"SCREEEEEEEOOOOOH!"
"You coward! You're a dragon—stop fighting so cheap!"
Melt’s scream echoed toward the Wind Dragon as it hovered aloft, beating its wings to unleash scything wind sickles.
Both she and Setsuna specialized in long-range combat, but they had clearly met their match in this opponent.
"Ugh...! It’s no use. The wind is just snuffing my arrows out...!"
Setsuna fired arrows imbued with the power of wind and dragons, but they were all swatted aside by the violent gusts whipped up by the Wind Dragon’s superior strength.
Melt was also launching magic swords with her Sword Ring, but her range was simply too short; they couldn't reach the beast.
"Get down here! Fight us fair and square!"
"It's just going to keep picking us off like this...!"
In a ranged battle, elevation was everything. The Wind Dragon held the high ground, and the relentless, one-sided barrage proved just how much of an advantage that was.
Setsuna desperately fired more arrows, hoping to change the tide, but the storm simply erased them before they could reach their target.
Suddenly, a volley of wind sickles tore through the air toward her. Setsuna braced for the impact, but Melt dove into the line of fire.
"Setsuna, look out!"
"Ah!"
With a sharp cry, Melt unleashed a magic sword that slammed into the incoming wind sickle. The blade struck the center of the gale, shattering it instantly. The sword continued its trajectory toward the Wind Dragon for a moment before flickering out of existence.
"Darn it! Still not enough! My attacks just won't reach...!"
"..."
It was a stalemate. No matter how many times they tried, their efforts were repeated in vain. Melt’s attacks simply could not bridge the distance to the dragon circling overhead.
As Melt stamped her feet in frustration, Setsuna watched the exchange with a sudden realization.
"Melt, I have an idea! We have to combine our strength!"
"Eh? Oh... right!"
Setsuna’s arrows had the range but lacked the power to pierce the dragon's storm. Melt’s swords could shatter the storm wall but lacked the range to reach the dragon.
The solution was almost absurdly simple.
Understanding Setsuna's intent, Melt focused her magic power into her Sword Ring, manifesting a long, slender blade.
"A sword sharp and strong enough to break that gale and pierce the dragon...!"
Melt poured her intent into the magic, giving form to her mental image. Under Setsuna’s watchful eye, she crafted a blade that looked like a cross between a rapier and an arrow. She handed the glowing purple weapon to Setsuna.
"Setsuna, use this!"
"Thank you, Melt."
Setsuna nocked the magic sword onto her bow and took aim. While she focused on her target, Melt stood in front of her, shattering any incoming wind sickles to clear the path.
"Hey, Melt..." Setsuna began quietly. "I know this isn't the time, but..."
"What is it?"
"...I’m sorry for keeping the truth about Raiha from you."
Setsuna had withheld a vital secret from Melt, the girl who had welcomed her as a true friend. Fearing she might have damaged the bond of trust between them, Setsuna waited for a response. Melt simply gave her a bright, beaming smile.
"One lunch."
"Huh?"
"Buy me lunch at En's Shop. Then we’ll call it even!"
Setsuna blinked, staring at Melt in surprise. Melt continued, her voice full of warmth.
"We’re friends, aren't we? That’s all it takes. Or did you think I was the kind of person who’d just throw a friendship away over something like that?"
"...No. You’re a better friend than I deserve."
"Exactly! Now, let’s finish this!"
"Right. We have a lunch date now—we can't afford to waste time in a place like this."
Setsuna found herself smiling, swept up in Melt’s infectious energy. She took a deep breath, exhaling the lingering guilt and hesitation that had weighed on her heart. With a clear mind, she drew her bow and locked onto the Wind Dragon.
(It’ll reach. We can do this... together!)
She poured her own resolve and magic into the blade Melt had given her. The moment the tip of the sword aligned perfectly with the dragon, Setsuna released the string with everything she had.
"Strike home! With everything we have!"
"SCREE—?!"
The purple blade tore through the sky, shredding the raging storm and smashing through the dragon's counter-attack. Imbued with the magic of two warriors and the power of their magic items, the shot was drawn to its target as if by fate, piercing the dragon’s heart—its core.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"
Whether it was a final roar or the sound of the wind itself, the dragon let out a thunderous cry as it fell. The moment it slammed into the earth, its body crumbled into dust, scattered to the very winds it had once commanded.
"We did it, Setsuna!"
"Yes. It was only possible because of you, Melt."
Melt lunged forward, hugging her friend in celebration. Setsuna let out a laugh, sharing the joy. As she looked at the foreign girl who had made the impossible possible, Setsuna gave her the warmest smile she had ever shown anyone.