With the figure in sight, Ars squinted and overflowed.

''Noir........''
Al?　Do you know her?

　Loki's voice was the only thing that flew off as he was poised to exit the AWR at any time with his arms around his waist. I can see no small amount of astonishment sitting there and at the same time an indigestible, unfulfilled feeling of indigestion.

'No, I was only asked to give you a tour at the school festival but you know Loki.

　Ars, who had guessed from the expression on his face, didn't choose a far-fetched word, but asked frankly. Although there was a concern that this would happen, who could have predicted that the pursuer would be Noir?
　According to the information I got from the guide, she is one year younger than Ars and the same age as Loki.

''Such a thing, if you ask me,''
'Sorry, as expected, even I can't predict this much. Or rather, if I could, I'd predict the future.
Yeah. I'm sorry. She's.....
"Lokiy, it's been a long time. But I'm not interested in you now. I'll even kill you if it's worth it.

　He looked down at Loki as an object of mockery, holding his index finger to his mouth in a lewd manner.

'What do you mean, Loki?'
'It's no wonder Al doesn't know. She, Noir, is in the fourth year of the Mage Training Program.
"--!　I see, so senior. But I thought the mage training program was frozen.
Yes, I've heard of it. In fact, I was the last one to go out into the world after my generation. But it wasn't until the fifth term that the freeze actually happened. By the time I went out into the outside world, the fourth term, as a reservist, had begun training in the facility. Among them, we had a few mock battles with Noir...

　The trainees left behind by the freeze are supposed to be under the protection of the military. From what I've heard from Beric before, trainees, like Ars and Loki, tend to be children who have no parents or relatives. Therefore, as soon as they are placed in custody, the search for a foster home begins.

　Of course, they can also be taken care of in an institution - like an orphanage - until they become independent. With the exception of Ars and Loki, who were already competent as wizards who could go out into the outside world, they were to perform their duties as they were, but that was also an individual's choice. It could be said that they had no choice but to do so, though.

　So it's difficult to judge whether that was a good thing for the trainees who were aborted in the middle of the mission. The wounds in their hearts are distorted by the goal of defeating the demons. It is understandable to seek the value of existence there.

　The fact that Noir is one of them also makes Ars bitter and unfulfilling feelings well up with anger.
　The fact that you are here means that you must have come to capture Ars, to no small degree. No, it's not such a simple atmosphere. You'll be able to find something that smells like blood that has been seeping in for a long time, more than just a murderous atmosphere from the group dressed in black.

　It's the kind of microscopic odd odor that blends in with the air of the killing atmosphere, a kind of lingering scent that can be discerned only because you are accustomed to smelling it. Noir, who stands at the front of the pack in the midst of such a situation, shows a smile of unrestrained madness without hesitation about killing. He doesn't care about the number of people he has killed. Euphoria peeps in though it is cool-headed.

　A mousy gaze crawls over Ars's entire body with eyes that shine mysteriously.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that it's a good idea to have a good time. It's time to decide which one of you can handle the meat better. You can also find a number of other things to do with your life.

　There was only one reason for Noir to master magic. More likely, magic was only a means to an end, and mastering it was more immediate. There were bad guys, and it was right and pleasing to judge them, because no act could be overturned before justice.

　It was probably because I wanted someone to recognize what I could do and what it meant to exist. She couldn't even remember now why, or why she felt that way.
　She just hoped strongly. She wanted to be better than anyone else, to be a great wizard. The reason why this is so vague, I think my parents, who can no longer even think of their faces, said that they could be the best.

　The person in question, Noir, has never been aware of such memories or motives. I just wish that I could be the best. It's like a parched throat craving for water.
　I wanted one thing, something outstanding that was unrivaled.
　Had her lineage led her down this path, or was this the only path left for her? This was the only thing she didn't know. It was just that it was the way it was when she found out.

　It seemed like someone had told her she was good and suitable for killing, but who was it?
　It didn't even matter now.

　Noir's gaze turned to the area where Froese and Vizayst were. But it was precisely that one area and she was just waiting for instructions.

　Ars followed the movement of his gaze, bracing himself. Ars is convinced when he catches sight of the well-dressed man holding up a single finger.

(It was Lieutenant General Morweld, or was it Major General? That means....)

　They must be the hunting party that was released to capture Arus. However, considering that Morweld, who was supposed to be the opposite of Beric even within the military, was leading his own troops in this way, it seems that there was an agony in the military as well.
　In no small measure, Ars should have stood up to prevent this from happening, but he felt that it would not work. In the first place, Morweld had been submissive after his demotion and we'd never heard of his achievements. Of course, one of the reasons why he didn't know that Ars had been out in the outside world all the time was because of that. Maybe that's why he was disregarding it.

　Originally, for the sake of appearances, the troops here had to be turned in by Beric. Wherever the Governor's intentions were, if he was serious about capturing them, Letty should be there, and if not, would a low-ranking magician be sent in to help them escape?

　Of course, it was also due to Morweld's well-timed moves within the army, but Ars had no way of knowing.
　Looking at this situation alone, Beric's power of voice and execution inside the army may be weakening.


　Even if you run away, your opponent is also a reasonable user. More to the point, they're probably people who don't think anything of killing people. It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　The many gazes directed at Ars do not contain any emotion. There is no will to fight where they win or lose.


　I heard Tesfia's voice rushing up from behind me to the unusual situation.

''Al!
You're not coming!

　What? The Tesfia took a couple of steps on the tatara as he was forced to control his spirits.

　Ars took one look and pointed at Froese, Viziest and the others. This was an official military capture. Considering that Ars is currently a wanted criminal, having Tesfia, a nobleman, join them would put them at a disadvantage.

　Understanding, Tesfia cannot take a step forward. If she really wanted to join in, she'd want to join in, but she can't bet the Fevers on it.
　She didn't even have an AWR, and she had to clench her fists tightly.

　Noir opened his mouth in a boring manner to confirm this.

'I'm wanted anyway, so I'm recommending that you surrender as prescribed. If you surrender, you will not be harmed. If you're going to resist, you'll have to use force... but you'll resist, won't you?　Seniors.
Of course. Fear, you stay away.
Uh-huh.

　Immediately afterwards, Morweld's fingers were crooked, as if he saw it as a break.
　The robes fluttered and a group of black-clad men sped down the slope in a lumbering fashion, heading for Ars and Loki.

　One by one, a short stick appeared to grow out of their sleeves. With a single swipe of it, the stored blade recoils and snaps into place.
　Each of them has two small scythe-like weapons.

'Loki, you intercept the one that went behind you.
Yes, sir.

　With his hands behind his back, Loki pulls out vigorously. The eight knives between the fingers of both hands emit silver light.

　Immediately, Ars unleashes a palm strike directly in front of him. The thin space is distorted, and it becomes an invisible 10-meter square wall and pushes as it scrapes the ground.
　Only the first two collide with the invisible barrier, then they leap high on their companions' heads to step over or around it. Their actions, which are judged in an instant without upset or dismay, are proof that they are used to fighting.

　At the first blow, Ars had the hesitation to kill him. If this was a troop sent by Beric, it would be out of the question, but not this time.
　And he didn't want to show it as much as possible. Ars, who no longer abhors killing people, always despises himself. Even if he knows it's necessary, he doesn't see it as a good thing. This world is not made that way.
　To be aware of it means to find justification for it and to start affirming the act itself. That's why Ars wasn't the person he wanted to show much of himself.

　To Loki and Tesfia he would want them to remain unaware of who they were not, because he had made them live in his mind more or less deeply.
　It's strange at times. This is something I never thought of before.

　I only want them to see the good me. I never thought that I would be able to do that.
　I've said before that Vizayst has become more human towards Ars, and I feel that this is what he means.
　If you can call the conflict a growth, then Ars is probably growing right now.

　But..........

　Against the enemy who reflexively swung his scythe down, Ars had flashed an AWR. Deep, deep, deep, to the point where blood splattered out.
　He felt nothing, not even hesitation.
　This would be what homophobia is all about. Self-hatred would be this. Still, Ars concluded that he didn't need to look at himself.

　He dealt with the scythes that swarmed together one after another. The AWR was dug into the hilt.

''Ho, you can even form a magic sword?

　I looked sideways at the blade of the scythe that had stopped moving just as it was about to touch my temples and spilled that. There is a magic sword formed there, although it is only a few centimeters long. If you measure your pause with only the actual blade, you will be struck with a false impression.

''Be careful, Loki.''

　The reply was returned with a roar of thunder. The three of them were collectively lying on the ground, emitting smoke from all over their bodies. It's a good idea to be able to have a good time with your friends.

　However, Ars only took one look at it and said nothing. Because it was clear that Loki's attack was intended to defeat the demon, not to kill the human.
　I don't know if that's a good thing. However, Loki's actions were reasoned as much as they were thought out in his head. There was a hesitation before he made a decision.

　That hesitation in thought, or rather the time lag until the decision is made, is because she has no small amount of aversion to killing humans. Sooner or later, Loki will not hesitate, he has the talent to kill even a heart for the sake of Ars, not to mention the pros and cons. And even if she does, her will will will kill the members of Cruelsaith.

　You'll be able to see that they are also worried, and focus their attention on the battle.

　It's a good idea to have a good time with them. It's not the white sunlight emitted by the pseudo-sun, but a reddish heat that illuminates the ground from directly above.
　Countless fireballs, as big as one human being, rained down like meteors.

　Magic that doesn't pay any attention to it even though its companions are engaged in battle. Purgatory Flame Rocks (Volcano), the magic that belongs to the upper class had an overwhelming amount of mass and heat.

　The whole area around here will be full of holes for sure.

　Ars, who immediately poured magic power into AWR, deployed a huge amount of water barriers in the sky in order to make it sink. The magic called fireballs basically defines combustion as the definition of event modification, so if the event of burning is eliminated, it will dissipate as magic. It would also need to be doubly stretched to make this number sink in.

　The [Purgatory Flame Rock (Volcano)] that raises white smoke immediately weakens the flames and can no longer be maintained as magic.
　However, Ars squints at the black shadow coming through the water wall.

　Yes, there was an enemy lurking in the center of the fireball. It would have been a fireball trying to break through.
　It was a desperate attack. What's more, he gambled in a situation where he didn't know how Ars would respond. It's not a straightforward way to fight.