Chapter 201: This Is Magic (2)


    <em>Kwaaang.</em>


    A whirlwind swirled from afar. It was the Sharpness Hurricane, a spell that sucked in everything in its vicinity and shredded anything it touched.


    It was like watching an eraser wipe away tightly packed slime from a notebook filled with doodles, a sight that was deeply satisfying.


    Yeah… this is magic.


    I subtly aimed my staff and tried to cast the next spell.


    “…Brother?”


    But Helena, with her uncanny intuition, noticed immediately, and I had to lower my arm again.


    “Oh dear… why does my arm hurt so much today…?”


    “I will cast a healing spell for you.”


    Helena, her hand emitting a white light, tapped my shoulder and asked,


    “Will youe with me?”


    “Hmm…no. I have a few things to prepare, so go ahead first. It takes time because I’m not quite used to it yet.”


    “Understood. Then please follow slowly.”


    Helena nodded with a bright smile. With a heavy mace in one hand and a thick scripture in the other, she ran lightly.


    <em>Tatadat.</em>


    Her braided blonde hair fluttered in the wind, and the baggy nun’s robe clung tightly to her body thanks to the wind pressure. And then…


    Believing in the divine protection wrapped around her body, she plunged straight into the slime crowd.


    <em>Kwaang!</em>


    A loud noise like a car ident. Helena, who had plowed into the slimes, swung her mace.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The slimes exploded as if a bomb had gone off.


    These creatures had some resistance to physical attacks, yet they were being crushed by a force beyond their limit.


    The cores shining in their center were breaking apart due to the wind pressure, even without the mace directly touching them.


    It was truly an overwhelming ravage.


    Was Helena this strong at this point in time…?


    She seemed too skilled at fighting, even against slimes.


    …Well, whatever. Helena, drenched in slime fluid, was smiling blissfully, and that was all that mattered.


    Smirking, I started preparing to join in.


    “Haaaa…”


    I inhaled deeply, my lungs swelling, focusing my mind on my heart as I gathered my mana.


    <em>Thump.</em>


    Instead of spreading through my mana circuits, the mana sank heavily, pooling towards my heart. As my heart became fully imbued with mana and the magic infused into my bloodstream, I quietly chanted the spell.


    “Flowing mes. Unquenchable furnace. Circte, Blood Force.”


    <em>Hwaaak!</em>


    As soon as I recited the initiation words, my blood heated up.


    When the heat, starting from my heart, filled my entire body, vitality began to boil.


    Although I hadn’t fully mastered it, and only my stamina was enhanced, it was enough.


    My base stats had significantly improved, and I had Helena’s buff as well.


    The opponents were just slimes. In my current state, I was already more than strong enough.


    After cracking my neck to loosen up, I smirked.


    “Alright, let’s go.”


    With a light push off the ground, the scenery blurred past me.


    Seeing the approaching mass of slimes, I aimed my staff.


    Let’s see… What spell should I use?


    If I excluded high-powered spells, a spell with good rapid-fire capability would be best.


    Since I wanted to impress Helena, I should probably use a light-attribute spell.


    …Come to think of it, there was one that fit perfectly.


    Adjusting my grip on the staff, I drew up mana again.


    “Oh light, illuminating the darkest ces. Pierce through continuously. Light Bullet Barrage.”


    <em>Whoooong.</em>


    With a short resonant sound, a sphere of light rose above my staff.


    However, unlike ordinary light bullets, which are disorderly lined up, these were neatly arranged in a line as if waiting for their turn.


    Although magic is divided into grades, there are quite a few spells that are too ambiguous to ssify into a specific grade.


    Light Bullet Barrage was one of them.


    Someone upgraded the ordinary low-level light bullet spell from a single-shot to a continuous spell.


    It’s a magic spell that automatically draws out mana and fires light bullets until the caster cancels the casting.


    Though the power was just that of multiple low-level spells, the automation required made it almost as difficult as a mid-level spell.


    So, while it might not have been practical academically, the bored veterans of H&A had turned it into their own content.


    “A fantasy RPG with FPS elements. How could I resist this?”


    I aimed the staff at the nearest slime… and fired it.


    <em>Shoong… Paaang!</em>


    The quickly flying light bullet not only seared through the core of the aimed slime but also evaporated its fluid in an instant.


    The power was stronger than expected. It must have been due to the growth of the Sun God’s blessing. There’s a significant difference between a 10% boost and a 25% boost.


    Of course, it was more enjoyable to shoot it now with the extra power.


    <em>“Heup!”</em>


    Holding my breath briefly, I quickly fired three more light bullets.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    Two of them pierced through the cores urately, but thest one missed slightly.


    I quickly ran to the exposed core and stabbed it with a dagger, then stood beside Helena, who was crushing the slime on the ground.


    “Oh my goodness! Brother! What kind of magic is that?! It’s so cool!”


    “…Ha. Do you appreciate this style, Helena?”


    “Yes! Of course. It looks like it would be fun to aim and shoot at the monsters as they approach one by one.”


    “Ah, right? It’s a different kind of funpared to ordinary magic.”


    It was like ying a zombie game. One big hit is great, but it’s also satisfying to fire rapidly.


    We continued chatting while sting the surrounding slimes.


    Mostly, it was me bragging and Helena being envious.


    …This was pretty fun.


    Unlike recent battles where I always had to fight at a disadvantage, this was a battle where I stood in overwhelming superiority.


    A battle close to hunting. Magic focused on fun. And apanion with whom I couldfortably converse.


    Without any sense of danger, everything began to feel enjoyable.


    Just like ying games on Earth.


    <em>Bang! Bang! Bang!</em>


    I shot repeatedly in the same spot to clear a path, and then made a proposal to Helena, who was stomping on the slimes at her feet.


    “Helena, how about we make a bet on who can catch more? I’ll adjust the firing speed ordingly.”


    “That sounds… fun! Alright, Brother. But if it’s a bet, there should be stakes, right?”


    “Hmm… right. If I win, will you guide us around the main headquarters?”


    “Fine. But if I win, Brother, you’ll have to attend prayers with me until we reach the main headquarters.”


    “Oh.”


    That sounds a bit troublesome.


    But well… as long as I win, it’s fine.


    “Alright. Let’s start right away!”


    With that, I suddenly dashed out and scattered light bullets everywhere.


    “Ah! That’s unfair, Brother! Running off alone all of a sudden!”


    “It’s not unfair; it’s strategic! I’ll go ahead!”


    “Ugh…!”


    Ignoring Helena’s grumbling behind me, I threw myself into the wave of slimes.


    <hr>


    “Hmm. He looks like he’s having fun.”


    “Indeed. I didn’t expect him to enjoy it this much.”


    Faye focused her mana on her eyes at Iris and Iona’s words.


    Yandel, who was firing low-level magic like ying a prank,ughed mischievously.


    He had always been younger than her, but now he looked even more like a cheerful boy, causing Faye to nod involuntarily.


    “Wow… he can smile like that too, huh…”


    Perhaps something about Faye’s entranced or admiring voice caught their attention.


    Ca and Elisha, who had justunched a mid-level spell and gained a bit of leeway, turned to look back.


    And they saw Yandel and Helenaughing and chatting while crushing slimes.


    “ying with the Master… I’m so jealous…”


    “Well, it’s fortunate that everything is going ording to n.”


    Ca pouted her lips, while Elisha nonchntly brushed back her bun hair and nodded calmly.


    Ca’s cheeks puffed up at Elisha’s unusually calm reaction.


    “Wh-what’s with that look? Trying to act cute won’t make me care about you at all! Besides, Ca, you also heard Yandel’s ns, didn’t you?”


    “I did hear that Master would deliberately spend time with Sister Helena to get closer… but it looks like they’re having fun together rather than just keeping herpany.”


    “…Oh? That’s true.”


    A bright smile, devoid of the usual suspicion or intimidation.


    Seeing him truly enjoy the moment, Elisha let out a chuckle.


    “He always says not to treat him like a follower of the Church of Righteous Radiance, but what is this…?”


    Anyone could see that he was enjoying it as much as, or more than, Helena.


    “Maybe they became close without needing to ask me.”


    “Oh? Oh? Then maybe Helena also…”


    Hearing Elisha’s mutter, Iona tilted her head, but the other four firmly denied it.


    <strong>“That’s not the case.”</strong>


    “Huh? R-really?”


    At the confused Iona, Iris puffed out her t chest and dered.


    “You still don’t seem to know. The Master won’t ept anyone as his woman unless he falls into ruin!”


    Of course. There’s no way anything could happen to the Church of Righteous Radiance, the most powerful among the United Divine Orders.


    …Right?


    Iris’s forehead creased slightly.