‘Resignation Letter······.’
Alexia’s resignation letter has arrived.
It didn’t matter whether it was repaired or not.
What mattered was that Alexia expressed her intention to resign, abandoning her duty to protect the students as an educator.
It was practically news of Alexia’s participation.
“First of all······ eh?”
“What’s going on?”
“······.”
A strange feeling caught me.
The sight illuminating the outside of the shelter suddenly turned completely white.
Even when I staggered outside, it was the same.
It was as if the entire world was covered in white snow, making it impossible to see anything.
“Aria. What do you see?”
“Suddenly······ what the····· is happening······.”
“Ha.”
Aria’s words were mixed with noise.
A hollow laugh escaped me.
Right now, Aria must be confused, not knowing why I was acting like this.
To Aria, the horizon filled with white light was surely replaced by a clear ground and sky.
The distortion in my sight and ears was something that only I, perceiving through the mana ripple effect, could experience.
I had been through something similar before.
On the day of the entrance exam.
When I was trapped in the Barrier of Fear created by Alexia, my sight had also gone blank.
However, this time, I wasn’t in a Mana Vacuum state.
Probably, a powerful mana ripple was being emitted chaotically, enough to drown out other mana signatures, disturbing my vision.
Yet, the south direction still provided some hazy visibility, indicating that this mana ripple attack was definitely coming from the north.
‘I can’t comprehend the spell’s structure at all. Could it be that it’s not magic······?’
Even attempting to dissect it using ‘Selection and Concentration’ with my computational power proved completely futile.
If something could emit a mana ripple this intense, only one possibility came to mind······.
But that was still uncertain.
It might simply be too far away to discern the spell’s structure.
Yet, one thing was certain.
‘Alexia is to the north.’
Alexia was revealing her presence in the north.
With the intent to render my eyes and ears useless.
For now, I hurried to erect a barrier to shield against the mana ripples coming from the north.
Due to its powerful output, my mana was getting consumed significantly in the effort.
But once I deployed the barrier, my surrounding sight and hearing returned to normal.
“I’m under attack from a mana ripple from the Majin Alexia.”
“A mana ripple attack?”
I rushed back into the shelter, relaying the situation.
Alexia was situated in the northern mountainous region, continuously emitting a potent mana ripple.
Moreover, if I didn’t block it with the barrier, I wouldn’t just be rendered combat ineffective; all communications on the continent would go down.
I had to hurry my response.
As my mana was also being continuously drained to maintain the barrier.
‘Damn it. This is why I didn’t want to fight Alexia.’
I recalled the depiction of Alexia in the original work.
The strongest Majin.
This title wasn’t merely given for her raw power.
Usually, Alexia looked carefree and clueless, but as soon as war began, she turned 180 degrees.
She became the worst opponent, striking the enemy with the most efficient method for the worst possible impact.
-Southern Second Fortress. Traveler detected.
“······?!”
At that moment, Trie’s voice flowed through the communication.
A traveler appeared in the south at this timing?
Not the north?
“Trie. Don’t make contact with the traveler; wait until I join you, then we can approach the traveler together—”
-Schlus. Head north. I’ll handle the traveler.
“What?”
Trie was saying something strange.
How was she planning to deal with a Majin without me?
-The mana required to block a mana ripple is dozens of times greater than emitting it. The one whose mana will dwindle first isn’t Majin Alexia, but you, Schlus. If this drags on, it’ll be unfavorable for us. Leave the traveler to us, and go capture Alexia before you become blind and deaf from your drained mana.
“But still—”
-Schlus. You lent me something for precisely this. If you’re really anxious, send Hertlocker or someone.
“······.”
I was left speechless.
It was all true.
Even if I mobilized all the mages across the continent in conjunction with my mana to maintain the barrier, the time would not be long.
At most, about eight hours, I guessed.
In other words, if I didn’t take down the traveler within those eight hours, I would inevitably become combat ineffective, helplessly enduring Alexia’s attack.
The traveler, knowing this, wouldn’t stroll up to me asking to die.
There was no other way.
I had to leave the traveler and go after Alexia.
“Aria. Can you send the Imperial First Sword down to support Trie?”
“Gladly. I can’t let the treasure of swordsmanship die neglected.”
“I’ll be back. Stay put in the shelter.”
“Wait. I’ll send the Imperial Army for support, so together—”
“This is a place humans can’t climb.”
“······.”
I had to go alone.
Where Alexia was located, no human could set foot.
At the highest point on the continent, the shrine of the Majin.
In that place where oxygen was scarce, making it hard for a human’s body to breathe, Alexia awaited me.
No other creatures besides the Majin could even reach there, making the use of teleportation techniques impossible.
‘Let’s not think about anything else.’
I had already made my decision.
Hesitating would only prolong the crisis for my comrades.
For now, I needed to focus solely on eliminating Alexia as quickly as possible, so I could aid my comrades.
That was the only way I could win.
*
“Um. Hmm.”
In the southern colony’s Second Fortress.
The traveler perched atop a spire gazed far into the distance, pondering.
“Schlus Hainkel isn’t coming······. Hmph. I suppose he won’t.”
Despite appearing openly, not even a shadow of Schlus Hainkel was in sight.
He must have headed north to hunt Alexia.
He was not the type to fall for such a shallow trap.
He was exceptionally skilled at weighing his options.
Abandoning a few cities in the south would be an easy decision for him.
“Well then, what can I do?”
If he didn’t choose this side, there was no choice but to administer a penalty.
From now on, this fortress and its inhabitants would be mercilessly destroyed.
Because Schlus Hainkel didn’t come to rescue them.
At the very least, I had to make the residents believe that.
The traveler looked down at the city below, clicking his tongue as he raised his greatsword.
“Master!”
“······?”
At that moment, a cheerful voice burst out from behind.
Turning around, the traveler let out a sigh.
The daughter of an old friend and former disciple stood there.
In the stance the traveler had taught, wielding the sword he had gifted.
Edengard Trie von dem Schulzenburg.
A swordswoman, gifted with talents far too precious for a human body, looked up at the Majin traveler.
“Ha······.”
With a deep sigh, the traveler took a step down.
Landing barefoot, the stone floor cracked upon impact.
Even as the traveler approached with the greatsword on his shoulder, Trie didn’t even flinch.
As if she didn’t feel scared at all.
“Are you ultimately choosing death?”
“I’m choosing the right path.”
“Please. Don’t do this.”
Trie had no choice but to stand in the way of the traveler.
The traveler had no choice but to confront Trie.
Faced with an opponent he absolutely didn’t want to meet, the traveler couldn’t help but sigh.
“Are you afraid?”
“What?”
“Are you afraid of killing your disciple?”
“······?”
The traveler tilted his head.
His gaze expressed utter confusion.
Of course, there was always reluctance to slay someone you knew.
But if asked whether that was terrifying, the answer was certainly no.
“I’m afraid. I’m afraid of the revenge Schlus will take after I kill you.”
What frightened him was none other than Schlus Hainkel.
While Tiltitz had kindly ended her life, the Madman was likely still trapped in his underground prison.
He feared becoming someone like him.
He feared falling to the state of a mere human.
That momentary existence, a curse feeling eternal.
Only that was what he truly feared.
“Are you thinking about the future while standing before me······.”
Trie ground her teeth.
Even though she had come prepared for death.
Of course, she wasn’t merely thinking of sacrificing her life to buy time.
She had come with the intent to win.
To defeat a Majin with a human body.
It wasn’t a completely absurd dream.
If she used what Schlus had given her······.
“Master. Have you ever heard of the Sword God?”
“Are you talking about the God of Swords revered by the warriors?”
“I’m going to defeat you here and become the Sword God.”
Humans dream impractical dreams.
They burn their lives chasing those dreams, unaware their legs are being torn apart.
The most pathetic thing is that until the very end, the humans never realize the absurdity of their dreams.
No matter how exceptional the talent, in the end, a human is still just a human.
To aim for a realm that even the most gifted man cannot reach.
The traveler looked at Trie with pity as he readied his stance.
“Prepare yourself.”
“······?!”
At that moment, Trie’s sword began to glow red.
That sword, glowing as if it would melt, gradually changed its shape as if newly forged.
The traveler’s eyes widened in astonishment as he watched.
“That······?!”
“I clearly told you to prepare yourself.”
Of all those the traveler had seen in his life, the strongest swordsman.
In a moment frozen in time, he had once possessed prowess that even surpassed the Majin.
You could rightly call it legendary; that sword was now in his daughter’s hands.
