“Aaargh!”

“Ugh…!”

“Wha, what is it?”

Having suddenly lost his subordinates, Deron looked at the horrific scene with an utterly flustered expression. But he quickly regained his senses and tried to get away from the golem’s path of movement.

However, for some reason, his body wasn’t moving very well.

In that fleeting moment, Froy had sealed the surrounding space around him.

“Oh, no…!”

The huge golem’s fist descended towards Deron’s head.

He hurriedly tried to block it with his sword, but that was as useful as a toothpick against a rock.

Kwaaaang!

This was the end for the one who thought he could perfectly control the demon just with his special abilities.

Watching Deron’s pathetic demise, Froy muttered:

“…Your words that the golem attacks anything that moves were indeed true.”

That’s right. Not all golems were like that, but the crystal golem related to this trial was designed that way.

Naturally, the golem was now walking toward them.

“So, what shall we do now? Do you have a solution?”

Froy asked Rosha bluntly without hiding his suspicion. she looked suspicious herself, she had to take this much.

“…Ahem.”

Whether fortunate or not, there was a way.

Rosha, who had withdrawn the protective barrier around the village, slowly stretched her hand toward the golem.

‘There were times in the past when I had to deal with golems too.’

Like in rocky areas, inside crevices, or in the secret warehouses of magicians.

Whenever that happened, her magic teacher, Koko, would recite two things to keep in mind when dealing with golems:

-Golems always have a magic circuit. So make your magic power as thin as a needle, find that circuit, and stir it in the opposite direction.

Recalling Koko’s advice, thin magic power sprouted from the tips of Rosha’s fingers.

Golems were essentially guardians created by high-level magicians for convenience.

Since their driving force was also magic energy, if you just messed with the magic circuit inside, you could easily stop their movement.

Swish-

The needle-thin magic power quickly found the magic circuit and penetrated inside.

Then, when she stirred it in the opposite direction of the circuit, amazingly, the golem’s movement began to slow down gradually.

“Ooh…”

The people who realized something was happening watched her with bated breath.

Regardless, after finding the golem’s mana storage in the center of the circuit, Rosha remembered Koko’s second advice:

-After stirring it in the opposite direction, you’ll eventually see the mana storage in the middle. You must absolutely absorb every last bit of it!

-It’s all refined magic power, and if you just let that much magic needed to move a boulder dissipate into thin air, you’re an idiot!

She had thought about widening her mana vessel, but she didn’t expect to do it this way.

Recalling Koko, who was probably sleeping soundly on the carriage cushion by now, Rosha inserted her magic power into the mana storage as he had said.

And right after that.

Wooooo-

The magical power the golem possessed began to rapidly flow into her.

“Phew…”

With her eyes closed, she diffused the mana throughout her body, and the new magic power filled every available space without leaving any room. It even banged on paths she hadn’t yet opened, as if demanding entry.

Finally, the entrance to the 5th stage was about to be opened.

…Through a rather aggressive method!

‘There’s quite a lot of mana to absorb, isn’t there?’

Feeling the pain intensifying, Rosha furrowed her brow.

Her mana vessel was based on extremely pure magic power, but since the golem’s driving force was also of high purity, the magic power was growing at a terrifying rate.

Naturally, the mana that had gathered in front of the path symbolizing the 5th stage began to ripple more violently.

“Ugh…”

Each time the wave of mana crashed down, Rosha’s body trembled slightly.

Seeing this, Cassis tried to grab her arm to support her, but Froy, who had been carefully observing the flow of mana, stopped him.

“Don’t touch her. It could be dangerous.”

“What’s the matter, all of a sudden?”

Despite Cassis’ brusque reply, he just looked at her with concern.

Unable to hear their conversation, Rosha desperately tried to control the mana while repeating in her mind:

‘Dual casting! Grand magic!’

How frustrating it was when she fainted after casting just one grand magic spell during the previous trial.

If she missed this opportunity, she would truly be an idiot. Enduring the shock, Rosha’s face flushed and beads of cold sweat rolled down.

And finally.

Crunch!

With a sensation as if something inside her body had burst open, the pain vanished in an instant.

Instead, she felt the full sensation of magic power enveloping her entire body.

It was the entrance to the 5th stage.

“Haa…”

As she, concentrating her magic power, slowly lifts her eyelids, a faint glow flickered in her eyes.

Looking ahead, the golem had already stopped, kneeling on both knees. And her companions had somehow gathered around her, checking on her condition.

After a brief stupor, Rosha blinked her eyes and spoke up.

“Ah, that golem…”

She was about to say ‘has stopped’, when suddenly her vision spun, and she lost her balance, her body tilting sideways.

Huh?

‘Was the aftermath of breaking through to the 5th stage all at once too much?’

As the ground rapidly approached, she squeezed her eyes shut. But she didn’t end up slamming her face into the ground.

“You have to be careful.”

At that cool voice, Rosha opened her eyes with a start and realized that her tilted body was gradually being lifted up.

It was Froy’s special ability.

Without even noticing Cassis trying to support her arm and secretly pushing it away, Rosha, now standing upright, replied softly:

“Thank you.”

“No need to thank me. We’re alive only because of your insight, aren’t we?”

“…”

It was a pointed remark.

Froy seemed to have a lot he wanted to ask but was holding back since she was a little sick.

Unintentionally letting out an awkward laugh, Rosha glanced around at the others around her.

‘Fortunately… everyone is safe.’

There were minor and major injuries, but no one was dead. Thanks to Deron bringing all the demons nearby, it seemed there would be no more battles for a while.

…It was quite rewarding.

Although her body was tired from the unexpected battle, and there were injuries, in exchange, the cloud of despair enveloping the village was gradually dissipating.

‘Of course, there were gains too.’

Glancing around the village, Rosha smiled faintly. Froy quietly watched the faint emotion mixed in with her smile.

And at that moment.

Diring!

Warning! The second trial is approaching this area.

There is less than 5 minutes remaining until the second trial. Prepare for the trial!

…No matter how unpredictable life is, this is a bit too much, isn’t it?

* * *

She had expected another trial would take place soon, but didn’t think it would be right now. Fortunately, the villagers didn’t fall into great confusion.

Thanks to the small text written under the blue window as guidance:

-The second trial will take place within a rift, with a limit of five people.

“Since it says the trial will be inside the rift… the village should be fine for now.”

“Phew, it seems we have a bit more life left in us.”

“Whether it’s a trial or whatever, I’m overjoyed that Deron’s group is dead.”

The villagers, who had already suffered considerable hardship from Deron, calmly tended to the injured, seemingly undisturbed by the mercenaries’ corpses and the stopped golem, busily going about their business. It was quite an eerie sight.

Nevertheless, Rosha’s face was as hard as could be.

The reason was the quest window that had appeared before her eyes.

The Preciousness of Life: You have successfully saved a village by confronting the villains despite facing an impending trial. However, as the trial isn’t yet over, for it to be considered a true success, not a single fatality must occur within the village until the trial is resolved.

Remaining Time: Until the trial is completed

Reward: Survival, full support of the village

*Due to hard mode, you will die if you fail the quest.

“Hmm…”

The situation couldn’t be much worse, as if done intentionally.

In fact, Rosha had brought along the ability users, specifically to match the five-person limit for the second trial that she knew about.

Including herself, Cassis, Froy, Lysithea, and Joel.

But…

‘With this kind of quest, at least Lysithea needs to stay in the village.’

Rosha looked at Lysithea, who was infusing life force into the village chief, unconscious from his severe injuries.

Coincidentally, streams of red particles were soaking into the chief.

‘His color is returning bit by bit… but it’s not improving significantly.’

Lysithea’s innate ability wasn’t meant for healing, and the chief’s injuries were so severe that he was constantly expelling life force. At this level, emergency treatment was needed.

Moreover, Joel, who had suffered a deep cut to his arm during the battle, also needed immediate treatment.

It was then that Froy, having grasped Rosha’s plan from just the information in the blue window, tactfully spoke up.

“With the five-person limit… it seems your plan has been disrupted.”