After descending a spiral staircase that seemed to go all the way down to the bottom of the earth, we finally reached the fourth level.
　At the end of the descent was a narrow passage.

(The air is ... heavy.)

　Just breathing is kind of disgusting.

　The five of us proceeded down the corridor for a while.

　Eventually, we see the exit of the passage.
　It seemed to lead to a large space.

　Asbel-san, who is leading the way, looks back at us.

'Don't make a sound from here, okay?

　...Yeah.

　We nodded silently.

　Killing the sound of our footsteps, we exited the corridor and found ourselves in a space as wide as a dome stadium.

　There were a number of pillars that looked like large trees supporting the ceiling, and one of the collapsed pillars was lying right in front of us - Asbell-san led us into the space wrapped in that rubble.

　Asbell's fingers indicate the gap between the pillar and the floor.

(Does that mean we can look in from here?)

　I got down on the ground and looked at the view from there.

　...........

(......................wow. ....................There are really skeletons all over the place)

　At the end of the pillars, the floor was a loose ramp.
　At the far end, about thirty meters down, in a wide space about the size of a flat baseball field, a cluster of white human bones were densely packed together in a horrifying manner. It was a bit creepy to watch...

　--These are a thousand skeletons, huh?

　There were countless human bones lying at their feet that were too damaged to become skeletons.

(.........Is that the magic altar?)

　In the center of the white group, there was a space where the skeletons didn't approach.

　A small altar.

　On the altar carved with a magic circle, a dried up mummy was lying on the altar, and a single sword was thrust into its chest. Looking at the clothes, that mummy looks like a woman.

''I see....'Sacrifice of a Saint,''

　Huh?

　Before I knew it, Solstice, who was next to me, was muttering softly.

　We return to our posture.
　Then, sitting on the floor, she says to Asbell and the others.　

'It's tricky, that one.'
You know about this, Sol?
'A little bit.

　Mr. Garion raised an eyebrow.

'I mean, what?'
So that means my magic can't destroy that altar.

　I see.
　So I can't just shoot magic from a safe distance.

So, how do we destroy it?
I'm going to have to physically attack you with a sword or something.

　....................
　Everyone fell silent.

　That's right.
　There are a thousand skeletons around that altar. Before our swords can destroy the altar, the skeletons' swords will destroy our lives.

(.........but)

We have to do it, so we can all go home together.

　I said.
　Asbell-san and the others nodded with a ready face, ''Well.......''

　--The plan is this.

　Asbell-san and Garion-san are the ones who rush in to destroy the altar.
　From here, Solstice will use her magic to blow away the skeletons that obstruct the path of the two of them to clear the way.
　The ones who will fight the skeletons coming this way, as Solstice's bodyguard, are me and Ryuta-san.

It's not a good idea to blow up the ruins, so you can't use big magic. So, if there are any skeletons left, break through on your own.
Yeah, okay.
Oh.
If you don't move, you'll be surrounded.　It's a risk, but a forceful one.
Yeah.
You got a problem with that, man?

　Garion, dumbfounded.
　Solstice, I'm a little miffed.

"Your success or failure is a matter of our lives!
I know.

　He nodded.

I owe you my life, too. You'll control the timing of the spell, so go ahead and do what you want. We're just going to run with it.
.......... Yeah, yeah.

　Solstice looks startled by the unexpected words.

(Huh?)

　Asbell-san and Ryuta-san also looked at each other.
　And Garion-san looked at me.

　Huh?

Bloodless kid. You'd better protect him, too, huh?　Because if you're not, you'll be carrying more of a burden than we will, right?
"........... Yeah.
Well, just keep up the good work.

　thump

　Saying that, Garion-san taps my little shoulder roughly. ....................It hurts quite a bit.

.........
..........

　Holding my shoulders, Solstice and I looked at each other with an indescribable expression on our faces.

　-- Anyway, the plan has been decided.

　During the strategy meeting, the skeletons passed near the fallen pillar several times, but each time they hid their breaths and fortunately they were not found.

　Then we took our positions.

(Alright, let's get started then!)

　They exchanged glances, and first, Solstice swung her great staff, which had a magic stone glowing red, wide open.

　In the air, Thanatos magic letters of red light are drawn in the sky.　

(.........20 seconds left. .........15 seconds to go.......10 seconds, 9, 8, 7, 6)

　Five seconds left.

　I give the signal, and when Asbel-san and Garion-san see it, they run down the ramp like a gale. Luta-san bit her lip and stared at their backs.

　There's no turning back now.

　Our all-or-nothing strategy began like this--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


"O red butterflies of doom! Blow away the bones that interfere with their running!　--Fraim Ba Toffin!

　A beautiful chant from Solstice.
　And then, butterflies of fire fly out of the Thanatos magic letters in the air.

　Gasp!

　At the same time, a thousand skeletons looked back at us in unison.

(!)

　Great pressure.
　A deathly gaze, pregnant with a hint of death, is focused on us at an extraordinary rate.

''Oh, whoa!''
Uh-oh!

　Asbell-san and Garion-san are running at high speed, screaming.

　I'm sure it's to distract the skeleton's consciousness from the keystone of the operation, Solstice, if only for a moment.

(You're fast!)

　As expected of the 'Demon Blood People'.　
　Both of them rushed into the group of skeletons at a speed reminiscent of Illtimina-san and Kilt-san.

　--Butterflies of fire descended in front of them.

　''Dopa dopa dopaaaaaaan.

　There was an explosion.
　The skeletons were blown apart, their dismembered bones flying in the air in rapid succession.

　A small space was created in a sea of white wraiths.
　The two of them ran into it.

''Mr. Marl!''

　Luta's warning flew.

　The skeletons that were not those two, but the skeletons that were aiming at us, were climbing up the ramp and approaching us.
　The number of them, about 70 of them.

　Solstice was standing on top of a huge pillar that had fallen.

　To get there, you have to climb the rubble I'm in. And this place is too small to stand, only three at most.

(Here, we'll hold them off.)

　The Thanatos magic letters at the front of Solstice continue to produce butterflies, still flaming butterflies.
　The magic is continuing.

　The moment it breaks off, Asbel-san and Garion-san are attacked by a large number of skeletons, and then killed.　

(The onus is on you, Marle.)

　He called out in his mind and grabbed the hilt of The Fang of Marl with his right hand.

　Then, a close encounter.

''Hey!''

　I pounced on the leading skeleton.

　Ginging, giggling.

　They align their blades and push back, sparks flying.

　Skeletons are coming at me from both sides.
　I carefully blocked the spear that was thrust out, and with a counter 'hilt strike', I snapped its arm.

(The other one's a shield bearer, right!)

　But no matter.
　I'll just kick it away from the top of the shield as best I can.

　GAIN.

　The skeleton, which had nothing but bones, was light in weight.
　With a kick from me, a child, the shield-holding skeleton lost its balance and fell from the rubble, engulfing the skeletons behind it.

　This will buy us some more time.

(Alright, good.)　

　At least I can't get the image of them breaking through here in my mind.

　I can go on like this!

　-- that's when I thought.

"....Marl. ........join Asbel and Garion.

　Hmm?
　Solstice, looking ahead, suddenly said something like that.

(Huh?)　(Merging?)

　I looked at her for a moment as I fought the two skeletons.

　She looked like she was in pain.
　A lot of sweat was pouring from her forehead, and her complexion had turned remarkably white.

　I saw that complexion before, in the forest on the way to Medis.

(Don't tell me........you're out of magic!

　And then I noticed.

　The number of flaming butterflies Solstice was releasing was ridiculous, not just a thousand, but well over ten thousand. That's exactly what was happening incessantly, even while I was fighting, the same momentum was continuing to create flaming butterflies.

''........The momentum of these skeletons is beyond my expectations. They're using more magic power than expected, to make a path.
..........
'At this rate, my magic will run out before they reach the altar.

　Tsk, blood spilled from the girl's nose.

(So, Solstice!?)

　It's not good.
　This boy is still pushing himself too hard.

"Please do me a favor. ...you can join us and give them a breakthrough.
..........

　You made your point.
　But.

　Tsk, tsk, tsk.

　When I'm gone, who will protect Solstice and Luta-san from these skeletons who are still fighting today?

　But then the flaming butterflies came over here, too.

　Dopapang.

(Whoa!)

　The skeletons in front of me explode.

I'll take care of it. When their magic power runs out, I'll have Ryuta hold them and run away.
"Solstice...

　I look at Luta.
　The dark elf girl nodded widely with a ready face.

(............)

All right. I'm off!

　I jump down the debris.

"I'm sorry, Merle. Please.

　The girl's apologetic voice hit my back.

(d*mn.........)

　Don't be sorry, Solstice.
　It was me who put you through something I knew would cost you, and I went along with your selfish wishes.

But I'll figure something out!

　Screaming in my mind, I run.
　Running.

　Down the ramp, countless new skeletons had already begun to gather on the path that Asbell-san and Garion-san had run through. Can we get through!　

　The moment I thought that.

　Shudon

　From above, an arrow of light fell and blew the skeleton in front of him.

(!?!)

　He turned around.

　On the rubble, a dark elf girl was wielding a glowing wand of magic stone.

(Now that was magic, Ryuta-san!)

　Great.
　But she doesn't have much magic left either. I can't expect any more support from her.

　I run desperately.
　The backs of the two people in front of me are getting closer.

　Ding!

　The two of them are advancing, defeating skeletons as they go.
　The number of flaming butterflies has dwindled, and the path ahead of them has yet to be carved out.

　Just human.
　And with my legs, being a child, I can catch up with them.

(This is seriously bad...!

　Rather than breaking through, they're barely surviving - that's the situation.

'Mr. Asbell, Mr. Garion!

　The two men looked back.
　Both were covered in wounds and bleeding from all over.

'Merle!
What brings you here, boy?

　The two of us are surprised.
　I shout frantically as I run.

'There's too many of them, Solstice's magic is at its limit!　We need to break through now!
Shh....
That's not a very nice thing to say.

　Come on, bakeyin'.

　Garion's war axe buries two skeletons.
　But then, five new skeletons are rushing in.　

"Chi.

　Mr. Gallion gritting his teeth.

　Dopapan dopaaan.

　Even the butterflies of fire falling from the sky are already visible and few in number.

(We're almost to the altar...!)　

　We have less than 20 meters to go.
　But that distance is endlessly far away.

There's no way...!

　At that time, I suddenly remembered a similar situation before.

　--Oh.

　

(That's it!)

　With a flash of inspiration, I run as fast as I can towards Gallion-san.

'Mr. Galleon!'
Ah!
Just throw me off!

　He was dumbfounded.
　But as soon as my gaze met his, he understood my intentions.

'Okay, come on!'

　gin

　Sparks fly and a battle axe is placed on the floor.
　With the momentum of my run, I jumped for the battle-axe and

Now!
'Ooohhhh!'

　vowon

　With a roar, Garion-san's thick muscles rose, and the battle-axe carrying me was raised with an extraordinary force.

(Ngh.)

　The wind pressure made me grit my teeth.

　The next moment - I was flying in the sky.

　I was flying through the air, looking down on the skeletons swarming below me with ease. At the expected landing point from that parabola, there was a splendid altar where the dried up mummy lay, with a sword stuck in its chest.

(Nice, Mr. Gallion!)

　I held the 'Marl's Fang' at the upper level.

　Don't.

　The tremendous impact of the landing - I used it to shake off 'Marl's Fang' as well.

''Yaaaah!''

　gigantic

　He cuts off the sword in his chest, cuts the mummy in both directions, and smashes the altar.

　Sparks fly.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!

　Instantly, a scream of unvoiced anguish raged through our minds.

(Ugh, wow!)

　I felt something invisible and black (...) erupt around me.

　With the impact of the fall, I rolled on the floor again and again.
　In a panic, I looked up.

''Ah.........''

　The skeletons around them all stopped as if they were frozen in place.

　The white human skeletons had stopped moving with their posture of trying to thrust their swords and spears at Asbell-san and Garion-san, even now. In the distance, there was also the figure of Solstice, who was being carried on her back by Ryuta-san, and the skeletons that were chasing the fleeing girls were also still, as if time had stopped.

(.........did you do it?)

　galang

　One skeleton collapsed.

　Rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle, rattle.

　Continuing on, two, three.......and one after another, the skeletons lost their power and turned into mere bones, rolling on the floor.
　And all of the skeletons collapsed.

　Asbell-san and the others, our gazes meet.

''.........''
..........
"Yes!

　Garion's roar.

　That was our cue.

　We shouted out with a look of delight, realizing that we had survived.

　We did it.
　We did it, we did it, we did it!

Yeah!

　I lie on my back on the floor and thrust my hands up.

　The two boys try to run up to me.

　Galan, Galan, Galan.

　Suddenly, there was the sound of bones nearby.
　For some reason, the two of them stopped in their tracks.

'..........Yul, sa, nai.......'

　Nearby, a chilling voice stroked my eardrums.

(.........what?)

　Jumping up and down in a hurry, I freeze.

　The upper half of the mummy's body, which should have been cut in both directions, is floating in the air.

　Black liquid is spilling out of the mummy's hollowed-out eye socket - it's crying, shedding black tears.

''.........Yul, sa, nai.......''

　Once again, a terrible curse came from the motionless mouth.

　Karan, Karan, Karan.

　The bones around them rolled and were absorbed into the mummy.

　Countless human bones cling to the small mummy and swell up into a huge figure.

(Ah.........ah....)

　I shuddered.
　There, the inhabitants of the dark world I had seen in the Great Forest of Aldoria at night had appeared.

　A huge skeleton floating in the air, more than three meters in length in the upper half of its body alone - a giant of death made from a collection of countless bones.

　I grunted.

'.........Skeleton King...'

　In a space where the smell of death pervades, the king of the horrible dead, who once took my life, has descended - the king of the horrible dead.