In a city full of ruins, a dense magical power suddenly overflowed like smoke.

The demonic magic that deceives and corrupts people surrounds us.

I'm totally fine.

Amako is also on the verge of being safe with Nea's resistance spell on my shoulder, but ......!

 

"Koga! I think it's going to be okay!!"

"Oh! If you put your mind to it, it's not a big deal!!"

 

Is Koga okay...... Or rather, he stabbed a magic blade in his leg to make himself aware of it.

Throw a magic bullet at his leg to make sure he's okay while healing.

 

"I'm fine! I've experienced the demonic magic several times!"

 

Mr./Ms. Nagi is just as fine as I am.

Mr./Ms. Hannah is only lightheaded, and Rune is completely under her influence and her eyes are empty.

His subordinates are also ...... I'm a little under the influence.

As expected, in a short period of training, you can't play the demon's magic ———?

 

"Wow, oh, the devil's magic power...... What's that?"

 

　……。

Mr./Ms. Nono, but maybe the devil's magic doesn't work?

Well, that's ...... anyway.

 

「impertinenceChokozaiWhat......

 

There is no way that you can easily fall into the trap just by increasing the concentration.

- I couldn't completely build up my tolerance, but my subordinates have been training to bounce off the hypnosis of temptation!

I clapped my lightly outstretched hands and made a popping sound.

 

"Huh!?"

 

That alone brings the subordinates back to their senses in a huff.

 

"Are you awake?!" Then set up your formation!!"

""Ha!!""

 

The subordinates who responded to my angry voice moved to a battle posture while being wary of their surroundings.

Confirming this, I talk to Amako beside me, Hannah Mr./Ms., who is affected by the demon's magic, and Nea, who was performing resistance spells on her shoulder while pulling Rune with her cloak.

 

"Nea, Mr./Ms. Hannah and Rune will also have a resistant spell!!"

"You really nullified the demon's magic with a clapping of your hands, this guy......"

 

Brainwashing is better than constant training.

It seems that they are trying to stop us in their tracks, but they have been so firm in their countermeasures against demons that they are not afraid of them.

 

"Mr./Ms. Veena, what is your reaction?!"

"There is no response to magic sensing! There are no demons in the vicinity except me!"

 

Magical power from a distance?

Or harassment? It's quite possible, but if you use this method without raiding, what will happen next———、

 

"Usato! Something's coming from the lake!!"

 

Amako precognition.

Immediately after that, the water splashes rise——— and at the same time, my explosive bullet and the magical spikes released by Koga rush in.

 

"What do you think?"

"I don't feel like it."

 

The water that bursts from my and Koga's attacks gathers in the air and turns into an octopus-like tentacle shape.

Then we see a number of identical tentacles emerging from the surface of the lake, pointing at us.

 

"Oh, Mr./Ms. Elle!!"

"Even if you don't tell me, I know!!"

 

Water tentacles that try to rush one after another with a momentum reminiscent of a turbid stream.

I immediately called out to Mr./Ms. behind me, and she stood next to me, unleashing wind magic.

She puts her hand on the healing explosive bomb she made on my hand and wraps the wind around me.

 

"Okay! Do it!!"

"I'll intercept you!!"

 

At Mr./Ms.'s signal, she throws a healing explosive bomb wearing the wind.

The explosive bullets are accelerated by the magic of the wind.

At the very moment when it crashed into the rushing water tentacles——— it released a wind and shockwave.

 

"If you want to name it ———,Healing blast bombChiyubaku FuudanThat's it."

"You don't name your technique arbitrarily, do you?!"

 

By wearing Mr./Ms.'s wind magic, a miracle must-have technique that adds the power to blow away ordinary explosive bullets.

This caused the water tentacles in front of him to burst away, allowing them to retreat temporarily.

 

"Ahhhh......h I haven't had any meetings! What's going on, this guy is really already!!"

"It was crazy! Mr./Ms. Elle!!"

"Shut up, pig bastard!!"

"Wow!!"

 

Don't control it, move on!

And it hasn't stopped working yet!! The water itself takes shape, so even if you break it, it will regenerate!

 

「largeWow!!」

 

…… Mr./Ms. Tnagi!?

Mr./Ms. Nagi, who jumped forward to pass me, held the black sword clutched in both hands on his shoulder and swung it diagonally with a step that caused the ground to cave in.

 

「Wei-tigerHydra!!」

 

A blow of the whole body.

It was released as if smashing in front of you, and the wall of water itself that was approachingHalf of the same・・・・Divided into.

Its power was so great that it slashed even the surface of the water tens of meters away in the aftermath of the slash.

 

"Well, as expected, he is as talented as Rose and Nero...... What you're doing is too much of a brawn......

"I'd like to admire you, but we need to do something about this situation first!" Mr./Ms. Nagi, I'll hold this down with a healing explosive bullet! !! I ——— you and Koga escape the city."

 

Just as I was about to say that, a number of water tentacles attacked me from above.

I fly away from the spot and dodge it, but the water stretches out to follow me.

 

"Are you aiming for me?"

 

Unnatural tracking...... Is there any regularity?

When you shoot a half-made explosive projectile at the approaching water tentacle and deflect it——— the tentacles gather in a swarm at the place where the explosive bullet bursts.

 

"Usato, this water seems to have the property of being attracted to magical powers."

"I see."

 

Is it like water magic that attacks in response to magical power?

If that's the case, my top priority is to use magic bullets to distract them and give them time to escape.

 

"It's ...... me and you who fight in a way that releases magical power."

 

Elle Mr./Ms., Hannah Mr./Ms., Veena Mr./Ms....... Or about that.

El Mr./Ms. and Veena Mr./Ms. want Koga to follow them, and Hannah's Mr./Ms. is affected by the demon's magic and doesn't care.

If that's the case, I know what I need to do.

 

"Mr./Ms. Nagi, Koga!! These guys seem to be attracted to magic! I'll be the decoy, so I'll ask for the amakos!"

"Oh!"

 

The tentacles of the water continue to multiply.

So much so that it seems to use all the water from the lake itself.

…… Is this the reason why this city is in ruins?

 

"Nea, you're with Amako."

「…… I can't help it."

 

If you just want to be a decoy, I'm the only one.

It doesn't matter if they just join up, so Nea asks Amako and the others to follow her.

He confirms that Nea has moved to Amako's shoulder and calls out to her again.

 

"Amako, can you go!?"

"Yes!"

 

First of all, it's Amako.

Stretch out your cloak and give Amako to Koga.

Just as he was about to take the Amako and then ——— Rune and Hannah's Mr./Ms., a particularly large tentacle of water slammed between me and Koga, blocking it.

Then I'll do it again———、

 

「…… Ugly sato! !! Rune will be swept away!!"

 

Amako's voice in Kouga's direction makes him panic and pull Rune towards him.

A few seconds later, the water slammed harder than before, causing me to break out in a cold sweat.

 

"Have you interfered?"

 

You've obviously stopped, haven't you?

Was it aimed at Rune? Or was he simply after Keira's cloak?

 

"Usato!!"

 

When I look in the direction where Mr./Ms.'s voice comes from, she is pointing into the lake.

She points to a lake that swirls and creates a series of water tentacles ——— the water.

 

"...... ruins in the water?"

 

The phenomenon created by some kind of magic unnaturally dug into the lake itself like dirt, and beyond it I could see half of this city that was supposed to have sunk, and it looked like a large ruin.

Normally, I wouldn't want to go in.

However, there was something like a film of air around the ruins, which was strangely similar to the ruins in the poisonous land that I had visited when I tried to recover the power of the Demon King before.

 

"Head over there!! That's probably what we're aiming for!!"

"Ahh What are you going to do?!"

"I'm going to attract these guys!! I'll meet you later!!"

 

While kicking the water tentacles with a shockwave of magical power, he gathers magic in his right hand.

Even if you say it normally as it is, Mr./Ms. and Koga will still be swallowed by the water! !!

Then I know what I'm going to do!

 

"If you're going to come to magic!" I love strengthening the lineage!!"

 

When he jumps up with his cloak while activating his system strengthening, almost all the water tentacles gather towards him as if ignoring Mr./Ms. and the others.

 

"Come on!! I wish I could catch it!!"

 

Hold Rune and Mr./Ms. Hannah firmly on their backs with cloaks on their backs.

The two of them have not yet recovered from the effects of the demonic magic.

While protecting the two of them, escape with all your might from the tentacles of water attacking from all directions!

 

●

 

I realized that the magic of the devil is more troublesome than I expected.

Due to the nature of the magic of illusion magic, it should be difficult for me to use magic that affects my mind, but I didn't think that I would be so deceived.

No, maybe one of the reasons is that the concentration of magic used as a trap was strong...... Finally, the hazy thoughts were healed.

 

「…… Usato-kun?"

 

This vainly calming vibration of healing magic and his back definitely belonged to Usato.

Why? But maybe he is carrying me in a cloak of dark magic when I am misled by the magic of the devil.

It's shaking a lot.

It's already getting a lot of trouble with the vibration and wind.

Sensing a lot of bad premonitions, I slowly open my eyes.

 

"Gyaaaaa———!?"

 

Unbelievable screams flowed from his mouth.

Because before you know it, you're flying around in the sky with your body fixed on Usato's back!

It's weird not to scream at this!!

Or rather, what kind of situation is this!?

 

"Mr./Ms. Usato!! Behind, it's already coming from all directions!!"

"Respond!!"

 

Something about the mysterious water that attacks from the surroundings.

Reminiscent of an octopus's legs, they try to attack us as we fly through the sky with so many that it is difficult to count.

Usato accelerates rapidly with me and Rune-chan on top of him, pulling away at all speed as he changes direction and throw———s his usual exploding magic bullet from his palm as he changes direction.

 

"After all, I'm just trying to stop in my tracks!!"

 

It explodes and scatters water tentacles, but quickly regenerates.

He swung his limbs in a spinning motion, knocking off the water tentacles ——— releasing a green shockwave from his right palm.

 

"If I don't do something about it, I'm going to chase you forever...... Hmm?"

 

That's when I noticed Usato on my back.

 

"Mr./Ms. Hannah! Did you notice!!"

"Did you notice?! It's not! How do you fall into such a mess while your consciousness is in a daze!?"

"Hmm, I don't have time to explain, so I'll ask for Rune first!!"

"Huh!?"

 

At Usato's point, I turned to myself and looked in my arms, and saw Rune asleep as if she had been nodded.

Like me, this child is immobilized by dark magic so that he will not be shaken off, but has he fainted under the influence of the demon's magic?

Rune, who has a bitter expression on her face, mutters something while stammering.

 

"Mom......"

"Yes, I'm Mommy."

 

Isn't it a crime to call my mom when I usually call my mom?

So I caught it.

 

"Hahahaha!! I can't catch it that fast!!"

 

———, Usato's futile voice returns to me.

Oh, it's dangerous, it's dangerous, I almost can't go back......

 

"Usato-kun!! Let's get out as soon as possible!!"

"No, I'm still buying time!!"

"...... to buy time!?"

 

Suddenly, Usato flipped around and showed me the ruins in the lake ——— me on my back.

That is...... I see, that's what I mean.

Heading to the ruins are the members of the squad led by Kannagi and Koga.

Usato bought a decoy to prevent them from being attacked.

 

"Then why are me and Rune here?"

「…… Excuse me!!"

 

……。 It's easy to complain here, but I know that he will be the first to try to move me and Rune to a safe place, so I guess I couldn't do anything about it.

I don't think he has a weird excuse.

 

"———."

 

Usato flies in the sky while hesitating from the tentacles of the water that chase him.

As he moves while using the rough feat of changing direction with a shockwave, the tentacles of the water try to catch him with the power of volume.

 

「…… How about this!"

 

He soars and throws a slightly larger magic bullet on top of him.

Soon after, he erases the magic that has been faintly cloaking his entire body, and he stops levitating with dark magic.

The water tentacles that overtook him as he fell pursued the magic bullet as if inviting him——— but he suddenly turned around and aimed at the falling Usato.

 

"Chie!! It's a hassle!!"

 

Usato floats again and accelerates at once with a shockwave of magical power

Does that mean that you jump on magic first, but are intelligent enough to distinguish humanoids?

 

"Oh, I see! Healing Afterimage Fist!!"

 

Usato, who seems to have noticed something, covers his entire body with healing magic and leaves it on the spot as if he were taking off his magical robe.

Why do you do that now? Immediately after I thought about it, I saw a swarm of water tentacles rushing in unison in the afterimage of ——— magic in my field of vision on Usato's back.

 

"Are you attacking the afterimage......?"

 

Usato leaves behind an afterimage of his magical power one after another as he flies.

It's an indescribable feeling because strange techniques are active in strange places.

 

"That water is charged with the magic of Mr./Ms. Usato!!"

"I mean!!"

 

Indeed, as Kira said, the tentacles of the water that have been exposed to Usato's magic have a faint green magical power.

A magical power that disappears after a little time.

When Usato saw it, he suddenly felt like he was stunned! When he turns around, he rushes into the water tentacles himself.

 

"Wait,!? Usato-kun!? Why bother poking ———?"

"Strengthen the system!!"

"Isn't it a voice that strengthens the system of healing magic!?"

 

Usato does something that doesn't make sense, and slams his glowing green hand into the water tentacles.

In an instant, an indescribable shock struck us.

 

"——— !??."

 

This time there was no scream.

Usato's body, which was spinning while soaring in circles into the sky, stopped in mid-air.

 

"It's like the magic of systemic degradation that has been carried through the whole thing, and although it has been wiped out, it will still be regenerated."

"It was a huge shock."

 

What does that mean?

Usato, who was calmly looking down at the lake below, called out to me behind me.

 

"Mr./Ms. Hannah, are you okay?"

"How cool is Usato-kun......"

"Ahaha......"

 

Even though she is older, she ends up crying half-heartedly.

If it weren't for Rune-chan in my arms right now, I wouldn't have known what I was doing to Usato-kun.

 

"......, it looks like Koga and the others have made it safely into the ruins."

"What are you going to do?" Mr./Ms. Usato"

"Let's go, too."

 

…… If you think about it normally, we will be in the ruins.

But the ruins are protected by the tentacles of that water, and it is unlikely that they can be entered by ordinary means.

Well, it's a different story if you have the ability to break through like Usato.

 

"They say they bite into the magic power, so I'll manipulate the magic bullet and make it a decoy."

"It helps."

 

Come to think of it, the only people in this expedition who fight mainly with magic bullets are me and Usato.

I also have to do as much work as I have been carrying so far.

 

"Just before entering the water, Mr./Ms. Hannah and Rune wrap themselves in a cloak, and if the water seems to leak, tell me through Keira!! Let's go, ———."

"Wait!!"

 

When Kira-chan spreads her cloak wide, she blows! A sound emanates from the cloak, as if something is being inhaled.

When he tilts his head at the sound, the collar of the cloak he is wearing transforms into a mask-like shape that covers the lower half of his face.

 

"This is ......."

"I've inhaled a lot of air! Who knows, maybe you can breathe in the water!!"

 

It's something I've been thinking about since I first heard about it, but isn't Keira's magic too convenient?

 

"I'm so glad you......re here!"

"Thank you later! Let's chase the Mr./Ms. as fast as possible!!"

"Ahh

 

Usato, carrying us on his back, soared on the spot, gained altitude, and then accelerated at once.

In doing so, he deliberately throws a magic bullet filled with a number of small magic bullets in the air as if to throw them away.

 

"Eh, Usato-kun, what is ——— now?"

"Healing Diffusion Bullet"

 

The explosion of the magic bullet is reflected in my field of vision on the back.

From the overflowing shockwave, magic bullets are scattered in the air as if they were bursting, and the tentacles of the water follow them as if they were being pulled.

When I saw the magic bullets falling like shooting stars, I didn't even have the energy to be surprised anymore.

 

「……」

 

At this time, I could understand Mr./Ms.'s feelings tremendously.

Not knowing what to do is disgusting for enemies, but it is also mentally troublesome for allies.

 

"After all, Usato-kun is a ......."

 

With that said, I also shoot magic bullets around him to support him.

 

"Be prepared for impact!!"

"Even if you don't tell me, I know! Oh my gosh!!"

 

I screamed in disgust, and my vision was shrouded in darkness covered by a cloak of dark magic.

The sound of falling into the water.

No worries.

To be honest, I wasn't too worried.

After all, there is a healing wizard on our back, who is as reluctant as a monster.

_____________________________________________

It was El who was being poisoned, and Usato, who started doing whatever he wanted in the air.

And Hannah, who is entrusted with the role of Tsukkomi alone, Mr./Ms........