I bite my lip.
Hikari and the others are in front, fighting the hellhounds that won’t stop coming.
All we can do is support them with magic, while Kaina covers for us. Chris keeps firing it, and I’m wondering how many mana potions she’s had at this point, as she finishes off one more.
I keep following the others’ movements as I throw Heal at them, and cast more support magic before the effect wears out.
That’s all I can do, so I grip my staff tightly.
If… I could fight like them… No, half, or a quarter as good as them… Then Kaina would be free to move around too, and the others wouldn’t be as pressured.
But reality isn’t like that. Rurika and the others have been teaching me how to exercise in our travels, including when they teach me along with Elsa and Alto in the Beast Kingdom, but when it comes to actually fighting monsters, I started having trouble after the fiftieth floor.
Rurika and the others say I don’t have to try too hard, but it’s still irritating.
My physical abilities are actually higher than theirs, but I’m still so far away. It’s the difference in experience.
Sora has a lot of skills, but he says that skills are basically just a start. That’s why he makes sure to train through mock battles.
W-well, I get the feeling that he’s kind of dragged into it by the others too.
Then something happens. Rurika turns this way and does something. Her eyes are on Chris.
“It looks like Rurika is going after the hellhounds on the left side. She’s asking to keep them in check, mostly with support magic.”
So it really was some sort of signal.
Chris takes a deep breath, and chants spirit magic again. She’s using wind and water, even though she said using two at the same time causes a big strain on her…
I cast support magic on her, and turn to Rurika, who dodges attacks and gets close like always, before swinging her swords.
But then, what I see makes me open my eyes wide. Her arms are moving so fast, they’re leaving after images.
Every time she swings a sword, the area around her is painted faintly red.
She has her mouth closed tightly, like she’s enduring something, so I cast Heal.
But I can’t focus on just her, even if my eyes are following her before I know it.
She’s moving incredibly fast, taking out a hellhound, and then another.
She’s taking them down faster than even Sera. In fact, faster than Sera and Hikari together.
The hellhounds seem to sense she’s a threat, and one of them escapes from Chris’ magic to go after Rurika.
Still, Rurika gets near it, and takes it down.
Then it gets quiet around her. The hellhounds around her are all down, so she raises her head… And her body wavers a lot.
I peek towards Sera and Hikari, and then run.
I’m worried about making it in time, because she’s far away, but I manage to catch Rurika before she hits the floor.
Her body feels light, her exposed arms are red, and I feel heat from her.
I hold my hand over her, and cast Heal.
“…Mia?”
“Are you okay? You really pushed yourself there.”
“Thanks. I need to go to the others.”
She tries to get up, but her face twists.
Heal worked, but she’s not healed? I cast it again, and she looks relieved somehow.
“You need to rest.”
I offer her my shoulder, and we go back to Chris and Kaina.
Actually, they move over here, while Chris uses magic.
“Rurika, don’t push yourself so much.”
“…You’re one to talk, Chris.”
Chris’ eyes are moist, but Rurika has a point, Chris pushes herself a lot.
“Look after Rurika here, I will go support Sera and Hikari.”
Says Kaina, and she runs out before we can respond.
It was a little pushy, but that really is for the best for Rurika.
With Kaina gone, there’s no one to cover for us, so Rurika has to stay here.
I’m sure she took that into account… I think.
“Anyway, you two need to rest. Thanks to Rurika, their numbers went down a lot.”
There’s less than ten summoned monsters. Rurika took down a lot, but also, thanks to the summonings making them weaker, Sera and Hikari are also taking down more.
But they’re also pushing themselves a lot, so their movements are getting worse.
Still, now that Kaina is there too, they can end it.
“Let’s go too.”
Says Rurika, and I cast Heal on Hikari and Sera as I walk towards them fast.
My holy magic can heal wounds, but not exhaustion.
“…Let’s recover some stamina first, and support them from a distance until then.”
We nod, and look at Sora, who is fighting the boss.
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Thanks for the treat.