Chapter 657

The Spirit's Hand, unlike its name, was not in the form of a hand. It was more like manipulating a lump of power that had no shape at all.

But I was not confused by it.

After all, the Spirit's Hand was almost similar to telekinesis in its use. I think I could manage this.

I'd been able to maintain my Spirit Detection perfectly. Apparently, once I succeeded in detecting the spirits, I became able to recognize them more easily.

It was like I'd found the right wavelength. I could now see the ties with just a light concentration.

I moved the Spirit's Hand and touched the ties a little. Indeed, it seemed that I could touch it. It didn't react at all to a light touch, but what would happen if I were to put more strength into the Spirit's Hand? Would I be able to pull it off?

『You sure you want me to cut this?』

「Yes, we're counting on you」

『Alright!』

I poured my power into the Spirit's Hand Skill and tried to cut the ties between Weena Rhyn and Rhyn, but...

『Tsk!』

It did not work at all. I couldn't even scratch it. Moreover, I could see that the magic power I had gotten from Urushi was diminishing at an alarming rate.

『So this is what Announcer-san was worried about!』

「Do your best!」

「Please, please save Rhyn...」

Weena Rhyn, who had been silent all this time, opened her mouth.

I guess she stayed silent all this time so as not to disturb our concentration. But it seemed that she couldn't hold herself back anymore.

『If it comes to this, I'll give it everything I've got!』

I didn't think I could afford to take a wait-and-see approach now.

So, I focused my last remaining power on the Spirit's Hand and kneaded the Evil Spirit together with it at the same time.

『Guh...』

This was bad.

The moment I kneaded the Evil Spirit, a chill ran down my spine. It was just the sensation though, I didn't have a spine after all.

My spirit was shaken, and I felt a creepy, unpleasant sensation within me.

But actually, I'd felt this a few times before.

When I was on the verge of breaking from overusing my powers, or when I cannibalized the Fanatics. In such critical situations, this chill would hit me every time.

In other words, this was still dangerous for me.

『Is it because of the Evil Spirit...?』

『Is that possible?』

Just right after Announcer-san said so, the chill that I had been feeling suddenly eased.

『Good job!』

The moment the burden was lifted, I put all the strength I had into the Spirit's Hand.

『Haaah!』

Alright! The ties that hadn't been scratched at all earlier were now being bent by the Spirit's Hand!

The ties had no substance, so they made no particular sound when it was being hit by me. However, I thought I could hear the sound of cracking and creaking from it.

Using the image of a wrung-out rag, I grabbed the ties at the edge and twisted it up.

Then, at that moment I put even more effort into it.

As if all the hard work I had done earlier had been a lie, the ties shattered easily. No, maybe that was just my own image of the power that had lost its substance and scattered as fine particles.

The interfering power of my Spirit's Hand must have exceeded the strength of the ties.

『Whohooo! How was that, Rhyn, Weena Rhyn!?』

I immediately checked the status of Rhyn and Weena Rhyn.

「...」

「...」

Huh?

Both Rhyn and Weena Rhyn remained silent. They are standing there with straight faces.

C-could it be, it didn't work? But the ties were certainly destroyed, right?

『H-hey, you two?』

Just as I was about to call out to them again.

「...It's gone」

「...You're right」

Rhyn and Weena said Rhyn to each other.

A short murmur between them. But it must have been filled with all their feelings.

Happiness, loneliness, solitude, freedom, sorrow, hope. Thousands of years of feelings that only Rhyn and Weena Rhyn could understand that we couldn't fully comprehend.

Then tears quietly trailed down Weena Rhyn's cheeks. The sight of the beautiful High Elf quietly weeping gave off a sense of mystery and serenity.

But we didn't have time to admire it.

A tremendous amount of magic power had begun to be released from Weena Rhyn's body.

It was a magic that was similar to Weena Rhyn's magic, but not exactly the same. And it was certainly not under Weena Rhyn's control.

Normally, magic power that was simply released would dissipate into the air. However, this magic was different.

「Rhyn... I'll give it back」

「Yes. Thank you, Weena」

I could see that a huge amount of magic power was being sucked into Rhyn.