On cue, it was Loki who moved at the same time.
　He moved straight ahead in a low stance and put his hands behind his back, pulling something out of his waist.

　Ars confirmed it only after it was thrown from Loki's hands.

　There was hardly a throwing knife that could be called a handle. It's the type that is used by holding it between your fingers. And the blade was rather thick.
　A total of four knives, two from each hand, were aimed at Ars.
　It's fast for fast, but it was licked when it was thought that a head-on attack would work.
　Of course, including the prospect--.

　I'm not going to be able to get it right. Naturally the knife covered with magic power. The magic formula written on it floats a faint light, but no magic is released from it.
　One look at it and it instantly overrides it with its own magic power. The magical formula immediately stopped emitting light.
　He throws the same projectile back at Loki, who had a stunned expression on his face at the sight.

''----!

　He fought back with the knife he pulled out further, but he was unable to knock the knife covered by Ars's magic power off. The magic power that was forcibly overridden has increased the strength of the knife-type AWR and is coming at you at a speed that does not allow you to even blink.
　Loki ducked as he jumped back. It could be seen from his expression that he was in the nick of time.
　On the spur of the moment.......Loki took Ars out of her sight for a moment.

　With her experience, it was a little late to realize that it was a big mistake.

'It's over,'

　The voice came from behind Loki. A brief moment----a pause of only a blink of an eye was fatal against Ars.
　Ars cleaved with his hand sword to make him fall into a coma.

''--!

　However, the hand blade did not strike Loki's neck.
　Ars's hand blade changed its purpose in the middle - its hand grabbed Loki's arm.

''As expected of a man who has been crowned with a probing position, did you detect it with your magic power?

　Loki's hand that was released backwards had a knife between his hands in the opposite hand.
　It would have been easy to make him fall into a coma with his free hand, but the pinned knife was thrown with just the force of his fingers, and as soon as he shifted his face to avoid it, Ars dared to remove his hand.
　Immediately, Loki took a big leap to get some distance.

　Surely the chancellor was right and excellent, Ars praised him. He didn't say it out loud, though.

　He seemed to have enough skill to do well as a magician. That knife has become an AWR made with demons in mind. The knife that discharges slightly and is clothed in electricity should have increased speed and penetration.
　Even the first time, it would be impossible to grab it unless it was overridden within a few tenths of a second by Ars's magic power manipulation.

　If it was only a low-rate demon, it would have been pierced by the throw of the first attack.
　So even more so, Ars wondered.

'Why don't you go to the front line. You could have done a good enough job.''

　The Chancellor must have known why. Instead of an answer, he received a caged expression of dismay.
　Besides, it was an honor to be chosen as a single mage partner. Ars had turned everything down, but when he was in the army, there had been a lot of volunteers.
　He was once called 'the lone mage' because it lasted.


　Even Loki knew that he was unbeatable. Even so, he's not so corrupt that he can't see the difference between the dimensions.
　There is no excuse for the fact that my specialty is detection.
　At the very least, he had to make sure that he had a single sword in it. That's why I asked the Governor to do it........
　Maybe this was the first and last chance he would ever have.
　That desperation must have shown on his face.

　Ars wasn't able to guess what was going on either, but he had to respond to the seriousness of the gaze.
　The change was instantaneous, and it was a sign that Ars had switched his perception that it was an enemy to be defeated.
　Magic power leaked out of his body like a ghost. It is magic power and does not present the appearance of magic power.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.

''Na........!

　What!　There was an obvious fear in the words that were both questionable and startling, and he was unable to spin the words afterwards.
　A scream escaped Loki's mouth. It's not a lament.
　It's an absolute power differential.
　It doesn't turn into a complaint. In fact, it even made me happy.
　Loki made up his mind.

　Even though he was far away, he couldn't help but clear his throat. Even the Chancellor was seeing it for the first time. His voice doesn't come out in a movement that is magical but not magical. There was no need to worry only about Ars, but it was no wonder what could happen to Loki if he witnessed this.

(This is first place........)

　I was going to stop him if something happened, but fear made my feet stick to the ground.


　It was only because it was Loki in the midst of his fear that he was able to move.
　His knees laughed and his legs refused to allow him to stand for long periods of time. She's the one who made a mere mock battle more than that, and she can't take that down now... she refuses to do so at will.
　I'd rather not miss this opportunity........
　Loki stabbed his trembling leg with the knife he pulled out. The blade did not bury itself in the skin. Instead, a dull pain stabbed his head.
　Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his fine, silky hair stuck to his face.

　Loki turned his gaze slowly to Ars.
　He took a deep breath with his broad shoulders and finally stood up. Then - he spins quietly with his trembling mouth.

''With a roaring thunderbolt, I will reveal the peak of the thunderbolt's angle.

　Ten knives pulled from his waist, their blades floating downward. A small hole in the handle created an electric field between the knives.
　Drawing a circle, the ten knives begin to rotate. Gradually increasing in speed with the chanting, the knives slowly point the tips of their blades at Ars. When the speed is so fast that the outline is blurred, a beehive of lightning is created in the center of the circle, in space, and electricity gushes out.
　A trembling voice, and yet it certainly rhymes with the rhyme necessary for chanting. It was not a powerful one, but Ars felt as if there was determination in it.

'Lies!　He was the octagon of thunder thrust shafts. At your age, a corner--

　Chancellor, Loki's chanting ends faster than Sisti can finish.

　Loki's breathing was ragged. By all accounts, he was already fully wounded.
　He withdrew his right hand as if to summon the last of his strength and released a weak, yet powerful palm strike towards the center of space.

''Narikazuchi!''

　A thunderous roar like a lightning strike hit Ars in a straight line.
　The lightning strike closed the distance between him and Ars in an instant.
　I'm not sure I'm going to be able to get away with it. The range of God's speed that cannot be ducked.
　The explosion, too, was nothing compared to the morning's explosion.
　The blast sent a cloud of dust flying from the destroyed ground. In an instant, the ground was scorched. The scorched dust was enough to fill the entire training ground.

　Loki plunged down on it with no power for the last time. The sensation of losing consciousness and sinking into a deep slumber.
　It was far beyond the depletion of magic power. Paying the price for something that wasn't there due to the excessive magic power consumption.


　The dust cloud is quickly cleared away by the Chancellor. The students and teachers rush in to see what's going on, but the Chancellor has also removed them.

　When the obstruction of view was removed....
　There was Ars, standing upright in the same spot, with one hand outstretched in front of him, looking back at his arm suspiciously with his twin eyes as if nothing had happened.

''That's more than I expected, isn't it?''

　I looked down at my arms and saw that the sleeves of my training clothes were torn to shreds, as if they had been torn off. Not a scratch of skin peeked out of the exposed arm. The smell of burning was quickly dispelled, but it still lingered from Ars's clothing.

　He used one horn that belonged to the eight horns of the Thunderbolt, the magic that was classified as the highest level was still beyond the damage that should be transformed within the training grounds, I guess. Even so, the fact that there wasn't a single scratch on Ars's arm was largely due to his power.

　In this dust cloud, even if the Chancellor knew that he had prevented it, he shouldn't have been able to see how he did it.
　Ars didn't agree with the power that exceeded his expectations.
　And as soon as he caught sight of the fallen Loki, he understood.

''No way--''

　In a flash, Ars ran up to him and put his fingers to his neck.

'Chancellor, call the medical team.
'What! -----I understand.

　I couldn't help but say things like "medical team" out of habit when I was in the army, but the Chancellor immediately guessed.

　Loki's pulse was getting awfully weak, and it could be cut off at any moment. It could be cut off at any moment.
　His breathing was out of rhythm, and he was breathing on air.

'What does it mean?'

　While I understand the urgency of the situation, I guess I can't keep up with the reasoning behind it.
　The chancellor asks for an explanation for the evidence that they are not confused.
　If you don't know the cause of the problem, there's no way to deal with it.

It's a default.
...


　The Chancellor could immediately understand what this meant.
　In other words, the shortfall was caused by using magic that exceeded the amount of magic he possessed. It is reasonable that it can be replaced with his own life.

　Ars quickly reached into Loki's clothes and explored them.
　Now that the situation is understood, everyone can see that it was not an insolent act. He searched for something with a serious face.

''This one........''
Lieutenant!

　The Chancellor froze as he stared at Ars's hand with a guffaw.

　Ars smashed it in his palm, shattering it in his palm as he lashed out in indignation at the jewel-like hexagonal lump the size of his palm.
　The core of a demon.
　The only thing that can serve as a dependency is a high rate with a lot of magic power. This must also be something above the A-rate.

　Originally, magic is expressed as a price after supplying magic power. However, there is an exception.
　That's the dependency. It serves as a temporary medium to compensate for the shortfall, and it's a double-edged sword that collects the magic power to be paid for after it manifests.
　An external legal tool that was used as a time-saving measure to allow humanity to lay down a small line of defense.
　It is now also illegal to use it as a forbidden move, regardless of whether it is international or not.

　It may have been a characteristic. The knife Loki was using is an AWR. Even so, it's such a great magic that it uses four verses of chanting.
　And the reason Ars misjudged the expectation is probably because of the dependency. It's an error caused by the use of magic beyond her original magic power.

　Loki is no more. We have a few minutes to spare....
　There's no way I'm going to help you, and if you say you're going to be my partner and die, it's all for naught.

　We've done this in the outside world.
　It was so bad that it happened every time I went out with a unit of military people. I don't care if I've got my hands dirty now.
　

''--!　Wait.

　The Chancellor grabbed Ars's arm. The grip on his hand was strong for a woman, and it was filled with an intent to not let go.
　What she was going to do was obvious at a glance.
　Because something like a needle formed by magic power was extending from Ars's fingertips.

''But already........''

　Ars didn't like this role either. It was easy to be emotionless, but the aftertaste was terrible. If there was a way to save him, he would be the first to prioritize it.

''If I don't have enough magic, I'll make up for it.
I can't do that.

　It is common knowledge that magic power does not accept the magic power of others because it contains personal information.
　The Chancellor must have understood that. Immediately after the idea was proposed, he thought of the next method.
　It was a cheap idea, but although he denied it, something stuck with Ars. An uncomfortable feeling that was too big to swallow down.

''Then.........''

　I thrust my hand out in front of the chancellor, interrupting his words.
　Something is stuck.
　Surely, making up for it would solve the problem.
　


''No........!　There is a way.
Then....

　It's one measure, though it's only a prospect in terms of likelihood. But there is harm in exercising it.
　He interrupted the words and continued.

'But if you're here, you'll be forcing the Chancellor to keep it a secret.

　It is compulsion. It is compulsion. Sisti understands immediately what that means.

'Two seconds to go, please.'
Okay, okay.

　Sisti locked the doorway to the training area with a panel.
　Sisti understood the weight of whatever it was that Ars kept secret, with her eyes.
　Surely, if Sisti spoke out, she would be sanctioned by Ars herself.
　Still, Sisti did not wait for two seconds.

　Arus was also quick to execute. I just don't know why I'm doing this much. Even so, the arms and magic power to move it were not stagnant.
　The reason why Ars, who is willing to abandon him, dares to help.

　While concentrating on his nerves, Ars suddenly stared at the silver-haired girl's face and his mouth almost opened reflexively.
　However, no sound was emitted from it, and it closed quietly - only a faint smile was visible around her mouth.


　♢ ♢ ♢　


　In my slumber, old memories are awakened. It was the only thing in her life that she had ever clung to, the only thing she could cling to.

　A military training facility.
　There were still young orphans there.
　Loki was left alone at an early age when his parents were devoured by a demon. It's not just because she was the child of parents who belonged to the military, but it was inevitable that she was placed in the care of the military.
　Her anger at the unseen demon wasn't deep-seated, but the sudden feelings of anger took precedence over everything else. So when I was invited to be a training mage, I regretted shaking my head without hesitation, long after I had regretted it.

　Back then, when hatred filled my emotions and filled even the funniest memories.
　At the age of eight, he was drafted into the military.
　Every day he had to endure rigorous training.
　It was inevitable that his mind would be worn out.
　When he couldn't even afford to harbor a hatred for demons, Loki suddenly thought to himself.

'Why am I here?'

　A simple bed and a prisoner-like room.
　The clothes are common to all the young trainee soldiers. Dirty ... white (...) clothes.

　I did not see my parents killed by the monster. Nor do I have any of their belongings.
　My parents couldn't even be buried, and they were still left to their own devices in the outside world.
　The hatred was long gone. All that remained was the repayment of his gratitude for wanting to bury his parents.
　Strangely enough, it was only the first time I cried, and without realizing it, the only thing that filled my mind was not the happy days, but the peaceful, sleeping faces of my parents.

　From the rough edges of his mind, Loki went into training with more enthusiasm than anyone else because he had a goal to achieve straight away.
　Harsh training with constant fresh wounds. That's what you get used to after two years.
　There were certainly many dropouts. The military imposes harsh training, but no one died from the training. There were some trainees whose lives were cut short due to an accident, but it was an environment that could be said to have been thoroughly managed in terms of safety.


　Loki was a head and shoulders above his age group. He learned anti-personnel melee combat, how to carry himself in the outside world, and even magic, and incorporated it into battle.
　It was also only with a goal close at hand (...) and a desire for his parents.

　At the time, there was no one left to train with Loki.......except for one person.
　He was so frail and frail that he wouldn't be an opponent from his own perspective.
　However, in the few mock battles I've had, Loki was the only one who always plopped down on the ground. He even felt like he was doing it with an adult.
　The days of grinding are honed by thinking only of beating him.
　But those days came to an end in the blink of an eye. He was one year older than her and had disappeared more than half a year ago. The only physical ability that surpassed hers and magical manipulation.
　Loki had been competing with him one-sidedly, following his back and continuing his training, and he believes that this had helped him improve faster. He had never spoken to him and didn't know his name.

　He only showed up for match-style training, and he would usually just reap his fellow trainee soldiers without a care in the world, silently engaging in matches with Loki.
　It was a match in which all of his familiar magic and honed body techniques were lightly discarded, but he could feel that he was definitely getting stronger.

　One day he stopped showing up at the training grounds. He had decided that he had dropped out. He had been able to admire his body language so strongly, but that was what he knew this place was for.

　Two and a half years after the training, the first line of defense had been breached by a massive invasion of demons earlier than expected, causing extensive damage.
　At that time, all of the country's wizards joined forces to fight a defensive battle and managed to eradicate it.

　The great power Alpha, which had surpassed them, immediately set out to hunt down the remnants.
　The invasion caused a great deal of damage, and Alpha was short of wizards. Therefore, Loki and the other trainee soldiers were loaned out.
　Since they had completed the training course and possessed a license as a magician, it wasn't surprising that they were ordered to be driven out... if you don't care about their age.

　A dozen or so people, one unit.
　Everyone's faces were filled with confidence and light-hearted remarks flew around. It was only for a short time before they encountered the demon........

　Most of the trainee soldiers bent their knees in fear and shuddering at the deformed demon. They were only around ten years old.
　A demon that resembled a large beast. With dark skin and an unusually large mouth, it was an eerie and monstrous deformity.
　One by one, one by one, the familiar faces were being overrun. A strange odor was emitted, and the ripped mouth was lined with sharp teeth with only gaping canine teeth. The clothing caught in the teeth must have been torn off, and the original form and color have changed.
　Loki tried to exercise his magic with his trembling body and trembling arms.

''----!

　However, the magic that I had believed would manifest itself in my mind ended up not working. The magic power was no longer perceptible.

"Why, why...!

　His gaze couldn't take away from the demon that was eating the trainee soldier. Someone's blood stained Loki's face with fresh blood. The blood of his familiar companion mingled, and only the unchanging vermilion color adhered to it.
　The empty words were a meaningless repetition of the magic that ended in a dud. The mouth spelled out magic names that didn't manifest on their own like a dementia while looking at the horrific scene.

'Why, why, why, why, why...'

　Nothing was going right. The only one left was Loki, and the fierce demon felt its mouth arc and laugh as it spotted its dwarf self.

　He forgot to even use his magic in the lewd horror and could only keep his face down in fear. The tears were unstoppable, teeth pinching the sky like they were unbiteable, and something warm ran down his legs.
　Dead. So my heart gave in.
　That I would end up as helpless to resist anything as the others who had shared the rise and fall... Loki's long-cherished desire to bury his parents had crumbled as soon as he got out into the outside world. It was naive, the reality that the pride he thought he had gained in becoming stronger betrayed him so easily.

　In his downcast face, his eyelids closed, Loki held back his sobs and quietly apologized.

'I'm sorry. Father, mother.''

　Even with my eyes closed, I can see that the demon is right in front of me. The smell of iron, so thick it made him feel like he was going to vomit, washed over Loki on the warm, raw breeze.
　It was proof that he had opened his big mouth.

I'm not sure I'm late.

　Such an out-of-place tongue lashing made Loki's eardrums tremble with clarity.

　The sound of something huge falling over.
　Then--.

'Are you okay?'

　The sound of the voice was that of a child whose voice change had not yet come, and it was unleashed against Loki.

　When I managed to open my clenched eyelids, all I could see with my blurry eyes was black hair.

'You don't have to push yourself,'

　A small hand gently placed on his head felt warm.
　The boy scurried around and opened his mouth in disappointment.

'I'm sorry I'm late.'

　Loki couldn't recover from his fear and couldn't speak, but instead he buzzed and shook his head.
　When he regained some vision, the boy crouched with his back to him in front of him.

'You won't be able to move, so get in.'

　I close my legs as quickly as I can.
　I wonder if the boy has noticed that I've made a crude mistake........

'Never mind,'

　The words should have been meant to be caring. If not for the pushback.

'Get in or I'll carry you with me.

　Loki realized that he had no veto power over the boy who was trying to force his hand in this situation.
　Still on trembling legs, he couldn't even step out of the way and let his body fall over and deposit his body on the small back, and the boy's arms were crossed directly under his buttocks.
　The boy's arms strongly support Loki's body in opposition to his wet clothes and body that trembles with too much shame.
　He returns in the form of a piggyback. Along the way, the boy slaughtered the demons he saw with one hand in the blink of an eye. A skill that blinds him to the movement that doesn't even make him feel Loki's presence, the one he struggled so hard against - no, he's the one who bent his knees and turned away from him. He destroyed it with a single blow, as if cleaning it up with garbage.

'Wait, put it down right there.

　Perhaps it was because he saw the boy cleave the demon in an instant that his fear of the demon was temporarily diminished. It was a sensation akin to paralysis, but it kept Loki from missing the opportunity.
　The boy almost ignored Loki's sudden words for a moment, but his desperate plea managed to be heard.

'Three minutes.'

　I said and slowly lowered Loki down to the roots of a large tree nearby.

'Definitely!'

　The view of the area matched the location of the map he had seen before. However, the person/thing Loki was looking for was already gone there.
　There was no doubt that this was the place where Loki's parents had died. We knew that. It has been nearly three years.
　It's horrible to imagine, but I'd be lying if I said I hadn't thought about it.
　I had knowledge that demons would eat humans. I had no choice but to accept the scene where none of that was left in any form.

''What's here?''
'Where my parents died ... or more accurately, where they are believed to have died ...'

　The boy stopped walking and responded with a pout. It was an unassuming sidelong gesture.

'I see.'

　There were no words to follow it, but Loki didn't find it ruthless. For now, the reply sounded gentle.
　They moved a large rock under a large tree and used it as a tombstone.
　The boy holds his hand next to Loki's.
　Nothing can be seen from his face.

(Sorry I'm late.)

　When he told him that, Loki turned to the boy as if he'd been blown away.

'Thank you,'
Don't worry about it.

　It wasn't until he returned that Loki saw the boy's face accurately. In the moonlight, he could only see at least an outline.
　It was a dark-haired boy, one year older than the one he had assumed had dropped out.
　He was a little taller than he had been back then, so he wasn't immediately recognizable, but he was still a shadow of his former self.

　As soon as he put Loki down, he melted away into the darkness of the outside world.
　Loki ruminated as the person he thought was his superior officer who had been talking to him mentioned his name, firmly writing it directly into his brain.

'Ars Regin,'

　Loki walked on his own, shoulder to shoulder with the military doctor at the defense line.
　His life was saved and his longtime wish was accomplished thanks to him. All that was left was................................a goal with nothing left to lose.
　Loki didn't know what to do with the rest of his life.
　But the answer came surprisingly soon.

(Then I'll help him. I'll use this life for him.)

　Loki then further honed his magic. He also gained experience in real battles, defeating demons.
　But Loki finds out just how high the boy is now.

(I can't help him at this point.)

　Loki decided to make his way into the field of detection, a field for which he had an aptitude before. It was without the slightest hesitation. It was just a result of thinking about what he could do to help him.