Chapter 254.2. Menou Fen

-???’s POV-
At first, Fen didn’t understand what was happening. It seemed like ashes engulfed in flames were taking on a human-like form and flying. 
He even thought that maybe that’s what was happening. After all, Miu’s arms and legs were charred, and even her head burned to a crisp. To the point where he thought that if it were to be struck, it would crumble and scatter like ash. 
Hence, it looked to him like just a burnt piece of charcoal.
“I’ve never seen a human walking so calmly after sustaining injuries like that… What on earth is happening?”
“Exactly, exactly. With severe injuries like that, there’s no way she could muster the concentration to cast magic. Ah, she healed so easily!”
Reduced to ashes, and barely recognizable. Ashes were falling from Miu’s body, and even though intense pain would surely be coursing through it, they healed it effortlessly.
It’s like she hadn’t sustained any injuries.
“I-it’s a trick! I-it must be, right? It’s a trick. Unless you’re an immortal, or perhaps even a vampire, you’re healing like this is impossible! They’re trying to confuse me, to make me cowardly!”
Shouting, Fen glared at the standing girl. The body, which had turned to ash, was already back to its original state, without a single scorch mark. Looking back, it was easy to understand. Miu likely had fire-resistant magic tools or illusion-casting magical tools. That’s why the fatal [Magic Break] didn’t work. She must evaded it.
That’s why the girl was wearing pristine magic armor.
“Your identity’s been revealed, poser. Let’s go, Takano Miu!”
He pushed the lever forward as if pushing his body against it, maneuvering Queen Ant. It lunged fiercely at the girl standing before it as if it had merged with Fen and attacked her fiercely.
“I’ll give my all in this boss battle too!”
“Foolish to challenge the grandeur of Queen Ant. Have you gone mad before its might?”
Already, his consciousness was fused with Queen Ant, moving as smoothly as his own body. Its front legs, protected by a crimson ruby-like exoskeleton, aimed for Miu.
With a total length of 30 meters, even just the front legs were larger than the girl’s body. Fen’s expression twisted into madness as he envisioned her being smashed to a pulp like a crushed tomato if he were to land a hit.
“Please make sure not to be mesmerized by Mii-chan’s cuteness!”
The wild girl grinned and readied herself, her small hand poised to strike back.
“Dieeee!”
“Shhhiiii.”
Fen screamed until his throat felt dry. Queen Ant’s front legs were about to strike down Miu.
A metallic sound echoed in the air.
“What?! You endured it?”
“First, let’s test my strength!”
The girl’s sweet voice showcased a horrifying outcome. Surprisingly, Miu produced a glowing longsword from somewhere, and she managed to catch the larger-than-guillotine gigantic front claw.
Despite being of a size incomparable to a telephone pole compared to a matchstick, Miu caught it with a joyful smile, and she remained utterly motionless.
“You fool! A human should never be able to overcome the power of this magic war machine. You shouldn’t, you shouldn’t…”
His face turned bright red as Fen exerted more force, trying to crush Miu.
However, Miu didn’t sink into the ground or get swayed. Without a hint of concern, she easily caught the front claw.
No, not just that, she pushed back against it.
“T-that’s… that’s impossible!”
“Hiiiya!”
With a cute cheer that seemed like she was playing around, Miu deflected its front claw and pushed the front leg, causing the massive Queen Ant to get pushed down.
“Gaaah! What kind of trickery is this?”
Fen swiftly readjusted the Queen Ant’s stance, raising its four front legs.
[Mad Claw, Mad Blade]
As if a violent storm was brewing, the power of mana infused into its strikes, and its 4 front legs delivered a rapid barrage to Miu.
“Ouch, ouch!”
However, Miu transformed the whip-like radiant sword, deflecting and countering it like a mad girl.
The sword traced spirals of light, dancing beautifully in the air as it swung at the front legs.
Sparks scattered, and shockwaves emerged each time their attacks clashed.
With each impact, Queen Ant’s front legs trembled, and its vibrations reached the cockpit.
[Light Serpent Barrage]
Miu’s whip-like light tendrils thrashed like a writhing serpent, attacking relentlessly. Queen Ant couldn’t fend off Miu’s assault and its exoskeleton was marked by injuries. It gets blown away by an impossible force.
With its legs against the ground, it was pushed down scrapingly, causing the cockpit to shake violently.
In disbelief, Fen cursed.
“I-it’s a trick! It must be a trick. W-what kind of trick is this? Ymir, you should think about the true nature of that trick too.”
“…?”
Ignoring Ymir, who had fallen silent, Fen glared at the girl on the monitor.
A trick, yes, surely it was a trick.
That monstrous power was also a trick.
A result of magic power.
Therefore, that glow in her eyes was also a trick.
Eyes like beautiful blue gems.
At the center of her eyes, a radiant abyss of light shone. The terrifying eyes seemed to grab hold of souls and drag them in.
Undoubtedly, it must be a trick brought about by magic. Trembling to the core, Fen clung to that conviction.