I'll kill you. I'm sorry, sister. I'm just as desperate as you are.

　As Bran moved his right arm to the side, the flow of magic around him switched, and the foundation for the next large scale magic exercise was being prepared.

　In response, Noir took out a miniature scroll - a spell from his pocket and poured his magic power into it at the same time as he slammed it into the ground.

　This spell itself does not have much of an effect.
　It's only a starting point. The magic power that spilled over from it reached the wooden box hidden around it and excited the multiple spells contained within it all at once.

　A dark-colored chain as thick as an arm appears through the crate and rushes to Bran from every direction.

　However, a group of earthen shapes suddenly sprang up from the ground at Bran's feet and became a multi-layered wall, preventing the chains from binding.

''That was a close call. You were usually secretly preparing for me to come for you at any moment.''
The clay figure ...... Bran couldn't use that kind of magic, ......
'Did you think it was a fake?　I'm not the same as I used to be. Or do you want to take a guess at the number of moles in your sister's embarrassment?
...... either, but the same ......!

　Noir threw a dozen or so spells and further concentrated the magic power between his hands.

　The spells remained disciplined and stationary in the air, firing a few more magic bullets in rapid succession as they bounced off.
　After a beat, a mass of black flame was unleashed from Noir's hands.

　Dozens of magic bullets blew up one of the earthen-shaped crowd.
　Immediately after that, a fireball flew into the pried open gap, but it was blocked by the deployed defensive wall just a step away.

''......!''
'See. It's the same with your sister who uses a technique she doesn't know. If it wasn't for the clay figure, it would have been over.
Bran ......!
It's my turn. It's not fair that you only go after your sister.

　The remnants of the clay figure floats in the air, and multiple icicle-shaped clods are formed and shot at Noir at once.

　Noir countered with a snake-like black flame.

　The same number of pointed clods are unleashed, and they entangle themselves in the air with the clods and self-destruct, smashing the clods to pieces.

''Not yet!''

　Bran waved his arm to signal, and a large number of earthly forms regenerated from the soil and started to move in unison towards Noir.

'...... Tar Flood ......!

　Noir activates his magic to intercept them.

　Black magic power like mud or tar erupts from beneath his feet and spreads out in a semicircle, enveloping and solidifying the earthen forms that stepped into its range one after another.

　However, Bran was also quick to invoke a counter magic, and the purifying magic power that was also spread in a semicircle offset the tar floods and made the earth human form regain its freedom.

'......!　Fire--
Do you think they'll let you?

　A few large white flame bombs rained down in an arc from beyond the crowd of earthen shapes.

　Noir switched his target from the earthman form to the flame bombs and shot them down one after another with small and fast-fire magic bullets.

　However, as if to take advantage of the gap, the swarm of earthen forms struck out in a hard-hitting manner.

　While the first few dove into the tar floods and were hardened, the following clay figures ran over them and threw themselves out.

　The chain of events caused the swarm of earthen forms to close the distance between them and Noir in the blink of an eye.

'...... this ......!

　Noir generated a mass of black flames with both hands, but at the same time, additional flame bombs flew in an arc.

　Moreover, the target seemed to be not Noir, but behind it - the White Wolf Store.

　Simultaneous attacks from the air and the ground.
　If you prioritize the former, you will be swallowed by the amount of material, and if you prioritize the latter, the flame bombs will hit the White Wolf Store.

''Stop both: ......!　Surgical splitting: ......!

　A moment of grace. Noir quickly split the black flames into his left and right hands and unleashed them in the air and on the ground simultaneously.

　An exploding white fireball. A group of earthen forms engulfed in flames.

　The next moment Noir let out a breath of relief, a single earthen figure jumped across the flames.

''----!''

　Half the time wasn't enough. No defense or interception in time.

　I caught a glimpse of Bran sneering over the flickering black flames.
　As if he despised the idea of defending the building and losing his life.

　Before his body could take evasive action, the earthly form waved its arms--

Oraaah!

　-- a boy leaped through the window behind him and kicked the head of the earthen form in mid-air, crushing it.

　The boy landed on the ground where the Tar Flood had disappeared and carried his silver long sword on his shoulder with his back to Noir.

'Sorry. Sister (sibling) quarrel, I'm going to hold you back.''
Garnett: ......!

　Luke of the White Wolf Forest and his matching adventurer's outfit. A long sword that does not match his small stature.

　There was a boy there who should have been practically cut off from the outside world by a soundproof ward.

......Why ......
Get out of my way!

　Bran was stunned by the sudden intruders, but he immediately bared his rage.

　With a surge of magic power, he generated a large number of earthen forms, all of which rushed towards the White Wolf Shop.

　Immediately after that, Bran's torso was cut in half from under his chest.

''What--?''

　A single vertical slash was released where the top slid down from the chest, and the head and chest were cut off collectively.

''I knew this was a fake. It's just as Luke-dono expected.''

　Sakura, who had been soundlessly circling behind Bran in [Shrinkage], swings her cherry-colored sword and drops the dirt.

　The illusionary magic that had been deployed to overlap the body that was cut into three pieces disappears, exposing the remnants of the Mad Golem that stopped functioning.

'Mi, guys ...... why ...... wards are blocking the sound, supposedly ......'
That's called a soundproof ward. It's amazing, you didn't hear a single sound even though you were doing all this fancy stuff. But it's too quiet.

　Noir heard a man's voice from behind him and turned around in a hurry.

　Next to the front door, which had been opened before I knew it, Luke from the White Wolf Forest was standing there as if it was a given.










　-- The reason I noticed the oddities happening outside was so simple as to be anticlimactic.

There's a lot of owls and night hawks around here because we're so close to the forest, and when the wind blows you can hear the scraping of branches. When the wind blows, they can hear the scraping of branches.

　I was awake later than usual to look over the materials sent to me by the Adventurer's Guild and the Golden Fang Knights.

　I closed the shutters and curtains of my room and was reading the materials by the light of the lamp when I noticed that it was unusually quiet outside.

　Opening the window, he could hear nothing, even though the trees nearby were swaying in the wind.

　I thought that something must have happened, so I knocked Sakura and Garnett out of bed and dressed them, and just as I was about to check out what was going on outside, I came to an understanding of the situation.

'Maybe you're always sleeping and waking up in town, so you didn't get that much attention.

　Noir flopped down on the spot with a mixture of relief, surprise and confusion.

'We ...... sisters, it's a problem, and yet it's ...... annoying to everyone. ......
'If he's following the Demon King, it's not just a personal matter anymore. For the most part, even if it wasn't: ......

　Then he puts his hand on Noir's shoulder and says the most important thing.

'If it's a problem your friends are carrying, of course you're going to help them.
"...... Luke ...... I'm sorry, I'm sorry ............ thank you. ......

　Noir's expression, which had been tense with anxiety and nervousness, relaxed, and the tears she had been holding back flowed soundlessly down.

''There's no time for crying. Bran doesn't seem to have given up yet.

　The crowd of earthen forms that had temporarily stopped moving turned their faceless heads towards us all at once.

　Then, when I thought I heard an even louder earth shaking, a large tree that had been distorted into a human shape - a tree golem - emerged from the trees.