Reaper and I exchanged our final promise.
Meanwhile, at the center of the 100th floor, the “Zero Ordeal” had already begun.
Similar to past “Ordeals,” it superficially resembled a duel.
The ten people I summoned and Noi El Lieberl would test each other’s strength… however, in the blink of an eye, Noi had undergone a further transformation.
She remained in a crawling position. but sprouted numerous “Demonic Beast Arms” from her back, stretching out endlessly like tentacles.
Much like myself when I fought Seldra in the “Original World,” she had become a grotesque, soft-bodied marine creature. However, unlike my appearance, which resembled a purple jellyfish sinking to the bottom of the sea, Noi was closer to a dark sea anemone swaying in the abyssal depths of dimensions.
The 100th floor was a mixture of dazzling rainbow magic and dark, purplish clouds, where concepts like distance and direction were now distorted.
But the “Thieves of Principles” were seasoned veterans of countless battles. Moreover, they had extensive experience fighting dimensional mages. Even those who were not skilled in magic or combat could overcome the “Default” wall and advance towards the casters by teaming up with a more proficient “Thief of Principles.”
—That “Zero Ordeal” would transcend legend and become myth.
And it was also abstract. Through everyone’s elemental magic, it became grand, like viewing religious or war paintings. Through Noi’s dimensional distortion, it became unfathomable, like looking at a multi-perspective or magical-realist painting.
Within the illusion of wandering through a museum, viewing paintings that depicted mythical battles—the ten great heroes invariably moved as one—and Noi dealt with all of it magnificently using her countless “Demonic Beast Arms.”
Noi’s thought speed and reaction speed were godlike.
It wasn’t just that she was fast; she had perfectly read the movements of all ten individuals.
Before their “Swordsmanship” or “Martial Arts” could be unleashed, she suppressed all their initial movements with her “Demonic Beast Arms.” Before their elemental magic could manifest, the dark clouds of “Black Shift: Overwrite” descended, threatening to engulf their very casting.
It was clearly a feat that would require skills like “Parallel Thinking” or “Split Thinking.”
But I knew, because I was the same, that Noi possessed no such skills.
Her very nature was the opposite of being naturally dexterous.
Yet, the fact that she could simultaneously manage the ten “Thieves of Principles” and parry their attacks was purely due to—experience.
The first thing that came to my mind was the survival strategy of Kunel, a “Vampire Race” who had lived for a thousand years.
She, too, without any skills, displayed a power comparable to innate talent, cultivated over long years. It was one of those “unquantifiable values” that even the “Display” of the Primordial Kanami could not measure—
Noi had persevered for thousands of years, even when things weren’t in her favor. Or rather, she had endured and tolerated her weaknesses for millennia.
Through that long and arduous experience, she had become capable of doing things she couldn’t before.
—No, she could do them because her life was such that she *had* to be able to.
With that brutally simple and sad strength, she asserted herself, pathetically like a scream.
“Hah! You think you can beat me just because you’ve gathered here? That’s a mistake! Do you think I’m so weak that you can surpass me so easily?! I… I have lived for over ten thousand years! I have watched over more than countless lives! I have endured what felt like an eternity! How could you, who live but a single life, ever reach me! No matter how much of a culmination of a thousand years you are, it’s not enough! Even if you are a king born once in a millennium, I am a superior ruler! Even if you are a Sword Saint born once in a millennium, I am a superior swordsman! Even if you are a mage born once in a millennium, it’s the same! In every aspect, I am superior!!”
Because of her long experience, she could overwhelm all talent.
As she exclaimed this with apparent pain, she altered the shape of some of the dark clouds.
As she had just said, to surpass all the “Thieves of Principles,” she had her “Demonic Beast Arms” wield the very weapons and magic that everyone excelled at—swords, gauntlets, banners—attempting to defeat them head-on.
Noi’s power was truly tremendous.
Including her words, it was truly unfathomable.
Still… even so, Noi was still deep within the dark clouds, not even having stood up yet.
The more she moved, the more “Black Shift: Overwrite” she scattered, like shedding tears. The more she displayed her unfair strength, the more her weakness and exhaustion became apparent.
It was the same as the “Thieves of Principles” before her. Her continuous shouting sounded like an unspoken plea, “I’m at my limit, help me.”
“Look! I’m superior! You can’t protect Kanami! How could you possibly protect what I cannot protect!!”
Then, as if cornered, Noi changed her target.
It was Aikawa Uzunami.
The ten people fighting were beings summoned by “Recollection Convergence.”
Even if they were defeated, they could potentially be summoned again, so it was necessary to eliminate the caster. Inevitably, some of her “Demonic Beast Arms” stretched towards me, attacking.
In the hands of those “Demonic Beast Arms” was a purplish-black sword, made by solidifying my “Black Shift: Overwrite,” capable of turning everything into “nothingness.”
If I were cut by this, I would likely be “overwritten” from this day forward.
To avoid that future, Arti, the “Thief of Principles” in the very back, began to rush forward to protect me. She was struggling with the surrounding purplish-black clouds and the “Demonic Beast Arms,” but still, she was trying to wring out fire that surpassed her limits, saying, “I will definitely save you.”
So, I immediately smiled and said, “I’m fine.”
Seeing that, Arti’s expression softened, she let out a sigh, and her movements faltered.
Unlike my usual “I’m fine,” she truly believed me this time. I was truly happy about that.
Therefore, Arti’s flames would not reach me in time to help.
However, it’s okay—
“—Magic, Flame Flamberge!”
Instead, another flame arrived in time.
The magic, titled “Wavy Sword,” unleashed a wall of fire.
That hot, sharp, fast, and immense sword of flame passed by me with great force.
As if to protect me, it swept away the approaching “Demonic Beast Arms” and purplish-black swords.
And then, a young girl stood before me.
It was a familiar back and warmth.
From the flames surrounding her black hair, cut evenly at the shoulders, I felt the presence of “real threads.”
So, I, too, softened my expression like Arti.
With a sigh of relief, I called out her name.
“Maria, thank you… And thank you, Reaper, for connecting me…”
I was grateful.
Now, I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks for the “bonds of companions” that Rustiara had spoken of one night.
Hearing my thanks, Reaper next to me also showed a sincere smile.
“Heehee! It’s okay now, big sister Arti! My magic just reached the gap in the heavens! And so— Fusion Magic, Connection: Dark Swamp!”
The magic, which connected “ground” and “underground” through “bonds of companions,” was an application of “Connection,” and it seemed to be Reaper’s original creation. The shadow at her feet spread out like a swamp, and its depths connected to another place.
Even though it was slightly unfinished, it exhibited the same effect as that purple door.
As expected, she was good at mimicking my Dimensional Magic. Even the dark element arrangement.
To be frank, her sense for it rivals mine from the start—no, in terms of dark element arrangements, she’s even more of a genius than both me and Noi.
There’s no way that a genius like her couldn’t do what I and Noi could do.
That’s how I accepted her talent for magic, but Noi didn’t seem to.
“Im-impossible…! Impossible!! Connecting to the “Deepest Part”… and summoning? E-even so! She should have “forgotten” about Kanami! H-how, why would she protect a complete stranger…!?”
Apparently, she couldn’t accept Maria’s actions either.
And, having her name called twice, the black-haired girl in front of me finally turned around.
She looked at me with a cute face, so much like Arti’s, that she’d been talking to until just moments ago, and mumbled.
“Why protect…? That is…”
She mumbled, staring fixedly at me.
The words that followed wouldn’t come out.
She was trying to say my name, but it wouldn’t come to her mind. Maria, strongly realizing that she had lost the precious name due to the power of “Oblivion,” then—
“…Heh. Even so. …Don’t worry. I will definitely save you.”
She smiled at me.
Showing a determined expression, she faced forward.
From Maria’s back, I could feel the burning heat of her heart.
Indeed, she didn’t know the opponent’s name. The three letters of “Kanami” wouldn’t leave her lips. …So what? That’s not a big problem. If that’s all it takes to stop, then fire couldn’t be called fire—
As if to say that, Arti, who had just gone to help, arrived next to Maria. She proudly boasted about her strong best friend.
“Ah, that’s right, former “World Master” Noi El Lieberl. …You can’t save them because you “forgotten” them? You can’t love them because you can’t call their name? Ah, what a shallow argument. I can’t help but wonder why you were reassured by such a trivial matter. — Do you really think you’d forget just because we forgot?”
Arti, laughing, looked genuinely happy.
I also think she’s saying something incredibly provocative.
Naturally, Noi couldn’t empathize at all and was bewildered and confused.
On the other hand, I could deeply empathize and nod repeatedly.
There was a similar “Oblivion” in the past.
Maria, despite being brainwashed by Palinkron and Reaper, didn’t mistake her own desire. I too, have had my memory erased several times by Hidaki.
As someone who has experienced it, I can say this—one can get used to amnesia.
Rather, as one continues to repeat “Oblivion,” some things become clearer within the organized memories.
Maria and Arti sang about this strange fate of their lives, sounding as if they were weaving an “Incantation.”
“Ah. It’s precisely because we forgot through “Oblivion” that we understood what we truly must not forget—”
“Even if we lose our memories, our souls remember. The sensation of the precious soul we want to protect with all our being, clearly—”
“So it’s truly… the same as me. Thank you. Thanks to Maria’s resolve, I remembered the me that I had “forgotten.” Becoming a “Thief of Principles”… I’m truly glad—”
“Thank *you* for everything, Arti. I’m truly glad you became a “Thief of Principles”… Thanks to you, in the end, we’re together—”
Arti approached as she expressed her gratitude.
Maria, like a mirror, approached with the same gait.
They each reached out their hands to each other’s cheeks and chanted.
“—We can protect them. Together, I can definitely protect those I cherish.”
At the moment they touched, the flames that enveloped them mixed.
It wasn’t just the Fire Magic resonating.
—It was “Affinity.”
The same scene as two years ago, in front of the burnt house, when Maria inherited the Magic Stone of “The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire.” However, it wasn’t exactly the same. The flames burned even more intensely than before.
Our hearts were connected more deeply than before.
We could elevate each other’s souls to a further dimension.
“—Hmph!!”
Noi, not allowing that. Because she had the same thought as me, she gathered “Black Shift: Overwrite” with the intent to crush me and Maria, charging at us. But—
“—Magic, Aleis Wines.”
A wind blew from my back.
Unlike Titty’s white-green wind, it was a wind colored with a clear radiance.
To me, it was a tailwind—but I already saw and knew that it was a spell of “Reverse Wind.”
And because I understood whose magic it was, I truly felt at ease, feeling the pleasant wind from my back all over my body.
During the time we were talking, she emerged from “Connection: Dark Swamp” and stood beside Maria—
“Maria! If you’re saving Kanami, I’m with you too. I inherited the sword for that purpose from the Old Man…!!”
The blond girl, whose single arm and leg were supplemented by “Magic Power Solidification,” Dia. She had transformed her magic prosthetic arm into a sword, clad in her familiar explorer attire.
She swung it beautifully and sharply like a trained knight, and then, while channeling magic into the spell inherited from the former “Sword Saint” Fenrir Aleis on the ground, she shouted.
“Aleis’s sword never lets enemies pass behind! Ahh, we will definitely protect Kanami!! —Magic, Aleis Wines: Guardian Wind! Push back all of this eerie and dangerous miasma!!”
Her magic sword stretched endlessly, cutting to the horizon.
At the same time, a “Reverse Wind” blew towards Noi.
With the new flow of air, the dark purple clouds gradually moved away.
Rowen, who was also cutting through the dark clouds with his Crystal Sword in front, turned around and looked at this with surprise. A girl controlling “Magic Power Solidification” better than himself was using a spell bearing the name “Aleis.” Naturally.
However, Dia didn’t respond to Rowen’s gaze.
It couldn’t be helped, but she turned her gaze to Arti, her more deeply involved guardian, and proposed while maintaining “Aleis Wines.”
“—And, R-really! Master Arti is here!? Hey, Reaper! If you’re with “The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire” on the 100th floor, Maria’s memories will return, right!? Now’s our chance!? Hurry, please!!”
“Yeah! I’ve made preparations for that! The conditions are met, so all that’s left is for me to use the “World’s” magic that I’ve been entrusted with—”
I don’t know what kind of battle and conversation took place on the ground. However, from their hurried conversation, I could grasp a little.
It seemed the Reaper, who had claimed neutrality, held the means to resolve Maria’s “Oblivion.” I thought it would be helpful as my current stamina would make it difficult to “Reversal” “Oblivion” into “Recall”—but a stop was put to the wishes of Dia, me, and Reaper.
Arti, “The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire,” had transformed her entire body into flames and become a humanoid monster, Flame Element, clutching Maria’s head.
“No, please hold on for a moment, ‘Grim Reaper.’ We’ll be fine as we are. No, we’re fine just like this. We want to show them. Thanks to ‘Oblivion,’ Maria and the others’ feelings have only grown stronger. In other words—”
Under Arti’s gaze, Maria slowly lifted her eyelids.
Where her eyes should have been, blazing ‘Keengan’ burned with the fire of ‘The One Who Steals the Logic of Fire.’
Maria and Arti synchronized their thoughts, reading each other’s unspoken words.
““These eyes, this fire…! Were a ‘Blessing’ that would one day save someone precious!!””
Their voices and souls harmonized beautifully.
While Dia protected them, the two continued to deepen their ‘Affinity’ with each other.
Noi was irritated by the scene.
She spat curses at ‘Aleis Wines’ for interfering with her attack and immediately devised her next move.
“A wind wall like this…! If wind and dark clouds don’t mix well, I just need to physically extend my arms! I’ll pierce through that flimsy wind and spread my ‘Overwrite’ from within!!”
She didn’t care how much her ‘Monsterization’ progressed for that purpose.
With her irritation, Noi further increased her ‘Monstrous Arms.’
Next, not only the dark clouds but also the ‘Monstrous Arms’ attacked Dia. It was undoubtedly something that couldn’t be deflected by ‘Reverse Wind’ magic alone.
Dia couldn’t avoid close-quarters combat, her weakness.
However, Dia absolutely would not drop ‘Aleis Wines.’
With ‘Reverse Wind,’ she wielded her magic sword with a movement that could be mistaken for a ‘Sword Saint,’ something unimaginable when they first met. But, naturally, it was impossible to deflect everything.
Even if she could temporarily block the incoming ‘Monstrous Arms,’ she couldn’t cut through what followed behind them. At this rate, she would surely be crushed by countless ‘Monstrous Arms’—
Just like me earlier, Dia was also at ease.
Because, like me, she had decided to rely on her companions.
With that thought in her heart, she called out the name of her reliable final party member—
“Here it is!! We should know the direction by now!! This wayyyyyyy, Snooooow—!!”
She shouted with all her might, asking for help.
Then, a tremendous impact surged through the sky that had been trembling.
—Finally, it broke.
As if piercing a skylight, the spatial wall of the 100th floor shattered. Simultaneously, as if opening a closed room, sunlight streamed in from beyond.
The fragments of the shattered space rained down on the 100th floor like glass, like stardust.
And, as if tearing through the sparkling sky, a colossal blue ‘Meteor Strike’ descended.
It wasn’t a Dragon Person’s flying kick. A Dragon, a hundred times larger than a person, had smashed through the ceiling and breached the 100th floor.
It headed straight for their battlefield.
Like a ‘Meteor Strike,’ it fell, then soared.
Its landing spot was in front of Dia, whose name he had called.
With a ‘Dragon’s Roar’ similar to Seldra’s who had protected Arti earlier, its massive body crushed countless ‘Monstrous Arms’—
“GAAAAAAAAAAARAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGH!!!!”
As it crashed, the entire 100th floor shook.
Like a meteorite impact, a waterspout that blew away all the shallow water exploded around her.
Neu panicked as she faced the colossal blue dragon that had caused such an earthquake and waterfall.
“D-D-D-D-DRAGON!? Why is a monster here—”
Of course, we knew she wasn’t a monster.
Due to her exceptional waterspout, a brief, intense shower fell upon the 100th floor. And when the rain cleared, the appearance and name of the blue girl who had just fallen became clear.
She had controlled her ‘Full Dragonization’ and had already returned to her ‘Person’ form with ease. She even had the leisure to change into her own clothes, which she had brought snagged on her dragon’s claw, while the rain was falling.
The Dragon Person girl, clad in her usual ethnic attire, was Snow Walker.
She spun her arms around, scanning her surroundings for her enemies.
Having rested, she was fully recovered.
No, thanks to her defeat against Seldra, she had grown even stronger from that magical ‘Dragon Slayer’s Dragon Blade.’
By harboring ‘Bloodline Dilution’ within her body, she had achieved perfect mastery over ‘Complete Dragonization.’
—In other words, even when defeated, Snow Walker never gives up, always rises again, and grows stronger each time. Further and further.
True to her nature as a Dragon Person, she searched for her next strong opponent and met my gaze along the way. I immediately smiled and said, “Glad you made it,” but Snow scowled at my expression and shouted.
“I-I made it in time! But I’m not in time!? While I was sleeping, Kanami was purified, wasn’t he!? Without me!”
Realizing she had arrived late, Snow wore a regretful expression.
Her peaceful reaction made me chuckle wryly.
It wasn’t just me; Reaper also did.
“Hee hee! Indeed, you’re not in time! But thanks to that, Snow big sis is at full stamina! Let’s give that person a good beating until they can talk slowly! With me! —Magic ‘Shift: Dark Possession’!”
Having confirmed the ceiling had opened, Reaper abandoned ‘Connection: Dark Swamp’ and moved using another Dimensional Magic. Then, she hugged Snow from behind and immediately cast another spell.
It was a spell that possessed the target and granted them the power of a ‘Reaper.’
Snow, now wearing a dark cloak over her ethnic attire, looked in the direction she was pointed.
Seeing the spectacular battle between Noi and the supposed ‘Thief of Principles’ who should have been dead, she showed a slight look of confusion—
“…! If Reaper asks…! More importantly, that Ragune Kaikuola? Even I can tell she’s dangerous if we don’t subdue her together!!”
However, she immediately trusted her companions and, without needing detailed explanations, crouched down, ready to spring towards Noi.
Because she was late, she would now proceed quickly and without hesitation— As Snow was about to charge, party members Maria and Dia added their own magic to her.
“Snow-san! Adorn yourself with our flames too!!”
“Snow! Clothe yourself in our wind too!!”
Their flames and wind wrapped around Snow’s resilient Dragon Person body like a cloak.
Furthermore, the magic power overflowing from the dark cloak dyed her legs and wings black.
“Snow big sis! Even if the path ahead is a distorted dimension, our magic will surely connect! So, tear through this dim underground like it’s the surface!!”
“Leave it to me, Reaper! Let’s soar, ‘all together’! Of course, on the count of three!”
A call was made.
And everyone’s breaths synchronized.
At that moment, a strong ‘real thread’ could be felt between Dia, Maria, Snow, and Reaper. From everything before them, an ‘Incantation’ could also be felt.
The magic of companions, connecting one after another, much like the “Thieves of Principles” from before—
” ” ” ” —Resonant Combined Magic: Dragoon Wind: Blaze Axel!!” ” ” ”
I thought it was a cool magic name.
It wasn’t quite my style, but the mere fact that they consciously came up with such a stylish, impromptu name for me made me happy—and by the time I had that thought, Snow had already disappeared.
Not only was there the explosive spray of water from before, but this time it was accompanied by a shockwave that shattered the sound barrier. If Dia hadn’t shielded me with a wall of wind right in front of my eyes, I would have been blown away by the residual force alone.
This wasn’t a simple flight using “Dragon’s Wind.”
A special airflow generated by the heat of the flames just above the shallows carved a path, pushing aside the dark purple clouds. Furthermore, Noi’s dimensional walls of “Default” and Reaper’s dimensional magic, riding the shockwave to cleverly cancel it out, were shattering it.
The path was clear to Noi.
However, Snow’s charge veered off course and missed.
Instead of rising to dodge, Noi used another dimensional magic to deflect it. But Snow immediately began a U-turn, as if to say, “I knew it.”
Maria and Dia’s “Flame Wind” reversed thrust like fighter jets before landing, controlled by the two practitioners in perfect sync. Snow matched their rhythm, adjusted her posture, and then took flight again — this time, charging back from far beyond the 100th floor — but the second attempt also failed to reach the enemy due to the distortion of dimensions.
Snow used the “Dragon’s Wind” from her wings to stop herself, planting her hands and feet in the shallows, and grumbled in frustration.
Noi pointed at her, boasting her power and urging her to give up.
” … I… I… I’d never reach you! My dimensional magic can’t be broken by anyone! Th-that’s why I’ve revealed myself like this…! I won’t even get a scratch! Not a single one, forever!!”
But her voice trembled.
Noi’s voice continued to shake. In contrast, Snow and the others showed no signs of giving up.
Energized, they contemplated their next attack.
“Hmph! As expected, just going straight isn’t enough! This is more distorted and off-course than Kanami’s ‘Default.’ But—”
“But one day we’ll definitely reach you, Big Sis Snow! Let’s try various other combinations and find the flaws in the magic!”
With that, Reaper deactivated “Shift: Shadow Attachment” and moved away from Snow. Just as she was about to brainstorm a completely different tactic, one of the “Thieves of Principles” called out.
“Reaper!!”
It was Rowen.
The battle had become more manageable thanks to the recently unleashed “Dragoon Wind: Blaze Axel,” and the distance had closed, so he could no longer hold back.
Reaper felt the same way, and couldn’t help but call his name back.
“R-Rowen.”
The two had already said their goodbyes enough.
Reaper wanted to continue showing a strong front, as promised to her best friend, without causing worry. Rowen understood this, which is why he chose his words carefully—
“Reaper… … My best friend! You’ve come at just the right time! I’ve been struggling to cut through the dark clouds by myself! For the next one, I want you to lend me your strength and test it out! I need my best friend’s dimensional attribute power right now!!”
He requested cooperation from his best friend.
For Reaper, this was the first time Rowen had relied on her in battle.
Because of that, an irrepressible smile of joy spilled out—
“Heehee…! If my best friend says so, then I guess I have no choice! I’ll be right back, Big Sis Snow! Let’s try various things with various combinations! So from here on, with Rowen… Fusion!!”
Snow, who knew their relationship best among their companions, quietly bid Reaper farewell with a “Go ahead” and sternly warned Rowen with a piercing gaze, “If you make her cry again, I’ll crush you.”
Rowen nodded deeply in response to Snow’s gaze.
He then caught Reaper as she leaped at him like a child asking to be held, supporting her with his torso. Simultaneously, “Shift: Shadow Attachment” reactivated, and Reaper merged into Rowen’s body, becoming one with him.
First, Rowen’s target, the translucent crystal sword, became cloudy and dyed black.
Over that, he donned the same dark robes as Reaper’s shadow attire.
The knight in black armor stood before Noi, drawing his sword in the Aleis-style “Swordsmanship.”
The scene was precisely—
“Ah, together, Reaper. Together, we’ll show them the true power of the “Grim Reaper” from a thousand years ago. … Lost my ‘Lingering Desire,’ so I lost my power? … Can a swordsman without magic power cut through magical dark clouds? … No, that’s not true!! When we combine our powers with my best friend, that’s our best condition! We become the blade that severs evil in the truest sense! That’s the true worth of “Grim Reaper” Rowen Aleis!!”
“That’s right! Everyone, watch! This is the true form of the fairy tale’s “Grim Reaper,” Grimm Rim Reaper!!”
Reaper exclaimed joyfully that this was her true form.
It was the complete opposite of the fairy tale anomalies lurking in the shadows; it was the dignified appearance of a hero. Reaper had now truly surpassed her birthplace and made it her own.
Then, my two best friends unleashed the “Grim Reaper’s” single slash into the darkness, cleaving the horizon.
Watching their valiant display, I recalled Rowen’s words from earlier and groaned.
“Ah… ah…”
Indeed, this “Final Festival” seems to be the day when long-held wishes come true.
Not only were “Lingering Desires” fulfilled, but they reached even beyond that…
As I thought this, I began to see the “Ground” and the “Underground” connecting in various places on the battlefield.
From the opposite direction of where Rowen and the others had headed, a youthful female voice was heard.
It was Noir. Having finished moving the unconscious Shiya to safety, she showed her spirit to participate in this mythic battle.
“Teacher! I’ve finished moving Shiya to a safe place! And the barrier, too, for now! What should I do next!?”
Unlike me, Noir was very straightforward with Aid.
However, Aid, who had been maintaining “Magic” for battlefield interference at the center of the battle, smiled at the dependable reinforcement and shook his head.
“…Fast. That’s absolutely wonderful, Noir. However, you no longer need my instructions or classes. Now, when it comes to sheer power alone, you are superior. Do as you think you should. …Rainer too.”
Aid advised another nearby student.
Rainer, having been told he had graduated by the teacher he respected, approached Nosfy, who had healed him, and charged headfirst towards the dark clouds.
“…Yes! Teacher, please watch! Nosfy, I’ll count on your support! From now on, Titty and I will fight, focusing on wind magic!!”
He also relied on another teacher, the “One who steals the logic of the wind.”
Responding to the voice, Titty, who had been tearing off and throwing the “Demon Beast’s Arms” at the front of the battlefield, turned around and acknowledged him.
“Rainer! You understand properly, don’t you! For some reason, that adorable ‘Master of the World’ has a weakness to wind! Therefore, Nosfy! I’m counting on you!!”
“…Fufu, I can’t be helped. I’d prefer to focus solely on the ‘Three Knights of the Banner,’ but it’s true that the wind power of two people is effective against that strange dark cloud right now. I’ll fully support you. To the disgusting Rainer, with all my affection, Titty.”
Nosfy, who had been relied upon, affectionately called out their names. Then, with a happy expression, she swung her symbolic “Banner of Light” with a grand flourish.
Now, the area of effect of her light magic covered all of the 100th floor, where there was no dark cloud. Both the “North” and the “South,” the “Past” and the “Present,” were bathed in light and each one vividly resumed battle.
Noir, while assisting Aid with maintaining the barrier, began to concentrate again on stealing the “Levan.” Rainer, together with Titty, dashed and flew with “Wind Sprinting” and plunged into the front lines filled with “Demon Beast’s Arms” and “Black Shift: Overwrite.”
Then, as if to replace those two dependable wind mages, one “Thief of Principles” moved away from the front line as if taking a break.
Rowen, as if he could no longer hold back, also felt compelled to speak. He approached Snow, who was now alone, separated from her companion Reaper.
“…Snow, you’ve impressively made the ‘Spell Formation’ of genetic recovery your own. As expected of our descendant.”
“Yes. Seldra, you also truly became the ‘True Hero.’ It’s just… Older Brother Glen is already…”
“Ah. Glen was consumed by me. Thanks to that, his everything became my sustenance, and we are together. We have finally become the ‘True Hero.’ The dark wing veins and vibrations in this body are proof of that.”
Seldra said this while looking at the “Black Threads” on his wings. Their conversation was brief and abstract. However, there was something that only Dragon People could understand, and they looked in the same direction. As they talked, they glanced to the side where no one should have been.
Just like Rustiara, he was probably there. Although blurry and faint, I felt like I could see Glen’s figure. Was this phenomenon the true “Magic” power of Fafnir, the power of the “Deepest Part” of the 100th floor, or perhaps—
“Yes, Older Brother. …I can hear you. So, I want to fly on the continuation of the path Older Brother Glen walked.”
“I can hear… and wished. I also want to fly on the path walked by that ‘Strongest Demon,’ Glen Walker…”
“—Magic: ‘Fly Loss Sophia.'”
“—Magic: ‘Fly Loss Sophia.'”
With prayers akin to a requiem, Snow and Seldra simultaneously cast the same magic. It was a transformation spell that partially performed “Dragonization.” Wings sprouted from their backs, and their arms enlarged into giant three-fingered claws.
A blue dragon and a black dragon stood side by side. It was a scene that looked as if Seldra had finally stood shoulder to shoulder with his deceased cousin.
The “Fly Loss Sophia” of the two seemed to resonate, with black wing veins spreading across both of their wings, vibrating like heartbeats. Now, undoubtedly, the two of them and Glen were together—therefore, the three chose the same path together and soared. Matching their breaths, they headed towards the even stronger enemy, Noi.
Fafnir, the “Thief of the Law of Blood,” who watched this from nearby, could not intervene at all. Giving up on following the two Dragon People, he muttered to himself from a distance.
“…Ahaha. I have black wing veins too, but that beautiful lady took them along with Seldra. …Well, it’s impossible to chase after real Dragon People. If that’s the case, I will—”
Fafnir lamented the disappearance of his battle companion while looking at the “Black Threads” wrapped around his own arm. He immediately searched for a new companion and turned his gaze this way. Seeing the illusion of Ragune next to me—
However, before he could invite me to cooperate, blood began to seep and spread in the shallows on either side of him. From the pond of blood, two “Blood Dolls” began to rise.
“…Lorelei. …Hermina.”
Fafnir identified the souls of the two by the height of the “Blood Dolls” alone. By their nature, they clearly appeared and possessed definite will. Fafnir rejoiced at their arrival to support him and clearly identified his role.
“Ah! Hahaha! I was starting to feel like it’s about time to prove not just friendship, but love, or it’ll get messy! You two, I’m counting on your support! Because I am the representative of Fanian! The representative of ‘Demons,’ and the representative of ‘All Humanity’! Fafnirr Neil Helvishein Lorelei!! Should I summon all my old acquaintances too!? With the magic: ‘Heroic Tales of Ancient Human History’!!”
Declaring this, he held his red twin swords in a cross, and the blood at his feet spread further. Correspondingly, the number of “Blood Dolls” crawling up from the depths of the earth increased, one by one.
My allies were increasing one after another. Seeing this sight, I felt relieved.
However, for Noi, who had been fighting against everyone collectively all along, it was naturally the opposite. Towards these reinforcements, she continued to frown. Shaking her head repeatedly, she repeated her words to everyone. Again and again, she repeated it as if it were a “Curse.”
“I-I said you don’t count…! No matter how many gather, it’s not even equal to one! No matter how much help comes, it’s meaningless…! It was meaningless!!”
Perhaps it was because she was crawling around in the dark, black clouds the whole time. Noi looked as if she were crying out in despair in a dark room. It felt as if she were hurting herself by speaking. Therefore, it was not a “Thief of Principles” who responded to Noi’s cry.
“—You don’t count. Lady Noi, does that include us too?”
A new voice echoed throughout the 100th floor. It was clearly not a physical voice, but amplified by magic. At first, I thought it was the voices of Snow and Seldra, who were skilled in vibration magic, but I soon realized it was different. The source of the amplified sound was from above. In the shattered sky, two figures with glowing magic wings could be seen from afar. When I realized those two were the Apostles using “Vibration: Sacred Voice,” further amplified magic rang out.
“『—”All for the blessing of a new beginning” “Future, light, souls meeting, belovedness.” —Resonant Divine Magic: “Sion.”』”
From the sky above, as if exhaling a breath, a large number of small and large soap bubbles of light appeared and began to fall towards the shallows of the 100th floor. I had been saved by this magic many times. Its effect was simple: “Magic Interference.” Divine Magic, which held universal power precisely because it was simple, descended from directly above like a falling winter blizzard.
