Chapter 23: Flame Giant

Flame Giant

Silence was suddenly broken.

Cracks ran along the surface of her mask, and magical power gushed from within.

Slowly, Shizu rose, and began to mutter.

"Summoning magic?!"

Ellen exclaimed in surprised.

"Oi oi, seriously? What rank she going to summon?"

"...., Uh, looking at the scale of the magic, it's going to be monster with rank "B+" or higher."

"Dan'na-kata, do not say things so leisurely, it can't be stopped!!!"

As expected from skilled Adventurers.

They ended the conversation in instant, and then spread out.

"First! Refrain her! Mud Hand"

"Uoooooooo----rya!!! Heavy Collision (Knock Down)"

Ellen makes rope to tie her, while Cabal launches a technique with his body.

Guido was an equally important member; he immediately assumed guard.

Fumu.

Although they are only rank B, their team work is first class.

There is no wasted movement.

But,

"Haaaa----! Explode!"

Shizu swung her finger, pointing first down and then up.

And then, a small scale explosion centered on Shizu occurred.

Shredding my tent to pieces.

The tent aside, are any of the three injured by that explosion?

As I wasn't harmed in the slightest, I wondered about them.

While attempting to Knock Down Shizue, who had been restrained with Mud Hand, Cabal was blown away by the explosion.

The lookout Gido sensed danger and was able to push Ellen away, saving both of them.

"Oi, you guys okay?"

I ask them.

"Ah, we're okay!"

"Wait ~u, all my body hurts! I better receive injury compensation!"

So, the two responded.

"O o it hurts-..... You guys.....Please worry a bit about your leader!"

While complaining, Cabal stood up. What a sturdy guy!

"I knew Shizu-san could use magic, but even summoning...?"

"The heck she was saying?

"No, no... don't worry about that. As far as I know, for a summoner to use a chant is unheard..."

Guido stop moving when saying that, then,

"Eh......, no way........ Explosion Monarch?"

In any case, the situation is just as I had thought.

Shizu continued to chant. As her body continued to emit red light, something began to emerge.

Her mask slightly rose, and black hair freely flowed before it.

What is her goal? For her appearance to become so strange suddenly...

"Rigurudo! Help evacuate everyone! Bring them someplace safe!"

"But..."

"It's an order! When you finish the evacuation, call Ranga over here!"

"Ay! I have received your order!"

Rigurudo immediately began the evacuation.

From what I can see, the goblins won't be of any help here. And, I don't plan to see them slaughtered pointless.

Nor did I call Ranga to fight Shizu.

The reason is simple.

Perhaps these adventurers have merely set up this play to create an opportunity to strike at us.

Thus, the massacre they plan to beset upon us enabled them to so freely discuss those things (no matter how trivial it actually was).

So when we encircle Shizu, they could strike at us from behind.

"Oi, Gido! Explosion what-now, who's that?"

Quickly answering his question,

"That is, someone who was active 50 years ago, a hero-like person?"

Ellenreceived such response.

Someone famous? The moment I thought so,

From Shizu's face, the mask fell.

The flame rose as the wind.

It swallowed Shizu, and from within a Flame Giant had appeared.

Summoning Magic "Flame Giant (Ifrit)"! The ruler of flame swallowed all things.

Voice of the World resounded.

Then, Shizu's body and the Flame Giant (Ifrit) fused as one.

"Ge~e!!! It's Ifrit, A high ranking Spirit with a rank over A!!!"

"Wow...., first time I see it! So~, no way to win against it, huh~!!!"

"There's no doubt about it..... She's the Explosion Monarch!"

Fu~u-----! Don!!!

Impact and heat slowly approach us.

It seems the trio tried putting up a Magic Barrier, but they were blown away with a single blow.

Although they didn't die, there clearly harmed.

Conscious, but unable to move.

In any case, they are fighting for real. No question about it.

And so, I can officially ignore the possibility that they came here to wreak havoc.

But, wow, that skill has considerable power.

Releasing bottomless magical power, with the Flame Giant (Shizu) in the center, a scorching wind surrounded her with a diameter of 30 meters.

This fellow, if I don't fight, I'm a goner.

However, there was something strange.

Even in this situation, I did not feel any fear. Did becoming a monster cause such a change? I did feel fear of Verudora and the black snake, maybe I'm just using them as a comparison.

"Oi. What's your objective?"

"Fu~u---!"

Ka~tsu!

Shock!

Unlike the previous explosion, she radiated a heat wave this time. However, I had already moved from that spot.

With my perception speed, even if something moves at the speed of sound, I could evade it!

Rather than the previous explosion, the heat wave came toward as radiation. However, I already avoid the wave.

On a side note, I'm glad we haven't built the city yet. Those were my sincere thoughts.

Moreover, with all the trees cut down, we fought in an open area. Had we been inside a forest, it would've caught on fire, causing me much trouble.

However, don't get carried away!

Bishun!!!

I take aim at the abdomen, and shot "Water Blade".

But the attack, just before reaching the Flame Giant (Shizu), evaporated. A maelstrom of flames surrounded the Flame Giant (Shizu), protecting it.

Mumu... so it seems "Water Blade" cannot pass through it.

Would firing at full power be a good idea? So I thought, but then I imaged a steam explosion. Yeah, that won't be fun.

Guess I have to resort to this.

At that moment, Ranga had arrived.

"You called? My lord!"

For now, I ordered Ranga to retrieve the three.

Then,

"Good, quick retreat to a safe place! I'll defeat it!"

Although he nearly rejected that order,

"I will do as My Lord said, I wish for your fortune in battle!"

With those words, he left while holding the three people in his mouth.

Now I can fight without reserve.

The flames rage around her.

Using my perception ability, I accurately grasp the distribution of heat within it.

Although the Flame Giant (Shizu) was creating clones of itself and sending them to attack, I could easily predict the danger resulting from the flame's temperature.

Against me, that attack will never land.

But at the same time, my attack will have no effect.

What a troublesome flame that is.

The ground turned into magma... the temperature inside must be unbelievably high.

Thus the problem: to use skills like [Paralysis Breath] or [Noxious Breath], I'd need to come within ten meters of the target.

I can't just stroll into that place.

To begin with, such as [Paralysis Breath] or [Noxious Breath], it would be necessary for the target to be within 10m when it was used.

In that high temperature, it would only be a bother! I cannot afford to do that.

I don't want to class change into a Charred Slime.

What should I do... neither of us can cause decisive damage on the other

If this is how it ends, I should have predated more...

While I was deep in thought, a magic circle appeared below my feet!

Dangerous!

By the time my intuition scream so, I was already trapped.

Wide Area Capture Barrier. Is this a special skill of the Flame Giant (Shizu)?

Without a single chant, the magic circle instantly appeared.

With a range of 100 meters, my body will soon turn into vapor (gas), and be consumed by the scorching heat of the flame.

It's the strongest fire range attack!

"Flare Circle"

She said, with voice neither feminine nor masculine, young, nor old.

This is... there was no escape!

I was prepared for death.

Aa... I was sure I hadn't let my guard down, but I feel like I could've done something.

Maybe depending on everybody without trying to look cool...

Or mimicking the black wolf, using its speed, and piercing through the heat.

Not wait for it to move first, not do something stupid, try to hit it with [Black Lightning]... should've tried any one of these!

Etc...

However, although my perception speed should be 1000 times the norm, I just don't sense the damage.

Well, maybe dying without pain is a good thing.

But seriously, isn't this too slow?

S&M play?

Strange...

I'm sure I was engulfed by the fire.

Hmmm....

<...Solution. Due to Heat Fluctuation Resistance EX, the fire attack has been nullified>

Somehow, I had forgotten about Heat Fluctuation Resistance EX! Is what I felt.

Don't reply to every one of my thoughts! Stupid!

To such abuse, I could feel it respond with a [.....].

Though I'm surely just imaging it.

There's no way [Great Sage] has developed its ego.

Hahaha.

Definitely just my imagination.

So no problem!

Well, now.

Oi oi, it disables fire attacks?

What? Did somebody set the mode to super easy?

Is everything going according to plan?

"I'm doomed!" I cried, but soon the tables turned! Just as the theory teaches!

In any case, I can now end this fight quickly.

"Now, what should I do?"

I proceed to secretly, entangle the flame giant (Shizu) with [Sticky Steel Thread].

In just a bit, it'll be my win.

I made [Sticky Steel Thread], a combination of the Sticky and Steel Thread, which I created from days of diligent practice.

Additionally, my resistance seems to be indefinitely active. In other words, I'm not taking damage.

Checkmate.

"Imp, Impossible!"

For the first time, signs of fear revealed themselves in her voice.

I underestimated you, but you too underestimated me.

This I'll forgive, as we are both at fault

So, you're free to resent me!

"Is it my turn next?"

Ku~stu! The flame giant (Shizu) tried to make her escape. However, I had predicted that action.

There is no escape from my [Sticky Steel Thread].

Thus, I slowly walk to her.

To deliver the finish blow...

On the Ifrit.. who had probably possessed Shizu and manipulated her body.

And without panicking.

Unable to run away nor even struggle, such a pitiful creature I approach.

And Then,

The answer, of course, is YES!

The dazzling light wraps around us.... and then suddenly disappears.

The remaining actors: me and an old woman.