…He was thoroughly confused by this matter, but he nevertheless focused on his surroundings for the time being.
Battle was still ongoing all over, but there were no signs of having lost any ground to the Mazoku. This was because the attacking Mazoku were far outnumbered by those guarding the caravan.
The other escorts don’t seem to be having any problems. In that case, let’s try this…
Then, in that case…
Shik!
Suimei evaded the slash of his enemy’s claws. Continuously he dodged as the Mazoku continued to chain its strikes.
“In that case, there’s another reason why it’s not working—”
“You just don’t shut up, do you…”
“—Your clinginess is really getting on my nerves!”
“Hah!”
Suimei roared as he snapped his fingers.
Even though the Mazoku was subjected to his attack from close range, it was essentially unharmed. Nevertheless, he’d accomplished his goal of sending it flying.
“…You brat. Using the same magic over and over like an idiot!”
“Sorry. I don’t have that many magics on hand, after all.”
“Uaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa—!”
The Mazoku snarled, its figure growing hazy. Reacting purely on instinct, Suimei threw out an arm.
“Primum excipio!” (First bulwark, local activation!)
To prevent the charge of the Mazoku, accelerating nonstop toward him, Suimei activated this physical defensive magic.
As if the magic array had been granted a power of some kind, at the moment of contact, a shrill noise accompanied flying sparks.
“W-what—?!”
A thoroughly shocked expression appeared on the face of the Mazoku, seeing this defensive spell for the first time. Suimei took the opportunity to consider the strange feeling of disharmony that filled him.
…What in the world? My magic was clearly ineffective earlier, and yet the golden fortress completely stopped its attack?
If his opponent had an ability that would directly affect magic itself, then his defensive magic should have been disrupted just now. Even if it wasn’t able to completely shatter his defense in an instant, the subsequent shock should have broken through.
However, that had most definitely not happened. Its attack had been rendered entirely impotent. Consequently, an endless tide of questions streamed through Suimei’s mind.
“W-what just happened?! How could I be stopped by that thing?!”
“Ha, isn’t it obvious?!”
“Impertinent brat—”
—The Mazoku, coming to the realization that attacking wasn’t working, and concerned about a counterattack, placed some distance between them.
As Suimei frowned, the sound of an explosion came from not far off. Keeping the Mazoku in his peripheral vision, he turned in the direction the sound had come from. There, a caravan escort had destroyed another Mazoku with an explosive magic.
A fire magic.
And yet, unlike when he had done so, the Mazoku was scorched by the flames, and drew its last breath.
“That guy…”
What the heck?
Even though his magical flames had been entirely ineffective, it was nevertheless now evident that the Mazoku did not possess any sort of exceptional, innate resistance to flame.
Suddenly, as Suimei was evaluating the situation, a male voice suddenly called out.
“Hey! What are you doing?! Get back!”
“Hmm?”
“You! The guy with the black hair! Pull back!”
Enemy defeated, he’d noticed Suimei’s situation.
The other adventurers, their Mazoku eliminated, rushed over.
Looking more closely, he recognized them as the party that Lefille had happily conversed with.
As directed by the warrior adventurer, a girl – the party’s mage – chanted as fire sprang forth from the end of her staff.
Perhaps having noticed, the Mazoku suddenly flew backward with a flap of its wings.
So that magic is one to be avoided…
Sensing the danger, it pulled back. Although it had previously tried to avoid one of his spells, but this time it really retreated a good distance, perhaps owing to the difference between his magic and hers when it came to effectiveness was against the Mazoku.
Next.