* * *

Meanwhile, inside the gateway.

The healers who had arrived before the reinforcements were busy checking on the wounded. Lydon was the most seriously injured, with Van, Dreyfe, and Jeriel also in critical condition.

A group of healers clung to the wounded, discussing treatment options. Sorin looked at each of them in turn, getting a general idea of the situation.

“It’s fortunate that fairies have similar mana vessels to humans. If it had been a little tricky, he would have died because the treatment was slow.”

“And the mana rampage? Did it stop?”

“No, it’s in progress.”

The healer, who had placed a hand on Lydon’s chest and deployed a healing spell, narrowed his brow.

“He’s holding on to himself so that his mana doesn’t leak out. It’s thanks to that that the allies didn’t take damage.”

“……Was that even possible?”

“It’s usually impossible. I don’t know if it’s because he’s a fairy or if he’s just that desperate. Anyway, before starting the full-scale treatment, I’m going to clean up the overflowing mana. All of the healers here will be called in, so if the other wounded are in bad shape, please call for additional help. We’ll be immobilized for a while.”

“I get it.”

He never thought that a fairy would sacrifice himself for a human being. Was this fairy special, or was the mercenary commander leading him special? With a strange feeling, Sorin went to visit the next injured person.

A jet-black demonic energy covered his abdomen like a gaping hole. The attached healers struggled to cleanse it.

“Increase your speed! Grab it before it goes all the way to the heart!”

“He, he’s an aura user! His sensitization rate with demonic energy is too high!”

“I’m not asking you to cleanse quickly! You two, cleanse here. I’ll take care of the internal wounds. This is a speed fight. Don’t save your mana, don’t be delicate, just go for it.”

There seemed to be neither the need nor the time to ask for details. Sorin looked at Van’s condition for a while longer, and left with a sigh mixed with a voice saying ‘We’ve passed the hurdle’.

“Dreyfe and Jeriel are next…… right?”

No matter how powerful the High Demon was, they hadn’t expected one of their own to be so badly wounded and defeated. In such a short time. The battle hadn’t been long, and it was only in the first half of the fight that Dreyfe and Jeriel had fallen unconscious. The mercenary corps who had held out longer had met a worse fate.

‘Jeriel’s rampage was stopped by the fairy, and there was no trace of demonic energy in Dreyfe’s wounds.’

Sorin was relieved that their injuries were relatively minor, but he was also ashamed. And not just because the mercenary corps were fighting better than the knights.

Lytos. He was ashamed that the blood the Empire had abandoned had come back to defend it, that they were relying on him.

“How are Dreyfe and Jeriel doing?”

“Ah, Sir Sorin. Neither of them is well. Sir Jeriel is badly scarred from the aftermath of the mana rampage, and it will take him some time to recover.”

“And Dreyfe?”

“It’s a terrible trauma, but the treatment itself is simple. His body is so strong, it shouldn’t take long for him to regain consciousness.…….”

As the healer relayed the condition of the two, Dreyfe regained consciousness. He struggled to lift his bloodshot eyelids. He stared blankly into space for a moment, trying to take in the situation, then slowly rolled his eyes, searching for Sorin.

“Dreyfe. Are you awake?”

“……Sorin.”

Dreyfe frowned as he coughed up a dry cough as if the mere utterance of the short word was painful. He paused to catch his breath, then spoke again, ignoring Sorin’s warning not to overexert himself.

“Where is the mercenary commander?”

Trapped in the demon’s sphere and subjected to torturous attacks. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, nowhere to fight back. There was nothing he could do to escape the reach of death from all sides.

Just before losing consciousness, the demonic energy that was no different from Avīci* faded. Beyond it, Dreyfe saw the mercenary commander. The moment he caught sight of his face at the edge of his fading consciousness, he knew instinctively that the mercenary commander had saved him.

*Avīci: In Buddhism, it is the lowest level of the Naraka or “hell” realm, with the most suffering, into which the dead who have committed grave misdeeds may be reborn.

“The mercenary commander is engaged with Sellev. Reinforcements will join him as soon as they arrive.”

“……Damn it.”

Indescribable feelings filled Dreyfe’s gut. It was a feeling of shame, made worse by the fact that it could not be resolved right now.

Sorin pursed his lips hesitantly as he looked at Dreyfe. The thought did not last long. Taking a short breath, he spoke.

“Dreyfe. I have something to say.”

“What.”

“It’s about the mercenary commander. He is…….”

But just as Sorin was getting serious.

Rumble—

With a fierce rumble of the earth, dark purple demonic energy began to flood from outside the gate. Sorin and Dreyfe’s gazes shifted at the overflowing ominous energy, and soon, through the misty haze of demonic energy, a giant, towering figure emerged.

“That, that is…….”

Sellev.

At a height well above the gateway, her large head was poking up high. Her main skill [Giantification] was activated.

The expression clearly revealed on the huge face was stained with murder and anger, and the ensuing shouts shook the air sharply in all directions.

“How dare you, how dare you do that to Emilia’s work! You……!”

The magic circle had been dispelled. The damaged circle no longer responded to Sellev’s demonic energy. It had lost all function and was reduced to a mere scribble.

The realization that her means of returning to the Demon Realm was gone was a horrifyingly desperate reality. Instead of meekly panicking, she resolved to fulfill her original purpose through [Giantification]. She would crush Cadel’s human home. It was a vengeful rage.

And at the same time her giantification began, the [Immortal Heart] was extinguished. Cadel scrambled desperately to avoid being struck by her towering legs. He had to run fast to avoid being crushed beneath her feet.

The gaze overhead was creepily clear, but Cadel had too much to think about to be afraid.

‘There is no chance of winning if I can’t stop the giantification. The gate will inevitably collapse.’

The end goal of the quest was to defend the gate, so if he failed to do so, the quest would fail with nothing to show for it.

As a giant, Sellev’s destructive power was immense, enough to tear down walls with a simple slash. His best bet was to bind her movements before she approached the gate.

‘For that to happen, I’d need magic beyond the power of Sellev.’

It was impossible. Cadel’s magic had never surpassed Sellev’s, not even once. He could threaten her, but he could not win outright.

That was the limit Cadel felt throughout the battle. It was also the limit of a ‘multi-attribute magician’.

‘To get beyond that…….’

The trouble was short-lived. Cadel opened his inventory and selected an item he had cherished like a treasure.

The item fell lightly into Cadel’s palm. A brown glass vial that resembled a reagent bottle. The tightly closed stopper opened to reveal a black liquid with a sour odor.

[Potion of Circulation]

‘When I first got it, I thought I’d never use it.’

It was a gift from Mamil before he left Dorne.

‘Take it. It’s said that a multi-attribute magician’s mana vessel wears out much faster than a normal magician’s. Think of it as a potion that cleans your mana vessel. You’re not the most pleasant guy in the room, but I’m giving it to you for letting me inspect the fairy to my heart’s content.’