The magical girl does not stop.
“Ice! Flames!”
With each removal of the bindings, her movements became smoother, and the ferocity of her attacks increased.
She began to evade our attacks and even started retaliating, shooting down my magic.
Though I wasn’t hit directly, I received a few hits I couldn’t avoid, resulting in my hood being blown off thanks to that.
Had I not reinforced myself, I might have been struck directly on the head without time to dodge.
(How are the others doing?)
“A lonely bird looks up at the sky and sings joyfully. The snake crawling on the ground is drawn to the song and dances.”
I continued chanting while sharply ascending to avoid the incoming cannonballs that had scattered into shrapnel.
“Things are coming together nicely. It’s good that Dendrobium, like Haruna, is a magical girl who can use magic.”
I see. It seems helping was worthwhile.
It’s better if there are no meddlers.
This battle belongs to me alone.
I have no intention of leaving this fight to others or accepting their help.
“Still, the sun shines as if scorching the earth.”
Columns of earth rose from the ground, slowing Mastidizaya’s movements.
Then, a heat ray descended from the sky onto Mastidizaya.
“The bindings are off. All that remains is the head.”
So, my left arm is now also unrestricted…
Just then,
Something came flying through, distorting space.
I dodged to the right by instinct, but my left arm fell off from my body.
(Fast!)
“That was a slash aimed at your left arm. Unlike the cannonballs, it’s hard to detect, so you just have to watch the movement of the arms.”
I don’t think I have the luxury of observing like that…
“Heal.”
I regenerated the arm and moved it lightly.
I ended up wasting blood unnecessarily.
“She’s charging in! Once she could use her sword, she immediately went for close combat… There’s nothing we can do but keep her at bay while maintaining distance.”
Shit! Now that she can use a sword, she’s rushing in… We can only restrain her and try to maintain distance.
“All that remains is the head, but what a headache that is.”
At first, her attacks were only cannonballs, but they’ve evolved into lasers and scatter shots. Her attack motions, which were slow at first, are now nearly impossible to follow with the eye.
As if enjoying the battle, she gradually grows stronger.
Totally absurd monster.
(Remaining magic power is about 40%… Do I think I can win?)
“…If I continue fighting like this, after the face bindings are removed, I might be completely helpless.”
—You’re unusually pessimistic.
There won’t be any miracles like with M·D·W.
Moreover, converting my soul into magic power may have unpredictable consequences in reality.
If I trust the witch’s words, I should take the situation as seriously as the real world.
I don’t want to lose to a monster that isn’t even the witch’s subordinate…
“Burn everything immutable into eternal flames!”
I fired a heat ray from above, but a beam shot from her right arm nullified it.
The magic I scattered was dispersed with a single swing of her sword, and the moderate spells I cast were similarly countered by artillery fire.
The quickest options would be to use “Heavenly Strike” or “Tears of the White World,” but these consume a lot of magic power.
And since they take some time to execute, I’d just become an easy target in my current state.
Damn it, let’s buy some time.
“Breath of life, come to an end.”
From the scattered magic, I extracted ice and created a large block of it above Mastidizaya.
It’s the smallest scale yet, but that’s because I shortened the incantation. Still, this should buy some time.
The ice block fell, attempting to crush Mastidizaya. Though destroyed by sword strikes and artillery, fragments of ice rained down, causing Mastidizaya to crash to the ground.
Now I’m left with 35% magic power. If I convert my soul, that would add roughly 80% more.
(Is there any way to win?)
“My abilities would give us options if I could use them fully, but currently… If only something could work…”
At that moment, a beam shot out from within the ice and swept across.
I barely managed to defend with my staff infused with magic, but I was still blown away. Using my wings to soften the impact consumed quite a bit of magic power.
As always, the fuel efficiency of defensive magic other than attacks is terrible.
After bouncing several times on the ground, I stopped by thrusting my staff into the ground.
My whole body hurts like hell… My bones are pretty messed up too.
Forcing my aching body to rise, I looked toward where I was blown.
I need to hurry and heal before going back… Ah, despite the pain and difficulty, it’s becoming fun.
“Goddess’s breath, heal me.”
(How far did I get blown?)
“About three kilometers… Ah, look around you.”
When prompted by Aqua, I looked around and saw Dendrobium and a few other magical girls nearby.
What bad timing, or rather, bad luck…
I’d prefer to pretend I didn’t see them…
“Wait!”
Well, the shopkeeper wouldn’t allow such an option, huh?
“What is it?”
“Are you alright? You’re bleeding so much…”
Dendrobium looked worried, but I have no time for that.
I’ve already consumed more magic power from the previous defense and healing.
“I’m fine. Excuse me.”
“Wait! Is this really okay?! You’re fighting alone… We too…”
“You’d just be in the way. Haven’t you heard from Dendrobium?”
If that earlier encounter was lower S-rank, this one must be near the bottom of SS-rank now.
These people would just die without accomplishing anything.
Wiping the blood flowing from my head, I faintly saw Mastidizaya hovering ahead with her wings spread wide, as if waiting for me to come.
“Still, you’re bleeding so much, you’re about to collapse!”
Well, I’m indeed feeling a bit dizzy from all the blood loss, but since I mainly rely on magic and control my movement with wings, it’s not a problem.
“If you want to help me, please stay together and keep your distance. That’s enough.”
I only have about 20% magic power left… There’s nothing else to do but push forward.
“Why… Why can’t we do anything when we’re all magical girls…”
Ah, wasn’t her name Orlantan?
It’s understandable for newcomers… Not everyone can easily grow strong like Marin.
I… We have to fight.
We want to fight.
“Get stronger from here on out. This monster is enough for me alone. I will definitely defeat it.”
“Inny Flowering… I’m sorry…”
There’s nothing more to say. I don’t know how long she’ll wait for me, so I should move sooner rather than later.
Spreading my wings, I took to the air.
Though I wasted some time, I was able to rest a little.
“Good job. That’s what a contractor should be. Your motives may be impure, but your determination is truly admirable.”
—Fool.
The voice reached me from my staff. What is it now?
(Something you need?)
“Noticing you guys can’t do anything, I thought I’d step in to help.”
“Keh, even if we couldn’t do anything, I don’t need Fool’s help…”
“You can’t do anything, right? With your passes cut and unable to fully use your abilities, are you just going to sit there and watch the contractor die? Like last time?”
“You… How dare you say that!”
This tension is unnecessary. If they want to fight, they should do it elsewhere.
(Akuma. It’s better to increase the chances of winning, no matter how much you dislike it. Listen to what he has to say.)
“I understand, but…”
“Well, I don’t intend to hand over my powers for free. For a contractor who is possibly my last and only magical girl, I believe an appropriate trial is necessary.”
“You always joke around… If you’re just here to interfere, go home!”
A trial, huh? Given my current state, it doesn’t sound promising, but am I alright with this?
Akuma doesn’t seem eager to listen to Fool either…
“Well, it comes down to Akuma’s decision this time.”
“Me?”
“In your current state, you’ll lose and die. So, let me take the contractor. I can fully use my abilities, and I can surely defeat that thing too.”
Fool… Regardless of his number or meaning, he must be connected to NigoShiro.
I don’t know what these “passes” are, but from what I hear, they seem necessary for Akuma and Fool to use magic or abilities.
It’s appreciated that the odds of winning improve, but it’s irksome.
“Will you really win…?”
“My abilities are well-known to Akuma, right? Besides, with this contractor, increasing available magic power alone might be enough to turn things around.”
“I understand… If Haruna can survive…”
(Such a foolish proposal, don’t accept it. My partner is Akuma, and no one else. Moreover, it’s not decided that we can’t win, is it?)
“Haruna”
Don’t make such pitiful sounds. We’re bound together and will remain so forever. There’s no one else besides Akuma.
I have no intention of accepting such a ridiculous offer.
“Ho ho ho. What a fine contractor… Excellent. Truly excellent. Akuma, claim it! All of it!”
“Wh-what? This can’t be! Fool!”
A dazzling light emerged from the staff and entered me.
“I’ve found a good contractor. I’m done for, but I leave the rest to you.”
“What… Fool, you were my comrade! How could this be your…”
The light faded, and Fool’s voice disappeared from the staff.
What happened?
“With the pass connected… And Fool’s abilities too. This should be enough… But still…”
(What exactly happened?)
“Fool transferred all his abilities to me. Sacrificing his own life…”
I see. He transferred his abilities and disappeared.
Despite disliking him, he was one of the few of his kind. His death isn’t something to rejoice about.
Fool’s demise aside, the death of a complete stranger means nothing to me.
However, I won’t waste the resolve or abilities he left behind.
(Akuma. There’s no time to mourn now. Let’s defeat Mastidizaya first.)
“I know that without being told! I’ll master and optimize the abilities, so hold on for five minutes. Then, I’ll show Haruna the full potential of both Akuma and Fool.”
What a grand statement. Five minutes, huh? Fine. In that time, I’ll destroy the head bindings.
(Fine. But even if I break the head bindings during that time, it’s fine, right?)
“Break them, but don’t get killed by the unleashed Mastidizaya. I’ll be quiet for a bit, so count on me.”
(Understood.)
When Mastidizaya noticed me, she started moving, about 100 meters away.
Preparing in about three minutes and chanting for one minute should leave me with some residual magic power to break her bindings.
Every time, the opponent’s strength is absurd, but it seems my luck has finally turned.
I don’t know what kind of abilities Fool had, but if it makes me stronger, anything goes.
“The jester laughs and dances merrily.”
I created several illusions of myself to confuse the enemy.
Then, I scattered fire and ice magic and diffused my magic power around using wind magic.
Come on, let’s dance until time runs out.
