.

He had learned the skills for this from Shino. However, the
more he tried to change his mind, the more the feeling of
loss crept up in his chest and prevented him from thinking
about it.

In the first place, why is he still at the academy? By now,

the answer has been given.

After all, Lisa is a worthless woman......

(Really?)

In his mind's eye, Lisa's confused look from yesterday

comes back to him. He must admit it.

Yet refuse to admit it.....

Why does he have to suffer so much in the first place? Just

don't think about it. Just let it go.

The reason he came to this academy.

It doesn't exist anymore.....

(That's not true, is it?)

Grrrrrr......

It's hard to think. It makes him want to give up his thoughts.

But if he does, he will return to the spiral of escape. Back to
those days when he escaped for no reason, and even turned
away from what he escaped from.

That is the only thing ..... Absolutely not.

"Anyway, why are you so adept at this, Nozomu-kun?"

Nozomu's thoughts are interrupted by Jin's sudden question.

"Ah, yeah, sometimes I've been in the spasim forest all by

myself."

"Eh? I thought your rank didn't allow you to take on requests

that required you to go into the forest..."

Now Hamuria asks, her tone reserved, as if she's worried

that she's been ignoring him all this time.

"Yeah, that's why I was in on my own. I've recently moved

up in rank, so I can take it in at least...."

Nozomu's words caused Jin and the other members to look

at each other with a surprised expression. They would not
have expected that Nozomu, who was at the bottom of the
class, had entered the Spasim forest all by himself.

However, Nozomu had experienced a seemingly eternal

marathon through the danger zone under the orders of an
unreasonable mentor, so entering the forest was not so
much of a big deal for him.
"I knew it. You're awesome."

Jin, who had heard the story, let out a voice of admiration.
There was no tone of rudeness in his voice, as if he were
trying to curry favor or read the air, but rather pure awe.

"Don't you think it's a lie..."

"A while ago, I might have. But after seeing you and Mars go
head-to-head in a recent skills class, I'm convinced it's true."

Jin takes a moment to say so and looks a little frustrated.

"..... There's nothing more left for us to do. Maybe that's

why. I wanted to know how strong you are."

"Strong?"

"Yeah, we came to Soluminati Academy for a lot of reasons.

Our families had high hopes for us..... It didn't go so well."

A genius, a child prodigy back home, but at Soluminati

Academy, they are at the bottom of the class. You hear
stories like that all the time at this academy.

"Sometimes I feel ashamed of my weakness. But still, I don't

want to disappoint them. I don't want to betray the
expectations of my hometown."

Although he did not know all the details of their situation, he

could guess some of it. However, Nozomu said he did not
need to ask. At least Jin and the others bowed their heads to
their own non-negotiables.

It is not easy to do that when so many of you turn a blind

eye to your own mistakes.
In this forest, the territory of the monsters is always
changing. Especially in the eastern part of the forest, we
often encounter unexpected monsters.

"Eh?"

"I myself lack endurance in battle, so I have cut down on the

futility of my every movement.

Not only the way I swing my sword but also the way I walk
and run."

"Nozomu-kun..."

"For more about swordsmanship, refer to.... I honestly don't

know how to explain it. Just a simple repetition is
meaningless. You have to be very aware of what you are
doing with each swing. Never stop thinking, at least that's
what my master taught me."

"Master? You have a master?"

"Not so long ago, I did."

Maybe that's why. Nozomu is a little too eager to talk about

himself. He wants to be of help, even if only a little. Perhaps
it is because of Jin's personality.

"Still, she left me this sword and her skills. As well as other
important things."

"Important things?"

"..... I don't think I need to tell Jin or anyone else. Because I

already did it."

What do you mean? Nozomu smiled quietly at Jin, who tilted

his head. Hamuria and the others standing around were also
looking at each other with a twinkle in their eyes.

"It's a strange atmosphere. If all goes well, Mars and the

others will be back by now, and it's time to..... Ahh!"

A cold wind runs down his spine.

It is a wind that sometimes blows in the spring forest, but

Nozomu's sensitive senses made him feel something
strange in the air.

"Nozomu-kun?"

Nozomu slowly stood up and looked at the bushes on his

right side. Then, with a rustling sound, a woman appeared.

"Ah~, it's Nozomu-kun~~. Ta-ya-hoo!"

Brown, wavy hair, and a slow voice. It was someone Nozomu

and the others knew well. Henri Valle. The tenth-grade
homeroom teacher and Nozomu's teacher. She approached
Nozomu and his friends step by step, waving her hand
innocently.

However, she was wearing the same pendant on her chest

as Nozomu and the others. This means that she is someone
who is playing the role of a powerful magical beast in this
special training exercise.

"Anri-sensei. Is that you...."

"Yes, it is. As you may have noticed, I'm one of the special
targets for this exercise."

Anri was smiling, but Nozomu couldn't stop the cold sweat
from running down his spine. He sensed the wariness
hidden behind the smile. Nozomu could hear their
breathing, which had become shallow due to nervousness.

‘Nozomu-kun...’

‘Don't move, or you'll get hit...’

Nozomu takes a step forward while whispering to Jin and the

others to be on alert.

If they were to endure the day, it was only natural that they
would avoid combat as much as possible.

"Wha!"

It was natural that if they were going to endure the day,

they would avoid combat as much as possible. However,
just as Nozomu and the others were about to start their
day's talk, his ears caught the sound of something chasing
him from the flanks.

While he reflexively rolled on the ground, the sound of the

wind was heard, followed by the sound of the padded
ground. The ground then cracked and fell with a "Pow!” The
ground shattered with a crack.

"Ah, I got kicked out. Then, this time, let's go to~~"

"Aah!"

"Gah!"

The screams of the targeted Deck and Hamuria were loud.

Jin rushed to the fallen figure, but Anri's eyes were on him
this time.

"Not good!"
Nozomu reflexively limited the direction of the attack by the
way Anri swung her arms and, at the same time,
strengthened the qi in his body.

The shadow chasing him through the thinly forested trees is

repelled by the sword he has drawn.

"Damn, Jin, what's going on with one of them!"

"Don't worry, they haven't been disqualified!"

Fortunately, Deck and Hamuria were not in the same

situation. However, they were still in the same boat, or at
least they had dropped their gains and lost the rest as a
result. While Jin was following one of them, Nozomu was
caught by Anri's offensive.

Nozomu's eyes, with their extraordinary concentration,

caught the shadows that were being cut back and chased.

"Damn, it's unbeastly and long-shaped.... Report."

A whip, which is dyed black, comes at them, bending like an

electric current. The whip moves at high speed, and the
dark forest makes it difficult to recognize the whip. Relying
on the successive attacks of vicious facts and the luster
reflected longingly in the shadows, Nozomu continues to
gyrate to the left and right.

With a sharp, heavy tone, Nozomu's retorts are always

sharp and precise, and she never pauses.

If even a handful of armies were to be hit by an offensive

attack and lose their position, they would be beaten before
they had time to regain their footing.

(Ha, ha, hah..... here!)

He timed it well and placed his sword in the whip's path.
Nozomu grabbed the whip as soon as it wrapped around the
blade with a whizzing sound.

"U~wahh! Nozomu-kun, you saw through it well~~. I don't

even think it would be easy to see my whip in a dark place
like this, let alone in a training ground~~."

"..... I could see the whip moving in the air. The only thing
left to be seen was the movement of Anri-sensei's arms and
the timing of her shadow. I honestly wondered what I would
do if the arm movements were fake."

It was like a tug-of-war, but Anri never lost her smile.

"Jin, take the two of them to the meet-up point!"

"What?"

"We'll lose if we fight Anri-sensei at this moment. You go to

the meeting place first and get Mars and the others."

Deck and Hamuria had been hit so hard that it was

impossible for them to fight properly, and it was impossible
for them to go to the meeting place without fighting against
Henri Vaile.

This means that it is necessary to make a small profit and at

the same time, call for Mars and the others.

(I've seen something similar recently....)

Remembering the Abyss Grief incident, Nozomu smiled

wryly to himself. Jin, who had been longing to go across the
river, came to the same thought as Nozomu in his mind and
rushed out to the meeting point with the two of his
companions.
"Nozomu-kun, is that okay~~. If everyone fights together,
the chance of winning goes up~.

"Our enemy is not only Sensei. As long as there are injured

people, we'll give priority to their escape. The whip might
last a while, but it will ease up a little over time. You could
have attacked the three who were leaving first."

"Hmmm~~... But Nozomu-kun, if I had tried to attack Jin-

kun and the others, I would have thought that you would
have immediately attacked me, wouldn't I? With my whip,
Nozomu-kun might come to me before I could defeat Jin-kun
and the others~~."

Yes, it is difficult to defeat an opponent with a direct hit with

Anri's weapon. A weapon that breaks the opponent's spirit
by giving the opponent a hard time. If Anri attacks Jin and
the others in this situation, Nozomu's sword will catch her
before she can defeat them.

Anri doesn't underestimate Nozomu. In fact, she considers

him to be one of the most talented students in her class. In
that sense, Nozomu's aim was successful. At least he was
able to turn her attention to himself. Nozomu and Anri both
feel a flicker of qi in their bodies.

The next moment, she swung her arm as if to flex it. The
whip that had held her in place begins to lash out at high
speed, trying to swing around Nozomu's body.

The whip is too big for a woman's slender arms. Nozomu,

under the influence of the ability suppression, was unable to
hold her down and released the whip from his grasp before
it could swing around his body.

With the whip free, Anri resumes the attack. Nozomu runs in
a circle with Anri at the center of the circle and avoids the
whip attack by using Flash step - curved to slip through the
thick trees.

He anticipates the whip attack, shifts his timing by altering

his stride, changes his direction of movement, and uses the
trees as shields to evade the attack.

In addition to this, he also uses various feints, such as

swaying only half of his body or pretending to rush into the
opponent's direction, but instead, he turns in the opposite
direction.

"Fu~~. That's awesome! Those aren't the kind of

movements one should be doing with bare legs, that's for
sure!"

Free to change, without restriction, in any direction, width,

or height. Anri was repeatedly amazed by Nozomu's ability
to overcome obstacles and footholds in a forest with no
shadows and bad footholds.

However, despite her relaxed tone, her offensive power did

not wane. Rather, she raises her own qi, and with more
fervor, more speed, and more mastery, she gathers up the
path of Nozomu's path to the pond.

(Damn, I'm losing my touch....)

Nozomu's eyes were filled with awe at the sight of the tree
bark on his brow being ripped off and the trunk being
pinched. Anri's ability is ranked A. Among the A ranks, she is
probably one of the best.

Even her whip's performance has become too much for him
to handle. Her ability to respond was also high, and her whip
blows were gradually gaining on Nozomu's legs. The flow of
the situation had to be turned around.
(I'll try, and see... )

Nozomu, who was circling around Anri, suddenly changed

course. He dared to charge head-on.

"Yes. I'm sure he'll come to me~~."

However, Anri also knew what Nozomu would do. She knew
that the only way he could find a way out was in close
combat. She was unfazed, calm, and completely aware of
her opponent's movements, and she swung her whip.

"Se~~no!"

The whip was released just as he was about to change

direction from right to left. It caught him completely and
was sucked precisely into his head. Nozomu's sword was
raised to block the whip.

At that moment, however, Anri twisted his hand and drew

back her arm. The downward trajectory of the whip changes
to a jaw-click. Up, then down. It is an attack that hits the
opponent's consciousness.

Ggh!

Still, Nozomu reacted. Reflexively, he pulled up the sheath

at his waist with his left hand and interrupted the whip's
trajectory to prevent it.

However, the impact caused his upper body to lift off the

ground. Nozomu was completely defenseless, and Anri's
follow-up attack was closing in on him.

"Sorry Nozomu-kun~~. I'll leave you with this.... Heh?"

Just as it seemed that her whip would strike the defenseless
Nozomu's body, a burst of sound echoed from his back.
Nozomu's floating upper body was forced back to a forward-
leaning position. Again, his flash step was released.

He came rushing at Anri, passing under her whip, which had

been fully extended.

The burst of sound was a torrent of qi that shot out from

Nozomu's back. When he was handling Anri's whip using a
forest tree as a shield, he compressed his qi on his back in
advance so that she could not see it. He released it just
before the whip hit him, forcing her to evade.

"Haaahhhhhh!"

Anri, who thought that she was able to get Nozomu for sure,
was obviously too late to react.

She couldn't draw back her whip in time. Nozomu caught

her completely in time and released a single strike to her
body.

"E~~~y!"

The moment Nozomu's blade seemed to catch Anri, a flutter

of white cloth flew through the air.

"What?"

Nozomu was stunned by the sight that met his eyes. The
dazzling white skin peeking out from the skirt. Slender, lean
legs. Pretty pink fabric. Then, a black mass of iron,
contrasting with the white skin, strapped to her moderately
fleshy thighs.
Nozomu was stunned by the sight that met his eyes. The
dazzling white skin peeking out from the skirt. Slender, lean
legs. Pretty pink fabric. Then, a black mass of iron,
contrasting with the white skin, strapped to her moderately
fleshy thighs.

It was a black iron rod as long as two arms. It was clearly

intended for use in battle. Anri grabbed the handle and
raised it in a single motion.

"Gu~ts!?

"Oops, that's not good~~."

The black iron rod caught Nozomu's blade firmly, and Anri
couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Despite her one-
handedness, her black rod does not move at all.

"E~~y!"

Despite her distracted voice, a strong pressure returns.

Nozomu reflexively uses the warp of the blade to parry and
fires back a succession of blows, only to be blocked again by
Anri's black rod, which is quickly brought back to its original
position.

"Kuu ...!"

Nozomu continued to slash, but his blade did not even touch
Anri, perhaps because of the difference in their physical
abilities and their superior maneuvering skills.

"Teya~~!"

Instead, Anri counterattacked with a hip kick to the side of

Nozomu's head. Her white legs peeking out from her
fluttering skirt, she came at him with a force that was
unimaginable from her appearance.

"Whoa!"

Fortunately, Nozomu was able to resist Anri's attempts to

kick him, but she did not stop moving and continued to
strike him with a series of blows with the black rod, mixing
in her body techniques.
A series of strikes and competing blows are delivered in a
rush. Anri drives Nozomu into a defensive position and
throws a powerful kick at him.

Nozomu reflexively catches the kick with the hilt of his

sword, but he is blown away.

Again, he took a passive stance against her and flew

backward. A moment later, the ground is hit by the sound of
a follow-up blow.

"There~~."

Anri's offensive doesn't stop. She swings her whip further at

Nozomu, who is still in the air and defenseless. As the whip
whips out at high speed, Nozomu maintains his balance with
perfect control of his body and prepares to drive away the
pursuing whip. The next moment, a strong wind suddenly
blew.

"Humph!"

A gust of wind blew out of his body, bounced off Nozomu's

body from the side, and sent Anri's shot flying through the
air.

"Guh, bwah! What in the world... That's..."

Nozomu was so shocked by the suddenness of the situation

that he was unable to properly catch himself and crashed to
the ground.

Gasping at the bitter taste that filled his mouth, he turned

his eyes toward the gust of wind....

Then his eyes widened.

"Thank goodness. It looks like he's okay."

"Your timing was perfect."

It was Deck and Hamuria, who were supposed to have left

with Jin, that were there.

"I thought you had escaped."

"Jin turned around and hid in the bushes to keep an eye on

things. Jin alone was enough to call for Mars and the others,
and Nozomu had bought us enough time so that the pain
would be lessened."

Deck stands in front of Nozomu as if to protect him and

grins as he holds up his spear, his weapon of choice.

"Nozomu-kun, are you okay?"

"Ah, yeah."

While facing Deck and Anri, Hamuria comes to Nozomu's

side and lends a hand.

Nozomu stood up, bewildered, and prepared his sword

again.

"Why did you go back?"

"I'm going to end up riding in on your back. That's not the

way it's supposed to be.

"Planning a strategy, choosing a base of operations, and

serving as a leader. If you keep doing what you're doing, we
won't stand a chance."

The two answered Nozomu's question without hesitation,

even though they were facing Anri, who was a higher-ranked
individual. They are at the bottom.

However, they are not helpless. They want to grow up and

become stronger, even if only a little.

More than anything else, they don't want to go to the back

of the boat. Their attitude of looking straight ahead and
trying to advance was something Nozomu could not help
but feel.

"Hmmm. Ah, Deck and his friends are back~~."

Anri holds a black rod in her hand and tilts her head prettily
against her cheek. It is a very attractive scene with her
pretty appearance and atmosphere, but they can't help but
feel nervous and uncomfortable when they are shown their
ability.

"Deck...."

"Now Jin is on his way to call for Mars and the others. In the
meantime, we'll just hold it together here, okay?"

The word "we" from Deck's mouth, seeped into Nozomu's

heart. He could not describe the buzzing in his heart. His
body trembled, and his heart started to beat faster. Strength
returns to the hand that holds his sword.

With both feet planted firmly on the ground, he faced Anri

once more. Watching him, Anri's face blooms with
happiness.

"..... Yes! All right, here I go~~."

Her body glows faintly with the qi that her body is filled up
with as the qi that he feels from Anri swells up, and the light
extends to her gains. Apparently, now that the others have
joined up, she decides to get serious....

Nozomu and Deck leaps at the same time as Anri raises her
whip and Hamuria begins chanting her magic.

"Deck! Anri-sensei can fight in close combat! Don't let your

guard down just because you've closed the gap!"

"Haaah!"

With the sound of the wind cutting through the air, they run
as fast as they can, trying to get through the ever-changing
whip.

When Nozomu resumes the battle with Deck and other

members, Mars awaits Nozomu's arrival at the meeting
point. Mars' pendant was shining with a seal of approval.

After Mars kicked out the other party for retrieving Regina's
flowers, Mars and the others came to the meeting point to
deliver the flowers for the assignment.

There, they learned that the base group had been attacked
because of the shattering of the twin stones of misfortune
that Mars had been carrying, and they headed for the
location of the meeting point as they were supposed to do.

".... That Nozomu guy is late."

A voice from Mars speaks of his concern for Nozomu and the
others. His voice leaks out. It has been a while since they
arrived at the meeting point, but no one is in sight.
Sitting on a rock, Mars quietly waited for Nozomu and his
group, while the rest of the group looked restless, swaying
their bodies and walking around aimlessly with anxious
expressions on their faces.

"It's too late. Maybe they all got hit...."

"It's possible. He's suppressed, and if a group of upper-class

people raid the base, it's possible....."

Cami agrees with Tomi's words, who couldn't push down his
anxiety. As for Mars, he does not think that Nozomu will be
easily beaten even if he is ambushed, but he does not dare
speak out about it either.

While Tomi and the others were getting more and more
anxious and falling into negative thoughts, they suddenly
heard someone running from behind the bushes.

Mars and the others, thinking it was an enemy, ready their

weapons, but Jin, who was supposed to be with Nozomu and
the others, jumps out from behind the bushes.

"Haa, haa, haa... Ah, thank God you're all here."

"Hey, what's going on? Where's Deck? What about

Hamuria?"

As Tomi caught up with Jin, who ran into Mars and the
others, sputtering roughly, Cami knew that he was the only
one who had come to this place and asked what had
happened to the others.

"Haa, haa ..... A~Anri-sensei .... As a special target .... she

attacked our base and..."
The details of how it happened, as told by Jin's voice, struck
them both with astonishment.

"... I understand. We'll join up with Nozomu and the others

for now."

"Wait a minute! Does Mars think that Sozomu and the

others have not been disqualified yet?

They're fighting against the academy teachers, there's no

way they can win!"

As Mars calmly tried to join up with Nozomu, Tomi stopped

him. Cami, who was in the distance, was also in agreement
with Tomi, or so she thought, and she looked at him.

It has been quite a while since Nozomu and his team made
contact with Anri. It is not unreasonable to assume that they
have dropped out.

"What would you do? Do you want to stay here? I'm going. I
don't think he'll get off that easy.

I don't care if you stay. I don't expect you guys to do

anything more than talk."

Mars chuckled as if to provoke Tomi and his friends, and one

of them made a face at the sensitivity of the situation. In
the midst of the grim atmosphere, Jin, who was still
breathing heavily, looked up and started to go back the way
he came.

"Jin?"

"Oy, hey....."

"What are you, a big miner?"

"Haa, haa .... I'm fine. Let's go. If we don't get together
soon, Nozomu and the others will get in trouble."

The two were puzzled, and Mars called out to Jin, who was
still not breathing properly, and he said he had no reason to
question him and lined up with Mars' team.

"What if they have already been disqualified!"

"Don't worry. Maybe Nozomu and the others haven't been

disqualified....."

Tomi, who saw his condition, commented impatiently, but

Jin, while exhaling painfully, did not doubt that Nozomu and
his group were actually surviving.

"What makes you think that ....."

"You've seen how he's managed to compete with Mars in

many classes."

"Yeah, but it's a teacher, you know? We can't do anything

about it ourselves....."

"Besides, if we're not careful, we'll get hit too and get wiped
out. If that happens..."

"In any case, we'll end up losing Nozomu and the other two,
and our ability to do our job will be ruined. Do you think we
can leave our performance in such a state?"

Cami hesitates, and Tomi is concerned about further loss of

power, but Jin brushes off their words.

"Also, he's got a great tactical sense. You know that. The
leader of this party is Nozomu-kun, and if we lose our
leader, this party will not be able to fight properly, right?
This party will be torn to pieces and destroyed individually."

"Utsu..."

To overcome that, it is necessary to have strength in

numbers and to work in close cooperation with each other.

If Nozomu and the other two were to be disqualified, nearly

half of the team members would be lost. This would make it
impossible for them to compete in this exercise.

"...If it's decided, let's go."

Mars ran off, followed by Jin. Tomi and Cami looked lost for a
moment, but then their faces tightened as if they had made
up their minds, and they started to follow them.

The serious Anri had the upper hand in the fight with
Nozomu all the way through. The fact that he was able to
single-handedly bring Anri to within a hair's breadth of the
fight was also a catalyst for her to give it her all.

Her whip was sharpened by spreading her energy not only

over her body but also over her weapon. Her power and
skill, combined with the fact that she could drive her whip
into the rocks, made for a ferocious attack, although
Nozomu and the others were not to be quietly beaten.

Nozomu and Deck took advantage of their numbers to try to

get under the whip and close in on Anri. Hamuria was also
using magic to attack from a distance.

However, even if they ignored being wounded and tried to

get close to Anri, they were caught by the black iron bar,
and long-range magic was either knocked off by the whip
with qi or avoided.

Although he was able to hold out for quite a long time after
Deck and the others joined him, he had already been
reduced to the point where he could not afford to lose any
more time.

"Ha, ha, damn, we're still losing."

"Huh. Huh. Yes, it is. I can't help but think that Anri is very
strong. I can't even imagine what she looks like on a daily
basis...."

Remembering the image of Anri, who is always smiling and

relaxing, Deck is saddened.

"Hmmm, hmmm~~~...."

Meanwhile, Anri is humming a song with a more relaxed

expression on her cheeks than usual, but her appearance is
completely seamless.

"Uh, Sensei. You're rank A, aren't you?"

"Hm~. My rank~? That's right."

"Uh... Hey... Is A rank this strong?"

"I'm pretty sure that Anri-sensei's rank is A. Moreover, she's

pretty high up on the list...."

Hamuria confirms it to Anri with some trepidation, and Deck

shrugs his shoulders at the difference in ability between him
and the A-rankers.

Even within the same rank, there is a difference in ability. It

was easy to imagine that there is a clear difference in
experience and other factors that are concealed, especially
between students who are ranked based on their grades at
the academy and teachers who have achieved an A-rank
based on their performance.

Irisdina and Tima, two of the most typical A-ranked students

known to Nozomu, would surely have a hard time against
Anri.

(Come to think of it, Mena-san was also an amazing person.

Perhaps she is also an A-rank....) Nozomu's thoughts drifted
back to the maid of the Francilt family.

(Anyway, that whip is a problem. If we don't do something

about that, we'll be pushed aside at this point....)

"What's wrong, Nozomu-kun~~? If you won't come, I'll come

to you~~."

It is better to think that unconventional combinations and

tactics will be read. Then the only way is to break the
pattern. Nozomu recalled the time he had just fought Anri in
a one-on-one fight.

Even though she wasn't serious, he was able to get close to

her at one point. The point is to exceed her expectations
and surprise her.

"Nozomu, you've got some ideas, don't you?"

"Eh?"

"You've got that look on your face, and I don't think Hamuria
and I can fight any more, I don't have any idea how to get
out of this, so we'll just have to bet on that."
As far as he's concerned, Deck is demanding that the plan
be carried out without even asking what it is. Nozomu is
momentarily overwhelmed by his unwavering words.

".... Are you sure about this? If we mess up, we'll be wiped
out for sure."

"Yeah, no problem. What we need is... finisher."

Hamuria nodded her head, clutching her staff tightly, as if to

agree with Deck, who lifted his mouth up in his strong,
determined eyes.

"We were always failures in the academy. People in other

classes made fun of us. We were always losing, always
looked down...."

These words were uttered through clenched teeth. No doubt

that would be the feeling held by everyone in the 10th class.

Nozomu was especially despised because of the rumors that

circulated and his own ability suppression, but the students
of the 10th class have experienced the same thing.

In the corridors, on the training grounds, and in the streets,

they were looked at with disdain by the higher classes, and
were even subjected to heartless words at a volume that
they could hear.

"However, Nozomu-kun proved to me that there is no such

thing as an impossible outcome."

Each time they see Nozomu fighting equally with Mars in the
practice class, they think, If only we could have been like
him....
So they took action to try again. They bowed their heads
and threw away the pride they had kept in the form of
ignorance.

"That is why I want to win. I want to prove to the other

classes and to Anri-sensei that we can beat them. We want
to prove that we can be competitive."

They look straight ahead without hesitation at Anri, who is

overwhelmingly stronger than they are. Nozomu was
amazed at the strong will in their eyes.

Unlike himself, who is still troubled by the situation, the

others are moving forward without hesitation. The images of
Irisdina and Shina overlapped with their struggle to move
forward.

"... I get it."

Pushed by their will, Nozomu opens his mouth with

determination. He wants to prove to them that they are not
defeated, and show them the way.

"Eh?" "Really?"

Both Hamuria and Deck were surprised by the unexpected

strategy. However, their agitation was short-lived, as their
faces immediately tightened and their will to fight boiled
over.

"Are you done~?"

"Yes, now we're going to defeat you."

Nozomu and the others responded to Anri's provocative

smile with a premature declaration of victory.
".... All right. Then~ let's show your teacher how much
you've grown!"

High-speed whips are swung. The whip, strengthened with

qi, slices through the air, approaching Nozomu and the
others. Nozomu steps forward, exposing himself to furious
whip strikes, raising his voice.

"Deck!"

"Yeah, let's go!"

Deck was behind Nozomu, holding his spear and gathering

qi at the tip of the spear. He then created a mass of qi the
size of a clenched fist and plunged the spear deep into the
ground.

The burst of qi sent up a large amount of dust, which hid

Nozomu and his team. Anri's whip sliced through the cloud
of dirt.

(There is no response. It's missed~~.)

As soon as her whip returned, several air missiles were fired

at Anri from the cloud of dirt.

While she immediately swung the whip to knock down the

bullets, Deck charged out of the dust.

"Uooooh!"

"I know what you did~~"

Anri immediately responded to Deck's sudden flash step.

She fired two speed-oriented strikes at his legs to slow his
rush and then struck him in the side of the head with a
powerful blow.
Deck quickly raised his spear to protect the vital spot but
was unable to block it completely.

The whip struck him in the shoulder as he spun around and

struck him hard.

At the same time, the qi contained in the whip exploded. His

body is blown away, and he falls to the ground.

(Maybe Nozomu-kun is next~? Or perhaps Hamuria-san's

magic~? However, that won't be able to reach me~)

As Henri looked toward the cloud of dust again, he heard a

sudden burst of sound, and someone came charging
through the cloud of dust. To intercept, Anri readies his whip
again.

"The light is Nozomu-kun~~. But this is just..... Eh?"

"Ei-----!

It was not Nozomu who rushed in, but Hamuria. She came
flying toward Anri with a degree of selection that was hard
to believe for a magician.

"Wha-oh!"

Anri had not expected Hamuria, who was supposed to be at

the very back of the line, to rush in. She tried to intercept
her with a swing her whip, but her whip somehow bounced
in mid-air.

When did that happen?

Hamuria rushes forward, holding on to her waist and

slamming her.
Anri swung his iron rod and tried to remove Hamuria, who
was now clinging to her. Looking closer, a thin layer of light
wraps around Hamuria's body, protecting her.

A magical barrier. It is an all-purpose shield that protects

against both physical and magical attacks.

Hamuria then performed the magic she had been chanting

before. Soil-colored chains wrapped around their bodies and
bound them together.

The chains also entwine around Anri's whip and bind her
body to a tree so that she cannot control it with her will.

"Now, I think we've won."

Nozomu, who had been in close range while Anri was

confused, drew his blade from its scabbard and released it.
The slash cut Anri's pendant in half. The proof of life in this
exercise is cut in two and falls silently to the ground.

"Ah~ ahh~. I've been beaten~! I'm so sorry~, though... I'm

glad to see everyone's growth~."

After facing her defeat, Anri's eyes widen as she sees a

piece of her pendant on the ground, followed by a satisfied
smile at the growth of her students.

One of the key points of this strategy was to exploit the fact
that Anri's whip would have difficulty disabling opponents
with a single hit, and to take advantage of the fact that a
pure magician would not charge at her.

For this reason, Hamuria, who had protected herself with a

magical barrier, was blown away by Nozomu's qi jutsu-
Shock cannon, aimed at Anri.
It was quite a high risk to take, but Nozomu and his team
were relieved at the success of the strategy.

"Hey Nozomu, are you okay?"

"Lies... They won....."

".... No way."

At that moment, Mars and his team arrived from behind the
bushes. While Tomi and Cami were astonished at their
friends' victory over Anri on the ground, Jin ran up to Deck,
who was lying on the ground.

"Deck, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I can barely move, but I've been disqualified...."

His pendant glowed red, indicating that he had been

disqualified. Nozomu's face distorted as he realized this.
Although he had come to help him, he was upset that he
had disqualified him.

"Don't worry about it, Nozomu. I'm grateful. We were able to

defeat Anri-sensei...."

Deck, however, did not look depressed at all, and his face
was bright cheerful.

For Deck, it was enough that they had been able to win
against a much stronger opponent than the students, even
though he wanted to win. Nozomu's hardened expression
loosens as he sees Deck's satisfied smile.

"...Ah haha"

"Congratulations, everyone~. You all did a wonderful job!

I'm giving you this for defeat me as the special target~."
Anri happily hands the pendant to Nozomu and his team
from her pocket.

".... I wonder where we stand now? us."

"It's not exactly the top, but it's not too far off."

Considering the points for the special target and the points
Mars has earned, it should be enough to put them in a
position to compete for the top spots.

"Anyway, let's make our next move. We had a rough fight

with Anri-sensei, so we have to keep moving...."

Jin and the others nodded at Nozomu's words. The exercise

is not over yet. The level of the fighting parties is likely to go
up dramatically from here on out, as it has been some time
since the exercise began and it is expected that the teams
are being reduced further.

This is where I have to retire, so I'm going back to the HQ.

Thanks, Nozomu.

Deck offers his hand. Nozomu is a little confused, but he

takes it firmly in his hand. A newfound trust. A warm feeling
spreads deep in his chest.

"By the way, Nozomu-kun~~. You know,... Um~~"

"Hmm? What is it, Anri-sensei?"

As Nozomu and his party were about to part ways, Anri

suddenly stopped him. Her face seemed to be somewhat
flushed. For some reason, he was holding down the skirt
while wriggling her body.

"You know~, about earlier... Did you see it?"

"I saw what.... Ah."

Nozomu's mind is filled with a vivid image. Her skin is

dazzling white behind her skirt, which flutters in the air. Her
legs are slender and lean.

Then there was the pretty pink fabric. Nozomu's face turns
red at the sight that flashes through his mind.

"You saw it~! Sensei's, your sensei's!"

That's all Anri needed to know, and she turned even redder
than Nozomu and started to get upset. She was so
embarrassed that she was waving her hands around like a
child, and steam was rising from her head.

"Oh, oh, no, My God~! I haven't even shown it to anyone

yet~! I've decided that I'll only show it to the man who's
going to be my husband~!"

"... Nozomu, what the hell were you doing to buy time?"

"Don't get me wrong, I was fighting hard to buy time!"

Suddenly, Anri's outrageous statement is taken seriously,

and Mars glares at Nozomu. Though it was an unintentional
accident during the fight for Nozomu himself, he couldn't
help but raise his voice as the stares from the people
around him sharpened at an absurd degree so fast.

"Whoa, What am I going to do~~! I'll have to ask Nozomu-

kun to take responsibility!"

"Wait a minute, sensei! I'm not getting any ideas all you're
talking about!"

"Nozomu-kun...."
"Man, I'm jealous of you ..... No, what a rude guy.... Did you
know what color it was?"

"Well, I've seen it mostly only in my dreams...."

However, this only deepened the misunderstanding among

those around him. At last, Anri even said a single
uncomfortable word, "responsibility," and even Jin and the
other team members gave Nozomu some cold stares. Some
of the members were a bit jealous of him, even though they
were not allowed to say so.

"The worst...."

"I really thought he was a great man...."

Meanwhile, the girls, Cami and Hamuria, were staring at

Nozomu with icy eyes. Nozomu's reputation, which had just
been rising among these girls, was now falling at a
frightening rate.

"You've got it all wrong----------!"

Nozomu's screams echoed through the forest. He

desperately tried to explain to his companions that it was an
accident, but ended up spending a considerable amount of
time trying to clear up the misunderstanding.

As the sun rose in the sky at midday, Jihad was looking over
the performance area from the west gate of the city.

The training area was covered with forest, so he could not

see the situation directly, yet he did not feel any
disturbance.
Looking down, he could see teachers busily working at the
administration headquarters.

At a simple clinic next to the headquarters, a team of health

doctors, including Norn-Altina, is treating injured students,
but there are no reports of any deaths or serious injuries
that require immediate attention.

"Everything is okay so far...."

He looked around for a moment and then fibbed. Finally,

Jihad realized that he was being unreasonably arrogant, and
his mouth relaxed. Abyss Grief.

The appearance of an unidentified demon beast, which was

said to be involved in the great invasion, was on his mind.

(Although it is already gone, we still have to be on our

guard. ....)

"Jihad-sensei. Half of today's exercise session is over, so I'm

here to give you a follow-up report."

Indah, who was holding a letter of good news in her hand,

called out to him as if interrupting his thoughts. Taking a
deep breath, he turned to face her.

"I understand that... So, how are the exercises going?"

"Currently, only one-fifth of the parties are continuing the

exercise. Also, there are a few parties that have been
eliminated due to special targets."

Inda turns her slitted eyes to the report in her hand and
reads it in a crisp, clear tone. Jihad takes the report in her
hand and looks it over.
"I get it... I figured that even though they were first-class,
their experience was not up to par, and they could have
been defeated.... It seems that they are growing properly."

Words of pure praise. Even with the same A rank, there is a

definite difference in experience between teacher and
student.

No matter how capable they were, the difference in

experience could not have been easily overturned.

There were reports of parties of only lower ranks defeating

special targets.

That alone is enough to confirm the growth of the students.

Among the lower-ranked parties that had defeated special
targets, one in particular caught Jihad's eye.
"Nozomu Bountis and Mars Dickens..."

The name sounds familiar. Mars Dickens is a talented

student with a history of bad behavior.

Another student, Nozomu Bountis, encountered the Abyss

Grief along with Shina Yuriel and Kevin Ardinal.

He is the first person to be able to release the ability

suppression, and it is reported that his ability, when
released, is enough to overwhelm Abyss Grief's strength in
battle.

"Inda-sensei. Did he release his ability suppression?"

"No, it seems that he fought against Anri-sensei without

releasing it. To be honest, I can't believe he did it....."

"I have known Anri-sensei's personality since she was a

student at this academy. She is a person of character who
puts her students first, however, she would never cut any
corners...."

Although he seems to be a student who is not well-liked in

the academy, reports are coming in that he is not such a
person with a twisted personality.

(I was expecting him to be a very good student. However,

from these results, it seems that he is capable not only of
individual combat, but also in tee fights....) Jihad smiled
meaningfully at the student, who looked promising for the
first time in a long time, and moved his eyes to his assistant
again. On closer look, her eyes were shaking, and a hint of
upset over the matter was clear.
"Inda-sensei, Nozomu Bountis and his team defeated a
special target. You still can't believe it."

"Huh, yes.... Ah, no..."

Perhaps she was embarrassed at her own lack of knowledge

of Nozomu Bountis's abilities. She is a competent and
disciplined teacher, otherwise, she would not have been a
first-class homeroom teacher in her late twenties. At the
same time, however, she was also too strict to herself.

"Don't worry about it. Just now, I was laughing at my own

incompetence."

"Huh?"

"Okay, let's get going."

Inda is taken aback by Jihad's words when he calls himself

incompetent. He lets out a giggle in response to the unusual
expression on her face, which normally frowns between her
eyebrows, and heads back to headquarters.

(Nozomu Bountis....)

The student who was said to be the worst failure since the
academy was established is getting back on his feet and
becoming capable.

This will have an impact on many people, both students and

teachers, in the future. He hopes that it will have a good
ending. At that moment, a strong gust of wind blew.

".....Hmm."

Gusty winds blew through the warm spring sunshine. There

was something mixed in with the wind, but the feeling of
discomfort soon dissolved into the excitement of the
performance location and was lost in the air.

".....Hopefully there is nothing wrong."

The air was like paint on clear water, rippling and spreading.
A hint of uneasiness was rising in Jihad's chest.

"Sei!"

"Tsk!"

With her jet-black hair fluttering in the air, Irisdina fired a

single flash of her sword, which sent a male student's
weapon flying, and a magic bullet fired at close range struck
him in the abdomen.

She exhaled and sheathed her sword when she saw that the
fallen student's pendant had turned red. Six students are
lying on the ground around her.

All of their pendants glowed red, signaling that they had

been disqualified.

"...I guess it's over."

"Yeah, it was quite a mess, to be honest, but .... Are you

guys okay?"

"Ha, yeah... Somehow we managed to..."

Tima, who was standing behind her, called out to her, and
Irisdina called out to each of the students she had defeated.

The girls performed a simple healing spell on the ones who

were in a state of euphoria, which was very typical of those
students.

After the treatment, they handed their pendants to Irisdina

and headed back to the headquarters.

After seeing them off, Irisdina let out a loud gasp and looked
up at the overgrown trees.

Her expression was slightly tinged with sorrow. The sight of

her, with her positive and artful appearance, was also
compelling, but Tima, who was watching her best friend with
a sideways glance, sensed Irisdina's description mixed in
with her gesture.

"Ai, are you still concerned about Nozomu-kun?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I can tell even if you hide it. Every time you see Nozomu-
kun and Shina-san in a friendly atmosphere, you get sullen
and grumpy."

From her best friend's point of view, Irisdina has a grumpy

expression on her face.

"That's enough about me. What about you, Tima?"

".... Umm. Yeah, I'm not sure what I'm thinking. I kind of lost
track of what Mr. Mars was thinking, too."

Tima and Mars have been training together in magical

practices, but lately he's been getting more and more
reckless, and their paths have been crossing. She let out a
small sigh of pain in her chest.

"I wonder why he wants to be stronger so badly.... Nothing

good ever comes from being strong...."
"Tima...."

"Sorry, I remembered something bad...."

Tima's family could not stay in any one place because of her
strong magical power, and she had to move from place to
place before coming to Arcazam.

Because of the trouble she has caused her family and her
own suffering, Tima has no sense of pride or superiority in
her power. Rather, she has a feeling of disgust. She is in
Arcazam because she doesn't want to hurt people any more
with her own magical powers.

Irisdina also understands her best friend's situation. That's

why she is so compassionate toward Mars, who is constantly
seeking power, and toward herself, who can't stop herself
from doing so.

".....We both look kind of pathetic."

A gulf is created between friends. The divide is gradually

widening as feelings of mutual learning and transgression
mix together.

In Irisdina's mind, images of him talking to Shina Yuriel and

her contracted spirit in a friendly manner and the way he
seemed to be enjoying his date with her sister came back to
her.

The look on his face when he was happily dating her sister.
It stirred her heart inexplicably.

(I wonder why I get such grief from it....)

An aftershock casts a shadow across Irisdina's mind. She is

a bright girl to begin with. She had no idea why Shina Yuriel,
who had lost her ability to contract with spirits recently, had
regained her capability.

Considering that she had recently regained her power, it

was easy to imagine that Nozomu had helped her in some
way during the period when she had lost her ability to
contract with spirits.

No doubt, he had lent his help to the girl out of the purest of
intentions.

That is, he was even willing to put his life on the line.

(As I recall, he was someone who could be serious for the

sake of someone else. .... ) Nozomu Bountis' charm that she
knows because he actually helped her. He can be serious for
the sake of someone else.

It was that kind of personality that dazzled Irisdina. She

wanted to know more about him and watch him more
closely.

Without her realizing it, these feelings began to occupy her

mind.

Maybe that's why. Because she was aware of her deepest

feelings, her heart was so shaken that she was hard on him.

It is definitely a feeling of "anger" from "jealousy". Actually,

she wanted to talk about something different. She really
wanted to spend more time with Nozomu.

The truth is, she wanted to know him so much in her heart,
but she couldn't take the initiative.

"Uh......"
There is a tightening pain in her chest.

Unspeakable anxiety wells up and covers her mind. The

thoughts keep spinning around like a loop. Although she
attempts to shake her head to reset it, her glossy black hair
dances around her head, but her mind does not calm down
at all.

On the contrary, the thoughts spinning around in her head

are growing stronger every minute.

Warmth and coldness, comfort and uneasiness—so many

opposites came to mind, and it kept disturbing her.

It's not unreasonable. This is the first time in her life that
she has ever felt these emotions.

"... Ai, when this exercise is over, I'm going to talk to Mars-
kun."

"Eh?"

"What makes him want to be so strong.... I don't know if

he'll answer.... Because if I don't, I don't think I'll be able to
do anything useful."

"Yeah, exactly.... Yes, you are on point...."

That's the conclusion that Tima came to when she wanted

to do something about the situation.

At the same time, her best friend's words bring light to

Irisdina, who was lost in a maze of thoughts.

The two sides glared at each other at close range.

Unexpectedly, when Lisa realized that her surprise attack
had failed, she immediately leapt backward to get out of the
way. Immediately afterwards, several ice spears flew from
the bushes from which Lisa had jumped.

"As I thought, there were others in our ranks...."

"Ai, get away!"

Irisdina nods and replies without looking back at her best

friend's voice coming from behind her. Immediately after, a
torrent of magical power erupts behind Irisdina. The
enormous amount of Tima's magic power is instantly
converted into flames, followed by a whirlwind that gathers
heat and forms a huge ball of flame, becoming an industrial
fire.

Blame's Disaster

This is magic that converts one's own magical power into

flames, manipulates the wind to accelerate the combustion,
and then strikes with it in an accelerated manner. It is an
advanced magic that manipulates multiple attributes, and
combined with Tima's enormous magical power, it displays
extraordinary power. The fireball passes by Irisdina and flies
in a straight line toward the bushes, vaporizing the ice spear
that was approaching her in an instant.

"Whoa!"

"Oh!"

The moment Ken and Camilla, who had been hiding, rush
out of the bushes, a blast from the Blame's Disaster strikes.
The blasting flames burned the trees within a radius of 20
meters in an instant.

"As expected of Irisdina and Tima. They are not going to

make it easy for us to beat them."
"......."

Irisdina looked sharply at Lisa, who seemed to be smiling

comfortably. In her mind's eye, she remembered Nozomu
and the girls from the same class.

"Just in time, I have a .... thing to ask you... I've been

wanting to ask you guys some questions..."

With piercing eyes, Irisdina accelerated in an instant. Her

eyes close in on Lisa. Lisa reflexively lowers her saber in
response to the thrust. A metallic sound shakes the
eardrum. Perhaps startled

by Irisdina's full force from the first move, Lisa, who is

supposed to be superior in physical ability, wanders
backward slightly.

As if to fill the empty space, Irisdina is giving more strength.

"Wow... It is surprising that you, who are always so

composed, would attack me with such force!"

The sight of Lisa facing her from the opposite side of the
field caused a surge of heat to burn the south side of
Irisdina's body.

As if to cover up the heat, she thrust out her slender sword

while using all her strength to throw magic bullets at her.

"Your movements are more monotonous than usual.

Besides, I can see the trajectory of your bullets!"

However, Lisa repelled all the pursuing thrusts and magic

legs and launched a counterattack.
The twin blades that were fired at each other clashed with
the thin sword, and the red and black magic power
dissipated with an unearthly metallic sound.

"I'm going in, too. What kind of words did you have with
him...!"

Lisa's eyebrows shot up at the effort directed at her leaking

words.

"He.... I've been wondering for a while why you're so curious

about Nozomu."

"You met with him, didn't you? Sowing must have been
done. What did you say to him...."

"Huh...!?"

Lisa's eyes widened at the sound of the angry, deathly

voice, as if she had been pressured into it. Immediately
afterwards, a rough and uncomfortable feeling came up
from deep inside her chest.

In her mind's eye, she sees a dimly lit forest and the face of
Nozomu, who is angry and shedding tears.

(What is this scene....)

A sight unknown to her, his fury she had never seen before.
Then there was a shrill cry in her ears. Shallow breathing.
The discomfort that had been rising in my chest turned into
disgust, and my heart was stirred with anxiety and a feeling
of foreboding that made her feet crumble.

As if to shake it off, Lisa raised her voice.

"Tsk, I don't know... Why should I care about him after all
this time! He betrayed me, and now he's talking all kinds of
nonsense to suit himself!"

"What the hell have you seen in him!"

But those words touched a nerve with Irisdina. The dark-

haired girl, who had been suppressing her anger, pushed
Lisa away with her fury, as if to strike her.

"You've known each other since childhood! He was your

lover!"

"You had nothing to do with... I don't care!"

"It has to do with!!!! He is my...."

Trying to shake off the sense of discomfort that was rising in

her, Lisa also swung her twin blades with a raised voice. The
thin swords and sabers clashed repeatedly, creating
dissonance in the Spasim forest.

However, a blade of ice broke through the gap between Lisa

and Irisdina. The writhing serpentine sword flailed about as
if to separate them, and Irisdina quickly leapt backwards to
keep her distance.

"Lisa, get away."

"Ken, but...."

"It's okay, I'll deal with her."

Ignoring Lisa's words, Ken charges toward Irisdina.

"You're so selfish, you know nothing. You don't know what

you're talking about."
"Damn it!"

Irisdina repels the blade of ice with her slender sword, and
fires a counterattack with a magic bullet.

"As one might expect, she was first overall in our year. But
that is just the extent of it. I, the chosen one, can barely
compare to her!"

However, her magic bullet dissipates in mid-air.

(What? It's as if my magic power dissipated on its own....)

There's no time to think!

"Ugh!"

Ken's serpentine sword comes at Irisdina, who is shaken up,

again!

"Ai!"

Just before Ken's blade reaches Irisdina, Tima's magic is

activated. A huge mass of flames explodes between the two
of them in the air, covering the area with a shockwave and
flames.

At the same time that Irisdina and Tima were confronting

Lisa and the others, Nozomu and his team, who had
narrowly won the battle with Anri, were moving to the north
side of the training area to reposition themselves.

".... Nozomu-kun, what are we going to do now?"

"Well, I don't think we need to make a big move if we want

to survive, since the total parties are probably getting fewer.
But if we want to be in the top position, it's certainly difficult
to do so."

"That's right. Because of the increase in the number of

points owned by each party, the standings can move
significantly in a single battle. So now we have to fight
against those in the higher ranks...."

The other members of the party are also troubled by Jin's

explanation, and take a breath with a nervous look on their
faces.

"Well, I guess it's not a no-win situation..."

"Really?"

"I'm quite sure there will be vacancies in other parties,

especially now that Mars team is joining up with us."

Hamuria, with a mysterious expression on her face, was

relieved to hear Nozomu's words.

Perhaps they had formed a bond of trust based on their past

battles.

Jin, who was standing by her side, also relaxed his

expression. However, Tomi and Cami's expressions were still
hard and there was a hint of uneasiness in them.

"...Hey, guys. Now that we're here, why don't we give it a

shot?"

It was Jin who raised his voice to dispel the atmosphere.

"To be honest, I'm worried too, but at least we've come this
far. So, if Nozomu and we work together, we'll be able to
fight, right?"
"I guess so. We're still short on numbers if it's just me and
Mars...."

Jin's words are right on the mark. Nozomu's limited energy

makes it difficult for him to fight in a continuous battle. It
was only with the help of Jin, Deck, and Hamuria that he was
able to defeat Anri. In order to win, it is essential to have the
help of both Nozomu's party and Jin's party.

"You know what? Besides, we've come this far, so why not
go as far as we can? Even if we fail, I'm sure the teachers
will understand that fact alone."

At Jin's words, both Tomi and Cami let out a deep breath and
looked up.

".... Right. This is the time. Let's do it!"

"I agree. This would be a good time to repay them for all the
times they made fun of us!"

Both of their faces had regained some vitality. If they were

only concerned about their grades, they could just hide and
get on with their lives. However, in order to clear their
minds, they choose to continue to challenge.

(Now I wonder how far we can go.)

Nozomu gently puts his hand on the hilt of his beloved

sword, regardless of the flaming Jin and the others. He tried
to send out a gentle reminder so that no one would notice,
but the sword remained submerged in the cold.

"......"

Nozomu noticed that Mars had a strangely difficult

expression on his face. He put his hand on his head and
looked at his greatsword, thinking about something, and
then he glanced at Nozomu and his companions, who were
all in high spirits. He glanced at Nozomu, holding his sword
in his hand.

"Mars, what's wrong?"

".... No, don't worry about it. It's nothing."

There's nothing to worry about. Nozomu asks him about it,

but he says it's nothing and looks away.

"What's the matter? What's wrong with you today?"

"Even you..... Nothing, really. Leave me alone."

The air between them is stale. Mars clearly has something

on his mind, while Nozomu himself is hiding too many
secrets.

About the dragon slayer, about how badly he is weakened

now, about Lisa and the others.....

The guilt and anxiety of not being able to speak, and above
all, the fear of being consumed by anger, make Nozomu
take a back step.

Although aware that he was escaping, he closed up tight

and continued to refuse to speak out.

Neither could Mars speak his own mind. This is because, for
him, exposing himself is an act of desperation. Moreover,
Mars is a person who has always denied his own weakness.

That is why he could only keep his mouth shut so as not to

let out the pain that made him want to vomit.

"Hey, Nozomu, about what's next..."

"Right. For now... huh!"

Just as Nozomu is about to speak to get away from Mars'

gaze from his side, his senses detect the presence of
several people approaching.

In an instant, Nozomu's expression changed to a serious

one, and he turned in the direction of the presence, then
lowered his back and drew his sword.

"Hey, what in the world is going on.... I see....."

Mars, who had been looking at him curiously, soon realized

that the enemy was approaching and stood next to him,
holding his greatsword.

"Everyone, stay alert!"

As Nozomu and Mars entered battle stance, Jin and the

other students took up their weapons and formed up. Soon,
a bush in front of Nozomu rustled, and four students
emerged from it.

"I finally found you. I'm glad you survived...."

Showing up with confident words is Kevin Ardinal, a young

man of the Silver Wolf tribe.

Behind him were his party members, including Calanti.

However, their numbers had obviously decreased, as if they

too had fought a very hard battle.

"Well, Nozomu, let's get started. Calanti, hold the others

back."

"Yes, leader."
Kevin bent down and prepared his fist. Just like that, a sense
of intimidation, as if the wind was beating down on them, hit
Nozomu and the others.

"Kuh...."

"Ts..."

Both Tomi and Cami let out an unintentional groan under

Kevin's pressure. Jin and the others may have been able to
withstand the fight with Anri, but they still couldn't hide the
sound of their gasps.

Meanwhile, Nozomu and Mars were taking Kevin's fighting

spirit in stride. Nozomu, keeping the tip of his blade in the
center of his field of vision, focused his attention on Kevin
and Calanti behind him, while Mars, next to him, held up his
great sword, the wind wrapping in the blade of his sword.

"Well, aside from Nozomu, that lone wolf doesn't change his
expression either. Looks like you can do more than I
thought...."

"Of course. This time I'm going to make you howl."

"That'll be fun..... but unfortunately, the one I want to fight

is Nozomu..... Nah!"

In the next moment, there was the sound of thunder, and

Kevin accelerated and closed the gap.

Lightning transformation. Kevin's ability to transform his qi

into lightning.

With lightning speed, he closes the gap between the two

and fires a fist at Mars.
"Fuu!"

"Whoo!"

As soon as he responded to Kevin's attack, he held his great

sword like a shield to catch him, yet Mars was forced
backward. The physical strength of the beastman, who
originally had a physical capacity greater than the human
race, was enhanced with both qi and abilities, and his
physical strength exceeded the strength of Mars.

"Let's go, Nozomu!"

Kevin, who had eliminated Mars, stepped toward Nozomu

and delivered a spinning kick.

Nozomu reflexively bends down, his leg armor reinforced

with qi roaring as it passes over his head.

"Fuuuh!"

Nozomu, using the momentum from his downward turn,

slashes at Kevin's flank with a smooth, flowing slash.

"Too slow!"

However, the blade was easily repelled by Kevin's hand

armor. Nozomu continued to deliver series slash, but Kevin,
covered in thick qi, was not even slightly harmed.

"Where's your qi-blade! I don't care if you use it!"

"Dammit, if it is easy to use it now, I wouldn't have a hard

time..."

Kevin repelled Nozomu's slash with his hand and fired a

high-speed fist blow as a counterattack. Kevin's fist,
strengthened with qi, has the power to easily cause even a
steel plate to cave in.

There was no way he was going to take it lightly. Nozomu

retreats and continues to avoid Kevin's attacks with minimal
movement, trying to figure out his patterns.

A right fist to the face, a hook to the forehead, and a double

spinning kick. Then a series of strikes while stepping
forward. His moves were powerful and full of dynamism, just
like a beastman.

Nozomu carefully avoids each blow, and his breathing

synchronizes with his opponent's.

His concentration is rising.

The world becomes more stagnant. He thrusts with his left

hand to grasp his opponent's gravity center.

Then, just as their strength meets, Nozomu pulls his weight

downward with his left hand in a flowing motion.

"Tsk!?"

As soon as the weight of his body hit Kevin's shoulders, it

was as if a giant iron mass was placed on his shoulders, and
his body fell forward.

Aikido.

One of the eastern physical arts.

It is a technique to keep in sync with the opponent's

movement and overcome the opponent's physical control.
Nozomu then pulled back his legs to a crouching position
and, striking his hands toward Kevin, released qi from his
clenched fists forward.

Mikagura-ryu Shock Cannon

An intense shockwave of qi was released and blew Kevin's

body away.

"Wow, he's awesome, dude!"

Although Kevin was blown away, he flipped around in mid-

air like a cat and landed on the trunk of a tree. Smiling with
glee, he charges at Nozomu again.

"That chili wolf bastard...."

"Don't let him get in the way of our leader."

On the other side, Mars, who was blown away, was

intercepted by Calanti and her team. As if to tell him not to
get too close, he swung his great sword, which was covered
with qi.

Qi-jutsu Dust Wind Blade.

However, Calanti and her team were so agile that they were
able to catch up with Mars in an instant.

"Mars-kun!"

Then, Jin and his group come to their aid. Jin and Tomi broke
in to tear off all the members except Calanti, and Cami and
Hamuria fired their magic when the distance was slightly
opened.

They fired magic bullets and earthpikes. However, their

magic is destroyed by Calanti's dagger.
"No, it's crushed with a single stroke..."

"That's why I hate people in the upper class!"

"Just keep firing on them. If Mars-kun gets beat up here,

they will come and swamp us at once!"

While Hamuria was shocked and Cami was upset, Jin tried
desperately to push back, swinging his weapon.

"Get out of my way..... Don't you dare!"

"You...!"

Mars, who was one-on-one with Calanti for a moment, raised

his qi and pushed Calanti back forcefully, releasing the wind
blade that wrapped around his greatsword.

Qi-jutsu Sacred Wind Vortex

"Ts, get back!"

Calanti's command rang out. The other members of the

group moved away at her words, before the whirlwind
vortex came toward them.

"Calanti, Mars isn't the only one. The rest of them seem to
be more stubborn than I thought."

"As long as they're working with Nozomu, it's easy to

imagine. They'll go all out."

However, despite Mars' qi-jutsu, the girls showed no sign of

fear. Then they clashed again.

A fierce battle of attrition ensues as the battle quickly

reheats itself, dissipating both qi and magic power.
"Look out!"

"Gah!"

Kevin moves toward Nozomu and unleashes a series of

blows that combine qi and purple lightning.

His fist blows could not easily dislodge Nozomu, nor could
the lightning that clung to his skin slowly paralyze his body.

If he could have used his offensive qijutsu - phantom, he

would have been able to still compete with Kevin's lightning
fist by repelling it and slashing it apart.

Nonetheless, he was still able to fight, thanks to the hellish

training he had received from his master.

Meanwhile, Mars and the others also began to be gradually

cornered by Calanti group.

"Cih, shinai!"

"Simple qi alone is on par with A rank. Don't get too close.

Keep him on his feet and make him tired!"

Calanti and the other three are surrounding their opponents,

with two of them repeatedly taking a single blow against
Mars, who is the most vigilant of the three, while the
remaining one is facing Jin and the other three.

However, that is just the basics. Making full use of the

physical capabilities of the beastmen, they swap places and
change targets one after another, thereby reducing the
physical and mental strength of Mars and his group, which
should have outnumbered them.

"Jin, your left!"

"Whoa!"

"I missed."

Whenever an opening is spotted, they immediately change

their formation and launch a forceful attack. Their
movements were exquisite, without hesitation or stagnation.

On the other hand, Mars, Jin, and the others were not able
to coordinate well with each other.

In the first place, even though Mars is a highly skilled

individual, he has been semi-isolated in class, and he has
not been able to communicate with the other members in
the same way that Nozomu has.

Until now, some aspects have been managed by individual

ability, unfortunately, Calanti and her team are one of the
most well-coordinated parties in the academy year.

They are not so naive as to think that they can manage

according to their own individual abilities.

"The other side is going to be over soon. There is nothing

easier to break down than an uncoordinated herd."

Nozomu bites his teeth as Mars and his friends are driven
into a corner.

What should I do?

The situation is divided, and he is unable to perform his own

ki-blade. In such a situation, what can he do....

"Hey, come on! You can't afford to look the other way!"

Kevin, sensing that Nozomu's attention was slightly

diverted, launched an attack. Nozomu was pushed back by
a series of high-speed strikes with even greater speed than
before, and then he was hit with a kick that made him lose
his stance.

"Ughh!"

Nozomu leaps backward with all his might. A purple

lightning leg kick passed by, passing close to his nose. Still,
Kevin was able to get him through.

Boom! A shock hits Nozomu's back. He glanced behind him

and saw a large tree blocking his path.

"Got ya!"

Clap! Kevin dived into Nozomu's bosom in an instant with

the sound of lightning and unleashed a powerful attack.

Qi-jutsu Impulse Claw Fang

Kevin's qi-jutsu combines the power of his blows with the

powerful qi from his claws. His right arm, which resembles
that wolf's fangs, comes close to Nozomu's face.

Nozomu's pupils narrowed in response to the oncoming

blow, revealing him as a skilled warrior. His concentration
becomes so intense that his vision turns gray, while at the
same time everything around him slows down.

It is what can now be called an ingrained instinct.

Nozomu's sword is slowly lifted up in front of the oncoming

fangs of the silver wolf, pulling away its grip from his body.
As the weight of his falling body slams down on his heels,
Nozomu slides sideways as if he were slipping.
At the same time, Nozomu's sword changes its trajectory,
striking the side of the approaching clawed fang. It comes
close to Kevin's face.

Mikagura-ryu Lean slash

A single movement to both receive and attack in one move.

This is a pure sword technique that does not rely on qi-jutsu,
like Mikagura-ryu oscillation.

"Nah, guh!"

As a reflex, Kevin interrupted with his opposite hand armor,

preventing Nozomu from using his sword. With a high-
pitched metallic sound, Kevin's impulse claw fangs slammed
into the tree behind Nozomu.

A powerful burst of sound follows. The released qi and

lightning strike roared out, causing the trunk of the tree to
be gouged out from the inside.

"Damn...."

Kevin turns his thrusting fist into a paw and cleaves a large
tree as he follows Nozomu, who runs to his side.

Qi-jutsu Palm Claw Technique.

A qi-jutsu to slice through an opponent with a weapon

containing qi.

However, before he could reach his hands, which broke the

large tree in half, something burst out at Nozomu's feet.

"Shit!"

"Nah!?"
Nozomu activated his flash step. He leaps to the branch of
the big tree that Kevin was just pulling on.

"Damn, just what in the world is he doing .... Whoa!"

The next moment, the large tree whose trunk had been
gouged out began to collapse with a crackling sound.

"Wai...."

"Oi, oi oi!

Surprised by the sudden situation, not only Mars but also

Calanti and her members of the group rushed to escape
from the fallen tree.

“Ts!”

Furthermore, Nozomu leaps toward Calanti and her team,

who are in the process of withdrawing from the falling tree,
and with his sword in his hand, he appears to attack them.

Seeing him ready to draw his sword, Calanti and her team
tense up and brace themselves. They know the sharpness of
Nozomu's blade.

When Nozomu made sure that the others' attention was

focused on him, he shouted.

"Mars, now!"

"Ts, Ooooh!"

"Huh... Gah!"

Mars strikes down one of Kevin's party members with his

great sword while their attention is focused on Nozomu.
Nozomu's goal was to keep Calanti's attention fixed on him,
creating an opportunity for Mars and the others to
counterattack.

The opponent's pendant glowed red as he was knocked off

and rolled on the ground, signaling his disqualification. Now,
except for Kevin and Calanti, there is only one crony left.

That meant their party's combat maneuvers would be

severely limited. At least, it would be difficult for the two of
them to hold off Mars and Jin, and the others.

"Man, they got us...."

"Yeah, now it's over for you, too."

"Well, it seems..."

Along with Calanti, Kevin held up his weapon. The battle

spirit did not fall but rather became more intense, and the qi
that was emitted turned into lightning and began to sparkle.

Nozomu and the others ready their weapons in response to

the growing sense of intimidation.

As the tension reaches a critical point and they are about to

release their grip, an object of heat falls from the sky and
landed between Nozomu and Kevin.

"Ts!"

Boom! It roared, spreading flames and heat.

"What?"

Nozomu and the others reflectively move to the rear. Kevin

and his team are also keeping their distance, their eyebrows
furrowed at the sudden intervention in the case.
The suddenness of the event caused Jin and the others to
let out griping noises. Nozomu and Kevin, both of whom had
been standing at close range, were also distracted by the
sudden burst of flames.

The two were distracted by the flame that exploded

momentarily and stopped their movements.

At the same time, a rain of arrows rained down on Nozomu

and Kevin from the sky.

"Damn it!

"What the hell!"

As soon as Nozomu and Kevin leap back from the spot, rows
of arrows pierce the ground.

Then, four shadows slowly emerged from the bushes.

"Goodness, I've finally found you, Nozomu."

"Feo..."

"Ah, it's Nozomu. Mwah~~!"

Walking out were Feo, Mimuru, Tom, and Shina. On Shina's

shoulder was also a small spirit, Razward, who could be
called her companion.

Cringing, someone in the place gasped for breath.

The immediacy and scale of the magic used by the elves

with their spirits are definitely comparable to or greater
than those of a high-level magician.

Especially Calanti, whose forehead was sweating, probably

because she had witnessed their power in the Abyss Grief
incident.

However, once again, the situation changes.

Suddenly, the sound of an explosion filled the surrounding

area, and a powerful torrent of magical power smashed into
the ground, carving out an area of the forest.

Then, five shadows broke out from the cloud of dust as

pieces of trees and clods of earth rolled up.

"Tima! Are you okay!?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm okay!"

"Lisa! Did you make it!?"

"No, I missed!"

Breaking through the cloud of dust are Irisdina, Tima, Lisa,

Ken, and Camilla—the five of them.

"Nah? Iris! and .... Lisa!?"

"No~Nozomu."

"That's... Ts."

".... Huh."

Nozomu, Irisdina, and Lisa were astonished when they saw

each other. Kevin and Feo also seem to be unable to hide
their surprise at the intrusion of Irisdina and the others
following them.

Nozomu, Irisdina, Lisa, Shina, and Kevin. All five parties that
had defeated the special target in the exercise had gathered
together here.
"………….."

Dokun....

Nozomu's anger, which he had been suppressing deep in his

chest, began to rise up again.

[Is it time to go?]

In the dark, deep darkness. Mefi, who has been working

underground without the light of the sun or moon with a
giant body, quietly observes the situation on the surface.
Above her head, the battle was reaching its climax.

[Anyway, it's quite a comfortable place inside this child.

Maybe I should borrow it for a while?]

"Gi, gigi, gigi..."

"Ah~ ah, that's no good. Stop resisting."

She exerted her power on the giant body, which writhed as

if rejecting Mefi. She tightens its consciousness and takes
away its power to resist.

The beast she had assimilated was a being with

extraordinary strength, but its intelligence was low because
it was a were-beast, and Mefi, who was originally good at
manipulating the mind, was able to easily bring it under her
control.

[Ah... Mm-hmm...]

This is an anti-magic power that has been placed under

control of the sentence. Mehfi was so nostalgic that she let
out a fond voice as she was assimilated.
She was an extremely young spirit who had only been
conscious as a spirit for a few decades.

Too young, one might say. For her, enjoyment was the very
act of using her power as a spirit, as she felt the impulse
within her.

Moreover, she was unable to take the pleasure that was

right in front of her rather than fear.

She was too young to be able to control herself, and too

young to be self-indulgent.

So, even though she noticed the strange presence lurking

within Nozomu Bountis, she was unable to see its true
nature.

[Alright then, let's get started! It's true that he seems to be

assimilating something scary..., but with the body and power
of this child, I will be fine.]

Mefi gives an order to the beast she controls.

The beast, now completely in control of its consciousness,

did as the spirit commanded and began to charge overhead.

Five parties are particularly noteworthy with regard to

exclusivity. All of them gathered at the same place, and as a
result, a tremendous battle was developing.

"Haa!"

"Kuh~ts!"

"Camilla! Cover me!"

"I know.... Hang on, back up!"

Lisa attempts to use Nivei's witch hands to slash down

toward Tima, and Camilla tries to cover her.

However, Irisdina, who demonstrated her "immediate

deployment" and her swordsmanship to the fullest,
prevented them from working together.

"Tima!"

"Uh-huh!"

Then, a massive mass of flames, infused with Tima's

immense magical power, is released. The huge flames,
several times the size of her body, burn through the leaves
and branches of the surrounding trees as they close in on
Lisa.

"Lisa, behind you!"

The huge mass of flames is caught by the ice barrier

created by Ken.

However, the barriers are quickly evaporated by

tremendous power.

"Gg.....!"

"Ken!"

Just before the ice barrier was about to be penetrated, Lisa

activated her ability "Nivei Witch Hand".

Thanks to her ability to add magical effects, the ice barrier

was restored just before it was pierced, and both sides were
able to counteract it with a powerful attack.
Lisa intercepted Irisdina, who had come at her again. In the
other direction, Mars and his team, who had been fighting
Calanti and her team earlier, were now being attacked by
Shina party.

Mimuru sufficiently utilized her special agility to rouse Mars

and the others.

Then, a rain of arrows and magic bullets from Shina and Tom
were fired at them.

"Mars, if we don't do something!"

"Gosh, I know! Damn it, this cat can't be messed around at

all!"

"Don't be so reckless! If Mars-kun gets loose in this

situation, we may be wipe out all at once!"

These arrows didn't hit Mimuru, but instead they were

accurately aimed at Mars and the others, making a gap
between their movements.

They were also showing excellent coordination, comparable

to that of Irisdina and the others.

"You, quit this nonsense and get beat up!"

"I refuse!"

Close to Mars, Jin and Cami are engaged in a battle with

Calanti. Perhaps Calanti was caught up in the aftermath of
Tima's magic and is damaged, her movements are slower
than before.

However, she is a student from the first class. Even if she is

not at her best, she is still a much better student than Jin
and co.

At the moment, Cami was managing to survive the offensive

by piling up enhanced magic on Jin.

While Mars and the others were struggling in a melee,

Nozomu, Feo, and Kevin were busy clashing their weapons
with each other.

"Kuu! Feo, I don't have time to deal with you!"

Feo seems to be excellent with a mace as well as sorcery,

and he parries Nozomu's slashes with his sorcery-enhanced
mace.

"Don't be such a bore, Nozomu! This is an opportunity, so

let's just play it fair... Kevin, get out of the way!"

"Sorry fox, that guy had a prior engagement with me. I'm
going to ask you to step aside!"

Feo tried to counterattack by snatching his mace but was

intercepted by Kevin, who came at him from the side. Feo
turned his mace in both hands and dealt with the thrusting
blow, while Kevin switched his body and threw a kick at
Nozomu as well.

"Damn! The situation is bad... If it goes on too long, I'll run

out of energy and get stuck."

Nozomu was frustrated as he dodged a roundhouse kick

aimed at his head. Most members of Nozomu's party were
originally low-ranked, which was an overwhelming
disadvantage in a battle like this, with both sides fighting in
melee.
This is because the amount of space a person has is directly
related to their survival rate.

Nozomu looked around him to see if he could figure out

where he could find a way to make a breakthrough, but
everywhere he looked, the battle seemed to be close, and
everyone had their hands full.

In other words, if one side falls apart, it will set off a chain of

events that will lead to the end of all the rest as well.

(The most effective way is to concentrate everyone in our

party into a single point of contact, but...)

However, it is difficult to do so with Feo and Kevin around.

First of all, they need to be separated, something that
Nozomu doesn't have the means to do.

"You really have time to think!"

"Kuh!"

As his attention wanders slightly, Kevin strikes him in his

blind spot. Quickly, he tried to twist to avoid it, but his body
wavered, and the wind pressure of Kevin's qi-filled fist sliced
through his cheek.

(My thoughts and movements have begun to diverge. If I

don't do something....) There was no more time left. Just as
Nozomu was about to be disqualified, a sudden gust of wind
began to blow around the area.

It was a tight battle maintained with an exquisite intense.

However, the situation was making Mars impatient.
Although they had regained their advantage in numbers and
were close to pushing Kevin and his team, the melee that
suddenly broke out took away all the advantage they had
gained.

Not only that, but they were being driven into

disadvantageous situation.

"Damn, I was so close to beating that nasty asshole to

pieces!"

Shaking off Mimuru's close grip on him and repelling the

oncoming rain of arrows and magic, Mars grits his teeth as
he makes a face full of confusion.

"Neither Nozomu nor I could handle them! Jin's group is no

different!"

Once he goes to Nozomu's side, Mimuru will attack Jin's

group. If that happens, they will be forced to compete with
dominance and will lose in no time.

Thereafter, Mars would have to face an intensive attack as a

result, and he would be beaten without a second thought.

Scorching rays gradually annexed his mind afterwards.

(If so, then go to that elf's site.... No, she's not the kind of
person who would easily be taken down.)

Mars had seen Shina's archery skills before. In addition, she

had the presence of Razward, her spirit, by her side.

(Damn, what to do ..... I've seen Shina's archery before. That

would be...) Mars' mind was filled with the idea of that
technique that he had been practicing several times.
Because of its imperfection and instability, Tima, who
trained him on the case, has been very adamant that he not
use it, but he can't turn his back on it.

(Although she said I shouldn't use it, an available hand

should be used. I'll manage to do it!)

Mars, hit by the excitement and impatience of the

battlefield, began to pour into his great sword two opposing
powers, qi-jutsu and magic. The winds produced by the two
forces merged together, creating a deafening sound.

"What!?"

While Mimuru, who was standing closest to Mars, was

bewildered, the merged winds, assisted by Mars' ability,
turned into a whirlwind with a vortex of vacuum blades and
gathered around his greatsword, scraping the ground.

"Guuuuu!"

"This is..."

All eyes in the place turned to Mars. Clearly, Mars was out of
control. Everyone's face was drawn with a sense of crisis
because of the enormous amount of power contained
within.

"Ma~Mars-kun, no!"

Tima yells out to stop him, yet Mars points the tip of his
greatsword toward the front without care.

"Nozomu, you better avoid it!"

"Wait!"
Just as Nozomu left the spot with his flash step, the wind
that had been contained in Mars'

greatsword was released.

A powerful torrent of wind began to lash the area with a

roaring sound reminiscent of a scream.

The combined qi-jutsu "Sacred Wind Vortex" and the

intermediate magic "Hungry Beast of Wind Tunnel" advance
straight ahead, forming a spiral as if they were intertwined
with each other. The ground is scraped up, trees are
shattered, and everything in their path is crushed.

"Nah~ts!"

"What the hell is that!"

When Feo and Kevin saw the giant wind vortex in front of
them, they tried to get out of the way as quickly as they
could. However, they were one step behind and were
swallowed up by the torrent of wind.

"Whoa!"

"Tom, get back! Raz!"

"Okay.... tte, oi oioi, that is not something that a human

could possibly use!"

The powerful whirlwind also swallowed Shina and Tom

without mercy. Although Razward put up a barrier right in
front of them, Mars' powerful wind showed such force that
even the spirits were surprised, and it scraped away
everything except for the area surrounded by the barrier.

"Ku~ts, That Mars…!"

As one would expect from such a powerful technique,
Nozomu was worried about the four people involved, but
then he caught a glimpse of Jin and the others fighting with
Calanti in his field of vision. They are being pushed pretty
hard, but no one has been disqualified yet.

Despite his deepest respect for their impulses, Nozomu

steps toward Calanti.

"Wai~ts...."

Suddenly, she becomes the target of Nozomu and lets out a

surprised voice. Nozomu, seemingly in a state of
compassion, grabbed the woman's fist after she was
pushed, and blocked her movement with his forearms.

Then, a blow from Tomi was delivered.

"Teyaaaaah! "

"Guuuuu!"

As the two men's grips encircled Calanti's body, the pendant

glowed red to indicate her disqualification.

"Yosh!"

"Nozomu-kun, What to do now!?"

"Retreat! The destination is...."

After defeating Calanti and joining forces with them,

Nozomu and his team tried to flee the place.

However, as Nozomu and his team attempted to escape, ice

swords surrounded their path.

"I won't let you get away, Nozomu."

"Ken...!"

Ice rains down on Nozomu and his team, causing them to

stop in their tracks.

"Agh!"

"Gaaaah!"

Jin and Hamuria screamed, and their pendants glowed red.

Ken, however, pays no attention to the defeated duo, but
instead returns his serpentine sword to its long blade and
slashes at Nozomu.

"Ugh!"

The two glared at each other at close range, as the "Mumei"

raised up in the air and Ken's magic sword engaged in a
fierce clash.

The flames of Nozomu's anger flared deep in his chest.

Meanwhile, Ken was also glaring at Nozomu, not with the

provocative and contemptuous expression he had on his
face the other day but with a hardened face.

"You're dangerous, scavenger demon."

"What?"

"I'll never, ever let you anywhere near Lisa..."

At the moment Nozomu frowned at Ken's somewhat off-the-

wall insanity, the ground began to shake violently.

"What the hell!?"

"It's here..."
Following the ground tremor, a roaring sound echoed
through the Spasim Forest. Sand and soil poured down like a
heavy rainstorm, followed by the appearance of a gigantic
torso poking through the air.

The body, undulating like a snake, was thicker than a large

tree. The shell, cracked here and there, was reminiscent of
steel.

A pair of legs sprouted from the torso, which reminded one

of a figure poking its head out in anger.

On the head was a jawed limb with huge fangs and a pair of
huge arms reminiscent of scythes.

It was a giant centipede called Death Centipede.

It is a demonic beast that preys on all living creatures on the

ground, with a threat rank of A. It can be up to 10 meters
long with a body the size of an adult.

A large one can be as long as several human-sized.... The

one that showed up was clearly larger than a normal Death
Centipede.

"Holy crap, what's that..."

"It's too big... It's not an ordinary death centipede!"

Even though its head has already reached 12 meters, its
body is still on the ground, and it is hard to imagine how
long it could be.

What is most unique is the shape of the head, which has a

cracked and distorted crown-like exoskeleton attached to it.

"No way, Crowned Death Centipede..."

Irisdina's words made everyone in the room pull their face.

Chapped-Crowned Death Centipede.

This is the proper name of the unique Death Centipede. It is

an out-of-the-ordinary demon beast that boasts a much
larger physique than a normal Death Centipede, but what
makes people shudder is its war history.

In the counter-offensive "Operation Fructus" against the

great invasion 20 years ago, the human side literally put
everything they had into defeating powerful monsters, but
there are still some individuals who escaped the attack.

The six most powerful beasts among them were given

specific names and became top-priority targets for
elimination.

"It's one of the six deadly. Why the hell would it be here?
You've got to be kidding me. It's not even a joke!"

Mars' voice rang out.

[Six Deadly]

A general name given by the people to six extremely

powerful individuals who have not yet been defeated, filled
with terror and fear.
One of them is the [Chapped-Crowned Death Centipede].

It is ranked S+ on the scale of danger. It is such a menace

that even the best warriors cannot defeat it in a one-on-one
fight.

One wonders why such a beast has appeared in the forest

near Arcazam. However, the beast in front of them did not
even give them time to be upset.

"Gichigichigicgi...."

"Aah! Everyone, dodge!"

A swarm of [Chapped Crown] monoculars, which had been

snapping their fangs in the glare of the sun, rushed toward
Nozomu and the others, and then a huge scythe-arm was
raised.

Everyone in the place reflexively reacted to Nozomu's loud

voice to avoid getting hit by the attacker. Just in time. The
huge arm that sliced through the air pierced the ground,
creating a shockwave and scattering soil and dust.

"Whoa! I didn't expect this!"

"Jin! We have to do something!?

"I don't know what to do... Anyway, we have to survive,

right!"

The unexpected and powerful entity that suddenly appeared

in front of everyone's eyes is very upsetting.

No wonder.

Although they have been training hard at the Soluminati

Academy, they have never encountered a demon beast of
this scale before.

Rather, they should be commended for their ability to think

about what to do now in the face of such a sudden
encounter with an overwhelming threat.

An ordinary soldier would have stood there stunned,

panicked, and been killed by the first blow.

"Calanti, are you okay!?"

"Yes, leader. The other is okay, too!"

Rushing to Calanti's side while carrying the other fallen

man, Kevin took a step back from the demonic beast.

Fortunately, their other companion did not seem to have

suffered a serious injury, but he was in a worn-out state and
did not have the strength to fight the beast.

"Gichigichi...."

The scythe arm was pulled out of the ground, and the
[chapped crown] again shifted its single limit and looked at
Nozomu, who was already selected. The next moment, the
giant centipede, raising its fist, began to charge toward
Nozomu.

"Kuh!"

Nozomu reflexively leapt out of the way in front of the giant

legs in an instant. The huge body and countless legs passed
right in front of him.

However, the huge giant centipede, which had already

failed in its assault, quickly turned and surrounded Nozomu
with its long bodyshot, crushing the trees in its path.
Looking at its prey, which had blocked his escape route, the
giant centipede rattled its claws and raised its huge scythe
arm again.

"I won't let you!"

"Gyi~ts!"

Just before the scythe arm swung down, a black magic

bullet was released from the side and hit the single eye area
of the [Chapped Crown] .

The impact on the eyes made the giant centipede let out a
small scream and shake its head, while a powerful wind
mass was released as a follow-up attack, causing the giant
centipede's head to turn up.

"Iris and Tima-san?"

"Nozomu, hurry!"

"Quickly, get out of there!"

Nozomu looked in the direction from which the mass of wind

came and saw Irisdina and Tima.

As if in response to their call, Nozomu quickly slips through

the gap between the legs of the giant centipede with Flash
step-curve move and breaks free from the siege. Then, he
joins up with them.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah. Thanks for the help...."

"Thank goodness. Kevin, everything's okay over there?"

"We're good. But the rest are not. Calanti, take the guys who
can't fight and get out of here."

".... Okay, you guys, get over now."

After a moment of hesitation, Calanti nodded to Kevin's

order and urged Jin and the others to leave the area. Jin and
the others turned their attention to Nozomu.

"Nozomu, you too..."

"There's no need. He's stronger than me. Right, Shina?"

"Yes, he's the most reliable person present."

Before they knew it, Shina also came to Nozomu's side.

Behind her were Tom and the others.

The blue-haired girl looked at Nozomu with cloudless,

confident eyes, despite the situation.

Following Shina, the red-haired girl came next to Irisdina

and the others without saying a word, holding up her twin
swords.

"Lisa..."

"Whatever it is, we've got to deal with this beast. If it heads

to Arcazam, we don't know how much damage it will do."

In a tone of annoyance, Lisa spits out.

"Giiiiiii!"

While Nozomu and the others are bracing themselves,

[Chapped Crown] returns its gaze to Irisdina and the others
and raises its huge scythe arm with snapping fangs.
"O bell of four tones, feed my body, impure fortress walls!"

"Raz, let's do it."

[Aye!]

Tima's magic barrier and Shina's spirit magic are activated

to catch the scythe arm as it is swung down. Magic, source
elements, as well as air burst forth, and the shockwave
shook the trees in the forest violently.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Haaaaa!"

Both Tima and Shina let out a cry of anguish at the

overwhelming pressure. The powerful sickle-arm impact
pierced through Tima's magic barrier and Shina's spirit
magic and stopped right in front of them.

The two girls faces involuntarily tightened at the strength of

a single attack that nearly destroyed two of the three
highest magic levels in the third grade.

However, they were able to temporarily stop the movement

of the [Chapped Crown]. In that instant, Irisdina, Kevin, Feo,
Lisa, Mars, and Nozomu all stepped forward at once and
swung their weapons.

"Ugh!"

"Damn, what a hard shell it has!"

Nevertheless, the "Chapped Crown," which boasts a non-

standard physique, was not affected by their simultaneous
attacks.
The giant centipede showed no sign of pain, glaring at
Nozomu and the others while clenching its fangs. Then,
purple light began to gather on the outer shell, which
resembled the crown on the giant centipede.

Following it, similar lights appeared on the upper arms of

countless body segments and gathered into a spherical
shape.

Gradually, the spheres of light became purple and

connected with the neighboring spheres of light. The scale
of the light gradually increases.

Soon after, the huge, purple, lightning-clad [Chapped

Crown] stretched out its body even further and began to
move its massive fangs violently.

"All of you, get out of here!"

With someone's words, all the people moved away from the
giant centipede at once. Then, with a high-pitched roar, the
giant purple lightning was released.

"Suiiiiiiiiiiii!"

Thunder Rain.

A heavy rain of thunder rains down around the massive

body of [Chapped Crown].

"Kuuuuh!"

"Gaaaah!"

Kevin and Mars were blown away by a direct hit from the
purple lightning.

"Mars-kun!"
"Look out!"

Tima, who saw Mars fall to the ground, shot a huge block of
flame, "Blame's Disaster," toward the giant centipede, and
Feo also took out a sign from his pocket and made three
flame bullets and fired them at the giant centipede.

As soon as the mass of flame landed on the giant centipede,

it caused a huge explosion, and then Feo's fireball hit it
directly.

The explosion burned the surrounding trees, and the smell

of burned trees filled the air.

The two managed to stand up while the flames blocked the

view of the Chapped Crown, but Kevin's arm was broken
from the impact of the blast, which left it hanging limp and
powerless.

Even Mars could only manage to stand with his great sword
as a walking stick, his legs were not strong enough, and
blood was dripping from his mouth as if his internal organs
had been injured.

"Gigigigi....."

The [Chapped Crown] emerges from the soaring flames, still

unharmed.

"Not good."

Nozomu and Feo rush over to the helpless Mars and Kevin
and grab them by the collar.

"Hey, whoa!"

"Mars, back off!"

"It's a little rough, but it's okay."

The two men run away, dragging Mars and Kevin with them.

Behind them, [Chapped Crown] were ready to charge,

lowering down as if aiming at their backs.

"I won't let you!"

"Camilla, cover me!"

"Raging Demon! Give your people unrivaled power!"

Irisdina and Lisa intercepted the giant centipede, which was

clearly ready to charge, as if they were swapping places.
Irisdina immediately deploys the [abyssal spear].

She threw her jet-black spear with all her might at the head
of the [Chapped Crown] , and with the aid of Camilla's magic
and her own enhancement magic, Lisa leapt while activating
Nibei's Witch-Hand].

She leaps out like a gust of wind with the aid of her magic
doubling effect and swings her twin blades in time with
Irisdina's abyssal spear.

"Haaaaah!"

The combined spear and twin strikes of magic power carved

a slight crack in the shell of the giant centipede.

However, [Chapped Crown] doesn't care about the minor

wound sustained, and shakes its head to push Lisa out of
the way in the air.

"Aaaaah!"
A massive hit shatters her saber, and Lisa is blown wide
open and slammed to the ground. Her breath catches in her
throat, and she sees the giant body of [Chapped Crown]
snapping its fangs as it looks down on her, dead.

"Uh...."

The fearful sensation of death makes her stop thinking.

Immediately afterwards, her arm is pulled back with a
powerful force.

Her vision spins.

Then, she sees the figure of her childhood friend, whom she
had hated so much.

"Nozomu....?"

The tight expression on her face, as if her emotions had

been suppressed, made Lisa's chest tighten violently.
However, before she could confirm the pain in her chest, the
loudest roar of the [Chapped Crown] ever sounded.

"Suuiiiiiiiii------!"

Immediately afterwards, a huge ball of lightning, which

enveloped the body of the giant centipede, appeared above
the beast's head, and in front of the lightning that burned
his eyes, Nozomu hesitated for a moment and then grabbed
his chain, which had a crack on it.

"Nozomu...?"

The sound of her voice is like a confused one. It had been a

long time since he had heard her voice untainted by hatred.
(....I made it in time.)

Her words keep popping into his head. The same nostalgic
voice as when they were still together.

However, the nostalgia is soon overshadowed by the

burning heat that rises from deep within his chest.

Nozomu couldn't describe his feelings in a single word. It

was either anger at being betrayed or sadness at being the
victim that had been kept as a curse. The smoldering mass
of heat mingled together in a mess. A sniffling pain, and a
feeling of vomiting that makes him bite his lip.

He didn't know what he would say if he vomited, at least for

a moment.

Nozomu reached out to the invisible chains that bound him,

as if to stifle his shaking emotions. It is the surest and most
necessary means in order to defeat the [Chapped Crown].

However, the release of the chains may cause a tragedy

that even Nozomu himself cannot even imagine.

In fact, he once unleashed his power in a moment of rage

and literally created a sea of blood.

Perhaps the worst scene he had ever dreamed of would

become a reality.

As Nozomu hesitated, a sudden and powerful wind rose up

on the side of the giant centipede.

"What on earth!?"

The swirling winds stirred and scattered the purple lightning

produced by the [Chapped Crown].
When Nozomu and the others turned their eyes to the
source of the swirling winds, they saw that Mars was
pouring all his qi and magic power into his great sword.

"That bastard, no matter how much effort we take...!"

"Mars-kun, don't!"

Tima's screams did not reach him as he stared at the

chapped-crowned centipede with his bloodshot eyes.

The pain from the injury he sustained from the Thunder Rain
turned into anger, and combined with the frustration of
being suddenly confronted with a non-standard being, it
completely obliterated all sense of composure from his
mind.

However, the technique, which was originally unfinished and

only imperfectly controlled, was still in its infancy.

Rushed by anger and impatience, combined with fatigue

and injuries accumulated from the previous battles. With all
these bad conditions, there was no way he would be able to
use it.

Unaware of this fact, he was rushed by his impatience and

used the magic combination technique.

As a result, the situation that Tima and Nozomu had feared

occurred.

"Guuuuuuuu!"

Amid the swirling torrent of qi and magic power, the great

sword makes a screeching sound.
The storm-like vortex of power continued to rage without
harmony, and even Mars himself began to be unable to
control it.

"Wh-Why.... Aaagh!"

"Kyaaaah!"

With a roar, the fierce storm of wind is released, finally

leaving Mars' control, and it begins to turn its blows on its
surroundings. The storm expands explosively and blasts
away Mars, its creator, along with Shina and Tima, who were
nearby.

Fortunately, Shina was protected by Razward, but Tima was

slammed into a tree and fainted.

"Gigigi...."

Furthermore, to make matters worse, the "Chapped Crown"

began to wrap itself in purple lightning once again. The
torrential thunderstorm that had earlier devastated Nozomu
and the others.

The signs of disaster.

Shina and other long-range attackers continue to fire magic

and arrows, but they are scattered by the purple lightning
that surrounds the giant centipede and do not even reach
the shell.

Then, for the third time, the thunder rains were fired. There
is no chance to evade the dense thunder, and it strikes at
Nozomu.

Nozomu!
However, Irisdina intervened in front of the torrential
thunderstorm and created a magical barrier that shielded
Nozomu from the lightning. She tries to stop the oncoming
thunderstorm with a single stroke of her hand.

"Iris...ts!"

"Ugh, while you still can.... Hurry up!"

The magic barrier that had been deployed in an instant by

improvisation began to be devoured by the serpent-like
thunderstorms in no time. Then Shina and Razward came
rushing in.

"Raz, protect them!"

[Dammit! Those spirit-users are rough!]

Without thinking about the recklessness of rushing into the

front line, Shina stood in front of Nozomu, and together with
Iris Dina, she raised her hand and formed a barrier.

Yet, even so, the thunderstorm of the "Chapped Crown"

could not be prevented. The double barriers were breached,
and a lightning serpent slipped through the hole and struck
them on the cheek, lacerating their white skin.

There's no time to hesitate. Nozomu puts all his strength

into his hand on the invisible chain and tries to rip it apart
with his full strength.

"Nah...."

However, the invisible chain didn't break for some reason.

Over and over again, he pulls on the chain with all his
might, but no matter how much pressure he puts into it, the
invisible chain doesn't even budge.
"Wh~why...."

While Nozomu was stunned, finally the [Chapped Crown]

Thunder Rain broke through the barrier.

"Uaaaah!"

""Kyaaaah!""

Echoing screams. Intense purple lightning swallows them,

and their consciousness is bleached white by the pain that
is so fierce. In the flickering vision, a giant centipede is
raising its huge sickle arm.

Already unable to move..... At that moment, a man clad in

silver and white armor carrying a huge jet-black sword came
out of the bushes like a gust of wind.

Slowly, the darkness began to clear.

What appeared first in Nozomu's hazy vision was the ceiling

of a white tent.

"This place is..."

"It seems like you've woken up."

At the sound of a voice calling out, he turns his gaze to the

side and sees Norn, a public health doctor, coming from
behind the tent. In his vision, he sees a simple bed covered
only with a piece of cloth.

Nozomu finally realized that he was in a simple clinic at the

headquarters.
Norn checked his pulse and the electric pulses, and when
the checkup was over, Norn let out a sigh of relief.

"Yes, everything looks good. I was worried when I heard that

you had encountered such a substandard [Death Centipede]
but I'm glad you're well and safe."

It was reported that Jihad and the teachers, who had

received a report from Calantizu, managed to get through
just in time.

Although they were in a tight situation, they managed to get

a shot off at the [Chapped Crown]. They are now exploring
the area and keeping a watchful eye on the surrounding
area.

Of course, the special training was suspended. The

headquarters will be evacuated soon.

"Uh,.... Where's everyone else?"

"Irisdina, as for you and the others, they've already been

treated, and they're outside.

Everyone's injuries aren't minor, but not life-threatening.

The only one left is her."

While saying so, Norn turned his eyes to the corner of the
tent. There was Shina with bandages on her head. She had
woken up earlier than the others, her upper body raised on
a simple bed, looking at Nozomu, who had woken up.

Underneath her bare coat, blood-soaked gauze and

bandages peeked out.

"..... Ts."
Her white skin is covered with red patches. Nozomu's face
contorts at the painful sight.

".... I'll call Irisdina and the others. Both of you rest well."

As Norn leaves, silence fills the tent. Shina stares at

Nozomu, but the important thing is that Nozomu couldn't
make eye contact with her.

(Because I couldn't unleash my power back then....)

Regret swirled in his heart, making him want to scratch his

own throat. If only he had been able to release his ability
suppression, perhaps he could have saved those girls from
getting injured.

"Hey..."

Nozomu looked up at the loud voice echoing through the

room.

"Listen to me! I've been trying to talk to you for a while

now....."

"I-I'm sorry..."

Nozomu rushes to apologize to the complaining Shina, who

immediately turns her gaze away from him. Seeing him like
this, Shina lets out a sigh.

"It's okay. Everyone's safe."

Probably out of concern. Shina is trying to sound as cheerful

as she can with the words that Mimuru might say.

However, Nozomu's expression remained poor. She grits her

teeth and clenches her fists tightly, as if she is trying to
endure.
Although Shina looked a bit hesitant at Nozomu, she was
about to open her mouth again when someone....

"Hey, you..."

"Nozomu, are you okay!?"

However, Irisdina comes running into the tent, and her

words are silenced. She was in such a hurry that she was
breathing heavily.

Following Irisdina's rush, Tima, Tom, and Feo also entered

the tent of the simple clinic.

"Ah, yeah. It looks like everyone's safe."

"Thank goodness.... I was worried about you."

Her jet-black eyes welling up with tears of relief, she

reaches out to check on Nozomu.

"Un, I'm sorry, I'm worried....about...."

However, Nozomu's expression clouded further at the

appearance of Irisdina, who came closer to him. She, like
Shina, has bandages all over her body.

The red stain left on her tattered uniform. The bloodstained

figure reminds him of her last appearance in his nightmare,
and he involuntarily steps away from her outstretched hand
as if to escape.

"Nozomu....?"

In response to Nozomu's uncharacteristic behavior, Irisdina

let out a bewildered voice. An uncomfortable atmosphere
spread in the tent.
"Indeed, everyone is hurt, but I'm glad you're okay. By the
way...."

"Hey....."

Feo tried to lighten the mood but was interrupted when

Mars' low voice rang out from behind them.

Ignoring everyone else, he strides over to Nozomu's bed

with a wide-legged step.

"Mars...."

The next moment, Nozomu's field of vision was filled with

the reflection of Mars' fist, and then a powerful shock was
felt on his face.

The sound of the blow filled the tent.

Nozomu's body was thrown out of the bed with such force
that it knocked over a nearby table and smashed a medical
instrument onto the ground.

While everyone present widened their eyes, Mars was

staring at Nozomu on the ground, his face flushed red and
his shoulders shaking with anger.

"Why,... You, why you didn't take it seriously!"

Mars grabs the fallen Nozomu by the collar while shouting

so loudly and heavily that his breath catches in his throat.

"If you were serious, you could have easily defeated that
damn centipede!"

"........."
Nozomu could not respond to Mars' words. He deserved to
be punched in the face.

"You... Say something!"

Mars became even more enraged at the sight of Nozomu's

silent response, and again raised his fist in the air.

Dazed by the sudden incident, Irisdina and the others come

to their senses in a hurry to stop him.

"Mars-kun, no!"

"Stop it!"

"Hey, calm down!"

Tima and Irisdina hold onto Mars' arms, and Feo snaps at his
waist. Despite the three attempts to stop him, Mars does
not lower his raised fist. He just lets his anger take over and
shakes off Tima, who is still clinging to him.

"Kyaa!"

"Tima!"

Tima, who is not strong to begin with, was easily shaken off.
She fell down and twisted her leg, her face contorted in pain
as she held her ankle.

However, Mars, who was still bleeding in the head, didn't

see Tima, whom he had pushed away, and hit Nozomu
again with his free arm.

Nozomu fell to the floor on top of the scattered medical

instruments, and Mars was about to close in when Norn's
angry voice rang out from the entrance of the tent.
"What are you doing!? This is not the place to mess
around!"

At the sound of the angry voice, the room under the tent
goes quiet as if it had just been filled with water.

Everyone looks uncomfortable, but only Mars glares at

Nozomu. His eyes are angry but also somehow sad and
desperate.

Nozomu says nothing, and the color of his eyes turns to

disappointment.

"... I thought you were different than those assholes."

"Ma~Mars-kun!"

Mars turned on his heel and walked out of the tent. Tima
calls out to him to hold him still, but he walks away without
looking back.

"... Nozomu, are you okay?"

Nozomu didn't answer Irisdina's call, stood slowly, and

quickly walked past her to the tent's exit. Irisdina turns
around and tries to reach out her hand to him as he walks
away, only to

find that her hand reaches nothing and goes flying in the air.
After the two leave, only a heavy silence drifts through the
tent.
 Chapter 5: Un-harmony Quartet

Suddenly, during the Special General Exercise, one of the

Six Deadly Demons appeared. Due to this demon beast, the
special general exercise was canceled.

All the students of all ranks were to return to the city and
disperse as soon as they were confirmed safe and secure.

For the time being, the students were asked to stay in their
dormitories.

An intensive investigation was initiated at the time of the

attack. Alkazam was placed on high alert, and all gates were
closed.

All the citizens outside the city, including the students who
had been practicing, were immediately ordered back to their
dormitories.

"Nozomu, where did you go..."

Not paying attention to the eyes of those around her, she

continues to search for the missing person.

In the midst of all this, Irisdina was still running around the
civic district without returning to the mansion. She is
running around the civic district, her eyes darting about
restlessly, her eyes filled with impatience as she keeps her
eyes fixed on the road.
Everyone looks puzzled at the beautiful face running
through the streets with bandages still wrapped around her,
but Irisdina doesn't pay attention to the eyes of those
around her and continues to search for the disappeared
person.

From the civic area, she went through the main street to the
central park and searched in the wooded area.

After that, she returned to the men's dormitory to ask if the

person she was looking for was safe, but again, the person
she was looking for didn't return.

"Jin said he was there when the official call was made...."

Once again, Irisdina headed to Central Park. On the street

leading to the school, Tima, Shina, and the others, along
with 10th grade homeroom teacher Anri, were gathered.

They were all breathing heavily, probably from running

around in the huge Arkazam.

"Ha, ha ..... No good. I asked Raz, but he couldn't find him."

[Chichi Chichi ..... (I'm sorry. It seems that the spirits also
sense the unsettled air around the city. They're too scared
to talk to me.)]

"I didn't see him at the west gate where we held roll call~~.
I asked the gatekeeper about it, but he said he didn't see
anyone out there....."

"At that time, the west gate was packed with a lot of
students as well as people going back to the city. Nozomu
would easily slip through without anyone noticing."
Realizing that he is most likely outside the city, Irisdina bites
her lip unconsciously.

"... As for Mars-kun."

"I guess he's probably back to the Gyuto-tei..."

Mars is not present there. Like Nozomu, he too disappeared

as soon as Nozomu was gone.

"I~ will contact upper management for a search outside the

city. Irisdina-san and the others, search inside the city again.
Don't go outside the city!"

With these words, Anri made her way to the west gate,
where the school's officials were gathered.

Just as Irisdina was about to go searching once more, she

saw a figure running from the Ecross school building.

"Ane-sama!"

"Somia!"

The figure running toward her was Somia. Mena is also

behind her.

Somia, seeing her sister, rushed to her without looking aside

and embraced her as if clinging to her.

"How did you happen to be here...."

While confused by Somia's appearance as she hugged her

tightly, Irisdina gently hugged her beloved sister back.

"We were informed that Miss Irisdina was attacked and

badly injured by a very dangerous demon beast during the
exercise. So we have been waiting anxiously...."
"Hic, I'm so worried....."

She looked very worried about her sister. While Mena was
giving supplementary explanations, Somia's eyes were
distilled full of tears, and she was making sniffling noises.

"It's okay. I'm here. I'm not gone...."

"Hue, hut! Eggu...."

Somia tried her best to hold back her tears, but the sight of
her sister's appearance must have broken her nerves. Tears
welled up from her moist eyes as if they had burst from a
dam.

As if to comfort Somia, who continues to cry, her sister pats

her on the back. The sobbing subsided little by little.

When Somia calmed down, Irisdina released her from the

embrace, and Shina, who was standing by her, slowly
opened her mouth.

"Hey, Irisdina-san. Let me ask you something."

"What is it?"

"Mars said that if he were serious, he would've beat that

beast, do you know about his power too?"

"Even you guys?"

Irisdina's words were followed by small nods from Shina and

the others.

"He saved me. I met Raz again thanks to him...."

[Chichi. Chichi..... (Yeah. If that Nozomu guy hadn't helped

us, Shina would be dead and I would have disappeared
too....)]

Quietly, the elf girl talks about her past and the frustration
she has been carrying around. She then tells the story of her
encounter with the Abyss Grief, demonic beasts that took
away the forests that were her homeland. lost of her family.
Every day, she struggles against reality, even as her own
people look down on her. Then, the encounter with the
Abyss Grief again.

The trauma that left her was so overwhelming and

powerless that she almost lost herself, however, thanks to
Nozomu, she was able to regain what was important to her.
In addition, she got a glimpse of the [Special power] that
she had seen on him.

"But we don't know where his power comes from."

"Nozomu said it was release of ability suppression..."

"However, I feel that the nature of his qi is strange. It's more

like a repressed qi being forced out rather than released...."

"Indeed...."

Irisdina agrees with Shina.

It is obviously not within the human realm to be able to

withstand a high-ranking, several hundred-year-old
blooming vampire.

If the power that was originally suppressed in himself was

simply unleashed, it is unnatural for Nozomu, who is skilled
in control, to be draining such a great power like that.

Moreover, his later fighting style doesn't originally rely on qi

but rather on a technique that uses a high level of qi control
and superior technique to achieve the greatest effect with
the least amount of power. His appearance when he
released his ability suppression was in contradiction to that.

"Where did you see his power, Irisdina-san? Please... Would

you mind?"

".....Ane-sama."

Shina's straight eyes turn to Irisdina. Somia's voice sounds

small, but like the elf girl in front of her, it is filled with a will
and desire to do something.

Irisdina caught both of their gazes and looked up at the

western sky. The red-tinted sun was setting over the stone
cityscape.

What are they doing now who are not here...?

As twilight falls, the dark struggle that is coming to the

ground is making Irisdina anxious and frustrated.

The secret agreement with the Waziart family that led to

knowledge of Nozomu's power is not something that can be
easily talked about.

(But Shina has revealed a private secret that wouldn't

normally be leaked. So then, I can't be the only one to keep
silent.)

Action, instead of listening and thinking, is what is needed

for the sake of change. No matter how much effort it takes
to throw oneself into the situation, one must be manly
enough to take the first step in the dark.n

(If not, nothing will change. Neither Nozomu nor Mars-kun....

And us....)
"We found out about it when Somia celebrated her eleventh
birthday...."

Irisdina, as if determined, turned to Shina and the others

and caressingly opened her mouth.

In the Spasim forest, Jihad, together with military police and

researchers from the Gloaurum Institute, dove into the large
hole where the [Chapped Crown] had appeared for
investigation.

"It's huge...."

Jihad muttered to himself in front of the tunnel formed by

the hole made by the giant [Chapped Crown].

The aisle is approximately 5 meters high and 10 meters

wide.

"It was not present at the time of Arcazam's construction."

"It was probably dug right before, considering the conditions

at the time of the raid and the brand newness of the
earthen walls....."

Two people in white are in conversation with Jihad. One is

Torgrain. He is a researcher at the Groaurum Institute and is
assisting in this investigation.

The other is the head of the investigation. He was an old

man with glistening eyes. His name was Fardley Incidus, the
chief executive of the Gloaurum Institution.

At Fardley's words, Torgrain begins to prepare to leave. The

three men return to the surface with a rope lowered from
the hole and leave the site, leaving only surveillance behind.
Just before returning, Jihad looks down at the hole again.

The darkness of night had already begun to fall. A deep

darkness peeked out from the mouth of the hole.

As the sun sets in the west and the stars fill the sky, almost
the entire Al Khazam commercial district is now quiet. The
place, which is usually bustling with noise, is quiet now.

A suddenly attack by the [Chapped Crown].

Even if there was no damage to the town, word travels fast,

and for those who saw the great invasion 20 years ago, it
was enough to stir up the fear experienced at that time.

The Gyuto-tei, an inn and bar located in the corner of the

commercial district, is also quiet today.

There are guests staying at the inn, but they are afraid of
the angry noise emanating from the counter and remain in
their own rooms.

In the empty restaurant, Mars, the main culprit, was

drinking alcohol like a burned-out man.

"Ng, ng..... Hah...."

"Hey Onii-chan, I told you. Don't drink alcohol in the store!

"Shut up..."

Ignoring Ena's complaint, he takes a gulp from the glass.

The sensation of alcohol burning in his throat, his head
growing hazy with each gulp—no matter how much he
slurps down, the image of Nozomu still lingers in his mind's
eye.

A glimpse of his strength he caught during a mock battle at

the end of the second grade and a test of strength at the
outer edge of the school.

From then on, Mars began to work with Nozomu both in

class and during breaks. He and Irisdina and the others
worked together on requests at the Adventurers' Guild, and
they had a good time at the Gyuto-tei.

Time filled with a sense of fulfillment, different from the time

when he simply wielded his sword for strength or when he
had a crony.

It was the first time he experienced equal human relations.

What is most burned in his mind is the image of
overwhelming an absolutely strong man of the S-rank.

Even now, Mars can clearly remember the scene where he

defeated a vampire who had beaten him in battle by
destroying his opponent's Magic.

It was a kind of longing, a moment when he found the goal

that he himself, who had been lost, should aim for.

His glare is dazzling, and therefore the anger is

uncontrollable.

(Why didn't you give it your all! With your ability, it would be
easy!) His anger and disappointment rose to the top of his
head. To cover it up, he downed his drink and tried to pour
more. However, a hand reached out from the side and
snatched away the bottle and glass.

On the side, Ena has an angry look on her face.

"....Give it back."

"Nope, you're being a bad brother today."

"Mars, that's enough! Not even our guests are coming out
because of you! You even messed with the store's
merchandise...."

Hannah came out from the kitchen and agreed with Ena.
Mars glares at them grudgingly, clucking his tongue.

".... Mars."

"Damn old man..... What the hell are you doing!"

Dell, the man who raised him, steps toward Mars and grabs
him by the collar. Mars resists, but Del, who is even bigger
than Mars, doesn't even hesitate at all.

Whatever happened to you, there's nothing you can do with

a hot head like that. Go cool off for a while.

Dell threw Mars, who was resisting, onto the street and
quickly changed the "open" sign at the entrance to "in
preparation" and closed the door.

Soon, the store was filled with the sound of banging on the
door, but eventually it became quiet, followed by a
quietening of the air. A short sigh leaks out of Ena and
Hannah's mouths.

"Hah, it's not good for my brother either...."

"In any case, there's nothing I can do, even if I open the
store today. There are no customers around here anymore."

"I wonder what's wrong with him though, Onii-chan. He

hasn't been like that lately...."
"Yes, that's right. Since he met Nozomu and his friends, he
hasn't been acting out or becoming desperate...."

"Did something happen at the academy? As I remember,

they said that a very dangerous demon beast had
appeared...."

While cleaning up the table where Mars was, Ena stared at

the locked entrance to see her recently changed elder
brother, who had been getting better. Dell's large hand was
gently placed on her shoulder.

"Don't worry. You may not be able to now, but when things
settle down, he'll be back. When he does, you can ask him
about it while you're lecturing him."

"Otō-san..."

"That's right. He made Ena sad, so he should be punished."

Hannah also tried to reassure her daughter, giving her a

hearty smile. Ena at last smiled at her parents' kindness and
gave a small nod.

At that moment, there was a resounding tap on the

entrance door.

"Yes. Who is it?"

Seeing something that is apparently not Mars, Ena opens

the door to see if she has a visitor.

"Ti~Tima-san .....?"

"Hah, hah.... I'm sorry to bother you so late at night! Mars-

kun, is he home?"

There is a girl with yellowish hair who is out of breath.

†

Kicked out of the store, Mars was in a drunken state and

was walking along the backstreets of the commercial district
with an unsteady step. Unlike the clean and tidy front
streets, the place was dark and littered with trash
everywhere. However, the darkness made Mars feel safe.

At least he would not be seen in such a pathetic state.

"Ha, ha .... Umph!"

He supported his wobbling body with his hands on the wall,

and he felt a cool sensation returning to his hands. His head
was still boiling with frustration, yet he had been scolded so
much and thrown out by his foster parents.

Most of all, the cool, enveloping darkness had somewhat

calmed the heat of the rage that swirled inside him.

(Yeah, there was something weird about him today....)

His head slightly cooled down, and Mars remembered that

Nozomu was acting differently today. He doesn't use his
blade, which can easily cut through steel, and his
movements are lackluster.

Many times he seemed to be out of his mind, trying

desperately to hide something.

(Damn... What the hell.... He didn't trust us that much...).

In Mars's hazy vision, a hand with a ripped layer of skin

bares its hand in battle. It is the same hand that struck
Nozomu out of anger.
The image of Nozomu, who kept looking down, reappeared
in Mars's mind.

His anger returned as he recalled how he had despised

Nozomu in the past, when he had simply kept his head
down and didn't even try to hit him. Mars, as if in a race,
walked faster and further into the darkened street.

However, at the same time, a fierce sense of guilt also

began to rise. At that moment, a deafening noise reached
his ears.

"No, please stop!"

"Come on. You come to a place like this at night by yourself.

You wanted to have fun, right?"

"Why don't you hang out with us? We'll come with you."

Voices of a woman calling for help and a group of men who

had gone downstairs. Looking in the direction he heard, he
saw five young men surrounding a small, beautiful woman
standing in an alleyway.

Picking up a girl..... It was a little too aggressive to be called

a "pick-up", but it was an act that lacked intention.

Obviously, the woman doesn't like it and is desperately

trying to shake off the men's hands, trying to escape from
them.

However, the men are more than aroused by the woman's

reluctance, and they force her to go more aggressively. They
are apparently delinquents and assholes, but among the
men, Mars found a familiar face.

".... You guys, quit pussy footin' around."

"Ge, Mars! Wh-why are you here?"

What caught Mars' eye were the two men in casual clothes
who were closest to the women.

They were the tenth-grade boys who used to be Mars'

cronies.

"You can see it, can't you? I'm inviting her to have some
fun."

"No, please let me go!"

One of the former cronies forcefully grabbed the woman's

arm. The woman desperately tried to shake him off, but
there were many of them, and some of them were students
of the Soluminati, even though they were in the tenth
grade. She could not escape.

"Hu~~~. She's got a pretty good body! I guess I hit on a

good one."

"Ah! It's been a while since I've had fun. Hey, don't let her
get away."

"No, please stop..."

In fact, the men were even more aroused by the woman's

desperate resistance. They began to harass the woman,
touching her breasts and hips.

Finally, the woman sat down, as if her fear of the men had
reached its limit. Perhaps seeing this as an opportunity, one
of the men put his hands on the woman's clothes.

The next moment, there was a powerful sound of a blow,

and the man flew into the air.
"Mars! Damn you! The hell have you done!"

"Shut up. I'm on edge right now. Now you're making me

even more irritated right now..."

Seeing Mars beat up his friends, they instantly became

furious at him. Then, the former cronies, who should know
more about Mars' abilities than anyone else in the group,
step forward.

"Heh .... Are you trying to fight me?"

"Don't be ridiculous. There is no way I can beat the old you,

but now you've lost your fangs and gone quiet!"

Mars' mouth hangs open. It was a smile of delight that he

had found a place to release the sense of discontent swirling
in his chest.

"I'm not the kind of guy who's going to be with that bottom
feeder...."

At the moment he spoke of Nozomu in hushed tones, Mars

struck at his former crony. However, his fist was caught by a
hand reaching out from the side.

"You're doing a very stupid thing, lone wolf."

It was Kevin who stopped Mars.

He stared at the delinquents with a glare, leaving the

startled Mars aside. The delinquents, overwhelmed by the
sense of intimidation, threw out the woman they were
picking up and ran away.

"Tsk, those guys, what the hell are you doing here?"
"Do you have so much spare time that you have to deal with
these idiots?"

"It's none of your business!"

"Yeah, but this city is on high alert. But this city is on high
alert. If you start a fuss, you're not going to get away with it,
get it?"

"I don't care!"

With a yell of rage, Mars punches Kevin. A swinging fist

smashed into the silver-haired beastman's cheek.

Mars' face turns pale with surprise.

On the other hand, Kevin grits his teeth, steadfastly

withstanding the blow, and as a counterattack, he lands a
hook to Mars' jaw.

"Ggh!"

Mars, too drunk to stand on his own two feet, steps on the
ground and falls on his back against the street corner. Kevin
looks down at Mars, who has struck him, and frowns at the
pain in his cheek. He flicks his tongue over the back of his
cheek, and the peeled skin flicks across his tongue.

"For a dumbass, you've good fist shot. Are you cool now?"

"......"

"Guess, I'll leave the rest up to her..."

Kevin turns and stares back at Mars, who looks up at him

silently and gives him a wry smile.
As he disappears into the distance, Mars looks up at the sky
with a sigh.

(What the hell is he talking about, I'm...."

Sitting on the ground, covered in dirt and dust. This was the
result of his attempt to lash out just to vent his frustration.
Now, that's not cool at all.

(Damn..... Why am I always like this....)

As soon as he cooled down from his rage, he felt terrible and

ashamed for having hit Nozomu, which only made him feel
more guilty.

Then, when he realized that he was trying to reapply such

guilt with anger, the vicious cycle of feeling pathetic was
repeated.

(What a shame.... After relying on her so much, I'm still in

this mess....) In his mind, Mars had Tima's image floating
across him. She is the one who taught him how to use
magic when all he could do was wield a sword and hurt
everyone around him. She is a woman who looks timid and
weak on the outside but actually has a strong inner core.

(In the end, I completely betrayed Tima's expectations...)

He ignored her advice and relied on that unstable

combination technique, putting his friends in a difficult
position. It was not Nozomu but himself who made the fatal
mistake in the battle against "Chapped Crown.

His anger toward Nozomu was also because he wanted to

turn away from his own inadequacy.

"Haha.... Truly, I'm pathetic....."

Self-loathing that burns in the chest and confidence that is
lost. Dried laughter leaks out of Mars' mouth. He wants to
disappear. Just as he is about to do just that, a familiar voice
echoes in his ears.

"Ha, ha, ha.... I found you. Mars-kun."

Reflexively turning his head to face the person who called

his name, he saw Tima's figure catch his attention. Mars'
eyes widen involuntarily at the appearance of a girl who
isn't supposed to be here.

While Mars looks away in self-loathing, thinking that she

must be disappointed, Tima somehow smiles in relief and
sits down next to him.

".........."

".........."

Silence flows through them. Soon, Tima slowly opens her

mouth as if she has made up her mind to do something.

"Mars-kun. Hannah-san and Dell-san, they weren't your real

parents....."

"Tsk! How could you know that!"

"After that, I went to the store looking for Mars kun, and
when I heard what happened, Hannah-san and the others
told me about it...."

Hannah and Dell weren't the real parents of Mars and Ena,
as his face was hot and he was filled with a dark, stale
feeling. Their biological mother had died from an epidemic
when Mars was six years old.
Thereafter, his father, who had been depressed, became
addicted to alcohol and women.

Gradually, he would be away from home for a day or two,

and when he did return, he would lock himself in his room
and not pay attention to his children.

The still-young Mars and Ena called out desperately for their
father outside the room, but what they got in return was not
kindness but violence. Even when the children tearfully
plead with their father, he doesn't stop hitting them with his
fists.

They had to desperately endure the unreasonable violence

from their father.

One day, after about a year of living in such a state, his

father finally stopped coming home.

He ran away to another town with a woman he had met.

After that, the relatives got together to discuss what to do

with the two children who had lost their parents, but what
took place at the meeting was not a discussion but pushing
and shoving between the two children who had been
abandoned by their father.

At that time, anxiety was still rampant due to the Great

Invasion, which had caused a lot of worry. Every relative was
too busy protecting their own families, and the image of a
younger sibling huddled together at the edge of an
unpleasant quarrel was not reflected back in their minds.

That was when it happened. Mars, who was just sitting on

the floor, holding the young Ena in his arms, felt a spark of
anger light up in his heart.
"Really, how pathetic. Then I'll take those two as my
children. "

But then someone suddenly interrupted with a raised voice.

It was Hannah, a neighboring woman who had treated Mars'
mother with disdain when she was still alive.

She gave a good scolding to those around her who did not
care for Mars and Ena, then took the two children and
brought them back to her house.

Dell, Hannah's husband, was surprised at first but agreed,

as they were originally not blessed with any children. Mars
and Ena became their children and moved to Arcazam.

"I was surprised. I never thought that neither of you two

were Hannah and her husband's biological children...."

"Parentless, parasitic person. That's what I was sometimes

told....."

Apart from that, there is nothing ghastly to be said about

such things. However, people's malice is always directed at
those who are different from themselves. Just as there are
black sheep among the white half of the herd.

"But Hannah-san and her husband cared for you two very
much. Aren't you too, Mars-kun?

They told me not to bring bad people into the store...."

After a short period of single condensation, Tima has

learned something. Mars' anger is a kind of self-defense.
The emotional scars he had to deal with as a child.

The fact that he was abandoned by his own family and his
desperate resistance to the violence he had been
unreasonably treated with.

"For me, I wanted to be strong.... I wanted to be strong

enough to crush such irrationality. In my inner self, I wish
that I had the power that Nozomu and you have."

Mars's feelings, which had been suppressed until then, are

now being pushed out.

The words never stop leaking once they're out.

"When you taught me magic, I assumed I had the ability to

do it. But I was wrong.... The truth is, I couldn't control my
emotions."

Every day, the anger that nestled in his heart was

unbearable, as was jealousy toward his friends and
repentance for his own mistakes.

"It's pathetic, isn't it? I just let my anger take over, and I'm
doing the same thing as that scumbag...."

"Mars-kun...."

It was the first time he exposed his feelings. Tima, standing

next to Mars, just continues to silently listen to his sorrowful
monologue.

"It was the same thing today. The reason for this is that I
was so proud that I was able to use that technique. Even
though you told me over and over again.... In the end, I...."

Mars' fist is clenched tightly, and blood is dripping from it.

Tima's hand gently reaches out to his red-soaked fist, a self-
inflicted wound caused by his excessive self-loathing.

"Tima?"
"Yes, you know what? Mars-kun, you're really kind. Everyone
knows that. Ai, Nozomu-kun, Somia-chan, Shina-san..."

As she wraps her hands around Mars' fist, despite the blood
staining it, Tima slowly speaks the words as if to remind the
man.

"This hand protected me when we fought Rugato.... You

saved my friend."

Her hands are a little cold, as she has a lower body

temperature than men. The coldness of her hands, however,
soothes the heat that remains even in the darkness and
loosens the tension in her heart.

"It's true, Mars-kun, you may have made a mistake there.

But we can still manage. Because you and us are still here,
right?"

Mars turned his head in astonishment.

Time with his father, who is gone, can no longer move

forward. Now that his father had run away, Mars had
nowhere to really direct the anger in his heart.

However, he still has time to deal with Nozomu since he is

still in the city, and deep in his heart, he wants to see him
again.

".... Can I make it in time?"

"In time. Sure, let's make it. Let's go see Nozomu again and
put it right this time. We'll say,

[What the hell are you hiding?]"

"Haha.... Are you imitating me?"

Mars let out a giggle at the ill-fitting imitation, and Tima's
face broke out in a smile.

After a hearty laugh, Mars closes his eyes once more and
takes a deep breath. By the time he had exhaled his first
breath of air, any lingering doubts had been washed away
as if they were not there.

"Yeah, I know. I've got to see him again and apologize. Tell
him. [Don't keep secrets from us!]"

The usual scornful smile returned to Mars' face. Tima smiled

at his renewed energy, and they both stood up.

"Let's go look for him. I don't know where he is, either...."

"It seemed like he went out of the city.... Ouch!"

Tima's face contorted and her body stumbled as she began

to search for Nozomu. Mars rushed to support her. Upon
closer inspection, her right leg was weak. There was a slight
tremor, as if her muscles were protecting the injured flesh.
Mars' eyes widen for a moment, and then he silently begins
to remove Tima's shoes.

"Eh, um, Mars-kun?"

As Mars removes her shoes, a reddish-black sore, ill-fitting

to Tima's white, slender ankle, flashes into his eyes.

In the next moment, his expression changes to a stern one .

"That's.... Your ankle."

It was obviously internal bleeding due to a sprain. It was

obviously caused by Mars pushing her when he hit Nozomu.
"No, I'm fine. It hurt earlier, but I don't feel much pain
now...."

"You idiot, that can't be good! That means it's getting

worse!"

"Etto, hey! Mars-kun!"

Ignoring Tima's stuttering, Mars wraps his hands under her

armpits and legs and holds her in his arms. This is what is
called a princess hug.

"Whatever! Now we need to get you back home and get you
treated right away!"

"Eh, ah! Wait, wait! Aaaaah!"

While Tima's face was bright red and she was flailing around
wildly, Mars ran as fast as he could. His mind was occupied
with the thought that he had to treat her anyway, and he
was completely unconcerned about Tima's resistance.

"Fu, fue..... Fue e e e e e e e!"

Mars ran like a horse, silencing her resistance with a

powerful embrace. Tima's screams, her embarrassment
breaking through the night, echoed through the city.

Spasim Forest is enveloped in the darkness of night. In

Shino's hut, Nozomu was alone, swinging his sword in
frustration.

It was his usual habit of escaping.

Moreover, his appearance was far more ruffled compared to

what he had been in the past, and he looked so childish.
His movements were loose. If his late master saw him, he
would have been thrown to the ground with a yell, without a
doubt. He is aware of his own actions, but he still can't stop
himself.

He is filled with rage.

The anger that continues to surge in the depths of his heart

continues to ignore the grief in his body.

"Haa, haa, haa..."

While he continues to swing the sword with all his might, a

faint glow of qi is pouring from the sword. Although he tried
to create a qi-blade by pouring his remaining qi into the
blade, it didn't work at all.

The next moment, the sword fell to the ground in a heap.

Holding his sword as if it were a walking cane, he tried to
hold on, but his wobbling body wouldn't obey his will. His
body was completely detached from the surge and the
ineffability of his body to move.

"Kūu!"

Yet, still not giving up, Nozomu reaches into the invisible
chains that bind him.

Because the chains are there....

He tries to tear off the chains with such a furious face, but

the invisible chains, which used to be torn off easily like
pieces of paper, are now as hard as steel and don't budge at
all.

His body is immobilized, and his qi has been drained. All

that remains is guilt, regret, and self-pity.
"Shit, damn it...."

He punches the ground as hard as he can. He bites his lip,

causing blood to drip from his lip and trickle down onto his
fist. In the silence of the forest, only the moonlight through
the trees shines on him comfortingly.

"There you are... I've been looking for you...."

Surprised by the sudden voice, Nozomu looked up and saw

Shina Yuriel appear from the shade of the trees. Perhaps she
had come running in such a hurry, she was breathing
heavily, and her elegant azure hair was a little messy.

"It's you... Why are you here..."

"Of course, I came here to look for you. You just

disappeared.... Everyone is looking out for you."

"Everyone...."

Shina mumbles with a distracted expression as she walks

over next to Nozomu and sits down beside him, supporting
his body.

"Yes. Irisdina-san, Tima-san, and Somia-san. Anri-sensei,

Mimuru, and Tom, even that tiresome Feo, you know?"

"I see..."

Although Shina makes an effort to speak cheerfully,

Nozomu's face remains clouded. For a few moments, silence
passed between the two of them.

"Irisdina-san, too, knew about it. Your power."

"Did Iris let you know?"

"Yeah, she told me what you did to all of them, as well."

To answer Nozomu's question, Shina nodded her head

clearly and continued to speak fluently.

"Release of ability suppression. I've never heard of

something like that before. Not even in the books in the
school's library. Moreover, you won the battle against the
vampires from the Waziart family. One of the seven clans
that ruled the Dizzard Empire. That's unbelievable."

"I don't think so...."

"Of course, if someone doesn't know you, they'll dismiss the

whole thing entirely. Someone who only knows the false
you, who only exists in rumors, would say it's impossible....."

However, it was hard for Nozomu now to face the

unchanging, trusting look from Shina.

"No matter how much power you have, it's useless if you
can't use it at crucial moments...."

With a self-mocking look on his face, Nozomu mutters as if

he is going to throw up.

The words are heavy with a sense of worthlessness and self-

denial. They were the screams of his heart, which still
continues to inflict self-injury, unable to move on, even
though he knew he had to.

"That time.... The same thing happened with Abyss Grief.

Actually, if I had used it the first time we encountered it,
Tom wouldn't have been injured in the first place, and you
wouldn't have been so reckless. I had a hand that could
have done something about it, and I didn't even do anything
at all...."
"In return, I never got to see Raz again. If I had seen your
power at that time, I would have blamed myself even more
and become impatient. One person can have that much
power, and yet...."

That's what made it all a better choice......

Shina's warm voice softly pours out Nozomu's dark,

stagnant thoughts. She then turns around to face Nozomu,
stands on her knees, gently touches his cheek, and makes
him look up at her.

Her azure eyes looked at him as if peering into his eyes.

Filled with affection and trust, the straightforward glance at

Nozomu takes his breath away, as if he were being
pressured.

"That's why, whatever you think of yourself, I'm grateful to

you. I am able to face Mimuru, Tom, and Raz once again."

Dokun..... A quiet agitation spread through Nozomu's heart,

which had been stormy like the winter sea, and the heat on
his cheeks subdued the furious clarity that had been
disturbing him.

Shina's face came close to Nozomu's and... then stopped.

(Ah, huh? What did I just do?)

Suddenly, Shina's mind was filled with confusion.

Realizing that they are staring at each other from a close

distance, Shina's cheeks suddenly heat up.

(Eh, eh? Wait a minute. What?)

A sensation she had never experienced before, a tightness
in her chest, and the desire to be closer to him. These
sensations, combined with her own unconscious actions,
caused her to go numb all over.

"........"

As she stiffened, Nozomu's wondering gaze fell on her.

(Uh, a dazed face is good too... No! Perhaps I'm....)

A feeling she had never experienced before, an involuntary

action and desire. In the midst of all this, she was stunned
to find a single answer, followed by a spit-take.

"Um, you know, it's...."

(I-I'm an elf, okay? He's human, isn't he? How can I have
such feelings....) While reason raises questions, instincts are
more honest and aggressive.

Coming closer and closer to each other... and.

A hot, beating heart.

An unconscious deep breath. What she let out was

surprisingly bewitching to herself.

Meanwhile, Shina's devotion seeps into Nozomu's frozen

heart.

"When Iris believed in me, I started... And when I saw how

you overcame your past trauma, I made up my mind. I
decided to face Lisa again. I asked Ken to tell me the
truth....."

At the sight of the elf girl, who tries to be strong and accepts
everything, he begins to reveal his heart. Then, once he
speaks out, his suppressed feelings overflow like a weir.

"When I did, I failed..."

"Failed?"

"It was Ken who spread the rumor and deceived me and
Lisa. He conspired with Camilla...."

In response to Nozomu's confession, Shina quietly nodded

her head and encouraged him to go on.

"When they did so, my mind went blank. Then...."

"Then.....?"

"I released my ability suppression and almost killed both of

them, along with Lisa, who interrupted me...."

He almost killed them.

His words make Shina's eyes widen.

Remembering the time when he couldn't control his anger,

Nozomu looked down with a sorrowful expression on his
face.

"Nozomu-kun...."

Shina lost for words at Nozomu's unexpected confession,

and just as she was about to open her mouth, she heard a
woman's voice echoing from behind the bushes.

"There you are~~~~~!"

""Eh?""
Soon after, Anri comes out of the bushes and jumps at
Nozomu with all her might.

"Pfft!"

"Ah...."

"You suddenly disappeared~~! I was worried about you~~!

I've been looking for you~~!

Unable to properly react as a result of being knocked

sideways, Nozomu fell to the ground and hit the back of his
head hard, while his face was buried in Anri's chest.

On the other side, Anri pulled Nozomu's upper body up and

began to wriggle violently with his head held in her arms.

Exhausted with wounds all over his body, Nozomu

completely stiffens at the pain in the back of his head and
the soft sensation on his face.

"Anri-sensei, please calm down! Anyway, get your hands

away from him...."

Shina, who was stunned next to Nozomu, hurriedly pulled

him away from her.

"Cough cough... Thank you."

"No problem. Take it easy."

".... You two are looking good together. Youthful?"

"No, it's not like that!"

Nozomu was surprised that Anri showed up while Shina was

still in a state of confusion inside.
Because the place is quite distant from the area where the
special general exercise was being held.

"Anri-sensei, how did you know where I was?"

"Nozomu-kun, you're still wearing your exercise pendant. It's

designed specifically to respond to certain detection spells."

While saying so, Anri takes out a strange tool from her
pocket. It was a brass disk with a glass lid. Inside it was a
magic circle, and in the center was a spiky needle, which
pointed to the pendant that Nozomu was wearing.

"This item is still in development, so the accuracy isn't quite

right yet~~. That's why I couldn't find you sooner~~.
Anyway, how did Shina-san know that Nozomu-kun was
here~~?"

"This place is where we were sheltered when we were

attacked by demon beasts before. Didn't you hear about it,
Anri-sensei?"

"You mean Abyss Grief~~? Inda-sensei gave me the gist of

it~~. I see, so this is where Nozomu-kun master lives~~."

Slipping the small pendant back into her skirt pocket, Anri
looked around, deeply moved.

Nozomu, on the other hand, was surprised that Anri had

mentioned Shino's existence.

"How did sensei know about my master?"

"Hm? Nozomu-kun, if someone sees how you've grown in

the art of swordsmanship, they'll know that someone has
been teaching you~~."
Nozomu never told Anri about Shino, but the teacher at the
Soluminati Academy was a good fit.

Contrary to her usual soft-spoken behavior, it seems that

she was aware of the presence of Nozomu's master.

I should say hello~~. As Anri utters a carefree speech,

Nozomu tells Anri that his master has already passed away.

"Ah, I see. That's too sad~~. A great swordsman from the

Mikagura-ryu. As someone who uses qijutsu, I really wish I
could have met your master~~."

"A great swordsman... After all, Shisou was amazing."

"Nozomu-kun, you never heard from your master~~."

"That's, just a little about her hometown and things that

happened to her. But Shisou was very ill, and I couldn't ask
her anything...."

At the time, Nozomu only wanted a place to escape on his

own accord. His priority was to learn as many techniques as
possible and the art of swordmanship, rather than the
names and origins of the sword arts he had been taught.

The only time she was able to truly open herself up to him
was just before his last training session with his master. It
was only for a short time. Even though her last words were
acceptable, there were times when he wished he could have
talked to her more.

"Shisou said it's okay to run away. But don't turn away from
the fact that you ran away.... In the end I'm....."

He tried to move on. However, he failed.

The ear-splitting silence and clenched fists told how much
Nozomu owed her.

For a few seconds, maybe a few dozen seconds.

Nozomu's whole body was shaking with anger and

frustration, but then, as if the tide was receding, he
suddenly relaxed and looked up with a somber expression
on his face.

"I wonder if Iris and the others were worried about me

too...."

The feeling of apology poked at his chest. At the same time,

however, there is a slight feeling of joy.

"Nozomu, are you really just trying to get rid of your ability
suppression?"

"…………"

"Actually, that's a different thing...."

Nozomu's heart beat more violently at Shina's words, which

conveyed deep conviction.

"I want everyone to hear and to know. That's my desire, but

at the same time, I'm also feeling scared...."

At the same time, her words prompted him to divulge a little

of his inner thoughts.

He wants to talk about the secrets he has been keeping, he

wants to be at ease. That is the true feeling in Nozomu
heart.

However, more than his desire to be freed, his fear was

holding him back.
"There is another will within my power. A will that puts
everyone in danger. If this is unleashed in disorder, I will.... I
will kill everyone."

Indeed, once he nearly killed his own childhood friend....

With these words, Nozomu falls silent again.

Like when he nearly killed Lisa, Nozomu becomes lost in

himself and ends up killing the people he cares about.

Having been freed from his loneliness, the fearful feeling

binds Nozomu's heart even more strongly.

"Nozomu-kun, you decided to give it another try because of

your master's last words~~ right?"

He nodded his head in response to Anri's question.

"Let me ask you one more thing. Nozomu-kun, you didn't

know what was important to your master other than her last
words~~."

"Important things...."

"Remember, she must have told you. She may not have said
it in words, maybe she didn't mean it~~. But, I'm certain
there's something hidden in there that will help you get over
your anxiety that you've been feeling for so long~~."

"What's Shisou want to tell me...."

"When people express their feelings in words or facial

expressions, it's just a simple phrase, but behind it, they
often have very complex feelings. How was your master in
her last moment~~."
Encouraged by Anri's words, Nozomu closes his eyes and
remembers the moment when he parted with his master.
What comes to mind are Shino's last words, an expression of
commitment not to turn away from the fact that he had run
away, even if he still wanted to.

Suffering from a sleeping disease, she reminisced about her

past, then emitted murderous intent with fierce sword
fighting and swung her blade at Nozomu.

She wanted to make Nozomu aware of his escape. She then

confessed that she herself had been struck by sleeping
disease.

[Please, my last wish. Will you accept it?]

She was crying like a lost child.

"..... Anxiety, it was. She's wondering if i'll be able to accept

her thoughts and feelings."

"Yes. I think so too. It takes courage for anyone to talk about

their painful past~~."

At Anri's words, Shina also nodded and crossed her arms as

if to hug herself .

".... I agree. I used to have a hard time remembering my

family and my hometown."

People are originally timid and always hide their true

feelings from others.

It is especially difficult for a person who has suffered a

traumatic event to reveal their true feelings.
Moreover, if it is the very painful past that they don't want
to remember, imagine the agony they would be going
through.

Shino was also a human being who had suffered great

heartbreak, and considering that she had even abandoned
her own homeland to hide out in such a remote forest, it is
not difficult to see how much [anxiety] she must have been
carrying in order to speak out about [her true feelings].

"But, Nozomu-kun, did you accept your master properly?"

"...Yes."

In response to Shino's feelings, who confessed her past and

her own lifespan with tears, Nozomu unleashed Tiamat's
power for the first time and faced the abominable dragon
that had assimilated into him.

Despite being nearly killed, he succeeded in taking away a

part of Tiamat's powers.

"Nozomu-kun was able to face his master because he

wanted to accept Shino-san's wish~~.

Irisdina-san and the others are likely the same...."

As if to remind him, Anri closed her words with a kindly

smile.

Nozomu's fists were clenched even tighter. His trembling

hands, downcast eyes, and bitten lips reflected the
hesitation that still remained in him.

Shina walked to Nozomu's face and gently wrapped her own

hands around his trembling ones, as if to encourage him
once more.
"....Ah."

"Don't worry, you're a little timid now, but you've faced

someone you cared about once. So you can do it again."

Fluttering her hair with the transparency characteristic of

elves, she looks at Nozomu with a clear gaze. Eyes without
a trace of hesitation. The warmth of her hands gently
warmed Nozomu's heart.

Nozomu's heart feels as if a small light has been lit. A small

spark lit up in his heart. It was a faint, fleeting light, but it
began to shine hard in the darkness that settled in
Nozomu's heart.

"Shina-san...."

"You gave me a chance to face the people I care about. I am

truly grateful. That's why I want to help you this time."

Her words burst forth in Nozomu's heart, and the fading

light in his chest turned bright and shiny.

"Besides, I'm sure she'll... They'll be here soon."

As Shina turns around, the sound of rustling grass flows

from behind the trees.

"Iris, Mars... and everyone."

It was Irisdina and the others, led by Mars, that showed up.
Chapter 6: Once Again, Starting Over

[Chichi chichi... (Shi-jo, I brought them...)]

"Raz, thanks for your help."

Razward, who led Irisdina and the others, returns to Shina's

shoulder. She praises the spirit she has known since
childhood and steps aside with Anri, as if to urge Nozomu,
Irisdina, and the others to go. Nozomu gave a small nod of
gratitude and turned to face Irisdina and the others.

Irisdina was the first to open her mouth.

"This place..."

"This is where I trained for two years, where my master

teaches me how to use a sword."

Nozomu's gaze turns to Shino's grave near the hut.

The grave was a simple tomb made of stones. However,

Nozomu's gaze on the grave was full of affection, and his
face was the most peaceful Irisdina and the others had ever
seen.

(Nozomu, you can make that kind face too...)

Nozomu's never-before-seen smile made Irisdina's heart

pulse louder in a way that she had never felt before.

"Nozomu...."
"Mars...."

Mars stepped forward from Irisdina's side. His usually

confident demeanor has faded, and he has a heavy air
around him.

"I envied you. You could gain extraordinary power...."

Mars' revealed his jealousy. His desire for power like

Nozomu's led him to try using the combination technique of
chi and magic.

He thought he had mastered it, and as a result of his

reckless actions, he put everyone in difficult circumstances.

Above all, he refused to admit his own faults and took his
frustration out on Nozomu unreasonably.

In response, Nozomu silently listens.

"I don't know if you'll forgive me if I apologize now. Maybe

you don't even want to see my face. Still,.... I wanted to see
you again and apologize.... I'm sorry."

"... It's fine. Besides, I have no right to be angry at Mars.

Unlike you, I'm a wreck, and I can't even do my best."

As Mars bows his head, Nozomu too, speaks up to squeeze

out a few words.

"I didn't get this power on purpose. I simply fought because

I didn't want to die, and I got it as result...."

Holding and spreading his hands a few times, slowly he

begins to put his thoughts into words.

Anxiety and hesitation make his voice choke up.

Still, Irisdina and the others were quietly listening to him.
That made Nozomu feel grateful.

"I've been running away for a long time. Even though I knew
I was running away, yet i couldn't move forward."

"It's the same for me. Even though I knew you were
suffering from anxiety and pain, I couldn't help."

"I'm not as perfect as you think I am, I'm jealous of you, too
.... more than anything, I'm picky person. There were hardly
any people with whom I could have a pleasant
conversation."

If they were friends, they could have done more. However,

before Irisdina knew it, she had distanced herself from
Nozomu.

It was only because of a little jealousy.

The small rift gradually grew. Irisdina found herself at a loss

for how to talk to Nozomu.

"I knew. Something enormous was troubling you. I knew it,

and before I realized it, all I could do for you was do the
usual things...."

"It's okay, Iris. It's my fault for not being more persistent."

Nozomu holds back Iris Dina, who still wants to say

something, and he continues to speak.

"I'm .... I'm afraid that if people know what my power is,
they'll reject me. Even though that it's not so bad, it could
be worse, and to be honest, I'm still scared...."
Yet, when he really needed its power, he stalled. Nozomu
raises his left hand with trembling lips and grips the invisible
chain.

"Therefore, i need to move forward for good... I have to

show who really i am, with real intention."

Nozomu puts strength into his left hand. The chain that
binds his body makes a creaking sound, as if symbolizing
the anxiety and fear that still remain in his heart.

"Guts!... Ugh!"

Looking closely at his clothes, a red stain seeps out. The

wounds he had sustained in the battle with "Chapped
Crown" opened up.

Nevertheless, clenching his teeth and enduring the pain,

Nozomu continued to put all his strength into his left hand,
but before he was about to be released, the shadow of fear
once again loomed over his mind.

What's wrong? It's alright now, isn't it?

Suddenly, a voice came to his ear. Nozomu's gaze turns

toward the [beloved katana] at his waist.

looking to the side, to corner of the hut, he saw curtain

marker with old woman that peeking softly.

"Shishou...."

It may be a hallucination. Maybe it was a delusion created

by the curtain. However, it did not matter to Nozomu.

Turning again, he sees Irisdina and Mars staring at him.

Behind them, Shina Anri and the others were also looking at
him.

They came to see him again, not abandoning him with

contempt for his inability to use his power.

That alone was enough to solidify the final piece of his

awakening.

"Aaaaahhhhh!"

He focused all his remaining qi on his left hand. Although

the resisting chain ripped into his left hand, causing blood to
flow out, this was not enough to stop Nozomu now.

The invisible chain cracks with a snapping sound.

Finally, the invisible chain broke off, and at the same time, a
torrent of intense power erupted.

"Kuh, it's still the same ridiculous sense of intimidation..."

"Nah, what is... this..."

The enormous amount of power and density, like an air

storm, emitted from him takes the breath away from
everyone present.

"Lies, this is.... a spirit..."

[I know...]

Only Shina and Razward reacted differently from the others.

There are five colored source elements that mixed in the qi

that was emitted. The two were able to sense the presence
of these elements, which they had not been able to perceive
when they were fighting the Abyss Grief, and they were
aware of it at the same time.
"A spirit with such color. No..., there is no spirit with
attributes and such a powerful force like that...."

At Shina's words, the others looked at Nozomu with wide

eyes.

"It's not something a human can own, even us elves can't

hold it, even if it's a miracle..., we would definitely break."

The expression of anxiety that could not be concealed on

their faces showed once again to everyone, reminding them
of the danger and uniqueness of the power that Nozomu
possessed.

Meanwhile, Irisdina took a step toward the whirling torrent

of power, It's the eyes that are unusual.

"He said that he just got that power by accident. A forceful

fighting style that does not suit the original Nozomu and the
anxiety that Shina feels. What happened to him..."

[Spirits are more powerful with a pure single attribute than

with multiple attributes. To begin with, it is rare for us to
have more than one attribute. To begin with it’s the spirit
inside him that makes us feel the unpleasant feeling]

In response to Irisdina's leaked voice, Razward said a few

more words. Razward, who has three attributes and has
reached the status of a small spirit, is quite the odd one out
among the spirits.

However, even from his point of view, the power that

Nozomu is currently emanating could only be described as
abnormal.

The raging crimson flame that governs purification,

regeneration, and destruction.
The clear blue water, while exuding the birth of new life and
purity, sometimes brings about impurity and corruption.

The brown of soil, filled with the blessings of the earth and
carved eternity.

The green capricious winds of the sky, which sometimes

accompany the seeds of life and travelers and sometimes
block their paths.

Lastly, the jet-black darkness that governs the night brings

peace of mind and anxiety, opposites of both.

At that moment,the image of a giant dragon with five-colors

six-wings appeared in Shina and Razward's minds.

The giant body like a tower that reached into the heavens,
with six-wings on its back that so large as if they could
cover the whole sky.

The huge claws and fangs that sharpened to the point that
they could tear apart the earth and even vajra stones.

With the eyes stained with hatred and resentment that

threaten to destroy everything in this world.

The spirits that exist in this world sometimes show a rough

side, but compared to this, it is too disastrous.

"Aah! No way!"

[Tiamat..... You're a.... dragon slayer.]

Nozomu nodded quietly as they realized who his true

identity was.

[I see....]
"Dragon... slayer."

Irisdina and the others are all at a loss for words at the
name of a being that is supposed to exist only in legend.
Nozomu quietly began to talk about how he became a
dragon slayer.

On his way to the hut for his daily training, he wandered into
an unknown place where he encountered a five-colored, six-
winged dragon.

When he was crushing and helplessly overwhelmed, he

struggled with his master, who came to his aid, and through
a fight for his life, he was able to release his ability
suppression, and by a series of miraculous coincidences, he
was able to win the battle.

Just before he lost consciousness, he saw Tiamat collapsing

and turning into a torrent of light, which fell on him as he lay
unable to move.

"The power is too great for my body to handle, thanks to my

ability suppression, I managed to survive, but that dragon is
still alive inside me..."
Even as he spoke, Nozomu continued to resist Tiamat's
attempt to devour him.

He clenched his teeth in an effort to hold back the raging

force. As if to mock Nozomu's efforts, Tiamat continues to
thrash around inside his body with delight.

"Ha, ha... Every time I release my suppression, it rages

inside my body…, and lately, in response to my emotions,
it's starting to mess with my psyche, i had dreams of killing
everyone after i went out of control out of anger when i
questioned Lisa and Ken..."

"Nozomu..."

"Sooner or later, it might devour my body and mind,

someday... It’ll finally come out..."

His breathing is ragged, sweat is beading on his forehead,

and his face is more tense than before.

"I don’t know what will happen to me if people find out

about this....whether I'd become an experimental subject,
even more than of politics.... would it make me a tool used
by everyone else....., will they treat me like a usable pawn?"

Nozomu continues to expose everything that he has been

holding on to.

"If I am swallowed by this dragon, I'm sure I'll kill everyone,

even more, I'm afraid everyone will be gone... I found myself
unable to get that thought out of my head... I was so
anxious... I couldn't find a way out..."

If Shino were still alive, Nozomu would not have been driven
to this point, but now she is no longer with him, and
Nozomu has to live with the secrets and anxieties of the
giant dragon all by himself.

"I am...."

"Finally, you let me hear it..."

"Ah. Thank you, Nozomu, for telling me..."

The words of Irisdina and Mars gently wrap around

Nozomu's shaken monologue.

"Nozomu, we asked you to tell us about yourself, and you

finally told us. So I'll tell you what I'm willing to do after I
hear what you just said..."

Irisdina approached Nozomu with steady steps through the

torrent of qi and slowly extended her hand to him.

"I want to get to know you better, and I want you to get to
know more about me."

"Ts…!"

However, Nozomu's sword is thrust in front of her.

"If you know more, you might not be able to go back, and if
you get in too deep, you might even get your precious
Somia-chan involved, which could be life-threatening..."

The words are cold and intimidating. Yet his eyes are
shaking so much that you can even see it from the side, and
the sword he thrusts at her is trembling slightly.

The desire to be able to convey and the joy of being

accepted. Still, the uneasiness that won't go away and the
determination to confirm their hearts. It kept shaking him
violently, like a delicate balance.
"Sure, great power attracts a lot of people, some might try
to use it to their own advantage, some might try to
eliminate you because they see you as a danger, and some
might target not yourself but the people around you."

Those who pursue their own interests, those who fear him,
and those who decide that they can't touch the problem
itself—when they decide to do so, it will be the people
around him that will be targeted.

"... But, that's the same as me."

As the next head of the Francilt family, which has great

power, many people were flocking to her, and of course to
her sister too.

It is not easy compared to Nozomu, who has tremendous

power as an individual but no organizational backing, and
Irisdina, the next head of a prestigious noble family with a
long tradition, but they were the same in the essential
aspect of attracting people's attention in any way possible.

"...That's why, it's more important to talk about it now than

it was before, and for me, I'm more concerned about you
being gone."

The voice of the one who seeks him, directed straight at

him, seeps into his heart. Nozomu's eyes widened as
Irisdina stepped further ahead, his body moved backward as
Mars also stepped ahead next to her in a line.

"Looking back, as far as I'm aware, we never confided in

each other. Actually, we may not have even started yet..."

Irisdina and Mars are already in Nozomu's range, and his qi

blade is within their reach.
"So, let's start once again, right here, right now..."

The two reach toward Nozomu sword, which was directed to

them, and at the moment their fingertips touched its
blade...

"Yes, thank you..."

With a word of thanks mingled with a sob, the tip of the

blade slowly lowered, and hot tears of deep emotion fell.

One by one, another drop trickles down Nozomu's cheek,

gently blinking in the moonlight and quietly soaking into the
ground.

"Thank you for talking to us and answering our worries..."

"I am sorry, Nozomu, and thank you for being my friend..."

His eyes flushed bright red, unable to feel the warmth that
enveloped him, he just surrendered himself to his heart's
desire.

Nozomu continued to shed tears silently, and when he

finished shedding a few moments later, he looked up,
though his face looked a mess from the tears he'd shed.

However, his face was radiant, as if possession already

fading away.

"I'll be with everyone, once again...."

Nozomu opened his mouth to express his thoughts once

again, but the next moment, Nozomu's eyes seemed to
open wide, and suddenly he hit both of them with torrent of
qi.
Irisdina and Mars were blown backwards by a furious
shockwave, and the two, who had no idea what had just
happened, saw a huge black entity roaring past in front of
them and the figure of Nozomu, who was blown away by the
huge entity.

Nozomu was blown away and crashed into Shino's hut. The
hut collapsed without having time to escape, perhaps
because its support pillar was fractured. Meanwhile, the
giant figure that had sent Nozomu flying was inverted, and
its body soared into a towering heap.

[Chapped-Crown Death Centipede]

The giant centipede, with a cracked crown-like shell on its

head, looked down at the collapsed hut while moving its
ghastly jaw limbs, and began to wear purple lightning with
an ominous sound.

"Gichigichigichi!"

In the next moment, several roaring thunderbolts were

unleashed. The swarm of purple lightning crawling around
like a swarm of wolves is directed toward Shino's hut, which
has just collapsed.

A flash of lightning ignites the building materials made of

grass and wood, leaving Nozomu buried alive and quickly
catching fire.

"Nozomu!"

While Irisdina screams in grief as the hut is engulfed in

flames, [Chapped Crown] doesn't look at them, rather, it
points its four pairs of glazed eyes at the hut that has been
ablaze.

"Quick, we have to save him!"

Irisdina and Mars rush to the burning hut to save Nozomu.

However, their efforts are interrupted when Thunder Rain,
the [Capped Crown], attacks them.

"Ai!"

"I won't let you!"

Feo and Tima prevented the swarm of purple lightning that

was heading toward them.

The five pieces of the charms that were thrown emit light
and create a five-layered barrier while unfurling a magic
circle in the air.

In the blink of an eye, the five layers of barriers are

shattered by the "Chapped Crown" Thunder Rain, but in the
meantime, Tima uses her vast magical power to create an
even more powerful barrier.

Tima manages to block the countless purple lightning bolts

that are approaching.

"Kuu..."

Nevertheless, Tima didn't have enough time to deploy a

sufficient magical barrier. As a result, she had no choice but
to forcibly strengthen low-level magic with magical power,
and the load struck her body as a reaction.

"Gichigichigichi....gii!"
While Tima was in agony, "Capped Crown" was about to
release a follow-up attack.

Before it could do so, a whip was struck in the eye of the

"Chapped Crown". Although the eye was not even hard, it
didn't seem to hurt the giant centipede. The sudden shock
distracted the giant centipede's attention.

"No good~~. I can't even put a scratch on it."

It was Anri who swung the whip. She is trying to make the
"chapped crown" pay attention to her, while she is saying a
disappointed voice.

At her side, a woman dressed in a maid's outfit, Mena

Manat, rushes out like a wind. She drew her thin sword and
fired a flash of light into the soft skin membrane between
the body joints of the giant centipede.

Although the sword was light, she put strength into her hand
as if to cleave it, and her face was furrowed at the heavy
touch that came back to her hand.

"I was able to slice it, but it was a tough one. My weapon
won't hold at this rate."

It is the muscle that moves the physique of the giant

centipede. Of course, it has very dense musculature. A
weapon that attempts to cut such rock-like flesh will easily
wear out. Even Mena, who has excellent swordsmanship,
knew that her current weapon would break in a few more
seconds.

"Ojou-sama, we'll keep that beast away from you. Get

Nozomu-sama while we're at it."

"Norn, you go to Nozomu-kun~~!"

"Okay. Don't push too hard, Anri!"

"Sorry, Mena. Somia, over here!"

Irisdina and the others leave the [Chapped Crown] to them,

and they rush to Shino's hut, which is ablaze.

"Nozomu, can you hear me?"

"Damn, the fire is too strong!"

Irisdina tries to put out the fire using her magic to create
water, but it is not enough to extinguish the blazing flames.

"Raz, please!"

[Aye, leave it to me!]

Razward unleashes the power of the spirit and creates a

huge mass of water, enough to extinguish all the flames
surrounding the hut with a single action.

However, the moment Razward releases the mass of water,

it instantly fades into mist.

[Hey, hey, hey, Why does the power of the spirits exist in a
demonic beast's magic!]

"Raz, use my magic power too!"

With the help of Shina's magic, Razward creates an even

larger mass of water, but the mass of water disappears the
moment it is finished.

[Damn, no! The water spirits won't listen to me! This is ....
The power of water spirit that is more powerful than me.]

"That...."
"No!"

Meanwhile, Mars is trying to use his great sword against one

of the hut's pillars, using the force to remove the massive
debris.

There is no time to waste. Smoke is already engulfing

Shino's hut.

Almost half of all fire deaths are caused by suffocation from

smoke inhalation.

"Aaahh...."

Despite their efforts, the collapsed debris didn't seem to

budge. Irisdina and Shina also applied enhancement magic
to their bodies in an attempt to dislodge the roof that was
trapping Nozomu, just as Mars did, by placing their hands on
the burning debris.

"O, Oi!"

"Kuuuu!"

"Ts....!"

Their hands were assaulted by intense heat and stabbing

pain. Mars screams at the girls'

reckless behavior, yet they are not concerned about it.

Nozomu might die if they do nothing.

Irisdina's frustration was even greater than the pain from

the burned wounds.

The image of Nozomu, who is about to be burned by flames,

reminds Shina of a nightmare she had twenty years ago.
The forest was engulfed in flames, and her house was
burning to the ground. Families whose bodies were turned
into corpses in front of her eyes.

Possibly he was in the same condition..... Thinking about it,

the pain in her hands didn't even matter.

"Go away....!"

"Please, just...! Move...!"

Just as they prayed and pleaded, Irisdina and Shina

desperately tried to move the debris away.

However, as if to trample on their wishes, the "Chapped

Crown" released purple lightning bolts that rained down
toward them.

"Damn! What the hell is going on!"

The giant centipede somehow aimed not at Anri and Mena,

who were attacking, but at Irisdina and the others. Mars,
clucking his tongue, hurriedly pulls out his weapon from the
rubble and leaves the scene, carrying Irisdina and Shina as
fast as he can.

In the next second, a swarm of purple lightning strikes

where Mars and the others had just been.

[Chapped Crown] stepped between them and the burning

hut, flaunting its huge body and snapping its jaws as if to
mock Irisdina and the others.

"Shit. Damn it, that guy won't let us save Nozomu!"

A demon beast is not supposed to have spirit power. Irisdina

stared at the giant centipede with determined eyes and
drew her thin sword.

Next to her, Shina was preparing her bow and pouring the
power of spirit into her arrows.

I can't waste time any longer! I'll get you to retreat at all
costs!

As if in response to Irisdina's passion, the magic sword

"Moon Eclipse Night" was activated, and the thin sword
shone in jet black.

The girls' will was crushed by an overwhelming flash of

lightning, along with the gaze of a mighty malice.

.... Ugh!

In the pitch-black vision, there were flickering flames and

crushed debris. With the collapsed hut weighing down his
entire body, a strained moan escaped from Nozomu's
mouth.

Furthermore, the pervasive smoke inhibits breathing. Every

time he breathes in, the smoke irritates his mucous
membranes and causes an intense headache.

"Ts!... ugh, uh..."

As his vision gradually darkens, Nozomu reaches out as if to

ask for help. In his mind's eye, he sees the friends who have
just accepted him into their lives. The bonds that he has
finally acquired, the people he never wanted to lose, the
ones he found in his loneliness.
The joy that had been rising in him earlier became an
intense sense of frustration, and his whole body was burning
with the heat of the flames.

There is still that [Chapped Crown] outside. Even in his hazy

mind, he knew that they were in danger.

(I don't want to lose it. No, I don't want it to end here!) The
bond that has been reconnected and the outpouring of his
strong will to protect it. With determination, he puts all his
strength and qi into his left hand, which is stuck in the
debris.

An unpleasant creaking sound was heard as the muscles

rose and the debris holding the arm in place moved slightly.

"Gu! Gah! Goho-goho!"

However, that was as far as Nozomu was able to go. The

smoke disrupted his breathing and fizzled his mind. His body
was heavy like lead, and contrary to his desperate thoughts,
his anger at himself was rising.

[Do you want to save them?]

There is a heavy voice that sounds as if it is asking him from

the back of his ear.

The voice is so heavy and clear maybe because he has

released his ability suppression, the dragon's will is clearly
conveyed to him.

[However, it will be too late now. Those humans will not

survive against that giant centipede.

They would have been butchered and turned into pathetic

corpses already.]
That ruthless notice pierces Nozomu's heart.

[That giant centipede is controlled by a spirit. You remember

it, don't you? That winged insect that ensnared you. And
you've done nothing to stop all of it. You're just a human.
That's all you can do....]

(You've got to be kidding me! I won't let that happen!)

The lives of his friends, whom he had finally begun to feel

for, are extinguished because of his own weakness.

Confronted with an unacceptable reality, a powerful rage

erupts in Nozomu's heart.

It's a reality that he cannot allow to happen.....

"Ooooooooooooo!"

He screamed and exploded with power, forcing himself out

from under the rubble with his left hand. Then, ignoring the
tearing skin and spurting blood, he slammed his left arm
into the ground.

Annihilation Light.

Tiamat's elemental - qi blasted away the debris that

imprisoned him.

"Gahh.... Fuu, Ha~...."

Shaking out at his fading consciousness, he raises his free

body.

Then, what came into his eyes...... made him absolutely

stunned.

"No...."
The people he wanted to protect. All of them already dead.

Irisdina, Mars, Tima, Somia. Sina, Mimuru, Tom.

Nozomu was speechless as the scene he had seen in his

nightmares became a reality.

[See, right there, the source of all this...]

A giant centipede, clad in lightning.

Beside it, a man and a woman stand facing each other with
[Chapped Crowns].

"You guys....."

Nozomu's mind was tinged with anger the moment he saw

them.

Ken and Camilla. The source of all that had caused

Nozomu's downfall.

They looked disdainfully down at Nozomu with their eyes,

and at Irisdina and the others, who had been slaughtered.

[They're not supposed to be here.] Their existence here.

Under normal circumstances, he would have noticed
something strange.

However, the deaths of Irisdina and the others erased his

rationality.

"Ooooooooooooo!"

His anger and passion grow even more intense, and his
rationality is completely erased from his mind.
Then, with a beastly roar, Nozomu drew his sword and
stepped toward the person toward whom he held so much
hatred.

As Irisdina and the others tried to save Nozomu, somehow

[Chapped Crown] prevented them from doing so.

Suddenly, there was a deafening roar in the area, and a

torrent of light erupted. Smoke and rubble on the ground
scattered and were blown into the sky with sparks of fire,
burning the surrounding grass and trees.

".... No, zomu?"

Irisdina muttered words that seemed to confirm what she

had just heard.

It was undoubtedly Nozomu who slowly raised himself up,

but there was something wrong with his appearance.

The clothes he was wearing were blackened and scorched in

places, and red drops were dripping down from his head to
the ground, as if he had been injured by the debris when the
hut collapsed.

His right hand held his sword. The exposed blade of the
sword swayed as it reflected the light of the flames around
it.

More than anything else, it was the piercing cold air around
Nozomu that made Irisdina unable to believe what she was
seeing.

"Uh...."
The murderous intent that indiscriminately strikes the
surroundings.

A deadly atmosphere that could immediately kill anyone

who tries to get close to him. Also, his eyes are dyed red like
a burning flame.

There is no trace of the man who just a few minutes ago

revealed his heart to everyone.

Nozomu's murderous gaze was directed at Irisdina and the

others.

The hostility in Nozomu's face made her eyes widen, and

then she backed away as if she were being overwhelmed.

"Gigigi...."

The [Chapped Crown] turns to Nozomu. The beast no longer

seemed interested in Irisdina and the others and turned its
cloudy eyes only on the boy standing in the fire.

An unpleasant feeling quickly swelled up inside Irisdina, and

she involuntarily choked up.

At that moment, both Nozomu and the giant centipede

moved at the same time.

"Gichigichigichi...."

The [Chapped Crown] began to clap its fangs and wreathe

its body in purple lightning. Swarms of lightning bolts spread
through the body of the beast and concentrated above the
beast's head, shooting at Nozomu.

"Uoooohhhhh!"
Echoing a scream, Nozomu burst into the thunderous
rainstorm by exploding the qi in his legs.

Flash Step Curved Dance

Overleaping through countless gaps in the rain of thunder,

he stepped through the distance between himself and the
[Chapped Crown] with a single movement.

Aiming at the gap between one of the countless legs, he

swung his sword.

"Ts!?"

First slash, second slash, third slash. One flash of the sword
rips through the soft membrane of the joint, and the next
two slice through the inner flesh, cutting it completely in
two.

"Aaaaaaah!"

Furthermore, Nozomu rushes around the [Chapped Crown]

and strikes it with a series of extremely high-speed slashes,
cutting off its legs one after the other.

"Gigigiggity!"

Unexpectedly surprised by the counterattack and the pain it

received, the [Chapped Crown]

reflexively struck back, wiggling its huge body.

It laid down and surrounded Nozomu with its giant body.

Moreover, it began to wreathe its countless legs in lightning.

Cage of lightning claws.

The lightning that runs without gaps and the joints that are
big and sharp like fangs attack Nozomu from all directions
at once.

"Fuuuuuuuuuu...."

Nozomu let out a roar and raised his left arm in the air as a
swarm of pale flashes and a myriad of scary-looking jointed
legs came close to piercing his body.

Be gone!

In response to his rising anger, the qi that was concentrated

in Nozomu's left arm began to glow with five different colors
of light, and it emitted even more elemental power.

It is qi, which fills up all of Tiamat's elements.

"Uuooohhhhhhhhhhhh!"

He slammed the power he drew out into the ground.

In the next moment, five-colored elements erupted like a

volcano.

Annihilation Light.

Burst of qi along with the source elements of The Dragon

King erupt from the ground, blasting away the legs of the
[Chapped Crown] that approaches Nozomu along with the
lightning and burning its giant body.

"Giiiiiiiiiii!"

The [Chapped Crown] which had been blown away along

with its cage of lightning claws, sprawled around with an
inaudible scream, but soon, as if its strings had been
severed, it laid down its huge body with a loud thud.
At the center of the explosion, Nozomu was breathing out a
rough voice, with five-colored source elements emitted from
his body.

"This, this such thing..."

In the blink of an eye, he drove one of the six-deadly to

dying, displaying frightening power as he wielded his
murderous intent in a disorderly manner.

Irisdina and the others were speechless at the inexplicable

scene.

Nozomu had told them that he was a dragon slayer, a being

who only existed in legend.

However, there was a difference in the sense of reality

between being told in words and actually witnessing the
actual power.

Finally, they understood it all at once.

Obviously, that power is not something a single human

being can possess, and it is tinged with the will to destroy
everything in the world.

If that power were wielded against them, they would surely

be exterminated in an instant.

"........."

Nozomu, who standing beside the lying [Chapped Crown],

stares at Irisdina and the others.

His gaze, stained with hatred, pierced through everyone.

His eyes were no longer the ones he had always turned on

his friends, rather, they were sharp and swarthy, as if they
were directed at his sworn enemies.

There is no trace of his kindness and consideration for

others.

Irisdina's body trembled, and her heart sank. Her soul cries
out for a warning to stay further away.

Yet at the same time, her heart is helplessly constricted by

the sight of him shaking with rage and scattering his power
in a disorderly manner.

(He was... I wonder how anxious he was.)

The image of Nozomu, who confessed his feelings to her,

came back to Irisdina's mind.

The smile that made her rejoice when she could start over
again and face him again.

That's what made her stay in a situation where anyone else

would have turned their backs and fled in fear.

(Ts! Let's face each other properly again... It's alright).

Irisdina's prayerful, pained voice is echoing through the

forest.

The worst expectation that came to her mind and the

heartbreaking cry that she doesn't want to admit.

As if to dismiss her wish, Nozomu bursts in, his deadly intent

sending chills down everyone's spine.

She reflexively raised her thin sword.

Magic Sword Moon Eclipse Night.

"Gah~ts!?"

Irisdina's body was thrown away like a stone as the impact

struck both of her arms.

She slammed into a tree and let out a moan as another

attack came at her.

"Damn.... Ah!"

Although she succeeded in catching the downward slash,

her body was slammed between the trees behind her.

Her thin sword creaked from the powerful impact, and her
chest screamed from the pressure.

In front of her, Nozomu's face is stained with hate, and his

deadly blade is glinting in front of her.

However, she felt something strange there.

(I feel like [Mumei]... It's not attached?)

Nozomu's sword didn't have the same sharp blade. If

Nozomu had applied [Phantom], Irisdina's body would have
been cut in two with the first swing, for sure.

As she can see, the blade's pattern has changed.

Several days ago, when they were training early in the

morning, the pattern of the blade was like a clear stream.

However, the current blade pattern on the [Mumei] is like a

chain. Countless chains waved and trembled, as if resisting
the force of the blade.

"Nozomu, stop!"
Mars comes out from the side to save Irisdina with his great
sword.

A heavy blow with plenty of weight and physical strength

was added to the sword. However, Nozomu, while holding
the sword in his right hand, took off the sheath from his
sword belt with his left hand and lightly received Mars'
slash.

"Kuts, he doesn't even flinch.... Uwaa!?"

To divert the force that was pressing down on him, Nozomu

moved his body off its center by lowering his hips.

Mars' body, having lost all form of resistance, was

momentarily swept forward in a heaving heap.

Now defenseless, Nozomu moves in and presses his

shoulders against Mars body.

Not good. As soon as he reflexively raised his strength with

all his might, he was hit in the chest by an impact that felt
like a battering ram.

"Gahah....."

Mikagura-ryu Oscillation.

Powerful blows strike through his chest, momentarily taking

time out of Mars' body.

His head crumples to his knees, and the retrieved sheath is

unceremoniously dropped over his head.

"Stop it!"

"Hey, Nozomu! Wake up!"

This time, Mimuru and Feo intercepted Nozomu's deadly
strike.

As if to pick off Irisdina and Mars, Nozomu's sword was

drawn and rooted out on an extremely directed trajectory.

Nozomu instantly changes the direction of his sword and

prevents the two from attacking.

At that moment, a charm filled with magical power fell from

Feo's pocket and emitted a pear-shaped light.

"Ts!?"

While Nozomu was blinded by the flash light, Feo and

Mimuru took advantage in order to save Irisdina and Mars.

"Okay, let's just take them and go... Uyaa!"

"Nyowaaaaah!"

However, even though his vision was obscured by the light,

Nozomu was still able to track them accurately.

In an instant, he turns ahead at the two who are trying to

disengage themselves, swinging his sword and scabbard.

Feo and Mimuru let go of Irisdina and Mars, and managed to

prevent the incoming attack.

"Uggg.... how is it possible that you can still know where we

are?"

"Hey, come on... Look at that, you idiot!"

The two turned pale at the sound of their own weapons

creaking overhead.
Meanwhile, Razward came up from the side and came to
their rescue.

[Oi, you guys, don't move!]

A powerful wind created by the small spirit's blasts blows

Nozomu away from Feo and Mimuru.

Furthermore, the gust of wind spiraled and instantly

enveloped Nozomu, trapping him in an intense wind cage.

It was the kind of magic that could only be performed by a

spirit and required no magic formulas.

"Ah, you saved me."

"Uh, sorry."

[No, I'm sorry too. Tiamat's source element made me lose

myself. Still, it's a bad situation....]

"Uuooooohhhhhhh."

With a cry, Razward's wind cage is blasted away by a burst

of light.

[Yikes. Seriously, I can't even hold him back for even a

second....]

In a flash, Razward's small, round eyes widened as he saw

his restraints being destroyed.

Amidst the chaos, Mars managed to get up and stand next

to Feo and the others.

"Hey, you fox and cat, I'm coming forward! Irisdina, stay
back!"
"What? Whoa, what a rough cat-handling group!"

"Darn it~~. Looks like our tightrope walkin' isn't over~~."

After regaining their breath, they were joined with Mars, and
with grim expressions on their faces, the three of them
readied their weapons once again.

Suddenly, the overwhelming difference in their abilities was

revealed to everyone.

As Mars and the others were about to intercept the

oncoming Nozomu, with cold sweat pouring down their
bodies, four colored lights intervened to close the gap
between the two sides.

Red, blue, green, and yellow.

Four colored magic circles were drawn in the air, entwining

around Nozomu's body and blocking his movements.

"Gu!?"

Four Realms Bindings.

An advanced magic that encompasses the four attributes,

the magic that completely detained the messenger of the
Dazzard Empire who had once tried to steal Somia's soul.

Irisdina looked to the side and saw her best friend, sweating
with nervousness, looking at Nozomu with eyes full of
determination and raising her staff.

"Tima...."

"Ai, We'll make time for you. I don't know how much we can
do now, but you and Shina-san need to find a way to bring
him back to his senses."
Soon after, bang! Immediately afterwards, with a sound like
the shattering of metal, the four binding circles were
destroyed. Nozomu, who had torn off the binding magic with
his sword, attacked Mars and the others again.

"Gugu, ts!"

"Not yet! Crushed Ring of the Four Realms, be once again

the fetters that bind my enemies!"

As Mars groaned from the slashes that hit him, Tima

chanted the prayer again. Then, the shards of the Four
Realms Bindings that had been crushed by Nozomu began
surrounding his body.

Linkage magic.

This is a high-level technique in which a new formula is

added to an already-completed spell to produce a secondary
effect. Few wizards on this continent are capable of such a
feat.

Still, it is all she can do to slow down Nozomu's movements.

Even though his hands and feet are bound by powerful
magic, Nozomu, who has gone out of control, continues to
one-sidedly hunt down Mars and the others.

"Even with this, he can't be stopped....!"

"Nozomu, stop! Don't you recognize them!?"

Irisdina screams in grief, but Nozomu shows no signs of

coming to his senses. Nozomu's eyes are burning with a fire
filled with sorrow and hatred.

He continues to swing his blade toward his friends.

(We were so close. I was sure we could make up and spend
time together again....) His will has been swallowed up by
Tiamat.

There was nothing left but anger in his eyes.

Tears of sadness and sorrow rolled down her cheeks.

"Haha, haha... I, Irisdina-san...."

"Ah, Shina-kun, are you okay?"

Then, as her thoughts were sinking, Shina's voice from the

side pulled her out of her reverie.

The elf girl seemed to be out of breath, and Irisdina came

back to herself and supported her body hurriedly.

"Uh, yeah. I'm okay.... I was hit by Tiamat's presence for a

second.... He's hallucinating because of Tiamat right now...."

"Hallucinating..."

"Yes, his former best friend and friend who disgraced

Nozomu-kun. Also, the spirit who worked with them and how
the [Chapped Crown] controlled by them burned up
everything he cared about...."

Grabbing onto her shoulders for support, Shina describes

her glimpse of the scene to Irisdina.

As an elf, she is able to do so. Irisdina is surprised by how

Shina is so detailed about the hallucination that Nozomu
being showed.

"Hold on, Ken-kun and Camilla-kun, what about the spirit?"

"He is, Ken Nortice has a contract with a spirit. Although he
is a human.... They have disgraced Nozomu-kun. That's
what Tiamat uses for."

Irisdina didn't know that Ken Nortice had a contract with a

spirit.

Almost flustered by the truths being told one after another,

she suppresses her agitation and listens to Shina's
explanation.

"Now in his eyes, we are nothing but the source of his anger.
Like the beast that destroyed my homeland...."

"Tiamat's aim is to....?"

"Resurrecting itself. To do so, it seeks to destroy the man

who has sealed itself inside him.

From both mind and body...."

"When that happens...."

"This whole realm will end. Everything—man, beast, and

spirit—will be annihilated by the giant dragon. That dragon
is such an existence..."

If Nozomu's body is annihilated by the force of the outburst

power, the chains that bind Tiamat will be gone.

Regardless, it would be easy for Tiamat to let the despairing

Nozomu commit suicide if he had Irisdina and the others
killed by his own hand.

On the other hand, Tiamat can continue to wield Nozomu's

anger and hatred or let him die by his own action.

Irisdina swallows hard at Shina's words.

"But it's not too late..."

"What makes you say that?"

"Now, Nozomu-kun is certainly consumed with anger,

showing his extraordinary power. Yet, he is still not using his
most powerful blade."

"That reminds me, I saw it earlier as well..."

Irisdina reminded herself that she had not been aware of

Nozomu's slash in the previous attack on her.

She turned her attention once again to the intense battle in

front of her.

The blade of the sword only flickers irregularly, and the

sharpness of the blade seems to be weakening rather than
increasing.

Irisdina's mind is filled with images of Nozomu's sword with

an altered blade pattern.

"His... The sword is..."

Likely, that sword is blocking his strongest and most

exquisite technique. If not, they would have been killed long
ago.

[Mumei]

The sword originated from the Far East and is a special

sword. It is said that it can change its quality depending on
its owner.

In Irisdina's mind, the scene that she saw when she received
a slash from Nozomu, who had gone out of control earlier,
came back to her.
He was trembling in anger, yet trying desperately to
suppress it.

To Irisdina, it seemed to be a manifestation of his

contradictory mind.

This realization rekindled the heat in her sunken heart.

"That's right. We can still make it... No, we'll make it for
sure."

Her strength has returned. Shina nodded her head in

agreement with Irisdina's words.

"I know. So I'll do my best."

"I have a good idea.... Eh?"

"N..."

Suddenly, Shina's face appeared in Irisdina's sight, and she

felt a soft touch on her lips.

Following that, a slippery tongue slid into her mouth with a

taste like rusty iron.

Mixed with sticky sounds, a soft voice escapes from their

mouths.

As their lips eventually parted, Irisdina took a step away, as

if to push Shina away from her.

"Y, You, what are you suddenly...!"

"Hey, don't get me wrong! There's a reason!

"Reason..."
[I mean this!]

Suddenly, Shina's voice echoes in Irisdina's mind.

[This is...]
[Look, I've made a simple contract between ourselves. I will
mediate between his will and yours, so I will call upon you
when the opportunity arises.]

[Ah, I understand...]

Elves use contract magic to share their magical power with

spirits to form a path, communicate with them, and perform
spirit magic.

They were going to use the contract to communicate with

Nozomu.

However, Irisdina is neither an elf nor a spirit.

The contract requires a stronger medium. Therefore, Shina

made a simple contract with her by making her drink her
own blood.

[It seems Tiamat's hallucinations are quite powerful. With

my magic and Raz's help, I'll boost the telepathic output....
I'm sorry, but the chances of breaking through with just our
calls alone are small.]

Understandable fact.

The girls don't know how much Tiamat can interfere with
Nozomu because the opponent is a legendary being. The
chances of success are.... would be small to none.

"Still, I'll do it... I know how strong he is."

Irisdina's voice was quiet but determined, and Shina also

quietly nodded her head.

Together, they ran out to face him, who slashed like a storm.
Leading the way was Irisdina. She holds up her thin sword,
shooting magic bullets at Nozomu with all her might, to
separate him from the others.

"Mars-kun, Feo-kun, I'll take care of the rest."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes, I'm serious!"

Mars, who had engaged with Nozomu, shouted in surprise.

At that moment, her gaze crossed with Nozomu's.

"Ts... Ugh..."

Nozomu lets out a grunt of pain, and the tornado-like storm

of slashes is momentarily stopped.

"Ts! I'm retreating! I guess I'd better leave this to you two!"

".... Okay! Irisdina, take care of Nozomu!"

When they saw that Nozomu was upset, Feo and Mars
quickly retreated to rejoin Tima and the rest.

Preparing for the worst.

Although Feo and Mars were no longer there to block his

way, Nozomu didn't pursue but rather stopped and held his
head with his left hand as if he were in pain.

(Nozomu, as I thought, is not completely taken over!)

At the sight of him, Irisdina is convinced, and she

immediately applies a strengthening magic to herself while
stepping and swinging her thin sword.

"Sei!"
Nozomu repelled Irisdina sword with a single slash of his
right hand, which was as fast as the wind. Her body cleave
was executed with a returning swing. Although wielded with
one hand, the speed of the sword was fast enough to slice
Irisdina's torso in two.

"Ts...."

However, just before he could catch her, Nozomu's face

tightened, and his sword movement slowed.

Irisdina evaded Nozomu's lackluster slash by slouching

down. The blade of the sword passed just above her head,
scattering a few strands of her hair.

"Ha!"

With her knees springing up, she leaps up and thrusts again
at Nozomu.

Her second thrust collides with Nozomu's sword, which is

drawn back.

With a high-pitched metallic sound and sparks, their bodies

push each other out of the way.

"Guh, Uooohh!"

Nozomu was the first to recover his position. In return, a

powerful strike was delivered with the same trajectory.

However, the speed of his sword slowed just before it

caught Irisdina's body.

"Teya!"

When Nozomu's sword loses its power, Irisdina repels it.

Considering the difference in physical ability and
swordsmanship, this is an absolutely impossible sight.

After that, Irisdina continued to be in a difficult situation, but

Nozomu's sword would always slow down just before it
reached her, and at every turn, it would fly through the air.

"Ha, ha, ha..."

Still, Nozomu's fierce slashes with his sword caused Irisdina

to be exhausted.

Her breathing became ragged from the extreme tension,

and her forehead was sweating profusely in just the short
time she had been there.

Irisdina's eyes were filled with deep emotion. Her spirit

shrinks, and she is almost overwhelmed, but Irisdina's heart
trembles, and she steps toward Nozomu, not wanting to
give up.

In her mind's eye, she recalls Nozomu's bright smile when

he confessed his feelings to her, as if something possessed
had fallen from his heart.

The moment when she finally could communicate with him,

who had been wavering between anxieties.

[I'll be with everyone, once again....]

Nozomu want to confess his feelings once again. But Tiamat

was taking advantage of that.

It was something she couldn't stand.

"Nozomu, please hear me!"

I will get him back, no matter what it takes!

With that determination in her heart, Irisdina screams his
name out loud.

"This is what you've kept. Indeed, it is fearful and fierce!

Against this, our power may not even be equal to a mere
child's!"

Stepping straight ahead, she thrusts her thin sword at

Nozomu in order to pour her feelings into him.

Their eyes crossed at such close range that their breath was
on each other as they clashed.

Irisdina's jet-black eyes reflected in his red-tinted eyes.

Their eyes were shaking so much that even a bystander

could see it.

"Nozomu!"

"Ts....!"

At the moment his name is called out, Nozomu steps back

as if under pressure.

"Raz, Tima-san, now!"

Shina's voice rang out from behind her, and immediately

afterwards, Tima did her best to tighten Nozomu's
restraints.

At the same time, the elf girl ran toward Nozomu, and
Razward boosted her back with the wind spirit's magic.

With the help of the wind spirit, Shina accelerates in an

instant to make a direct leap.
Although Nozomu tries to intercept Shina, who comes flying
at him, Tima's magic restrains his movement, and Irisdina
puts her body in the way, holding him back with all her
might.

"Ugh...."

Nozomu, who had been tossed around by various confused

tempers, was unable to push Irisdina away. Then, Shina
leaps onto Nozomu's neck and presses her lips against his.

"Nnn!"

"Tsu!"

Nozomu's eyes widened at the sudden shock. Shina and

Irisdina's plan is to use a simple contract to send a direct
voice to Nozomu's soul.

It is not known how far Tiamat's mental erosion has

reached.

To begin with, there is no telling whether Shina will be able

to make a contract with the current Nozomu or not.

It is a risky, life-threatening gamble. Still, the girls dared to

take the difficult path.

All in order to get back their loved ones...

"Huh!?"

"Eh!?

"A, ara..."

".... Muu."
Not having heard anything about it, Mars and the others
were taken aback by the sudden sight.

Although Irisdina understands that it is necessary, she is

filled with a black emotion when she sees the scene in front
of her eyes.

"The simple contract worked! Now he can communicate with

us through me!"

Still, the first step of the bet succeeded. Shina successfully

connects Nozomu to the magic path.

"It won't last for long because Tiamat's influence is too

strong! Quickly,... Hurry up!"

"Damn!"

A burst of qi was released from Nozomu's body with such

explosive force. Shina's body is blown away, and she is
thrown onto the ground.

For a moment, Irisdina was distracted by her, but she

immediately returned her attention to Nozomu.

His appearance had obviously changed.

With his head held down, he shook dizzily, and his red-tinted
eyes kept flickering like fireflies.

"I am..."

Not sure what to say. She wonders what words to say to him
that will make him come back to his senses.

When the time comes, nothing comes out, as her head spins
and her voice fails to come out.
Nozomu's eyes, which had been wavering, began to look
deadly again. The tip of his sword slowly lifted.

Her head is still blank. Still, she should convey her feelings
anyway.

"I am...."

At first, it was pure interest. To know the way

swordsmanship that surpasses herself. She was curious to
know his secret.

Followed by gratitude and affection. Her one and only sister.

He helped her in the midst of her crisis, even though he had
no obligation to do so, he still helps her without hesitation.

And now....

"As for me, I want to help you!"

These words came out of her mouth quite naturally.

He had saved her, and now she wanted to do the same for
him.

She finally realized her true feelings behind these thoughts

as well.

"Standing beside you, I want to protect your back. By your

side, I want you to protect my back."

Stay beside him.

This was the only thought that went from Irisdina's mind to
Nozomu's. That's why...

"Please come back to us. Stay with us!"

"Ugh, ū... Uohhhh!"

Nozomu screams in pain, aiming his blade tip at her as he

steps forward and strikes her with all his strength.

With his flash step acceleration, the blade can easily take
his opponent's life, even when he is distracted.

"Nozomu!"

"Ts!"

Despite a deadly blade closing in on her, Irisdina didn't look

away from him, still crying out his name.

Nozomu's eyes, which had been shaking, widened.

The illusion that Tiamat had been showing him cracked, and
the image of a girl with black hair peeked out through the
cracks.

"No way, I'm... Kuh!"

[What!?]

Nozomu's eyes regained their original color, and the blade

pattern chain engraved on

"Mumei" took on a faint glow.

In the next moment, Tiamat's hallucination made a cracking

noise and finally collapsed!

Unfortunately, his blade was already on the verge of

piercing Irisdina's neck.

"This is ba..."
Nozomu hurriedly reapplied his ability suppression to his
own body, with invisible chains entangling Nozomu's body
to seal Tiamat's power and hold it back.

However, even though the ability suppression shut down

Nozomu's power, it didn't stop him from rushing into her.

Driven by his positional force, he is about to pierce Irisdina's

life with either his blade or his own body.

"Aaaaahhhh! "

Nozomu immediately thrusts out his left hand, and at the

next moment, the two collide into each other and are
thrown to the ground in a fumbling mess

In her hazy consciousness, Irisdina woke up with the weight

of her whole body and the sensation of something warm
hitting her cheek.

"Ugh, hmm...."

A sense of exhaustion enveloped her entire body, as if she

had been hit on the head. She opened her eyelids, letting
out a moan, and saw Nozomu's face in her blurred vision.
His head was bleeding, and his whole body was shaking.

The blade that would have taken Irisdina's life pierced his
left arm, grazed the side of her neck, and was thrust into
the ground.

Nozomu, who had come to his senses, quickly let his own
arm be pierced through to protect her, forcing the blade to
deflect away from its path.
"No, zomu..."

"U, ugh..."

Irisdina reaches out to touch his cheek, which is right in

front of her.

His eyes are no longer dyed red, the anger and the hatred
are gone.

He is back. Joy wells up in Irisdina's heart.

Meanwhile, Nozomu's face is completely pale.

Feeling a strong sense of fear and guilt, he pierces his left

arm with his sword, which begins to shake and tremble
erratically.

He was about to kill them. It was what he feared the most.

"I'm…. everyone.... I'm about to kill everyone...."

In front of Nozomu, who looks like a dead man and is about

to break down, Irisdina...

"Nozomu!"

She leapt up and hugged him as she raised herself to her

feet.

"Are you okay? Do you recognize us?"

"I, i~ris...?"

Although his blood was pouring out and wetting her body,
Irisdina didn't care about that and squeezed her arms tightly
together.
She squeezes her arms, as if she is trying to hold together
Nozomu, who seems to be on the verge of breaking.
"I'm glad you're back... I thought i was going to lose you. I
thought you might not even be conscious anymore...."

His shoulders were soaked with the tears that flowed

unceasingly from the young girl's eyes.

She had always been a dignified girl, but now she showed
the appearance of a woman of her age.

Nozomu felt his heart pound violently at the sight of Irisdina,

who had always shown a dignified appearance, even for a
young girl of her age.

"Nozomu-kun!"

"Shina...san"

Nozomu, who was simply receiving Irisdina, who was

sobbing in his embrace, looked up at the voice he heard and
saw Shina rushing to him.

Shina is on her knees in front of Nozomu, touching him all

over his body to check his wounds.

"Are you okay? Are you aware?"

Shina's white, fish-like fingers gently stroked Nozomu's

cheek.

He noticed blood on his face and all over his hands.

Irisdina's body is also stained red as she hugs him.

"Everyone... Get hurt...."

"I'm not wounded. It's your blood."

Shina held Nozomu's cheek between her hands, forcing him

to turn his head toward her.
"You didn't hurt anyone. You didn't even cross the line when
Tiamat hallucinated you or when you were consumed by
anger."

"Everyone is safe... Really?"

When Nozomu asked in a daze, she gave him a slow but

clear nod.

"Yes. In the end, you protected us from Tiamat. Everyone

here is on their feet to prove it, aren't they?"

Shina's gaze turned to Mars and the others who had been
waiting behind her. Their faces were all deeply fatigued, but
still, they all had steady steps.

"Everyone is alive... But."

Knowing that everyone was safe, Nozomu's tense

expression finally softened slightly, but his smile soon
faded.

Indeed, the worst didn't come to pass, however, the fact

remains that he had turned his blade on them.

Fortunately... It was difficult to end the conversation with a

single word, [Thank goodness].

The feeling of fear and guilt rising up in him. The negative

feeling that he shouldn't exist makes him shiver as he looks
away.

Shina made Nozomu turn his face toward them again.

"Even though you turned your sword on us in anger, you

were resisting, even if unconsciously.

So please don't be so hard on yourself..."

In response to Shina's words, Irisdina nodded her head,
tears streaming down her face.

"Nozomu! Are you okay?"

"Nozomu-san! Ane-sama! Are you all right?"

Mars and the others, who had settled in the back, came to
Nozomu as well.

"Norn~! Quickly, treat him~!

"I know, don't pull me so hard! Nozomu-kun, you need

treatment now..."

"Tsu..."

"Ah..."

Norn reaches for Nozomu's wound, and he reflexively

withdraws his hand and pulls his hand away from Irisdina.

A heavy resentment fills the air between him and Irisdina

and the others.

Nozomu, with his right hand on Irisdina's shoulder, gently

tries to remove her from his arms.

It was as if she were handling a treasure that should not be

touched by anyone's eyes.

Nonetheless, Irisdina didn't want to let go of his hand.

Her eyes are filled with tears, and she stares at him with a
tight gaze.

Nozomu tries several times to pull her away, and each time
her eyes become more and more stern.
Even so, he tries to let go of Irisdina. Without even
accepting the directing gaze in front of him.

"Hey, Nozomu. We are...."

Unable to bear the sight of Nozomu in such pain, Mars tried

to call out to him.

But at that moment, a bright white light enveloped the

whole area.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

With a piercing cry that shook the air, the [Chapped Crown]
regained consciousness and raised its sickle.

Myriad cracks covered its once lustrous shell, and toxic

bodily fluids were pouring from its body parts all over the
body.

The [Chapped Crown] covered its wounded body with

lightning and concentrated it into its crown. Nozomu and the
others are hit by a sudden rain of lightning.

"It's ba....!"

At this rate, Irisdina, who is standing beside him, will be

caught in the attack.

He lashed out at his immobile body, forcing it to shift and

expose himself to the oncoming lightning as if to protect the
girls.

However, before Nozomu could move, the girls leapt in front

of the rain of purple lightning.

"Shina-kun!"
"I got it. Raz!"

[Okay, I'm on it!]

Countless lightning bolts collide with Razward's spirit magic,

and a sharp metallic smell fills the air around them.

"Ugh....!"

The lightning bolts, filled with magic power that could

surpass even the power of the spirits, shredded Razward's
barriers instantly.

With wounds all over its body, its lightning has that kind of
power. It is truly an out-of-this-world demon beast.

In order to reduce the momentum of the lightning, Irisdina

released her magic.

Intermediate Magic Abyssal Spear.

A jet-black long spear slips through the lightning rain and

thrusts toward the shining giant centipede, only to be
repelled by the lightning that the [Chapped Crown] wears.

"No good!"

"Gigigigi....."

Together with the threat of a screeching sound, the pressure

of the lightning increases even more.

[Damn....]

Razward, who had been keeping up the barrier, lets out a

cry of anguish.
Then, with a sound like shattering glass, the barrier was
finally torn apart. Soon after, four warm colors of light
enveloped Nozomu and the others like a garden square.

The four-colored magical barrier repels the lightning that

has broken through.

"Are you okay?"

"Tima-san...."

"Thanks for the help."

It was Tima who deployed the four-color magical barrier.

Two more shadows leapt out from her side and flanked
[Chapped Crown].

"Fū!"

"Tōriya!"

"Giu~tsu!?"

Mars' great sword and Mimuru's dropkick landed on the side

of [Chapped Crown] head. The combined blows shook the
head of the giant centipede, and the lightning rain that had
been fired at Nozomu and the others was cut off.

The giant centipede's wrath is turned on the two intruders,

and the rain of purple lightning is unleashed on Mars and
Mimuru.

"Hiiiii! Please don't shoot me~! Roasted cat doesn't taste

good~!"

"Idiot, move your legs instead of yelling!"

They ran desperately to avoid the oncoming purple
lightning, but there was just too much of it.

In an instant, the rain of lightning blocked their escapes,

closing the cage like a gripping insect.

"I won't let you!"

"All right, you two, back off~~."

Then, Anri and Tom's golem intervened.

A whip pierces the lightning cage, and the golem holds Mars
and Mimuru's retreat as it is shattered by the numerous
lightning bolts.

If examined closely, one can see that magic charms are

attached all over the golem's body, and a thin magical
barrier protects the golem's body from the roaring lightning.

"Oh, dear~... Both of you, get out of there!"

"Sorry, thank you!"

"Whoa, Thank you, Tom!"

"Hey, you can't do that now! Get away from me!

Mimuru, who had escaped from the lightning cage,

screamed with emotion and charged at Tom, while the
golem was destroyed by lightning rain at the moment the
two escaped.

"No, it's not over yet!

The [Chapped Crown] offensive is not over. Immediately,

lightning bolts are fired in pursuit of the five.
"Whoa~! Not good~~!"

"Ahhh~. Sensei, you're too hard on me~~."

"I'm on it!"

While Feo and the others were sweating coldly, Tom invoked
a magic spell [Soil Refinement].

Between them and the [Chapped Crown] a series of dull

greenish-blue-colored companies sprang out of the ground.

Countless steel piles rose from the ground. To be precise,

they were made by applying iron coatings to soil sticks that
had been melted down into the soil.

The swarms of iron machines, which had become needles,

were dragging the onrushing lightning storm to the ground.

"Aah, I guess the substance is not strong enough.

Nevertheless, I'm still a student!"

"Kiyaaaa! Tom, you're so cool~~! Come on, fox, get on with

it!"

"Goodness! That's no way to treat a wee guy!"

Not only Tom, but also Feo, used their magic to prevent,
disperse, and scatter the lightning rain from the giant
centipedes.

Still, the attack of the magical beasts continued. If the

lightning storm hit once, it would hit twice, three times, and
so on.

"I'll go ahead. We must divert the lightning that goes toward

Nozomu, even if only a little!"
"Yes, Raz, lend me your strength!"

[Yeah, I got it!]

Irisdina and Shina also lined up with Feo and the others to
intercept the approaching lightning storms with their swords
and bows.

The mithril swords, charged with magic power, slashed

through the lightning rain, while the arrows, imbued with
the power of spirits, spiraled through the rain of purple
lightning.

"I won't let my students get hurt~~."

Anri didn't give up either. Wielding the whip in her right

hand in all directions, she cut and split, piercing and
dispersing the lightning that had scattered.

Yet, the power of the [Chapped Crown] which was unable to

be defeated even by the allied forces of different countries
in the great invasion, was even more powerful than the
pride of the Soluminati Academy, including even the
teachers.

The lightning storms, which had increased in number and

density, now struck like a huge wall, instantly shattering the
steel piles that Tom and Feo had created as lightning rods.
In a flash, they were swept away by the desperate efforts of
the girls.

"Geez! I never thought wounded [Chapped Crown] would be

this strong...."

While slashing away the lightning coming toward Nozomu,

Irisdina lets out a cry of anguish.
Her opponent's power is tremendous. Its power would easily
surpass that of the vampire she had faced before, Rugato.

In fact, even the aftermath of a lightning slash burns her

arm and causes her so much pain that she almost drops her
thin sword.

"Everyone, forget about me and get out of here! If you head

into the forest, you can make it to the city!"

Not being able to bear to see Irisdina and the others get
hurt because of him, Nozomu shouted at them to run away.

Sure enough, Nozomu has no chance against the [Chapped

Crown] now.

With lacerations all over his body and a large amount of

blood lost, he is already unable to even stand up. If he
fights, he will not be able to avoid the lightning rain
released by [Chapped Crown] nor will he be able to cut it off,
and he will be killed in an instant.

"What a totally outrageous demon beast!"

"So, you'll give up?"

"What a joke! If I choose to abandon him here, I will never

forgive myself!"

However, Irisdina and the others ignored Nozomu's

desperate calls. Instead, their hearts were racing as they
swung their swords and shot arrows.

"Hey, Tima, can't you manage to strike some blows with

your magic!?"
"Sorry, Mars-kun, There are too many of them, and I can't
afford to formulate any magic... "

"In that case, we're just going to have to endure them! I

hope you'll be satisfied with your rampage and just go
away!"

While exposing themselves to the deathly lightning, they

stepped forward, exerted themselves, and let their magic
rage.

He saved my precious sister.

He gave me the strength to fight.

He helped me get over my trauma and saved me after I said

many terrible things to him.

He gave me the opportunity to re-bond with my best friend.

I simply cared about him, and when I approached him, I

cared more.

I didn't want to leave my new friend like this.

I want to help him as much as I can.

I hoped to be there for him.

The feelings that rose up in their hearts were complex and

intertwined like a frayed thread.

However, this thought was the only thing they had in

common.

[I want to protect him, who is suffering now, and walk with

him once again.]
That is why, no matter what kind of pressure is put on them,
there is no way that they will abandon him here.

"Why? Why is everyone not running away from here!?"

Their struggle struck at Nozomu's heart.

His heart was stirred up by the choices of the people he

cherished, and deep in his chest, there was a feeling that he
was not willing to give up their lives.

Hands that had lost their sensitivity due to the loss of blood
were clenched in a tight grip, and the bones were tingling.

What rose to the top of his mind was his own sense of
shame and uselessness.

Fuhermore...Toki.

However, such joy further stimulates Nozomu's sense of

guilt.

"Why don't all of you just leave me here..... Leave me alone

and go to the city...."

It's because he's so helpless that he can't do anything about

it.

Also, because of his inability to do anything about it, his

positive emotions became a sharp scythe that took
Nozomu's heart.

As the emotions of positive and negative feelings violently

swept over him like an echoing stream, Somia rushed up to
him.

"Somia-chan. Please, even if it's just you...."

"Norn-sensei, what should I do?"

Even if it's just her.... Nozomu tried to persuade Somia to

leave, but his voice was drowned out by a loud voice from
the other side.

"Please keep Nozomu-kun from moving. If he moves too

much, I won't be able to concentrate on his treatment."

"Yes!"

She held Nozomu's left arm in her small hands, which had
been particularly badly wounded, as she replied to Norn's
instructions with a sharp reply.

Somia's young hands were stained with Nozomu's blood as

Norn used her healing magic to stop the bleeding from the
affected spot and bandage it.

"Nozomu-san . Please stay still for now."

"Somia-chan, why...."

"Even though magic is a very common thing, I can't use it as

well as my sister. I can't even fight. It's very sad, but even if
I stood next of everyone, I would only be a hindrance.
Therefore, I have to do what I can do now..."

As she said that, Somia began to mumble an incantation.

Somia's hands, which had been holding on to his wounds,
began to glow faintly.

It was a magical light that indicated the activation of healing

magic. Somia's magic, cast on top of Norn's magic, removes
his pain.
Although the deafening sounds made by the beast and
magical explosions echoed around her, she was determined
to do what she could to help.

Perhaps it was because they were sisters, after all. She

looked just like Irisdina, who was struggling right in front of
them.

Nozomu's heart was stirred even more by the sincere way

she kept looking ahead, not turning her head down even in
hard times.

A hot drop of water dripped from his eyes and drenched the
ground.

"Kuu!"

"Irisdina-san! Are you okay!?"

"Argh! I won't retreat with just this level of force!"

A lightning shock that she couldn't handle nearly made

Irisdina let out a scream, but she clenched her teeth and
held on.

"Gu~ts!"

"Mars-kun!"

"Hey, watch out! They are still coming!"

"Feo-ku~~n? Are you okay~~?"

"Yeah, I'm fine personally! But my wallet is not safe

anymore... Anri-sensei, please help my wallet."

"I'm sorry~~. I'm a little busy right now~~. Especially, I'm

not getting paid enough, so you'll have to take care of it
yourself~~."

"Don't talk nonsense! Teachers are paid more than a

common knight! I even have to cut down on my living
expenses to pay for my talisman! Shina, Mars! Please, help
me! If I spend anymore money, I'll only have water to live on
for the rest of the month!"

"Hey, Elf and Little Bird! Are you okay?"

"We're good for now. At least there's still time for another
one!"

[Hey, I'm not an island! Say something, Shi-jo!]

"Just focus, Raz! We're getting pushed!"

"Wait! Ignore? You guys are ignoring me!? You don't care
that I'm going to starve to death?

Even more, I'm using magic to activate the talisman in the

first place, and I'm at my limit already!"

Feo is yelling about how he's being treated, but the situation
is starting to get worse.

Slowly, the movements of Irisdina and the others began to

lose momentum. They, too, have reached their limits.

Still, there was not the slightest intention in their eyes to

run away.

"I~, i'm...."

The warmth that is felt deep in his chest makes him inspired
by the excitement of these people.
Regardless of the reason, Irisdina and the others are risking
their lives to protect the man who pointed his sword at
them.

Their faces are stained with dirt and sweat, and their clothes
are tattered from the aftermath of the lightning rain. Their
bodies are bruised everywhere, but they continue to stand
up.

Not out of a sense of duty or obligation. They are desperate

and single-minded because they care for each other from
the bottom of their hearts.

Even though he felt the bitterness in his heart as if it were

being tightened with iron, Irisdina and the others continued
to evoke a burning fire deep in Nozomu's heart.

Pulled by strong positive and negative emotions, his mind

and body had become stiff. The equilibrium began to
collapse.

The heat that continues to grow in Nozomu's heart has lit a

flame, burning and melting the chains that bind his heart.

The sight of his friends, who are so serious about him,

already told Nozomu more eloquently than a thousand
words.

Whatever happens, regardless of what has already been

said, he is their friend now.... and.

It was enough already.

"Ah! Norn-sensei. Even if it's just a little bit, can I move my

body with all my might!?"
Norn's expression froze in surprise at Nozomu's sudden
words. Nozomu's body was so badly injured that he should
have been laid on hospital beds to rest immediately.

Especially the sword that pierced his left arm is still stuck in,
and if it pulls out carelessly, it may damage his vein and
cause massive bleeding.

Losing so much blood in a single burst would cause shock

symptoms, leading to death.

It is absolutely impossible for him to fight any further, and

Norn, who is in charge of his life, would never allow it.

"You.... Do you realize your own condition!? Lacerations and

torn muscles are all over your body. The amount of blood
you lost to the sword that pierced your left arm is not even
negligible! If you release your power now, Tiamat will
attempt to take you in again!"

If Nozomu releases his suppression, Tiamat will again try to

take over.

If the dragon's intention is to revive itself and it aims to

destroy Nozomu in order to achieve it, then this is a very
bad idea.

"Are you going to let Irisdina-san and the others thoughts

and feelings go in vain?"

"No, I'm not going to waste it, so I must do it here!"

With a warning scolding, Nozomu shakes his head.

Despite the fact that they almost get killed by him, Irisdina
and the others are still willing to protect him.
With a desire to answer those efforts, Nozomu puts his hand
on the sword that pierces his left arm and pulls it out.

"Kuh.... Ughhhh!"

The sword is pulled out with a loud sound, and fresh blood
flows out of the blade and his wound, spreading red on the
ground.

Norn and Somia rush to his wound and apply healing magic.

"I'm someone who has always run away. Even now, I still do.
When everyone was stepping up on me, I lost myself in
anger and turned away because I was such a mess and I
couldn't keep myself from believing it..."

Nozomu reflects on himself again as he looks at his wound,

which is slowly closing up with healing magic.

While attempting to handle the situation on his own, he lost

control of himself in anger and shrank back into a state of
self-escape despair.

In the end, he even turned his blade against them.

He is such a lousy person, but they still came to him.

Nozomu was able to come back thanks to their help.

Even though he realized that he had been running away

from his problems, he still remained at a standstill and could
not move forward.

"However, I want to put an end to that. I want to stand next

to everyone again...."

"Nozomu-san..."
Somia is captivated by Nozomu's strong-willed expression,
and Norn silently catches his gaze.

At that moment, he heard the voice of someone who was

not supposed to be present on the other side.

"Hey, I've come to pay you back."

He turns his head in the direction of the voice. Nozomu's

eyes widened at the unexpected person who was there.

Irisdina and the others somehow managed to defend

themselves against the [Chapped Crown]

attack, but they finally reached their limits.

To begin with, the offensive and defensive levels are so

different that there is no way to afford a counterattack. It's a
real miracle that they have been able to hold the fight so
far.

As if getting tired of it, lightning flashes from [Chapped

Crown] characteristic shine more brightly than before.

Following it, lightning overflows from all the body segments

and concentrates at the end of the segmental arms on the
upper part of each segment.

The lightning even lights up at the tip of the tail segment,

and a huge lightning bolt begins to run along the huge body
segment of the [Chapped Crown].

"Not good! Everybody move away!"

Just as Irisdina screamed, an extreme torrent of lightning

was unleashed.
"Kyaa!"

"Gaah!"

As if a comet had fallen in close distance, the [Extreme

Lightning], striking in a straight line with a thunderous roar,
pierced through Tima's barriers in an instant.

The aftermath alone knocked out Irisdina and the others,

who were already exhausted, completely robberizing their
last-ditch fighting capability.

"Ugh..."

Irisdina stood up, struggling with all her senses, but she had
no strength left in her hands to even hold her own weapon.

The "Silver Wings of the Evening Star" she was carrying fell
to the ground and emitted an empty sound.

She tries to deploy her magic, but her outstretched hand

slumps against her will, and a strong headache hits her at
the cost of trying to use magic forcibly.

Next to her, Shina also managed to raise herself up, but her
appearance was not much different from Irisdina's.

Shina partner, Razward, was standing next to her, also

staring at the [Chapped Crown] but his appearance kept
flickering, and it was clear that the source material in his
body was on the verge of depletion.

"Gichigichigichi...."

[Chapped Crown] began to wear purple lightning cloth on its

giant body again, snapping its fangs as if to mock at the
helpless Irisdina.
It was probably with the intention of unleashing that
extreme lightning once again.

Irisdina and the others were struggling to support their

crumbling bodies, but that was the best they could do at the
moment.

Just as the thunderbolt was about to be released, a silver

shadow ran past Irisdina and the others, who were at their
limits, at high speed.

"Eh?"

"Huh, What?"

Immediately afterwards, with a bang! The silver shadow

charged toward the head of [Chapped Crown] with the noise
of purple lightning.

Squeezing its black cuirassed fist, it struck at the single eye

of the giant centipede, which looked surprised at the sudden
intruder.

"Be quiet for a moment!"

"Giiiiiiiii!"

A powerful blow strikes at one eye of the [Chapped Crown]

and the impact causes the giant centipede to involuntarily
turn its giant body back...

"Calanti, now!"

"Roger, leader."

Meanwhile, Kevin's party members are rushing to retrieve

the immobilized Mars and the others one after another.
"He is..."

"Kevin Ardinal. What is he doing here..."

They were surprised by the appearance of a young man

from the Silver Wolf tribe who was not supposed to be
present there.

Their legs gave out, and they almost slumped to the ground
when a hand was gently placed on their shoulder.

"Thank you, both of...."

"Ah..."

Their voice was calm, in contrast to the tense battlefield.

Their eyes, which had been unintentionally leaked out, were
met by the back of Nozomu, who was rushing out onto the
battlefield.

"Kiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!"

"Kuh!"

When Kevin's blow left an opening, [Chapped Crown]

immediately released lightning from its entire body to repel
him.

It then turned the lightning aim that had been ready to

strike toward Nozomu, its top-priority target.

"Ha, ha, ha.... Gagh!?"

With his body soaring in pain, Nozomu lashes his body, and
while running as fast as he could, he puts his hand on the
invisible chain.
At the same time, with a burning fury, the sight of blood and
flames stained red flashed through his mind again.

Tiamat's interference was obvious.

Even though he was aware of it and prepared for it, the

interference of the Dragon King instantly erased all of
Nozomu's beliefs.

A powerful, destructive rage surged up, followed by a sense

of delight when he unleashed his power with full fervor.

How good it would feel to be able to just go on a rampage

without thinking about anything.

A feeling that could make him want to abandon everything

in his life comes to mind.

His mind has surrendered to the fearful fabric of agitation,

and his hands, gripping the invisible chain, begin to tremble.

(Even so...)

Once again, he looks over his shoulder to see Irisdina and

the others.

They didn't abandon him at the moment when he almost

killed them with his sword, instead, they gave their lives to
save him.

Just by looking at them, the trembling in his hands

disappears. The only thing left to do is move forward.

It was the same as the last time he fought with his master.
In order to face those precious moments once again

(Now, once again, let’s starting over.....!)

Once more, with the sight of them in his mind's eye,
Nozomu tears off the invisible chain and releases his ability
suppression.

"Ugghh!"

His whole body is in pain as if it is about to be torn apart,

and a torrent of qi erupts from his body.

The wound that was just healed begins to bleed again.

At the same time, he was struck by the sensation of a

powerful presence, and the forest that stretched out before
him vanished.

Later, a world of burning heat spread out before his eyes.

The nightmare scene spread out once again.

However, Nozomu is no longer deceived and stares into the

darkening sky, where sparkles of fire are fluttering in the air.

[You fucking bastard...]

"I won't be fooled by your illusions anymore. At least for this

moment, be quiet!"

Tiamat's voice echoed from the emptiness. Nozomu

clenched his sweat-soaked palms and shouted at the giant
dragon.

Tiamat's pressure increased with the declaration made by

the tiny mortals, and at the same time, the whole world
began to creak.

His spine froze as if he had been pierced by an ice spear,

and cold sweat broke out all at once.
As his survival instincts unleashed their maximum warning,
he felt a lingering headache.

Tiamat's interference has begun.

"Argh!"

[This time, I will break your heart....]

"Gghh, ahhhhh!!!"

Nozomu's screams filled the burning world, and various

forms of death swirled in his mind. It was a scene where
everything was done by Nozomu's hand.

The image of Nozomu slaying Irisdina.

The image of Nozomu piercing Shina with his own hand.

The image of Nozomu crushing Mars' head.

The image of Nozomu turning Anri's body into bloody dust.

Then, the image of Nozomu strangling Lisa's neck.

Over and over again, the scourge that involves even the five
senses penetrates Nozomu's mind and stirs up the inside of
his head into a mess.

"Ts! Argh! Ughh"

Nozomu continues to scream in agony at the sensation of

his heart being crushed.

He resists desperately to keep his own psyche, but his mind

is gradually being scraped away like a piece of sandpaper,
becoming smaller and smaller and spreading out into the
void.
"E~everyone..."

His dissipated heart naturally seeks them out.

At the moment of crisis, scenes of a place that he could

return to, a place where he was accepted, came back to
him.

Just then, Nozomu hears a sound in the darkness, like drops

dripping onto the water's surface.

The sound spread like a repeating echo in the cave, and at

the same time, Nozomu's consciousness, which had almost
dissipated, rapidly returned.

"Ts, that's enough! Damn you!"

[Nah!]

Nozomu screams and slams his head into the ground, as if

to knock out the visions of death that linger in his head.

There is a flash of light behind his eyelids and a dull ache,

but at the same time, the interference that had been
invading Nozomu's head is cut off.

[No, that's impossible! With this level of resistance, you’re

still able to shake off my interference!]

For the first time, Tiamat lets out an agitated noise.

As the giant dragon is upset, Nozomu stares at the

scorching world that spreads out before him, dyed with the
gift of evil.

Here is a false world that has been created to trick Nozomu.

Therefore, he should destroy the false world and truly break
free from all the interference.

"For that, I already know what I must do...."

With his right hand raised, he let out a deep exhale,

determined to slaughter himself, then pierced his own chest
at once.

"Gaffū!"

Spitting blood from his mouth, Nozomu closes his eyes and
continues to examine his own inner self.

"Farther, more deeper..."

In the darkness, he felt as if he were falling into a valley

with no end to the depths, falling deeper and deeper into an
endless abyss.

When he had fallen so far that he did not know how deep he
had gone, a small ball of glowing light appeared in
Nozomu's mind.

As if representing chaos, a ball of five-colored light shines in

various shades of light. No doubt, it was part of Tiamat's
power that Nozomu had captured.

"Ugh..."

He slowly pulls his sword from his chest. A brightly shining

ball of light was clutched in his hand.

[That's.... Bastard!]

With his right hand, he squeezes that ball of light. The five-
colored light overflows from his fist and twists around
Nozomu's arm, squeezing his arm tightly.
"Uooohhhh!"

While shouting out loud, he slams his raised right hand into
the ground.

Annihilation light.

The light of chaos, which he stole from Tiamat, erupts from

the ground, annihilating everything it touches. The false
world that Tiamat created was destroyed.

As the sky cracked with flying fire sparks and crumbled like
an eggshell being peeled off, Nozomu rushed forward with
all his might, focusing only straight ahead, and ran across
the cracks of the false world.

As Nozomu rushes out, he finds himself in the real world, in

the forest.

In front of his eyes, [Chapped Crown] was about to release

its extreme lightning.

"Fuu....."
Nozomu exhaled shortly and half-drew his sword so that he
could thrust forward with the tip of his sword, concentrating
Tiamat's power into the blade.

The sword's blade, whose pattern has been changed to a

chain shape, absorbs all of the chaos's elements into its
blade.

Without any hesitation, the sword, which just a few

moments ago did not seem to be able to respond to the
owner's will, takes in the source of the dragon king's power
into its blade.

As if to express the heart of the man who stood up with

determination, the blade was shining in five different
brilliant colors.

"Gishaaa!"

The [Chapped Crown] extreme lightning was unleashed.

The lightning bolt, which is several times thicker than

Nozomu's height, comes at him, piercing through the air.

"Ts!"

Accompanied by a piercing sound, Nozomu slashes his

sword in a single motion.

As if following the path of the sword blade, five-colored

elements draw a circle, and a huge light film appears.

Shortly afterwards, the [Chapped Crown] lightning collides

with the light film. Like a sail caught in the wind, the optical
film deflects and catches the lightning rush as if enveloping
it.
Fan-sail lotus.

One of the defensive techniques from the Mikagura style. It

is a technique that flexibly catches and deflects an
opponent's magic with the qi membrane created when
cutting away.

When combined with defensive maneuvers, it is used as an

aid.

However, the scale and strength of the fan sail created by

Nozomu using Tiamat's power directly are so great that it
completely protects Irisdina and the others behind him.

"Oooohhhh!"

He then raised his right hand and slammed his clenched fist
into the lightning through the optical film.

As he did so, the deflected film warped, and the receiving

lightning shot back at the [Chapped Crown].

Perhaps not expecting to be bounced back, [Chapped

Crown] was unable to avoid the direct hit of his own magic.

"Giiiiiiiiiight!"

An ear-piercing scream. The lightning that bounced back

pierced through its tough shell, causing the giant centipede
to writhe in extreme pain.

"Fu..."

As [Chapped Crown] thrashes about, Nozomu sheathes his

sword and takes a deep breath.

Quietly, he concentrates on his meditation.

Although his body is still leaking tremendous power, the
sense of intimidation from his appearance is strangely
subdued.

"Gigigigigigi!"

Suffering from the pain, the eyes of [Chapped Crown] once

again focus on Nozomu.

The giant centipede, with flames of fury burning in its eyes,

begins to charge toward its foe.

With an agility that belies its massive size, it closes the

distance and leans its sickle toward Nozomu's head, looming
over him and ready to strike.

Still, Nozomu kept his eyes closed and remained motionless.

"Nozomu!"

"Ts!"

Nozomu's eyes opened wide as Irisdina cried out.

All the power of Tiamat, which had been erupting from his
body and drifting around him, instantly concentrated on the
sword he was holding at full strength.

In the next moment, an extreme sword blade is released

and strikes the [Chapped Crown].

A dense wave like a looming black wall. The physical

pressure of the sword qi overwhelmed not only [Chapped
Crown] but also the one controlling it, causing the body to
temporarily stiffen.

With the extreme concentration displayed. In a world where

everything seems to be in slow motion, Nozomu takes a
step with his right feet, spreading the power he has
unleashed through his entire body.

While the ground shatters and the soil flies up, he lets down
his hips, fully interlocking all the muscles in his body and
strengthening it continuously.

Puchi, puchipuchi... The sound of tearing muscles echoes in

his ears.

His body was too fragile to use Tiamat's source material as

it was.

Although he had been able to hold his body with a small

amount of strength, it easily reached its limits, and his
vision darkened due to blood loss.

Even so, Nozomu's movements were not delayed at all.

Although his senses may be gone, his body, which had been
imprinted with his techniques to its very foundations, was
ready to deliver the greatest skill he had inherited from his
master, and he did so with the best of his remaining
strength.

Phantom Flash

As he draws his sword, a flash of five-colored light spreads

through the air, and the powerful shell of the "Chapped
Crown" is annihilated as the greatest technique of a master
swordsman slashes through its body.

Furthermore, the sword slash, which was charged with the

power of the dragon of destruction, struck the spirit that
was controlling the giant centipede.

"Giiiiiiiiiii!"
[Kyaaaaahh!]

As if overlapping with the scream of [Chapped Crown], there

was a girl's high-pitched cry.

The [Chapped Crown] had been slashed wide through its

belly, and its entire body was ripped open, and it collapsed
to the ground with a loud sound "Doshin!".

On the other hand, Nozomu, who had pushed himself to his

limits, also fell to his knees.

"Nozomu....!

"Nozomu-kun!"

His body is about to collapse, but Irisdina and Shina, who

rushed to his side, support his body.

"Ah, thank you. It's okay..... So...."

Although Nozomu smiles, trying not to worry them, he faints

and falls like a puppet whose strings have been broken.

At the same time, his ability suppression is activated. All of

the power that had been enveloping his body disappears,
and the amount of blood flowing out of him suddenly
increases.

"He's totally critical! This is serious!"

"Norn-sensei, hurry!"

"Goodness, you truly are a student that makes doctors cry!"

In answer to Shina's shout to her, Norn rushed to their side

to treat Nozomu once again.
Then, at that moment, a heavy, vindictive voice rang out
from behind their ears.

[You, my little plaything...]

At the sound of the disturbing voice, Irisdina and the others

involuntarily turned their attention to the [Chapped Crown].

Looking closely at the large, brownish color, they could see

something.... seemingly coming out from the body of the
giant centipede.

It is a small girl with transparent wings reminiscent of small

bugs. However, there is something strange about the girl's
appearance.

Her lovely face is covered with numerous cracks. After a

while, the skin on her face peels off like old paint, revealing
a strange appearance underneath.

"That is..."

With a pair of compound eyes reminiscent of insects and a

rostrum reminiscent of a worm, her appearance was not
that of a girl but of a cross between several insects.

"A bug spirit. Maybe it was attached to the giant centipede

and controlled its mind. Just a little... I'll listen to what she
says."

Shina's piercing gaze fell on the bug spirit.

However, before she can question her, the spirit disappears,

as if melting into the darkness of the night.

As soon as the bug spirit disappears, the giant centipede

awakens and rouses its wounded body.
"Gigi, Gigi..."

"Oy, c'mon, don't take this any further..."

Mars lets out a sigh for the first time this day. Once again,
the tension between Irisdina and the others became
overwhelming.

However, the heavily wounded [Chapped Crown] who

looked down at the wounded group, didn't do anything,
instead turning around and disappearing into the night
forest.

"Perhaps that demon beast was possessed and controlled by

a bug spirit while it was sleeping.

It was more concerned about protecting its wounded self

than fighting us...."

Fighting that monstrosity again at this point is absolutely

impossible. Everyone was relieved to hear Shina's words.

"Honestly, I have a lot of questions to ask her...."

Irisdina holds Nozomu's fallen body and gently caresses his

cheek.

"Welcome back, Nozomu. When you wake up, I want to hear

your stories."

She falls in relief, overcome by the heat that wells up from

deep within her chest.

Her face is filled with a loving smile.

 Final Chapter: Intersection, The
Harbinger of Perdition

"Umm, hmm..."

In the room, a small moan escapes, and the eyes of

Nozomu, who was lying on the bed, slowly open.

The room is dimly lit, and the ceiling is colorless. As he looks

to the side, he sees a gray curtain.

Perhaps he fainted in the forest and was brought to this

room.

(Where am I? What's more.... Ugh)

As soon as he tried to get up, he felt a piercing pain all over

his body, and Nozomu fell down onto the bed.

Looking closely, he could see the signs of treatment all over

his body.

Especially both of his arms were wrapped with bandages,

and they were tightly attached so that he could not move
them.

Considering the state of his body, it can be expected that

quite a long time has passed since his unconscious

Nozomu slowly moves his body so that it will not be

overstrained. He still feels some pain in his body, but little
by little, he crawls up, opens the curtains, and peeks out of
the window.

The room Nozomu is now in is on the second floor of a

building, and looking down, he sees people walking through
the streets.

However, looking down, Nozomu felt a sense of discomfort

at the sight.

(Huh? Something's wrong. I can't hear anything. Also, my

eyes don't seem right...) Looking out the window...... he
sees, everything in his field of vision is gray. Furthermore, he
does not hear anything, not even the rustling sound of the
tree perched on the roof of the building directly across the
street or the bustle of the people passing by.

(Did that cause this?)

Abnormalities in vision and auditory sense are clear. The

only thing that comes to mind is the release of the ability
suppression and the direct use of the dragon's power.

Considering that his ears and eyes were normal before he

used Tiamat's power, there is no doubt about the cause.

Nozomu exhaled heavily and looked up at the sky.

(I hope everyone is okay....)

Under the circumstances, they may have brought Nozomu

here, so they seem to be safe.

However, the fact that nobody can be seen can't erase the
uneasiness that's been lodged deep in his chest.

(Let's look for them now.)

Although his body was not fit to walk around, Nozomu was
so frustrated that he tried to stand up and put his hand on
the edge of the bed.

At the same time, Nozomu sees the door open in his field of
vision, and someone enters the room.

(Ah...)

Within his grayish vision, Nozomu's eyes crossed with the

figures who had entered the room.

They are Irisdina and Shina. Both of them are carrying

bandages and gauze in their hands.

When they saw Nozomu on his feet, they shouted

something in anger and rushed to his side, forcing him down
on the bed.

Nozomu moaned as pain shot through his injured body, and

the two moved their hands away from him.

Then Shina turns on her heel and storms out of the room,
probably calling for everyone else.

Irisdina touched Nozomu's body with a fearful look, checking

the state of his wounds.

When she finished checking with a worried look on her face,

she brought her face close to Nozomu's and started
shouting something.

It was clear that she was scolding him.

Since Nozomu cannot hear her voice, she lacks a sense of

realism, and his cheeks seem to loosen at the thought of her
concern for him. Each time he does, Irisdina's eyes grow
sharper.

As Irisdina's anger intensifies, Nozomu tries to calm her

down, but he has no idea what she says, so he doesn't know
how to respond back to her.

While Irisdina is getting heated up, Nozomu is at a loss for

what to do.

At that moment, more people entered the room.

They are the friends who were in the forest at that time. No
one was missing, and no one was seriously injured.

Seeing them, Nozomu felt relieved. At least he knew that his

loss of senses had not been in vain, as his friends were able
to get out of that crisis.

Norn says something to Irisdina, and she leaves him with an

embarrassed look on her face.

Irisdina is looking at Nozomu with a wry smile. The two were

so close to each other that they could almost catch each
other's breath, and Nozomu's face was even more heated
than before.

Norn puts her hands on her head in a gesture of

astonishment, then sits down in a round chair beside the
bed and looks into Nozomu's face.

"......., ......"

When Norn attempts to talk directly to Nozomu, the deaf

man can only nod his head.
Seeing his lack of response to her question, Norn's
expression turns stern for a moment.

She looks at him with a penetrating gaze, and he shakes his

head with a groan.

She looked at him with a penetrating gaze, and with a slight

shaking of her head, Nozomu hummed and shook his head.
Whether it worked or not, he is not sure, but gradually color
returns to his vision, and he begins to hear the sounds
echoing around him.

"Ah, I'm okay. I guess I was just a bit disoriented..."

"I see.... I'm going to check his condition for now, so all of
you stay outside."

Norn urges everyone to go outside, but Irisdina and Shina,

who are worried about Nozomu, look dissatisfied.

"Eh? But ...."

"Norn sensei, I'm fine with staying here for the

examination...

"I'm going to ask him to undress so I can check his wound.

Do you two want to see Nozomu-kun naked?"

Nozomu Naked. Their faces turned red as they heard those

words.

"Ugh...."

"Excuse me."

Irisdina and Shina left the room in a hurry, followed by

everyone else.
After everyone had left the room, Norn faced Nozomu once
again. Observing Nozomu, who was confused and unsure of
what was going on, Norn swiftly removed her coat and
began examining him.

"Nozomu-kun, perhaps you were deaf a moment ago?"

"Yes..... Now I can hear, but there is still a slight echoing

sound."

Nozomu nodded to Norn, who asked the question after

examining his horns.

Hearing these words, she continues her examination with a

mysterious look on her face, trying to think of some possible
causes.

"It's been about five days since you went unconscious. You
were brought into Anri's room right after you fell over. Do
you feel anything unusual?"

In response to Norn's question, he nods his head and

describes how not only his ears but also his vision have
turned gray.

"It is probably due to a temporary paralysis of the qi veins

and nerves in your body caused by the release of your
ability."

Qi is the flow of life force in the body. If there is an

abnormality in it, in the worst case, it can lead directly to
death, as in Shino's case.

"It was a terrible time. Your bleeding won't stop, and you
won't regain consciousness. I was able to save you thanks
to the healing magic I kept applying, but you would have
bled to death for sure if I hadn't."
As she said, Nozomu's body was weakened by the
continuous use of extreme force, and the effect of recovery
magic was also diminished.

As recovery magic is designed to accelerate the injured

person's ability to heal, its effectiveness inevitably declines
when the injured person's life force also declines.

"As for the wound itself, it's getting better since I examined
it while you were asleep, and the vein itself isn't damaged
either. The sensory disturbance seems to be temporary and
will heal as your body moves toward mid-condition, but for
now you should rest completely."

After briefly informing him of the results of the examination,

Norn's tone changes to a slightly scolding one.

"You're too reckless. It just happened to be lucky this time;

you could have died if you had done it poorly, or you could
have been left with a disability that will last the rest of your
life."

"But if I hadn't done that, none of us would have survived."

"I know. As a doctor, I'm just telling you what I have to say."

While changing the bandages, which had become too worn

over time, Norn sighed and turned his attention to the door
through which Irisdina and the others had left.

"Everyone was worried about you. Anri and I took turns

looking after you, while Irisdina and the others stayed here
until late at night to help us."

Nozomu's chest tightens at these words.

"Of course, they understand the situation. Still, their
concern for you is what pushes them ahead."

Norn, who has finished examining Nozomu, puts her coat on

her shoulders, consoling the slightly depressed Nozomu.

"Just leave the rest to me and Anri. Take a good rest for now.
As soon as your condition gets better, their worries will go
away.

"Yes...."

Whether he is concerned about Irisdina and the others is

certainly a matter for him to consider, but for now he is
mostly focused on recovering his body first.

After the examination and bandages are changed, Norn gets

up from her chair and is about to leave the room.

"Nozomu-kun, about the dragon inside you...."

The word that was told to him while her hand was on the
doorknob. After a beat of hesitation, Norn turned around.

"I know you are well aware of the danger of that dragon's
power, but as a doctor and a teacher, I have to say it to you.
Using that power is..."

"..... Of course I do. I know what will happen if I continue to

use it. It has been drilled into my head so much that I
convinced myself of it."

"If it was just my death, it would be fine. But this time, I

realized that the power was directed at the people around
me."
Miraculously, no one died, but as long as Nozomu has the
power of Tiamat, there is always the possibility of an
uncontrollable force.

Nozomu himself fully understands the possibility. He knows

it firsthand. It is because of this that he kept his problems to
himself and almost went insane.

"However, I can't run from it either. Running away will

eventually hurt everyone around me.

Iris and the others will be the first ones to get hurt. I don't
want that."

Still, there is no way to pull the power away from Nozomu.

If so, he has two choices. Either he surrenders and gives up

everything, or you face this power and completely control
Tiamat, who has merged with you.

Moreover, Nozomu had already made up his mind not to

choose the first.

Irisdina and the others tried to stop Nozomu from going out
of control, even though it might get them killed. He did not
want to turn his back on those who had accepted him to
such an extent.

"Of course, the difference between me and that guy is

obvious. But I won't be deceived anymore. Even if I die, I
won't compromise myself."

Clenching his fists, Nozomu declares, Even if it kills him, he

won't give up his will. His words were directed more at
himself than at anyone else.

"Can you do it? It's a legendary dragon, you know?"

Norn stares at Nozomu with narrowed eyes. Catching her
discerning glance, Nozomu takes a deep breath and says in
a clear voice.

"I can't do it by myself. However, I'll be fine. I've realized

what I can't compromise on...."

In saying so, Nozomu reminded many of a tree that has

taken strong roots in the wilderness rather than a cloud that
seems to be disappearing.

The one thing he could not give up. It is the bond he has
acquired.

Though still small and fragile, it is a signpost to guide him

when he is lost and distressed, unable to find his way.

It was the moment when the small seed that had sprouted
in Nozomu's heart began to grow.

"I see...... If so, then take good care of Irisdina and the
others, and don't forget that feeling."

Nodding to Norn's words, Nozomu lies down on the bed

again and closes his eyes, picturing the faces of Irisdina and
the others in his mind. His body still needs rest, and he
immediately begins to sleep.

Norn quietly leaves the room.

Through the door was the living room. The interior was
decorated with orange curtains and bright colors.

There was a warm, feminine atmosphere, as expected of a

room occupied by Anri.
There, Irisdina and the others were standing with anxious
faces, waiting for Norn in the living room.

"Anyway. As for Nozomu's condition, he seems to have

temporarily lost his senses because of the suppression that
he released at the time. He still has a little trouble hearing
sounds."

Norn's words made Irisdina and the others tense up.

"Don't worry, as I said before, it's only temporary, and at

least he's over the bad phase. Take some time to rest and
recover, and he will be fine."

"I see..."

While Norn continues explaining in a cheerful tone of voice,

the expressions on the faces of Irisdina and the others are
uniformly gloomy.

".... Are you worried?"

"Yes...."

To Norn's question, Irisdina answered without hesitation.

Norn and Anri, sensing their feelings, give a small smile as if

to reassure them.

He fell asleep again after the examination, but he is fine

now. Until he wakes up, you guys can have a cup of tea and
relax.

"Norn, I'm heading out for some supplies~~. Feo-kun, you

take care of the luggage~~."

"Huh? Why?"
"Come here, come here..."

Anri takes Feo's hand and leaves with him.

Smiling at her best friend, Norn begins to prepare some

cups and tea leaves to serve the tea.

"I'll help you, Norn-sensei."

"No, just take some rest... Fine. Well then, can you boil some
water for me?"

Irisdina and the others start to help out on their own, and
Norn smiles wryly.

They took turns watching over Nozomu until he regained

consciousness. If one looks closely, the dark circles under
their eyes suggest that they haven't slept well for the past
five days.

Despite the realization that Nozomu's condition has now

passed the critical stage, he is not completely well. Even so,
the group was not yet truly at ease.

Norn, anticipating this as well, told the girls to rest, but

there was nothing she could do.

While preparing tea, the girls kept their attention on the

next room, which was just one wallboard away.

As the sun began to set, Irisdina, feeling ashamed, stood

beside Nozomu's bed and watched him sleep.

"When he wakes up, what should I talk to him about? What

to ask...."
There are so many things she's held back, so many things
she hasn't been able to ask. There are so many things she
wants to know.

"....Nozomu"

Muttering the name of the person sleeping in front of her,

she gently touches his cheek.

Perhaps it is because the wound has not yet healed that the
skin is still hot to one's touch.

A pulsing heartbeat echoes behind her ear.

"It was tough, but... Thank goodness."

A voice of relief leaks out. A gentle breeze blowing in

through the window gently brushes over their faces.

"....Irisdina-san"

There was a knock at the door, and Shina came into the
room.

She walks next to Irisdina, looks into Nozomu's sleeping

face, and relaxes her cheeks in the same way.

She could feel that he was here and alive right now.

The tension that had been tightening in the depths of the

girls' hearts was finally lifted.

"Hmm..."

At that moment, Nozomu's eyes slowly opened.

"Iris, Shina-san....?"
As the hustle and bustle seemed to have arrived, the faces
of Irisdina and Shina were reflected in his peeking eyes.

"Ah! Can you hear us?"

"Um, yes. My eyes are fine, and my ears can hear you too."

"Thank goodness..."

Both Irisdina and Shina were relieved to hear that he could

hear them.

"Nozomu, are you okay?"

"Ya-hoo! Nozomu-kun. You're still alive."

"Mimuru, you're being rude. Thank goodness you've

regained your senses."

Hearing what the three of them were saying, the door was
opened, and Mars, who was in the next-door room, came in.

They, too, looked relieved to see that Nozomu had regained

his senses.

"Everyone.... Sorry for making you all worry."

"Thank goodness you're okay. You've done a lot of

heartbreaking things already...."

"No, you've done the same thing before, haven't you?"

"Hmm... Not as much as you. You know you've done more

foolish things than me, don't you?"

"Well, yeah...."
Shina gives him a smile, and Nozomu scratches his head in
embarrassment.

Mimuru, her best friend who was present at the time, was
also surprised to see Shina's smile, which was filled with
compassion and didn't have a trace of the piercing
atmosphere that she had when they first met.

"Still, I'm glad you're coming back. I'm looking forward to

working with you."

Shina's slender, white hand was extended to Nozomu.

Nozomu, embarrassed by the affectionate gaze of the
beautiful elf, quietly responded to the handshake.

"By the way, where is Razward?

"When he heard that you were safe, he said he was relieved

and headed out. I'm sure he'll be back soon, since he's a bit
fickle.... "

"Yeah.... oh"

"Nozomu, here, take this."

Irisdina, who was standing by his side, offered him his

beloved sword.

The blade peeked out from the scabbard, and a chain-

shaped blade pattern could be seen.

His sword was Mumei. Mena told them that it is a unique

sword that changes its characteristics in response to its
owner's heart.

"I see.... I was saved by Shisou again."

A sword entrusted to him by his master along with her
wishes. A memento of his master, who had kept him alive at
the very last moment.

The sword that was handed to him seemed more

comfortable in Nozomu's hand than ever before. Perhaps
the sword had fully accepted him as its master.

"Thank you, everyone. I really...."

Nozomu thanks them with a heart full of deep gratitude.

Irisdina gives another small nod with a big smile on her face
and sits down in a chair beside the bed.

She then leaned over and looked into Nozomu's face.

"Nozomu. Tell me about yourself. I want to know more about

you..."

She wants to know more about him. Irisdina asked him

nicely, feeling a growing heat deep in her chest. The
lingering stress in her chest that had been there before had
been washed away remarkably to nothing.

"Well, where do I start.... My hometown is surrounded by

mountains...."

With a deep, affectionate smile on her face and feeling his

heart beat faster at the sound of her voice calling him,
Nozomu slowly begins to tell her about his hometown.

That night. The light in the room never ceased to shine, and
a peaceful moment passed by.

-
Ken, who was walking with Lisa through the commercial
district, saw a thought sent to him by Mefi under the
contract path, which illuminated the street.

"Failed.... How could it be?"

The impossible result. An involuntary moan escapes from

the seething grief and horror of the mess.

"Ken, what's wrong?"

Lisa, who was standing next to him, looked at him as if she

were trying to find out what was wrong. Putting away the
negative feelings that swirl in his heart, he smiles back at
her with the smile he has always had on his face.

It's something he's always done. All those years. That is the
mask he has been wearing since he was attracted to Lisa.

"It was nothing, Lisa. Anyway, thanks for staying up with me

at this late night."

".... What's that?"

Lisa's reaction was not what Ken expected. She put her
hand on her forehead and had a vacant expression on her
face.

"Lisa, what's wrong?"

"Uh, it's nothing, everything's fine. I just saw something

weird. Ken with that guy in the forest...."

At her words, Ken couldn't suppress his temper. Is the

memory returning? And.

"It's strange, isn't it? I never had that happen before...."

It is impossible. It's a memory manipulation by Mefi. The
magic that the spirits had wielded couldn't possibly be
broken in just a few days.

However, the anxiety that rose in him quickly grew, and he

found himself holding Lisa's hand.

"Ke~Ken, what's wrong?"

"Hey, I think it's time for us to move on, right?"

"What?"

He pulls Lisa's warm hand so close to his that he can feel

her breath on it.

Trying to place his lips on hers...

"....No!"

With a piercing scream, he was rejected. The shock in his

chest made Ken yelp and choke on his breath. After a
moment of silence, Lisa's face turned blue, and she began
to panic.

"Sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

"Ah, it's okay, it's okay."

Ken gave a comforting smile, but in his deepest heart, he

was disappointed to realize that he had failed again.

Since her breakup with Nozomu, Lisa has been unable to

have an intimate relationship with anyone.

Especially in romantic relationships, it had become difficult

for her to even have contact with another person.
It is ironic. He had caused a great deal of trauma to the girl
he had wanted to protect by bringing down Nozomu.

As a result, he could no longer truly be one of Lisa's wings.

(Nozomu... You are a total pain in the ass....!)

He truly deserves it. However, his jealousy of Nozomu has

blinded him, and instead of reflecting on his own
wrongdoings, he continues to burn with the flames of his
misplaced anger.

The clouds that envelop the dark night begin to rumble with
thunder.

As Ken delivers Lisa, who has become emotionally unstable,

to the girls' dormitory, he begins to walk toward the school,
the opposite direction from the dormitory, his eyes glazed
over with distorted evil.

Camilla stares at him from the window of the dormitory.

She is staring at him from the window of her dorm, her dull,
reddish hair fluttering in the wind.

"It's my job, after all. Actually, the client was aware of it,
too."

At Feo's words, Anri nodded with a smile.

Nozomu had released his ability suppression in the Abyss

Grief case, and it was Jihad who took care of it after
receiving the report. It's easy to see why.

"If you don't mind, can you keep Nozomu-kun's secret on

hold for a moment~~?"
"Why so?"

"Because Nozomu-kun hasn't wanted that yet, and if it's not

done right, he will be involved in the inter-organizational
war without any regard to his will~~."

Nozomu is one of Anri's dearest students, even if he is a

Dragon Slayer, which is an extraordinarily rare existence.
Therefore, Anri will not allow others to move against
Nozomu's will.

"Are you serious? I may look like this, but I am an informant

for the Starlight."

"But you are not completely affiliated with the organization,

are you?"

"....What makes you think that?"

"If you do, you won't keep the information secret to yourself
for the last five days~~."

There are many types of intelligence agents, from those

who actually engage in illegal activities to those who simply
provide information.

Feo is the latter. Since he was a hired hand, he was

guaranteed freedom in his career path after graduation. Of
course, he is obliged to maintain confidentiality.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm only here to provide information on

whether or not there are any spies who have infiltrated the
school. I'm a small-time worker on the line, and that's all I
do."

"Was your approach to Nozomu-kun just out of

curiosity~~?"
"Well, they told me to look into him because he could lift the
ability suppression, but I was more than 80% interested in
him. I never thought he had something that beyond
extraordinary.

haha....."

Honestly, Nozomu's existence was beyond Feo's capability.

A legendary dragon-slayer like him is no match for a lowly
member like Feo.

If Feo had been an agent who was up to his job, he would

have reported it to the Jihad immediately.

However, for him, Starlight work pays very well, but he has
no intention of doing it for the nation.

This is the result of a combination of his personal character

and the temperament of the golden-fox tribe, which is why
this case was such a headache for him.

He has a big secret. In addition, his connections are also

extraordinary. If someone messed with him, who knows
what kind of trouble they might face in the end.

Not only the secret of his power but also Nozomu's

connections were something that Feo couldn't ignore. One
of the most famous families in the Forsina Kingdom, the
Francilt Family, is a well-known name in the kingdom, and
Feo is aware of that; if the Francilts were to take disciplinary
action against him, he would not be able to act rashly.

"Well then, let me help you~~. I won't let anything bad

happen to you~~."

"Whatever. I'm really worried...."

Feo was escorted by Anri and brought to the school's
instructor's building.

In front of a large and magnificent door. It was the office of

Jihad Raundel, the head of the school.

"Anri-sensei, this place...."

"Jihad-sensei, you're inside~~."

After knocking, Anri opens the door without waiting for a

reply from the inside.

There is Jihad, who wears a heavy, old-fashioned shirt,

behind him is Inda, whose brow is furrowed.

However, for him, Starlight work pays very well, but he has
no intention of doing it for the nation.

This is the result of a combination of his personal character

and the temperament of the golden-fox tribe, which is why
this case was such a headache for him.

He has a big secret. In addition, his connections are also

extraordinary. If someone messed with him, who knows
what kind of trouble they might face in the end.

Not only the secret of his power but also Nozomu's

connections were something that Feo couldn't ignore. One
of the most famous families in the Forsina Kingdom, the
Francilt Family, is a well-known name in the kingdom, and
Feo is aware of that; if the Francilts were to take disciplinary
action against him, he would not be able to act rashly.

"Well then, let me help you~~. I won't let anything bad

happen to you~~."
"Whatever. I'm really worried...."

Feo was escorted by Anri and brought to the school's

instructor's building.

In front of a large and magnificent door. It was the office of

Jihad Raundel, the head of the school.

"Anri-sensei, this place...."

"Jihad-sensei, you're inside~~."

After knocking, Anri opens the door without waiting for a

reply from the inside.

There is Jihad, who wears a heavy, old-fashioned shirt,

behind him is Inda, whose brow is furrowed.

(Wait? Could it be that I'm in a really bad situation?)

With cold sweat running down his spine, Feo began to curse
his own judgment even before he spoke.

He is dreaming.

A hellish scene of scorching fires and people calling for help.

In the collapsed Arcazam, Nozomu stands alone once again.

"That guy....."

Skin-burning heat and a stench emanating from those who

had once been humans scattered all around him. A hellish
scene that made him want to turn away was spreading
before his eyes.
At the same time, however, it was accompanied by the
sensation as if a screen was covering it.

Yes, Nozomu now recognized that the scene in front of him

was a hallucination.

He silently released his ability suppression. He released the

power of Tiamat he had taken in, concentrated it in his right
arm, and slammed his fist into the ground with all his might.

The erupting five-colored power once again devastated the

burning hell, shattering the false world and returning it to
dust.

After the shattering of the illusionary Arcazam, Nozomu

stands by the shore of the dark lake.

Instead of a scene of hell, a huge, mountain-like body rises

before his eyes.

[Grrrrrrr....]

The giant dragon, snarling in abhorrence, glares at Nozomu

with a rage that threatens to devour him.

Tiamat spreads its five-colored wings and creates countless

balls of light in the air.

Spreading out to fill the sky with darkness, the millions of

balls of light twinkled like stars in the night sky.

Tiamat, who had been unable to make Nozomu despair with

a hallucination, was now trying to destroy his spirit with
force.

Nozomu just stared straight at the giant dragon and sat

down, his whole body filled with energy.
His right arm was in great pain from the full force he had
just unleashed, but he didn't care.

The skies are covered with countless balls of light filled with
murderous intent directed at Nozomu.

A spine-chilling sensation and crushing pressure. Nozomu's

right hand was shaking slightly.

"Ts! As usual,.... That's ridiculous."

With cold sweat running down his face and the sound of his
own heart beating like it was about to break, Nozomu
desperately tried to revitalize his fading spirit.

The gap between their strengths is too great to even

consider. However, there is no giving in.

Even if his soul is reduced to ashes by the pressure of that

extreme flame, he will never give up.

The place where he returns to is floating in his mind. His

hands were ..... No longer shaking.

With their faces burned into his mind once more, Nozomu
puts his hand on the sword at his waist.

[Gaaaaaaaaaah!]

With a roar, Countless balls of light that filled the sky rained
on Nozomu at once.

Nozomu meditates as the mass of killing intent closes in on

him, making him feel as if the sky were falling, and he once
again calls forth the same power as the giant dragon within
him.
He stares at the approaching meteor shower of chaos,
desperately trying to keep himself conscious despite the
intense pain throughout his body, his vision turning white,
and his back teeth grinding.

Then, with a shining of five-colored light trailing behind him,

he rushes toward the oncoming killing intent of the giant
dragon.
 Credits

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