Chapter 38: Mage of Blazing Fire (6)

As soon as the world’s colors found their own again, the blazing fire came at me from all directions.

KWAKWAKWAKWA!!!──

Despite the red light dyeing the world from all directions, I moved my hand to my waist.

Shhhk-

The Salamander’s Fang, newly transformed through the contract with the Demon of Blazing Fire, no, the Fang of Blazing Fire, revealed itself.

Actually, to be precise, the magical power bestowed upon the Fang of Blazing Fire was not that grandiose.

In the first place, as there was no price for the magic itself, the ability it possessed was bound to be unremarkable, but in this situation, it was an exception.

Magic that can control the blazing fire, limited to the parts that touch the blade.

That was what was imbued in the Fang of Blazing Fire, and it was the same as having gained a means to counter the Mage of Blazing Fire, who was like an invincible foe.

Therefore, there was no need for any grand techniques.

Just, move by entrusting my body to instinct.

Fwoosh!─

As soon as the Fang of Blazing Fire was swung in my hand, the flames that were rushing towards me were literally sucked into the Fang of Blazing Fire.

Whoooosh!─

The surging flames danced upon the Fang of Blazing Fire held in my hand.

In facing a mage who performed all attacks and defenses through blazing fire, it was as if I held the strongest spear and the strongest shield at the same time.

The swordsmanship named Survival Swordsmanship was unleashed haphazardly, cutting through the blazing fire rushing in from all directions.

KWAKWAKWAKWA!──

The more I did, the more violently the blazing fire soared towards me, but there was nothing to be afraid of.

For this blazing fire could no longer pose any threat to me.

‘I can see it.’

Each time I swung the Fang of Blazing Fire, the path to the Mage of Blazing Fire, which had seemed absolutely unreachable until now, was revealed little by little.

One step, one step.

I continued to advance.

Cutting the encroaching blazing fire, and cutting it again.

Advancing like that, I finally cut down the blazing fire that was about to attack Alicia and stood before the mage.

“How, could……?”

I didn’t have the luxury to answer Alicia’s question one by one.

The enemy was still in front of me.

“Hmph.”

Kwakwakwakwa!

Once again, the blazing fire reached out.

I too gripped the Fang of Blazing Fire and faced the Mage of Blazing Fire.

I cut the blazing fire, and advanced.

“Watch out─”

With that, the barrier of fire that had been so persistently protecting the Mage of Blazing Fire until now, to a sickening degree, split apart.

Finally, the opportunity had come.

“Nice to meet you, you bastard.”

The Fang of Blazing Fire can defend against most of the magic used by the Mage of Blazing Fire and also neutralize his defense, but conversely, due to the limitation of being a close-combat weapon, it is not a useful means of attack.

But there was no need to worry about that now.

Because I had a reliable friend who was always with me.

[Activating ‘Weapon Summon(??)’.]

[A ‘Lv.2’ weapon will be summoned.]

[Summoning weapon, ‘B686 Double Barrel Shotgun’.]

Along with a blue halo of light, the B686 Double Barrel Shotgun held in my hand appeared in this world, showing off its majestic might.

There was no need to hesitate.

All I had to do was just pull the trigger.

KWAAAAAANG!──

The roar of the B686 Double Barrel Shotgun was enough to give the illusion that a bomb had exploded.

No matter how much of a mage they were, they wouldn’t be safe if they got shot in the head with a shotgun without the protection of any magic.

Whoooosh…….

After the thick smoke that had risen cleared, the scene that was finally revealed was quite shocking even for me.

‘This is…….’

The half of the face that should have been blown away was surging with flames.

It wasn’t that half of the face was burning, but that it had literally transformed into blazing fire.

“Keuk, keueuk……!”

The mage, writhing in pain with half of their face literally transformed into blazing fire, was truly nothing short of a monster.

I knew what such magic, far beyond common sense, was called.

‘Demonic Transformation.’

As its name implies, it refers to the magic of changing the body or something else into magic itself.

That is close to a forbidden technique that cannot be used by ordinary means.

No, even if it were to be used, Demonic Transformation is a magic that is almost never actually used as it requires an unimaginable price.

It had to be that way.

Because a body part that has been transformed into a form of magic through Demonic Transformation never returns to its original state.

‘I won’t give him time.’

Although my decisive blow missed due to the unexpected Demonic Transformation, I was still the one in control of the situation.

Click─

I opened the double-barrel shotgun, immediately loaded the shells, and pulled the trigger again.

To be precise, I was about to.

“How dare you, how dare you……!”

FWOOOSH!!!

A massive amount of blazing fire, incomparable to anything before, rushed in from all directions.

“Turn to ash and disappear!”

In addition to that, the mage’s target was not just me.

‘Alicia.’

Should I chase and catch the mage as is, or should I help Alicia?

In fact, this was a problem that didn’t even require any thought.

Because the outcome of this fight was already as good as decided anyway, and if so, it was common sense to reduce the losses of our allies.

[The ‘Orb of Water’ activates its authority according to the wearer’s will.]

[The ‘Orb of Water’ deploys ‘Raging Waves’.]

The wave of water extending from the Orb of Water confronted the blazing fire that was about to attack Alicia.

Pukwaang!

The wave of water and the blazing fire clashed, scattering steam in all directions.

In that gap, the mage, who had lost half of their face due to Demonic Transformation, indiscriminately created blazing fire in the area and was already far away.

It was a scheme to escape from this place after realizing the situation.

“We have to chase…….”

Alicia staggered and forced her body up.

“There’s no need for that.”

“We have to catch him…… now……!”

“That’s why I’m saying it.”

“What does that…….”

Not only Alicia, but also the Mage of Blazing Fire who was currently escaping, did not know.

No, they had momentarily forgotten.

Who it was that the Mage of Blazing Fire had been most wary of and had been prevented from joining this place until now.

Puuk!─

A single sword blade pierced through the chest of the Mage of Blazing Fire.

It was obvious who the owner of that sword was.

The 4th Special Task Force Commander, Edric.

It was our proud commander.

“Where are you going in such a hurry?”

Edric’s softly murmured voice was clearly audible even to my ears, which were quite far away.

“Keoheok!”

Edric, who had appeared behind the mage at some point, twisted the blade with a savage smile.

In a way, it was a natural result.

Until now, the Mage of Blazing Fire had devoted a significant portion of their concentration and magic to preventing Edric from approaching.

That meant they considered Edric’s presence that threatening, and the moment they failed to do so, such a result was as good as decided.

“Keuaaah……!”

The Mage of Blazing Fire hastily formed hand seals and tried to create magic, but there was no way Edric would just let that happen.

“Oh, my. That won’t do.”

The sword stuck in the mage’s chest was twisted indiscriminately, tearing up the mage’s chest.

He couldn’t use Demonic Transformation.

In the first place, the magic called Demonic Transformation itself was not something that could be cast so simply, and moreover, turning the chest where the blade had penetrated into a Demonic Transformation would be no different from suicide, no matter how much of a mage they were.

“There are many things I’d like to ask…… but you don’t seem like the kind of friend who’d give me that leeway.”

The corners of Edric’s mouth twisted.

“So, die.”

Chwaaak!

Edric’s sword that had pierced the mage’s chest cut through the mage’s other half as it was.

Thud.

The Mage of Blazing Fire, who had wielded all sorts of blazing fire magic at will and had been an unimaginably difficult foe, fell helplessly with their upper body cut off.

Even a being that survived having its head shot by turning its entire head into a Demonic Transformation, it would not be able to survive a situation like this.

For a mage who had spammed such tremendous magic so casually, it was a shabby end, but mages who wielded the blazing fire often met ends even worse than this.

Because making a contract with the Demon of Blazing Fire was, in a way, the same as turning the entire world into an enemy.

No matter how powerful a mage may be, is it not the way of things that one cannot overcome the world alone?

‘And that price, too, must be paid someday.’

A fair contract by the law of the Golden Rule must be paid for even if the contractor dies.

Just like now.

“Hm?”

Edric, sensing something was wrong, hastily threw his body back.

Fwoosh!

With that, the corpse of the Mage of Blazing Fire began to burn up from a blazing fire that arose from somewhere.

To finish paying the price that had not yet been fully paid.

Even death could not be a rest for the mage who had made a contract with a demon.

[You have defeated the roaring blaze, ‘Mage of Blazing Fire, Agni’!]

[You have accomplished an unbelievable feat.]

[The Demon of Blazing Fire will keep a close watch on your existence.]

.

.

.

[You have faced the blazing fire head-on!]

[The grade of the trait, ‘Fire Resistance (D)’ increases. (+UP)]

[‘Fire Resistance (D)’ → ‘Fire Resistance (C)’]

.

.

.

[You have exhibited mental power that surpasses human limits!]

[Mental Power increases. (+1)]

[3 → 4]

An increase in a trait’s grade, as well as an increase in the Mental Power stat.

That was how much this fight was by no means easy.

To the extent that if there had been even a single mistake, it wouldn’t have been strange whatever the outcome.

“……Indeed.”

Looking at the burning corpse of the mage, Edric let out a short groan.

“Ah…….”

Alicia, who was watching the scene, lost the balance she had been barely maintaining and collapsed as she was.

At that, Edric flew over at a speed that made it impossible to tell when he had approached and supported Alicia.

“Are you alright?”

“I’m fine…… I’m fine.”

“What do you mean, fine. Both the burns and the injuries are severe. First aid won’t be enough. You need to receive proper treatment as soon as possible.”

As he said, Alicia’s burns and injuries were severe beyond comparison.

To the point that it felt like a miracle that she was alive without dying right now.

However, despite Edric’s words, Alicia said steadfastly.

“Just a moment, just a moment please…….”

“Didn’t you hear me? You need to receive treatment. We must return at once.”

“Just a little while, is all I need…….”

Alicia, pushing away Edric’s restraint, blankly looked at the spot where the Mage of Blazing Fire had been.

The blazing fire that had enveloped the mage had instantly burned the mage’s corpse completely, and the mage’s corpse scattered without even leaving behind ashes.

【Next time, I will definitely…….】

Amidst the scattering smoke, I felt as if I could hear the voice of the Demon of Blazing Fire in my ear, but I didn’t pay it much mind.

Because the very existence of a demon was one that constantly tempts humans.

“Ah…….”

Alicia just stared endlessly at the scattering smoke.

And then she began to sob softly, soundlessly, and soon that sound gradually grew louder.

“Ugh, uuuuk…….”

It seemed as if Alicia was trying to hold it back by force, but she couldn’t.

Because it was an Alicia who had barely shown any emotion until now, that appearance was quite incongruous and at the same time, pitiful.

What in the world had happened for the ever-so-strong Alicia to show such a broken appearance?

I couldn’t know.

“Hic, heuk…….”

Alicia, no longer able to hold back her emotions, broke down in tears.

“Uwaaah……!”

That cry was so sorrowful that Edric and I could do nothing but watch.

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