Chapter 848 - Chapter 6: Beyond That Point ⑨
Both sides seemed to be at a standstill, but as an onlooker, I could tell it was different. Neither side was going all-out yet. They were either wary of or expecting something from me. They had that much leeway. None of the four ever looked my way, but I could feel their consciousness prickling at me.
At the start of the match, Beatrix-san said my role was support and recovery. Naturally, that included deterrence. However, the opposing swordsman referred to the number of participants as two-on-three. Surely, he wasn't counting the Demon Lord. Both of them must have realized that I am a priest who uses holy magic and an ultra-high-level mage.
So, what should I do? What to use was simple. It would be the 'Overflow' from the eight-shot port with reflectors, plus additional shots. However, since I couldn't fire many, I couldn't afford to miss. The opponents were extremely on guard. Beatrix-san and Beowulf-san, knowing that the moment of activation would be invisible to the enemy if I fired through their own bodies, were trying to position themselves between me and the opponents, but the enemies read that and were shifting slightly. I held my staff ready to fire at any time, cheering the two on, but since my allies had their backs to me, it was difficult to get on the axis. It wasn't going well at all. Time was just passing. In a battle of endurance, the opponents would have the advantage. I had to act fast.
Steeling myself, I took a deep breath. After opening my mouth wide and filling my lungs, I slowly pointed the tip of my staff at the target.
"Haah!"
I exhaled all at once, activating the magic with Voiceless casting.
"Kuh!"
The female mage, suddenly illuminated by the [Light] emitted from my mouth, averted her eyes for an instant. I fired [Holy] toward the warrior and simultaneously emitted [Light] from my mouth toward the female mage. It was a Voiceless simultaneous firing of multiple spells. I predicted that the moment I tried to fire [Holy] at the warrior, she would glance at me for an instant to confirm it. So, at the moment of firing, I exhaled toward the female mage. Fortunately, Beatrix-san was off the axis. It hit perfectly and acted as a blind. It was a collaboration of Voiceless multiple-spell simultaneous activation and firing from the mouth. I successfully caught them off guard. It was effective precisely because I was off the axis.
Beatrix-san, who had been waiting for this moment, fired [Glaciate]. Faced with the danger of being frozen while her vision was completely stolen by a [Light] spell capable of blinding an upper-level Demon Race, the female mage leaped backward while dispelling Beatrix-san's magic. However, that was just a feint. I raised the staff I had pointed at the warrior high and fired a rapid succession of eight-shot [Holy Lance] spells at the female mage using Voiceless casting.
"Kyaa!"
My aim was a guess, but the opponent hadn't fully recovered her vision yet. She was likely moving by sensing the activation of my magic. Perhaps the guesswork was actually better; it luckily hit her right leg. Even if the base was mid-level, it was an eight-shot burst. The damage at the point of impact should be greater than a direct hit from a single 'Overflow.'
The female mage, her right leg swept out from under her, tumbled. Furthermore, Beatrix-san fired a rapid succession of [Freeze] as a follow-up, freezing the floor. The female mage became unable to stand properly and ended up taking Beatrix-san's high-speed water droplet fire from [Water] and my eight-shot [Holy Lance] one after another.
"Are you alright!"
"I'll be troubled if you don't keep me company."
The swordsman tried to go to the female mage's aid, but Beowulf-san wouldn't let him. She took a defensive stance with her shield and sword. A heavy infantryman under the effect of high-level support magic had solidified her defense. He wouldn't be able to break through easily.
Meanwhile, over here, it was two-on-one. The opponent was taking multiple hits from [Holy Lance]. Even if it was mid-level, it was an eight-shot burst. Let's finish off the immobilized female mage all at once.
"[Maelstrom]!"
Eh? She fired an ultra-high-level spell without an incantation?
"L-Light!"
Beatrix-san couldn't use [Maelstrom], so she couldn't dispel it. In a panic, I created a wall of [Light] in front of Beatrix-san. Beatrix-san also tried to deploy a [Wind Barrier] as a defense, but she didn't make it in time. A wall of [Light] alone couldn't possibly withstand the pressure of [Maelstrom]...
"Kyaaa!"
She was swept away by the flood just like that. She was slammed against the wall and then completely swallowed up, vanishing from sight.
"[Holy Overflow]!"
After firing the additional shots from the eight-shot port with reflectors to finish off the now-immobile female mage, I waded through the water, which was nearly knee-deep, and rushed to Beatrix-san, who had been slammed against the wall by the pressure of the flood fired at point-blank range.
"Are you okay?"
I helped up the submerged Beatrix-san. I held her up, lifting her face above the water. Whether she had swallowed water or hit her head, she didn't twitch. Her heart was beating, so she must have fainted. Waiting for the water that hit the wall to flow toward the female mage and Beowulf-san's group, I cast two full-power [Heal] spells and a [Refresh]. As the water receded, I took off my Green Marble gear to use as a pillow, laid her on the floor, and pressed hard on her chest; on the third try, she let out a large amount of water with a 'gefu' and regained consciousness.
"Thank goodness. You're awake. Are you alright?"
"Maybe not..."
"Does it hurt somewhere?"
"Yeah. Everywhere. Especially my head, I think."
Hitting her head on top of full-body bruising. She might have broken bones in several places. I couldn't move her easily.
"It's fine. I'll lie here, so you go."
This was bad. However, she was alive, so she could be recovered. I'd have to be satisfied with just that.
"Understood. Don't move."
"Don't worry. I can't move anyway."
"Geez!"
I healed her with one more full-power [Heal]. I adjusted the Green Marble pillow so she could lie with her face fixed upward. If she turned sideways, the water pooling on the floor might enter her mouth and cause her to drown.
"Then, please wait a little."
"Yeah. Good luck."
When I asked the Demon Lord, the ruling was that both mages were incapacitated.
The battle between Beowulf-san and the swordsman was turning against Beowulf-san. The cause was the water. Although the room was reasonably large, the floor was flooded due to the [Maelstrom] fired by the legendary hero. Because of that, Beowulf-san's charges must have lost their sharpness. She was being easily dodged. I should provide cover fire with [Holy] that also serves as a deterrent.
Fortunately, I had the jewels. Using the jewels, I fired a rapid succession of log-sized [Holy Lance] spells. My target was his feet. It didn't matter if I didn't hit. If the opponent realized his feet were being targeted, he wouldn't be able to step in carelessly.
"Hey, hey, that's incredible."
The swordsman couldn't help but retreat. Beowulf-san slowly closed the distance. From my perspective, the right side was closer to the wall. So, I positioned myself diagonally behind Beowulf-san to the left and continued firing [Holy].
Finally, we cornered him. The opponent had no choice but to move forward.
"Can't be helped then!"
As he spoke, he lunged at Beowulf-san. He turned his left side toward her and moved his sword behind him at waist level, so Beowulf-san couldn't see the blade's tip. Beowulf-san put her left shield forward and held her sword ready to thrust at any time. I fired [Holy] at the ground between the two so as not to get in Beowulf-san's way.
The moment he swung his sword to strike Beowulf-san, the swordsman's figure vanished. Or so it seemed. Before I knew it, he had circled to Beowulf-san's right side and, moreover, leaped over Beowulf-san to lunge at me. The reason he seemed to vanish was likely because the speed at which he circled to the other side of Beowulf-san from my perspective was extraordinary. Now, he was lunging at me with his sword raised high.
"[Light]!"
I reflexively chanted [Light]. It illuminated the entire area in front of me. This should serve as a blind.
As expected, the swordsman lowered his gaze and ended up just swinging his sword blindly. I used the effect of the Cat's Stone to slide sideways and dodge the downward swing. In his place, Beowulf-san charged in. Whether she knew I would fire [Light] or not, she kept her gaze diagonally downward, held her shield ready, and charged from behind the swordsman.
"Gakon!"
A sound so painful it felt like it reached the bone echoed as the swordsman was sent flying. He had taken Beowulf-san's charge head-on. The blown-away swordsman tumbled through the water with a splash.
Now!
"[Holy Overflow]!"
I followed up with additional shots from the eight-shot port with reflectors. Aiming for where he was rolling, I luckily hit him around the waist. One more shot. Once his movements slowed, he was ours. When I fired the follow-up shot, it hit his chest this time. The swordsman's body convulsed. We could do this.
"Uooooooo!"
Beowulf-san charged. I also fired a barrage of [Holy Lance] toward Beowulf-san's back as cover fire. It would be fine as long as it passed through Beowulf-san's body and hit the swordsman.
"Dokan!"
The sound of a collision rang out. Beowulf-san thrust her sword while looming over him as if to crush the opponent. I fired two more rapid [Holy Lance] shots at her back.
Beowulf-san turned toward me and showed a smile. It must be a report of victory.
"Gofuh."
However, what came out of her mouth was not words, but a sudden gush of bright red blood.
"Beowulf-san!"
I rushed over and fired a full-power [Heal] regardless. A yellow mist covered Beowulf-san's blood-stained torso. The effect was low, but it should at least close the wound. It was likely her chest or stomach.
"Where were you hit?"
When I asked Beowulf-san, who was sitting cross-legged, she pointed to her right flank with her left hand. It was a gap in the armor. I slid my palm under her armpit. There was a hilt stuck in her side, so I cast [Heal] without pulling it out. When I pulled it out, it was a silver blade. Casting [Heal] one more time, Beowulf-san let out a sigh of relief, "fuu." Blood was trickling from both corners of her mouth. The bleeding from her armpit hadn't stopped yet. Imagining the blade passing horizontally through her side, I cast [Heal] once more, and the bleeding from her armpit finally stopped.
"I was naive. It might have reached my heart if it were a bit more."
If that had happened, she might not have been saved. It was after she took my eight-shot burst. Since he stopped moving, she lunged to finish him off, swinging her sword while staying wary of his blade. At that moment, it seems she was gouged from the side by a hidden knife. Fortunately, Beowulf-san's width is greater than that of an average man. Knowing she would be stabbed, she swung her sword down regardless and thrust it into his throat. If not for that momentum, and if not for [Almighty Guard], what would have happened?
"Can you raise your right hand?"
"Somehow... ow, ow, ow."
"You don't have to push yourself."
When I pressed my palm against her armpit and fired one more [Heal], the bleeding from her mouth subsided, and she spat out the blood in her mouth with a 'bet'.
In the end, Beowulf-san also became a candidate for transport to the rear. Since Beatrix-san, the [Translate] user, was also being sent back, I wondered what would happen, but the Demon Lord said his role as a guide here was over and offered to send them back with magic. In other words, the point ahead would be the final destination.
And it seemed that the area beyond this point was a realm where ghosts... including the two inside the jewels filled with [Holy] and [Heal]... were not allowed to enter.
The two ghosts were the ones who wouldn't settle down.
"Why! To come this far and go back, I cannot die in peace even if I am already dead!"
"That's right! We resolutely insist on accompanying Jeanne!"
This time, they started shouting with such intensity it felt like they were about to burst out of the jewels.
Whether they can die in peace or not, they should already be dead.
"Demon Lord! If you interfere with us trying to protect Jeanne, we shall become evil spirits and haunt you!"
"I shall curse you! Even if you rest, I shall appear in your dreams!"
I no longer knew which side was evil and which was good.
"Have you two not noticed? That this is already a realm where humans do not come. If you proceed further, your egos will collapse, and you will end up attacking Jeanne, who is a living human, rather than me, a member of the Demon Race."
At this, the Priestesses lost their momentum. The two of them began whispering to each other.
"Is that true?"
"It is true. Jeanne is to meet the one who grants such power to this place. You may believe it or not, but I have already given my warning. I care not what happens to you."
It possessed the power to turn legendary heroes into beings like the Demon Race. I truly didn't know what it would do.
"This is far enough. You two have helped me immensely. I will go the rest of the way alone. I don't know what will happen, but if I can return safely, let's have a banquet."
The comrades of the Class of 175, Fiona, Violet, the Wetlands Priestess, and the two in the jewels. We could all drink together. If things went well, even the Demon Lord could participate. I could tell the whole story to the Ice Vice-Demon Lord and the female Demon Race.
Ultimately, the two ghosts agreed to be sent back. They kept telling the Demon Lord to look after me, making him struggle for a response, but that must be how much they cared for me. I took the two jewels in my hands, gave them a firm thank you, and saw them off.
According to the Demon Lord, no magic beasts would appear beyond this point. Beyond the door at the back of the room, there was merely a dead-end corridor, and if one went to the end, there was a magic circle; stepping on it would apparently move you automatically. It was a magic circle that didn't require any incantation for activation.
It was already different.
I had no idea how to draw a magic circle where the only condition for activation was for the traveler to enter the circle.
"Do you not understand?"
"No. I don't understand at all. Do you?"
"Well, yes."
Could it be that I've really come to an outrageous place?
"If you are to proceed, I recommend resting sufficiently here just in case, but what will you do?"
"It's just me from here on, right?"
The Demon Lord's role should be over.
"No, my role as your personal guide to what lies ahead is not yet finished."
"Then, will you come with me?"
How reassuring! But if the Demon Lord is going ahead, then they really aren't in conflict.
"If you wish to go alone, I do not mind."
"No, please, I insist."
I would definitely have him accompany me.