"......I didn't think I'd be found out this quickly."
The armored explorer—Oliver mutters.
Though his face is hidden by the helmet, a wry smile is surely floating on his expression.
"How many years do you think we've spent together? I knew it was you the moment I saw your stance and the way you walked when we met at grandpa's shop last month."
"Indeed, I may have underestimated your observational skills. —So? Should we crush that thing?"
Oliver asks while looking toward the skeleton.
I also turn my gaze to the skeleton. The forearm that Oliver had just cut off is slowly moving back toward the upper arm, as if pulled by invisible threads.
If this continues, the arm Oliver severed will return to normal.
"Yeah. The primary objective is to defeat that thing. We can't leave it alone. But that thing is nothing more than a puppet. If possible, I want to drag out the human behind it."
"...Understood."
"For the battle flow, is it fine if I support you as usual?"
"No, support for me is unnecessary. "Golden Dawn" is already disbanded, and Orun has no need to be bound by Dawn anymore."
"...Is that really okay?"
"It's not just okay—it's the best option. With the way we are now... we can probably achieve to some extent the dream we talked about when we first started as explorers. ...Or what, you don't have confidence you can keep up with me?"
Oliver throws words at me in a provoking manner.
Hearing those words, I can feel the corners of my own mouth naturally rising.
The old me couldn't keep up with Oliver in terms of ability, and due to party circumstances I was converted into an enchanter.
And in the end, I was kicked out of the party for lacking strength even in that role.
Yet now, Oliver is acknowledging my ability as a frontline attacker.
There's no way that wouldn't make me happy.
"No way in hell. Then the battle flow will be based on the early days of "Golden Dawn". We'll mutually cover for the absent Luna's role, right?"
"No problem with that. We'll instantly kill that puppet, Orun!"
"Yeah. Let's go, Oliver!"
At the same time as my call, Oliver kicks off the ground and leaps straight toward the skeleton's chest.
Although I felt a bit uneasy when Oliver said he didn't need support, Oliver's movement speed was faster than when I had applied support magic to him.
There was no sign that Oliver had cast support magic on himself.
Only one conclusion can be drawn from that.
That is—Oliver has also mastered the manipulation of ki.
While thinking such things in the corner of my mind, I pour mana into the formula I constructed in my head and activate two spells before Oliver makes contact with the skeleton.
The first spell, [Wind Blade Aero Cutter], passes between the severed forearm that was trying to return to its original position and the upper arm, severing the thread-like mana there.
There were multiple thread-like mana strands, and I couldn't cut them all, but I succeeded in obstructing the repair of the sword-holding arm.
Furthermore, a magic circle appears above the skeleton's head, and the second spell, [Heaven's Thunder Hammer Mjolnir], crashes down on the skeleton with a thunderous roar.
However, [Heaven's Thunder Hammer Mjolnir] did not deal significant damage to the skeleton.
The skeleton, struck directly by lightning, pays it no mind. It clenches the fist of the arm not holding a sword and swings it at Oliver, who is approaching at high speed.
In response, Oliver also swings his long sword, and both attacks clash head-on.
Since I was told support was unnecessary earlier, I did not activate [Instantaneous Ability Super Boost Impact] on Oliver's sword strike.
Even with the momentum of high speed added to the sword strike, the skeleton's attack, which possesses overwhelming mass, has the advantage.
Indeed, Oliver is gradually starting to be pushed back by the skeleton's fist.
But I know—the real Oliver is not the type to charge in without a plan.
Just as Oliver is about to be blown backward, the skeleton's swinging forearm suddenly explodes....
It closely resembled the scene of an opponent's weapon being destroyed that Hart showed during last year's martial arts tournament.
Having destroyed the obstacle, Oliver creates a foothold with [Mana Convergence] and tries to leap even higher.
However, the skeleton, which feels no pain, seems to have little reaction to having its arm destroyed. It raises the sword held by its repaired arm in a reverse diagonal slash.
That sword reaches Oliver before he can kick off the mana foothold.
Oliver gives up kicking off the foothold and swings his own sword downward to intercept the skeleton's sword coming from below.
The reason Oliver was able to even slightly match the skeleton's fist earlier was because he had added the momentum of high-speed movement to his sword strike.
In other words, even if he activates ki to raise his physical abilities, he will still lose in raw power against the skeleton.
Despite Oliver's interception, while he manages to prevent damage to himself, he is blown upward into the air by the skeleton's sword strike.
Oliver being blown into the air was unexpected.
—However, our objective has been achieved...
While catching a glimpse of the entire sequence from the edge of my vision, I approach the skeleton's feet one tempo behind Oliver.
While the skeleton's attention is focused on Oliver who is in the air above... I reach the skeleton's feet without slowing down and, as I pass by, sweep the demonic sword Schwarzhaese horizontally.
That jet-black trajectory passes through the skeleton's knee joint.
The bones constituting the skeleton boast abnormal hardness, but just like a human body, the joint parts must be softer than the bone parts to allow movement.
Having lost one leg, the skeleton naturally loses balance.
When I gain some distance from the skeleton, a polar aurora bursts forth so brightly that one might mistake it for the appearance of another sun in the sky.
The source of that light is, of course, Oliver.
Golden mana of such high density that it has become visible through [Mana Convergence] is gathering on Oliver's blade.
The skeleton, which had started directing its hostility toward me after its leg was cut off, also turns its attention to the abnormal mass of mana.
But the moment it was even slightly distracted by me, the skeleton falls behind.
We have already seized the initiative in this battle.
In other words, the outcome is already decided.
"—Heavenly Flash!"
As Oliver swings his sword downward, the golden mana turns into a gigantic slash and assaults the skeleton.
The skeleton, which is repairing the leg I cut off, has no way to move. It takes a stance to receive Oliver's Heavenly Flash using the huge sword in its hand like a shield.
The golden slash Oliver unleashed causes an explosive diffusion, and the skeleton is swallowed by the polar aurora.
The dazzling light gradually weakens, and the skeleton's silhouette begins to become visible.
When the light completely disappears, there stands a heavily damaged skeleton with its huge sword and arm gone, cracks running across its entire skeletal body.
And from the crack in its skull, an ominous light is leaking out. It is clear that the magic stone in the skeleton's left eye is about to do something again.
The target of that magic stone is Oliver, who has destroyed the skeleton to this extent.
The skeleton is looking up at Oliver who is looking down from above, and even though it has noticed me behind it, it is not particularly wary.
"...[Land Type Mont Zex]"
While fixing my gaze on the skeleton, I transform the demonic sword into a demonic bow and manifest converged mana from the storage magic tool.
The converged mana had been depleted when I annihilated the horde of magical beasts earlier, but with this much time passed, preparing new converged mana is naturally easy.
I draw the string and nock an arrow-shaped converged mana.
Using [Gravity Manipulation] I increase the gravitational wave of the arrow and release the jet-black arrow toward the skeleton's left rear head.
"—Quake Heaven"
The jet-black arrow, amplified by the gravitational wave, pulverizes the already cracked rear head and pierces the huge magic stone inside.
Immediately afterward, mana diffusion occurs, literally shattering the magic stone to pieces.
Having lost its core—the magic stone—the skeleton can no longer maintain its humanoid form, and all that remains is a crumbling pile of tattered white bones.
"Is it over? That was anticlimactic."
Oliver, who landed near me, voices his impression.
"Yeah. I had a few more moves planned, but they ended up being unnecessary. Still, it felt good to fight alongside Oliver again after so long."
"Same here. Extending all the way out here was worth it."
"...So, will you answer me? The reason why Oliver, who should be in custody, is out here."
"Sorry, but I can't say it from my own mouth. Oh, just so you know, it's not a prison break. I can't answer, but haven't you already guessed to some extent?"
As Oliver says, I have already formed a rough idea about why Oliver is out here.
I wanted to confirm whether that thought was correct, but if he can't answer, it can't be helped.
"Well, I've thought of a reason that makes some sense. I'm surprised that Marquis Forgas approved it, though."
"He has changed too. Or perhaps more accurately, returned to how he originally was."
"Philly Carpenter's [Recognition Alteration], huh."
"......Hey Orun, why—"
Just as Oliver was about to ask me something, the ground suddenly shook.
"An earthquake? An earthquake happening at this timing—I don't want to chalk it up to a natural phenomenon."
As I mutter that, Oliver nods vertically and then speaks.
"Probably. To think it revives even after the magic stone is destroyed. I considered the possibility, but this is a troublesome situation."
Right after Oliver says that, the mountain-like pile of white bones starts moving on its own, clattering.
And as the white bones begin to float in the air, they gradually start reforming into the shape of the previous skeleton.
"The skeleton's core is the magic stone, right? Why is it moving again after the magic stone was destroyed?"
I voice my doubt at the illogical phenomenon.
"......I see..."
Since I can't see Oliver's face, I can't quite tell what he's thinking, but he nods and mutters as if he has found the answer to what he wanted to know.
"What did you figure out?"
Oliver remains silent for a while in response to my question, then
"...If I had to say, it's about our current location..."
He says something meaningful.
I understand that "current location" does not refer to something physical, but I don't know what it points to.
I want to press him, but with the skeleton reviving, we can't afford to keep chatting, so I put it on hold for now.
"Orun, you know there's a labyrinth a little ways west from here, right?"
As I try to focus on the skeleton, Oliver calls out to me.
"...Yeah. What about it?"
"I said it earlier, didn't I? That I want to drag out the human behind this."
"You did, but what does that have to do with the labyrinth?"
"The one controlling this skeleton—the true culprit—is in the deepest part of that labyrinth."
"! How do you know that?"
"My unique skill is [Mana Convergence]. By expanding its interpretation, I can do something close to the rabbit Lucretia's unique skill [Mana Tracking]. With that, I confirmed this skeleton is being supplied mana from the west. Considering something in the western direction and not too far away, the most likely place is the labyrinth, right?"
"I see, an expanded interpretation of [Mana Convergence]."
Unique skills can be developed for different uses by expanding their interpretation.
I don't know exactly how he's interpreting [Mana Convergence] to produce an effect similar to [Mana Tracking], but it's not impossible.
"So let's split up. I'll hold this skeleton back. Orun, you head to the deepest part of the labyrinth and crush the true culprit. That would be the best, right?"
Indeed, Oliver's proposal is perfect timing.
There are mountains of things I want to ask the "Cyclamen Order" bunch.
I don't want to miss this chance to make contact with their members.
From our earlier joint battle, I fully understood Oliver's current strength.
He has enough power to defeat the skeleton alone without issue.
...In the first place, I think the current Oliver is probably stronger than me.
Since neither of us went all out, this is merely my current estimation.
"...Got it. I'll head to the labyrinth. I'll leave the skeleton to you!"
"Yeah. Go."
Having decided our plan, I leave the scene with Oliver's words at my back and head toward the labyrinth.
◇
As I fall through the air toward the labyrinth, the entrance to the destination labyrinth gradually grows larger.
As it grows clearer, I confirm that one person is standing near the entrance.
That person is an elderly man with white mixed into his hair, wearing the explorer guild uniform—a person I know well.
While staying cautious, I land near the man who is facing the labyrinth entrance.
Immediately afterward, the faint smell of blood lingering in this place stings my nose.
"I really didn't expect you to come here at this exact timing."
Saying so, the man turns around.
That person's name is Leon Conti.
One of the four people counted as the top of the explorer guild overseeing the labyrinths in the southern continent including the Great Southern Labyrinth, and the person we explorers active in the Great Southern Labyrinth call "Guildmaster."