Igni: “Alicia…..I……..”
Alicia’s blonde hair shined brilliantly in the moonlight, as it waved in the nightly breeze.
Before Igni could say anything more, his mouth was silenced by Alicia’s soft hand.
Alicia: “........don’t say anything.”
Igni: “...............”
Igni followed Alicia’s direction and fell silent.
Alicia: “........hey, Igni. I’m…...a daughter of an Emperor.”
Igni nodded silently.
Alicia: “And I’m 3rd in line. So I don’t actually have any real freedoms.”
Alicia smiled warmly at Igni.
Igni couldn’t quite understand what she was trying to say.
Alicia: “But I was really happy. I was happy when you were able to defeat my sister. That really made me happy to see that.”
As Alicia continued to sit on top of Igni, she spoke to him softly.
They were on the beach.
They were in the lodge’s blindside, so it would be hard for anyone to notice.
Alicia: “That’s why…...even if it’s just for 3 years, I want to stay like this.”
Alicia brought her face close to Igni’s once again, and their lips touched.
On the quiet beach, only the sound of waves was heard.
The salty smell of the sea and Alicia’s scent mixed and tickled Igni’s nose.
They didn’t know how long they stayed that way.
It might have been only for a short moment…..or it could have been for much longer.
Iris: “Heyー?! Alicia! Where are you?!”
From the lodge, they could hear Iris’ voice, and Alicia released her lips from Igni’s.
Iris: “Oh, there you are. HEY! Why is Sir Igni here too?!”
Igni: “HーHey.”
The two stood up and acted as though nothing happened.
Iris: “Hey, Alicia! What were you talking about with Sir Igni?!”
Alicia: “.......we were discussing about Sara’s bracelet. Apparently, it malfunctioned today.”
Iris: “Is that bracelet that important?” Iris, who doesn’t know about Sara and the [Demon King’s Realm] looks at Alicia and Igni to ask.
Alicia: “Sara is…….well, her body is special. Without that bracelet, she wouldn’t be able to stay with everyone.”
Igni: “That bracelet was something I asked Alicia to make, and she got it for me. That’s why I was discussing it with her.”
Iris: “Is that right! I’m so sorry!”
Iris bows her head apologetically.
Iris: “Oh, but Alicia. Everyone’s looking for you. We’re about to do some card fortune telling.”
Alicia: “Okay. Then, I’ll head over shortly.”
Iris: “Okayー I’ll let them know.”
Iris delivers the message and returns to the lodge.
Alicia: “.........Igni.” Igni: “Hm?”
Alicia: “Could you…...not tell this to anyone?” Alicia gently held Igni’s sleeve as she spoke.
Igni: “I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
And Igni replied with a kind tone.
Alicia: “Then….I’ll be going back. See you tomorrow.” Igni: “Yeah, see you tomorrow.”
After he saw Alicia return, he let out a big sigh and turned around.
Igni: “So, who are you? I know you’re there.”
Abyss: “........that's frightening. You can sense me at this distance for real?” From the shadows of a tree that was over 70 meters (～77 yards) away, one young man appeared.
He had black hair that melted into the night sky and dark violet eyes.
He also had a perpetual mocking smile on his face
Igni: “I felt uncomfortable from feeling someone staring from a little while ago.”
Igni started feeling the stare right after Iris came.
“How could you know when someone’s just looking at you? You’re a freakin’ Monster.”
As he laughed casually, the man continued to approach Igni.
Igni: “Stop, don’t come any closer.”
Igni believed in his 6th sense and had the man stop about 30 meters (～33 yards) away.
“What is it? It would be annoying talking to you from so far, so I was just walking towards you.”
Igni: “Who are you? You aren’t part of the group at the lodge.”
Igni’s body is now fully transitioned into combat readiness.
The man’s gaze <ABRUPTLY> appeared.
It was as if he teleported there.
“I live around here. I just came to look at the ocean.”
Igni: “Wearing that?” The man’s clothes were not really for walking on the night beach.
He looked more like an Adventurer.
He looks like he’s ready to take down a Monster at any time.
“What does it matter what I’m wearing?” The man continued his perpetual, mocking smirk.
It was an expression of confidence saying that he could handle anything at any time.
“Don’t be so on edge. I’m just seriously looking for something around here.”
Igni: “Looking for something?” “Yeah, I won’t bother you with it.”
With that, the man laughed.
“Soon, very soon. It’ll all be over.”
The instant, the lights at the lodge suddenly went dark.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition}!”
Igni’s 6th sense determined that the man he was facing was an enemy.
He immediately creates a {Fireball}!
“I told you, it’ll be all over in a moment.”
Igni pours Magic Power into the {Fireball} he created, and it transitioned from a red hue to whiteーー
“Good, I found it. ……...huh? Someone got in the way.”
Valia: “Mr. Igni!!”
From the lodge, Miss Valia stuck her head out.
Valia: “Someone tried to come after Sara! Right now, Miss Miru and Miss Miko are dealing with it! Please be aware of your surroundings!”
With those words, Igni understood everything.
Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}!”
And believing his instincts, he launched the {Fireball} at the young man!
“OH～H. So that’s how it is.”
The young man dispersed the pitch black wall that he created in front of him as he spoke.
“Looks like there’s more people who are in the way now.”
The man stepped back.
Igni quickly followed him.
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}”
“[Powerful one]”
Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}!!”
“[Come out of the Darkness]”
Both cast their Spell at the same time!
Igni’s {Fireball} screeches as its outer edges <rub against the air>.
<HYUDO!!> (sfx)
They were both 30 meters (～33 yards) apart. But for Igni, this distance is next to nothing.
But in between them, a Black Arm emerged and blocked his Spell.
“Whoaー amazingー you crushed the arms of the Spirit of Darkness, Tenebris.”
Igni: “[Equip Flame] {Ignition} : [Molecular] {Minima}!!”
As expected, there was no way the thing could endure Igni’s [Anti-Armor] {Pierce}, and the arm that came out of the darkness was blown to bits.
Igni: “{Acceleration}!!”
The molecular sized {Fireball} moves back into the Magic Cyclotron Igni created behind him and begins its acceleration!
ーー<KIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNnnnnn!!>
Behind Igni, a ring similar to a halo appears as the Cyclotron continues to accelerate the {Fireball} and ーー
Igni: “[Launch] {Fire}!!”
“[Block it]”
The man used a simple Defensive Spell.
But there was no way he could have stopped Igni’s {Fireball} that travelled at the speed of light with just that!
Igni’s {Fireball} pierced the man’s defenses and blew the man backwards!
Igni: “What do you want with Sara?”
“You blow me up with a Spell and THEN you ask me questions? Isn’t it usually done in reverse order?”
Smoke billowed up from the man’s body.
The temperature exceeded that of human combustion, and the entire body was now smoking.
“You wouldn’t understand even if I explained, so I’m saying nothing.”
Igni: “........then, I’ll stop you here.”
“Stop me? You? You’re going to stop me? HOW?!”
The man picks himself up from the ground.
His body was rapidly regenerating as if it was rewinding.
“Tell me, Mr. Student of Rolmod Academyー!!”
With a <ZUN> (sfx), the dark night grew even darker and from there, countless humanoid figures emerged.
They all looked identical to the pitch black humanoid figure Igni saw during the day.
“I haven’t properly introduced myself yet.”
The man laughed.
“I am Abyss. The [Endless Depths] Abyss.’
Igni <knew of that name>.
A freelance Wizard that does not swear allegiance to any country.
But he himself is not a combat type, and an aberration that swears to be a researcher at heart.
And he conducted many forbidden experiments in many countries and is a wanted criminal throughout many countries.
Abyss: “I am the [Extreme] of [Darkness].”
