Chapter 84

Pruning sword. This might work. Running, approaching, and slashing.

"This should do it!"

Again. It slipped through. Just like when other attacks hit, the mist only wavered slightly.

The evil god, showing no effect from the pruning sword, calmly said,

"...I see, you had it with you. Even if you lost it, it was originally mine. I'll take it back while I'm at it."

"Hmm. I thought this would work..."

"No matter how powerful an item is, it's meaningless if you can't draw out its power."

"Ah! The key to releasing the power! What is it!? Just a hint! Just a hint will do!"

"What... is that reaction...?"

Huh? Why is he backing away like that? Not only his expression, but even his gestures are ambiguous, but I can tell he's confused.

I should have been more polite in asking. I reflect on that.

"Sorry, I couldn't control my curiosity. I just thought it was romantic that it wouldn't work without meeting certain conditions. It's not like there's an actual metal key, right? Just knowing that would be enough."

"Ah, ah... that's right, there is a condition called a key."

"Right! Right!"

"So, what is that reaction..."

Satisfied with knowing. I'd like to know the details of the condition, but that would be greedy.

As I'm debating whether to give up or ask despite the risk, the confused evil god seems to regain his composure and says,

"To release the power, you must know the true name of the pruning sword, its inscription."

"Sounds good! That's it!"

"...Are you okay?"

For some reason, the evil god was worried. He wasn't the type to care about people, though...

Realizing he was being looked at strangely, he cleared his throat and continued,

"So, about the sword's inscription... I feel like I told you."

"I never heard it."

"Is that so? ...Ah, right. You're from the parallel world."

The evil god chuckled and looked at No. 2.

The sword's inscription, which he didn't want known. Why did he tell No. 2 something so important? And why did he specifically tell me?

It doesn't matter if the inscription is known, or is there a trap? Or... no, I don't care about that!

I ignore the evil god and approach No. 2.

"No. 2! You heard it, right? Tell me, please? Please?"

"Are you okay? What's wrong with you?"

Not good. No. 2 is in a bad mood as usual.

I can't afford to be ignored. I want to argue that his head is the one that's off, but I force a friendly smile.

"My head might not be okay! I think it will get better if I hear the sword's name."

"Ugh... That's gross."

"Gross? ...That's a pretty unique name. My mood is down."

"The one who's gross is you, not the sword."

Ah, she meant I was gross. At least it wasn't the sword. Thank goodness.

While Yumera and No. 2 were chatting, the evil god tried to use the code whenever he had a chance, but Patrick stopped him every time.

Sorry for leaving you to handle it alone. He kept his eyes on the evil god and told me,

"There's definitely a trick! Don't listen to him!"

That's impossible. I'll be killed by curiosity. Dying with a cat might not be so bad.

If I say no, we'll argue... As I'm struggling to answer, No. 2 replies for me,

"It's fine. I heard it, but I forgot."

"Huh!? Are you crazy? Is your head okay!?"

"I don't want to hear that from you. I have no intention of remembering the name of a sword I've never seen."

...My mood is down.

I just want to know how it sounds. Whether it's a name like Sanemori or Durandal would change my feelings.

Just as I was about to beg No. 2 to tell me, I heard a small voice. It was definitely there, but I couldn't tell if it was high or low, a mysterious tone.

"It didn't work... I have no choice but to use my power."

The moment I heard the evil god's ominous words, I felt an overwhelming sense of fear.

Even though our attacks didn't work, I was genuinely afraid of the enemy I thought I could just restrain.

Patrick, who was closest to the evil god, was blown away before I could warn him to "get back, it's dangerous."

"Patrick!?"

I instinctively tried to move in the direction Patrick was blown, taking my eyes off the evil god.

If we show any weakness, we'll be immobilized. With Sannon's power exhausted, there's no way to recover.

Just as I realized this, the evil god was about to finish saying the code.

"Admin code activation—halt the target in the current space—"

I thought as fast as I could. How can I stop him?

Get closer and use a physical attack. Impossible. It's too far.

Black Hole. It takes a moment to activate, and there's a gap after the black sphere disappears. Normally, it wouldn't matter, but now even a blink is too much.

Shadow Lance. It can be activated immediately, but there's no shadow. There's no suitable shadow nearby in this open area. Rejected.

Dark Flame. A magic spell cast from the fingers. It's as slow as a fireball. It won't make it in time.

Throw the sword in my hand. It's faster than Dark Flame. But will it make it in time...?

All options exhausted. The distance of less than thirty meters feels incredibly far.

Deciding to do what I can, I raised the sword. Ah, the time it takes to tense my muscles is frustrating.

Aiming at the evil god, I felt a sense of unease.

Not from the mysterious mist itself, but from his feet. The ground was black. A clear, dark, circular shadow was there.

I don't have time to think. If there's a shadow, I can use that.

The activation time is almost zero from my perspective. The black spear of godspeed pierces the evil god.

"Shadow Lance!"

"—Damn, interrupted."

Taking advantage of this, I close in on the evil god. This should be fine.

It was close. The situation changed drastically in less than a second.

The mysterious shadow that saved me disappeared immediately. At the same time, I heard Remun's voice from my shadow.

"I have to work too, you know."

"That shadow was Remun?"

"I'm the god of darkness. It's only natural that I can do that."

"Then please always create a shadow. Directly under the evil god."

"Well, that's the thing... I'm pretty tired from that."

Remun, are you too weak? Just creating a shadow on the ground for a moment was exhausting...

But he saved me from a dire situation. I won't comment on his lack of stamina.

After a brief conversation with Remun, I refocus on the evil god.

If I don't lose concentration, I can make the Black Hole and close-range attacks in time. I won't make the same mistake again.

I also need to be wary of what caused Patrick to be blown back. I only glanced, but I confirmed he was okay.

It was probably a shockwave from the evil god.

Just as I was on high alert, my body started to float.

"Huh?"

Then I was blown back.

Despite all my caution. Despite never taking my eyes off the evil god. No preparatory movements, no incantation, and a shockwave was generated.

It was probably impossible to detect in advance.

The power was weak. It wouldn't affect me or Patrick.

Just being blown back. But that was incredibly fatal.

"Admin code—"

Again.

The same thing over and over. I want to say it's unoriginal, but it's a critical situation again.

I release pure magic to stabilize my position in the air. It consumes a lot of magic power just to do that.

I visually confirm the evil god's position. He had moved slightly. The thought of using magic without aiming makes me shudder.

"Black Hole"

I use the highest-level dark attribute magic, which I've used countless times today, to interfere with the evil god's code activation.

As I land, Patrick runs up from behind.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm glad Patrick is okay too."

"But... this is bad."

"Yeah, what should we do?"

Unable to land effective blows on the evil god, we were prepared for a prolonged battle, ready to endure.

If he starts casting, we'll attack and keep interfering. We can keep this up for days if we take turns sleeping.

If we can buy enough time, we might find a solution, or he might give up.

But with that shockwave, it's a different story. Even without damage, the guaranteed knockback is strong.

Just now, when Patrick was blown back, and now when I was blown back, we were in a tight spot.

If we stay on guard, we can interrupt the evil god before he finishes the code. But it's impossible to keep that up for hours.

"Our lack of offensive options is tough."

"This is going to be difficult."

"He's probably hiding something. If he uses his ultimate move when we're exhausted, we're done."

"Being immobilized is practically a death sentence."

If the evil god finishes the code, we'll just be immobilized. It doesn't feel very dangerous, but being immobilized during battle is the same as being dead.

Without our ultimate move, the Elixir, it might be more troublesome than a one-hit kill.

Wait, can the Elixir be used against immobilization?

Curious, I ask the shadow.

"Remun, Remun, can the Elixir be used against that code?"

"I think it can, but he's going to target the entire space. Who will use the Elixir?"

Ah, in effect, we're fighting an opponent who will use a full-party instant death attack. This is tough.

Still, the effects of the Elixir are a mystery. It's more like a... no, I shouldn't be thinking about that now.

"Let's spread out."

"Got it."

Patrick and I nodded and ran in opposite directions.

If one of us is blown back, the other can attack. We should be fine if we take turns.

"Hmph, clever move."

As the evil god said that, I was once again lifted into the air.

Sure enough, there were no preparatory movements or signs. It's impossible to guard against.

The evil god targets me, and I rely on Patrick... but then I see him floating in the corner of my vision.

Is it omnidirectional? Isn't that too strong? If it were me, I'd name the technique... ah, it's troublesome because it doesn't have a name.

"I'll do it!"

This time, I'll conserve Patrick.

Just as I was about to stabilize my position and cast a spell like before, the evil god was enveloped in a black sphere.

Besides me, only Yumera No. 2 can use Black Hole. She landed next to me and said casually,

"How about it? Can you win?"

"Tell me if you're going to move! I wasted my magic power!"

"I see, you can't do it. You're not much either."

"Huh? Maybe I should defeat No. 2 before the evil god."

"Hmm, you understand."

Eh? Understand what...?

Before I could ask, she smiled and said cheerfully,

"I know how to defeat him."

"Really!?"

"I wouldn't fight the evil god without a plan. I've had a strategy from the beginning."

"Wow, as expected, No. 2. If you had a plan, you should have said so from the start."

I thought I'd praise No. 2, but my true feelings slipped out. Really, you should have said so from the start. What was the point of all the back and forth?

So, what is her secret plan...

Yumera No. 2 said with a genuinely happy expression... or at least it looked that way by her standards.

"I won't tell you."

"Huh?"

"I'll do the main part. You'll understand after that."

"Huh?"

"Be a distraction. Cast the largest Black Hole you can at him."

She's so annoying.

I wish she would act more like a teammate. With that attitude, I might die from a bullet in the back.

But, I'll do what I can. I have no plan. I have no choice but to go along with her secret plan.

I gestured to Patrick, who was circling around behind the evil god, to back off, and confirmed with No. 2.

"Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are."

She stood calmly next to me, doing nothing. Is she really okay?

Well, I'll do it. As large a Black Hole as possible. Centered on the evil god, a size that just barely doesn't include where we're standing should be fine.

"...Black Hole!"

A black sphere appeared. Since half of it was on the ground, it should look like a dome, but from my perspective, it looked like a black wall.

At that moment, Yumera No. 2 whispered in my ear,

"Leave the rest to you, Yumera No. 1."

"Huh?"

No. 2 said something out of character. It might be the first time I've been called No. 1.

When I turned to look, she was already running forward. And into the black wall.

"Dangerous!"

"The sword's name is—"

There's a time lag between the appearance and disappearance of the Black Hole. If you can escape the area in that time, you can avoid it.

Conversely, if you enter the area in that time...

She did it. She jumped into the darkness.

The black sphere began to contract, erasing everything as it moved toward the center.

In the blink of an eye, the black sphere disappeared completely, taking Yumera No. 2 with it.

"...Huh?"

A huge crater appeared in front of me. The pressure difference created a strong wind that almost knocked me off my feet. The evil god stood in the center of the large hole, unchanged. Yumera No. 2 was gone.

"......No way."

It's a lie. It must be a mistake. No. 2 is probably hiding somewhere, planning to surprise the evil god.

I look around in a daze. She's not there. There's nowhere to hide.

It can't be, can it...

"...Ah."

I feel a dense flow of magic power entering my body. The dark magic power is so concentrated it's almost visible.

The reality I couldn't accept is forced upon me. This phenomenon...

"Ah......"

I absorb the massive amount of magic power at an incredible speed, almost to the point of intoxication.

The magic power is familiar, as if it's part of me. Of course, it's the residue of another Yumera.

"This feeling, it's been a while."

A level-up after years. I feel a sudden surge of power like never before.

I've become stronger. Overwhelmingly stronger. With this strength, I realize again that she is gone.

Yumera No. 2 sacrificed her life by jumping into my magic.

The epilogue will be posted for four consecutive days.

4/28 24 Alive, everyone

4/29 25 Enveloping the world

4/30 26 Epilogue