Chapter 24.1 - Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [7] – part 1 (1/2)

Chapter 24. Magic Swordsman and Black Organization [7] – part 1

I didn’t stop the group of black cloaks and Dodriel from escaping. Rather, there was no time to stop them.

「Ria, Rose…! Wake up!」

I shook their shoulders strongly, but… perhaps the damage was too much, as they did not react at all.

「Damn…」

I had no choice but to carry the two of them on both sides and start running towards the exit at full speed.

(Please… let it just be my over-thinking…!)

The group of black cloaks pulled back easily. Too easily that it gave me an uneasy feeling.

Their retreat was too timely… and that scared me.

The presence of a second explosion – a much larger explosion inevitably crossed my mind.

「Uoooooooh!」

I desperately rushed down the stairs.

Rather than rushing down – it was more the momentum of falling down from jumping.

From 6th to 5th floor.

From 5th to 4th floor.

From 4th to 3rd floor.

I moved cautiously and quickly so as not to burden the two unconscious as much as possible.

「A little bit more…!」

When I finally arrived on the first floor and saw the exit.

There was a nasty sound like a pin or something had came off.

Spine-chilling pressure froze my whole body.

(No, way…!?)

A second later, there was an enormous explosion that was incomparable in scale to the previous one.

The center point was probably the VIP room on the seventh floor.

And the power was far beyond my expectations. Not just to the extent of this building. It was powerful enough to blow away the whole area.

「UOOOOOOOO!」

I ran.

With the explosion being just a fraction of a second behind me.

But – no matter how much training I have, I’m human after all.

There is a limit to my speed, and I can’t outrun an explosion.

(Shit, I won’t make it out in time…)

At least as minimal resistance, I hugged the unconscious Ria and Rose tightly.

(If I can act as a shield even a little for the both of them…)

A fraction of a second later, while bracing for the impact of the explosion,

「Desiccate -〈Withered Parasol〉」

The explosion that was closing in right behind me disappeared in one breath.

「…Eh?」

While I was stunned,

「If it wasn’t explicitly a surprise attack, such a poor and boring explosion is no big deal.」

The woman who erased the explosion laughed mysteriously.

「Y-You are…」

The moment I spoke.

「As expected of Rize-sama… Aaaaaa!」

「That was well done! As expected of the lone woman of the Five Wealthy Merchants!」

「Hahaha! House Dorahain will be safe for decades to come!」

The people around me were cheering excitedly.