Chapter 44

"Auru…"

"I know, it’s a huge pressure!"

The overwhelming presence of the spirit that appeared with the words "Not a 'tehepero'!" left Juna and Auru unable to move.

Even the fairies flying above their heads were visibly agitated, flitting about restlessly.

"It seems they’re talking about something."

"I don’t know what they’re saying, but this is our chance… huh!?"

"What!?"

Immediately after, the seven-colored light emitted by the spirit left the two breathless.

"Auru!"

"Ah! I was captivated without realizing it. I was unprepared!"

Juna did not scold Auru for being captivated by the enemy’s appearance. She herself was entranced by the scene before her, even feeling a sense of awe.

"The barrier is unstable now because of that aura. We need to finish this quickly, or the barrier will dissolve."

"Understood. I’ll fight properly!"

Juna’s words helped Auru focus. However, she also felt a deepening doubt in her heart.

(Something’s still off. When we fought in the park earlier, there was no sign of such a powerful spirit. Moreover, the atmosphere is different…)

The situation was clearly different from when they were suddenly attacked in the park earlier.

Despite her doubts, Auru transferred her magic power to the fairies to activate the next spell.

◇

"Yay! Now Master can use spells! Probably."

"Probably!?"

While calling out the questionable statement, Ur tried a low-power 'Scatter Flame Bullet' with bare feet.

"Whoa!?"

It was released without any problem, but a bit of the ground was blown away.

I intended to keep it as low as a sparkler, but I must have miscalibrated it.

"Master, here it comes!"

"Huh?"

At Ur’s words, I looked ahead to see lightning scatter bullets and water blades coming at me with incredible speed. This is bad!

"Triple Barrier!"

Three layers of transparent light walls stopped the incoming attacks… but.

"Master’s barrier is so cool! Amazing!"

"Ah, yeah, sure."

While it’s indeed beautiful, that’s not the issue.

The barriers are more luminous and thicker than usual.

"Ur, did you do something?"

"Huh? I didn’t do anything. I just feel magic power passing through my body when Master tries to use a spell, but that’s all."

No, no, that’s definitely the cause!

I don’t understand the logic, but it seems that using spells through Ur amplifies their power.

If I activate a 'Scatter Flame Bullet' with the same feeling as before, the park might be devastated.

"Well, what to do… Triple Barrier!"

"Master, nice defense!"

Their attacks are numerous but not very powerful. With the thicker Triple Barrier, I can easily defend… but wait, a fourth, almost invisible barrier has appeared.

"This is a Quadruple Barrier, then."

This isn’t the time to be nitpicking.

The fourth barrier has an unusual presence. It’s a bit scary, and maybe I shouldn’t use the Triple Barrier.

"At least, I need to find out why they’re attacking. I can’t accept this without an explanation."

Ur-boosted spells are too dangerous, and I need to get close to talk.

So—

"Enhancement!"

I enhanced my thinking speed and muscle strength, dodging countless attacks while approaching the two.

"Don’t let him get close! Sandra, Gran, Scatter Bullet!"

"Diene, Bullet!"

"Whoa!"

A barrage of lightning, stone, and water scatter bullets filled my vision.

I thought about using the Triple Barrier, but with the fourth barrier, I don’t know what might happen. So—

"Sorry, park! Toy!"

I created multiple dolls from the park’s cobblestones, using them as a wall while charging at the two.

Some cobblestones were chipped, but the park was already in bad shape from their spells, so I hope they’ll be lenient.

"Numerous attacks won’t bring me down!"

The younger committee president, while firing water scatter bullets, seemed frustrated.

Thanks to the unexpected durability of the cobblestone dolls, she was struggling. I’ll take this opportunity to get closer!

"There’s no other way… Juna, buy me some time."

The younger committee president called out, and a massive wall of rushing water appeared.

"Whoa, that’s pretty solid."

The cobblestone dolls didn’t have enough power to break through the wall of water.

"This won’t work. I don’t know if I can break through with regular Enhancement, and I can’t use spells… It’ll hurt a bit, but there’s no other choice."

I used Enhancement to strengthen my muscles and bones, then—

"Further Enhancement!"

I layered Enhancement on my right arm’s muscles and bones.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch."

My right arm’s nerves screamed under the pressure of the over-enhanced muscles and bones.

It’s a familiar pain, similar to growing pains.

"Whoops, no time to reminisce."

I pulled back my enhanced fist and punched the wall of water with all my might!

"Gender Equality Fist: Break!"

A powerful explosion echoed, and the shockwave blew away the wall of water.

"What! You broke my Great Wall with just a punch!?"

"That’s right!"

The Gender Equality Fist: Break is the most powerful close-range technique I have.

Even with just my right arm, I could probably create a massive crater if I layered Enhancement on my entire body. However, it requires a significant opening and the use of a Substitute Card. Plus, the enhanced part will hurt for a while.

"Practicing in my backyard with soundproofing on the Triple Barrier was worth it…"

The attack by the supernaturals taught me that to live peacefully, I need to be well-prepared!

To that end, I’ve developed several new techniques besides the Gender Equality Fist: Break, but that’s beside the point. More importantly—

"I don’t want to fight anymore. Explain why you attacked me."

Understanding the current situation is more important.

"You attacked us first? That’s our line!"

Huh?

"You put a letter in our shoe box, saying 'If you want the fairy seed back, come to the designated park.' Then you attacked us. Return the stolen fairy seed quickly!"

"Letter? Fairy seed?"

I don’t understand the situation. I was the one called here, and I have no memory of stealing such a thing.

"Wait, this doesn’t make sense. I also found a letter in my shoe box and was called here. I have no memory of stealing a fairy seed or even knowing what it is!"

"But you attacked us in the park just now! We almost got killed!"

Just now… I’ve been here the whole time. What’s going on?

"…Juna, thanks for buying me time. I’ve finished the incantation."

In the midst of this, an ominous statement came from a blonde girl hiding behind the younger committee president.

Incantation… Oh no?

"I don’t know who you are, but you’ll have to come quietly. Supreme Golden Giant!"

The blonde girl shouted, and a golden giant about five meters tall appeared.

It had no weapons, wore simple armor, and had a skeletal appearance, but it exuded an incredible presence.

"Wow, that’s scary! It’s so strong!"

"Indeed, it’s a bit scary… huh!?"

Instantly, the dolls surrounding me were blown away.

Looking at the golden giant’s fist, I saw some cobblestone fragments. It must have been the giant. Despite its appearance, it moved at an incredible speed.

"Too fast. Master, did you see that?"

"Yeah, I saw it."

I can track it with my eyes, but I’m not sure if I can dodge it. I’m not confident I can handle it with the cobblestone dolls or Enhancement. I can’t use spells, so what should I do…

"I want you to come quietly. If you do, I won’t use any more force."

"Come quietly…?"

Even if you say that, I have no memory of doing anything to deserve being captured.

Moreover, it’s frustrating to be captured without being heard.

"Master, leave this to me. I’ll protect you!"

"Neia!?"

As I was thinking about how to counter the golden giant, Neia flew out of my chest pocket and launched a gold beetle at the giant.

Huh? Looking closely, I saw a spirit thread connecting Neia and the gold beetle. So the gold beetle is a familiar!

"That’s mine! My familiar!"

"Why is Auru’s familiar here!?"

Both were surprised, but now isn’t the time.

I quickly hid Neia back in my pocket.

"Neia, it’s dangerous. Stay in the pocket!"

I have a Substitute Card on Neia, but I’m not sure if it will work on her, as she’s on the line between living and mechanical. I want to avoid putting Neia in danger as much as possible.

"It’s okay. It’s almost over."

"Almost over?"

Right after Neia’s words, the golden giant, with the gold beetle attached, stopped moving. Then—

"What? What are you doing? Why are you grabbing us!?"

"I don’t know! I can’t control the Golden Giant! Let us go! Why are you grabbing us!?"

The giant grabbed the younger committee president and the blonde girl, restraining them.

What’s happening? I don’t understand the situation.

"I’ve taken control of the giant. Now it’s under my control."

"Under your control…?"

I didn’t know Neia could do that. Neia is amazing.

"Auru, I’ll destroy the Golden Giant."

"That’s fine. I was planning to do the same. Gran! Sandra!"

This is bad! They’re going to destroy the giant!

"I won’t let you! Ultimate Tackle!"

"Ur!?"

Just before the spell was cast, Ur performed a high-speed tackle on the light orbs flying above the two.

"Diene!"

"Gran! Sandra!"

The light orbs flew away like ping-pong balls, and the spell was not cast. Phew, that was close.

"Alright…"

"Auru, don’t touch them! If you do anything, do it to me! You, beast!"

"No! This is my responsibility! If you want to humiliate someone, humiliate me!"

"Beast" and "humiliate"? What kind of person do they think I am…

"Let’s talk. Neia, release them."

"Understood."

"Wait…?"

"Wait…? I’m not going to do anything to them. I just want to talk."

Maybe they trusted me a bit after being released, as they didn’t show any signs of attacking.

I’m tired. Finally, we can talk.

◇

On the rooftop of a building, a man was looking down at the fog-covered park.

"I’m surprised. I didn’t expect such a powerful spirit mage to be hiding…"

His name is Chrom. He disguised himself as Kousuke and attacked Auru and Juna, setting them against each other.

"A spirit mage with a presence comparable to a great spirit… Finding such an interesting opponent was worth the effort of putting a letter in the shoe box and running around in disguise!"

Wearing a deep cap, Chrom laughed loudly.

His face showed the joy of finally meeting an interesting opponent.

"Sorry, Io, but things are getting interesting."

Io’s magic revealed that Kousuke was the one who stole the fairy seed, and Chrom was tasked with retrieving it. However, he no longer had any intention of fulfilling that mission. Instead—

"A boy who can control a powerful spirit, use extraordinary martial arts, and perform unseen barrier and healing spells… Haha, I will definitely uncover the boy’s true identity!"

The thought of uncovering Kousuke’s true identity filled his mind.

"Ah… I might get scolded by Io first."

As he muttered, Chrom disappeared from the rooftop.

The author is alive!