The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

The day of departure.

After giving Bulrin his luggage with food and other things, I said goodbye to Olga, Uluru, and Nack, the tough guys who had gathered at the lifeguard station.

"Mr. Usato, I heard that you have been assigned to a very important mission again.

"Olga-san, are you feeling all right?"

I woke up this morning and was worried about Olga who came to see me off.

He may have recovered from the ...... physical exhaustion, but his heart, which has healed more people than anyone else, is exhausted.

Olga smiles weakly at my words of concern.

"It's no problem if you just move a little."

"As for me, I'm worried about you and your brother, Usato. ....... I know you want to see Usato off, but don't be too hard on yourself."

"Ha, ha, sorry to worry you."

Uluru muttered to herself in an unfaithful manner.

Then, from behind her, a group of strong-looking men with a hot and bitter atmosphere smiled at her.

"I don't think you need to worry about this guy, let alone Olga.

"Yeah, I was in trouble again on the battlefield the other day."

That thing looked like it could have been called a demon. He was flying.

He was more of a monster than I was.

"Well, actually, I heard that both the demons and the monsters were scared."

You never change even in times like this, you son of a b*tc*.

Maybe he saw me a few times while he was running around the battlefield. I could see the movements of the men in black from my point of view.

I keep smiling while secretly clenching my fists against the humanoid monsters who are making false accusations against me one after another, starting with Tong's words.

"Well, I guess you could say that.

"That's right."

"You're Usato, aren't you? It can't be helped."

"Gru."

Huh, I guess I don't have any allies. ......?

Nair, Ferrum, Amako, and then, of course, Bulrin, all agree with me.

"But, well..."

Should I give Tong, the main culprit, a shot after saying a few words?　I'm thinking, "Should I give him a shot after I've said something to Tong, the culprit?

"I know you're a nasty little shit, but I'm not going to be able to keep you around if you're gone. I'm not worried about you at all, but go get rid of the corps leader or the demon king and come home.

When Tong says this, the others smile so evilly that even adults start to cry.

It was a traumatic smile that had not changed since I first came to the Rescue Mission, but at the same time, it was the one that I was most familiar with.

"Kuh-huh."

Unable to suppress the smile that wells up in my face, I brush my hair back with my hand, holding my eyes.

The other people except for the tough guys look at me and their faces turn pale, but I don't pay attention to them and turn to face the tongs.

"You'd better be ready when I get back. I'll give you the privilege of being a superior officer and putting you through training hell.

"Ha, great. You monster.

They exchange words with each other as their smiles deepen.

I end the conversation as no more words are needed and turn my attention to Nack, who is still looking blue.

"Nack."

"Hiccup, ah, eh ......"

What's that "I shouldn't be afraid, but I'm afraid by instinct" look on your face?

While I was tilting my head at Nack, who reacted as if his will and body were working against each other, Amako, who was standing next to me, tugged at the sleeve of my dress.

"Usato. Your face and your mood are in trouble."

"It's not Rose anymore, it's got its own unique Usato feel to it. ......"

What do you mean, "my own thing"?

You're right, I'm not thinking of Rose, but...

At any rate, I rub both cheeks with my hands and make a facial expression.　I'll rub both cheeks with my hands to restore the expression.

He turns his head toward Amako to make sure.

"Is it back?"

"Yes. The same Usato. The augmentation rate is down.

What is the augmentation rate?　Is it really something that can be quantified?

I wondered, but regained my composure and talked to Nack.

Nack, I asked you to look after me.

Yes, sir!　I will do my best in training!

Nack straightens his back and replies in a loud voice.

"I can't do the healing punch or healing magic bullet yet, but I still have a lot to learn from you, Usato-san, to find my own "healing magic"!

"Usato?"

"All right, all right!　I'll come back for sure, you just hang in there!　Grow up and let's meet again!"

"Yes, sir!"

The low voice of Neah, which I can't imagine from her usual voice, makes my shoulders shake involuntarily.

Oh no, I've missed it. ......!　Neck has found out that I taught Neck the technique in secret. ......!　He has found his goal and the path he should take, and his words of enthusiasm make me happy from the bottom of my heart, but the presence of Nair's voice behind me makes my voice turn inside out.

After that, the greeting ended without any closure.

But for me, that's probably a good thing.

It seemed more like me to smile and renew my determination to go on a trip and return home, rather than to be sad and regretful about the goodbye.

I'm not sure if it's a good thing or a bad thing.

The transportation to the river was by horseback.

The members of the trip, including myself, Sigurth who had come to see us off, two knights, and Rose were to go, but I was to run as I had done yesterday.

I realize now that I had the idea of riding with Brulein, but today only Amaco could ride due to the space available on his back, probably because of the luggage he carried on his journey.

Rose was riding normally because of her shoulder injury, but when she saw me riding ...... she looked at me with her head in her hands and muttered "I'll teach you how to ride a horse when I get back".

"So this is the demon king's territory at the end of the river. As I've heard, I can hear the cries of demons everywhere.

"You have to be careful when you cross."

I reply to my senior who is looking at the other side of the river.

From that side, I feel the presence of demons here and there, just as yesterday.

"Well, Usato. Let's build a bridge right away.

Yes. Well then, Nair, Ferrum.

Yes.

"All right."

Ferrum nodded at my words and was swallowed by the black magic power as he sank into his own shadow and assimilated into my body.

Nair transforms into an owl and leaps onto my shoulder.

I look at my legs, which have been transformed into leg-arms, and tilt my head back as I am transformed into a form that can transform, speed up, and unleash magic from my entire body.

"Hmmm..."

>

"No, I thought it would be better to return the legs to their normal shape. I think it's a little inconvenient with the leg insteps because they make a rattling noise when I run."

The ferme inside me transforms into a pair of black boots.

Rose, who had come to see me off, put her right hand on my chin and looked at me with interest as I was assimilated into Ferm.

"So, that's the figure you've been telling me about."

"Yes. This is the form that assimilates the dark magic of Ferrum, and it doesn't have direct offensive power, but it can do a lot more ......."

"You really are growing up differently than I expected."

"Well, a master is a master. It is said that the pupil is like his master.

"Ha, screw you."

I call out to Leona, who is holding Falga-sama's spear in her hand, while Rose and I exchange light banter.

"Leona-san, we are ready."

"Mm, all right. Then we will use my magic to build a hastily constructed bridge as planned. Everyone stay away from the river.

Leona, who had warned us to stand back, swung her spear widely in one hand to create eight ice spears.

"--System strengthening."

As Ms. Leona muttered these words, the eight ice spears began to be covered with intense cold air.

They move according to her will and line up in a row on the opposite shore, diagonally opposite to where we are.

After confirming that the ice spears have moved into position, she drops them into the river.

"Freeze release!"

She pointed the tip of the spear at the river and shouted this, and the next moment, eight pillars of ice shot out from the river.

She activated the system enhancement contained in the ice spear underwater and made a path to build a bridge. ......?

I could understand it in my head, but as I was overwhelmed by the tremendous skill and the strength of the systemic enhancement, I noticed that Leona, who had her spear blade covered with magic power, was moving into a cleaving stance.

"Go on, again!

She then unleashes her ice magic forward with her cleave toward the eight pillars.

The magic blows so fast that it could be mistaken for a blizzard, shaking the atmosphere.

When the white haze caused by the magic clears, there is an ice bridge supported by eight pillars.

"As might be expected of the brave men of Mearaq..."

"""......"""

No one can speak out of surprise except Rose, who is normally impressed.

What can I say, I'm really glad that Leona is on our side ...... yeah.

The ice bridge is about three meters wide and seems to be strong enough to hold even a burin with ease.

Leona-san put her palm on the bridge and turned to me, pouring magic power into the bridge.

"Usato!　Please!

"Yes, yes!　Ferrum, Nair, let's do it!"

I kneel next to Leona and place my hands on the ice bridge as she does, while Ferrum applies a black belt to reinforce the bridge and Nair casts a "shock" resistance spell on the ice bridge.

I nodded to Leona and told the seniors behind me that the bridge was now crossable.

"If the bridge is about to break, at worst I will be able to hold it up by brute force," she said. Two at a time is preferable, so first we have Bulrin and Kazuki, who can intimidate the demons,...... first,...... no,Kazuki. Then Amako and Senpai. Then Leona. Then Amako and Leona.

"Hey, Usato?　You just avoided letting me and Bulrin cross, didn't you?　Why is that?

I look away from the senior who is glaring at me.

Kazuki approaches Bulrin with a wry smile.

"Well then, Bulrin. Let's go."

"Grrr!"

"Oh, you're gonna do it. Ha-ha-ha."

Kazuki, who sniffs at Bulrin, smiles briskly at him.

It's a rare combination, I thought, as I prepared to move my black magic just in case.

"Well, I'll go ahead of you. Usato.

"Grua!"

"Yeah. Be careful not to fall.

Kazuki and Bulrin carefully cross the ice bridge, which is lined with black magic.

The bridge, however, does not seem to budge even with the large Bulrin on it.

When Kazuki safely crossed to the other side of the bridge and waved to them, Amako and her senpai stepped out in front of the bridge.

"Amako, if you're scared, you can hold on ......, okay?　Would you rather I hold you?"

"Don't say it in a cool voice. Let's get out of here, Suzune."

"Ugh, Amako is cold. ......"

Senpai and Amako cross the bridge without incident.

The only ones left are me, Nair, Ferrum, and Leona, who are maintaining the bridge.　

"Well then, Leona-san. I'll take care of the rest.

"Yeah. Judging from the strength of the bridge, it looks like we should be able to cross it normally.

Leona takes her hand off the bridge and stands up to cross the bridge as well.

Even though it is out of her hands, the bridge, which was created by the system-enhanced ice, is still in existence.

"Well, I guess we're next.

"Well, at least if the bridge breaks, you'll be okay."

"It's not impossible, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

I answer Nair on my shoulder and Ferrum on the inside as I prepare to cross the bridge.

I make spikes with magic on the soles of my feet so that I don't slip here, since the black magic will be removed, though I still have the spell of resistance.

"Usato."

As I was about to cross, Rose called out to me from behind.

"Yes, sir. Commander."

"Well, I came here to see you off, but it looks like you don't need to say much more than I thought you would."

Rose, with her left arm through the cloth hanging from her neck.

She looks at my whole body again and smiles.

"On the journey ahead, you will have to make a choice that will affect your future," she said.

"What do you mean by 'influencing the future' ......?"

"I don't know. But I'm sure it's going to be important to you."

"...... yes."

I nodded at Rose's words.

Considering the journey ahead and its purpose, it is not surprising that we are faced with such a choice.

"What do I do then?"

"Do what you want. You can choose what you think is right. You can choose all the choices you are given, or you can choose not to choose."

"Yes. ......"

Rose laughed at my delicate face and patted my head with her right hand.

"Don't limit your possibilities, Usato. Act on the ideals you've come up with and the answers you believe in, not on the answers some other guy has given you."

"...... Yes!"

"Nair, ferme. You too, right?

Yes, yes. ......

<

The ideal and the answer that I have come up with.

Once again, I let Rose's words ruminate in my mind.

"Go ahead, Usato."

"I'm off!"

I reply to Rose and turn to face forward, stepping firmly on the icy ground as I move forward.

My journey to the demon king's territory.

I had some fears and anxieties, but Rose's words blew them all away.

Without being misled by anyone's words, I will look at the Demon Lords and the demon tribe with my own eyes and come up with my own answers.　

I don't know what awaits me in the future, but I have friends I can rely on.

That alone gives me courage.