Sabrina couldn't believe her eyes.

Why were these women here?
Of course, Cromel told her to come here if she didn't want the hostages killed.
Sabrina knows that.
But the opponent is the Empire.
Knowing that, did the three of you come here with that in mind?
Sabrina couldn't believe it.
But then she realized it wasn't so.
They were fellow adventurers, Nito's friends.
They had no reason to fear the Empire in the first place, like the others.

But this was a bad situation for Sabrina.

'You ... why ... did you guys ... come here?'

'What? ...because on the air...

Toa replied, as he should.

But Sabrina couldn't reply to that.
Because if she returned the words here, the Empire would know that the girls were Nito's friends.
From the content of the broadcast, we know that even their names are not known.
That's why I couldn't have any more conversations that could constitute information.

'Hmm?　What is it?

It was Crom-El who said that.
When Crom-El found Toa, he stared intently at her, then said so.

Then Ivan's eyes widened at that point.

''Pale pink hair ... white cat people ... sky blue hair ...''

Ivan mumbled, as if remembering a clue he'd heard from Lage.
And Cromell didn't miss the mumbling.

''Hm.......I see. So you guys are the companions of the adventurer Nito?''

Cromell noticed.
Then he turned his sharp eyes to Toa, Nem and Sufilia.

The Toa didn't say anything, just warned him.
But it turned out to be the opposite.
Crom-El realized from his wary expression that he was a figurehead.
And it wasn't just the Toa who was observing.
Crom-El was watching Sabrina's condition as well, while spying on Toa's movements.

The snake person can detect the other person's psychology through body heat.
In other words, as soon as they became fearful, tense or wary, Sabrina would lose this bargain.

''You finally showed up!

Ivan stood up with a big smile on his face.
But it wasn't a pretty one, it was an awful, ugly smile.

'Yeah, looks like it. Their body heat is telling me the truth.

Cromell said and drew his sword.

'Wait!　They're not!　They're just students!

Get out of the way, unless you want to get killed.

Sabrina's lie was empty, and Cromel readied his sword.

But then the look in Toa's eyes changed.
Nem is also ready.
But Sufilia's will is not there.
He knows - there is no way he can win against him, he said.

'For the sake of my master!　Nem is going to do his best!　-- [Demon Fire (Shlaim)]!

Then three fireballs appeared around Nem.

'Sir, it looks like you can't fool me anymore, right?

Toa understood Sabrina's intentions.
-- that he didn't want her to notice.
But he told her that no more nonsense would get through.

Sabrina still looks hesitant for a moment.
But gradually it turned into a resolve.

''Cover me, please--''

Okay.

Sabrina's eyes had determination in them as she said this.
Then Sabrina took out a short staff from her pocket.
It looks like a long, thin, white piece of stick. But the shape is in place.

''Cromel, it looks like the headmaster is up for it too?

'Looks like it...'

Ivan grinned.
Cromell did not change his expression.

At that moment, Nem released a fireball.
Following that, Sabrina pointed her wand at the two of them.

[Corresponding particle (Matoma hike)]

Then a great number of light particles shot out from the tip of the wand.
And the particles filled a certain amount of space.
Of course, in that space were Cromel and Ivan.

''Toa-san!''

"[Lightningo]! !

With Sabrina's shout, Toa fired a bolt of lightning at the two of them.
The speed of this one was faster than the advanced magic.

At that moment, the particles enlarged in response to Toa's lightning bolt.

'Nonsense magic. Is this what Nito and his party is all about?

Crom-El, I'll take care of it.

"Mm....

"Invisible Aqua!

Then a large amount of water was released from Ivan's brown wooden staff in front of him.
It made a huge swell and built a huge shield of water there.
It looked like a simple waterfall.

Then a bolt of lightning released by Toa hit the waterfall.
Then, as if nothing had happened, with a small motion, the bolt of lightning was absorbed into the water.
All that was left was a faint "chirping" sound.

At that moment, Crom-El lunged forward as fast as he could break the wind, and slashed his sword at the Toa.
Then he slashed his sword at Toa.
Sabrina noticed Crom-El passing right by her, but she was slow to react.

Then there was a sound like the sound of metal crashing.

--Toa prevented Crom-El's sword from hitting him.

''What?'' ...and that sword?

The one that Toa holds in his hand is the 'Serpent Sword Kyrgyzstan'.
It is Shaoan's beloved sword and is a snake man's sword.
Does he feel something from the fact that they are the same snake person?

Toa supported the sword he received with his foot, stepped on it, and pushed forward from there in one fell swoop.
Cromel bounced back from that force.
For a moment, his legs seemed to wobble.

And Toa doesn't miss the opportunity.

''【The Spear of the Storm (Feather Lance)!

Just as Crom-El was about to move out of range for a moment, Toa let loose with a storm spear.
Toa had a thin smile on his face, a smile of confidence that he would win if this one hit.

''Too sweet, too sweet. This is the fellow Nito that terrified Lady Lage, is it?'

But Cromel took a swing of his sword and cut off the Toa's spear.
The storm left by the slash.

The Toa had a look of regret on his face.

However, Sabrina seemed to have some expectation.
--the expectation that they would not be able to win with this.
That's why she wasn't that surprised against Crom-El, who prevented Toa's spear.

Then Sabrina sent some kind of luminous substance flying towards Crom-El.
However, they were played off again by Crom-El's sword.
Sabrina changed the point and continued to shoot, fine-tuning where she released them.

As if to interrupt her there, Nem--

"Demon's lightning bolt!

A yellow magic circle appeared at Crom-El's feet.
Then a bolt of lightning erupted from underneath his feet and struck Crom-El.

But for a moment, Crom-El unleashed a kind of spirit and blasted Nem's lightning bolt around him.

'Hey Crom-El?　If you don't do it, I'll do it myself, if you don't mind.

Ivan waited behind as Crom-El took the lead.
But even though he was tired from the trip, he was frustrated with Crom-El, who showed no signs of killing him.
Crom-El caught Ivan with a sideways glance.

'Yes, but only that woman is the only one I'm going to kill. Other than that, it's not in my orders.''

"That woman" is Toa.

I'll take care of it.

In addition to Crom-El, Ivan also begins to join the fight.

At that moment, a glowing magic circle appeared at Sabrina's feet.

''There is no need for any more conflict!　This is a school!　Where knowledge seekers learn!　We cannot let that be sullied by such a fool as the Empire!

'So, that's taunting the Empire...?'

Cromell's eyes widened and he stared at Sabrina.
The anger and killing intent came from that.

'You two should stay back. I'm going to do it alone here, after all.

Sabrina told Toa and Nem to step back.
At first, they thought that if they joined forces, or........
But it wasn't an opponent that could be defeated so easily.
Sabrina wasn't a mage who specialized in combat, but she couldn't afford to put the two of them in danger any longer.

By the way, even though they were in such a critical situation, the students didn't want to evacuate at all.
What are they thinking?
--the answer is curiosity.
Some of them were even there with a twinkle in their eye.
But they're young, or so one could say of the people themselves.
Sometimes curiosity gets the better of them above all else.
And curiosity can cloud your judgment.

Sabrina has been telegraphing to the teachers, urging them to evacuate from earlier in the day.
But some of the gathered students won't leave.
That's why I was hesitant to think about the possibility of getting them involved in the battle, but.......

''【Guardian Vine (Amustology)!

As soon as Sabrina chanted, the magic circle at her feet glowed even more, and a sword floated up from it.
Sabrina then put away her staff and took the sword.
It was a simple sword, with the whole thing glowing a bright blue light.

'It's been a long time since I've held a sword but now I'm going to let you all die.

At that moment, both sides moved.
The one who moved first was Cromel.
He must have been angry at Sabrina for disrespecting the Empire.

Every time the swords of the two sides crossed and clashed many times, a thunderous sound rang out.

''【Piercing Water Stream (Stock Fall)!

It was then that Ivan exercised his magic on Sabrina.

Then a magic circle appeared at Sabrina's feet.
Sabrina retreated from the magic circle while taunting Kromel's sword.
At that moment, a horn of water shot up from the magic circle.

''Distorted Flame (Flame Enough)!

Then Sabrina, while keeping her distance, unleashed a spell to take advantage of Ivan, who had just chanted.

''Kukka!''

A whip of fire extended from Sabrina's left hand and it clung to Ivan's staff.
And in the next moment, Ivan's staff burst into flames.

'd*mn!　It's a pain in the ass!

Ivan waved his wand around wildly, trying to somehow put out the fire that clung to him.

'Where are you looking? --

But when Sabrina was distracted by Ivan, Cromel closed the distance at once.
Then, big, he swung his sword down.
In response, Sabrina quickly raised her sword.
But it was a wrong decision.

-- Crom-El pretended to cut at her with his sword.

When he swung at her with a large motion, he stopped just before and kicked Sabrina's hand away, with all his strength, with a spinning kick.

-- the arm holding the sword, of course.

Sabrina's arm was taken in the direction of the flow of power by the impact.
And then she let go of the sword in an accidental move.

'Phew! --

Sabrina's stance was broken.
Of course, Cromell didn't miss the opening.
Sabrina saw the blade, swinging at herself with a sideways glance as her stance leaned.
But not in time.
And then--

--Sabrina's torso was slashed, diagonally, by the body.

Gahaha!

Blood gushed out of Sabrina's upper body.
Straight down from her shoulders to her waist, a line of blood could be seen.

But Cromell didn't stop his hand.
He grabbed Sabrina's collapsing neck with one hand and, with all his strength, threw her off.

'Sir!'

The Toa called Sabrina's name.
Then Sabrina flew through the air and rolled to the feet of the students, who were not evacuated, but were just onlookers.

Then she rushed to the principal, the teachers.

'Principal!'

You just need to get the students out of here.

Sabrina glared at her students.

'Do you guys want to be....like this...?　This is ... not a class!　The attack.........is that it?!

Sabrina told her students with what strength she had left.
But there was no more strength left to speak.
There was no more strength left to fight.
The body would not be able to withstand the battle any longer.


At that time, Toa went towards Cromell.

Hah!

The Toa closed in on him, trying to cut him down with his snake sword.

But the movement was completely missed.



--Iyakiri.

Toa was slashed in the stomach, sideways.

"Toa!

Nem runs up to him.
Blood gushed from Toa's stomach.

'Toa!　Get a grip!

Nem supports Toa's head as he collapses on the spot and somehow tries to stop the blood.

''It's okay.......so.......''

The Toa lay there, limp.
His face was pale and his vitality seemed to be slowly draining out of him.

'The blood, it won't stop!　Toa?　What do we do about Nem? .....

Nem panics when he sees Toa's wound.
He wants to stop the blood somehow.
But she can't use healing magic.
The more Nem thought about it, the more panicked he became.

Then he heard a voice.

''--Kill me quickly!

"The teachers, who had been screaming for evacuation, quieted down at the sound of their voices.

One of the students said, "It's not our problem!

"We don't have anything to do with it!

Just then, Patrick rushed in just in time.
Then he opened his eyes and saw Sabrina, who was lying on the ground, and Toa.
Their expressions revealed a puzzled look.
And when Patrick saw Cromell and Ivan, he gradually understood the situation from the announcement he had just made.

''The headmaster has nothing to do with it either!　We don't have anything to do with it either!　We just wanted to learn!　You're here for Nito the Adventurer, right?　Then leave us and the principal alone!

The student from earlier said so.
At this, it took Patrick another moment to understand the situation.

More importantly, he had to treat Toa and the headmaster first.

--but what about the two Imperials?

--What do I do?

--What can I do now that I'm out of here?

Patrick was confused.
The desire to help and the desire not to die clashed in his mind and it stopped Patrick in his tracks.
Patrick panicked and all he could do was breathe.
But spirit magic is a powerful force.
Patrick knows that.
But is this not power, but quite simply courage?　It's a matter of.

'Get the hell out of the academy!

The students are still screaming.
This is not courage.
He is frightened, and he too is panicking.
At first, he was curious.
But the reality was that there was nothing fun about it.

They were looking for ambition in this thing called magic.
That's why they were excited at the opportunity to see something they didn't know.
But the reality was cruel.
There were only two kinds of people: those who were going to be killed and those who would live again afterwards.
Then the reality of 'death' suddenly struck those students.

'Please!　It's not about us!

Cromell stared at the student.

You talk so boldly about the first class and so on, but when you open the lid and look at them, you'll find that they're only hothouse-bred cowards........................Kukkuk!

Cromell snarked sarcastically.

'But rest assured, the only people I want to see are Nith's people. Killing a coward like you would be a shame for life--

Then Cromel pointed his sword at the lying Toa.

'This will please the king and Master Lage--'

Cromell readied his sword.

It was then--

Cromell stopped his arm as he tried to swing down.
Then I noticed it and gradually turned my face to it.
What...what...is...?

--there appeared a black vortex-like object.

It was like a vortex of darkness that seemed to suck in light.
The darkness seemed to be slowly stirring.

The first thing I saw was a deep, black, crimson colored

-- a foot like 'blood'.

Then directly and slowly, the whole body appeared.

……

Cromell was speechless.

Then, slowly, something appeared from within it.
Everyone present was stunned and looked at that person.

Crom-El pointed the sword he had been pointing at the Toa at that one.
Ivan, who had been distracted, readied his staff and became wary.

''What ... are you? .....

The one who appeared there, wearing a robe the color of "black blood
A full-face black crimson mask with a demon's face painted on it.

-- was an alien.