Chapter 17

Iris was surprised.

That Shu, her magic teacher and long-time acquaintance, had been captured by Zamus.

"Why would Shu be here?"

"Do you know him, Iris?"

"Yes."

In response to the senior female paladin's question, Iris nodded. However, even Iris couldn't understand why Shu would be in such a place.

As she was confused, the remaining paladins began to gather from all around.

The assembled paladins, including Zamus who was already there, numbered sixteen.

Initially, there were twenty, so four should be missing.

However, a paladin skilled in magic detection tilted his head and muttered.

"Huh? I don't sense the magic of the four?"

The paladins were shaken upon hearing this.

Not sensing magic means they are dead. In this monster village, although there were a few high-level monsters, they were not opponents that the paladins would lose to.

That's why it was hard to believe they were dead.

However, Zamus, who had just seen his partner paladin killed, shouted loudly to calm everyone down.

"Everyone, calm down! It's likely that this guy killed our comrades!"

"Ugh..."

Zamus was holding Shu with his left arm, which had turned into water. He then wrapped it around Shu's neck and lifted him into the air. As a spirit-type monster, Shu couldn't escape from the water infused with magic.

So, he was captured while still in his physical form.

(These paladins... they're too strong...)

Zamus, who could turn his body into water, was the worst match for Shu. His ultimate magic, *Sword of the Void*, was ineffective, and other magic spells were forcibly destroyed by Zamus's magic.

The remaining magical power was almost meaningless against such a powerful opponent.

Shu had been trying to drain Zamus's magic with *Life Drain*, but he was captured before he could finish the job.

Iris was surprised by Zamus's words and spoke up to deny them.

"That can't be! I object!"

Zamus opened his eyes wide and asked calmly in return.

"Is there a reason for this?"

"Yes! Shu is my teacher! I can use magic thanks to Shu!"

"Is that true?"

"Of course!"

Indeed, from Zamus's perspective, Shu was using peculiar magic that didn't fit into any of the four elements or two poles. He was casting magic without incantations, and his skills were top-notch.

However, Zamus didn't expect Shu to be the teacher of Iris, who was skilled in magic among the paladins.

Zamus slightly loosened the water restraint and asked Shu.

"Is what Iris says true?"

"...I don't know."

Shu deliberately denied it.

If he admitted it, something bad might happen to Iris. That's why he said they weren't related.

However, the clumsy girl Iris cut off Shu's thoughts.

"That's a bit harsh, Shu! You protected me from monsters and taught me about magic and magic control!"

"...You say that? Shu"

"Maybe you're mistaken?"

She tried to signal with her eyes to read the situation, but Iris didn't get it. This charade was turning into a farce.

However, Shu thought it was a hopeless situation.

He couldn't defeat Zamus, let alone the other paladins.

He had already given up on survival.

So, he thought he should act to avoid putting Iris at a disadvantage.

"That woman is human, and I'm a monster. It's impossible for incompatible beings to be friends."

Shu revealed his hidden card and turned into a spirit.

Then, he used *Life Drain* to steal magic, turned the water magic into plain water, and escaped through it. This was a one-time use method, so if he was captured again, it would be over.

Now, the best course of action was to claim he had no connection with Iris and escape. Whether he could escape or not was a matter of luck, but he didn't want to end up doing nothing.

"A spirit-type monster!? Could it be a spirit!"

Zamus was more surprised that Shu was a monster than that he had escaped from his magic.

Shu, who had escaped into the air, tried to run away.

However, Zamus infused his left arm with magic, turned it into water, and attacked Shu like a whip.

The unpredictable trajectory of the attack cut through Shu's torso as he was about to cast an acceleration magic array. Even as a spirit, a magic-infused attack would hit him, so Shu was knocked down.

"If it's a monster, kill it! Everyone, attack!"

"Ooh!"

Each paladin used their magic to attack Shu, who had fallen to the ground.

First, a paladin with a bow shot an arrow. The arrow flew at a terrifying speed, but Shu narrowly avoided it. However, the arrow exploded, blowing Shu away. He quickly floated and regained his composure, but then a large rock flew towards him.

If it were a physical attack, he could have slipped through it without avoiding it, but unfortunately, it was a magic attack. Since it was infused with magic, he would take damage if he was hit.

"Reflection"

He immediately drew an acceleration magic array and reversed the acceleration to repel the large rock. The rock didn't have enough magic to cancel the magic array, so the array functioned without breaking.

"Whoa!? It bounced back!?"

"Be careful. This guy uses strange magic."

Zamus, who had seen it with his own eyes, warned the others, so everyone except Iris tightened their focus. On the other hand, Iris was stunned to learn that Shu was a monster.

She had been with him for five years and hadn't noticed at all.

He had some unconventional traits, but she had admired him without thinking much about it.

That's why she couldn't understand the reality and was frozen in place.

(Shu... is a monster? But...)

She knew that monsters were enemies to be defeated. However, she couldn't attack Shu. At the same time, she couldn't help Shu, who was being cornered by the paladins.

She was a paladin, a being that hunted monsters that brought fear to people.

She knew what she should do.

"I can't attack Shu..."

She couldn't help but mutter these words.

The other paladins were attacking Shu, so they didn't hear Iris's words. However, if they had, they would have frowned. According to the teachings of the Church of the Divine, monsters are absolute evil. It was unthinkable for a paladin serving the church to say such a thing.

Iris couldn't move and could only watch.

(What should I do...)

She could only see the battle because of her enhanced dynamic vision. Shu was trying to escape, but he couldn't break through the encirclement of fifteen paladins. He was gradually being cornered.

If Iris, who was skilled in wind magic, joined the battle, it would end much faster.

She could also prevent his escape with a holy magic barrier.

On one hand, she understood what she should do, but on the other hand, she wanted to help Shu. Shu was her benefactor who had changed her and her magic teacher.

This conflict was what kept her from moving.

"Ugh!?"

"AAAAAA!"

"Elmes! Aaron!"

Shu killed the paladins with *Sword of the Void*. Currently, if he used it calmly, he could create a radius of thirty meters. However, in a sudden attack, the range was extremely limited, so he couldn't eliminate all the paladins at once.

However, he thought that if he could reduce their numbers gradually, he might have a chance to escape.

At least, with his abilities, he couldn't defeat Zamus.

"Water Third Tier *Water Cage*!"

"Take this, Earth Second Tier *Binding Vine*"

"Good, keep him restrained!"

Finally, Shu was captured by binding magic. Water formed a cage around Shu, and vines wrapped around his body to prevent him from escaping.

One of the paladins raised a baton.

He was a user of weapon-type magic, and with his baton, he could control fire. More accurately, he was a mage who controlled heat. Heat began to accumulate in the baton infused with magic.

(Poor choice)

Shu, while captured, immediately drew a magic array.

The paladin then swung his baton, releasing a heat beam.

The white flame of the heat beam was about to pierce through the *Water Cage* and *Binding Vine* and strike Shu.

However, the heat beam missed Shu, slightly evaporating the *Water Cage* and flying in another direction. The monster's house in front of it burned to ashes, but the paladins were surprised.

"Missed? What are you doing!"

"No! ...I didn't mean to miss"

"What?"

The heat beam missed because Shu had used vibration magic in a hurry. This manipulated the refraction of light, slightly altering the trajectory.

Then, Shu used vibration magic again to lower the vibration of water molecules and freeze the *Water Cage*. At the same time, he used *Sword of the Void* to cut the ice and escape.

"Don't let him escape!"

Zamus shouted, raised his halberd with his right hand, and manipulated his left arm, which had turned into water, like a whip. The paladin with the bow shot an explosive arrow to prevent Shu from escaping into the air.

The remaining paladins prepared their magic, and those with spare time began to chant.

Even if there was a slight opening, the experienced Zamus quickly brought them back together.

There was no time to escape.

In fact, it was abnormal that Shu, a high-level monster, could fight against so many paladins. Normally, he would have been defeated long ago.

Moreover, the paladins were cautious of *Sword of the Void* and increased the frequency of their magic attacks, not getting close to Shu. Only Zamus approached him actively.

(The halberd can't hit me, but the water magic is too troublesome)

Zamus's magic, which allowed for versatile attacks, was the worst for Shu. He wanted to freeze it with vibration magic, but it was too fast to hit. Besides, Zamus's magic was infused with abundant magic, making it almost immune to magic.

Shu was being cornered over time.

Finally, Zamus's attack hit.

"I've got him!"

Zamus's left arm, which had turned into a tentacle, pierced Shu's torso, pinning him to the ground and rendering him immobile.

A paladin with a greatsword, a weapon-type magic user, leaped forward to deliver the final blow.

His ability was to shatter. When he cut with the greatsword, the target would crumble and be sliced. He was a mage who could bypass defenses.

The weapon-type magic couldn't be reflected and would slice through the magic array. Even if he created a wall by raising the ground with movement magic, it would be shattered and rendered meaningless.

(This is it)

* Sword of the Void * couldn't save him. Shu felt the approaching greatsword in slow motion and was certain of his death.

Although he had lived for only six years, it couldn't be helped.

He had killed paladins to survive.

He had even killed magic apprentices.

This time, it was his turn.

However, just as the greatsword approached Shu, a sudden, stern voice reached his ears.

"Wind First Tier *Shock*!"

An invisible shock hit the paladin's greatsword, altering its trajectory. As a result, it sliced and shattered the ground next to Shu.

The ground was shattered by the magic, and the impact blew Shu away. The magic that had pinned him to the ground was also released.

Even Zamus was taken aback.

He quickly turned to the source and shouted, revealing his anger.

"What are you doing! Iris Silverblade!"

It was Iris who had saved Shu from certain death.