Strong.
At a glance, that armored warrior monster is real.
A bizarre magical power, a strange appearance, and the technique that can slice through a wizard’s body—protected by magic—with a single blow.
And, above all.
“Go-you, Aratame, de aru.”
““““““““““ッ”””””””””””””
Everyone suddenly stops moving.
It’s a reaction shown when wild creatures encounter an overwhelmingly strong external threat.
This is what they call a feigned death response.
Despite the lack of meaning, the fear stemming from the overwhelming difference in strength has frozen the wizards in place.
“Keheh.”
“…?? A, no, a transformation…”
The armored warrior turns to face me.
Ah, no, I inadvertently started channeling magical power because it looked too interesting.
No, no, patience, patience, stop the magic.
“…Go-you, Aratame, de aru.”
Alright, I managed to bluff my way through.
Here, I need to pretend to be frozen as Friend Character No. 8.
“…Snow… there’s no time to discuss. We need to run; that’s all right, isn’t it?”
“…I agree. But… that won’t work for just us…!”
“Huh? Seriously, you… but that’s just like you, my king, Snow.”
“I’ll create some time; Aki, use that opportunity to get everyone out—”
Oh, as expected from Snow and Aki.
They’re overcoming their fear and trying to steady their breathing.
Ah, the protagonist has to be like this!
The other wizards still haven’t snapped out of their feigned death response.
Ah, could there be casualties?
“Ah.”
“Go-you, Aratame.”
Uh-oh Harusaki is being targeted.
The armored warrior takes a stance, ready to strike the ground.
“Go-you, Aratame—”
“Come at me!!!!!!!! Black Knight’s Charter!!”
“Huh?”
“Go-you.”
Gakikikikikikiki.
The thrust from the armored warrior was blocked by the Black Knight, covered in black armor.
Oh, it’s a dream battle between a Japanese armored warrior and a medieval black knight!!
Aki’s gift is so cool!
“Snow!!!! Get everyone and run! Hurry!!”
“Aki!? What are you doing!?”
“You said it! That we’d get everyone out!! Keep them alive! I’ll hold this guy off here!!”
Snow freezes at Aki’s words.
“…Death flag.”
For some reason, the armored warrior’s movements stopped for a moment.
“Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah. It hurts, it hurts so much, help me. Help meeeeeeeeeee!!!”
“Ah, ah, ah…”
“I don’t want to… Rit…”
“What the hell was that…”
Snow’s gaze shifts to the nobles and then to our classmates.
“Takihito… hi, you.”
To me.
Why?
“Snow!!!! Remember your role!!!”
“Ah—”
The moment Aki shouts, Snow’s expression changes.
“Gift activation—everyone, lend me your strength.”
Boom.
A green light ignites in the bodies of everyone present.
In that instant—
“Spirits—”
Oh?
My body lifts off the ground—
Snap.
First, the nobles disappeared, as if they had teleported in an instant.
“—Transfer.”
Snow’s gift can do this too—
One after another, those engulfed in green light began to vanish.
Harusaki Kotori, the Ayukawa siblings, and then Aki—
Wait?
Is Aki the only one not glowing?
“That’s fine, Snow…”
“Aki… I’ll come to help you right away! Hold on for sure—”
“Haha, don’t get your hopes up… Ta!”
Huh? What’s with this atmosphere?
It feels like a great scene from a blockbuster movie.
“I leave Snow to you—”
Snap.
In that moment, my vision is enveloped in green light.
When I come to, I find myself surrounded by rock walls, a rocky floor, and the light of blue flames.
I’ve returned to the first floor.
“Uuuuuuh, my arm, my arm!!!”
“Huh? Why are we…?”
“Ah, ah… no way.”
“Lies, this…”
“Eh, wait, could it be the first floor?”
Everyone is here.
“U, uuu…”
“Ah, where’s Aki?”
As Kotori said.
Except for Aki.
“Aki is still fighting… His Black Knight Charter negates all magical effects… It couldn’t target armor or spirit magic.”
“Hey, Snow-chan, you’re wobbling! Stop! Where are you trying to go!?”
Ayukawa grabs the swaying Snow.
She’s drenched in sweat. Her magical power is nearly depleted
“No, Haru-chan, Aki, Aki is waiting… I have to go… I have to…”
“What are you saying… A-Aki-kun, if it’s Aki-kun, surely, he’ll be…”
“Ah, no… Aki will die… Don’t stop me… Ah, it’s my fault, it’s my fault… I abandoned Aki… I have to go, I have to help…”
“There’s no way you can go in this condition! If anyone is going, it should be me! Natsu! Please take care of Snow-chan!”
“H-Haru, wait… There’s no way we can face that monster… Aki-kun might already…”
“W-What do you mean ‘might already’!? Haru, if you say anything more, I’ll throw you out!”
“W-What do you mean by ‘throw out’!? If Natsu goes, he’ll just die too! I don’t want that! I absolutely don’t want Natsu to die!”
“Ah, w-w-w-wait!”
Everyone is starting to panic.
“Ahhh, my arm! I don’t care about that right now, my arm!”
“Hey, you guys! You’re heroes, right!? Right now, protect us!”
“That’s right! Fulfill your role as heroes like that guy over there!”
“Rit, what should we do? What can we do?”
“It’s… my fault… I gathered everyone in one place…”
Ah, this is a complete disaster.
Some are starting to fight, others are at a loss, just shouting.
Everyone is beginning to say what they want.
Ugh…
I’m a bit disappointed.
Compared to that…
“I have to go… Aki is waiting for me. I will save everyone; no one will die…”
Oh, Snow is crawling forward.
And Aki, who probably accepted death in that moment.
These two are really something.
I have high hopes for the Ayukawa siblings and Kotori next.
I’m a bit disappointed in Nanazaki and the others.
And then…
They’re completely useless.
Let’s silence these fools.
“Puh!?”
“Shut up for a moment!”
“Huh!?”
The nobles are noisy.
I’ll punch them all in the stomach once to knock them out.
The ones with their arms cut off will be stopped by the bloodbath.
Well, they shouldn’t die.
“Huh… why…?”
Ayukawa’s sister is frozen, looking this way.
“Why, you ask? Oh, is it because I stopped this guy’s blood? Snow-san helped him, so I thought it wouldn’t mean anything if I killed him here.”
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
《…Is that alright? Player.》
Ah, what are you talking about, Navi-chan?
《What you are about to do may reveal your true identity. Aki von Schwarz is…》
Navi-chan, you’ve already mapped this, right?
《…Yes, my Player.》
“Kasu… Taki Hito-kun…”
Towards Snow-san.
She was crying.
Even though she should be unable to move due to the resurgence of magical depletion.
Crawling on the hard ground, moving forward.
“I am… weak… I can’t do anything. Aki… for my sake. I told him to die, I weighed everyone’s lives against his life; I… my role… my role…”
“Let’s run 10 kilometers, then do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, and 100 back extensions. That should recreate the situation of magical depletion. If it’s Snow-san, the rest will just be a matter of getting used to it.”
“Taki Hito, what are you talking about?”
“Wow, I didn’t expect a spirit magician could also do teleportation… I’m impressed, Snow-san. What an amazing application. I can see how well you’ve honed your abilities.”
“Um, Taki Hito, this isn’t the time to be saying that; Aki is… about to…”
“Yes, that’s why I’ll go save Aki-kun, so Snow-san, please stay here.”
“…Huh?”
“Don’t push yourself too hard. Leave the rest to me.”
“Taki Hito, what are you saying? Why…?”
The meticulous, strongest black curtain villain, the intelligent and good-natured cool friend character.
I’ve also taken on various roles here.
My true identity must remain a secret.
However…
To protect my lord, a knight risking his life.
In return, the lord exerts himself to the utmost to answer the knight’s faith.
“Anyone who can see that and leave it alone is just pathetic.”
“Huh?”
《Mapping information for the Labyrinth of Pandora has been shared, linking a mini-map to your sight. The destination, Aki von Schwarz, has been marked.》
“Navi, can you say it more like Life Field?”
《…I’ll issue a quest. Quest name: “Rescue the Black Knight.” Objective: Rescue and aid Aki von Schwarz. Understood, Player?》
“No problem.”
I call upon my magical power.
From my abdomen to my shoulders, from my shoulders to my arms.
All over my body.
Ah, the heat of the curse feels good.
“Taki Hito-kun? Where are you going? There’s… there’s nothing that way! Hey! Hey, wait!”
The shortest route.
A line of light shows the path in my sight.
There’s a shortcut to the second layer where Aki-kun is.
“Taki Hito-kun! There’s only a wall that way—”
Ah, there’s a wall in front of me.
A dungeon wall, a barrier meant to separate the sturdy world…
“Keh!”
—Doesn’t even count as an obstacle.
“Well, it’s not even a challenge.”
“Be careful of the wall-breaking.”
“S-Class Monster.”
I suddenly remember the teacher’s words.
Well, for now…
“I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s fine!!”
BANG!
I punch the wall with all my might!
It crumbled!
“Alright, Snow-san! I’m going to bring back Aki-kun! Ayukawa siblings! Kotori-san! I’m counting on you for Snow-san!!”
“W-what? Huh? Huh??”
“Ah…”
“No way, the wall…”
“!! Go, take care, Castany-san! Do your best!!”
Snow-san is frozen.
Everyone is frozen.
Hmm, what to do… well, for now…
《Player! Next wall!! Strengthen your magical power!》
“Confirming the shortest route, got it!!”
I’ll break through the wall and keep moving!
