She understood they were a formidable enemy. However, she had to defeat them here.

She lifts her face with that determination.

(I will definitely take it down!)

Verrier lifts her face as if shaking off a slight fear and anxiety.

And then, she kicked off the ground at the same time as the knight.

"Uoooooooh!"

A valiant charge by the knights.

They had charged in as a diversion as they swung their sword down.

The next moment, just when it seemed the attack would hit the Nightwalker...

A black mist converged in the monster's hand, and a black great sword quickly formed.

The knight walker intercepts the descending knight's sword with its great sword.

And then, they easily deflected it as if dealing with a child.

"Ugh!?"

Faster than the knight could regain their footing, the returned sword struck their sturdy body, sending them flying.

Seizing that opening, another knight lunges with a sharp thrust from the side.

However, the Nightwalker's reaction speed is incredible.

The Nightwalker didn't even glance at it, and with their free hand, they effortlessly struck the sword and broke it.

Verrier followed up with an attack, but it was deflected by the magic that spread out like a scythe, sweeping away everything around it.

"Ugh...!"

(...Just pure brute force, and they've gotten this far...!)

The overwhelming difference in skill was so great that those who were trying to follow also stopped in their tracks.

The knight who was blown away first was slowly getting back on their feet.

Their bodies were fine, but the damage seemed to be quite extensive, and it was a struggle just to stand up.

At that moment, Sofia's healing magic enveloped the knight's body.

After her gaze darted between the fallen knight and the Nightwalker, Sofia declared in a tone that brooked no argument.

"Verrier-sama, everyone. Please refrain from interfering and focus on self-defense."

"...So, what about the Nightwalkers?"

|I'll do it."

Verrier almost opened her mouth to speak.

Even if she is a saint, her opponent is that Nightwalker.

It's far too reckless to do it alone.

Sofia immediately stepped forward and charged at the Nightwalker.

As the great sword swung down by the Nightwalker, Sofia's fist struck out.

(If you were to take a direct hit from something like that, your body would be split in two...)

Imagining the worst possible scenario, Sofia felt her body stiffen. Her heart was filled with fear of a powerful demon.

However, Verrier's worry turned to astonishment the moment the battle began.

The saint's fist and the Nightwalker's great sword collided, and the great sword was deflected.

From then on, their attacks continued to clash fiercely.

Each time the attacks clashed, the entire space shook, and a tremendous shockwave surged through.

Sofia had taken some damage, but her wounds were quickly closing.

(Oh, I've never heard of recovery magic being deployed at that speed… I suspect it's that recovery tool.)

It was clearly visible in Verrier's eyes. The moment Sofia was injured, the recovery device on her right arm glowed and poured healing magic directly into the wound.

It seemed to react automatically to the owner's life-threatening situation, faster than the user could even consciously register. She has never seen or heard of a recovery tool like that.

It was as if the recovery tool were a part of Sofia's body, as if it were alive, and it instantly made judgments and assisted in the activation of recovery magic.

(As long as that's there, she won't fall unless it's a fatal blow... And what a battle. There's absolutely no opening to... intervene...!)

The saint's fist and the Nightwalker's great sword were unleashed at incredible speed, as if aiming for each other's lives.

(...Am I just watching...? I came all this way to save my older brother...!)

The Nightwalker's greatsword lightly cuts across Sofia's shoulder. However, the wound is enveloped in emerald light faster than blood can gush out and quickly closes.

She was constantly casting healing magic on herself while fighting the monsters on equal terms.

Verrier and the knights were watching as they were unable to carelessly step into a battle of a different level and could only stand there, dumbfounded.

Amidst the fierce battle that seemed to go on endlessly, it was the Nightwalker who first showed signs of frustration.

Perhaps they found Sofia troublesome as she recovered instantly, no matter how many times she was knocked down and continued to deliver punches with undiminished power.

Roaring in anger and releasing magical power, it charged forward.

It's a powerful technique precisely because minor wounds regenerate quickly.

There, Sofia also released her magic and charged in.

Then Nightwalker and Sofia.

The vast magical power released by both sides collided, and a tremendous shock shook the ground and space.

(Th-this is...!)

The world before her eyes distorted like a heat haze. It wasn't that her vision had gone bad.

The sheer amount of magic had warped space and the world itself significantly.

And it happened at the same time. Tremendous magical power overflowed, and Verrier looked up in surprise.

A phenomenon that occurs very rarely when immense forces collide in a place saturated with magical power.

That phenomenon is said to have occurred in the past during events such as major wars.

(The space distortion caused by a magical runaway...!)

The moment she reached that thought, Verrier was screaming.

"Don't scatter! Hold hands with those nearby!"

Verrier quickly gave instructions and turned her gaze toward Sofia, who was still exchanging blows with her fists and great sword.

"Sofia-sama! A spatial distortion is occurring! It's dangerous, so please move away for a moment—"

Verrier desperately reached out her hand toward Sofia.

But then, a tremendous wave of magical power exploded, the surrounding space twisted and warped, and she was caught in it.

In her twisting vision, Verrier desperately reached out, but there was nothing for her hand to touch.

The next time she opened her eyes, the smell of damp earth and grass tickled her nostrils.

(...Wh-where is this?)

As she slowly sat up, the surroundings were a deep forest as far as the eye could see. It was clearly a different place from where she had been just moments ago.

From the quality of the magic that pricks her skin, she can tell this is outside the barrier. However, it's not a terrain she recognizes.

It is said that spatial distortion can teleport the caster far away.

It seems she has gotten caught up in the worst possible situation.

(I wonder if Sofia-sama... if everyone... is safe...!)

She stands up to check on her companions.

Of course, there's no sign of anyone around.

She was usually pretty good at sensing magic power, but the dense magic power made it completely useless.

(It shouldn't have been blown that far... should I look around?)

It was then that Verrier began to walk slowly.

Rustle, the bushes behind her shook violently.

As she turned around, a huge black shadow appeared.

The leopard cloaked in darkness, the Black Shroud.

The monster bears claws sharp enough to easily gouge the earth as its face is filled with murderous intent.

There are also monsters inside the barrier, but the one in front of her is so large she has never seen anything like it.

"...!"

Verrier immediately draws her sword.

At that moment, the Black Shroud kicked off the ground.

The distance closes in an instant. Almost by instinct, the sword she thrust forward accidentally blocked a blow from the Black Shroud.

(...What speed. This is different from any monster I've faced before...!)

She desperately parries the attacks, but is gradually being pushed into a corner.

"Gaaaar!"

"Cough!?"

The heavy blow struck by the monster sent Verrier reeling.

(No way, not here... I won't die, I can't die... I still have things I have to do... Older brother...!)

It was at that very moment that Verrier gripped her sword for a counterattack.

The Black Shroud's head was blown off.

Eyes wide with surprise, the Black Shroud collapses.

Verrier also had her eyes wide with surprise.

The only thing she could barely see was a flash.

A single, incredibly swift strike, as fast as a flash of light, had precisely severed the magical beast's head.

Before she could understand what had happened, Verrier raised her head and saw a man standing there.

A man who looked like a blacksmith.

However, there is absolutely no weakness in his posture.

"Oh, you're..."

To Verrier's question, the man shrugged and answered as if nothing had happened.

"I'm Darius... I have a workshop nearby... What about you? Why are you here?"

Chapter 38