I’m running towards where I saw the tornado.
I don’t know why I’m feeling so panicked. I just have this anxious feeling.
I ignore the monsters and run. I’ve never felt the trees in my way more than I do now.
I’m a little worried because I left portacool behind, but I can retrieve it later.
And if monsters destroy it, I’ll deal with that then.
◇ ◇ ◇
“…Toufu, Naito, Takeshi, Ruri, Hajime…”
When I get there, I see a reality I want to deny.
Five corpses in puddles of blood. I fall to my knees.
What happened? Weren’t they going to fight the boss?
What is this? A nasty prank?
Are they going to get up and scare me?
That question enters my mind to take over my thoughts and block the sight in front of me.
“…Chisato?”
I stand in a daze before five corpses, but then I notice Chisato isn’t among them.
Where? Where did she go?
Was she taken? Where?
I get up and look around. Any clues?
Then I hear a low, dry sound.
“There!”
I run towards the noise.
It might not be Chisato, but her signature weapon is a magic gun, and not many people use them. She’s the only one I know.
Also, not many people explore the thirtieth floor. It could very well be her.
It’s a bit far, but I should make it in one minute at full speed.
I contain my anxiety, and run fast.
When I get there, I see a spear-wielding man about to kill Chisato.
My body moves on its own. I use Physical Strengthening and jump between them to save her.
Sparks fly as battleaxe and spear clash.
The spear man is surprised at my sudden intrusion, but that ends immediately, and he pushes back.
But I don’t feel like losing, and plant my feet on the ground.
I think he knows I’m not going to move, because he turns the spear to hit me with the blunt end. I answer in kind with my battleaxe, and stop it with a dull sound.
“What are you people doing?”
I say that to the guy in front of me, and the one hiding in a blind spot.
I look sideways, and see that guy is wearing light black robes and holding a spear. A mage.
The spear man laughs in response, and rotates the spear to swing the tip at me. But I can perceive that precisely thanks to Spatial Grasp, so it doesn’t work. One step back is all I need for it to pass harmlessly by me.
“Not bad. Are you with them?”
He asks with a grin.
“…Yeah. Why did you attack Chisato?”
“Chisato? Ah, that dying girl.”
“Dying?”
When I say that, Chisato collapses behind me.
I immediately turn to catch her, and see she has what looks like rashes on her sickly face.
It’s clearly not just a wound.
“Chisato! Hey, Chisato!”
I yell desperately, but there’s no response.
The spear man behind me takes out what looks like a potion, and gulps it down.
“Give it up, she’s been poisoned. Don’t worry, you’ll be joining her soon!!”
The guy thrusts with his spear, trying to stab me and Chisato together.
I can perceive all his moves, and know the trajectory and how to avoid it.
I grab the tyrant battleaxe hard with my right hand, and swing.
Again, they clash. But unlike before, the spear is flung by an overwhelming power.
“Wha!?”
He’s shocked. I sweep at his wide open torso, but many blades emerge from the shadows to block me. I cover Chisato and back down.
After taking some distance from the men, I check on Chisato.
Her breathing is weak, and her vital force has plummeted. It’s touch and go.
I stay vigilant, and use Healing Magic.
I normally avoid doing it in front of people, but now’s not the time. And I doubt I need to hide it from them.
“…Wonderful, a Healing Magic user.”
Says the mage, but I ignore him and focus on healing. But it doesn’t work well even as I increase its power, and her complexion stays the same.
I use Trace, and feel something black flowing through her body.
Poisoned…
What he said passes through my brain.
I hold back my thoughts from boiling over, and focus on removing the poison.
I remove it little by little, but it’s like it’s stuck to her, so it will take time to eject it completely.
“Don’t ignore me, idiot!”
The man thrusts with his spear.
His moves are fast and sharp. He has high physical abilities and his moves have been honed. If I take him head on, I’ll end up more than just lightly hurt. If I’m going to put him away, I’ll need my full power.
But he’s just in the way now!
I focus on healing, and use Parallel Thinking to control Earth Magic.
Stakes fly from below him to skewer him, but they’re easily avoided. They just dull his moves a bit as he approaches.
“Cheeky!”
I create an earth wall between us, and he destroys it and keeps going.
But it did a good job blocking his vision for a moment.
I activate a Speed Up magic circle and throw a rock spear.
He sees it and readies to dodge, to no avail.
The spear is flung and clashes against his.
I didn’t expect him to react in time, but that surprise lasts only a moment, as hitting his spear makes the rock spear change directions, and it carves his armor and his stomach before hitting the ground.
“Gah!?”
I’m about to activate another magic circle to finish him, when a dark blade attacks from the shadows.
It’s clearly the mage’s doing, but I don’t know why he’s shooting blades from so close.
This time I don’t dodge, and instead use magic energy to deploy the shield and block it. I feel a strong impact, but the magic mirror armor’s high magic resistance invalidates the attack.
“You block even magic…”
He’s close all of a sudden, and he takes distance after grabbing the spear man by the neck.
He’s a mage, but his physical abilities are really high. I think he might be able to fight up close too.
“You… Yes, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Tooru Niijima. And this is my little brother Akira.”
Tooru introduces himself like it’s nothing, and motions with his chin like he’s saying it’s my turn now.
“…Haruto Tanaka.”
I don’t really want to answer, but I need as much time as I can get to heal Chisato. I’ve almost got that black poison out of her. I just need time until then.
“Tanaka? A very common name. So how many skills do you have?”
“Isn’t asking about skills bad manners?”
“You’re going to die anyway, so what’s the harm? You’re too good with Healing Magic, Earth Magic, and Physical Strengthening. You’re not bad with that battleaxe either, so you could very well have a battleaxe skill. That’s four. I feel there’s more, so won’t you tell me?”
“Tell me something first.”
“What?”
“I saw five dead people… Did you two do it?”
“That’s right. What of it?”
“…Why? Did they do something?”
That reaction almost makes me crazy with rage.
Why did they have to die?
They wouldn’t hurt anyone. I know that much.
So why did these two kill them?
“I see… They happened by when we needed to kill.”
“…What does that mean?”
I just finished treating Chisato.
When the poison is expelled, it turns into black drops that fall on the ground.
Her breathing is stable, and I’m relieved to see she should be okay.
I’m about to put her against a tree, just as portacool arrives.
“Stop.”
I lay her inside it, because she’ll be safer in there.
It’s okay now.
I don’t have to hold back anymore.
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