The overtime began with a spell unleashed by the Demon Lord’s soul, who chuckled ominously.
Naturally, I had no intention of simply taking the hit. I leaped to the side, and began to run, searching for the perfect timing to dash in, forming a circle around him.
As I dodged the incoming magic, I knew that Himik, Kaido, Kitamiya, and Minami hadn’t finished their fights yet, judging by the explosions of magic that flew past me to my rear.
With the shockwave at my back, I paid it no mind, as if it were someone else’s problem. Dismissing pointless thoughts, I focused on the enemy before me.
The battle resumed after a brief respite.
As my concentration intensified, my vision slowed, making the opponent’s attacks easier to see, but…
“Tch!”
…it was still difficult to evade everything.
A blade of wind sliced across my arm, sending pain through me, but I didn’t avert my gaze. I used the narrow opening I’d managed to create to my advantage, not slowing my pace as I dove into the gap.
As I timed my approach to enter my attack range, I caught a glimpse of Amelia’s expression.
Her usual smile, like a blooming flower, was replaced by a disturbingly crescent-moon-like grin. Her eyes, as if to deepen the color of her mouth, were profoundly clouded.
Dark and clouded, filled with a hatred that bordered on madness.
It was the first time I’d ever seen such a clear reflection of the emotion of hatred.
Even though it wasn’t directed at me, a shiver ran down my spine.
“Kaha.”
But I laughed off that emotion.
If I were to falter before such madness, I wouldn’t have challenged them at this opportunity.
Originally, our roles should have ended once the Hero arrived.
We forced ourselves to extend it, creating this opportunity, like a penalty time, to save Amelia.
This was an opportunity I desired, an opportunity I chose to take. There was no turning back now, nor did I intend to.
If this overtime were to end, it would be when some kind of result was achieved.
My only wish was for that result to be a good one.
And so, I forced myself to take one step forward, believing this step would lead to a good outcome.
Behind me, far in the distance, an explosion occurred.
Even as I focused on the battle, I could clearly hear the deafening roar. It didn’t stop at one or two explosions, but continued to ring out in rapid succession.
Without even thinking, I determined it was probably the sound of the battle between the Hero and the Demon Lord.
A fight between the archetypal pairing.
There was no need to consider such combinations, nor the time to do so.
Yet, it made me chuckle slightly.
After all, Amelia’s and my own fight was quite similar.
I, with the potential to become a Hero, and Amelia, possessed by the Demon Lord’s soul.
In a way, I found it surprisingly similar.
That was all there was to it, no deeper meaning.
Laughing inwardly, I steeled myself, as if I had become the Hero, to go and rescue Amelia, my maiden in distress.
“Isn’t it about time you got out of breath for once?!”
I pushed forward, exhaling both a complaint and a surge of determination, but the storm of magic showed no signs of abating. The Demon Lord’s soul, having branched off from the troublesome combination of the Demon Lord and the Hero, seemed intent on regaining its momentum. The opponent’s actions were a near-perfect replay of what I had seen moments before.
Even though I had taken a brief respite, my fatigue had not vanished. My breathing had steadied, but my body felt heavy, my joints creaked, and my magic power was beginning to dwindle. The stamina that had barely recovered to the yellow gauge plummeted into the red.
Still, my body moved. Even in a situation far from ideal, I couldn’t give up. She was still within reach of my outstretched hand.
Besides,
“Master, don’t overexert yourself. I’ll go on ahead.”
“This is my moment to shine, Kaido!”
“Tomorrow, I’m definitely sleeping in! No matter what Katsu says, I’m not getting up!”
“For now, I feel the same as you! I won’t be able to get up tomorrow, that’s for sure!”
Despite this absurd battle, there were people helping me. They hadn’t given up either. The moment they realized it wasn’t over, they showed a final burst of brilliance, squeezing out their remaining stamina and magic power, even though they were running on fumes. Himik, her armor bearing numerous scars and damage, her body surely affected as well, charged forward without hesitation. Kaido, his forced cheerfulness evident, also leaped forward, attempting to appear energetic. Minami, who had previously boasted that working was for losers, took the initiative, running around to improve the situation. Kitamiya, her mouth twitching, fought with a show of bravado.
If that was the case, I couldn’t back down now.
I sprinted forward, following Himik as she flew past me, and then Kaido followed behind me, also moving to the front. I thought Kitamiya and Minami would remain in their previous positions, but…
“I’m supposed to be a support mage, yet here I am running. What do you think about that, Kitamiya?”
“How should I know? More importantly, keep up the diversion! With us now, we can’t break through that barrier!”
“I know, but I feel like I’ve been running around a lot lately. If I’m going to be running this much, I might as well enter a marathon when I get back. I’ll drag you along, Kitamiya.”
“Oh, that sounds nice! I’ll check if there’s a marathon happening when we get back. We might actually get a good result!”
“I shouldn’t have brought it up.”
They circled around the area where we were fighting, creating feints. Their actions, designed to draw attention, were proving effective. Previously, they had been static targets, consuming magic power on defensive spells. By moving, they could evade some attacks, conserving that magic. Their diversionary spells were kept to the minimum necessary power, striking a delicate balance between conserving magic and dealing just enough damage to be noticeable. Kitamiya and Minami, rather than dividing their offensive and defensive roles, used their magic to cover each other’s weaknesses. When Kitamiya was about to attack, Minami provided support. When Minami used luminous magic or barriers to hinder movement, Kitamiya provided support. Despite often bickering, these two displayed remarkable coordination in times like these. While their firepower as backliners was not to be expected, it gave us frontliners a bit more room to maneuver. To repay their efforts, I attempted to close the distance further.
“Master, after this fight, I desire sweets.”
“Himik, that’s a flag!”
“What? Master said that labor requires compensation. In this desperate situation, gaining some vitality to live is crucial.”
“Saying that now is not funny at all!”
“Kaido, you say strange things. I hear words exactly like that often. Most of those wishes never came true.”
“That’s why I’m calling it a landmine!”
Honestly, while it was better than being rigid with tension, couldn’t they maintain a little more seriousness? Like Kitamiya and Minami, the exchanges between Himik and Kaido somehow eased my tension. It was laughable that they could have such conversations, even with the barrier broken and the attacks intensifying.
“Hahahaha!! That’s the spirit, Kaido! Bring on the flags! Let’s snap them and laugh them off as irrelevant! By the way, I want to drink beer when I get back!!”
“Senpai too!? U-um, then I want to go to my usual place for a top-tier service when we get back!”
“Ah, don’t do that, you’ll actually die.”
“Why is it okay for me, but not for him?! And you’re serious, Senpai!”
This was hardly conversation one would have while fighting and swinging a sword. Even with magic coming at me from the sides and directly in front, my tense feelings had subtly lightened. Perhaps it was the influence of that feeling that made my body feel a little lighter. Was this why Instructors Kio and Fushio fought with smiles on their faces?
But…
“It’s still tough, though!”
“It really is!!”
Even if my feelings had lightened, it was like pouring water on a scorched stone. The actual situation hadn’t changed, despite the slight mental relief. Himik, charging ahead, fought with her halberd, creating a roar that seemed to crush the wind itself, but she was also taking the most damage. Kaido and I were minimizing our own damage thanks to her.
Still, it was tough. A feeling of urgency welled up within me, the need to do something. We had no time to spare, no opportunity to regroup. Like being cornered in a dead end, there were no moves left. I felt a sense of powerlessness, as if I could only buy time through inertia.
“Kaka-kaka-kaka, I’m relieved to see a lively soul as usual, Jiro.”
It was at that moment. A voice, one I shouldn’t have heard here, echoed. The scenery before me warped with a heavy thud, and Amelia lurched forward.
“Gravity magic!? D-Instructor Fushio!!”
I had the presence of mind to wonder why he was here, but before that…
“I shall assist by order of the Demon Lord. I am late, but I shall join the fray now.”
The scene that unfolded was as potent as the magic unleashed by the Demon Lord’s soul, showcasing the prowess that came with the title of General. Floating in the air, a barrage of magic erupted, a chaotic exchange. It was like boxers in an infight, feet planted, relentlessly striking at each other, just firing off spells.
“Jiro, don’t let up. The soul your Master seeks has not yet given up. Though small, a shining soul is there.”
“Yes!”
He glanced at us and declared with certainty that Amelia could still be saved, the Skull Gentleman. Instructors are undead, beings of high standing. It was said that no one surpassed him in discerning souls. If such an instructor clearly stated Amelia could still be saved, my resolve intensified more than ever. I knew I would have to plunge into that magical storm again, but I was prepared for it. Besides, I wasn’t overly concerned. After all.
“Even if you are the First Generation, you are not the Master I serve, nor is this the place for you to be lenient. Do not expect any mercy.”
He had become a formidable ally.
Come on, Amelia, so many people have moved to save you. It’s about time you woke up.
“I’m breaking through!!”
“Indeed!”
“S-so, we’re diving into the middle of that?”
“Yes, yes, we’ll provide cover, so Senior Kaido, go too!”
“You should contribute a bit more yourself.”
This will be a rather rough awakening.
The wind is changing. No, perhaps it would be more accurate to say I changed it. As I felt this impulse, the Ore Tree in my hand pulsed. It wasn’t the familiar sensation of magic circulation. I knew this feeling.
“You…”
I never expected you to come at this timing. That was when I became able to connect with the Ore Tree. Now, what will you show me? I looked at the Ore Tree in my hand, and it flickered with magical light, as if asking if it was okay to proceed. I nodded. Then, the Ore Tree extended a part of its roots, winding itself around my blade. The three roots twisted and coiled like a spiral, transforming from the Great Sword form to a bludgeoning weapon. It looked like a sword sheathed, and I couldn’t expect much in terms of sharpness.
“Whoa, the weapon’s shape changed!? What is that!?”
“I don’t know.”
“No, you don’t know? Is that okay?”
“Yeah.”
As Kaido said, I wasn’t without unease about the sudden change in appearance, but I still felt it would be alright. There was no basis for it. But I couldn’t believe the Ore Tree would change its form without reason. I thought there had to be a meaning behind it, and continued the fight.
“Master!!”
Just then, a stray magic projectile, not a stray bullet, flew towards us. It was a fireball that the instructor had missed. It came straight at us. The timing was such that even I could handle it. Nodding to Himik’s warning that it was alright, I struck the fireball away with the Ore Tree.
“Huh, it disappeared.”
The fireball vanished as if it had been sucked in. The Ore Tree had nullified the magic. No, it hadn’t *nullified* it.
“It absorbed it.”
I sensed what had happened from the slight increase in the amount of magic the Ore Tree circulated and fed to me.
“At the last minute, this happens.”
At this timing, the Ore Tree awakened its anti-magic abilities. I wanted to complain about the sudden convenience, but convenience was good.
“This is amazing!! Partner!!”
With this ability, and the instructor’s participation, I could see a path to victory!!
Today’s word: It’s reassuring to know that things might work out.
That’s all for this time. If you enjoyed it, please leave your thoughts, ratings, bookmarks, etc.
*The first volume has been decided to be published by Hayakawa Bunko JA. It was released on October 18, 2018. The e-book version was also released on October 31 of the same year. The second volume will be released on December 19. The content has been revised and expanded from the original web novel, with the addition of unpublished interlude chapters. Please consider getting the new releases as well!!
Furthermore, a comic adaptation has been decided for Kodansha’s “Young Magazine The Third.”
