"S-Someone! If you're still alive, report the situation!"
Inside the base—now nothing more than a frozen hell—the shouts and screams of the few survivors echoed. No one could form a rational judgment; the magic they had just witnessed was simply too absurd.
"Ouma-san stopped it in the back! The damage was only half of what it could've been!"
"That doesn't even make sense! What about the guys who took a direct hit?!"
"They're completely frozen... They're still conscious, but what the hell are we supposed to do with this?!"
It was supposed to have been a single attack. Just one.
No one had told them they would have to intercept something like this. It was supposed to be easy. We had set more bombs than I could count on the path leading here, and yet—
"Orders from Itsuki-san! Eighteen of you, including the two A-ranks, intercept [Valhalla]! He just burned through a massive spell; he couldn't possibly have any mana left!"
"Surround him! Even he can't win against those numbers!"
Eighteen men charged out from the base at once to intercept me, but the sight waiting for them was nothing short of miserable.
A frozen prison. Even though it was their first time seeing it, the world had turned so cold it felt like the only reality that had ever existed. Their breath froze the moment it left their lips. Their skin shivered; if they let their guard down for a second, the cold would claim them.
The common sense they had built up as Adventurers crumbled at the sight of what a single spell had done.
"Where... where did he even fire it from?"
The moment someone whispered that question, a presence like a colossal mass of mana rapidly approached. I stepped into view, shrugging off the few remaining bombs that managed to go off.
"So smoky... Is this some kind of Magician's skill?" I muttered.
The one who had set these traps was Itsuki Jagasaki, a man with the specialized Job of [Strategist]. A derivative of the Magician class, he specialized in traps and enchantments. In a defensive battle like this, he should have been the worst possible opponent to face. He had prepared countless traps and surveillance spells throughout this dungeon specifically to counter [Varsia]. The traps that had just hit me were supposedly imbued with enough mana to blow a B-rank Adventurer to pieces.
And yet, here I was.
"You took all that! How are you still standing?!"
"I've played along long enough," I said. "Look, I’m not even trying to hit you, so move if you can. [Sunrise Explosion]."
Flames tore across the earth. The bombardment traveled along the ground, obliterating the path to the inner base in an instant. Everyone standing in my way was sent flying; most of them lost consciousness from the aftershock alone. I checked to make sure they were still breathing, then continued forward without a second thought.
"Right. Time to head deeper in."
『This is incredible! He’s clearly aiming for a short-term decisive battle!』
『That magic from earlier... the output has dropped, but it’s still nasty as hell...』
『What do you mean by that, Grandpa?』
『That’s a spell capable of killing a [Goliath]—an S-Rank threat—in a single hit. The fact that anyone is still alive means the kid is holding back considerably.』
『Wow! As expected of Reima-kun!』
A wave of unstoppable excitement and shock surged through the viewers watching the stream. They were witnessing Reima charging through a landscape of explosions and transcendent magic, a far cry from his usual casual streams. The crowd had stirred the moment he began his chant, sensing the mana through their screens, and some had even burst into cheers when the grand spell was unleashed.
『Seriously, that’s not the kind of power a [Summoner] should be putting out.』
『Man, I want to fight him.』
『I don't really get that feeling, but why not just ask him next time?』
『Yawn... Maybe I will.』
『What am I going to do with you guys? Yamato-grandpa’s motivation is at zero!』
While Ena was bubbling with excitement, Yamato provided his half-hearted commentary with eyes that looked utterly bored. However, despite the contrast between the two, the comment section was reaching an unprecedented fever pitch. The chat was moving so fast it was almost impossible to track.
— [WOOOOOO!] — [He's too insane, I'm actually dying lol] — [I haven't stopped laughing.] — [How did it even come to this?] — [Too many explosions!]
After invading the enemy's base, I used [Dain] to freeze the remaining members of [Illegal]. I wondered if I really needed to go this far. But considering I was about to face Ouma—or rather, [Carnage]—I decided it was better to freeze them all now to prevent them from getting caught in the crossfire later.
— [A mountain of corpses.] — [Frozen Hell.] — [The Hero has descended.] — [Grilled Meat Set.]
"Seriously, who posted that last one?!"
I caught a glimpse of the comment section for a split second, and one completely nonsensical comment stood out. I couldn't help but retort, but I took a breath to calm myself and looked around.
The scene looked like a reproduction of the other world. It was a method I had used countless times against monsters during the latter half of my journey. I was well-acquainted with the tactics of siege warfare—though, back then, I didn't have to worry about holding back.
Anyway, based on the size of this base... the room with the mana stone should be right around the corner.
"Alright. You've been tailing me for a while now... You might as well come out."
"...How the hell do you always notice?"
"Wait—I recognize you from somewhere."
"You actually remember...? I'm Ryuga. But don't get the wrong idea, I'm your enemy. Fight me, [Valhalla]."
The man who called himself Ryuga drew his sword and faced me. I did remember him; if I wasn't mistaken, he was—
— [The Idiot has descended.] — [Is he actually stupid?] — [Wait, his vibe seems different somehow?] — [There's no way he can win, right?]
Then I remembered. He was the Adventurer from that time at Ryuzuka. I had basically ignored him and gone home, but I was glad to see he was safe. He had been with that same party back then, but his presence definitely felt different now.
"I know someone like me can't beat you," Ryuga said. "But even I have my pride. [Summon]: [Magic Carbuncle]!"
"So you were a [Summoner]."
"I intended to stop relying on it... but I can't challenge you without this guy by my side."
The creature he called forth was a mysterious little beast resembling a rabbit, with a rainbow-colored gem embedded in its forehead. The beast seemed incredibly attached to Ryuga, nuzzling against him. It was an image that stood in stark contrast to the rumors I had heard about him.
"Let's go—no, that's not right. Let me challenge you, Reima Kariya!"
In that moment, his sword was enveloped in flames while the Carbuncle activated a magic circle, unleashing a barrage of projectiles. It was a brilliant display of coordination that spoke of the deep bond between the man and his [Summoned Beast].
He closed the distance with his sword while the Carbuncle provided support fire. We exchanged blows several times as I dodged the Carbuncle's follow-ups. I spoke my honest thoughts.
"You're pretty good."
It was the first time since this battle began that I felt genuine admiration. I didn't know what he had gone through, but for the first time in this fight, I felt a little more at ease.
"—But I'm sorry. I have to win this. Let's go, [Dain]."
As if it had been waiting for the signal, [Dain] began to devour my mana. I unleashed a spell that froze the entire room, instantly pinning Ryuga to the spot.
"Dammit... is the gap really this wide?!"
— [The idiot is actually kind of cool.] — [He did well to even try.] — [...He was a Summoner?] — [Is he not going to finish him off?]
I started to say something to Ryuga, whose legs were now bound to the floor by ice. Ouma was likely just ahead, and he had surely heard the sounds of combat. A surprise attack could come at any second—
"Watch out! Don't just stand there, you idiot!"
As I was lost in thought, a magic bullet flew toward me. It didn't have much power, but it was enough to knock me aside. Confused, I looked back at Ryuga. The area where he had been standing was engulfed in an explosion.
"Oh? Why are you interfering, Ryuga-kun?"
"I don't... know," Ryuga coughed. "Go to hell, Vice Master—"