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Chapter 271 – Aerial Party VS Ex Party 6 / The Strongest (Part 1)

271 – Aerial Party VS Ex Party 6 / The Strongest (Part 1)

First of all, I should mention the four conclusions.

The Blade Alchemist Louie VS the Knight Lord Arthur, Arthur won and Louie left the field.

The Gale Hero Ewan VS the Guardian Galahad, Ewan lost one of his arms due to Galahad’s attack. Later, he left the field due to a fatal leak of magical energy.

As for the remaining two―

The Samurai Masamune VS the Transcendent Mordred, the result is a draw.

Mordred saw through the fact that Masamune chooses the most appropriate『slashing method』for each target, and succeeded in making his slash imperfect by transforming his body into a different creature after the slash was released.

But in response, Masamune devised a technique to readjust the slash after Mordred transformed.
As both sides were subjected to an unknown number of attacks, their Avatars could not keep up with their ever-increasing fighting spirit and they reached the damage limit and dissipated into magical energy particles.

The Crimson Wizard Michel VS the Wizard of Foresight Merlin, Merlin won.

Michel’s magic is fearsome.
In terms of talent, Merlin is clearly superior.
Even if it is limited to fire-attribute magic, it is hard to say that Michel is superior compared to Merlin in terms of skill.

Even so, the huge lump of flames and the Phoenix offset each other out after dyeing the world in red.
At that moment, in the midst of the battle for the title of『the strongest fire-attribute user』, Michel’s magic had evolved.

It has power comparable to that of a Heavenly-Base Magic.

However, Michel’s magical energy was exhausted due to the release of power that went beyond her limit.
She could not afford to continue to fight against Merlin, who still had some energy left to spare.

『Let’s decide who’s the better fire-attribute user at another opportunity.』

Merlin said happily at the end.
The battle of fire-attribute magic ended as a draw.

What determined the winner and the loser was the fact that one had already mastered her ability while the other had barely awakened her ability in the middle of the battle.

Despite reigning as the world’s strongest for so long, this Party has yet to reach its limits.
Still, today, we will be surpassing them.

On our side, including me, there are four of us left: the Knight Lord Arthur, the Wizard of Foresight Merlin, and the Guardian Galahad.

Meanwhile, the other side only has the Storm Hero Aerial.

「『Storm Wrap』」

Aerial was wrapped in a storm.
His fist was wrapped with the wind of destruction that raged with fury in the Raid Battle.

「Just right, I’ll try it here. Hey guys, try to stall him.」

Merlin waved her wand and began to generate magical energy.

「Okay. We’ll do that.」

With trembling hands, Galahad held up his shield and started running.
Arthur had already ran off.

「Arthur. Since the intelligent you had actually rushed in towards me, I’m guessing that that sheath truly has some extraordinary ability. For example, something like completely negating an injury.」

「What will you do if that’s the case?」

「There is a story about a shield that can block all attacks, right? It’s interesting to hear the conversations about how to attack it, but I think that they’re missing the point. I mean, people don’t fight against shields.」

「Yes, they should recognize that the shield is invincible and then consider how to attack the user himself. That’s what they should think about, isn’t that right?」

「That’s right. From what I’ve observed, I won’t be able to injure you while you have the Holy Sword inside the sheath. I don’t mind that and I understand. So I ask you, is that why you are invincible?」

When Arthur approached Aerial and was standing right in front of him, Aerial struck him.
The Magic Sheath was in full effect, protecting its owner from any damage, including impact.

Well, it was supposed to be like that.

「You’re being overconfident… Wait, are you planning to let Ex save his strength for the fight ahead? That’s why you’re a little more impatient than usual.」

The Magic Sheath only protects its owner.
It’ll not protect his outfit and equipment.

This is evident from the fact that Louie’s spear only pierced his clothes.

But this didn’t stop him from attempting to destroy the Magic Tool itself with Spirit Magic.

The Storm Blades raged around.

「You’re trying to destroy the Magic Tool!?」

「If that’s the only way, then so be it.」

Magic Tools are a special item that can only be created by the now-destroyed ancient races.

It does not deteriorate over time so even in this era Adventurers are still using them in battle

It is said to be unbreakable even when handled roughly and cannot be destroyed by human hands.

Ahh, but that’s right.

We, Heroes, can reach the power of beings above humans.

In particular, Aerial is the Contractor of the Spirit that rules over all of the wind in the world.
I guess it is possible for his sharpened Spirit Magic to destroy it.

The sheath was cracked and shattered.
Realizing this, Arthur pulled out his Holy Sword and moved to slash Aerial before he could inflict lethal damage to himself, but ―.

「I’ll taste your swordsmanship at a different opportunity.」

The Knight Lord was immediately slashed to pieces by countless Wind Blades and dissipated as magical energy particles.

「…I’ve used a lot of magical energy. Well then, next is Merlin.」

「I won’t let you through.」

「You are a great Guardian, but… you won’t be able to defend against my best attack twice.」

Aerial waved his fist and Galahad was unable to defend against it with his shield.
Just being able to block the first attack was already a miracle.

The shield could not withstand the second attack and shattered.

「I told you already! Get behind me―」

「The attack didn’t get through you. ―You are truly amazing, the Guardian Galahad.」

Galahad turned the shape-shifting magic sword into armor and tried to stop『Storm Wrap』head-on.
As a result, Aerial was once again forced to pour enough magical energy to destroy the Magic Tool.

The storm condensed around his fist tore Galahad along with his armor into very small pieces, and Merlin’s magic was completed at the same time.

「You’ve worked hard to buy me some time. I’ll have to praise you later.」

「…Merlin, what is that?」

Even the strongest person in the world did not know what it was.
I’m sure even I wouldn’t have been able to figure it out if I hadn’t heard about it beforehand.

It’s a white sphere.

It seemed to be glowing.
It also seemed to be rippling.
It looked like it was covered in thunder and lightning, but it also looked like it was roaring with flames.

「It’s Composite Magic. When I harmonize the Heavenly-Base Magic of all Four Major Attributes, somehow it ends up as this.」

For each attribute, there is someone at the top.

Wind-attribute ― the Storm Hero Aerial.
Fire-attribute ― the Flame Hero Fenix.
Water-attribute ― the Water Hero Wraith.
Earth-attribute ― the Gaia Hero is currently vacant. At present, the person standing at the top would be the Earth Hero Vale, or the Scales of Justice Astrea, who showed her overwhelming ability at this tournament.
In the same attribute, it can be said that there are no casters that can rival the Heroes that have made a Contract with the Origin Spirit.

But Merlin is different.
She can use magic as good as those who have made a Contract with the Origin Spirits of the Four Great Spirits.

Moreover, she can use all four attributes.
And this magic that brings it all together.
Only Merlin can use this magic in this whole world.

「It’s called ―『Elemental』.」

It is similar to a small world. A world that specializes in attack.
Those who touch it will be struck by storms, engulfed in flames, drowned in water, submerged in earth, frozen, struck by lightning, and experience explosions. That person’s existence will be denied by all that.

「I was saving it for the Demon King, but I thought it might be nice to try it on you.」

「I’m honored, Merlin.」

『Elemental』fell like a meteor and engulfed Aerial.

My field of vision was dyed in white.
An unheard-of sound echoed through the venue and half the field was obliterated.

All that’s left was a bare magical energy space.
There was a dark hole in half of the field, revealing an infinite darkness.

It was just like the image that the camera captured after the battle between Fenix and Lemegeton.
The terrain formed by the magical energy of the Dungeon had been obliterated, exposing a space that had nothing but magical energy.

Even though it was only destroyed partially, it was a Heavenly-Base class Magic that could cause a destruction of that scale.
As expected, even Merlin was sweating on her forehead, probably because of her extreme concentration and consumption of magical energy.

「Now then, if you could still survive through this, you wouldn’t be a human…」

「―You say such hurtful things.」

Aerial was there.
He was standing behind Merlin.

More like I should say that his existence was there.
His appearance had transformed into a magical one, as if the wind had attained a will.

―It was Esoteric Spirit Magic…『Assimilation』!

Merlin’s words were right.
If he survived after getting struck by that, he wouldn’t be human.

But Aerial is now in a state where he is both human and wind.
And wind can’t be killed.

At that moment, Aerial was certainly blown away.
However, he became a living wind by using Spirit Magic, then he flew with his own power and landed behind Merlin.

Merlin turned around and tried to wave her wand, but it was too late.
Her body had already been torn apart by the storm and turned into magical energy particles.

「My plans have been thrown out of order… And that goes for you too, doesn’t it?」

Aerial laughed.
The man who slashed apart the comrades that I’m proud of with his overwhelming power laughed ferociously.

Aerial has already reached out to the magical energy of his Spirit.
Since it has already developed to this point, we will no longer be able to save our strength.

For the sake of winning against Aerial, I have no other choice but to use the magical energy of the Spirit.

「Do you still remember, Ex? How I ended up losing against them.」

I knew who he was talking about without having to ask.

The One Horned Dark Sorcerer Lemegeton and the Immortal Demon Bennu.
More specifically, the combined power of the Monsters in『Impregnable Demon King Castle』.

This was how the world’s best Hero Parties alliance was defeated in the Raid Battle.

That was particularly true for Aerial as an individual.
The abnormal amount of magical energy and skill of casting Black Magic in space derailed the manipulation of『Storm Wrap』, forcing him to abandon one arm and consequently being defeated.

「I thought of what I should do in order to win. And then it hit me. The fundamentals of Black Magic. Black Magic can’t be cast on other Magic. If I become the wind itself, even the best Black Magic will end up useless.」

In Aerial’s case, he had already mastered『Assimilation』, which Fenix has recently mastered and Wraith has yet to fully master.

In the past, he chose to use『Sky Garden』and『Storm Wrap』, but this time―
His right arm became a storm and swirled.

「『Storm Wrap Extreme』」

A combination of『Assimilation』and『Storm Wrap』.
Certainly, with this nothing can disturb his Spirit Magic, including techniques other than Black Magic.

「Fuh… hahaha, ahahaha!」

The next thing I knew, I was laughing.

「…Ex?」

「Sorry about that. It’s just so strange. What a coincidence, Aerial. Me too. I came to the same conclusion after the experience of losing to ‘a certain Hero’.」

Even the person that we lost against is the same.
The Demon King Army Chief of Staff Lemegeton. My friend Lem. The Greatest Black Sorcerer. The Hero that saves another Hero.

When the opportunity arises to fight him again, how can I win?
After much thought, I came up with this.