"Luke of the White Wolf Forest!　You're the only one I'm willing to give up for anything to get you!

　The enormous torrent of magical power released by the leaping Norzuri poured down like a circle around me and Garnett, and in the blink of an eye, a new ice wall was created.

　It was like a circular tower of ice that rises up around us.

''Tch!　The white wolf!
I know!

　I immediately extend my arm to [disassemble] it.

　However, the moment I was about to touch the ice wall, the swirling cold air wrapped around my arm and froze my arm in a flash.

''Nah......!

　I instantly pull my arm back and [decompose] the ice.

　I didn't expect to be frozen so much in an instant.
　Even when I engaged Norzuri before, he refroze it right as I [disintegrate] and made it difficult to break through, but this time it's clearly more than that.

''I told you I wouldn't miss it.

　The Norzli slipped through the ceiling of the ice wall to reveal itself.

　But instead of descending to the floor, he remained near the top of the circular tower, supported by a foothold of cold air.

'Don't worry. I will not take your life by your majesty's edict. I will freeze you alive and carry you away.''
'Ha!　I don't think so!

　Garnett fires a series of slashes of magic power in succession at the Norzuri above his head.

　Multiple layers of ice shields are deployed against it.

　The shield shatters with each blow, and the Norzuri sword catches the slashes that break through.

'You are unnecessary. ''You can stain the ice with fresh blood.''

　A large number of ice spears were generated and rained down like a torrential downpour on Garnett.

　Garnett shot down half of them with a slash of his full strength magical power, and stopped the remaining half with a barrier of magical power.

''Konoha ......!
Oh, you're being a dick.

　The moment Norsuli showed his readiness for further pursuit, the other side of the ice wall suddenly became dazzling, and the cold air inside the ice tower seemed to have faded.

　While Garnett and I were bewildered, Norzuri seemed to have immediately sensed what had happened and stared abominably at the source of the flash.

'Suzuri, did you get serious when you saw that there was no threat of collateral damage ...... Mm, no, this is ...... this glow isn't just ...... Suzuri. ......!
...... cherry!

　Beyond the ice wall, two light sources are in motion, each with a completely different trajectory, colliding with each other.

　The trajectory is a true flash of light.

　Sakura is engaged in a serious battle against Demon General Suzuri.

　Should we hurry and aim to escape and join them?
　No, it might be dangerous to go out there without a plan.

You're not going to be able to get your hands on any more of this stuff. ...... If that wasn't an exaggerated provocation, it means that if Norzuri's ice wall disappears, it's going to be bad for you. ......! )

　While thinking about it, I put my hands on the floor and activated [Analysis].

　The result was beyond my imagination.
　Every kind of combustible material in the entrance hall is on fire, and the surface of the stone material is also burnt to a crisp.

　Norzuri must have felt bitter.

　I don't know what kind of exchange took place outside, but the war situation over there is clearly restricting Norzuri's actions.

　The ice tower that was deployed to lock us in, but it can no longer be deactivated for Norsulli's convenience.

''It's unavoidable. Before the ice wall reaches its limit, I'll proceed somewhat forcefully. An over-freeze might even rot one of my arms, but you'll have no problem with that.

　A cold air-clad Norzuri landed on the floor.

　In the next moment, a swirl of cold air so intense that I couldn't keep my eyes open.

　The garnet, which was closer to Norsulli than me, is instantly covered by ice and snow.

''Haku, wax, no ......!
'Garnett!　Let's go downstairs!
......!　Ooh!

　I put my hands on the frosty floor and activate [Decomposition] as fast as I can.

　A large circular hole is blasted along the base of the circular tower of the ice wall.

　Myself and Garnett, who received the signal, were able to prepare for the fall and meet the moment, but Norzuri was completely caught off guard and lost her foothold and lost her stance.

'Nuh-uh ......!　I knew it!

　Even if he knew he could do something like this, he wouldn't have been able to read it off until the timing of the activation.

　While falling into the space that expands below the entrance hall, at the same time, I [Repair] the floor and seal the hole, leaving behind a mass of cold air generated by the enormous magical power.

　In a second and a bit of time, falling down the equivalent of three floors in a building on the ground, Garnett took my arms and pulled me in and landed forcefully in a position to hold me with both arms.

　Norzuri didn't crash haphazardly, either, and landed unscathed, if not lightly.

''Hmm ...... you think you've split me and Suzuri up?　If that's the case, you're not thinking straight. You guys are good enough to defeat me now.
Well, I don't know.

　I casually whisper into his ear while getting off my arm while [restoring] the frozen garnet.

''As long as I'm not around, Sakura can escape with [shrinking land] and even get over the castle walls. If the castle attack is successful, it's ours.

　I've long been painfully aware that I'm a liability in battle.

　That's why I've thought of a number of measures that can be taken without dragging my feet.

　Although Bran had planted a technique to prevent the flesh from being thinned out in the [Shrinking Land], there was no doubt that such a planting didn't exist, at least the minute we moved from the outside of the city walls to the inside.

　After we leave, if they join the siege force and speed up the breach of the city walls, that's all that matters.

''Can we go, Garnett?''
Yeah, that's a problem.

　While confronting Norsuli at some distance, he checks his surroundings.

　-- there is no atmosphere of being part of the castle at all.

　The floor and walls are flat, and the ceiling is filled with the same luminescence system as the top surface of the "Demon King's Castle Area".

　However, not all of the underground space was illuminated, and the area further in from the current position was closed in deep darkness.

　Memories from a long time ago already came flooding back.

　This is the place where you were attacked by the brave Falcon who turned into a dragon man during the construction of the Hollow Bottom Fortress and settled the score with him - the mysterious ruins spreading underneath the 'Demon King's Castle Area'.

　This underground space seemed to be built in the same architectural style as the passage of the ruins.

'' (Don't tell me it's not ...... a space built underneath the castle, but the castle was built later on top of this place?　(......) over the underground ruins and the castle to hide it.

　The confrontation continued in silence for a while.

　Neither Garnett nor Norzuri seemed to act carelessly, but seemed to be looking for each other's way out.

　The standoff was broken by the sound of shoes that came from the depths of the darkness.

''-- Well done, Norsuli. I see you've safely secured those who are connected to Alfazul.
Yes, it's an honor, sir.

　Despite being in front of the enemy, Norzuri released his stance and knelt down.

　It's just that simple, and we were made to understand clearly what the owner of the footsteps is.