Jujutsushi Wa Yuusha Ni Narenai

「ASUNA, RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!」

But I knew that even if I shouted like tha Asuna wouldn't move fast enough to get away from the range of attack.

The breath was strong enough to evaporate everything that got hit directly by it.

Asuna would die for sure if she received a direct hit from that blazing red vortex. It wouldn't even take 10 seconds till the attack was unleashed.

And the current me wasn't strong enough to save her either.

「UWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」

But I still ran.

I invoked both 『Grand Walker』 and 『Ground Shrink』 , I ran with my full power toward Asuna until it felt like the muscles of my legs were about to be torn.

I barely arrived in time, but I had no way to cope with this situation.

Even his defense magic wouldn't last more than three seconds before a breath attack.

Perhaps I should take Asuna out of the range―― No, that was impossible.

Yamata no Orochi's breath had a big range. It had a vast range of attacks, but it could be dodged since it didn't have the precise aim… But the head was clearly aiming at Asuna.

This attack wouldn't miss its target for sure. Unavoidable attack.

My sixth sense warned me that I wouldn't survive an attack of that scale.

The sixth sense that had been sharpened by the training of Souma style ever since my childhood, and boosted by my 『Hero』 vocation, told me of my own certain demise if I took such attack head-on.

That's why it kept ringing non-stop in my head, warned me unceasingly as I charged toward the unavoidable deadly breath attack.

It kept telling me that was dangerous. And I'm going to die.

I had no way to block the breath attack. I would die. My current action of jumping in front of a breath attack was akin to suicide.

Whether I made it in time or not, Asuna would die for sure.

Asuna would die, and I would be killed in the most stupid way too, without a corpse. Nothing would be left―― I wouldn't be able to protect anything.

「But still――」

I couldn't abandon my comrade even if I knew that I couldn't save them in time.

Kenzaki Asuna was my friend, maybe more than just a friend.

I wouldn't let her die, not under my watch.

That's why please make it in time.

Even if a certain death was approaching, Asuna was still alive right now.

When I found Reina, she was already dead.

I couldn't protect Reina. I couldn't be there for her, to protect her when she died… Even though she was my cherished childhood friend.

But not this time!

「――I'll protect you for sure this time!」

I ran.

The breath had already been fired, and the gigantic red vortex of magical power was fast approaching.

As if to serve as a last warning―― Another step and you're dead.

What should I do?

「ASUNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!」

He reached out with his left hand toward her―― And that hand shone with a brilliant silvery light.

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

There was a blinding light before me. And the thunderous sound prevented me from hearing anything.

My body shook, and I lost sensation.

Did I get blown away, standing in my place, or become dust?

But I should've arrived at Asuna's place, to protect her――

「I am―― Still alive.」

「S-Souma, you…」

Alive. We are alive, for some reason.

Asuna was quite surprised, but I guess the same went for me.

「… What's this shield?」

「UWOOOOOO, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS!?」

I only noticed after hearing Asuna's exclamation.

There was something like a shining silver shield attached to my left arm.

Second Unique Skill.

『Seraphic Aegis(Star Shield of Heaven)』: Hero shield, within sealed the divine protection of star that protects the heaven.

Explanations flowed into my brain as usual. This shield was the newly awakened power of the hero.

「It's a unique skill that should be on the same level as 『Cross Calibur』」

The name of my first unique skill was 『Cross Calibur』. Skill other than that was classified as acquired skill and growth skill. And the name of my second unique skill was 『Seraphic Aegis』.

No matter how I looked at it, this was clearly different from your average skill, this was the exclusive skill of the hero.

「This shield can block breath, eh.」

「Such powerful defensive power… But when did you learn such an amazing skill?」

「Maybe it was invoked right before the breath hit us.」

「What? So you're jumping in without thinking about anything!?」

Asuna was completely flabbergasted as if she had just seen the most idiotic creature. Unfortunately, she was right on the money.

「M-My body just won't move on its' own…」

「YOU FOOL! AIN'T THAT JUST PLAIN SUICIDE!」

「But I couldn't abandon you. All I thought was I wanted to protect Asuna back then.」

「Wha-What are you talking about? Now isn't the time to say something like that…」

Asuna turned away bashfully as if she could feel my honest feelings. Maybe it was just my imagination that her cheeks were flushed due to the light that was flashing around us.

「I agree that I did something really stupid, but I have no regrets. And that stupidity saved Asuna.」

「Ah, right. You really saved my life this time. Thank you very much, Souma… I'll return this debt of gratitude…」

「That matter aside, I got the power to resist its breath. This is the chance to commence a counterattack. Can you stand, Asuna?」

「O-Of course! It's thanks to you that I'm unscathed.」

「Great, let's go――」

====

「――This is bad.」

I was hit by a sense of despair since the melting rate was much slower than I expected.

I knew that Mei-chan was fighting a desperate defensive battle right above this well. The gargoyles seemed to have managed to break the wall and enter the fortress.

They wouldn't be able to fight for too long.

I was saved, but since the shell didn't melt that easily, we ended up in a pretty precarious situation.

「Dammit, I'll be screwed for sure if we fail.」

I was responsible for the distribution of the personnel for this plan. I wouldn't have any excuse left if we failed here.

I might be burned on stake like that of witch trial, or shaman's trial in my case.

「Dammit, for me to be so mentally pressured like this is just…」

I single-mindedly focused my attention on 『Rotten Bog』 while pressured by anxiety and impatience.

I could create a deep and extremely powerful bog thanks to the best offering―― But even with that, it would still take a lot of time to melt Yamata No Orochi's shell.

I'd been on the three meters mark, which made me wonder just how many meters were left to dig.

「If it's as thick as bedrock, then I won't be able to finish this until the evening.」

This was a critical moment where every second counted, and yet I could still talk carefreely like this.

But there was really no other way but to use 『Rotten Bog』 to drill Orochi's shell.

Maybe it was my fault for not melting it fast enough. Or everyone's fault for not being able to buy more time. Or the fault of this damn shell for being so thick.

I even started to think about who should be responsible for this.

Man, I must be really cornered by anxiety this time.

「All that is left is how much time the people above can buy for me.」

I've said again and again that there is no going back, but depending on the situation, we would face total annihilation if we didn't retreat when we needed to.

I shifted my attention a bit to see the situation on the eastern battlefield where the five heads were suppressed.

「….」

My offshoot woke up, peeping from the trench to see the situation on the battlefield.

After I started my part of the excavation job, I turned off the control with this offshoot to focus on my job… But the situation on the battlefield was the same as before.

At a glance, all was well and there were no casualties. Everyone was doing their best in their aforementioned position.

But they were surely starting to get pushed back. Orochi's head didn't have to worry about their stamina.

Just as I had expected, the balance tipped against us since the last time I saw the situation on the battlefield.

===

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