Extreme Flame Wizard

Yoori: “Igni! Over there!!”

Yoori was being carried by Igni’s group as they flew through the air after the [Dark Soul Cloud], but at a certain point, the Dark Soul Cloud suddenly winked out of sight.

Igni: “It disappeared….?”

Yoori: “No! It’s a Camouflage Spell! They’re using a curtain of illusions to cover over this area!”

Floria: “Illusions…….yes, I remember now. They were using illusions against us after they revealed themselves.”

Floria mutters in confirmation as water wraps around her legs, and she moves at a high speed on the ground.

Yoori: “Igni! Keep going straight! Once we’re inside of the Camouflage Spell, we should see the entrance to the [Workshop]!”

Igni: “Got it!!”

Igni specifies the explosion’s direction to a {Fireball} and detonates it! He accelerates quickly towards the spot where the Dark Soul Cloud disappeared and charges through.

He felt a sickening sticky, slimy sensation from the Magic as he passed through and Golems <SUDDENLY> appeared before him!

At the same time, he caught sight of a possible entrance that led below ground.

Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignite}”

With Igni’s incantation, all of his {Fireball}s turn white.

The Golems just noticed the intruders, but Igni already has his hand stretched out before him. And before they could respond, the {Fireball} was released.

Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}!”

<ZUDODODO!!!> (sfx)

{Fireball}s collided into the 3 meters (10 ft) Golems’ stomachs!

The Golems’ bodies exploded and crumbled into shreds!!

Igni: “They’re fragile.”

Yoori: “Maybe their Scout Golems?”

Igni: “I’m not very knowledgeable about Golems, but you can categorize Golems like that, Yoori?”

Yoori: “Yup. It’s not easy to make Golems, and each one comes at a cost to build. In the same way, each Golem can be customized but has a limit on what it can do.”

Igni: “Hm?”

Yoori: “Like, let’s say a Golem’s capability is set as a total of 10 units. Then you set 7 for Scouting and 3 for combat. If you do this, then you have a Golem with very basic combat capabilities, but its main function is scouting. You’ll spend much of your time trying to optimize and balance out these factors to produce the ideal Golem, and increasing the ability capacity of a Golem is where Wizards distinguish themselves from others.”

Igni: “Then what about this Golem?”

Yoori: “The [Ruler] Marionette’s Magic Type is not [Earth], correct? Then if I was to guess, I would guess that the Golem’s are just regular Golems.”

Igni: “Regular, huh.”

As Igni mumbles to himself, new Golems appear in the entrance way to the underground facility. Unlike the Golems before, the color and shape was completely different.

Yoori: “Igni! I think those are the combat Golems!”

Igni: “Got it! [Equip Flame] {Ignite} : {Heavy Armor}”

Igni concentrates his Magic the same way as when he defeated the Marionette’s Golem’s before.

Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}!!”

The air rips and screams!!

The Combat Golems do not even get a chance to approach Igni’s group and explodes to pieces.

Igni: “.......those were fragile too…”

And Igni tilts his head at the results.

When he broke the Golems before, it was not this easy.

Yoori: “It’s possible that the Wizard who created the Golems is using his Magic for something else…..”

Floria: “[Quasi-Magic]”

Floria quietly murmurs the word.

Floria: “It’s possible that he’s still using that Spell.”

Igni: “It would be 12…..no, closer to 13 hours now.”

Igni mentions the fact to no one in particular.

From a [Magician] like himself, he could easily use [Magic] for that long. In fact, Igni’s [Magic] can technically last for tens of billions of years depending on his Magic Power.

Even if the Marionette’s [Magic] is incomplete, if it truly is at some level of [Magic], then it shouldn’t be surprising that the Spell has lasted for 12 hours now.

Igni: “Then this is our chance.”

Igni smiles.

Igni: “I don’t know what he’s thinking, but the [Demon Race] is not confronting us in direct battle. In fact, so far, they’ve engaged more in an information war. Then that’s where their true strength resides.”

Floria: “Even when we were fighting them, the [Demon Race] and the Marionette were not present. The Marionette mentioned that they won’t directly fight us……….so yes, there is a possibility that they are weak at combat.”

Igni: “I know the Marionette’s strengths. If he’s too distracted holding the [Quasi-Magic] and can’t face us………..he’ll be easy to take out.”

Igni breaks open the door of the entrance way and descends down the steps.

<<<<>>>>

Lady Kurara has not returned since she left all of a sudden last night.

Before she left, she mentioned that she was going to go protect the [Saint].

Lura: “Lilly, you should begin your retreat and escape from here.”

Lilly: “WhーWhy is that, Captain Lura! I will fight too!!”

Lura: “Young Elves should always prioritize their survival first. We don’t know if this enemy is only targeting the [Saint] or if they also have the Elves in their scopes. Without knowing that, having you remain at this inn is too dangerous.”

Saying so, Captain Lura asked Alicia and Iris to look after me.

Lura: “I apologize for leaving Lilly in your care.”

Iris: “No, that’s fine.”

Alicia: “Let’s go, Miss Lilly.”

Lilly: “Captain!”

Captain Lura looked sadly away and was giving out orders to the Elf Supporters still at thee inn.

Although the situation was plummeting into chaos, I was surprisingly calm.

In fact………...in fact, I was feeling at peace.

I can’t……..I can’t ever say this out loud but…..

I was glad that Lady Kurara disappeared… From the bottom of my heart, I was truly glad she did.

Why? When I ask myself that, I only see the flashback of that particular scene.

The scene where she took hold of Igni’s hand, and they both disappeared into town together.

But I don’t understand why that’s giving me a sense of peace right now.

I become nauseated with the feelings of reassurance and self-loathing.

Edward: “Yoori?! Is Yoori here?!”

That’s when Edward came back.

Yoori: “What’s wrong, Edward?”

Yoori who was with Alicia and the rest of the group tilts his head.

Edward: “Igni needs you. They took the [Saint]! We need your help!”

Yoori: “I understand. I’ll go to where Igni is. Please look after Miss Lilly!!”

Lilly: “Oh……….”

Watching Yoori run off with Edward, her heart felt strangled once again.

It’s not me……

If you think about it calmly, this should have been obvious. Yoori is Igni’s friend, and there must have been many times when Igni asked for his help. And Igni must know Yoori’s strength and abilities well because of that.

………..but it’s not me….

The fact that Igni didn’t choose me…...somewhere deep inside, something gripped my heart tight.

Iris: “What’s wrong, Miss Lilly?”

Alicia: “You don’t look so well.”

Both Alicia and Iris are worried for me.

But these two are my enemies too.

That’s why…….I……..

Lilly: “I need to go to the restroom.”

Iris: “OーOkay…”

As I leave the two, I take out the crystal ball that someone who was wearing a hood gave to me.

“What’s wrong, Miss Lilly?”

Lilly: “........I want to talk to you about something.”

There, she can see the [Demon Race] girl.

Behind her, the [Saint] is asleep.

Lilly: “Igni and his group are…...on their way.”

“Thanks! We’ll be ready.”

Lilly: “Don’t hurt Igni.”

“That’ll be difficult, but I’ll keep that in mind.”

Lilly: “.........will you really……”

“What?”

Lilly: “Will you really...make my wish come true?”

“Of course I will!”

The [Demon Race] girl’s laugh is cruel and full of malice.

“My <Fortunate Telling can determine the fates of people>. Your fate. My fate. My Fortunate Telling will determine all of it!”

I pull the crystal ball close to me and hold it tight.

“You’ll get the answers to <your feelings> soon enough!”

As I turned a ear to the Devil’s words, I hid the crystal ball once again.