I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

At this distance, keeping track of the arrows is easy enough. “[Icicle Knives]!” I throw some of my ice shards at the old human, some at the new ones. Kenta-kun wants me to keep up the pressure and I have no idea what he meant, so I just keep on pressuring both.

I'm positive that the young human wants to chant a spell, maybe he'll be able to turn around the whole situation with it, but currently he's busy enough to evade the attacks while reaching dry land. It's like an ant that can't leave a sill because you keep on blocking its way with your hand.

“Damn you, elf!”

Alright, let's stop playing with him. “[Entangle]!” From the morass rises the grass that captures him. He struggles slightly, not knowing that it's in the end only grass and he may just break it by putting some more force into it. Then I change into [Acrobat] and jump overhead above him for a second, only to bash him with my staff.

He cries out in pain, but it's his own fault: He started it!

Meanwhile, the old human is running away from Momo while huffing and puffing. “[Stamina]!” He uses [Divine Magic] to keep himself running. I guess I would do the same, if Momo runs at me with her big knife drawn?

Kenta-kun stares at Katarine-san and Gottfried-kun, obviously sizing up the perfect moment. He seems to have found it, as he suddenly leaps forward: “[Speedthrust]!”

Then something broken falls next to the two swordfighters.

Let's recount the last moment. It happened at a speed that may be impossible to keep track of if you're a sight-impaired species like humans.

Kenta-kun used a moment where Gottfried-kun stemmed himself against Katarine-san, as they locked blades. Katarine-san made another attempt at a punch and a kick at the same time, so Gottfried-kun moved according to Kenta-kun's guess, as his [Speedthrust] has been aimed at that specific spot.

Gottfried-kun didn't even look at Kenta, but he caught the tip with two fingers and guided it away from him. The hand let go of the tip and the arm elbowed Kenta-kun into his chest-piece, then the hand propelled upwards to backfist Kenta-kun's face. The arm then stretched out and levered Kenta-kun behind, supported by a swift knee kick into his back, which was instantly met with an elbow from above. Then a hard hit with the open hand at Kenta-kun's spear to make it fly away, then the same hand grabbed his arm, and then he was smashed in a wide arc to one side of the ground, then the other, then the first one again, and before Gottfried-kun could keep up these very painful looking moves, he let go of Kenta-kun—who was midair at that moment—to block another attack of Katarine-san, who cried out in pain and anger and doubled her efforts to end her instructor's life. “KENTA!”

While the sight is as dreadful as amazing, it gets topped by Kenta-kun still moving after hitting the ground. “U-a-ag-agh.” I nod in approval, as I'm confident that this is only possible because Momo cast an empowered [Protect] on him.

“KEN!” His life-saver however, can't admire her handiwork and turns to Kenta-kun in panic: “[Heal]!” Then comes another one. “[HEAL]!” Crying out the name of a spell doesn't make it more powerful. I can also see from her SP, that she empowered both of them, so Kenta-kun's HP springs up quickly.

Momo drags Kenta-kun back on his feet, so it's on me to take care of three-quarter of our opponents, which is highly unfair. The old, non-overpowered human is resting his hands on his knees while breathing heavily in and out, while the young human burns away the restraining grass with [Searing Beams], though he's bleeding from his head and therefore it should be easy to give him the rest.

Why keeps that archer pestering me? The distance to him is too far for one of my quicker spells, and as long as I need to evade his attacks, I can't chant a [Tidal Wave]. This isn't the worst part, though, he has the nerve to make casual attacks instead of using any [Skills], which makes me wonder whether he is taking me seriously or not.

I think it's rude, though it certainly helps buying time for his companions.

Oh, the young man starts waving his staff again and this time, boulders are following me. I can't help but curve my ears a bit, as at least one of the opponents takes me for a fool, sadly it's the ignorant duman that doesn't even know how to properly call my species.

If he can break the rules of etiquette, then I can break the rules of common sense. Using my [Acrobat]-class to its fullest, I jump on one of the hovering boulders. Now, what do you think of that, duman?

Wait, these boulders are falling, so he has tricked me! The moment I made my move, he started to cast three other spells in quick succession: [Watershield], [Earthshield], and [Freeze]. Inside his small ball of frozen mud, I hear his voice chanting. This will become a big spell, and I lack the means to break through this fortress for the moment.

[Root Lances] would be perfect, but the roots around here are too weak to be useful. [Icicle Knives] and [Fountain Gun] aren't capable of breaking walls and even if [Tidal Wave] could break that ball, I need time to chant it, which won't be given to me, as I'm reminded again by another arrow I evade.

Then let's not waste time on that and make a move against the weak old man, who lifts a lantern that I saw at his hip before. It's the kind which can be darkened immediately due to a clap on one side. He aims it at Momo and Kenta-kun.

Being quite aware for a human, Kenta-kun roughly pushes Momo away, as the old man opens the clap. For a second, I see a dark light, with some light-yellow rays mixed into it, though they quickly turn into a dark orange.

This orange cone of light engulfs Kenta-kun for a moment, then the lantern goes out, and I see that the light-source is a black and yellow crystal. Kenta-kun loses his balance and falls, I'm not sure if it's because of the light or because he lost Momo's support.

...there is something strange going on. It's at the border of my view, in the status. I look at it and immediately noticed what is wrong. Since I was cursed, there have been some small symbols added to my status, representing the statuses of Kenta-kun, Momo, and Katarine-san. Kenta-kun's symbol is now blurred, what does this mean?

For starters, this means that the lamp has to be a relic and therefore I'm its rightful owner. It also means that I'm incapable of looking at Kenta-kun's status, which is concerning, as it hints that at least a portion of the hero-system is currently malfunctioning.

Maybe this is the source of Kenta-kun's grunts of anguish. Or maybe it's because he was seriously hurt before and fell on one of his giant soon-to-be bruises.

“KEN! [HEAL]!” Momo sounds very concerned, while I share that feeling, there is no room for emotion now.

Katarine-san, who was fully immersed in her futile offense, finally noticed that something else happened to Kenta-kun. She glares at her instructor, who softly sighs as she screams at him. “YOU! YOU!” Katarine-san's speed increases, maybe she's in a mental state that draws some of her unused hero-powers? However, Gottfried-kun seems to be as relaxed as before.

“I can read your blade,” the old man says as if he is reminding Katarine-san of something. An inside comment that only the two of them know.

“WHY DID YOU HAVE TO COME! LEAVE ME! I DON'T WANT TO GO HOOOOOOOOME!” Katarine-san becomes more and more lost in her emotions, which may be the cause of the increase of the intensity of her voice and attacks.

>

However, Gottfried-kun finally moves his second arm—which was until now reserved to beat Kenta-kun into a pulp—and slightly thrusts two fingers against Katarine-san's forehead, which makes her lose her balance.

Of course that only means that she will use that backward momentum for an overhead jump kick, that would usually break the back of her opponent's head, but this one never found its target, as Gottfried-kun made two quick side-steps. At least the princess still lands on her feet. “You lost some of your edge. Playing with heroes made you weaker.”

“OH YEAH!” In this moment, I see a striking resemblance between Katarine-san and Kenta-kun. “TAKE THAT! [CRESCENT MOON]!”

I'm sure that humans wouldn't even notice, but Gottfried-kun's eyes widened minutely. The flying sword slash hits him across the armor and he falls back on his ground, not moving... No, I hear a small tremble in his armor.

This is bad.

Maybe worse than what is about to come, as the young human ended his chant and now proclaims his spell: “[Elemental Vortex]!”

I heard of that spell, though I never saw it before. It's supposed to be a very difficult spell that requires advanced knowledge of all four elements of [Elemental Magic] and it's in a sense one of its pinnacles, while being its worst enemy at the same time.

As expected, the shield around the human is the first victim. It crumbles and begins to spin inside an invisible vortex, creating a maelstrom of water and earth. The young human has his hand lifted over his head, the spell is almost a whole kuooaf above him. It eats away the mud as well, searching for [Elemental Magic]-spells first.

[Elemental Vortex] devours air, fire, water, and earth first and then unleashes them with highly destructive force at the user's will. The earth around him flies into the vortex, the boulders, even the heat in the air.

I hope that human knows what he's doing. If he doesn't, he will end up killing someone. In that case, I hope he has the decency to be that person. Though humans with decency may be a rare breed.

“Momo, Katarine-san, Kenta-kun, how about we take our leave?” I suggest while my friends are staring at the ever-growing spell. Yes, in terms of magic it's quite some handiwork, but as I know by now, the human heroes of Feuerberg have dark hair and eyes, so that one is just a wizard or something like that. Impressive in its own right, sure, but not remotely interesting for me, as he's no hero.

“No you won't!” Yes, this human has no decency at all. The vortex begins to change its spin and a wave of earth, wind, heat, and water is directed at me.

“ARA!”

“Buargh!” The attack is redirected as the human lost his aim the moment the freed-up Katarine-san planted her foot into his side. This also caused the spell to misfire, which will be made into a taunt in a few seconds. The result, however, is a bit terrifying, as the wave eats its way through the hill, which is the best way to describe this process. Fusing and devouring the soil, the air, the heat, and the moisture, there is a broad line of chaotic destruction that will be seen from far away, and when these craters cool down, they will most likely crystallize.

However, there are more important things to do at this moment: “Oh, you released early?” I have waited two seconds for that! “To think that with all that vigor, you're a quickshot, I'm very sorry. You can't even aim properly... does that transfer to your sex skills as well?”

“Wait you-” *crack* “aaaaaahhh!”

“Don't use magic like that against my friends, meanie!” With the flat of her blade and a quick motion, the human's arm goes into a very painful looking direction. “Ara, Kyou, lend Kenta your shoulders! Go!” Katarine-san takes charge of our retreat.

I don't mind that.

Gottfried-kun still trembles in his armor, and he's breathing sharply in and out. I think this is a sign that he's masturbating.

I help Kenta-kun up. He's so heavy... Kenta-kun, Momo, Katarine-san, you may be my friends, but I have to insist that all of you go on a diet! My feeble body can't take much more!

Though Kenta-kun surprises me, he weakly shoves me and Momo away, while murmuring something. He then begins to run on his own.

Nobody follows us for now. The old human is running towards the young one, after a short look at Gottfried-san, and there are no more arrows. Even without twisting the facts, this counts as a win.

We enter the mist once more, following Kenta-kun, who seems to have a plan. Or at least a direction, which is more than I have.

After half an hour of running, all of us aside from Katarine-san break down. “...Kenta*hah*-k-” I want to complain, but I rather feel like reeling.

“[Stamina]! [Stamina]! [Stamina]! [Stamina]!” Momo uses one spell per person, starting with herself. She's already back on her feet, as she's a senselessly untiring human who hasn't carried additional blubber for half the day and didn't work as hard as me in the battle. “Also, take a drink, Arako.”

“No---no...” No more SP-potions! I'm full! I'll vomit them!

“Ken, what about you?”

「...ha!?」

“Something strange?”

「Mōichido?」 What is that?

“I asked you, whether you want to drink something or not.”

He stares at her for a second, then he grabs his backpack. Maybe he came to the same conclusion as me. As there would be one explanation for this occurrence.

“Both of you, look at Kenta-kun's status.”

“Ah!” It seems like Momo already had the same experience as me.

“It looks like stained glass, I can't read it at all.”

“The old human had a lantern that he pointed at Kenta-kun. It seems like it disturbed his hero-system, in this case the language. He speaks... Japanese, was it? Momo can understand him, but we can't.”

Kenta-kun has taken paper and a coal pen from the backpack and is mumbling words. Maybe he tries to write something in this world’s language, but can't, because his understanding of it doesn't work properly. In the end, he sighs and writes something in the strange signs of his mother tongue, and gives it to Kyou-san.

“'I don't understand a thing you say,'” she reads aloud: “'Seems like I can only speak Japanese right now. Parts of my status doesn't work either.'”

This may become an issue.

―○●○―

August von Rotfeld looks at the arm that has been broken. The pain caused him to lose the spell, the spell that would have won the battle. However, he wasn't able to react in time, the princess was suddenly right next to him. “Thanks, Pontiff Kassus.”

The priest is out of breath, not only because of the fight, but also because of the toll the treatment of Rotfeld's arm cost him. “Just be careful with your magic, Wizard Rotfeld. I haven't seen anything this destructive in a long time.”

“I apologize. This spell may be too dangerous for the field right now. Maybe with enough distance, but,” he may have killed someone of his own party with it, “I better stick with control spells for now. I haven't studied [Alteration] for amusement, after all,” he adds in a defeated tone. [Alteration]-spells change properties of objects and creatures. A simple [Paralyze], for example, can hold a person or monster against its will. It may be safer, though it's a much more complex magic and therefore harder to apply.

Meldorn is going around the battlefield and checks whether his shot arrows are still usable or not. The first thing he said was: “Leave him for a while,” pointing at Sir Gottfried, who seems to be fuming on the inside.

Suddenly, their leader yells: “STUPID DISCIPLE!? MORE LIKE, HUGE MORON! I know that you have just two brain-cells, and that both are working against each other, but... YOU COULD HAVE BEEN GREAT! ARGH!” Then Sir Gottfried jumps on his feet, and finally sheaths his blade.

“Sir Gottfried,” asks Pontiff Kassus, “are you wounded?”

“No, I deflected that attack with my chin. No harm done.”

“W-with your chin!?” Rotfeld has seen some of the things Sir Gottfried could do, feats of strengths that have to be borderline magic, but deflecting a flying sword slash, which is one of those pseudo-magic things, with 'his chin'!?

“Sir Gottfried,” Pontiff Kassus asks cautiously: “You seem to be upset.”

“I am, but I've cooled my head enough. Still, what a shame.”

“I don't understand?” Rotfeld neither, especially as Sir Gottfried speaks with a hint of melancholy in his voice. What makes him sad? Or rather, what is he mourning?

“Pontiff, you as a magic-user may not know it, but when you learn fighting, there are several rules to adhere to, one more important than most others. You may know a lot of the feats you'd call superhuman,” or rather monstrous, Rotfeld silently adds, “and most of them are because of the so-called skills. It's said that heroes were the first ones to use them, and then non-heroes copied them.”

“Yes, it seems like magic sometimes,” Rotfeld adds.

“Boy wizard, when did you learn your first spell?”

“The first proper spell? When I was eight years old.”

“Not too shabby. Yet there is a big difference between spells and skills. How do you learn a spell?”

“By learning its concept, imagining the steps, and practicing the process.”

“Yes, because you use magic, a power that ultimately comes from outside of your body. Skills, however, use the power of your body. A weakling will never use a skill, no matter how much they put effort into it and mimic every move. You have to drill it into your body and for that, you need a strong one.”

“Well, a strong body helps with magic as well!”

“It's not a pissing contest about spells vs. skills. I may have never figured magic out, but it's not like I disrespect magic. I just think that most wizards are boast swaggers.” Is that directed at Rotfeld? “Like I said, the body is the central part for using a skill.”

“So what does it have to do with your anger? Is it because Princess Katarine used a skill against you, and you're butt-hurt because she's grown without your help?”

“Careful, boy. If Huge Moron had become stronger, I would have been more than happy. I was actually looking forward to it, only to-” He breathes in sharply, Rotfeld suspects he’s fighting down whatever emotions he's feeling.

Surprisingly, Meldorn speaks up: “Using skills is very stressful. Only a fully grown body is supposed to use them, no matter how much talent is there. Otherwise, the stress will take its toll.”

“Its toll?”

“Don't tell me,” Pontiff Kassus connects the dots, “that a growing body using skills will be-”

“There are consequences...” Meldorn's dry voice hurts in Rotfeld's ears.

“Usually,” Sir Gottfried continues, looking at the mental pictures of his past, “their bones grow warped, their organs begin to age much faster, and such. The worst part is, that even with [Divine Magic], it's impossible to revert the damage done.”

“Why?” utters Rotfeld confused, turning to the pontiff: “Isn't [Divine Magic] supposed to heal everything but death?”

It's the pontiff who gives the answer. “Wizard Rotfeld... if it grows that way, it can't be healed. It becomes natural to that body, otherwise every healing spell would rejuvenate the patient. [Divine Magic] was created by the gods, and they want to upkeep the natural order. We servants may be granted the power to protect from death, but only within boundaries.”

“So Princess Katarine will become deformed!? Is that so, Gottfried!”

“Sir Gottfried, brat!” Even in this situation he insists on the title he worked hard for: “In some way, most likely. At the very least, she will never be able to draw upon her full potential. She had so much talent, but she had to copy those heroes!”

“Ah, heroes! All of Feuerberg's heroes are still growing, so-”

“Heroes are different! Their bodies work entirely differently than ours. ...let's get over it quickly. I wanted to test her out, see what she learned from her journeys, but now that will be a waste of time.” He's severely disappointed. “You struck the boy with the lantern, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then they won't come far.” Rotfeld knows little about the relic, just that it weakens human heroes and should never be used against heroes of other species, as its effect on them is unpredictable.

“Let me take care of the elf,” the young wizard demands. “My head still hurts because of her, and we can't let it look like she bested me.”

“Fine. What is it, Meldorn?”

“...I'll take down Katsuragi Kenta.”

“Sure, I don't care about him. So that leaves Momokawa Kyou to the Pontiff.”

“Honestly, don't drag me into another fight. I'm a peaceful man, and too old for that!”

“Oh well. Our goal is to bring Huge Moron and Momokawa Kyou back. Huge Moron unharmed, Momokawa Kyou if possible. The rest, whatever. If there were any mind-controlling tricks they could have pulled off, they would have tried that just now. So either it's just an exaggerated rumor, because nobody—at least those who never met Huge Moron personally—can believe that she would join them of her own accord, or their trick has too many conditions to be useful in combat.”

Rotfeld looks at Sir Gottfried, who is now looking at the mist-laden sky. He looks like a man who looked for the greatest pleasure, was thwarted and now just does his best with the cards he's given.

―○●○―

Finally, Correo can relax a bit. He heeded the oracle's advice, did everything he could think of, and now everything is in place. The die has been cast.