NOVEL NEXT Chapter 57
“Aswel.”
He really came.
I couldn’t believe it until I fiddled with his messy black hair, realizing it was reality.
“How… are you here?”
He should still have been far away finishing up his quest.
Why is he here?
Then Aswel gave an answer I never expected.
“Night Lux… came all the way to the village I was at alone.”
“What?”
“He came alone without you, so I thought something happened and came right away. Thanks to that guy.”
Wait, Lux brought Aswel here?
I definitely told Lux about it, but I never thought he would actually deliver.
Can a mere animal understand human speech? Not just any command, but a specific request to bring a distant person here?
‘Lux, what the heck are you…?’
I had a rough idea that he was an extraordinary child, but I didn’t expect it to this extent.
After this battle, I’d have to give him special carrots like crazy.
“Aswel! No!”
At Serelin’s shout, I looked up to see the shattered space closing.
Aswel quickly placed his hand on my waist and tried to jump, but Behiraja’s recovery speed was even faster.
‘Ugh.’
“Ha… Sorry, Rui. I should’ve acted faster.”
“Oh, no.”
I hastily replied, unable to shake off Aswel’s hand on my waist.
Just saving me was enough; I couldn’t accept an apology here.
“Then let’s find a way out.”
“……Yes.”
Just a moment ago, when I was alone, I couldn’t see any way out.
But now that Aswel was with me, I felt certain we would find a way out of here.
‘… The mana of the stars is seeping in a little.’
During the brief moment Aswel split Behiraja, I reconnected with the Ultimate Star-spear.
So, I tried to store as much mana in my body as quickly as possible, but it was still a struggle to chant spells freely like before.
But it was okay.
“Rui.”
“……Yes?”
“This space is really just like that monster’s belly, right?”
“That’s right…?”
“Then can’t we split the sky like we did outside?”
“……We would know if we tried, right? But rather than splitting the sky, it’s this way.”
I took Aswel’s hand and pointed towards the horizon.
“It’s easier to go out this way. If it’s the belly, this should split too.”
“That’s true. You’re really smart, Rui.”
Thump.
Moments later, Aswel’s holy sword shone and split the space in half.
Kaang-!
But with a rough sound, there was only a slight scratch, and no hole large enough for both of us to escape was made.
“It seems like just a little more would do…”
But astonishingly, Aswel judged it was possible, even saying he had a trickle of strength left.
Just a bit of mana left.
If I use that to assist Aswel, perhaps it could work.
‘But… that would cause an instant mana depletion.’
If that happened, I wouldn’t be able to move alone to get mana from the Ultimate Star-spear.
“Aswel.”
“Hm?”
“I have a way. I’ll use my remaining mana to enhance you. But if I do that, I won’t be able to walk by myself.”
“I’ll carry you.”
“……”
Thump.
I nodded while avoiding Aswel’s gaze.
Then I activated the Master Key and cast a supportive spell on him.
“Heh…”
In an instant, a wave of fatigue washed over me, sapping all my strength.
Then Aswel grabbed my shoulder for support and hoisted me onto his back.
“Try to endure even if it’s a bit uncomfortable.”
Aswel said that, yet I felt no discomfort at all.
In fact, it was so comfortable I unconsciously rested my head against him.
“Light Ray, Radiance, Ernal.”
As Aswel softly recited the incantation, his holy sword shone brightly again.
And as he swung the sword while under the effect of the supportive spell, a different sound echoed compared to before.
Zzzt-!
—-!!
At that moment, the very fabric of space shook and the roar of Behiraja echoed.
“Let’s go!”
Upon Aswel’s words, I held onto him tighter, pressing myself fully against him.
Determining that I was secure, Aswel leaped into the shattered space, and soon I felt the stars’ mana swirling around my body.
“Rui, we made it out! Just like you said!”
Clearly, it was his suggestion, so why was he thanking me?
Well, it didn’t really matter now.
“Rui!”
“Rui!”
“Hey!! I missed you!!”
“Sister!!”
Thanks to this, we crossed over to this place again.
I waved at the four people welcoming me while being carried by Aswel.
And just as the mana depletion began to fade, I reluctantly got off his back and checked my physical condition.
‘I can still fight.’
That was enough.
“Hero!! How dare you harm Behir’s body!!!”
“Everyone! Now that Rui is safe, the real fight begins!”
“Let’s go!!”
The Hero’s promise and Rapirie’s voice ignited a passionate resolve in Serelin, Ariya, and Nia, and even me, filled with confidence like never before.
The entire hero party was gathered.
*
Aaaahhh!!
“Ugh!! What is that sound?!”
“Everyone, cover your ears!!”
The furious roar of Merkadi echoed across the area.
It was so powerful that the thick dust cloud dissipated in an instant, making us sway on our feet.
“Beh… Beh…! How dare you touch Behir!!”
Behiraja was continually regenerating itself despite the Hero’s two decisive strikes.
But perhaps considering that pitiful sight, Merkadi slammed her fist onto the ground in rage.
Boom-!!
“Ariya! Come here!”
“Aswel! Take care of Rui!! Nia, hold on tight!”
“Yes, four!!”
In an instant, Rapirie took Ariya, Serelin took Nia, and Aswel took me, making a great leap.
The ground shook as the place we were just in was completely obliterated.
I swiftly conveyed our detailed strategy to the party.
“We need to split into three teams. Each team will take care of Merkadi, Behiraja, and the baby bugs of Behiraja.”
Kaang-!
“How should we split up?”
“Aswel, Lady Ariya, and Lady Serelin will handle Merkadi, while Nia and I will take on Behiraja.”
“Huh? But what about me?”
I spoke calmly to Nia, whose eyes were filled with panic.
“You will have to handle the baby bugs by yourself.”
“B-but!”
“You need to take them out first so we can have an easier fight. You can do this.”
Because we’re a hero party.
At my words, Nia’s anxious eyes shone with determination.
“Leave it to me!”
“The three of you, your goal is not to kill but to survive. Merkadi is known as the Blood Golden Duke, so we can’t kill it easily.”
“Got it.”
“Lady Rapirie, we need to find a weakness in Behiraja.”
“Understood.”
Boom…
With the thunderous sound of Behiraja’s attack, the party split.
The first attack was Nia’s.
Fwoosh.
Flames erupted from her hands, growing into a massive inferno that engulfed the surrounding ground.
‘She has grown a lot.’
Her experiences in the Smithy and consistent training had brought Nia from being unable to control her magic to this level.
Thanks to that, we could strategize even against the overwhelming force of the Blood Golden Duke.
“The large bugs will be quite tough. Normal flames won’t do anything.”
The smaller or human-sized ones turned to ashes or burned parts of their body.
But the eight bugs the size of buildings were still moving around without a scratch.
At that moment, Nia, struggling, suddenly spoke.
“Sister! You mentioned Meteor magic before! If I throw a fiery rock, that’s my Meteor spell!”
Why is she bringing this up all of a sudden?
In the next instant, Nia started to pull something up with trembling hands.
“Ahhhh!!”
It was a long metal structure engulfed in flames.
“Then this would be a spear of fire!!”
Just as Nia said.
The flames wrapped around the metal structure made it look like a spear of fire, with enough size and power to kill a bug.
The spear Nia created flew toward the bugs and pierced through their armor, burning them to death.
“Lady Rapirie, could you please observe Behiraja from atop that building? I’ll distract it.”
“Leave it to me!”
With Rapirie quickly climbing atop a building, Behiraja became fixated on her, and I used the Master Key to shoot a simple spell, drawing its attention.
—-!!!
“There’s something inside its mouth!”
At her words, I finally recalled.
It was the eye inside its mouth.
“That’s its weak spot. Can you shoot it?”
“I can do it since I have my gloves! And above all… I’ve grown too!”
As she said, she nocked an arrow on her bowstring.
Boom boom boom!!
At that moment, a massive storm, more powerful than amplified wind, began to form around her bow.
Boom!
With a sound like a cannon firing, the arrow flew.
Behiraja tried to close its mouth, but the arrow struck its eye even faster.
—-!!
Behiraja fell with a howling scream.
“Behii!!!”
Merkadi’s scream echoed.
And at that moment, the three members of the hero party tried to restrain her, but they couldn’t stop her, laden with anger and sorrow.
“Beh, Behii!! Pull yourself together…!”
Taking advantage of Merkadi’s wailing, the assembled party maintained their vigilance, preparing to kill her.
Then, the crying Merkadi suddenly quieted down.
The air settled.