Chapter 30

Exposed to the pseudo-sun known as Azure Flame, the shadows of night, having lost their place, ran rampant.

"It's so hot!"

For a common soldier, it would be a moment to drown in the heat wave. Makoto merely declared it was hot. In addition to the absurd magical barrier, the mud that surrounded him had been reducing the effectiveness of the Will-o'-the-wisp. The terrain, rich in moisture, was also disadvantageous. Furthermore, the attack strategy had been refined to match the fire-resistant Worm.

The will-infused, eerie mud targeted the Worm. When the Azure Flame danced, the mud clumps that followed were easily blown away. However, a fundamental solution was not reached. The supply source was inexhaustible. Mud was drawn up from the ground, and new tentacles rose.

"Bad taste. Is this the seed of a mudslide?"

It was a magic that combined earth and water attributes. The mud tentacles moved delicately, like limbs. If they could move so freely, it would be easy to manipulate the loosened ground and accumulated groundwater caused by heavy rain to trigger a mudslide.

"Not as grand as that, though!!"

Contrary to the words exchanged like old friends, magic mingled, each trying to deal a fatal blow at the first opportunity. Even the light-hearted conversation was a form of intimidation and feint. This revealed the combat experience and abnormality of both parties. Pillars of fire scorched the night sky, and the rising mud contaminated the surroundings. The Worm closed the distance, weaving through the gaps in the writhing mud tentacles. Fireballs were projected from the thin arms as if to repel the imperial knights. Just as the Worm was closing in, it turned back, seeing the mud surface in the corner of its eye.

Immediately after, the mud burst and scattered around. It wasn't that the Worm disliked the stubborn mud stains. The gauntlets and armor covering its neck made a high-pitched sound. The true nature of the mud was gravel and nails, remnants of buildings. The worst recycling using the ruins. The face of the demon, covered in mud and debris, trembled with anger. The target of its anger was ambiguous—whether it was the perpetrator or the Worm that failed to avoid it.

"If you like it, I'm glad!!"

"Brat!"

Makoto, whose voice rang out in a manner befitting his age, launched another attack. The mud tentacles, containing a large amount of debris, turned into makeshift fragmentation bombs. However, the Worm was not so leisurely as to watch the fuse burn. Using the Azure Flame and heat wave, it blew away the mud thorns before the fireballs were launched.

The roles were reversed from before, and Makoto was forced to take evasive action. He held back the large amount of debris with a mud wall. The defensive capability against explosive objects containing debris was impeccable, even excellent. Indeed, for the Worm trying to close in, it was a useful cover.

"Damn it!!"

Makoto swung his arm. A shadow line ran through his vision. Narrowing his eyes, the Worm crouched, using the heat wave as propulsion, showing a movement that defied human anatomy. Two cannonballs pierced the spots where the chest and lower abdomen should have been. They were earth bullets, the most commonly used earth attribute magic.

"Such movement..."

For the first time, Makoto showed signs of agitation. He relied on the quick-acting earth bullets. A sword fight was now inevitable. Abandoning the mobile warfare that utilized his legs, Makoto drew his short sword.

A wind blade was released as he drew his sword, and the Worm did not intend to give Makoto time to gain distance. The halberd, swung from above, carried magic, clashing head-on with the magic that twisted reason. The stalemate lasted only a moment, and the remnants of the wind blade were erased by the heat wave.

"Ha—ahh!!"

Makoto made the first move. Using the unique walking technique of "Water Clarity," he compressed his body and slid in. He approached from the opposite direction of the Worm's dominant hand, a fighting style that halberd users disliked. Additionally, he compensated for the short blade with the right distance. The heavy halberd head could not be retracted in time.

The Worm blocked the thrust aimed at its throat with the shaft. The sound of metal scraping like a scream echoed. The short sword blade, tracing the shaft, aimed for the fingers. Extending his elbow, the Worm pushed the blade away. The crisis was not over. The sword tip wavered, and a second thrust followed immediately. Reversing his wrist, the Worm swung the halberd and struck the blade with the butt. The short sword rose slightly, but due to the difference in weapon characteristics, Makoto lost the initiative again.

The magic barrier enhanced the strength of the small soldier to superhuman levels, but there were limits. The Worm used its physical advantage, stepping in while deflecting the halberd to the side, and raised the knee of the leg that stepped in to the chest, then kicked down with full force.

"Wha—uh, gah!?"

The sole of the foot, extended in a straight line, pierced the lower abdomen in the shortest distance. Makoto, who instinctively dodged, could not escape the impact. The Worm, securing the distance suitable for the halberd, swung it down. On the other hand, Makoto, prioritizing the area and impact, fired a water bullet.

The Worm did not take either the magic to bisect the "Strong Attack" or evasive action. Since their encounter at the Sarajevo fortress, Makoto had grown. His abundant magic power and skill in not being swayed by attribute magic, the sword techniques he showed when cornered, and the training he had undergone were impressive. However, the Worm had not spent its days in stagnation. It questioned with its gaze: Have you ever seen my maximum firepower?

"Jusitan, get ready!!"

"Wha—uh!?"

The warning was for his ally. The Worm unleashed the maximum Azure Flame since the encounter with the bone dragon. The water bullet, launched into it, dissolved into the air after a brief resistance. Makoto gritted his canine teeth in pain. The flame that burned dragons was a deadly poison even to the user, and the damage extended to the enemy soldiers attacking the church.

The demon's face, in high spirits, seemed to urge the continuation as if it were someone else's affair. The Worm, without a word, swept the halberd horizontally. Most of Makoto's magic barrier was temporarily stripped away, but his eyes were not dead. He held his short sword and retreated.

"Ha, aahh!!"

The "Strong Attack" shattered the short sword and broke through the defense. The halberd head, which did not show any signs of weakening, aimed for the slender throat. The Worm, confident in the kill, was surprised by the extended arm. The gauntlet shattered, and the blade stopped at the bone. The arm dangled, held by a thin layer of flesh and skin.

"Ah, aah, ugh"

The magic barrier reappeared, but it wobbled due to the intense pain. It barely prevented massive bleeding but only delayed the impending collapse.

"Checkmate"

The halberd, held straight, was a kind of warning.

"Don't look at me with those pitiful eyes, damn it!!"

Even with the loss of function in his left arm, Makoto did not lose his fighting spirit. The Worm aimed for the finishing blow without hesitation.

"Don't underestimate me, damn it!!"

The arm, exposed from the elbow, was thrust out. Unlike the neat flow of magic that used various spells, the chaotic consciousness and exposed nerves disrupted the magic. It was as if the four attributes were mixed. A desperate spell was cast from the nearly severed arm. It was supposed to be a futile struggle.

"Triple Magic Attack!? No, it's different"

A chaotic mix, like paint on a palette. However, the "Triple Magic Attack" passed through this incomparable appearance. Just as the Worm of the past, when in dire straits, human potential was unleashed. A blow similar to the "Triple Magic Attack," which combined the four attributes, was like a "Heavy Bomb." The torrent of magic was driven into the ground, and the mud rose, glowing. The girl from the same hometown was laughing in the center. Controlling the heat wave and retreating backward, the Worm expanded the remaining magic into a Will-o'-the-wisp.

"Ah—?"

Makoto's voice was surprised. Immediately after, a flash of light ran through. The retina was burned by the light. A sinister and chaotic pillar of magic stood. The Worm, struck by the mud and half-sunk, was ironically protected from the torrent of magic.

"Damn, my eyes are distorted"

The retina of the Worm was burned by the murky flash. It was a temporary condition, but having too good eyes was also a problem. Additionally, the foot that had delivered the front kick throbbed painfully.

"When we crossed, I was slashed... Makoto was"

Scanning the surroundings, kicking away the heavy mud, the Will-o'-the-wisp and the residual fire of the "Heavy Bomb" smoldered everywhere. The battle at the church, affected by the aftermath, had also concluded. Using the halberd as a cane, the Worm stood up and started walking with heavy steps.

Flesh fragments scattered in the scorched blast center. Next to the broken sword, the left arm, once human, lay as if trying to grasp something. The burned fingers resembled charred twigs.

"...Misfire? That guy self-destructed"

Eliminating the threat, offering a tribute to the squad, and killing the hometown friend whose humanity had changed was inevitable. The Worm was prepared for it. But this state—there was no satisfactory corpse left.

"Haha... How do I explain this to Ayane? The remaining childhood friend is this?"

A dry laugh. Makoto, whose thoughts were scattered, put away the demon's face and scratched his forehead. He just stared at the girl's remains. The charred ring finger, blown by the wind, crumbled and fell apart.