An explosion had occurred.
Countless lights burst forth from Kurususarina, striking the ground like a chaotic and spectacular explosion, reminiscent of a gas field, an arsenal, and a fireworks factory all catching fire simultaneously.
However, the scene was clearly different from just moments ago.
There was no clear target. Nothing predetermined. Or perhaps, everything present was her target for attack.
The land. The city. The soldiers of the Blue Army. The soldiers of the fallen kingdom. Non-combatants. René herself.
A rain of light, targeting everything, poured down from the heavens.
“She’s lost her sense of discernment…!”
“Deploy the barrier! Take defensive measures similar to anti-artillery fire!”
Immediately, roofs of light were deployed over the fallen nation’s military encampment.
The Blue Army also took defensive measures as best they could, but the defensive fortifications were only present in the encampment adjacent to the city.
Especially dire was the situation for the unit that had charged alongside the Yellow Scarf Wrestler, as even the Yellow Scarf Wrestler himself abandoned them, crawling back to the encampment. The remaining Yellow Scarf Wrestlers scattered from the defenseless magic-powered machines one by one as their defensive magic power depleted.
Of course, the fallen nation’s side wasn’t unscathed either; except for the soldiers near the artillery positions where barriers could be deployed, everyone else sought shelter from the rain of light, fleeing in confusion.
“Princess-sama! With that, Kurusu’s body would be destroyed before the magic power ran out…”
“It’s wearing thin, isn’t it?”
The ghostly voice of Salesaya sounded urgent.
The consciousness manipulating Kurususarina, referred to as the “ancestors”, seemed to view her body as nothing more than a tool. However, even if that were the case, they hadn’t engaged in such reckless attacks until just now. There must be a reason for this. This method would quickly wear out Kurususarina’s body, rendering her useless.
If that were to happen, René wouldn’t be able to fulfill her contract with Salesaya.
Above all, the situation didn’t allow them to leave her unattended, even if she would self-destruct if left alone.
“Everis! How long until you can prepare the land vein control ritual here!?”
“Seconds!? Well, it’s not impossible but…”
“As long as it’s in a very small area, completely under our control, if we can lure that ‘phantom image’ there, the link with the land vein should be severed, causing it to malfunction, right!?”
“I can’t guarantee it, but probably yes! …Alright, I’ll teleport over there. Is 100 seconds okay?”
“That’s fine, do it! I’ll handle the rest! … «Fly»!”
Cutting off the communication, René immediately took flight.
Aiming for Kurususarina hovering over the battlefield, René soared like a silver meteor.
“Aaaa! Break, break, break, break, break apart!!”
“You’re the one who’s already broken!”
René flew straight towards her, who was attacking indiscriminately. Despite being burned by flashes of light, she made contact.
Not slashing or stabbing with her sword, René simply embraced her.
“«Countermagic Field»!”
“What…!?”
The magical power emitted from René expanded like a soap bubble, enveloping the two of them.
Kurususarina was harnessing power from the land veins.
In a sense, she was connected wirelessly to them.
However, all René had to do was sever that connection.
The incessant flashes of magical power ceased, and the battlefield fell silent. With the supply of magical power cut off, Kurususarina ceased her magical attacks and struggled to shake off René even in the air.
Despite her appearance, which was unbelievably powerful, René, in the form of a Dullahan, also possessed considerable strength, contrary to her small body. Though she somewhat eased her grip to avoid crushing her, René did not loosen her hold.
However, it wasn’t them but the magical barrier surrounding them that began to flicker with sparks.
—Distorting…! Even though I’m still recovering from my illness or injury, it’s still tough to give it my all!
The «Countermagic Field», which let out magical power and blocked all magic, was an inefficient defensive spell in terms of fuel consumption, but as long as the caster had magical power, it could block all magical attacks.
…Or so it was supposed to. Normally.
Their opponent was akin to the land veins themselves.
Despite being a wireless connection, Kurususarina was in a state where magical power was directly poured into her.
Using defensive magic against that magical power with anti-magic attack spells simply meant that René’s side lacked sufficient output.
“Uggggh…ah…”
Kurususarina’s body pulsed as if it had throbbed.
“Kuh…”
“Aaaaahhhh!!”
With a flash, Kurususarina emitted pressure akin to self-destruction.
René, judging that she couldn’t completely cut off the supply of magical power, hastily switched her magic to protect only herself.
Despite being unscathed, René was thrown back in the air and landed on the ground after spinning several times in the air to adjust her posture.
—Is Everis ready…!?
Behind her, several tens of centimeters above the ground, pale blue light was engraved, and a magic circle was being drawn. Instead of ink, light burst forth, drawing out magical characters.
“How many seconds left!?”
“20!”
“Got it, I’m going!”
René flew towards the fountain of light once again, turned into Kurususarina’s fountain of light.
Kurususarina, including everything around her, began to shrink.
No, René was growing larger.
“Rooooaar!!”
René roared. In the voice of a lesser dragon species known as a Minor Dragon.
René’s figure transformed into that of a huge winged dragon with silver scales and a mane.
It was the Wyvern carcass René absorbed during the battle of Terra Ruale.
Since then, René had never changed her body. She awakened and called forth what remained of it, still part of René, and transformed into a Wyvern Zombie.
Charging towards René, Kurususarina emitted a converged flash.
“Goooorrrrr!!”
In response, René exhaled a breath of red-black deathly light, meeting her head-on.
The clash of sacred and evil light deprived the sky of its color.
In the midst of their struggle, René flapped her wings relentlessly, pushing back Kurususarina while closing the distance between them.
“…Aaaaaa!!”
At the moment when her body was about to touch René’s like a sword’s fangs.
Stopping her breath, René swung her head as if to slam into her, then bit into Kurususarina and swallowed her whole.
“Eh!?”
Salesaya, who had been watching the situation, was astonished.
“«Countermagic Field»!”
René deployed the barrier again to block magical power, then flew away.
Inside her mostly empty stomach, a powerful magic exploded. Despite only blocking external magical power, René couldn’t defend against internal attacks. With a thud, her abdomen felt warm, and her flight wobbled.
Furthermore, physical impacts battered her body from within.
Silver scales scattered, falling to the ground.
Glide or crash.
What lay ahead of René was… the magic circle just completed.
—A runaway thought that doesn’t shy away from self-destruction. You’ve transcended the gods’ intentions with the power of your will…
Sensing the danger, Kurususarina resisted with all her might.
Something exploded repeatedly inside René’s belly, and flashes of brilliant light pierced through René’s side, punching holes even in her wings.
—But let’s show just a fragment of respect there.
Diving in like rugby or American football, René crash-landed onto the ground.
However, the magic circle, not directly drawn on the ground, continued to hover around them like a cocoon.
Just after René’s body exploded from internal pressure.
The magic circle emitted a dazzling pale blue light, and then, everything finally fell silent.
