The World's Weakest Hero, Volume 1, Chapter 11 (Patreon)

Chapter 11

“Disappear.” Lyra’s chakram cuts down the final mutant.

“Man, I'm beat…” I drop my sword, which disappears before hitting the ground.

Lyra stands up straight. “The battles were a nice warm-up.”

“Say that after wiping the sweat from your face.”

She crosses her arms. “Do I sense a bit of jealousy? Worry not, you'll eventually gain enough strength to stand tall after only a few fights.”

“I’m being looked down on by this Lucavi? I really have fallen on hard times…” I shake my head. “Anyway, all the other mutants I can sense are fighting my classmates. That means we've done all we can to limit the damage.”

“What now? Surely there must be a mastermind behind this scheme, yes?”

“Definitely. The question is, did that mastermind get cut down by us or my classmates already?”

“Ah, you're wondering if he turned himself into a mutant. Would he really do such a thing? I'd say it's much more likely that he simply used others as his pawns.”

I nod. “I agree, but there's always the possibility that someone as fanatical as a Mist Worshipper would transform themselves. Makes me wonder what my classmates would think if they knew the truth.”

Lyra narrows her eyes. “They weren't even told that aberrants are what humans transform into when corrupted by the mist?”

“No. The kingdom is keeping a lot of information from them, including the fact that they're slaying former humans each time they kill an aberrant.”

“They already know that both animals and humans mutate when exposed to the mist, so wouldn’t that leap of logic be easy to make?”

“I'm sure Isaac has already realized. Mitsuki too, probably. But the rest of them? They're probably too caught up trying to adapt to their new lives to think too deeply on stuff like that, even though Rosa already revealed the fact that the mist can transform humans.”

Lyra sighs. “Why exactly were they summoned if they can't even put such a simple puzzle together?”

“I already told you that they weren't supposed to be here. I'm not sure why they were caught up in the summoning, but considering who cast the spell, I was definitely the main target.”

Lyra looks intrigued. “Didn't the humans cast it, like always?”

“I guess you're not wrong. They certainly cast the spell. But do you really think they have the strength to reach across worlds?”

“Hmm…”

I wave my hand. “But forget the minor details. Right now, we just need to do one thing.”

“And what is that?”

“Take a break! I'm freaking exhausted over here!”

Lyra gives me a flat look. “Aren't we already taking a break?”

“I mean a real one! A nice, soft seat. A refreshing drink. A cool breeze…!”

“Alright, I get it, I get it.” Lyra turns and looks down the street. “I believe we'll need to walk quite a ways to find a shop that's open, considering the city is under attack.”

“It's fine. I'll just consider the wind hitting my face as we walk as the cool breeze I'm looking for!”

“Yes, please do.” She looks at me from the corner of her eye. “Unless you intend to command the weather as you did the spirits.”

“As if I could do something like that.” I start walking, and Lyra falls in beside me.

“And how exactly did you control them? You never answered me back then. And what about your pale, blue hair? Were you really fusing with a spirit?”

“So many questions. I'm afraid I can't keep up with them all in my exhausted state…”

“Always with the act. It's a wonder that childhood friend of yours managed to put up with it for so long.”

“Hey, I'll have you know that Mitsuki asked very few questions. Mainly because life on Earth was rather mundane, so I didn't have to work so hard to keep my secrets.”

“So you plan on keeping them from me?”

I peek at Lyra. “If you want the truth so badly, then I'll tell you. I gave someone a promise that I wouldn't spill those secrets. It's not a matter of wanting to keep them from you, it's simply the fact that I intend to keep the promise I made to her, no matter what.”

Lyra goes silent for a brief second as she stares at my face. “It appears you really are telling the truth. In that case, I'll drop the matter. But that doesn't mean I won't be watching.”

“If you figure it out, then there's nothing I can do about it. But I hope you don't stare too much. I'm quite shy…”

Lyra gives me another flat look. “Yes, as evidenced by your performance as a hero that betrayed his classmates and summoned an army of mutants. So shy.”

“I'm glad you understand!”

“I see you haven't broken your habit of ignoring sarcasm.”

The walk continues for a while, with the streets being virtually empty. That's the natural result, considering the army of mutants rampaging around.

Or at least, they were rampaging. Most of them have already been defeated, and thanks to my classmates, the ones that remain are about to join them on the ground.

But the people of the city don't know that it's safe outside, so they're still bunkered down in their homes. With the speed of information in this world, a lot of people won't know the result for quite a while.

Lyra’s right. Where exactly are we going to find a shop with something refreshing to drink?

Maybe at the edge of the city, where the mutants weren't rampaging?

No, even if information travels slowly, something like the appearance of mutants would be widely known by now.

Guess I should give up on my relaxing sip of cool, refreshing iced tea…

But I can at least find somewhere comfortable to relax while I regain my strength!

Since I know the city from my time as this world's strongest hero, I'm the one leading the way. Because of that, Lyra follows me as I turn down a different street, heading toward a particular destination.

The walk is rather short, considering the size of the city. So, it's not long before the place I'm heading comes into view ahead of us.

“A park?” Lyra asks as we step inside. “Do you plan to drink from the fountain?”

“There's no way I'd do that. It'd be great if we could find a shop, but it's not really necessary. I have what I need.”

“Don't tell me…”

We sit down at a bench, just in front of the fountain Lyra mentioned. Of course, nobody takes a sip from it. The water's probably dirty and filled with microorganisms.

“What you're imagining is likely correct.” I raise my hand, and a cup appears. “It's in my Void Space.”

I raise my other hand, and another cup appears. Both are filled with crystal clear water, as pristine as the day I put it in my Void Space.

As expected, Lyra hesitates for a bit. “How long has this water been in your Void Space?”

“I was reincarnated 15 years ago, and it's been sitting in there since before that, so somewhere between 15 and 16 years.”

“So long!? Are you sure it hasn't gone bad!?”

“Items in Void Space are frozen in time.” I take a sip from my own cup. “At least, I think so.”

“You're putting a lot of faith in that assumption…”

Despite her protests, Lyra grabs the cup of water from my hand. With a resigned face, she brings it to her lips and takes a sip.

“Hmm.” She looks at the crystal clear water. “Perhaps it's true that time doesn't pass in Void Space.”

“It'd be a great place to take a nap, huh? Just relaxing in the void, sleeping as long as you want without a single second passing in the real world.”

“Except for the fact that you'd be frozen as well, meaning you wouldn't get any rest, no matter how long you stayed inside.”

“Ah, that's true. What a cruel jest, giving me such an ability and no way to curl up in there and doze off.”

Lyra takes another sip. “You can't put living creatures inside, anyway. At least, that's what I've heard.”

“Right again. It'd be really convenient if I could just throw all my enemies inside my Void Space. Really, what's with all these restrictions?”

“I don't want to hear any complaints from someone with such a powerful ability at his disposal. What else do you have in there, anyway?”

I raise my empty hand, and an apple appears on my open palm. “Food, drink, clothing, weapons, a house. You know, the usual stuff.”

“One of those things is so far from ‘usual’ that I can't even comprehend why it came out of your mouth so casually.”

“Don't mind it. Just accept that even after we leave the city, we'll be living in comfort! Or, that's what I'd like to say. But the truth is that it takes mana to bring things out of my Void Space. And right now, my mana is … lacking.”

Lyra smirks. “Lacking, huh? I guess that's one way to say it. Or perhaps virtually non-existent would be another.”

“Ouch. You really know where to hit a man where it hurts.”

“Weren't you the one boasting about being this world's weakest hero?”

I puff out my chest. “The one and only!”

“Then I don't want to hear any complaints, especially after you boldly claimed to use that weakness to your advantage.”

“Eh? It's fine though, right? I can guilt trip people into helping me when it's beneficial, then pretend to be sad when someone makes fun of me for being so weak. It's the best of both worlds!”

“How convenient. Though I guess I can turn a blind eye since I'll also be benefiting from it.”

I reach out with the hand holding the apple and Lyra takes it. This time, there's no hesitation in her as she takes a bite, washing it down with the crystal clear water.

I take out another apple and follow her example, enjoying the crispy crunch of the first bite.

For a while, there's nothing but silence, backdropped by the water trickling down the fountain in front of us.

No sounds of battle, no people shouting in fear, and no hideous growls from mutants. Just peace, as life should be.

There isn't even a single person here to disturb us. They're all hiding in their homes, leaving just me and Lyra to enjoy this park at our leisure.

But just like everything in life, including life itself, it can't last forever. We still have unfinished business, and if we don't get started soon, we may fall behind.

“The mastermind,” I say. “We're going to find him.”

Lyra turns to me. “You think he's still out there?”

“Probably. He must have spent months or even years setting up this attack on the capital. If I were him, I'd definitely want to stick around to see how it went, rather than turning myself into just another aberrant.”

“Then he must be furious at having his plans thwarted so thoroughly. In fact, I wonder why he would attack while the heroes are in the city…”

“Because the heroes were likely his target to begin with. Swarm them with mutants shortly after their summoning to overwhelm them. Something like that.”

Lyra tilts her head. “But such weak monsters can barely be considered a threat, even to a fresh hero. Is this mastermind really so foolish?”

“That's exactly what worries me. Either he had no idea that his methods would result in weak mutants, or this attack was just one part of his plan. Whichever it is, we can't let him escape.”

“I agree. But how exactly did he create these mist creatures? You said there was a way to transport the mist, didn’t you?”

“There's a secret spell that can contain the mist. If you cast that spell on a bottle, then you can fill it with mist and carry it anywhere you want.”

“Such a spell exists? I've never heard anything about it.”

“It'd be bad if you had. Or rather, it's best if it's kept a secret from as many people as possible. But since you're helping me, I figured I'd at least share this type of information with you.”

“And this mastermind knows of this secret spell? Wouldn't that make him quite a dangerous adversary?”

I nod. “That's exactly why I'm here, resting. I need to be at absolute full power if we're going to confront him. Otherwise, there's no telling how the battle would go.”

“You still plan on fighting him alone? What of the heroes? Surely they could be drawn into the fight.”

“Depending on how things turn out, we might not have a choice but to rely on them. But I want to at least do some reconnaissance first. Though before we can get started on anything, we need information. That's another reason why we had to wait.”

“What are we waiting for?”

I point toward the fountain. “That.”

Lyra turns her gaze toward the flowing water, just as something lands on the surface.

“A water spirit? If she's here, then does that mean…”

“Yeah, the spell I used to attract the spirits ended some time ago, so they're all spreading back out into the city.”

“I see that.” Lyra eyes the other spirits that are flying through the sky. “But why were you waiting for them to return?”

“Because spirits are extra sensitive to the mist, so if someone is still hiding some mist here in the city, the spirits will be able to sense it.”

“Ah, it's true that they're sensitive to it. But will they really be able to help us? Most minor spirits have short memories, and they seem to run on instinct more than anything else.”

“Then let's try asking that water spirit and see what she has to say. Since you have the Great Spirit of Water sleeping in you, she should be more than willing to tell you anything you want, right?”

“Of course. Water spirits are always very obedient and cute.”

“Not sure why you added cute, but I'll ignore it.”

Lyra stands from the bench and walks over to the fountain. As expected, the water spirit perks up, immediately recognizing her as the host for the Great Spirit of Water.

Unlike the carefree and whimsical wind spirits, the water spirits exude elegance and charm, like a noble lady dressed for a dance party.

“Graceful spirit,” Lyra says. “Can you spare me a moment of your time?”

“Ah, Mother.” The water spirit gives her a charming bow. “No, she's sleeping?”

“Yes, the Great Spirit of Water is resting right now.” Lyra places her hand over her heart. “But I'm sure she'll awaken soon.”

“I see. Yet I will still speak, as a good daughter would.”

“Thank you. There was a disturbance in the city, and I was trying to find the one responsible. Have you sensed any mist near any of the water around here?”

“Oh, gracious. Those creatures were most frightening, indeed! Abominations, each one of them. I merely answered the call to gather, and before I knew it, they were everywhere!”

Lyra nods. “Yes, it was quite an uproar. Thankfully, it's been settled, and the monsters have been defeated. But have you sensed any other mutants or mist besides the ones during that disturbance?”

“Hmm. Mist, mist…” The water spirit takes on a thoughtful pose. “No, I haven't felt anything else. Just the gentle touch of the water beneath my feet.”

The water spirit shows us a little dance, her ethereal form gliding across the surface of the water without disturbing it in the slightest.

For a brief moment, Lyra and I just watch her charming display, enjoying the elegant motions.

“I suspected as much,” Lyra says. “She’s one spirit among many. The chances that she's detected the mastermind would be quite slim.”

“True. But it was a fun conversation, so it was worth asking, and I wanted to wait just a bit longer before actually moving forward with my plan.”

“Oh? So we were just a small distraction for you?”

“Don't give me that look. Any spirit could be the one that knows the answer, right? Even if the chance was low, it wasn't zero.”

Lyra sighs. “Well, what's this plan of yours? Surely you're not going to run around asking each individual spirit.”

My eyes fall on a stone spirit half buried in the stone that the fountain is built from. Asking it would likely be futile, as that particular spirit isn't prone to moving around like its wind and water brethren, so the chance that it's detected the mastermind is even lower than theirs.

Spirits of all kinds litter the world. There are common ones like plant spirits, metal spirits, and wood spirits which are attracted to their respective objects.

But there are also spirits that can be difficult to find, like music spirits that only show themselves when a particular song catches their interest. Or magic spirits that sometimes appear when casting a spell. Those ones often disappear as quickly as they show up, given the ephemeral nature of most magic.

The only exception is in a large battle, where magic spirits often make an appearance and move around the back lines where most of the mages are casting.

Among all the spirits, some of the most elusive are the ones attracted to ideas or emotions, rather than anything that can be felt by any of the five senses.

A scholar may find himself attracting a knowledge spirit while studying history, for example. Or an enamored couple may summon a love spirit as they secretly meet each other behind their families’ backs.

The world is filled with such spirits, yet the humans are blind to all of them.

It's a pity, really. Watching them flutter here and there is quite a marvelous sight.

Unfortunately, we're not in this park to watch spirits. We have a mission, and it's time to get started on it.

“No,” I say. “I'm not going to ask each spirit individually. That'd take all day, and chances are, we still wouldn't find the answer. But there is another option.”

“You're going to use that spell again, aren't you? The one that commands the spirits.”

“Now you're getting somewhere. But if you're expecting my hair color to change again, you're going to be a little disappointed.”

“Oh? You're not going to cast it at full power?”

“I'd like to, but I still haven't completely recovered. That means I can only rely on my normal strength this time.”

Lyra crosses her arms. “And how many spirits can you gather without that power?”

“Only a fraction compared to how many I had before. But I can cast it in much quicker succession, so it's not all bad news.”

“In other words, if you don't get the answer from the first batch of spirits, we'll be going to other parts of the city and calling those spirits to ask them.”

“Yep. Even if it's a bit inefficient, it's still the best way I can think of to find the mastermind behind this whole incident.”

“Then let's just hope we can get the answer we need before he makes his next move.”

“Exactly. And that's why I intend to get started right away.” I look up at the sky, where several spirits can be seen fluttering about. “[Command Spirit]!”

The spirits that are going about their business suddenly stop and turn to me. Without exception, each one begins moving again. The difference is that now, they're heading right toward us.

“Alright,” I say. “Let's see what this batch of spirits has to say.”

----------

“How are you feeling?” Lyra asks as we walk briskly down a street.

“I'll be fine.”

“You don't look fine.”

I wipe the sweat from my face. “Mana fatigue sucks, but it's manageable as long as I space out my casts of [Command Spirit].”

“You've used the spell five times now, and you've been more drained after each cast. How many more times can you use it before we need to take an extended break?”

“I'd say three or four more. But we don't really have time for a long rest, so if it comes to that, I may have to take more drastic measures.”

“Like what?”

“And give away the surprise? Tsk, tsk. You should know me better than that by now.”

Lyra sighs. “Still have the energy to joke around like that? Then that means you should be able to use the spell more than three or four times.”

I wipe away another bead of sweat. “This and that are entirely different matters.”

We continue our brisk walk down the nearly empty street. By now, people have started coming out of their homes to check the situation, but there are many still bunkered down.

The fighting ended over an hour ago, so it's only natural that some of them would show their faces since there hasn't been any sounds of battle for quite a while.

The original attack happened in the middle of the morning, but that was a few hours ago now, so it's currently early afternoon. I'd like to finish this search today and put an end to the mastermind before he either makes another move or flees from the city.

That's why Lyra and I have been walking wherever we please, gathering nearby spirits to question them to see if any have felt the mist in the city.

So far, I've cast the spell five times and have gotten exactly zero leads on where to begin the search. But we've managed to walk nearly half the length of the city, going in a circle around the center. That means in another five or six casts, we'll have searched nearly the entire capital.

Unfortunately, I don't know if my mana will hold out that long.

Where are you hiding? Are you really in a place like this?

Looking around, I see nothing but high-class homes. They're mansions by anyone's definition of the word, and they're surrounded by large estates filled with gardens and other aesthetically pleasing additions afforded only to the wealthy.

When I was imagining where we'd find the mastermind, my thoughts went to abandoned warehouses, seedy sections of the city, or other such unpleasant places filled with undesirables.

But after considering a few details…

Money and power. The two often go hand in hand. Or rather, one gives access to the other.

No, perhaps at the end of the day, the two are actually one and the same.

Either way, the connections needed to gain access to bottles with the ability to contain mist wouldn't be easy. It's not something that would fall into the lap of a petty criminal.

Not to mention the coordination it'd take to set up an attack like the one we just dealt with.

So does that mean whoever's behind this incident is well-connected? Perhaps even a member of the high nobility?

If that's the case, then there'd be no better place to search than right here where the nobles live.

Technically, we're not in the heart of the noble district. There's no way they'd let us just walk in right now, considering the city is on high alert.

But Lyra and I are well-dressed, looking like nobles ourselves. That at least gives us access to the outer parts of their districts, which is where we are right now.

My spell should reach far enough to call spirits from most of the noble estates in this area.

Guess all I can do is give it a shot and see if we can find anything.

I stop halfway between two gates, far enough from either one that nobody would think I'm trying to scope the places out.

Since there are people out and about, I've stopped making a showing each time I cast the spell so I don't attract any attention. That's why as I release the magic, I don't so much as give any visual cues.

But I still say the name, of course.

“[Command Spirit].”

The effect is immediate. Glowing figures descend on our location until we're engulfed by a swirl of tiny lights, some barely bigger than a firefly and others the size of a small bird.

Certain types of spirits are difficult to attract. Stone spirits are one such example, as they prefer to stay dormant, rarely changing locations. Much like the stone they inhabit.

Yet among the ones I managed to gather, I see one such stone spirit peeking his tiny head out from the cobblestones that makes up the road beneath us.

“I’ve been summoned~” a wind spirit says as she dances on a gentle breeze.

“Such a sweet call. I couldn't stay away.” The tree spirit sits on a branch overhanging an estate wall.

“Hmm…” The gruff voice of a spirit catches my ear.

A rot spirit, huh? Those guys never like it when I call them.

Ignoring the displeased ones, I repeat the same question that I've asked every other group of spirits that I've gathered.

“Have any of you felt the presence of mist in the city?”

“Eww~” A wind spirit does a little twirl. “No mist!”

“Hmm…” The rot spirit just gives me the same response as last time.

Several other spirits speak up, but without exception, each one claims to have not felt the mist anywhere nearby.

Soon, the magic powering the command spell begins to evaporate, and the spirits lose interest, wandering off to wherever their desires take them.

Another failure? This is getting really annoying.

“Mist.”

I look down, where the voice came from. At my feet is that same stone spirit, its head still poking out of the cobblestone road.

“Have you felt the mist?”

“Basement. Uncomfortable. Moved.”

“You were staying in a basement, but an uncomfortable feeling made you move somewhere else? Where was this basement?”

“Long ago. Memory fading.” The stone spirit turns, his head now looking in a new direction. “This way?”

His head begins moving through the cobblestones, like a person wading through water.

Since we finally have something solid to go on, Lyra and I waste no time following the stone spirit down the street.

“We're going this direction, huh?” I look into the distance, though I can't see much past the nearest mansion.

“You know where the spirit is taking us?”

“I don't know the destination, but if we keep going this way we'll end up in the capital’s highest noble district. Dressed as we are and with a little etiquette, we could talk our way inside. Normally we could, that is. But with the recent uproar, that district is probably locked down tight.”

“What are we going to do if we have to go inside?”

“Don't worry, I have a plan.”

Lyra shakes her head. “I've been part of your plans several times now, so excuse me if I think of my own back-up.”

“Haha. I haven't the faintest idea why you'd need such a thing.”

As expected, the stone spirit continues down the same path until we reach a wall.

Most districts have some identifying mark to show when someone is stepping into a new area, lower districts excluded. But those that do have one usually range between a simple sign on the main roads or a gate that can be closed when desired.

But the district in front of us is different. Special, even. That's because it houses the most powerful nobles in the entire kingdom, when they're here at the capital and not in their own lands.

Because of that, the wall that surrounds the district is thick and tall, with towers in key locations that can be manned against assaults.

As for who might be assaulting them–well, most people would think it's to be used against an invading army, but the truth is that it was built to defend against a revolt.

In other words, it's meant to be used against the people who live within this very city.

The stone spirit doesn't care about things like property lines. Those are human problems, so the spirit’s little head keeps going, right under the wall and to the other side.

“Time for this plan of yours?” Lyra asks.

“You know it.” I scan the wall. “That way.”

Lyra follows as I start moving. “Let me guess. We're going to jump it.”

“You figured it out, huh? Even if they have guards patrolling the wall, there's bound to be blind spots. And since I can detect their presences, it's easy to find a place we can leap over unseen.”

“You sure are quick to break the law. Are you sure you were once a hero?”

“How rude. I'm a perfectly heroic hero.”

Lyra gives me a flat look.

“Okay, so maybe I'm not quite how most people would imagine when they think of a hero who saved the world. But that's part of the fun, isn't it!”

“Who's the one having fun here?”

I puff out my chest. “Me.”

“I knew it…”

We reach the unguarded section of the wall without incident, jumping over with the help of our enhanced bodies. Though Lyra makes it look much easier than I do.

Regardless, we need to catch up with the stone spirit, so we immediately head to the nearest street. Being a spirit, it's not limited like us, and neither is it waiting for us. It's still heading toward the basement where it felt that foreboding energy.

Fortunately, I can also sense spirits, meaning finding him isn't difficult. The biggest problem is catching up without drawing too much attention, as a couple of youngsters running down the road would draw the eyes of those walking around.

This is the kingdom's highest noble district. More than anywhere else, the people here are expected to adhere to etiquette and decorum at all times.

Nobles may live a life of luxury, but that doesn't mean they can do whatever they want. The head of a noble house sets the rules for the family, and he expects them to be followed. Those who go against the family head are often strictly punished.

If a young noble were to bring shame to their family name, that would easily be reason enough to discipline them. And something as simple as running down the street can be considered a breach of etiquette, as long as there's no reason to be in a hurry.

It's for that reason and more that it takes a couple minutes for me and Lyra to catch up with the stone spirit. But once we do, we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Or so we thought…

“Hey, you,” a guard's voice calls out to us.

A pair of soldiers is patrolling the street, presumably looking for mutants or anyone who's trying to take advantage of the crisis.

Being a pair of well-dressed young adults, we don't quite fit either of those categories, but I'm not surprised that they'd be stopping us for questioning, considering the situation.

“Yes?” I give my best impression of an innocent noble kid.

“Don't wander too far from your home. You never know if more mutants will show up.”

“Ah, thank you very much for your concern. I'll turn back toward my house at the next intersection.”

I show the hard-working men some respect by giving them a practiced bow. Afterwards, they go about their patrol, leaving us to do as we wish.

“That went better than expected,” Lyra says.

“It's great that we can both play the part of nobles with ease. I had a lot of practice last time I was summoned, but what about you?”

“I was trained from a young age as a potential host for a Great Spirit. Part of that training involved presenting myself well.”

“So etiquette training, huh? You do speak like a noble, using proper words and all that.”

“It's simply the result of my upbringing.”

We don't stop following the stone spirit as we talk, though from the perspective of any prying eyes, we simply look like a pair of young nobles on a stroll.

Although we're acting like we fit right in, the truth is that nobody in this district knows who we are. That means if the wrong people were to actually question us, it wouldn't be easy to talk our way out of it, if they were stubborn enough to want real answers.

Fortunately, before that can come to pass, the stone spirit vanishes.

I don't mean he just disappears into thin air. He just keeps going in a straight line, right into a wall that surrounds one of the noble estates.

In other words, he found the place he was looking for.

As for us…

“Looks like we're jumping another wall.”

“I've already accepted that I'm becoming a criminal thanks to you.”

“I don't want to hear that from the girl whose first suggestion when those guards figured out my identity was to knock them unconscious.”

“You can't compare a battlefield to a home invasion.”

“What a convenient mentality.”

“I learned it from you.”

We walk the perimeter of the wall, heading toward a spot with nobody around. On our way, we pass by a gate, and on the wall beside that gate is a sign with the name of the noble family who owns the estate.

I don't really care who it is. I plan to put a stop to them, no matter what. But as my eyes take in the family's surname, I can't help but let the surprise show on my face.

“What's wrong?” Lyra asks.

“Edwards…”

“Hmm? The family name? Do you know them?”

“You can say that. It's definitely not a name I expected to see here, but now that I give it some thought, it makes sense how he was able to orchestrate such an expensive and complex operation.”

Lyra shrugs. “Doesn't matter to me. I just hope he's home so we can put an end to this matter once and for all.”

“Yeah, you're right.” I look away from the sign. “Let's go.”

After finding a suitable place, we hop the wall, landing on the other side. As expected, we make it in without alerting the estate guards or any of the Edwards family.

Looking around, I see that the noble who lives here pays a hefty sum to upkeep his estate. Although we don't have a good view since we're trying to stay hidden, I can easily see that he has a full-time landscaper. There's no other way his yard would look so perfect.

It's like something you'd see on a brochure on Earth, showing a landscape straight out of a fairytale and claiming that you'll have the time of your life.

Except unlike most of those marketing pictures, this one is real.

Since we didn't come here to rate this noble family's landscaping, I swap focus after a quick glance around the yard.

“C'mon, the stone spirit is waiting for us.”

“Is it at the manor?”

“No, thankfully. It'd be a pain if we had to sneak into their house. But it looks like that's not where the stone spirit sensed that uncomfortable energy.”

“That's certainly for the best. But where are we going, then?”

“There.” I point to a building standing a short distance from the manor.

“A storage warehouse of some sort?”

“Looks like it. Guess it has a basement where they keep things that need climate control.”

The stone spirit is already inside the storage building, but unlike him, we can't just phase through the wall unseen. We have to actually enter through the door, and from the chain hanging around the handle, it appears to be locked.

To top it off, once we leave our cover, we'll be in full view of any prying eyes until we can reach the door and get inside. That means we need to rush out, break the lock, and sneak in all in one smooth motion.

Fortunately for us, we have all the tools we need for such a task.

“Okay Lyra, as soon as I give the signal, we dash to the door and break in.”

A chakram appears in her hand. “Leave the chain to me.”

“Agreed. And since you're faster than me right now, you'll reach the door first. As soon as you get it open, step inside and I'll close it behind me when I get in.”

“Simple enough.”

Checking the nearby presences, I feel several people moving about. Guards, most likely. And perhaps the landscaper, if he doesn't want to fall behind in his work.

Either way, all we can do is wait until the right time to make our move. And fortunately, it doesn't take long.

“Go!”

Lyra and I rush out from behind the tree we’ve been using as cover, running through the open yard. As expected, she takes the lead, going nearly twice my speed.

The difference in our levels is huge, and her [Body Enhancement] spell is a tier higher than mine. Added together, she can outpace me by a large margin.

As I watch, she reaches the warehouse door and swings her chakram, slicing the chain in two. Right after, she pushes on the door and disappears inside.

A few heartbeats later, I make it to the door. And with a quick pull, I shut it behind me.

“Well, that was fun.” I turn and meet Lyra's eyes.

“You really enjoy sneaking around a noble's estate?”

“Of course. It's exciting, isn't it?”

“I guess I can't deny that. But try to focus on our mission.”

“As if I'd forget.” I step up to a hatch that leads below. “On to the basement.”

With a pull, I open the hatch, revealing a set of steps that go down into darkness.

I cast a quick spell, creating a ball of light which floats just above my hand. Since there doesn't seem to be a trap or anything dangerous, I lead the way down the staircase.

It's a short trip, with Lyra and I ending up in a cool, damp basement. But there's actually a more fitting term for the room we find ourselves in.

“A wine cellar,” I say, looking around at all the casks.

“Makes sense. Nobles like their drink, and it's best stored underground.”

“True. Guess I should have seen this coming. Ah, there's the stone spirit.”

The little guy's head is poking out from the stone wall that helps support the warehouse floor above. Since stone spirits typically like quiet places, I can understand why he'd pick a basement like this, which makes it unfortunate that it turned out to be near the mastermind who was messing with the mist.

“Thanks for bringing us here.”

“Comfortable now. But bad memories. Can't stay.”

“I understand. I wouldn't want to stay here, either. Especially since that feeling may return.”

“Yes. Leaving now.”

“Ah, wait a second. I haven't given you a reward yet.” I kneel down, placing my hand just in front of its tiny head. “Here you go.”

“Delicious.” The stone spirit shows a bit of excitement for the first time by bobbing its head left and right.

“There’s more where that came from, if you want it.”

“More?” The stone spirit trembles a bit. “Where?”

I hold out a rock that fits nicely in my palm. “In here.”

The stone spirit extracts itself from the wall and floats toward my hand. It disappears into the rock, the spirit’s body fitting perfectly inside.

“Delicious.” It repeats the same word as it begins feasting on the power I placed in the rock.

“What did you do to it?” Lyra asks, looking at the rock. “It's rare to see a stone spirit show that much energy.”

“Energy is exactly what I gave it.” I place the rock in my pocket. “Even spirits need nutrients, you know. Well, it's not exactly nutrients like what we get by eating, but it works as a comparison.”

Lyra nods. “Yes, but I've never seen anyone provide them with spirit energy.”

“You have now.”

“And what? You going to carry that rock around with the spirit inside?”

“Why not? It’s nice to have companions on an adventure, right? You’re not much different from this rock, you know.”

“Comparing the host for a Great Spirit to a mere pebble?” Lyra shakes her head. “I wish I could say I was surprised.”

I walk to the center of the wine cellar, making it clear that it’s time to do what we came for.

Lyra follows, dropping the topic. “What now? Look for a secret passage?”

“Yeah, but it'd be annoying to move all these wine casks around, so let's start with this. [Detect Magic].”

A wave of energy radiates from me, though only those sensitive to mana can pick it up. When that wave hits the wine cellar’s wall, my head turns, looking at a very specific spot.

“Bingo.” I walk over and push some empty casks out of the way.

Placing my hand on the wall, I feel nothing but cold stone, just as one would expect. However, the stone isn't quite the same as the rest, even if it looks and feels identical.

“[Dispel Magic].” More mana flows from me, gushing into the wall.

The area around my hand glows with a soft light, competing with the floating orb as a source of illumination for the wine cellar. And after my spell plays out its effects, the stone wall…

“It's still here…”

Lyra crosses her arms. “What did you expect when trying to dispel magic at your level?”

“I know, I know. But it's still frustrating. Man, being weak really sucks…”

“Just leave this to me.” Lyra uncrosses her arms and places one hand on the wall. “[Dispel Magic].”

This time, the wall shines even brighter, putting out far more light than the orb. And when that light fades…

“Oh, nice one, Lyra!” I look at the set of steps that lead down to a sub-basement.

“It's only a matter of course.”

“Then how about we see what this noble’s been hiding down here?”

I lead the way, using the orb of light to illuminate the stairs. Like before, it's a short trip, with the two of us stepping into a small, empty room.

Well, empty except for one thing.

“A crest of teleportation. So this is how he moves around unseen to do his dirty work.”

“Dangerous. There's no telling where it goes. It could even be a trap.”

“True. But I'm still going. I've already searched the area looking for the noble who owns this estate, and he's not anywhere nearby. That means he's likely wherever this crest goes, and he's probably working on his next scheme. I can't let him do something like release mutants in the city again.”

Twin chakrams appear in Lyra’s hands. “I suppose someone has to go with you, considering your level.”

“Hah. Thanks, Lyra. It's great to have a reliable teammate, just like the old days.”

Without waiting for a response, I step onto the crest. The runes that are etched into the stone floor are glowing with a soft light already, but the spell will remain dormant until activated.

Lyra follows, and both of us give one last nod. Then, I activate the crest.

After a flash, we find ourselves in an entirely different room. At a glance, it looks similar with its stone walls and claustrophobic feeling due to the small size. But there's no doubt that we teleported.

Looking down at our feet, I see that the crest of teleportation is still there. However, the runes etched onto the stone floor are far fewer in number, less than half of what the crest had before we teleported.

“One way teleportation,” I say softly. “We can't go back from here.”

“To prevent intruders from entering his estate, no doubt.”

“Yeah. That means we have to fight our way out from wherever we are.”

Lyra releases a wave of energy, checking for presences. “Several warriors. We're in for quite a battle, but I'm confident we can win. Though I wonder what's going on with those weak people? Underlings? Or…”

“Captives. They've gotta be. I knew they wouldn't be turning themselves into mutants.”

Lyra shows a flash of anger. “Kidnapping people and turning them into aberrants to attack the city. These Mist Worshippers need to be taught a very clear lesson.”

“That's why we're here.” I look at a door. “The mastermind is just on the other side. Are you ready?”

“Of course. I'll end this here and now.”

“Then let's go.”

I slowly push open the door, trying not to make a sound. It still creaks, but it doesn't matter because the people in the other room are talking loud enough to drown it out.

With our eyes and ears at the opening, Lyra and I listen in on the mastermind behind the attack on the city.

“...don't care about your excuses,” the high noble says. “You were supposed to keep the heroes running around the city, not send all the aberrants to attack them at once.”

A rough looking man shakes his head. “Like I said, we can't control them after they transform. We spread them out all over the city like you said, but they must have sensed the heroes and tried to defeat them.”

“Those blasted heroes. They must have done something. If only we could have gotten them to split up, we would have had a chance to pick them off a few at a time.”

“What now? Gonna transform more of them?” The criminal looks at the captives chained up against a wall.

“Do you know how difficult it is to capture mist? And you want me to waste it without ensuring the plan will go as we want this time!?”

“Well if we don't do anything, they might sniff us out after everything calms down. So it's either use it or we abandon all our hideouts and regroup.”

“Grrr…” The high noble's face distorts in anger.

“So that's the mastermind,” Lyra whispers.

“Yeah. Duke Bartholomew de Edwards, one of the most powerful nobles in the kingdom. He and I had a bit of a history last time I was summoned, but I didn't think his hatred of heroes went this far. He's also the one who arrested me the other day.”

“Do you think he was involved in that other hero's murder?”

“Maybe. If we have a chance, I'll ask him all about it. For now, how about we crash this party before they can do anything rash, like make another army of mutants.”

Lyra raises a chakram. “I'll take out the two weak ones.”

“And I'll distract the other two.”

Lyra glances at me.

“What? I'm lacking in stopping power right now, so I'm just being realistic.”

“I get it. Then just do your tough guy act like usual, and I'll get rid of the threats.”

“Perfect. When it comes to acting, I've got a lot of confidence.”

With the plan settled, the two of us give one final nod. Then, we jump into action.

“...get your men ready.” Bartholomew's been talking this entire time, still unaware of us. “If we're going to make more mutants, we need to do it before–”

“Gah…!” One of the Mist Worshippers falls.

“Kuh…!” Another one follows immediately after.

“W-what!?” Bartholomew looks to his two men, then at the chakrams that cut them down, and finally to us.

“Hello again,” I say with a smile. “Bet you didn't expect to see me here, did you?”

“You're that hero…!”

“Guilty. Though if anyone here is truly guilty, it's you.”

“How did you find me? Have you come to get your revenge on me for arresting you?”

“I've got my ways. And as for revenge, I don't really care about that. However…” I hold his eyes. “Retribution is another matter.”

“You came to bring me to justice? Do you think I'm a fool? You murdered that other hero, didn't you? We should be working together, not fighting each other!”

“You think I killed Josh?”

“Who else would have done it? There were reliable witnesses who described you perfectly. And I'll have you know that had you not escaped, I was going to recruit you into my plan. There shouldn't be any reason for you to refuse!”

“So you really don't know, huh? Well, that just means the answer to that puzzle really is as simple as I thought.” I shrug. “Anyway, I'm going to refuse your offer to join forces.”

“Why!? Aren't we working toward the same goal!? Don't you hate the heroes!?”

“Nah, can't really say I hate them, with one notable exception. But the fact is I came here to put a stop to whatever it is you have planned next. Too many people have already suffered because of you.”

“You…!” Bartholomew's face grows red. “Don't look down on me! You heroes are all the same, thinking you're so much better than the people in this world! We don't need you to help us! We don't want you here!”

He points his sword at me. “If it were up to me, we'd burn every reference to the summoning spell so it could never be used again! No more heroes! No more outsiders disobeying our rules and doing whatever they want!”

I shake my head. “You always were like this, Bartholomew. But you've really gone off the deep end since then, haven't you?”

“Shut up! Don't act like you know me when you were just summoned a few days ago!”

“Yeah, yeah.” I wave my hand dismissively. “It's useless to talk to you, Bartholomew. So I'm just going to do what I came here to do. Stop you.”

His angry face distorts into a sneer. “You? Stop me? I don't know how you managed to escape, but if everyone is right about you, then you're far too weak to stand against me.”

“I wonder about that…”

I motion to Lyra, and she raises her chakrams. Bartholomew and his criminal buddy focus on her, but I don't see any fear in their eyes. In fact, the crooked high noble seems to realize something.

“So that's how you broke out,” he says. “You had help. Well, even if she's strong, she's not a match for us. I hope you don't expect her to protect you.”

“I wouldn't be so confident,” Lyra says. “I've faced stronger opponents than the two of you, and I'm still standing.”

“Big words for such a little girl. Spectre, show them why I pay you so much coin.”

A pair of daggers appears in his hands. “I expect a bonus for this one.”

“You'll get no such thing.”

“Eh, worth a shot.”

In a blink, Spectre’s hand blurs, and a glimmer of light streaks across my vision.

In the same heartbeat, the ring of metal on metal fills the room, followed by the thunk of a dagger hitting the stone floor.

I pull my sword back in, readying it for the next attack. But rather than follow up with another, Spectre simply looks at me.

“Deflected it, did ya? Young ‘uns like you are usually easy to catch off-guard, like your little girlie friend there.”

Lyra clicks her tongue. She has her chakrams in hand, but she wasn't prepared for the sudden attack.

Spectre had aimed for her, correctly identifying her as the larger threat. But I blocked his surprise attack, despite not even being his target.

“Your outfit,” I say. “It looks familiar. And with your stance and technique, it makes it all but certain. You're a member of the Assassin's Guild, Den of Whispers.”

Spectre shows a look of pure surprise. “How do you know that name?”

“I had a few run-ins with them before. I thought I wiped them out, but I guess a few rats survived, like you.”

“You? Wiped us out? Hah! Kid, you couldn't have been more than a baby when that rotten hero turned his scythe on us. Don't even pretend to know what happened back then!”

“Anyway. Now it makes sense why you and Bartholomew are working together. Both of you hate heroes. Or to be precise, you hated the hero that saved the world 15 years ago. I guess that means in a way, I'm responsible for all of this.”

I spread my feet. “And that's why I'm going to clean it up.”

Spectre pulls another dagger from somewhere. “I'm going to enjoy this more than you know.”

He's no joke. Even if he's nothing compared to the Master Assassin that led his guild 15 years ago, he's still leagues ahead of me in strength right now.

Even if I know his fighting style and techniques, there's no way I can beat him in a fair fight.

Guess that means I need to bring it out. This is the final battle, after all.

My sword vanishes, but that doesn't mean my hands are empty. The simple blade has just been replaced with one a bit more eye-catching.

Not just Spectre, but even Bartholomew stares with wide eyes as they take in the sight of my new weapon.

“T-that scythe…!” Bartholomew barely manages to get the words out.

“You like it?” I run my finger down the length of the blade. “I'm quite fond of it, myself.”

“Where!? Where did you get it!?”

“Hm? I've had it the whole time? Well, that's not quite true. It was given to me about 15 years ago.”

“Impossible! You were but a babe when that hero was rampaging around this world, doing as he pleased! So how!? How do you have his insufferable scythe!?”

“This is why talking to you is–”

Two flashes of light meet just in front of my face. One is my scythe, cutting through the air quicker than its large form should allow. The other a dagger, thrown by none other than the assassin standing before me.

“Shut your mouth.” The assassin retrieves yet another dagger.

“How rude. Pre-battle banter is part of what makes combat interesting, isn't it? Have a little tact.”

“Like I care what a runt like you thinks! That scythe–I’ll never forget it! The guild was nearly destroyed because of that thing! I lost everything! My master, my home, even my own father! All because of that scythe!”

“How ironic that an assassin wants retribution. How do you think the friends, wives, and children of your victims feel each time you complete one of your missions?”

“Who cares! All I care about is taking revenge on the one who destroyed everything I was working for!” He raises his daggers. “Or at least the one holding his scythe.”

“In that case, there's nothing else that needs to be said. Let's end this, for both of us.”

A chakram passes by me, aimed at Spectre. The icy-blue weapon sings as it slices the air, ready to cut the man down in a single strike.

But the assassin isn’t so easily dispatched. With a quick motion, he deflects the oncoming chakram, sending the weapon flying wildly off course.

His defense flows straight into offense, his second dagger growing closer as he leaps at me.

I twirl my scythe, catching his blade with mine. My weapon continues to spin, the tip now arcing toward the assassin's body.

Spectre sees it coming well ahead of time, his body already moving out of the path of my blade. He manages to dodge the attack, but he puts himself directly in line with Lyra’s second chakram.

Once again, Spectre is forced to block Lyra’s weapon–or so we thought.

A wall of stone appears, and the chakram sinks into it, coming to a stop before it can cut through.

With a glance, I look at Bartholomew.

Not the highest level, but he always was a decent mage. Guess he's only gotten better these last 15 years.

With his movements freed from having to defend, Spectre flows straight into his next assault.

His stance looks familiar. So, he's going to use that, is he?

“[Shadow Strike]!” Spectre vanishes from my sight.

With a quick twirl of the scythe, my blade disappears as well. But rather than using a skill, all I've done is slash at the space behind my back without even turning.

“Gah…!” Spectre grunts in pain, followed by the sound of metal hitting stone.

I finally turn around, where I see the assassin holding a wound in his arm. He tried using it to stab me with the dagger he held in it, but it didn't go as he expected.

The dagger he once held now rests on the ground, and from how he's holding his arm, it doesn't look like he'll be picking it up anytime soon.

I bring my scythe back in, holding it in a combat grip. “[Shadow Strike] is a deadly assassination skill, but it requires you to take a very particular stance to use it. I'd recommend not relying on it against opponents who've fought your guild before.”

“How…! You're just a kid! There's no way you actually have enough combat experience against a guild like mine!”

“Looks can be deceiving, Spectre. You should–”

A loud noise interrupts me, sounding almost like a low-pitched whistle. Turning, I see a huge chunk of rock flying straight at me, with Bartholomew’s hand being the origin of the magical stone.

[Stone Shot], is it? Nothing to worry about, then.

I turn back to Spectre, who's already moving to take advantage of his ally’s spell. From the assassin's movements, it's obvious he expects me to dodge the spell by stepping backwards. It's the safest path available to me.

So, it's fun to see the look of surprise on his face when I take a step forward.

With my positioning, I'm still in the path of the [Stone Shot]. But in truth, the spell was never a threat.

A wall of ice appears between me and the large rock. The stone crashes into it, sending a high-pitched sound through the room as cracks appear in the ice.

Lyra’s spell manages to stop Bartholomew's in its tracks, as I knew it would.

As for me, catching the assassin off-guard gives me the advantage in our exchange. The dagger he seeks to plunge into me finds only air, while my scythe closes in on his unprotected chest.

“Too slow!” His dagger deflects my attack. “Hah! You talk like you know everything, but aren't you actually really weak!?”

“Tch.” I pull my scythe back. “Don't think you have a chance just because my level is lower than yours.”

I hear Lyra's chakram fly by, aimed at Bartholomew. The two of them have been going at it while also looking for a chance to intervene between me and Spectre to give their partner the advantage.

So far, it's been a bit of a stalemate, but that can only last so long. Eventually, someone's going to make a critical mistake.

“Hahaha! Fool! Now that I know how weak you are, I can just overwhelm you with brute force!” He readies his one good arm. “Time to–”

Lyra's second chakram cuts his words off, but Spectre sees it coming from the corner of his eye. Like before, he deflects her weapon, sending it zipping right by harmlessly.

However…

“Kuh….!”

Spectre turns to the high noble that he works for. Bartholomew is gripping a chakram that's stuck deep into his body, the very same chakram that the assassin just deflected.

“What the…”

“You were never the target,” I say. “Lyra just made it look like you were so Bartholomew wouldn't think the chakram was actually aimed at him. Otherwise, he'd just block it like the others.”

Bartholomew pulls the chakram free and throws it to the ground. But since it's Lyra's Spirit Weapon, she can easily recall it to her hand.

With both chakrams back in her grip, she turns to Spectre.

I spin my scythe at the same time, indicating my intent to attack.

The assassin grits his teeth, his eyes flicking to the set of stairs that likely leads out of this room. However, he doesn't turn and flee. Rather, he attacks.

I catch his blade with my own, knocking it aside. The assault leaves him open, and Lyra takes full advantage of it, sending a chakram at him.

However…

“[Shadow Strike]!” He vanishes.

There's a whistle as something cuts the air, along with a flash of light as that object zips toward Lyra. Finally, a soft sound of it hitting flesh, followed by a groan.

“Guh…” Spectre spits blood. “You monster…”

He falls, the dagger he sought to stick into Lyra clattering to the floor.

In his body is my sword, which I threw even before he used his assassination skill.

“You were too obvious,” I say. “Your old boss would have never been so easy to read.”

Turning from the assassin, my eyes fall on our final opponent, Bartholomew. I take one step toward him, my scythe held before me.

“Stop!” Bartholomew holds up his hand, which carries a large bottle. “Come any closer, and I'll make you regret it!”

“It can't be…!” I stare at the object inside the bottle. “That's a lesser spirit! How did you capture one!?”

“Hahaha! So you can see the spirits! Then do you know what would happen if I opened it here?” He places the bottle beneath his own chin.

“I should be asking you that! A corrupted lesser spirit taking over a human body won't just create a simple aberrant! It'll unleash a monster far worse than that!”

Bartholomew smiles. “I know. That's precisely why I had to get my hands on one.”

“You'll be the first to die if you open that bottle!”

“What's the difference between that and letting you slice me in two? At least this way, I can take you with me!”

“You're willing to destroy so many homes and lives just to get your revenge!?”

“Who cares about a few peasants? They can be easily replaced with more of the same. What's important is taking out the heroes!”

“So you planned on releasing that thing from the very beginning.” I tighten my grip on the scythe. “You've lost it, Bartholomew.”

“Lezard.” Lyra's voice comes from behind me. “We should negotiate. If he releases that spirit, even we might not be able to defeat it.”

“I know. Bartholomew, let's make a deal. There's gotta be a way for both of us to get what we want. For us, it's the bottle. For you, it's your life.”

“Do you think I'm a fool? The moment I give you this bottle, my life is forfeit.”

“No, I'll keep to my word. You get to go free, but you have to give us the bottle. I can't let you use it on yourself or anyone else.”

“That’s unfortunate…” He twists the hand holding the cork. “Because it's too late.”

“Lyra, get the captives!”

Without waiting for her response, I throw every ounce of strength I have into my legs, pushing my body forward as fast as I can.

The distance between me and Bartholomew can be considered short. Too far for melee, but well within normal spell range. Unfortunately, a spell won't be enough to stop him now.

I'm too slow…!

I watch with horror as the spirit within the misty bottle escapes its confinement. It's obvious at a glance that it's been corrupted by the mist.

Once a spirit has been corrupted, it seeks out living creatures, and once it finds one, it will fuse with the creature and mutate it into a grotesque monster.

The higher class the spirit, the more powerful the mutant will be. And if it fuses with a human, it can reach a strength far beyond that of a normal mutant.

A lesser spirit is only one step above a minor spirit like Cobble. Above them are major spirits, then the Great Spirits like the one inside Lyra.

But although Bartholomew’s lesser spirit is only ranked second out of the four classifications, the mutants created from them are on an entirely different level than minor spirits.

And right now, that lesser spirit is currently burrowing its way into Bartholomew's body.

Make it in time!

I finally reach the high noble, my scythe arcing through the air to take his life before he can become a beast and ravage the city.

“What!?” My scythe stops just before it can slice into his body.

Blackened tendrils are wrapped around the blade and handle, preventing me from following through with my attack.

“Don't underestimate me…!” I send a burst of mana into my weapon, and it begins to glow with a blue light.

A hissing sound fills my ears as the tendrils begin releasing acidic smoke. The black tentacles wrapped around my scythe writhe and squirm, but the power flowing through my weapon burns them away.

Finally, I regain control of the blade, and I sink the tip directly into Bartholomew's chest.

But the man doesn't even flinch.

“Too late…!” I yank my weapon out and leap back.

More black tendrils appear, lashing out at me. With a quick swipe of my scythe, an armful of them end up squirming on the ground, cut from the main body.

Yet as I watch, those tendrils crawl along the floor until they reach Bartholomew, melting back into his now blackened skin.

Or rather, the man who used to be Bartholomew.

“Lyra, we need to leave! If we stay here…!”

An explosion of tendrils erupts. But rather than attacking me, they wrap around Bartholomew’s body, forming what looks like a cocoon or egg.

More and more appear, the cocoon growing in size with each passing second.

I pull my eyes from the mutating creature and see that Lyra has already cut the captives free and is leading them toward what looks to be the only exit in this place.

With quick steps, I follow her, all of us rushing to get out of this building as fast as we can.

Behind us is the sound of squirming tendrils, but it's quickly overtaken by the cracking of stone as the cocoon grows too large to fit inside the basement.

As the building begins to shake, we finally burst out from the underground floor and into a wide-open room.

Fortunately, this place is a warehouse of sorts, making it easy to navigate. Thanks to that, we manage to reach the exit without getting turned around.

And more importantly, before the whole building comes crashing down on top of us.

“What now?” Lyra asks. “You know what's coming.”

“Yeah.” I watch on as the captives run off. “We don't have a choice. We can't let that creature wreak havoc in the middle of the city.”

“Do you think we can defeat it? Even if it's weaker than normal because of how it was born, it's still one of the most fearsome class of mutants. Should we lure it to the heroes and have them take care of it?”

“They're not ready. Other than Mitsuki and Isaac, the others simply aren't prepared to fight something like this.”

“And you are?”

I hold my hands in front of my face. “No. Not even close. But I can’t risk my classmates’ lives against this creature. And I have a plan. If it works, then we can end this fight before it starts.”

“How so?”

“By using one of my unique magics, [Pale Moonlight].”

Lyra looks thoughtful. “Wasn’t that the spell you used against that aberrant back when you first revealed your power to me?”

“Yeah, I created the spell to combat the mutants. It actually targets the corrupted spirit within the creature, not the body itself.”

“Quite a useful spell, but it must have a downside, yes?”

“It does. It’s short range, so I have to get close to the spirit. It also uses a lot of mana just to destroy a single spirit, making it quite a poor choice when it comes to efficiency. And finally, if it fails to eradicate the spirit, it won’t do much damage, making it an all-or-nothing attack.”

“That’s a lot of downsides. Why create such a spell in the first place instead of something more efficient?”

“Because it doesn’t destroy the spirits. It cleanses them, reverting them back to their uncorrupted state.”

Lyra’s eyes go wide. “You can do such a thing?”

“Yep. But that’s not why I want to use it here. The reason I think it’s a good idea is because I can’t fight an extended battle. I won’t be able to use my full power for very long, so I’d rather place it all on a single attack with the highest chance of success. In other words, [Pale Moonlight].”

“I see. In that case, I don’t have any complaints.”

The ground begins to rumble. “Good, because we’re out of time.”

The warehouse in front of us is shaking, as if there were a powerful earthquake only affecting it and not any of the other nearby buildings.

Unfortunately, we’re not dealing with a simple natural disaster. We’re facing a monster. A powerful one.

Black tendrils explode from the top of the warehouse. The roof is several times my height, yet the squirming appendages rise even higher into the sky. They lash around, as if searching for prey they know to be nearby.

But the tendrils aren’t the real threat.

The entire roof of the warehouse collapses under the violent shaking. As it falls, it reveals a dark mass of flesh with writhing skin, as if more tendrils were moving just beneath the surface of its body.

The creature continues to rise, even as the warehouse crumbles around it. Taller and taller it grows, until it stands several times the height of the building in which it emerged.

Its form is vaguely human, as are all mutants born from people. The creature’s head is looking directly at us—or rather, directly at me. In its pitch-black eyes, I see a burning hatred, born from both Bartholomew’s anger and the mutant’s innate desire to hunt heroes.

The gigantic monster towers over the cityscape, it’s dark, writhing form a nightmarish sight to even hardened warriors. All around it are tendrils, reaching out and searching for a victim.

“A leviathan,” Lyra says. “I’ve never fought one without the aid of the Great Spirit of Water.”

“It’d be great if she woke up right about now, huh? That’d be really convenient…”

“It’s best not to put your hopes on such a miracle.”

“Agreed. That’s why we’re sticking to my original plan. You clear a way through the tendrils, and I’ll go for the corrupted spirit inside it.”

Lyra raises her two chakrams. “I’ll slice them to pieces.”

I hold my hand out, and my scythe reappears. “Then I guess it’s time to go all-out.”

Like before, I tap into the power within me. The energy responds to my will, flowing from its resting place and filling me with a surge of strength.

Lyra watches as my hair shifts from its natural brown to a shade of pale blue, reminiscent of the larger of the two moons that watch over this world after the sun vanishes beyond the horizon.

“We’ve got one chance. Ready?”

“Of course.”

“Good answer.” With that, I push off the ground, heading straight toward the leviathan.

Lyra follows in my wake, the two of us leaping onto the roof of a nearby building. Even with that, we’re not even close to gaining the height we need to reach the leviathan’s chest, where the spirit is embedded.

Fortunately, this is where magic shines.

My feet leave the roof, stepping onto open air. Yet despite there being nothing beneath me, I don’t fall. A keen eye would spot a small ripple under my boot, where I created a magical platform.

Pushing off the translucent step, I leap higher. One magical platform after the next, I ascend toward the leviathan, with Lyra right behind me.

When we get near, the mutant releases an ear-shattering roar, showcasing its hatred of me and all things living. At the same time, the tendrils lash out, seeking to either knock us from the sky or entangle us for the host body to finish off with ease.

But they’ll have to make it through our attacks first.

Two chakrams fly by me, disappearing into the mass of tendrils coming our way. As I watch, appendages are sliced in two, their blackened flesh falling from the sky and hitting the ground below with a wet splat.

There are so many tendrils that Lyra alone can’t deal with them all, which is precisely why I brought out my scythe.

With the mass of appendages thinned out, I cut my way through the wall of flesh, my scythe a blur. As I move, the two chakrams continue to protect my flanks, cutting down any tendrils that seek to latch onto me.

Using my momentum, I burst out the other end, putting me right in front of the massive leviathan. The mutant’s hand is already moving, trying to swat me from my magical platform.

But as I am now, dodging the attack feels natural.

After evading the hand, I raise my scythe high into the air, my mana gathered into a powerful spell.

One chance. That’s all I have to finish this battle.

Or so I thought.

“My strength is…!” My hair begins to fade back to brown. “No choice, gotta go for it! [Pale Moonlight]!”

I release my spell, and a beam of light falls from the heavens, hitting the leviathan directly where its spirit is embedded.

The mutant lets out a screech, its body flailing wildly. One of its arms catches me in the side, and my senses spin as a feeling of vertigo takes me over.

I hit something hard, with a crashing sound drowning out the leviathan’s screech.

Finally, I come to a stop, and I realize I’m buried under something heavy.

Ugh. That hurt…

Using the last remnants of my enhanced strength, I push on the rubble sitting atop me. Fortunately, I break through to the light, freeing myself from the brick wall that I was trapped beneath.

“Lezard!” Lyra lands next to the rubble. “Are you okay!?”

I limp down the pile of bricks. “Battered. But I’m alive.”

“I saw the spell, and now the leviathan is thrashing around in pain. Did it work?”

I look up at the mutant. “No. If my spell had cleansed the spirit, it would have done so already. I failed.”

“No way…”

The two of us look up at the leviathan. My spell obviously hurt it, but it didn’t cause any lasting damage. It’s more akin to a flash grenade, meaning once the effect wears off, it’ll be at nearly full strength.

We walk to the center of the road to get away from the crumbling building, though I have to limp my way there.

During that time, the leviathan settles down. Its thrashing stops, and the tendrils begin hunting for prey once again. It won’t be long before it comes at us with all of its fearsome might.

“What do we do now?”

“Lyra, I need two minutes. Can you hold the leviathan off for that long?”

She turns to the leviathan and raises her chakrams. “I’m a spiritkin warrior chosen by the Great Spirit of Water. If it’s just two minutes, then you can consider it done.”

“Thanks, Lyra. I’ll be back in two minutes, and after that, I promise I’ll finish this.”

“Hmph. If I don’t defeat it before then.”

With a smile, I sit down in the center of the street. Then, I close my eyes.

I didn’t want to do this, but I don’t have a choice.

I’ll have to ask her for help.

I reach out with my mind, calling for a certain person.

She answers immediately.