Chapter 26

It was just a few moments, a fleeting instant in time.

Yet, in that moment, I saw and thought so much.

First, I saw Mimin. Mimin appeared next to the tall knight of the Light Kingdom — it felt as if she had suddenly materialized out of the air — and showed me a few small vials.

I thought about whether Mimin was trying to escape or how she had gotten out, but then I realized what those vials were.

It was just a guess.

But I couldn’t think of anything else.

So I spread my arms — and with all my magic power, I cast a spell.

The Light Magic.

It was the magic that complemented Dark Magic and was supposed to be the most suitable for stopping the Wedge Rocket.

But the problem was — my magic power was far too weak compared to the immense magic power of the End Fang.

The solution was Mimin’s vials.

"Raji-kun!!"

Even though it had only been a short time since I last saw Mimin, she felt very nostalgic. And as soon as she saw me, she trusted me — she believed I could do it and threw those vials.

I felt my magic power drain — my spell was activated.

"Shimmering Aurora!!"

A curtain of light appeared, surrounding the rocket.

The Dark Magic that was launched melted and disappeared as soon as it touched the light.

My magic power, thanks to the天赋【魔力量増大】I had absorbed, was much greater than that of an ordinary mage. But even so, I could only neutralize about one-fifth of it.

The light from the curtain also faded as it neutralized the darkness, and eventually, a hole opened up.

"It’s futile!"

I heard the Mediator’s triumphant cry.

Of course. This wasn’t the kind of magic that could be stopped by a thin curtain.

The curtain was immediately torn apart, and the dark wedge shot out —.

Crack. Crack, crack, crack, crack.

The vials that had flown in a parabola to my feet shattered, scattering a purple phosphorescence.

At the same time, as if the video was fast-forwarded, the same number of curtains as the broken vials appeared.

"One curtain won’t do, but if we stack them, it should work."

"Wh-What!?"

This was Mimin’s special "Magic Replication Potion." It was an incredible secret potion that could regenerate a spell that had already been cast.

Mimin must have thought I would try to solve the problem with magic and used this potion.

The surroundings suddenly became dazzling.

The Dark Magic hit the curtains and disappeared with a loud thud.

The light quickly diminished, and when the last bit of darkness was gone, only the light from the first curtain remained, and it too melted away.

"Phew..."

I ended up kneeling on the spot, but I managed to keep my consciousness.

"Raji-kun!"

"Ah!?"

I was tackled from the side by Mimin and ended up rolling on the ground.

"Is it really you, Raji-kun? The real you!"

"A, ah, yes..."

"I’m so glad... I’m so glad you’re alive..."

She started crying while straddling me. Her body was mostly transparent, wrapped in a mysterious optical camouflage-like mantle, but that’s beside the point,

"What, what, what, what is this, you...!"

The battle was still ongoing.

I got Mimin to move and stood up, looking at the Mediator.

"‘Child of Calamity,’ I should have killed you first."

The flame wavered and took on a human form, stepping out of the End Fang. The End Fang, too weak to stand, collapsed on the spot.

The silver plate mail, hidden somewhere, attached to the Mediator’s body.

The Mediator was strong even on their own.

Could I fight them with my magic drained...?

"…Kill my brother? You’ve got to be kidding. You’re the one who’s going to die."

At that moment, I heard a voice from behind me —.

"Lark...!? Why!?"

Lark, who was supposed to have left the battlefield, was here.

Though her clothes were the same as before, her steps were steady.

"I was healed by a noble lady, with something called the ‘Magic Eye of Encouragement.’ She seems to have fainted from overusing her power."

"Eh? Eh? Lady Eva?"

Indeed, the【森羅万象】confirmed that Lark’s power had been restored.

"Healed by Non, I’m back in the fight."

Dantes, who was covered in dirt but holding a large shield, also arrived.

"…If the knight is to be protected, the story doesn’t make sense."

Then, the tall knight of the Light Kingdom came and stood in front of me.

"Hey, Raji. We need to talk later, so wait for me this time — I have a lot of grudges against that black guy, so that comes first."

Grendyde also approached the Mediator with a spare spear.

More knights and soldiers gathered.

With so many, even the Mediator couldn’t do much.

"……"

But — the Mediator was silent.

There was a sense of "ease" in their posture.

(Why? Is it because there are so many others, and it doesn’t matter if this one is destroyed? Or is there something else —)

The Mediator glanced at the sky.

It was the Red Gate.

"Ah—"

This was the worst-case scenario.

A dark, massive shadow was visible through the gate.

"Next."

I shouted.

The Mediator was trying to bring the next giant species here —.

"Lark! Please take care of the Mediator!"

"Of course, that was my intention from the start. And Raji-kun... where are you going!?"

I started running — toward the Red Gate.

I had to seal the crack before the next giant species appeared.

But as soon as I started running, my knees buckled. I had used too much magic.

"Raji-kun, here! It’s a potion to restore your stamina and magic power!"

"Thank you...!"

As expected of Mimin, she understood. I opened the small vial that flew to me and let the sweet liquid flow into my mouth. My stomach felt hot, and my strength returned.

"I can do it...!"

I started running. With the【疾走术】, I moved at a speed beyond that of a normal person.

I took out the 12-star天赋珠玉【离界盟约】from my item bag.

With this, I should be able to make it.

"I have to make it in time!"