Chapter 39

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of the promise written there.

---

In actual combat, magic cannot be cut.

These were the words of Oggan, the lord's subordinate mage.

Rio understood this because he had been taught the theory.

The torrent magic of the monkey beast was on a scale that could not be cut.

However, Rio, who had practiced cutting Shira's magic during training, thought otherwise.

If the scale of the magic could be reduced or the core of the magic could be expanded by external interference, theoretically, magic could be cut.

Oggan had said,

"Defensive magic does not destroy the core but prevents it from advancing further."

In other words, the core of the magic could be interfered with from the outside.

However, when it came to changing the scale of the magic core from the outside, Rio had no idea.

Or rather, he didn't know until now.

As he watched Karil being slammed into the ground by the torrent, Rio started running with his sword at his waist.

With each step, he organized in his mind Karil's actions, their purpose, and the method of optimization.

His head was filled with a vast amount of thoughts.

He activated the body enhancement to its limit.

The purpose was to release excess magical power externally.

Oggan had said,

"Magic is activated by converting magical power."

However, he also said about body enhancement,

"Magical power circulates through the body."

The magical power of body enhancement was pure, unconverted magical power.

The monkey beast turned to Rio. It was a natural choice. Even the rampaging Karil had been consumed by the torrent magic, so Rio was nothing to it.

Moreover, Rio's movements were much slower compared to Karil's.

Naturally, since Rio had not applied the body enhancement magic to his entire body.

He concentrated the body enhancement on his chest, throat, and mouth.

The purpose was to imbue his voice with pure magical power.

Karil had seen through it.

"Rio is good at external release."

A shell-like stone flew from the beast's hand.

Learning from Karil but with more refined footwork, Rio dodged the stone.

The beast, having anticipated that Rio could dodge the stone, calmly activated the torrent magic on a larger scale than before.

The scale of the torrent magic was the same as the one that had swept Rio far downstream that day.

Shaking off the image of death that had flashed through his mind that day, Rio opened his mouth.

He imbued his voice with a wisp-like magical power and directed it at the approaching torrent.

"--- Get lost!"

The wisp-like voice collided with the torrent, and something inside the torrent began to swell.

Aiming at that unseen something, Rio, with his sword at his waist, swung it in a reverse diagonal.

There was a sensation like tearing fabric on the surface of the torrent.

The sensation was similar to the light orbs he had cut during his early training with Shira.

The core of the torrent magic, which had expanded by absorbing the magical power Rio had directed at it, was cut by Rio's sword.

Like an illusion created by the wisp, the torrent magic disappeared when its core was cut.

The beast opened its eyes in shock.

"Get lost too!"

Without losing momentum, Rio swung his sword at the beast.

It was a full-bodied strike.

But---it was not a fatal blow.

Due to his lack of physical strength, for which he was often called untalented.

Rio's sword, which had entered the beast's left chest, cut through two wooden planks but was stopped by the thick chest and did not reach the internal organs.

The monkey beast roared and raised its iron sword in one swift motion.

"---!?"

Panicking, Rio dodged the beast's sword almost reflexively.

He had misjudged.

Unlike ordinary monkeys, the beast could use body enhancement. Its body was far more robust than an ordinary monkey's.

It was difficult to cut through the muscles.

The beast had also noticed Rio's weakness and raised its iron sword high.

There was no way Rio could defend against it. He could only dodge.

If he dodged and created distance between himself and the beast, the surrounding monkeys would come to its aid.

If he couldn't create distance, he would close the distance and dodge.

Rio, determined, stepped deeply with his right foot into the beast's range.

The beast, having anticipated this, stepped back and swung its sword down.

He read the trajectory. The beast, relying on its strength and lacking swordsmanship, swung down in a straight line.

The path of the beast's sword was clear in his mind.

--- I've got it!

Using his right foot as a pivot, Rio drew a curve with his left foot to dodge the beast's sword.

Ignoring the beast's sword that had swung through the air, Rio thrust his sword, held with both hands, accurately into the beast's left armpit.

The beast, bleeding profusely from its armpit, let its left arm hang limply.

Struck in a vital spot by Rio, whom it had considered a powerless prey, the beast turned its head in fear for the first time.

But Rio had already stepped in with his left foot and circled around to the beast's diagonal rear.

His sword, pulled out at high speed, cut through both of the beast's knees, forcing it to kneel.

With the beast, which could no longer stand, Rio raised his sword.

Stepping on the beast's back with his right foot, he thrust his sword into the back of its neck.

The beast let out a soundless scream and fell face down on the ground.

Looking down at the dead beast, Rio tried to exhale but coughed, grimacing at the metallic taste rising in his throat.

Blood was dripping from his throat, likely due to the strain of shouting loudly with his throat enhanced beyond its limit.

Rio pulled his sword out of the beast and looked around.

"--- What now?"

The monkeys, whose leader had been killed, did not cower but became even more agitated, pointing their weapons at Rio.

But Rio smiled at the monkeys.

Having accomplished the impossible feat of cutting magic, he was in high spirits. His overused body no longer felt pain.

He had long surpassed his limits, as evidenced by the blood from his throat.

"So what?"

His fighting spirit remained undiminished. His resolve was already set.

Rio raised his sword and faced the monkeys.

At that moment, a clear, bell-like voice echoed.

"Dispel the clouds, welcome the gentle drops, and pray for the merciful rain---Hinata Rain."

Realizing it was Shira's incantation, Rio moved before the monkeys could turn their attention to her.

He deflected the stones the monkeys threw to stop Shira's magic with his sword and dodged the attack of a monkey with a spear, deeply slashing its side.

As soon as Rio repositioned his sword in front of Shira, drops began to fall from the sky.

Small droplets, like a light rain, fell from the sky, wetting the surrounding trees but causing no harm.

Why use a non-lethal spell in this situation?

Rio looked back at Shira in confusion.

Shira stood beside Karil and nodded slightly.

"--- It's coming."

Just as he was about to ask what was coming, a dense aura of death blew down from the mountain, making Rio's spine freeze.

The monkeys also noticed and looked up at the mountain slope.

Oggan stood at the top of the slope.

"What are you doing to my disciple?"

With his voice, a wave of death and intense cold swept down.

The cold enveloped the monkeys and the beast's corpse, turning them white as if wrapped in a silk veil.

The monkeys could not run. No, they could not move. Their feet were frozen to the ground, immobilizing them.

Oggan raised his hand toward the monkeys.

"Sharp and keen thorns of the snowflake, form the great snow flower of ice pillars."

After the familiar incantation, countless ice crystals with sharp edges appeared at the tip of Oggan's hand and slowly advanced toward the monkeys.

They moved at the speed of falling snow, but the monkeys, with their feet frozen, could not escape and could only stare at the approaching ice crystals and the moment of death.

The ice crystals slowly cut through the panicked, screaming monkeys as they passed through the group.