Drip, drip. The cold droplets felt like blades.
Rain fell from my head to my toes. I felt like a verdict had been stamped on me.
It’s dangerous around the valley when it rains. The water can rise rapidly and sweep you away in an instant.
There was definitely no forecast for rain this week.
Did time speed up?
It wouldn’t be impossible when you think about loading screens.
The valley water turned into muddy water.
The fast-flowing currents began to undulate, seemingly ready to engulf all the academy students.
A moment’s judgment could mean life or death. How on earth can I save people from here?
Rain dance? No way. It takes time for my sword to fall, and I have no confidence that I can catch it.
The sensation in my body feels slow due to the Apostle’s abilities, while my thoughts accelerate in contrast.
Right now, my body feels as heavy as a boulder. It’s like I’m moving with sandbags all over.
No matter how much I struggle to move, my body just won’t listen; my teeth are grinding together.
But I’ve experienced this a lot during training.
I learned it with Drake, and I reconsidered it while opposing Emperor Rock.
What matters is not skill, but will.
Crack! I put strength into my feet on the gravel. Even if my arms move slowly like an eternity is passing…
I can move. I mustn’t give up.
Blood flows through every muscle. My arms and legs feel like stretched rubber bands.
My hands tremble with so much effort that it feels like they might shatter.
I can do it. Just a little more..!
With all the strength I could muster, I raised my hand to the center of my chest.
‘Concept, longing.’
There wasn’t enough breath to say it aloud, so when I recited it inwardly…
White flames spread around me.
A sword, the same color as her hair, emerged near my heart.
Holding the Mind Sword, the flow of time felt normal again.
Thank goodness. The aim worked.
A sword that equalizes the opponent’s stats.
My Mind Sword is a crystallization of my feelings for Pina Grancia.
What now?
The valley water comes rushing toward us.
The swiftly rising current of the valley. Even if I take care of the Apostle, there’s no way to stop this natural disaster.
One second, two seconds.
Thoughts raced like balloons expanding between the flowing seconds.
A quick judgment can mean life or death.
I dashed toward the direction where the valley water was rushing in first.
Rumble!!! I gulped as I faced a violent onslaught like a tidal wave.
There wasn’t even time to think. I raised my sword high and prepared to cut through the oncoming torrent.
If even one person becomes a victim, it would all be meaningless.
….At least, that’s what I think a hero should be.
Even Emperor Rock would have done this.
Honestly, thinking of cutting water with a sword is borderline crazy.
No matter how much I use the Mind Sword, without this method, it’s impossible.
Even if the Mind Sword has grown to summon glass rain, there’s no way to move this many people at once.
And if I create a hill with something else, who knows when I’ll get hit by the Apostle’s attack and get crushed?
If that’s going to happen, I’ll turn their rapid time against them.
I relaxed my body and slowly lifted the sword. The torrent is now up to my waist, flowing over my thighs.
I must find my calm, even in this situation.
I need to strike with a downward cut using the least unnecessary force.
I closed my eyes. Since I was already out toward the valley water before anyone else, the quickly rising current was already creeping up to the nape of my neck.
The flow seemed ready to sweep my whole body away. Behind me are people I need to protect.
My resolve made my legs heavy.
…Now!
RUMBLE!!!
I felt a sharp sensation at the tip of my sword as the air burst.
I successfully imitated Emperor Rock’s sonic boom created with a hand axe.
I poured out everything like I was emptying all my strength. Until the rushing waters were completely cut, I continued.
Once isn’t enough. This isn’t my technique.
Every time I struck, droplets leaped onto my face.
Even as a sharp sensation hit my face, I struck down with the sword again and again.
Ultimately, the water parted like I split the sea, creating a triangle behind me.
I avoided the area where a campfire was set.
Lastly, aiming for the moon hanging in the night sky, I shot out a wave of blade energy.
“…Hah, hah.”
All the strength left my body as I sank down. My trembling arms and legs, my gasping breath signified I had reached my limit.
I could see the gravel floor once more.
After the muddy water swept by, my clothes and face were a complete mess of mud.
“KYAAA!!!”
Soon after, I heard the scream of the Apostle of Sloth as it was hit by the blade.
Perhaps my movement must have accelerated due to the reversal of sloth.
The practice I had done at the Academy’s Swordsmanship Training Hall finally paid off.
“It’s dangerous, everyone!! Evacuate at once… huh? Licht?”
“Licht, what the heck happened….”
Finally, the abnormal states were lifted, and the people of the academy returned to normal. I scanned my surroundings to confirm everyone’s safety.
But wait, one person was missing.
Pina Grancia, who had been dazzling in her glass armor, was nowhere to be seen.
No way. It can’t be.
My heart was racing, thump thump thump, fading.
I felt her presence far away from where I was.
She was getting further and further away.
Was she swept away by the valley water? If not, she might have aimed for someone other than me from the outset.
“…Damn it.”
I immediately dashed into the rushing valley waters.
The whirling mix of branches and stones hurt my body with every brush against them.
Even though I hadn’t been in the valley for long, I was already far removed from where the academy students were.
The end of Calisium Valley.
Once I reached the waterfall connecting the middle and lower streams, I saw the silhouette of the glass knight at the edge of my vision.
The moment I saw her floating, possibly unconscious, I felt my blood freeze.
I summoned rain and attempted to move faster than the churning water.
Please, please..!
Even when I stretched out my hand, it felt just short. The distance to Pina was just within reach, yet so far.
“I got you..!”
The very moment I managed to grab her, we fell over the waterfall without a moment to react.
*
“…Barely made it.”
In the Calisium Valley I knew, there was a useless terrain.
The waterfall from the middle stream to the lower stream, hidden behind it was a cave.
I guess it’s fitting that the production team likes Easter eggs; it looked like a significant place, but…
“Nothing there. Thankfully, it was just empty.”
As we fell, I tossed the rain into the cave and successfully teleported inside.
The damp cave floor. I took off my shirt and laid it down before putting Pina down onto it.
First and foremost, Pina’s safety came first.
The nervous excitement I had felt earlier faded, so I pressed my ear against her helmet to check if she was breathing.
…She’s not breathing.
Panic sank in as I took off her helmet.
With a light thunk, I easily removed Pina’s helmet.
A sudden thought crossed my mind, but since we share mana circuits, I figured she’s definitely alive.
That doesn’t matter.
In my urgent state, I attempted CPR by casting the Masterpiece on her glass armor…
“….”
I unlocked it… but what came out wasn’t the usual white academy outfit but Pina in a black bikini.
My heart sank, but I slapped my cheeks to regain my sanity.
What kind of ridiculous thoughts was I having when someone was unconscious?
Thanks to my father, who was a firefighter, I had learned CPR physically.
I promptly spread my arms and pressed hard on the lower part of her chest.
I closed my mouth tightly to prevent any air from escaping and blew my breath into Pina’s mouth.
How many times did I repeat this?
Finally, thump, thump, her heartbeat began ringing again. Our heartbeats started to sync.
“…Cough.”
Pina coughed up water. Her breathing had returned to normal.
“Pina..!!”
“Lich..?”
I shouted as I saw her regain consciousness.
Thank goodness. If she died like this, I would have regretted it for life.
“Don’t move yet, Pina.”
The flaw in CPR is that the strong pressure can break ribs.
Because of this, I began healing magic with my hands clasped as soon as she woke up.
This should be fine, no matter how much water she drank or how long she was unconscious.
Pina looked fine externally while I didn’t.
Thanks to the Masterpiece, she survived.
Healing magic can revive the living but cannot bring back the dead.
“What… did you do?”
At that moment, Pina spoke without looking directly at me.
Her cheeks flushed like a ripe tomato. The wolfish gaze in her eyes wavered as they grew.
Unlike before, she touched her now moist lips with her fingers, pulling them apart slightly and frowning.
“What? I just gave artificial respiration… Ah.”
I felt it was a mistake even as I spoke. Just getting a bit closer to her was enough.
“Eek, pervert.. dog… ugh.”
Pina jumped back in surprise.
Her pure white ears recoiled like a scared puppy, and she covered her chest with her arms as she fled from me.
I hadn’t even thought about it.
In my mind, all that occupied me was the need to save Pina, leaving no room to think.
“….”
A warm, soft rose scent.
The faint sensation that lingered on my lips remained.
I had monopolized what could have been an invaluable moment in her life.
