| ARC IV | Chapter 10: Eager Duo V.S Wild Bird

 Back on the airship, Noel sat on his knees. Luna sat with her arms crossed, questioned why he'd taken Chely and ran off without saying anything.

 "So… what do you have to say for yourself? And why didn't you return sooner?" she asked, staring him down. Her gaze was cold, and it felt like he'd been thrown into the Zederes Mountains.

 Letting out an audible 'gulp' and sweating bullets, he tried to devise an excuse. One would think that someone like Noel would've thought of one already.

 Too bad… 

 Because… he had none.

 (~ A few hours ago ~)

 After they finished soaking in the cleansing springs, Hilos sensed a presence again. So did Chely and Amethely. It was a Merelon. The same one, and it's a C-3 at the base, and the highest recorded threat was at an S-2. But… unlike the S-ranked one. This one was still far too immature, as it seemed only to be 40 years old. So it was hovering on the low end….

 And despite that, Noel and Alum still wanted to take it on. With a concerned look, Chely asked, "Are you sure?" She then said, "It appears to be around B-2."

 Noel confidently smiled, hitting his chest and grinning. "It's fine~," he said as he wrapped his arms around Alum's shoulders. "I got Al, after all!"

 "….."

 Chely glanced to the side, seeing that her sister didn't seem 'that' concerned. "Are you fine with this, Ame?"

 Amethely gave her a soft smile, saying, "It's fine. Al is strong, after all…." Her expression was that of a maiden in love. Perhaps it was her confidence in him, but… to Chely, it seemed very unusual for a worrywart like Amethely to act like this.

 "…if that's what they want, then…" Chely glanced at Hilos. She recognised that he was a powerful individual. Which only made her more concerned. "If anything happens, I'll promptly intervene."

 "I'll support him," Alum said with a smile. He was trying to reassure Chely. In truth, he could probably take it down on his own. But… since his magic is so destructive, they wouldn't be able to harvest anything from the beast.

 "…are you sure I'm not the one assisting you…?" Noel inquired.

 Alum smiled, well… his sort of smile—a smile that was somewhat dull and lacking in expression. All in all, the others didn't find it that reassuring—except for Amethely.

 Alum sulked a little, saying, "I can use supportive magic too, you know?" while crossing his arms.

 Amethely smiled, thinking, (Cute ~ it's like he's being rebellious!) And Chely just got more worried, thinking, (Is he going to blow up everything!?) while nervously looking at him.

 "Aha-haha… I trust you! So, no worries!" Noel exclaimed worryingly. He then pulled out [Scorching tempest], readying himself.

 Alum also got out his [Depth Cutter] from the storage bracelet he'd gotten from Amethely. And seeing it in use, Amethely felt satisfied and nodded, thinking she did a great job with it.

 They had no time to discuss how to deal with the beast further, and Noel and Alum wanted to take it on. There was little Chely could say to change their minds.

 "If you get injured, you know what will happen, don't you?" she inquired with a deathly serious gaze.

 Noel shuddered, thinking, (She'll work me to the bones!?) while trying not to think about it any further.

 He glanced at the beast that was above them, and it was rapidly approaching. It was a bird of sorts, and unlike the Thunderbird—(Well, it isn't as intimidating as the Thunderbird…) Noel thought as he stayed calm to analyse it.

 With its massive body and its majestic feathers, echoes, thunder and storm surrounded it. Noel wondered. (Will Al be okay dealing with it? It pretty much counters his elemental magic…)

 "You don't have to focus on defence so much. I'll cover for you. I'll create platforms for you to run and jump onto," Alum said as he analysed the situation.

 (Is this guy for real? Well, if we're on the same page, it shouldn't be a problem…)

 The plan was set in motion. Noel enhanced his body and jumped high into the air, with Alum following suit. Seeing as they've noticed it, the Merelon beamed a lightning attack at them. Alum denied it with a few layers of [Abyssal Depth]. He then casts [Abyssal Armour] on Noel.

 "…!?" Noel was a little surprised, but then again, Alum was pretty well-rounded. With a nod, he infused his sword with light and gathered winds around it.

 And in an instant, he blew himself away using [Pressure Step] from Alum's [Soar-I-6]. Closing in on the beast. But it generated a barrier of winds.

 Despite that, Noel cut through with ease, sending a shockwave throughout the sky, blasting away the clouds.

 But as the murky winds cleared, the Merelon blasted another round of electricity out of its mouth. But in time, Alum covered Noel in an [Abyssal Bubble], redirecting all the electricity toward himself.

 It all went into [Depth Cutter], which made it supercharged, and with the energy from the beast, Alum sent it all back in the form of electro-plasma waves.

 (…not very effective) Alum thought as he watched. His eye lit up in a blue colour, which Noel hadn't seen before. The two of them made eye contact, and Noel used [Overload Supercharge] in that split second.

 "How about this!?" Noel exclaimed as he dashed toward the Merelon.

 But as Noel closed in, it ejected charged energy in every direction, making it look like a firework in a purple electrical pattern.

 From the ground, Chely held her hands close to her chest, worrying about Noel. But she soon realised that Alum's barriers were more than enough for those sorts of attacks.

 Faltering back, Noel and Alum stood side by side. "Are you okay?" Alum asked.

 Noel nodded. "Yeah, but it is pretty scary though. With all these electrical discharges…" he complained.

 "…you fought me a dozen times, though?" Alum stated while fisting Noel on the shoulder.

 …it usually was a gesture Noel did whenever Alum was a little out of it…. "You're right, though my complaint mostly comes from me being practically reliant on you for barriers…."

 Alum shrugged, saying, "Well, it's not a duel, and in scenarios like these, attackers often rely on supporters for this sort of stuff, right?"

 (…well, unlike a videogame, it's difficult to know if someone's actually going to succeed in their actions, so it's scary, you know?)

 Noel sighed. "You're right, but are you actually unable to properly damage it?" Noel suspiciously asked.

 Alum shrugged and averted his gaze. "Well, all my lightning attacks don't do a whole lot. Rather… it appears to charge it." Alum then gestured a nod, and following the line of sight, Noel noticed that while they had a small chat, the Merelon was charging up a large-scale attack.

 (…this is careless. But it doesn't appear like Al is concerned about it….)

 "—that's really bad," Alum said. His expression was still the same, so….

 (Right, of course, it is…)

 In the next instance, a massive disintegration laser tore down layers of Alum's barriers. Quick on his feet, Noel moved and went below the beast while it was directing the laser toward Alum and tearing down layers upon layers of [Abyssal Depth].

 Attribute magic: [Supersonic Swirl]

 And with a thrust from below, a hideous cry echoed throughout the sky, knocking the beast upwards and blasting away the new thunderclouds in the vicinity.

 Noel's attack had caused so much pain for the Merelon, making it go mad as it crystallised wind blades, sending them uncontrollably in all directions.

 But Alum didn't miss an opportunity to attack, and he used a super-hardened ice drill along with acceleration magic to hit the spot Noel had previously torn up.

 It howled and wept a horrendously high-pitched cry. It kept throwing a tantrum, making it difficult for neither to approach.

 "Did we just make it harder for ourselves…?" Noel pondered out loud while holding his head. He felt some sharp pain from the heavy mana usage from his previous attack and felt a little dizzy.

 He, like many others, usually restricts their spells so that their efficiency and power are at a good balance. But since he's going all-in on offence. It proved that doing so caused more severe headaches than when using restrictions.

 Alum closely observed Noel's state and used [Aqua Restoration], which was a low-tier healing magic. Yet, healing magic was precious and complex, even if it was a low rank.

 "…thanks," Noel said.

 (…I didn't think that healing magic could ease that.)

 "Glad it helped," Alum said with a soft smile. He later proudly said, "Ame taught me that."

 "Pfft," Noel let out a soft chuckle before saying, "Man, you really are head over heels for her!"

 "….." Alum scratched his cheek, feeling a bit shy. Feeling bashful, he didn't intend for it to come across as if he was bragging about her. "…that is, well… I can't deny it." He sighed. "Regardless… can you continue?"

 "….." In silence, Noel pondered for a moment.

 (We've come this far, and from what I know, its scales and feathers sell for a decent amount. Its flesh… is perhaps little to be desired. But... I'm pretty sure the rest could be auctioned for about 200k Lech, which is a lot.

 But not gonna lie. I do feel slightly exhausted from this reckless use of mana.

 Al doesn't seem to be affected by it all that much, but he's a mage and frequently uses heavy spells.)

 Still staring at the beast throwing a tantrum, he weighed whether it was doable. (My hands are shaking slightly, but… it isn't due to fear. Or… well, perhaps?)

 "It's fine. I can keep going," Noel finally decided. "My adrenaline is already pumping, so I might as well."

 "….." Surprised, Alum's eyes widened as he later chucked. "Is that so?" he inquired. "That's a reckless remark coming from you."

 But then again. Noel has been somewhat reckless recently. He grinned, stating, "Well, what's there to gain without a little risk?"

 Alum shrugged. "Well, you said it." He then handed Noel [Depth Cutter].

 Letting out a confused, "huh?" Noel blankly stared at the short sword. "What's this?" he asked.

 "Take it," Alum said. "You'll need it. It helps with stabilising spells. I know your current sword also does, but you'll need it."

 Noel reluctantly took the sword and felt its massive weight for such a small blade. "…it's freaking heavy."

 "Aha ha ha…" Alum dryly laughed.

 (…he thinks so, too, huh? Wait…) Noel thought and reluctantly asked, "Will you be fine without it?" It wasn't like he doubted Alum's skills when it came to magic. But… since it's about difficult spells, he had to make sure, just in case….

 "It's fine," Alum reassured.

 "If you say so—"

 But before Noel could finish his sentence, the Merelon charged at them with its sharp claws clad in lightning, breaking through some of Alum's barriers like it was nothing. When it reached the last few layers. Noel was already gone.

 While the beast saw Alum as an annoyance, it saw Noel as a threat since it was severely injured by him. Nevertheless, it turned and spun its body, using its wings to generate powerful winds to break Alum's last few barriers. It contained crystallised mana shards in the shape of feathers, each inbound with wind magic.

 But, despite not having the speed to generate new barriers, Alum created a simple [Mana Blade] to deflect the incoming attacks while also redirecting the harsh winds with a thick sheet of ice.

 The beast was getting more frustrated as its attacks weren't doing what they were supposed to, and it charged at Alum as a follow-up attack.

 "Nice!" Noel shouts.

 The Merelon turned its head to the side. There, Noel was in its blind spot with an attack prepared. This time, he had time to charge [Supersonic Swirl], which made the winds surrounding his sword way more terrifying.

 And with a thrust, Noel tore into its natural armour, and a hideous sharp sound screeched and echoed throughout the sky.

 Naturally, an attack like this would send the beast down to the ground. But Alum had created a wall for it to crash into as he felt it'd be inconvenient to chase after it.

 But in turn, Noel's sword became stuck inside the tough armour. And it was then Noel realised why Alum had given him [Depth Cutter]. He promptly let go of the sword and distanced himself. The Merelon then ejected electricity out of its body.

 Then, unexpectedly, Alum punched the beast with a [Hydro-jet Gauntlet] in its beak. And meeting the Merelon eye to eye. Noel hesitated for a brief moment before infusing [Depth Cutter].

 Attribute Magic: [Thermal Overcharge]

 'I'm sorry,' Noel uttered before stabbing the Merelon between the eyes, killing it instantly as its flesh started to melt, leaving only the skull.

 And so, the B-Ranked Merelon descended from the sky, crashing into the luminescent forest below.

 "Phew…" Letting out a sigh of relief, Noel slumped and sat down on the platform Alum had created.

 Walking closer, Alum said, "Good work," and handed him a drink.

 "…thanks," he replied. At this point, Noel wouldn't question what was stored inside the bracelet. (Love really does change a man…) he thought.

 Alum could tell that Noel had some strange thoughts but decided not to question him about them. "How does it feel," Alum asked.

 "…what?" Noel tilted his head. "About the subjugation?"

 "Yeah?" Alum replied while making an expressionless head tilt.

 (…how it feels, you ask? Well… now I know why you shouldn't look into a prey's eyes before killing them. And… did I just fight a B-Classed monster?) Noel pondered for a while before saying, "It was rather exhausting."

 Alum chuckled when he heard his reply. "I see," he said with a faint smile.

 Noel took a sip out of the drink and thought, (It's sweet) before drinking it all up. "Phew… I feel more energised now!" Noel cheerfully expressed.

 "Ame made it," Alum smugly said.

 "…she did, huh? What is it? Juice?"

 Alum nodded. "Mm, it's juice. She made it out of some fruits from another continent—" he then realised something. "wait, where's Depth Cutter…?"

 "….." Noel forgot about that… he sort of let go when the blade became too hot. "Sorry… it's probably still stuck inside the Merelon." Unlike divine weapons, [Depth Cutter] was handmade, so… it wouldn't be summonable or fracture into nothing and be stored away.

 "I see…" Alum replied.

 Then, as the sun was rising, the two of them watched the sunrise. Amethely, Chely, and Hilos then joined them.

 (Seriously? What am I even doing?) Hilos pondered as he gazed into the sunrise.

 (~ Present time ~)

 "You're telling me you went on a date in the woods with The Hero and decided to stay longer to fight a Merelon when you heard that you'd be scolded when you returned?"

 "…yes."

 Luna let out a sigh. She glared at Alum, who also averted his eyes away from her. "And you, Al. You went along with it? What excuses do you have?"

 Alum glanced at Amethely. "I… umm… wanted to show off?" he reluctantly replied.

 (…of course.) Luna thought as she stared at him and Amethely with a deadpan look. Chely was fidgety and had puppy eyes, telling her not to scold Noel any further. Despite wanting to scold The Saint and The Hero, Luna refrained as she already looked like the bad guy.

 "…fine, I'll let you all off for now. Noel, your punishment is to fight that guy with long black hair. Unlike Elly in her current state, I think he'll beat you into shape." Luna could tell at a glance that Hilos was a blade master, so it would be the perfect punishment.

 "And you, Mister, no sweets, Ame, you're not allowed to give him any. Chely… you're grounded."

 "…..yes," the four of them replied with their heads hanging. Alum let out a small complaint, uttering, 'We did get permission from you though…' before Luna coldly glanced at him, stopping him mid-sentence.

 Hilos, who was leaning against the wall, watched as he crossed his arms. (Why am I even involved in this?) he wondered. (But this lass's attribute for void magic is more potent than the brat's. It's decided then.) Hilos smirked. "Lass, how about you join him as well? I'll mentor you."

 "….." With a cold gaze, Luna stared him down. "Oh, really?" Luna replied. To her, Hilos's words sounded like sarcasm. The room became chilly as Chely drew her sword, standing before Luna.

 Hilos wasn't dumb. He already figured that Luna was of high status, and speaking informally was just plain stupid. But… he didn't care.

 "What do ya say?" he boldly asked.

 "…Hilos, I know you have a loose mouth, but can you refrain from saying anything to them?" Alum requested.

 "Hilos…?" Luna uttered.

 In the next instant, she'd pulled out her [Moon Fracture] and aimed for Hilos's neck. But he stopped and deflected her attack by crystalising mana on his hand. However, even if he deflected her attack, she distorted space and connected her blade with his neck.

 He dodged the attack by leaning back, kicking her and sending her flying across the room. But that wasn't all. Chely followed up, and Hilos had no choice but to bring out [Enders Blade].

 But as their swords clashed, there were no shockwaves, which surprised Chely and the others. After all, Hilos had sent them outside the ship. Otherwise, the room would have become a mess. Upon realising that, Chely stopped her assault and glared at him.

 And Luna, who was caught by Alum in a princess carry, glared at him. But Hilos just smirked and shrugged it off.

 "Please, just stay put, Luna," Alum calmly said as he held her more firmly.

 This made her embarrassed yet comfortable, so she meekly hushed a reply, 'Mm, okay….' Despite knowing why he held her more firmly, it didn't stop her heart from racing.

 And noticing that Luna's cheeks turned somewhat rosy, Amethely sulked, staring at her with her cheeks inflated.

 Luna became flustered, requesting Alum to put her down, "A-Al… you can put me down now. I-I won't do anything anymore…."

 At her request, Alum reluctantly put her down, and she apologised for suddenly attacking Hilos, "Sorry… I lost it for a moment."

 "Oh? I guess it wasn't bout me bein' informal with ya, was it?" Hilos curiously asked.

 "…let me ask you, have you heard of the Hilos cult?" Luna asked in a severe tone.

 With a repulsed look, Hilos glared at her, saying, "What?" He then clicked his tongue. "There's a cult with that name?" he inquired, sounding fed up.

 …Luna could tell that he had nothing to do with them and apologised once more, "Again… I'm truly sorry for suddenly attacking you."

 Hilos laughed, "Ahaha, young lass, you're no match for me anyways, no need to apologise. In fact, perhaps I should be the one to apologise?"

 "…You needn't," Luna replied. (…he's right. The difference between us was vast, even though he barely used any mana.)

 "If I may, could I ask for your real name?" Luna politely asked.

 Hilos went silent and shrugged, "This is my only name," he replied with an obviously fake smile. He then received a sharp glare from Amethely. "….." He didn't say anything more and just kept leaning on the wall with his arms crossed.

 Luna let out a small sigh and didn't question him any further. And soon enough, they reached Velen Lon.