“—I wonder if Glenn-san is thinking about it soon.”
Far from Fuziaze Castle, about three kilometers away, I am on top of a building reporting the current situation to my companion.
The Great Holy Capital has a three-dimensional structure, so there are many tall buildings like towers. We chose the tallest building among them, and Reaper, Rainer, and I were waiting on its rooftop.
However, since it is a tower managed by the government, there were some light skirmishes on the way here. Still, I couldn’t fall behind security guards who weren’t even at level ten. We gently knocked them all out.
Right now, the only ones conscious in this tower are the three of us.
“As the prediction stated, Glenn-san has started moving from the eighteenth floor upwards. The best course of action is to get as close to Nosfy as possible, that’s what I’ve decided now.”
I murmur about the distant Fuziaze Castle.
However, I don’t actually need to report this out loud. Reaper, who is standing next to me right now, shares the information I obtained from my Dimension and Dimension – Decisive Calculation (Prelude) through the magic of “Connection.”
My role is to act as a radar, and Reaper’s role is to speak.
“Snow-neechan. Big brother is on the eighteenth floor, so please try to push him to the twentieth floor and hold him there. Rustiara-neechan on the other side is also heading your way.”
“Yes, understood.”
This is communication via a magic stone imbued with Vibration magic.
The magic tactics used in the Epic Seeker Guild days, now further strengthened by increased levels and magic power, are proving effective in this party battle.
Each person Reaper is currently instructing is a mage full of gunpowder capable of taking down a castle. I am controlling them from a safe distance to ensure maximum utilization. Compared to the messengers desperately running around the castle, our advantage is clear.
“…Yeah, this is good. There was a small chance, about ten percent, that they would come out of the city, but it looks like we’re fine now. We’ve entered the planned ‘Future Scenario One,’ and the branches of other future possibilities have been completely broken.”
And with that, I deactivate Dimension – Decisive Calculation (Prelude), the most unfair of the unfair tactics I’m using.
Not only is it impossible to use for long periods, but its necessity has also diminished now that most of the future has been decided.
I’ve already pinpointed the locations of Glenn, El, Perciona, Sera, and Noir-chan. I’ve also grasped the movements and Statuses of the remaining guards.
There are two hundred seventy-two guards capable of fighting in Fuziaze Castle. Thirty-one of them are solely focused on protecting the Senate and will not move.
Of the remaining two hundred forty-one, only the aforementioned five are level 20 or higher. There are fourteen people level 15 or higher. Four of those fourteen have undergone “Demon Transformation,” so caution is necessary. Then, there are seventy-eight people level 10 or higher. And the remaining one hundred forty-four are below that.
For the next five minutes, three hundred seconds.
I have memorized the futures that all of them will likely follow.
“Okay, Onii-chan. If that branch thingy you mentioned is broken and we’ve entered the ‘Future Scenario One’ pattern, then the plan is also decided as ‘Plan One’, right? Rainer-onii-chan is almost done recharging too, so I’m going to possess Onii-chan. —Magic Shift: Shadow Possession.”
“Yeah, please do.”
Reaper casts a spell and slips into my shadow.
It’s a composite magic of dimension and darkness learned during my one-year journey with Maria. It seems to support the possessed target, adding Reaper’s power to all of my Status values. Not only that, but Reaper can also use magic while hidden in my shadow during combat, and can even replicate her usual black equipment.
From what I hear, Maria was equipped with black attire that absorbs physical shock and a black scythe that she can control freely. Just imagining it makes me quite envious of that transformation.
Before the operation, I casually mentioned to Reaper that I wanted to transform as well, but she refused, saying she couldn’t create a weapon better than “Rowen.” So, this time, I’m just going with black elbow-length gloves.
Using this special equipment for this occasion, I’ll trick the enemy just once.
I roll up my sleeves and check the movement of my left arm, which has turned completely black through Connection with Reaper.
Suddenly, a voice calls out from behind me.
“Christ, I’m also ready over here.”
It’s Rainer, who had been diligently drawing a magic circle by himself. Rainer had completed a giant magic circle on the clock tower’s roof using all the magic stones and magic tools we possessed.
The reason I suddenly expanded my dimensional magic towards the castle earlier was to conceal Rainer’s grand magic.
“Thank you, Rainer. All that’s left is the countdown.”
“It’s completely according to plan… but still—”
“Yeah. I still think the success rate is about fifty-fifty.”
With my senses heightened after using Dimension – Decisive Calculation (Prelude), I preempt Rainer’s unspoken question and answer him.
“Half… Is it that tough…?”
Rainer seems accustomed to being preempted and contemplates my answer.
“The fight itself, we can win completely. That’s for sure, but whether we can persuade Nosfy is going to be tough.”
“You can guarantee the fall of the castle, but you’re not so confident about Nosfy.”
“This ‘Future Sight’ is also magic. It’s difficult to read opponents with high magic power. Also, Nosfy’s mind, that—”
“Ah, you mean someone who’s gone mad is hard to read? That magic, when dealing with someone who acts on whims or spur-of-the-moment decisions, the possibilities visible through ‘Future Sight’ multiply, halving its effectiveness, right?”
I’ve seen many futures where Nosfy can be persuaded. But I’ve also seen countless futures where the persuasion fails. The mental debt Nosfy carries induces various misfortunes. To see through it all requires more magic power and time than I have.
“…Yeah.”
I acknowledge that Nosfy has gone mad. I have no intention of denying that I’m the one who brought her to that point. Seeing my expression, Rainer speaks with a hint of worry.
“…Christ, please. If you can’t persuade Nosfy, then at that time, please use Distance Mute to make her disappear.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do that. At that time, it’s already—”
I refuse without hesitation. Rainer seems to want to prioritize me, but what I want to prioritize is Nosfy.
That is Nosfy’s “Lingering Desire,” so I absolutely cannot yield on this.
Rainer, perhaps because he knew his master’s stubbornness well, let out a big sigh and nodded in resignation, as if this was typical.
“Haa… Understood. I won’t say anything more. If Christ continues to choose the best without giving up, then that’s enough. I’ll also do my utmost to avoid the worst-case scenario. Let’s go with that.”
“I’m sorry, Rainer, as always. It’s just that this time, everyone is just buying time, so you don’t have to fight with all your might. If you get seriously injured, they’ll probably be troubled too.”
“I know. I’ll just try to avoid the worst. Only the worst—”
As soon as Rainer’s consultation ended, we immediately entered the magic circle Rainer had drawn as planned. Moving away from the edge of the rooftop, we took sufficient distance for a run-up.
During that time, I continued to confirm the enemy’s movements in Fuziaze Castle.
Just then, all ofFuziaze Castle’s key figures had gathered on the 20th Floor.
Rustiara and Ragune were cornering Perciona and Sera from the West Tower to the Central Tower, while Snow and the others were holding back El and Glen, who were aiming to go higher. Noir-chan, who had been flitting around the central atrium, also maintained her altitude on the 20th Floor, which had become a battlefield, and joined the melee.
And on the first floor of the castle, Maria had finished suppressing the area with flames and moved underground, while Nosfy and Fafnir remained on standby on the 45th Floor.
“Christ, isn’t it about time?”
“Yeah, let’s go. This is ‘Operation One,’ so I’ll handle the 20th Floor, and you take the area just above it, please.”
“Understood.”
The operation was about to begin in earnest.
From here, with Rainer’s Wind Magic, we would leap to the castle that towered three kilometers away.
It was our usual surprise attack after a long-distance jump.
In other words, the magic circle Rainer had been drawing was a launchpad. We would use that magic to cut across to the middle of the castle. The trajectory—the angle and power—had already been calculated with Dimensional Magic.
I had no intention of going directly to Nosfy.
The relaid barrier of the castle was troublesome, but this battle wasn’t over just by capturing Fafnir, the king piece. There was a pattern where other pieces would come to rescue the king piece. In the future visions, there were many instances of someone interfering during the persuasion.
Therefore, what was important this time was to drive all of the opponent’s pieces to the edge of the board. Especially the Fafnir piece, Thief of Principles, I wanted to isolate him far away.
The key to this operation was to strike Fafnir down towards Maria. As a result, this operation became the best one.
After I finished confirming the details of the operation before the jump, I informed Rainer.
“—Then, let’s start the operation.”
“Ah. As a Knight of Helvishein, I shall offer victory to my lord.”
After we lightly bumped our clenched fists together, Rainer activated his magic.
—”Wind! Wind – Gale Rush!”
Wind enveloped my entire body.
At the same time, Rainer’s unique magic activated, and the dense wind rendered both my and Rainer’s legs transparent.
Furthermore, the floor of the tower’s rooftop began to glow emerald, and the prepared magic circle activated. A large number of magic stones and magic tools were used as the launch mechanism. Rings and pendants scattered on the floor floated lightly in the wind, and a three-dimensional magic circle glittered and was drawn in the air.
The spherical magic circle began to suck in the surrounding wind.
Then, when the condensed wind reached its bursting point, Rainer and I simultaneously sprinted.
Both of us accelerated with enough force to shatter the floor.
And then, the signal magic was cast.
—”Zeer Wind!!”
A gust of magic accompanied by an explosive sound.
It activated at the three-dimensional magic circle behind us. Of course, the direction was from the tower towards Fuziaze Castle.
The moment Rainer and I stepped off the edge of the rooftop and jumped, an extraordinary tailwind generated from behind us. This caused our already superhuman jump to transcend jumping.
It was no longer a jump, but a launch. It was like being a bullet penetrating the wind rather than riding it. We tore through the wind of the Great Holy Capital, and in an instant, the night sky flashed past our vision.
Along the way, I sensed us breaking through Fuziaze Castle’s barrier. The wind protecting my body decreased, and I could hear my body creaking slightly.
The ringing in my ears didn’t stop. I couldn’t breathe. The near-supersonic speed was painful to my body.
But ignoring all of it, I sharpened my concentration to its absolute limit.
As planned, we ignored the barrier. Or rather, the few seconds until we hit the castle didn’t matter.
What was important was the one second the moment we entered the castle. I had to act with an accuracy of less than a tenth of a second, without any mistakes.
The very first moment was especially crucial.
I used magic to build up support for that. I also prepared for the next spell.
—”Magic – Dimension: Decisive Calculation.”
Combining the combat-specialized “Dimension” with the Skill “Sensation,” I manipulated subjective time as much as possible.
Focusing, I measured one-tenth of a second. Focusing further, I measured another tenth of that. Measuring and measuring and measuring, the world transformed into a slow-motion, frame-by-frame playback.
By the time the manipulation of subjective time ended, the jump that covered three kilometers was also over.
The moment I landed on one of Fuziaze Castle’s 20th-floor glass windows—I concentrated my consciousness solely on combat and kicked through the glass window.
I invaded the 20th Floor along with the shards. However, before the sound of destruction could be heard, I confirmed the situation inside with the expanded “Dimension: Decisive Calculation.”
That brief moment—less than a tenth of a second—was finished quickly…
The 20th Floor of Fuziaze Castle’s Central Tower was an open space that could be described as if the castle’s interior had been hollowed out. Like a donut-shaped track field, the 20th Floor was a space prepared for some kind of event. There were no corridors or small rooms, only a grand hall with golden embroidered carpets laid out, and a large number of luxurious tables arranged upon them.
These tables, presumably for a standing buffet party, were being used as fighting platforms and shields just for today, with more than half of them already destroyed.
Currently, on the 20th floor, an exchange of blows was underway between the invading intruders and the guarding knights.
I identified each person in the melee.
Closest to the glass window I entered was Perciona, wielding a sword in her centaur form. She was facing off against Ragune, who was keeping her at bay with a magic sword.
Rustiara and Sera were clashing swords very nearby.
Sera’s form was close to her usual wolf form, but she wasn’t on all fours. She wore knight’s armor, stood on two legs, and gripped a sword. However, her body was transformed about halfway into that of a wolf. It was similar to El’s “Demonization” – only her arms were enlarged and covered in beastly fur. Additionally, her hair strands thickened, grew unnaturally long, and took on a less human appearance.
A bit further beyond the women, El and Snow were locked in battle. The two, who had gained characteristics of a lion and a dragon, engaged in magical combat from a distance.
Meanwhile, in the central atrium, Noir-chan was flying with bat wings, deploying gravity-based magic across the entire twentieth floor.
In contrast, Dia and Hidaki held their ground at the stairs leading to the twenty-first floor, preparing to unleash offensive magic.
Finally, Glen stood alone. Positioned to intervene with everyone at any time, he calmly surveyed the entire scene.
There were no other enemies.
Perhaps to avoid collateral damage, or maybe El or Noir-chan simply disliked interference, the regular guards and knights were avoiding the melee and merely blocking escape routes on the nineteenth and twenty-first floors.
—I managed to grasp the entire disposition on the twentieth floor within the allotted time.
As planned, everyone was in a favorable position.
With fragments of shattered glass still dancing in the air, I took the first step towards initiating my attack.
Carried by the wind, I leaped over the falling glass shards, taking my first step.
I landed on the twentieth floor.
The impact of a human arriving from three kilometers away sent cracks across the entire floor.
However, the floor did not break through.
Kicking off that sturdy floor with my wind-attuned feet—I leaped into the battle between Perciona and Ragune, the closest to my planned direction of advance.
This single step took less than 0.2 seconds after the window shattered.
Furthermore, I closed the distance at high speed without losing any momentum from my charge. Perciona, who was wary of Ragune, had no way to defend herself.
By the time the sound of the breaking window was heard, my right hand had already grasped her right wrist.
Though I had grabbed Perciona, who was in a centaur form weighing well over a hundred kilograms, my momentum was still unbroken. The propulsion that had closed three kilometers of distance in an instant would not be significantly lessened by one or two people. As a result, Perciona’s four legs lifted off the ground, letting out a small scream, and she was carried deeper into the twentieth floor with me.
Having successfully grabbed the first person, I immediately shifted my focus to the next.
My next target was Sera, who was fighting Rustiara. It was calculated that with the momentum of my charge, I could interrupt their battle with this first step.
Similar to Perciona, I intended to grab her wrist with a high-speed approach.
However, Sera reacted faster than Perciona and had more time to defend herself. Sera noticed the approach of an intruder from outside and skillfully dodged my left hand, which was attempting to grab her wrist.
Confirming this, I activated my prepared magic, “Default,” with an incantation-less cast, as planned. Closing the distance that had been created by her dodge—52.2 centimeters—I instantly shifted, and Sera’s dodged wolf-like hand fell into my left hand. I then gripped it tightly. Like Perciona, Sera’s body was pulled, and her legs lifted off the ground.
Thus, I succeeded in grabbing both women, Perciona in my right hand and Sera in my left.
Even in this state, my momentum had not stopped. Though it had slowed somewhat, the force was still sufficient to carry me through the castle to the opposite side.
Utilizing that momentum, I twisted my body in mid-air, swung the two women I held in my arms—and threw them both.
My throw was directed at the most troublesome target, Noir-chan, who was flying in the center of the twentieth floor.
She uses the rare Star attribute magic, controlling gravity across the entire field. She’s the one I need to eliminate first. Thus, all the force of my charge would be directed at her.
My inhuman strength allowed me to throw Perciona and Sera accurately towards the flying Noir-chan.
Unarmed and focused on her magic, Noir-chan could not evade them. More importantly, the throwing speed was too great. Perciona and Sera, each weighing nearly a hundred kilograms after “Demonization,” struck the forty-kilogram Noir-chan squarely in mid-air.
The throw held considerable power due to the incredible speed. After witnessing the three collide in mid-air, I immediately drew “Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen” from my “Inventory” and plunged it into the floor to brake lightly.
In parallel with this braking, I began constructing new magic.
While decelerating, I finally took my second step since entering. This was approximately 0.5 seconds after my charge began.
Kicking off the floor strongly again, I performed a direction change, incorporating an incantation-less “Default.”
My next destination was El, who was engaged in a magical battle with Snow.
I readied my sword in my right hand and “Distance Mute” in my left, preparing to intervene. Although I had braked slightly with my sword, the charge still carried considerable momentum, making it a surprise attack.
However, it had been more than 0.5 seconds since my charge began.
El had ample time to spot me.
El’s eyes lit up as he saw me suddenly appear. Our eyes met, we confirmed each other’s expressions, and I was certain of El’s exhilaration.
And that inappropriate emotion for battle led El to choose to intercept.
If he had had even half a second more to think, El would undoubtedly have calmly chosen to evade. But he was in an excited state from his close match with Snow. My surprise attack on top of that prevented him from making the correct choice.
Eagerly, El swung his sword with both hands, clashing against mine.
Unlike the two women earlier, El had time to brace himself. With the power of his “Demonization,” he managed to withstand the full force of my charged attack.
A high-pitched sound resonated through the entire twentieth floor as the single clash occurred.
It was a magnificent clash, but a second exchange would not follow.
Although El used both hands, the difference in my using only one hand decided the match. During the stiffening after the clash, I thrust “Distance Mute,” which I had prepared in my left hand, into El’s chest and clenched the soul within.
I did not aim to extract his magic stone. My goal was to knock him out. Even El, who was strong against magic, could not withstand a direct hit from “Distance Mute”—he rolled his eyes, a laugh echoing, and lost consciousness.
I quickly withdrew my arm and deactivated
Exactly one second passed.
Then, all the glass I had kicked in during my intrusion shattered and fell to the ground, creating a deafening clamor. Noir-chan, who had been slammed into by Perciona and Sera, lost her flight and crashed into the twentieth-floor wall before falling to the floor with them.
I then took my third and fourth steps on the twentieth floor, preparing to attack the last remaining opponent.
However, by this point, I had lost the momentum from the wind I had gained during my intrusion. I couldn’t execute a surprise attack with blinding speed. The battle where every 0.1 second counted was already over.
Naturally, Glen, who remained, understood the situation. He leaped away from me, moving towards the central atrium where Noir-chan had been flying moments before.
He then underwent what appeared to be metamorphosis, similar to an insect’s ‘Demonization’, spreading thin wings on his back and hovering in the air.
I chased after him, leaping to attack.
The most crucial part of this operation was to maintain the initiative. It was a lightning-fast engagement, designed to prevent any thoughts of escape. The emphasis on a swift conclusion was due to my prior knowledge that allowing even one of them to escape would lead to trouble later.
To prevent that, I aimed for a simultaneous annihilation in one place. Glen, sweating profusely, spoke to me as I was determined not to let anyone get away.
“Gah! So this is how you planned it…!”
“I’m a worrier, so I’ll neutralize everyone first! — Snow, do it!!”
I replied, calling out to Snow, who could participate in aerial combat.
Snow was already in motion. Flapping her dragon wings, she moved behind Glen and was aiming to sandwich him between us.
“Older Brother, this is the end!!”
“The sacrifices were many, but now that I know your position—!!”
Glen pulled a dagger from his hip.
He produced five tethered knives, unlike any I had seen before. He threw them all at me simultaneously.
I deflected the daggers flying straight at me with my sword.
However, the tethered daggers, like fish swimming in the sea, would redirect themselves towards me after being knocked away.
I initially thought it was magic, but upon observing the movement of the strings attached to the daggers, I reconsidered. Two of the five were connected by a string, while the remaining three were still attached to Glen’s hand. He was manipulating the daggers using the complex entanglement of strings, like a puppeteer.
However, it wasn’t completely free.
He could only manage to direct two of the five daggers towards me by utilizing the momentum from when I knocked them away and skillfully making them contact each other.
I wouldn’t be hit by those daggers. Even if I couldn’t use my sword, as long as I had
However, my attention was momentarily focused on the daggers.
Out of habit, I tracked and analyzed the movements of all five strings connected to the daggers using
“And now! Fafnir will finish this—!!”
Glen looked up.
Even without looking, I knew. I knew without
His overwhelmingly powerful presence confirmed that Fafnir, the ‘Thief of the Law of Blood’, was approaching from above.
Then, from
Colors that proved his identity.
Red, red red red red red red—red. A sea of red was approaching from above the atrium.
It wasn’t just red rain falling from the sky.
Blood was falling like a waterfall from the sky. No, a flood of blood was attempting to pass through the castle’s hollow. More accurately, a wall of blood was charging at me.
By a conservative estimate, it was over ten thousand tons of blood.
Moreover, all of it was infused with magic—and that blood was alive. It writhed like a living creature, possessing a will to fight, and was eager to capture me.
I, hovering in the air, did not evade it.
My entire vision was bathed in red.
The waterfall of blood engulfed the entire atrium, and I was doused in blood from head to toe. Buffeted by the torrent of blood, I lost my ability to move. In that instant, a voice echoed in my ear—
“—Carelessness is foolish. It is written in the scriptures. Chapter seven, verse seven: ‘When all things are progressing smoothly, you should realize that not all things are progressing smoothly’!!”
A blond young man in a white coat was mixed within the waterfall of blood.
Then, as if mirroring my earlier surprise attack, he had, without my notice, seized my left wrist with his right hand. Trapped by the blood, I was also caught by Knight Fafnir, who was within the blood. He clearly intended to drop me through the atrium and down to the basement along with the waterfall of blood.
However, I had no intention of complying.
“I’m not careless, Fafnir. As promised, I came with everyone.”
I replied to Fafnir, repeating yesterday’s promise.
Without any resistance, I tilted my face upwards. To prove who had been lured—I heard the cry of my knight.
“—Wind Magic
Another knight with blond hair, also a Helvirshine, descended from above Fafnir, who had been falling. Rainer Helvirshine, who had infiltrated the upper floors with his previous attack, descended.
His fall was amplified by the wind, and accompanied by his greatest magic.
Like Fafnir’s blood, the claws moved as if they possessed a will.
They caught up to Fafnir, who was falling at a normal speed, and the wind stakes dug into the waterfall of blood, attempting to seize Fafnir within it.
“Multiple arms of wind—!? This brat, acting like the Mad King!!”
Surprised by being ambushed at the moment of his successful surprise attack, Fafnir couldn’t hide his agitation.
Rainer greeted him.
“Nice to meet you, ancestor! There’s a hellish woman waiting below, so please accompany us!”
“Tch!! If I’m going to hell, I’m taking Kanami with me—”
Fafnir ignored Rainer’s attack and tried to focus solely on me.
My body was grabbed by wind claws, and with my right hand, which was close to transparent, I channeled bright red magic and squeezed my left arm tightly.
They were trying to fuse our two arms with some kind of vibrant blood magic—but I wouldn’t let that happen either.
“Reaper, please!”
I quickly notified Reaper, who was tending to my left arm, that it was his turn. At the same time, a black girl slithered out from the left sleeve of my jacket. Fafnir’s face contorted in shock.
The arm he was grabbing, clad in a black elbow-length glove, was Reaper’s arm. Throughout the battle up to this point, Reaper had been controlling my left arm. It was for this very moment—
“Heehee, it’s me. Fafnir big bro, wanna rematch?!”
Reaper grabbed Fafnir, who was holding his own arm, with his free hand, clinging to him with his entire body and smiling as if he’d never let go.
“The Grim Reaper girl from before!? You were here all along! But still—!”
Fafnir abandoned the physical restraint and attempted to bind me with blood manipulation. Even now, amidst the blood-filled cascade, he moved, believing he still had the advantage.
However, Reaper and Rainer blocked him.
“—《Abyss Dimension’s Midnight》!!”
“—《Zephyr Wind》!!”
Reaper, in contact with him, sent darkness crawling to disrupt Fafnir’s magic. Furthermore, Rainer’s gale magic erupted within the blood cascade.
The gale was directed in two directions. One horizontally, carrying only me away from the blood cascade, and the other straight down, blowing the other three of them away together. As we parted, I called out.
“Later. This time, Nosfy takes priority over you.”
“Damn it, understood! Later! Later, I swear!! Laterrrrr—”
Fafnir, while entangled with Rainer and Reaper, responded faithfully to my farewell as I escaped the blood cascade—and then fell.
After watching him go, I clung to the railing on the edge of the blown-out opening. It was the railing on the nineteenth floor, one floor down from the twentieth. Glen, looking down at me from above, was about to pursue.
“Ah, you’re giving up quite early, Lord Fafnir!? Fine, if that’s the case, I’ll—!”
“No. I am here for that, big brother.”
However, Snow intervened, stopping him.
“Snow-san…! Damn it, fighting Snow-san one-on-one is dangerous…! So dangerous, so dangerous, so dangerous, I have to turn this into a group fight…!!”
Glen looked around, but despair washed over him as he realized none of his allies were present. If the Walker siblings fought, Snow would undeniably win due to their relationship. Confident of this, I climbed over the railing and immediately ascended the nearby stairs.
The guards who had been watching the battle on the twentieth floor were nearby, but perhaps due to the shock and magic from the previous fight, they made no move to stop me. Their inner thoughts were easily deciphered. They probably thought their superiors, who had undergone ‘Demon Revival’, were monsters. Based on their strength and magic, they trusted them as beings no human could possibly defeat. That’s why they had left the entire fight to them and continued to seal off the twentieth floor. Now, facing me, who had incapacitated those monstrous superiors in mere seconds, they harbored a fear even greater than that of monsters.
Shaking off their seasoned gazes, I returned to the twentieth floor. Then, I immediately shouted the final part of the plan.
“Ragune, Dia! Capture the four and set up a guard—!”
“Roger! I’ll do the guarding!!”
“Kanami, got it!”
Ragune and Dia had already finished their tasks. They had knocked out the injured Perciona and Sera with a follow-up attack, and had them, along with the unconscious El and Noir-chan, bound with magic shackles they had brought. Ragune was currently looking around for binding ropes. Dia had brought Hidaki and was waiting for me at the base of the stairs. Impressed by their swift actions, I headed for the stairs leading to the twenty-first floor.
“Kanami, leave this to me! Once Kanami and Rustiara ascend, I’ll destroy the stairs—and freeze this entire floor! As long as I’m here, I absolutely won’t let Fafnir approach!”
“Dia, I trust you! The rest is up to me and—”
“Leave it to me! I’ll quickly bring Nosfy back!”
On the way up the stairs, I met up with Rustiara, who had been waiting for me. And as planned, the two of us, assigned to Nosfy, raced up the stairs. Our goal was Nosfy, waiting for us at the top.
The separation operation had gone well. By continuously executing the optimal moves predicted by foresight, we had achieved the best possible outcome. This had bought me and Rustiara sufficient time to “talk” with Nosfy.
“Now, only Nosfy…”
Ignoring the security knights, who were not part of the time-buying strategy, I muttered as I ascended the castle one floor at a time.
We had peeled away Nosfy’s escorts and left him alone. However, we couldn’t relax yet. Precisely because everything was going as planned, both Rustiara and I had tense expressions. The fact that the operation had gone according to plan meant the odds were still fifty-fifty. Whether we could save Nosfy now remained a matter of chance, like flipping a coin. If it landed heads, Nosfy would likely be saved. Rustiara had already been fully briefed on the most probable successful outcome. And if it landed tails, Nosfy would not be saved. The most probable failed outcome had also been fully explained to her. Currently, both of us pictured the scene of failure in our minds. However, even if the persuasion failed, Nosfy would not be our enemy. We had sworn to each other that we would never see Nosfy as an enemy. —But we also knew that upholding that vow would come at a heavy price. Neither Rustiara nor I allowed even the slightest hint of a smile at the immense weight of one possible future. To be honest, the surprise attack up to this point was a battle where failure was permissible. Even with mistakes, there was enough leeway to adjust the plan on the spot. But from here on, it was a matter of life and death—a “talk” risked upon our lives. We both truly understood its meaning. As Rustiara and I ascended the castle stairs, to ensure we had no regrets regardless of how the coin landed, we clasped hands tightly for a brief, silent few seconds.
