Ryuu Kusari no Ori

Volume 2 Chapter 8.2

Connecting Lights at the Lees of Shadows Part 2

Translator : PolterGlast

The truth is, I knew. I knew that I had not yet gotten over the fear.

The truth is, I was having fun. I enjoyed talking with Mimuru and spending time with the three of us.

But I couldn't say it out loud.

I felt that if I did, it would diminish my past feelings of helplessness and frustration.

I admit that I’m still weak and had yet to overcome my fear.

My fears won’t go away. My weakness won’t disappear.

And now I want to save the people who have protected me.

I am surrounded by people I care about. They are fighting for me.

Mimuru, Tom, and the spirits of this forest.

There are also those who have saved me.

Kevin, who is awfully overconfident, and Karanti, who is unfriendly.

And the one person I used to hate. Nozomu Bountis.

I guess my impression now is ...... that he is a good-natured guy?

At least, I am sure he is too kind compared to the others. I don't think anyone would be able to sacrifice himself that much to let a person who had been so abusive to him escape. At least I don't think I could.

About the scene that triggered my dislike of him, I can understand it now. I know now that it was definitely not him.

The dislike I have felt for him up until now is suddenly reversed, and an indescribable, sweet and sour feeling begins to well up inside me.

I glanced at him with a sideways glance, and he was staring at me with eyes filled with surprise and warmth.

Along with joy, warm feelings welled up all at once.

I can't show him any more embarrassing behavior. That's why I'm going to .......

"Raz, you're here, aren't you?"

A childhood friend. Calling out the name of the spirit I grew up with in the Nebula Forest, I put my hand on my chest and focus my concentration, deeper and deeper, as if to recall the connection I once felt.

As I did so, I found a stream of magic power, thinner and more fragile than a thread, branching out within my own body.

Carefully, I trace the thread.

Before I knew it, I found a small, seemingly on the verge of disappearing, micro-spirit floating and trembling in the palm of my hand.

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you......"

[Pyuririri......]

A muffled, yet desperate voice.

I gently wrapped my hands around the trembling little spirit.

"You stood alongside me and tried to protect me. I've been frightened all this time......"

This tiny friend of mine was never gone.

Even though he had lost his powers and most of his consciousness, he remained with me, and he was trying to protect me.

Yet, my fear and anxiety caused him to overreact, and I kept threatening him as an enemy, even though he was my own friend. Whenever I tried to make a contract with the spirits, I kept releasing my own hostility into my own magic power.

Therefore, I became unable to contract with the spirits, and no one could notice Raz's presence because he was concealed by my magic power.

I poured my magic power into our connection, which had become so thin.

The trembling of the lapis lazuli spirit subsides and its light grows stronger.

"Thank you, I'm fine now......"

All because of my own inadequacies.

I remained trapped in the past, looking only ahead and refusing to see the "present".

I thought I was moving forward, but I kept walking around, not realizing what was important.

But I have to put an end to that.

"Even though I've become like this, will you still be willing to stay with me?"

The next moment, the ball of light popped.

And a lapis lazuli-colored feathers spread out to reveal a small bird with long tail feathers.

From its chest to its abdomen, it is as white as snow, and toward the sides of its body, the color of its feathers changes to a glossy yellow.

Razward. A lesser spirit that possesses the power of three attributes (wind, water, and earth), which is extremely rare among spirits.

[............]

The resurrected Razward takes my outstretched hand and gently rubs it against his cheek.

With that, I immediately knew what he was trying to say.

"Thank you."

As if to answer my thanks, Razward chirped, flew away from my hand, and began to hover around my shoulder.

"Alright, let's go......."

I released my magic power and connected my consciousness to the spirits floating around me.

The magic power that spread to every corner of the branches brought a chilling sensation down my spine.

That is the fear that the spirits are feeling.

The micro-spirits, whose power is weak, were instinctively frightened by the source element released by that foreign magical beast.

Toward them, I conveyed my feelings with my magic power.

(It's scary, isn't it? ....... But it's okay, it's okay to be scared......)

I speak to them gently, as if I were soothing a frightened child.

The fear they have is something I have now. So I don't have to throw it away.

(But I want to change ...... No, I will change. With this fear within me, I'll take the first step to move forward.)

To change myself from trying to be strong on my own to being able to protect the people I care about.

That's why.......

(Just a little bit, please lend me your strength. It's okay to be scared. You don't have to be brave......)

Right here, right now, together, let's take the first step and be just a little bit stronger.

The next moment, as if responding to my call, countless spirits began to gather.

The gathered spirits danced around me and Razword, emerging like a tornado.

"Thank you, everyone."

With all my heart, I look ahead while thanking them for answering my call.

There is still fear. But my mind and body were no longer trapped.

◆

Shina's magic power was released once again and danced in the air.

Nozomu gazed at the lights gathering in the air like he was looking at something precious.

Shina's feelings were transmitted to the spirits through magic power.

Perhaps because so many spirits were in tune with her heart, even if Nozomu could not hear her voice, the countless firefly-like lights conveyed her wishes even to Nozomu, who was watching from a short distance away.

The elf girl, aware of her cowardice and yet determined to stand up, was both gallant and breathtakingly beautiful.

It's so ...... beautiful.

Nozomu, who was fascinated by this sight, held such impressions in his heart.

What fascinated him more than anything else was the strength of the bond that reconnected them even after they broke or clashed with each other.

It was how precious she was, whose heart had truly grown and taken a step forward.

Shina, while aware of her escape, showed the courage that the current stagnant Nozomu does not have.

Her feelings kept on spreading through the spirits.

She quickly raised her hand as if to ask the gathering spirits to help her. She points ahead to Mimuru and the others, who have been desperately trying to stall the black demonic beast.

Tom's golem has long since been destroyed, and the expressions on the faces of the three people show a deep sense of exhaustion. Just like rats, they were being cornered in the battle.

However, the moment Shina pointed at the demonic beast, the battle situation changed at once.

"Raz, everyone."

The ground rose up, creating a wall separating Mimuru and the others from the demonic beasts.

As a result, Shina and the demonic beast were now facing each other head-on.

The trauma returned to the forefront of her mind.

At that moment, Razward, the bird-shaped spirit, gently caressed Shina's cheek, as if to say, "It'll be alright".

"Thank you. Please take care of me."

Sheena smiled upon hearing the encouragement given by the spirits with whom she had regained her bond and returned her gaze once again to the demonic beasts.

*Gaaaaaa!*

The beast roared and rushed toward Shina, causing the ground to shake.

However, the beast's rush was blocked by a wall of light that suddenly appeared.

The wall was as thin as a piece of cloth and looked unreliable.

However, despite its apparent fragility, the thin wall of light effortlessly took the huge body of the demonic beast and repelled it.

*Gau, grrrrrr……*

Shina's supple fingers glide through the air toward the beast that got repelled, and as if following the trajectory of her fingers, Razward flew through the air.

A whirlpool of overflowing light. In the next instant, the light barrier instantly transformed its form into countless spears and rushed toward the demonic beast.

*Guoooooon!*

In response to the onrushing spears of light, the beast opened its huge mouth and with a roar, shot out a black sphere. The black sphere and the swarm of light spears collided, scattering thundering sounds, smoke, and light around the area.

The wall of light disappeared as compensation for the attack.

Seeing that the wall of light protecting Shina was gone, the demonic beast rushed toward her again.

However, the beast's rush was once again blocked by something that suddenly came out of the ground.

*Gagyaaau!*

What emerged from the ground were countless tree roots. Like a net, the roots overlapped one another, directly blocking the beast's rush, entangling it, and tightening its huge body with tremendous force.

The black demonic beast bit into the tree roots that were wrapped around its body and began to devour them with its jaws. The roots of the tree that bound its body were also torn to shreds as the beast struggled to escape its restraints.

Despite having borrowed the power of the spirits, the beast was gradually breaking free of its restraints.

However, Shina's expression showed no signs of impatience.

As she ran her fingers through the air, tree roots sprang up from the ground again and wrapped around the huge jaws of the demonic beast, which opened up to release its own restraints, forcing its mouth to close.

"Phew......"

Taking a deep breath, Shina readied her bow and arrow. She pulled the string and took aim.

As if responding to her will, Razward transforms his body into source elements and assimilated into the arrow she nocked.

The arrow began to be filled with light.

It was far more radiant than the engraved arrows she had been using until now.

As Shina began to channel her magic power, more and more spirits began to gather around the arrow of light, which reminded one of a comet tearing through the dark night.

And then, far beyond a comet, it began to radiate an extreme light like the sun.

*Gi, ga~a~a~aaaaa!*

Perhaps intimidated by the dazzling light, the beast spewed out source elements that had been stored in its body, blowing away the roots restraining it.

It then re-collected the source elements it had spewed out. The collected power was stored in its mouth, and it began to draw out power beyond its limits in an attempt to reject its impending and certain death.

It reminded one of a black hole in space that would swallow up the stars.

An arrow of intense light and a black hole.

The two concentrated forces were finally released.

A comet of extreme light and a torrent of darkness released from the black hole.

The two collided with each other, scattering a vortex of destruction around them.

"Kyaaaa!"

"Ooooo!"

Mimuru and the others, caught in the aftermath of the collision, screamed as the earth wall created by the spirits was destroyed.

"Kuh......"

*Grrrrr…… uoooooon!*

The two forces were engaged in a fierce battle, but the tide gradually began to swing in the opponent's favor. Shina's arrow began to lose its brilliance little by little. On the other hand, the beast's attack gained momentum.

"This is...... Could it be that it is absorbing Shina's spirit power?"

Tom muttered so with a stunned expression.

Spirits are capable of using magic power and Qi for their own sustenance, but he probably didn't anticipate that the [Deformed Demonic Beast] would be able to absorb the spirits' power.

If this went on, Shina's spirit power would be devoured. If that were to happen, the jet-black attack would annihilate her and the spirits that had gathered with her.

The comet of light began to be swallowed by the torrent of darkness. At that moment, another comet flew into the collision point where two extreme forces were jostling for supremacy.

Seeing Shina, who was beginning to lose ground, Nozomu forgot the pain that lingered in his entire body and took a step forward.

Carrying the memento of his master, he ran, clutching the invisible chains that bound him.

At this rate, the bond between Shina and the spirits would be severed once again, and this time completely lost as darkness consumed them.

Nozomu could never allow that to happen.

She made a choice different from his own and overcame her adversities. Her life must be saved at all costs.

Heat revived in Nozomu's mind and body, which were still bound by the chains.

The pain that lingered throughout his body and the fear of using that power. As if to shake off the chains that entangle him, his raging heart propelled his body forward.

*Swoosh.......~!*

He wanted to tie up the bonds that were about to be swallowed by the darkness once again.

With this single-minded determination, Nozomu tore the chains of [Ability Suppression] and released his power.

The wound, which had been closed, opened up, and intense pain shot through his entire body, but he ignored all the warnings from his sense of pain.

His lungs bleed again and his breathing became erratic, but he did not care.

What he needed was an attack that would exceed the absorption capability of the demonic beast. That was why he put everything he had into this single blow.

While holding the katana in his right hand, he infused Qi with all his might and then extremely compressed it. With so much Qi poured into it, the blade of the katana began to creak and screech.

"Uooooooooooh!"

Ignoring his own disordered breathing, he took aim with his left hand and activated his [Flash Step]. He plunged into the collision point between Shina's arrows and the beast's attack. Drew his blade and thrust it out in one stroke like a battering ram.

"Smash through!"

[Qi-jutsu・Core Piercing]

It is a combined technique of [Phantom] and [One Billion Severance]. When the blade pierces the opponent, it explodes into countless needles, exploding the opponent from the inside.

The activated [Core Piercing] penetrated the jet-black attack and further pierced into its mouth, causing it to explode.

The countless needles of the exploding Qi blades tore through the demonic beast's absorbing power like it was nothing, and blew its head off while shredding through it.

And then, Shina's arrow, no longer met with any resistance, flew in a straight line like a comet.

"―――― Go."

As if answering Shina's call, the comet arrow dove into the wounds opened by Nozomu's [Core Piercing], and released its hidden power. With a flash of light, it obliterated the demonic beast's body.

"We did it ......"

The beast, which had had 80% of its body blown off, showed no signs of reviving and collapsed with a sizzling sound.

Nozomu's shoulders slumped in relief that the battle was finally over. The katana that had been latched onto the tip of his pinky finger fell to the ground, making a clanging sound.

"Haa......."

Shina let out a deep breath, released her stance, and looked at Nozomu, who was covered in wounds all over his body.

Her eyes lit up with a deep affection that had never been present before.

"You get covered in wounds every time you fight, huh?"

Fufufu~...... Shina spoke so and smiled at him. To which Nozomu replied in a curt tone, "It can't be helped, can it?".

They both smiled naturally. A small lapis lazuli-colored bird flew between them accompanied by a gentle breeze.

"Shina!"

When she looked toward the voice calling out to her, she saw Mimuru and the others rushing toward her while waving their hands.

Shina looked around and saw Razward happily flying around, and the spirits dancing and excitedly following his lead.

She welcomed her friends as they rushed toward her, thankful for the bond she had regained and for all the help they had given her. With a big smile on her face.

"Thank you, Raz. Also, thank you, everyone......."

The blue-haired girl's time truly began to move.

With the blessing of the cool forest breeze.

◆

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