The Wrong Way to Use Healing Magic

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Nack screams in agony as he is hit by the aftermath of Meena's bursting magic, but he keeps running. However, no matter how fast he runs, he is unable to escape from the wave of Mina's bursting magic that causes destruction over a wide area.

"Usato! Is that girl going to be okay!"

"Usato-kun ......"

Kazuki and his senpai are looking at us with concern.

"---The magic Mina is using is just bursting magic, so to speak. It is not the kind of system enhancement that Usato-san uses, but it is a magic bullet with a certain amount of power. She generates and disperses several of them. However, though simple, its power is powerful ...... and no matter how fast her legs are, she will inevitably be at a disadvantage if her escape route is limited. Usato, this is ...... a stone."

Halfa is right that the limited escape route would be hopeless for Nack.

"Usato ...... are you okay?"

Even Amako, who is grabbing the group uniform, is looking at Nack with the same eyes as Kazuki and his senpai.

Yeah, it's not okay. Not okay at all.

"So what? It's just that we don't have a safe place to go."

There's no limit to how much you can do.

The way I pointed you in the direction of the lifeguard. There's nowhere to rest, nowhere safe on a lifeguard run. We have to operate in a situation where blades and magic can strike from all directions at any moment, and this is nothing compared to the odds.

Nack, what are you thinking about right now as you try to avoid Meena's attack?

To avoid?

To see an opportunity?

To wait for the opponent to tire?

At least, after the surprise attack earlier, it's obvious that you lack the will to defeat Meena on your own.

Don't play with me, Nack.

<<< What? >>

I could hear the crazy voices of the people around me, not only the seniors, but I was so angry that I didn't care about them.

I didn't train you to run away.

I trained you to win.

I didn't train you to run away as a stopgap measure. You can't be a lifeguard just to run away, you have to fulfill your mission to help people no matter what the situation.

"It's not like me, but I'll at least send them a word of support. ......"

As soon as I took a breath, Amaco, who was grabbing the group uniform, hissed! The head's ears are restrained with a surprised "ah-ha" sound. Senpai, Kazuki, and Halfa roll their eyes and look at me to see what I'm going to do.

I took a breath without caring and...

The air is hot.

My lungs ache from the air I inhale.

"Gah......!

But that doesn't stop my legs from running.

No, if I stop, I'll be hit by a burst of magic in the blink of an eye, and I'll let go of consciousness.

Don't stop yet, no matter how much Mina can't keep shooting that much magic. Endure, endure, endure, endure, and we'll win in one fell swoop.

"---That's the way you should look."

"UGGH......AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

A magic bursts near his feet, and a stone blows off and hits him on the right shoulder. I twist my right half of my body backward to escape the impact, but I cannot avoid the hot wind that follows. He is hit squarely in the face by the hot wind, and rolls to the ground with all his might, letting out a moan.

"That's why you're like that."

Perhaps because I was rolling on the ground due to the hot wind, I could not recognize Meena's voice which I could hear faintly.

But I can hear her voice differently than usual, without any emotion in it.

"You can't ...... be that miserable forever and ever."

I can't just roll over, I use the momentum to get up and leave. The next moment, multiple hot winds blow again right in front of me.

Unexpectedly, he hides his face with his arms, jumps backward and runs.

There is no time to heal all of his injuries, so he focuses only on healing the bare minimum and avoiding the magic bullets that will be fired at him.

"So I'm going to make sure you don't get up again ....... I'm going to make sure you never have the stupid idea of leaving---thoroughly!

"......!"

No, don't look at Meena.

Only look at the incoming magic bullet, or you'll ...... get hit by it and end up here. Grit your teeth and run.

To escape,...... to not lose,.......

"I'm not losing,...... I'm not losing,......!"

"...... You're the one who's always defending yourself! It's funny that you think you can beat me here! Why can't you understand that! Why don't you just accept it and fight it! Why don't you--"

"Shut up!"

I scream at her high-pitched voice, which is unrecognizable over the sound of the explosion and just grates on my ears, and concentrate on avoiding her.

No, evasion is too lazy, running away...

<>

""!!!""

A voice echoes as if it were being pounded into my head.

The voice made even Meena, or rather everyone watching here, stop moving and look in the direction of the voice. I looked in the direction I heard the voice, shaking myself, and there was Usato standing there with his arms crossed, his eyes filled with rage.

"Usato-san!"

I call out his name in a voice that is so shrill that I am surprised at myself.

I was afraid of what he would say to me, because he was so angry that I could see it.

"Don't run away. Don't run away, fight.

After saying that, Usato-san fell silent.

I could not help but be stunned by his too-simple support and abuse. Meena looked at me and Ms. Usato's faces alternately, as if she was puzzled as well.

I know there is no special meaning.

It means exactly what it says, and there is no other word that works better for me than this one.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha ...... that's absurd ......."

Don't run away, huh?

What does that mean after all the training they gave us to be evasive? At first I was miffed at such a thought, but then I remembered my previous actions and felt ashamed.

What Usato-san was saying and what I was thinking were completely different.

The first time I was running away to win the fight, and the second time I was running away from Meena's attack just a moment ago. At first I was breathing like I'm going to beat her, but now I was really scared of Meena and all I was thinking about was running away from ...... her.

I was the one who was licking my chops, and Meena was the one who really wanted to take me down.

"You really are an a**h*le. I'm ......."

I said all the right things and kept running away.

I could have endured any injury if I wanted to. But I didn't want ...... to hurt, I didn't want to lose, I didn't want to face Meena head-on, so I ran away.

I was uncool, I was ugly, and yet I was still the same old me.

"But..."

Slap both cheeks as hard as you can.

I'm awake now. I'm not running away from Meena anymore.

"Thank you!

I'm sure people don't understand the meaning of your words, Usato.

Maybe I look like the worst kind of master who is forcing himself on me when I am in desperate need of help. I myself don't even think that a little bit, but in fact, it's not true at all.

You know me well and I know your kindness and severity. That's why I understood. He told me that I shouldn't run away and that I should stand up to him. ...... So I'm going to stand up to Meena, just like he said.

"---That's a crazy thing to say. Under the circumstances."

You're the best teacher I've ever had. I was on the run, and he helped me to stand up to him."

"Yes, but... But don't think that makes you better than me, okay?

Ten lumps of magical power generated in Meena's hands.

She must be ready to unleash them at a moment's notice. If I had been here a moment ago, I would have already left, but not now.

"Whoo ......"

Concentrate and put healing magic all over your body.

The healing magic that I had deployed only minimally before is now deployed with all my might.

I will defeat you.

"Don't tell me what you can't do, okay?"

"Oh, I won't say it again. So ...... this is the last time."

I'm gonna run.

He runs in the direction where Meena is, not to avoid her, but to defeat her. She sprays magic bullets all over the place, but I don't run anymore. I am ready to face any burst of magic, no matter how powerful it is.

I hold my arms crossed as if to protect my face and push forward.

Oh, oh, oh!

The first bursts of magic scatter gravel and pebbles, hurting my body, but that doesn't stop my legs from running. This pain is nothing compared to the long years of suffering I have endured from my tormentors.

"Oh, ...... oh!

The next burst of hot wind.

The heat is like a burning sensation all over my body, but this is nothing compared to the feeling of loss from being abandoned by my parents.

Before you know it, there are unstoppable tears streaming from your eyes, but you continue to use your healing magic and push on...

"Nack you, ......! Tsk!

The last thing that was released with a clash of tongues was a magic bullet coming straight at me. It was created on the spur of the moment, so it doesn't look that powerful, but it's big, and it's powerful enough to knock me out.

Normally, I should avoid it.

But I am a healing wizard, a wizard who can overcome any adversity and absurdity with just my body.

I can endure pain as much as I want!

As he runs, he rips off his tattered shirt, wraps it around his right fist, and swings at it.

"Crush me!

"Hey!"

He slams his right fist into a magic bullet.

The explosion flame engulfs me, and I feel a pain as if my throat is burning and I have a hard time breathing, which is still different from before. The pain is so great that I can't even scream, but I am still conscious.

"-----!

With his scarred right hand, barely covered with rags, he dispels the flames and drowns out the burst of magic. He swings his arm away, and there she is, wide-eyed and holding her shield.

At last they face each other.

At last we face each other.

Facing her head-on, I realize.

I was afraid of Meena.

Everything I wrote in my diary and everything I said to you was a bluff to hide my fear of you. I'm the one who fooled myself into thinking that I was a coward, and at the end of the day, I'm the one who ran away unconsciously.

"aaaaaaaaahhh!

He struggles to regain his footing, which is shaking and almost tangled, and steps out.

I can't raise my leg for kicking, and I can't raise my right hand either.

But that doesn't mean I can't do anything. I don't have to endure those tricks, I have my body! I have legs that can run!

With a shrill yell, he steps strongly on the ground and runs toward the girl in front of him.

"What can you do with a body like that? Stop it already or you'll die!"

He steps out as fast as he can and runs like he's going to fall down.

By all accounts, you look like you can't do anything.

But I'm sure you'll be able to handle any situation with just your body!

And this is my big step towards becoming a member of the rescue squad!

He hits Meena's shield with a body blow with all his might!

"Body hit... gosh!"

A body blow is not as powerful as a kick.

He hits the shield wall with as much force as he can, and a bad sound can be heard from his left shoulder, but he does not care about Meena who is holding on behind the shield, and he steps forward and pushes into it.

The tip of the shield is stuck in the ground, but he does not pay attention to it and continues on his way.

I was scared of you! I never wanted to see your face! You remind me of the ...... aristocrat I was when I had parents who still loved me!"

"......!!!!"

Tears still welling up in my eyes.

Meena sees my face from behind her shield and just lets out a muffled sound as if she is trying to hold it together.

"But I'm ending it here today! From ...... today onwards, I'm ...... from today onwards!!!! The lifeguard's ......!!!!!!"

Monologue, whatever.

I just have to make a statement to say goodbye to you and the past.

"I'm going to be a healing wizard!

As he shouted this and pushed the shield further into the ground, a crack extending from the depressed center of the shield reached the part of the shield that was pierced into the ground---and broke it in half.

With the shield split in half and nothing left to stop me, I hit Meena with my full body blow.

"Haa...... haa......"

Meena was blown away by the body blow and slammed to the ground.

She watches the scene breathlessly and falls to her knees. I have little magic power, my body aches, and I'm tired of everything.

"......Yay...... did we win this......?"

Looking around me with slightly blurred vision, I see the students who are clamming up as if they cannot accept the scene in front of them, and Usato exhaling in relief.

Oh, so I won.

Strangely enough, apart from the joy of victory, there was a greater sense of relief.

"Not yet ......, it's not over yet ......"

"What?

Meena, who had been lying on the ground, was spitting blood from her mouth and pointing her magic-filled hand at me with eyes that showed an unusual fixation.

I tried to brace myself, but I couldn't do so. On the contrary, my legs lost their strength and I sat up.

"You can't beat me. I can't let you out of my sight. ......!"

"Why ......?"

Why are you so reluctant to put me on ......?

Why me? There's someone else out there besides me. I don't understand why you're so obsessed with me. I cower in fear.

Nack! Get away from me!

Mr. Halfa?

Mr. Halfa is screaming in blood.

Why is she screaming in such a panic at me, whom she hasn't talked to that much? In a daze, I turn to Mina and see her trying to do something by gathering magic power in her hands again.

But something is different. Instead of concentrating magic bullets in her palm, she is gathering magic power in her hand... just like Usato was doing.

"Nack! Lineage enhancement! Hold on, I'm coming there!

"...... what?"

Lineage Enhancement.

As I recall, Dr. Kara said it was a difficult technique used by skilled wizards. But the fact that Meena is doing it and Halfa and Usato are turning pale is quite a dangerous thing, isn't it?

Especially Mina who deals with bursting magic. If the magic of her innate magical power and bursting magic make her go out of control by strengthening her system, not only me but also the people here will not be able to get away with it.

We have to run.

If we don't run, we'll get caught in the explosion and die.

I think to myself, and as I try to stand up, I realize...

"...... is..."

This is not the time to be stunned.

This is not the time to be thinking about running away. .......

Even if the people who live here have abandoned me before... that's no reason not to help them. That's what makes you a failure.

Nack! What are you--?"

He looks once at Mr. Usato who is about to run toward us, and then runs toward Mina. His left arm is useless because of the broken shoulder, so he has to use his right hand, which is burned. Using all of his remaining magic power, he puts all of his magic power into his right arm, and he forces his shaking knees to stand up.

"I'm not going to let go of ...... you ......! I can't let you out of there. ......"

The excessive magic contained in her hands lacerates them as if to hurt them, and they overflow. She cries out in pain, and I run, still trying to defeat her with unspeakable feelings.

She can't be allowed to die, even though she's been torturing me. I must save everyone, including her. To do that, I have to knock her out.

Usato is still far away---I have to end this.

"Let's end it. ......"

I immediately get in front of her and just shake my raised fist down. She looks up at me with the same obsessive look in her eyes that she has sometimes had when she has looked at me.

At that moment, her hand shines brightly... but I also light up my right fist with healing magic and swing my fist down at her.

"---oh!"

I felt a solid response in my fist, and then a light spread across my hazy vision.

I don't know if it was mine or Meena's magic light.

But it is a light that makes me feel ...... nostalgic. I guess because I had exerted all my strength and magic, my vision was blurred by the light, and my body collapsed.

When I was about to fall to the ground, someone supported me.

When my vision finally cleared, I looked at the person who was supporting me and...

"Nack, are you okay?

"Mr. Usato ......"

Usato-san, sweat beading on his forehead, exhaled in relief and held me in his arms. I could feel a warm aura coming from his arms, and it seemed that he was performing a healing spell on me.

"Thank God you're all right. Your injuries are not serious ...... and I will heal you as soon as possible.

"Meena is ......"

"I'm fine. You knocked me out, and the magic in my body lost its directionality and fizzled out."

You made it in time.

I thought I could just knock him out, but now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure I crossed a dangerous bridge. I now realize the situation I was in, and I feel a cold sensation in my core.

"Thanks to you, I was able to save everyone, including me. You should be proud."

"I really ......"

"Yeah, I'm well qualified to be in the lifeguard squad. And..."

Usato-san lifts me up, still unable to move, and turns me to face the direction where I can see Mina.

I look in the direction of Meena, who is unconscious. But I notice something different from what I saw before.

"Your healing magic seems to have returned to its original form.

"...... yeah."

The wound is gone.

The wounds I inflicted in the fight earlier, and the wounds that Meena inflicted by strengthening her own lineage, are gone as if they had never been there in the first place.

Seeing her safe and sound, I can't help but look at Usato's face.

"It wasn't me, was it? By the time I got there first, she was already healed. So you did this too. I don't know the theory, but ...... your desire to help made it possible for others to use healing magic again, didn't it?"

"The desire to help: ......"

"That's the most important thing for us healing wizards to have. That's what you got back at the end. You have broken the bonds of the past and saved her and those around you who have mistreated you.

When I heard Usato-san's words, I put magic power into my right hand.

I was almost out of magic power, so I could only use healing magic on my fingertips, but a small green light floated firmly from my fingertips. I thought that it was something very important, so I held on to the light as if to wrap it in my arms.

"I've been with you all my life,...... but I can only think of myself in hard times,...... and I've suffered so much that I don't care about others,...... I put it away without realizing it,...... but now,...... I'm finally back,...... and I'll never let it go again. I'll never forget this ...... again."

He presses his clenched fist to his forehead and speaks to Usato in a hushed voice.

Usato-san listens to me silently, smiles softly, and starts walking away with me in his arms.

"I'm sure you can endure more training than you did yesterday, and I'm sure the Commander will allow you to join the group without any complaints. You've done a good job ...... at any rate.

"......?"

"Now, here come the people who want to be the first to congratulate you on your victory."

He wipes away his tears and looks where Usato-san is walking.

Then I saw the people who had supported me until now coming toward me.