Saikyou Mahoushi no Inton Keikaku (LN) - Volume 10 - Chapter 54

Fifty-Fourth Chapter 

Humanely, At Least 

Everyone burned Alus’s plan into their brains as they checked the map. By the time they were done, it was already night. The weak moonlight eerily illuminated the snow that it fell on. 

The plan would begin tomorrow morning. The only ones who made their move at night when the Fiends were more active were the rash and the foolish. 

In the base, the squad members made preparations for the big day. Some were casually conversing with each other, so there was a good, relaxed mood in the base. 

Lettie’s squad had guts. Once a plan was in place they were quick to adapt to it. However, even in the midst of that, there were shadows looming above them. 

Alus had chosen not to touch on it, but the fate of the advance party was one such thing. The search party that would look for them would investigate the other small bases. There were plenty of people that insisted they could be hiding out there, Lettie included. 

That meant dividing their already limited forces, but Alus saw it as inevitable from an emotional perspective. They weren’t like him. They weren’t like machines that felt nothing over dead allies. That bond was their strength...and their weakness. Even if he could understand it in his head, he couldn’t sympathize. 

At the moment it was a little too early to go to bed, so he wandered around the base. It wasn’t big enough for him to take a long walk, just a short one to change gears. 

His footsteps lightly echoed. On the walls were lights powered by artificial mana generators. They came with a risk of the base being detected, but as long as the entrance was sealed, it shouldn’t be a problem. The generators were useful for long missions with a large number of people and had a lower chance of being detected than pure mana. 

Eventually, Alus reached a certain room. In the corner were the supplies that the advance party left behind, consisting primarily of food and spare AWRs, as well as various items for maintenance and work, and small pieces of paper with healing magic formulas written on them for treating the wounded. There were also signal flares engraved with single-use magic formulas. 

However, there was nothing here they would specifically need for tomorrow’s plan. He also spotted some alcohol but decided to pretend he hadn’t seen it. 

“What is that?” Loki, who’d appeared at some point, peeked out from behind Alus and gazed at the mountain of supplies. What caught her attention was a strange object that stood out among the supplies brought in. It was wrapped in a dirty cloth for protection, and looked like a thick pole. 

Lettie also arrived in the room. She had the three subordinates she’d brought with her lift the item up. 

Seeing how careful they were with it stirred even Alus’s interest. He glanced at Lettie, who nodded in return, and ripped off the cloth. A pole covered in a white, translucent material was revealed. Inside were precise machines put together in a complex manner, and the top of the pole was engraved with an intricate magic formula. 

Alus examined the formula. “It’s not a formula with an attribute. It traces the structure of a spell, but it wouldn’t manifest anything. I see, the circuit duplicates the process,” he muttered to himself. “Just the copying process is dozens, no, hundreds of times more effective.” 

Then he took his eyes off of it and exhaled. “The manifestation coordinates are managed by another process as well. In other words, this is a Circle Port.” 

“That’s Allie for ya! I had no idea what this was until a subordinate who knew the details explained it to me.” 

“I can imagine. I’m the one who developed the composition formula. That said, it’s been altered quite a bit since then, so I’m not going to brazenly say I made it. Well, that’s probably not the only thing that’s been changed either.” 

From a simple look, it probably had functions planted in it he couldn’t even guess at. The structure itself was like a black box, but it was clear that a high-speed computing system was incorporated for parts that couldn’t be supplemented by the magic formula. Otherwise, a device of that scale wouldn’t be able to execute such a complicated formula. “Not only is it more compact, but it can be used at an even longer range. So they’ve managed to make it practical.” 

“Apparently it’s only half-complete,” Lettie said. “But this is the Outer World, so it would be impossible to make it practical right away. Once Vanalis is reclaimed, though, and the groundwork is laid and transfer technology becomes more practical out here, it’ll greatly improve the transportation of supplies.” 

When Alus reclaimed Covent, that technology would’ve been a massive help. Then again, Circle Ports weren’t that developed back then. At most, they were being experimented on back home in Alpha. 

Besides, in that mission, the top brass didn’t expect Alus to survive. Or rather, they would have preferred he didn’t. If not, they wouldn’t have sent a boy to the Outer World alone and without any decent supply routes. That had been nothing more than a suicide mission. 

“So, anyways...” 

“Hm?” Alus was pulled back to reality by Lettie, who scratched her cheek as she hesitated to continue. 

“I, um... I want you to check to see if it’s broken or not. It’s probably okay, but it was with the supplies we picked up here, so just in case, you know.” 

“I’m not going to say no, but didn’t you bring someone who could do that themselves?” From the looks of it, it was a very delicate piece of equipment. If they were going to use it as part of an experiment, they should’ve brought an expert who could fix it in case something happened. 

“Fortunately, we’ve got someone right here,” Lettie said, and pointed at Alus. 

Alus’s cheek twitched at his bad luck. More work was being pushed onto him, but he told himself it was necessary since they were working together. 

“I had some technically inclined members, but unfortunately they were in the advance party and so they’re not present at the moment. Besides, I don’t really want to let anyone into the squad just because they have the technical know-how... I’m shy around strangers, ya know,” Lettie shamelessly said. 

If she was shy, then Alus had a serious communication disorder. 

“Joking aside, we just didn’t have the luxury of bringing someone who would get in the way of fighting in the Outer World.” 

“Then you’re really lucky that I’m here. But you don’t have any raw materials here, right? If it’s really messed up then there’s nothing that can be done. I’m not exactly a machine expert.” Alus wasn’t all-knowing. He had a large amount of magic knowledge, but he didn’t have the requisite experience or skill with mechanical engineering and the like to be useful in the field. That’s why he’d had the Folen engineer, Budna, help develop his AWR, Night Mist. 

After that, Alus gave the Circle Port a simple check, and concluded that it should probably be okay. The transfer gates called Circle Ports were sensitive equipment, and weren’t something normally brought into the Outer World. Even though it was customized to be sturdier, not even Alus could tell if the black box was all right unless he picked it apart. 

“Well, it’s not like we can just move it around as we please anyway. So it’s not going to play a part until we retake Vanalis. So we don’t have to think too hard about it until...” Alus started to say something, when a sudden realization hit him and got him thinking. 

He’d created the foundation that made up the Circle Port. Or rather, he’d devised the theory of transferring information from one place to another, which led to its creation. But even that was just a by-product of him coming up with the Shuffle spell. “Hey, do you think there’d be a problem if I broke this?” 

“Who knows? It looks expensive, but I guess it would depend on how practical it’s supposed to be. But to be honest, I don’t think the Governor-General is senile enough to seriously expect anything from this transfer gate.” 

“Yeah. Then I’ll just treat this as something to be ‘used,’ so there should be no issue.” 

“You look like you’re thinking of doing something bad to it,” Lettie said, in a tone that seemed to say she’d given up on the Circle Port, not that Alus had said he was actually going to break it. 

“No, this is to raise the chances of completing the mission. Though I’m sure the people who made it didn’t expect it to be used like this.” 

*** 

It was early morning, and the sun was about to rise. 

The base was as silent as a cemetery. Even Sajik and the others who could wake the dead with their snoring were sleeping strangely quietly. 

Normally, people struggled to get some solid rest in the Outer World. But anyone spending enough time here eventually adapted to it. Of course, everyone kept their AWRs at their sides. 

When Alus awoke, it was as if his act was contagious, as Lettie and then the rest of the squad woke up one after another. Maybe they all had an internal clock, or perhaps they’d picked up on a change in the atmosphere. Soon the signal would come for the mission to begin. They’d finished all the preparations yesterday. 

Alus sat by the base entrance, waiting for that time to come. Fiends tended to be more active during the night and relatively quiet in the morning. 

Eventually the sunlight shone into the base. Alus stood up. “Let’s go.” 

“Yes!” Loki answered. She was more enthusiastic than usual. 

She was among the least experienced here. Even her kill count, which was extraordinary for someone her age, was near the bottom for this squad. Alus felt that her skills also counted in the lower half of the squad. Rank aside, there wasn’t that much of a difference in the spells she could use and the battle techniques she had at her disposal when compared to Sajik and Mujir. There was a difference in mana, but she was still within the bounds of being useful. 

He could understand Lettie wanting to utilize Loki. Not only was she a spotter, but her combat abilities were more than adequate. Even so, Alus felt doubt. “Being motivated is fine, and it’s not like I want to question your judgment, but be careful of your surroundings.” He decided to press the point in a roundabout way. 

For today’s mission, Loki would be in the same group as Mujir. Alus had his own thoughts regarding that decision, but he still felt a little uneasy. Whenever Loki acted for Alus’s sake, she was driven by a strong will that one could call obsession. It could even be called her identity, and sometimes it was accompanied by a stubbornness that wouldn’t let anything get in her way. 

But that tendency could be dangerous when acting in a group. Lettie was the squad’s commander, and Alus would respect her decisions. After all, a squad could only perform at its best with a clear chain of command and solid coordination. 

“Oh? Here I was thinking I was witnessing a heartwarming scene, but you sound just like a stubborn old man.” 

“That’s none of your business. Also, I can more or less imagine who you’re thinking of, so maybe I’ll tell them you said that.” 

Lettie scoffed, then walked up behind Loki and put her hands on her shoulders. “You’re fine the way you are, lil Loki. We’ll always be human, so there’s no need to overthink things! Besides, no matter how hard you think about it...” She hung over Loki from behind, leaning over her, then pointed at Loki’s chest. “After all, this place right here is honest.” 

With a smile, she released Loki before slipping past her and back to her original position. Having overcome many trials, the sight of Lettie’s back was like the image of reliability. At the same time, it carried the clear answer she’d reached. And Loki might need that answer. 

Relying not on her head but on her intuition, Loki frantically called out to that back. “I might put our allies in danger! Is that still... Is that really all right?” 

“If you mess up, someone might die, sure. Sounds like you get it, lil Loki. But even if you know that, this place right here won’t let you stop.” Lettie turned around, pointing to her own chest with her thumb. 

Her following words were as quiet as a whisper, but they left a deep impression on Loki, who understood that her words were meant for her allies that had passed away before. 

“...It can really be such an inconvenience.” Contrary to her words, Lettie wore a smile that was a mix of gratitude, regret, and grief...as well as other emotions. 

Seeing that, even Alus kept his silence. 

He really felt like taking back what he’d casually said to her. Lettie was right. What she said was backed up by experience and supported by the thoughts and wishes entrusted to her by others. The answer she’d given could apply to all Magicmasters, and maybe it should be. 

Alus felt like he finally understood why he couldn’t hate her. It wasn’t just her character or personality. Her way of life lay beyond what Alus continued to deny. It was a use for life he could never understand or reach. 

Loki’s way of life that prioritized Alus came from a natural wish. But Alus was different. He was so different that he felt a kind of parched despair inside. That’s why he felt something close to yearning towards Lettie. 

He recalled saying something similar to Tesfia and Alice, as he had to Loki. But it didn’t apply to him. Every time he saw an ally die, he’d survived by calling it a meaningless death. And that wasn’t something he could change now. 

But he didn’t want the others around him to be haunted by that same shadow. It wasn’t a way of life anyone should want. “That’s true. In the end, all that you do is for yourself,” Alus briefly said, which caused Loki to look at him with a surprised expression. 

He saw himself reflected in Loki’s beautiful eyes. Without doing that, he couldn’t tell what kind of face he was making. Up until now, he’d never even made an effort to show an expression with ordinary emotions. And reflected in Loki’s eyes was his usual bored-looking face, the usual expressionless, empty face. 

Unaware of what Alus was thinking, Loki hesitated, then expressed her unwavering feelings. “Yes! For Sir Alus’s sake.” 

“...” Hearing that, Alus instinctively smiled, a little bitterly. If he told her to stop, she would answer that Alus’s sake was her sake, like it was the most natural thing in the world. In her mind she equated everything with Alus. “It looks like I said something unnecessary. You’re prepared enough.” 

Loki vehemently shook her head. “No, that’s not true. What you said and Lady Lettie said...it moved my heart.” 

It was easy to understand her feelings. How far to continue existing for one’s own sake was a difficult problem. Alus had given up trying to solve it for himself, but he understood what Loki was trying to say, which was why he finally relaxed. “You can just think it over and decide for yourself at your own pace. And while you’re at it, remember Lettie’s words. It’s like advice from an old woman, and it’s worth it.” 

“Hey, I can’t let that one slide! Who are you calling an old woman?! I think we’ll need to have a long talk about this.” 

“I’ll listen for as long as it takes once we’re done here.” 

“That’s another promise,” Lettie said triumphantly, gloating over her new promise extracted from Alus. 

But he simply turned his gaze to the cold sky of the Outer World outside the base’s exit. “Don’t take it at face value. All adults would put it off till later.” 

Lettie just smiled more broadly, and replied “The stupid adults, that is,” before taking the lead and jumping outside. Alus, Loki, and the rest of the squad followed suit. 

From the moment they stepped outside where the snow was everywhere present, the squad cut all chatter and marched in silence, their faces tense as they anticipated deadly battles. 

An overcast sky hung above them. Finally, some rays of light shone down through the rifts in the clouds, but the rays through the clouds created a strange pattern. The small ice crystals falling down through the dim sky stood out like an anomaly. 

The sight of the ominous silver world sent shivers down the squad’s spines. They exhaled white breaths that felt strangely heavy. And the sluggishness that weighed down their bodies felt worse than yesterday. It wasn’t just because their clothes were soaked with wet snow. 

After marching some distance from the base, the squad stopped in a clearing. The fact that they were able to pull that off through eye contact alone was a sign of how focused they were on the mission, and also that each was well aware of their individual role. 

“Lettie.” 

“Gotcha.” Hearing Alus’s call, she began constructing a spell. “Here I go,” she said, and reached a hand up towards the sky. The magic formula on her ring glowed as she poured an overwhelming amount of mana into it. 

“‹‹Ix Flare››” Flames immediately burst forward, evaporating the surrounding snow, and soaring up as if to sear the thick clouds above. 

The sudden rise in temperature created fierce gusts of wind. Soon the sky lit up red and the falling snow ceased. Although it didn’t reach the clouds far above, the heated air vaporized the snow in the air in a limited area. The effect would last for a while. 

“Is that enough, Allie?” 

“Yeah, that should do it. It would be a lot easier if they’d just take the bait.” 

Unlike Lettie, the rest of the squad kept their mana leakage down, even keeping the mana they’d coated themselves with to a minimum. Of course, Lettie’s spell wasn’t enough to cancel out a spell that was capable of such dramatic environment-changing moves. If they could break the link to the caster that would be the best case, but they didn’t even know its abilities or where it was. Which was why Alus hoped it would at least work as a form of harassment. 

It had also been intended to let Lettie warm up, but despite the scale of her spell, she still didn’t seem refreshed. Even so, she had an affinity for fire, so she was the right person for the job. Incidentally, she’d suggested using Detonation, but that got rejected from a mana consumption point of view. 

“It’s starting to come back,” Alus said after a pause. The supposedly departed snow came back with a vengeance and once again filled the air. But it wasn’t like Lettie’s spell had been for nothing. 

“Was it pointless?” 

“No, it was meaningful. This is a reaction from the enemy.” 

It was a flashy little trick that had caught the spell caster’s attention. As proof of that, the weather around them changed drastically in a matter of minutes. The once slowly falling snow turned hard as hail and blew horizontally. In the time it took for them to exchange a few words, their vision was so obscured they couldn’t even evacuate. 

The weather in the Outer World was normally rather unstable, but this was unnatural even here. They were practically blinded, unable to see even the steep cliff the base was built into. At best they could just barely make out the other squad members near them. The cold air was so bad that they couldn’t endure it with their usual mana coating. 

Talk about short-tempered. I guess it was pretty effective. 

“Sir Alus! Where are you?” Loki’s familiar voice sounded from nearby. 

Hm? I can’t even pick them up with my field of view. Loki and the rest of the squad members shouldn’t be too far away. Instead of relying on the naked eye, Alus used technique and magic to search for them, but he couldn’t find Loki or anyone else. 

Alus’s field of view was a form of detection that copied the surrounding three-dimensional space into his brain. He’d learned before this that the snow’s bizarre properties kept him from feeling out his surroundings, but surprisingly, he couldn’t even pick up on his nearby allies. With the snow turning into a blizzard, it seemed its ability to jam mana had strengthened. The jamming no longer just stretched across the surface of the ground, but also worked in the air around them. 

“Which means... Lettie, they’ll be coming soon now.” 

“Gotcha.” 

He’d used the Consensor to report his suspicions to Lettie, thinking that communication through magical means might be jammed. So they used the product of old science that was capable of receiving and transmitting sound transformed into radio waves. Its effective area was less than if you used magic, but this kind of old tech was useful in situations like these. 

The squad members also heard Alus’s and Lettie’s exchange, but didn’t falter. Voices came through the Consensors from time to time as the members confirmed each other’s positions. 

Well, it’s just as I thought. Alus had already predicted the caster could alter the strength of the snow. Considering the scale and duration of the spell, the caster would have to constantly make adjustments. And with the amount of mana needed to create the blizzard, it was unlikely to be the Lefkis or Ogma. 

However, he couldn’t tell if it was the Chimera that Lettie mentioned before or a new leader. His experience kept him from wanting to decide that too quickly. At any rate, there was no doubt that the caster was powerful. 

New leaders arose from struggles between Fiends. The Lefkis and Ogma should be high-classed Fiends that were aiming to become the next leader. So if those two were following the leader, that leader must be stronger than expected. 

If the enemy was taking away their vision, it meant they were preparing to attack. But even so, there would be no major changes to the plan. 

Lettie fired off another Ix Flare, which cleared up the blizzard and allowed them to see for a short time. “Now’s our chance! Don’t stand around, get going!” 

The squad moved into action at Lettie’s voice, making their way towards the position Alus told them about earlier. 

The group under Sajik’s command would deal with the Ogma, while Mujir’s group with Loki would take the Lefkis. Once they reached their destination, they would split up and eliminate their targets. 

“Allie, don’t you think you’re pushing me around too much? I’m the captain, ya know. You’re even using me as a decoy.” 

“It wouldn’t hurt to eliminate the S-class if it comes out, but I imagine it’ll be a struggle. Besides, you only need to buy enough time for its annoying followers to get killed.” 

“If it’s just a matter of luring out the leader and stalling for time, why don’t you join in too, Allie?” 

“If it’s too much for you...” 

“Meanie. Anyways, this snow is starting to get pretty annoying, so how about we blow it all away?” 

The two casually chatted through the Consensors. Right after the squad moved off on its own, Lettie intentionally amplified the mana around her body and released it, just in case her voice alone wasn’t enough to broadcast her location. 

As soon as she finished confirming her squad was on the move, Alus answered her. “Blowing it away sounds nice, but it’s just a by-product of magic. I don’t think there’s any point in it, but do whatever you like. The most effective way would be to cut it off at the source, be it that Chimera or the next leader.” 

Environment-altering spells falsified and overwrote the laws of the world. So if they wanted to counteract it without dealing with the caster, they’d need to replace it with an environment-altering spell that was stronger than the one being used. 

“I know that,” Lettie said, a bit sharply. 

That said, it might be worth confirming any traces of information and rewritten compositions. It wouldn’t go as well as when Loki did it, but by hitting it with some mana and measuring the response, he might find some clues as to the S-class Fiend’s identity or something else. 

Thinking it was worth a shot, Alus put his hand on Night Mist, when he suddenly saw a shadow. He didn’t need to strain his eyes to see the black shadow flapping its wings behind the wall of wind and snow. It was something incredibly large showing its silhouette. 

In the midst of the blizzard, the huge monstrous shadow proudly asserted its presence, gradually becoming more distinct. 

It was a massive Fiend that looked like a butterfly or moth. It had two sets of four wings, and eight long legs that looked like they could reach all the way down to the ground. At the tip of each leg was a sharp talon. With its wings spread, it easily exceeded thirty meters in width. 

The Fiend slowly flapped its wings and hovered in the air. Even in midair, the wind pressure that reached the ground was considerable. With each flap, it kicked up a storm of snow. 

It had been a while since something made Alus feel a chill down his spine. At the same time he narrowed his eyes and his cheeks twitched. He’d expected as much, but still... “It’s not the Chimera. So that’s the fourth leader, huh.” 

He had guessed as much based on the bizarre situation. He’d expected the worst from the moment he heard from Lettie about the change of leaders. Even so, he hadn’t expected to see something so huge that could fly. I hope you’re not more than an S-class... 

Immediately, the giant moth flapped its huge wings and shot forward, closing in on Alus. 

It’s fast! The second Alus thought that, one of the Fiend’s long legs stabbed through the place he’d been an instant before, as he jumped to the side. Following up, another leg swung like a whip from the opposite direction. The talon at the tip tore through and gouged into the ground. 

“?!” The shockwave threatened to blow Alus away, but he hurriedly threw up a barrier to endure it. Gravel and pebbles mixed with the snow and flew like bullets, crashing into the barrier and shattering it. 

But the attack hadn’t been aimed at Alus. The whip-like leg snapped past his view at an extreme speed and headed for Lettie. 

Instantly he threw up his hand and pointed it towards her. A thin barrier appeared, but only for a moment, and it wasn’t enough to stop the Fiend’s attack. 

With a dull sound, Lettie’s body crashed through the trees and disappeared from sight. Being sent flying at that kind of speed, the impact would be tremendous. She was likely going to feel that one. 

Alus clicked his tongue, and in the same moment the blizzard ceased. The Fiend held its position, hovering in the air, as if to say no matter what Alus or Lettie did it wouldn’t amount to anything useful. 

He was concerned for Lettie’s safety. If she’d lost consciousness, she wouldn’t even have been able to break her fall properly. So if she were left as is, she could die. Losing Lettie right here would be the worst-case scenario. 

Tsk, the squad might fall apart right at the start. Putting all his energy into his legs, Alus took off at full speed, chasing after Lettie. 

Eventually he found Lettie’s body hanging off of a large snow-covered branch that was about to snap. Fortunately, she was still conscious. 

“Lettie!” 

Lettie, clearly in pain, responded to his voice by turning her face towards Alus. The damage spoke for itself. She must have used a cluster of trees in passing to cushion her fall. 

The two locked eyes. As Singles, they didn’t need words. Don’t bother with me, just stall it. Her intention was clear. The S-class needed to be held back no matter what. If that giant moth turned on the rest of the squad with that super speed, they would be annihilated. 

Without voicing it, he moved his mouth to say, Got it. I’ll take over for a while, but get back soon. He silently turned back to the moth. I’ll deal with it until then. 

Alus put his hand behind his back and drew Night Mist, its chain ringing as he did. At the same time, the sound of wings echoed in the air. 

He glared at the massive shadow that had appeared again. At a second look, it really did have an odd appearance. The long antennae sprouting from its head extended out to either side like a mustache. Its body was covered in reddish-brown bark, and there was nothing that looked like eyes on its head. 

He then observed the patterns on its wings, which looked like those of an avant-garde painting. The forewings on either side had large circular patterns, the eerie circles looking like they were the eyes that were missing from its head. 

“This is my first time seeing this type,” muttered Alus...who’d slain hundreds of different kinds of Fiends. 

*** 

Lettie let out a small groan as she hung over the branch. The tremendous pain coursing through her body threatened to make her pass out even now. And the taste of blood in her mouth made her grimace. She’d tried to get used to everything in order to handle the Outer World, but she never got used to that iron taste. 

Even so, she remained calm, and confirmed her injuries. My left arm’s fractured in several places, but the problem is my ribs and internal organs. 

When she moved on the branch, pain shot through her neck. If it was just whiplash she’d be fine, but she couldn’t tell for sure. She touched her stomach and felt internal bleeding here and there. 

Well, this sucks. She didn’t think she’d let her guard down, but even so, she’d been hit by an attack before she even realized it. If not for Allie covering me, I’d be completely outta the fight. 

She took a breath to calm down. Staying conscious was the silver lining in the dark cloud. She’d covered herself with her left arm, but Alus’s barrier that he’d quickly put up had helped to a degree. 

Lettie scowled from the pain, and thanked him in her mind. With a yelp, she righted herself and used her good right hand to drop herself to the ground. 

She’d done what she could to kill the momentum but the impact on landing still made her cough violently. She held her breath to endure it, but sharp pain spread through her chest. The ribs weren’t broken through, but were probably cracked, as were the bones in her left arm in several places. Her clothing at the shoulder was ripped, and every time her heart beat, she could feel warm blood flowing out of the wound. 

She could still open and close her hand, so hopefully it wasn’t that bad, but even so the blood had already stained her sleeve a deep red. 

With a low growl, she directed her fiery eyes in the direction she’d been sent flying from. Alus was fighting there. Dirt and snow were being kicked up, with flickers of a shadow seen racing through the air. She was too far away to tell what was going on, but could easily hear the sounds of battle. 

Lettie closed her eyes and focused on her condition. It’s no good... I can’t take deep breaths. But I guess not being able to use my left arm won’t affect much. She tried to calm down, but her attempt was overpowered by violent emotions. It wasn’t just humiliation. She felt like the kick from the moth had woken her up. 

Vanalis was the place where her comrades had fallen. They wouldn’t be able to rest in peace with all this noise. That said, fighting with just anger as her driving force would ruin her. That only fueled impulsive actions that would betray her comrades’ feelings. They’d spent so much time together in the Outer World fighting side by side. They’d fought life and death battles together, trusting their backs to each other, but one by one they had fallen. 

Maybe fighting to avenge them wasn’t the thing. Instead, Lettie should focus on mowing down any obstacles that stood in their path to achieve their long-cherished wish. In the near future Vanalis had to become a place where her squad could make a ruckus as they enjoyed themselves. 

That was why victory had meaning. She wanted them to take pride in being a member of her squad. Engraving the splendid victory of Single Digit Magicmaster Lettie Kultunca was surely the only way to repay the souls of the many fallen squad members. After all, there was no way the person they revered as their captain would betray them. She couldn’t show them her fleeing back after all of their sacrifices. 

Lettie forcibly ripped off her left sleeve with her teeth. She ripped the cloth into strips, then used her right hand and teeth to dexterously bind the wounds on her left arm. Since the sleeve was drenched in blood, putting it in her mouth resulted in the blood taste again. “Disgusting!” She spat the blood out, roughly wiping her mouth clean. 

Once done, she poured more strength into her legs and jumped up. Using her right hand she grabbed hold of a sturdy branch, and as she hung onto it, she peered into the distance. 

Her destination was the battlefield where Alus was fighting. Her target was the giant moth. 

Lettie’s eyes shot wide open. “Haah, haah, haah...” She forcefully pushed down her ragged breathing. Her lips, stained red with blood like lipstick, formed a fearless smile as if she was enjoying the fight. 

*** 

“Don’t think about doing anything stupid,” Mujir called out to Sajik, who was running alongside him across the snowy landscape. 

Some time had passed since they’d sensed Lettie’s mana had stopped. They’d tried calling her through the Consensor but were already out of range. Something must have happened, but right now, they had a mission to accomplish. They had a duty to eliminate the A-class Fiends they were assigned. 

They were currently on their way to where the Fiends’ suspected stronghold was located, under Lettie’s orders. Alus suggested the plan yesterday, and Lettie had jokingly said, “If you guys don’t take them down, we won’t be able to make any progress. You get that, don’t you?” So an invisible pressure weighed down on them. 

As Magicmasters, completing their missions was important, especially since they were in a Single’s squad. Even so, Lettie’s life was worth more to them. However, Alus was with Lettie, not to mention that part of the mission had been left to those two. So they wouldn’t rush back to her. 

Sajik didn’t respond to Mujir right away. But having experienced so many battles together, Mujir could tell Sajik was shaken up inside. He also knew that as a human being, his reaction was understandable. 

Eventually, Sajik answered with a growl, “I know. We’re not turning back... There’s no way.” 

“Of course not. If you or I turn back without eliminating the A-classes, then Sir Alus’s plan will fall apart. We have a big responsibility here,” Mujir said, keeping his eyes forward. 

Sajik typically was driven by emotion, while Mujir had a better view of the situation. If Sajik weren’t here, he might’ve been tempted to return. However, they’d already run so far that it was too late to turn back, which was why he was able to make a calm decision. “All we can do is find our targets as fast as possible and eliminate them.” 

“Gaaaaah! You’re always so annoying. I told you I get it!” 

“Then keep your mana in check.” 

There were bulging veins on Sajik’s temple, but this kind of back and forth wasn’t unusual. And Mujir usually had a sound argument. Understanding that, Sajik ultimately backed down. “But even then...” 

“Are you doubting Sir Alus?” With this last jab, Mujir was silent. 

Loki, running behind them, strongly agreed in her mind with Mujir. If possible, she wanted to fight alongside Alus, but the plan had been made after his proposal. Moreover, she wasn’t naive enough to make selfish demands in Lettie’s squad. Alus didn’t disagree with Loki going with them. But that was only on the way to Vanalis, so she couldn’t let herself become complacent. 

After a silence following Mujir’s remark, Sajik finally answered. “Sorry, I got too worked up.” 

“Don’t worry about it. It happens all the time.” Mujir didn’t find their exchange meaningless. The other squad members were also present, and they felt the same way Sajik did. In a sense, his irritation and impatience represented their feelings, so soothing him meant calming the rest of the squad as well. 

Mujir had an understanding of the subtleties of a man’s heart and how to control it. That said, he’d learned most of it from Lettie. “By the way, Loki,” he called out. His tone was professional, yet caring. 

“Y-Yes, how can I help you?” Loki answered. He wasn’t just her superior, but surpassed her in every way, so she was anxious. 

“Sir Alus said to count you as part of our fighting power, but you are his partner and a spotter. I’m sure Captain Lettie is fine, but the enemy this time is formidable. If it comes down to it...” 

She could tell what Mujir wanted to say. He was worried and being considerate of her. Even so, there was a sharp glint in her eyes, though she was by no means offended. “Please don’t worry about me. If I get in the way you can just abandon me. But I was given this mission by Sir Alus, so I won’t withdraw all on my own.” 

Loki spoke without any anger in her expression, but there was still slight irritation. She interpreted Mujir’s words as him treating her as a girl too young to be out here. He wasn’t seeing her as a Magicmaster standing on the battlefield. 

“I understand. But I can’t abandon you.” 

“Is that because I’m Sir Alus’s partner?” Loki raised an eyebrow, unhappy at the thought of even more preferential treatment. 

“Not at all. Like Captain Lettie said, you are already a member of this squad.” 

“...” 

Sajik grinned and gave Mujir a knowing look. Mujir glanced back, but didn’t particularly react. “You’ve already shown us your power, so I’d like it if you could help us.” 

“Of course,” Loki immediately replied, but there was no smile on her face. She struggled to show any emotion in front of anyone but Alus. She also believed a smile wasn’t something you forced. 

Her answer could be considered brusque, and Sajik didn’t hesitate to throw out a teasing remark. “Hah, looks like she hates you, Mujir. That way of speaking... She really is Sir Alus’s partner.” 

Once again, Mujir ignored the cheap taunt. Actually, he highly regarded Loki, even putting her on a par with Lettie. Alus had been famous for not accepting a partner. When Mujir saw Alus’s display of power against Demi Azur, he was truly happy to be a Magicmaster in Alpha. And that Alus had chosen Loki as his partner. On the way to Vanalis, he’d seen her hidden nature and talents. Wearing lightning, she was a Magicmaster whose infinite potential was reassuring. That was how Mujir saw her. 

Next, he spoke in a low voice. “Sajik, how old were you when you were able to learn Force?” 

Sajik realized what his colleague was trying to say, and rubbed his chin. “Ah, when I was around twenty-two, I think. There’s no end to the injuries until you completely master it.” 

“I know.” That was why Mujir couldn’t help but wonder how Loki had learned so many spells at her age. Not even Force was so easily obtained. It needed an affinity and sufficient hard work. Then there’s the determination she has for her age. He was reminded of the shock he felt back in the Demi Azur incident. 

Mujir hesitated whether to say anything about how he felt, but ultimately decided to speak up, prepared for the giant of a man next to him to crack a joke at his expense. “Loki, I don’t want you to misunderstand me. I respect you as a Magicmaster.” 

Loki was taken aback by his confession. But he’d witnessed the scene after Alus’s battle against the Demi Azur. Just one look made it clear what had happened. Despite Force tearing her body to shreds, she’d run over to Alus faster than anyone else. It was an incredibly brave act that Loki had accomplished with that slender body of hers. When he realized that, Mujir was ashamed of himself. All he’d been able to do was watch it all go down. 

A true hero spoke through their actions. That was how a Magicmaster displayed their value. 

Seeing Loki look surprised at being praised, Mujir averted his eyes and scratched his cheek. The ability to move in a time of crisis had nothing to do with power, wisdom, or preparation. Like Lettie said, it was a matter of heart. 

He tried not to look at Sajik, but as expected, a tactless voice came from that side. However, the words he spoke were unexpected. “I get you. I want to be like the little lady too.” 

Mujir was shocked to hear Sajik’s earnest words. “That’s disgusting. What are you talking about with that big body of yours? It’s because of that nonsense that you’re always going to be single.” 

“I’m talking about the heart here!” 

“That’s enough chatter. We’re in the middle of a mission now.” That’s when Louise interrupted them. She was a healing Magicmaster, but had the respect of the men in the squad. There wasn’t anyone here who hadn’t been treated by her healing magic. Moreover, women had a lot of influence in the squad, perhaps because Lettie was the captain. According to Lettie, that was because there were only stupid men around. 

“I know, Louise.” Even as he spoke, Mujir vigilantly kept an eye on their surroundings and made sure to keep the speed up. 

Loki noticed that. Mujir’s expression was surprisingly calm. It was hard to accept that this was the same man who, embarrassed, had scratched his cheek a moment ago. Sajik next to him was the same. 

The squad had only one mission, to eliminate the two targets Alus gave them as soon as possible. As soon as Loki thought that... 

“My nose tells me it’s about time,” Sajik blurted out. 

Everyone heard him and stopped. Detecting through magic wasn’t working, but Sajik’s nose was strangely sharp, and when they were this close there was no doubt that Fiends were near, prompting everyone to get ready. 

The next moment, they found themselves surrounded by a horde of Fiends. There were over thirty of them, all B-class. 

“Hey, aren’t there more of them than before?” Sajik complained. 

“Looks like they picked up their momentum again. We cut down their numbers by a lot before too,” Mujir responded, seeming surprised. The two remained composed nonetheless. 

“Bingo!” 

“Sheesh,” Mujir said to Sajik, who’d noticed it too. “Sir Alus was absolutely right.” The Fiends had crawled up from the numerous holes around them. Each hole connected to an old tunnel. The exits were clustered in this area. Since none of the Fiends were particularly weak, they were probably a guard force of sorts. If so, they might be directly above a Fiends’ nest. 

They’d come here first, following Alus’s instructions from yesterday, and it looked like he’d been right on the mark. “From what he said, the Ogma should be lurking here.” 

Mujir flatly brushed off Sajik’s muttering. “Of course it is, the Lefkis is too big. Would you live in a hole with that body of yours?” 

Alus had marked this location as highly probable for a nest of Fiends after looking at the old map, as well as considering the information he’d gathered. But he’d also taken into account the characteristics of the Ogma. If it was brainwashing its subordinates, it couldn’t get too far away from them. 

In reality there were few places where it was easy to check on how a battle was going, as well as manipulate pawns, without being detected. It would either be a high elevation...or underground. 

The Lefkis had fired off a spell at extreme range from the top of a mountain, but in return they had revealed Lettie’s Detonation. Her aim had been thrown off by the snow, but the wide area it covered was a clear threat to anything that was hiding itself. Furthermore, it was natural to assume that Alus and the others would be wary of elevated areas. 

That’s why Alus predicted that since the Ogma considered itself a strategist, it would avoid taking up position in an elevated area. In the end, the tunnels made the perfect place to hide. And above all else, he’d added the rule of thumb that underhanded users of magic tended to hide in safe, dark places. 

“All right, it’s about time we split up,” Sajik said. “I’ll leave that to you.” 

Mujir didn’t need to press Sajik, as he took on the obligation of eliminating the Ogma. The reason Alus didn’t put Loki in Sajik’s group was their shared affinity. Having two lightning attribute users would only narrow down what they could do. 

And since the Lefkis’s Demis Brionach contained at least part of the lightning attribute, it was likely that it could counteract it, which was why Mujir was sent to deal with the Lefkis. 

Sajik’s group consisted of six people. They were each first-rate Magicmasters, with healing Magicmaster Louise joining them. That was a decision made in part because Sajik’s close combat style often resulted in injuries. 

“I’ll take care of this. If you’re struggling, just hold them off and I’ll come over to help.” Sajik unleashed a powerful surge of electricity and blew a big hole in the Fiends’ encirclement, giving Mujir a thumbs up. 

“Talk about exaggerating a badger hunt. Meanwhile, we’re going to have to hike up a mountain. Well, I do appreciate your opening a path for us.” Mujir rolled his shoulder and walked up to Sajik’s side. In front of the hole, he raised his tonfa. “Don’t mess up.” 

“That’s my line,” Sajik snorted, lifting his gauntlet-clad hand in return. The two then bumped their fists together. 

After that, Sajik clanked his gauntlets together and attacked the horde of Fiends with Force activated. In a flash, five were dead. Each had their head or vital point destroyed, then electricity shot through them to burn up their cores. A foul smell arose in the air, but Sajik didn’t seem to mind. It was like he was taking out all his pent-up stress and frustration on the Fiends. 

“All right, it’s time for us to go too,” Mujir said after seeing that, urging Loki along. “The Ogma is underground just like Sir Alus predicted, so it’s best to assume he was right about the Lefkis as well.” 

Loki recalled what Alus said yesterday and nodded. He’d concluded that the single-horned Lefkis was an evolved form. When Fiends took in mana, individual differences would appear, but since it was evolved from a Lefkis it most likely would tend to move around mountainsides and peaks. 

That would make tracking it down rather difficult, but Alus made a certain suggestion based on that assumption. 

Mujir and Loki took off running with the other group members following them. Taking advantage of the hole Sajik opened up for them, they swiftly left the encirclement. 

*** 

There they go. Now then... 

Sajik sensed the others disappearing into the distance. His hands were clad in electricity. Every time they discharged, the snow around him evaporated into mist. He was deliberately adjusting his strength to attract the Fiends’ attention so they wouldn’t chase after Mujir’s group, but there was no longer any need to hold back. 

“I’m doing that.” As soon as Sajik announced this, he swung his thick muscular arms down. When they slammed down, countless thin lightning streaks ran across the ground. The group jumped in a panic, trying to get away from the currents. 

Sajik’s muscles bulged. A huge amount of electricity flowed into the ground. 

“‹‹Outbreak››” A gigantic magic circle appeared on the ground with Sajik at its center. It was a powerful electromagnetic field made from mana. And the Fiends were immediately rendered immobile, as if their legs were sucked in. 

The circle glowed brighter, and sparks exploded out, followed by a thundering sound across the surface. 

Sajik poured more mana into his arms. As he did, the area was enveloped in a blinding light as a lightning storm raged for just a moment. 

Soon, the painfully bright light disappeared, and when the group landed on the ground again it was completely burnt. The remaining heat they felt at their feet spoke volumes of the power used. 

The spell unleashed a huge burst of lightning in a defined area. The Fiends on the ground had been locked in place by the magnetic field and fried by the lightning. The ten remaining Fiends were charred, their bodies falling apart. Their cores must have burned up as they turned into mana particles. 

“If you’re going to go all out right away, say so ahead of time,” one squad member complained, but Sajik brushed them off. It was just business as usual. 

With that attack, the Fiends’ presence had mostly disappeared from the area. However, nobody was particularly exhausted or injured. In reality, this kind of combat was their forte. Even if a B-class was too much to handle alone, with two or three members at their side they could take care of it in no time at all. If they could accurately destroy the cores, they wouldn’t even need to expend much effort, though that was a tall order without a spotter. 

But that was where experience came in handy. If they’d fought similar Fiends before, it was easier to guess where the core was. They could also use wide-area attacks to clear them out in one fell swoop. In that regard, since the lightning attribute had so many strong attack spells, it wasn’t as reliant on spotters to find the core. Seeing that the Fiends were wiped out, everyone took a moment to breathe. 

The ground suddenly shook with a violent tremor, like an earthquake erupting at their feet. 

Sajik jumped to escape from it. When he looked at where he’d been standing, he saw a massive arm covered in bristles sticking out of the ground. “?! I don’t know what’s going on, but come out already. We don’t have time for this.” 

The ground split open, and the Fiend’s upper body appeared, as if responding to his voice. Its head looked just like a monkey’s, and its upper body alone was four meters tall. The body was covered in fur like a primitive ape man. 

“Tsk...a monkey’s supposed to be up in the trees!” Sajik kicked off a branch and shot downwards, leaving only sparks behind. He swung both arms down to match his timing, slamming them into the Fiend’s head. 

The impact shook the ground, as his fists swung like two thundering hammers. Sparks of lightning shot out in all directions. Friend or foe, anyone who was in range would have been electrocuted. Not even a Fiend would come out unscathed from being hit by that kind of attack. 

“?!” But Sajik felt only a hard sensation, like he’d slammed his arms down on a rock. And below him wasn’t the Fiend’s crushed head, but the bristled back of its hand. 

The great ape had quickly thrown up its arm to cover its head, blocking Sajik’s blow with the back of its hand. But that was odd too. Normally that blow would’ve destroyed the hand, as well as the head below it. 

Of course, Sajik didn’t recall holding back. Nor were there any signs the great ape had used a spell to defend itself. In other words, the Fiend had withstood Sajik’s blow that could shatter not only rock but steel as well, with just the strength of its body. 

It’s got resistance to the lightning attribute! By the time Sajik realized his attack had been blocked, he’d already come up off the ape man’s body. However, even though he was supposed to have landed on the ground, he suddenly felt like he was falling. The ground beneath him had crumbled. 

But it wasn’t only the area directly below him. A large area had crumbled. Sajik quickly understood that the ground over the network of tunnels couldn’t withstand the intense fighting and had caved in. As he fell, he didn’t just see countless lumps of earth and pebbles as the ground collapsed, but also something else at his feet. Is this the Ogma’s doing too? 

In the depths of the hole, a large number of Fiends lay in wait. The great ape Fiend had been a decoy, and Sajik had fallen into a trap. 

However, he wasn’t going to let his carelessness get the better of him. With the great ape falling beneath him, Sajik poured an almost excessive amount of mana into his fists as he smiled fearlessly. His gauntlets glowed, covered in lightning. The powerful electricity would instantly kill any normal Fiend and reduce everything to dust. 

But it seemed his opponent could handle itself in midair. Even as it fell, it swung its giant arm at Sajik’s side. Immediately picking up on that, he kicked off a nearby rock and changed his trajectory. Thanks to the instantaneous power and leg strength afforded him by Force, that kind of attack was just too sluggish. 

Further, Sajik chose not to dodge, but instead to charge right towards the giant hand. He slipped through the fingers that it had spread out as if swatting a fly, grabbed hold of a finger, and instantly twisted it off. 

The great ape, driven by pain, swung its other hand at Sajik at an even faster speed. Sajik swung his lightning-clad fist and took the hit directly. The Fiend’s hand burst open as white light surged through it. 

The Fiend opened its mouth and screamed in pain. By now, only the thumb was barely connected to its hand. The other fingers flew through the air and turned to ash. 

When Sajik drove his fist into the Fiend, he understood what was going on. Its resistance to lightning is because of that special fur. It was like it was wearing its resistance directly. That was a troublesome property for a Magicmaster, but it wasn’t exactly a perfect insulator. He’d perceptively spotted an opening in the great ape’s magically resistant armor. 

“So you’re a clever monkey,” Sajik mocked the Fiend. He then drove his fist into the part of it that wasn’t covered by fur...its face. As the lightning burst, its head popped like a balloon. 

With the Fiend’s head gone, Sajik saw that he was approaching the dark ground. As he braced himself and prepared to land, a sudden blow struck him in the back. The impact rattled him to the bones and he slammed into the wall at high speed. 

“Ack!” Sajik was buried into the wall. He coughed up blood, then peeled himself off the wall and fell. 

The next moment, the uncomfortable sound of flesh and bone hitting rock rang out. But it was only the palm of his hand, not his body. Before he crashed into the ground, he’d thrown out his arm to prevent having his entire body slam into the ground. At the same time, pieces of gravel and rock rained down on him from above, and blood ran from his mouth to his throat. 

That was close. His body was bruised and he had some minor internal bleeding, but that was pretty common for Sajik, which was why he could be so casual about it. 

Eventually he pushed his body up and looked at the headless great ape that had fallen next to him. Even though it lost its head, it put up a final struggle, hitting him in the back. Its core had already been destroyed and its body was disappearing, but it had gotten its revenge. 

“And it’s not like they’re going to let me rest...” Sajik muttered, as he could see several sparks of light. With him falling down here, the Fiends saw their opening and attacked as one. However, Sajik unleashed lightning as he swung his fist, shooting through the darkness and piercing their vitals, killing them. 

Before long, the underground area fell silent as if nothing had happened. Sajik exhaled and gazed at the results of the cave-in. It seemed he’d fallen farther down than expected. He’d be fine if the rest of his group could link up with him here, but the chances of that looked slim. 

He scratched his head, looking around him at the tunnels. From the depths of one of the tunnels he sensed an ominous mana he hadn’t felt on the surface. The sensation gave him goosebumps, but it wasn’t only because of the large amount of mana. 

“This stinks,” Sajik said. He wrinkled his nose and frowned. It reeked of despicable scum. It was almost certainly from the vile Fiend who used its comrades as pawns while it hid in safety underground. 

There was also another stink mixed in, one he was used to smelling. It was putrid and the kind of stench he never wanted to smell. 

After looking up once more, Sajik peered down the dark tunnel. He could definitely sense the Ogma in its depths.