An immeasurable amount of magical power enveloped the Francilt residence. The magical power filling the surroundings wrapped around Nozomu and the others, and intense drowsiness assailed them.
"Kh! Guh!"
Nozomu raised the qi throughout his entire body to repel the magical power, and the drowsiness immediately receded. When he looked around, even the scenery outside the windows had changed color.
"W-what in the world is this?"
Somia asked her older sister in an anxious voice.
"It's probably barrier magic… As for the effect—"
Barrier magic was one form of formation techniques. By drawing a formation filled with magical power on the ground or a starting point, it brought continuous effects within a certain range. Its duration was long, and depending on how it was used it could maintain a favorable state for an extended period, but because setting up the formation generally required time and effort, it was a magic that required extremely strategic use. It also had the characteristic that the wider the effective range was expanded, the more the duration and effect declined.
Looking at Mars and the others, Mars, Irisdina, and Tima seemed fine, but Ena was breathing with difficulty.
"I sincerely apologize for the rough manner in which I acted so suddenly. However, this too is part of the contract. In order to have that treasured item returned, I will extract Somia-sama's soul."
At the words of the elderly gentleman named Lugat, Nozomu and the others doubted their ears.
"…Y-you're going to extract my soul… w-what does that mean?"
Somia asked Lugat in a trembling voice. The expression of Irisdina beside her was also severe. From their perspective, the old man in front of them was nothing more than a suspicious person.
"Exactly as the words state. The contract exchanged three hundred years ago. At that time, in order to resolve a problem the Francilt family was facing, they received the assistance of the Uajalt family. One of the magical tools provided as that assistance was the Furnace of Spirit Flame. And… this is the contract document exchanged at that time."
Saying that, the elderly gentleman took out a single sheet of aged parchment from his breast and spread it so that Nozomu and the others could see. On that paper it was clearly written that the Uajalt family would assist the Francilt family and provide magical tools in their possession, and in exchange would receive enormous wealth along with the return of the Furnace of Spirit Flame. In addition, the contract recorded that in order to uphold this agreement, two bracelets serving as seals of contract guardianship would be created, and that if either family broke the contract, the familiar of the contract would forcibly carry it out. In the place for signatures was written the family crest that only the head of the Francilt family was permitted to use.
"No way…"
"Onee-sama…"
Understanding that the contents of the contract were genuine, Irisdina and Somia were stunned.
"Well then, I shall complete the contract."
"W-wait!"
As Lugat said that he took out a black sphere from his breast. He casually held up that sphere, which called to mind a deep abyss, and began pouring magical power into it. The black sphere pulsed as if beating with the magical power being poured into it. Eventually it began releasing black light, and when wave-like ripples appeared on its surface, Somia's bracelet simultaneously released the same black light and began vibrating in small, sharp movements as if resonating with the contract document. The next moment the black light swelled from the bracelet, and from within the darkness a hooded figure emerged. In a single word, the appearance of that figure was that of the Grim Reaper.
A tattered hood and the skeletal body beneath it. The places corresponding to eyes glowed red, and in its hands it held a large scythe the height of a person, the symbol of the Grim Reaper.
"This is the familiar that governs the present contract. The watcher of the contract and the guide of souls. This one will guide Somia-sama's soul."
"Eh, kyaaaa!"
When Lugat put the contract document and black sphere away in his breast and made that declaration, chains suddenly emerged from beneath the Grim Reaper's hood and bound Somia. The Grim Reaper raised the large scythe befitting its name and tried to swing it down toward her with force, but…
"I won't let you!!"
Irisdina deployed magic in an instant. Black chains appeared in the air and captured the familiar. Restraint magic: "Binding Chains of Darkness." It was an intermediate-level darkness-attribute magic, but what stood out most of all was the speed of its activation. She had activated the magic without the chanting required to use magic and without drawing a formation.
"Hoh, that deployment speed. Ability: Instant Deployment, is it?"
Ability: Instant Deployment. Normally when using magic, processes such as formations or chanting that raise one's own magical power and act upon the outside world are required, but those who possess this ability can activate magic without performing those processes.
But that alone seemed insufficient to capture this Grim Reaper. The chains binding the familiar creaked and countless cracks appeared in them.
"Kh!"
Irisdina drew the thin sword at her waist and cut toward the familiar, but the Grim Reaper quickly destroyed the chains restraining it. It knocked her away with the large scythe in its hands and tried to cut toward Somia again, but…
"Guh! Tima!!"
"Yeah!"
Yet the Grim Reaper could not move. Four-colored magic circles deployed around the Grim Reaper, and using those as vertices an even larger magic circle pinned the Grim Reaper in place. In the slight time Irisdina had bought, Tima finished her chant and activated an even stronger restraint magic.
The activated magic was "Four-Turning Sealing Formation." Magic circles of the four attributes intertwined with each other, forming a complex magic circle, and completely confined the familiar within that formation.
"Hoh, magnificent magic. The attributes of each cycle without repelling one another, forming an even stronger restraint formation. I have lived a long time, yet I have not often seen a human capable of using magic of this level. Irisdina-dono's magic is also splendid. The effects of magic from Instant Deployment easily decline depending on concentration, yet you were able to restrain my familiar even if only temporarily."
He must have been truly moved. Lugat's voice was filled with pure praise for the two girls.
"However, no matter how much you stop the familiar, it will not resolve the situation."
Intense magical power surged up from Lugat. He judged Irisdina and Tima as obstacles interfering with the enforcement of the contract and moved to eliminate them. Lugat extended his left hand and drew a formation in the air with his index finger. Magical bullets were then released from the drawn magic circle and struck Tima's shoulder directly.
"Kyaa!"
An impact ran through my shoulder and I nearly fell, but I somehow held on. The clothes where the magical bullet hit were torn, and blood was seeping out.
But I paid no mind to such an injury and focused solely on maintaining the magic. If I could not maintain the magic, Somia-chan's life would be harvested!
The little sister of my precious best friend, and a precious friend to me as well.
From childhood I had been gloomy, withdrawn, and unable to stand at the front.
The family of the first friend I had made after being alone for so long without friends.
I still remember. From the first year my magical power had drawn attention, and I stood out even within the class.
I myself was bad at speaking to people, and the distance between me and my classmates only grew further…
At that time Ai spoke to me and we became friends. We grew close, and I also met Somia-chan.
Unlike gloomy me, both of them shone. Ai was like the brightest star that shone especially strongly in the night sky and guided travelers. Somia-chan was like the sun that illuminated the dark night.
Thanks to the two of them I was no longer alone.
"Will you still continue? You appear to possess considerable mental strength."
Saying that, the old man… Lugat-san's five fingers on his left hand drew five magic circles in the air. Apparently he was drawing one magic circle with each finger…
"I won't let you!"
Ai said that and cut toward the old man, but the old man drew four magic circles with his right hand. Two of them were the same magic circle and the remaining two were different ones. To think he could even change the magic circles drawn with each finger…
From two of the magic circles deep crimson blood-colored swords emerged and were released toward Ai. The blood swords moved freely through the air and attacked Ai, holding her in place. Looking at how the fingers that had drawn the remaining two magic circles were moving in a complex manner, it appeared those fingers were controlling the blood swords.
Just as I thought that, five magical bullets were released from the five magic circles on the left hand and struck my body directly.
"Kh! Aaah! Kuu!"
At the excessive pain my vision turned pure white, yet even so I did not release control of the magic.
My bitten lips split, and the taste of iron spread through my entire mouth, but I bit down on my lips even harder.
I endured the pain of the magic striking my body with the pain of wounding myself.
Ai and Somia, the star and sun that had guided me.
With the single-minded desire not to lose them I continued maintaining the magic, but when I sensed powerful magical power and looked that way, five magical bullets even stronger than before had been created and were aimed at me.
Ai released magic and cut in to prevent them from hitting, but she was blocked by the magic released from the three fingers of the old man's right hand and the blood swords controlled by the two fingers. The five magical bullets from the left hand were released, but with my hands full maintaining the restraint magic I could not move from this spot. If I broke concentration even a little I would release this familiar!
I steeled myself and glared at the approaching magical bullets. An unavoidable, sure-hit attack. But that magic did not pierce my body. Right before it struck me, a shadow that had cut in punched the magical bullets away.
Before I knew it I had cut into the line of fire of the magic that was about to hit her and punched the magical bullets away with a fist wrapped in wind.
"…Mars…kun?"
Perhaps finding it strange that I had come to help, she muttered my name in a dazed voice.
…At first she had been someone I disliked. Even though she was A-rank she was timid and watched the other person's expression, and she did not even have the energy to talk back to me when I took an attitude she disliked.
But the face she was showing now clearly displayed her own feelings. "I won't give up."
"…What are you spacing out for. Focus on the magic. I'll somehow deal with that old man's magic."
Without taking my eyes off the old man, I spoke those words filled with my own will to her… to Tima.
I poured even more qi into the fists of both hands and took my stance.
Qi technique: "Wind Mass Palm." A qi technique that wraps compressed wind around the fists to increase striking power. The qi I poured in further gathered wind and created a mass of wind clearly visible to the eye.
"…Yeah! Please!"
At the clear voice the corners of my mouth relaxed without meaning to.
"Nozomu, you evacuate Ena and bring our swords."
"Eh!"
When we entered the mansion we had handed over the swords we were carrying to the maids. As expected, they would not allow us to wear swords at someone's birthday party. Ena had fallen asleep because of the barrier magic the old man had deployed. If she stayed here she might get caught up in the battle.
"But we don't know the storage location!"
"The storage location is the small room to the right of the mansion's entrance! With this you can enter!"
Irisdina threw a key to Nozomu. It appeared to be something like a master key for this mansion.
Neither I nor Nozomu had our weapons. Facing this old man with only Tima and Irisdina was impossible. To break through the current situation we also needed to join the fight.
"Got it! Everyone, I'm counting on you!"
Confirming by the sound of footsteps that Nozomu had left the room carrying Ena on his back, I exhaled.
Having witnessed the old man's strength, the body that had been unconsciously tense loosened to an appropriate degree, and blood circulated throughout my entire body.
The old man in front of me had easily handled the two A-ranks. The fighting spirit seeping from his body was almost the same as that of the academy's strongest swordsman, Jihad Roundel. His strength was probably S-rank.
"S-rank."
That was a title given to the strong of whom there were only a little over ten on this continent.
And the Dizart Empire that she had mentioned.
That country had almost no diplomatic relations with other nations, yet it possessed tremendous military power. Even during the Great Invasion ten years ago it had apparently repelled the magical beasts that invaded its own territory with just its own forces. Facing a strong person from such an outrageous country, my feelings were rising uncontrollably.
"…So, what do we do?"
"That familiar was summoned by the black sphere Lugat-shi is holding. In other words…"
"We have no choice but to somehow deal with that black sphere. To do that we need to get to the old man, is that it?"
That old man was an absurd guy who could control ten magics at the same time. Long-range attacks from the magic we currently possessed or my qi techniques would probably be meaningless. The only way to find a path to victory was close combat.
"But getting close won't be easy either."
"Yeah, the number of moves is too different."
At present the magic he had used was only the elementary-level magic "Magic Bullet" that simply gathered magical power and fired it. Looking at how the blood swords used two fingers per sword, higher-level magic might require multiple fingers, but even so the speed was extraordinary.
"Even so, we will win!! Mars-kun, I'm counting on you with Tima!"
"I know."
Irisdina declared. Of course. I had no intention of losing either. No matter who the opponent was!
We nodded at each other and faced the old man. The opponent was one of the little over ten strongest on this continent. If we fought him head-on he was a being who could brush us aside.
The old man spread both arms. He was acting like the conductor of an orchestra.
We are certainly weaker than you… but even so, we will win!!
With that certain will, we faced the strong person before us.
Nozomu recovered his own sword and Mars's sword from the storage location and was running through the corridor to return to the battlefield. Along the way Nozomu was thinking about Lugat.
(Lugat-san is probably on the same level as Master…)
He recalled his master. Although the direction of magic and sword was different, Lugat-san possessed the unique atmosphere that the strong emitted, the same one Master had held. And at the same time Nozomu had also gained a certain conviction.
(Probably… Irisdina-san and the others can't win…)
Because he had been at Master's side more than anyone and had fought Master with his life on the line, he understood. When he compared Lugat-san's strength with Irisdina-san and the others, he immediately understood that they could not win in a head-on confrontation. On top of that, right now they also had to suppress the familiar Lugat commanded.
(I have to hurry! …But can we win? Without using "that"…)
The first thing that came to mind for winning was releasing Ability Suppression. But the fear of the powerful force nesting in his heart made him hesitate to do so, and he could not move forward. Being frightened of the released power, being looked at with eyes of fear, being called a "monster," and being rejected. When he thought of that his body trembled. Of returning once more to that dark place where he was all alone. Of dragging them into the battles with those who would target this power.
"Kh! Damn it!!"
He grew to hate his own weakness of only continuing to run away. All he could do was quicken his pace as if to cover it up.
"Guh! Aaaahhh!!"
Mars continued punching away the storm of approaching magical bullets. Lugat mercilessly showered Tima with magical bullets, but Mars, who had cut in between, became a shield and defended against Lugat's magic. However, even if reinforced with qi, punching away magical bullets with bare hands was not easy. Moreover, even if it was elementary-level magic, it was the magic of an S-rank powerhouse. The skin of Mars's hands was already in tatters, his fists were covered in blood, and white bone was visible in some places. Even so he swung his fists. Each time blood scattered across the floor, creating a flower garden of blood on the white floor.
"Haaaaaaaa!"
Irisdina was equally on the defensive. She had not taken any eye-catching wounds like Mars, but she could not get close at all. Lugat immediately responded to her Instant Magic, quickly constructing formations with multiple fingers. He activated magic at the same speed as her and canceled it out. At the same time he also controlled the blood swords, blocking her approach.
"Haa haa haa!"
"Kh… Mars-kun. Are… you okay?"
"Haa haa… shut up, focus on maintaining the magic more than on me…"
Tima spoke to him worriedly, but her complexion was also bad and she looked ready to collapse at any moment.
(No wonder. Maintaining such high-level magic continuously requires considerable magical power and concentration.)
Tima's magic was an extremely advanced magic that used four attributes simultaneously. Both activating and maintaining that magic required enormous mental strength. Furthermore her body had taken several of Lugat's magical bullets. She was by no means durable. The wounds throbbed with pain and were gradually but steadily wearing away her concentration.
The three of them were gradually pushed back, and finally the limit arrived. Unable to fully handle the approaching magical bullets, Mars's posture collapsed, and further magical bullets were slammed into him.
"Gaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
With a scream Mars was blown away and slammed into the wall.
"It is over."
"!!"
With Mars taken down there was nothing left to block Lugat's magic, and multiple magical bullets were fired into Tima.
"Kyaaaaaa!!"
She had no way to avoid them, and the magical bullets struck directly. She collapsed as if crumpling to the floor. At the same time the "Continuously Turning Sealing Formation" that had been restraining the familiar was released, and the Grim Reaper was freed.
"Tima! Mars-kun!"
"Guh!" "Tsk!"
Irisdina cried out, but the two could not answer and only groaned.
"Kh!"
She tried to run to Somia's side to stop the Grim Reaper, but a magical bullet that passed at high speed right in front of her stopped her feet. Lugat released magical bullets with his freed left hand and controlled the blood swords with his right. Faced with attacks of a density incomparable to before, Irisdina was completely unable to move. The Grim Reaper stopped in front of Somia and raised its large scythe. There was no longer anyone who could stop this envoy of death, and Somia's death was certain.
"Somia!!!!"
"A-aah…"
The older sister desperately calling her little sister's name and the little sister swallowed by the fear of death. The fate of these sisters was already decided… or so it should have been.
The moment the Grim Reaper tried to swing its scythe down, both of its arms, along with the large scythe, flew through the air.
"…Eh."
The thoughts of everyone present stopped, and time stagnated for an instant. Within that time a single shadow raced. That shadow quickly charged into the Grim Reaper, made the blade it held glitter, and released a fatal strike.
Qi technique: "Phantom Void – Regression –"
The slash honed to the absolute limit bisected the Grim Reaper's body and smashed the bracelet that served as its core into pieces. With its core destroyed the Grim Reaper vanished like mist, and fragments of the shattered bracelet danced through the surroundings.
"Nozomu…san?"
Somia muttered as if confirming.
Without answering Somia's question, Nozomu faced Lugat.
(…Master. What… should I…do?)
I was left, still without an answer…