I jumped out to the surface from the hole the giant snake opened.
「Kaーsama!」
Around me is……the giant snake’s body has become a little larger.
That is to say that it’s finally serious is it.
The bodily section has broken free of the volcanic crater.
The ends of the tails are……they’re connected to another dimension or something so they’re blurred and I can’t see them.
I assume it can probably freely manifest its tails, if its within the area to a certain degree.
――Suddenly, like when it swallowed Rin-chan.
「Kaーsama……?」
「Please fall back.」
I held back Lumina-chan with my hand when she approached.
「Bu, but, I can also fight――」
「――Please fall back.」
Turning my face to her, Lumina-chan nodded like she was afraid.
After seeing off the girlLumina as she trudged while falling back to the rear, my eyes moved to the giant snake with its face turned to the sky as if doing a stretch.
Now then……Yamata no Orochi is it.
Mythical class legendary monster.
As a monstrosity with 8 heads and 8 tails, it has a legend of the sort of eating daughters.
「……I’ll change it, did you not say that.」
Is this truly, the future you wished for?
If your own world’s future won’t change anymore, do the act of saving another world’s me and gain comfort on the path to Yomi.
Can such a thing, be that which is a happy end.
Handing it all over when it’s halfway done, this side’s chest feels like it’s about to break open you know.
Until the end of the end, you should have looked after me until the Yamata no Orochi was beaten……!
「――I’m coming, legend. If you want to arrogantly continue chatting, please at least surpass my phantasmdream!!」
I rain down thunder, merely as a preliminary trial.
The extent of the effect was shallow but, its animosity turned to me again.
Starting anew, commence――battle!
Something like poison is against the rules so, I won’t fall anymore.
Multitudes of snake heads, came rushing in to eat me.
You simple idiot, I’ll start by crushing the lead head!
Without holding back, blast it away by beating it from the side with my full power punch loaded with lightning.
I over enthusiastically sent it flying in a thousand shreds.
Naturally, you won’t flinch at this level legendary beast.
Like 2 arrows, 3 arrows, the heads and tails went flying one after another.
Evade, crush, evade, crush……I see, certainly with this it means I’ll give in first.
The Yamata no Orochi’s attacks are simple, but there’s no end.
If it doesn’t even know fatigue, it’ll quickly recover if it’s just damage.
――As expected.
In order to totally defeat it, there’s nothing but betting on my full power in an instant.
It’s probably impossible with my left hand’s high rank magic.
My injuries have already healed and my magic power has also come back but, I think I simply have insufficient force.
「――Dangerous!」
I instantaneously turn my body.
Perhaps it used its head a little, or perhaps it’s finally truly woken up.
A tail snake that seems like it’s connected to another dimension or something, manifested directly in front of my eyes.
The attack pierced the void.
I dodged with a rushed spinal reflex via my lightning magic’s support.
――Even so, from there I can’t continue to dodge as it coils around me.
「Kaーsama!」
「Oii!」
A tense voice came up, from the 2 people of the rear guard.
That’s reasonable.
If I’m ensnared by such a massive snake, at that point this’ll end in one step!
「Such, shit!!」
I resist with lightning’s magnetism.
The incredible magic power emission from a magnetic field to the limits of my capabilities and, the power of the snake coiling around me struggled.
With that aftermath, the earth was literally gouged out.
It didn’t move, it didn’t move but――the opponent is sprouting countless heads.
While I grapple with 1 head, a thousand other heads close in from the heavens to swallow me whole while I can’t move.
――Like how it ate Makina.
「――Don’t mess with me!! Lightning!!」
Separate from the Thunder my body is clad in, I counterattack with Double Cast.
As much as it’s reluctant to yield victory, the opponent isn’t naive either.
More importantly, something like an endurance battle is the height of stupidity.
「U, AAAAa!!」
I blow it away with my full body’s magic power.
In a comparison of power it’s my win.
While raising a rain of blood, the snake’s body that had twined around me was blasted away.
But without giving the time to breath, the next attack came immediately――
「Icicle・Garden!!」
As I took my stance, Lumina jumped in in front of me.
There’s a hand placed on my shoulder from behind.
「Rest, a little.」
The one who made me wait when I seemed about to plunge forward was Jin-san.
……This guy’s also unexpectedly tough isn’t he.
He’s done well enduring until there isn’t an enemy.
As expected of an adult’s fighting style.
「……I’m at ease.」
I removed the hand placed on my shoulder.
Jin-san shook his head with a yare yare and readied his kodachi.
「I’ll gather at least a little time. Think about how to strike the final blow in that time.」
Exiting from Lumina’s barrier of ice, Jin-san set off running while pulling the snake’s attention.
「Kaーsama……」
「……」
Her excited adorable face is blushing.
She’s timidly using up turned eyes.
It’s the lingering effect of my behavior up until now……
Even so her lips that are tightly closed so as not to spill tears is, for that girl, the best resistance she can make.
My head has cooled down……a little.
「Lumina-chan.」
「……Tsu!」
If she’s told something her emotions will burst forth.
With her body clad in such trembling, the girl continued deploying her magic so that her eyes wouldn’t meet with mine.
Pure crimson hair with amber eyes……in addition a child who probably came from the same time axis as Makina.
Makina, said she trained Lumina-chan.
In short to Makina――Rin-chan she’s a close person.
To call her a total stranger is…………I ended up imagining this child’s line of descent just a little.
「Ah――」
I layed my hand on her head with a soft sensation and, stroked her as lovingly as I could.
Tears like a waterfall ended up welling up and spilling over, from Lumina-chan’s eyes.
「I’m sorry.」
I was venting my anger.
「For everyone’s sake as well, the giant snake must be defeated. Please lend me your power, Lumina-chan.」
Lumina-chan nodded while, rubbing her eyes with her arm and murmuring something.
Perhaps in resemblance to someone, she’s a strong child.
「Wha……what will we do?」
While I’m maintaining my barrier, it’s a strategy meeting.
Lumina-chan’s support is a massive power.
However, it’s not the same as what Makina had.
It’s not a problem of ability.
The opponent’s breath, the technical skill to grasp the next gap that can be obtained, hers is fundamentally different from Lumina-chan’s.
As Makina came by fighting through as just 1 person she’s become thoroughly familiar with whatever form battle may take.
Her reactions when I faced off against her, weren’t different from those of Till.
……Seriously, I went up against that?
Within Makina, the evaluation she’s given me is rather excessive isn’t it.
「Could I have you emplace ice and flame magic, into my glove?」
「Un! Easy request!」
While still maintaining the barrier, Lumina-chan chanted magic.
Heei?
Is this Multicast?
What is it?
This child’s ability feels, a little like nothing else doesn’t it.
「Thank you.」
「Nihehe.」
Silky hair issn’t it.
The sensation from stroking it really is great.
I reequip the glove which had been charged with magic.
The rest is up to me.
「Nee Lumina-chan, I feel that the feeling of wanting to protect the people you hold dear and the thought that it’s fine even if you become a sacrifice are different.」
「?」
A Lumina-chan tilting her head with an indistinct face.
Aha.
「That will surely, hurt the other party.」
「……I don’t understand complicated things, but, I feel that’s something incredibly awesome!」
「Yーoーuー, Lumina-chan. Heroes these days are greedy you know. They even save their opponent and, they save themselves. They save everyone any number of times.」
I snapped a finger up in front of her large bewildered eyes displaying it to her.
「……In that sense, it seems the me over here still has a ways to go.」
After softly patting her head one more time, I turned my back to her so as to face the giant snake.
「Kaーsama!」
「It’s alright, I won’t lose. I’ll depend on your support okay.」
I answered while loosely waving my hand in a carefree manner.
Since if it’s only kurozukume’s oniisan, doesn’t it seem like he’ll die shortly?
Slipping out of the barrier with a short jump, I stood at Jin-san’s side.
The giant snake has finally finished its warm up exercise and, it seems it’s become fed up with small targets like us.
It stretches its head strongly and glares at the royal capital at the foot of the mountain.
「How’s your condition?」
「It’s not good and it’s not bad either.」
「That’s sufficient.」
「Make out with me if we return from here alive.」
「I will pass on that with my total power. Even the suspension bridge effect has no chance of working on me.」
「Fu, it seems that your head has somehow cooled.」
Ma, it’s primarily due to Lumina-chan though okay?
「I have a plan.」
「Let me hear it.」
「We’ll bring down the body. Setting the tails aside, please attract the attention of all 8 heads.」
「To say the ridiculous.」
「Isn’t, running away your specialty?」
「Don’t decide that on your own……Maa, that’s not wrong. Since I suppose I’ve come this far by being the only survivor every time.」
……It’s not a bad thing.
「Oi, that is……is she okay?」
「If it’s Rin-chan she’s okay. Having her inside the crystal is rather more reassuring.」
And it seemed sturdy didn’t it.
「Is that so……is that so.」
The mouth of the tenacious man called a shinobi, trembled.
Forgotten memento was it……
Things to worry about dull judgement.
I’m depending on you Jin-san?
「Let’s end this nightmare here already……At the least, so that that will grant repose to the girl who drifted along an unremitting curse.」
I ran off without listening for a reply.
Those 2, I’ll let them meet there after this.
I can’t be patient anymore, even for 1 second.
I really can’t become patient.
Rin-chan listen, I am……truly angry.
1 head closed in.
The kodachi Jin-san threw from the side stabbed in.
It passed through the head’s side as it flailed in pain.
A 2nd, 3rd head advanced on me successively.
The ever dazzling white flame possessed a temperature more reliable than magma and burned the snake away.
Furthermore, the multitudes of tails that gushed forth from another dimension were answered with lightning and, even so the velocity doesn’t weaken.
Gather power as if to tell the ground to get out of the way and, continue forward.
Among the remaining 5 heads, 4 delivered an attack together.
Softening the velocity of that rush with ice magic, innumerable kodachis plunge into the forhead.
Its target of opposition switched from me and, the head in the back turns away.
1 last head comes closing in.
A frontal collision presents itself.
Stepping in while maintaining my momentum, I see through the moment of intersection and jump over the head.
――Saa, let’s see about jumping into its breast.
After this, there’s only beating that in.
Be that as it may, the current me doesn’t have enough experience.
If technique could be acquired through ideation, no one would face hardship.
What should be done given that?
There’s nothing except to overturn that boring reality via phantasm.
「――From my right hand is, the breath of the ancient goddess.」
There’s 1 chance, don’t think about failing and such.
Without softening my velocity, I ran out with the assumption that success is obviously there.
「――From my left hand is, heaven’s eye of wisdom which oversees all.」
I gather the 2 magics in front of my breast.
The sublimation of that magic power hasn’t yet arrived at Till’s phantasm.
However, the level at that time wasn’t undeveloped either.
Just that one moment, grant this phantasmdream that surpasses myself!!
「――My magic will overturn even logic itself.」
I quietly released my breath.
「Manifest!! Phantasmal magic――Resonance・World!!」
――Silver magic.
The area of effect isn’t worth displaying, it’s just merely my own surroundings.
It’s not even like anything theatrical happened, it’s not like it beckons the reformation of the world either.
There’s only the development of silver particles that seemed to envelope my body.
A tiny tiny door of dreams.
Connecting with numerous worlds, a tiny tiny infinite corridor.
Therefore, the transformation isn’t external.
If something changed――――it was only me!
「――」
My thoughts are clear.
To the current me, there is nothing I cannot do――!*
「Cast release」
Cladding my right hand in flame, I jump into the giant snake’s body.
「Flare・Impact!」
Start out by relying on magic powerpower and pounding that attack in.
Conveying the power of the flame that was directly pounded in to the giant snake without anything in excess, 8 heads raised a howl together.
Match your breathing.
Perceive the breath of death.
Ascertain the gap where the next attack should be pounded in.
「Cast release――Ice・ Impact!!」
Pound in yet one more hand.
Even the magma starts to freeze, water vapor rises from the volcanic crater due to the abrupt change in temperature.
The giant snake’s movements grew dull in that momentary gap as it couldn’t do anything but howl.
――The match is already decided here.
The depths of this technique is truly nothing but 2 attacks.
After that――there’s only striking in with full power.
I raise my magic power by passing it through the ring on my left hand.
「――Oh ray of light, blade descended from heaven, become my sword and rend darkness! Lightning――Impact!!」
Sure enough――that attack shot through everything.
Nay――it broke through.
As if perhaps its cells are disintegrating, the giant snake’s body began to crumble.
An ultimate destructive technique that, doesn’t even allow the agony of death.
A miraculous act interweaving human technique and fantasy’s magic powerdream.
Calling the person who devised that a genius is, too light.
The miracle that talent itself arrived at.
The culmination of the fusion of martial technique and magic power is itself, the technique’s true form.
Truly, it’s nothing but a hidden technique with an extensive amount of time devoted to it.
「――I won’t forgive you, human.」
「Makina!!」
From within the body crumbling down toward the volcanic crater, that girl with snake eyes came to show herself.
That body is――battered by the damage from my magic.
Before a hidden technique that conveys damage all the way to the inner parts without anything in excess, clearing that without consequences is preposterous.
「……What of it, you speak like a poor loser.」
――Makina answered while, expressing a soft smile.
「Incredible……Even though I didn’t deliver such a phantasm, Alice-san is, truly……the strongest aren’t you.」
……To begin with, why did the snake’s movements dull to the extent that they weren’t a problem?
There’s a large wound that isn’t something I created, on Makina’s chest, blood is still pouring out.
There is her immortality but, damage is damage.
By hurting the core called that girl, it’s certain that its movements will dull.
「……Nee Rin-chan? Using something like Alice-san, that’s unduly distant you know?」
「Haha……Because, since to me 『this』 Alice-san really is, Alice-san……」
I shook my head at such a sad statement.
「――No, I am your Alice you see.」
「……Eh?」
「To be precise, I’m 『also』 your Alice, something in that area I guess.」
I mischievously show her a smile.
It’s still incomplete but, while noting that――
「Phantasmal magic, Resonance World……it’s one part of that power.」
「Resonance……world……connect……? It, can’t be……」
Makina’s eyes opened wide, as if maybe she’d seen a ghost.
「……Nee, Rin-chan? It truly has been a while hasn’t it. You’ve become big.」
「Such a thing, impossible……」
I smile bitterly at Makina as she continues to shake her head with it can’t be.
「Something like it can’t be, can’t be. That’s that which is my magic.」
「……Tsu! I! I couldn’t save you……The truth is, I wanted to save you and……!」
I lovingly embraced Makina as she was unable even to move her body.
「Fufu, it’s fine Rin-chan. No, that’s wrong isn’t it. I’m really sorry……my inexperience tied you down.」
Makina leaked a sob from her slightly opened lips, large teardrops spilled onto dry skin.
「――Deshii! I was sad, it was sad……in that wide mansion, I was……」
「Un, sorry.」
No, that’s wrong.
「Nーn, you did well didn’t you? That’s admirable, Rin-chan.」
「――tsu.」
The words she truly wants to hear are, neither gratitude nor apologies――Probably, words of compliment.
That forgotten childishness brings out tears.
「In truth I’m irritated, at my self who stole your precious time and left.」
Aah, I wonder why did I lose.
The fact of the fact of being defeated in multiple worlds being definite is itself, somehow strange.
I felt that but, reality won’t change at this point.
「But……this is good, the end……is like a dream.」
Something like it can’t be, can’t be……I arrogantly said that but impossible things are impossible.
That itself――such an act as bringing people back to life is, that alone is……an absolutely impermissible miracle.
I ground my teeth, at my lack of power.
――No, making such a face is no good.
I forcibly make a smile despite myself.
「Did you find, what you wanted?」
Makina shook her head at the cruel question, probably while filled with numerous feelings.
「……Un……Haha, no, how is it? The truth is, I won’t come to find such a thing, I might’ve thought that……」
「I see.」
However much time is repeated, even by revolutionizing the world, that 1 same time won’t come.
Whether vivid form or smell, it just and only fades away.
「Nee……a long long nightmare……is that what I’ve been seeing?」
Makina has, already closed her eyes.
I lovingly stroke, that head.
Like it once was somewhere at some time, as I always did for the napping girl.
「……Eei, when you open your eyes, I’ll be there, Solt-san will be there, Ilya and Saira will be there……Rin-chan the sleepyhead-san will, be surrounded by everyone.」
「……That so……I’m reallly looking forward to it.」
That was an extremely content smile.
Past the regrets of countless cold nights, as just this moment sparkling like the stars seems to sublimate, a beautiful smile, that won’t be forgotten for a lifetime.
As she couldn’t move her mouth enough to breath her words to me, she touched my dampened cheeks and approached my ear.
――When I open my eyes, I’ll be with deshi, again――
Thinking of her home town to which there is no return, no way to return to――
And so, the innocent girl believing in a miracle until the end, began to almost phantasmagorically melt into the pale world.
「――」
If tears could, at least become an offering for the girl as she passes away, I would want to pour enough for a river for her.
I wonder how many times she, repeated strict training?
I wonder how many times she, fought with the Yamata no Orochi?
Without 1 single thing as a reward, even the act of saving me couldn’t become that girl’s salvation.
It couldn’t become it.
「Idiot……really, what a way to live……tsu.」
Without leaving even 1 single achievement, there’s nothing like the proof to say she was here in this world.
It’s fine if only a world that overcomes the nightmare exists.
For only that reason, that girl of just 5 years ran forward.
That was everything, to that girl.
It’s easy to conclude that she’s an idiot and, even so, such a level of straightforward idiocy is something beautiful.
Just, who would carry out something of this level?
I absolutely won’t forget, the heroic tale of the hero who dashed through the three thousand worlds.
「……Since I will, totally fully, show Rin-chan happiness okay――Makina.」
Once again, I raised a vow in my heart and clenched my teeth.
I turn my feet toward the cave.
If that girl has woken up, there’s something I want to tell her before anything else.
――Welcome home, that is.
I jumped out to the surface from the hole the giant snake opened.
「Kaーsama!」
Around me is……the giant snake’s body has become a little larger.
That is to say that it’s finally serious is it.
The bodily section has broken free of the volcanic crater.
The ends of the tails are……they’re connected to another dimension or something so they’re blurred and I can’t see them.
I assume it can probably freely manifest its tails, if its within the area to a certain degree.
――Suddenly, like when it swallowed Rin-chan.
「Kaーsama……?」
「Please fall back.」
I held back Lumina-chan with my hand when she approached.
「Bu, but, I can also fight――」
「――Please fall back.」
Turning my face to her, Lumina-chan nodded like she was afraid.
After seeing off the girlLumina as she trudged while falling back to the rear, my eyes moved to the giant snake with its face turned to the sky as if doing a stretch.
Now then……Yamata no Orochi is it.
Mythical class legendary monster.
As a monstrosity with 8 heads and 8 tails, it has a legend of the sort of eating daughters.
「……I’ll change it, did you not say that.」
Is this truly, the future you wished for?
If your own world’s future won’t change anymore, do the act of saving another world’s me and gain comfort on the path to Yomi.
Can such a thing, be that which is a happy end.
Handing it all over when it’s halfway done, this side’s chest feels like it’s about to break open you know.
Until the end of the end, you should have looked after me until the Yamata no Orochi was beaten……!
「――I’m coming, legend. If you want to arrogantly continue chatting, please at least surpass my phantasmdream!!」
I rain down thunder, merely as a preliminary trial.
The extent of the effect was shallow but, its animosity turned to me again.
Starting anew, commence――battle!
Something like poison is against the rules so, I won’t fall anymore.
Multitudes of snake heads, came rushing in to eat me.
You simple idiot, I’ll start by crushing the lead head!
Without holding back, blast it away by beating it from the side with my full power punch loaded with lightning.
I over enthusiastically sent it flying in a thousand shreds.
Naturally, you won’t flinch at this level legendary beast.
Like 2 arrows, 3 arrows, the heads and tails went flying one after another.
Evade, crush, evade, crush……I see, certainly with this it means I’ll give in first.
The Yamata no Orochi’s attacks are simple, but there’s no end.
If it doesn’t even know fatigue, it’ll quickly recover if it’s just damage.
――As expected.
In order to totally defeat it, there’s nothing but betting on my full power in an instant.
It’s probably impossible with my left hand’s high rank magic.
My injuries have already healed and my magic power has also come back but, I think I simply have insufficient force.
「――Dangerous!」
I instantaneously turn my body.
Perhaps it used its head a little, or perhaps it’s finally truly woken up.
A tail snake that seems like it’s connected to another dimension or something, manifested directly in front of my eyes.
The attack pierced the void.
I dodged with a rushed spinal reflex via my lightning magic’s support.
――Even so, from there I can’t continue to dodge as it coils around me.
「Kaーsama!」
「Oii!」
A tense voice came up, from the 2 people of the rear guard.
That’s reasonable.
If I’m ensnared by such a massive snake, at that point this’ll end in one step!
「Such, shit!!」
I resist with lightning’s magnetism.
The incredible magic power emission from a magnetic field to the limits of my capabilities and, the power of the snake coiling around me struggled.
With that aftermath, the earth was literally gouged out.
It didn’t move, it didn’t move but――the opponent is sprouting countless heads.
While I grapple with 1 head, a thousand other heads close in from the heavens to swallow me whole while I can’t move.
――Like how it ate Makina.
「――Don’t mess with me!! Lightning!!」
Separate from the Thunder my body is clad in, I counterattack with Double Cast.
As much as it’s reluctant to yield victory, the opponent isn’t naive either.
More importantly, something like an endurance battle is the height of stupidity.
「U, AAAAa!!」
I blow it away with my full body’s magic power.
In a comparison of power it’s my win.
While raising a rain of blood, the snake’s body that had twined around me was blasted away.
But without giving the time to breath, the next attack came immediately――
「Icicle・Garden!!」
As I took my stance, Lumina jumped in in front of me.
There’s a hand placed on my shoulder from behind.
「Rest, a little.」
The one who made me wait when I seemed about to plunge forward was Jin-san.
……This guy’s also unexpectedly tough isn’t he.
He’s done well enduring until there isn’t an enemy.
As expected of an adult’s fighting style.
「……I’m at ease.」
I removed the hand placed on my shoulder.
Jin-san shook his head with a yare yare and readied his kodachi.
「I’ll gather at least a little time. Think about how to strike the final blow in that time.」
Exiting from Lumina’s barrier of ice, Jin-san set off running while pulling the snake’s attention.
「Kaーsama……」
「……」
Her excited adorable face is blushing.
She’s timidly using up turned eyes.
It’s the lingering effect of my behavior up until now……
Even so her lips that are tightly closed so as not to spill tears is, for that girl, the best resistance she can make.
My head has cooled down……a little.
「Lumina-chan.」
「……Tsu!」
If she’s told something her emotions will burst forth.
With her body clad in such trembling, the girl continued deploying her magic so that her eyes wouldn’t meet with mine.
Pure crimson hair with amber eyes……in addition a child who probably came from the same time axis as Makina.
Makina, said she trained Lumina-chan.
In short to Makina――Rin-chan she’s a close person.
To call her a total stranger is…………I ended up imagining this child’s line of descent just a little.
「Ah――」
I layed my hand on her head with a soft sensation and, stroked her as lovingly as I could.
Tears like a waterfall ended up welling up and spilling over, from Lumina-chan’s eyes.
「I’m sorry.」
I was venting my anger.
「For everyone’s sake as well, the giant snake must be defeated. Please lend me your power, Lumina-chan.」
Lumina-chan nodded while, rubbing her eyes with her arm and murmuring something.
Perhaps in resemblance to someone, she’s a strong child.
「Wha……what will we do?」
While I’m maintaining my barrier, it’s a strategy meeting.
Lumina-chan’s support is a massive power.
However, it’s not the same as what Makina had.
It’s not a problem of ability.
The opponent’s breath, the technical skill to grasp the next gap that can be obtained, hers is fundamentally different from Lumina-chan’s.
As Makina came by fighting through as just 1 person she’s become thoroughly familiar with whatever form battle may take.
Her reactions when I faced off against her, weren’t different from those of Till.
……Seriously, I went up against that?
Within Makina, the evaluation she’s given me is rather excessive isn’t it.
「Could I have you emplace ice and flame magic, into my glove?」
「Un! Easy request!」
While still maintaining the barrier, Lumina-chan chanted magic.
Heei?
Is this Multicast?
What is it?
This child’s ability feels, a little like nothing else doesn’t it.
「Thank you.」
「Nihehe.」
Silky hair issn’t it.
The sensation from stroking it really is great.
I reequip the glove which had been charged with magic.
The rest is up to me.
「Nee Lumina-chan, I feel that the feeling of wanting to protect the people you hold dear and the thought that it’s fine even if you become a sacrifice are different.」
「?」
A Lumina-chan tilting her head with an indistinct face.
Aha.
「That will surely, hurt the other party.」
「……I don’t understand complicated things, but, I feel that’s something incredibly awesome!」
「Yーoーuー, Lumina-chan. Heroes these days are greedy you know. They even save their opponent and, they save themselves. They save everyone any number of times.」
I snapped a finger up in front of her large bewildered eyes displaying it to her.
「……In that sense, it seems the me over here still has a ways to go.」
After softly patting her head one more time, I turned my back to her so as to face the giant snake.
「Kaーsama!」
「It’s alright, I won’t lose. I’ll depend on your support okay.」
I answered while loosely waving my hand in a carefree manner.
Since if it’s only kurozukume’s oniisan, doesn’t it seem like he’ll die shortly?
Slipping out of the barrier with a short jump, I stood at Jin-san’s side.
The giant snake has finally finished its warm up exercise and, it seems it’s become fed up with small targets like us.
It stretches its head strongly and glares at the royal capital at the foot of the mountain.
「How’s your condition?」
「It’s not good and it’s not bad either.」
「That’s sufficient.」
「Make out with me if we return from here alive.」
「I will pass on that with my total power. Even the suspension bridge effect has no chance of working on me.」
「Fu, it seems that your head has somehow cooled.」
Ma, it’s primarily due to Lumina-chan though okay?
「I have a plan.」
「Let me hear it.」
「We’ll bring down the body. Setting the tails aside, please attract the attention of all 8 heads.」
「To say the ridiculous.」
「Isn’t, running away your specialty?」
「Don’t decide that on your own……Maa, that’s not wrong. Since I suppose I’ve come this far by being the only survivor every time.」
……It’s not a bad thing.
「Oi, that is……is she okay?」
「If it’s Rin-chan she’s okay. Having her inside the crystal is rather more reassuring.」
And it seemed sturdy didn’t it.
「Is that so……is that so.」
The mouth of the tenacious man called a shinobi, trembled.
Forgotten memento was it……
Things to worry about dull judgement.
I’m depending on you Jin-san?
「Let’s end this nightmare here already……At the least, so that that will grant repose to the girl who drifted along an unremitting curse.」
I ran off without listening for a reply.
Those 2, I’ll let them meet there after this.
I can’t be patient anymore, even for 1 second.
I really can’t become patient.
Rin-chan listen, I am……truly angry.
1 head closed in.
The kodachi Jin-san threw from the side stabbed in.
It passed through the head’s side as it flailed in pain.
A 2nd, 3rd head advanced on me successively.
The ever dazzling white flame possessed a temperature more reliable than magma and burned the snake away.
Furthermore, the multitudes of tails that gushed forth from another dimension were answered with lightning and, even so the velocity doesn’t weaken.
Gather power as if to tell the ground to get out of the way and, continue forward.
Among the remaining 5 heads, 4 delivered an attack together.
Softening the velocity of that rush with ice magic, innumerable kodachis plunge into the forhead.
Its target of opposition switched from me and, the head in the back turns away.
1 last head comes closing in.
A frontal collision presents itself.
Stepping in while maintaining my momentum, I see through the moment of intersection and jump over the head.
――Saa, let’s see about jumping into its breast.
After this, there’s only beating that in.
Be that as it may, the current me doesn’t have enough experience.
If technique could be acquired through ideation, no one would face hardship.
What should be done given that?
There’s nothing except to overturn that boring reality via phantasm.
「――From my right hand is, the breath of the ancient goddess.」
There’s 1 chance, don’t think about failing and such.
Without softening my velocity, I ran out with the assumption that success is obviously there.
「――From my left hand is, heaven’s eye of wisdom which oversees all.」
I gather the 2 magics in front of my breast.
The sublimation of that magic power hasn’t yet arrived at Till’s phantasm.
However, the level at that time wasn’t undeveloped either.
Just that one moment, grant this phantasmdream that surpasses myself!!
「――My magic will overturn even logic itself.」
I quietly released my breath.
「Manifest!! Phantasmal magic――Resonance・World!!」
――Silver magic.
The area of effect isn’t worth displaying, it’s just merely my own surroundings.
It’s not even like anything theatrical happened, it’s not like it beckons the reformation of the world either.
There’s only the development of silver particles that seemed to envelope my body.
A tiny tiny door of dreams.
Connecting with numerous worlds, a tiny tiny infinite corridor.
Therefore, the transformation isn’t external.
If something changed――――it was only me!
「――」
My thoughts are clear.
To the current me, there is nothing I cannot do――!*
「Cast release」
Cladding my right hand in flame, I jump into the giant snake’s body.
「Flare・Impact!」
Start out by relying on magic powerpower and pounding that attack in.
Conveying the power of the flame that was directly pounded in to the giant snake without anything in excess, 8 heads raised a howl together.
Match your breathing.
Perceive the breath of death.
Ascertain the gap where the next attack should be pounded in.
「Cast release――Ice・ Impact!!」
Pound in yet one more hand.
Even the magma starts to freeze, water vapor rises from the volcanic crater due to the abrupt change in temperature.
The giant snake’s movements grew dull in that momentary gap as it couldn’t do anything but howl.
――The match is already decided here.
The depths of this technique is truly nothing but 2 attacks.
After that――there’s only striking in with full power.
I raise my magic power by passing it through the ring on my left hand.
「――Oh ray of light, blade descended from heaven, become my sword and rend darkness! Lightning――Impact!!」
Sure enough――that attack shot through everything.
Nay――it broke through.
As if perhaps its cells are disintegrating, the giant snake’s body began to crumble.
An ultimate destructive technique that, doesn’t even allow the agony of death.
A miraculous act interweaving human technique and fantasy’s magic powerdream.
Calling the person who devised that a genius is, too light.
The miracle that talent itself arrived at.
The culmination of the fusion of martial technique and magic power is itself, the technique’s true form.
Truly, it’s nothing but a hidden technique with an extensive amount of time devoted to it.
「――I won’t forgive you, human.」
「Makina!!」
From within the body crumbling down toward the volcanic crater, that girl with snake eyes came to show herself.
That body is――battered by the damage from my magic.
Before a hidden technique that conveys damage all the way to the inner parts without anything in excess, clearing that without consequences is preposterous.
「……What of it, you speak like a poor loser.」
――Makina answered while, expressing a soft smile.
「Incredible……Even though I didn’t deliver such a phantasm, Alice-san is, truly……the strongest aren’t you.」
……To begin with, why did the snake’s movements dull to the extent that they weren’t a problem?
There’s a large wound that isn’t something I created, on Makina’s chest, blood is still pouring out.
There is her immortality but, damage is damage.
By hurting the core called that girl, it’s certain that its movements will dull.
「……Nee Rin-chan? Using something like Alice-san, that’s unduly distant you know?」
「Haha……Because, since to me 『this』 Alice-san really is, Alice-san……」
I shook my head at such a sad statement.
「――No, I am your Alice you see.」
「……Eh?」
「To be precise, I’m 『also』 your Alice, something in that area I guess.」
I mischievously show her a smile.
It’s still incomplete but, while noting that――
「Phantasmal magic, Resonance World……it’s one part of that power.」
「Resonance……world……connect……? It, can’t be……」
Makina’s eyes opened wide, as if maybe she’d seen a ghost.
「……Nee, Rin-chan? It truly has been a while hasn’t it. You’ve become big.」
「Such a thing, impossible……」
I smile bitterly at Makina as she continues to shake her head with it can’t be.
「Something like it can’t be, can’t be. That’s that which is my magic.」
「……Tsu! I! I couldn’t save you……The truth is, I wanted to save you and……!」
I lovingly embraced Makina as she was unable even to move her body.
「Fufu, it’s fine Rin-chan. No, that’s wrong isn’t it. I’m really sorry……my inexperience tied you down.」
Makina leaked a sob from her slightly opened lips, large teardrops spilled onto dry skin.
「――Deshii! I was sad, it was sad……in that wide mansion, I was……」
「Un, sorry.」
No, that’s wrong.
「Nーn, you did well didn’t you? That’s admirable, Rin-chan.」
「――tsu.」
The words she truly wants to hear are, neither gratitude nor apologies――Probably, words of compliment.
That forgotten childishness brings out tears.
「In truth I’m irritated, at my self who stole your precious time and left.」
Aah, I wonder why did I lose.
The fact of the fact of being defeated in multiple worlds being definite is itself, somehow strange.
I felt that but, reality won’t change at this point.
「But……this is good, the end……is like a dream.」
Something like it can’t be, can’t be……I arrogantly said that but impossible things are impossible.
That itself――such an act as bringing people back to life is, that alone is……an absolutely impermissible miracle.
I ground my teeth, at my lack of power.
――No, making such a face is no good.
I forcibly make a smile despite myself.
「Did you find, what you wanted?」
Makina shook her head at the cruel question, probably while filled with numerous feelings.
「……Un……Haha, no, how is it? The truth is, I won’t come to find such a thing, I might’ve thought that……」
「I see.」
However much time is repeated, even by revolutionizing the world, that 1 same time won’t come.
Whether vivid form or smell, it just and only fades away.
「Nee……a long long nightmare……is that what I’ve been seeing?」
Makina has, already closed her eyes.
I lovingly stroke, that head.
Like it once was somewhere at some time, as I always did for the napping girl.
「……Eei, when you open your eyes, I’ll be there, Solt-san will be there, Ilya and Saira will be there……Rin-chan the sleepyhead-san will, be surrounded by everyone.」
「……That so……I’m reallly looking forward to it.」
That was an extremely content smile.
Past the regrets of countless cold nights, as just this moment sparkling like the stars seems to sublimate, a beautiful smile, that won’t be forgotten for a lifetime.
As she couldn’t move her mouth enough to breath her words to me, she touched my dampened cheeks and approached my ear.
――When I open my eyes, I’ll be with deshi, again――
Thinking of her home town to which there is no return, no way to return to――
And so, the innocent girl believing in a miracle until the end, began to almost phantasmagorically melt into the pale world.
「――」
If tears could, at least become an offering for the girl as she passes away, I would want to pour enough for a river for her.
I wonder how many times she, repeated strict training?
I wonder how many times she, fought with the Yamata no Orochi?
Without 1 single thing as a reward, even the act of saving me couldn’t become that girl’s salvation.
It couldn’t become it.
「Idiot……really, what a way to live……tsu.」
Without leaving even 1 single achievement, there’s nothing like the proof to say she was here in this world.
It’s fine if only a world that overcomes the nightmare exists.
For only that reason, that girl of just 5 years ran forward.
That was everything, to that girl.
It’s easy to conclude that she’s an idiot and, even so, such a level of straightforward idiocy is something beautiful.
Just, who would carry out something of this level?
I absolutely won’t forget, the heroic tale of the hero who dashed through the three thousand worlds.
「……Since I will, totally fully, show Rin-chan happiness okay――Makina.」
Once again, I raised a vow in my heart and clenched my teeth.
I turn my feet toward the cave.
If that girl has woken up, there’s something I want to tell her before anything else.
――Welcome home, that is.
