Chapter 57

EP.57 The Madness of Derailment-5

[Damn, he's got charisma...]

"Behind!!"

Shouting that, Leonardo uncorked the potion and put it in his mouth.

Then he stabbed the monster's belly with his sword as it lunged from behind.

"Watch your back!! There are monsters everywhere!!"

Saying that, Leo grabbed Aria and jumped down. Thanks to the potion, his mana was restored, making his movements even more agile and nimble.

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?! Where did you get that potion!?"

"You're the one who's trying to get yourself killed!! How could I just stand by and watch you fight in that state?!"

***

While the spirits were moving Aria, they woke her up. Then they explained the situation and asked for her opinion.

Sometimes, spirits valued the emotions and thoughts of humans with high sensitivity more than their own lives.

[What do you want to do, Aria?]

"...I'm going to help Leo."

[It's dangerous.]

"Leo is in danger too."

[I see.]

Then the spirits told Aria how to help Leo.

She went to a potion shop near the city, picked up some high-grade potions, and ran back using the shortest route the spirits told her.

***

That's how it came to this.

"Leo lied, and that was his mistake! Got it?!"

"I understand, so be quiet!! We need to get out of here first!!"

An immature conversation.

Even in a life-or-death situation, the boy and girl were busy having an immature argument. If there were no corpses around, it might have looked like a young couple's spat.

[Are you two going to complain until you die?]

<That's why I deliberately let you run away!>

There was no way to kill the clay golem with his current abilities.

Physical attacks were meaningless due to its body transformation, and even if he inflicted damage with magic or aura, it would just regenerate.

Moreover, the clay golem's inherent magic was restoration, not regeneration, making it efficient in mana usage. The area was filled with corpses to replenish its mana.

It could also adapt to status effects like burns and poison by changing its body's constitution.

<...The only way to win is to cast a curse that destroys the mind or instantly annihilate the body...>

The opponent was a top-tier black mage, and he had to worry about being hit by mental attacks.

To obliterate such a monster in one go, at least a 6-star aura user like Gladio or an archmage with abilities on par with the head of the magic tower would be needed.

[...So, did you think you had a chance of winning while arguing with Aria?]

In the midst of such despair, the sage lectured.

[Don't misunderstand. When have you ever fought by the book?]

It was a rebuke from a master who had watched the boy's life from the sidelines.

[You're the strangest among all my disciples.]

The way the boy had grown stronger and trained.

[Leo, you never take shortcuts when it comes to effort. You always push yourself to the brink of death and keep working hard without rest.]

It was something he often heard from others.

But he didn't trust their words. They hadn't seen everything about him, he concluded.

However, the old man's words carried credibility.

The words of the sage who had taught him and shared every moment of his new life could be trusted.

[But when it comes to using the power you've gained, you use all sorts of tricks. You try to find shortcuts to solve problems, to the point where even demons would stick out their tongues.]

That was the method he had used to wield the power he had gained, the way Leonardo had fought.

[You're the only one who can reconcile such contradictions. Just do what you do. The weather is nice, so take a moment to think while looking at the sky.]

A compliment that wasn't really a compliment made him chuckle.

<...What nice weather? The sun is hidden by the clouds...>

At that moment, a flash of inspiration struck him.

The thick red clouds hid the light of hope, like the sun.

"Miss."

Leo and his party had taken refuge in a suitable building, but they wouldn't last long against the superhuman monster.

But it didn't matter anymore.

"I've figured out a way to win."

"...Win?"

"Yes, as long as we both keep our promises."

The key to this plan was trust.

"I'll engage the black mage in a full-scale battle. During that time, Miss Aria must not participate in the fight under any circumstances."

Aria's expression twisted. It seemed no different from before. Anticipating this, Leo added:

"Instead, I promise I won't die. As you said earlier..."

Leonardo smiled.

"Anyway, I've decided to stay by Aria's side for the rest of my life. I don't think I can die."

Eventually, the two made a promise.

The plan began.

***

The clay golem wore a rather relaxed expression even in the face of the sudden ambush. Through the battles so far, the clay golem was confident.

'These kids have no way to kill me.

The only way to kill me is with a natural disaster-scale attack, or to incinerate me in one second, leaving no flesh behind.

Even if an archmage like the head of the magic tower were to come, I'm confident I wouldn't die.

"Besides, you're top-notch materials."

Especially the young lady with the blood of a hero could become a top-tier creation. Perhaps it could even be used as a bargaining chip with the Reinhardt family.

"Talking about top-notch materials. Do you want to die?"

The knight of that family blocked the sadistic killer.

"Oh, don't be so sad. You're also top-notch..."

"Shut up."

Kwaang!

A water pressure projectile flew, and even water could exert the power of a bomb with enough pressure.

At the same time, the water that exploded enveloped the clay golem's body, forming a water prison.

"Suffocating... That's a good idea. Zeihad must have died this way, too."

But the clay golem calmly spoke and breathed in the water.

"But I can create gills."

Soon, the clay golem inflated its body using fish-like lungs, bursting the water prison.

"Is that so?"

The magic circle for lightning was already complete in Leonardo's hand.

"Then try this."

Leonardo threw a lightning bolt at the clay golem, which was still damp with water. The surrounding monsters were also caught in the lightning's aftermath due to the water.

"You look like an electric eel inside, but you can be hit by electricity?"

"Is it really working?"

The surrounding monsters had already fallen, but the clay golem had restored the parts hit by the lightning and the burns.

"Where did that confident lady go? Didn't you come to save her?"

"Who knows? With enough mana, I can kill a pervert like you."

Saying that, Leo took out an empty potion bottle.

"You? That's impossible. You know that best."

"You won't know until you try."

Leonardo threw the potion bottle and drew his sword simultaneously. Then came a series of strikes. The sword pierced the chest.

"No twist? It's so predictable."

A hand sprouted from the chest, grabbing Leonardo's sword. At the same time, the other arms tried to deform Leo's body.

"Kuh..."

But a twist is about subverting expectations.

"Why? You were doing something similar."

The sword turned into a long blade, tearing through the clay golem's chest. At the same time, a rock sword created by rock magic cut off the clay golem's arms.

"Given your sense, it's only natural that it would be so crude."

The provocation made the clay golem's expression twist as he widened the distance.

"...Strange. No one has ever called me crude..."

"Of course. You killed everyone who said that."

With each successive hit, the clay golem's expression turned to one of anger, unseen until now.

"I'll turn you into mush, leaving only your head...!"

At that moment, the clay golem's body was sliced, even though it hadn't been hit by magic or sword. It was as if it had been butchered in a slaughterhouse.

"...How...?"

The answer was in the thin, sharp threads connected to the surroundings. Though invisible due to their thinness, they became visible as blood seeped through.

"You said it yourself. Twists are important."

While attacking, Leonardo had connected thin, hard black stone wires to the surrounding walls. He then used aura to vibrate them slightly, making it easier to cut approaching objects.

"You...! How dare you!!"

The clay golem let out a strange cry from its severed neck. In response, monsters from a distance began to rush over.

[They're coming. Five of them.]

<No problem.>

Reeling in the wires, Leonardo swung the black stone. Though it had the shape of a sword, its movement was more like a whip.

The soft black sword sharply cut through the monsters' bodies simultaneously. The monsters, hastily created, lacked the regenerative power of Zeihad.

"Like this...!"

Leonardo launched a fire magic spell in a straight line toward the clay golem. The spell was the maximum firepower he could muster.

[Fire Storm]

The fiery gale burned the clay golem and the monsters, rising into the sky.

[...Are you okay?]

"...Yes. I still have enough mana left..."

Kaaang!!

A tentacle of the clay golem swung through the smoke and steam. Leonardo barely cut it off with his sword.

"How disappointing. What did you think I was?"

As the fog cleared, the clay golem, completely restored, was revealed.

"Even if you hit me with proper fire magic, I can't be killed... But using that after water magic? You don't even know the basics."

Tentacles flew one after another. Even when cut, they continued to attack, splitting and sucking in the flesh of the surrounding corpses to aid in regeneration.

"No, I know. That's why I did it."

"Still putting on a show? For you, it's impossible..."

Kugug... Huddud...

A sound came from the sky. Soon, the small clouds began to rain.

"The signal has finally come."

The clay golem looked up at the sky in confusion. All the clouds around the magic tower, including this area, had connected to form a massive dark cloud.

"Did you think Miss was just playing around?"

The sound and the rain were created by that dark cloud.

Spirits are intelligent beings born from the mana of nature, so they excel in manipulating the weather more than general magic.

Aria was performing a rain ritual on the tallest building nearby, along with the spirits. She had done her best during the time Leonardo spent provoking and fighting.

"Of course, this strategy wouldn't work without the red clouds. You could say the heavens are on our side."

Leonardo said this while forming a lightning magic circle with one hand.

"Then think about this. The clouds are now in a state where the positive and negative charges of the raindrops are constantly mixed."

Pajijijik

"If I connect this lightning to the charged cloud, what do you think will happen?"

Cold sweat ran down the clay golem's face.

"Y-You won't be fine either if you do that...!"

"I know. But..."

Leonardo launched the lightning at the cloud.

"I've been hit by electricity every time I was overpowered."

From Lightning to Lightning Acceleration for physical enhancement.

It wouldn't be perfect, but he had enough resistance to withstand the shock of this thunder.

"You, on the other hand, won't."

The lightning struck.

---

------

---------

The lightning flashed, but the sound hadn't reached yet.

It was only natural.

Lightning is faster than sound. The electric shock travels faster than the speed of sound.

Soon, the thunder tore through his eardrums, but it didn't hurt.

The electricity had temporarily paralyzed his nerves.

But the fact that he could hear meant he wasn't dead. The fact that he wasn't dead meant he had won.

...Le...

Someone was calling him. They were calling for him.

...o...

The ringing in his ears made it hard to hear properly. He couldn't move his body even if he tried to respond.

"Le...o..."

It was the lady. Lady Ariasfil.

He was relieved. Her coming here meant the clay golem was definitely dead.

"Leo...! Come to your senses...! Please...! Leo...!!"

His hearing cleared, and his vision returned.

The lady was crying. Was it because of the rain? The sight of Lady Ariasfil sobbing looked even more pitiful.

He should tell her not to cry and wipe away her tears.

The rain made it cold, so he should wrap her in his coat.

He should tell her he was fine.

But frustratingly, his body wouldn't respond.

"...Just a moment... Leo..."

The lady took out a potion. It seemed she had prepared one as a precaution for such a situation.

But with his body paralyzed, it was difficult to drink the liquid potion.

Suddenly, their lips touched. The sensation was strange and hazy. It felt like a scene from a dream.

Lady Ariasfil had the potion in her mouth. She seemed to be trying to feed the paralyzed him the potion this way.

The potion tasted really bitter, but Lady Ariasfil's lips were sweet and moist.

He was almost envious that he couldn't move his tongue, while Ariasfil skillfully moved hers.

No, it was hard to call it skillful.

Perhaps feeling guilty about doing this to a paralyzed person, she moved her tongue as slowly and gently as possible.

She seemed focused on getting him to drink the potion as much as possible. Though she was embarrassed, her face was completely red.

She looked so cute, just like her.

"...I..."

...A voice echoed. Not the heartbeat that was now pounding, not the sound of the kiss, but a scream.

It was hard to notice at first, but he saw the lump of flesh behind him.

Only then did he realize.

The clay golem's body, which he thought had exploded, was more like "detonated."

It had spread the flesh as far as possible to minimize the lightning's power. The pieces that entered through windows and doors had withstood the current and soon merged.

"...Ugh..."

He had to speak quickly. To Lady Ariasfil.

If he didn't, they would both die.

But Leo's tongue was paralyzed, and Lady Ariasfil was too focused and excited to concentrate.

"...With...this...!"

Puk! Puk...!

At that moment, the raindrops coalesced into sharp crystals. They flew toward the lump of flesh, tearing off chunks.

"This is the most important scene. Get lost, trash. Even trash has its place, and you should die when it's time."

A really sly and twisted voice, the voice of the mage who cast the ice magic.

The one who made him spend his three-week vacation at the magic tower, and at the same time.

"So, it's you? The one who interfered with my siblings' love."

Rios Reinhardt, the eldest son and idiot.

[Ice Blade]

[Ice Lance]

[Ice Halberd]

Rios Reinhardt was there.

That day, Rios Reinhardt's eyes were filled with a cold killing intent.

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