"After losing the others, our fighting strength has taken a significant hit. Dealing with the relentless stream of golems is going to be tough," Ichika lamented, her concern evident as she noticed the dwindling numbers of their classmates. She grasped Mio's hand tightly, swiftly positioning themselves at a corner of the barrier, with their backs turned to the others. "Mio and I will guard this side, ensuring the safety of this section of the barrier. Keisuke, Fuji, you two take the front. Clear a path for us to make our escape."
Observing the intensity of the oncoming golems and the relentless barrage of attacks, others began to realize that Ichika's assessment was accurate. Their combat power had significantly diminished, and their capacity to defeat golems had decreased notably. Continuously employing magic would quickly drain them mentally. Furthermore, the likelihood of successfully escaping from the second floor would diminish considerably. Thus, it appeared wise to follow Ichika's advice, enabling Keisuke to search for a path while they concentrated on defending the barrier.
"Okay, Fuji! Let's go, we have work to do!" Keisuke agreed with Ichika, noticing the exhaustion on his classmates' faces. He then called out to his friend, who seemed ready to spring into action at any moment.
"Yes, let's finish them off and show them what it means to anger us!" Fuji exclaimed, his face lit up with a fierce smile. Then, with Keisuke at his side, he dashed to the frontline outside the barrier, where a group of golems awaited their challenge. As Keisuke swung his sword, a radiant burst of light bloomed forth with blinding brilliance. With a powerful incantation, he unleashed 'Redeemer's Blade' upon the golems, a spell imbued with the pure essence of light. This magic, specifically tailored to counter the darkness, proved highly effective against monsters shrouded in its malevolent presence.
After being struck by the magic, the golems froze in place, their bodies riddled with swiftly spreading cracks. As their movements ceased, the golems disintegrated into fragments, collapsing to the ground, leaving behind their mana cores.
"Prepare to feel the power of my fist!" Fuji's declaration reverberated across the battlefield as he surged forward. With a burst of energy, his fist ignited with a radiant yellow aura. Calling upon his "Fury Strike" earth magic, he unleashed a devastating blow that slammed into the golem's chest. The force behind the strike was enough to dent iron walls, causing the golem to stagger backward before collapsing onto its companions with a thunderous crash. The ground quaked beneath their weight, culminating in a powerful explosion that scattered debris across the battlefield, leaving the golems defeated and scattered.
Facing their enemies head-on, Keisuke and Fuji persist in their frontline assault, systematically defeating each foe they encounter. The resounding clash of their swords and magic reverberates continuously, generating shockwaves that ripple through the battlefield. Meanwhile, in another area, an even more alarming scene unfolds: the ongoing battle ravages the landscape, altering the terrain irreversibly. A single misstep risks triggering a catastrophic chain reaction, capable of annihilating vast swaths of golems.
Inside the barrier, Haruto sat on the ground, observing the unfolding scene. He possessed the power to fight and assist Haruka-sensei, but doing so would expose his strength, a prospect he wished to avoid. Moreover, even if he were to join her, his powers wouldn't be enough to defeat that creature. If only they had more time, he could enhance his strength, much like the "Mana Cascade" currently overflowing and amplifying his abilities.
"How can I help her...?" thought Haruto, feeling bitter about the situation.
Glancing over, he caught sight of Hinata locked in combat with the golem. A mighty kick knocked the golem off balance, forcing it to its knees, struggling to regain stability with trembling movements. With no mercy, Hinata swiftly drove his knee toward the golem's head, aiming to destroy it. His momentum was interrupted when he encountered an unexpected defense, eliciting a look of surprise. Before he could retract his leg, the golem seized it, yanking him off balance and toward itself. Hinata staggered, leaning precariously toward the golem, which wasted no time in delivering a punch straight at his head, attempting to swiftly end the fight.
What...!?
In that split second...! Without a chance to collect his thoughts, he reflexively crossed his arms to shield his head. He concentrated a significant amount of mana into his arms, hoping to minimize the damage from the impending strike. The impact was harsh, the pain radiating from his arms to every part of his body as he was sent flying backward, crashing into the barrier.
After seeing Hinata hurt, Haruto understood the danger. The longer they waited, the stronger the golems became. Feeling the urgency, Haruto knew they had to act fast. He had to come up with a plan before it was too late. Time was against them, and every moment mattered.
Watching Hinata being beaten up, the group of students tensed up instantly. A girl from the group promptly rose to her feet and hurried over to Hinata, who stood outside the barrier, blood streaming from his mouth. He maintained a battle-ready stance, his eyes fixed on the golem, which had undergone some changes. Its body had grown larger, and the flames on its head and back had intensified. The golem looked entirely different from the rest. Upon reaching the barrier's edge, the girl swiftly began casting healing magic. A magic circle materialized at the tip of her staff, which she directed towards Hinata. A green aura enveloped him, and with the added recovery speed from "Mana Cascade," Hinata recovered in the blink of an eye.
"Thanks!" Hinata expressed his gratitude to the girl before swiftly dashing towards the golem. Clenching his fist, he channeled half of his mana into it, causing a peridot-colored wind to swirl around his fist, leaking into the surroundings. Just as he entered the golem's range and noticed it gathering fire magic on its fist, seemingly ready to challenge him, both sides prepared for action. Without hesitation, Hinata threw his punch. The air quivered as the pressure of his fist surged toward the golem. Sensing the opportunity, the golem promptly launched its own fiery punch, meeting Hinata's wind-infused strike head-on.
Boooooooooom!!!
The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the air, cracking the ground beneath their feet. Hinata keenly felt the pressure as he persistently channeled his mana into his wind-fused attack, pushing against the golem's fiery fist. The golem's eyes blazed with fiery intensity as it stood its ground, unaffected by the force.
Persistent manipulation of mana churned the ground beneath them, scattering it into the winds and melding it into magma. At last, Hinata harnessed all his mana, shaping the wind into a fierce whirlwind blade that lashed out at the golem's body. With pinpoint precision, he targeted the golem's arm, causing it to recoil. Without pause, Hinata unleashed a second punch, sending the golem hurtling skyward with a deafening impact. The wind-infused assault tore through its body, leaving it broken and defeated.
"Haaah.... Haaah... That thing... it sapped all my strength just to bring it down," Hinata gasped, his voice strained with exhaustion as he leaned heavily against a nearby boulder. He felt completely drained, like he could collapse any second. Still, even though fatigue showed on his face, there was a spark of satisfaction in his eyes.
"Hey, that was good work there, Hinata-chan!" said Ichika, a wide smile spreading across her face as she surveyed the aftermath of the battle. The ground was marked with deep slashes from Hinata's wind blades, and patches of boiling magma indicated where the golem's fire-based attacks had landed.
The battle between Hinata and the irregular golem had drawn the group's attention. Mio and Ichika watched the battle from start to finish, observing the strength of the new type of golem. Its attack power and defense elevated it above the rest, especially with the additional increase in its enhanced fire attribute attack. Ichika was certain she couldn't defeat it with a single strike and might need to infuse her blade with mana and strike with precision multiple times to destroy it, potentially draining half of her mana. After witnessing Hinata conclude the battle and lean against a boulder, both Mio and Ichika rushed to his side to assess his condition.
"Are you fine Hinata-chan, can you stand up..." asked Mio as she worried of Hinata situation, she crouched and looked over for any injuries that was harmful.
"I'm fine, Mio... but could you please remove your hands from my chest? It's suffocating,"
Hinata's face flushed as he spoke, his body trembling as he watched Mio inspecting him. His cheeks deepened in color when he saw her grasp the buns on his chest, spilling out from under the bandages concealing his true identity as a girl.
"Why are you shy? It's not like I haven't seen it before... And wasn't I the one who made it grow bigger?" Mio said, a playful smile on her lips. However, despite her light-hearted tone, a hint of embarrassment lingered beneath the surface. She had engaged in countless experiments with Hinata and Ichika, gaining an intimate knowledge of their bodies. Mio's intention wasn't driven by attraction to women; rather, her sole focus was on exploring female pleasure points to ultimately satisfy Haruto, her prospective husband.
"Okay, let's not talk about this! Mio-chan, please heal me quickly. We still have to face the endless golems, and it will become risky if we don't eliminate them quickly... That one golem took all my strength to destroy, which isn't good for us," Hinata said with a forceful voice, embarrassment evident in his tone. She didn't want to continue on this topic, and she feared there would be more of those types of golems increasing in no.
"You're spot-on, Hinata, and it looks like we've got our work cut out for us!" Ichika exclaimed as she readied her katana, infusing it with mana, and fixed her gaze on the crevices. Hearing Ichika's words, both Mio and Hinata turned to look at her and followed her gaze to the crevices, where a group of four irregular golems emerged, heading toward them.
"Oh really! This surely is increasing our work load..." said Hinata with a bitter smile then turn to look at Mio then added "Mio-chan where is my healing magic."
"Yes, right away!" Mio exclaimed, pointing her staff at Hinata and beginning to chant the spell. A healing light washed over Hinata, swiftly healing her cuts and scratches while replenishing her with magical energy. Hinata rose to her feet, feeling invigorated. Though she knew her magic was recovering due to the second-floor terrain, she hoped Mio's magic could also restore her magical power, which would be beneficial for their future expeditions.
Mio got up and followed Hinata to stand beside Ichika, their eyes fixed on the approaching irregular golems. Ichika let out a small sigh, pondering the bizarre situation. "What's your take on this... Do you suspect there's a mastermind pulling the strings behind all of this?"
"I'm not sure. Even if there is someone orchestrating it, why target us? We're just rookies. It doesn't make sense for anyone to unleash such a powerful force against inexperienced fighters like us," Hinata replied, her expression downcast.
"Hmm... I don't think we'll find any answers if we dwell on it now. Let's focus on what's in front of us, okay? Oh! And Hinata, you should cover up your buns right away. We don't want to be distracted by them bouncing around during the fight. Plus, the chances of you being discovered are high with your buns going boing boing. You wouldn't want other students to find out you're a girl, right?"
Mio felt that even if they tried to dissect the situation now, they wouldn't uncover anything significant. Therefore, she believed it was best to concentrate on defeating the irregular golems, which seemed more productive than dwelling on the previous circumstances.
At that moment, Mio also noticed something off about Hinata's attire and teasingly offered her advice. Sensing Mio's gaze, Hinata glanced down, only to find her gaze met not by the ground, but by the sight of her own white, milky-colored buns. They looked tender and appetizing, tempting enough for any male to want to take a bite. Realizing the situation she was in, she immediately blushed with embarrassment and swiftly took action to cover up, hastily fixing her outfit.
"Hahaha! Okay, enough joking around. Let's focus on the fight!" Ichika said, laughing and feeling more at ease as she watched Mio tease Hinata.
"Hmm," Hinata nodded in agreement.
"You know I'm always ready!" Mio declared, infusing her sword with magic.
"Then let's go, shall we?" Hinata said, rushing forward.