Terence's awakening was quite unexpected. Although I had informed him that such a path existed, I thought it would take considerable time just to get his bearings.
But Terence didn't do that. Right here in the center of the battlefield where a typhoon was raging, he sprouted his talent.
Without any theory, research, or study he utilized it directly in actual combat.
'I want to ask if that's even possible. But there's no law saying it absolutely can't be done. I did it too, after all.'
Perhaps I had been unconsciously looking down on Terence. Because for someone born with the qualities of a hero, his usual conduct wasn't particularly resolute.
But still, one's qualities cannot be deceived. As if to make a mockery of his remarkable development during the time I hadn't seen him, Terence showed yet another advancement.
It was something even Osian had to acknowledge.
Multiple elements mixed in the air. Water and cold air rotated harmoniously without colliding. Something physically impossible was realized as reality under the name of magic and mystery.
Rather, precisely because it was an extreme environment, Terence was able to push his talent even further. What made this possible was thanks to Osian showing him the result with his own body.
Terence grumbled inwardly. Something lukewarm flowed down from his nose. It was a nosebleed. Terence wiped the nosebleed with his sleeve without stopping his spell casting and incantation. His head hurt as if it would split.
It was a path Terence would have walked eventually even on his own. But he himself couldn't be certain at exactly which moment in the future that "eventually" would arrive.
There was no clear example and no signpost. He simply had to walk knowing only the fact that a path existed there.
But the moment Osian showed him the Sun, Moon, and Stars. Terence felt a shock as if he'd been hit in the head with a hammer.
A tremendous mental shock from facing a realm he hadn't even known existed. Terence stared at Osian's Sun, Moon, and Stars as if entranced.
'In my head, it feels like firecrackers are going off. The feeling of each and every brain cell continuously screaming. My head hurts as if it will split. It wouldn't be strange if I passed out right now.'
But strangely, his mind was lucid. Rather, he even felt a mental exhilaration, to the point he thought his consciousness had left his body.
He could feel the elements of nature and the mana of the atmosphere. How they worked and moved. Terence could finally face mana, the origin of mages.
Why hadn't he known this until now? He thought he was closer than any other mage, but apparently that wasn't the case. The true power of mana wasn't just something like that.
'Of course, it's not complete yet. I've only just gained enlightenment. Trying to utilize it right away is crazy. Considering the risk, stopping here would be right.'
But what would Osian have done?
Terence simply couldn't erase that thought.
'What would that guy have done in the same situation as me? Would he have retreated because it was dangerous? No way. Rather, he would have moved even more forward the more dangerous it got. Without stopping, boldly.'
Could there be such cowardice in the world? Going ahead alone when everyone else is retreating. Terence thought that was cowardly. Because it was an action that made everyone except himself into cowards.
But at the same time, he thought it was really cool. When everyone said no, he alone believed it was right, and finally realized that belief.
Damn it. I don't want to admit it. But I can't erase this thought. It's so cool that I don't dare to imitate it. Terence's heart caught fire.
'Who says so? If you did it, then I will too.'
That was the reason Terence challenged it and the reason he didn't give up.
'Right now I'm in a position of following you, but someday I'll definitely move ahead. I'll make you follow behind me!'
Pop. Crack. The sparks that were flying in his head died down. It felt like countless brain cells caused a chemical reaction, then disconnected from each other and reassembled in a new form. Along with an omnipotent exhilaration, Terence's vision cleared dramatically.
Finally, he was able to set foot in the realm he had so desired.
Normally he should be screaming with joy right away, but there was no leisure for that. Not only was the gaze of the Sea Dragon staring at him from up ahead too murderous, but it wasn't just him in this place.
'Right. It's not just me. There's one more person called a genius.'
Everyone's eyes turned toward Elise Denarova. The blooming of talent wasn't Terence's alone.
Elise Denarova too gained some kind of enlightenment while watching Osian's Sun, Moon, and Stars. Right now her mind was calmer than ever before. Those transparent pupils captured the image of the Sea Dragon. Even facing that gigantic monster, there was no fear.
Those eyes were simply so transparent that they could see through the Sea Dragon's physical condition. At the same time, things that would normally seem impossible felt entirely possible.
Omnipotent composure. It was the opposite of the excitement that Terence, a mage, felt. Rather, Elise, a black mage, became even more docile and didn't even open her mouth.
She could hear the sound of her heart beating even in the swirling rain and wind. The sound of blood flowing was vividly transmitted through her skin. Not just her own, but those of the people around her as well.
The structure of the human body entered her mind. She could see the principles of its operation. She could know the optimal path for where and how to flow and emit mana.
Ah. So this is what enlightenment is.
She felt the wall that had been blocking her for a while finally crumbling.
The first impression that Elise offered as a result was far too simple.
"Now, I can make even sturdier skeletons."
"......"
Osian made eye contact with Amenora. Amenora asked with her eyes. Doesn't she seem to have gotten even stranger? Osian answered. She was strange to begin with.
But Terence was different. Even though he had leaped beyond realms and awakened a level higher as a mage, there was something that hadn't changed—the rose-colored glasses worn over his eyes.
At that gaze dripping with honey, Osian felt the urge to smack the back of Terence's head once.
"Whew. Focus."
Whatever the case, it was an encouraging thing that awakened reinforcements had arrived.
Muoooooo.
Perhaps the Sea Dragon felt a sense of crisis as well, as it let out a low cry while holding the Sea Dragon Sword in its mouth. The cry spread through the atmosphere, shaking the surrounding water droplets.
Shaaaaaaa.
The typhoon stopped. The Sea Dragon realized it too. That it couldn't fight inside while whipping up this massive typhoon. Before the crisis of death, instinct pushed aside anger. Reason occupied the empty space.
The Sea Dragon wasn't stupid. Befitting a specimen that had lived long, its wisdom was immeasurable. Its inability to speak human language didn't entirely represent the knowledge of its species.
"Shall we start again? This time it's round two."
Osian took the lead. Fighting at the very front was the role of a knight. The mage and black mage were rear support.
"I trust you won't complain just because several are attacking."
This wasn't a fair fight. Osian gripped the Sun Ring Sword and Starlight Sword in each hand. The Sea Dragon moved, launching its body like a spring.
It intended to attack first before losing the initiative. Its target was the wyvern skeleton flying in the sky. It was aiming for Terence and Elise who had just awakened.
The Sea Dragon knew that targeting opponents who hadn't yet matured was the shortcut to victory.
"That's only possible if I stay still."
Osian rushed at the Sea Dragon. The Sea Dragon Sword swung horizontally before his eyes. He could see the surface of the approaching Sea Dragon Blade flowing roughly. Waves crashed above the sword's edge.
If it touched, even diamonds would be sliced smoothly. If one tried to block it, no matter how sturdy a knight, they would be cut in half.
Evasion won't work. Defense won't work either. 'Counter an attack with an attack.'
Don't stop. Analyze the opponent and produce the optimal response. Hesitation is death.
Whoosh!
Osian's sword spewed powerful energy. The Sun Ring Sword and Starlight Sword grew to a size rivaling the Sea Dragon Sword.
The sword of a giant star's light, White Giant Star. And the sword of a blazing sun, Sun Ring Genesis.
The two powers combined into one and collided with the Sea Dragon Sword.
─────!!!
Light exploded. It was such a massive explosion that even sound was torn apart and invisible. Within it, Osian continued to pour in power without stopping. The Sea Dragon also pushed forward without backing down.
All the water in the surrounding area was the Sea Dragon's. It wrapped water around its entire body and forcibly rotated itself. Rotational force was imbued in the Sea Dragon Sword. Gradually, Osian's body began to be pushed back. It was because aerial combat was still unfamiliar to Osian.
'I would have been more comfortable fighting with both feet planted on the ground. No, don't make excuses. Even if this is a battlefield I'm not used to, this is real combat. Not every fight can be fair.'
Hadn't I known this would happen? This place was the Sea Dragon's battlefield from the start. I was the one who jumped in knowing that.
'What's important is buying time.'
Power versus power. While they counterbalanced each other and dragged out time, it was this side with the advantage of numbers that could prepare the next move.
It's coming.
He felt massive energy from behind. No, it was the wavelength of mana.
The magic Terence completed unfolded. It was spears of flame. Each was larger in size than the Sun Ring Sword. But the power was excellent.
The power was weaker than the Sun Ring Sword but the numbers were greater. About 10 in total. And Terence added a new change to this.
-Crackle!
Even the power of lightning was imbued in the spears of flame. The bright red flames mixed with blue current and were dyed purple. The beautiful and brilliant purple blazed while also scattering sparks.
They were fired. The attribute was flame but the speed was like lightning.
The Sea Dragon looked flustered. It realized these weren't ordinary fire-type magic.
It must have instinctively judged this was dangerous. The Sea Dragon tried to give up the power struggle and retreat.
At that moment, the Sea Dragon's body jerked to a stop. Something was grabbing its tail. Looking down, smooth and pure white bones were grasping the tail.
It looked like viewing the tail bone of some gigantic monster. It wrapped around the Sea Dragon's tail in reverse and restricted its movement.
There was only one thing that could produce black magic of this scale.
"It's not over yet."
Elise prepared the next magic. The long and large bones that had wrapped around the Sea Dragon's tail were dyed black. The color was ominous just to look at, and the power was beyond that.
-Crunch.
The Sea Dragon's sturdy scales began to crumble, unable to withstand the squeezing force of the bones.
-Muoooooo!
The Sea Dragon was enraged. The vortex wrapped around its body shot out and struck the pitch-black bones Elise had created. Hit repeatedly by the massive water columns, the black bones couldn't endure and broke piece by piece.
But that wasn't the end.
-Click. Click. Click.
The bones that had broken into pieces moved in the air according to Elise's gesture and reassembled. This time the form was different. What had been like a single whip just before had transformed into the shape of a giant human.
It was like looking at the bones of a giant.
-Kiiiieeek!
The skeleton wyvern spread its wings wide and clung to the back of the ultra-large skeleton.
The bones connected and became one. Wings made of membranes and bones surged up behind the ultra-large skeleton's back. The joints of the wings were also dyed pitch black.
"The Sea Dragon's bones."
At Elise's low voice that somehow felt obsessive, Amenora cried out.
[You mustn't kill it!]
"......Why?"
Elise asked back as if she didn't understand. From her perspective, she was thinking they needed to eliminate the Sea Dragon as quickly as possible to protect Tirna from the threat.
Of course, her personal motives were even greater.
"We said we'd retrieve the egg."
It was Terence who answered instead. Floating in the air with levitation magic and positioned beside Elise, Terence had been briefed on the plan in advance.
"We can't subdue the Sea Dragon quickly anyway. The moment we truly try to kill it, it will struggle even more while throwing away its life. Then the damage will grow."
Rather, they had to subdue the Sea Dragon while draining its strength like this. For that, the first thing needed was to retrieve the Sea Dragon's stolen egg.
"We need to buy time. Well, actually, even going all out, it's nothing more than barely buying time."
They couldn't drag this fight out for long. The moment of awakening was only fleeting. Whether they could continue maintaining it was a separate matter.
Other top forces were moving to find the Sea Dragon's egg. The moment they found it, they would bring the egg here.
If there was a problem.
'It's whether the bastards who stole the egg would just leave it alone.'
Someone must be guarding the egg. And it would surely be a familiar that Mother Goose had painstakingly created.