Ars understood that Linne hadn't interrupted him of his own volition in the current moment.
　It was because the magic that the demon would have used was, no matter what, a magic that could only be used by Ars.
　--Spatial seizure magic.

(How can this guy use the mutual transfer of information between two points, the Shuffle!

　He stuttered, but his head and body acted differently. There was only so much they could do. Even Ars couldn't use the two-point information inter-transfer 《Shuffle》 in this instant. It would be correct to say that the magic used was similar but different. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make the most out of your time in the world. The magic that the demon used is one that broke through the limit of being between two points. Forcing one person to move is clearly a more advanced magic than shuffling.
　A way to help Linne without hurting her in this place.

(Why did you aim at Rinne in the first place........)

　I was caught off guard just because I thought I had completely set myself up as a target. The two-point information inter-transfer 《Shuffle》 shouldn't apply to the resistant Ars. That's why it can't be used on demons either.
　Anyway, I bite my teeth at myself for not realizing that it was possible to be targeted, since Linne is indeed the least capable of fighting in this place. It's true that demons are cunning creatures that target the weak, but that's just because they tend to be more common at lower rates and the like, the higher the rate, the stronger they go for. The higher the rate, the more powerful they are. The higher the rate, the more proud they are of their own superiority. This is especially true of the demons that control an area.

　It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　It's a good thing that you're able to get a good idea of what's going on in the world. On the contrary, a moment when you can neither react nor be frightened.
　Suddenly, an arm is put around your stomach from right behind you and pulled.
　I'm not sure if I've ever seen it before, but it was so sudden that I lost my balance and took the form of depositing my weight, and I was left to be pulled.
　An AWR with a black sword blade peeking out from under his armpit on the other side was raised.

'Dimensional Fault [Dimension Thrust].

　The AWR sliced through the space in front of me, not the demon, but the space in front of me.
　A line entered the path the knife had taken, and the landscape moved up and down from side to side like a fault line shifting.
　The rift in the space was quickly corrected, but less than a second of that time stopped the demon from rushing in.

　Perhaps sensing the danger of the rift, the demon thrusts its two tails into the ground just before it touches it and jumps back directly to the side.

　The AWR swung up in front of Linne's eyes flipped the cutting edge and swung down to follow the demon.
　Suddenly, countless knives made of magic appeared in space, swirling around in a whirlpool, filling the view. It's understandable that it's Ars's magic, but it's close to a hundred just to detect it.
　Then the name of the magic is announced as if muttering in my ear.

'Oboro Hien [Oboro Hien].'

　Nearly a hundred knives were released as if they were shot out one after another with their cutting edges all at once towards the demon's retreat, drawing a glow of magical residue.
　The shooting star-like scene took my breath away when I felt the strength in my arm that had been spun around suddenly.

''Hee!

　I jumped backwards while being hugged tightly. My arms were untied as I landed on the ground while hearing a continuous roar of Zu-do-o'clock in the air.

''Sorry, I didn't expect to be able to use the two-point information inter-transfer 《Shuffle》.
'Oh, thank you ... that sh...'

　He was about to ask what magic is something that even Ars hadn't expected, but he swallowed it, realizing that he shouldn't do it now.
　However, I don't know if he anticipated it, but Ars opens his mouth for good measure.

'Perhaps if we're out of sight, we can't use the shuffle. It may be comforting, but please tell your squad members to always release their magic power until they are at a distance. If you continue to rewrite the magic information, they should be able to resist a bit.
Okay, I understand.

　Linne leaves the place immediately in order not to interfere. Rather, it's because he doesn't want to get caught up in the battle of such a transcendent person.
　It's also because I am aware that I am of no use to them.



　He was urged by Mugel, who jumped to his side.
　Then, as he asked, Ars turned his back and raised his arms lazily and fluttered them.

　Before she knew it, Lynne noticed that the shaking had stopped, and she knew that she was buoyed by an unfounded confidence that it might be because she had been touched by Ars's unfathomable power.
　Mugel, who was positioned directly behind Linne's shield, had a strong look of strength on his face in the opposite direction. It was likely that he was worried about the outcome of the victory or defeat.
　Rinne felt that his magic power also told him so.

''It's okay. Arus-sama is the strongest magician, if Arus-sama loses, the humans won't stand a chance, but that's the same even without Arus-sama. It's just the difference between being slow and being fast. In that case, let us prepare this place for you to give your all.
"....!　 Ugh. Forget about that one.
No, sir, I don't think so, but okay, let's forget it.

　It was a statement that relied on a sense of sensing magic power, not a calculated win rate as Mugel said, but while facing forward, Linne smiled unquestionably, knowing that it was an imperceptible area.
　Soon after that, he joined up with Letty and the others, though they were hardly far away from each other.
　I immediately tell them to release their magic power at all times.
　It was hardly a straight line distance to the deposit, but the aftermath of the tremendous battle that could be heard from behind me made my back milky.

It's a good thing that Linne-san is also here. We're going to take the distance and make a detour from here and head for the deposit.

　Lynne ran one step behind Letty, close to the front of the pack.
　This area also had the scars of the battle by the Balmes army, and there were scattered areas where trees had been cleaved over, grass was balding, and the ground looked like it had been rolled up.
　I had assumed that Letty's presence beside Lynne was a formation thing.

''By the way, Linne-san, is it the magic of a demon that moved in an instant just now?　That's all I can think of, though.
'It seems so. Master Ars called it a shuffle.

　I knew it was because I wanted to ask about the unknown magic.

"Shuffle, huh? That would mean that it doesn't belong to any lineage, right?
"Captain Letty, the magic of Lord Ars, the one that bound you during the Kagutsuchi...

　We all understand what Mugel is trying to say. That there is no binding magic like that.

''Leti-sama, Arus-sama is also a researcher. I've heard that the transference gate is just like the one Arus-sama made.
That's right. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. I guess that's true - it's a magic outside the system.
..........

　Linne closed her mouth and affirmed.
　[The sword technique called [Dimension Fault [Dimension Thrust]]. It was because that also seemed to be a magic that didn't belong to any system. It slices through space, it's a moonlighting view, but it should be interpreted as you see it.

I'm sure it's really difficult for all the wizards to get together and use it. I'm sorry, Al-kun, but this is not a joke if you don't bring it back.

　To that, Lynne agrees. It's doubtful that you can handle it even if you know it, but as Ars said, there is also the art of resistance. I'm sure that if you don't know it, you may not be able to escape the blink of an eye, even for a single person.
　It's also a good idea to have a good time with them.
　He told him of the threat to the ability of demons to use this magic. This was certainly a choice he made as a captain, but Linne had other ideas.

(It had been questioned before that a strain that could only be used by Ars-sama was something that had been questioned before. That even if it contained exaggeration, it was right. But why would a demon be able to use it...)

　And the thoughts rolled to the profane.
　When I remembered the theory that the root of magic is believed to be in demons.

(No, on the contrary, why would Ars-sama be able to use magic that demons can use...)

　The magic that a demon can use is limited by the individual, but the act of predation is to compensate for that. This allows them to take in the information contained in the magic power and handle the magic of the preyed mage. Of course, it's not all of them.
　That's why the demons are still a threat.
　The reason why such thoughts were interrupted is because the aftermath of the battle was a blast that attacked behind them.

''You're doing it with aplomb, aren't you?

　Reversing in midair, Letty immediately held her arms over her eyes and narrowed her eyes.
　Because the feeling against her skin was not only the wind, but also contained fine sand like grains.

'What!　Sand?

　Lynne muttered as she saw something strange in the sand that hit the back of her hand.
　Fine sand, something that shouldn't be seen in a place like this.
　He wanted to use his eyes immediately to see what was going on, but he quickly changed his mind. The next time I use it, it's a signal to Waza to make Ars aware of it and have him put a barrier on the mineral deposit.

　Then Letty, who jumped lightly onto a tall tree branch, screamed in amazement - somewhat happily.

'Nah, what was that... haha, I'm going to see dunes in the outside world like this.
Dunes?
That's right. The whole area where Al-kun was staying has become a sparkling desert.

　At those words, the members of the squad leaped high and mindlessly from the desire to do the same. Among them, Mugel leaps the highest.

''........!　Oh, that's the [World of the Sand Country (Muspelheim)]!

　It was an unnerving voice with a high end of words that I couldn't imagine from Mugel, who was always conscious of his strict behavior.

'You know what?'
That's not even in the compendium. All I know about the world is that it's in a fairy tale my mother read to me when I was very young. In the story, the creator of the world treats the sand as if it were a limb.

　The squad members inspired by Mujer, who has a face full of admiration for such a fairy tale world being manifested, are listening with longing eyes and ecstatic expressions.

''It's hard to tell which one is the monster...''

　It was Sajik who called out to Letty, who was smiling bitterly, to scratch the topic.

'Captain Letty, look up in the sky!　That was a bad idea. We'd better get to the deposit quickly.

　It didn't feel particularly strange because it had been surrounded by tall trees up until now, but Letty looked up at the sky and her cheeks twitched as she looked up at the sky.
　Even though it was still daylight, the sky was gathering black clouds in pitch black. It's obvious that it didn't occur naturally.
　A thunderclap roared, and the blackness of the lightning that was supposed to glow proved it.
　The black lightning would occasionally reveal itself as it swam through the black clouds.
　It was satisfying to see the figure. Sajik is a user of the lightning system. If that magician says so, there's no doubt about it.
　Sajik's face does not contain any element of mischief. Only impatience stuck to it.

''Black lightning?...''


　Sajik affirms that Linne's guess is correct.

''Yes, that's definitely the most powerful of all the octagonal rankings [Black Thunder]. It's the first time I've seen it with my own eyes.

　A tingling sensation hit my skin as if to further support his words.

It's definitely not good. We're going to head straight for the deposit from here.

　The roar that could fall at any moment intensified the impatience, and the group headed for the deposit with all their might.
　The towering rocky mountain is steep to the top, so steep that it is impossible for an ordinary person to climb it.
　However, the team members gathered here are all confident in their body language even among the mages, and they leap to the top at once with the slightest foothold.
　In the blink of an eye, when they reached the top, it was flat, and although it was a small space, all of them were able to crowd together without leaving. Without instructions, the squad members put up multiple layers of barriers one after the other, and Linne used her magic eye to peer at Ars with her magic eye as she had been told beforehand.

　Ars thrusts his arm out towards that vision.
　This time I was relieved that he noticed me, and when I released my power, a rectangular translucent wall slithers in front of the taut barrier. It's a huge barrier that seems to have grown from far below you.

　At the sight of it, the men who had put up the barrier cleared their throats at the stunning sight.

''Master Letty, won't you put up the barrier?

　Lynne asks without a second thought. If it's a single barrier, it should be stronger than any member of the squad here. Her barriers should be indispensable if you want to be sure of everything. Of course, even if I could put up a barrier myself, it would be too big, so I feel guilty about it.

''We're no good in that direction.
Yes?

　She flopped down on the ground and vigorously threw back the long, slender bowls of braids that had come before her. Then Letty spat out with an empty smile.
　While cowering his shoulders at Rinne, who was pokey at the feeling of being other than that, and unable to spin his next words.

It's not a good idea to have a single, but I don't want you to equate it with Al-kun, even if it's the same single. Not everyone can use magic in an all-or-nothing way.
'Ah!　I'm sorry.
That's okay. We're not that different that you're jealous.

　After all this time, I realize the obvious. A detection mage would bet half his life on the detection skills to detect demons in the outside world rather than learning offensive magic. It's a good thing that mages are able to choose from a wide variety of strains, characteristics, and shapes to develop their skills. Magic is a profound and time-consuming craft. You could say that your limited lifetime is not enough knowledge, effort, experience, or even time.

　Linne herself could be ranked second in the field of detection, but if it were simply a ranking of mages, it would be a disappointing ranking of four digits. However, this could be said to be natural in a sense. It is a matter of human nature to choose between them.
　Specializing in something meant that something was inferior, and Linne was made to forget such an obvious thing.
　Maybe it was inevitable, though, since there was a magician in front of her who could do the impossible.

　So, if Letty was focusing on the magic of fire system explosions as an offensive specialization, and as a result of that, she was in the position of a single, there was no wonder if she was inferior in other fields.
　That's natural. Naturally, at the point when you can master even one thing, you can say it's a natural talent. That's why there are members who have a role to play in the squad.
　Linne wants to mock herself for being so bloody stupid. Then he came to what Ars had said, 'Why have you been fighting alone?

''Arus-sama can do it all by himself.......is that why you don't need a squad?''
I'm sure that's part of it, but...

　After Letty closes her mouth for a moment, a tremendous outpouring can be seen from the black clouds.

''That's the [Black Thunder]!

　Linne was speechless at the sheer enormity of it. Because it looked like a black dragon had fallen towards the surface of the earth. And then the sound of an explosion that seemed to gouge and pop the ground reaches your ears belatedly. Countless black electric shocks radiated from the point where it fell, running like a flurry.
　I didn't think it was possible, but the outpouring of firecrackers hit several of the barriers that Ars put up, creating ripples.
　The sound of the battle is eerily silent, as if the lightning had erased the sound of the intense battle.

I think it's because if you're alone, someone else won't die.
..........
I'm only 16. It's a child's ideal. To not cause any deaths in the troops in the outside world...but he has the power to make that ideal a reality.

　Lynne interjected at the discrepancy between the image of Ars in her mind and Letty's description of him.

'Lady Ars doesn't seem to be that kind of person, sir.
You're right!　You mean like a ruthless doll that doesn't let anything get in its way?
-----!　I didn't say that much!
I'm just kidding. Well, that's the impression everyone gets when they see Al-kun in the military. But we know Al-kun when he was little.

　He turned to Linne with a broken face that seemed to be filled with a sense of superiority.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for. It's good until now that Al-kun was able to fight on his own. Even demons don't threaten his outstanding power, so that's why I'm worried about him. There is a limit to what a person can do on their own, so.....
I see that Loki is in there now.
Yeah. I have a feeling she's a bit special. If Al-kun continues on his mission alone, he will definitely fail somewhere........I can tell you that much.

　Having fought on the front lines, I couldn't help but laugh at Letty's words with my nose. I guess it's a kind of foreknowledge that comes from experience, but I understand what she's saying to Lynne as well.
　In other words, in an environment where it's not an exaggeration to say that only unforeseen events can happen in the outside world, there can be situations that can't be controlled by one person. So much so that no one is born and dies without stumbling once.

'That's why that power makes you lonely. That's why that power makes you lonely, it makes your ideals seem real. The reason for fighting alone is just a dream. If you don't let him die, you don't have to take him with you, and by the time he realizes that it's a mistake, it won't be too late.
Wouldn't it be better for Lady Letty to tell you what to do?
That's not good enough. You're not quite there yet, Lynne. There's nothing else to do but notice it yourself.
That's too heartless...
You have to call it love!
Love?

　Lynne ruminated inwardly after saying the words and tilted her head slightly.

''It's no good, this one thing........and I've managed to get by until now.......''

　Letty smiles forlornly, with a face that looks like she's forcing her child to fend for herself somehow.

''I'll tell you. I've changed since I joined the academy.......Sisti-san seems to be doing some interesting things, so I have high expectations for them, including Loki-chan.

　Lynne had a hunch that Letty herself actually wanted to take on that role, but seeing the regretful expression on her face, she decided not to say it out loud.

'But you can't tell the person in question about this!　Al-kun doesn't realize it. So he's trying to show off his power that he doesn't need help, maybe.
"I'm not a woman of chivalry to be talked down to!