CH 18

Chapter 18: Roaring Thunder vs Floor Boss(?)

As the pillars of fire burst up into the air, the clouds of dust began to clear rapidly.

Eventually, I found Loki again. He was now quite a distance away from the monster.

But for some reason, my eyes were drawn to his arm.

“He is injured, isn’t he?”

While he was shouting energetically, Loki’s right arm was hanging limply at his side.

On further inspection, his entire body was also covered in smaller cuts. They looked like they were the work of blades.

Not something that could have been inflicted by that raging monster in front of us.

Also, Loki was the only one here.

The two other party members were nowhere to be found. In that case, where could the rest of the party be?

One question led to others, and the more I thought about it, the more confused I became.

“…In any case, we just have to keep him alive for now.”

Regardless of him being a bastard.

Clearly, Ornest hated him a lot, but for the time being, the most important thing was to learn whatever information that Loki had.

In that case, I knew what I had to do.

After reaching this conclusion, I raised my voice.

At the same time, I increased the speed at which I ran.

“Ornest, we’re going to help him!!!”

“…I think he can hold out a little longer, but… Well, fine then.”

‘…You! How dare you treat me like this!! I’m your senior, you know!? Senior!! Hold out a little longer!? Are you trying to get me killed!!’

Came the angry shouts, but Ornest just murmured, ‘Shut up.’ And ignored him.

No matter what insults came flying towards him, Ornest had no intention of listening to them.

I felt a little bad at Loki, since all of his screaming was futile.

“You distract the enemy.”

“Aye, I will.”

Immediately after, unlike the time with Reviel, the silver bracelet on Ornest’s right wrist began to glow.

He dismissed the Artifact, as it had been in the way, but he summoned it again. ‘Thrusting Black Spear.’

With it in hand, Ornest swung down once.

“…So that’s how it is. Injured people should quietly retreat.”

His movements were quick and almost without sound.

By the time I registered that he had leapt forward, leaving an afterimage, he was already near the monster who had started to target Loki again.

“…You knew I was wounded, but still acted like that? Do you know how bad your personality is!?”

“You’re the last person who should be talking about bad personalities!”

They shouted without even looking at each other.

“Your order!!”

“Slow it down. If possible, push it back!! I will handle the rest!!”

“Tsk. Hah! That won’t take any effort at all!!”

Ornest lowered his stance a little and held his black spear in front of him.

He smiled. The sense of overpowering danger that pervaded this place meant nothing to him.

It was as if he was having too much fun.

But he was also completely composed, and I could see no openings. In my eyes, Ornest looked taller than he actually was.

I had trusted him to have my back for six years, now that I thought about it. I couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

“Give me your support, Yorhaaaa!!”

“You don’t have to tell me!!”

Howling and roaring.

In the next instant, at the feet of Ornest, Clashia and me, and above our heads, magic circles appeared.

Parallel, one, two, three, and four. The layers appeared and spread out.

At the end, there were seven layers of support magic.

Magic was not something that everyone could use. You had to have the right aptitude for it. And no amount of training or effort could change that.

This was the unchangeable truth that everyone was aware of.

And yet, she had the right aptitude for every kind of support magic. This was almost unheard of.

Even Ornest, who strongly believed in his own genius, had to admit that she was an elite support magician.

Yes, Yorha Aizentz was a ‘genius.’

She had created seven layers that shone in seven different colors.

Its effect was the boosting of all physical abilities, including the five senses.

“…Ah, always a sight to behold. Even I will admit that your skill with support magic makes my skin crawl.”

Loki muttered as he saw Yorha’s magic. Of course, neither Yorha or Ornest heard him.

As they were concentrating with every nerve in their body, any unnecessary noise did not reach them.

“…!!”

The monster let out an indescribable roar.

The ground shook. Its right leg gouged out the floor as it moved forward. Claws flashed.

But with thunderous waves of rage and murderous intent in front of him…

“…Heh.”

Ornest chuckled quietly.

Then the corner of his mouth lifted a little.

“Even when I am standing in front of you like this, you don’t care at all. I think you may be underestimating me.”

The monster was not looking at Ornest.

Its attacks were still headed towards Loki.

Its anger, howling and attacks.

Loki was still the target of all of it.

It was not a nice feeling for someone as proud as Ornest. However, he did not become angry.

Probably, it was because he understood quite well what was happening. The monster did not recognize him as a significant threat.

And since Ornest was someone who thought in a similar way, he knew that there was no point in arguing. Likewise, there was no point in getting angry.

At the same time, he also knew pride would sometimes come before the fall. And so…

“Just so you know. The price of such a mistake can be costly.”

Ornest probably said this in order to burn this memory more vividly into his mind.

He was like that.

“Haa…”

In the meantime, I exhaled and inspected my own condition.

Organized everything in my head. And returned to zero once.

When my mind was clear, I focused only on what I must do. My hearing was working fine. But nothing would enter my head.

I hadn’t felt this sensation in four years.

The Ornest that I knew would…

…He would without a doubt, do what was required of him. He said it would be easy. And so I had to do my part.

It wasn’t logical.

Trust was a vague thing, that you had no way to prove. And yet with it, we helped each other and defeated enemies.

That was a party.

In general, you could not push all of the responsibility onto one person, or act on your own.

Everyone had to think of the other party members, understand them, and act based on that.

We had to have each other’s backs.

It was an iron rule, even if on the surface, we did not get along.

And so…

“Acceleration.”

First, I abandoned my defenses.

Abandon the option to run away during an emergency. Get rid of the level-headedness to consider doing that, and put everything into making the most of this one chance that had come.

If Ornest could not stop it, then the monster’s attacks would go to Loki. And if that happened, I would not get out of this unharmed.

But what of it?

Ding. Ding. Ding. The magic circles rang as they were drawn in the air, smooth and briskly.

With my right palm in the air, I made preparations.

They were all different in size.

However, as if knowing no limit, the large magic circles appeared in front of Ornest, faster and faster.

Quantity over quality.

Against large targets, numbers were everything.

“…Huh? Huh? What? I didn’t recognize that one, so I thought it was some temporary party, but… Is this Lasting Period. Fully reunited at last?”

I could make more.

More and more. And so…

…Draw. Draw, draw, draw.

Continue to activate magic circles to the limit.

If I wanted to take it by surprise, this was the best opportunity.

And so… More, more, more…

“You have twenty activated now. And even more are coming. Perhaps we can deal a lethal wound now. Ah, I really am lucky today. Even if this is the weaker floor boss’s other half, we should be able to do this.”

Eventually, as if to block the magic circles being drawn, Ornest appeared in my vision.

The black spear thrust out vigorously in order to intercept the claws.

And as the two sides crashed into each other, the air seemed to shake. And then a moment, the sounds of the impact assaulted my eardrums.

“Ka-ahahahaha!! You’re a heavy one, aren’t you!?”

According to the laws of nature, the enemy was hundreds of times larger than Ornest. And so it should be impossible to match it in strength.

Even I would not deny that.

However, that was if we were only talking about Ornest’s power. But right now, Ornest was currently enhanced with the power of one of the best support magicians.

And so…

“How…ever! I told you, didn’t i!? That you were underestimating me!!”

Cracks appeared in the ground, and at the same time, it began to sink.

But he still wasn’t being pushed.

If anything, in spite of having such overwhelming mass in front of him, he was starting to push back.

And…

“AARRRGHHHHH!!!”

As he shouted as if to rouse himself, the monster, which was so much larger than him, started to lift off of the ground.

…It was too easy.

He had not been lying when he said that.

“…Underestimating me is what will cause your downfall. You can regret it while you die.”

The monster had an expression of astonishment as it was pushed back.

Not only that, but behind it, the preparations for its demise had been completed.

Nearly thirty magic circles.

That was my current limit. But I was ready.

There was only one thing left to do.

Say the final word to activate the magic.

Now, eat this. Thunder attacks from every direction. It’s your time to die, monster…

“Kill it, Alec!!”

“…Thunderbolt…!!”