Episode 20

The gigantic spider-like monster let out a voice as if in agony. Its limbs had been severed, and bodily fluids overflowed from its torso.

“Skinny! One last limb!”

“Leave it to me! HRAAA!”

Buff-enhanced, Skinny darted behind the giant spider and sliced apart the final remaining limb. The monster shrieked with resentment and tried to counterattack, but its venomous fangs never reached Skinny.

“Holy Lance!”

A shining spear of light pierced through the giant spider’s torso. Striking its vital point precisely, the massive spider fell completely silent. It was the decisive moment.

“Hah, hah… so what do you think? Our squad leader’s magic—pretty damn good, right? It’s totally dead, yeah?”

“It was a nasty opponent, but we managed…”

The area was littered with the scars of a brutal battle. Webbing and bodily fluids were scattered everywhere, and the dissolving liquid it had spat out had melted grass and trees, releasing a foul stench.

“…You seem awfully composed. Have you given up already?”

“Give up? That would be the foolish act of admitting one’s own ignorance. …It seems I did not obtain the result I wanted.”

Luke’s group had won without anyone suffering a serious injury, despite facing a powerful enemy.

As for Yorn, he had only supported them and still had plenty of strength left. Rovinz should have understood that, yet he showed no sign of panic.

“Do you know the origin of Unison Link?”

“Huh? What kind of nonsense are you spouting? Don’t think you can dodge this!”

By any measure, Rovinz was the one cornered. And yet, Luke felt an unease he couldn’t put into words.

“By aligning different mana wavelengths, one gains extraordinary power. Many understand that fact, yet only a handful can reproduce it. Do you know why?”

“…Perfectly synchronizing mana is simply difficult. And by nature, no matter how hard you try, it’s impossible alone—so, that’s why.”

“So you possess the bare minimum knowledge. Yes. No matter how exceptional the individual, a miracle (Unison Link) cannot be formed. —That is why I repeated my research.”

The stake glowed ominously, and something crawled out. It looked like a monster corpse nearly two meters tall.

“This is the corpse of a Breeze Weasel that was slain in the Lagias Domain. The preservation is poor, but it made excellent research material.”

“A Breeze Weasel? …It’s too big—an abnormal variant?”

A monster corpse with patches turned to bare bone. The fatal wound seemed to have been from magic; its fur had fallen out, and frostbite scars marked its skin.

“To reproduce a miracle, mana organs are essential. By repeatedly breeding and cultivating monsters, I created larger, more powerful specimens.”

“What the hell is he talking about? Did he crack under pressure…?”

Rovinz explained that creating powerful individuals through experiments using monsters had been the first phase.

“Even the finest specimen cannot be properly evaluated inside a cage. So I released the monsters I created into the wild. The Lagias Domain was convenient in many ways.”

“…What do you mean? Why are you bringing up the Lagias Domain?”

“The Lagias lord is incompetent, and it is a territory no one cares about. No matter how many victims there are, it never becomes a topic. …Surely something comes to mind?”

The Lagias Domain was infamous as the kingdom’s most ruined territory. Monster damage happened almost every year, yet the lord rarely moved. On top of that came oppression, and the people hated the rulers like venomous vermin.

“…Answer me. What did you do in the Lagias Domain?”

Luke’s grip tightened on his sword.

What came to mind was his close friend with a foul mouth and a perpetually irritated face. He constantly hurled insults, looked down on others, and denied them—yet somehow, he still watched over those around him and had saved countless people.

Luke knew the monster damage in the Lagias Domain had greatly decreased because Zeke had acted over years to make it so.

“I repeated experiments in the Lagias Domain—observing how the monsters I created affected and changed the existing ecosystem. The Lagias populace also ‘cooperated’ with me.”

“I can’t see the full picture. So what, exactly, did you gain?”

“The discovery of a specimen that, despite being a monster, could wield Unison Link.”

The giant spider’s corpse decayed as the dissolving fluid leaked out. It continued rotting, reeking horribly. And what emerged was something with a human-like appearance.

“A… person? Did you feed it people—humans?”

“No. This is fusion. A sacred experiment to guide humanity to higher heights. …I adjusted it with a human base, but it was ultimately consumed.”

“You’re insane…”

Luke and the others fell silent. They could not comprehend Rovinz’s words.

“If monsters can use Unison Link, can a Unison Link between human and monster be established? Between human and monster—different species—what changes occur that differ from the ordinary? Once you start thinking about it, you cannot stop. Don’t you agree?”

“…No. What do you think human lives are? How many people were sacrificed for your so-called experiments?”

“No matter how much the Lagias populace—cast out and oppressed—were hurt, it has nothing to do with you, the ‘key,’ does it? And what’s wrong with making effective use of former adventurers from the royal capital who lost their place?”

Luke’s anger rose at Rovinz’s selfish remarks and deranged ideology.

Neither the current lord nor the past Lagias lords could ever be forgiven for the oppression they had imposed. The fact that so many residents had suffered could not simply be erased. …But Luke also knew his close friend was trying—had been trying—to change it.

“Do you understand what it felt like for him to fight? Alone, for so long… He fought. Even as he was worn down, even when no one praised him…”

As a part of adventuring, as a side job to make money—that was Zeke’s habitual excuse and public front.

He had prioritized areas within the Lagias Domain where monster damage was severe, hunting them down. But behind those efforts, there had been malice brought by humans.

“Zeke Lagias… an anomaly that obstructs the plan, and a criminal who killed many of my monsters…”

“Don’t pin baseless crimes on Zeke! —We will detain you. You will testify to everything.”

Rovinz had become one of the reasons the Lagias Domain had fallen into ruin.

Luke had acted all this time to be of help to his close friend, and now, at last, he could repay even one of his debts.

“Unfortunately, that is not in the plan. My experiment is ongoing.”

A new monster emerged from the magic circle. A gigantic bee-type monster—a giant bee.

“Now it’s a bee!? But it’s all the same in the end!”

“All the same? Can you still say that after seeing this?”

The spell patterns floating on Rovinz’s body began to glow. A pale green light wrapped around him and the giant bee.

“…What exactly are you doing?”

“This is the result of my research… human-demon fusion (Unison Link).”

Human and monster—Rovinz and the giant bee—overlapped and became one.

After the pale green glow vanished, what remained was something shaped like a human-like monster.

“A bee-man…?”

“He fused with a monster?”

Rovinz still resembled himself, but the giant bee’s traits were also present. Antennae rose from his head, wings spread from his back, and most striking was the razor-sharp stinger fused into his arm. Even from a distance, the vicious weapon radiated danger.

“I see. His consciousness remains intact. And I can feel the differing mana wavelengths. The experiment seems to have succeeded.”

With a loud buzzing, Rovinz rose into the air. Just as Skinny said, he looked completely like a bee-man.

“He can fly!? Nahal, buffs!”

“Leave it to me. What we need to do doesn’t change.”

Nahal spun mana and cast support magic.

Skinny surged with renewed vigor from the reinforcement. He lowered his sword and tried to dash at Rovinz—but somehow, Rovinz was gone. And when Skinny realized, even the unpleasant buzzing had disappeared.

“Where the hell did he go… huh?”

“…W-what…?”

The ground beneath him turned red, and pain arrived a beat late. His abdomen had been pierced by a razor-sharp stinger, blood dripping down.

The unpleasant buzzing was coming from right in front of him.

“Did I overdo it? Adjustments are needed.”

Rovinz pulled the stinger free and returned to his original position. As he moved his arm and antennae, it truly looked as though he were making “adjustments.”

“Skinny! Nahal!!”

Luke’s anguished scream echoed through the trees.

Skinny and Nahal collapsed slowly. Luke could do nothing but stare.

Before he even realized it, Rovinz had been standing in front of them, piercing both with the razor-sharp stinger fused into his arm.

‘Why… are they covered in blood?’

His body wouldn’t move. His mind wouldn’t turn. The alarm blaring inside his head still wouldn’t stop.

He hadn’t let his guard down. He had been vigilant the entire time. And yet the reality before him pressed down like lead—the result.

“Gravity!”

Yorn’s voice came from behind.

With the multi-element magic he excelled at, Yorn forced Rovinz down into the ground. The human-demon, floating in the air, lost his freedom under the crushing weight.

“Luke! Don’t just stand there! You can at least do first aid with healing magic, right!?”

‘Healing magic? First aid? …What is he saying?’

The red liquid flowing from them kept spreading without stopping. On the ground, vivid red flowers bloomed.

“So you truly are a dedicated mage. But it’s light.”

Rovinz forced his body up, trying to escape the spell. Even under gravity’s pull, he rose little by little.

“This is bad, seriously… Where are you getting that raw strength from?”

“There is no shame. What one human can do is limited.”

Yorn layered spell after spell, but the effect grew weaker and weaker. It was proof Rovinz was gaining resistance.

With an unpleasant buzzing, Rovinz soared upward. He broke free and reclaimed his mobility.

“He still has plenty of stamina. If we get close carelessly, we’ll end up the same.”

“That’s… about those two, isn’t it?”

“…Luke. Do you remember what I told you before? The time has come to throw away the small.”

“!?”

Luke’s mind flashed back to the entrance exam two years ago.

A relentless monster assault had forced him to choose whose life to save. Yorn told him—coldly—that this was that moment again.

“Ignoring him to treat those two in critical condition is impossible. One of us has to hold him off while the other focuses on treatment. But… as you can see, ordinary healing magic only amounts to first aid.”

“Even so, I can’t abandon them.”

“Luke, if you live as a knight or a mage, a day like this will come eventually. You knew that.”

No matter how desperately he tried to think, no brilliant idea surfaced. There were no colleagues here to advise him.

“I haven’t learned healing magic, and from the look of you, neither have you, right? Then there’s only one other option.”

The two of them deal with Rovinz together. Which meant—abandoning Skinny and Nahal.

‘Why does it always come to this? I always fail when it matters most.’

He remembered something Zeke had told him.

“Don’t rely on others. If you’re injured, heal yourself. Learn at least basic healing magic.”

“That’s not how you use ‘basic.’ Healing magic is top-tier recovery magic.”

Regret swelled. If he had learned healing magic as Zeke told him, this wouldn’t have happened. Then he wouldn’t have lost anything.

“!? This is bad! Damn it!”

“Boring. I can’t confirm results like this.”

Rovinz shot forward at blistering speed, slicing the air. The gust forced Yorn to retreat. Luke was left behind alone.

“Luke Hartmann. As declared, I will take your ‘key.’ Any last words?”

“…”

The warning bells in his head reached their maximum. He had to act now. He had to fight. But Luke’s body refused to move.

‘I’m sorry, Skinny, Nahal. For being your half-baked squad leader. This is all my fault.’

The razor-sharp stinger approached, and Luke could only watch. His only choice left was to stare at the massive needle closing in like slow motion.

‘Zeke… I wanted to become someone who could help you.’

He closed his eyes, waiting for the end.

““Oracle Shield!””

Just before Rovinz’s stinger could pierce Luke—an iridescent barrier bloomed, wrapping Luke and the fallen Skinny and Nahal. The barrier rejected all attacks, and the razor-sharp stinger was repelled.

“Are you alright, Luke?”

“…Why… is my father here?”

“We’ll talk later. …Strohk.”

“It’s already integrated.”

A gentle healing light overlapped the iridescent barrier, pouring down on Skinny and Nahal. Strohk’s healing magic steadily began to treat them.

“Unison Link layered with healing magic. I see—so you two are the knight order’s twin pillars.”

“It’s been a while since I heard that embarrassing title.”

“…We can’t let my daughter hear it.”

Brink and Strohk stepped forward, protecting Luke and the others. Their figures looked huge—reassuring. The people Luke had once dreamed of stood right before him.

“What a luxurious rescue. That was close.”

Yorn joined them. His clothes were in tatters, but he didn’t seem to have any major external injuries.

“Regimental Commander Yorn. Thanks later. What is that?”

“Rovinz Kurtle. Deputy director of the Archaeological Survey Institute. He is the major criminal who created this artificial dungeon here.”

Yorn delivered the overview succinctly.

“I see. Then there’s no reason to hold back.”

“…Brink. Don’t overextend.”

“My human-demon fusion (Unison Link) versus your coordination. I look forward to seeing which is superior.”

—Thud.

Something fell, followed by the drip of liquid.

The razor-sharp stinger fused into Rovinz’s arm—one of those arms had been severed.

“Gah—!? Even a monster’s body… feels pain…?”

A shining blade of light. Without moving from where he stood, Brink’s magic sword had struck true.

“You hurt my precious son… You’ve got nerve. Are you ready?”

The battle between the human-demon Rovinz and the three regimental commanders began.