262: Last blow's on you, right?

Everyone scrambles into position.

Eva heads to the healing group, and while she's at it, she'll pass along the plan.

Then Nobuna lifts her head, barely conscious.

"As a warrior... I can't take part in this final battle... It's shameful... At least..."

Marilyn applies a healing spell, eyes welling up. "You mustn't push yourself!" But Nobuna ignores her completely, activating Onmyō magic.

"I... beseech you... come forth... from the underworld... Tengu Child..."

A tengu appears beside me. Nobuna, whether from pain or blood loss, collapses unconscious.

Just like before, the tengu will obey my commands.

Still, the fact that it can be summoned again even after being destroyed... might mean this is close to spirit summoning. Or maybe she just had more than one?

Whatever it is, thanks to the tengu, I can focus on the plan.

I turn my face toward Eva, standing beside me.

"We're the bait. Just keep yourself safe, Eva."

"Probably... this plan only works once. If we try the same thing again, we’ll just get wiped out."

"Yeah. This time, we settle it for good!"

I clench my fist, rallying myself, but Eva’s expression looks like she’s about to cry.

"W-what’s wrong?"

"...It’s too dangerous. Isn’t there another way?"

"All I could come up with is this. If you’ve got a better idea, say it—but we don’t have time. Look, the bastard Niedhogg’s turned around."

"Me being safe while the rest risk it... that’s not fair!"

"No, no! It’s plenty dangerous! I’m sorry I couldn’t think of anything safer!"

The danger you’re carrying is way too high! Why don’t you ever properly account for your own share!?

“Huh?”

“You’re the one who needs to survive more than Kyle! Don’t you get it!?”

More than Kyle? That’s impossible!

So of course he doesn’t get it.

Evah’s eyelids twitched as she watched my expression.

“See? You still don’t get it! You—you’re just—!”

She was yelling, crying at the same time.

Huh? W-why?!?

“Uh, Evah-san?”

“Enemy’s coming!”

“O-oh! Right!”

I snapped my head up, eyes locking on the Nezhegg charging straight at us.

The giant structure of alchemical-hardened rock was gone. The two mages who’d been stubbornly targeting us stood frozen in place. The snake-lizard bastard charged straight at us without hesitation.

Evah hurriedly got ready, then shot me a sharp glare.

"Everything's over, and then I'm lecturing you."

"Yeah... uh, right."

"So... stay alive."

Ah. That was her way of saying "pay attention."

"Got it. Leave it to me."

Just as I steeled myself, the Nezhegg finally lunged. I braced again, facing the snake-lizard bastard head-on.

One chance!

I thought I saw the Nezhegg smirk as it stared straight at me. Just wait—let me show you what I’m made of!

"Evah! You ready!?"

"Ready anytime!"

The Nezhegg’s massive body charges straight at me. Feels like a castle slamming into me.

Its jaws snap open—somehow, I feel the intent to swallow everything whole.

No way to dodge left or right now. Too close.

Exactly what I’ve been waiting for!

"Now!"

Just as planned, the tengu swings its great fan, blasts a gust of wind into my back, and hurls me nearly straight up.

At the same moment, a huge hole opens beneath Evah’s feet—she dives into it, avoiding the charge.

A perfect decoy to make sure the Nezhegg faces me. Now all I need is for her to hold her ground in the hole with a defense spell. That snake-lizard bastard won’t get past me.

He dodged to the sides—expected, I guess—but he didn’t see me jump straight up. Even Nizhegg looked just a flicker off-balance. But this damn snake-lizard bastard opened his mouth wider, tilted his head up a fraction, and tried to swallow me whole.

Shit! I can’t clear him like this!

The tengu’s plan backfired—told me to launch him, then attack Nizhegg! Should’ve had me chase him instead of using me as bait. Should’ve made sure I could leap high enough!

I’m gonna get eaten!

Got to cast something—any spell—to buy height—but the tengu hit me with an attack spell. My body’s twisted, locked up. Can’t even cast.

Damn it!

He’s gonna clamp down on me—just barely—before I clear him!

I didn’t want to use it… but was I really left with no choice but the self-destruct magic bomb!?

Then a gale shot up from below, slamming into me.

“Air Burst!”

Eva stood up inside the evacuation hole, pointing straight at me.

What the hell are you doing!?

Even if it’s inside the hole, if you don’t reinforce it with a defense spell, you’ll be shredded by the shockwave when Nidhogg passes through!

I was launched higher by magic, barely clearing Nidhogg’s fangs and vaulting over its head.

Just before the rampaging snake-lizard roared past beneath me, I swear I saw Eva smirk.

This chance… I’m not letting it slip!

I soared over Nidhogg’s head, then plummeted straight down under gravity. I landed right on the back of that damn snake-lizard.

Normally, I’d get thrown off by the speed, but this thing’s covered in trichome—thick, sticky, clinging everywhere. I don’t bounce. I stick.

Truth is, I roll across its back from the impact, wrapped up in that gunk like a cocoon.

Everywhere’s coated in trichome. Can’t move a muscle. But that’s the point. Had to make direct contact.

This is the last thing I can do. The only thing left.

“Alchemy: Trichome Ultra-Hardening!”

Pouring magic into it, forcing the trichome to harden. It’s reckless—magic siphons out fast—but who cares? Take it all. Every last drop!

The trichome clinging to me hardens instantly. I can’t move either. Doesn’t matter.

The trichome wrapped around the snake-lizard bastard’s body hardened at lightning speed, slowing his movements to a crawl. Not enough yet!

Take all my magic—right now, you bastard!

Images of my friends’ agony flash through my mind. Rage floods me. I pour every last drop of magic I have, no longer caring if it kills me. I force even more magic into it. The feathers on my back finally begin to harden.

Fall down!

Uuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

The massive body finally crashes—down into the ground.

My body, fused in hardening with Nizhegg’s, jolts from the impact. Just before I black out, I think I see Raidock swinging his sword at the snake-lizard bastard’s neck.

Leave the rest to you, pretty boy.

And that’s how I let go of consciousness—passing out right there.