I didn't know where I was. I could only run without direction.
Behind me, there was Mel chasing after me. She had a pleasant smile, as if she was enjoying this game of tag.
From time to time, she threw fire spears at me, slowing my movements. I tried to dodge them while firing back at her, but unfortunately my attacks were deflected with ease.
"Hahaha, keep running, this is starting to get fun."
Hearing that, I shot at her once again with my weapon, and as expected, she swatted it away with her hand as if it were nothing.
"Those weapons of yours are really weak! Don't you have anything stronger?"
"Damn it! If I had, I would've used it already!"
Inside my storage, I only had weapons of this level. My stronger weapons were left behind on my ship, on that ruined planet.
"Eeeeh! That's all? Why are you and your weapons so weak? Teacher said you Voidstriders are supposed to be very strong."
"I already told you, I'm not a Voidstrider!"
I had tried firing at her with different weapons, but the result was always the same.
I stopped running and turned to face Mel.
There was no point in running any longer. If she wanted to, Mel could catch me at any time.
Negotiate? Impossible.
I'd better fight her head-on. I knew the difference in our strength was huge, but I had no other choice.
"Oh? Have you finally given up? That's a bit disappointing."
I didn't respond to her words. Instead, I pulled out two bracelets from my storage and slipped them onto both arms.
Cht-ttk! Cling! Ti-Ting! Fsshhh!
After the sound of clashing metal, a pair of black gauntlets with several hard protrusions appeared on my hands.
I took a stance and released my Aura, channeling most of it into my arms.
Small sparks of lightning began to appear on the gauntlets, and within a fraction of a second, the sparks grew.
Even though the gauntlets had a built-in electric function, the lightning now coursing through them wasn't from their technology—it was from my own attribute.
Once Princess Adelia had learned to use magic, Magnus guided us to check what attributes we each possessed.
Most people in this world had two attributes. Mine were lightning and water.
Though everyone had innate attributes, that didn't mean they couldn't use others.
It was just that training efficiency was far higher with one's natural attributes than with foreign ones.
"Third-stage Aura?"
Mel raised both eyebrows, surprised as she looked at me.
Yes, what I was doing was a technique used by a third-stage Aura user.
At the first stage, Aura was used to enhance durability, agility, and physical strength.
At the second stage, while the first strengthened the body, the second allowed the user to infuse Aura into objects to reinforce them—and at this stage, Aura became visible.
And at the third stage, Aura was combined with the user's attribute—just like what I was doing now.
Once I was ready, I dashed straight toward Mel.
Seeing me charge, Mel threw her fire spears at me. With my heightened energy perception, I could read the trajectory of her attacks.
With sharp reflexes, I slammed my body to the right, dodging a fire spear that almost struck me.
In that instant, without hesitation, I leapt from the ground, catching a glimpse of two fire spears piercing where I had just stood.
After landing, I continued sprinting toward Mel, weaving through her barrage of attacks.
Jumping, rolling, and sometimes deflecting—doing anything I could to lessen the inevitable damage.
I kept running and running until only two steps separated us.
I was a little worried seeing Mel's relaxed face, but I wouldn't let it faze me.
I pressed my weight into my stance, charging my fist.
As I was ready to strike, Mel waved her hand and spoke an incantation.
[ICE: WALL]
From the ground, a dome-shaped wall of ice suddenly rose to shield her.
Defensive magic!
Seeing it, I realized my punch would have no effect on that spell. Gritting my teeth, I surged more Aura, causing the electricity around my fists to flare violently. Without wasting another second, I finally unleashed my strike.
"UWOOOAAAHHHH!!"
I punched the ice wall with all my fighting spirit—and when my fist connected, a massive explosion erupted.
BOOM
I was blasted backward by the shockwave. Adjusting my body in midair, I landed safely, panting heavily.
"Haa... haa...."
My hands ached terribly. This was my first time using my attribute with Aura. And since I had poured in such high output, the gauntlets couldn't withstand it.
I glanced at the gauntlet on my right arm. It was damaged, all its functions gone—now nothing more than an old, broken piece of metal.
More importantly, I focused ahead, searching for Mel.
I saw her sturdy ice wall crumble and evaporate under the high temperature, leaving a thin mist around it.
I hoped my attack had worked. Even if it didn't hit her directly, Mel should've been caught in the blast.
After a moment, the mist quickly dispersed—but Mel wasn't there.
"Did she retrea—gukh!"
Before I could finish muttering, I felt something blunt strike me from the side.
I was hurled several meters, crashing into a tree until it broke. Luckily, I had managed to use Aura just before impact, lessening the pain.
I spotted Mel where I had been standing earlier. Damn it, I hadn't sensed her presence—my guard was down.
"Heeeh, you're really persistent. I thought that kick would knock you out. Enough playing around, let's hurry and go meet my teacher."
With those words, Mel walked toward me.
Good! Come closer!
As I waited, I had already prepared my weapon. I couldn't guarantee my shot would hurt her, but if my hypothesis was right, this should work.
When we were less than a meter apart, I was ready to draw my weapon from storage.
As I pulled it out and raised its muzzle toward Mel, something strange happened.
"!!!"
Suddenly, I felt a surge of energy from afar. Mel seemed to sense it too, turning toward the source.
She's distracted! Without wasting the chance, I aimed at her head and pulled the trigger.
BANG
Mel tilted her head, and the bullet whizzed past her, shooting into the sky.
WHAT!! She dodged from that close?
Once the bullet reached a certain height...
BOOOOM
A powerful explosion erupted in the sky.
"...."
"That was close! That attack of yours was really dangerous! But you know, even if it looks like this, there's no way I'd fall for your surprise attack twice!"
I looked at the weapon in my hands. It was reduced to scraps, only 60% of its form intact, the rest dust and fragments.
I was certain—the energy from that shot had come from the communication stone Mel had given me on my first day in this world.
From Mel's reaction, I concluded the energy I brought from my world didn't work properly here.
Thinking quickly, both Mel and I felt the distant energy change again.
Looking in its direction, I saw a flash of light carrying massive energy heading toward us. No... I realized—it was aimed only at Mel.
Sensing it, Mel jumped back.
Whooom
The light passed in front of me, through where Mel had just stood.
Tracing its path shocked me.
The beam hit the trees, but nothing happened to them. Despite its great energy, the light simply passed through.
But since Mel dodged it, it meant she felt threatened.
Ah, I see! Because Mel was a demon and felt threatened by it—that light contained holy magic.
There was a holy magic user here!
I focused on the source of the light—and what I saw was a familiar figure.
Why was Haru here?
"Are you okay, Flitz-san?"
Haru, panting, ran up to me and checked my condition.
Seeing how battered I was, she glared at Mel with furious eyes.
"HOW DARE YOUUUU!!"
I could feel mana surging around Haru.
This is bad! It looks like Haru wants to face Mel.
Even though holy magic was effective against demons, I was certain she couldn't handle her.
Mel, seeing Haru's arrival, laughed gleefully and pointed at her.
"Well well well, perfect. I'll hand you over to the cult, and Flitz I'll bring to Teacher. Killing two birds with one stone—today is my lucky day...."
"Hohoho, sorry young one, but I don't think today is your lucky day!"
Suddenly, a familiar voice from above cut off Mel's words.
We both looked up toward its source.
"Fuuuh."
Relief washed over me when I saw who had spoken.
"Magnus North..."