"Phew, honestly... Luna-chan, are you all right?"
Eleonora-san spoke to me, her frightening aura from moments ago completely gone, replaced by her usual gentle demeanor.
"Yes. Thank you for saving me."
"You're very welcome. Now, Luna-chan... I'm sorry to ask this immediately after you’ve been through so much, but there's something I need you to do."
It seemed Eleonora-san had come outside specifically to find me with a request. She looked incredibly apologetic as she spoke. Was it really such a difficult task?
"If it's within my power, please, tell me what you need," I replied with my best effort at a smile.
She had just saved my life. Besides, I had already decided that I would do whatever was asked of me, no matter how impossible the demand.
"Thank you. There’s no time, so I’ll be brief: I need you to head to the West Gate immediately."
"The West Gate?" I repeated.
Given how hesitant she had been, I’d expected something far more daunting.
"Yes. We haven't assigned many high-ranking explorers to the western sector because it only contains that recently opened labyrinth for rookies. However, a Water Dragon was just sighted there."
"!"
The Water Dragon was a member of the Dragon Species, ranked alongside the likes of Earth and Fire Dragons. In the Great Labyrinth of the South, they were found on the 92nd Floor. They resembled massive serpents, could fly freely through the air, and were covered in scales so hard that even an A-Rank explorer would struggle to bring one down.
If a creature like that attacked the vulnerable West Gate, the city would suffer catastrophic damage.
"I understand. I’ll head to the West Gate at once!"
I gave my answer to Eleonora-san, cast Agility Up on myself, and sprinted toward the western side of the city.
『Wait! Do you have any idea what kind of state your body is in right now?! The usual Ruu-ko might be one thing, but the current you—』
『I know! But I have to do this! I’m going to be arrested once this is all over anyway. If that’s the case, a little recklessness won't change anything!』
I cut off Titania’s voice with my own mental shout. I was grateful for her concern, but on this point, I wouldn't budge. As a Hero and as an S-Rank explorer, it was my duty to subjugate that dragon.
The area around the West Gate was in a state of pure pandemonium.
The gate had already been smashed open, and about ten magic beasts had managed to infiltrate the city streets. Even from a distance, the approaching Water Dragon looked enormous. Its presence had shattered the morale of the defenders; they were panicking even against the weaker Goblins and Orcs that had reached the gate first.
To make matters worse, the civilian evacuation was incomplete. Soldiers and rookie explorers were still trying to guide people to safety, adding to the absolute chaos.
"Kyaaaaa!"
A woman screamed. I turned to see an Orc raising its club, ready to strike her down.
(Tch, I won't make it in time...!)
I desperately began spell construction, but I knew I was too slow. At this rate, she would—
"Not on my watch!"
A girl with red hair tied in twin-tails shouted, thrusting her left hand toward the Orc. Its movements stopped instantly, as if it had slammed into an invisible wall.
"Any beast that hurts people... die!"
Another girl, this one with reddish-beige hair, vaulted between the woman and the frozen Orc. With a flash of the daggers in her hands, she carved the beast to pieces, reducing it to a magic stone.
(Those girls... they’re Orun-san’s...)
They were the disciples I had met on the third day of the Thanksgiving Festival. As expected of Orun-san’s pupils, their movements were refined, far beyond what one would expect from a pair of rookies.
"Are you okay? If you can walk, get out of here and head for the Guild!"
A blonde boy helped the woman to her feet. He cast a quick Heal on her before urging her to flee.
"Huh? Oh! It’s the Seirei lady!"
The girl who had slain the Orc noticed me and called out.
"It’s been a while. You're rookies, aren't you? You need to leave this area immediately."
I could see from their performance just now that they were capable. However, they were still rookies—and more importantly, they were Orun-san’s students. If anything happened to them, I would never be able to look him in the eye again.
"But we can't just run away when things are like this..."
The boy started to argue, so I silenced him by constructing several spell formulas at once. I flooded them with mana and unleashed the magic. I cast Heal on the injured civilians nearby and fired off multiple Fire Javelins at the magic beasts, incinerating the monsters that had breached the gate in a single sweep.
"W-Wow..."
"I’ll handle things here. Everyone, fall back!" I shouted to the gathered crowd. "I will personally strike down every magic beast that approaches this gate!"
(The Water Dragon is closing in, but its movements are sluggish—it must be looking down on us. It likely won't launch a serious attack from that distance yet. First, I’ll clear the second wave of monsters on the ground, then I’ll take down the dragon. After that, I’ll have to mop up whatever follows. It’ll be a brutal cycle, but it’s possible.)
I mapped out the plan in my head. It was incredibly reckless, but I was confident I could pull it off.
"No way! You look totally exhausted, lady. If you keep fighting like that..."
The girl with the reddish-beige hair—Caroline-chan, if I remembered correctly—seemed to have realized how close I was to my limit. Was I really wearing my exhaustion on my sleeve so clearly that even children could see it?
"I’ll be fine. I have a plan."
"But..."
"In that case, why don't we split the duties?" the blonde boy, Logan-kun, suggested.
"Split the duties?"
"Yes. We can handle the magic beasts on the ground. We want you to focus on the Water Dragon in the sky."
"............"
To be honest, I was grateful for the offer. But even so...
"It's not just the kids. We’re in, too! You're Luna Flockhart from the Hero Party, right? Knowing a Hero is here makes all the difference! We were about to give up, but we'll fight one more time!"
The man’s declaration spread through the ranks like a wildfire, and light returned to the eyes of every explorer present.
"...I am a member of the party that likely caused this entire crisis. Do you truly trust me?"
I knew there was no point in asking, but the question spilled out anyway. The way the explorers had treated me earlier had left a deeper wound than I’d realized.
"Of course we do!"
"!"
"You're the one who rushed here to help. You're the one who killed those monsters and saved us. That’s the only truth that matters right now. Why would we doubt you?!"
"I see..."
I felt a warmth spread through my chest. I had assumed every explorer in the city hated me. I thought I had no allies left. But these people were telling me they believed in me—that they would fight by my side. I had to live up to that.
"All right. I’ll borrow your strength. I will take down the Water Dragon. Can I trust you all to handle the monsters on the ground?"
"You bet!"
"We’ll fight too! But we won't overdo it, 'cause Master would be super mad if we did!"
Orun-san’s disciples prepared for battle. I suspected he would be angry regardless of whether they "overdid it" or not, but their eyes were deadly serious. They had the same look Orun-san did—eyes that stared straight ahead at their goal. I knew they wouldn't listen to reason now.
With time running out, I decided to accept their help.
『Titania, I have a request.』
『I already said I’d help you with this mess. Fine, what is it?』
『Can you provide support for these children?』
『These kids?』
『Yes. Even if using your power means I die as a result, you must protect them. Please.』
『............Sigh. Fine. I have plenty to say about that, but it can wait until we get back.』
『I’ll listen to every word of your lecture later. I’ll have all the time in the world once this is over.』
With that settled, I turned back to Caroline-chan and the others.
"All right. I’ll accept your help. But no recklessness, understood? If you do anything crazy, I’m telling Orun-san."
"Eh?! That’s why I said I wouldn't overdo it...!"
"Fufu. Then let’s go. The second wave is coming. We protect this place together!"
""Yeah!!""
"Seirei Magic—Induction!"
I activated my original magic, enhanced by my special ability. Several orbs of pale blue light manifested around us.
"So pretty..."
"These orbs draw the attention of the magic beasts. Think of them as magical decoys."
To put it simply, Induction made the monsters perceive the orbs as magic stones. There was a very high chance they would be lured away by the light.
"As expected of a Hero... to manipulate their aggro with light like that..."
"I’m heading out to deal with the Water Dragon. I leave the rest to you."
I left them with those words and approached the outer wall, calling out to the spirit within me.
『Sylph, we’re doing that. Lend me your strength.』
『Wait, for real?! I'm in! Let's do it!』
Sylph was surprisingly enthusiastic today. I was glad; in my current state, I couldn't pull this off without a fairy’s assistance.
『I need an updraft.』
『Coming right up!』
As I jumped near the wall, a powerful wind surged from below, carrying me all the way to the top of the ramparts in a single bound.
The view from the wall looked out over the grassy plains. Below, the explorers were holding their own against the ground forces, using my Induction orbs to maintain their formations. They weren't in danger of being overrun anymore. Orun-san’s disciples were also fighting smartly, staying back and not taking unnecessary risks.
With the ground secure, I focused entirely on the dragon. It was closing fast, finally entering my effective range.
『Sylph, now!』
I began the spell construction, calling out to her.
『Rip it to pieces!』 Sylph cheered, her violent intent flowing through me into the world.
(Gugh... it’s tough. I’ve used so much energy already... But I knew this would be the price!)
A massive tornado erupted directly beneath the Water Dragon. It swelled rapidly, the howling winds swallowing the serpent whole. This was a cyclone of a scale and ferocity that made the special-grade magic Thousand-Blade Cyclone look like a mere breeze.
"Seirei Magic—"
I whispered the words, gathering the lightning spirits from the air above the dragon and funneling them into my formula.
"—Tempest!"
Mjolnir rained down from a gargantuan magic circle, striking the dragon directly and filling the air with the roar of thunder.
But I wasn't finished. The lightning and the blades of wind Sylph had created merged, forming countless electrified blades that began to flay the Water Dragon alive.
There are six basic attributes of attack magic, and normally, it is impossible to combine them into a single spell. Even the greatest researchers have failed to produce a true composite magic. However, by using Orun-san’s knowledge and the power of spirits, I had succeeded in creating a pseudo-composite. I couldn't do it alone—I needed the fairies to provide one of the attributes—but the result was undeniable.
The power of Tempest—the combination of Sylph’s over-limit cyclone and my maximum-output Mjolnir—was a force that no other special-grade magic could hope to match.
Yet, my opponent was a denizen of the Deep Floors. Even this wasn't enough to kill it instantly. As the storm dissipated, the Water Dragon, its body shredded and bleeding, unleashed a roar of pure, unadulterated fury.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
『Sylph... can you... finish it?』
『I can, but are you okay, Luna?』
『I’m fine... just do it.』
I was at my absolute limit. I didn't have the mental strength left to construct another special-grade formula, so I had to rely on her.
『Got it. Then... get crushed!』
"...Gugh...!"
A wave of exhaustion hit me, and I collapsed to my knees. Above the Water Dragon, a colossal downdraft slammed into the earth with the weight of a mountain. The beast was flattened against the ground until its body finally dissolved into a cloud of black mist.
"Tch... Rock Wall!"
I forced myself to erect a wall of earth to block the gate, protecting the city from the shockwave of the downdraft.
『Heh! Total satisfaction!』
『Sylph... thank you.』
Looking down, I saw the explorers’ morale soar at the sight of the dragon’s demise. They began mopping up the remaining beasts with renewed vigor. The West Gate would be safe for now. I couldn't move another inch; the other gates would have to rely on someone else.
As I sat there, basking in the faint sense of accomplishment, a thunderous boom echoed across the city. I had heard many such sounds since Orun and Oliver-san began their fight, but this one was louder and more ominous than anything that had come before.
I turned my eyes toward the sound, and my heart stopped.
"............Eh......?"
In the moments after Luna subjugated the Water Dragon, the battle between Orun and Oliver reached its grisly conclusion.
"............"
"............O-li...ver............"
Blood leaked from the corner of Orun’s mouth. A tail of pure mana, manifested from Oliver’s waist, had impaled him through the abdomen. His eyes were still open, fixed on Oliver, but his eyelids were slowly drooping.
He finally lost consciousness, though he never let go of the black sword—no longer a magic sword—in his hand, perhaps out of some final, lingering shred of pride.
The wound was fatal. It was only a matter of time before he died. The struggle between Orun and Oliver was over.
...Or so it seemed.
Suddenly, Orun’s eyes snapped open.
"This is... Ow!"
He regained consciousness, looking around with a confused expression as if he didn't quite understand where he was. Then, noticing the pain in his midsection, he looked down and grimaced.
"Oof... well, no wonder that hurts."
Though his face was twisted in pain, his voice was strangely light, completely devoid of the tension of a life-or-death struggle. He reached out with his left hand and casually touched the mana tail piercing his body. Upon contact, the mana evaporated into golden smoke and vanished.
Then, the gaping hole in Orun’s abdomen began to close. It happened in an instant, the flesh and skin knitting back together as if time were being rewound. Even his tattered clothes were restored to their original, pristine condition.
"Phew. That was painful."
Orun stood there in mid-air—not through Mana Convergence or any visible foothold, but simply standing—and spoke as if nothing had happened.
Oliver, sensing the bizarre shift in the atmosphere, immediately put distance between them. A single bead of sweat rolled down the forehead of the "Hero," who until that moment had shown no emotion whatsoever.
"So? What’s the situation here?"
Orun asked, still sounding oddly relaxed. There was something different about him—an aura that felt somehow more youthful, more childish, than the Orun everyone knew.