Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

Bert hates this "magic".

Including incantations, "magic" reflects a person's aptitude and the intentions they hold in their heart.

"Hate the world (everything), acknowledge the laws of nature (everything), cry until your tears run dry (everything)."

This incantation reveals Bert's "vulnerability".

It will make him realize the "scars" he has long been unwilling to face.

"[Scars become fangs, cries become roars—lost flesh becomes power]."

Therefore, Bert hated this "magic".

"What are you all doing?! A bunch of incompetent fools, get your aim in! The enemy's barely hanging on!"

"Lady Valetta, you hit him! ...You hit him directly! But he just won't fall!"

The remnants responded to Valetta's screams with screams of agony.

Just as they said, the "magic sword" attack clearly hit Bert, burning his body, but his legs did not weaken and he knelt down.

Each time the shelling exploded, Bert would only suffer the shock to his upper body, but he would still keep his head down and continue weaving his chants. He was like a bound wild beast, ready to break free of its seal at any moment.

"[The chains that bound us have been freed, and a roar that reaches the heavens resounds. O wrathful lineage, I command you to devour the moon in my place, and drink the wine of thousands upon thousands.]"

The chanting accelerated from the wounded wolf's jaws.

Before Valetta's frozen expression, the remnants' "magic sword," which had exceeded its usage limits, shattered and scattered.

"!...Then just kill him! Pierce him with the cursed sword! Charge!!"

Valetta was determined to stop the "magic" from being cast, roaring out orders; the terrified members of the group obeyed without a word. The four men equipped themselves with "cursed" spears and launched an attack.

They shouted and rushed straight through the barrier, closing the distance to Bert in an instant, pouncing to stab their opponent with the tip of their spears.

"With your flaming fangs, devour everything."

however……

Bert was one step ahead.

Its amber eyes, gleaming with a menacing light, opened, freeing the "giant wolf (magic)" from its self-imposed chains.

"【Hati】."

The magic name transformed into a short voice that resounded all around.

It's too late to say.

The intense heat and light scorched the vision of Valetta and the others.

"—Gahh ...

In a moment of panic, Valetta and the others covered their eyes with their arms, and a total of four shrill screams reached their ears.

They held their breath and regained their vision, only to see their companions being burned by scorching flames, rolling on the ground; and a werewolf maintaining a sweeping right arm posture.

He scattered a great many sparks, and within him were four flames.

Right hand, right foot, left hand, left foot.

The Crimson Lotus Blaze appears in four locations.

"Ha...hahaha! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!? What? You kept me in suspense for so long, and it was just an enchantment! Don't try to scare me!"

Seeing this, Valette relaxed her stiff body and managed a weak laugh for everyone to hear.

Even with his "power diminished," the firepower that still managed to burn down four enemies was indeed considerable, but that's about it. As long as you don't get close, that added magic won't hit you. Now that Bert's abilities are continuously decreasing, Valetta can take him down before he gets close.

Ignoring Valette's smirk, Bert responded with silence and quietly began to move forward.

"Shoot him with the 'Demon Sword'! This time, we must burn him to a crisp!"

Hearing the commander's forceful tone, the remnants regained their morale. The renewed artillery barrage filled the underground space with a flood of intense light, trapping Bert in a storm of fire.

"Ha ha ...

however……

The woman's laughter gradually ceased as the explosion rang out.

Valette saw it.

Each time it suffers "magic," the "scars" increase, and the four flames intensify accordingly.

Whenever it is attacked, the raging fire becomes even more intense and violent.

"Lady Valetta..."

The remnants of the dark faction were also greatly shocked.

The flames that started as small as shields quietly and steadily grew larger and larger, now exceeding Bert's entire height, resembling a raging inferno.

Even those around Valetta and the others, who had increased the distance between them, could feel the fierce heatwave.

"He...he's...devouring magic."

One of the remnants couldn't help but let out a trembling whisper.

Faced with the dazzling flames, everyone realized one thing:

The flame absorbed their "magic sword" attacks, turning them into its own power.

Just like the Frosvelt that Valetta should have destroyed long ago—like a hungry giant wolf wanting to devour everything, it is absorbing "magic".

Seeing the scene before them, the remaining rebels feared the flames would grow stronger and halted their attack. Their initial determination to burn the sorcerer to death was instead extinguished by the raging fire.

However, the remnants' fears and assumptions were only half right.

Valette's gaze caught that.

A new, severe burn was etched onto Bert's right shoulder.

Just as I saw the wound being licked by a thin film of light, it seemed as if the two had a chain reaction, and the flames on my right hand intensified.

(Could it be—)

Valeta doubted her eyes and exhaled a trembling breath.

As for the wounded wolf, its eyes were filled with rage, and it kicked the ground hard.

Compared to Bert's usual speed, the acceleration was far too slow.

However, this swift advance was enough to catch the stunned enemy completely off guard.

As Valetta and the others stared wide-eyed, Bert leaped, unleashing a burst of firepower from his right hand.

He also transformed the flames of the other three blazing infernos, raising the burning and expanding "Flaming Fangs" high above his head.

In desperation, Valette grabbed the shoulders of the remaining members of her party and used them as human shields.

The next moment.

"————————————————"

The blow, raised high and swung down, turned the underground space into a scorching world.

★

Just as Ais, transformed into the wind, was about to arrive in front of the palace.

A terrifying, swift, and fierce flame descended upon the human world from the enormous forecourt.

「!?」

Crimson Lotus roared as it crashed through the ground.

To avoid being swallowed by the swirling flames in front of her, Ais forcibly changed her direction of travel while simultaneously activating her "magic".

"Awaken!"

Ais, clad in a suit of airflow armor, endured the oncoming heatwave.

"What...!?"

Even in the distant city center—the skyscraper complex (Tower of Babel)—that the scene can be seen with the naked eye.

It was as if a giant wolf had transformed into a fiery incarnation and howled at the moon, with a massive pillar of flame appearing there.

"A fire has broken out in the direction of Fengyue Street...!?"

"It seems Bert used 'magic'."

"Brother Bert's 'magic'!? Does he have magic!?"

Raul's mouth gaped open in astonishment at Grace's whisper.

The youth and the other members of the group were shocked, and the dwarf nodded emphatically to them:

"Of course there are. But Bert absolutely refuses to use them."

He turned his eyes toward Loki as if to confirm, and Loki nodded slightly in response.

"Let me think. At least when they converted and joined our [familia], the 'magic' had already manifested."

Ignoring the silence of Raul and the others, Grace gazed southeast where the flames had disappeared.

"That kid's 'magic' can devour any 'magic power'."

"Devouring 'magic power'...? Could that be...?"

"That's right, 'magic drain'...that's the attribute of that kid's 'magic'."

Bert's magic name is "Hati".

This limb-specific additional magic is not only powerful in itself, but its true essence lies in "magic absorption." The flames will devour all attacks that come into contact with and contain "magic," thereby increasing their output and power.

"Bert's 'Frosvelt' is a degraded version of 'Hati's' equipment. The kid absolutely refused to use 'magic,' so based on its attributes, I placed an order with Tsubaki to forge a weapon."

When Grace revealed the origin of the metal boots, Raul, Anachiti, and the others held their breath.

They had known Bert for a long time and were unaware of this.

"This...this amazing 'magic,' why didn't Brother Bert use it before...? Having this move would make us even stronger...!"

"Because of 'scars'."

"what?"

"That person will force Bert to confront his own pain (scars)..."

Raul said excitedly, and Loki answered him.

The goddess with crimson hair murmured forlornly, looking down at her palm, as if recalling the [ability stats] etched on the young man's back. "That has another attribute. You should say this is the primary attribute."

"Primary attribute...?"

"Damage drain... Bert's magic expands every time he gets injured."

"...!"

"It's different from Tiona and the others' Berserk. That can infinitely increase the firepower of 'magic', it's on a completely different level."

Hearing Loki's epic description, Raul and the others were truly speechless this time.

At the same time, they unfortunately came to understand the true nature of the "magic" that is Hati.

When absorbing magic, the sorcerer cannot avoid being hit by "magic" due to the properties of the added magic. The magic (Hati) forces Bert to be "injured" in exchange for power. He even consumes the damage he suffers.

Through Bert's "injury," the giant wolf's "fangs" will become stronger than anything else.

"That is the true face of Bert's 'fangs'... no, you could say its origin."

Grace listened to Loki's heartbroken tone and continued:

"Bert only used that 'magic' once, in front of us. During the expedition, the follow-up troops encountered an 'irregular' situation… Raul, Angie, you should remember that, right?"

"You mean...what happened five years ago?"

"We were with the advancing troops at the time... but several people died later, you mean that time?"

"Hmm... When the band members were being killed one after another, Bert chanted that incantation. He chanted it, and then burned everything. He concentrated the monsters' attacks on himself and managed to drive them back. I was fighting off enemies from another direction at the time and could only stand by and watch..."

Of all those who actually witnessed Bert's howling in the rear guard, only Linne survived.

The dwarf warrior added this sentence with regret.

When everyone was speechless, Grace looked out at the entire sky.