Chapter 74: So That I Never Have to Leave You Alone Again

Volnyux didn't just move; he incinerated everything in his path.

He didn't care about collateral damage. Every gesture he made sent out plumes of fire that tore through the streets of Shinjuku. It was like standing at the mouth of an erupting volcano. I was managing to keep the destruction at bay for the moment, using [Reflection Magic] to redirect the heat or having Luna freeze the bursts mid-air, but it was a losing battle. If this turned into a war of attrition, I was dead meat.

"Dammit, why the hell did it have to be you?!" I spat.

"Fuha! Does it really matter? For now, just enjoy our time together!"

I combed through my memories, trying to recall every one of the bastard's abilities. There were plenty to choose from, but a few stood out as particularly annoying: melee nullification, infinite regeneration as long as he remained in contact with the earth, the power to create anything earth-related, and the ability to spawn minions. To top it all off, he could siphon mana directly from the ground beneath him.

"Luna! Crank up the cold! Don't let a single sprout break the surface!"

The guy was essentially the concept of "Earth" personified. He could manifest any kind of plant life he wanted. Thanks to Lycoris, I was immune to his toxins, but if he started growing poisonous flora from Mythologia all over the city, the civilian body count would be immeasurable.

"Worrying about others while you’re facing me? You’ve grown arrogant, Reima. But then again, that’s exactly why I loved you. How about this, then?"

The monster stomped his foot. The ground began to flow like liquid, surging with enough force to erode the surrounding buildings until a massive wall rose up. It caged the entire concert venue, trapping the terrified crowd and everyone who hadn't been fast enough to escape.

"I made the arena nice and wide for you. Now, let’s see if you can actually protect it."

"Seriously... go to hell!"

I screamed at the sheer absurdity of it. Trying to fight in a restricted space without catching everyone else in the crossfire was a fool’s errand. I tried to ping Merli via Telepathy to ask for a mass teleport, but moving this many people would take too much time—and she was stuck on the other side of the wall.

Worse yet, I couldn't let Baal and the others return to their original beast forms without the collateral damage leveling the block, and my own magic was a terrible match for a magma entity. Back in the other world, I’d managed to beat him by dragging him into the ocean on a suicide run. Here, the sea was too far away. Unless I could somehow launch him into the stratosphere, I was out of options.

I stole a glance around the battlefield. Yamato-san and the others had been cut off. Within this localized field, I was the only one left who could put up a fight.

"What’s wrong? Lost in thought? Ah, look at that gaze. You’re thinking of me, aren't you?"

The bastard didn't have a care in the world. He didn't have to worry about the environment or the civilians. He just had to kill me—and he wasn't planning on holding back.

Baal was doing what he could, using [Magic Bullets], wind, and lightning to whittle the monster down, but the damage vanished instantly. The regeneration didn't even seem to cost him mana; as long as he touched the dirt, he was invincible. I clicked my tongue in frustration.

"Master, use [Origin Burst]!" Baal shouted.

"I can't! Just hang in there, Baal!"

I was stuck on the defensive. He only had to attack; I had to block everything. Trying to win an impossible game while playing bodyguard was starting to take its toll. I had Luna focused on the flames, but the more he increased the volume of his attacks, the smaller her protective radius became.

"Hey, Master. I just need to break that thing, right?"

A small hand tapped my shoulder. It was Behiko, who had been standing by like a disinterested spectator until now.

"Huh? Behiko, you're a melee fighter. Punching that thing is—"

"Hmph. You really shouldn't underestimate me. I am a Beast of the End, after all... even if I'm suppressing it right now."

She gave me a smug, self-satisfied look before charging straight at the entity.

This is bad. I moved to stop her, frantically reinforcing my heat resistance to pull her back, but it was too late. She swung. Volnyux, draped in his usual arrogance, didn't even try to dodge. The moment her fist connected, a massive chunk of his body simply ceased to exist.

"What?! Such ridiculous strength!" the entity roared.

"If I only put my own power into my fist when I strike, it doesn't feel hot," Behiko explained with a look that suggested she thought she was being incredibly intellectual. "It’s a perfect, logical strategy."

"It’s pure muscle-brain logic, but I’ll take it! Nice work, Behiko!"

Even a creature like this had a core. It was buried deep in his chest, protected by layers of magmatic armor, but with Behiko’s destructive power, we might actually be able to reach it.

"[Weapon Summon]: Harpe!"

If she could go on the offensive, so could I. I pulled out the immortal-killing scythe-sword I’d received from Perseus. Its curse was supposed to inhibit regeneration—the perfect trump card for a monster that wouldn't stay dead.

"A cursed weapon? How troublesome."

As Volnyux’s focus wavered under the combined assault of Baal and Behiko, I lunged, carving a wound into his side. Just as I’d hoped, the wound stayed open. The regeneration was sluggish.

This is it. I prepared to press the advantage, but—

"I suppose I should shift gears. Fortunately, the quality of this earth is excellent. I can still grow much stronger!"

A deafening roar shook the air. A wave of magma gushed from the ground, surging outward in every direction. It wasn't aimed at me.

"Luna!"

I made the call in a heartbeat. I shouted her name, leaving the defense entirely to her.

"Leave it to me! [Absolute Luna]!"

She unleashed one of her ultimate moves. Unlike her other skills, this one focused entirely on area-of-effect, flash-freezing the tidal wave of magma before it could swallow the crowd. But it cost me.

"Just as I thought. You haven't changed at all."

The voice whispered right in my ear. I’d looked away for a fraction of a second, and in this league, that was all it took. By the time I realized he’d closed the gap, it was too late.

"Endure this for me. You're a Hero, aren't you?"

He threw a punch. When it landed, it felt like an earthquake had been concentrated into a single point on my ribs.

"Gho—! Gah!"

Even with my physical defense buffed to the limit, I was blown away like a ragdoll. I crashed straight into the middle of the huddle of civilians I was supposed to be protecting. The impact was so violent my consciousness flickered. I held onto my senses through sheer spite, but my body refused to obey.

"[Hea...l]"

I managed to force out a recovery spell, but the damage was so extensive that the mana drain made my head spin. Everything hurt. My body was screaming in agony, but the enemy wasn't the type to grant a reprieve. Volnyux manifested a colossal sword of jagged rock and raised it over the people Luna had just saved.

I had to protect them. In this cage, I was the only one who could stop him.

From my position on the ground, I saw the faces of the people around me. They were paralyzed with a terror I couldn't even put into words. I hated it. The sight of it made my skin crawl and my limbs tremble.

I still had cards to play, but the weight of those terrified stares was dulling my judgment. I couldn't stop thinking about protecting long enough to actually fight.

"[Aegi—]"

"Block it, you lot!" a sharp voice commanded.

"On it."

"Leave it to us!"

"Understood!"

I started to weave the spell, but the air was already filled with voices I recognized.

The giant stone sword was flash-frozen in an instant, then shattered into pebbles by a red spear and a flashing blade. The people were safe.

"Hey, Reima! You still with us?"

"Laura...? And... everyone?"

"Sorry we're late. We wiped out the minions and doubled back. Can you still stand?"

Ayane and the others, who were supposed to be holding the line outside, were now standing in front of me. They formed a living shield, and Laura reached out a hand to pull me up.

"You're trying to shoulder the whole world again, you moron," she said. "Relax. We’re here now."

"Sorry for the wait, best friend," Yamato added. "It took the Magicians a while to clear the evacuation routes."

"...You overdid it. Lecture later," Ayane whispered.

"You're popular, kid. Well? Shall we get to work?"

I looked at them. There wasn't a trace of fear in their eyes—only the unwavering resolve to stand by my side. Seeing that, the trembling finally stopped.

"Yeah... let’s win this, everyone."

I reached out and took Laura's hand.