Zeke and Meow had been blown back by Leviara’s attack, now lying sprawled across the deck.
Though they quickly got back on their feet, their expressions were grim.
Even they couldn’t think of a way out of this situation.
(Even these two can’t win…?)
Despair spread among us.
This was the end.
…That’s what everyone believed.
Then—
“We have a plan. Please, lend us your strength!”
The three mysterious women who had helped earlier rushed toward Zeke and Meow.
“You helped us before—but who are you…?” Meow asked.
“No time for that! Surviving comes first!”
The one who seemed to be their leader cut her off.
“So what’s the plan?” Zeke asked.
“You can use flight magic, correct? We can use it as well, though only to a limited extent.
While you were fighting, we inscribed a pentagram magic circle on the deck—one that amplifies magical power.
First, I will use light magic—not to attack, but to blind Leviara. It will only last for a moment, but it should make it lose sight of us.
During that window, the five of us will take position around the circle and channel our magic into it. Using amplified flight magic, we’ll lift this entire ship high into the sky—out of Leviara’s reach.”
Zeke crossed his arms. Meow narrowed her eyes.
“You think that’ll work?” Meow said coldly.
“Even if our magic is amplified, with what we have left, we can only keep a ship this size airborne for maybe twenty minutes at most. If Leviara stays here, we’re finished.”
“That’s true,” the woman replied calmly.
“This is a gamble.”
“If Leviara searches for us and remains here, we lose.
However… it will most likely leave.”
Zeke raised an eyebrow. “Why?”
“Leviara is a divine creature. The gem on its forehead stores limitless energy—it doesn’t need to feed. It has little attachment to prey.
And your attacks didn’t harm it at all. You didn’t provoke its anger.
A being of that level won’t bother chasing something insignificant like us.”
She looked at them both.
“This is our only option.”
Silence.
Then—
Zeke and Meow exchanged a glance… and nodded.
“Alright. Let’s do it.”
They moved toward the massive magic circle drawn across the deck.
The three women began chanting simultaneously.
A blinding flash erupted—
Light swallowed everything.
My vision went completely white.
Footsteps—fast, urgent.
The three women were running toward the circle.
Then—
SPLASH!!
Something cut through the air.
(That’s—water projectiles?!)
Even without sight, I could feel it.
Leviara—blinded—had fired a desperate attack.
(This is bad—!)
If even one of them gets hit, the spell fails!
Without thinking, I drew my sword and threw myself forward—
I stepped directly into the path of the attack.
CLANG!!
I blocked it with my blade—
—but the impact was overwhelming.
My sword was ripped from my hands—
—and the attack slammed straight into my abdomen.
“—Gah!!”
I was blown backward.
Agony tore through my body.
Even though I had weakened it once, it felt like my insides had been ripped apart.
I couldn’t breathe.
Saliva and bile spilled uncontrollably from my mouth.
It hurts… I can’t—
But—
(I protected them…)
“CHRIS!!! Nice one!!”
Zeke’s voice rang out.
At that same moment—
A brilliant light erupted from the pentagram.
Even as I lay on the deck, I felt it—
The ship… was rising.
Leviara’s roar grew distant.
Little by little, relief filled my chest.
We were… escaping.
After a while—
The surroundings grew hazy.
Clouds.
We had reached them.
The ship finally came to a stop midair.
“…Looks like we made it this far,” Zeke said, letting out a breath.
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