Matchup
"You... Who the hell are you?!"
"Where did you come from?!"
The dark cultists openly displayed their shock at my sudden appearance. I glanced toward Deborah.
Good job.
What? It wasn't even that hard.
Deborah responded to the praise with humble modesty. Despite the cheerful voice ringing in my head, she was currently clutching the illusion-covered mannequin and trembling with anxiety. The tear stains still visible beneath her eyes looked painfully real.
She's got a real talent for acting.
When I'd first asked her to do this, she'd been so awkward that I worried she might get caught. Turned out that was a needless concern. If anything, I'd have to be careful not to fall for her performance myself later.
While I was warily observing Deborah, the cultists exchanged quick glances and charged at me all at once.
"Die!"
"I'll hack your limbs to pieces!"
With no orders to take me alive, their attacks were vicious. My response to the onslaught aimed at every part of my body was simple: I ignored everything that wasn't a vital point.
Slash slash slash!
The cultists' blades carved through my skin, drawing gushes of blood. But before the pain could even reach my brain, rising flames regenerated the wounds. All I registered was the fleeting sensation of being cut.
In that brief window, I struck back, driving a fist into every opening they left behind.
Boom! Kaboom!
It didn't sound like flesh striking flesh. It sounded like bombs detonating. Condensed flames of destruction exploded on impact, incinerating not only their bodies but the demonic energy within them, inflicting agony beyond anything imaginable.
"AAAAAAGH!"
"URRRGH!"
They collapsed screaming, only to be completely consumed by the flames that spread across their bodies and erased them from existence.
When their comrades vanished without leaving so much as a trace, the remaining cultists faltered and backed away.
"W-what the hell is this?!"
"Damn it! It even burns away demonic energy?"
"Who the hell are you? Why are you interfering with us?!"
It was utterly disgusting. These bastards who had been happily slaughtering people now clung desperately to their own lives.
I didn't bother exchanging words. I simply swept them away. It took me all of three minutes to eliminate every last cultist.
After taking a deep breath and checking my physical condition, I turned to Deborah.
"Go on."
"Pardon?"
"That man. Doesn't he need healing? The cult should be able to treat him. I'll help your friends, so don't worry."
"Ah! Y-yes! Then I'll leave it to you!"
Illusion magic consumed a great deal of mana. Not knowing when the illusion on the mannequin might fade, Deborah kept her reply short. She simply bowed and hurried down the stairs.
Once Deborah made it outside the clock tower, the plan would be a success. Since I had appeared, Ethan would have no reason to keep spying on her, which meant the mannequin would remain undiscovered.
Now that they knew both Luan and I could exist simultaneously, there would be no further suspicion.
Good. That's one problem solved.
All that remained was helping Abel's group.
BOOOOM!
The collision between shield and fist sent a thunderous roar echoing across the area. Unable to withstand the tremendous impact, Abel was blasted backward, sliding a long distance across the ground. His legs shook violently, as if they might give out at any second.
His opponent didn't seem satisfied.
"Is that all? Put in a little more effort."
Red-streaked hair and vertically slit crimson pupils. The perky round ears and long tail revealed he was a tiger beastman. Battle maniac Krark. Assigned to guard Baltar, he was single-handedly handling the entire assault from Abel's party.
Slash!
While Abel drew his attention, Alissa and Pernia seized the opening and charged from his blind spots. Rapier and dagger swung at the same time, cutting off escape routes before flying in. It was an attack that forced you to eat one strike even if you dodged the other.
Krark boldly caught the dagger on his arm and swatted the rapier aside.
Clang!
"Ugh!"
Alissa twisted her blade at the last moment to deflect the fist, but the overwhelming power still sent her flying backward. The instant her dagger sank into the beastman's forearm, Pernia released it without hesitation and retreated.
Krark irritably yanked the blade free and hurled it to the ground.
"How long are you planning to fight like this? Let's have a proper bloodbath!"
The forearm he had roared with slowly healed. The Bloodline Ceremony—the ancient privilege of beastmen—granted Krark infinite regeneration. Every attack they had landed so far hadn't left a single lasting mark.
In some ways, he was even more annoying than Shakra. At least Shakra had let her guard down, and a battle of attrition might have offered a slim chance. But if they couldn't produce enough firepower to overwhelm Krark, Abel's party would eventually exhaust themselves and fall first.
Alissa bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
As expected, I'm still too weak.
After endless training she could now wield sword energy freely, yet she couldn't resolve even one of the crises right in front of her. At this rate, she had no idea when she would ever be able to repay her debt to Hyun.
It was then that a voice cut through the chaos.
"Krark. Finish it quickly."
From the observatory overlooking the entire academy, Baltar—who had been focused on completing his magic circle—urged his subordinate. A thorough planner, he despised it when his predictions went off track.
Krark wasn't under Baltar's direct command, but he couldn't disobey someone of higher rank.
"Well, I was getting bored anyway. Doesn't matter. Time to die!"
His fist slammed into the shield.
KABOOOM!
"AAAGH!"
Abel, who had barely been holding on, screamed as he tumbled across the ground. Crimson energy now blazed around Krark's fist. The difference between energy condensed to its absolute limit and energy merely wrapped around the fist was like night and day. There was no way Abel could endure it.
"The mage first."
Krark locked his gaze on Yuni, who had been relentlessly hurling flame spears. It wasn't simply because she was annoying. It was an unconscious attempt to vent the frustration he'd built up while guarding Baltar. After all, they were both flame mages.
Naturally, Abel wasn't about to stand by and watch.
"I won't let you pass! If you want to kill Yuni, you'll have to kill me first!"
"Oh...? Those eyes are finally useful. Then try to protect her!"
Krark's fist struck again.
BOOOOM!
The shield, already dented with a fist-shaped crater, crumpled even more horribly. Yet this time Abel somehow managed to disperse the impact. He stayed on his feet. The sight brought a savage grin to Krark's face.
"Kahahaha! Let's see how long you last!"
Bang! Boom! Kaboom!
The fists rained down relentlessly. The shield gradually lost its original shape. The burden on Abel grew heavier with every strike. The rest of the party tried to restrain Krark, but they were sent flying with single blows. Only Abel, fully committed to defense, could withstand even a fraction of that power.
In truth, Krark could have easily broken through Abel's guard and exploited the openings. Instead, he stubbornly insisted on frontal attacks.
Finally, Abel reached his limit.
Bang!
"URGH!"
After sliding across the ground, Abel collapsed to one knee, coughing up blood. The repeated impacts had wrecked his internal organs. The shield in his hands was now nothing but twisted scrap.
"Is it over? If you can't stand, I'll kill the mage."
"Ugh...!"
Abel staggered upright with sheer willpower. He looked so unsteady that even an ordinary person could have knocked him down with a light tap.
Yuni stepped forward.
"A-Abel! Stop! It's okay. I'm fine—"
"Stay back! I'll block him. I'll protect you. So just stay there."
Abel's voice carried absolute conviction. The determination not to let the enemy pass, the resolve to protect her even at the cost of his own life, rooted Yuni in place.
Krark met that conviction and smiled with satisfaction.
"Good. That's the spirit. Now this is the end. Take this and I'll spare the mage! Tiger King Fist!"
Having made a promise he had no intention of keeping, Krark unleashed his secret technique. His mana surged upward, forming the shape of a tiger's maw. The majestic fist distorted the very air as it hurtled forward.
Before that overwhelming power, Abel looked tiny.
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Yet he didn't flinch. He poured every ounce of concentration into his shield and thrust it forward. In that instant, he became one with it. Accompanied by a flash of enlightenment, a second enormous mana shield overlaid the first, completely protecting the front.
A shield born from a lifetime of conviction collided with the fist.
KABOOOOOOM!
A massive shockwave erupted with the deafening roar. When the aftershock finally cleared, Abel lay collapsed. Not only his shield but his entire left arm had been shattered.
"ABEEEEEL!"
Yuni rushed forward and wrapped herself around him. She examined his wounds, then frantically pulled out a potion and began treatment.
Krark slowly approached the pair. The rest of the party, who had been quietly recovering their strength, exchanged glances and stepped forward.
"You won't lay a finger on Abel, you bastard!"
"That's right, nyang! We won't let you, nyang!"
"Take us down first!"
Krark smirked at their determined eyes and raised his fist.
"Admirable spirit, but you lot can't stop me!"
A brief but fierce battle followed. Yas and Alissa took turns receiving the attacks while Pernia controlled a swarm of daggers to provide support and look for openings. They fought valiantly, but it still wasn't enough.
First Yas and then Alissa were incapacitated. Alone now, Pernia summoned Silape and unleashed a tornado.
"Kahahaha! Not bad!"
The tornado did deal noticeable damage, but the mana cost was too severe. It vanished before it could finish the job. Even the wounds Krark suffered were quickly healed by his regeneration. There was no hope left.
In the end, even Pernia was struck down by a single blow.
Krark stepped past the fallen party and approached Abel.
"Sorry for the wait. It was a satisfying fight. I'll send you off without pain."
Showing a modicum of respect, Krark concentrated every ounce of his mana into his fist.
Vrrrr!
The energy condensed even further. He intended to focus all that destructive power into a single point and instantly stop Abel's heart.
Yuni stared at the blazing red energy with terror-filled eyes, yet she spread her arms wide to shield Abel.
"You can't kill Abel."
"Move. If you keep interfering, I'll kill you both."
"Then do it! I have no intention of surviving alone!"
"Hmm... Is that how it is? Then it can't be helped. Die."
Krark's death sentence fell.
As the fist drew closer, Yuni tightened her arms around Abel.
Someone... please help us.
She prayed with all her heart. She didn't care who—just let someone appear and stop this monster. She knew how unlikely it was for anyone to arrive at the top of this isolated clock tower, yet she still clung to the hope of a miracle.
And someone answered that prayer.
"Stop."
A quiet voice, yet clearer than anything else. The undeniable presence made everyone instinctively listen. In that instant—
KABOOOM!
A whirlwind of flames swept across the ground and blasted Krark away.
At the center of the blast stood a man. He wore a familiar mask. Silver hair. Golden eyes.
"H-Hyun!"
Alissa, the first to regain her senses, cried out with renewed hope.