Volume 4 - CH 11

『GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

The Red Ox screamed in agony after it had one eye cut open. It swung around its halberd haphazardly. But I had no time paying attention to you alone.

Battle Skill, Iron Rose──the strengthening technique using pure magic particles that I couldn’t control became Battle Skill after the spirit “named” it.

That Battle Skill’s name was also a spirit approved “epitaph” that represented me.

「Aria, switch to back up Viro!」

「Roger!」

Dalton who saw my fighting stood up while giving me new instruction. I abandoned the Red Ox and switched to back up Viro who was baiting the Blue Ox by himself.

The moment I started running, the scenery of the surrounding that was reflected in my eyes blurred away instantly.

For good or bad, this Battle Skill wasn’t as powerful as that technique that I couldn’t control. But, compared to that technique that had awful balance, this Battle Skill increased all my statuses and even I became able to control it.

「Viro!」

Great, he was still alive. But, he was already in a ragged state after baiting a strength type like the Blue Ox by himself.

I sped up even more and left a trail of light behind me like a comet. I didn’t slow down at all and kicked at the Blue Ox’s head with the blade on my heel.

*GAKIIN!*

『BUMOO!?』

It made a loud sound when my heel’s blade got deflected by the horn but, the impact greatly jolted the Blue Ox’s head.

「Aria!?」

「Heal yourself Viro.」

I landed while throwing a reserve potion from my Storage toward him. Then I immediately rushed off to slash at the Blue Ox with my knife.

『BUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

As expected even with my speed increased, the damage I inflicted was still low thanks to my light weight. The Blue Ox immediately noticed me and swung down its great sword. I crossed my black knife and dagger and blocked the attack head on.

「HAAAA!」

My joints creaked from the overwhelming burden. But I could still bear it.

I used my whole body’s strength and technique and stepped forward while parrying the attack. Then I landed an elbow strike on the Blue Ox’s approaching forehead with all my strength.

『BOOOOOOOOOOO!?』

The Battle Skill improved not only my speed, but also more than doubled my physical strength and endurance.

Thanks to that I could compete even against the Blue Ox if it was just for an instant, but I had no intention of fighting the Blue Ox with physical strength.

『BUO!?』

I vanished from the Blue Ox’s sight and instantly circled behind it. Then I thrust my dagger to its neck with both hands.

『BUMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

Just how thick its flesh was…….

Even so the Blue Ox rampaged in intense pain. I jumped down from its back and dashed forward while scattering trails of light behind me. I slashed at the Blue Ox’s unguarded hand. It made it let go of its great sword.

Even I who originally only had the physical strength of an average person could parry the Blue Ox’s great sword with the strengthening. Then if my agility that had been at the same level with the Blue Ox from the start got doubled, even the rank 5 Blue Ox and Red Ox weren’t my match anymore.

I immediately rushed and kicked away the great sword that was dropped on the ground.

But the Blue Ox that had fallen into state of excitement didn’t even care of that. It got on all four and lowered its stance in preparation to charge at me with its two horns.

I also stepped forward in respond to that. I took out two hidden weapons from the Storage and left a trail of light behind me while rushing toward the Blue Ox right from the front with my maximum speed.

The distance of several meters was shortened in an instant. Just a moment before we crashed, I stabbed the two hidden weapons at the Blue Ox’s eyes. Then I jumped over the Blue Ox’s huge body just a moment before its twisted horn pierced me.

『BUMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

It stumbled and rolled on the stone floor while howling in agony.

「Support the adventurer!!」

The knights who still could move caught up at that timing.

「Viro, take care of this place.」

I immediately entrusted the role of facing the Blue Ox to them and Viro. Then I immediately left in order to back up Dalton and others.

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▼Aria (Alicia)　Race：Human・Rank 4

【Magic Power : 82/270】【Stamina : 159/210】

【Overall Combat Strength : 916 (With Body Strengthening : 1769)】

【Battle Skill : Iron Rose / Limit 82 Second】

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My magic power had decreased a lot. The normal body strengthening generally consumed 1 mana every a hundred seconds, but this technique was consuming a hundred times more mana.

In full capacity I could use “Iron Rose” for 270 seconds, but the actual time I would be able to use it would be a lot shorter than that if I also considered the usage of magic and other Battle Skill.

Even before that, using this technique just for less than a minute with my still growing body was already causing all my bones and muscles to start screaming in pain.

「……Even so, it’s not a reason to stop here.」

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I sped up even more and approached the back of the Black Ox that Dalton and others were fighting. I held the black dagger with both hands and without slowing down I pierced the back of the Black Ox’s knee until its kneecap.

『GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!?』

As expected even the Black Ox screamed from the sudden agony.

It glared furiously at me and swung down its huge fist toward me. My hands let go of the dagger and I kicked on the floor to open up the distance. Then I jumped to the air with the scattered vestiges of light spreading out like wings behind me. I kicked on the face of the Black Ox who staggered down after its knee was pierced.

But, the Black Ox too immediately used its large horn and tried to strike me down. However one of its horns was already broken by Dalton and.

『BUMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

My heel’s blade pierced between the Black Ox’s eyes. But the battle axe that the Black Ox swiftly swung rushed toward me with a bellowing sound.

「──Dark Mist──」

The black mist that I quickly casted clung around the Black Ox’s face. The aim of the battle axe became slightly deviating and I kicked on it to gain distance from the Black Ox. I unconsciously fell on my knee the moment I landed on the ground.

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▼Aria (Alicia)　Race：Human・Rank 4

【Magic Power : 43/270】【Stamina : 159/210】

【Overall Combat Strength : 916 (With Body Strengthening : 1769)】

【Battle Skill : Iron Rose / Limit 43 Second】

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My magic power had decreased even more. I just used Dark Mist, but it wasn’t a magic that consumed this much mana. Perhaps the mana consumption of magic also got larger while I was using “Iron Rose”…….

「Great job Aria!!」

Dalton didn’t miss that chance and rushed in while swinging down his war hammer. He crushed the Black Ox’s right arm and sent its huge battle axe flying.

「Leave the rest to us!!」

Feld also came back at that timing. His great sword cut off the Black Ox’s left arm when it tried to guard its neck──

「──Sniper Shot──!」

The arrow that Mira shot immediately pierced the Black Ox’s neck.

『BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!』

Even so the Black Ox was still alive. It rampaged in a berserk state.

Dalton and others dodged that while attacking in return. Seeing that I too dispelled “Iron Rose” in order to keep some strength behind before I hit my approaching limit.

My hair returned from the iron color to its usual pink color. My body suddenly felt heavy and I unintentionally fell on my knee.

But……my battle still wasn’t over.

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『BUOOOOO……』

The Red Ox who was blinded in one eye glared at me with its left eye while dragging its halberd on the ground as it approached.

Blood kept spilling out from its deeply slashed right eye. The Red Ox looked lackluster due to all the blood it lost from the many wounds on its body.

But, its fighting spirit was still burning. Its eye was seething with hatred. There was nothing else reflected on it other than “me”.

「…………」

『……BUOO』

I too put my strength into my battered body and stood up. I held the black knife with both hands and faced the wounded Red Ox right from the front.

Rather than victory, the Red Ox had no more thought other than killing me in its eyes. But the same also applied to me. It was an enemy who I had decided to kill. I’d finish you off with my own hands.

My concentration erased all the noises and unnecessary sight from the surrounding. We both held our respective weapon with both hands. The moment the sweat trickling on my cheek and the blood dripping on the Red Ox splashed on the stone floor, we leaped forward at the same time.

*DANN!!*

In the clash I parried the halberd’s blade and jumped over it, while the Red Ox used its horn to deflect my blade.

I who was whipping my body to move and the Red Ox in its current state were about equal in speed. Even so I still had the advantage in explosive power output and cut the Red Ox’s wrist. The Red Ox instantly gave up on its weapon and used its horn to aim at my heart.

Don’t be scared, look and analyze it. I fought by “looking” at the enemy.

*GAKINN!!*

I didn’t dodge that sharp horn and blocked it by matching its pointed end with the tip of my black knife──in that moment it felt like something fitted into place at the deepest part of myself.

The impact of the collision sent me flying high to the air. I kicked up on empty air to use the recoil for changing my posture, then I pulled my knife far behind me while staying upside down in the air.

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「──Critical Edge──!」

Level 4’s Battle Skill──I unleashed that attack almost unconsciously. It sliced into the unprotected Red Ox’s neck until halfway in.

『BUMOO……!』

A lot of blood spilled out from its neck and mouth. That huge body staggered. It was then I heard a familiar “voice” from the distance.

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「──Soul Thorn──」

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「Carla……?」

The girl threw away her sorcerer robe and showed the pure white dress she was wearing underneath. Her exposed white arms and neck now had the pattern of “black thorn” coiling and writhing on them. Immense magic power was surging out from there.

『──!!』

The fire sorcery that Carla unleashed rushed on the arena’s floor. Great amount of flame swallowed the dying Red Ox and burned it to ash in the blink of eye.

「Taake thiis」

With a cheerful voice, Carla created more than ten fire balls that were as large as an armful each. They were floating around her.

Were those Fire Balls!?

They were level 5 fire sorcery, the same with the sorcery that was sealed inside the magic tool that Viro used, but I sensed that they were filled with abnormal amount of mana. I yelled at the people who were at the end of Carla’s gaze.

「Everyone, dodge!!」

My comrades and the knights realized the situation from my yell and immediately ran away to escape. The many Fire Balls rained down in that moment.

『──────────!!』

Flame blasts whirled up. The Black Ox and Blue Ox raged inside the flame with their last ember of life before crumbling down. Their surrounding was changed into an ocean of flame.

I then sensed Carla’s mana swelling up again and dashed toward her.

「──Iron Rose──」

My pink hair changed color once more into the grey iron color like burning ash. The vestiges of light scattering from my hair trailed behind like comet while I sprinted like an arrow. Without slowing down I jumped toward Carla as she was about to cast another magic and kicked with my heel.

「Carla!!」

「Aria!」

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▼Carla Lester　Race：Human・Rank 4

【Magic Power : ∞/450】【Stamina : 29/51】

【Overall Combat Strength : 749 (With Body Strengthening : 2333)】

【Gift : Soul Thorn   Exchange / Life Time】

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In that moment, the “black thorns” coiling on Carla’s skin let out a great burst of mana. She leaped aside to dodge my kick as though the thorns coiling all over her body was moving her.

「──Ice Lance──」

Countless ice spears were fired from Carla’s hand. I dodged them with high speed movement while spinning and struck at her neck with a knife.

*GINN!*

A thorn shaped ice blocked my blade. Carla fired her Dig Volt in that instant. My hands grabbed on the floor and I sped up to evade while kicking with my heel’s blade. Carla twirled in the air to dodge that. She then laughed while pointing her fingertip at me.

「──Fire Breath──」

「──Critical Edge──!」

My Battle Skill cleaved the flame and gouged Carla’s shoulder, while the slashed flame swallowed me. We ignored those damages and danced in the air even more. Carla who controlled her body using the thorns and my kick clashed in extremely close range.

*BASHIN!!*

We both dodged while kicking at each other. Our kicks hit each other’s side with the sound of flesh being pounded. I changed my posture midair and landed on a rubble, while Carla landed in the middle of flame. There we faced each other.

Carla’s face was grimacing a little bit from pain in the middle of flame that was spreading around her. But that expression changed into a wide smile like a little kid who was in the middle of a flower field when she looked at me.

「Oh my, Aria. That hair color is also lovely.」

I too was grimacing from the recoil of using Iron Rose on top of another Battle Skill, even so I glared at Carla quietly.

「So that’s your Gift……. You didn’t ask to be healed?」

As I thought Carla also got invited by that spirit. If she wished to have her life prolonged instead of a Gift, she should be able to live at least as long as Elena.

But Carla didn’t ask for “extension” of her life. She wished for even more “destruction”.

Soul Thorn……those words that I overheard must be the activation words for her Gift. I felt that Carla was losing seconds of her “life” in exchange for the immense mana she was bursting with.

The black petals scattering from the “black thorns” that were coiling on her body looked like Carla’s “life” itself disappearing to me.

「I don’t need that……something like a normal life is unnecessary for me.」

Carla stood in the middle of flame without getting burned thanks to her immense mana while her fingers played with her black hair as though to state that her own life didn’t matter to her.

「Something has to be done to the magic stone in my heart so that my body can be healed……if that happens, there won’t be any meaning to my life until now. It will be a waste to all those blood and sweat I had shed to train my magic.」

「Carla……」

「I’ll keep moving forward until my life run out. I won’t let anyone get in my way until everything that drove me mad is swallowed in flame. Yes, even if it’s you……Aria.」

The color of madness looked inside Carla’s eyes. She sported a ghastly but bright smile.

It was then, the spirit altar at the back sunk down and vanished. A door silently appeared and opened behind it. A small amount of light leaked out from there.

「That spirit is unexpectedly considerate……it even opened a door to return back after the last enemy is defeated.」

Carla pinched the bottom of her dress inside the flame and lightly bent her waist. She curtsied so casually as though she was saying farewell to an acquaintance that she ran to on the roadside.

「Well then, fare thee well, Aria. Let’s postpone our settlement until a worthy “stage” for us has begun. I’m really looking forward to it.」

Carla arrived at the exit even without getting burned inside the flame. She didn’t even look back at her fiancée Ervan and vanished into the exit alone.

By “everything”, did she mean everyone involved along with this country……even so based on her personality, that time would be the time where we would fight to the death.

「I see……」

I stood alone in the middle of flame while staring fixedly at the exit where Carla vanished into.

Carla……you couldn’t give forgiveness no matter what huh.

You couldn’t forgive your family, this country, and everything involved that drove you mad…….

For her living wasn’t a “salvation”. It was nothing else than “death” that would be her salvation. Carla was seeking destruction so much that she refused to live.

I recalled Carla’s words when we first met.

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『……Aa, how lovely. If I’m going to die one day, I want to die by your hands Aria.』

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Most likely those words were earnest words that came from Carla’s heart.

Fine then……if you said that was your true “wish”──

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「Alright then……Carla. I’ll definitely kill you with my own hands.」