The Healer’s Last Stand
The hearts of every living creature served as the repository for mana. Undead monsters or other peculiar creatures occasionally stored their power elsewhere, but such exceptions remained vanishingly rare. It was precisely because of this principle that monsters’ mana stones were always discovered near the heart.
Without a heart, the chimera could not hoard large amounts of mana within its body. That was why, after absorbing Er’s attack, it had immediately spat it back out.
“If you absorb mana beyond your limit, you’ll collapse on your own.”
To Ahin’s shout echoing across the battlefield, Haru offered a shrug, completely lacking any countermeasure.
“What do you mean ‘what do I do’?”
Frowning, Ahin hurried to Er’s side, pulling on divine power to heal her. “That was our strongest attack yet, and you want me to come up with something stronger than that?”
Even a finishing move like Judgement had rebounded. Asking them to produce anything more powerful than that was absurd.
“Says the one who’s supposed to be a healer!”
At that moment, a scream pierced the air.
Ahin saw the chimera charging at them and gritted his teeth, rolling across the floor just in time.
BOOM!
Clods of dirt and shattered stone exploded upward.
A voice cut through the dust.
“[Ice Spear]!”
Sharpened ice lances sliced through the space, aiming straight for the back of the chimera’s head that was buried in the ground.
-KAAAK—!
The creature thrashed wildly, letting out a roar it couldn’t suppress as the icicles impaled its shoulder.
At the same time, a faint blue light streaked toward its leg.
Er’s attack was slow, almost timid.
Even if the chimera had become numb from the unexpected pain, it could still leap backward to dodge.
“Er! If you move now—”
“I’m fine, but—”
Grinding through the aftereffects of Judgement, Er swung her sword again. Then she dropped it, collapsing to one knee.
At the same moment, a window appeared before her eyes.
Bond had been severed. The synchronization that had amplified Er’s mana and physical abilities, as well as the Bless effect she received from Ahin, had vanished. The rebound was far too severe.
Er’s hand trembled as she tried to pick up her sword once more.
Ahin immediately cast Heal, but the recovery was painfully slow.
With the ice shard still lodged in her shoulder, there was no way she could stand.
“…Ahin, I’ll do it.”
“Do what?”
“I’ll take Bond!”
Jina forced herself to her feet, voice hoarse but determined.
“I’ve recovered enough. I’ll do better than Er right now. So hurry—!”
“It’s not that easy—”
The exact conditions for Bond were unknown even to Ahin and Er.
What they did know was that mutual trust was its foundation.
Jina and Ahin had known each other far longer than Ahin and Er. If anyone should have been able to trigger Bond, it was her.
“Why?!”
“I don’t know either!”
During their first Bond attempt with the skeleton, they had faced an identical crisis, yet Jina had failed to connect.
Why?
That question would matter later. Right now, the roaring chimera gave them no time.
Black blood sprayed from the holes in its body as it launched into the air, smashing through wall and ceiling, its rotten face twisted in savage glee.
Ahin’s mind raced. He grabbed Er, who could barely stand, and hurled her beyond the wall the chimera had burst through. An exit lay farther away, but they had no choice.
KAGA—!
“Ugh…!”
Jina crossed her arms, blocking the chimera’s claw with her gauntlets. Sparks flew. Pain shot through her shoulder as if it might dislocate.
Divine light particles quickly washed away the agony, but they were never enough.
She had no choice but to plant herself in front of the charging monster again.
“Damn it, like this—”
“Jina, me too—ugh.”
Er tried to rise, but her knees buckled. The backlash of losing Bond had left her too weak to lift even a shield.
Er, who could barely stand, trying to fight the chimera with sword and shield was nonsense.
“Then I’ll do it!”
She could block with her shield. Every time the chimera attacked, Jina would be in its line of sight, making it easier to land blows.
Even if it wasn’t a decisive strike, buying time might create a way out.
Ahin was about to charge forward when Jina’s voice cut through the noise.
“Ahin! Stay there!”
“No! Then you—!”
“Don’t move! You’ll only get in the way!”
She sidestepped the chimera’s claw and swept its legs, shouting as she kicked.
Ahin, who knew nothing of close combat, would only become another casualty.
Realizing Jina’s intention, Ahin clenched his teeth against the rising helplessness.
“Haru, is there any way? You’re a silver-rank mage, so—”
Despite her sleepy appearance, Haru was a silver-rank adventurer with guild experience.
Yet she shook her head.
“Mana, equipment, people… we’re short.”
Her sharp eyes scanned the battlefield.
“We can’t. We’ll die here—[Ice Spear]!”
Haru flicked her wrist, launching another icicle.
Jina and the chimera were locked in close combat. A wide-area spell would be difficult, but the simple attack still created a tiny opening.
“SMASHER!!”
Jina’s fist, aimed at the gap, slammed into the chimera’s torso.
WHAM—!
The creature staggered, black blood spraying from its back.
-KAAAK—!
“Damn it, even like this—”
Even a normal monster’s organs would have been crushed, yet the chimera’s durability was monstrous. The orc-werewolf hybrid plus undead persistence turned its half-torn neck and perforated body into something that refused to die.
Grumbling in frustration, Jina watched the thing’s fangs gnash from its decaying face.
“Why can’t I do it…!”
“Jina, I can’t either—!”
“Heal first!”
She slashed the ground again, but her movements grew slower.
Everyone could see how exhausted she had become.
Ahin’s Heals kept her alive, but limits were limits.
“Shit, this is—!”
Ahin cursed as he watched her falter.
Because the chimera had changed position, escaping would require crossing its path.
They were already cornered. If they didn’t kill it, they were all dead.
Er rose with great effort and approached Ahin.
“Ahin, I’ll use Judgement once more. Then—!”
“Your body won’t survive it. You’ll collapse before you can finish casting.”
“But—!”
It was too late.
“There is a way.”
Haru had been gathering mana around her the entire time.
Light particles danced in the underground space where Ahin’s divine power had been constantly expended.
While the others struggled to hold the chimera back, Haru had been watching through his light clusters.
“Ahin’s divine power usage is extremely inefficient.”
“…What?”
“He’s just dumping mana everywhere. Whether he pours it on the wound or across the entire body makes all the difference.”
“…”
Ahin had realized it too.
The principle of Heal was simple. Pour divine power into the wound and it would close. If poured over his own body, it could mend himself as well.
Bless was no different—simply inverting his own power onto the target.
Even the Judgment was basically a skill that coated his weapon with holy energy.
“Without structure, without rules, without will… that isn’t a skill at all.”
“Then what do you expect me to do?!”
“Time. I need time.”
“…Time?”
“Yeah.”
Haru narrowed her eyes and swung her hand.
Another ice spear flew toward the chimera, buying Jina a precious moment.
“Time? I’ll earn that with my own blood!”
“Jina!”
“There’s no other choice!”
Mana surged around her.
She clenched it in her gauntlets and hurled her fist at the chimera’s jaw.
“I’ll do it somehow—help me survive!”
“Jina, I can help—”
“You can’t.”
“…What?”
Er tried to stand with her sword and shield, but Haru stepped in front of her.
“Stay next to Ahin. I’ll buy time.”
“What does that even mean?!”
“It’s the Bond skill. Listen.”
Haru took Er’s trembling hand and placed it over Ahin’s.
“Do not pour mana on your body. Too much loss. So—!”
“Wait, you mean—inside?!”
“Ahin’s the smart one.”
Haru smiled faintly and raised both hands.
“One chance. No second chances.”
“Wait, give me the exact method—!”
“That’s Ahin’s role.”
At Haru’s words, the mana storm exploded.
“You already know, right?”
Light particles swirled like a whirlwind, gathering in her palms.
“[Aurora Prism]!”
A single chant and blinding light flooded the area. Each ray was as sharp as a deadly blade.
It shattered stone and earth in its path, then pierced the chimera’s body with a flash of light. The beam, threading neatly between Jina and the creature, did not stop. It continued outward, spreading into a massive explosion.
-KAAAK—!
“…Incredible.”
Jina stared in awe as the light carved holes through the chimera’s body.
“Now it’s your turn.”
“…Huh?”
“I’ve used up all my mana.”
“Hey, hey!”
Ahin was stunned as Haru sat down.
“Don’t do anything stupid!”
-KAAAAAK—!
●
Transfer divine power to Er without any loss. Use it efficiently.
Ahin swallowed the countless thoughts that flashed through his mind.
Before he could answer, Er spoke first.
“Ahin, there’s no time.”
“I know. But—”
Ahin looked at Er’s exhausted face in the dim underground light, fatigue etched deep into every feature.
“Damn priest.”
“Ahin, you’ll be cursed!”
“I’ve already been cursed enough, haven’t I?”
His voice grew serious.
“There’s no time to wait for you to recover completely. We need—!”
“I know. If we wait for me to heal fully, Jina and Haru will become ground meat.”
Er gripped Ahin’s hand tightly.
“If you’re with me, I won’t die. I believe that.”
“Don’t say something so unlucky. I still don’t understand why the tank has to do damage too, but—!”
“That means I’m your only option.”
That was why Haru had chosen Er specifically.
Only Er could perform Bond with Ahin.
Only she could turn the tide of this battle.
“…Haru said earlier. If we hit it with an attack strong enough that it can’t block, it will explode.”
“The chimera’s limit was after absorbing Judgement.”
“Exactly. So we need an attack far stronger than that.”
Haru had been right. Too much divine power was lost in the transfer.
During the journey through space, the light particles dissolved into the air.
“When it comes to that, there’s a method we use.”
“That—?”
Strength returned to Er’s grip.
Whether it was her will or his, they were the same.
So.
“Close your eyes for me?”