Four Ikemen Chapter 77

77 Emergency Defensive Battle

 

In the middle of running through the lake’s vicinity, Alf who was taking the lead stopped his feet.

 

[Who’s there!]

 

When the swordsman searchingly inquired towards the woods, a knife flew soundlessly.

 

[Go ahead of me!]

[If you’re going to fight in the woods then archery will be helpful, I will also go! Ragna, we leave Rei to you!]

 

While deflecting the fired weapons one after another, the two plunge into the woods.

 

At the same time, we could differentiate the black-clothed assassins above the path of rubbles heading towards us. There were still the bastards who are under Egrald!

It looks like Dy himself is busy pouring in his magic power and has no time to pay attention to his surroundings.

 

I can’t really think that there’s anything wrong since it’s him we’re talking about, but as I thought, if the precedent spell that disturbs magic power is used then it will be really bad.

 

[Rei, sorry but we’re going without stopping.]

 

It seems Ragna also thought the same, he held me by my waist and started running.

 

The Dragonian appears to be magnificent not only in brute strength but also in leg strength.

He immediately broke into a battle state.

 

[Haah!]

 

The Dragonian’s heavy fist mercilessly seizes and pierces the assassins whose virtue is speed. At the same time, while splendidly parrying the attacking number of opponents, he encourages me.

 

[Go on ahead! These guys’ aim is the crystal pillar!]

 

I hurriedly chased after the person who slipped out and was running towards the crystal pillar.

 

I try activating magic but it doesn’t work well just like when we couldn’t fly earlier.

 

Unlike the previous time when the magic-disturbing spell disturbed the magic power inside the body, I felt that it was being applied around my body and I can’t release my magic power outside.

 

[If that’s how it is then!]

 

Pouring out my magic power which defies the common sense of this world, I will cast it even if I have to do so forcefully!

 

[GOO~!!]

 

Forcefully pushing the magic power that was condensed due to pressure out of my body, I eject the shock wave which has become similar to an undulating explosion towards the enemy all at once.

 

The assassin was surprised and hurriedly tried to dodge it, but a small misstep and he will be in the water. A moment of hesitation led to his defeat, and like in a gag manga, the assassin vigorously flew beyond the sky.

 

[Alright!]

 

I can go to where Dy is with this. But, before that, I send a glance behind me.

Even though he has fallen into a stalemate with the assassins, it seems that he still has a lot of composure.

 

Ah, could it be because our eyes met? He winked. He really is composed.

I also raise my hand meaning that I’m also leaving it to him and started running towards my destination in a straight line.

 

[Dy!!]

 

When I finally came running and called out, the demon, while kneeling on one knee and with his two hands over his head, briefly sent me a glance.

 

[You drove away from the annoying flies. There’s nothing I won’t say my gratitude for.]

[Whichever that is. Wait, more importantly, what on earth is going on?]

 

I peek inside the crystal from Dy’s back. What I thought were white clouds were actually countless cracks, and even now, it’s painfully damaged everywhere to the point of being close to breaking.

 

I saw a person buried inside the cracked crystal.

With his willowy black hair spread flowingly, the slender young man is sleeping with his body  flaccidly drifting about.

 

And, that quiet sleeping face, has exactly the same features as Dy.

 

He has the same face as Dy’s which I saw this morning and, like a work of art, he’s gorgeous and inanimate.

 

[This…]

 

After being silent for a short while, Dy told  me who was shocked speechless.

 

[He’s my younger brother. His name is Duirio.]

[….Is he, dead?]

[He’s alive. But because he’s a vessel without a soul, even if he has a body, he will soon die, that’s why I confined him in a crystal with high density of magic power.]

 

Is that a state that can be called alive?

I thought of such a question, but as I quietly look at Dy who was continuously pouring magic power into the source of life in front of him, I ended up unable to say anything.

 

[Should I also pour my magic power in?]

[It’s fine, Duirio isn’t familiar with your magic power after all.]

 

Feeling the silent rejection from Dy, I observe the lake having nothing to do.

 

Magic power of high density is permeating from the crystal pillar, dyeing the lake. It came to my mind that this is the reason why strong monsters are being called over.

 

The underground waterways along the border may be the waterway from Zohana Lake.

That’s why, if Duirio, who is the crystal’s nucleus, disappears, then the monsters at the border will also lose power… Is that how it is?

 

While being absorbed in my thoughts, when I unintentionally looked in the water, *ko-pori*, a single bubble came up.

Could it be, I ended up calling one after thinking about monsters?

 

When I tried to cautiously approach it, an assassin jumped out!

 

[Rei!]

 

Despite Dy instantly using the piece of rubble in the area to divert him, he still approaches with resolve for a standoff.

 

[Uwaah!]

 

I was surprised by the unexpected movement that I blocked the paper drawn with a light attribute magic circle with my arms. This, it’s the obstructing spell from before!

 

Shoot, I must avoid it or I won’t be able to use magic again! or so I thought too late, and it touched my arm.

 

The moment it touches me, *pachi*, I felt as if something repelled the paper but perhaps because I wasn’t able to defend against it, my arm is turning numb.

 

The stone that Dy threw pierced through his shoulder and the assassin once again dove under water.

 

Gradually, the water is being dyed with the blood’s light crimson color, but the assassin’s body can’t be seen.

 

[Rei, step back.]

[As if I’m going to do that!]

 

Because Dy is busy pouring in his magic power, I have no choice but to manage somehow.

 

I calmly probe into the magic power in my body. When I did, I felt the disturbing magic power being restored little by little.

 

While wondering that the recovery is faster than when I got it before, I bring my numbing arm to the water’s surface to sharpen its senses.

 

[…. Over there!]

 

I raise a spray of water towards the attacking assassin and make the tempered and refined magic power explode.

 

It seems the assassin who was blown off until the opposite shore no longer has any energy to get up.

 

Alright! I don’t really know how but I managed to overcome the obstructing spell!!

 

After thoroughly checking the surroundings, as I was submerged in the aftertaste of victory, a soliloquy bit by bit entered my ears.

 

[… Why, why can’t I repair it?]

 

Dy’s face distorts in frustration and he was crushed with the weight of misfortune in front of the crumbling crystal.