***Heroic Spirit’s Underground Mausoleum, 6th Layer***
“Hey, hey, hey! Were you listening to me at all?! I told you to use your brain, your BRAIN!”
Dahak lunged straight for the Light Dragon King like a suicide squad soldier, pulling me along for the ride. Naturally, I wanted to raise an objection, so I conveyed my thoughts through telepathy. If I couldn’t win alone, I should have formulated a plan to defeat the enemy by banding together. But who told him to charge in alone!
“I’m using my brain, you know. The day I dreamed of defeating the Dragon King will come. For this very moment, we’ve undergone difficult and painful,vomit-inducing training under Kuro-senpai’s tutelage. It was secret training, so to speak, so that Brother Kelvin and Master Gerard wouldn’t know!”
Kuro-senpai! I thought he was just fooling around in the fountain, but he was doing that with his doppelganger!
Perhaps as a response to my surprise, Kuro’s body trembled slightly within his robe.
“Originally, it would have been Boga’s job to open a path, but if the speed has doubled, then I’m the one who has to go! Besides, if Brother were to come with me, there’d be nothing to fear.”
“Even so, don’t drag me along…”
“What are you saying? Brother always says this. In battle, use everything you can! And I don’t think Brother can resist intervening in a fight!”
“That’s, well, I mean…”
I can’t deny it! If anything, denying it would just make everyone worry about me. I’d probably be put under intensive care again, just like I was with Gaun.
“I heard from the ladies that you also let Lady Rion have the fight against that half-baked hero… Are you sick? Did you eat something strange?”
“What do you take me for?”
“Huh?”
See, even the people who aren’t here are giving me bewildered responses. When I’m met with reactions like that, it feels foolish to hold back any longer.
“…Don’t come crying to me later if you get the finishing blow taken from you.”
“I know! Alright, let’s go!”
Dahak accelerated further.
“To charge head-on with your master aboard, how bold!”
A blinding light. The Light Dragon King’s breath attack intercepted. Well, it wouldn’t be sensible to just stand by and watch. The power was greater than the initial one. Rejoicing at the good news that that wasn’t its full strength, I contemplated how to deal with it. Dahak didn’t slow down, indicating he had no intention of dodging. Well, dodging such a colossal beam of light would be quite a task.
“Still going head-on? So, how do you plan to defend against it?”
“Like I said, my breath of corruption won’t be enough! That’s why it’s Brother’s turn. Please handle it!”
You… what a devoted dragon to his master. I wanted to say, where did your training go? You should have told me beforehand, but I was a bit overwhelmed. Strategically, it’s wrong, so I’ll scold him later.
However, that breath attack is powerful. If I’m not careful, it could pierce even the Spiral Wind Wall. In that case, I have no choice but to counter it, but I don’t have much time to chant a spell. Bisecting it with the Great Wind Demon God Scythe would be the quickest way, but it doesn’t seem like I’ll make it in time. My thoughts can keep up, but my actions, from preparing my staff to swinging it, cannot.
“…Is this the first time using it in practice?”
“Using what? And hurry up! Seriously!”
Facing the Light Dragon King’s breath attack closing in, Dahak urged me on. So I say, if you’re going to rush me, tell me beforehand.
“My Unique Skill, ‘Mana Overload’.”
“Eh? Oh no, no, no!”
Leaving Dahak behind, who was starting to panic even with the fast telepathy, I conjured a spell that could be cast instantly. With my current abilities, I can instantly unleash B-rank magic. However, to repel that attack, its power is still a step or two short. This is where my ‘Mana Overload’ will be revealed for the first time.
Normally, the power of a magic spell is determined by the caster’s magic power and the amount of MP consumed to use that spell (according to Melfina). The caster’s magic power is easy to understand as it is; it’s that number displayed on the Status.
What’s important here is the latter, the consumed MP. While there are slight variations depending on the type of magic, each spell has a base required MP cost. For example, F-rank green magic, [Wind Blade], requires an MP cost of 2. And then, this MP consumption can be increased by the caster’s proficiency with the magic. The reason I sometimes use excessive magic power stems from this.
However, simply increasing the consumption amount is not an easy feat. In terms of swordsmanship, it’s like improving the underlying physical strength without relying on the ‘Swordsmanship’ skill. Even to slightly increase the consumption amount, it requires deepening one’s understanding of the magic being used, chanting it repeatedly, and is built upon such diligent effort. This is also why even renowned mages can only master two or three types of magic skills.
“Radiant Spear II.”
I chose Radiant Spear. It’s an old magic I’ve been using since the battle with Victor. The familiar spear of white light flew straight towards the colossal breath attack.
“To oppose me, the noble being who governs light, with White Magic, and a B-rank Radiant Spear at that!? Do not underestimate me!”
It’s a welcome bonus that her anger is further strengthening her attack. Well, your anger is understandable. The disparity in scale is obvious; my Radiant Spear appears pathetically weak compared to the attack she’s unleashing. From the perspective of the Light Dragon King, who takes pride in its power, it might look like I’m playing around.
“I’m not underestimating you. This is an attack offered with respect. Receive it.”
“——!?”
Light clashed with light. The light spear, small and delicate in comparison, continued its advance at light speed, scattering the giant beam of light. The remnants of light, gouged out from the central part of its tip, dispersed. These scattered throughout the room, effectively becoming a indiscriminate attack, but don’t worry, Efil, the master archer, intercepted them all. I could feel Mudoph’s desire to unleash an attack through our mental connection, but he refrained, likely to conserve his power-doubling ability.
“What, you didn’t dodge this time?”
“Gyaaaaaaaah!”
The Light Dragon King’s right shoulder, enduring immense pain, had a large hole in it. It was so large that the right arm was only attached by a sliver of skin at the armpit, rendering it almost dead. The Radiant Spear, which had completely crushed the breath attack, pierced through her.
“Guaa…! Impossible! What is this power!?”
Even though it’s a magic I’ve used countless times, my Radiant Spear, pushed to its limit of MP consumption, wouldn’t normally achieve this much power. So why was it able to unleash such an off-the-charts level of power? …Ah. As you’ve probably guessed, it’s thanks to my Unique Skill, ‘Mana Overload’. This skill unconditionally removes the barrier of MP consumption that one would normally have to break through. It allows me to increase the power as long as my remaining MP permits. The ‘II’ I used just now was a spell named with the intention of doubling the power. As you can see, the effect is evident. If I use it well, even low-level magic might exhibit effects comparable to higher-level spells.
“I’m sorry to make you confused, but you should also pay attention to your feet?”
“What—”
Distraught, the Light Dragon King glanced at her feet. It’s too late to look now, though.
*Crunch.*
Her legs were entangled by strong plants that had sprouted from the room’s floor and fully grown. They gripped her tightly, like giant hands. Naturally, it could only be one culprit.
“Gotcha! Fall, darn you!”
With a battle cry filled with urgency, Dahak pulled her legs, trying to make the Light Dragon King fall to the ground. Caught off guard, the Light Dragon King was about to be flung off, but as expected of the apex of its species, it flapped its wings and endured, even with blood flowing from its wounds.
“With mere *this*, the noble me—”
“Heavy Wind Pressure II.”
“I won’t be budged, ahhhhhh…!”
Whoa, it really fell. Heavy Wind Pressure, which had been quite ineffective lately, seems like it will get more chances to shine again.
