I shrieked in pain. My Wind Barrier had been useless. The spear of darkness had torn through my defenses and pierced my torso.
My stomach’s burning...! I pressed my hand against the hole in my abdomen, but of course, that did nothing. An excruciating pain bit into me from inside. I’m actually pretty calm. Is it because I’ve grown used to injuries like this? Or is it the adrenaline?
“Myaaaaahhh! Thor, I’ll save you!”
“Awooo! Diiiiie!”
Shiro and Kuro, faced with the pitch-black monster that had triggered their trauma, had lost themselves completely and fired off their magic in a fit of rage.
Stop! Just run! I wanted to shout, but no voice came out. I’d been using holy magic, but I was far from fully recovered.
“Oooooohhh!”
Shiro’s and Kuro’s attacks were blocked by the darkness cloaking the beast and dealt no damage. But the girls showed no signs of intending to retreat!
“Myaaa!”
“Grrrr!”
They both looked at me, their eyes burning with their resolve to never abandon me.
Damn it...! Please, run!
They’re gonna... And it’s all my fault!
“Myaaaaaahhh!”
“Awooooooooo!”
Right before my eyes, the two of them hurled themselves forward with reckless abandon. Kuro charged head-on, her dragon arm wrapped in a black shimmer that resembled the same kind of darkness cloaking the monster itself. It was burning darkness, glowing and flickering red at the tip.
This darkness which she had never been able to reproduce was now flowing from her unconsciously. Rage must have driven Kuro past her limits. The second time she’d managed to wield it had been under the same surge of emotion.
“Mya-mya-myaaaahhh!”
The instant Kuro slammed her darkness-clad arm into the beast, a flash of white light burst behind it. Shiro had already slipped around unnoticed, thrusting forward her short sword wrapped in a brilliant light. She, too, had crossed her limits.
The brilliance wasn’t just the blade—it was shining wind. As a matter of fact, it didn’t cover just the sword—Shiro’s entire body was glowing. Her incredible speed was clearly born of that power.
She wasn’t merely re-creating the strange force; to a certain extent, she was controlling it. Wow, I’m genuinely impressed... But I saw that the monster had reacted slightly. It might dodge the attack...
There’s no way I’m gonna let their all-out attacks go to waste! The least I can do is bind its legs...!
My earth magic surged, and the ground coiled tightly around the monster’s feet. You’re stayin’ right where you are!
“Grrrrr!”
“Myaaaahhh!”
“Ooooohhh!”
Kuro’s dragon arm, wrapped in burning darkness, and Shiro’s strike, cloaked in shining wind, crashed in from front and back, trapping the monster between them. It had no way to flee and took the full force of their assault. Darkness and light clashed, repelling each other, rising into a pillar that tore upward. Mana and shock waves raged so violently that my body, sprawled on the ground, nearly lifted into the air. I couldn’t even open my eyes.
What happened...?
When the storm of light and darkness had finally subsided, a staggering sight unfolded before me.
“Oooohhh...”
“Is that...a person...?”
The darkness cloaking the beast had been peeled away, revealing what lay beneath. It was unmistakably a human body. Just as Shiro had wrapped herself in shining wind, this being must have covered its flesh with materialized mana. Its body was riddled with deep wounds, with red blood streaming down.
Its face was still hidden, but it was clearly male. Or is it some humanoid magical beast, like a zombie? The black shadow looked kind of like a beastfolk too...and its wounds are healing incredibly fast. Does it have some kind of recovery ability?
That thing can still move! But I couldn’t even shout to warn them.
“Oooooooohhh!”
“Myaaggh!”
“Arf!”
Shiro! Kuro!
Having spent all they had with that single attack, the girls were blown away by the beast’s claws. Look at all that blood! So much blood...!
I need to help—
“Ooohhh...”
“Ugh...”
Its gaze locked onto me. It knew I could still fight. I realized that its eyes, hidden deep within the darkness, had pierced me, laden with grim emotion. A crawling sensation spread across my body, like insects skittering under my skin, followed by a crushing weight that froze me in place.
Is this its ability? Ugh, I can’t move at all...!
“Myah...”
“Arf...”
Shiro and Kuro groaned, bleeding heavily.
No... Is it happening again? This is just like when dungeon malice nearly killed us...!
We gained dragon power! We gained more mana! And this is the result...?!
“You’re just gonna die at this rate.”
Shut the hell up!
Shiro and Kuro are just trying to live! Why do they have to...?!
“It’s over.”
“Shut the hell up...!”
I was consumed with rage so intense it felt like every vein in my head had burst—a fury so overwhelming it turned my vision crimson.
“Shut the hell uuuuuuup!”
My throat hurts. No, it’s hot. A scorching heat’s taking over my body. There’s power rising inside me!
“You really wanna die right here?”
Like hell I do!
I screamed. Dungeon malice, or whatever the hell you are, get the hell outta my way!
“Aaaaaaahhhhhh!”
“Eliminate the enemy!”
That’s right! Eliminate the enemy! Destroy them, crush them! Beat ’em to a pulp!
Driven by a surging impulse, I leaped forward. A roar spilled from my mouth, and my mana swelled in response.
Red mana erupted violently from my body, lifting me as though wings had sprouted from my back. In addition to the floating sensation, my body was pushed forward.
The black beast was suddenly right in front of me. It was shockingly close, but all that mattered now was bringing it down.
I swung my arm with all the momentum that had pushed me forward. Once again cloaked in darkness, the magical beast— Or is it a human? Whatever, “magical beast” is fine for this bastard! My fist slammed into its gut, sending the beast flying and knocking down giant trees before it fell.
I let out a battle cry and chased it down, punching it again, and again, over and over and over!
“Oooooohhh!”
My red fists tore away its armor of darkness. But even as it was clearly taking damage, the beast struck back.
In an instant, it was on its feet, hammering its fist against me. We traded blows, fist against fist.
Strike, strike, strike, strike, strike—
The impact resounded endlessly, black and red mana clashing in a storm.
“Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!”
“Ooooooooohhhhhh!”
No, this is bad. I can tell. I can tell that this thing can still fight, but I’m about to reach my limit. I can see it clearly now. My stamina and mana are almost spent.
“Oooooohhh!”
I gagged. No! My red aura weakened for a split second, and it’s already grabbed my right shoulder!
Let gooo!
“Gaaaahhh!”
No, I can’t shake free!
Its grip tightened like a vise, cracking the bones in my shoulder. I swung my left arm to push it away, but it caught that too, crushing it just the same.
Strangely, there was no pain, only the sensation of strength draining from my body. I had gone past my limit.
Now both my arms are busted. Is this the end—?
“It’s over. What a pathetic way to die.”
No friggin’ way...
“No...friggin’ way!”
I can’t end here...!
I could see Shiro and Kuro collapsed in a pool of blood. They’re gonna...
Like hell they are! It’s not just the monster—I can’t forgive myself either! I called myself their guardian when I’m just a pathetic, cowardly fool? What a joke!
I’ll save them no matter what! If staking my life isn’t enough, then I’ll stake everything I got! My body, my heart, my soul! I’ll use it all to kill this thing!
“Gaaaaaaaahhh!”
“That’s right! Get angrier!”
Red fury surged up inside me, boiling over.
“I didn’t get reincarnated just to die here! And Shiro and Kuro aren’t dying either!”
And then I felt it. Did its power falter for a second? Is it reaching its limit too? Whatever that was, this is my chance!
I twisted free from its grip and leaped.
“Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!”
I’ll turn every ounce of strength I’ve got into red heat! Hot enough to burn that bastard to a crisp!
Flames erupted from my body. It wasn’t red mana but true fire, crimson and blazing hot.
“Graaaahhhhhh!”
The beast seemed shocked.
I can’t use my hands? So what! You don’t need hands to fight! You can just bite the enemy’s throat! Like this!
“Ooooohhh!”
“Grrrr!”
I bit down with enough force to shatter my teeth but couldn’t tear its throat. Still, my jaws sank into its neck a bit, spraying blood.
The beast tried to rip me away—but I’m not letting goooo!
Its blood squirted into my eyes, and I couldn’t keep them open anymore. But I kept pouring every ounce of my strength into my bite.
“Oohhoooohhh!”
“Gaaaahhh!”
It finally ripped me off, breaking several of my teeth. But I couldn’t stop now. I gathered the last of my strength and spat out my mana.
“Oooooohhh?”
The beast hurled me away, trying to brush aside the flames that I’d spat at point-blank range. I glared at it as I flew through the air.
I put everything I got into that flame! It’ll keep burning even if you kill—
“Aaaggghhh!” Damn it, how’d it blow away my flame so easily? It must have forced them out of existence by expelling mana from every inch of his body.
The shadow covering its face peeled away, revealing its eyes—crazed and bloodshot, clouded with bloodlust and violence. I glared back, refusing to flinch.
You think you can scare me?!
I felt no fear. Only a simple question filled my mind.
Why? Why’s he...?
The darkness peeled away, revealing the face of a young man with black hair and dark eyes.
To my surprise, the magical beast’s true identity was Ares.
Now’s not the time for questions! This thing is my enemy! And enemies must be killed! I will not let Shiro and Kuro die! I’m gonna kill you, and we’re gonna survive!
“Aaaaggghhhhhh!”
Flames burst from my mouth—a small fireball, packed with my bloodlust and mana.
Die!
“Gaaaagghhh!”
I wanted to burn off his face, but I missed... Still, the fireball struck Ares’s left shoulder, blasting a gaping hole into it.