Everyone pondered Linne's report as if they were wondering.
　Even Linne gasped at the strange reaction of the troopers and waited for Ars's response.

''........Are they watching us? Miss Lynne, how much do you know?

　He thought he felt eyes on him, but first he gathered information from Linne, who was better at detecting than he was, in order to understand the current situation.
　Letty also looked at Ars and turned a difficult face.

''He's wearing a rather shoddy cloak, isn't he? It's probably a magician, no doubt.''
That's not natural for a survivor.

　In Lynne's numerous views, she could see five people of unknown gender. All of them were dressed in cloaks that hid them down to their feet, for they were all wearing hoods deep into their cloaks. Two of them were standing on the branches of a huge tree, while the other three had moved to where the two were.
　And as they approached to focus and expand by meditating on one eye and reducing their vision, those who had covered themselves with shoddy cloaks could see AWR through the gaps in the wind-flapping cloaks at their waists.
　Ars couldn't think of any reason for the survivors to still be here, and when there were five of them, there was plenty of room to move.

(Reasons for not being able to move ... wounded or magically restrained in some way.)

　A funny point emerges when you consider Lynne's story. Instantly both of them are hard to think about and have to be reset and pondered from the ground up.

(To begin with, if you're a survivor of the Barmes defeating party, it's been at least two weeks.)

　When I made the decision that there was no reason not to run away into the country after encountering a demon, even though there was still a distance between us - that's exactly what I thought of another possibility. The worst case scenario in the current situation is about the case that Vizayst has undertaken.
　Then Sajik and Mujer also voiced their suggestions with a thoughtful look on their faces.

''Do you want to go to the rescue?''
Wouldn't it be more beneficial to wait and see?

　Then, dizzily, the magic formula of Rinne's eyes recombined.

''No, there's something strange about the situation. There are no signs of combat from the two men on the tree. One is a small man in a bright red robe........the other one is tall, and from his build, he must be a man......
What do you wanna do, Al?
Are you unsure?
The line about other countries is...
'There won't be. It's early, as you'd expect, and it's odd that they didn't call me in advance.

　Letty voiced her concern, and all at once the faces of the squad members strengthened.

'Is it clama?'
That's very likely but we don't want to split up the squad just to see what happens.

　Suddenly, as Ars was struggling to think, he suddenly.

'Lies!'

　My gaze was drawn to Linne as if I had been shot, and at the same time, I let the magic formula of the magic eye shatter. With a purr, the residue of magic power overflows from the eyes as if it were cracked.
　As it is, the knee is broken and Leti is going to ask what happened while supporting her back to Linne, but earlier than that.

''Apparently, it's a hit.''

　Linne should have been looking at the red robe from the blind spot behind her. But in an instant, he turned around and was met with a sharp eye laced with hostility from behind the red robe's hood.
　In other words, he recognized the eyes of Provillbens.

　Ars recalled what Linne himself had told him earlier about the flaws in Provillebens' eyes. A recoil (rebound) would occur in the surgeon depending on how consciously aware he was of what he was seeing. But there are only a limited number of people who are aware of the first-class eye called the demonic eye.

''Lynne-san, are you alright?''

　With both eyes closed, her lashes moistened with drops.
　More astonishment washed over her.

'They noticed me completely!　I'm the one in the red robe I'm sorry Master Ars, my eyesight will not be restored for a little while.
How long?
It's a blessing that I had one eye on it for what seemed like half an hour.
Let me ask you a simple question, but can't you find out from that how good your opponent is?
I'm not capable of that. But........I've never been noticed so clearly before. His gaze was clearly filled with murderous intent.
"Hey!　Murderous intent.

　If Lynne is right, this is a strong opponent, comparable to a single. The position is north of Balmes, which means that Hydrangee is close to the possibility. The single there is a young man named Krokel Ifertas. He reminds me of an aspect I saw once. He is slender, but not so short as to be small.
　Even with Ars's other vision, there are two people who look clearly strong, and even though it's a vision, it's only seen as a three-dimensional image, and the exact strength and other factors can only be judged from experience, but I can instantly sense that they would be comparable to a single magician.
　When there are two of them, it's almost certain to be Krama.
　Then what are they doing here? That kind of thing is resolved by the presence of demons.

''I knew it was going to be like this.''

　Ars spat one out.
　Even though the Governor and Viziest had moved, it was too late.

'Captain Ars, do you wish to avoid engagement and intimidate them as planned?

　Mugel analyzes it calmly, but considering Linne's condition, it's time to ponder whether to pull the trigger that could lead to a battle.

'Master Ars, I'm fine. It's still a detective magician, even if you are deprived of your eyesight, you will not be completely blinded. I have not risen to prominence with the eye of Providence alone.

　That's probably not a strong point, and it's a stern fact. However, it should still be a bad minute in battle. Still, it was enough to make a decision. I thought that at worst I might not even be able to walk alone, but it seems to be a groundless fear.
　Ars lifted the corners of his mouth and gave instructions.

'Make the first move with the intention of killing ... if you're wrong, a single one won't kill you ... maybe.

　No one is discouraged. On the contrary, there are even those who have been flooded with magic power.

Well, if you're dealing with criminals, there's no need to condone it.)

　There were two opponents, but Ars stepped on it that they probably wouldn't be engaged. If the other party is also setting out to defeat the demons, then they will avoid useless fighting. The fact that they have noticed the demon eyes means that they are aware of the existence of Ars and others, then they are likely to launch an attack immediately, but there is no indication that they are going to attack or move. It's possible that they could set it back and get some recriminations, but we can still deal with it now.
　I've considered waking up a demon, but I don't expect to be able to catch them by surprise against an S-rate opponent. As long as I was able to avoid a surprise attack to begin with, I was good. In that sense, Linne's magical eye is necessary.
　It's a perfect way to pass the time while keeping a check on them.

''If it's a check, that's the only way.

　Ars frowned back at Letty from a bad feeling, but the squad member turned a woozy face when he heard that one.

'You just want to compete, don't you?'
It's good, isn't it? Their morale was at an all-time high.

　Leti, who had a big smile on her face, snapped at Ars first. It's true that you can expect synergistic effects from the magic shared by the two of you, and it's boring if you poorly use different magic to create a conflict.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you want to do with it. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's a very good idea to use it for a number of reasons, including the fact that the governor is worried about its power and range, which changes the terrain.

"You flashy freak!

　It's as exciting as a member of the squad stepping away to watch a game.

You guys need to get ready for the second wave!

　Ars pulled the AWR at his waist and let the magic formula shine as he channeled the magic power into one of the chains.
　Letty, as for Letty, she lifted her hand up to her eyes and held up four fingers as she turned the instep. Her AWR is ten rings fitted into each hand. It's a bit rude, but all of them are engraved with a magical formula.


''The coordinates are just about right. If you blow up everything around there are you ready?
Anytime...

　With his other eye, he was certain he saw five life reactions, and he decided that two of them were so powerful that he didn't need to refrain from them. Since the three reactions are moving to gather in one place, specific coordinates would not be necessary. Or rather, from the magic, there is no need to specify detailed coordinates.
　The two of them poured their enormous magical power into the AWR and emitted a magical formula.

''Airborne Induced Detonation [Detonation].


　♢♢


　In the hours before sunrise, there were four shadows running at a light, if not uncommon, speed through the deep forests of the outer world.
　Leading the way was a small figure wearing a bright crimson cloak.
　The cloak reaches below the knee, and it's not just the color that makes it different from the others, but the sleeves are unusually long and quite excessive. He ran through the rising roots of the trees without troubling them.
　The direction was heading into Barmes country as if returning the way it came. In fact, we are now on our way back home.

'Tch!　This is why the military guys can't be trusted. They look down on us as pirates.

　A pretty girl's voice under the red hood spat out a coarse, manly curse like a man.
　The monologue continued.

'Mostly you under-reported the information in order to skimp on the reward.

　Yes, we went to defeat them at the request of Governor Balmes, but there were too many discrepancies in the information. The organization to which he belongs, [Krama], determines the level of difficulty based on accurate information and demands a reward that is commensurate with the members it dispatches.
　Normally, we would take on a job after getting the backstory, but since this was an urgent request, we calculated it based on the information we received.

The result is this!

　Under the red cloak, the girl was angry to get rid of her melancholy.
　Then a large shadow moved next to her from behind, picking up speed.

"It takes a lot of work, but hey. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it worth your while. If you're still reluctant to do so it's just a matter of losing one of the defenses of humanity.

　The hulking man, more than twice the girl's size, smiles ferociously and says it's always the same.
　It's true that it's always the same thing, but the girl doesn't have a hobby that she likes to enjoy killing like this man does. This is because the organization called 【Krama】 is, to put it bluntly, a group of ruffians. Its abilities are top-notch, though.
　They don't necessarily share the same ideology. It's an organization of individuals, and there are no policies or rules.
　It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with them.
　But that would make them easy to spot. Neither of us has any intention of fighting with each other, except when our interests are aligned.
　The girl is the first person who started the activity of taking on and dealing with illegal requests in [Clama] from her connections and other sources before she lost herself. Money is needed to make a living, moreover, for someone like a group of criminals to hide themselves.
　When dealing with criminals, the usual response is to look down on them. In such cases, they demand exorbitant compensation, and if they don't get it, they pay for it themselves.

But then again, I've always seen him as a f*cking monster. I don't believe it's true, but it's not like I'm going to back down, right?

　He turns his craggy, masculine face to Ilyce, who was leading the way with a look of contempt in his eyes. His face was scarred with fine scars everywhere, with stitches running down to his thick neck as well. His skin is sallow and dark, and his body is etched with countless cuts.
　It was never from an enemy, he is an eccentric breed that revels in self-inflicted wounds with his knives, depending on the number of kills he makes. It is also a competent person who, despite running with such a huge body, doesn't even sound his footsteps like Ilyce.

''Kid!　You can keep going like that, but Hazan you're going to die. I don't have the confidence to take you down alone. You're lucky to have saved your life, kid.

　It wasn't quite an engagement already, but it was confirmed, and he still couldn't get rid of the fear that ran through him when he saw his target by magic. It wasn't a premonition that he was going to be killed. That's why it's a strange feeling. The form of a demon is not unusual for the normal kind. But I shuddered at the unnaturalness of their contents that didn't mesh with the unusual. It's not possible to know what it looks like, even though it's a familiar demon.

　It was conceivable that if they were careless with it, it could become irreversible. Obviously, he was not well informed.
　The battle was supposed to be before dawn, considering Hazan's lineage, but with four of them, plus two of his subordinates, he would be losing the battle.
　It might be a fitting death for Hazan, who can't even see it, but this still makes him a feared mage in the top ranks of Krama. In the current situation where Krama is recognized as a criminal organization, it can't be reduced in strength. If it's only a personal matter, it doesn't matter if Hazan dies here or not.

"Everyone is a kid in your eyes. Don't worry, I didn't mean to belittle your power. I just thought you were flabbergasted. In fact, I don't care if I kill a demon or some psycho-clown client, I don't care.
"Hey who's the idiot?　Would you like me to turn you into meatballs?

　My knuckles snapped in my hidden sleeve with a blue streak.

'I don't mind killing an old lady, but I'm not going to do it with someone who has no chance of winning.
I'll teach you some manners, then.

　Boringly, Hazan sniffs and grimly replies, "I'd be quicker to crush your ears.

(Of all people, you're the only one this dumb... I'd kill you if you told me you got beaten up on a mission.)

　Ilyce schemed inwardly, but even this was better than not being there, so he foregoed consideration of whether to carry it out.
　Although he is confident that he can win in appearance, as expected, it is impossible to avoid injuries from battle. Even if it will heal in time........

''That's why I hate kids........!
...

　Right after I spit out - I felt a look and stopped as soon as I could. Hazan seemed to notice, too.
　Ilyce leaps towards a tall tree nearby, and stands on a thick branch - thick enough that the trunk seems to be growing intact.
　She glances around and catches something moving in the distance out of the corner of her eye, though not close enough to catch it. It's a tree branch that has swayed slightly.
　Ilyce rolled up her sleeve. It didn't have the glamour of a grown woman so much as a ciliated hand; on the contrary, the thin hands were childlike. But I can't know more than that. The reason is that both arms are wrapped in bandages that cover from elbow to fingertips in a circle.
　Then he lightly grasps the hand that appears while holding the embers of his sleeve, and when it forms a tube, he brings it close to his eyes and looks into it.
　Inside, several crystal-like membranes overlap, making it appear as if you can see through and close in on the distant landscape.

'Where are they from?'

　The branches creak slightly as a huge body rides next to him.

'It's a handful, probably for the same purpose as us.
'I think they might beat us to it, or rather, it looks like we'll be less troublesome later if we crush them!
You just want to kill each other, don't you?

　The exclamatory smile is an affirmation of Ilyce's statement.

'----!

　From the creeping sensation, Ilyce tore his eyes away from the hand that resembled a tube and quickly looked at the sky behind him. As she did so, the water that had been covering the membrane spilled out of her hand and dripped.
　The first gaze he felt behind him reacted with what he felt before he knew it, but there was only a refreshingly brighter sky. But I was certain that I was being watched. Because the moment I realized the evidence, my gaze scratched away.
　I don't know what kind of magic it is, but just the fact that it's not in my knowledge is enough to make me wary.

(Unorthodox?)

　It also raises the other side's strength by several levels.

'So what are you going to do, Ilyce? It makes me sick to my stomach to have my prey seized from me. In reality, it's not a good idea to let them have a free hand.

　It was an unusually decent thing to say, and with a glance to the side, it was certainly a good argument. But he also thought that it would be difficult to measure the difficulty of this defeat target. In that case, if he killed them, even the cancellation fee might be a chore. Of course, if that happened, he wouldn't be able to keep them alive, but he wouldn't be able to make a dark leap if he got his hands on them too soon. There is no need for you to strangle yourself by taking a bad shot to get around.

　The eeriness of the demon that I felt on my skin, if it's not good enough, I might have to put my entire Krama force into it. In fact, that's impossible, Ilyce recalls the faces of the faces with tightened cheeks. He cowered his shoulders without having to consider even their personalities........

(No.........the best thing to do is to take the cancellation fee as a shield against the guilt of leaking inadequate information and back off.......

It's not worth the price to take them down.
Are you kidding me?
'But you still get a lot of money for not working. You'll be happy this time.

　Unlike the subordinates waiting below there, one of the subordinates who had been left in the country for communication purposes jumped onto a branch one level below Ilyce and reported in a babbling voice.

''Cancelled.........''
'Yeah I don't blame you, Hazan, I don't want to get into a fight that doesn't pay off.
No, you went for the money, but, hey, I'll fight them off.

　Gulping, I felt my muscles push up and swell in my cloak.
　Ilyce asked with his eyes if there was any other information.

'Not directly, but it appears that singles from each country are being organized to take down the men.

　If that was the case, what was that jet black group?



'And I'm sure there's confusing information, but I'm also hearing that an elite force has already left Alpha.

　Instantly, red-black magic flooded out of Ilyce's surroundings with a buzz.
　A giggling Hazan saw the amber eyes open in the petite woman's hood, followed by a twisted mouth that seemed to be ripped open.
　This time Hazan had a thought that stirred his desire to fight, but his instincts soon stopped. He was distracted as further kinetic fires were extinguished in front of him.
　The subordinate who'd brought you the information hung his head, but his trembling legs told him it was to keep the lid on the horrible thing from looking.

(Those guys, then...)

　The thought of killing him snatches my brain for a moment, but I quickly regain my composure. It was the Alpha's fault that he had been reduced to his current status. I swore revenge for that, but that was decades ago.

　I didn't even want to remember.......the past, the beastly people motivated by greed, the mother-in-law who never stopped craving, and I was set up.
　Yes, the ringleaders of those days are all dead. Of course, most of them were due to Ilyce, but some of them had died either by life expectancy or by grudging accidents. So I thought that the revenge of hatred had been accomplished, but the mere mention of their names still sent a wrenching disgust swirling around my stomach that quickly turned to rage at the mere mention of their names.

　But reason appeals to me that even if it hits the current generation of magicians who don't know that, it won't return the favor.
　The magic power rumbled.

'I'll back off but I'm curious to see what they'll do in the face of that one.

　Curiosity motivates me, but if I'm told that soon, single mages and other elites from various countries will be gathered in Balmes, I'm not going to stay for long--''

''Tch!

　Right in front of you ... or as far as you can see, a small red dot of light flashes in front of you. You immediately understand that it is the magic of your opponent.

(You're right, they've noticed... but this is it!

　Immediately after jumping backwards with great momentum and retreating backwards--.

　The red light spot explodes on a large scale in the blink of an eye. Following that, a series of red dots explode in succession as far as the eye can see.
　Even a single one of them has tremendous explosive power, yet dozens of them ... all at once are induced to explode. The explosions swallowed the explosions and expanded as if bubbles were being created one after another. In an instant, the entire field of vision turned into a sea of fire, the ground was blown away and the trees turned into charcoal.

　But Ilyce was exercising his magic almost simultaneously with the explosion.

　She thrust her arms out in the air with a faint glow up to her shoulders under the bandages on both arms. With a crunch of her fingers, she moved her knuckles.
A film of water expanded around him and covered him with a huge sphere. An enormous amount of water flowed around it as if it had collapsed. Even a flowing sphere with considerable thickness and crystal-clear water is so thick that it is impossible to see into the depths.
　It scattered an enormous amount of water in the sense of extinguishing the fire.

　I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get it right, but I'm going to be able to get it right.

''It was the Detonation, or was it the Detonation, that's quite an improvement.

　It was hard to believe that anyone could handle this much magic with ease. It was a glimpse of grinding, even though magic had evolved since Ilyce's time in office. It was too much of a hindrance to be positioned as just a top-tier class.

''So this is the single mage now?''

(If only someone had been able to use this much magic at that time... no, it would have passed, and it wouldn't have changed the outcome.)

　The bright red tinted scene is quickly calmed down by Ilyce's magic.
　When the magic was released, the sphere was floating, so gravity caused it to fall--.

''You're very circumspect.''
It's like, "Oh, you know, I love it!

　There was no sign of his men directly below the burned-out area. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to say that I'm a good fit. It's a very good idea to choose a good wielder, but there is nothing to be gained by suddenly eating magic like that.
　They're like a bunch of guys who have a criminal record to begin with, but if we lose our subordinates who worked for us, I think we've done a little bit of a bad thing.
　But now there is no time for the dead.
　Because in the falling air it will undoubtedly run towards us with hostile intent.

　The giant lion, whose entire body is composed of electricity, runs as if it were leaping while turning its body into electricity, and beside it, a liquid serpent, whose entire body is dyed purple, heads towards it while its body is flowing and swimming in the air. White smoke rose from the point where it touched as if the liquid that was played from the body was acid.

''Sorry, I'll take both!
Do what you want.