“Amelia, have you calmed down?”
“Yeah. Th-that… thank you, Ray.”
“I’m just glad I could be of help.”
“Y-yeah.”
She spoke while looking down, her face turning bright red. It seemed she was too embarrassed to meet my eyes.
We were still holding hands, our fingers intertwined, but it seemed we could no longer stay like that.
The Third-place Match of the Main Tournament had just concluded. Furthermore, in the Newcomers' Tournament, Albert Alium had officially been declared to have lost by default due to his injuries. As a result, the schedule had been moved forward.
I could tell the match was over from the shift in the atmosphere and the thunderous cheers echoing through the stadium.
We shared our final words before she had to go—to give her that last push.
“Amelia. It’s finally time for the Finals.”
“Yeah.”
“Ariane is going to be strong.”
“…Yeah. I know.”
“I’m sure facing that Origin Magic is terrifying. It’s entirely specialized for physical power. If you let your guard down for even a second, she’ll overwhelm you. But you’ve overcome your battle with me. I know you can find a way to win.”
“…Right.”
“You can do this, Amelia. You can face her. I’ve taught you everything I know. And…”
“And?”
“No… from here on, it’s something only those who reach that height can understand. When the time comes, you’ll see what I mean.”
“…I see. Well, if you say so, Ray, it must be true.”
Looking closely, I saw her hands were still trembling.
I gently grasped them once more. Wrapping her hands in mine, I held them tight to convey my warmth.
“It’s okay, Amelia. I’ll be watching. Every day of our special training is a part of you now. I believe in you. I know you can win.”
“Yeah…!”
Though her face was still flushed and her eyes showed traces of tears, the shadows were gone. Her expression was radiant, as if a weight had been lifted from her soul.
“—!”
In that instant, I sensed something. It was an incredibly faint presence. No, it was killing intent. It was directed so precisely that I suspected only I was meant to notice it. Amelia didn't seem to realize anything was wrong.
Was this an invitation? I couldn't interpret it as anything else.
So, they chose this moment to show themselves…
At the same time, I recalled the conversation I’d had with the Club President yesterday. We had been discussing the Grim Reaper lurking behind the scenes of the tournament.
“Is Albert still missing?”
“Yeah. Apparently, they lost track of him after he was taken to the medical office. This makes it certain—they’re targeting nobles.”
“I see… Albert…”
To think he was kidnapped right from the infirmary after fighting so hard.
I couldn't forgive it. I knew the sheer willpower and emotion those students poured into their matches. To have someone harm the Magics Chevalier and trample on those feelings was intolerable.
However, losing my cool wouldn't help. I had to remain calm. Master and the others were already moving; I had to trust them.
First, I needed to figure out what I could do.
“Ray, listen. Stay calm. The kidnapped students are likely still somewhere in this venue, probably held in a single location. They likely plan to take them away once the tournament ends. The Headmaster and her team are handling that part.”
“Yes, sir.”
“What we need to do is prevent further victims. Most likely… the ones in the most danger right now are the Three Great Noble Families and Clarice Cleveland.”
“Clarice?”
“Yeah. Among the high-ranking nobility, House Cleveland is considered the closest to the Three Great Noble Families. We’ve actually assigned a significant number of guards to Amelia Rose and Clarice Cleveland. But you spend a lot of time with them, don’t you, Ray?”
I had heard the details about Clarice’s family during my visit to Master’s house.
Apparently, it was a noble house of much higher standing than I had realized. They were said to be the runners-up to the Three Great Noble Families themselves. That meant Clarice was a high-born lady, just like Amelia. That was reason enough for her to be a target.
“I do.”
“That’s why I want you to be on your guard.”
“Understood.”
“Good. I trust you, Ray. We’ll be working behind the scenes, but don’t let your guard down. You never know what might happen.”
“Yes, sir. Understood.”
Judging by that conversation, this was undoubtedly an intervention by the Grim Reaper. Diving into what was clearly a trap was dangerous. However, not going wasn't an option.
The Finals were about to begin.
The competitors and the audience were all waiting.
I had to move.
With my mind made up, I spoke to her again.
“Amelia, I’m sorry. It looks like I’ll be a little late to your match.”
“? Management Committee work?”
“Yeah, something like that. But I’ll definitely be there. I’m going to watch you win. So, wait for me.”
“Hehe… I might win before you even get there, Ray.”
She smiled.
It was different from any smile she’d given before. It was a true, heartfelt smile from Amelia.
I thought it was purely beautiful.
“If you can say that, then you’ll be fine.”
“Is that… so? Will I be okay?”
Amelia looked up at me, her eyes searching mine. She seemed to be wanting something. After a moment of silence, she steeled herself and spoke.
“One more time. Can I have… just one more hug?”
“Of course.”
I stepped closer and pulled her into a gentle embrace. I felt her warmth and heard the steady beat of her heart. Everything was conveyed in that touch.
We were alive. We were here, together. Without words, we engraved the other's existence into our hearts.
Then, almost simultaneously, we pulled away.
“I’m going.”
“Yeah. Go win that championship, Amelia.”
“I will! I’m sure of it!”
“I know you’ll get there.”
“Yeah!”
With a beaming smile, Amelia walked away with newfound composure. Her back looked stronger than I had ever seen it.
It was the gait of someone filled with confidence.
So, it would be fine.
Amelia, you’ll reach it. You’ll reach that summit.
You are no longer a Bird in a Cage. You already have the wings you need to fly.
“Phew… well then.”
It looks like I have to get moving, too.
Staking my resolve, I headed toward the basement where I had sensed the anomaly.
◇
The path to the basement room reeked of death. It wasn't a magical effect, but rather a sensation my past experiences had tuned me into—something clad in death was waiting.
I had already partially released my limiters; all that remained was the encounter.
As I proceeded cautiously, I saw a familiar face ahead.
“Clarice!? Why are you here?!”
Clarice was supposed to have guards. I had confirmed that with the Club President. Yet here she was, completely alone. The presence of the guard Sorcerers who should have been trailing her had vanished entirely.
Don’t tell me… have they already been taken out…?
As I processed this, Clarice spoke to me in her usual tone. She didn't seem to have realized the gravity of the situation.
“Ray! Was Amelia okay…?”
“Yeah, she’s fine. She just headed off to the Finals.”
“Oh, good. That’s a relief.”
“But why are you down here? You shouldn’t have any duties right now.”
“Eh? A senior told me there was urgent work for the Management Committee. They asked me to check the basement for a bit. They said it would be over quickly…”
“…I see. So that’s how they did it.”
It was definitely a trap. But it didn't add up. Why do something so obvious that I would notice? If they had stayed hidden as they had until now, it would have been more effective. Why this timing?
Before I could think further, a magical presence flared.
It spread rapidly, enveloping the entire underground space and sealing us in.
“Wide-Range Interference… so they’ve finally made their move.”
“Eh?! W-what…?! It suddenly got so dark! A power outage?!”
“Clarice… stay close to me. Don’t leave my side.”
“O-okay! But is this… magic?”
“Yeah. It’s likely a Wide-Range Interference-type spell. This space has been isolated from the outside.”
“Isolated?! Is there really magic that can do that?!”
“There is. But please, stay quiet for now…”
“U-un…”
Sensing the abnormality of the situation, she followed me in silence.
I should have let Clarice escape, but the isolation spell had already activated while we were talking. They had clearly waited for us to meet up before springing the trap.
The isolation was undeniable; I could no longer feel the Prima Materia from the outside world.
As we moved deeper, we reached an open area. It was a familiar workspace we often used.
In the center of the familiar room, a single figure stood alone.
Though it was dark, I could see the figure in the dim, flickering light.
The person was about 160 centimeters tall, wearing a large hooded robe and a mask. I recognized that mask—it was covered in red and black patterns.
“…You came.”
“What do you want?”
“…Kill you.”
“So I’m the target.”
“The woman… she comes with me…”
“I see. So you’re after both of us.”
The voice was mechanical, like a doll speaking. Clarice trembled, clearly terrified by the eerie sound.
“W-what is this… kill Ray… take me…?”
She could feel it too. Even Clarice understood the raw killing intent the opponent was radiating.
“Ray, we have to run! We can’t handle someone like this!”
Clarice grabbed my arm, trying to pull me back, but we were already within the opponent's domain.
I didn't know the specific name of the spell, but breaking out would be a chore. I could do it using Anti-Material Codes, but with Clarice here, trying to flee would be more dangerous than fighting.
I couldn't avoid this battle.
“Clarice. I’m sorry, but it looks like we have to fight.”
“B-but!”
“It’s okay. Leave it to me.”
“I know you’re strong, Ray, but this is different! I can feel it! We have to go!”
“Clarice. I won’t lose. Besides, I can’t let this person get away.”
In that instant, I completely released the Chronos Lock on my internal clock.
The opponent threw a dagger, trying to seize the moment I transition to a combat stance. But I was already prepared. All that was left was to execute.
I wanted Clarice to stay back, but considering the enemy’s nature, leaving her alone was too dangerous.
“Kyaa!”
“Clarice! Don’t talk for a bit! You’ll bite your tongue!”
I scooped her up with my left arm and immediately began the Encoding.
Prima Materia = Encoding = Material Code Material Code = Decoding Material Code = Processing = Deceleration = Lock Embodiment = Material
“—Icicle Blaze.”
I manifested the Ice Sword in my right hand and gripped it firmly.
I used the blade to knock the enemy's thrown daggers out of the air, freezing them instantly. This was a precaution to ensure no toxic liquids from the blades touched us.
My body’s moving well. The Codes are running smoother than before.
Analyzing my condition, I sprinted across the floor while holding Clarice.
The enemy had the advantage in this darkness, but I was no stranger to night combat. I calculated their position based on the trajectory of the daggers. Since they were moving, I relied on sound to track them through the gloom.
While holding the primary Ice Sword in my right hand, I launched fifty other manifested blades into the air toward the opponent. At my current level, I could easily manage about a hundred while fighting.
“…Kh!”
I didn't score a direct hit, but I grazed them. I immediately added a Material Shift to the Codes, attempting to expand the Ice Swords into massive blocks of ice…
They managed to dodge, and the ice blocks merely crashed into the floor. However, the area was now littered with shards of ice from my magic.
This meant that no matter where the enemy hid, as long as they were near my ice, I could sense the Prima Materia around them. I wouldn't miss the faint traces leaking from a human body.
“—There.”
Behind and above.
I thrust my Ice Sword toward the enemy’s face with zero hesitation. However, the mask must have been magically reinforced. It shattered, but the blade only grazed the opponent’s forehead, leaving a trail of blood.
“Guh… cough… As I thought… you are the Ice Sword…”
The voice was no longer mechanical. They must have had a voice-altering spell built into the mask. Now that it was broken, their natural voice came through.
“‘As I thought’? So you knew, Grim Reaper.”
“Heh… hehehe. So you know of me, too. To be honest… I didn't care about this tournament. I was just supposed to secure the girl on orders from above… but to find four of the Seven Grand Sorcerers here, including the strongest Ice Sword… kuku. I can’t help myself. My blood is boiling…”
It clicked. The gaze I’d felt earlier—it was this person. They had likely identified me shortly after the tournament began. They had engineered a situation where I would have to reveal myself.
The enemy gave their dagger a casual flick. From that single gesture, I knew they were an experienced killer.
But… a fourth Grand Sorcerer? In this place, there should only be three: me (the Ice Sword), Abby Garnet (Scorching), and Carol (Illusion). Who was the fourth?
The questions were piling up, but I had a job to do.
“I hope you’re prepared for the consequences, Grim Reaper.”
“Heh… hehehe. I’ll show you who the world’s strongest really is.”
Clarice, still in my arms, was completely stunned. “No way… Ray is the Ice Sword? One of the Seven Grand Sorcerers… that Ice Sword?” she whispered, but I had no time to answer.
This was a fight to the death. A single mistake meant the end. This person would never miss an opening; they would kill without a second thought.
It was a nostalgic sensation, but I couldn't afford to dwell on that.
“That weapon…”
Looking at the weapon the enemy had drawn, a hypothesis formed. It was a blade entwined with a sinister Prima Materia—a Magic Sword.
It was an ancient relic where magical properties were permanently bound to the blade. Normally, you can apply magic to a tool, but fixing it permanently is nearly impossible.
I hadn't seen one in a long time, and I had never heard of a dagger-class Magic Sword. I needed to figure out its ability.
“Heh… hehe… heh…”
The sound began to echo.
The opponent’s voice reverberated, and I completely lost my sense of direction. I couldn't tell front from back, or left from right. I couldn't even tell if I was standing or sitting.
The only sensation left was the weight of Clarice in my arms.
Every light had gone out.
In this absolute darkness, with the enemy’s magic active, I couldn't even use an Anti-Material Code. Magic requires coordinate specification. Without it, the magic would just manifest chaotically and vanish.
Normally, no one could use magic in this darkness.
But the enemy could. They belonged to the Grim Reaper, the world's most infamous assassination guild. Combat in total darkness was their playground.
“—Die.”
I couldn't tell where the voice came from. In this reverberating domain, sound was useless. I couldn't rely on my five senses. So, I stopped relying on them.
I ran a new sequence.
Prima Materia = Encoding = Material Code Material Code = Decoding Material Code = Processing = Deceleration = Lock = Restoration Embodiment = Phenomenon
“—Anti-Material Field.”