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◇Sakurai Ryosuke POV◇
I ended up in a parallel world 2 years ago.
I had my Skills checked in the Water Temple, and the moment they learned I was the Light Hero, I was immediately praised fervently as the reincarnation of the Savior.
It wasn’t all bad.
The Sun Country said that they would welcome me with the best treatment, and said that I could bring along friends with me.
That they would all be treated as state guests.
If I do my job as the Light Hero, they were apparently going to assure my livelihood for the rest of my life.
I requested to bring along all of my classmates, but the people who got strong Skills said ‘I will do what I want’ and left.
Even Takatsuki-kun, who I wanted to come, rejected me which was a pity.
After that, I learned about this world, learned how to use magic and the sword, met with a variety of people…
And then, in the battle against the demon lord army.
We had the superior position in the battles.
I managed to defeat the Demon Lord as planned.
Without any big casualties.
“Push back the demon lord army further!”
Someone said that, but General Yuwein who was in command forbade overstepping.
However, the demon lord army didn’t completely retreat, and it ended up in us watching the situation…and we were attacked.
Maybe due to us lowering our guards after defeating the Demon Lord, by the time we noticed, me and the 7th Division had been separated from the others with a barrier.
This barrier that was made solely to trap the Light Hero was powerful, and this was the first time my attacks didn’t work.
Also, the sunlight that is the core of the Light Hero’s Skill had been weakened.
This is most likely a strategy of the enemy as well.
My comrades fell…one after the other…
And then, the only one left standing was me.
(…This is the end, huh.) (Sakurai)
I thought this as I swung my sword.
I can still fight.
I am fine for 1 hour more.
I could manage 2 hours.
3 hours might be painful.
4 hours…is most likely impossible.
Help won’t be coming here.
My comrades have already given their lives for me.
I don’t think I will be able to escape from this black barrier, and the monsters are attacking endlessly.
I feel like I am going crazy.
I am not swinging my sword out of a sense of duty as a Hero, but because of fear…because I don’t want to die.
Or maybe it is my despairing heart?
It will soon be over though.
……
I eventually abandoned all thoughts, and began to cut down enemies in a robotic manner.
And then, at the time when my knees were about to give out, cold water was suddenly poured on my head.
(I was attacked?!) (Sakurai)
But I wasn’t injured at all.
It didn’t have any killing intent, or more like, it was water magic that I couldn’t even tell if it was an attack or not.
The one who did that…was my childhood friend.
◇◇
“For now, let’s do something about this barrier.” (Makoto)
The blank face of Takatsuki-kun was the same as always as he said this.
It is the same face as that time he saved me when I was in trouble in my first year of middle school.
“You can break this barrier, Takatsuki-kun?!” (Sakurai)
I have tried to break the barrier plenty of times.
Also, there should be a lot of skilled mages with General Yuwein outside.
Even with that, there hasn’t been any breakthrough for a whole day.
The response of Takatsuki-kun wasn’t an answer to my question.
“Sakurai-kun, grab onto me.” (Makoto)
“Eh?” (Sakurai)
“Quick quick.” (Makoto)
“G-Got it.” (Sakurai)
I grabbed the shoulder of Takatsuki-kun.
“It doesn’t have to be with both hands though… Well, fine.” (Makoto)
Saying this, Takatsuki-kun raised his left hand high up.
“Water Magic: [Great Waterfall].” (Makoto)
“Uwa!” (Sakurai)
The next instant, a massive amount of water as if a pool had been turned upside down swept the whole place.
And it continued with no signs of ending.
The place we were in was swallowed by water in an instant.
I-I’m going to drown!
“Water Magic: [Underwater Breathing].” (Makoto)
“Water Magic; [Underwater Talk].” (Makoto)
That voice reached my ears.
{Can you hear me, Sakurai-kun?} (Makoto)
{…Yeah…that’s impressive. There’s magic like this, huh.} (Sakurai)
I learned about Underwater Breathing at Laberintos, but I didn’t know there was a spell that allowed for talking.
Also, Takatsuki-kun is using Great Waterfall which allows the generation of a massive amount of water.
He is using 3 spells at the same time.
A mage that can use 3 spells at the same time is rare even within the Sun Knights.
At that moment…
(Takatsuki-kun! Enemies are coming!) (Sakurai)
Despite being underwater, there were monsters who were approaching us at fast speeds.
“Water Magic: [Water Dragon].” (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun shot a spell without even looking there.
The monsters were spun around as they washed away.
{I think the inside of the barrier is close to being filled with water~. Water generated from magic is treated as a magic attack, huh. It is being absorbed by the barrier… Going as expected.} (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun scratched his cheek as he laughed faintly.
But isn’t that bad?
{If it is being absorbed by the barrier, isn’t it pointless…?} (Sakurai)
{It is okay. I just have to generate more water than it is being absorbed.} (Makoto)
{…Can you…do that?} (Sakurai)
{I can. With Spirit Magic, that is.} (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun says while showing me a cocky smile.
Aah, this face that says he is totally into it.
It is the face Takatsuki-kun makes when he is doing a prank.
{Now then, let’s move to the next step.} (Makoto)
{Next step?} (Sakurai)
What in the world could it be?
“Water Magic: [Deep Sea].” (Makoto)
The moment I heard those words, chills ran down my back.
This is the spell that…Takatsuki-kun used on the Lightning Hero at Highland.
{Sakurai-kun, don’t let go, okay?} (Makoto)
I frantically nodded.
And then, I heard the voice of Takatsuki-kun -with the water magic as the intermediary.
“Water Depth: 10,000 meters.” (Makoto)
The metric system isn’t the length measurement system used in this world.
That’s why this spell must be an original of Takatsuki-kun.
If I remember correctly, the deepest ocean of our world was the Mariana Trench.
Its depth is 10,900 meters.
In other words, 10,000 meters in the deep sea is close to the deepest it is in our world.
I am not the scientific type, but I think the calculation for 3m^3 is 1 ton.
There’s no living being that can live in that.
I use [Detection].
Monsters that were alive inside the barrier…
There were none.
(T-Takatsuki-kun…) (Sakurai)
I was worried.
This is the 5th spell.
Moreover, a spell of this scale.
Is he okay with the mana and the control?
{Ooh, the monsters that are entering the barrier are getting defeated on their own. Lucky~.} (Makoto)
I heard the bouncy voice of Takatsuki-kun.
Ah, he seems to be totally fine.
I waited for a while more inside the water, but monsters can’t get to where we are to begin with.
It was a peaceful time.
{There’s nothing to do.} (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun stretched as if he was bored.
He continues using Great Waterfall as if it were nothing, and he is defeating the monsters that are entering by using Deep Sea.
You would normally need an unbelievable amount of concentration though…
{Takatsuki-kun, what will you do after…?} (Sakurai)
It doesn’t change the fact that we can’t get out of the barrier.
Shocking words came from Takatsuki-kun.
{For now, let’s try waiting 24 hours.} (Makoto)
{Twenty four?!} (Sakurai)
I was so surprised I was about to let my hand go.
That’s a whole day.
{According to Oracle Esther-san, you won’t be able to survive this night, so if we manage to stop that, won’t the vision of the future change?} (Makoto)
{But even if that’s the case, 24 hours is just…} (Sakurai)
There’s no way he can concentrate for that long.
{If it were a game, I could play for 3 days straight though.} (Makoto)
{…}
Now that he mentions it, that’s true.
When Takatsuki-kun says he hasn’t slept for 3 days, it really does literally mean that he hasn’t slept for 3 days.
{There’s nothing to do, so let’s talk about something, Sakurai-kun.} (Makoto)
{Right now?!} (Sakurai)
I was getting whiplash from the difference between now and the despairing situation of before, but I tried to work my brain to find something to say.
{Then, about the Ancient Dragon I fought when I went to the Earth Country…} (Sakurai)
{Oh, nice! I want to hear about that!} (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun bit onto the topic.
After that, I listened to the time when Takatsuki-kun went wild in the Fire Country.
I got barraged with questions about my fiances, and when I was wondering what was the matter, he asked me for advice saying: ‘I have been getting easily dragged into matters about women, you see… I am aiming for the hardcore playthrough here though’.
I don’t think I am the appropriate person you should be asking that.
We continued that kind of talk for a while.
At that moment…*Crack*
I heard a sound like that of something cracking.
This is…?!
{Takatsuki-kun!} (Sakurai)
{What, that was faster than I thought.} (Makoto)
The barrier was breaking.
{Just how…against that barrier…?} (Sakurai)
{I think it simply passed the limit of how much it could absorb.} (Makoto)
Takatsuki-kun said this as if nothing.
Barrier breaking.
There’s two big patterns for that method.
One is to understand the barrier’s magic formula, and break that formula; the smart way.
The other one is to hit the powerful barrier with a powerful spell to break it; the brute force method.
Takatsuki-kun took the latter one.
{I thought it would last longer though…} (Makoto)
It felt off.
From the way Takatsuki-kun spoke, it is as if having the barrier would have been better…
“Sakurai-kun, it is your turn.” (Makoto)
“…Alright.” (Sakurai)
I understand the reason why soon enough.
The barrier crumbled, and the water that Takatsuki-kun generated turned into the shape of a giant dragon and rose up into the sky.
The sky I hadn’t seen for a whole day was covered in black clouds.
However, there was something that shocked me even more.
A giant silver beast was standing in front of us.
I am familiar with that figure.
But the silver beast in my memories was older than this.
It wasn’t as young as the giant beast in front of us.
The Beast King Zagan.
According to what Takatsuki-kun said in the barrier, the one standing in front of us is the one that inherited the power of the previous generation and became the next Demon Lord.
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