Chapter 97

"Huff!"

The miasma covering Valka's body.

The miasma transformed and produced a giant arm that lunged at Iksa.

"Hmm."

Iksa raised the sword in his hand to receive the blow.

He parried the claw's slash and deflected the impact of the arm's strength.

"Tch..."

Reading Iksa's attempt to counterattack, Valka leaped backward.

The arena was collapsing.

The two of them were fighting, leaping over the debris.

"Ugh..."

I watched the scene from a relatively safe place, leaning against the stone wall.

I was almost out of breath.

I have confidence in my physical strength, but this condition has nothing to do with it.

The load on my brain was too great, and the circuits that control my body were not functioning properly.

...Mmm, even so, hiding here and doing nothing is meaningless.

I tried to synthesize a "chainsaw" and activate it with the power of "Alchemy Lv.3," but it didn't work at all.

The problem wasn't a lack of magic power, but rather that my brain was applying the brakes.

"Iksa..."

I looked up at Iksa and Valka's battle.

At this point, my last action—hoping that the destruction of the wall would turn the tide in our favor—was all I could do.

In the air, the two clashed again, for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"...You."

There, Valka, while taking a combat stance, noticed something and said to Iksa.

"That movement, that agility... It's not just that your physical abilities are high, is it?"

"Oh, you noticed?"

As he swirled his sword, Iksa said.

Indeed, that was something I had also noticed.

Iksa could move so lightly—

It was like Suaro's agility.

...If that's the case, there were quite a few situations where, if we had gone back in time, he could have helped out back then...

However, from the conversation between Valka and Iksa, it seemed that there was a reason for Iksa's sharp movements.

"...Wind."

Valka immediately gave the answer.

"I've been feeling the wind's movement strangely strong... This wind is something you're causing."

When she said that, I also noticed.

I had been so focused on their battle that I hadn't realized, but the wind blowing through this area did feel strong.

"By the way, you're also of royal blood. Third Prince, Iksa Raven Grouga. The fact that you can use magical tools means you have magic power and the potential to use magic."

In an instant, Iksa kicked off his footing.

He accelerated and swung his sword at Valka, who was still talking.

"Light movements are assisted by the wind. This wind is your magic, isn't it?"

Valka stopped the incoming sword strike with one of her giant arms.

"Oh—"

Then, with her other arm, she tried to slash Iksa's body.

However, Iksa had already flown backward, probably using a gust of wind.

Iksa's shirt was torn at the chest—by a hair's breadth.

"...However, even with the assistance of the wind, it seems that my strength is slightly superior."

Valka said with a smile.

Indeed, from the battle so far, it seemed that their power was evenly matched, but in reality, Valka was slightly ahead.

While Iksa's sword didn't touch Valka's body, Valka's attacks, though not causing damage, did reach Iksa's body.

"..."

Sweat ran down Iksa's cheek.

If the battle continued like this, it would be a losing battle.

The time would come when he would be overwhelmed—

"...No."

However, Iksa then let out a voice that sounded relieved.

"That worry is unnecessary. It seems reinforcements have arrived."

Following Iksa's gaze, Valka and I.

"Sis!"

"Mako!"

Enzia and Reyle, among others, were pushing aside the debris of the arena and running towards us.

Oh! Everyone!

Thank goodness! They noticed us!

"Hmph, even if more reinforcements arrive now, what does it matter?"

The miasma covering Valka's body grew denser.

"I will summon all my slaves, whose bodies bear my mark, to this place in a large number. I will crush you all with sheer force—"

"You don't seem to have noticed."

Iksa said.

"The reinforcements I mentioned are not just them."

In an instant, a swift wind swept past behind Valka.

"!"

The moment she noticed, a kick like an arrow was driven into Valka's side.

"Ugh!"

Valka's body was thrown into the debris.

Her defense was too late.

No... thanks to the miasma covering her body, she might have been able to defend herself to some extent.

Seeing Valka stagger to her feet in the flying debris, I thought so.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have been able to stand up after taking such a powerful kick.

"..."

The one who launched the surprise attack on Valka—Lunato, the masked warrior of "Lavinia," landed.

With the full moon floating in the sky behind her, she quietly stared at Valka.

"You... why..."

It was natural for Valka to be shaken.

Lunato, who had been brainwashed and made a slave by her, had attacked her without being controlled.

"...I won't forgive you."

Lunato walked straight towards Valka.

There, I noticed.

The mask covering her face... blood was dripping from under it.

"Could it be... you... peeled off your own face?"

Valka must have noticed too.

She stared at Lunato in shock.

"Did you tear off the slave mark... and use the pain to break the brainwashing..."

...Amazing.

If that was true, it was an incredible mental strength.

Valka had said earlier that she couldn't completely brainwash Lunato because of her strong self-discipline.

To remove the demon's power as well, it was a terrifying resolve.

"Ugh!"

Despite the significant damage from being thrown, Valka immediately activated the miasma arms and lunged at Lunato.

However, in the end—Lunato was not her match.

With the brainwashing removed and fueled by anger, her body moved even faster than when we saw her in the arena.

She dodged Valka's fierce attacks and quickly closed the distance.

From that position, she delivered dozens of kicks at a speed that left sound behind.

"Ha, ha, ha..."

This must be the true strength of the S-rank adventurer—Lunato, the "Sky Elf."

Valka, who had been beaten all over her body, let out a thin scream and fell to her knees, eyes rolling back.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

...Dad.

Where is Dad?

Mom, where did Dad go?

"Heaven, a place very far away."

Why did Dad go to heaven?

"He was sick. There was nothing we could do."

...

...It's a lie.

Dad didn't die because of illness.

He died because he failed at work.

He was blamed by many people.

Money.

It was because of money.

In this world where money is everything, money took everything from me.

If I had money, Dad wouldn't have been driven to choose death.

Mom wouldn't have abandoned me to remarry.

If I had money.

That's why I thought I had to go even higher than my current position.

For that, I worked and studied desperately.

But, because I didn't have money...

As a commoner, and without graduating from a prestigious academic institute, I wasn't accepted.

Family background.

Bribery.

Money.

Because of money, I—.

※ ※ ※ ※ ※

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The next moment, as she collapsed.

Valka let out a painful roar and, with her battered body, lunged at Lunato as if using her last strength.

She swung her arm, trying to strike the giant arm extending from her body—

"!?!"

But then Valka realized.

The dark miasma that had covered her body was gone.

Now, only her flesh and blood remained.

"Wh-Where did Asmodeus—"

Lunato gently struck Valka's neck with a hand knife.

With a hiss, Valka fainted.

Lunato caught her falling body.

"..."

Lunato must have understood that if her already battered body from the previous battle was further overused, it could be fatal.

And, sensing some kind of change in her body, she dealt with it by knocking her out.

"There's nothing to be done."

Then, a black miasma appeared in the air, forming a human shape.

It was Asmodeus.

"I've decided to cut my losses. Her body was already at its limit."

By abandoning his host, Valka—

Asmodeus said nonchalantly.

"She was a valuable host, and unilaterally breaking the contract will cost me some of my own power... but there's nothing to be done. I'll be taking my leave."

"…I won't let you escape."

Lunato tried to set Valka's body down on the spot.

But before she could, Asmodeus had already manifested black wings on his back.

The wings flapped, and the strong wind caused Lunato to lose her balance.

"See you."

And then, Asmodeus's body shot straight up into the sky.

He was escaping.

The root of all evil in this incident—

"Eh?"

But then, Asmodeus's body collided with something in mid-air.

At the moment of impact, a flash of light appeared in the air, and a large, transparent wall-like object seemed to float there.

What was that—?

"I won't let you escape."

It was Iksa who spoke.

He extended his hand towards Asmodeus, and his skin glowed with magic power.

Was Iksa using some kind of magic?

"Is this a... 'Barrier'?"

Looking at the transparent wall above, Asmodeus had a puzzled expression.

"Your magic is wind manipulation, isn't it? What—"

Asmodeus's words were cut off there.

"—Huh?"

He realized a large white mass was at his feet.

"You thought you could escape?"

It was Enzia.

With a speed comparable to Lunato, she had somehow climbed up the arena and leaped.

And she was biting Asmodeus's leg.

"Come down here! You fool!"

In the air, she writhed her body—

And then, she threw Asmodeus towards the ground.