Extent of My Magic
“You will show me the extent of your magic? Brat, no matter how much resistance you put up it’s futile. Futile, futile!”
Dupree sneers.
“My finest Golem army will kick around every one of you. Then, we will advance to the capital, charge in, pulverize and occupy everything.”
Even for a millisecond, I don’t feel like I would lose, I am overflowing with absolute confidence.
Certainly, the Golems are powerful.
Enough to make the SS class monster──the Steel Dragon which I have fought before, look cute.
“Overwhelming offensive ability! An impregnable defense that nullifies every average magic! In addition, a super-fast regeneration power. Kukuku, the finest…… too amazing, my Golem army!”
I silently look at the Golems.
Would it get through to him?
My power──
If this was the scene from the dream, he might be able to stop all my power easily.
I’m uneasy.
To be honest, I feel fear.
Moreover, that defensive spell from before drained quite a lot of my power.
But, even still──I can’t withdraw here.
I only have to believe.
In a different ending than the one in my dream.
“Everyone, get back. I’m going full power!”
I start chanting along with my warning.
“Pierce the heavens, golden eyes──”
I concentrate.
The power I trained for several years in secret in Eiha village.
The control I was taught in the capital by Ashe-san.
I combine those two into a spell with more power, with more density──I converge my magic.
But, it’s not enough yet.
Not──enough yet.
I need more magic power.
I need to converge more magic power.
More.
More──!
“──!?”
Suddenly, the area in front of my eyes has opened.
My vision became clear as if a fog had just cleared.
My mind became clear as if something deep inside my head opened.
What is this, this feeling──!?
“W, what, this magic numeric value……!?”
Simultaneously, Dupree raises a voice in shock.
It’s unexpectedly amusing.
“The rate it increases is strange……! T, this number…… without amplification, imposs…… impossible……!?”
Certainly, I feel more magic power than ever before.
Is it because I’m concentrating well or is it something else?
I gather the magic power inside me into one point.
“Human, such number, s, shouldn’t be possible…… that’s it, it’s a malfunction! My measuring equipment has malfunctioned…… hahaha.”
Dupree removes his goggles with a burst of dry laughter.
He exposes his bloodshot eyes.
At this time, I completed my chant.
“Come from nothingness, return with a beam of light──”
Unlike in the town, I don’t have to pay attention to damage control.
I can let it all out.
“Flash of Annihilation, Photon Blast!”
A pale flash of light is let loose and it swallows the Golem army.
As soon as the Golems touch the light they start melting.
Their Anti-Magic Coat is useless in front of magic of such high output.
That was proven a little while by Ashe-san’s nad Lil’s magic.
The Golems get torn like a paper, melt like butter and scatter one by one.
“B, but, it’s futile. The Golems has super fast regeneration power.”
As Dupree said, the scattered debris shines and the Golems start regenerating.
“No matter how many times you break them──”
“Flash of Annihilation, Photon Blast!”
I shoot destructive magic again without thinking.
Without a chant, this time, to fire it quickly again.
“Wha!?”
Dupree groans in shock.
The regenerating Golems receive another hit from Flash of Annihilation and scatter to even more pieces.
Although the power of a chantless spell is lower, it’s not like the power is not enough to crush the debris.
“Y, you, can’t be──”
“Flash of Annihilation, Photon Blast!”
I fire the third one without minding the shocked Dupree.
The pale flash of light envelops the regenerating debris without mercy and rapidly disintegrates it.
──I way of thinking is simple.
The Golems can regenerate only after connecting the scattered pieces of debris.
Therefore, I will crush the debris and then crush it even further──after repeating this number of times, the debris will hopefully get crushed to a level it won’t be able to be used for regeneration again.
Although shockingly simple──it’s actually the most effective way.
I shot it with my most destructive spell with a chant, then shot it continuously after without a chant.
Although chantless, it’s destructive power is incomparable to the magic of an ordinary magician.
But then, even though I say it’s simple, it’s actually taking an enormous amount of my magic power.
Will my magic power run out first, or will the pieces of Golems completely disappear first──
That is my gamble.
And then, I──
Won the gamble.
“This is the eeeend……!”
After using the Flash of Annihilation several times, all hundred Golems were completely crushed.
“Haa, haa, haa……”
As expected, I’m exhausted.
My whole body is heavy.
My consciousness is swaying, I could faint at any moment.
However, my mind is filled with a sense of relief.
Apparently, the fellow in my dream is even stronger than Dupree and his Golems.
Or perhaps it wasn’t precognition, but just a normal dream.
──If only the opponent doesn’t have more hidden secrets, that is.
I gaze at Dupree vigilantly.
“Hi, hii, my Golems got exterminated……”
Seeing his shield of the Golem army destroyed, Dupree screams with a pale face.
My sense of relief increases.
Dupree’s panic is most likely not an act.
His trump card Golems got completely destroyed.
Right now, he’s an ordinary magician.
“M, monster……!”
He turns in panic and tries to run away with flight magic.
As expected, I don’t have enough magic power to chase after him.
“I won’t let you escape──”
Instead, Lil pulls out a dagger from his waist.
He recites a chant and the dagger shines in green light.
“W, wait……”
Dupree looks back with a face full of fear.
“Save me──”
“You were the one who started this. You kill people and destroy countries──If you came here with that intent, you should have the resolve to die yourself.”
Lil wields his dagger without care.
“Limit Break──Slash of the Wind Emperor, Air Blade!”
The dagger releases a whirlwind that mercilessly attacks Dupree.
With a blood splash, Dupree’s body gets cut in half.
“Fuu.”
Lil’s handsome face didn’t show mercy or hesitation for a moment.
He has the same expression Claire had when she cut down the magician in Rashuka City.
In order to protect what’s important.
Kill without hesitation.
Such steel-like will.
──I might still be lacking that.
After the fight ended, we have returned to the capital by carriage.
The news of the Golem army being defeat already reached the capital so when we returned we were greeted by many people.
I see confetti dancing wildly in the air and sometimes hear fanfares and whistling.
There are many more people than I have expected.
“Congratulations on the overwhelming victory!”
“As expected of the Knight Order!”
“You did great!”
“Thank you, thank you~!”
Really enthusiastic cheering.
So it feels like this when Knights of the kingdom defeat the bad Empire.
It seriously feels like we are heroes returning from triumphant victory.
“What a wonderful welcome……”
It’s incomparable to the fights until now.
The battle in the village, saving Rashuka, defeating the mysterious person──This feels like a completely different kind of『Victory』.
Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel!
I hear voices praising me here and there.
“Go on, Abel-kun. Wave your hand to everyone.”
“Eh?”
“You are a person with the most contribution, this time.”
Pressed by Ashe-san, I lean out from the carriage’s window.
I wave my hands towards the crowd.
…… Although it is slightly awkward since I’m not used to this.
Even my face is probably stiff.
Still, the cheers of the crow became even louder.
Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel! Abel──
The people call my name in a craze.
Although happy, I’m slightly confused.
This scene feels far from reality.
I walk on a red carpet stretching to the palace.
I enter an audience room which is wider than a sports hall.
The solemn atmosphere of the royal palace floats around.
The high officials and VIPs of the Knight Order are lined up in two rows.
Uu, the tension……
Both my hands and legs are wobbly.
Compared to this, defeating an army of Golems felt easier.
Although the award ceremony is a big honor, but……
──I would rather fight the Golem army for five days straight.
The first match against the Empire ended up in our victory.
Of course, the Empire won’t give up with just that.
The second and third wave of their attack will most likely come soon.
In other words, this moment is short-lived.
Although I say that, because I have destroyed the Golems with overwhelming destruction, the Empire will most likely come up with some strategy or send even more powerful magician.
Even a novice at war like me knows this much.
Also, Aisha Kingdom will also make a move.
An official operation of the Assault Mage corps.
This day, a full-scale invasion of Empire with Assault Mage Corps has been authorized.
The award ceremony is held at the same time.
So, I have been given a medal.
Although it was originally planned to award me after Rashuka City, it has been delayed until now because of the war.
It seems it will be done right now because this is a good opportunity.
Normally, the medal is received in the cabinet of the Minister, only in case of high-class battles will have a person be honored with an audience with the Queen.
But, it seems like this time, the Queen herself wanted to hand over the medal, so she will do it directly.
In other words, I received special treatment.
Uun, I’d rather a more quiet ceremony.
…… I walk between the two rows of VIPs while thinking. I also saw Claire and other members of the Third Corps.
After I seeing Claire’s face blooming with a smile, my heart feels much calmer.
Indeed, seeing a familiar face makes a difference.
I pull myself together and advance steadily on the red carpet.
Then, I arrive under a very luxurious looking throne.
And sitting on it is, of course, the queen of Aisha──
With calmness and dignity unsuitable for a woman in her early twenties.
Crown sitting on a clever looking face, figure wrapped in a gorgeous dress, with appearances of a goddess.
“U……!”
I almost choke on that breathtaking divinity.
The Queen slowly descends step by step from the throne.
“For your repeated achievements, as the Queen of this Kingdom, I express my gratitude, Abel.”
Together with solemn words, the Queen attaches a medal on the chest part of my knight’s clothes.
It feels heavy.
It’s not physical weight.
This is proof of my achievements in the kingdom.
It’s their weight.
“──Thank you very much, Your Majesty.”
I kneel in front of the Queen.
Not with manners like in a painting, but naturally.
As a knight pledging allegiance to a lord.
I touch the red carpet with my knee and bow down deeply.
“Knight Abel, as the protector of my kingdom──I expect more great achievements from you.”
A graceful white hand extends in front of me.
When I raise my head, the Queen gently smiles at me.
I respectfully take her hand and kiss it.
Ohhh, joyful cheers break out from the surroundings.
A mysterious elation runs through my whole body.
I, who was an ordinary high school student in my previous life.
Feel like I have become a heroic knight from a fairy tale──