Thou Shalt Come Like Lightning

Riley Tiwe Kuntak leaned against the wall by the window, peeking her head out just a bit. Her grip on the window frame was tight, and though she kept her attention on the cabin door, it hardly qualified as exemplary behavior for someone on guard duty. But no one would criticize her for it. At least, that's what I figured deep down, Riley thought.

Nothing major was likely to happen anyway. Yura had left Riley behind as a precaution against the off-chance of trouble, but she clearly didn't seriously expect anyone to assault the cabin. If there had been any real threat worth noting, she wouldn't have left the students alone in the first place—whether out of duty or practical responsibility.

But that wasn't the only excuse Riley had for slacking off so shamelessly. That was secondary, if anything...

No warrior could ignore that.

The distance was considerable, but not enough to trouble most fighters' eyesight. From there, a crisp, rhythmic sound rang out without a hint of disruption. At a glance from afar, the silhouette resembled a bear, but it was a beast covered in barnacles lunging forward, swinging its forepaw. A clamshell bear. Its massive forepaw, stained gray with barnacles over pure white fur, slammed into the ground with ferocious force. Rocks flew in all directions with a clamor, but not a whisper escaped beyond the frozen space.

Moreover, it hadn't even achieved its goal—sound or otherwise.

"■■■■ ■■ ■■■■…"

The beast's target had already burrowed into its flank. With fluid motion, it slipped past the creature's side, swinging her cane horizontally for a light tap. But the result was anything but light. A majestic toll boomed out, like a massive bell in a steeple clanging. A ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠blue glow had extended from the cane just before impact, forming a barrier between them, but the thin shield couldn't fully absorb the shock—the beast's body lifted off with a whoosh and flew sideways.

...It was a strangely eerie sight, that huge bulk crashing into the ground without a sound.

"■■■■ ■ ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠■■■■ ■■■■ ■"

Yura Konstantia, having casually flung a bear twice her size, turned her head to scout for her next prey. A massive sphere composed of dozens of human-like arms. A giant eyeball rolled in the gaps between them, locking eyes with Yura—or so it seemed. It had been rolling toward her, but hesitated for a split second. Clearly, it sensed something extraordinary.

But stopping now wouldn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠save it. They were already close enough.

"Close enough" meant a distance any skilled warrior could close in a single bound. And of course, Yura was well beyond that threshold.

"■■ ■■■ ■■■■■"

She kicked off with her right foot. The aura-infused military boot struck the ground hard—but the blue glow coiling around her leg soon dispersed. It might have just been toned down enough not to be visible from afar... but Riley suspected Yura had cut off her aura entirely. That was the only way no sound would leak in this frozen space.

Sure enough, Yura drove the foot she'd used to leap straight into the monster's torso—if you could call that arm-clump a torso. The boot sank in silently with a squelch. Then, blue aura flared anew, surging from her leg into the beast... and Yura's fists, fingers interlocked, hammered down like a mallet, ringing out another bell-like toll.

...Two weeks ago, in Yugten, Riley had thought Yura's aura restraint technique was no joke. The precision and deployment speed were impressive. But at the same time, it didn't seem to suit a frontline warrior. Aura restraint was for capturing foes who weren't too strong alive. If anything, it fit a guard maintaining public order more than an ace of the Combat Military Band.

Sure, there might be moments for it on the battlefield, but was there really need to hone it that much? That was the question that had crossed her mind...

It wasn't.

The aura barrier she'd deployed right before smacking that pickpocket was her honed specialty. Riley had assumed it was an improvised application of restraint, but it was the opposite. She'd mastered restraint as a byproduct of constantly pulling stunts like that. She wrapped foes in a thin aura "armor." Even if it softened the impact on her end, it guaranteed the sound rang across the battlefield. On the field, she'd probably adjusted the barrier's thickness to CEOI rhythms, controlling pitch and tone.

"■■■ ■■■■. ■■ ■■■──"

The near-spherical arm-monster crumpled in an instant, its form collapsing. The cane, left floating midair from her interlocked hands, spun gracefully to the ground. But instead of grabbing it, Yura pressed her thumbs and index fingers together, forming a seal. Actually, it had started earlier. She'd struck with both hands interlocked precisely because that was part of the seal.

She rapidly formed a sequence of seals. Seal arts had a fatal flaw: even basic effects consumed Red Jade. Yet they spread from the eastern continent to the west because their overwhelming advantages outweighed it. Seal arts ignored rhythm. Seal-forming speed was casting speed. Unlike conventional magic capped at a certain pace, seals scaled with the user's skill—potentially infinitely faster. And they paired seamlessly with verbal chanting. Sure, dual circles were absurdly difficult... but the performance was unmatched. Since seals reached the west, dual casting had become every mage's ideal.

Even simple math doubled firepower.

She clapped her palms as if chambering a fist. No—a sharp crack echoed, more like punching her own palm. The Ox-Hare Seal, one of the eight basic mudras foundational to all seal arts. Simultaneously, blazing flames erupted around Yura's body.

The flames split into a dozen streams, writhing like living creatures as they shot toward the monsters and detonated. Each one a killing blow. The beasts' grotesque limbs shredded in the blasts, flying everywhere.

Some dismiss spike-rank threats lightly—second from the bottom, after all. Most don't realize even a normal bear can tear civilians apart effortlessly. Needle-rank monsters match those apex predators; spike-rank outclass them, shredding bears like paper.

...And right now, they were being shredded effortlessly.

Anyone who'd faced sea-things before couldn't look away. Riley wasn't alone—the women guarding the magitrain stood frozen, mesmerized by Yura's performance.

Civilians rarely handled magic, which demanded knowledge unlike the rough intuition of aura. The lower-class volunteers risking it for pay were mostly warriors... and none dared charge a lone apex beast rampaging like that—brave or reckless. A few mages sniped from afar, targeting monsters farthest from Yura to avoid interference. Hardly "support."

This was Yura Konstantia's solo show. A recital of booms, tolls, and gongs—varied tones, unflagging rhythm.

It wasn't elegant or beautiful. Far from the noble knights in imperial plays. More like a beast slashing the efficient path through foes... or a magitech golem butchering livestock mechanically.

To others, maybe not. But to Riley, it sent shivers of awe. Not the propaganda heroes of the Angras Empire. No—this was the Great Beast God revered by Groomha hunters, the one who'd wed their ancestors, descending to earth once more.

Worth the fuss to come to Angras. Not that she'd come expecting this, but as a bonus? Excellent.

Though if things went this smoothly, was Beni just insurance?

Riley glanced inside the train.

"■■ ■■■■■. ■■ ■■. ■ ■ ■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■■…"

Beni, face buried in Yura's notebook lest she slip, murmured her chant. True to form, she ignored the grimoire with its drawn circles. She must trust herself to recite them perfectly from memory. Or perhaps the idea of not memorizing never crossed her mind. Given Beni's low self-image, the latter seemed likelier. She wasn't one to boast, "I can do this blind!" More like she couldn't fathom failure.

Genius is genius, alright.

But for now, she had no role. Yura was handling it leisurely solo.

Riley had wondered if Yura assigned a fake task to keep the student safe without idling her—Beni would hate that. But Yura wouldn't go that far, especially after seriously warning about Red Jade. So, insurance for the unexpected. Logical.

Should be wrapping up soon, though.

Riley recalled the spell's length she'd glimpsed over Beni's shoulder. No photographic memory like hers, but she gauged it roughly. At this rhythm, the chant was nearly done.

But with cleanup finished, was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠casting necessary? Still, without Yura's order, better not improvise. Beni was too focused to notice outside anyway.

"……!"

Then—a massive mana surge erupted. Riley whipped her head toward Beni reflexively... but had to snap back outside. She clung to the window frame, bracing against the wall.

A ferocious whirlwind battered the magitrain hard enough to shake it violently.

I scooped up the fallen cane, hurled it at a monster's skull, and drew a deep breath.

"...Dull toad."

Not a deep breath—impossible mid-chant.

Two sea-things survived: one needle-rank, one spike. I lunged at the deadlier... then halted.

"You dull-shelled thing. Come so easily..."

"What hurries you so? Rest a spell. A downpour drums death..."

In near-silent space, even faint, distant sounds rang clear. Beni's chant was ending. Time.

Instead of charging, I flared my aura wide and formed seals. 1st Circle Seal Art: Rabbit Leap. Effect: weight reduction. The instant it activated, I resumed chanting and kicked off hard—

A chill raced through me. Crushing pressure like a boulder, plummeting freefall. Eyes closed against my will. Forcing them open, my comrades below were dots.

Simple: minimize weight, ride aura-generated updraft like a flying squirrel, soaring skyward. Abruptly, roaring winds assaulted my ears. I'd exited the frozen zone.

Cold air whipped my skin raw. I cycled aura to reinforce against crushing. Then, I realized I was soaked. Hazy fog—low clouds, unknowingly plunged in. Poor visibility sucked for confirming hits.

But you don't holster with enemies inbound.

I chanted calmly. Ooze Balloons annoyed because adjustable burst times staggered drops, forcing minimal forces tied up in high-altitude staggered strikes. Deadly for rail attacks like this. The Pious Hag knew, always using it.

So... obliterate everything up there at once. Crude, but surefire.

"──Why cling so stubbornly?"

Mana flooded from my body through the circle into the immaterial. Massive flow, crystal clear. The chant, started at battle's outset, completed.

Hair whipped wildly—not just wind. A pop, then thunderous roar and flash engulfed the sky.

Among my spells, the one specialized for area annihilation. It shredded everything. Even clouds veiling my view vaporized, revealing clear blue sky.

Only then did I drop the mechanical rhythm, inhaling deeply. Gravity pulled me earthward. Scanning mid-fall, no survivors—relief.

"……Huh?"

...Then I realized no dead ones either.

Huh? Wait. Why's nothing here?

The sky was empty. Not a single balloon or dangling container.

Aura-shrouded, I hit the ground in bewilderment.

That crazy flying red bitch ends terror with three containers? No way...?

What? What the hell was going on...?