The Weight of Sacrifice
"Elin, you need to get out of here."
"What are you talking about, Vern! If that's the case, I'll carry Ron and you can take Lloyd!"
"Elin, you already know it, don't you? We can't possibly shake off a chimera while dragging these two along."
"V-Vern..."
I couldn't take Lloyd, who was bigger than me. No matter how incomplete this chimera was, at its core it was still a chimera. There was no way we could outrun it on this steep, uneven path. If Lloyd and Ron had woken up, things might have been different, but they still hadn't regained consciousness from their injuries and the exhaustion of the practical training. For now, I'd covered them with as much dirt as possible to mask their scent, but it was only a matter of time before that failed. That meant I had to stay behind and protect the two who had collapsed.
"So Elin, hurry and follow those others."
"No... I don't want to! Then Vern will be in danger!"
I understood how she felt, but staying here like this was even more dangerous. I had to protect Ron and Lloyd lying over there, and you too. Elin, even though we only met today, you're a good person. Despite being heavily injured, you didn't complain once and did everything I asked. You held on so well. That's exactly why I have to send you away.
"Elin."
"Y-Yes?"
"Then hurry and join up with the Saint's group, then bring people back here. That is how you can help me."
"But if I do that, Vern might die! They said a chimera isn't something you can fight alone. It's even a 3rd Grade monster. Vern!"
I gently stroked her pink hair.
"It's fine. I promise. I won't die. And if we send that thing away from here, other people will be in danger too. So Elin, go. Now."
It was true. It might be a little dangerous, but there were ways to deal with it. Therefore, having Elin and the Saint's group bring back more people was the best way to help me.
"Then... you promised, Vern."
"Yes."
"Then I'll bring people, so hold on until then! If you die, I won't let you get away with it!"
She's gone. Yeah. She's really gone. Her leg must have healed because she's incredibly fast. Faster than me, even?
Alright. Time to start the strategy against this half-baked chimera.
Incomplete chimeras are classified as 4th Grade monsters. Their vision and hearing are greatly impaired, but their sense of smell is highly developed. However, they primarily target those bleeding from injuries and ignore everything else.
'Then there's only one way to make the chimera target me.'
I gripped my sword tightly and slashed my own arm. Red blood immediately flowed from the wound. It was hot. It hurt. But I had to endure it. The pain of losing someone was far more agonizing than the pain in my arm.
Blood continued to pour from the cut. This should be enough for the chimera to catch the scent.
Almost as soon as I finished that thought, I saw a lion-like figure approaching from not too far away, its yellow eyes glowing. It was far too large to be called a mere beast. It had the body and head of a lion, but possessed the tail of a snake. With each breath, its threatening fangs glinted in the moonlight. If those caught me, there wouldn't even be bones left to collect.
Since it had smelled blood, it was probably in a frenzied state right now. It would charge at me soon. But because it was under the Frenzy status effect, its attention would be even more scattered. Frenzy was a condition that caused it to rampage wildly with increased aggression. However, the snake tail compensated for the chimera's weakness to blind spots.
Still, it was manageable. Since the snake would also be frenzied, if I could take out the tail first, the rest should be doable. I still had my final unused skill as well.
While I organized my thoughts, the creature began to move. It was starting its hunt. Its yellow eyes had already turned red, and its breathing had grown ragged. I gripped the sword in my hand even tighter.
My night was only just beginning. Tonight, one of us will die.
"Come."
I would survive and greet a new morning.
....
"Hurry, I need to find someone who can help Vern!"
Elin hadn't joined up with the Saint's group. Instead, she was wandering the mountain alone. She believed moving solo would be faster and carried less risk of being detected by monsters. And right now, every second counted. She had to find someone who could help Vern. For that, searching alone was quicker. That was what she had decided.
Of course, her reasoning wasn't wrong. Having grown up treating the mountains like her own backyard, navigating them posed no real problem for her. Her night vision was exceptionally good, so as long as there was even a little light, the mountain was practically her home.
But no matter how much she searched, she couldn't find anyone. If that was the case, the only place left was the summit. There would be a medium there to maintain the barrier.
'The people who went up to destroy the medium must be there.'
The summit... the mountain peak was too high, too far. But there was no time to hesitate. Vern and the others were in danger. Right now, Vern was risking his life to protect his fallen comrades. If so, Elin had to risk her own life to find help. Someone who could save Vern.
....
Elisha Isis was currently heading toward the summit. With mana sealed by the barrier, maintaining such a massive field over this enormous mountain would require an equally powerful medium. And the most suitable location for that was none other than the mountain's peak.
With magic unusable due to the barrier and no way to escape outside, the questions of who, how, or why didn't matter right now. Of course, Elisha had some guesses. The terrorist organization Requiem, which had suddenly vanished after operating on the mainland a few years ago. She didn't know their reasons, but there was only one thing to do now: get everyone off this mountain. The practical training no longer held any meaning. The most important thing was to gather the students and escape safely.
She had gathered her own team members and other students. On the way up, they had encountered a fairly large group and were now heading to the summit together with them. Their goal was to destroy the medium maintaining the barrier.
Along the way, they had also met the D-class student from the current second-year who was rumored to have solo-cleared a 3rd Grade dungeon. After recruiting the man known only through rumors, their group of roughly one hundred was climbing the mountain. But something felt a little off.
Like Vern, he had black hair, but his impression was completely different. His first impression had been surprisingly pleasant. With black hair and green eyes, he possessed a gentle smile and a cheerful personality. Still, she didn't fully trust him.
All students at this academy were elites. However, between D-class and A-class existed a gap as vast as an unbridgeable chasm. Yet he had supposedly solo-cleared a 3rd Grade dungeon... Of course, there was evidence. He had produced a blue mid-grade magic stone, which only appeared upon clearing a 3rd Grade dungeon. But something still felt suspicious. The more people the better, but she couldn't quite trust this transfer student. It was just... a little uncomfortable.
However, after witnessing his combat prowess firsthand, Elisha found it impossible not to believe in him even if she wanted to. The power he displayed upon reaching the summit was truly overwhelming. It was nothing short of overwhelming violence. Using strange swordsmanship, he effortlessly defeated the Requiem executive who had been waiting at the peak. Even more striking was his sword. She had never seen anything like it in her life.
That sword was almost as if... it were alive.
A black-haired man wielding a bizarre sword and bizarre swordsmanship. Contrary to his gentle appearance, once battle began, his expression turned as cold as ice.
Now, if they could just find the medium maintaining the barrier, they could escape the mountain. But the dark sky showed no sign of brightening.
'It looks like there's still quite a bit of time until morning.'
Her head throbbed at the thought of having to report the situation to the academy without even being able to rest after descending, but she quickly slapped her own cheeks to regain focus. She had to pull herself together. The massive team she was leading as the second-year top student would begin to crumble if she started to falter.
She wanted to rest, but she couldn't. Yet just as she thought, 'Maybe I can rest for just a moment right now—' an uninvited guest appeared before her.
The girl had pink hair and the same blue eyes as her own. Having climbed the mountain desperately, she was panting heavily, gasping for breath.
"Um, are you alright?"
"E-Elisha Isis, please help me. V-Vern is in danger."
"Pardon? What do you mean? Vern Flame? Why is that man's name coming up here?"
"Right now, Vern is fighting a chimera all by himself to protect his fallen teammates! We don't have time for this!"
"Calm down. You're saying Vern Flame is fighting to protect others?"
"That's not the issue! We need to go help him right now! Even if it's incomplete, fighting one alone might get him killed!"
Elisha couldn't understand what kind of situation this was. The barrier was one thing, but a chimera on this mountain?
"Even if what you say is true, there's no way for us to help Vern Flame right now."
"If that's the problem, it's fine. I left markers on the way here! I remember exactly where Vern is... so please, hurry...!"
"...Just one more question. You're saying Vern is risking his life to protect others?"
She couldn't believe it. That he—Vern Flame—would stake his life for someone else? Therefore, she wanted to confirm it with her own two eyes.
"Yes! During the training, when I was so injured I couldn't even walk properly, the one who refused to give up on me and carried me all the way to the Saint was Vern. So please, we have to go help Vern right now!"
"...Very well. Lead the way. And the rest of you, please destroy the medium maintaining this barrier as quickly as possible."
At Elisha's words, the chubby blond man standing beside her—who clearly hadn't exercised at all and was still huffing and puffing—spoke up.
"Please go ahead. We will swiftly destroy the barrier. And once we're down the mountain, let's continue our conversation, Lady Elisha."
"....Let's go quickly."
Elisha openly frowned at the man beside her as if telling him to mind his own business. And the pink-haired student Elin, whose hair was covered in mud from hurriedly climbing the mountain. The strange pair immediately set off toward where Vern was waiting.