The difference in strength was overwhelming.
A sense of impatience burned in my chest.
In an instant, the Fourth and Seventh Squads were incapacitated.
Unable to do anything, I could only watch as the battle of the Third Squad began before me.
“Odin’s Roar!”
“Disuloon – Limit Break!”
Claire’s greatsword, glowing orange, met Forse’s magical shockwave.
“Kyaahh!”
Though it lessened the force, Claire was still sent flying, unable to fully counter.
“Shelleiraize!”
Racine’s defensive magic managed to deflect the shockwave.
“Haa, haa…”
Both Claire and Racine were already out of breath from those few seconds of exchange.
Fighting against them must be incredibly taxing, both mentally and physically.
As expected, they were strong.
“Then I’ll…”
Lil stepped forward.
“Megid Mirage – Deploy!”
As her voice rang out, a faint green light enveloped Lil’s entire body.
“What…!?”
Even Forse and Lilmid’s expressions tensed.
“The ultimate magic technique—Could it be that someone other than Aisha can use it!?”
Even during our training, Lil had never succeeded in manifesting a mystic costume.
The only other time she succeeded was when she desperately tried to protect me from Origa.
If that’s the case, then in this situation where the Third Squad is in peril—
Perhaps she might succeed.
No, please.
Succeed!
The light intensified, gradually converging to form armor—
But the light quickly burst apart, failing to manifest.
“It’s no good… I can’t use it.”
Lil drooped, her shoulders slumping.
“Even in times like this, I want to protect everyone… I wish I had power…”
“Hmph, was that just an attempt with an incomplete spell? Or a bluff? Either way, it was a shallow move.”
Forse casually waved his right hand.
An un-incanted shockwave struck the Third Squad.
“Icicle Cannon!”
“Blazing Cannon!”
The highest-tier ice and fire spells cast by Ashe and Veronica barely managed to counter it.
“Kuuh…”
But it seemed the two had also exhausted their magic power, weakly falling to their knees.
They were struggling just to defend against the enemy’s attacks.
There was no hope of winning.
“I have to go…”
My clenched fists trembled.
Forse’s taunting spells continued to wound the Third Squad.
Damn it, the more I panicked, the more my thoughts became muddled.
How can I get out of here—
And then,
“…I won’t lose.”
Claire pushed herself up, leaning on her sword.
One of her bones seemed to be broken, and her movements were unnaturally awkward.
With damage that likely reached her internal organs, she coughed and spat out blood.
She was battered and bruised.
Yet, Claire did not fall.
“Even without Abel, I will defeat you.”
“A futile spirit, hmph.”
“It is fundamentally wrong for lowly humans to stand against us, the chosen ones.”
“Indeed. Wrongs must be corrected—with this judgment.”
As Forse thrust out his hand, magical light ignited.
He showed no mercy.
Even to a girl, battered and bruised.
He intended to kill her without hesitation.
“No…”
Something ignited deep within me.
I wouldn’t let Claire die.
I couldn’t lose her.
Her smile flashed in my mind.
If she were to be killed—
The mere thought filled me with an overwhelming sense of loss, raging uncontrollably.
“Absolutely notttttttttttttt—!”
I screamed.
It was a desperate cry.
A roar that seemed to unleash the turbulent surge of my emotions.
In that instant—
The surroundings were hit by a violent, earthquake-like tremor.
“What is this!? My antechamber is shaking…!?”
Dibahha exclaimed in panic.
I was just as surprised.
“…Abel wants to go.”
Dita murmured, her eyes of different gold and silver colors fixed straight on me.
“Dita…?”
“…Dita wants to help him.”
Green light overflowed from Dita’s forehead.
The light spread throughout the entire antechamber—
A creaking sound, like something being strained, echoed.
A faint light seeped in from the space ahead.
It was clearly different from the garish, multicolored radiance enveloping the surroundings.
A warm, natural light.
“Could it be… the light from the outside world!?”
I opened my eyes in surprise.
Whether it was Dita’s magic or some other technique, I didn’t know, but it seemed to have created a tear in this antechamber.
There were so many unknowns, but now was not the time to think.
If I could widen that opening, I might be able to escape!
“Oh, you are…!”
“Dita!”
“…Anytime.”
Nodding, I took Dita’s hand and extended my other hand into the void.
Maximizing my magic power, I shouted.
“Shatter—Photon Blast!”
The destructive flash I unleashed dyed the surroundings in a pale blue glow—
“Abel…!”
Claire looked at me with surprise.
Before I knew it, Dita and I were back in front of the castle walls.
“Did we escape…?”
The blowing sand, the faint smell of burning from the explosions in the air.
It was clearly different from the antechamber just moments ago.
“…Data correlation. Confirmed transfer from antechamber to real space.”
Dita murmured.
The first time I used Photon Blast, the antechamber hadn’t even trembled, so I didn’t understand how we escaped with that last attack.
But now wasn’t the time to ponder the reason.
“I’m glad you came.”
Claire’s face broke into a relieved smile.
“Sorry for making you wait. Everyone else too—”
I looked around.
Racine, Lil, Ashe, Veronica—they were all battered but seemed to be without major injuries.
First, I felt relieved that everyone was alive.
However, they could barely stand.
It seemed I was the only one capable of fighting right then and there.
“Please leave the rest to me, Abel-kun…”
Ashe spoke breathlessly.
As if to tell of the fierce battle, her knight’s uniform was torn in various places, and the Booster Rod she held was shattered halfway.
“I’m sorry I always make you carry the burden.”
“It’s alright. I’ll handle the rest.”
I gave Ashe, who looked apologetic, a smile.
“Did I hear that wrong? I thought I heard some preposterous talk of you handling it.”
Forse scoffed in an exaggerated tone.
“You’d best not get ahead of yourself. For someone like you to win against us is something that could never happen, not in a million years.”
“Have you forgotten our previous battle?”
Lilmid stated calmly.
“Your spells do not affect us. Our spells surpass your defenses. The outcome of this battle is as clear as day.”
“Everyone, stay back as much as possible to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.”
I called out to the Third Squad and the other members as I stepped forward.
“There’s no need to fight alone, is there? Don’t hold back, come at us all at once.”
Forse laughed.
“Though, aside from you, they would be instantly annihilated.”
“And you, while better than the others, are still no match for us.”
Lilmid said, laughing in the same way.
“Don’t compare me to the past. The me now is—”
What I held was a rod about thirty centimeters long.
“Deploy!”
In response to my shout, the staff extended to nearly two meters.
It was considerably longer than a normal Booster Rod.
From the tip, equipped with a part resembling a golden arrowhead, thin pink wings of light unfurled.
This was my new staff, made by Veronica.
