Chapter 56
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The magic circle shatters.
This is a simple taphor.
It happens when the magic circle constructed can't withstand the magical energy poured into it, or when the body constructing the magic circle is weaker compared to the circle itself.
Other tis, it could be due to not channeling magical energy into the magic circle properly, or simply not having enough magical energy to begin with—there are various reasons.
When magic fizzles out or unintentionally cuts off, it's often expressed as the magic circle shattering.
Until this very mont, I thought it was just a figure of speech.
So, magic circles really do shatter.
I could feel the magic circle I constructed within my body breaking apart.
A sudden thought crossed my mind—perhaps my ntor is soone who belongs to a world where they can sense things like this.
At the sa ti, I realized sothing else—wait, if I connect this magic circle just a bit, couldn't I maintain physical enhancent for one more swing?
Instantly, I felt a heat building deep in my chest.
I can swing one more single strike.
If I'm going to die anyway, swing with all your might and you'll reach him, a voice whispers in my heart.
Yes, if I'm going to die anyway, another voice in my heart agrees.
Ah, yeah, that's right, I nod to myself.
I'm going to die.
But if I can take this guy down, even if it ans mutual destruction—
If I do that, then this guy, Oganight, will never stand before Erika again!
I beca aware of a ferocious grin spreading across my face.
...Huh?
Erika?
That's right, Erika. It's Erika.
After begging her to let stay by her side for one year, is this how it ends for ?
Would she feel anything about a guy like that dying so soon?
Would she grieve for ?
Ah, and to think I still had almost a full year left to stand by her side.
Huh? What? I'm dying?
——No, no, no, no way.
There's no way I can do sothing so wasteful.
"I still have one year left!"
I could feel my body, which had been fully prepared for mutual destruction, jolt in surprise.
No, that's not happening. I could be with Erika for nearly another year, so mutual destruction is out of the question.
Honestly, my body is so stupid sotis.
With the very last of my strength, I slide my sword in front of the deadly fist.
As the flat of my sword takes Oganight's punch, my physical enhancent cuts off.
My body is sent flying sideways.
The only reason I didn't die when I slamd into the ground is that the physical enhancent in my clothes was still active.
But even that vanished upon impact with the ground.
Struggling to breathe from the shock to my back, I try to activate physical enhancent magic once more—recovery can wait, broken or torn, I have to dodge.
But I also knew I wouldn't make it in ti.
There's no way the king of monsters would let such an opening slip by.
Grimacing from the pain assaulting my entire body, I raised my head, and what ca into my view was—
A visible mass of killing intent directed straight at .
Ah, I'm gonna die. I'm really gonna die.
I tried my best, but reality is cruel, and without the strength to defy the unreasonable, I'll be trampled.
Even as I grit my teeth to crush the despair in my heart and body, my body moves agonizingly slow.
When I saw Oganight stepping forward, I had a vision of the classroom at the academy.
With several desks between us, I stole glances at her, burning her profile into my mory.
To think that at this final mont, the last thing I recall is Erika's profile—honestly, I'm disappointed in myself.
Even on the brink of death, I'm too embarrassed to look at her face directly.
I'm truly pathetic.
The physical enhancent magic still hasn't been constructed, which ans I can only see Oganight's form vanish from my sight.
Unenhanced senses shouldn't be able to perceive anything happening outside the realm of human capability.
Yet, even so, I definitely heard that voice.
"I made it in ti!"
I instinctively close my eyes at the roar and shockwave happening right in front of .
When I open my eyelids, I hope it's not heaven.
Praying for that, I opened my eyes, only to question whether this was reality.
Just how much skill, how much talent does a human need to pull off sothing like this?
As if it were nothing, like stopping the handle of a falling mop with your foot—
Erika was blocking Oganight's fist with her raised right leg.
Her beautifully extended leg, and her other foot rooted to the earth as if anchored there.
It was a beauty akin to an ancient statue, but the ground her rooted foot stood on spoke vividly of the impact she withstood.
Even now, I can hear the ground creaking and cracking.
Oganight bares his fangs and growls as if enraged, trying to swing his immovable fist.
Faced with this surreal scene, I unconsciously mutter the only na that makes this reality believable.
"Ebi-ga"
But perhaps my lungs were crushed when I hit the ground, because what ca out of my throat was blood and a mangled version of her na.
Well, if my lungs were crushed, no wonder it's hard to breathe.
At the sound of my voice, she slowly turned her gaze toward .
Terrifyingly, the leg blocking Oganight's fist didn't budge an inch.
I focus healing magic on my lungs to secure my breathing, and my restored lungs imdiately get to work.
I involuntarily hold my breath at Erika's gaze directed at .
More precisely, I swallowed the scream that almost escaped.
Uh, why is Erika so angry?
I don't think I've ever seen Erika this angry before.
I'm confident that no one has spent more ti looking at Erika than I have—though I'm aware that sounds a bit creepy, it's the truth, deal with it, .
Faced with an expression of anger from Erika that I've only seen a handful of tis, there's no way I can stay calm.
In a panic, I try to move, ignoring my still-cracked ribs and leg bones, only to twitch and convulse in a way that can only be described as making a fool of myself.
A sudden doubt crosses my mind—could Erika be angry because I'm making a fool of myself?—and I grow frantic to stand up, struggling with a body that won't move properly since the healing magic hasn't caught up.
I can't stand up. If that's the case, I'll use physical enhancent to spring up—I activate it at the fastest speed in my life. Seriously, why didn't I do this earlier, ?
Seeing like this, Erika's eyebrows shoot up at a sharp angle.
Why is she getting even angrier!?
Oh, is it because I'm twitching and trembling like a fool? Erika must hate guys who twitch and tremble. Got it—I hate them now too.
"......A little"
My entire body freezes at the icy tone of her voice.
"Stay right there and wait."
Erika shifts her gaze from to Oganight.
"I'll finish this quickly."
I can only see the back of her head now, but the surging golden magic around her is overwhelming.
"Yes."
That was all I could say.
I an, seriously—she's terrifying.
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