“A magic-amplifying item, the ‘Magic Gem’, and A-Rank shapeshifting arms and armor, the ‘Great Waterfall Spear’… You’ve got some good equipment, haven’t you? Sorry for breaking them.”
The “Magic Gems,” multiple gems floating in the air imbued with Prisla’s magic, are magic-assisting items used by mages. The type of gem determines its effect and item rank. The highest grade is A-Rank Diamond, followed by B-Rank Ruby, then Sapphire, and Emerald. There are exceptions, but we’ll set those aside for now. The Magic Gem Prisla used was a Diamond, the highest-grade Magic Gem. It’s easy to imagine Prisla’s feelings when such a rare item was destroyed in an instant.
“My gem!”
“We’re in battle, Prisla! Look ahead!”
“It’s already too late.”
Christoph’s warning was in vain as Sera’s hand chop landed on the back of Prisla’s neck. Thud… Receiving the chop, Prisla rolled her eyes back and lost consciousness, collapsing.
Wow, to witness a “neck chop” in real life, something usually only seen in manga and anime. S-Rank Martial Arts really can do anything. Maybe I’ll teach you various techniques next time.
“Hey, Kelvin. It can’t end like this, can it? Can I torment this kid a bit?”
“Just don’t kill her. And try to squeeze some information out of her while you’re at it.”
“Understood~♪”
Cradling the unconscious Prisla, Sera left the room humming. She moved so fast, the same speed as her attack, that Christoph and the others didn’t have time to say anything.
“Efil, keep an eye on Sera for me, just in case.”
“Understood.”
I gave instructions to Efil, who was standing guard in the hallway outside the room.
“That’s one down… Don’t worry, I won’t take your lives. I’ll make sure you live to face the consequences.”
“Hah, you think you’ve already won? Adventurers never let their guard down until the very end! Ad!”
“Pierce him. Great Waterfall Spear!”
“Ngh!”
The Great Waterfall Spear, which should have been shattered, transformed its parts like liquid, becoming multiple water spears that attacked Gerard.
That man, Ad, possesses not only high-level spear techniques but also Blue Magic that manipulates water and ice. He can release a large amount of water inherent in the spear due to its magic power, and combined with the Great Waterfall Spear, which itself has the properties of water, his affinity is quite good. This attack was quite a move that caught us off guard. …Though Gerard already has information on Ad and his spear.
“Your aim is good, but your speed is insufficient.”
Gerard precisely cut down the water spears attacking him one after another. There wasn’t a single hesitation in his swordsmanship.
“Hey, hey, is it alright? To expend that much magic power?”
“What…!? Great Waterfall Spear, return!”
He noticed. Ad hurriedly recalled his weapon, changing it back from liquid to a spear.
“Ad, what are you doing?! Don’t stop attacking!”
“It’s pointless to continue this magic. He’s seen through it completely. It’s just a waste of magic power. Besides… look at this.”
“What…? This is–!?”
What Ad held in his hand was the spear, now only about two-thirds of its original length.
“Did you do something to the magic of the Great Waterfall Spear with that sword of yours?”
“Indeed, you have a good eye.”
Yes, Gerard’s Demonic Sword Dainsleif has a passive effect that drains magic power from anything it touches. Even a graze can siphon a massive amount of MP, adding it to Dainsleif’s attack power, a cheat-like innate ability. I lost a lot of magic power myself while it was being forged. It can also release absorbed magic power, further expanding the strategic options for Gerard, who usually doesn’t use much magic himself. It’s similar to Kuroto’s absorption skill, but Kuroto’s absorption is sustained over a wide area by utilizing his giant body, while Dainsleif is instantaneous against a single target, creating a division of roles. The reason Ad’s Great Waterfall Spear became shorter was that Gerard repeatedly parried it with his sword, draining the magic power contained within the spear.
“It’s a shame that someone with such skill has fallen to the path of villainy.”
“Heh, I’ve dedicated my body solely to combat. This environment is merely the result of that pursuit. Thanks to it, I’ve been able to meet strong opponents like you. This path was certainly not wrong.”
“Is that so… In that case, I won’t say much more. This is the end.”
A single flash. Gerard’s serious, no-holds-barred strike. Even Ad, who had been able to react slightly until now, was completely defenseless against this attack and fell unconscious.
“It was a flat strike. Your magic will be completely depleted, but consider yourself lucky to be alive.”
Ad’s armor, which should have been comparable to A-Rank, was severely dented. Even if it was a flat strike, his body is likely not unharmed.
“Im-Impossible… Ad had the highest combat power in the party! And he was defeated so easily…!”
“I told you. This isn’t a battle, it’s a punishment. You never had a chance from the start.”
I unleashed a radiant spear towards Christoph’s legs.
“Gyaaaaaa!?”
The radiant holy spear pierced both his legs as intended and was driven into the ground, pinning him.
“You… You bastard! Do you think you can get away with this to us, the heroes of Trisen!?”
“I don’t. If I were to do something like this to you, who are officially recognized adventurers of Trisen, it would escalate into diplomatic issues between nations. Without clear evidence, even adventurers are not exempt.”
“Understanding that much, why…?”
“Why? Because even heroes are criminals if they commit evil deeds, right? Even a child knows that. You didn’t know that?”
“No! What I mean is…”
“Well, the details don’t matter. We still have time. Until then, the punishment will continue, understand?”
To the pale-faced Christoph, I unleashed my third radiant spear.
