Toward the Fog-Shrouded Mountain (4)
I finally reached the summit.
Britta lifted her head and gazed up the path leading to the mountain’s peak.
“Our destination is right in front of us now. Let’s hurry.”
“Understood.”
After giving a short reply to Leonhardt’s words, I looked ahead.
A thick fog made of Void mana.
The stuff those cultist bastards had scattered across the mountain.
They’d inserted magic stones into the small devices we’d passed on the way up, and now only the summit remained untouched.
Hwoooo—
“Hah!”
I spun the rising blades of wind.
“Hm? That’s a technique I’ve never seen before. Is this a brand-new spell you just created?”
I nodded instead of answering, giving Britta a brief tilt of my head.
Shwaaaa—
The whirlwind that burst from the blades collided with the fog, sweeping away a wide swath of it in front of us.
“…That’s an incredible technique.”
Leonhardt stared in open admiration.
“Let’s get moving. Try not to stray too far behind me.”
The density of the fog was far thicker than anything we’d encountered so far. The speed at which it refilled the cleared areas had probably increased as well. Even though I’d wiped out a large section, it was too early to let our guard down.
“Sounds good.”
“Okay!”
Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.
The two of them answered briefly and then ran after me.
Grrrraaa— Kraa—
Charging forward with the spinning blades at the lead definitely had its advantages. It made it easy to maneuver while annihilating enemies. Picking them off one by one with focused fire would have been more powerful, but against these worthless opponents, this method was far more efficient.
“Whoa… this is pretty convenient. I haven’t had to swing my axe even once.”
“I feel the same. It almost makes me feel a little guilty.”
Since I was clearing everything in front, the two of them hadn’t had a chance to shine.
“It’s fine. It doesn’t bother me at all.”
It might sound like empty politeness, but it was the truth. Right now, magic of this level didn’t tire me out in the slightest.
Ever since I’d obtained Gram’s power, my affinity with wind mana had risen dramatically. It felt as natural as stroking silk. The wind followed my will as easily as if it were wrapped around my hand.
“You’re really not pushing yourself too hard, right?”
Britta’s voice carried a note of concern.
It wasn’t an unreasonable reaction. During our journey together, using this much magic would have left me collapsed and asleep afterward.
“I’m fine.”
“From the way you’re talking, you really do seem okay.”
She wasn’t buying it.
“Haha…”
Leonhardt gave a light chuckle.
You… really didn’t have to react like that.
He soon continued.
“Once we cross that ridge, we’ll be at the summit.”
“So that’s where those bastards are gathered?”
“…”
Let’s see… what exactly they’re doing up there.
What kind of twisted thoughts would drive them to pull off something this annoying?
At the mountain summit.
Just like the smaller devices we’d seen on the slope, the main device was also radiating a sinister aura. It was probably the influence of the magic stone infused with Void mana.
“Who the hell are you!”
“Die!”
As expected, the enemies were waiting for us.
Kwaang!Clang!
“Gaaah!”
“Urrgh!”
“Where does a little minnow get off acting so cocky?”
“Get lost!”
The two of them leapt forward and dealt with the foes.
Surprisingly, the summit itself was clean. Thick fog swirled around it, but it didn’t touch the ground at the peak. They must have kept it that way because it affected them too.
Honestly… these guys are impossible to understand.
Why go this far?
And judging by the way they shouted “Who the hell are you?”, it seemed they couldn’t even see properly. They’d saddled themselves with every possible disadvantage.
“Hm. So you’ve finally arrived.”
At that voice, I turned my head.
A man wearing a black cloak stood beside the device.
“Are you the leader of these bastards!”
Leonhardt raised his voice.
“Leader? Haha… I don’t even reach the feet of that person.”
The man slowly pulled back his hood and approached us.
“!? What the hell is that?”
Britta cried out in shock.
His eyes were bizarre. The area that should have been white was stained pitch black, while the edges of his pure white pupils flickered with an ominous light.
They weren’t human.
“I am Nagrim. A pleasure.”
The man bent his right arm across his stomach and gave a bow that only a noble would make. It was so repulsive it gave me goosebumps.
Was this lunatic under the delusion that he was some kind of aristocrat?
“Ah… I’d appreciate it if you didn’t look at me with such eyes.”
The one called Nagrim spread his arms as he spoke.
“Shut your mouth! What is your goal?”
Leonhardt leveled his sword at him.
“Whoa, whoa… young friend. There’s no need to be in such a rush. I have something to show you.”
Nagrim answered with a sly grin and turned his head.
“Look at this. Isn’t it beautiful? Anything that touches this fog turns into a monster. It’s truly magnificent…”
“This crazy bastard…!”
Britta’s face twisted in disgust.
“You son of a—! You don’t care what happens to the living things on this land at all!”
Leonhardt shouted in fury.
“You don’t understand. Imagine this Void fog covering the entire world. It’s so… captivating. It draws people in, like—”
I couldn’t listen to any more of this.
Shiiik—!Slash!
The cultist’s arm went flying…
What?
“That guy… he’s not human!”
Britta, who had been watching, spat out the words in horror.
Not a single drop of blood flowed from the cultist’s body. The severed arm crumbled into dust and vanished into the fog.
“Hm… Well, that’s fine. It’s a little sad that you don’t understand.”
Shuuuu—
The surrounding fog began to be sucked toward the severed arm.
“What the hell is that… what is he trying to do?”
“Something’s coming! Be careful!”
Glurk— Glurk—
The gathered fog took shape, forming tentacles that sprouted from the arm.
I’d seen this before.
The slime from the underground waterway.
Those were the same tentacles that had been attached to the slime.
“He’s absorbing the fog to use as a weapon!”
“Hey, Leonhardt! Don’t get too close to that thing!”
“You mustn’t approach recklessly! Those tentacles have corrosive properties!”
We had fought those slimes before. Their weak nature had made it manageable, but this time we needed to be cautious.
Hwoooo—
I summoned wind and wrapped it around the three of us. As a safety measure against corrosion, it should block minor damage.
Thud. Thud. Glurk. Gluuuurk—
“It seems you already know about this power?”
The creature approached, moving its tentacles.
“I know it very well. The bastard rotting away in the sewers used the same power.”
“Ah! So that was you?”
Nagrim answered in a delighted tone.
His comrade had died, yet this was his reaction? No, of course. These things probably didn’t even have the concept of camaraderie.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
“How marvelous! To think there are humans who can resist the Void!”
The creature tapped its remaining hand against its opposite arm. Was that supposed to be applause?
“How interesting… Then let’s see… how long you can last?”
Slaaash!
The moment he finished speaking, he lashed out with his tentacles.
“Haaap!”
Leonhardt swung his sword and blocked them.
“Oh! Is that the wind that woman cast? How amusing!”
“Kgh! What?”
Hwiiik— Boom!
The tentacles sent him flying into the distance.
“Hey!”
Britta shouted toward where he’d been thrown.
“Ugh! I’m fine! Be careful! His attack is coming!”
Thanks to the barrier, he’d avoided serious injury, but the part of the blade that had blocked the strike had turned slightly red from oxidation. If he blocked a few more times, it would probably snap. A prolonged fight would be dangerous.
Shiiik!
Another tentacle flew toward me.
“Krim, watch out!”
“Hup!”
Boom!Tap—
The tentacle slammed down hard enough to crater the ground where I had been standing. I leapt sideways and dodged the attack.
That tentacle… it was much faster than the slime’s.
I needed to think carefully about how to deal with it.
“Haaah!”
Britta swung her axe at the tentacle.
Kwaaang!Clang!
The axe and tentacle clashed, struggling for a moment before the tentacle was sent flying far away.
“Tch! Why is it so damn tough!”
A tiny wound had appeared on the tentacle, but—
Glurk— Glurk—
It quickly regenerated.
“It seems physical attacks don’t work on that thing.”
Leonhardt rejoined us.
“Oho… you dodged that attack? Then how about this!”
Shwaaaak—!
Several tentacles flew at us at once.
“Everyone, be careful!”
“Tch!”
Hwoooo—
“Winds!”
Slaash!Slaaaaaash!
I hurriedly drew the wind blades and spun them. The countless rotating blades acted like a barrier, blocking the tentacles’ attacks while slicing into them.
“Miss Krimhild!”
“I’m fine.”
“Look! Look at the creature’s wounds! It’s working!”
Leonhardt pointed at the tip of a tentacle. The spot torn apart by the blades had been shredded to tatters.
Glurk—
But this time, the regeneration was extremely slow.
“Hah! That bastard… after sucking up all that fog, it ended up the same as before.”
Tentacles manifested through the power of the Void.
With this, my strategy was set. I would cut them down in one strike using magic that surpassed their hardness, then finally aim for the creature’s head and heart.
“I have an idea.”
I gripped Gram tightly. As my mana flowed into the green blade, it began to glow with a red light.
“What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to gather enough power to burst those tentacles and finish it in one go.”
“You’re planning to end it with a single strike?”
“Yes. It’ll only take a moment. Buy me some time.”
I looked back and forth between the two of them. Leonhardt nodded in understanding.
“…”
Britta stared at me silently. I knew what she wanted to say.
I have no intention of making you worry, so please trust me for now.
She eventually nodded as well.
Kwaaaaa—!!
A gale began to swirl around Gram’s red blade.
“Oho!?”
The creature stared at it with intense fascination.
“How interesting, how interesting! So it was you? Hahahahaha!!”
Then it began to laugh like a madman.
“What’s so funny?”
Leonhardt adjusted his stance and asked the creature roughly.
“The blood wind! The blood wind has appeared!! Look! The very thing you’ve been searching for has finally… finally shown itself!!”
The creature rambled in ecstasy, staring off into the distance.
“What the… fuck… that guy is seriously giving me the creeps.”
Britta’s face had gone slightly pale.
Blood wind? And it sounded like he was talking to someone…
“Hahahahaha!!”
Shwaaaak—
It suddenly lashed out with its tentacles.
“I offer this to you!!”
“Tzaaap!!”
“Haaat!!”
Clang—!Boom—!
Britta’s axe knocked the tentacles aside. Leonhardt put in a bit more effort and finally managed to deflect them.
“Hahahahaha!!!!”
Shiiiiik—!!
The flying tentacles suddenly changed trajectory and came straight for me.
“Miss Krimhild!”
“Watch out!”
Kwaaaaa—!!
Vmmm— Vmmm— Vmmm— Vmmm—
The more mana I poured in, the more Gram pulsed and trembled. The blade grew redder until it looked as if it had been drenched in blood.
Tap—
I gripped Gram with both hands and raised it diagonally. I aimed the slash so it would reach the creature’s heart.
I would end it in one strike.
“Winds of fury…”
Gram’s voice suddenly fell silent.
“Burn my enemies!!”
Shweeeek—!! Kwaaaaa—!!!!
Countless red blades burst from the slash, swirling like a dance as they flew toward the creature.
Slaaash!Slaaaaaash!
“Krrruuugh!!”
All its tentacles were torn away, leaving the creature completely defenseless as the blades—sharp as a predator’s fangs—rushed toward it.
“Graaaaagh!!!!”
Slaaash!Crunch—Thud—Thud—
The slash that pierced its defenses tore its entire body to shreds.
“Uhh…”
“…”
Britta stared at the aftermath with a dazed expression. Leonhardt, equally stunned, turned his head in the same direction.
The massive gust of wind had completely blown away the fog, and Nagrim was rolling across the ground, barely clinging to life.
Tap. Tap.
I walked over to him, pointed my sword at him, and asked.
“What is this ‘blood wind’? Tell me everything you know.”
There was still information I could get from this guy.
“Blood… wind… you will… come to know… that fate… you cannot… escape…”
The light faded from his eyes.
It looked like that was all I could get out of him.
“Uhh… well… good work.”
Britta avoided my gaze as she approached.
“What’s with that reaction? Why are you acting like that?”
“Ah, no. I just didn’t expect you to blow it up that spectacularly.”
At her words, I briefly looked around.
Including the tentacles, I had blown away roughly ten times the creature’s own size. The once-lush forest had been sliced away as cleanly as pudding scooped up by a spoon.
Hmm…
If I wanted to use it more precisely, I’d have to train.
“That… was truly amazing.”
Leonhardt had the same reaction.
“…You’re exaggerating.”
If the two of them kept looking at me with those eyes… even I would feel a little hurt.
“Ahem. Let’s finish cleaning up first.”
“Of course.”
I redirected their attention to the device. It had been outside the range of my attack.
Hmm… good thing it didn’t get hit.
“You managed to miss that thing on purpose?”
“…You’re teasing me, aren’t you?”
“Hah, yeah.”
…
No meat for dinner tonight.
Creeeak— Click—
While we were bickering, Leonhardt replaced the magic stone.
Hwoooo— Fwaaaaa—
A much stronger wind than before surged from the top of the device and spread across the entire mountain.
“With this, this place should be fine. Once again, thank you both.”
Leonhardt bowed deeply in gratitude.
“Not at all. We were only able to do it thanks to your help.”
“Well, we did receive help from your side too.”
“We will prepare a proper reward for both of you back in our dimension. Will you accept it?”
“If you’re offering, we’ll gladly accept.”
“Ooh! Payment! Nice, nice!”
…Her reaction was way too honest.
Well, I suppose it doesn’t matter.
“Let’s head down now. My subordinates should be waiting at the base.”
Following his suggestion, we made our way down the mountain.
…
Even though it was the ravings of a lunatic…
Blood wind and fate…
It bothered me.
Just what was inside Gram?
Vmmm—
As if responding to my question, a faint light spread from Gram.
When I meet Mist next time, I should ask her.