Magika no Kenshi to Shoukan Maou

Volume 9 Chapter 2 - Sky of End (Part 1-2)

Part 1

The Magic Division’s student council room was the strategy meeting room of Kazuki and co.

On this day there was a new face that was added as their comrade.

“This is our special advisor, Liz Liza-sensei.”

When Kazuki introduced Liz Liza-sensei, everyone's applause *pachi pachi* that seemed to be forced, Liz Liza-sensei went “How about you trashes stop, that looks stupid” a little embarrassed.

“I have gone several times to the depth of Fuji’s sea of trees before the wall was built. There are various things I can give advice for.”

“But there will be no more interference from Yamato right?”

Mio tilted her head saying so. “If that’s so won’t this be just a simple journey of Kazuki taking the Sacred Treasure and going home? Easy, easy.”

‘Certainly’, Kazuki too thought so. From here on ahead both Loki and Ilyailiya too couldn’t stand in their way.

They would be shown the way by the seal and just needed to head to the promised place―he had such a sense of security.

His sense of danger was slacking, but Kazuki immediately tensed himself.

“Just because there will be no interference doesn’t mean that there is no danger. Where we will be going from now on is the deepest part of Japan’s largest Haunted Ground. It should be even more dangerous than even Level 1 and 2 until now.”

The inner part of Fuji’s sea of trees couldn’t be liberated by the Knight Order before, and then, to cope, they built the wall surrounding the area several times to hold back the expansion. Surrounded by walls, the Grand Haunted Ground was divided into three levels.

Thanks to the wall, the Haunted Ground’s expansion was slowed down, but in exchange the magic power was confined to the inner direction and beyond the wall became unimaginably thick with magic power.

The other side of the last wall―the Level 3 area should have became a type of Haunted Ground that had never before been seen in Japan.

“It’s just like he said. It’s not an exaggeration to say that, until now, you guys probably still haven’t even tasted half of the danger of the Grand Haunted Ground just from your experience in Level 1 and 2.”

Liz Liza-sensei talked with her usual strict tone like when she was teaching in class.

“If you ask me why, that’s because Level 1 and 2 are a forest, but ahead in Level 3 the area will become the Fuji Mountain. In short a place that was originally dangerous already is transformed into an even worse Haunted Ground. …From here on out what is necessary is not just simple battle strength, it’s better to head there with a few number of people that excel in adapting to the environment.”

“Adapting to the environment… is it?” Mio asked back with a dubious face.

“…What is waiting for us from now on is a snowy mountain climbing in a Haunted Ground.”

“Actually I also have a hobby of mountain climbing. Because Britain is a great country for mountain climbing.”

For some reason Liz Liza-sensei started to explain in a lively tone of voice.

Fuji Mountain―as Japan’s highest summit, it was a mountain that was said as Japan’s symbol.

Even now that it had become a Haunted Ground, that white peak seen from afar didn’t change at all since the ancient times.

But there was no more climber there to visit the place as a tourist attraction like in the past, the true state of the place right now was uncertain.

“Originally the snow should be gone when the season entered the summer, I hear that it was an easy to climb mountain.”

Liz Liza-sensei said. If that was true then there should be no danger now that it had already been June.

“But Fuji Mountain that had been turned into a Haunted Ground is isolated by blizzard all year round and it was transformed into a mountain with intense cold. I think the harshness of that environment can even rival Everest or McKinley now. That’s my opinion.”

Everest―Even Kazuki and the others whose awareness of the world in general had faded knew about that name.

The mountain with the highest summit in the world. In a certain meaning it was a name that was like [a myth that existed in reality].

“Even if sensei said it’s like climbing a mountain in winter… we are strong against cold you know.”

Mio interjected into the lecture with a face that didn’t understand what Liz Liza-sensei wanted to say.

Magicians could manipulate heat using Pyrokinesis. Heat or cold wouldn’t become any problem for them.

In addition they also had defensive magic power, so even if they fell from the cliff or got hit by falling rocks, there would be no problem.

To put something like environment adaptation as a source of argument itself was strange.

“No, you see, the blizzard and the coldness of Mountain Fuji that had turned into a Haunted Ground resounded not in your flesh, but in your mind. It’s the same as a mind attack magic. The problem is not your defensive magic power, but your strength to maintain your [wall of heart].”

Resistance against mind attack magic―although Kazuki was better at it compared to the past, it was still a field that he was poor at.

“When the Haunted Ground’s coldness and chill resounds in your mind, you will be convinced that the feeling is real and its influence will come out for real in your body. Regardless of how you preserve your temperature using Pyrokinesis, you will still get hypothermia. Even though you are supposed to have produced oxygen with magic power already, an acute mountain sickness’ symptoms will still appear in you. There will be many agonies that you have forgotten since becoming a magician that will appear on parade. Even the knights in my generation had some people who died from challenging the Fuji Mountain that had been turned into a Haunted Ground.”

Death―for the people of this generation who could protect their body with defensive magic power, it was an extremely heavy concept.

“Won’t it be fine if we fly in the sky while chanting magic?”

Koyuki raised her hand and calmly stated her opinion. If it was Kazuki or Mio then it was possible for them.

“At that time too there was a contractor of Phoenix that tested that, but it was no good.” Liz Liza-sensei shook her head.

“When you get separated from the ground, a fierce wind will blow right overhead and beat you down to the ground. It’s as if the Haunted Ground is saying that a cunning act is prohibited. The Haunted Ground is forcing you to climb the mountain on foot. Even though that place is a world of magic, but it’s really obsessive with due form.”

Diva, Demon Beast, and Haunted Ground reproduced the form of Mythology and legend. The harsh challenge of climbing the snowy mountain that once existed in Fuji’s sea of trees―that legend enforced the people that stepped their foot in it to follow it.

“You guys have become magicians that are far more excellent than the magicians of my era. But the Grand Haunted Ground too has continued its expansion, the magic power in its center part has also been condensed even more than before. You guys had better prepare your heart beforehand as if you are seriously challenging to climb a snowy mountain without any magic power. And then there will be Demon Beasts too attacking us there.”

“A blizzard where mind resistance is necessary… then it’s better for the members of the Magic Division to be the one to go there then.”

“I guess so. In the first place it’s not an environment where you can honestly do a close-quarter combat.”

“Then there will be no turn for this one is it…” Kohaku dropped her shoulders regretfully.

“Even if you tell me to go to that kind of harsh place, there is no way I want to go there.”

Torazou-san laughed carefreely, but Kanae besides him stood up noisily from her chair.

“Please wait, Nii-sama! Please let me go together with you there!!”

“No way. You too don’t have much training in resistance against mind attacks right?”

“But!”, Kanae tenaciously dogged Kazuki.

“I cannot give special treatment to only Kanae. It’s dangerous. I don’t plan to listen to your selfishness.”

Kazuki decisively omitted Kanae from the group, not as family, but as the Chief Student Council President.

“So that we can immediately react even if any victim appears, I think it will be better to make a team composed of Magika Stigmas with high positivity levels. The Sword Division members are also out of the question because of that requirement too.”

Liz Liza-sensei added her comment to Kazuki.

“Therefore…” Kazuki made an orderly list of names on the whiteboard.

Hayashizaki Kazuki. Amasaki Mio. Hiakari Koyuki. Lotte. Otonashi Kaguya. Hoshikaze Hikaru. Tsukahara Kazuha.

With this, the girls whose positivity level toward Kazuki were above 100 became the team members.

“Fufufu, Tsukahara-san usually always talks abusively to Kazuki, but you actually really love Kazuki don’t you? I wonder how much the number actually is?”

Hikaru-senpai teased Kazuha-senpai who was sitting just beside her.

“It, it’s not really like a love. I, I just like him a little…”

Kazuha-senpai’s face was beet red and she looked down completely.

“Ahaha, Tsukahara-san is so cute~!” Hikaru-senpai poked her from the side.

“Ge, geez! Stop it~” Kazuha-senpai shook off Hikaru-senpai’s hand but,

“I’m not gonna stop~” Hikaru-senpai hugged her. Kazuha-senpai then,

“Geez… Hoshikaze-san you dummy…” She became completely docile with a beet red face.

What’s with the two of them?

“Also as someone who is experienced about the mountain, I will give you all my guidance.”

Liz Liza-sensei said that with a face that looked a little excited.

“…I’m, being left out?”

Shinobu-senpai was pouting with her eyebrows knitted while saying that.

“Eerr, it’s decided from the sequential order of the positivity level after all.”

When Kazuki weakly said that, Shinobu-senpai stood up from her seat, *tetete* she approached Kazuki’s side with little run and crouched down. After that she talked to Kazuki with upturned eyes like an abandoned dog.

“I. …Really like Kazuki.”

“I, I know that, but, err…”

When Kazuki didn’t know how he should answer, Mio who sat beside him said “I’m the one that loves Kazu-nii the most here~!” while standing up and puffing out her chest. Shinobu-senpai frowned in dissatisfaction.

Beside her a female wolf Diva―Marchosias’ avatar was floating. It was said that Marchosias could take the form of a human and also a wolf, but her true nature was more of a wolf.{Gau. O King, To leave out my contractor like this, unforgivable. Gau.}

Shinobu-senpai mimicked her Diva’s behavior and barked “Gau gau” while pulling *gui gui* at Kazuki’s arm.

“That way of acting as a spoiled doggy is still just second rate desu!”

While Kazuki was troubled, Lotte who was watching the development suddenly stood up from her seat.

After that Lotte rushed over to Kazuki’s side trottingly and hugged Kazuki’s neck. And then,

“Kazuki-oniisan, wan wan-!” She licked at Kazuki’s cheek *pero pero*.

“…I see.” Shinobu-senpai’s eyes sparkled.

And then “Gau gau” she hugged Kazuki’s neck from the other side and went *pero pero* at Kazuki’s other cheek.

“Wan wan!” “Gau gau.” Both of their soft tongues were teasing Kazuki’s cheeks. The warm saliva of girls besmeared his face all over. Kazuki’s feelings became a little strange.

“Both of you, we are still in the middle of a serious meeting here!”

After Kazuki kept being treated like that for a while, he finally pushed back the two of them off him.

Lotte said “Okay desu” and obediently returned to her seat.

“Shinobu, give up already and come back here.”

After Miyabi-senpai signaled Shinobu-senpai with her hand, Shinobu-senpai too went “Gau…” dejectedly before retuning to her own seat while crawling on all fours on the floor.

‘…No, senpai doesn’t need to become a wolf that much.’

“Well then, tomorrow let’s carry out the operation with these members! We are going to take the last Sacred Treasure!”

Kazuki declared with his face still wet with saliva.

It was only Kanae who still couldn’t accept it and she faced Kazuki with a dissatisfied look.

“You all don’t need a lot of climbing tools if you make a practical use of magic. But let’s prepare extra just for the food supply. Just in case, perhaps we will need to camp in the openbivouac there.”

Liz Liza-sensei added that at the end of the meeting.

Part 2

With this, this was the third time they went on an expedition from the Knight Academy to the Grand Haunted Ground.

It took one hour from Tokyo to Gotenba Station at the bottom of the Mt. Fuji using the magic light train, from there they changed their transportation into the military use car that the Knight Order had prepared for them and they traversed through the empty town that had become an evacuation area.

Like that they arrived at the first wall that was the entrance into the Haunted Ground.

After following the procedure at the gate that was guarded by the Knight Order to not let anyone enter, they went inside.

For the time being their numbers until here were not few, a lot of volunteering students were also coming along.

The Level 1 area that was the most outer part of the Grand Haunted Ground had already been mostly liberated from the exploration that they had done twice until now in this place. Because of that, what greeted them right after they passed the wall was the calm forest at the foot of Mt. Fuji.

Signs and facilities that were built at the time where this place was still a bustling sightseeing course were left behind as if the time had been stopped.

Aiming for the second wall that was standing towering far away, they earnestly walked the path that was filled rampantly with green conifer trees.

“Walking through this area blessed by mother nature… I cannot suppress this uncomfortable feeling inside…”

In the crowd of students slightly behind, Kamimura-san in goth-loli clothing that was mismatched with the scenery was walking forward somehow even with an unsteady gait.

“You’re not tired, Kamimura-san?”

Kazuki drew back until the behind and felt anxious about the girl’s condition.

“The sky is so dazzling… Right now I’m fine, but surely I will get tired in time…”

Kamimura-san answered him with a way of talking like a prophet.

“Should I carry you on my back to preserve your stamina?”

“Eh, tha… that’s, it’s okay. Kazuki is the one that has to preserve your stamina no matter what.”

He was completely rejected. But there was no skull mark that came flying at him so he guessed she was just acting reserved. Kazuki cut in at the front of Kamimura-san, then with a ‘hyoi’ he lifted up her small body.

Kamimura-san went “Au! Awawa-!”, then she encircled her arms around Kazuki’s neck while she was about to blow her fuse.

“Let’s be like this until the second wall.”

“…Even though I’m being tactful here… Uu―. Normally when someone is about to do something like this they will get cold feet and become scared and so they won’t be able to do it, that’s what I thought. You are completely like the cool guy in a gal-game, this pushy attitude that cannot be hated… Something like this is unfair. So vexing. …But you will get wet-!!”

“What, wet you say? Not really, Kamimura-san’s weight is like paper, you are so light that I won’t sweat much.”

“Mumumu-!? Her weight is, light you say!?”

Kaguya-senpai who was walking at the side suddenly turned at their direction with a great vigor for some reason.

“Kaguya-senpai, Kamimura-san’s lightness is because her existence is only partially out of Astrum and in this dimension. It is not something that you can get from something like a diet, so don’t mind it.”

Right now it was Kamimura-san’s existence that had already half-disappeared, not her fat.

“Why is Kaguya-senpai that sensitive about this weight talk?”

“No, no no not really. I don’t really care about something like my weight or anything!? Wow, it feels really good to walk among nature like this! La la laa― fu―n fun?”

Kaguya-senpai’s eyes kept darting everywhere while skipping with a weird humming and whistling.

Everyone were all cute girls but… perhaps the hard work that the girls were doing behind the scene for their appeal was something that a male just couldn’t get a measure of.

“Even someone like me, have some aspects that a person that lovely is jealous of, that’s…”

On the other hand Kamimura-san was moved in a weird way.

“You are too light like this. I have to feed you a lot and make you gain weight.”

When Kazuki shook Kamimura-san up and down, she gave off a weird voice “au au au―”.

A gentle slope came into their view next, soft pastel blue manifested themselves from between the vivid green thickets.

“Kamimura-san, look, hydrangeas are growing en masse.”

“Oo…” Even Kamimura-san spontaneously raised a deeply moved voice. Everyone around them were also suddenly making a fuss about the sight.

“See, going outside once in a while is also good, right?”

Kazuki once again shook Kamimura-san on his back up and down while talking.

“…Kazuki, your way of talking, it looks like a father that took his daughter outside.”

Kamimura-san’s reply sounded like she was a little troubled of how to cope with the situation.

The reserved hue of the hydrangeas calmed down the hearts of the people watching it. If it was now, he had the feeling that he could step inside Kamimura-san’s heart for even just a little.

“Kamimura-san, you really work hard, that you even went with us into this place, you also properly attended the academy but, you’re not forcing yourself right?”

Kazuki slowed down his walk and then he asked while his gaze was following along the hydrangeas at the roadside.

It was a natural way of living, but for this girl who had been a shut-in for a long period of time such a way of living was supposed to be difficult for her.

“I’m not forcing myself. After all, I understand, that all this time you and Lotte-shishou are always being considerate of me. …Because I understand that I’m being paid attention to… I thought that in this kind of time, I have to become useful properly, by fighting.”

“You really are doing your best. Thank you.”

Why in the world would a good child like this become a complete shut-in?

Kamimura-san was scared to get along with other people. He had no doubt that she was too sensitive against other people’s attitude at herself, whether it was kindness or ill will. There was no problem in her personality, it was just that she was too sensitive.

‘In order to grant courage to such a girl, what should I do that would be good? …Let’s constantly fill her surroundings with the kindness of the people from around us.’ That was what Kazuki thought.

“Thank you, Kamimura-san.”

Kamimura-san noticed Kazuki and the others’ consideration for herself and so she tried her best to return the favor. Kazuki was happy of that and gave his thanks to her.

“…I think that the hydrangeas are certainly beautiful. I recognize it.”

As if searching for a way of how to express her own feelings, Kamimura-san talked slowly to Kazuki.

“Because you pulled my hand and led me outside from the Ise Imperial Shrine, maybe, surely, even I can become someone that tries to think of the things outside of my room as fun… I think.”

Kamimura-san was facing forward, just a little.

…The quiet promenade that was like a hiking route continued, and finally they arrived at the second wall.

Kazuki put Kamimura-san down from his back. In exchange of thanks for Kazuki’s assistance that let her legs rest were still mostly at ease, Kamimura-san wordlessly hopped up and down lightly.

They passed the second wall too and entered Level 2.

The area from here on mostly hadn’t been liberated yet. But the route to continue to the third wall had been opened by Kazuki’s reckless battle before this.

The elite squad led by Kazuki headed to the third wall while the other students spread out in order to advance the capturing of the Level 2 area. That was the arrangement that they had decided on.

“Leave this area to these ones!” “Leave it to us!” “I’ll work today.” “Gau.” “Fufufu.”

Kohaku, Karin, Kamimura-san, and the Ryuutaki-sisters saw off Kazuki and co. who were going forward.

The path that Kazuki and co. followed was gradually sloping drastically, they even had to follow some animal trails on the way.

Even so there was no Demon Beast coming out on this route that had been liberated once.They finally arrived at the third wall with the ease of advancing through a dungeon that had finished being captured completely.

There was a concrete wall that was built fourteen years ago before it was abandoned in front of them.

A plain door like a staff entrance door behind a building was installed in the lower part of the wall.

Both the wall and the door had gotten so old that it looked like it would turn into dust if it got hit with all their strength.

But a powerful barrier was set up on this wall that could even reject a King.

“Please wait! Nii-sama… as I thought, I too will go!”

Kanae chased them from the path behind. Kazuki turned around in surprise and shouted.

“I told you no already!”

He had to tell her sternly. He understood well of how Kanae’s obstinacy was.

“I can’t take you because your resistance against mind magic is weak. If something happened to Kanae, I cannot search for you like I can with everyone else. Saying it bluntly, you will just slow us down.”

“However… I have the feeling that there will be something important that is going to happen to Nii-sama after this… I have the feeling that I have to see that with my own eyes!!”

―Some kind of important thing. Leme had repeatedly said the word destiny before. Ahead of this path, there was a turning point waiting for him that would shake his future.

When he thought of that once more, Kazuki felt hesitation and his reply was caught inside his throat.

A turning point that would change his own life. To say that he was going to take Mio and Kaguya-senpai and everybody else there, but telling Kanae that he couldn’t take her was… as if he was inviting everyone to his wedding reception except for Kanae…

It could be seen as an act that threw away the existence of Kanae from his own life ahead of now.

Kanae’s feeling that wanted to witness with her own eyes the turning point of Kazuki’s life was something natural.

On the other hand, he too… he also felt that he wanted Kanae to be there at the turning point of his life.

His relation with Kanae was that deep. Even more than everybody else in this place…

―’I also want Kanae at my side.’ That kind of feeling gushed out inside him like a light shining over the darkness in his heart.

However, it was dangerous…

{…Kazuki.}

Inside Kazuki’s head who couldn’t say anything, a voice of someone was echoing. It was not Leme.

“This voice is…” It seemed that a similar voice also rang out inside Kanae’s head, she turned her head around looking for the voice’s owner.

The third wall that was right beside them emitted a faint magic power light.

That light linked Kazuki and Kanae’s consciousness and sent in a voice into them.

“The path ahead might be severe, but… take that person with you too.}

The seal that possessed its own consciousness told so to Kazuki.

{Undoubtedly, there are also things that have to be conveyed to that person too, that’s why…}

That time…*zuzuzu*, a heavy sound was reverberating.

The door of the wall that was emitting light opened by itself in invitation to Kazuki and Kanae.

“…I understand. Kanae, come together with me and ascertain what lies ahead of me with your own eyes.”

Kazuki resigned himself. He said that while shivering from the existence of someone that would once more change his life.“Certainly ahead of this path, it looks like there is something really important that is waiting.”

Kazuki and co. passed through the wall―there was a boundary line of the world there.

The other side of the opened door was pure white.

Silver grains were dancing in the air along with the wind. When they stepped inside with a step, their feet were buried right into the snow until their shin. All the trees in the surrounding had withered, turning into frost covered trees that were colored silver.

This level was a snow mountain in winter… he had been told that, but even so, the world line between the front of the wall and behind the wall was just too different.

It just told him even more clearly how incomparable the thickness of the magic power that distorted the world was in here.

“Well then everyone, let’s go.”

Kazuki stood in the lead and passed through the door, his companions followed after him.

Their feet was buried under the snow, silver wind hit the body right from the front, Kazuki’s teeth were clattering in no time at all. He entered strength into his shoulders and tensed the muscles in his whole body.

It had been a really long time since he felt the sensation of the cold.

Just like the story that he heard, it was still cold even though he produced heat in his body using Pyrokinesis. He deeply felt the cold.

“Hold your mind strongly! If not, you will get hypothermia just like your mind imagined!”

Liz Liza-sensei raised her voice. The coldness of this Haunted Ground reverberated in their minds.

“What an outrageous Haunted Ground…”

Kaguya-senpai knitted her eyebrows. Even so when he looked back to ascertain the countenance of the members, he could still feel some composure from everyone of the Witch’s Mansion.

“…Kanae, are you okay?” Kazuki was concerned with Kanae’s condition.

“I’m fine.” Kanae bit her lips and answered while glaring at the path ahead.

Her stout-heartedness that wouldn’t let any complaint escape her mouth made Kazuki feel even more anxious instead.

“This place should be at the height of around two thousand meters above the sea. As expected even the snow mountain of a Haunted Ground, too, will become even colder the higher it is, ahaha.”

Hikaru-senpai made a desperate laugh.

“The height too is like that, but thanks to the trees that are still growing around here the wind is weak. When we pass through the forest border and there is nothing in the surroundings, the blizzard will hit us fully at that time.”

Liz Liza-sensei added in a fact that he didn’t even want to imagine.

What was a little strange was how everyone was exposing their bare skin because of their Magic Dress even though they were in the middle of a snowy mountain. Though Kazuki was also just in his normal uniform. This clothing had no meaning at all for physical cold protection.

“O Divine Protection of mermaid, please block the step of the hated enemy and hasten the step of the chosen person… O ice blade, run! Moves in the Field!”

Koyuki cast an environmental control magic before they advanced through the snow for real.

Usually this magic froze the ground and formed ice blades on the allies’ feet. The allies could move around freely like ice skating while the enemy would be unable to move about… this magic had been used a lot in that way.

But this time the magic didn’t grant any effect on the ground and formed ice claws on the allies’ feet. Furthermore it also created ice picks in the shape of a ‘T’.

“It really created a fitting atmosphere huh.” Hikaru-senpai swung around her pick’s like a kid.

An ice pick is a tool used to stab the blade into a snow surface of rock wall in order to keep the holder’s balance when they fell off from the slope or their balance was broken.

“And then if we stab this claw into the snow surface, we can then walk forward and not slip.”

Mio said that while immediately moving through the path of new snow with the ice claws on her feet.

“Even if we don’t use something like this, there is also a method of walking while using friction control magic.”

The expert in general magic, Kazuha-senpai, was once more saying an amazing thing so nonchalantly.

“That’s also fine but Hiakari has already troubled herself to make this, so just use this to suppress the consumption of excess magic power. After all even just standing around like this will have your magic power consumed to endure the blizzard.”

Liz Liza-sensei said so and then she urged them on.

“Oi, Hayashizaki siblings and Tsukahara, what are we going to do if you guys don’t walk in the lead.”

Kazuki, Kanae, and Kazuha-senpai moved forward in panic with crunching sounds to catch up with Mio who went ahead.

“Wait, Mio!”

They had to stab the picks into the snow surface each time they took a step forward and stepped firmly with the ice claws while climbing in long stride so as to not slip. Just advancing forward like this in a snowy mountain was surprisingly hard.

Their feet that were buried in the snow too was so cold with a chill that seeped right inside until their bone.

Kazuki finally overtook Mio and stood in front of the whole party.

Suddenly the snow field ahead vibrated *gogogo*.

…That’s right, of course this kind of thing would naturally happen. At the other side of the sloping path―inside the white screen of the blizzard, a faint figure of an <ice giant> so big they needed to look up appeared.

They had to fight Demon Beasts in this Haunted Ground.

“That Demon Beast… be careful! It’s going to throw ice lumps from afar!”

Liz Liza-sensei yelled. The ice giant broke his own body with his fist. And then it raised high the ice lump that was a part of its own body, he faced Kazuki and co. and threw it.

The enemy was located on the higher ground. The ice lump was approaching them by borrowing the force of gravity.

Kazuki jumped to the side and evaded the ice lump.

But the instant he evaded a step to the side, *BAKIBAKIBAKI!* there was a strange sensation under his feet.

There was no ground at the place his foot was going to step on. That spot was where shrubbery was growing on the slope and looked like the ground just from the snow that was piling up on top of it. There was no footing at the place where he was going to step, Kazuki almost rolled down from the slope.

He supported his body with the pick in panic and raised a yell.

“Like, like this we are not going to be able to move our body well!?”

The ground looked like a brand new snow surface at a glance, but they couldn’t know what was going on under the snow with just one look.

The giant didn’t miss the opening and threw another ice lump at them. With this timing, he couldn’t dodge.

“Flapped the wings and scatter sparks. Trail behind the spiral wind, become the bullet that gouge life! Flap and shoot! Barrett!!”A flame bullet collided into the ice lump just in the nick of time. Ice grains and steam exploded in front of Kazuki’s eyes.

“Geez Kazu-nii, be careful there!”

With Mio as the beginning, the other companions shot out their attack magic all at once.

“My wicked thought is filled with curse, I beseech thy agony… I have no shame of my ominous thinking! Feel Pain!”

“O the will of god of the whirling sky! Converge in my hand, please grant me the authority of judgment! O radiance of royalty divine gift, become the drawn bow of splendor! Lightning Line!”

“Howl! The civilization grant destruction to human! The roar of wisdom scorch, break thy body, bury that dignity under the rubble!! Mitrailleuse!”

Kaguya-senpai’s bullet of agony. Hikaru-senpai’s lightning arrow. Lotte’s gatling bullets.

The giant staggered from the raining down magic. Its movement that was trying to throw ice lumps was stopped.

“Barrett!”

Kazuki too ran through the snow field while chanting attack magic. When Kazuki pushed his way through the snow and advanced in the front, it also made it easier for everyone that was following after him to advance.

Ahead on the pure white path of the blizzard, Kazuki sensed even more moving presences.

“Everyone, there’s not just one!”

At the same time with Kazuki yelling to inform his party, three more giants showed their majestic appearances from the depth of the blizzard and the three raised up ice lumps all at once.

“O hour hand, please blunt down the gait of the fools and show contempt for their worth… Stupefaction Time LostChrono Stutter!!”

Liz Liza-sensei chanted a magic that he had never seen before.

Three avatar of clock floated in front of the three ice giants, those three clocks had its hour hand moved really slowly while melting into the giants.

Thereupon in the blink of an eye, the giants’ movement became sluggish.

A magic that slowed a great number of enemies all at once―perhaps Liz Liza-sensei had assumed from the start that the enemy might be more than one.

The thrown ice lumps from the giants whose movements were slowed flew flimsily and fell in the middle without reaching Kazuki’s location. The fallen ice raised *DON!* a large sound and a curtain of snow was raised on the snow field.

“O craftsman’s forging that scatter the flower of night performance, fill the woven sky with sword’s tip! The role of the sword is for the sake of victory… under my command, become thunderstorm and pour down! Tenkuu Battou Renge Hou!”

Kazuha-senpai too was chanting a magic that was suited for a great number of enemies.

It was an attack magic that created a large number of Sacred Treasures and launched them like missiles.

“Burn brightly!”

When Kazuha-senpai commanded, the Sacred Treasures that were floating in the air were all covered with flames.

Kazuha-senpai’s contracted Diva, Futsunushi no Kami had his power increased from combining with Take Mikadzuchi. It seems that now senpai was able to freely control the element that the Sacred Treasures possessed.

The flame Sacred Treasures pierced into the ice giants one after another.

…But, the giants were not falling down.

“Barrett!” “Lightning Line!”

Low level magic were flying without pause. But the giants planted themselves on the snow field and stood dauntingly.

“…They are tougher than we think. Perhaps it will be better to take it slow and chant a high level magic.” Hikaru-senpai murmured.

“Or else, with close quarter combat.”Kanae who was pushing through the snow together with Kazuki murmured subduedly. It was a heavy tone of voice as if she was being cornered in some respect. …Kanae was waiting for her chance.

But the distance between her and the opponent was far with snow blocking the path.

“O shapeless and mute shadow, become the fish that swim inside the darkness that is teeming with obstructive thoughts! The origin of nightmare, vicissitudes materialism, respond to the fear and hope and sink your teeth…! Deep Specter!”

Kaguya-senpai had already concluded to aim for a high level magic and put it into practice.

A soul was residing inside the shadow of the ice giants. The black shadow that was like a spot of stain inside this white world swelled up in one go and turned into a monster with size that was not inferior with the ice giant.

The shadow monster opened its big mouth where fangs were lining up inside like a shark’s mouth, then it sunk its teeth into the ice giant.

But the ice giant didn’t even pay any heed of how their shoulder was bitten by a monster and continued to throw ice lump at Kazuki and co.’s direction. Their movements were sluggish due to Liz Liza-sensei’s magic, yet they were still throwing ice lumps even though it didn’t reach. Several of the ice lumps were falling just right in the middle.

“Their toughness is amazing, but… those Demon Beasts, are they doing something?”

Mio raised an amazed voice. The ice giants kept continuing to throw ice lumps that didn’t even reach them with sluggish movement like broken robots. Over and over they kept throwing, raising a curtain of snow on the snow field.

―A crack sharply entered the snow field. With a look of realization Liz Liza-sensei yelled.

“…Those guys’ aim to cause an avalanche! Someone use wind or flame magic!!”

Right at that instant, the snow field in front of their eyes split into two of up and down.

For Kazuki who was fighting while looking up to the slope, it looked like the world itself was cleaved down.

The lower half of the snow field in their path was all slipping down at Kazuki and co.’s direction. The snow in the shape of a plate broke down like smoke and built up, in the blink of an eye it became a wave of snow with an height of ten-odd meters.

The snow volume that could swallow all of them whole, surged, nearing them while roaring with a vibration like an earthquake.

The one who could immediately react was Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai. Both of them chanted the same magic.

“O wind of bellows, awaken the scorching heat of steel on my forging! Take into hand the hammer that had tempered hundred and strike away the impurity of the soul! Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazadzuchi!”

Kazuha-senpai finished her chanting an instant faster. When she raised her palm at the approaching avalanche, a wind of flame explosion whirled out from there. Like a katana blacksmith that awakens flames with the wind of bellows―this was a double element magic of flame and wind of Futsunushi no Kami who was the god of blacksmith. Its might had increased even more after obtaining the power of Take Mikadzuchi.

Wind explosion was blown into the approaching avalanche and evaporated it.

“Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazadzuchi!”

For the following avalanche that Kazuha-senpai couldn’t blow away completely, it was Kazuki’s turn to blow them away after casting the same magic with a time difference.

Even so, there was still more…*DODODODODO!* Tremors of the snow was approaching. The avalanche was continuing.

There were still magicians of wind and flame among them.

“O stream of atmosphere, converge in this body, become the storm that reject the hated person! The eye of the typhoon is exactly my throne! Storm Fort!”

“Burn to ash all that you touch… o scorching heat of rejection that has no place to depend! Self Burning!”

Hikaru-senpai and Mio invoked wind and flame defensive magic at the same time. Vortex of wind hid his companions from the surrounding and then flame mixed into the vortex of wind.

A storm of flames repelled away the avalanche that had its force greatly reduced from Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai’s magic and all of it was terminated.Because all of the snow that covered the snow field had moved down with the avalanche, the ground in the space between them until the ice giants was laid bare.

The snow was cleared exposing the original scraggy rock surface under it, like a path that guided them to the enemies.

Kanae quickly started to dash without hesitation―she had belief that her comrades would repel the avalanche.

Kazuki noticed that Kanae had changed from her two sword style of kodachi into using a single pure black katana. It was <Michikage> that formed a pair with Kazuki’s <Doufuu>. Kanae’s beloved sword in the past that she used when she was a child.

“Nii-sama, Amasaki Mio! Give me the protection of fire!!”

Kanae yelled while closing her distance with the ice giants in one go.

“Burn to ash everything touched… the scorching heat of rejection without any place to depend! Self Burning!”

Kazuki immediately guessed what Kanae wanted and chanted the magic that enveloped Kanae’s whole body with flame.

Mio too attached the same magic to Kanae a moment later.

Kanae used the flame that clad her whole body not for defense, but for attack, she used Psychokinesis to concentrate the flame onto her katana. And then she kicked the rock surface and flew high until the neck of the giants.

“Pierce the vital spot against a tough enemy!!”

When Kanae leaped at the giants whose movements were dulled, Kanae stabbed the flaming blade into its neck.

The ice giant writhed in agony like a living thing. …No, the giant looked like a lump of ice, but as a Demon Beast it possessed the disposition as a living thing.

There was no mistake that Kanae’s blade had severed the electric signal circuit that governed the giant’s body activity.

“…Die!” It was a really tough giant but it was smashed up into many small ice grains under one attack.

After Kanae ripped up the neck of one giant, she kicked its body before it could break and jumped onto the next giant and tore up the neck of the giants one after another.

It was a murder technique where the match was decided already once she got close, that it even made Kazuki go ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ in admiration.

“Kanae! Be careful where you are going to land!!”

Kazuki noticed and shouted. Kanae who had finished dealing with the giants landed on the snow field.

But regardless of Kazuki’s warning, it seemed that under that snow there was no foothold, *zubo-* Kanae’s lower body was buried into the snow and she raised a scream of “Nya nya nya!?”

“Don’t get too carried away. …It’s better not to get too close to the snow.”

With an amazed voice, Kazuki pulled out the MVP Kanae from the snow.

The coldness of this snow inflicted harm to the mind. That was exactly why that avalanche was dangerous. It would be nothing if it was just a normal snow, but it’d be bad if they got buried under this snow.

If everyone of the Magic Division that was lacking in Enchant Aura got buried under a few tons of snow, surely they wouldn’t be able to move at all. And then they would rapidly get cornered into a dangerous situation from the coldness of the snow.

Kanae whose body was half inside the snow was shivering and her face turned blue.

“So, something like this… is not a big deal…”

“Don’t act tough. …We should warm you a little like this.”

Kazuki tightly hugged the shivering Kanae.

“Ni, Nii-sama!? Nii-sama―!! It’s a super ultra warmth!! Right now Kanae is like a cat that is inside a kotatsu―!”

“…But this is a cold that happened mentally so maybe doing this is irrelevant?”

“That, there’s no such thing! If it’s a problem of mind then right now Kanae’s heart is going puff-puff hotly!!” “…You look like your head is going to explode, let’s end it with this much.”

When Kazuki separated both his hands, Kanae was unsteady on her legs with a boiling face.

…If Kanae got buried under the avalanche―it was only Kanae and Liz Liza-sensei among the current member that he couldn’t search their whereabouts with the power of bond. When he thought so his body hair shuddered.

“Rotate to the rear Kanae. I’ll be the one that pushes through the snow.”

Kanae looked down in frustration but she followed what he said and moved to the rear.

“No, I’ll be the one at the head. I’m the one better suited for it right?”

In replacement of Kanae, Kazuha-senpai approached near him and said that.

…Certainly because she was a swordsman she had the proper strength to push through the snow with Enchant Aura, her resistance against mind magic was also better than Kazuki, and she could also deal against the assault of Demon Beast as a front liner.

Even if Kazuha-senpai fell she could stop her momentum using friction control, and even if she was buried under the snow she could blow it away using [Ameno Hidzukuri no Kazatsuchi].

There was the flexibility that could do everything even if something happened to Kazuha-senpai.

“Let’s do it with the two of us taking turn.”

“Yosh, tag.”

Kazuha-senpai laughed “he he he” and presented her palm, Kazuki high fived her with a clear sound of *pachin*.

“When it’s the time to alternate, let’s warm each other by hugging like just now.”

“Do, don’t make a needless banter-! Idiot-!” Kazuha-senpai hit Kazuki’s head.

Kazuki and co. formed a single line and resumed climbing the mountain.

…At first the fallen snow only reached until their shin, but the snow became higher when they climbed even more ahead.

The snow passed their knee… then when the height reached around their waist, it became difficult even just to move ahead.

Kazuha-senpai who stood in the lead swept away the snow in front of her with the ice picks, and then she pushed further into the snow surface that had been torn down lower with her knee, finally when the height of the snow became something that her feet could lift over she could take a step forward.

Kazuha-senpai raised a scream “Thi, this is harsh!” while her beauty was ruined from being forced to walk bow-legged.

Thanks to her pushing aside the snow in the front, the second in line could advance with a fair ease.

As expected this was an absurd task if they didn’t alternately take turns.

“Standing in the lead and pushing through the snow is called Russell. It’s one of the hardest task in climbing a snow mountain.” Liz Liza-sensei said that from the back.

“In proportion of the two that are working hard in the front, we the rear guard will work hard if there are Demon Beasts coming out!”

Kaguya-senpai went ‘Ei ei ouu―” while raising her hand. Right at that moment an ice giant appeared at the front where it was going to slide down at them, while from the sky a pure white giant bird that was covered with thick fur was flying.

The Demon Beasts appeared as if answering the request, so Hikaru-senpai yelled “Kaguya you idiot!”

“I’m not the one who is bad here!” While yelling, Kaguya-senpai began to chant.

The ice giant threw ice lumps and the giant bird breathed out a cold breath.

“Barrett!”

“O rejection of absolute zero, become the armor of isolation that protect our body! Freeze Barrier!”

Mio shot down the ice lump with [Barrett] and Koyuki protected the comrades from the cold breath with the barrier of chill.

Suddenly Kazuki looked behind. Interposed between Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai who was in charge of Russell and everyone of the Witch’s Mansion that performed magic battle―Kanae was looking down in frustration because she could not move even when there was no avalanche.

An absurd time was necessary just to advance ahead a little.

More than anything, the exhaustion of Kazuki and Kazuha-senpai was bigger than everyone who was doing battle.They rotated the turn every one hour, he and Kazuha-senpai hugged each other each time they were taking turns. Kazuha-senpai was cute with her face bright red. Perhaps if there was no reward like this then even Kazuki would have his heart broken.

Liz Liza-sensei had warned them before about the possibility of needing to bivouac, but as expected this was not a Haunted Ground that could be cleared in a day trip.

When he was became engrossed in the Russell duty and the battle, before he realized the surrounding had become dark from being evening.

The pure white world was transforming into orchid color. Like this they would soon meet with night.

“So this is what appeared in the end…”

Kazuki who had alternated with Kazuha-senpai of being Russell in the front unintentionally groaned.

…What appeared before their eyes was a rock wall without end in sight. The upper part was obstructed by the blizzard that formed white mist, they couldn’t determine how high this wall would continue.

If they didn’t claw their way up this wall, they would be unable to advance forward. This was like a bad joke.

“It’s better to stop one night here for the moment.” Liz Liza-sensei said.

“Come to think of it, sensei said that a tent is unnecessary so we didn’t bring any, but without blocking the blizzard we are only going to get exhausted one-sidedly even if we rest.”

“No need to worry about that. There is so much snow piling up in the surrounding. …We are making a snow hut here.”

Snow hut. …It was a proposal that made him strangely excited.

They immediately moved to work. Everyone piled up snow, pressed and condensed it, plundered the heat with Pyrokinesis, and froze and hardened the snow.

“Making it too big will only make you anxious if it’s going to break down from its own weight, so let’s make two snow huts.”

Although they could make the hut strong and solid with magic, they guessed that making it with a diameter of around four or five meters was the sensible limit. Thereupon Mio murmured while pushing and hardening the snow.

“…For the groups, how will we split the members?”

Everyone’s hands stopped.

Everyone raised their face all at once and looked at Kazuki’s direction. Leaving out Kanae and Liz Liza-sensei, there were only girls who understood that everyone in this place had more than 100 point in positivity level towards Kazuki.

“Kazuki. If I’m not mistaken your ability will unleash a special power when there is someone whose positivity level towards you became 150, right?”

When Kazuki was stumped to give out an answer towards the difficult question, Liz Liza-sensei gave an advice.

“Think about what will it do for you in the decisive battle if you raised someone’s positivity level. Make your answer from the side of profit.”

When it became something like that…

A single snow hut with high transparency that had been half transformed into ice was completed first.

“Enter the snow hut first and prepare the meal Kazu-nii. During that time everyone will complete one more of the snow hut.”

While talking Mio and Koyuki released their Magic Dress temporarily and their appearance turned into their uniform with a large rucksack on their back. They took out some plastic container and pot and a solid fuel from there. It was an underhanded trick that made use of a Magic Dress’ material conversion phenomenon.

Leme emerged out from his side and frowned her eyebrows while saying “Do this moderately okay, it’s just for this time only.”

“Even Leme also wants to eat a delicious meal right?”

Mio acted the same to Leme like when she was still kid-sized and poked her nose lightly. Though when the two of them stood side-by-side, Leme was already the bigger one between the two of them.

“How cheeky, to treat Leme like a kid when Leme had turned into this adult appearance already―!”

“So what―, Leme is Leme right―”

Both of them screwed around with each other by hitting the other *pechi pechi* repeatedly. …Looks like Mio still had some composure in her.

“Even if you called it preparation, I only need to warm the stew. It doesn’t really need to be me…” “I’m telling you to rest obediently here, so that Kazuki won’t get tired by doing something trivial like making a snow hut. We don’t know what is going to happen ahead of us you know!”

“Right right, just like she said!”

Hikaru-senpai butted in from the side and launched a hip attack at him with a boing.

The butt that was covered with a Magic Dress in T-back style blew away Kazuki inside the snow hut.

…If he was forced until this point then there was nothing he could do except to let himself get spoiled by their words.

Inside the snow hut, Kazuki spread out a sheet with high insulation rate and settled down his body on top of it. He set the solid fuel and lit up a fire. It was an alchemic fuel that boasted fire power of an average gas stove.

When he was staring at the burning flame, Kazuki’s feeling finally settled down.

…If he had to talk truthfully, he was nearing his limit.

Repeatedly becoming the Russell, the coldness of the snow stiffened his whole body that now he couldn’t even shiver.

The heart was also made of flesh―with a dysfunction occurring in the heart, the blood flow in the whole body was stagnating.

Due to the blood not circulating, the oxygen wouldn’t reach the brain. If he let his guard down, his thought would grow dim and turn pure white.

He planned to consume enough water, but even with his sweat not flowing out he felt a maddening dehydration in his body.

He had to warm his body. Kazuki instinctively thought so.

Now that he had escaped from the blizzard into the snow hut, surely his body would immediately recover if the fire of the solid fuel hit his body. Kazuki rubbed his coldly stiffening hands and fingers on top of the flame.

He had already upped his resistance toward mind magic but he was still immature in it.

Kanae too was feeling frustrated but… just because someone was a swordsman it didn’t mean that it was fine to only train in swordsmanship without caring for anything else. Even if comrades would help each other, there were many fields of expertise that had to be improved.

Waiting until after his blood flow recovered its vigor, Kazuki finally put the pot on top of the solid fuel.

The content of the pot was stew. The cold stew didn’t emit any aroma at all. Regardless Kazuki spontaneously gulped his saliva.

Rather than calling him starving, what he felt was closer to a breakdown. This was the first time his own cooking looked this delicious to himself. Since he was born, this was the first time his mind was ravaged by the taboo desire to snitch a food secretly like this.

But if he didn’t eat the food together with all his companions that were even now still building the snow hut outside…

Kazuki was gazing blankly at nothing while waiting for the pot to become warm.

The voices of everyone that were continuing their task outside felt awfully far. Perhaps his head was still lacking in oxygen. Feeling the warmth of the burning fuel, he dimly felt like he was in the middle of a dream.

Suddenly, he felt a presence right beside him. It was as if a ghost was standing right besides his pillow when he was sleeping.

After slowly turning his head―a slightly dazzling silhouette of a woman that was formed from magic power was peeking at the pot’s content from behind Kazuki.

It was as if a teacher was ascertaining a student’s cooking skill in the middle of a home economics class.

―It was the master of the seal. The First Knight. The wavelength of that light that dimly shone was the same with the light that appeared in his battle with Ilyailiya.

The light gave off a pondering voice.

{…Why are you, giving your all that much for your surroundings?}

Without tearing off her eyes from the pot, the woman’s voice sounded anxious in some respect.

‘What in the world is she feeling anxious for?’, before answering her, Kazuki first felt such doubt inside him.

“I am just doing it because I want everyone to be happy.”

Kazuki honestly talked about his own feelings.

“It looks like I am being quite misunderstood but, I’m doing this not because I am an orphan and so my self-esteem became really low that it makes me flatter my surroundings, it’s because I love everyone.”

When Kazuki said that, the woman became much more dejected and looked down.

{That stew is} The woman changed the topic. {…the flavor of your home?}

“I am an adopted child so, this is the flavor of the Hayashizaki’s… the family I was given to to be raised.”

Kazuki answered.“With Hayashizaki’s flavor as the base, I improved it in various ways so that I can make Kanae and father happy…”

The woman’s silhouette looked sad from something of what he said, she felt even more sorrowful in dejection.

“…Is something wrong?”

{I, can’t even teach my cooking to my own child. The flavor characteristics of just that family that every household has, I couldn’t impart it to him…}

Not only the pot, but the inside of the plastic containers were also loaded by Kazuki’s handmade cooking.

While her gaze kept wandering unable to calm down, the woman, rather than to be called a hero, she was more like an ordinary female, talked in sorrow.

Kazuki pondered about the woman’s life. There was no doubt that this woman staked her life for the sake of the seal.

To fight as a knight without looking back at her family… due to that this country was saved.

If so, then this person, should think of that proudly with her chest held high.

Kazuki tried to say such comforting words, and hesitated.

The child of this woman, could he understand that? Even though she had saved the country where she was born, and yet she left her own child in sorrow, as a mother could she really take pride of such a thing from the bottom of her heart?

For an existence of a mother to put in scale the world and her own child―it was not something that could be encouraged so simply.

“…Are you regretting it?”

{…Yes.}

The woman said as if spewing out the stagnation at the bottom of her heart.

An affirmation that a hero by no means should ever do.

Kazuki imagined what he would do if it was himself. ‘If, it was me in the position of this person. Or, if I was in the position of this person’s child…

When he thought that, a numb sensation ran through his brain.

This person, was someone. The master of the seal. The First Knight. The hero that saved this country.

The previous generation’s contractor of Lemegeton.

Not only that. ‘This person, who is she to me…’

This time Kazuki turned back his whole body behind.

He faced the silhouette of light of the woman right from the front.

Both her face and her body build were uncertain. Her voice too felt somewhat chaotic as if a wave was shaking it.

“…You are…”

{The pot, will be cooked soon. It looks really delicious… I too, want to try to eat it, but…}

As if running away from Kazuki’s gaze, the woman’s silhouette pointed out at the pot.

Even so when Kazuki continued to stare at her, the woman's silhouette dimmed and began to vanish.

{In the center of this Haunted Ground―at the peak of the Fuji, I’m waiting for you. I’m sending my avatar here like this, because I’m too impatient to wait…}

“Wait…!”

Raising his voice unintentionally, Kazuki reached out his hand as if trying to catch an empty air.

But, the woman’s figure disappeared and escaped from his hand smoothly. Silence returned to the surroundings. Were his companions really continuing their work outside the snow hut even now? Or perhaps it was just the inside of this snow hut that was completely transferred somewhere to a different world.

‘…I too have something that I have to convey.’

Suddenly, such feeling was gushing out from inside Kazuki’s chest.

He had to convey it to the woman that was waiting for him ahead.

That ‘I didn’t become unhappy or anything you know’.

That ‘I’m not resenting or blaming anyone’.

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