Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 5 (34 page)

It would not be an overstatement to say that magic required a tremendous amount of concentration and verbal enunciation to trigger. High output—a magic’s power was rated by the length of the spell. The longer the spell, the more powerful the magic. Therefore, all magic users needed to stand in one place and focus all of their attention into reciting their spell.

However, Lyu was reciting a spell and attacking at the same time. The slightest slip of the tongue could result in Ignis Fatuus, and yet here she was attacking, moving, dodging, and casting at a blistering pace. Even to a top-class adventurer such as Asfi, it was extremely impressive.

The amount of mental stamina and courage required to pull this off was enormous, not to mention knowledge of close-quarters combat and rhetorical expertise.

Executing a combat style that even the Kenki wouldn’t dare
attempt, Lyu kept up a strong physical assault while continuing to cast her magic.

“Synchronized battle and casting…!”

—Mikoto noticed what Lyu was doing and was just as fascinated as Asfi.

She had left the care of the critically injured Ouka to Chigusa and returned to the battlefield, only to be baffled by what she saw. The way that the elf dodged the Goliath’s massive fists thrashing about while still attacking with unrelenting force was nothing short of gale winds in a hurricane. At the same time, the beauty and grace of her lithe form shook Mikoto to her very core.

“What power…!”

Mikoto could see that the elvish warrior was far beyond her own strength. At first it made her realize her own weakness, but then showed her a level of power that she could attain. At last, she swore that one day she would reach the same plateau and stand next to the elf as equals.

She shook her head and took a look around—the adventurers around her were engaged in a spirited fight with the remaining monsters. Seeing their bravery and courage, Mikoto ran off to join the fight against the Goliath and assist Lyu.

If her own Magic could help them, could buy more time for Bell…She found a low spot in the plains and began to cast a spell.

“
Fear, strong and winding—
”

She focused all of her mental energy into this one attack.

There was no point saving any to continue the fight. She poured everything she had into her spell, enunciation strong and steady.

“
I call upon the god, the destroyer of any and all, for guidance from the heavens. Grant this trivial body divine power beyond power.
”

Mikoto’s and Lyu’s incantations reverberated through the air.

Meanwhile, the Goliath managed to get its knees under its body and started to right itself.

“You couldn’t stay down for just a little longer?!”

Whether it finally gained control of its anger or it remembered what Bell was doing, the giant continued its advance across the great
plain. Asfi quipped at the beast in frustration because Lyu’s magic was not yet ready.

“I didn’t want to use this in front of so many people, but…!”

A tone of resignation in her voice, she reluctantly leaned down and stroked the sides of her sandals.

“—Talaria.”

The golden wing decorations that were wrapped around the sides of each sandal flinched before coming to life.

Two wings from each sandal, four in all, spread out as Asfi took flight.

“?!”

The Goliath tilted its head in disbelief as the girl flew in front of its face. Even Lyu and the other adventurers were momentarily stunned by the girl zipping through the air.

Winged sandals, Talaria. A high-level magic item reserved for Perseus herself.

Long ago, the young queen of an island nation had such a yearning to travel the skies that she used Enigma to create an item that made her dream come true. With these two sandals firmly strapped to her feet, Asfi alone was able to take to the air.

An item that leveled the playing field against airborne monsters. Her white cloak fluttered behind her as she looped around the Goliath like a bird, faster and faster as she closed in on the giant’s face.

Holding her dagger upside down in her left hand, she made her move.

“
?!”

The Goliath roared in pain as the dagger tore through one of its red eyes.

“
—Come, wind of winds, wandering traveler of the ages. Across the skies, through the fields, faster than any, farther than all. Light of stardust, tear my enemies asunder!
”

The Goliath cupped its injured eye with one hand and looked up at Lyu as the elf finished her spell.

Lyu’s thin eyebrows curved downward at the motionless beast before she unleashed her magic.

“Luminous Wind!!”

Hundreds of small orbs surrounded by swirling green wind
appeared around her. Thrusting her outstretched arms forward, the stardust slammed into the beast in a torrent of magical energy and piercing wind. Each hit carved away a piece of the Goliath’s hide, causing countless bursts of blood every second.

It was a powerful type of magic, very fitting for an elf, and it was driving the Goliath backward—until.

“AAAAAAAAAA
!!”

“?!”

The Goliath stopped its retreat and pressed forward into the stardust onslaught.

Fresh waves of red specks launched from the monster’s body, encasing it in a pulsing spiral of light. Its wounds healed just as fast as the remaining stardust orbs could open new ones, while the monster advanced on Lyu and Asfi’s position right in front of it.

“
Descend from the heavens, seize the earth
shinbu tousei!!
”

The Goliath’s arm was extended, on a direct course for Asfi, while its shoulder was coming down on Lyu. That was the instant that Mikoto’s magic was complete.

“
Futsu no Mitama!
”

A sword composed of violet light appeared directly over the Goliath’s head and descended.

At the same time, several lights similar to magic circles appeared on the ground, surrounding the giant.

The sword of light skewered the giant’s body, triggering a cage of gravity around the beast.

“
?!”

A force field descended from the hilt of the sword ten meders in the air to create a dome. The leading edge of the field put a barrier between the two women and the Goliath just before the monster’s attacks could connect. Trapped inside the dome, the floor boss’s outstretched right arm fell to the ground, followed closely by its knees. The Goliath groaned in pain as the ground beneath it collapsed under the pressure of Mikoto’s magic.

This was her trump card. Takemikazuchi had all but forbidden
her to use this magic inside the closed spaces of the Dungeon. Her magic had the power to crush things in a certain area by dramatically increasing the effect of gravity. The Goliath was being pushed lower and lower by the violet dome that was holding it prisoner.

She had been reluctant to use it until now because she might have caught the attackers and magic users under the dome by accident. Lyu and Asfi were clearly impressed as they watched the giant squirm.

“Guh, aaaahhh…!”

Mikoto’s face distorted in pain, grabbing her outstretched right arm with her left hand.

Crick, crick, crick
—the dome started to give way as the giant that had been literally brought to its knees was slowly climbing back to its feet.

The Goliath’s body rose higher and higher, fighting against the gravity with all of its might. Mikoto focused all of her mental energy in a futile attempt to push the monster back down.

She wasn’t strong enough. The Goliath’s status was far beyond hers. She didn’t stand a chance.

The Goliath rose higher and higher, the force field warping to the giant’s will. All the while, Bell was still charging up for his attack.

Welf was running.

He made his way through a forest inundated with silence, using the light of the crystals to find his way through the dense foliage. The only sounds that could be heard were his heavy breathing and quick footsteps as the young man arrived in a part of the forest he recognized.

“Damn it, Bell, that big guy…DAHH!!”

He couldn’t get the image out of his mind of the Goliath punching Ouka and Bell. That large man couldn’t have wanted to take that hit, but he still protected Bell. All Welf could do was just stand and watch.

It was funny, in a way. The thought of himself just standing there as everything happened. A whirlpool of regret raged within him.

“Lady Hephaistos, I…”

The weapon wrapped in white cloth he’d received from Hestia, sent to him by his own goddess. It also happened to be a weapon that Welf forged himself.

He had made it immediately after joining
Hephaistos Familia
, at her command. It was his first work as a member of the group.

His skills proven, he had given the weapon to Hephaistos because the very sight of it filled him with self-loathing. He swore to never make another one.

She had said that was okay, for now. But she did leave him with the words, “You will regret not using this power once you have attained something important.”

“Stop compromising allies for your pride.”

Everything the crimson-haired, crimson-eyed goddess had told him replayed over and over in his head.

His self-centered arrogance had led him to swear not to become a magic swordsmith. Even more, his ego refused to let him use one.