Chapter 52 - Agate the idol/ The legend of the paladin part four

“W-what…? It didn’t hurt…?”

Dying was surprisingly painless.

Or at least that was what Belle thought, but she grossly misunderstood what was happening.

““Are you alright?””

“Eh…?”

Belle opened her eyes, and what she saw surprised her.

It was a world of ice.

Walls of ice, clear like glass, were sprouting from the floor.

Even the huge ebony table was completely stopped by the ice pillars that emerged from the floor to protect the panicked guests.

It was magic, 《Ice Shield》 to be exact.

It was used when monsters appeared on the highway and adventurers took them down. Belle saw it being used once, but it was not as flashy and its scale was much smaller than the one she was currently watching.

It was used to protect against arrows or magic of the opposite attribute, and it should in no way be tough enough to stop a wooden table descending at one hundred kilometers an hour. It was a shield in the first place, and not a wall.

The person that used this incredible magic had a cool look on their face.

Bell forgot about her situation, and even about her occupation, and stared at this mysterious sorcerer.

[How… How beautiful.]

Even Belle, who was used to being around idols, was captivated by this beautiful woman.

Her blonde hair looked sublime and beautiful, her body, while feminine, was as tight as a stretched bow, and above all, her cool facial features were sharp, almost in a manly way.

“T-t-thank… You…?”

““No problem miss Idol.””

But she smiled like a goddess, seemingly overflowing with love.

Belle was suddenly startled when she noticed something. This person knew she was an idol.

““This will be over soon, so stay low for a little longer.””

“Y-yesh!”

This conversation attracted the attention of the being responsible for this atrocity.

“I finally found you. I’d recognize that stench anywhere Nick… Uh?”

““Come on you stubborn tiger.””

“Who the hell are you!?”

Screamed the tiger, but Belle was not afraid, as she could not imagine the sorcerer that protected her losing.

◆

After Nick and Tianna fused, their body was overflowing with tremendous magic energy, which they used to temporarily summon a harsh winter.

This magic, 《Ice Age》, did not temporarily create ice and lower temperatures, but rather, it created barriers and allowed the user to control the cold air inside the area at will.

Inside that area, they could use magic like 《Ice Shield》 anywhere they wanted and in any shape they wanted, for example…

“Guoooh!!!”

Leon jumped at them with tremendous weight and speed, but his huge body was pierced by huge spear-like icicles.

““《Ice spear》.””

Spears appeared from the ceiling, walls and floor.

It was the superior version of Icicle Dance, and it originally only allowed the user to fire a single ice stake, but Nick/Tianna could freely fire them from wherever they wanted.

“Gugaaaah!? W-what is this magic…!!!?”

“Do not panic Leon. Remember, I am here with you… Now go wild!”

“Uoooooh!!!”

A strange voice echoed, and something surprising happened.

The limbs of the tiger monster started expanding, not like a balloon, rather, his hard muscles became harder and harder.

Leon contracted his muscles, and broke the ice spears. His wounds were also healed as though nothing happened.

“Ahh…”

“That’s right Leon. Now keep using me in that manner.”

“Shut up… Let me do what I want…!”

““Wait, aren’t you alone…?””

Nick/Tianna were puzzled as they watched Leon have a conversation with a strange voice.

The Sword of Bonds interjected.

“That voice… You are the Sword of Evolution, are you not?”

“The Sword of Bonds… It has been a few hundreds of years.”

““Do you know what that is Bond?””

“Y-yes… We were developed around the same time.”

“Owner of the Sword of Bonds, I am the Sword of Evolution, also known as the Mad Moon Sword. I am the one true sacred sword… Or at least that is what I wish I could say, but I was removed from the plan to defeat the demon king in the examination stage. It certainly is a strange twist of fate that I happen to meet another sacred sword in another era.”

Said the Mad Moon Sword with a somewhat cynical tone, to which the Sword of Bonds responded with anger.

“Foolishness! You were disqualified due to not following the regulations long before that! If you keep using that sword you will cease to be human!”

““C-cease to be… Human!?””

Nick/Tianna were shocked.

“Yes, this sword has a function, in the same manner that I have Union. It is called Evolution…”

Just as the Sword of Bonds started explaining…

“Stop jabbering!”

Leon attacked Nick/Tianna once again.

““Listen!””

“None of that matters at this point! I don’t care what I have to do if I can just kill you!!!”

““Kuh, Leon! You were never such a hasty guy! You were more, you know, crafty!”

“Shut up!!!”

The sword that Leon held was shaped with magic energy, just like the Sword of Bonds.

With a moon-like golden shine, the Mad Moon Sword attacked Nick/Tianna.

“It is no use. He is in an excited state due to the Mad Moon Sword, and even though he can speak, your words will not get through to him.”

““That’s awful… Didn’t you say magic swords couldn’t drive people mad?””

“That is precisely why it dropped out of the development competition and was sealed away. Good grief, to rely on such a dangerous thing…”

“Fufun, say what you want. It is my first time facing the Sword of Bonds, but I have to say, I am disappointed. Are you powerless before my Evolution function?”

Whispered the Mad Moon Sword with a sneer.

“…Hmph, that is my line. You do nothing but rely on brute force.”

“Magic attacks will not work, we have you beat in terms of physical strength, and this is far from the full extent of my power. What will you do, Sword of Bonds?”

““Stop jabbering! We’re the ones fighting!!!””

A light that looked like a flash of lightning ran through the swords as they clashed.

“Gugah!?”

““Combining a sword and a staff sure is useful… Should we call this sorcerer sword?””

Something that looked like smoke was coming out of Leon’s body, and his arm was mercilessly burned all over.

He had been struck with a Lightning attack at close range.

Leon stumbled, and was pierced by ice spears once again.

““How’s that!?””

“Skillful… But we can be restored as many times as necessary.”

The Mad Moon Sword started shining again, and once again, Leon’s body was restored, and his wounds were gone.

This time, his muscles became even bigger, as he used Evolution to become stronger as he healed his wounds.

“Fuhahahaha! I am a slow starter, but I remember all the attacks we receive! They will not work again, and there is no way to defeat me!”

““No, well, there’s at least three ways.””

“…Ah?”

““If we can simply destroy you, it will be all over, or we could freeze you instead of trying to damage you.””

“…Ah, you are surprisingly cowardly to be playing around with bluffs. Why do you not try it, if you are so confident in the success of your plans?”

““You’re an important piece of evidence, so if we destroy you, it will be a pain later, and they’re not even done assessing how much Leon needs to pay, let alone actually paying reparations. If he dies, it will trouble all of his victims, so…””

Nick/Tianna, with an alluring smile on their face, picked something up off the ground.

““The kindest option is to make you surrender.””

What Nick/Tianna picked up was something fundamental to any casino.

A stack of cards.