Chapter: 134. Not the Protagonist, Not Even the Heroine
The number of fantasy monsters is decreasing, and Nagi can clearly sense the weakening of the opponent’s magical power.
It seems that this battle is nearing its final moment.
The magical power within Natuki has become weak after losing a significant number of fantasy monsters, while Nagi’s magical power has also dwindled due to maintaining the elemental fusion for a long time.
Yet, both Nagi and Natuki, leading the fantasy monsters, merely look at each other with serious expressions, feeling no joy at the prospect of victory for either side.
If this were a game, perhaps this would be the ultimate showdown.
The protagonist and their companions join forces to confront the villainous monsters, gradually turning the tide from a desperate situation during the final battle phase.
But unfortunately, neither am I the protagonist, nor am I even the heroine.
Here stands merely a former great villain who once failed.
This is not a conventional heroic narrative; the confrontation at hand is merely a power struggle among villains facing the true protagonist.
“I didn’t expect you to outsmart me in the end, a protagonist that shouldn’t even exist,” broke the silence Loki, though his tone carried little regret.
In this “elemental fusion” contest, although Nagi appears to be at her limit, Loki knows well the capabilities of this “Elemental Sovereign” before him. Her body still bears the influence of the Hydra’s authority, and soon, her body will further “recover” due to this power, and her magical energy will return to its former state.
This calculated demeanor, frequently surprising in actions, reminded Loki of the battle years ago with the Elemental Sovereign, leading him to readily admit his defeat.
Once again, the world’s “guardian” has been unable to overcome this “protagonist who shouldn’t exist,” but the experiences gained will be passed down, and the seeds of victory will continue in the next generation of fantasy monsters.
For the fantasy monsters and this world, the current “target” is an “invasive species” that does not belong to this world, an entity that has no natural enemies here. If left unchecked, it would cause irreversible damage to the “ecosystem” of this world. Only through extensive sacrifices can an existence capable of countering and ultimately destroying it be evolved, ensuring the balance of this world.
“Hey, should I say… thank you for the compliment?” Nagi replied with a forced smile.
“Don’t celebrate too soon. The experiences left by this battle will certainly become the key to your demise next time—”
“—Though I already know the answer to that problem, let me ask one last question without losing hope.” Nagi interrupted Loki’s words, retracting her smile and asking seriously:
“If I give up everything from my past, can I find a place for myself in this world?”
Loki did not answer this question, but Nagi received her reply from the attitudes of the fantasy monsters before her.
They would not allow any threat to exist. As long as there is even a one-in-a-million chance that she could threaten this world, they would continually come back from the future to find her.
Fantasy monsters only believe in results.
And so does Nagi; in some ways, they are similar entities.
If she were to die, perhaps the fantasy monsters would cease this war spanning the past, present, and future. But that does not prove they would be satisfied—no one knows if their goals are only about her.
Nagi does not believe the fantasy monsters; she cannot ensure that the world they claim to save includes the “human world.”
She does not want the people she cherishes and the world she loves to vanish after her disappearance.
This world must have a true savior.
“—Then let them come.”
A layer of emerald light flashed across Nagi’s body.
The body that had shrunk due to the power of Hydra was nearing its original form, signifying that Nagi’s magical power had returned to a full state.
At that moment, the balance of magical beams was shattered.
The scale of victory began to tip in Nagi’s favor.
“I’m sorry, Natuki, it’s all my fault that you’ve ended up like this.”
In the final moments, Nagi couldn’t help but softly apologize to Natuki, even though she knew the other was merely a shell at this moment.
“And I’m sorry for betraying you. I no longer want to destroy this world…”
“I wonder if there is such a thing as hell in this world… If there is, perhaps I will meet you soon? At that time, let me introduce you to the world I love?”
“This world is so beautiful… with so many people worth caring about, with so many things I want to do. Why hadn’t I told you these things in the past?”
The starry eyes shattered.
The crystallization of the starry eyes transformed into countless silver-white starlights, dotting Nagi’s gaze.
Countless starlights and magical beams erupted into dazzling brilliance at that very moment, as if to engulf this world.
————————————-
“It seems the plan has failed once again.”
With the words of the Amorphous Mist, the fantasy monsters on the Infinite Academy unexpectedly vanished in an instant, leaving behind only the presence of the Amorphous Mist.
When a contractor dies, their contracted beast dies with them.
This is the rule of this world.
And this phenomenon signifies the failure of Loki and the other fantasy monsters; once again, the fantasy monsters of this era lost to the “protagonist.”
The Amorphous Mist gave up the fight against Nyarlathotep and departed.
After the defeat of Loki and the others, it was clear that he was not a match for the protagonist either.
In the aftermath, he is the last remaining individual among the fantasy monsters of this era and must bear the responsibility of sharing information with the next generation of fantasy monsters.
……
“What happened?” On the Infinite Academy, the ability users who were just fighting bloodily against the fantasy monsters found that the monsters had disappeared as if they had never existed, revealing astonishment on their faces.
But this astonishment did not last long, replaced by victory’s cheers.
Excitement and joy surged like waves on the island, although no one knew who had led them to victory.
Surviving under the full invasion of the fantasy monsters is indeed something to celebrate.
Only Genshin and Kurokawa, who had just been battling against the Amorphous Mist, wore uneasy expressions.
They had learned from the Amorphous Mist that the fantasy monsters had greater plans and conspiracies, which aligned with Genshin’s intuition. However, having the fantasy monsters send such a god-level entity to restrain Midrash, while launching a collective attack on the Infinite Academy, was just part of the feigned attack—
Realizing this, Genshin and Kurokawa felt a deep fear of the true plans the fantasy monsters wished to implement.
At the same time, they felt curious about who had prevented the fantasy monsters from acting this time.
……
……
“Little Nagi—!”
When Kanade stepped out from the thick fog, he found himself standing on the shore of the island.
Before him stood the girl he had been searching for, looking up at the sky.
The sunset descending from the horizon cast golden rays upon the two, splitting the sky into a dreamlike scene of half dusk and half night.
Is it the influence of the Infinite Domain? By the time the domain has completely receded, the external time was already approaching dusk.
“Little Nagi! Are you alright…” Kanade rushed over with concern and hugged Nagi from behind.
“…..Um, I’m fine, Kanade-kun.” Nagi did not turn around but gently placed her hand on Kanade’s arm.
The boy and girl basked in the last rays of light before the night arrived.
Neither of them spoke much, simply feeling each other’s presence in the surrounding silence, as if the world consisted of just the two of them.
It was hard to imagine that just moments ago, a fierce battle between humans and fantasy monsters had taken place here.
Deep inside them, both longed to express their feelings to one another, but for some reason, after being so close together, it felt as if they could sense each other’s intentions without words.
This feeling brought them both a sense of comfort.
“Little Nagi, I’m sorry, but I… want to be with you, together forever.”
Finally, Kanade took the initiative to break the peace.
He knew that his next request was selfish.
But it was the only way he could think of to live peacefully and happily with Nagi.
“So, Little Nagi, would you be willing to… run away with me?”
Had this request been made earlier, perhaps a much happier ending awaited the two.
But—
“Um, as long as I can be with Kanade-kun, I’m willing to go anywhere.”
Nagi revealed a gentle smile and slightly turned her head.
Silver-white starlight adorned her bright, dark eyes, shimmering with radiant brilliance.
