Episode 18

“The Wings of Light… you say? Judging by your clothing, are you adventurers?”

“Trying to make a name for yourselves? I’ll say this for your own good. Leave immediately. This is not an opponent ordinary adventurers can handle.”

A five-person party made up of both men and women.

The woman who seemed to be their leader stepped forward with a fearless smile. Apparently, she had no intention of obediently following that advice.

“That’s sad. We used to be a well-known adventurer party, you know. …Is this really a situation where we can complain about this and that against that monster? If we’re picky about our methods, we’ll all be wiped out.”

It was an extremely reasonable opinion. The shadow had endured Baccus’s self-sacrificing tactic without falling and was still staring at them. The more people who could fight, the better.

“And besides, we are here by Zeke Lagias’s request.”

“Zeke’s? That arrogant man made a request of someone else?”

Haria, the leader of the “Wings of Light,” briefly told them the truth, as there was no point in lying. Apparently, they would cooperate to clear away their past disgrace. Each of the members also had a look filled with determination. Perhaps they had some sort of connection with Zeke in the past.

“From our perspective, this situation is exactly what we needed.”

“I remember… this feeling. Two years ago, we couldn’t do anything.”

The adventurers readied various weapons. Magical formulas were engraved on the weapons in their hands.

“As Rock said, this is the perfect stage. Listen, we are different from how we were back then. The ‘Wings of Light’ have definitely grown stronger. We’ll cut down the ghosts of our past here!”

At the same time as Haria’s shout, the battle resumed.

The shadows thrust their swords forward from the front and back as they closed in with force. Zeke drew them in until the last possible moment and dodged. The fake Zekes chased after Zeke as he evaded into the air. Relentlessly, no matter how far.

Both sides continued fighting, centered on swordsmanship and magic while occasionally mixing in martial arts. If they collided this fiercely, not only stamina but also mana would quickly bottom out. However, their battle did not die down; rather, it grew even more intense.――At least, from an outside perspective.

“So there is nothing left, then.”

Zeke murmured quietly. The shadows did not answer that voice. They did not, but… the fake Zekes’ movements stopped. Though they should have had no emotions, they seemed somehow afraid.

The shadows’ judgment was swift and correct. They accurately sensed the danger approaching them and took action… but the sword that pierced one’s chest did not allow it. The sword, cooled to the absolute limit, bared its fangs.

In an instant, the shadow’s entire body was frozen solid and scattered miserably.――The remaining shadow chose to retreat.

The shadow poured most of its mana into body enhancement and raced through the city of Samaris at tremendous speed.

If there was no chance of victory alone, there was no reason to deliberately keep fighting. It seemed to judge that joining up with the other one would be more efficient.

“Now then, you are the only one left.”

For some reason, Zeke was standing at the place it fled to. He stood there with an expression that looked utterly uninterested. The air around him made it painfully clear that he was already bored.

“You dare call yourself me with only that much? In the end, you are a fake. Stop displaying any more disgrace, garbage.”

The fake Zeke judged that it could not escape and raised its mana to the absolute limit. It no longer needed to win. It chose to vanish while dragging the monster in front of it down as well.

“…Too slow.”

Just before it self-destructed, Zeke approached right before its eyes at a speed that seemed to cross space itself. No, this human certainly was leaping through space. Otherwise, that speed would have been impossible.

“Disappear.”

The shadow took an impact and flew into the air.

Even though they were supposed to have the same power, why were they so different? Without ever understanding, the shadow exploded high in the sky.

“…It is unbearable to watch.”

Zeke looked up at the sky. What did he think as he looked at Samaris covered by the barrier?

A fierce battle unfolded between the shadow and a total of ten people.

The Royal Guard Corps and an adventurer party. Since they did not normally fight together, there had been many disruptions in their coordination at first. However, the fact that they were all still alive without losing a single person was largely thanks to Baccus, who served as the center of the battle.

“Big sis! As expected, this guy…”

“Yeah! Its movements are slowing. Now’s our chance! We’re going in for the finish. Follow the old man!”

Baccus and the front line of the “Wings of Light” switched places as they crossed swords with the fake Zeke. If it were a one-on-one battle, they would be nowhere near enough, but if they fought while taking breaks and receiving healing, they could keep up well enough.――Because they had a user of sacred arts, the pinnacle of healing magic, in the rear guard.

“Rachel, Veil! We’re going!”

“Ready. We need to make our moment to shine too.”

“My mana is aligned!”

The three different types of mana overlapped and became one.

A complete synchronization of mana. They released Unison Link, said to be the height of magic, toward the powerful enemy.

“““Trident Line!”””

A three-pronged spear formed from three attributes of magic assaulted the fake Zeke.

Right before activation, under Baccus’s instruction, the front line had already moved away. It was perfect timing, made possible because Baccus knew his subordinates Rosetta and the others inside and out.

The fake Zeke took the magic head-on and staggered, but still rose to its feet. As if to say it had no intention of ending here. …However, the same applied to the “Wings of Light.”

“We understand better than anyone how tough you are! Now! Activate!”

At Haria’s signal, the weapons held by the adventurers began to shine. The weapons that released their magical formulas became magic tools and served as the starting points of a barrier that trapped the shadow. The light flashed strongly and imprisoned the fake Zeke.

“Barriers were supposed to be our specialty… but they beat us to it.”

“The enemy’s is just big, right? Our barrier is special.”

The members of the “Wings of Light” answered proudly.

The pressure from the mana the fake Zeke had been releasing had vanished. The barrier they created was a technique called a mana-sealing barrier, which trapped its target and restricted the flow of mana.

The sight of the magic tools serving as the starting points shining and connecting into lines looked like a bird’s wings. That was the origin of the party name “Wings of Light.”

“It was originally a technique against monsters, though.”

“That’s enough, big sis. This guy probably wouldn’t stop unless we went this far, right?”

Baccus had kept charging without regard for himself. The Royal Guards had supported him with coordinated magic and Unison Link. The “Wings of Light” had used their barrier. And Arnica had used her sacred arts.

This result had been born because each of them had fulfilled what they needed to do. If even one of them had been missing, the outcome would have been different.

“…It’s quiet for something pretending to be Zeke.”

“Perhaps it did not have a language function to begin with?”

Without Arnica’s sacred arts, there would certainly have been casualties. That was how strong the shadow had been. It was a result that could be called a narrow victory, but something about it did not feel right. …Was this truly over?

The buildings rattled and shook. Was it because of the wind, or was it an earthquake? Was Zeke, fighting somewhere far away, doing something reckless again? As each person had their own impression, Baccus alone looked up at the sky.

“I thought it had become rather quiet… but it was f-o-r t-h-i-s.”

“Commander Baccus?”

The shaking grew stronger. Drawn by Baccus, everyone shifted their gaze overhead. There, despair spread out before them.

“!? W-What is that thing!?”

“Is this… magic too?”

What approached from the sky was a giant meteor. It was an ice star clad in powerful cold air and mana. Violence more than sufficient to erase the city of Samaris was about to fall to the earth.

The members of the Royal Guard Corps immediately understood the situation.

They were people for whom defeat was not allowed. Precisely because they had experienced many battles, they understood despair. There were no longer any methods left to use.

“Huh? Eh? What is that, Leader?”

“…”

Haria grimaced at her confused members. Judging by their reactions, the “Wings of Light” did not seem to have a card that could break through this situation either.

“Ha, haha. That thing’s killing intent is way too strong…”

The barrier covering Samaris that the enemy had created released only the upper portion, as though matching the meteor’s fall. It blocked escape routes and invited the meteor in. It was a tactic planned to efficiently kill humans. A dry laugh escaped them.

“This one’s target is either Her Highness or the residents. …It seems it chose the latter.”

“So it’s dragging us down with it, prepared to self-destruct. …We were completely outplayed.”

The Royal Guards and the “Wings of Light” were dyed in despair. There was no remaining move to turn the tables.

“Ah… it’s over. So this is the end.”

“We thought we had changed.”

The emotion of resignation ruled them. It was a moment that would come someday as long as one lived. That was the same for adventurers and Royal Guards alike. Death was equal.

From the Royal Guard Corps’ perspective, perhaps the battle against the shadow the other day had originally been their end. For the “Wings of Light,” it had been the royal capital attack two years ago. The fact that they were alive now was nothing more than coincidence. It was only a matter of sooner or later.

“Your Highness… I am sorry. This is all because I lacked strength. …Rosetta, Rachel, Veil. Resent this pathetic old man.”

“…”

“It isn’t your fault, Commander. If it had only been us, it would have ended immediately.”

“I’m glad you were our commander, Commander Baccus.”

“I-I’m very scared. But I have no regrets.”

The three had tears in their eyes as they spoke words of gratitude. They accepted the end without screaming or crying. Because they had known that this day would come eventually.

Even in this moment, the ice star was closing in second by second. Perhaps they understood the situation, because the residents of Samaris who had evacuated began making a commotion.

Amid the mixture of various emotions, Arnica stood quietly without letting her emotions fall into disorder. Was that noble bearing due to her pride as a princess? From Baccus’s perspective, having known Arnica since she was young, he felt something odd.

“…Your Highness?”

“Baccus. Do you know of a being who can overturn a hopeless situation?”

It was not that she was acting strong while feeling fear in the face of death. The difference between Arnica and the others was whether she judged the situation worthy of death.

“Diabalet has a hero. A being who will succeed the late Sword Saint.”

Baccus could not understand the meaning of her words. He started to open his mouth to ask Arnica her true meaning, but stopped himself.

For an instant, sound vanished from the world, and immediately after, heat rose. The pain felt as though it burned their throats, and the brilliantly shining giant of flame… Baccus felt nostalgic.――It overlapped with the figure of his dear friend.

“M-Masfelt… is that you?”

“Have you gone senile, old man? Did nearly dying make your head go strange?”

Flames that burned the heavens. Hellfire that destroyed the earth. A flame demon that burned away everything in existence.

Zeke had completely made Masfelt’s ultimate technique his own.

“Do nothing. You pieces of garbage need only kneel.”

Zeke was enveloped by the enormous blazing flame demon.

Although he should have continued to be burned by hellfire, he wore a fearless smile. If one strained their eyes, silver light could be seen leaking from Zeke.

“Your Highness, is this man royalty? Just why…”

“Is it not fine? …For now, anything is.”

Zeke drew the blade he wore from its sheath. It was the blade Masfelt had possessed in life, the one engraved with the proof of the Sword Saint. As though responding to the memento of its former contractor, the flame demon burned red and hot.

When Zeke readied the blade toward the meteor, the flame demon also took the same movement. A black flame blade heated to the absolute limit turned the ice star summoned by the fake into ash.

“Flame Demon Flash.”

The clouds in the sky above Samaris were erased by the blade, which held heat on the level of the sun.――There was no need to even mention what happened to the ice star that had been the target of the attack.

“W-We were saved?”

“Once again, we were saved by Zeke Lagias…”

Some members of the “Wings of Light” collapsed to the ground, while others muttered as though in regret.

The ice star that had poured down from the heavens vanished, and the flame demon that had caused it disappeared as well.

Zeke, the person at the center of the series of events, was looking at the shadow… the fake Zeke that had been sealed by the “Wings of Light.”

“It seems you saved us again. Thank you. …You were a little cool, you know.”

“I really thought we were done this time.”

“Th-Thank you. Thanks to you, I am still alive.”

The members of the Royal Guard Corps approached Zeke and thanked him.

It was a scene like one part of a story, the birth of a hero who had saved lives from danger, but the person himself did not change his expression or say a word. Seeing that situation, Baccus grew suspicious.

“What is the matter, Zeke? You are surrounded by beauties. You would not be punished for smirking a little.”

“…Are you seeing hallucinations? How pitiful.”

“Hey? Aren’t you indirectly insulting us? …I’ll hit you again.”

Even after hearing Baccus’s and Rosetta’s jokes, Zeke did not avert his gaze. He had still not dropped his guard against the sealed shadow.

“It is a space that restricts mana. The magic from earlier was activated before it entered the barrier, so we could not prevent it. That thing cannot do anything anymore.”

Haria, the leader, threw those words at Zeke while looking somewhat sulky. It seemed the lingering resentment from the past had not yet been resolved. Arnica also seemed to sense something and called out to Zeke.

“Zeke, is it not already over?”

“Yes, it i-s o-v-e-r. One step too late.”

“――Eh?”

A change appeared in the shadow that showed no movement. Magical formulas surfaced on the fake Zeke’s body. They looked like the same formulas used by those who had attacked the Kingdom of Diabalet until now.――The factor of a spirit (god) had been engraved into the fake Zeke.

“Is this really mana…? Even a dragon would not have this kind of power.”

“Impossible. Our barrier was perfect.”

“The enemy was simply above you. Correct your understanding… Well, if there is a next time.”

The mana emitted by the shadow grew even stronger. The members of the “Wings of Light” lost consciousness and collapsed one after another. Their bodies could no longer endure after being struck by the blast of that overwhelming mana.

“The presence of a spirit (god).”

“One disaster after another, is it…”

An amount of mana that should normally be impossible. Faced with power that surpassed human limits, Baccus and the others had no means to act. Rosetta, the others, and Haria, who had barely maintained consciousness, finally collapsed as well. The only ones left were Baccus, Arnica, and Zeke.

“Do not move carelessly. This fake has abandoned the contest.”

“Does it intend to blow away the entire area…? This time for certain.”

“It is not something that gentle. This thing intends to erase Samaris and its residents… together with their very concepts.”

With this much power, it would be easy to destroy the “Wings of Light” barrier. The reason it did not was, as Zeke said, because there was no longer any need for it to win. From the enemy’s perspective, it only needed to erase everything.

“I am sorry. All because I came to Samaris…”

“It would have been the same. In the end, another royal would have been targeted. And we exist to protect the royal family.”

Perhaps because the fake Zeke’s magic was nearing completion, the barrier cracked, and the mana enveloping the atmosphere froze.

“I am sorry, Zeke. We have dragged you into something unrelated to you. If only we could at least have let you escape…”

“Do not flatter yourself. I have no need to borrow your hand.――If it were only me.”

“…Do you have some method?”

Zeke, whose expression had not changed until now, showed a severe face here for the first time. His gaze turned toward Arnica.

“Third Princess. Are you prepared to make a deal with the devil?”

Zeke cast sharp eyes and words at her. Whether that was a metaphor or meant exactly as stated was unclear.

“If you do nothing, then not only you people, but everyone including the residents of Samaris will die.”

“…”

“Choose, Arnica von Diabalet. If you wish to atone even slightly for what you royals have done until now.”

Perhaps they had some shared understanding, because Zeke and Arnica communicated without exchanging words. At least, that was how it felt to Baccus.

“If you claim to be different from the other royals, then show your resolve. …Or are you also nothing more than mouth-only garbage?”

“…May I hear your conditions?”

“I will say them only once. Listen carefully.”

Baccus grew fearful, wondering what impossible demands would come out. Only three people in this place had proper consciousness. No matter what result came, he had to witness it.

As the time of the end approached, Zeke rapidly stated his conditions. There were three main points. All of them differed greatly from what Baccus had expected.

“!? But… if you do that, then you will…”

“I do not care about your subjectivity. If you do not accept, everyone will die. And I do not intend to die together with you people.”

Zeke declared that he could survive without issue if it were only himself. Conversely, that meant he was trying to save everyone even if it required something unreasonable. And he was trying to bear all the karma alone.

As a deal, the conditions were far too gentle and sorrowful.

“――I have received them clearly. As a princess, I promise. I will surely give form to your wishes.”

“Hmph. If you go back on this deal, I will destroy Diabalet myself. Be prepared.”

A torrent of mana surged from Zeke. A vast amount of mana, no less than the fake Zeke’s, covered Samaris.

“Is this… the mana in the atmosphere gathering?”

“Give me your mana too. Especially you, Third Princess. You have hardly worked at all.”

Baccus and Arnica formed a mana connection with Zeke. Unison Link, which fully synchronized their different mana. Zeke was trying to forcefully cause the miracle called by the rainbow.

“At this final moment… Is this Lady Maria’s blessing?”

“Are you stupid? A devil does not cling to gods or holy mothers.――I expect nothing from anyone but myself.”

The enormous mana emitted by the two beings was finally released.

One ancient magic targeted the living beings in Samaris.

The other ancient magic targeted all of Samaris.

“Raomdel.”

“Summon Frozen World.”

Spatial transfer moved every living being in existence along with the space itself. Through the ancient magic Zeke and Glanz had once activated, the people vanished from Samaris.

The permafrost was summoned with a time lag. It was the forbidden power that froze every concept equally.

The world of death that still spread across the Igusa Plains manifested in this place as well.

Samaris vanished without a trace.