While we steadily hunted down the magical beasts without much danger and the end was starting to come into sight, suddenly several lights raced across the ground.
"What the—?!"
"—っ! Loretta-san! I'm jumping into the air, so stay put!"
Instantly recognizing the lights as a massive magic circle, I call out to Loretta-san and activate my unique skill, reversing the gravity on both of us so we fall upward away from the ground.
"Ooh... Falling into the sky is a first. So this is your unique skill, [Gravity Manipulation], Orun-kun."
I halt us about a dozen meters up, and Loretta-san speaks with an amused voice.
"Yes. Sorry for the suddenness."
"No need to apologize. Your judgment was correct."
When I apologize, she affirms my actions while gazing down at the ground.
Below us, the magical beasts are swallowed into the magic circle as if sinking into the earth.
If we'd stayed on the ground, we might have been pulled in too.
"I don't know what that is, but for now I'll transfer us to Lucy-san with [Spatial Leap Space Leap]."
"Got it. Thanks."
Receiving Loretta-san's reply, I pour mana into the formula I'd constructed in my mind and activate [Spatial Leap Space Leap].
"Lore! Orun! Thank goodness you're safe!"
When Loretta-san and I transfer near Lucy-san, she notices us and lets out a relieved voice, delighted at our safety.
The Jade members from the second defensive line have already rejoined, so everyone's safety is confirmed.
Half the massive magical beast horde was hunted by us, and the other half was swallowed by the suddenly appearing magic circle, so it's effectively wiped out.
But since there's a high chance someone from the Order is behind this, they probably judged the earlier horde couldn't harm the princess and moved to the next step.
We can't optimistically assume this is the end.
"Yeah, thanks to Orun-kun. Still, what was that magic circle? Do you know anything, Orun-kun?"
After responding to Lucy-san, Loretta-san asks me about the magic circle while looking down.
"No, I've never seen that magic circle before. But it's definitely nothing good."
While we're talking, a change occurs at the spot where the magic circle is floating.
From the magic circle, something like a white-boned human arm extends toward the sky.
"What is that..."
Lucy-san mutters with a trembling voice.
Understandably so.
That bony arm is abnormally huge.
Stretching straight upward, it's easily ten meters long.
When the bony arm opens its hand at the end, it slams its palm down onto the ground as if striking it.
Dust clouds rise around it, and the impact transmits through the ground.
Then the bony arm presses down on the ground as if pushing.
"Everyone, maximum alert! Protecting Lucy's safety is top priority!"
Loretta-san raises her voice.
At the same moment, near where the arm emerged, a skull begins to surface.
Then, as if crawling out from the magic circle, it appears.
A gigantic skeleton approaching twenty meters in total length.
"Way too big..."
One of the Jade members mutters.
Standing on two legs, the massive skeleton exudes tremendous intimidation even from a distance due to its sheer size.
At the position corresponding to its left eye floats a huge magic stone. When that magic stone glows eerily, the gigantic sword—easily over ten meters long—held in its hand swings down toward the ground.
Seeing that, the Jade members instantly activate their magical tools, deploying a mana barrier that covers all of us.
(It's fine. The distance is enough that we won't take a direct sword strike. The shockwave won't be trivial, but with this barrier's strength, we should withstand it no problem.)
Thinking that, I begin considering our next move—when suddenly a certain scene flashes through my mind...
In that vision, when the skeleton slams its sword into the ground, shockwaves spread out, and from the center, countless sharp-tipped white bones erupt violently from a wide area of the ground.
That range includes where we're standing now, and Lucy-san—who has no combat experience—can't react in time. Loretta-san leaps in between the erupting bones and Lucy-san.
But she can't stop the momentum of the bones, and the sharp white bones pierce both Loretta-san and Lucy-san behind her.
"—っ! [Seal Relaxation: Seventh Layer Restoration Septuple]!"
Seeing that scene, before I can even think, I'm already closing the distance toward the skeleton.
I don't know why that vision appeared in my mind.
I don't even know if it's something that will really happen.
But my intuition... is screaming that the scene I just saw is about to occur.
In an instant, I've closed the gap and kick off the ground toward the skeleton's descending sword.
"[Type Three Mont Drei]!"
I merge the two demonic swords back into one, then expand its mana to transform it into a greatsword form.
"—っ!!"
I swing the demonic sword in a sweeping motion, slamming it into the side of the vertically descending skeleton sword.
The instant the swords clash, I activate [Instantaneous Ability Super Boost Impact], forcibly altering the trajectory of the skeleton's swing.
The moment the skeleton's sword hits the ground, just as in the vision, countless sharp-tipped white bones erupt from a wide area centered on the impact point.
But because I diverted the sword's path, the spot where Lucy-san and the others are standing escapes the range.
Confirming that, I immediately create a mana foothold in the air and kick off it to ascend further, aiming to destroy the huge magic stone in the skeleton's left eye.
"[Type Four Mont Vier]!"
Closing the distance, I transform the demonic sword into a demonic spear and thrust it toward the magic stone once in range.
But the spearhead is blocked by a barrier and doesn't reach the magic stone.
Immediately after, a shockwave radiates outward from the magic stone, and taking it head-on, I'm blown backward.
While righting myself in midair, the skeleton's swinging sword closes in on me.
"Kuh! ——[Reflective Wall]!"
Using [Gravity Manipulation] to kill the sword's momentum, I deploy a gray translucent wall to halt its advance.
Using the time bought that way, I activate [Spatial Leap Space Leap] to transfer back to Lucy-san's side.
"Haa... haa... haa..."
"Orun! Are you okay!?"
After transferring, I revert the demonic spear to a long sword demonic sword while catching my breath. Lucy-san rushes over.
Her hood falls back, revealing her face.
Her crimson eyes tremble, showing genuine worry for me.
(I thought it yesterday too, but seeing her up close makes it even clearer. Her features really resemble Shion's.)
"Um... Orun...? Staring like that is pretty embarrassing, you know."
While I'm thinking that, Lucy-san shyly averts her gaze.
"S-Sorry!"
"Orun-kun, I get being captivated by Lucy, but could you focus on dealing with that thing for now?"
As an awkward atmosphere drifts between me and Lucy-san, Loretta-san calls out in a teasing tone.
But it feels like she's forcing the cheerfulness.
I switch my thoughts and turn my gaze back toward the skeleton.
"...Understood. Anyway, my next plan is already decided."
The skeleton is slowly walking toward us.
Even "slowly," at over twenty meters tall, the distance closes quickly.
"Impressive. Even after hearing the plan?"
I nod at Loretta-san's question and speak.
"I'll handle that thing alone. Everyone from "Jade Gale", please take Lucy-san and head to Tsutorail."
"It's too dangerous alone! We'll fight together!"
"Please don't misjudge priorities. Your role... is to safely escort Lucy-san to Tsutorail, right? Besides, the situation is different from dealing with the earlier horde. That thing's strength rivals a deep-floor boss. So please inform Selma-san in Tsutorail about this."
"...Selma?"
"Yes. "Silver Rabbit of the Night Sky" will take it down. I can at least buy time alone."
"...Understood. After seeing your earlier exchange with it, it's clear that us—who can't coordinate well—would only get in the way. We'll send Selma and the others immediately, so hold out until then!"
"Got it. Please hurry as much as possible."
Accepting my request, "Jade Gale" quickly mounts their horses and begins preparations to move.
"Orun, sorry. After dragging you into this, forcing such a role on you..."
"It's fine. But well, if you feel bad about it, please reach Tsutorail safely. In this situation, losing you would be the one thing we must avoid most."
"......Yes, you're right. Understood. I'll wait for Orun's return in Tsutorail."
"Got it. I'll try not to keep you waiting too long."
Finishing my conversation with Lucy-san, she rides off toward Tsutorail with "Jade Gale".
◇
"Now then. Time for some skeleton extermination. ——[Seal Release Culmination]!"
Confirming "Jade Gale" moving away, I remove everything binding me.
I asked them to contact Selma-san and the others as insurance, but to minimize surrounding damage, taking it down quickly is definitely best.
I told them earlier that it rivals a deep-floor boss to get them to leave, but honestly, compared to the black dragon or great serpent, it's a tier below.
And the current me is far stronger than during last year's instructional exploration.
Since I defeated the black dragon solo, I should be able to take down this skeleton while keeping some strength in reserve...
If it proves difficult, I can just wait for Selma-san and the others.
First priority: take down that skeleton!
With my plan set, I close in on the skeleton—which has changed course toward where Lucy-san and the others are moving.
"Don't look away!"
From the skeleton's left rear, I unleash Heavenly Flash toward its left temple.
Its core is almost certainly the huge magic stone in its left eye.
I thought maybe this could destroy the magic stone along with the left temple, but it doesn't go that easily.
Even Heavenly Flash with [Instantaneous Ability Super Boost Impact] only cracks the left temple.
Taking an attack that could obliterate a black dragon's wing and only getting cracked—yeah, the skull part is definitely harder than other areas.
That said, the purpose of this attack was to draw the skeleton's aggro to me.
That goal is achieved.
When the skeleton turns toward me, its left-eye magic stone glows eerily.
Immediately after, ray-like mana shoots wildly from the magic stone toward me.
"[Type Five Mont Fünf]!"
Against the ultra-high-speed mana rays closing in from all directions, I transform the demonic sword into a demonic shield and cover my surroundings with a jet-black barrier for defense.
After blocking all the rays coming from every angle, I dispel the barrier—only for the skeleton's massive sword to descend from overhead.
"Tch!"
I was about to counterattack, but I abandon that idea and raise the demonic shield overhead to receive the sword.
(This mass... Even with physical abilities maxed out and [Instantaneous Ability Super Boost Impact] on a defense-specialized demonic shield, taking it unscathed is impossible...!)
Resigned to some damage, I ready [Instantaneous Ability Super Boost Impact] while waiting for the moment the demonic shield and sword make contact.
—but before they do, a slash runs across the skeleton's sword arm.
The slash precisely passes through the elbow joint, severing the forearm along with the sword, which falls to the ground.
"っ!?"
I turn my gaze toward where the slash came from—there stands a human fully clad in armor.
Confirming that, I revert the demonic shield to a long sword demonic sword while dodging the falling sword.
Instantly distancing myself from the skeleton, I land near the armored explorer.
"...I have a ton of things I want to interrogate you about, but since you're here, can I take it you're cooperating to take down the skeleton?"
"........."
When I ask the armored explorer, he silently nods.
"That's reassuring... It's been about a year since we fought together, huh."
"...っ!"
At my words, the armored explorer catches his breath.
Did you seriously think I hadn't noticed who you are?
"Nice to have you, ——Oliver...!"