For a moment, silence reigned
Souichirou, having landed on the asphalt road, was battered and bruised. His body, already riddled with injuries, bore fresh wounds, and the coat he typically wore was stained with his own blood.
He idly thought about sending the coat to the exorcist-supporting cleaning services run by
Kamiarizuki
while his eyes drifted to the road.
There, on the asphalt, lay a relic glimmering with hues of gray clouds and clear blue skies, blending together.
...
They had won.
The realization of victory crawled up from his feet and settled in his chest. But what he felt wasn't joy—it was relief.
They had faced a
Sixth Rank
monster, and no one had died. That simple fact brought him immense solace, so much so that he nearly collapsed on the spot.
But there was no time to relax.
There were still too many tasks left to do.
His blade, which had been used recklessly, needed care. The battle with Arame Koushi had shattered the blacksmith's barrier; it needed to be repaired.
The
Heavy Rain
and
Storm Bomb
had devastated the forest, leaving sections of the mountainside exposed. Replanting or crafting a natural cover story would be necessary.
Even if he passed all these tasks to
Kamiarizuki
, one major issue remained.
"..."
Souichirou raised his gaze skyward. There, still floating, was Nina and the dragon-like fairy at her side—her
Ifrit
, as she had called it.
It wasn't the Ifrit he knew, but answering that mystery could wait.
The real issue was Nina herself.
A child whose trauma at the hands of monsters had cut so deeply that she couldn't even use magic.
She seemed to have recovered—or at least appeared to have. But was that true? Or was it just a façade?
She had faced monsters head-on without succumbing to terror, even managing to exorcise them. That alone made it seem as though she had overcome her fear. But was this just wishful thinking on his part?
Souichirou was lost in thought when suddenly—
BOOOOONG!
"...!?"
A deafening chime rang out.
Before he could even react, the
sky split open
.
Cracks formed in the once-clear heavens, and in an instant, everything darkened.
As the fissure widened, something massive emerged—a
gigantic arm
.
magic to extend his
Guiding Threads
and reinforce his body. With a swift motion, he yanked Nina toward him.
But his pull was too strong, causing Nina to lose her balance mid-air.
"...!"
Realizing his mistake, Souichirou leapt without hesitation. Wrapping
Guiding Threads
around his legs, he launched himself upward, defying gravity.
The leap carried him farther than intended—his magic, amplified by the dense sanctuary energy, was difficult to control.
Even so, he managed to catch Nina mid-air.
"...Itsuki!?"
"Sorry for being late."
Cradling her securely in his arms, Souichirou finally drew a bright smile from Nina.
Floating beside her was a mysterious woman—a fiery, horned figure who vanished the moment their eyes met.
Souichirou turned his gaze back to the sky, where the colossal arm continued its descent. Directly below it stood his father.
What the hell is going on!?
Unsure of the situation but knowing he couldn't hesitate, Souichirou unleashed his magic.
"
Pierce through—Moonbite!
"
FWOOOOOSH!
A small black crescent shot forth, carving through flesh and bone and leaving a gaping hole in the massive arm.
But the arm was too large; the attack couldn't destroy it entirely. Hanging by a shred of flesh, the arm swung limply before tearing free and plummeting to the ground.
The severed section was yanked back into the sky, the fissure rapidly closing behind it.
As Souichirou prepared to intercept the falling arm with his threads, a flash of light caught his eye—his father's blade.
In an instant, the
Guiding Threads
extended from his father's blade and streaked toward the arm.
Before Souichirou could process his intent, there was a sharp slicing sound.
"...?"
In a single motion, his father had cleaved the massive arm in two.
The severed pieces erupted in a spray of blood, the crimson droplets cascading like rain. His father's follow-up slash split even the falling blood, preventing it from tainting the ground.
The bisected arm crashed into the river and mountainside, shattering guardrails and flooding the area with a thunderous roar.
"...Amazing," Nina murmured, awestruck.
As Souichirou and Nina fell from the sky, his father extended his arms, catching them effortlessly.
The
Guiding Threads
wrapped securely around his arms, filling Souichirou with relief as he landed in his father's embrace.
His father gently patted his head, smiling.
"Welcome home, Itsuki."
"...Yeah."
Still held tightly in his father's arms, Itsuki nodded.
"I'm back, Dad."