Big. That's what I thought the moment I saw that flay. The cricket guy I fought before was the size of a light car, but this one looked like it was the size of four large buses.
　The head...or rather, the top of the body was also lined with two almond-shaped head-like structures, and within them I could see what looked like a glowing orange nucleus.
　Perhaps because of the size of its body, the previous cricket-type nucleus was about the size of a baseball, but this one is about the size of a basketball. It would be impossible to attract it with 'apports' with that one.

What do we do?

　Lean turns to me and demands a decision. I guess we could run away without fighting. To be honest, I have no debt or obligation to this country.
　But what if that thing crosses the desert, crosses the Great Sea of Trees, and comes to Mismid? And what if they come further down the road to Belfast? There may be many victims. There could be many victims, including people we know and care for.

Let's do it. We can't just leave him there.

　This is where we stop it.
　Fortunately, there's nothing around but desert. We don't have to think about the damage.

"But how? If the thing has the same abilities as before, then it's going to absorb magic and be extremely hard, right? And this one's even in the air.

　Surely Else is right. The Yae's sword has been replaced with one made of mithril, but I don't know how far it will go. How do you attack an opponent who is flying in the sky in the first place?

We'll have to attack with non-direct magic. You could hit them with Ice Rock or Rock Crush.

　Linze and Yumina nodded at Lean's words. I manage to knock them down to the ground with that attack, and me, Else, and Yae will only attack the main body directly. We have no choice but to go that way.

''Alright, let's go!''

　Opening the "gate," they flew out into the terrestrial desert. Overhead, a crystal manta ray shines in a slow, leisurely motion, reflecting the sun's light.
　When I see it with my own eyes in person, I realize its size even more. Perhaps it's because it's looking down on me, but it's also very intimidating.
　I pull out the Brunhild and pull the trigger. With a thud, the bullet flashed across the body of the crystal manta.

''Regular bullets don't work....

　It was quite hard and its streamlined body would deflect its power.

"Come on, ice, great lump of ice, ice rock!

　When Linze activated her magic, a huge block of ice appeared in the sky above the manta and fell as it was.
　The ice chunk slams into the manta's body, but it can't do much against an object that floats in the air, and it falls straight into the desert. An arm push on the curtain. Those words came to mind.
　It's like throwing a stone at a Styrofoam board floating on the surface of the water. I can't very well knock that guy off the ground with this.
　The crystal manta rays slowly turn towards us. Light was gathering between the right and left, between the nucleated crystal body. I don't know what it is, but I have a bad feeling it's bad!

Everybody spread out!

　All of us reacted immediately to my words and ran from the scene. The next moment, a bullet of light shot out of the manta and exploded at the place we were in. With a tremendous explosion, a huge pillar of sand rises up, testifying to its destructive power.

'You've got to be kidding me.......if you get hit by that thing, you won't get a moment's peace.......'

　I heard it takes a few seconds to shoot out, but that's the only thing that helps. I can manage to duck that one.
　As if to ridicule my thoughts, the manta ray's tail stretched out and bent so that its tip was under my belly. And from the tip of it, something shot out like a machine gun and attacked us again.

'Kook!'

　I ducked something that was shot out, and while preparing my stance, I checked the thing that was stuck in the desert.
　Is it a crystal clear arrow, or should I call it a stick shuriken? Either way, it's extremely dangerous.
　When I looked around to make sure everyone was okay, I saw Linze lying on the ground holding her leg.

''Linse!''
It's okay. It's just a rub, you know...

　Linse stoutly stood up, healing her injured leg with her recovery magic. Then the tip of her tail was pointed at her again. ''Oh no!

Axel!

　Using the ability of the ring I gave her, Else accelerates to her sister. I hold out the gauntlet in my left hand to the rain of stick shuriken that is falling down. Due to the gauntlet's wind granting effect, all of the crystal bullets deflect away from the twin sisters.

''Fuyao-dono! Get me over his head at the Gate!
"...! I get it!

　He hesitated for a moment at Yae's suggestion, but as he was told, he opened the 'gate' under her feet and shifted it to a few meters above the manta.

'Prepared!

　The mithril blade that Yae swung down dug into the manta's back. However, it was far from fatal damage.
　Yae kicks the manta's back and Yae leaves it. Hey, hey, no matter how much of a desert it is down there, if you fall from that height...!

'Lord Winterfellas! The Gate!

　! I see!
　I activate the "gate" in the air just below Yae's feet, and the exit opens next to me, a meter above the ground. She disappears into the 'gate' in the air and lands lightly next to me. Phew.

'Don't make me have a heart attack...'
I'm sorry, that I am.

　But even a Mithril-made double sword is not effective? How can I damage this guy!
　Like the cricket type last time, I guess I would still have to crush the nucleus, but I can't "apports" and I have two nuclei.
　The tip of its tail turns toward me. d*mn, not again!

'Whirling winds, storm barriers, cyclone walls!

　The spell Yumina spun created a protective wall of wind around me and Yae. The arrows released from the manta rays were swallowed by the vortex and disappeared into the sky. I was saved.
　But after the sandstorm disappeared, the figure that jumped in front of me was the one who was now shooting out a ball of light towards me.

''Huh, Axel!''

　He picked up Yae and used his acceleration magic to break away from the spot. A loud explosion came from behind me. That was close! Surprisingly, he's a lot smarter than I thought.

"Come on, rocks. Crush the boulders. Rock crush!

　Lean's magic slammed a huge rock over the crystal manta's head, but just like Linse earlier, it didn't seem to produce much of an effect.
　This isn't good at this point... there's no deciding factor here. It's obvious that we will be cornered eventually. When that happens, there is a possibility that someone else will become a victim.... I felt a cold sweat running down my back.

''d*mn, I'll just have to pull out at the 'gate' once...?
'Huh? Who do you think it is, Winter Night?
What?

　The out-of-place voice caused me to turn around as I picked up Yae in my arms.　
　The one standing there was a white-haired boy with a long white scarf, even though it was in this scorching heat.

''Ende...?''
Hi.

　The monotone boy I met earlier in the city raises his hand, beaming. Why is Ende here? No. How did you get here before that? There was no one there earlier. As far as the eye can see, in a place like this in the desert, you could tell where you were coming from.

'Long time no see. I saw a hint of Frayze, so I came over and didn't expect to see you in the winter night.
'Ende you know about Fraise?'
I know, right? Well, a lot of things have happened. But still, I didn't know that even the middle class is over here. That warding off effect is really starting to wear thin.

　Intermediate? Warding? What the hell does this boy know?

I'll be back in a minute. I'll take care of the stuff first.
What?

　Laughing as he said that, Ende walked to Fray's Manta. A crystal arrow rained down mercilessly towards him, but in the next moment, Ende's figure disappeared from the scene.

''Huh?''

　I look around, but Ende is nowhere to be seen. Is it the magic of invisibility? No, that magic only fools the eye, it's not a magic that makes you disappear from existence.

'There it is, that it is!

　In my arms, Yae pointed to Frase. Ende was standing on the back of Frase, who was floating in the air. When did it happen........!

Hey.

　In a casual gesture, Ende kicked Frazeez in the back. It was a slow kick, just a right leg up and then down. With that alone, a crack appeared in Fraise, and it quickly ran through her entire body.
　Eventually, pakin! And then there was a loud sound of destruction, as if the glass had been broken, and then, with a rattle, Frase started to collapse.
　What the hell! What did you do!
　Ende descends into the desert with the glittering, crumbling crystal. Picking up two basketball-sized kernels from the shattered remains of the Frays, he holds them in both hands and smashes them against each other, destroying them to pieces of wood.
　As it was, he slapped his hands in the air and came over to us.

''What the hell did you do?''

　I put my doubts to Ende.

'Nothing? I just destroyed it by magically hitting it with the same natural vibration as he did, though.

　Natural vibrations? This is what you call a resonance phenomenon? Maybe it's magic, so it's not the same thing........

'Ende you said 'warding' earlier, right? What are you talking about?
It's like a net that keeps the flames out of our world. It's like a net that keeps him out of our world, but it's frayed. He must have escaped from that. At best, this is the only one who can make it through.

　Ende murmurs as he looks at the pieces of crystal scattered across the desert.

'These guys are just lowlifes working to fulfill their purpose. They're not much of a guy.'
Purpose?
Finding the sleeping king of the Frayze. It's like me.

　...what?

Oops, I have to go. I have an appointment. So I hope to see you again on the winter night.
Hey...!

　Ende smiled at me and disappeared from the scene, ignoring me as I held him back. What the hell kind of magic is this? Are we moving at a moment's notice?

The 'King' of the Frayze...?

　I just watched everyone rushing towards us in a daze, puzzling over the mystery Ende had left behind.