When Oliver saw the object that resembled a golden magic stone produced by Marquis Forgas, he suddenly collapsed, clutching his head in agony.
"Oliver! What’s wrong? Are you okay!?"
I rushed to cast [Heal], but it didn't have any effect at all.
"This mana..."
A dense, cloying mana began to leak from his trembling body.
As a byproduct of my special ability, I am extremely sensitive to mana. I can normally perceive even the slightest fluctuations, but this was so thick that I suspected even an ordinary person could feel the pressure in the air.
"You’ve really done it now, Clive Forgas," Philly muttered, her voice laced with a cold, sharp anger.
Was this truly the same Philly I knew? She bore no resemblance to the person who had been with us just yesterday.
"I shall remain the victor! Now that Oliver has released his true power, even you won't be able to defeat him! Now, Oliver! Strike this woman down!"
I couldn't understand what the Marquis was thinking. How could he look at Oliver in that state and believe he was ready for battle? No matter how one looked at it, he was in no condition to fight.
"...It seems I have no choice but to change the plan."
Philly ignored the Marquis entirely, her eyes fixed on Oliver as she whispered to herself.
"Guaaaaaa!"
Oliver let out a harrowing cry of pain. Golden mana, so dense it was visible to the naked eye, erupted from his body like a flood. Then, just as suddenly as the outburst had begun, he fell silent and stood up.
"Oliver...?"
"Hahaha! Oliver, kill this woman!" the Marquis commanded.
"I will crush the Guild."
Oliver ignored him, muttering that single sentence before walking toward the wall.
"H-Hey! Oliver! What are you doing!? Hurry up and kill her!"
Paying no heed to the Marquis’s frantic shouting, Oliver reached the wall and picked up the sword that had been leaning against it. With a casual swing, he slashed at the structure. A massive hole—far too large to have been made by a simple blade—blasted through the masonry. Without looking back, Oliver walked out into the open air.
"I see. So that's how it is. In that case, let's do this."
Philly was still whispering under her breath. I stood there, paralyzed by the sheer speed of the unfolding events.
Luna! Shore up your defenses right now!
A girl’s voice echoed directly inside my head.
"—!"
I instinctively deployed a Magic Barrier around myself. A split second later, Philly tapped the floor with her staff.
An extraordinary gale erupted from her, a shockwave of wind so powerful the mansion simply disintegrated. The walls and ceiling were stripped away like paper. When the dust settled, the building was gone. Only Philly, the Marquis, Anneri, Derrick, and I remained standing amidst the ruins.
"W-What just happened!?"
The Marquis shrieked, falling into a state of pure panic. I couldn't blame him.
"...To think you not only reacted to my attack but managed to protect the others as well. Not bad, Luna."
Was that you, Sylph? You saved me. Thank you for protecting the others.
I had only managed to throw up a barrier around myself. Under normal circumstances, the Marquis, Anneri, and Derrick would have been swept away by that blast. They were only alive because Sylph, the wind fairy, had generated localized gusts to cancel out Philly’s shockwave.
I don't really care what happens to the humans, the fairy’s voice chirped. I only did it because the Queen told me to.
Titania did? But why—
Don't just stand there dazed!
A different voice—not Sylph’s—barked in my mind.
Suddenly, a series of magic circles manifested around me, boxing me in.
"...You really are troublesome. Our abilities have the worst possible compatibility. I suppose I'll just have to kill you here, Luna."
By the time I realized that every single magic circle was primed for [Explode], the world turned white.
"Cough... cough!"
Are you alive, Ruu-ko?
I hacked and coughed, my lungs burning from the smoke, as a mature woman’s voice resonated in my head.
Yes... thanks to you. Thank you for saving me, Titania.
Honestly, you’re such a handful.
Fairies are supernatural existences, invisible to the average person. However, even if I cannot see their physical forms, I can sense their presence and converse with them. My ability is [Seirei Command]. It allows me to place spirits under my control and manipulate them at will.
It is fundamentally similar to the [Mana Convergence] used by Orun and his peers. While they interfere with raw mana to focus it into a single point, my interference is limited specifically to spirits—which are a highly concentrated form of mana. However, because my focus is more specialized, I can do much more than just "gather" them.
This ability grants me two unique traits. The first is mana perception; I can read the flow and density of mana and detect the presence of spirits. Most people with mana-interfering abilities can do this to some degree.
The second trait, however, is likely mine alone: the ability to perceive and converse with fairies. While fairies are a type of spirit, they are unique, sentient beings. I cannot simply order them around. They only help when they feel like it. They are whimsical creatures and generally dislike humans, making them far from cooperative.
I'm sorry for the trouble, I told her. But why did you help? You said you had no intention of cooperating with humans.
It’s true that I loathe the current world, Titania replied. But I’ve taken a liking to you, Ruu-ko. I don’t want you to die. Besides, just looking at that woman over there makes my blood boil. If I can ruin her day, I’ll gladly lend a hand.
The thought of whether a fairy actually had blood crossed my mind for a fleeting second, but I pushed it aside.
With your help, Titania, I feel much stronger. I don't know why Philly is doing this, but I have to neutralize her first. We can talk later!
...It’s frustrating to admit, but that woman is special. With your current level, Ruu-ko, you can't draw out enough of our power to bridge the gap. You have no chance of victory. Defeat is inevitable if you stay and fight.
I had never seen a mage capable of manifesting that many Special-grade spells so instantaneously. If Titania said I couldn't win, it was the truth. Fairies don't bother with human social graces or lies; every word they speak is their unvarnished reality.
Fairies exist in a different dimension, meaning they can only interfere with our world through a human medium. Even with my high affinity, I could only tap into a fraction of Titania's true power.
I see. Then what should we do?
If I couldn't win, I had to flee. But escaping a high-level mage like Philly was easier said than done. Wait—Sylph’s presence was gone. Where had she gone?
Ruu-ko, just focus on staying alive for a bit. What was the human word? Right, time! Survive for ten minutes. If you can do that, the situation will change.
Ten minutes? Titania’s tone suggested that even those ten minutes would be a desperate struggle for survival. I couldn't afford a single mistake.
Ending my conversation with Titania, I used a gust of wind to clear the smoke and lock eyes with Philly. She was holding a red magic stone the size of a fist, her expression one of deep concentration.
"Phew... Triggering five locations simultaneously is no small feat. But with this—"
As Philly muttered to herself, the red magic stone shattered. Its massive reserves of mana split into five distinct fragments, which streaked across the sky in different directions.
A stone of that quality could only come from a Dungeon Core or a Deep Floor Boss. To use it as a disposable catalyst meant she was doing something catastrophic.
"Anneri, Derrick, head to the Guild. In the chaos, dispose of Leon Conti."
At her command, the two of them—who had been standing like statues—began to move.
Dispose of Leon Conti? The Guildmaster? She's going to have them kill him!?
"Do you two realize what you're doing!? If you do this, you'll be stripped of your status! You'll never be Explorers again!"
If an Explorer harms a Guild employee, the penalties are severe. Murder results in immediate expulsion and the permanent confiscation of their Guild Card. It is the end of their life as they know it.
But they didn't answer. Their eyes were hollow, devoid of any light.
"It’s useless," Philly said. "They have no self-awareness left. They are merely dolls that move according to my will."
"Dolls... Is this your special ability?"
"Yes. Not that the details will matter to you once you're dead."
A thunderous crash erupted from behind me. I spun around to see several buildings in the distance collapsing into rubble. Oliver was standing in the middle of the devastation.
Oliver did that...?
"He truly does harbor the power of a legendary Hero. Though this is just the beginning. It’s a waste to use him for simple destruction like this; I had hoped to save that power for the 100th-floor boss."
"W-What is going on!? Philly! Explain yourself!" the Marquis demanded, still hysterical.
"You're giving me a headache. Why don't you sleep for a while?"
At Philly's words, the Marquis slumped over, his consciousness switching off like a lamp. He was still breathing, but he was out cold.
"Why... why are you both doing this? You're destroying the party! You're destroying yourselves! And attacking civilians who can't even fight back... it's disgusting! Stop this right now!"
"The current era is too peaceful compared to the past. That’s why humans live such complacent, empty lives. Don't you think that’s a tragedy?"
"Not at all! Peace is a good thing! Why would anyone want to bring back conflict!?"
"Naive. Humanity is currently sprinting toward its own ruin. Personally, I welcome it."
Ruu-ko, blow that woman away. I can’t stand another word of her drivel! Titania’s voice was sharp with fury.
I agreed. Our values were too diametrically opposed for words to have any meaning. I am an Explorer. I believe we exist to bring back resources and make people's lives better. For an Explorer to turn their blade on the people they are meant to serve is unforgivable—especially when it's my own party.
I have a responsibility to stop them. And if that means I have to fight, I won't hesitate.
I'll handle Philly! Orun... I'm leaving Oliver to you!
Sensing Orun’s presence approaching from the sky, I mentally entrusted him with our friend.
The battle began, but to put it simply, I stood no chance. Even with Titania’s help—making it essentially two-on-one—we were being systematically dismantled.
"Fufufu. Come now, struggle a bit more."
"—! Titania, defense! [Explode]!"
Philly cast the Special-grade Wind spell, [Cyclone]. A massive tornado swallowed me, its winds filled with thousands of invisible blades designed to shred anything inside. It was a vicious spell that usually made escape impossible.
Titania manifested a cubic mana barrier around me. It was far sturdier than any human Magic Barrier; it didn't even flicker under the assault of the Special-grade magic. Behind that protection, I fired off an [Explode], but the blast was dissipated by Philly’s own wind walls before it could touch her.
"Kuh..."
I had launched dozens of attacks, but nothing worked. I was holding back slightly to avoid killing her, but the gap in our power was simply too vast.
Ruu-ko, this is fine. Just focus on buying time, Titania urged.
"Fairies are such a nuisance," Philly sighed. "They even block my special ability. You really did find a troublesome ally, didn't you?"
Blocked her ability? What does she mean?
I’ve been nullifying the effects of her ability on you, Titania explained. The Pixies have been doing most of the work. If we hadn't, you’d be a mindless doll just like those other two by now.
I... see. Thank you.
"I suppose I should get a little more serious," Philly said.
A magic circle appeared in the sky, and [Mjolnir] descended. A pillar of divine lightning struck my barrier, shaking the very ground.
This is bad... Ruu-ko, stop attacking! Just focus everything you have on staying conscious!
Titania could see something I couldn't. I didn't hesitate.
Understood!
Immediately, a barrage of over a hundred Special-grade and Advanced attack spells rained down on me.
"—!?"
To think a single person could control that much magic simultaneously... If it weren't for Titania’s barrier, I would have been vaporized instantly. But I finally understood Titania's warning.
The barrier was strong, yes. But it wasn't infinite. It was being maintained by Titania through me. As she channeled her power into our world, my physical and mental stamina were being drained as fuel. If I reached my limit, the shield would fail.
My strength was bottoming out. My vision began to blur.
"Guh..."
Ruu-ko, endure! Don't you dare black out!
I gritted my teeth, focusing every ounce of my being on staying awake.
"No matter how much fairy power you can tap into, you're still just a mortal," Philly called out. "Unless you were the 'King of Special Ability Users,' you could never manifest a fairy's true form here. It’s checkmate, Luna Flockhart. Die."
My limit reached its end. The barrier shattered into sparkling dust.
"Haah... haah... haah..."
My knees hit the dirt. I could barely breathe. Luckily, Philly's own casting interval coincided with the barrier's collapse, giving me a final few seconds of life. But I was finished.
"Fufufu. I’ll praise you for holding out this long. Now... goodbye."
Philly leveled her staff, and a spear of wind whistled toward my heart.
Titania... I'm sorry. I wasn't strong enough.
...No, Ruu-ko. You did perfectly. Because of you... she made it in time.
As Titania spoke, something blurred past me.
A girl in exotic foreign clothing, her raven-black hair fluttering in the wind, stepped into my line of sight. With a single, effortless swing of her blade, the wind spear was cleaved in two and neutralized.
"...Eh?"
The only way to deal with 'special' is to bring your own 'special' to the table, Titania whispered.
Back when Orun was still in our party, he had told me something after a joint subjugation:
The strongest person in Tsutrail is undoubtedly her. In a fair fight, I don't think anyone in this city—or this country—could beat her.
The "Strongest Swordsman" as described by Orun—Fuuka Shinonome—now stood between me and Philly, her hand resting on her katana.