Chapter 57: The Ideal That Will Not Break

Layla's "Mighty Spear" shot forward to pierce its target—but the "Spear King," who should have been skewered, had already moved in an instant to far behind Toma and the others. It was the same incomprehensible movement she had displayed again and again, occurring in less than the blink of an eye. No ordinary person could even begin to understand what had happened.

The more one learned of the "Spear King's" abilities, the more one wanted to believe it was merely technique. Her skill was that far beyond human limits, standing unquestionably at one of the highest peaks humanity could reach. And everything accomplished by someone at the summit of technique inspired dreams in others. It made them believe they too could arrive there someday. It blinded them.

"Distance... that's your magic, isn't it?"

The boy who had no interest whatsoever in such dreams—the "Sword King," Toma—assembled every clue his instincts had gathered and arrived at the answer. As he turned around, a beastlike grin spread across his face, carrying the bright satisfaction of a student who had finally solved an impossible problem.

"I heard about it from Shion. They said you'd stayed sitting in your chair while taking people's heads off from outside striking range. I kept wondering if something like that could really be done through pure technique. At first I thought maybe you were launching slashes like Hikari's wind magic... but that wouldn't explain how the severed heads ended up right beside you."

The more one understood just how monstrous the "Spear King" was, the further one drifted from the truth. Because her skill was overwhelming, people began assuming every mystery surrounding her must also be some form of technique. Once that happened, they could never reach the answer—like a blind traveler incapable of finding an oasis.

"You showed it to us over and over. You disappeared in a single instant, like teleportation. I thought maybe there was some incredible footwork behind it. But no. If that were true, then the way you moved just now makes no sense."

It had been a perfectly inescapable attack. They had broken her stance and occupied both her hands. She had been cornered into a position where she couldn't move or defend—and the moment they believed the attack would land, the "Spear King" vanished.

"You shorten 'distance.' More specifically, I think you can reduce the distance to anywhere within your field of vision. Otherwise, you could've just appeared directly behind us and counterattacked. If you'd done that, we'd have lost without being able to do anything. But you didn't... which means there was some reason you couldn't."

"...And that reason is the condition that it has to be within your sight?"

"Probably. And I think you can only move yourself and things you recognize as belonging to you. You could probably reduce the distance between your spear and a target to zero too... but maybe that makes it harder to put force behind the attack. That's why you don't use it against people like Layla and me, who are constantly reinforcing our bodies with magic. It wouldn't be a decisive blow."

"...Because it burns through too much mana the more I use it."

"Exactly. If you could spam something like that endlessly, you would. It'd guarantee victory. The fact that you don't means the mana cost is enormous. Unless I'm wrong? If I am, feel free to correct me with a word or two."

Every time Toma opened his mouth and dismantled another layer of her methods, the "Spear King's" face twisted further. She clenched her teeth so hard they looked ready to crack, grinding them loudly enough to hear from a distance.

That expression alone confirmed Toma's answer was correct.

"And even if you've figured it out... that doesn't give you any path to victory. I commend you for seeing through my 'Zero Distance.' Whether it's because I've shown it too many times, or because your line of thought differs from others... I don't know. But one fact remains unchanged. Even knowing the truth changes nothing."

Then the "Spear King" curled her lips into a smile. It was an expression Julia would never make—an ugly distortion of her face that could only fill onlookers with disgust.

"I cannot be stopped."

The instant she spoke, her figure disappeared.

At the same time, a chill ran down Toma's spine. Acting purely on instinct, he threw himself low to the ground. Several strands of black hair were sliced away—and from that crouched position, he spun like a top to attack the "Spear King," who had appeared behind him.

"Layla!!!"

Using one of her twin spears, she blocked the attack and prepared to follow up, but Layla reacted instantly to Toma's shout and aimed straight for the "Spear King's" body. Judging that even she couldn't predict what would happen if she took Layla's full-force strike head-on, the "Spear King" leapt onto the Mighty Spear itself, avoiding the thrust.

"Stop interfering, Layla Kate."

"Ghh...!?"

She sprinted along the spear and kicked Layla away. The motion was so absurdly fast that Layla couldn't even defend herself before the blow slammed into her face hard enough to make her consciousness flicker. As the "Spear King" raised her weapon to finish her off, Toma struck from behind to exploit the opening.

"So what?"

As though she'd anticipated it all along, the "Spear King" jumped high into the air, evading even attacks from outside her vision. She rose so quickly and so high it was more accurate to call it flying, and without even relying on instinct, Toma knew this was bad.

The "Spear King's" magic, "Zero Distance," reduced the distance to any point within her sight to zero. Even if something was outside her normal reach, by reducing the distance between her spear and the target to zero, she could sever a head without moving at all. The teleportation-like movement she'd displayed so often was simply the result of reducing the distance between herself and a destination to zero, creating the illusion of instant movement.

There were only two limitations. She could move only to locations within her field of vision, and she could only manipulate things she recognized as her own. But her skill more than compensated for those restrictions. In close combat, the most important factor was distance—maintaining the range most favorable to oneself. She could control that freely.

No one knew where she would appear next, or whether they could react in time. Concluding that following her with his eyes would never be enough, Toma closed both eyes and decided to replace visual information with his other senses.

One second passed. Maybe two. Or perhaps the "Spear King" moved at almost the exact same moment Toma made his decision. From her overhead vantage point, she vanished once more.

(Behind me!!!)

At the same instant, Toma turned and swung the Holy Sword. His sharpened senses, enhanced by "The Strong," detected even the slightest disturbance in the air.

And exactly as expected, the "Spear King" had appeared behind him—

—but positioned herself just barely outside the Holy Sword's reach, lowering her spear for a maximum-power strike. The moment Toma saw it, he realized his mistake.

(She predicted my instincts just like I predicted her magic!! She's standing at the absolute edge of my range—there's nothing I can do from here! Once I finish this swing, I can't dodge anymore!!)

Time slowed to a crawl as his thoughts raced. Even after recognizing that escape and defense were both impossible, he desperately searched for a way to survive. Then, calmly concluding none of it would make it in time, Toma gave up on dodging.

And he gave up on blocking.

"Die— 'Death Pierce.'"

Twisting the hand gripping her spear to its absolute limit and cloaking it in mana to further amplify its destructive power, the "Spear King" unleashed the only named ultimate technique she possessed. The strike said to have pierced even the heavily scaled "Dragon King" aimed straight for Toma's heart.

"!?!"

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!?!?!!!"

An explosive crash rang out, overlapped by a scream.

Toma desperately tried to stop the blood pouring from the chunk gouged out of his side, while the "Spear King," looking down at him, couldn't understand why he was still alive after that attack.

The "Sword King" glared back at her even while screaming in pain. There was no doubt he had done something. She distinctly remembered the sensation of her spear being pulled aside at the moment of impact. Thinking back on that sensation, her immense experience led her to a single answer.

"...Dark magic. You pulled my spear off course with dark magic. You gave up on blocking. You gave up on dodging. Your only goal was to avoid instant death."

There was no admiration in her voice—only exasperation.

Even after all this, he remained on his hands and knees, pathetically trying to stanch the bleeding. And yet his eyes still glared at the "Spear King" without the slightest wavering of fighting spirit.

She raised her spear once more. This time she would target his heart—or no, his head. She would crush it completely. No matter how absurd someone's vitality might be, if they were human, destroying the head guaranteed death.

"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM TOMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!"

"You again...!!"

Just as she prepared to drive her spear down and obliterate those infuriating eyes staring at her, Hikari burst in from the side cloaked in wind, throwing all her strength into restraining the "Spear King." Perhaps the wound carved into her earlier was throbbing with pain, because even the emotionless "Spear King" no longer bothered hiding the irritation twisting her face as she desperately sought an opening to kill Toma.

The battlefield rang endlessly with clashing steel.

Then, with enough force to make it seem as though she intended to crush both of them together, the "Mighty Spear" swung down.

Both fighters retreated easily to avoid it, but the moment the "Spear King" moved back, a "Water Spear" shot toward her from the side.

"You bastards...!! You've gone far beyond merely being annoying...!!"

"Says the damn ghost clinging to this world!!!!"

The "Spear King" tried to move and evade, but at that moment the effects of Shion's "Poison Spear" seemed to reach their peak. Her legs trembled violently, halting her movement. Left with no choice, she attempted to intercept the attacks with the twin spears in her hands—only for the "Mighty Spear," which had been slammed into the ground moments earlier, to come crashing toward her again. Forced to block it, the "Spear King" was blown backward.

"Don't let her use magic!!!!"

"We know that already!!! Layla!!!"

"...I'm going all out. But my mana's almost gone, so hurry up and get healed, 'Sword King.'"

The three of them attacked together while the "Spear King" remained unable to move from her position, yet she continued parrying everything without the slightest sign of faltering. Watching her impossible skill, one couldn't help but wonder how many years it had taken to reach such mastery.

Toma desperately tried to slow the blood pouring from his body by activating "Dark Star" within himself, but there was no way he could perform such delicate control in his current state. With every passing second, his life slipped further away.

"Toma-kun!! Can you hear me, Toma-kun!!!"

"Ari... shia...!!"

"I'll heal you!! Don't talk!!!!"

"Need... only the minimum...! I'm still... fighting!!!"

"—!! I know!! I won't stop you!! Because trying to stop you would be pointless!!! But please... come back alive. If you do, then I'll heal you again!!!!"

Fight.

Even Toma understood how reckless that was in his condition. His side had been gouged open; the blood loss alone was severe, and part of his internal organs had been destroyed. Drawing on her vast experience, Alicia immediately identified the minimum treatment necessary to keep him alive and began healing him.

She looked ready to cry, yet she already knew he wouldn't stop no matter what she said. His experiences in the "Forest of Magic Mist" had taught him to keep fighting no matter the circumstances. And she knew his heart would never break.

So at the very least, she would do everything in her power to grant his wish.

Light radiated from Alicia's hands, rapidly healing Toma's body. His ruined organs regenerated as though time itself were rewinding, and the bleeding finally stopped. Even so, the blood that had soaked into the ground did not return, and his face remained deathly pale.

"Lord Toma... why do you fight this hard?"

As he lay on his back receiving treatment from Alicia, Toma heard someone speak to him. He assumed it was Shion, but his vision had blurred too much to make out who it was. Even the voice sounded muffled, as though filtered through water. And yet, for some reason, he felt he absolutely had to answer.

"The 'Spear King' wounded Lady Hikari and the others. So I understand why you'd be angry with her. But even so... why struggle so desperately to save Julia? Even after witnessing such an overwhelming difference in strength, how can you still stand against her?"

"No, it's just..."

Asked that question by Shion, Toma searched within himself once more for the reason he had fought so desperately.

And there was only one answer.

He simply hated this ending.

"There isn't some complicated reason. I'm not fighting for the people of the Yaranri Kingdom being oppressed and exploited by her or anything like that. I'm not enough of a saint—or a hero of justice—to fight for reasons like that."

Toma was not strong enough to risk his life for people beyond his sight. His motivations had always been simple. He fought only to avoid seeing things he didn't want to see—and to protect the things he did want to see.

That had never changed.

"I don't know anything about Julia Deuce. I don't know why she hates me... or why she hates men. But one thing I do know is that before the 'Spear King' consumed her, she definitely rejected it. She didn't want that."

"Yes... it looked as though she was reaching out for help. But then the darkness swallowed her."

"I don't know what Julia's done up until now, either. But there's no way her ending should be something like this. At the very least, everyone deserves to be themselves at the final moment of their lives. That's why I hate this. I can't stand watching someone have their body stolen and used by force like that. I won't forgive it. That's why I'll fight—and win."

Again and again, he repeated that he hated it.

As though that alone was absolute truth.

As though no other reason was needed.

As though that alone was enough to fight for.

Hearing those words while continuing to heal him, Alicia couldn't suppress a bitter smile, while Shion burst out laughing despite herself.

Such a hopelessly kind person.

A boy willing to wager his life for the sake of others.

Once more, Shion looked at the young man before her with admiration—a boy carrying something far too large upon shoulders that were not particularly broad.

(Those words... those actions... they've changed me in the short time since I came to Swordria.)

At some point, Toma had already risen to his feet. He held the Holy Sword in one hand while Alicia supported him and continued healing him as much as possible.

Then Shion knelt before him and presented her spear.

Once before, she had performed this ritual of loyalty in front of the "Spear King."

Now she performed it again.

But unlike back then, this oath came from the depths of her heart.

"You saved both my mother and me. Because of your words, the bond between us was never severed. No matter how much gratitude I offer, it could never be enough. And the heart that saved us... I believed it to be beautiful."

"The one who chose was you. The one who acted was Ms. Ciel. What I did was only provide the trigger."

"Even so, I am grateful. There is little I can truly do. But even so, I wish to become your strength. And so I swear here."

Looking up at the one she now acknowledged as her king while offering up her spear, Shion saw the unwavering fighting spirit burning in his eyes and knew with certainty that this was not a mistake.

"From this day onward, my spear shall become my king's blade and shield. I offer my heart and body entirely to you. I swear now that I shall continue fighting to protect your ideals."

"................................"

"You are my true king."

The Holy Sword in Toma's hand began radiating heat.

An intense heat.

The same heat it had emitted long ago when he fought Shion before.

A new power was awakening, and Toma understood that the catalyst standing before him—the girl offering him her spear—was acting from the bottom of her heart.

He had never once intended to become a king.

And yet there were people who pledged loyalty to him like this.

People who supported him.

People who tried to protect him.

And so, at the very least, he resolved to become a king they could proudly believe in.

Certain that no one could ever shatter that ideal, Toma charged toward the "Spear King."