The demonized Mercenary charged, accompanied by miasma… Since they could withstand Sylvie’s “Belial Slash” head-on, it would be bad to confront them directly. Perhaps because of this, both Sylvie and Sofia began to move to evade.

Kuuza did the same, retreating while chanting. I also backed away in sync… yet the Mercenary charged. Their target was Sofia.

“–Crush them!”

At that, Kuuza unleashed a spell. It was the intermediate water magic “Stream Impulse,” which crushes opponents with a torrent of water. A raging torrent of water engulfed the Mercenary, and perhaps due to the physical impact and being caught off guard, they were blown away significantly.

“–Amaria!”

Immediately after, Sofia shouted. Magic power overflowed from her blade as she called out the Undine’s name.

As if to pursue the Mercenary, who was restrained by the water current–she raised her sword. She seemed to be preparing to attack the Mercenary from where she stood, rather than rushing towards them.

And she struck her sword into the ground, and ice erupted from the tip of the blade. This was the intermediate ice magic technique “Icicle Wave”–icicles surged like a wave, a long-range attack that shredded the opponent.

The Mercenary moved to evade it, but it was impossible. The icicles engulfed their body, encasing them in ice.

“……As expected.”

Sylvie spoke, slowly approaching with her sword at the ready. Sofia also approached cautiously, and Kuuza prepared to support them by chanting.

No one thought this was the end. Given the Mercenary’s astonishing magic power, the battle would continue… Just as they thought that, with the sound of ice shattering, the Mercenary broke free from the ice.

“–GAAAAAAAAH!!”

Letting out a beast’s roar, the Mercenary charged at Sylvie. She tried to respond, but the opponent was faster.

“Tch!”

Sylvie clicked her tongue and parried the sword the Mercenary swung. But the next moment, the Mercenary stepped further forward and — suddenly grabbed Sylvie’s right shoulder with his free left hand.

Immediately after thinking, ‘What the—’, Sylvie groaned. Immediately after, Sofia attacked the Mercenary’s right arm, which was holding a sword, from the side, and Sylvie escaped his grasp.

The Mercenary immediately changed his target to Sofia. He extended his left hand, and Sofia, who tried to evade it, was a step late in responding because she had been on the offensive.

Sylvie slashed from behind, and Kuuza further interfered with another ‘Stream Impulse’, but just before that, the Mercenary placed his hand on Sofia’s right shoulder, just as he had with Sylvie. It was as if he prioritized that movement over swinging his sword — and then the Mercenary was blown away.

“So that’s… what it is.”

Sofia said. She had retreated and regained her stance, but something was off.

Her movements were sluggish. What in the world is this—

“…Some monsters possess special abilities.”

Kuuza spoke, looking at the Mercenary who had been blown away.

“Such monsters generally lose their reason… but the abilities they gain in exchange sometimes exhibit potential that surpasses even the power of the Demon Race.”

With those words, Sofia and Sylvie stood side by side. They were ready to intercept, but something was still strange.

At that moment, I came to a conclusion and called out to the two of them.

“Could it be, his magic power…?”

“That’s right. The moment he touched me, a considerable amount of magic power was drained.”

Sylvie responded… an absorption ability. So that’s the Mercenary’s ability, gained in exchange for his reason.

He didn’t show such an ability during the game… Could it be that it manifested because time has passed? Either way, this guy consumes monsters to strengthen his abilities and also drains magic power… He’s a more troublesome opponent than I imagined. I don’t think he’ll grow indefinitely, but if we leave him be, the possibility of a disaster is extremely high.

“Considering how much magic power was taken, it seems we don’t have much leeway.”

Sylvie said. Then she readied her sword and regulated her breathing.

“Sofia, let’s do this with the intention of finishing it next.”

“Understood.”

“Then I’ll do everything I can too.”

Kuuza also said. While the three of them were concentrating their power, the Mercenary also regained his stance.

He must have taken damage. But there was almost no visible change. The lack of change in his movements was also eerily unsettling, making me wonder if Sofia and the others could defeat him.

“…Ruon, don’t interfere.”

Then, Sylvie again warned me.

“We’ll handle it. Such a formidable foe… troublesome, but he should be someone we can deal with.”

After speaking, Sylvie shrugged her shoulders slightly.

“Besides, considering my goal… if I lose to an opponent like this, there’s no point.”

“Oh, so you do have a purpose for fighting.”

Kuuza said teasingly. Sylvie had mentioned having a purpose when she joined us, but it seemed she hadn’t told Kuuza about it.

“Of course… watch me, I’ll give him a taste of my best.”

She declared, and her magic power surged even higher. Then I looked at Sofia. And then,

“…Lord Ruon.”

Perhaps sensing my gaze, she spoke up.

“I also have a goal. To reach it, I cannot ask for assistance here.”

“Is your goal not to defeat the Demon King, but to stand alongside Ruon?”

Sylvie said, seemingly amused… and Sofia’s shoulders trembled for a moment,

“…Did you overhear?”

“No way. I just thought you’d have a goal like that. I think you can do it, Sofia.”

“…Yes.”

With her words, Sofia’s magic power also surged. However, the magic power she generated was different from what I had felt before. This is—

“It seems Sofia has also been working hard.”

Sofia dutifully responded to Kuuza’s observation.

“It’s still incomplete, but… this is the best technique I possess right now.”

“Then I must respond in kind.”

He spoke, further enhancing his Magic Power with an Incantation. Judging by the different atmosphere compared to before, it seemed to be a new Magic he hadn’t shown yet.

The Mercenary, sensing the unusual aura, began to be wary. At the same time, I instinctively knew this offense and defense would decide the battle. And the Mercenary moved first.

The Mercenary charged. Kuuza was the one who responded.

“Spirit of Ice! Put that threat to sleep!”

With those words, the space where the Mercenary was running suddenly began to freeze, blossoming into a large flower. This was Ice Attribute Advanced Magic, “Lost Diamond.” It’s a Magic that freezes space itself, instantly freezing the target.

The Mercenary froze, stopping its movement. However, I immediately understood that it would only be for a moment. The Mercenary tried to break through using its Magic Power—but before it could, Sylvie and Sofia moved.

“—It’s over!”

Sylvie screamed. The Mercenary tried to break through the ice, but Sylvie’s slash reached it first.

Her movements were somewhat awkward, but it was clear at a glance that it was her advanced Unique Technique, “One Instant.” She unleashed a rapid series of attacks. However, perhaps because it was still incomplete, it didn’t reach the fifteen consecutive strikes as it did in the game.

Nevertheless, damage was certainly dealt. If it had the same power as in the game, it might have driven the opponent into a corner.

The Mercenary’s movement was greatly hindered by the ice and her sword—and in that instant, Sofia poured her Magic Power into a full-force strike.

The Magic Power hidden in the tip of her sword was clearly different from her previous Magic Sword Techniques. I could understand it. It was the ultimate strike, a fusion of the powers of the three Spirits she had a contract with—

“Yaaah!”

With a shout, the sword was brought down on the Mercenary. Her sword, unleashed with the force to cleave it vertically… it accurately struck the Mercenary, and finally, the opponent stopped moving.

It’s done—just as I thought that, the Mercenary turned to dust, and the battle ended.