Volume 17 Chapter 12 The True Battle Begins
"──[Illusion]."
Victor activated his 'Relic Holder.'
Poof...!
Poof...!
Poof...!
Suddenly, dozens of Victors appeared around him.
These were illusions created by [illusion].
Moreover, they weren't just images; they had 'mass.'
Fake versions that were almost real──.
"Alright, let's go."
With the illusions, Victor readied his sword and charged.
Whoosh!
Wrapped in the power of the 'Roselia Sword,' he accelerated quickly.
This 'acceleration effect' is a very effective ability in close combat, but it puts a lot of strain on his body, lasting only 3 minutes.
"If I don't neutralize them within that time limit──."
The first target should probably be Mary Anne, who seems to read all his actions with [Exploration].
But Jig's [Stop] is also a threat.
That power can completely nullify even Rain's [Bestowal].
It's likely that Victor's [illusion] can be nullified in the same way.
Plus, there's Lisa, who can use various effects with [Magic Bullet] and fire them repeatedly.
"Really troublesome."
Victor smiled wryly.
The opponents have more moves and multiple ways to counter us.
It seems reckless to face 3 'Relic Holder' users at the same time.
Simply put, he has no chance of winning.
"Well, I don't plan to give up."
He steeled himself.
Yes, he──will not give up on his own life.
No matter what hardships he faces.
"Then I will protect myself and my friends──!"
Victor sent multiple copies of himself created by [illusion] towards each of the 3 targets, blending in with them as he moved toward Mary Anne.
"'The real one' is coming toward me."
Mary Anne laughed.
"'I can see' it."
"...!"
Not just the future, but everything──her power to [Exploration].
In front of her, Victor's feints were meaningless.
"Jig, the target is the one at the back of the 4 coming toward me. 'Stop' him."
"Got it, Mary Anne──[Stop]!"
Following Mary Anne's command, Jig activated 'Relic Holder.'
"Ugh...!?"
In that moment, the wind surrounding Victor vanished.
No, to be precise, the acceleration effect of 'Roselia Sword' was [Stop]ped.
"──Why are you aiming for the final level of 'The Heart of the Stars'?"
Suddenly, Lisa asked.
The deep light in her eyes──.
Even though she was only 12 or 13 years old, it felt like she had lived twice or 3 times that long, giving off a sense of life's depth.
"I..."
Victor readied his sword again.
His acceleration ability was sealed by Jig.
The 'Roselia Sword' also had a long-range attack method that released crescent-shaped [Light Waves], but with Jig around, it would easily be [Stop]ped as well.
Then, he had no choice but to fight purely with his own strength as a swordsman.
With the ordinary power of a C-rank adventurer.
"My friends are trying to reach that place. So I want to help. I want to be strong for them."
"For your friends? Isn't it for yourself?"
"That's right."
Victor nodded.
"I won't lose to someone who has nothing to risk."
Lisa's gaze turned cold.
"I have a reason I can't give up. There's something I need to get back. If anyone stands in my way, no matter who it is, I will crush them."
"The ones who fight for themselves are the strongest, you know."
Jig struck a pose with both hands out──still in the [Stop] stance.
"Is that really true?"
Victor countered.
"The motivation to fight for friends... for others, doesn't always have to be weaker than fighting for yourself. Are you all really just fighting for yourselves?"
"Ugh...! Yes, that's right."
Lisa seemed momentarily shaken.
"I fight only for myself. The 3 of us here are a team, but we're just using each other. Eventually, we'll fight to be the last one standing..."
Boom!
Countless magic bullets shot from Lisa's hands.
It was [Magic Bullet].
The power of a single shot might not match Deeta's [Destruction] that he faced before, but it still had the strength of advanced magic.
And there were so many of them.
"[Illusion] activate──become my wall!"
Victor created clones and had them intercept the [Magic Bullet].
It seemed Jig's [Stop] couldn't stop many things at once, so the clones created by [Illusion] swung their swords, cutting through the [Magic Bullet].
"Hmm. As expected, you really are a holder."
Lisa's expression grew tense.
"A 'normal' [Magic Bullet] is not enough."
"What...?"
"I'm going to use it. By spending points generated from magic power, I can use an additional ability of the 'Relic Holder'──the 3rd spell."
Lisa pointed her right hand at Victor.
Brrrrrrr!
The surroundings began to shake.
"What the...!?"
"[Bullet of Sealing]"
Lisa said this to Victor, who was on high alert.
"The 3rd spell type of [Magic Bullet] completely erases the target and prevents similar beings from appearing for a certain time──it's a kind of sealing effect. This is checkmate, Victor."
Lisa was aiming her hand at Victor.
She was ready to shoot the [Magic Bullet] at any moment.
Even if he wanted to dodge, the power of the 'Roselia Sword' was sealed.
He thought about using [illusion] to create a feint or defend himself, but everything was seen through by Mary Anne's [Exploration].
"It really is checkmate..."
As he muttered this, he saw Rosa's face staring at him.
Her face was pale with worry.
That makes sense; she lacks direct combat ability.
Plus, she doesn't have the transcendent power like Victor and the others──the 'Relic Holder.'
She's just an ordinary adventurer.
But still, she was surrounded by the glow of magic power, trembling as she looked around.
She wanted to do what she could──to contribute to the fight with 'Detectionmagic.'
To protect Victor──to protect her friends.
"...Not yet."
Victor raised his head.
"Oh?"
Mary Anne smiled.
"Are you not going to give up even in this situation?"
"I won't give up on living, or on my friends living. I want to live and enjoy the time ahead."
Yes, it was because of meeting 'friends.'
Until now, his adventurer companions were just work relationships, but Rain and the others were different.
During the Light Dragon King battle, they risked their lives to save him.
He wants to respond to them, and repay them.
"I was once without desires, but now I have them."
He met Rain, and even though Lily and the others are not here now, they fought together.
And now, he travels with the members of Blue Crystal──
Because he has developed a desire to spend time with his friends.
If he gives up here, he will lose everything.
So, he will live.
"That's why──."
Victor's sword shone even brighter.
"I, and my friends──will not give up on living."
"Then, we will not be defeated here! We won't give up! We will seize the future!"
Lisa fired the [Magic Bullet].
Victor ran with his sword in hand.
Even though Jig's [Stop] sealed the power of the 'Roselia Sword,' and Mary Anne's [Exploration] saw through his 'Relic Holder' power, still.
He ran to live.
──And then, at that moment.
Bursttt!
Suddenly, flames erupted from the front.
"What the──!?"
Jig and Mary Anne didn't seem to have attack-type abilities, and it was probably different from Lisa's [Magic Bullet] variations.
"A new enemy...!?"
But,
"What is this...!?"
Jig looked confused.
A whirl of flames surrounded them──
"Release the [Stop] on Victor's sword. Set a new [Stop] target on all the flames around us──."
Jig thrust both hands out and activated his ability.
At that moment, the flames stopped, frozen in a 'burning shape' like a sculpture.
"Can you even stop the flames...!"
"I can 'stop' anything."
Jig calmly told the surprised Victor.
...
...
...
"...Hmm. To block my fire magic. Even though you are just a human, you are indeed worthy of being a 'Relic Holder.'."
As someone spoke, a figure walked down the corridor ahead.
"...!"
An overwhelming pressure approached.
"Who are you...!"
Victor felt sweat pouring from his entire body.
It was a girl who appeared.
Her long hair, sharp eyes, and dress all shone red.
And the staff she held was also a fiery red.
"I am one of those who has the duty to protect 'The Heart of the Stars.' I also have the role of a judge."
She declared solemnly.
"[Arch Legion]──a member of the [Red] and [Magician] ranks. My individual name is [Vertemis]."
"Arch... Legion...?"
Yes, that was definitely the presence Rosa sensed on the way here.
"If you are worthy to reach the final level of 'The Heart of the Stars,' then defeat me──this [Red Magician] Vertemis. That is the only way to move forward."
* * *
I... Rain Garland was born as a commoner in a medium-sized city.
My family background was ordinary, and my ability was average.
Surrounded by other kids, I didn't stand out at all──I really was just an ordinary child.
Like the other kids around me, I admired 'heroes.'
The kind of heroes you read about in stories.
For example, a warrior who defeats dragons, or a brave hero who takes down a demon king, or a king who protects his country from an evil empire's invasion.
To me, the closest hero was a young adventurer who lived in my neighborhood.
I remember playing with him sometimes.
He was like a big brother to me, and I think he was an A-rank adventurer with amazing skills.
He could easily defeat fierce monsters with just one sword.
He was a great person and earned respect from other B-rank and C-rank adventurers.
He was the ideal adventurer, combining strength and nobility.
Naturally, I started to admire adventurers like him.
But one day, 'big brother' suddenly stopped coming home.
I heard 2 weeks later that he had died while exploring a dungeon.
At that moment, I felt sad, but mostly I was in shock.
Even someone as strong as 'big brother' could die so easily.
What does it mean to be 'strong'?
There are even stronger beings──enemies that even A-rank adventurers can't defeat exist in the world.
And there are adventurers with extraordinary power who can take down those enemies──S-rank adventurers.
There are also legendary magic beasts and high-ranking demons that even S-rank adventurers can't defeat.
And there are heroes who can defeat even those.
It never ends.
What does it mean to be 'strong'?
At that time, I feel like I was thinking about that all day long.
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